Ch: 141 Lovin’ In The Moonlight
Gary and Shai sailed back from the lovely little inlet just up the tributary stream, smiling and humming a nonsense song together. The ‘fishing’ had been great, they must have been using the wrong bait though, they hadn’t caught anything beyond some good feelings and mellow relaxation.
They motored under the highest arch of the causeway, ducking under the low clearance, only to find the dock mostly taken up by a very fancy yacht.
Tall, wide and white above the waterline, she had fine scrollwork in floral designs everywhere. The rails resembled a fantasy rose trellis, with red lacquered blossoms and bright green painted leaves.
Down nearer the waterline the decorations had not been neglected. Painted lily pads and lotus flowers followed the strakes at the bow, trailing back as though draped around the prow. Each flower and leaf was carefully and beautifully depicted, low enough to create a beautiful illusion when the boat was in motion but high enough above the waterline to be sensible.
The woodcarvers’ and shipbuilders’ arts and craft of the vessel took his breath away.
“Wow… that’s a hell of a boat! Water Lotus…” He murmured in awe. “Looks like we have guests… Do you know this boat love?”
“Nay, it be new tae me too, an a wonder in all.” She took his hand as they helped each other out of the little boat, dancing to the music coming from the house. At the door she swatted him on the rump.
“I’ll be seeing who our guests be, tis bedtime fer the bairns, take them up like a good boy, an mayhap I’ll hae a dance wi thee.
They slipped inside mostly unnoticed, with a little sneaky magic. Solange and Axio came hustling up looking abashed as soon as the pair were changed into slippers and Shai had her checked apron in place for some serious hostessing.
With a deep sigh and a shallow bows, the two ancient spiritual beings began making excuses. “To be fair, casting glamorous and befuddling charms on visiting humans is standard procedure, among the more enlightened fae.”
“What was that?” Gary asked, as Solange tried to skip the whole first part of whatever they were looking so shifty over. “What did you two do?” He demanded, leaning over them and putting his hands on his hips.
“I cast a minor glamor over some humans that tied up to your dock… it was a natural reaction, they knocked on the door? Who does that?” She demanded in a fury, a tiny, adorable fury.
“People coming to visit knock… cause it’s traditional and polite. Most folks assume this is an inn, so they just come in…” He took on a pedantic tone and scolded the abashed duo a little. “I shouldn’t have to tell you this; no spells or glamors on people, unless they cause trouble, ok?”
They both looked suitably chastened, so he scooped them up in a hug and gave a good squeeze to the entities. “I love you both, but you are both pains in my ass.”
Shai was busy playing innkeeper for all she was worth, so Gary took the sleepy little ones up to bed. He got them tucked in and slipped back downstairs to find a handsome farm couple, husband and wife, having the most delightful argument by the fire.
“My cousin, Jose, swore he saw a troop of otter men swimming in the river… I’m afraid I was rather rude to him. Now I’ll have to apologize.” Delphine sighed, to her new beaver friends. “We will come by with those root vegetables in two days, the parsnips are quite good this year.”
Once she caught the scent of trade, the wily farmer’s reticence vanished like thistledown on a breeze. She waved an immaculately manicured hand idly as she spoke. Her breathy accent and finely tailored clothes lent her a level of social gravitas uncommon in vegetable farmers.
She sipped deeply at her mug of very fine tea, sweetened with excellent honey and plenty of it. It was a pleasure to watch the man in brown as he interacted with those darling children.
The big brown dullard seemed very gentle and tender with the little musicians, as he took them away to bed, despite his boorish behavior with those two young servant kids…
Amos leaned back on the sofa and grinned at the beaver woman. “We almost stayed in Port Fallon for the night… My wife was furious when I told her we’d be staying out on the island instead… right Delphine?” He puffed his long, ornate pipe and smiled at his wife.
“Oh Amos, you silly thing, It was I who insisted we stay here tonight… I do so love visiting this inn, whenever we go to town… where you take me not nearly often enough!”
She waggled her fingers at the handsome man in the common room, scolding him happily, while he smoked his pipe with comic disdain written across his face.
He chided her right back, pointing out her logical fault with his pipestem. “Shrill harridan! How will I visit my many mistresses and secret children, if you come into town with me? Be sensible!”
The beavers and otters were enjoying these weird new humans very much. Their antics reeked of a performance, the kind of; ‘let’s see how much we can get away with’ antics that Beast’s children so enjoyed.
Much the way humans love gossip, a good public display of emotion was riveting. It was no less, or more than a farce put on for their own entertainment… as well as the delight and, or embarrassment of onlookers.
Delphine never noticed when that large fellow reappeared, until he leaned over the hostess’ shoulder and kissed her cheek from behind.
“That’s a fair point…” The big, brown haired man said with a smile at his ginger woman. “What’s your position on mistresses and visiting my secret kids, Shai?”
“I’ll see to it ye are suitably buried, alongside yer mistress. I’ll take yer children fer me own… I do need more staff, an the inn stays so busy.” She grumbled at him, around her own pipestem.
“I could nae make my own wee ones labor so, wi the mucking of stables an emptying of chamber pots… Best ye get yer lazy arse tae work an make me some kitchen staff in all.” She sneered.
Becky sat at a table nearby, watching the thing happen. Shai knew, she must know. Several unsubtle bodyguards had appeared around ‘Amos and Delphine’, they were so obviously the nobs from that big fancy boat.
Gary was eating their downhome act up, now that ‘Delphine’ had ditched the atrocious fake accent. Shai was obviously in the know and playing along, probably to frustrate poor Becky. The woman was evil.
#
At the pianoforte, Tawny was entranced by the spectacle. Watching Shai wind Becky up was always entertaining. Observing the skill with which Jaspreet… ‘Delphine’, tangled ‘Amos’ in her ever more elaborate backstory, gave the same pleasure as watching a truly gifted artisan at work.
Even more impressively, all the while she kept twisting Shai up with increasingly unbelievable ‘down home wisdom’ and ‘advice’ on the fine art of maintaining a healthy, happy husband.
“You simply must have your name and address tattooed on him someplace… Mine is absolutely terrible about wandering off.”
Shai nodded studiously, taking notes with glee.
“Aye, mayhap crosst his forehead, that he may nae wander far, there be work tae be done around this house, boy!”
“Hmmm, perhaps an iron collar, love?” Amos provided helpfully, like a good husband should.
“Nae, I did try that, he be a dab hand wi such, tis very hard tae trust a man what hae his own picklocks…” The women all nodded solemnly at the poor boy.
“I feel like I’m missing something here…” Gary muttered with a mildly suspicious look at the two. “You farm around here? Where’s your place?” He asked, causing a few giggles to bloom here and there in the room.
“Well, now I feel awful… you poor dear…” ‘Delphine’ turned on Shai with a cross look on her face. “Really… It is poor manners, to so abuse the moontouched or mentally challenged, I am disappointed in you, Journeyman Shai!”
She turned back to Gary and spoke very slowly and clearly, as though to a particularly dull child.
“We are not really farmers, child. We are traveling nobles, journeying to far Wheatford. We had no intent to deceive you, poor dear.”
She huffed in irritation, at herself and the crowd of tittering onlookers.
“You should all be ashamed of yourselves. Every person deserves dignity and respect at their work, no matter how humble.”
“Wait… so that’s your gaudy, big ass boat clogging up my dock?” He asked in deep confusion. “Mentally challenged…? Nobles?” A sour look of displeasure crawled over his face.
“Nobles… Yeah, that makes sense, I see it now.” He grumbled at the pair.
The red haired giantess’ hand flashed out, catching him by the shoulder. “They be guests boy, ye are the only one daft enough tae believe their stories, feeble an ill thought out as they were.”
‘Delphine’ bristled at that wisecrack, huffing at Shai in mild annoyance. “Forgive me for not having a proper background prepared… I am new at the Great Game.” She blushed a little and seemed upset with herself, more than Shai.
“Well since that was all some joke and my woman has decided she likes you… let’s try again.” He said sullenly, holding out a hand.
“I’m Gary, apprentice luthier and Adventurer out of Wheatford, I guess everyone else already knows who you are?”
He turned his introduction into an accusation at the end, sweeping an annoyed glare around the room.
While Gary floundered and Shai giggled, ‘Amos’ weighed in on the issue. “Your compassion does you credit my love, but the boy is clearly unable to comprehend.” He turned to poor Gary, whose face was a very interesting shade of pink.
“Go on, back to the stables or whatever task they give you to do here.”
Abed Mubarak used his; ‘I’m the duke’ voice on the poor mooncalf. That tone usually sent them scampering, instead this fellow stopped turning colors and fumbling. A new light appeared in the dullard’s eyes and the fellow came into sharp focus immediately.
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“Gary, this is my auntie, contessa Jaspreet Hind, and his grace Abed Mubarak, duke of Shiraz. He is also duke Julius Rummel’s neighbor…”
Tawny slipped from the piano bench and interposed herself between the men quickly, even as Shai firmed up her grip on his shoulder.
#
The commoner looked duke Mubarak up and down, appraising him somehow. Abed flashed red with fury at the temerity of a common innkeeper daring to…
“Tawny! What are you doing here?” Jaspreet shrilled in excitement. “I didn’t recognize you with that veil…” The women embraced and exchanged cheek kisses while chattering at a speed and pitch the men were unable to comprehend.
#
The two men eyed each other, like a stray dogs meeting on the street.
“Garyward the apprentice Adventurer, who travels with Trelawny Belen… It’s you… Belen’s new mad wizard…” Mubarak whispered fiercely.
“No, I’m Gary Ward, Shai’s mad musician… and stableboy. I just help Tawny’s dad out with things from time to time.” He grumbled sourly.
“Nobody owns me but my family. One of your gods tried to stake a claim, he’s gone now.”
“Viscount Kline warned me you were unpredictable and odd.” They were standing close, speaking softly and very near the conflagration that was Jaspreet and Trelawny. Save for the watching eyes of his bodyguard and the giant woman, they were largely alone in the busy room.
Shai slid in and tried to defuse things, with limited success. “Yer Grace, my Gary, he be nae from here…”
The fool interrupted her interruption, by grabbing the duke by the shoulder, just as she had gripped the madman.
“Come on your dukeness, let those two catch up…” He muttered, as he clapped a hand onto the confused nobleman’s shoulder and pulled him over to the bar. The duke’s bodyguards were distressed, confused and completely unhappy with this turn of events.
Abed himself had never been manhandled and dragged about by some common lout before. It seemed strangely… friendly.
“Your pal Irving said he would report everything I said to you directly, so you should have the broad strokes of the issues at hand.” The madman said calmly, sitting down at a table with his woman and the duke, as though that were acceptable.
Somehow, in this mad place, sharing a table with an innkeeper and a common orphan seemed appropriate and right.
“Certain wild tales were related to me by a trusted subordinate. Do you stand by his claims? Drowned gods, magical chicanery with my underthings, outsider gods interfering with, again, my underthings…”
“I lead with the underwear thing cause it gets your attention, but it’s all true… If you want some proof, check your own shorts and shoes, I bet they are hexed and cursed. You seem to be sitting comfy… you’re not wearing the torture britches are you?” He smiled at the lord, who blushed a little and shifted in his seat.
“The god Knowledge has decided to get his cult underway at last. Healer, Joy, Beast and all the elemental spirits are on board. War, Order and Craft need to get in line, or get outta the way, cause we are done waiting for them.” He grinned cheekily and added in a belated: “Your nobleness…”
#
He related that same tale, couched in metaphor and innuendo, always at a convenient arm’s length from the narrator. It was all ‘It’s rumored that’, or ‘Those wise in the lore say...’
“So you claim to be a common orphan and nothing more…” Abed sneered at the young madman across the table from him. A solid half hour of wild claims and insane supposition had him feeling cross and unwilling to hide the fact.
“No, I said under the law I am just another orphan. We are all still people… People you plan to sell and buy as slaves. Since my fate is not my own, my secrets will remain mine alone… Frustrating, isn’t it?”
He grinned back at the lord in the most infuriating way. The mad boy didn’t even blink when his bodyguards began to shift closer to the table, in a very obvious manner.
“What town did your family come from, where did you learn these things?” Mubarak demanded. “Does Belen have some training regimen? Where does he find you people?”
“No dice, I’ll answer questions about my ‘wild tales’, but I have secrets of my own and will share them only when I choose.” The boy sat back, seeming strangely both amused by and angry at, the entire world.
“I bet you’re thinking, I’ll buy this one, or his friends, then we’ll see…” The lunatic grumbled, still smiling a cold and bitter grin.
“Gary, now you are just being rude!” Tawny scolded from the table nearby where she and Jaspreet were still chatting and catching up.
“Oh, sorry. It can be hard to remember the social niceties, under the circumstances… The fact that you’re planning to buy my sweet ass at auction for a few coins is a real strain on our relationship… Or had you forgotten that detail? I surely won’t.”
“Oh no, I plan to buy you, and as many of your friends as I can. Because my people must be protected, as must all mankind.” The duke replied with absolute surety.
“Without the trained, young indentured Adventurers the guild provides, the lands of man would have been swept under a tide of vermin and filth centuries ago…”
“Bullshit.” That one word rang and shimmered around the room, floating on the air like perfume. Gary smacked his lips and tongue happily, suddenly quite pleased with himself. “I’ll never get used to that… feels weird.”
At the gently spoken but explosively delivered word, the bodyguards went on alert, hands snapping to sheathed or slung weapons instinctively.
“The tongue of the rhymer, your grace, it can be startling to the uninitiated.” Tawny announced not loudly, but firmly.
“I assure you what you are feeling is no craft or art of anyone in this home, but rather, the innate magic of the world, interacting with certain fundamental truths.”
She fixed the guards with a cool and calm gaze that chilled their spines, just a little, until they withdrew their reaching hands.
“What Gary is attempting to say, in his own way…” Tawny and Jaspreet slipped into chairs beside the two men, interrupting their nascent quarrel.
“He believes the Contract system we have known all this time to be a trick, a trap, a deceit intended to confound any investigations into these matters.” The golden healer crossed her arms and glared at the mad boy in frustration.
“Sadly, I must report, we have been unable to disprove any of his wild claims…” She shifted awkwardly in her seat as well. “While a number of them seem to bear up under the weight of considerable evidence.”
“So he believes I myself, am deluded in some way?” The lord asked Tawny archly.
“All evidence suggests that in fact, you are. As are we all. Or nearly all, with a very few exceptions. I understand that this is difficult to grasp, but that is not something I can aid you with…” She replied smoothly, facing the lord with utter calm.
“Gary, Shai, Run off and check on the children, I will see to our guests for a few minutes.”
Shai dragged her sullen and angry boy upstairs whispering more loudly than she believed. “Fie! I thought them merely some rich merchants or minor lords…”
“Your grace, my little family is not a toy for you to disport with as you will. If you enter in common guise, it is poor form to begin throwing your titles around.”
She lectured both Jaspreet and Abed firmly, stalking back and forth in the nearly empty common room.
“You are in my father’s lands, if you wish to explore our traditions, you must play the game properly…”
Tawny’s lecture on ‘The Game’ was exhaustive and exhausting.
“...With Gary and his children, all that goes out the window. If you interact with them again, please exercise caution and good judgment, they are highly volatile and unpredictable around strangers.”
“If I interact with them? Shall you attempt to prevent me from speaking to that fellow again?” He asked testily. “Orphans are the property of the Adventure guild, not your father’s, and not yours.”
“Property is the very heart of the matter, and the crux of certain uncomfortable truths.” The golden young woman smiled warmly at the lord and lady. “This is neither the time nor the place, let us just say, your hosts will not respond positively to such arguments.”
Tawny had the pair and their guards off in a corner, near the kitchen and bar, holding forth. Most of the common room had emptied when the game took a serious turn. The beastfolk had slipped into the water outlet and vanished from the uncomfortable scene.
#
The kids were fast asleep, all piled in one bed again, all around the curled up form of Nara, as usual. Shai eased the door closed, silently and pulled him into their room for a chewing out.
“Ye must be more courteous wi noble guests, boy. They dinnae follow the rules of common folk.” She began carefully.
“Yeah, I get it… so far none of your lords have been what I expected… Are they all so young? Leo is maybe forty, Julius is younger than me, these two are maybe twenty five, thirty?” He growled and sulked a little.
“Brennan was just what I expected, a few others have ticked all the boxes like Helene Kinneman…”
“Tis common for ruling lords tae retire at fifty or thereabouts, an they have an heir ready tae assume the mantle… I kin make some assumptions as tae why… I’d nae pinch a clamp tae mine…”
Shai trailed off as her fool keyed in on the underwear secrets, grinning and leering in that way he had…
“Aye, Tawny did sign that I should keep thee busy up here fer a time… Sweet Shai hae been practicing certain skills, of late, tis mayhap time fer a… rrrr-recital”
She trilled those consonants as she closed in on him, her tongue flickering against her palette, with a predatory look in her eye.
#
Down in the mostly empty common room, the instruments on the walls trembled and sang softly. They hummed and sang as though struggling mightily against some restraint, barely containing a triumphant song of joy.
“Ahh, well sometimes simple solutions are the best.” Tawny said enigmatically, over the quiet, muffled tune. “We should head to the private baths for the rest of our discussion, you will find them a revelation.”
“I had noticed that huge garden pool, it does look inviting…” Jaspreet cooed in delight.
“That is the public bath auntie dear…” Tawny replied flippantly, deeply enjoying having the upper hand with her mother’s glib, clever and irreverent friend. “You are my beloved auntie, we couldn’t have you bobbing about among just anyone…”
Tawny locked eyes with grinning, skulking Becky, still playing the subtle and skilled waitress, using her gifts to be unobtrusive, while savoring a closeup view of the action.
“Fetch his grace and her ladyship, something from the kitchen please, Becky… we will be in the bath.”
“Certainly, lady Trelawny.” She replied, with a smooth and elegant bow.
In the changing room, Jaspreet sighed happily. “A hotspring inn here in the lowlands… how exciting.” She cooed, while helping Abed disrobe. “The service is remarkably skilled, as were those young musicians. I was startled to find you performing in a common inn, even under a veil.”
“They could use a bathing attendant, seems an oversight.” Abed grumbled weakly, unable to find any other fault in the place. He was lost in the beautifully landscaped garden pool just through the open doorway.
“The traditions and culture of our host are a bit eccentric.” She smiled and whispered excitedly, as though sharing a naughty secret. “They don’t employ servants at all! Isn’t that charming?”
“Really, who is this much rumored hos…?” Abed stilled his question, when that servant girl came in, bearing a tea service, followed by the darling guitarist from the stage.
He carried a delightful spread of snacks on a tray. They smoothly and skillfully served the bathing nobility, before withdrawing in silence.
“The service here is extraordinarily skilled… I might try and poach those two for the palace.” The duke muttered softly.
“Gauche, I know, but skilled servants are so rare in the wild.” He replied to his lady’s shocked glance.
“Your grace, you misapprehend, there are no servants in this house. These are all my family… and a few guests from the local waterways. We are Ginger Dreadnought, Adventurers of Wheatford, returning home after a journey.”
She sighed and sank lower in the water, with a relaxed smile of pure pleasure. “The rest of the troupe and your hosts should join us shortly, I would imagine, it has been a stressful few weeks.”
A few moments later a giant red haired man came in, holding hands with the tiny blonde bartender. They slipped into the pool with smiles all around. The slim girl with the plaits joined shortly after, then the beautiful ginger musician.
Abed became visibly confused and flustered as more and more commoners joined the spacious and luxurious bath.
“I suppose proper introductions are in order…” Tawny said cheerfully when the distressingly handsome and muscular young clerk with spiky black hair joined the stew.
“Liam is the leader of our troupe, please meet Liam Kinnis and the rest of my family.” She announced happily, shining golden and confident in the steam.
“Duke Abed Mubarak, Lady Jaspreet Hind, this is most of Ginger Dreadnought, our other members are…”
“...Apparently not going to stay in bed… despite firm rules on that matter.” She said to the three giggling waifs that had splashed down from the waterfall, mid introduction.
“Amy, Rio, Wilford… Why are you up at this hour?” she demanded firmly of the ringleader.
“Gary’s music woke us up… They are still kinda loud when they ‘argue’.” The precocious girl threw finger quotes around ‘argue’, suggesting things were not as they seemed.
“Who are these weirdos?” The child asked, eying the bodyguards, still subtly stationed around the duke.
“Amy! This Is duke Abed Mubarak and my auntie Jaspreet, they are important people, be polite.”
“Only weirdos wear clothes in the bath, that means their friends are weirdos...” She said firmly, nodding to her two silent hype men. The larger boy opened his mouth and said one word, but it rang on the stones with absolute finality.
“Weirdos.”
Duke Abed sat back in the pool, taking it all in. Being insulted by a naked toddler whose voice rang out like a judge’s final sentence was a novel treat.
Before he could even formulate a response, the children were whisked away.
Jaspreet gave the poor dears no chance, she had them corralled in her little corner of the bath in moments, chatting and giggling as though they were her own beloved kin.
“Well, now we can have a proper chat, as soon as our hosts come down. Since the children are up they should have already appeared… Axio, be a dear and run, get them please?”
Tawny huffed sadly when the little man skipped away merrily. “I’m afraid we owe your bodyguard a debt of honor, my friend Solange used a glamor on them when they came to the door. My apologies, your grace and to your guard as well.” She dipped a bow to each of the silent, armored men and women.
“Our hosts will find a way to gain your forgiveness I’m sure, they are relentless in such matters.”
“So we are to finally meet these much rumored hosts, are we?” Jaspreet asked, while braiding Amy’s hair. “I am intrigued, this is such a fine inn, yet it stands here in this dismal swamp… I suppose it’s because of this spring?”
“In many ways, yes, that is entirely correct. Not my secret to tell though… Here they are.” Tawny chimed happily. “Gary, Shai, come meet your guests properly.”
“Oh, gods preserve me.” Abed muttered softly in the fragrant steam.
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