I was guided away from the King’s chambers by guards and instead of being brought back to the servants quarters that I had been in before I was instead brought to a much more extravagant room. It was nowhere near what the true nobles would be experiencing but it was leagues above what I would have expected.

The bed seemed to be made with cotton stuffing instead of the straw that most beds were made of. The sheets seemed soft to the hands and slid between my fingers with minimal friction and seemed thick with threads. A dresser lay in the room against one wall with three drawers for all my belongings and a chest sat at the foot of the bed. A tub large enough for me to sit in should it be filled with hot water it would make a decent personal bath.

I had better accommodations when I was being bribed by the Portage family but how quickly they degraded my living quarters once they had their hooks in me reminded me what was truly going to happen in the long term. A simple night gown of pale cream cloth lay on the bed waiting for me. It seemed made for someone a little large than myself didn’t bother me as I changed and laid down. Telling the stories and the long meditative rest was exhausting. So soon I fell asleep.

As I woke in the morning to the sunrise streaming through the high window was a good surprise to brighten my sleep addled mind. I stretched my arms high above my head and heard the muscles groan under the movement. I got dressed and was brought by a servant to the dining room of the lesser court members where I would belong from now on. My things would be sent for and received from the Portage family. With how little I had to my name it would be done by the end of the day.

As I entered the room I saw my new comrades, members of the court that had no noble standing in their blood but for their own merits were accepted into the gracious world of a king’s court. Two scholars, one old and the other young sat together at the dining table that had an arrangement of fruits and vegetables, bread, and some salted pork. They were talking animatedly with one another and I wondered if they worked in the library that I so desperately wanted to spend time in.

An ancient man with withered hair and liver spotted hands was eating slowly as he chewed and savored every bite of his food like it would be his last meal in his life. His eyes though were sharp and shone of extreme intelligence. Around his neck was the symbol of the Goddess of healing, she who staved off Terus from those that still needed to live. His eyes fell upon me and his smile showed well taken care of and unstained teeth. I could guess he was the royal doctor.

A woman sat at the table, her fingers thickly calloused with a lifetime of threading needles through cloth and leather. I could see her strong forearms from the repeated motions of her craft as she cut through her pork demurely. The royal seamstress, for all the modifications and making sure to adopt and change the fashions of the men and women of the courts.

One man, old and worn, looked like he had survived a dozen battles and the movements of his body reminded me of the knights of old that were brought into the trust of the king for their ability to read and manage a warfront. In front of him was a small pile of papers that he was pouring himself over as he learned of whatever news came from the Ursal family.

I stood by the last open chair that was left for me and cleared my throat addressing the room around me. “Hello everyone, I am the new court minstrel, my name is Dolan Talespinner and I am honored to be amongst you all in service of the king.”

The seamstress spoke to me first, “Georgina Seammaker, it is a pleasure to meet you good sir.”

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The older scholar spoke for both, “I am Scholar Eritrude, this is my grandson and apprentice,” He motioned to the young man. “His name is Peator.”

The soldier measured me with his eyes and weighed me for any threat, “Grand Marshal Reichsbane.”

“I am Healer Piscell,” Said the last old man. “Please join us for breakfast. I’m sure that since you are so new you’re going to be having a long day of being brought around the noble rooms and introducing your skills to them. I see you are wearing the Portage family colors and crest. Are you from their house?”

“Originally I was serving the Ursal family,” I could see Reichsbane’s ears peak as I continued, “I carried missives in payment for his recommendation to the noble’s quarter so that I could make a name for myself. However, once I was successful I was given an offer I couldn’t refuse from the Portage house.”

The young Peator spoke up, “Are you the gentleman that has saved both a duke and the nephew of the king?” His eyes sparkled with interest and awe as he looked at me closely.

I held up my disfigured hand and wiggled what fingers I had left. “That is right, I’ve paid a heavy price but it seems that the king has seen fit to reward me for that sacrifice. One day I hope that I’ll be able to play my lute once more but it is going to take a lot of practice for that to happen. So expect some bad playing from my room.” I chuckled lightening the mood best I can as the others looked at me.

Georgina looked at me and smiled, “I’ll have to make some time to make you some better clothes. It looks like the Portage family has you in last fall’s fashion. It will be out of date soon as the ladies and lords of the court are starting to really enjoy frills and collars with extra cloth hanging down from them. When you are available let me know and we will work on getting you all set up. I make all the court’s latest fashions.”

I smiled and bowed at the waist before I took the chair and dished up some food on my plate. My stomach growled loudly showing how famished I felt. I laughed, “Food smells too good for me to wait any longer. Pardon my shortness in conversation.”

Reichsguard measured me still, “What do you know of the war front? Do you know if the Duke Ursal is going to reach out for more reinforcements?”

“I know nothing of the warfront. I apologize but it hadn’t started when I left the estate of the Ursal family.” I watched as the man ignored his food on his plate as he stroked his chin looking at the report with his eyes dancing over the words.

“I see, shame. Well I have business elsewhere, everyone. I’ll see you all at dinner tonight. I believe that I will have a guest so everyone will be on their best behavior.” The man stuffed the last of his pork in his mouth before grabbing everything and heading out of the room.

I ate quietly as the rest of the room devolved into gossip and how it seemed a couple of the ladies of the noble portion of court had recently discovered they were going to be with children. A joyous occasion in my opinion.

“It is such a shame that families have to wait so long to introduce their children to the court. I think it is such a silly custom. Babies were so celebrated in my hometown. Men and women would bring gifts from all around when a baby was born.” Piscell went on and on about the merits of celebrating children and how women did so much better without the need of wet nurses and seemed ashamed that he allowed his charges to avoid such natural ways.

“Oh, it will be so nice to make some baby clothes. Maybe if I make them fashionable enough they will parade their children around.” Georgina sighed wistfully as she slowly ate some fruit from her plate. “Maybe that will solve the issue, Healer Piscell.”

“We can only hope for Georgina. How are your children by the way? I heard you had to send them to your sister?” Came Peator, his grandfather quiet and focused on some thoughts in his head.

“Oh, yes, with my husband leaving the court to go back to his home saddens me greatly. However, when winter is going to come I’ll be leaving the court to be with my family for the winter. No one will need me when we are all locked into the town.” Georgina pushed away her plate as it was clean of food, “I’ll miss Lady Acreage, she is such a fine woman to model new clothes with. I’ll see you all at dinner, have a great day everyone.”

Slowly everyone left me alone with Healer Piscell as he eyed my mangled hand as I struggled to eat properly with it. Handling a knife was difficult with only a few fingers. He cleared his throat when I finished struggling. “I could have a carpenter work with me and fashion you some wooden fingers that you could at least help grip things with. It might interfere with playing your lute though.”

“You are too kind, I would appreciate that greatly though.” I sighed looking at my hand.

“Sir Talespinner, you’re being summoned.” A small boy in messenger clothes stood at the doorway looking at me expectantly.

“Lead the way,” I stated, pushing my half eaten plate aside.