Reis waved his hands dismissively about Ezra's question about the soap. From there though they'd clearly misunderstood one another. Reis thought he'd prepared a bath for himself but apparently it'd been the other way around and now he thought he was suggesting that they bathe together. With little more prompting than that Ezra stepping into the tub, grabbing a washcloth expectantly. Reis shook his head.<br/><br/>“I bathed before bed,” he said, shaking his head despite their being more than enough room in the tub for the both of them. There wasn't a single thing wrong with Ezra look wise either but that was a path Reis wasn't willing to entertain. He had already taken the asha into his bedroom. His servants weren't much for gossip but even they would start to talk if he started bathing with him as well. And so Reis got dressed while Ezra was bathing (alone). Reis instructed him to find something to wear but permitted him to leave his back uncovered. He applied the salve again and would the burns breath. When they went downstairs for breakfast Andras was in the dining hall, smiling at them. An excess amount of food had been prepared so everyone would have options, including the asha.<br/><br/>“Hope you slept okay,” he said. Reis couldn't hide his scowl as he thought about the kink in his neck. At the table, Andras had letters and envelopes laid out all around him.<br/><br/>“I'm writing invitations,” he explained if it wasn't obvious. He had only glanced slightly at Ezra, as if pretending last night hadn't occurred. “I'd ask Ezra to help me but most asha are too stupid for such tasks.”<br/><br/>“Most,” Reis said, “And anyway, I'm taking Ezra to fly some of the birds today. I doubt he'd rather sit here and help you with your letters when he could be doing that.” Especially considering what Andras had done last night. His cousin only shrugged and Reis picked at things as he added small portions to his plate. Mostly mild flavors of unremarkable colors, whereas the Tuloan foods had been showcased in all their vibrancy. The staff would be able to feast on whatever they didn't so it was unlikely anything would go to waste. After the day prior Andras avoided any unfamiliar fare and went on about event details. The stack of invitations was growing rapidly and Reis made a noise of unease.<br/><br/>“You are inviting far more than is customary,” Reis commented.<br/><br/>“Well, we want to leave an impression. Your last event was quite boring, wasn't it, Reis? Your parents would be happy to see you properly socialized. Nothing scandalous, I already know.” “Mmm,” Reis responded, neither in agreement but not exactly protesting. He left his cousin to his planned and took Ezra outside to an attachment to the garden where he had his raptors kept in large domed cages. He showed Ezra the thick leather sleeves and one at a time they were coaxed down from their individual perches at the promise of a reward to sate their hunger.<br/><br/>“We will use them to catch rodents out in the garden.” Dual purpose, now triple purpose. The falcons ate, vermin minimized, and Ezra got some morning sunshine. He started with the tried and true creatures first before moving along to the ones that were green in their training. Those that were still learning wore masks upon being taken out until they could hone their focus and thin tethers when they were being worked without their blinders.<br/><br/>“I take them out when I organize a hunt on horseback, to retrieve small game we manage to take down, though I haven't been on one in a long while. I'm a pretty lousy shot myself.” But the falcons were useful and Reis had exemplary control over the ones he did graduate to taking on real hunts. There he would cut away a piece of the prize for them. In this case, he allowed them to consume the entirety of the rodents, bones and all, though he turned his face away and held them at a distance if they were perched on his gloved arm. Blood would forever turn his stomach and he didn't much appreciate the crunch of bones breaking beneath a strong beak but this was necessary for the care of his raptors.<br/><br/>“Hunting is pretty common here in Belmir. Do they do anything of the sort on Tuloa? I don't know what..<i>skills </i>your keepers allowed you to entertain,” Reis asked, curious what the asha did when the time was their own.<i>If </i>the time was their own.