The Southern Wing contained a large foyer where the guests would first arrive from that main entrance, after disembarking from their horse, unicorn, griffin, or carriage. After entering the foyer, which was just as long as the lesser banquet hall, there were seven double doors that led to the lesser banquet hall, several meeting rooms, and a very beautiful garden. The lesser banquet hall was like a stretched out rectangle, with windows and doors permitting entrance to the gardens to the east. The north side had the doors for the kitchen. The south side led to meetings rooms and smaller lounges.

Daniel found himself with the Glasbin fae standing in the foyer, facing a pair of doors that led to that banquet hall.

The foyer looked like he remembered it. He had been a guest here not a month and a half ago. The floor was only marble, not a good catalyst to magic, so only used for ornamental purposes. But it was nice to look at, he supposed. The walls rose high and met dark, shimmering ceilings. There was always some new art on the walls, as one of the O’Tell Lords was a patron to many artists.

Daniel brought his attention from the art to his new minder. Technically the Glasbin fae was to be Branch's partner, but it was clear that the Surmount Butler and the Glasbin fae were united against Daniel.

Daniel’s steward Matheus had explained, years ago, that the main difference between Hall attendants and ordinary workers was rather simple: Did the servants have good temperaments and ability to navigate the complex workings of Lords hundreds of times more powerful than the servants? If not, then they couldn’t survive being a public facing servant. But there was more to it. They needed to be sharp, with a certain degree of awareness and conniving. These were the ones who were often used to send messages, threats, and something even violence.

Matheus had said it simpler, however. All he had said was 'watch the servants who serve you. Each one has the potential to thrive as spies, thieves, and sometimes even assassins.'

Daniel kept his suspicions to himself, and looked back at the Glasbin fae who was explaining their duty for this evening.

"We're going to open doors. Do you have a problem with that?"

Ah, gems of wisdom indeed flowed forth from the fae from Glasbin.

The task tonight was simple, to open the door as banquet guests appeared. Daniel briefly considered forgetting how doors worked. Everyone assumed he knew. Which he did, but they didn’t make sure he knew.

He disciplined himself. First day. He’d lived for a month for this day. He had lived his whole life for this opportunity to be free from his Lordly Father. He would perform as well as he could. He doubted the first Match would begin today, but it might. And he had to be ready for that.

"I've opened doors before. I assume we are going to open them in the style of the Lren dynasty?" Daniel demonstrated what he remembered of the style. He made full use of his height, with his left foot pointing away from his body while his head cast to the left, chin pointed toward the ground, as he moved his right hand and mimed opening a doorknob.

Daniel felt the weight of the glare of his new minder, but a touch of surprise as well "How do you know that?"

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How could a Lordling be expected to know if they had been insulted if they are not taught all the customs? "Lren is the style that the doors are normally opened here, as well as the serving, but the tea service is normally Trexilan, which is only right considering that the Trexilan lord saved the O'Tells Family two centuries ago. Which is also why I may need your harbor name during the event...if we are called to the main serving room, I'll need it to refer to you in proper Lren fashion."

"Always trying to get the name. Don't be so superior. I don't care what you did before." The Glasbin fae said in a tone of voice that implied he very much did care and find offense with what Daniel did before. "But you're the lowest rung on the ladder."

Daniel sighed. It was always bad manners to use someone's name before you were introduced.

How quickly they forgot, how much they assumed.

"Was this humble one incorrect?" Daniel said.

"No, but we're just opening doors tonight. No one starts work as a hall attendant inside the banquet hall."

Daniel sighed, and moved to the door on the right, doing as he had seen all his life. to the position of door opener.

“Not that one!” The Glasbin fae said, for the first time lively and cranky instead of just cranky. “Use the other one, on the left. This one is mine.”

Daniel observed the door to the left. Ah, it was hexed.

The first ordeal. Was this what the Surmount Butler had arranged? If he were to touch that door, he would find himself in trouble. These troubles came in threes and no doubt it was the first.

Considering if Daniel let the hex reach him, it seemed like his minder was setting him up for failure. Matheus had left out that even public facing servants could be rude and openly hostile. Or perhaps this was the true face of power? Good to those above, cruel to those beneath?

“Did you hear me? If you mess up, I’ll get in trouble.” The Glasbin fae said again, pulling at the bindings.

Daniel nodded, and tried, while they were nearly alone, to reclaim the favor this Hall Attendant owed him. The Law of Fae stirred, and Daniel thought it almost connected, but then the law of Fae returned to him void. The favor was owed to the defunct Lordling Elswith, and could not be transferred.

“No, I mean, answer me that you heard me!” The Glasbin fae demanded.

The bindings pulled at him, and Daniel’s face pulled tight as he grimaced. That hurt. He’d need to get used to it, or find how to override it. “I hear you.”

The Glasbin fae frowned, like he suspected that Daniel had tricked him somehow. Daniel had, but only slightly. He hadn’t agreed to not cause mischief, only that he heard the Glasbin’s words.

Daniel had tried to organize his thoughts and what he had learned throughout the day. One of the three operatives had definitely had orders from the O’Tells. What games did they have? What was their angle? It was much easier to wonder these crazy questions when one wasn’t exhausted. As the day went longer, he felt his deductions becoming skewed, and he didn’t want to poison his thinking with cloudy logic.

There were no guests yet, and it was the quiet before the storm. Daniel wished he’d have gotten something to eat earlier. Stupid hunger was making paying attention to a dangerous situation hard. Seriously.

He changed focus. Stop trying to find every big angle and instead look at what was before him. Daniel stood in front of his door.

The Glasbin fae knew of the hexed the door Daniel was to open. Daniel considered how or even whether he wanted to address the potential insult and attack. The Surmount Butler had no doubt orchasted this, but Daniel was powerless to overcome it. Or rather, he was supposed to be powerless to overcome it...

If only it had been the Glasbin fae, Daniel could have absolutely crushed the small insults and jabs of the lower fae. If he let them think they could bully him, then his life would be miserable, the subject of scorn and open to attack at all times. But if it was an attack by the Surmount Butler...

Did he dare overcome the hex, or was this to be something to be endured?