Chapter 527: Primacies
Tala waited to see what would be said about Lisa, covering the smile that came unbidden to her lips with another drink of her laced coffee.
Noc had literally barked a laugh at her request, covering his mouth and chuckling for a moment or two afterward. “Forgive my outburst, but that was unexpected. Did you truly come simply to ask us about… Lisa?”
Tala shrugged, noticing the pause before Lisa’s name, which gave her an idea. “Among other things, yes. You don’t follow the House convention of addressing people by title or advancement, why is that?”
Noc grinned, motioning toward Blan who gave him a glass mug, containing a drink that was an active swirl between black and sparkling green liquids that seemed unable to truly mix. “I’ll not pry as to how you know the custom of the House lands, but I am curious what you would guess our reason is.”
She shrugged again, enjoying a bit more of her own beverage. “Even among the Houses, it’s basically just an ego stroking custom.”
Noc hitched, almost choking on his drink, his mirth apparent. He kept it together, however, and swallowed before raising an eyebrow. “Care to explain?”
She grinned. “Most people of power keep themselves veiled, so what those who matter display is hardly ever the proper advancement they hold. For those it is the proper advancement of, most of those have a false sense of pride, being addressed by the same honorific as those who are really far above them. As to the titles? Those are simply that. I see the utility as most titles hold real importance regardless of the advancement of the individual who holds them. I would assume that the titles you hold would be self-granted, and not very informative to me or other outsiders. Your advancement is expertly hidden—just as Lisa’s is, even when he shows some aura that seems to match one advancement or other—and thus, it would be counter-productive to use such as an honorific, or it would be a means of slighting you. To do so, the one addressing you would be pointing out that they’ve seen through your veil and other defenses.” Tala’s smile grew, and she gave a third shrug. “But that’s just my guess.”
Noc took up his glass again and downed nearly a third of it in one go. As the vessel clunked down on the hard-wood counter, the fox gave another vulpine grin. “I can see why Lisa likes you. You’re… interesting, especially for one so young. I expect we will hear much of you in the coming centuries, or a great deal about you for the next decade or so before your passing.”
Tala grunted a laugh and took a deep pull of her drink. This really is enjoyable.