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This wasn't what Caleb had in mind when Essik called to collect on one of his many owed favors. But here he was, standing before the front gate to Essik's home. It was much smaller than the Xhorhous, but it was still nice with a nicely tended garden out front. The path to the front door was lined with bioluminescent flowers that shimmered in shades of blue and silver in the perpetual starlight.
Caleb swallowed and straightened his vest and tugged on his sleeves. He felt overdressed, but Jester and Nott had insisted on this outfit - flowing long-sleeved shirt, embroidered vest and a nearly suffocating scarf that was tucked snuggly into his vest. "It's just tea, ja?" he whispered to himself. "We drink tea all the time."
"Are you going to keep me waiting all afternoon, Mr. Widogast?"
Caleb's eye snapped up from the cobblestone they were fixated on to see the charming drow standing before him. Essik seemed shorter than he recalled, perhaps it was the absence of his highly decorated mantle that he wore to court or that his feet were placed firmly on the ground. "Ah...Nein...No."
Essik smiled and held open the gat and Caleb stepped through and followed the drow into the house. The interior was rather plain until they reached the study where Caleb was welcomed by a wall of well-stocked and organized bookshelves. Off to one side was a desk piled with books and scrolls with an open cabinet filled with what Caleb assumed to be material components (also carefully organized).
Essik followed the man’s gaze. “Ah, pay that no mind, just some late-night ideas.”
“I would like to take a look- if you don’t mind, that is.” Caleb offered.
Essik chuckled. “I appreciate the offer, Mr. Widogast-”
“Caleb.”
“Huh.”
“You can call me ‘Caleb’.”
“I appreciate the offer, Caleb, but that’s not why I invited you over.”
“Oh?” Caleb’s brow furrowed with confusion.
Essik gave an assuring smile as one of his ears twitched. “I thought you might enjoy some peaceful reading. Your companions are…”
“A handful, ja.” Caleb smiled fondly. “Never a dull moment in the Xhorhous.”
“Right, I thought you would appreciate the opportunity to study and read in peace.” Essik nervously cleared his throat. “So I’m offering you access to my library, with my close supervision, of course.”
“Ja ja, of course.” Caleb tugged on the scarf, he felt warm. Whether it was nerves or the exciting opportunity that was being offered to him.
Essik gestured to a sizable table that had a stack of parchment, several ink wells, and just as many quills painstakingly organized on it. “Make yourself comfortable, don’t touch or look at my desk, and I will be back with some lunch.” He headed back toward the door.
“Lunch?”
“Yes, best not study on an empty stomach, right?” Essik paused. “Do you have a preference in tea? Or sandwiches?”
“Nein, anything is fine.”
Essik nodded. “A sampling then.”
The drow returned rather quickly with a tray of tea and small sandwiches, which he gently placed on the table where Caleb had already had pulled a sizeable stack of books.
“I can read these, ja?”
Essik quickly scanned the books and gave an approving nod. “Yes, these are fine.”
Caleb nodded and began quickly scanning each page, taking mental notes of which passages and entries to return to do a deeper reading. Essik went to his own desk to continue his work, periodically glancing over at Caleb to see the man completely absorbed into his work with a quill quickly scribbling across many rolls of parchment. He absent-mindedly bit into one of the small sandwiches or taking a sip of tea. Essik smiled and settled into his own work, enjoying the quiet company.