And I did.

After the first week I took on two of her senior students full time. Both were high elves; one named Quentalë Tur, the other Astalde Aria, the latter who was of an ancient line of famous bards. Quentalë was investing his time in understanding potential feminism within the first major, ancient civilisation that spanned much of northern Raiaera. Astalde was personally focused and was trying to understand the precise origins of bardic tradition, focusing on Khal’jaren, the sage god. These both I had curiosity over, wondering what they might discover in their research and had already encouraged Quentalë to travel north to a ruin recently uncovered.

I prepared and presented my first lecture to a wide-eyed, eager audience. There were more than a hundred students, some of whom stared at me in horror as I strode in. I could hear whispers of, “so it's true … they did hire a demon.” Subtly I smiled, the eyes of many high elves and the spare human watching me as I laid my satchel on the front desk and looked at them.

“My name is Professor Charles Rivers,” I introduced myself. “My expertise is in early Thayne worship and the aftermath of the Great Calamity. Madam Hera has asked me to speak to you once a week on these particular topics. What I plan to do during this lecture is introduce myself and set out a plan for the next few weeks.” I leant forwards onto the desk, surveying them as easily as I had done with every class beforehand. “I encourage questions, conversation and post-class discussion. I only ask that you follow one simple rule: respect.”

I paused, and they waited upon me with baited breath, the room perfectly still and silent as I held them hostage. A smile came to my lips, and my heart raced as I gazed about the new world I had come to, and the opportunities before me.

“To begin …”

The search for my home was somewhat more difficult. I began with living directly out of the hotel, and thus the need to find a home, now I had a job, was somewhat urgent. Without any knowledge of the city and any other direction I began by asking Hera where were good locations. She ended up taking me herself the next day to apartments that could be leased near to the university itself. As the university was near the centre of the city, this meant that there were numerous ones, and none too close to the edge of the island, where the sea was a constant threat.

A note, however, appeared in my office the day after. It was in a scratchy, spidery hand and informed me that I had a meeting arranged with a Sadoran Adar the next day, who had an apartment that would fit my requirements. The note told me a precise time and place. It took me a moment to take in the information and remember that my brother had requested I take an apartment in an area of the city he approved of. Sighing, I took up the letter and memorised the time and place.

I arrived at the appointment with time to spare. It was a tall, three storey building, tucked in amongst similar but smaller types, down a narrow alley. Around a ten minute walk from terrace building with my new office it was certainly convenient, but lacking the brightness that I had seen in other locations. Standing of the door I waited for some time, only the city gulls for company, before a shadowy figure appeared down the road. It took me only a short while to match scowl to elf, and figure out he was the same Morningstar fan from my interview.

Deeply, I sighed, before stepping out, not bothering to unfold my arms. “Sandoran Adar, I presume.”

He grunted as he came to me, dark hair framing his sharp features. Immediately he stretched out a hand and I saw a shine of light. Frowning I caught glimpse of a set of iron keys.

“The rent is three hundred gold per month,” he said with a sour tone. “It has been emptied already for your convenience.”

“I would prefer to see the property first, before I accept thank you,” I replied tersely.

“He said it was yours,” he frowned, “and would accept his decision.”

Stepping back I released my arms to gesture at the door, “if I could see the property first, Master Adar.”

The elf growled at me, lip curling with disgust. “You are not worth his attention.”

“Well he definitely disagrees with you on that,” I answered, and pointed again.

Rolling his eyes he walked forwards and let me in.