Daniel stood in front of a left door of the foyer of the O'Tell's lesser banquet hall, problem looming before him.

He was to open the door on the left. That was not hard. What would be difficult would be if he touched the doorknob, a hex would be enacted.

If he refused to open the door, he would be punished.

If he opened the door, the hex would begin it's dubious purpose, and he would be blamed for it, which also meant he would be punished.

Perhaps the very worst thing he could do was if he unraveled the hex. He may avoid temporary pain, but he would reveal more than he desired. A truly observant observer may even grasp what Daniel was holding in reserve since his earliest days.

The first guest arrived, and forced Daniel's hand. He watched them enter.

First to arrive meant fodder. Fodder was always invited to these events. The very important people always entered exactly when the event was started. The unimportant ones were to be the fanfare, which meant they needed to arrive early enough to applaud when the important people arrived. He vaguely knew the trio of elfin maidens, they were noble attendants of some minor house. Elswith had danced with the one with the softly glowing hair before. Claudian. During a wedding alliance between two Courts, Daniel had attended to represent his Faction. It was one of the few times he was entrusted with the Red Sword, though it remained dull and inert in his hands due to his own lack of standing. During that event Claudian must have finally realized that Elswith had the potential to become very important, should he survive long enough. Because for the first time at any event they had both attended, she had thrown herself at him. Literally lunged and jumped yelling 'Catch me!'.

He had politely refused her advances the way a sane person avoids a charging predator.

After she picked herself up from the floor, she had tittered and laughed and said 'it's just a joke, teehee.'

Elswith had wished her well, and had even implored her to seek the Grey Court for mental healing. She just 'teehee'-ed her way out. Last Elswith knew, she was still pursuing anyone of any stature.

If there was justice in the world, she and her two companions would stride straight forward, and choose another doorway to enter. The lesser banquet hall had seven doors granting access to this space from the foyer. She could have chosen any other door.

She did not. She stalked forward, awkward in her heels and stepping on the hem of her gown. Where Kane had been sharp and subtle, with keen eyes and a graceful form, this...creature seemed to believe that by continually applying more and more shiny things, she would be more attractive. Her hair glowed, her gown was like polished satin that seemed more like a costume polyester, whatever polyester was...cheap jewelry layered across her body, gaudy and tacky.

She stopped in front of the door.

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Was this the event designed by the Surmount Butler, Daniel wondered. But given Glasbin's face, it seemed like he had no idea who this person was.

So just a naturally occurring hazard, then.

She flipped her hair, and stood as if they should open the door.

"I'm very important." she said, sounding very important. "I'm always the first one to these events."

As the first arriving guest, her lack of importance was clear to everyone but her, apparently. There would be servants with higher rank than herself, after all, such as the Surmount Butler or even the Hall Attendant pair opening the grand entrance doors. The first to arrive literally was the lowest position. In all honesty, the Glasbin fae may hold higher position than this she-elf. She was a hanger-on of a hanger-on.

"It is not yet time for the Banquet doors to open." Glasbin said.

"But I'm here now." Claudian said, and flipped her hair again.

More guests entered, all similarly low ranked. However, while many gawked at Daniel as their eyes found him standing in his Hall Attendant Uniform, no one made way for his section.

"The bell will ring within moments, honored guests." Daniel said, matching the Glasbin's tone of voice.

Her half lidded eyes focused on him, her smile curved, and she tittered at him.

"It is so wonderful to see you again!" the she-elf said, and winked. "If I were to jump at you again, I'd bet you'd catch me this time."

If only Daniel could get her to open the door for him...perhaps when she jumped at him, he'd step away and she'd slam face-first into the hexed doorknob...two birds with one stone...

No, Law of Fae wouldn't like that, regardless of how unsettled this creature was. However tempting it was....it would solve both issues....

He was saved from his moral dilemma by the bell sounding inside the banquet hall.

Daniel felt the brown eyes of his minder. It was strange to be with someone who looked so similar to him. The O'Tells really knew their stuff, Daniel admitted to himself. It was an art to pair someone.

As according to the Lren Style of Door opening, all the Hall Attendants moved together.

Daniel began to open the door, in the Lren style, his mind whirling.

He had concocted one counter measure. The spell seemed to be based on the doorknob itself. Only the doorknob, a crystal craved like a rose roughly three inches across and round. Not on the stem of the doorknob, which was made of a different material. It was a small oversight.

An oversight Daniel would exploit.

If he was wrong, he may 'fail' in his first duty of the day.

Moving in tandem, the Servant pair Glasbin and Branch moved as one. First the foot pivoted, left for Branch, right for Glasbin. Then they raised their hand up, right for Branch and left for Glasbin, both as if reaching for the sun, then swept their arm in a circle like a dance. Daniel could hear the sound of cloth rustling as all fourteen hall attendants more in unison. Daniel could feel the gentle power of purpose flow from them. They honored the O'Tells Family with this, who had blessed them and provided for them. Daniel had never realized the Law of Fae was in attendance with even the ordinary things.

As the circle gesture was completed, all Hall Attendants reached for their respective knobs, as was the style of Lren door opening.

All except Daniel, who reached with his fingers to the little stem of the doorknob. His fingers, careful as a wisp of smoke, applied pressure, and twisted the stem.

The inner workings of the door shifted, and then opened.

He barely remembered to complete the Lren style of looking away from the opening door, chin pointed to the ground. He knew if he slipped and any of himself touched the doorknob, he would 'fail' this duty.

But he did not.

And the Glasbin fae stared at him. The Hall Attendant Branch had avoided the danger, even if only temporarily.

"Please, honored guests," Daniel said, almost giddy with releif. "Please enter the banquet hall of the O'Tells Family."

If only the problems had ended there...