Once all that was done, she crawled into bed and curled up around a sleeping Endermon. Soon enough Shiloh was sleeping too. And that was something she was still not used to, after being awake til dawn, and having to hide from the sunlight for decades, maybe even centuries.

But when they woke up it was late in the afternoon, and true to their word, or rather the note, no one bothered them. They could smell lunch and Shiloh zipped out and came back with some food. They ate and Endermon said they should probably go out and face them at some point. Shiloh asked if she was certain, and Endermon said they couldn't hide forever.

They got dressed and went out into the parlor. Rutus had gone out to work on something metal, Dresden was doing some sort of exercise, so it was just Shiloh and Endermon. A woman poked her head in and was about to leave when Endermon said it was okay.

She had the woman gather the staff, unless they had urgent business to take care of. No one really had anything important to do, so Endermon thought there should be introductions. There were five in all. A cook, a maid, a butler, a stablehand, and one who filled in where necessary.

Endermon had so many questions, but she didn't want to overwhelm them, so she asked them what, besides the money, made them want to come there. It turns out, that they had all recently been dismissed from their previous services.

She asked if they felt they had wrongly been let go, and they all said yes. The cook was fired for burning a roast. It was for a party, and everyone else was busy, not to mention they were the only cook there. Endermon said she did not feel that was a firing offense.

Turning her attention to the maid, she asked what brought her there. The maid sat back and said she was fired for stealing some valuable piece of jewelry. When asked if she really did, the woman scoffed. She looked offended. The woman said she had standards, and she wasn't about to lift something as fake and as tacky as her employer's baubles.

Leaning forward, the maid said that Endermon had taste. Endermon thanked her and said that she would appreciate it if nothing of hers went missing. The woman faked grabbing some pearls and dramatically asked what she took her for.

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This made Endermon laugh, and asked if there was anything else. The woman leaned back in the chair and said she'd slept with the woman's husband. She seemed proud of this. Endermon subconsciously grabbed Shiloh's hand. This did not escape the woman's notice.

The woman said she and Shiloh were fine, as women weren't her thing. However that fine piece of man out there doing exercises..... Endermon and Shiloh laughed and said no one had any claim on Dresden, so if she could stand what came out of his mouth, he was fair game.

Feeling she got all she was going to get out of the maid, she asked the butler. He said he had helped get his employer's daughter out of an unsafe relationship. Problem was, it was an arranged marriage, and the employer lost the opportunity to own more land, so there was that.

Endermon said he did a good thing, and the employer could go suck it. The man smiled and sighed. It was a relief to hear that. Next was the stablehand. They looked nervous so Endermon said they could nod or shake their head. There was plenty of time to get to know them later.

She said in fact, why didn't Shiloh go to the stable so they could talk where they were more comfortable. They looked relieved, and quietlyand gallantly offered Shiloh their arm. Shiloh took it and they left the house. Endermon turned to the person leaning against a door frame. Endermon said they could get closer, she didn't bite. They came over and said they were helping the cook prep for dinner, and didn't want anything to burn or get ruined.

Endermon said that when they got the chance, she'd love to talk to them some more. They went to go back into the kitchen with the cook after thanking Endermon and promising to catch up when they had more time.

Since she usually was the one to make dinner, she had nothing to do. As everyone dispersed to take care of their chores, Endermon wandered into the kitchen, but was shoo'd out by the cook. Endermon laughed and said she was going.