Noble Solutions

by Schinhofen, Daniel

  Tiska nodded. “Yes.”

  Myna’s lips pursed. “Master, I also wished to ask you something, and now seems like a good time.”

  Sean was about to reply when Glorina led the cooks into the room with breakfast. He gave them a smile, thanking Glorina when she set the plate in front of him. Pancakes were stacked high on his plate and bacon ringed the edges.

  “We thought a favorite would be good today,” Glorina said, setting the syrup down for him.

  Sean thought back to yesterday and how she’d once commented on his large appetite. Chuckling, Sean looked up to meet her eyes. “My large appetite thanks you.”

  Glorina blushed lightly. “We just want to make you happy, sir.”

  “Husband, don’t tease the cooks,” Fiona giggled. “We’ll call that fair from when she did it to you, though.”

  Myna chuckled. “Master, may I?”

  “Oh, right. Sorry, Myna. Go ahead.”

  “I want to promote Tiska to head maid. I have spoken with her, Xenta, and Cali, and all three agreed that she should take the position. It would be in name more than function, as she will still be doing as much as she is now, but it sets a solid hierarchy for them as Glorina does in the kitchen.”

  Sean looked at Tiska, her jackal ears quivering slightly. “Tiska?”

  “She approached us, sir,” Tiska said, looking at him. “I was surprised, as I didn’t think I should.”

  “Why?” Sean asked.

  “None of us wants to disrespect Lilly.”

  Sean’s heart clenched for a moment and he exhaled slowly. “No... It wouldn’t be disrespectful, would it, Felora?”

  Felora gave the maids a soft smile. “Far from it. She would be proud that you’re growing, as long as you don’t try to be her and are true to yourself.”

  Tiska met Felora’s eyes and she bowed her head. “Myna said something similar, but we were uncertain how Sean might see it.”

  “Myna, why?” Sean asked.

  “Because they know the job better than me. I’ll continue to oversee the interior staff, but a clear hierarchy will help them.” Myna exhaled, then continued, “Sean, Moonbound still have a part of their heritage in them, no matter how much we might look Human. I brat at you and my emotions make me a little irrational because of my feline blood. All three of them would respond better to having a clear leader.”

  Tiska, Xenta, and Cali nodded.

  Sean looked at the three maids, all of whom had canine blood— jackal, fox, and wolf, respectively. “Ladies?”

  “It’s true, sir,” Tiska said. “It’s been a little harder because of it.”

  “Fine. Tiska, you are now head maid,” Sean said. “Your previous Bonds and Agreements stay the same, but your pay increases to what the head maid would receive.”

  “Agreed, sir,” Tiska beamed.

  “Let’s eat,” Sean said.

  “What are you going to be working on today?” Fiona asked as she smeared some jam on her pancakes.

  “I thought I’d upgrade our carriage first, but not making it a car, yet,” Sean said, pouring syrup on his stack. “I might invite Winston over to work with me here. We haven’t done that before.”

  “His wife might come with him,” Ryann smiled. “Then, we can all talk with her.”

  “I like that idea,” Aria grinned.

  “Maybe I should rethink this,” Sean chuckled, getting laughter from the others who’d met Clara before. “After I finish the carriages, I’m not sure. I’m sure the two of us will find something, though.”

  “You’re happiest when making things,” Myna purred.

  “I am,” Sean agreed. “Oh, I might make a small trip out, too.”

  “Oh?” Fiona asked.

  “To the healer. I want to thank her again for her help after I was attacked.”

  “That’s a good idea, as she also helped us before,” Fiona nodded.

  “Sean,” Felora asked, “might I come with you?”

  He gave her a questioning look, then nodded. “Anytime.”

  Felora’s eyes glowed for a brief second as her lips twisted into a smirk. “I’ll keep it in mind. Thank you.”

  Sean snorted, rolling his eyes at her.

  ~*~*~

  “Winston, welcome to my workspace,” Sean grinned. “Did your wife come with you?”

  Giralt grinned. “She did, indeed. It was kind of you to ask. She perked right up when Ven asked her. I believe her and all of your wives are currently speaking together.”

  “All of them? Are they in the shop?”

  “No, though I did notice a younger woman with a pair of shears on her hip going to the shop.”

  “Rumia,” Sean said. “One of the gardeners. They must have drafted her so they could all speak with Clara.”

  “What are we going to be working on?” Giralt asked, looking over the odds and ends Sean had, including the bows and crossbow.

  “Carriage, or carriages, if you’d like yours looked at, too,” Sean said. “Going to upgrade as much of mine as I can.”

  “Oh, with the new suspension system?”

  “And anything else I can think of,” Sean said. “Hang on.” He went to the big double doors and opened them up. “Quinna, Quilla, I’m ready for it.”

  “Okay,” Quinna called back.

  A couple of minutes later, the twins pushed the carriage into the shop. Giralt watched them with raised eyebrows, staying well back to give them room.

  “Sir, your other items,” Cali said, stepping through the normal door. She was holding a tray with a bottle, glasses, an ashtray, and a humidor.

  “Thank you, Cali,” Sean said.

  Cali laid out the items on the desk, then poured cognac for them both. She placed the humidor aside and curtsied before leaving. Giralt watched her go, then glanced back to the twins setting the brakes on the carriage. When they left, shutting the doors behind them, he gave Sean a look.

  “Something wrong?” Sean asked.

  “How many staff do you have?” Giralt asked nonchalantly.

  “Twelve.”

  “How many are men?”

  “None, and before you get the wrong idea, Fiona hired them all.”

  “A strong woman,” Giralt said. “Well, let’s get to work, shall we?”

  “Let’s.”

  ~*~*~

  Sean grinned as Giralt’s carriage rolled out of the workshop. “Better than new.”

  “I wonder how much she will enjoy it,” Giralt said, puffing on his cigar.

  “You can find out soon,” Sean chuckled. “Ven, let Felora know I’m ready to go.” Turning back to Giralt, he chuckled again. “You could be brave and go join the women, if you want?”

  Giralt’s eyebrows went up and he shook his head. “No. No man of sound mind enters into the conversation of a handful or more of women. We have a hard enough time dealing with one at a time.”

  “That’s true for me, at least,” Sean chuckled. “I wonder where Arliat is?” he mumbled.

  Ven landed on his shoulder. “She was informed along with Felora and Helga, sir.”

  “Using your secondaries?”

  “Of course, sir.”

  Giralt puffed on his cigar. “I never thought about how easy life could be until we had more than a single Messenger Fairy in the home. Our small clan has made life much easier.”

  “And it has allowed more of us to find our paired,” Ven said. “Sean did that by bringing so many of us together.”

  “Huh...” Sean grunted. “I had no idea. Glad I was able to help.”

  Xenta came out of the house, coming their way with a smile on her lips. “Sir, shall I take the items back inside?”

  “Thanks, Xenta. Do you know if the conversation is breaking up?”

  “No, sir. Just Felora is coming out. I was informed that I should take Winston Giralt into the house and make him comfortable.”

  Giralt chuckled. “She must be having fun. That’s fine… Xenta, was it?”

  “Yes, sir,” Xenta smiled.
“Let me just get the items and I will take you to the front room. Do you have any requests?”

  “Just this cigar and another glass of the cognac,” Giralt said. Turning to Sean, he held out his hand. “Thank you for inviting me and the wife over. She’s obviously having a good day.”

  Sean shook his hand. “I’m going out of the city tomorrow, or I’d have you over again. Maybe the day after?”

  “I’ll look forward to it, if it happens,” Giralt grinned.

  Xenta came back with the glasses and other items on a tray. “If you will follow me, sir?”

  “Lead on,” Giralt said.

  As they left, Sean smirked when he saw Giralt’s eyes drop to watch Xenta’s slowly swishing, red-furred, bushy tail. Don’t blame you... it is eye-catching. I just hope your wife doesn’t see you doing that.

  “I’ll have it ready in a moment, sir,” Arliat called from the carriage house.

  “I’ll be here,” Sean replied.

  ~*~*~

  The carriage was rolling down the road when Felora spoke up, “Sean, are you okay?”

  “This is why you asked to come, isn’t it?” Sean asked her. “You’re all concerned about me?”

  “Of course we are,” Felora said. “I’ve heard of your reluctance about accepting others. I thought maybe I could help.”

  “I’m good there, actually. It’s odd, and I’m a little worried, but I’m not panicking. The Bonds must be working hard... and my worry is mostly for you. My wives,” he clarified. “I know you all seem okay, but my fear says something will go wrong.”

  “We’re being slow about adding any of them,” Felora said softly, leaning into his side. “Don’t worry. I’ve spoken with all of them and will be doing some dreams with them, as well. That way, they can see what they really feel or don’t feel.”

  Sean smiled. The sun coming in from the open window glinted off something, and he pulled back to see a hair clip in Felora’s hair. His breath caught when he saw it. “She was happy to have that.”

  “Yes,” Felora whispered. She knew he was talking about Lilly’s hair clip that depicted Lilly nude. “I found it this morning. It felt right to wear it.”

  “I think she’d like to be riding you,” Sean said, trying to lighten the mood even as his heart ached.

  “That was bad, and yes, she would.”

  Sean rubbed her back. “You’ll tell me if you find something I should know?”

  “Always,” Felora whispered. “You’re my world... All of our world, actually. Each and every one of your wives will safeguard you. Trust in us as we trust in you.”

  Sean exhaled. “I do.”

  The carriage slowed, then stopped, and Helga got out.

  Felora watched her go, then whispered to Sean, “She’ll be first. She just doesn’t want to admit her own feelings. Her past scarred her on how the gods should be.”

  Sean blinked, not having expected that. “Oh...”

  “You don’t mind if I take Rumia or the others to the manor or the bog, do you?”

  Having the rug yanked out from underneath him again, Sean shook his head. “It’s fine. Just be safe.”

  “We will,” Felora said as she got out of the carriage.

  Blinking at the two sudden topic shifts, Sean shook his head and grabbed the small wooden chest he had brought with him. Stepping out, he told Arliat, “Should only be a moment or two.”

  “Yes, sir,” Arliat said. “I’ll go once around.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Helga led them into the healer’s and Sean gave the receptionist a smile. “Miss, may I speak to the healer, please?”

  “She is with a patient. Can it wait?”

  “Of course,” Sean said. “I have some things to help balance a debt, is all.”

  “Oh, she should be done shortly. Please have a seat.”

  She left the room and when she came back, she smiled. “She just finished.”

  The door into the lobby opened and the old woman healer came out of the hall. Seeing Sean, she paused a moment before advancing again. “Shaper MacDougal, how can I help you?”

  Sean set the chest on his knees and opened it so she could see what was inside. “I have these for you. You saved my life and healed my Bonded. This balances the debt that I feel is owed.”

  Eyes wide, the healer reached out and touched the faucet and kettle. “Goodness... That is a high value.”

  “Barely enough,” Sean said. “If you’ll show me where you’d like it installed, I’ll do that for you.”

  “Emori, take MacDougal to the kitchen. Have him place the faucet over the water barrel.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” the receptionist said, getting to her feet.

  “Stay here. I’ll be right back,” Sean said.

  Helga stiffened slightly, then relaxed. “If you are unsafe in a healer’s home, you are never safe?”

  “Exactly.”

  The healer’s eyebrow rose. “Oh, I guess you would be cautious. I can stay here with your Bonded.”

  “I am interested in healing,” Felora said, having stayed seated. “Can you tell me anything about it?”

  “Of course,” the healer nodded, taking the seat Sean had been using.

  “How often do you clean the barrel?” Sean asked as he followed the receptionist.

  “I believe her maid empties it every month.”

  “Hmm, okay.” Sean said.

  Sean was polite to the maid as he set the faucet, then inscribed a water-purifying rune into the barrel. The maid was very grateful and Sean gently waved off her thanks. When he was done, the receptionist led him back down.

  Saying their goodbyes, Sean followed Helga out of the shop. As the door closed, he heard the receptionist tell the healer about the rune.

  “He did what?” the healer asked in a choked voice.

  Chapter Seven

  Sean was surprised they were using the private dining room at the Oaken Glen, but he smiled when he entered the room. “Evening, all. How’re you?”

  “Good,” Fredrick replied. “There are a few business things to go over, which is why we thought the private room was a good idea.”

  “Nothing bad, I hope.”

  “Me, too,” Joseph grumbled. “He wouldn’t tell us anything until everyone was here.”

  Laughter went around the table at Joseph’s posturing.

  “Legendarily bad at patience,” Sean grinned at the dwarven smith.

  “Yeah, but I’m too old to change now,” Joseph shrugged, a hint of a smile touching his voice. “Now, do we have to wait for drinks?”

  “No, we can start,” Fredrick said just as Tabitha entered the room.

  “Mulled wine, please,” Sean said. “The snow just keeps on falling.”

  “Hot cider,” Helga said. “Thank you.”

  A few others asked for refills, and Sam handed over the money for the drinks.

  When Tabitha left, Fredrick began again, “The first deals with the truck. Augustus?”

  “The guard lodged a complaint about the release valve. They claim it’s too similar to their whistles.”

  “I’ll change it. It’s an easy one to fix— I planned on doing it for the next ones we made, anyway. Did you bring it with you?”

  “Yes. I’d hoped you could do it easily. On that note, when do you think you can make more?”

  “We’ve had several people sign up to buy them. We’re limiting them to one per slot, currently,” Fredrick said.

  “Hmm... none of it’s terribly hard. Winston will be needed for the engine runes, but other than that, it’s Metal and Wood Shaping. Modifying existing carriages will be easier than making them from scratch, as well, so buying up any older wagons we can refurbish will be good.”

  “We can see about doing that,” Fredrick nodded. “We can use the new shop for the association. There’s room for a workspace in the back.”

  “Let me know when you have people to do the work and I’ll go over it with them,” Sean said. “Augustus, bring the truck o
ver to my place tomorrow morning. I want to add a few more tweaks to it. It’ll make it better all around, and we can do it for the others going forward.”