First day back at work

[krenz]

Krenz looked at his desk and smiled. He can't believe that he had only been gone from his home and his job for a year, it seemed like an eternity. He cleaned the top of his desk with a rag and brought out a box of work things. He took out his "classy" glasses and put them on. He took out his nice trash can and placed it by his desk. He took out a framed picture of his ex-girlfriend and him and frowned. He sat up in his chair, studying it.

He took a little vile of the pepper he bought from Ruhk, he licked a pinch of it and closed the cap of the vile, putting it back in his pocket. He looked at the picture again; he threw it away in the trash can. He then began unpacking more of his things to place on top of his desk. He placed an empty vase on his desk.

Hmm, need a flower or two he thought to himself. I should have picked some while I was in foreign forest...

[sollie]

Sollie walked past the deserted office with an armload of books. She then started and did a double-take when she realized that it wasn't so deserted after all.

When she saw Krenz, her eyes widened in shock.

Jesus Christ and all the Graces, I've been seeing this guy everywhere lately, she thought to herself. She had seen him once...no, twice...before, in the Foreign Forest. She had even danced with him on one occasion. And now, she realized with dull horror, not only was he working here, he was her boss. She had been out cavorting with her boss, and she hadn't even realized it. Blushing furiously, she scooted past the office again, hoping he hadn't noticed her.

[krenz]

Krenz noticed Sollie walking by, with books in her hands. She seemed to be trying to hurry past him. He chucked a bit; he was sure now that he had seen her in the forest twice.

He knew that she told him to call her drake, but he knew that somehow he'd eventually find out her real name... he was indeed her boss afterall, not that he was going to insist on finding out, he just figured he'd eventually find out without intentionally searching for it. Nevertheless, he would rather not have her other co-workers confused if he called her "drake". He attempted to walk up to her and tap her on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, miss?" He said politely

[sollie]

Sollie squeaked in surprise and whirled around to face Krenz. One of her books fell off the pile as she turned and hit the floor.

Now that she had the chance to look at him properly, she realized how very good-looking he was, and this did not help matters at all. When she was out in the Foreign Forest, she had been distracted by other things and had not had time to consider his looks. Now that she was face-to-face with him here, however, her shyness at conversing with the opposite sex came back tenfold. She felt her face turn several different shades of red.

"Umm...yes...sir??" She said, her voice very shrill. She clumsily reached forward with her left foot to try and grab the fallen book with her toe.

[krenz]

Krenz smiled a bit, but felt bad for her and attempted to help her up.

"You work here?" He said "Am I wrong?"

[sollie]

"Yes sir, I do. Since last month," Sollie said timidly. "Forgive me, sir, I didn't realize that you were one of the merchants who worked here. How long have you been gone?"

[krenz]

"A Year" He said politely. "I have not yet worked here while you were here."

He was surprised how timid she was compared to in the forest when he had first met her.

[sollie]

"Oh, I see," Sollie said. She wondered if he noticed her blushing, but if he did, he didn't show it.

"So...um...did you want to talk to me about something, sir?" She said. She knew that there had to be a reason he had gotten her attention.

[krenz]

He smiled politely and looked at her.

"Well... I was just wondering ... at work... here..." He paused to think how to say his words. "What do you like to be called.... I supposed I'm asking your name in a sense..."

He was certain it was the same girl he had met in the forest twice before... it was somewhat obvious in his face...Krenz supposed.

[sollie]

Sollie sighed.

He knows who I am, she thought, he's no dummy. Anyway, he's my boss, so he'll find out my name sooner or later; I'd rather he hear it from me than be forced to go snooping.

"My name is Salyan Balah, sir. But you can call me Sollie. Everyone else does." She said.

[krenz]

Krenz smiled a bit and put out his hand for her to shake it. He noticed a co-worker walking by so he decided to save suspicion from other co-workers.

"People usually call me Krenz" He said "You can call me Krenz or Sir, whatever you're comfortable with. Although you might want to call me Sir when government officials are here though... some of them tend to be picky with that sort of thing for some reason."

[sollie]

Sollie looked at his outstretched hand, and considered the large stack of books in her arms (which were starting to get tired).

Well, it gives me an excuse to put them down, she said, and, plunking the stack on the floor, reached out to shake Krenz's hand for a second time.

"I think I'll just call you 'sir,' to be on the safe side, sir," she said, "if I called you anything else, I might slip up and accidentally call you by your name and offend any officials there. And anyway, that's what I call all my other bosses."

[krenz]

Krenz kind of smiled and noticed her placing the books down on the chair.

"Alright, if that's what makes you more comfortable." Krenz said sweetly. "Can I help you with any of those?" Krenz looked at the books she had just set down.

[sollie]

"Umm...are you sure? I mean...I'm sure you have more important things to do than my kind of work; I'm just kind of the shelving monkey." Sollie said, giggling a little, sheepishly.

[krenz]

"No, it's no trouble at all. Here let me help you." He picked up the books she had set down. "Besides, the work I needed to do today is pretty much done already. I could hold your books and hand them to you while you shelve them." He said smiling sincerely.

"That is, if you really don't have a problem with it."