Had it been one of the assistants whose lunchbreak had been interrupted, they might have been told to come back another time. But Tenner took one look at the impatient woman and her frazzled son, and just smiled again and nodded.
"Well, don't go pulling your gold out in the hallway," he said kindly, pulling the door the rest of the way open with one hand as he untucked the napkin and wadded it in the other. "Please, come in. I'm Sir Tenner Nigriso. Here, let me help you with that, ma'am," he added, taking the woman's bags from her.
He led them through the antechamber, which housed several padded benches for those waiting to speak with the person in charge, as well as a desk where his assistant usually sat. He moved past it without a glance, leading them through the open door in the back to his personal office. Within was an even larger desk with a high-backed chair behind it and two stuffed armchairs in front for guests, which he waved them into after placing the woman's bag beside one.
"I take it you've just arrived in Syliras? Why don't you tell me a bit about where you've come from and what your plans are," he said, stepping quietly over to a sidebar to pour them each a glass of cool water, which were placed on the desk in front of them. Once he settled into his own chair, he set his napkin to one side and scooted his plate towards them in invitation, offering them some of the fresh apple slices and soft, crusty bread that remained.