by K. E. Young
He gave me the barest whisper of a smile and nodded. "Wise of you. Some never accept all of who they are. They try to ignore or suppress it instead. You needn't worry we won't accept you. We're all predators here."
I was quiet for a few steps. Maybe he didn't think I was a psychopath after all. I could hope. Still, his last words sounded a little ominous. "Anyway, when I'm not working as a librarian, I work as a martial arts instructor."
"Ah. Good to hear. After we've verified your skills I'll have you teach whatever seems most useful. It's good to challenge the warriors with something new."
Time to change the subject. "What happens now? You've arranged for quarters and clothing. What do I do to repay you? In my experience, nothing is free, there is always a price and I would rather not have to use my inheritance to pay my way."
He resumed walking. "All too true. I asked the High-Lord for the honor of attaching you to my household. He agreed. Barely. Your duties will be fluid at first. Among other duties, you will act as my escort at court functions. I don't have a mate yet and I hate going to those things because the ladies won't leave me alone. They never shut up and they have nothing intelligent to say. I swear, some of them must have brains, but you can't tell from the way they talk." I couldn't help but laugh at his aggrieved tone.
His expression became businesslike. "As a warrior, I'll expect you to help in the defense of the capital when we're here and of my lands when we're there so I'll require you to train. However, I can't be sure what your duties will be until we establish your skills and knowledge."
I felt a thread of disappointment. As a rule, employers are 'off the menu' so to speak. "Who is my new employer in the grand scheme of things and what should I call you in public?"
"Lord Cassettis or 'my lord', and my official title is Deputy Prime Minister. Unofficially, I'm the High-Lord's Spymaster. As a dragonlord, it is my duty to defend both this realm and the Empire as a whole, including helping to take out the occasional Karthim incursion. Fortunately, they haven't been the threat they used to be before Lady Sam closed the Demon Gate."
He gave a dismissive shake of his head. "To be honest, I didn't have to go. Harad — Lord Bretisel, was available to handle it. I went because I was bored and wanted to get away from all the reports, but please don't tell anyone."
At least I wasn't the only one saying things they shouldn't to people they barely know. The poor guy had needed a vacation. "Tell them what?"
His gratitude was obvious in his grin. "I take it the jewelry and such we loaded into the courier bags were your inheritance? How did it come to be with you when you came through the portal?"
"Ah. I was on my way home from my maternal grandmother's funeral. It was my portion of her estate. A portion my brother tried very hard to convince me I should leave with him for 'safe keeping' or perhaps selling and investing. He was too eager to get his hands on it so I said no. He was greedy and dishonest as a child, and he never changed. The low-value items, including my clothing, traveled in cargo so I could carry the good stuff where I could keep an eye on it."
"A wise decision. Ven will bring them up and we'll stash them in my quarters until you can go through it and determine whatever portion of it you want placed in the vault. There's too much there to leave it all in your room."
I laughed and tented my hands in prayer before me, my gaze on the ceiling. "Dear God, lead me not into temptation."
He chuckled. "Goddess. But yes, just so."
We stopped at a door halfway down a long hall on the third floor. "Here are your quarters. The third and fourth floors of this wing are restricted to my household. If you see someone who doesn't have a dragonlord's sigil, challenge them at once, they don't belong here and given my position, trespassers could be trouble. Only the households of the dragonlords will have a sigil of a dragon, the colors matching that lord's dragon. My colors are gold and teal. The High-Lord's colors are gold, black, and red. I'll get you a list of the others later. Your duties will require you to know.
"Public rooms are on the first floor. The second floor is offices and other non-public common rooms," he flashed a grin, "such as the library. Quarters are on the third through sixth floors. The doors at the end there are to my own quarters, the closer to my rooms, the higher their ranking within the household. I'll introduce you to the rest of the household at dinner.
"We have our own table in the dining hall. First meal is wherever you wish, dining hall, court dining hall, servant's hall, kitchen, your quarters, or wherever. Mid-day and evening meals are in the dining hall unless your duty takes you elsewhere. We expect you to dress up for court functions.
"Tomorrow or the day after, we'll get you proper weapons and have your first training session. We will see what you can do and where you may need additional training. From what I saw during the battle there won't be much. You're a little awkward with a sword but passable. I may have you teach several of my agents how to use a knife, you're a lot more effective with it than the armsmaster or anyone else is.
"You're paid twice per month. A month here is seven weeks of seven days. If you need funds before then, let me know and we'll work something out. I pay any expenses that apply to your duties. If you buy something during those duties, report it to me and I'll reimburse you." He paused in thought.
"Ah." He dug into a pouch at his belt and handed me a key. "Here's the key to your room. I'm probably missing something else too… It's been a busy day and I have a council meeting to attend. I'll double-check with Koris and we can cover whatever I've missed later. Meanwhile, the seamstress and boot maker will be here within the hour.
"Your quarters include a bathing room and there is a servant assigned to this section of rooms. Her name is Anis. Ilatis is the palace housekeeper and is the one to contact if something is wrong with the room itself or if you have a problem with one of the regular servants. If you need anything, use the bell-pull in your quarters."
Mero tipped his head, his eyes scanning me briefly. "You should get cleaned up. Maybe take a nap. You look tired. There are temporary clothes waiting for you. I'll see you at dinner." He turned away when I nodded my understanding and I went into my new quarters.
It was a small suite reminiscent of a hotel room. The main room contained a bookcase, weapons case, a desk and chair, and a side table next to the bed. The decor was plain and somewhat masculine, but of good quality materials.
I wanted a bath with all my being so I checked out the bathroom. Wonder of wonders, there was even a shower over the tub. You had to pull and hold the cord to make the water come out, but it worked. There were soap and a light oil that smelled nice in a light, woody, herbal way. The water for the shower was lukewarm so I used it just to get wet and rinse off. While I soaped up my hair and body, the water was off. I would miss hot showers. A lot.
After my tepid shower, I used the oil as a moisturizer and rubbed a little into the ends of my wet hair with the idea it might work as a conditioner and detangler. My hair needed it too. It was thick, long enough to sit on, and a little wavy so it tangled. Most of the time, I wound it up into a big ballerina bun I skewered with hair sticks. During practice, I always covered it with a scarf or bandana. I didn't see a comb and mine was locked in the bags so I looked around for a way to ring the servant. At last, I found it in the corner of my sitting room area.
She arrived after about five minutes, giving me enough time to dress. She was friendly and cheerful, introducing herself as Anis. I asked her if there was any way I could get a comb. My hair was down and still wet so it was obvious it was necessary. She left and came back about ten minutes later with both a comb and a brush that looked like the paddle kind you use on your pets. She also brought lotion, a soft, paste-like soap she explained was for hair, and a thin, tough cloth about the size of a dinner plate for cleaning my teeth.
The clothing provided was similar to what Tani gave me the morning after the battle but of richer materials and a little better fit. There was also a pair of soft leather shoes
similar to moccasins and a belt with attached pouch and knife sheath. The knife it held was plain but serviceable. Since my hair was still damp, I left it down.
The bootmaker arrived just after I finished dressing. He oiled up my feet and ankles and made plaster molds. While the plaster was curing, he made measurements of my calves and knees. He said the boots would be ready in the morning. As he was leaving, the seamstress and her assistant arrived. She took my measurements and sent them off with her assistant afterward. Then we sat down to discuss specifics.
"Most of the warriors would just get uniforms and an extra tunic or two, but Lord Cassettis has specified you're also to have two court gowns. Do you know what sort of colors and styles you would prefer?"
Oh, crap. Despite the long hair, I was not good at the girly stuff. "Not having seen a court gown here I couldn't even begin to say what style I would prefer. As for colors, wouldn't Lord Cassettis' colors be appropriate? I think they would look fine on me." It was an understatement. My hair was a brown so dark it was almost black, my skin was golden, and my eyes were deep green. A teal like Mero's was one of my go-to colors. "If not, black, red, green, or purple."
"Hm. A rich amber would work on you too but you're right, the teal and gold would look well on you. They would be appropriate if we use them in the trim. Lord Cassettis' colors highlighting a base of black would do well for one, and a base of creamy white for the other. I have sketches of the current styles for court gowns here." she handed me a notebook full of sketches.
The gowns she showed me were bulky, stiff, and ornate monstrosities, like an unholy cross of ancient Chinese robes and seventeenth-century French. They would be uncomfortable, restrictive, and unflattering. Ruffles! I would look ridiculous.
I sighed in dismay. "Do I have to wear one of these? Can't we come up with something else?"
She laughed in amusement. "This is the current style here. Other styles are popular elsewhere. I can create something for you if you wish. Although I should get Lord Cassettis' approval before making it."
Relieved, I spent the better part of an hour working with her to come up with a design that would allow greater comfort and movement without looking informal. The final sketch had me excited and I hoped Mero approved of it. I had used elements of modern dress design with a stiff shot of movie fantasy and renaissance Italy, all within the rough outlines of a sleeveless warrior's tunic.
She giggled. "This should cause an upset. The lords will love it and the ladies will hate it. The current fashion allows them to hide their bulges and you have none to hide. They wouldn't look half so well in this as you and everyone will know it." Her expression was one of deep satisfaction. Somehow, I didn't think she liked the court ladies.
After she left I found myself at a loss. With nowhere to be or anything to do, I decided to locate the library. I remembered he had mentioned the library was on the second floor so I backtracked to the stairs and went down a floor. A dark-haired kid in a tunic blazoned with a red, black, and gold dragon toting papers was helpful and gave me clear directions.
The library was good-sized for what it was. Half of it was archives but there was a nice collection of maps and a wide variety of other subjects filling the remaining shelves. There was even fiction, mythology, and poetry for entertainment. The librarian, who also acted as palace archivist, was a wizened fellow from the High-Lord's household named Thermin.
He had a sly sense of humor and an encyclopedic knowledge of the local history, something I wanted to take advantage of later. We ended up spending a couple of hours talking shop and he showed me the entire library and the archives. Along the way, he located a book on court etiquette and protocol for me. He even showed me the original builder's diagrams for the palace. By the end, we had become fast friends. It felt good and I realized I had never connected so well with my co-workers before.
'Home' was becoming the word I used for the world I once lived in less and less in my own mind.
A bell in the distance interrupted our conversation. Thermin informed me the bell was the signal for dinner. He led me to a dining hall with long tables stretched across the hall with heads raised a step backed by tall windows. It turned out Lord Cassettis' table was next to the High-Lord's with pride of place. A large man seated at the head of the High-Lord's table watched me intently for a few moments before turning away.
Mero was already there. He raised an eyebrow at me before waving me to take the empty seat to his left. "I see you found the library. You must have made a good impression. Thermin doesn't allow people to take the books out."
"It's nice for a small library. I liked the map collection. Thermin and I talked shop for a couple hours. I didn't ask for the book but he seemed to think I would find it useful. Court etiquette and protocol."
He chuckled as he snagged a slice of meat from a platter. "Oh, yes. Useful indeed. There's a map of the palace in there somewhere but I have a more current one in my office. You'll need it over the next few days."
"Does it include the secret passages?"
He gave me an amused glance. "There are no secret passages."
"Not according to the builder's diagrams I looked at. They showed several."
Mero looked at me with an odd expression. "You will elaborate on that later. In private."
Half of my fellow household members turned out to be warriors in the distinctive sleeveless tunics but there were others with a wide range of skills and duties as well. I made note of faces and attached names where I could from general conversation. No one spoke to me except for Mero although I got a wave or a grin from those I recognized from the trip.
Once everyone had a full plate, Mero announced to the table at large, "The lovely lady to my left is Kendra. The High-Lord has granted my request to attach her to my household so please welcome her to your ranks. I haven't decided her duties yet but she is an accomplished warrior whom I had the honor to fight alongside a few days ago. Please keep in mind that while she is a capable and intelligent woman, she is a Nakairu so will be unfamiliar with many things and may need help or an explanation. For the next few weeks, she will work predominantly to familiarize herself with her new world. Please make her feel at home." He then took a few minutes to introduce me to everyone before allowing them to return to their meal.
He took a sip of wine then addressed me again. "The seamstress showed me the designs you two came up with for court gowns. They're excellent, almost Drakkeni in style, but simpler. I've given her my approval and let her know the first one will need to be available in two days. Its short notice but she says it's possible. We've received word the new Darthan ambassador arrives tomorrow and there is a reception the day after to welcome him. I am required to attend," he smirked at me, "so I'm requiring you to attend."
I nodded and continued to eat.
"Tomorrow morning I'll meet with you in my office. In the afternoon, I want you to work with the armsmaster and Koris here to evaluate your skills. What other weapons are you familiar with besides knife and sword?"
"Recurve bows, crossbows, whips, staves, clubs and canes, rifles, and handguns." The warrior to Mero's right, whom he had identified as Koris, looked startled at the list.
Mero's brows had dipped in confusion. "I'm not familiar with 'rifles' and 'handguns'. I don't know those words. Could you explain please?"
I realized that the last two items had been in English. There just wasn't a translation. I thought about how to explain in terms they would understand.
"Rifles and handguns are projectile weapons which throw a lead pellet propelled by a chemical explosive. They can shoot accurately over the same distances as a bow or even longer. A good gun will shoot a round, the projectile, through a steel plate this thick." I showed the distance with my fingers. "A rifle is for longer distances. Handguns are used for closer targets and are small enough to wear without being seen. A gun can hold up to 100 shots before reloading depending on the specific design. There are cannons too, but they're for battlefield use."
"Battlefield weapons?" I didn't much like the thread of interest I heard in his voice.
"No! They're too horrific. Cannons on a ship offshore could turn this palace into rubble and the town into a slaughterhouse." He opened his mouth to say something but I glared him down. I wouldn't budge on this one.
Koris' voice was subdued. "Magic is bad enough, but at least the lack of practitioners limits its use in battle. This could well give me nightmares."
I ran fingers through the hair on the side on my head. "Thinking on it, I doubt they are a skill worth considering here. I have neither the knowledge nor the skill to make guns or ammunition. I learned how to use guns because guns are popular among criminals and I thought it was a good idea, not because I liked them. They're not personal enough. If you're going to kill someone, you shouldn't be able to do it from a distance. It's too easy. No one should die as an impersonal thing, not even your enemies. Guns are ugly weapons."
Mero himself looked thoughtful. "We may talk more. I'm glad I learned about your guns. We cannot assume all of our opponents will use weapons or tactics with which we are familiar. You can't defend against something if you don't know it exists, even if it's mere knowledge."
I hadn't looked at it from that point of view. I shook my head. "Never think of knowledge as 'mere', my lord. You can disperse knowledge easier than seeds on the wind and smuggle it invisibly. It's almost impossible to contain. One word said to the wrong person or in the wrong place is all it takes. My people say 'knowledge is power' for a reason. That's part of why I became a librarian. My specialty was information science."
"Eh?" Neither Mero nor Koris had any idea what I was talking about, but I didn't expect them to. Most people didn't.
"Information science is a field of study primarily concerned with the analysis, collection, classification, manipulation, storage, dissemination, and protection of knowledge. It's a little more than archiving and cataloging books on a shelf."
