Altina Hishgrow

It takes time to know someone. To learn all their little quirks. To understand one another just by looking at each other. Beatrice prized herself in being able to divine her master’s mood by the subtle twitch of her ears of the way her fur tuffs puffed around her eyes. This, however, was a first.

Sitting behind her desk and scribbling away on some obscure contract, Altina hummed. She hummed one of those tunes drunken people seem to invent after fifth or sixth pint of questionable ale. The one that sticks in even day after.

She had a good rest it seemed.

“Morning Bess, be with you in a moment.”

Even her voice sounded, livelier as if her late guest or perhaps guests, had taken with them no less than ten years of stress her master had on her shoulders. To mark it even more so, the dawning sun rays played within the wolf’s fur, creating a golden halo.

“Done. Yes?”

The maid took off her glasses and began to scrub the crystal lenses, cleaning the imaginary dust that gathered there. On a day such as this, with her master mood she had not seen in years, she had no heart to spoil such a wonderful morning. Alas, she had her duties.

“We are understaffed for today. Vittoria just came back, pale as a paper. She shan’t leave bed for at least six weeks. After that, perhaps two or three weeks of some light work at the back office…”

A deep frown marred her master’s face. For a moment her fangs flashed.

“No. Cross her off until the spring and make Li or Chuko stay with her. Winters were always difficult for her. That’s one, others?”

“Ann came down with a high fewer.”

“Merciful Shamu, The cough?!”

“No. Tala don’t think so but she’s keeping her in the infirmary just to be sure. I made the girls cleanse her room while Kiru and Leana are staying in the guest rooms away from the dorms. So far they don’t show any symptoms… “

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Altina howled and hid her face in her paws.

“We might as well close for the week, there is no way we can handle all off it… Cancel and refund anything below six, no, cancel anything below seven. The nines I will do myself the girls will have to manage all the eights, there weren’t any sevens planned for today. As for the rest, we still have that expensive bond paper, get some of that and cut coupons for anyone wiling to wait a week, if they come back, we’ll give them a discount. Half the price should silence all the naysayers. Ask Tomas if he still has those stamps he showed me last moon. Those would work fine for the coupons.”

The idea seemed reasonable but both of them knew that not a quarter of those clients would return. Then there was that final nail… She pulled the letter from her sleeve.

“An answer came from the head branch.”

The currier that brought it did not want a reply. That alone told her everything she needed to know without breaking the wax seal on the message.

Altina took it and opened, more from a force of habit rather than a need to read it. She could guess what it contained and judging by the way she let it drop on her desk, the answer did not surprise her.

“They won’t be sending anyone. My vote has been overruled. They say I had no authority to offer what I did.”

“What about the waived tariffs? That must…”

The wolf shook her head.

“They’re calling it a collateral for involving an elf with the guild and the damages we dealt to their name. In short, guild council wishes for us to take the fall while they reap all the profits.”

Ever since her childhood Altina had no hope to find fairness in this world but this? This went against all her principals. For the service rendered an adequate payment was due. Always. That is how the world of trade stood. You lived by your word, a guarantee for your actions. If one could not keep its word, one would get no trade. Word meant everything.

And the guild rendered her word nil.

“It always puzzled me how can something so insignificant as that scrap can do to a mortal. I have seen so many cheat deaths so numerous times only to be squashed a crumbled piece of paper.”

Leaning over the wolf’s arm, Water took the letter in her beautiful fingers. Today she had not worn her flowing dress but instead, donned the guild leather suit.

“What can there be so fascinating in all those squiggles?“

She let the letter drop back on the desk then gently closed Altina’s mouth with her finger.

“Why are you surprised my master? Were you not the one that asked, for the mana I offer thy shall provide me with help to the best of your abilities? By law, the oath of that little one I must fulfill. “

Saying that, the Queen of waters circled the wolf’s desk and bow. Behind her, nine more spirits appeared and mimicked her gesture. All dressed as the guild servants. After about a minute, Altina pried her voice from her throat.

“Bea… Beatrice here will show you what to do…”

“We are in your care.”