As the day went on Essira found business pick up. There were a few like Idria’s daughter, young elves buying their first pets. Some were bratty and others well-mannered but the elf was as warm and polite as could be regardless of her personal opinions. Some simply came in to browse, eying the tiny humans and checking to see if there was anything they might want. A few were there to drop off their pets as they would be out of the city for a while, one or two were there for a few specialized human care supplies. Regardless of the want Essira was the picture of accommodation.

However, as the sun started to dip over the horizon and Essira was giving her darlings their dinner there was another jiggle of the bell upon the door. The elf lifted a brow at the noise. By the point most were heading home from work. Indeed she was just about ready to close up shop. After finishing up the feedings she walked back into the main room, setting her smile back upon her face.

Standing there in the front room was an elf woman likely well into her middle years. Well over seven centuries if Essira was to be the judge of such matters. Her brown hair was tied into a messy bun and she wore rather common clothing, a brown and grey tunic and a long ankle length skirt with a pair of rough and worn sandals on her feet. Her form was as voluptuous as they came, to the extent were Essira felt a tad jealous. She was rather tall as well though unlike Essira’s height it was handled more awkwardly than with any kind of poise and grace.

“Welcome to the Loving Arms! How can I help you this late in the day?” Essira asked, her tone as cheery as ever.

The mature elf woman fidgeted with her skirt for a few moments before inclining her head. “I’m sorry for coming in so late, just managed to get off of work. I’m hoping you can help with a little… problem I’m having.”

The woman reached into her pocket and produced a tiny human man, who started yelling and struggling pretty much immediately. “Giant cunt! Argh, let me the fuck go you knife eared bitch!”

Essira frowned at the stream of curses flying out of the man’s little mouth. However her frown turned to almost wide eyed shock when he went so far as to bite down on the woman’s thumb. The mature elf cried out and dropped the human. Essira reacted on instinct and had her hand between the unruly human and the floor before one could blink. Her grip was not nearly as gentle as the other elf’s, indeed it was as firm as they came and she positioned the squirming and yelling human so he couldn’t bite her.

Essira’s guest suckled at the flesh that had just been bitten. There was a little bit of blood drawn and skin torn. It had been a rather long while since last the human tamer had ever seen any amount of blood drawn from a human bite. She gritted her teeth and pulled out a small cage from behind her counter, dropping the unruly human inside. She produced a handkerchief and offered it out to her guest. The elf accepted it with a grateful nod and Essira led her over towards one of the chairs.

“Thank you, Miss.” She said as she dabbed at her thumb, biting her lower lip from the sting no doubt.

“Not a problem at all. I think I can guess why you’ve come in. First things first though. I’m Essira. You are?”

“Rukia. Rukia Nilis.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Rukia. Can I get you some tea?”

“You don’t need to bother yourself over me.”

Essira laughed lightly, waving a hand before her face. “Nonsense! I’d be a poor hostess if I didn’t. You sit right there and I’ll set us a nice steaming pot.”

A little while later, when both had their tea, Essira seated herself down next to Rukia with a genial smile upon her lips. Her eyes flicked towards the unruly human, who had taken to sulking in the corner of his cage. She sipped at her tea and pushed some of her bangs back behind her triangular ears, giving her full attention to her guest and potential customer. So what if it was close to closing time? Money was money after all.

Rukia took a sip and blinked. “Rich.” She remarked, looking down at the cup a little nervously.

A lyrical laugh escaped the shop owner. “Only the finest. Actually a human brew originally believe it or not, the little dears can make some wonderful things when they put their minds to it.”

The other elf nodded as she took another sip before setting her cup on the table. She took a long breath of air in through her nose and out through her mouth, likely trying to work herself up to be able to say what she needed to say. Essira found the affair amusing; she went to lengths to ensure none were nervous around her. Appeared this would be a tougher nut to crack.

“So, ah. He’s been like that ever since I’ve got him. My husband, he died in the war so I wanted something to keep me company. The apartment just gets so empty you know?” She started, speaking a little too quickly.

The peacock clad business owner gave her customer a look of sympathy and touched her arm. “Oh dear, I’m sorry to hear that.”

Rukia nodded. “Thank you. It was a few years ago. About a year after I got Leo there. I’ve tried everything I know to make him feel at home but nothing works. He just curses at me and tries to bite me whenever I hold him. My friend suggested putting him down but I couldn’t do that!”

A problem in her guest’s human care was already evident to Essira just from that. The elf set down her teacup with a resounding clink and crossed her arms under her chest. Rukia was sounding a bit like a classic doormat situation. When an elf let their human walk all over them and do whatever they want. Human cruelty was one thing, but not asserting one’s dominance over a human was the other extreme. Kali was a perfect example. That one she couldn’t do anything about but this one…

“Damn right I bite you, bitch! Don’t need some feather clad cunt’s intervention, let me out of this thing!” The human yelled from across the way, his voice rather high pitched.

Rukia looked at him in distress. “Please, Leo just try to-!”

The elder elf was cut off by a hand on her shoulder and Essira’s hand on her cheek. The human tamer pushed her head so she was back facing her again. Her green eyes were still warm but there was a firmness about them, the same look she used with her humans. She pointedly hadn’t so much as glanced Leo’s way through his little rant.

“We’re having a conversation. He’s not a part of it, Rukia.”

“But-!”

Essira squeezed Rukia’s shoulder a little. “Listen. You shouldn’t be acknowledging him like that when he does bad things or says mean things. You can’t let your human run your life, which is what it looks like he’s doing. He’s not your owner, he’s your pet. You are the mistress.”

Rukia bit her lower lip. “I-I don’t want to be cruel to him though.”

Essira shook her head slightly. “There’s a difference between cruelty and good ownership. Cruelty is abusing an otherwise obedient human for amusement or sport, good ownership is knowing when to spare the rod and spoil the pet. Sometimes you do need to break out the rod though. If you can’t do it, then leave him with me for a few weeks. When you come back he’ll be a new human.”

Rukia squirmed a little uncomfortably, managing to break her gaze away from the hypnotic green orbs and to her lap. She swallowed slightly, her nerves clear. Essira supposed she could relate. She hated punishing Elizabeth or indeed, any of her darlings. It needed to be done though. They were humans after all.

“Well… the thing is I don’t know how much I can pay you. Waiting tables doesn’t pay as well as some other things and even my late husband’s stipend isn’t substantial.”

Now it became clear why she looked uncomfortable and Essira laughed. “Afraid I’ll kick you out for not being able to pay? Nonsense my dear. Essira Thrani never turns aside a fellow elf in need. I can give you some advice then if you can’t pay and if you need instruction I’m always here to help.”

Rukia looked at Essira in surprise before wrapping a hug around her. The shop owner stiffened for a moment before patting the older elf on the back, feeling a swell in her heart. Sometimes it paid just helping people. Besides… Essira saw opportunity when it knocked and Rukia might be just what she was looking for. Of course, needed to figure out a few other matters before she made any offer.

The shop owner stood and picked up the cage, ignoring the screaming human inside. She set it down upon the floor before the chair Rukia sat upon. “Go ahead, prop your feet up. Must have been a long day, constantly on your feet and taking orders.”

A blink came from Rukia before realization dawned on her. She looked down at the cage nervously and Essira could see emotions warring inside of her. Finally, after a few moments, the busty elven tavern wench slipped her feet out of her sandals and set them upon the top of the cage. The top of the cage was smooth metal so there were no bars to dig into the soft flesh of her feet. The elf squirmed for a moment; likely fearing putting her full weight down would crush the cage but eventually managed to adjust to her new footstool.

Her long legs stretched out and as she curled her toes Essira could hear her joints popping slightly from much needed flexing. The shop owner gave her a nod of approval, a smile upon her lips to reassure the middle aged elf. Down below the human was screaming bloody murder, yelling every obscenity he could though as normal Essira paid such naughtiness next to zero attention. Rukia’s gaze started to trail down but Essira stopped her, wagging her finger.

“Remember, the elves are having a conversation. Whatever he need can wait. Now then. There are a few methods I can teach you that will help you make him more manageable. The most extreme but also most effective would be neutering. Useful if you aren’t concerned with breeding.” Essira stated, the human below falling silent at that finally.

Rukia frowned. “Wouldn’t that… hurt him?”

Essira waved a hand. “Not at all, anyone that does it would put him under first. It’s a perfectly safe, painless, and cheap procedure. Males tend to be the more aggressive and difficult to train of the species so it’s common enough. Not something I normally recommend as it’s a little extreme but in your case it might be for the best.”

There was a bit of silence as Rukia stared at the cage under her feet. Essira could see the gears of her mind working. She wondered if she was enjoying the silence from the human for once. Likewise she wondered if little Leo was finally getting a feel for how much he depended upon Rukia. One word from his busty owner and he was minus a few important bits with only a few coins changing hands.

"I’ll consider it if it’s safe. Any other methods?”

Essira hummed. “Well, laying down ground rules is important. Draw up a list of things he can’t do and if he violates the rules punish him. It’s a little like having a kid, only even smaller.” She said with a chuckle.

“What kind of rules?”

“Oh the normal kind, no back talk, no biting or scratching, no trying to escape, no refusing a command, ect. Have to watch out though, sometimes they feign obedience.”

Rukia was taking it all in, committing the words to memory it seemed. She idly scratched at one foot with the other one, shaking the cage slightly. It was more than enough to send the unruly pet within tumbling onto his rear. Unintentional on her part likely but Essira approved nonetheless. She leaned back in her chair and picked up her tea cup again, sipping at it before looking at Rukia.

“So tell me, how much does your current job pay?” Essira inquired.

The middle aged elf was drawn from her thoughts and stared at Essira. “Ummm… Something like 2 ducals a day?”

Essira shook her head. “Unfortunate, very unfortunate. How would you like to make triple that?”

Rukia stared at Essira, not comprehending obviously. “What?”

“Or quadruple, I’m hardly a cheapskate. I’m willing to pay for a good extra set of hands around the shop.”

Finally the eyes of her guest widened considerably. “Wh-why me? I mean, you just met me today!”

Essira waved a hand. “Technicalities. I can see you are a soul that is gentle when it comes to humans. Considering your husband died in the war to bring them to heel that is no small thing. I can train you in how to handle humans as well. I get a delightful employee; you get assistance and better pay. A win-win if you ask me.”

Silence hung in the air for a bit, the other elf considering the offer. Essira was hardly offended by that, it was rather sudden but she had a good feeling about this one. She had that gentle sort of charm about her, was fairly attractive, and could be trusted to not abuse her stock, everything she could look for in an employee. 8 Ducals a day was nothing to Essira, a drop in the bucket. Rukia finally looked at Essira.

“Can you let me think about it? It’s kind of a big decision after all.”

Essira smiled and patted Rukia on the arm. “Take all the time you need.”

With that out of the way Essira moved to her desk to scribble out a few names of some particularly good veterinarians to provide to her guest. When Rukia offered the cage back at her the human tamer waved it away with a chuckle. “Keep it. I have hundreds of the things.”

The elf promptly wrapped Essira in another hug, earning a pained grunt from down below. Little Leo was set between Rukia’s generous cleavage and was getting squeezed the busts of the two elven woman. The peacock clad elf’s response to that was the return the hug, pressing her breasts against Rukia’s to raise the pressure upon the tiny and unruly human just a bit. There was just a little bit of enjoyment in it from the shop owner. Mostly because she liked to imagine it was Kali down there instead. Now that would be a very, very good day when she had that spoiled noble brat trapped between her breasts. Between her toes also worked, Essira wasn’t picky.

“Thank you so much, for the help and the offer.”

Essira pulled back and smirked. “You can really thank me by coming by here tomorrow and saying yes. I’ll even throw in a free massage from my finest darlings.”

That earned a little smile. “You know how to drive a hard bargain.”

“Wouldn’t be in business if I didn’t.”

With those goodbyes said Essira waved Rukia walk out, noting her steps were just a little surer of themselves. She sighed. Just another days work really at the Loving Arms.