The Possibility of Chance

“James Saint Mirth to see Ankre Thunderborn.” He said to the attendant outside the Ankre’s office. Looking up at him, the attendant went through a book found James’s name, then went through another that showed a schedule.
 
“He’s got a few minutes right now. But please be quick about it.”
 
“Thank you!” James respectfully enters the Ankre’s office. “Ankre Thunderborn, I hope you are well today.”
 
“Well enough for a dwarf my age. Let’s the the pleasantries out of the way. I like what you’ve done with your room. I like what I’m seeing in Koren and how they’re coming along. And thank you for inventorying that room. Now…what do you want?” Thunderborn spoke in a gentle, but stern tone, as he was wont to do.
 
James takes a breath, readying himself for this big favor. “Anke Thunderborn, I would like for you to give me, or more specifically a person I’m going to be looking like, permission to instruct a Lady of noble birth on the Gods, in this case, the Wave-Master himself.” James stated it as matter of factly as possible. The old Ankre just looked at him, the silence stretched and tension built. Finally Thunderborn spoke softly, and cautiously, breaking the silence.
 
“Tell me Mr. Saint Mirth. Why should I give you this permission? And why should it be you, and not one of the young priests? And most importantly, why do you need to look like someone else?”
 
James knew this was the make or break moment. “This noble Lady is someone I fancy. And given the differences in our station, and the mile wide traditional streak of the branch of their house, I was barely able to be around her before. And now something’s happened, and her minders are like sharks chasing a fishing boat. They know me, my face. So if I want to spend any time with her, I have to…get creative.”
 
Thunderborn sits still, his face like a granite statue, no expression, not even a hint of one. “And does this Lady fancy you, Mr. Saint Mirth?” His tone is almost completely flat.
 
James thinks about the times they’ve shared, brief and few though they’ve been. “She’s, got a complicated situation Ankre. She hasn’t had her coming out yet, and she’s intended to be engaged to another. And now something’s happened to her, or maybe her parents got tired of her sneaking out and they’ve decided they need an entire pack of watch dogs to growl at anything that tries to come close.”
 
 
A small glimmer of something, a little mischievous maybe, shines behind the Ankre’s eyes. “That’s not the question I asked. I asked if she fancies you.”
 
“Honestly Ankre, I don’t know. I know things she’s said, and way’s she’s acted around me tell me she finds me to be safe, and a comfort to her, and I think she could very well come to fancy me. But she’s been told only of disappointment, and that things have to be the proper, traditional way, and she isn’t allowed anything else.” James looks him in the eyes with as pleading a look as he can without it being desperate. “She could be a rose. She is a rose, but she could be mine. I don’t know yet, but I at least want the chance to find out. And with how her family is treating her now, I can’t spend more than a handful of minutes near her before her minders start trying to set me ablaze with their gaze alone!” He smiles at that last part. “And her religious education is lacking, I wasn’t kidding at that part. I will legitimately be teaching her what I know, but I’ll be wearing the guise of another so her minders let us be within a boat length of each other.”
 
 
Ankre Thunderborn looks seriously at James, a truly penetrating gaze trying to punch a whole straight to his spirit and find the truth. “You say this Lady hasn’t had her coming out yet. How old is she Mr. Saint Mirth.”
 
“Twenty-four, Anker. Apparently she was meant to be married before but things fell through and the marriage was broken off, and her coming out postponed. She was then sent to the convent of Lorelai here.”
 
Again, for several minutes the silence stretched between them, Thunderborn showing no expression and eyes peering into James. “What’s this ladies name?”
 
“Mirabella Rosebriar.”
 
The old Ankre holds the expression for a few seconds more, but can’t suppress the chuckle that breaks though, no can he stop the smile the comes to his face. “By all the Broken Keels boy, you know how to pick them don’t you?” His laugh becomes full throated and booming. James nervously follows suit. A little while later the dwarf stops laughing, but the smile doesn’t leave, and his eyes are shining bright with mischief. “You’re deciding to truly put our tennents to the test aren’t you? I know of her branch of the house. This won’t be iron versus iron, or even metal versus metal. You’re attacking a forty gun gunship with a rowboat armed with the shittiest paper money can buy!” He laughs again, and James feels some relief at this, his laugh being genuine and one of relief and release.
 
“What can I say Ankre. She showed me something I’d never seen and gave me hope for something i never dreamed I could have.”
 
“Mr. Saint Mirth, you’re lucky I’m a bit of a sucker for hopeless seeming causes. But I’ve had my own fair share of love in my time. And the Wave-Master knows, when rules and traditions get in the way of something like this, then they need to be ignored. Okay, I grant you permission to train this Lady Rosebriar in the Gods, specifically in relation to the Wave-Master. I grant this to you in whatever form you happen to wear. And you may do it here as if it’s in the church it’s less likely you’ll be denied this.”
 
 
“Thank you very much Ankre Thunderborn. I promise you I will not let any problems arise from this.” James said, grateful that this absolutely insane plan isn’t dead on arrival.
 
 
“Oh it better not Mr. Saint Mirth.”
 
“If it does, then I submit myself to the revocation of any and all favors you’ve given me, and I will leave you and the church alone from that moment on.” James says, with all seriousness. Ankre Thunderborn just looks at him, a sly smile on his face.
 
“No Mr. Saint Mirth. If you doing this brings problems to this holy place and it’s people, I’ll take back nothing I’ve given you, and you will not leave. I’ll tie a damn anchor chain around you myself and keep you in the yard till you’ve learned better!” The old dwarf tried to be serious, but the smile and laughter put lie to his words…mostly. “Now go and I wish you luck if finding out if she’s your Rose, or another pretty flower out of your reach.”
 
James bows to the Ankre, and leaves his office. “Now, how to write a letter that won’t get thrown in the fire as soon as it’s delivered.”