A surprising dinner

Having left behind Kris and Eve (after a quickie with the goblin) to discuss their...reunion? That was still up in the air, but regardless, you had a dinner to attend. You polymorph into your human form and meet up with the worried captain, giving a quick explanation that Eve and Kristhyra were fine, before a familiar man showed up at Camilla's front door.

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry, I didn't get your name earlier. I'm Dusk." You hold out your hand to shake.

The black-haired man who had spoken up for Eve in front of the church bows. "It is good to meet you formally, Dusk. I am Kaguya, Kara's father."

"No offense, but I'm sensing a pattern with your family's naming convention." You chuckle.

Kaguya chuckles in response. "It is my family's tradition, something my wife allowed me to continue when naming our children. Camilla, it is good to see you again, as well. You do not visit as often as you should."

The captain's cheeks turn a slight shade of red as she scratches the side of her head. "Well, you know, I haven't really had time with training, and the hornets, and now I have a bunch of rookies with me." She lightly punches your arm.

"Hey, I'm hardly a rookie at this point." You raise your hands.

"I know, I know. Anyway, Uncle, I'm sorry. I should have made time." She cups a hand around her fist and bows, which leads you to believe it's a cultural thing, like in Japan back on Earth.

"You should, especially with what my daughter is telling me." He chuckles, before placing a hand over his chest. "Camilla, Dusk, would you give me and my wife the honor of joining us for dinner tonight?"

You glance to Camilla, who seems to respond like this is normal. "We would be honored, sir."

Kaguya pauses for a moment, giving an almost confused look to both you and the captaiin. "Then allow me to escort you to our home." He steps back, allowing you and Camilla to pass through before she closes the door. "My daughter has told me a great many things about you, Dusk."

You chuckle. "I'm flattered, but I can't imagine I'm a very interesting person."

"Nonsense! A monster living among humans is hardly something that would not be considered interesting. You have even taken it upon yourself to defend the same humans who despise you from the more hostile monsters. I do not know if I could do the same in your shoes, Dusk." He speaks from ahead of you, turning his head to be able to look at you while talking.

"Well, while I'd prefer to keep to myself, my conscience wouldn't let me. That's why I revealed myself to Kara and Connor so soon. If I hadn't, they'd be hornet food, right now." You rub the back of your head.

"That is another reason we wished to have you, Dusk: as a thank you for saving them that day. We would have asked sooner, but we did not want you to think Kara betrayed your trust at the time." He stops for a moment. "She told us everything that evening, so you know. She knew we would not oust you to the public before you were ready, despite both her and our own hesitation in trusting you. It is good to know you are worthy of our trust."

[Translated from elvish for reader's convenience]

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Eve...Rina... - she didn't know what to call herself at this point - runs her hand through Kristhyra's hair. "I mean, look at me. Even if what the hero said is true, I can't go back home..."

"Then I'll stay here with you." The elf sniffs, still recovering from her crying. "I'm not going to leave you behind, Rina. I lost you once...I'm not going to lose you again."

"I appreciate that, but...I can't let you stay. With the Empress around, things are getting a lot more dangerous... Who knows what's upriver?" [A common elven saying for 'who knows what the future holds?']

Kris raises her head from Rina's chest, now sitting on her feet. "That's all the more reason for me to stay! You need as much help as you can get, and I was blessed by Arsorisa!" She scoots closer, and while her friend's form is...not wonderful to look at, she musters up the courage to stare Rina in the face. "Please, let me help you...I couldn't help before, so please let me help now..."

It's not good, feeling so useless...I don't want to put her in danger, but I can't say no, either. "Kris..." Eve sighs. "You don't leave my side, okay? Or, if I'm busy with goblin stuff, stick with the captain. She can probably protect you better than I can, anyway." She nervously chuckles.

You enter the abode, finding two square tables full of food next to each other, with a beautiful blond woman in a floral yukata sitting on her feet at the 'head'. Her garment is similar to a Japanese one, but with the waistband tied in the front. "Greetings Dusk, hero of Riverbend." She bows her head. "I appreciate you joining us for dinner. You may address me as Miki. Please, sit." She gestures to the pillow next to her. "And Camilla, captain of the guard, welcome back." She gestures to a pillow further down. "Please sit, as well."

Kaguya rounds the table and kneels on a pillow. "Kara will be joining us shortly. She had to finish preparing something."

Camilla takes the lead and sits cross-legged on the pillow offered. "What about Connor?"

The couple share a curious look before Miki answers. "Connor is playing with one of his friends for now."

You take Camilla's cue and sit cross-legged on your seemingly designated pillow. "So I take it that means it will just be us five for dinner?"

"You would be correct. Connor is not yet old enough to understand the intricacies of such arrangements. Would you like some tea?" She picks up a tea pot off of a woven hot pad.

You nod, and Camilla speaks up. "Forgive me. I may not be an expert in your culture, but...you both seem to be taking today rather seriously."

Miki looks to Camilla, then to you, then to Kaguya, who does the same but with a bit more of a confused look on his face, before continuing with a throat-clearing cough. "You both must know how long Kara has awaited the day she can express her emotions properly to you, Camilla. For the past five years, I've encouraged her to find a man to continue the family lineage, but she insisted every step of the way that she wanted to stand with you at her side." The matriarch sets down the teapot, having filled everyone's cups, including Kara's.

"Geez, now I'm feeling like an idiot..." The captain pinches her nose.

Miki's mouth curls into a smirk. "I am glad you recognize your...imperceptiveness."

You slightly raise your hand. "If I may, Miki, I feel like the 'thank you' dinner could, and maybe should, have happened separate from Camilla's first dinner with you as Kara's girlfriend. It seems like you're trying to accomplish a bit much with a single meal." You chuckle.

Kaguya and Miki share a look, and even a silent conversation by the looks of it, before her own turns to understanding. Miki lightly purses her lips as she turns back to you. "Kara never informed you both of your situation, did she?"

"Of course I didn't, mother." Kara walks around from behind a corner in her own floral yukata, this one tied in the back like you think it should be. "How do you expect me to tell someone that they're considered property by my family's culture?"