So today we’re going to talk some more about me.

About my amazing negotiation skills, and how I properly put Darvel in his place.

Obviously my lovely and beautiful wife is also going to feature, as is only right.

Yes, yes darlings I know it’s taking a bit long to get to your parts in the story.

Well it’s not my fault you guys only met me much later, now is it?

Anyway, the other girls are starting to get a bit agitated that their parts in the story haven’t come up yet.

But you don’t have to worry, I won’t rush through anything to get there.

We wouldn’t want you to miss a moment of my amazingness now would we.

I know, I know, but we have all the time in the world ladies, just be patient, and enjoy the show.

Your man is going to entertain the hell out of these people.

Anyway, let’s get into it.

***

Julia and I were led to Darvel by the little elven waitress, she hurried along the hallways of the inn like someone was chasing her.

Well I guess someone who looked from a distance might have suspected that we were chasing her.

I actually had to lengthen my strides a bit just to keep up with her pace.

Julia with her much shorter legs had to almost jog just to keep up.

Which as you can imagine didn’t go over too well with her.

Which only led to the girl picking up the pace even more every time she looked back and saw Julia’s angry disposition.

Which actually led to a pretty comedic loop, if you ask me.

Obviously none of this bothered me in the slightest, those two shorties would basically have to jog to outpace me when I was at full stride.

Finally after a very quick journey from the staircase all the way to the dining room, we were standing in front of the previously rude elf.

I say previously rude elf, because even me in all of my genius, and wisdom, was completely flabbergasted by what I saw.

In front of us was a table with a full spread on it.

We’re talking a five star restaurant quality meal.

Everything you could possibly think about wanting to eat was present on that table.

There were appetizers, there were desserts, there were full on meal courses.

Everything.

And behind the table stood Darvel, a massive smile plastered on his face.

The man looked like he wanted to hug me out of joy. Which at the time seemed a bit suspicious to me.

I know I’m good.

I know I’m a genius.

Hell I knew that I could make both of us a lot of money.

But this rapid change was almost enough to give me whiplash.

Now did I mind that he finally noticed my brilliance?

Of course not.

I was even slightly pissed that it took him this long.

But that didn’t mean I would just forgive and forget.

He did insult my woman after all.

No one calls the people I care about names, and gets away with it.

"Mr Daniel! Thank you for joining me." He said, pulling out a chair for me and Julia. "Please, sit, sit."

Being the composed and adaptable person I am, I didn’t even hesitate to sit down. After waiting for Julia to sit first of course, I am a gentleman after all.

"What can we do for you Darvel?" I asked.

I could’ve sworn I saw the man turn slightly pale when he glanced at Julia before answering me.

"I just wanted to apologize for the way I treated you and your lovely..." Darvel drifted off, clearly not sure of the relationship between me and Julia.

"Wife," I helped him, I just said that to ensure he treated her with the same respect he had suddenly decided to show me.

I didn’t expect that simple word to turn the man even paler, or to cause the clearly visible sweat on his forehead.

I also didn’t expect the word to have that effect on Julia.

As soon as the word had landed, her head had snapped in my direction.

At first I had thought that maybe I had messed up, I mean I doubt most women would like being called a man’s wife after only a couple of days.

That thought only lasted until I saw the massive, beautiful, beaming smile that appeared on her face.

Now, of course, I know that obviously she would have been happy, even proud, I mean look at me, I’m pretty great.

But at that time I wasn’t as perfectly confident as I am now.

"You... your wife." Darvel stammered, the man looked like he was going to have an aneurysm.

"I’m truly sorry about everything I said to the two of you."

When I turned my gaze toward Julia again, I found her still looking at me, with a soft smile, and a slight nod she signalled that I might as well forgive the jerk.

"Sure, it’s fine... just don’t let it happen again." I said.

I could almost see the mountain being lifted from the man’s back. I could’ve sworn I even saw him unclench.

You know his—

Anyway, I thought that that would be about it.

He’d apologized.

I’d accepted.

Now we can both be on our way, and I’d never have to deal with him again.

But then the man went and surprised me even more.

"Now about those plans of yours," he started as he began pouring drinks for all of us. "Would you tell me more about them?"

Now that completely surprised me.

Even more than the apology.

I could understand if he had suddenly decided to become a better person, and apologize, hell maybe he had just had a bad day, and took it out on us.

Not that that would excuse racism at all.

But that would be something I could understand.

I mean those kinds of excuses were used constantly on Earth.

And then if the person was afraid of the bad PR it would get them they would apologize profusely, maybe even go to some anger management classes.

Do some charity work.

Hell sometimes they even adopted a child, just to sweep their bad press under the rug.

Yet they never really changed.

I had kind of expected that to be a similar situation.

But there we were, not only was the man apologizing, it even seemed like he wanted to go into business together.

"Listen Darvel, no offense, but I don’t think you and me working together is going to work." I said, starting to get up from my chair.

From the corner of my eye I could see Julia give Darvel a pretty mean look.

And by mean, I mean it was practically a death glare.

Like if looks could kill, Darvel, all of his predecessors, and all of his successors would have been dead on the spot.

Now obviously I didn’t know what that was all about.

I did however know that there was no way that I would do business with a racist, who was only doing it to avoid some bad press.

"Please wait!" Darvel yelled, even going so far as to get on his knees in front of me. "I’ll give you anything you want, just tell me more about your ideas!"