Whatever happened in the Main Banquet Hall, Daniel did not discover more. Hopefully, he would find gossip during his next shift here, if not directly from Esra's mouth.
The Servant Branch was nearly two-thirds done with today’s duties.
Glancing at the hexed doorknob, he reviewed that so far, he had managed to overcome two of the three hurdles of the Surmount Butler.
Perhaps the Surmount Butler had other designs, but Esra had disrupted those plans. That would be within the character of Esra, he certainly seemed to live to disrupt carefully crafted plans and ride the winds of chaos. The invitation of trouble remained from both the Surmount Butler and Lordling Parcel. Anywhere Esra went was automatically in trouble, so Daniel didn’t need to worry more so than usual.
He spent the rest of the time attempting to convert magic into food to stop his stomach from rumbling, only to learn too late that whatever meager amount was much too little. All he earned for his efforts was a headache. He wished he had been allowed to eat whatever lunch he missed.
Daniel felt his spider sock quiver and then re-congeal. His mind, not actively focused on any specific quests, wandered. What would be more stratifying: Thousands of spiders, jumping on Esra, or thousands of spiders, jumping on Lordling Parcel? Or, he smiled to himself, thousands of spiders jumping on both Esra and Lordling Parcel.
Right before the top of the hour, the Surmount Butler arrived, steps striking the ground like a blow. The impressive figure grimaced as he beheld at the perfect lobby, the gleam floors, the Esra print-free walls and ceilings. Clearly, the Surmount Butler had expected some kind of disarray, and just as clearly he was disappointed to be mistaken.
Daniel judged that whatever Esra had done, or didn't do, had left an impact in that meeting.
The Surmount Butler ran his hand over the top of one of the framed art works, and grimaced as his gloved hand returned un-smudged.
"You, servant girl." he barked at one of the waiting maids, taking looming strides toward her.
"Yes sir," she said, meekly.
"What happened here?"
"We...are hosting a banquet." her dewdrop wings trembled.
The Surmount Butler leered at her, casting a dark shadow over her. It was more intense than any reaction should be for her answer. Daniel's instincts warned the girl may be in danger.
Daniel fought himself to not step forward.
He didn't have to. The lesser attendant, the one he no doubt replaced, stepped in front. He had crossed the room quickly, but without making a sound. No doubt a spy then. "Sir, this attendant is willing to answer. Do you mean the unexpected arrival of the Gravity Mage?"
"Was he truly unexpected?" The Surmount Butler said, and Daniel felt the question was directed at him. But he did not answer.
"I cannot say." the lesser attendant said gravely. "All this servant knows is that the Great Gravity Mage Esra entered, great sir. He proved he was a Mage and came in. Then he left."
"You, what happened here?" he asked another Hall Attendant, standing in front of a set of doors much like Daniel was.
The dark haired hall attendant cleared his throat uncomfortably. "We were honored with the Great Gravity Mage Esra's presence, great Surmount Butler. He demonstrated his abilities, and left."
The Surmount Butler's nose wrinkled in disdain as he took strides to stand in front of Daniel. "You, Hall Attendant Branch. Tell me, under the Law of Fae: What games did conspire here, while the menace Esra did appear?"
The bindings enacted.
"New Attendants must be perfect in all actions," came the blows of the Surmount Butler's word.
The bindings hurt.
The Surmount Butler continued. "Perfect in all actions, lest they anger the very powerful."
Around each limb, and in his heart. Daniel felt he may crumple from the pain.
The Surmount Butler grinned, evilly at his suffering. "As the one in charge of such a wayward servant, I implore you to Improve your skills, whenever an opportune moment arise."
Daniel breathed. He breathed hard and forced himself to remember the goose bite from earlier in the day. He remembered the beating he took from 'sparring' as a newly minted and not quite official squire. He remembered the hours of the labor of standing perfectly still that day as the Surmount Butler had scolded him and berated him, depriving him of his meal. A little temporary pain paled in comparison.
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"This humble servant," he said, through clenched teeth. "Is honored to answer such an estimated question."
The third affront, the third attempt. This was the conclusion to the Surmount Butler's attack today. It may not have been the initial plan, but blaming chaos on Branch could have worked for any person. For example, if Parcel and Daniel had dueled, this line of attack would have still been valid.
Daniel pushed back against the bindings. The Servant Branch was hiding nothing. The Servant Branch did his duty to his full capacity.
The bindings quivered for a second. They did not go away, but the intensity lessened.
Daniel kept up his momentum. "The Great Gravity Mage Esra played no game. The Mage entered because he decided to, and the Great Surmount Butler was not present to clarify the situation." Daniel's small counter attack. It was true, what servant would throw out a Great Mage such as Esra? What servant would dare? "The House did not remove him, so the Great Lords of the O'Tells House must have welcomed him in, in one form or another."
"Is that so, servant?" The weight of the Surmount Butler's words pressed against him, like a mighty downpour against the canvas of a tent. But the canvas overcame and superseded, it withstood the pressure and the weight.
"Yes." Daniel said. The pressure of the Surmount Butler made his knees shake. Elswith had stood against the Red Lord, a High Fae. He would not bow his head to such a lesser threat as the Surmount Butler. He may frame Daniel, derail Daniel, even led to Daniel's loss in the Game, but Daniel would not yield.
And then the Game intervened, and the pressure broke as if it had never been there.
Others must have felt the effect because scant moments ago the Surmount Butler's presence had felt dark and menacing, now it felt almost laughable. He had miss used his authority, and that authority was if temporarily, revoked. Was the Surmount Butler implying that some servant colluded with the Great Gravity Mage? Ridiculous.
Daniel almost feared he would have flown upward just from the removal of pressure. He had to stop himself from grinning. Was this the third attack from the Surmount Butler? The doorknob, the Lordling Parcel, and then this?
Losing the presence of Authority in front of an audience was unsettling. The Surmount Butler stood in front of Daniel, clearly trying to find one last thing to critique. But Daniel's Lren Style was polished, his uniform impeccable; the vision of a perfect Hall Attendant for the O'Tells House.
The Surmount Butler opened his mouth, then closed it again. "Make way, I must attend this event," he said, his words chipped.
So Daniel and his partner opened their doors perfectly. The sounds of a conclusion to a speech drifted in as the Surmount Butler entered, body stiff and stoic. Daniel saw just the Surmount Butler tilt his head just slightly, taking the smallest glace at the Glasbin fae.
Disquiet filled Daniel over that look. He should ensure that he was not left alone with his partner. Daniel knew that theoretically, he safe to many dangers. Killing the pawn would end the Game, so threats to his life were...lower than they had been when he was a Lordling. But as the poets said, 'You'd be surprised what you can live through.'
As Daniel and the Glasbin closed their doors, silence fell over the foyer again.
"Are we...okay?" asked the servant with 3 dozen mice at home to feed, peering out from a curtain.
The dark haired Hall Attendant who had spoken before smiled. "I...think we are."
The lesser Attendant sighed in relief.
Daniel interrupted. "We are not done yet. This banquet must conclude perfectly. Then the event becomes something that happened in the past." Daniel said. "Do not relax early, or you will fall in defeat."
The goodwill that was forming seemed to freeze over, but the well regard of his fellow Servants was not as important as surviving this coming Game.
The remaining minutes passed slowly. Daniel considered what Esra had done, or did not do. If only Esra could be reliably counted on, Daniel could make much chaos as a cover for himself.
But that was also Esra's problem: He did what he wanted, when he wanted, how he wanted, regardless of the time or place or what was at stake.
Daniel's musings were at last put aside as the clock struck five, and the Time Court's bell rang. And like clockwork, the Hall Attendants opened the doors in the Lren Style as the Banquet was officially finished.
Midday and late-day luncheons were always fickle; sometimes the crowd would linger for hours, but other times as soon as the top of the hour arrived, all left with haste. Today was the latter kind, as tea time passed and all the important people and all the not-so-important people left in a parade of colors and patterns and finery as befitting their ranks. The eyes still gawked at him. Lordlings' conversations lulled as they drew near him, the Midlevels muttering and murmuring, and the wizards whispering wild and watchful. At this point, Daniel merely stood and held the door open.
Daniel had to give praise to his old Steward, learning the Lren style had indeed proven useful, if for reasons other than what Matheus had intended.
Perhaps if he both won the Game, yet failed to achieve full Lord, he could earn influence on the side as a Lren instructor.
It certainly felt climactic, seven pairs of hall attendants all in perfect sync, holding their doors open with such poise and dramatic stances, while the main Door keeper pair opening and closing the doors like the snipping of scissors or shears for the departing guests.
Several Friggans looked at Daniel more openly than before. He had nothing against the Mist Court and secretly wished them well.
Daniel saw Parcel leave separately from Lordling Silvia. For some reason, he felt pained. Perhaps he was too tired to think clearly. The union of 'Parsilvia' was a childish ideal that would benefit neither faction.
The Surmount Butler left, following after a Lord of the O'Tells house that Daniel knew. Orville's mother. She did not even look toward Daniel once. She was more like a statue than a living person, so far removed from the realms of a servant it almost hurt to behold her. From her steps and the way the Surmount Butler followed her, it was clear that the Surmount Butler would be occupied for some time.
Time enough for Daniel to finish and arrive at the Stable at 6 o'clock for his last duty of the day.
Then all the guests were gone. All the powers that be removed. The last door closed and the Servants were left to their own devices.
It felt like the air was moving again, and the mood was suddenly bright.
After the last door closed all the servants let out a cheer. "They've left, they've left! We've endured. Give it a cheer, and bring out the beer!" Even the Glasbin fae took part in the chant and cheered.
Wait, did servants do that every time after an event?
It was news to him.