Tavin and Sera came to the base the next morning, through the northern approach Frument used for formal dispatches, only this time they came in person.
Tavin wore his administrative coat, the grey one with the small symbols at the cuffs. Sera was in her usual traveling clothes, which was its own form of statement, since Sera wearing traveling clothes to a formal meeting meant she had already decided the meeting was formal enough without her having to perform it.
They sat down at the table.
Due had tea ready. Tavin accepted a cup, but Sera did not.
"Frument would like to formalize its alliance with Sun Harvest at the Echelon level," said Tavin.
He spoke, every word chosen, no visible energy in the delivery.
Alistair had learned, during the two months Sun Harvest had been sharing a border with Frument, that Tavin's lack of visible energy was not a lack of care. It was the discipline of a man running a settlement's survival for two generations.
Due nodded. "Terms?"
