I looked at her extended hand as she might have looked at my own. Not since Red Hare, a goblin witch doctor, had an apprenticeship worked out in my favor.
"In my defense," I said, "you haven't given me your name."
I'd been about to say that she was human. That... might work out for others, and if I live long enough, might also work for me.
"Wendi." she said, shaking the hand slightly up and down. "Our landlady and boss is named Gwendolyn."
"For one year and a day." I said. "A trial apprenticeship."
She beamed as though she knew what she was getting. "Great! Where should we start?"
"Citizenship papers?" I hoped out loud.
"You need Gwen for that, she owns the house." She tapped her chin idly. "We need twenty parcels of anti-allergen tea. Powder, not mixed and boiled. Do you know the recipe?"
I recited the one I knew of.
She frowned. "Learn to say no, masteress, I do not." <1>
Ahem. Again, before people ask. Rhishisikk is not human, he doesn't think like a human, and his reactions... well, they speak for themselves.
Notice the things he thinks are important, versus what you or I would care about. This is deliberate, because you the reader are worth a non-human viewpoint.
And if you look, you can see where and how those priorities develop. [squeaky geek noises removed by Sanity filter]
As always, thank you for your readership. I'm looking forward to showing how Charisma versus not being human play out next chapter (but no spoilers).