As I returned for the night to the Ursal house I was immediately intercepted by the head butler, whose name I still hadn’t gotten. He bowed and I returned it slightly less pronounced. I waited a half beat for him to ask his inevitable question.
“You’ve been requested to join Sir Emine for dining and some after dinner drinks with his wife. I think he wanted to have you entertain them both with a song of some sort but I can’t be sure.”
I fought off the sigh that was creeping up in my chest and looked at the older man, “I can make that happen. I’ll make my way to the dining hall and see if I can introduce myself properly.”
The house was deathly quiet compared to the bustle of the Truose house I was just in. The maids here embracing an unseen and unheard mentality. I wondered if it was to be modest towards guests or if something else had happened that had been tragic for the servants.
Entering the dining hall the sounds of conversation rolled out of it like a wave. Children were talking quite loudly and laughter permeated it all. Looking inside I saw a few boys that were the spitting image of their father and a daughter of blonde hair and green eyes as they all swiveled to look upon me.
“Oh Dolan it is good to see you returned. I wasn’t sure if you were going to stay at the other house for a last meal or not. Please join us we have dinner already out so just dish yourself up and have a seat.” Tracey was smiling woodenly as his wife held his hand. He was not seated at the head of the table.
His wife had the most dazzling of green eyes and a head full of spun golden hair. Her face was pale as the moons in the night sky and unblemished by any marks. She had a few extra pounds on her and would be seen as quite the beauty in the eyes of nobility here in the capital. I half expected her to squeeze Tracey’s hand a little more as she gazed upon me. However I saw a hunger in her eyes that caught me off guard.
An inkling of a thought happened to trace through my head. Maybe both the heads of the Ermine family were embracing an infidelic nature. Tracey with the cook and maybe Lady Ermine with a handsome young servant. It would suit them both right if they were unfaithful to one another. I never saw the appeal in affairs and had left more than one partner for their inability to stay faithful.
I bowed deeply at the waist as the children called out several requests.
“Oh, he has got a lute, do play us something!”
“Father says he tells stories! Tell us one.”
The little girl just smiled prettily and exuded innocence.
Tracey looked a little happy at the outpouring of requests and his wife shushed the children soon enough, “Let the minstrel eat. He is a guest of our esteemed Duke and it would be uncouth for us to expect her to go hungry so that we can be entertained. Please Sir Dolan come eat and then maybe we can talk about a bedtime story if the children behave.”
The children cheered and I took some food from all the dishes and sat a few seats away from any of my betters including the children as dictated by the noble ways. I saw a glint of approval in the eyes of Mrs. Ermine and as I ate I smiled up at them between bites and started a conversation.
“I don’t believe I have had the pleasure of introducing myself properly and am at a little bit of a disadvantage. My name is Dolan Talespinner, accomplished bard and entertainer.” I inclined my head deeply.
“I am Lady Adrianna Ermine, these are my children, Tracey the second, eldest of our children.” The older of the boys bowed sloppily, “Patrick, and Arianne our other children. Most of them behave better than what you’ve seen today.” Her glare pinned the children in their seats and they fiddled their hands with their utensils.
“It is a pleasure to meet you all. I’d be more than happy to offer my services to each of you in time. Your father has also arranged the pleasure of me entertaining several of his guests in the coming week.”
The meal was delicious and the roasted boar was portioned out. The two young boys ate more food than anyone else at the table and seemed to have voracious appetites. Arianne ate like a bird pecking at her meal and more than once just moved food around on her plate. She was thin for her age and as pale as her mother. She probably never spent time outside in the sun like most of the children of the lesser nobility and peasants.
I plucked the apple from the boar's mouth and offered to split it with the young boys and Tracey, a deal between the men to enjoy something together. They all agreed happily as I had seen most of them eying the vibrant red fruit with interest. It had a strong flavor of smoke and the teeth marks were distracting during the cut.
Meal complete, I relaxed and leaned back in my chair trying to process everything that happened during the day. The debate on whether I would share the sensitive information I had gleaned from the Truose servants was swirling in my mind like a whirlpool of indecision. The children were rubbing their eyes with exhaustion now that their bellies were overly full of food and warm cider that had been dished out with dessert.
Tracey rang a bell and several servants came in to clear the plates. The chef included and eyed Adrianna wearily and with heavy amounts of jealousy. Tracey grew extra stiff when he witnessed the cook come out into the room. I hoped for his sake that his wife was too busy wiping off his son’s mouth to notice the sudden tension. A pair of servants collected the children and escorted them away. They complained loudly that they wanted a bedtime song and story.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“Dolan, if you would be a dear and go help the kids to sleep with something soothing I would most appreciate it. Then if you would meet us in the study I am just dying to hear about your exploits and how you were able to become a guest of our lord.” Adrianna’s tone was demanding and lacked any real request.
“Of course Lady Ermine. I’d be honored. If you’ll excuse me I’ll go take care of setting the kids to bed.”
I was escorted by Angela to a secluded room off in the corner of the estate far from the rooms afforded to Tracey and myself. When I entered it there was no lounge and instead three small beds lining a wall with windows whose shades had been closed for the night shutting the room into great darkness. Lamps lined several sconces on the walls that cast the shadows of the rooms over the beds. One large maid was tending to the children and tucking them in. Their pure white gowns glowed in the lamplight.
Each of the children brightened when I entered with my lute and smiled at each of them. “Good evening children. Your mother said you were all very good and that I should sing you a little lullaby to help you go to sleep. Do you have any favorites?”
In a hushed voice the little girl spoke up. “Do you know the princess and the dragon?”
I nodded and pulled up a chair as the maid sat down in the corner to keep an eye on the children and myself. She seemed entertained at the idea of me singing to the children.
I started to play a chord and moved my hands slowly to a beat matching my heart. I hummed softly to warm up my voice as the children snuggled down into their blankets. I laced my words with soothing calm, filled it with my own weariness to send them off to dreamless sleep.
“Oh the dragons are fierce
But their hearts will be pierced
By the love of a maiden
Their arms will be laden
A maiden’s heart is so warm
It will make a dragon’s wrath torn
They only need embrace
There is no disgrace
Oh the dragons are fierce
But their hearts will be pierced
By the love of a maiden
Their arms will be laden
Dragon’s aren’t cold
They grow mighty old
Longing fills their soul
It’s empty like a shallow bowl
Oh the dragons are fierce
But their hearts will be pierced
By the love of a maiden
Their arms will be laden
Set the dragons to sleep
With the hearts of the meek
Make them count sheep
They won’t make a peep
Oh the dragon’s aren’t fierce
Their hearts have been pierced
They love their maidens
Sing to them a cadence
Sleep o’ dragon sleep
Don’t you dare make a peep
I sing to you this night
Where there is no light.”
I repeated the song twice before the sounds of slow breaths filled the air and the children were deep into slumber. The maid went about as I sang and put out the lights all except for one in her hand. She motioned for me to join her with a finger over her lips in a shushing motion.
We stepped outside and she grabbed my hand lightly, “That was very beautiful. The children don’t get many songs in the house. I’m sure they’ll remember it fondly.”
I could only smile as I fought off a fit of misty eye. The flashes of all the children I had tried to raise only for their lines to be snuffed out ripping at my heart. Of the young dragons I had taught, learning to be strong on their own before the dragon slayers roamed the lands. The maid noticed my sorrow and brushed a hair from my face like a mother to a sad child. I noticed the gray hairs throughout her mane. Laughter lines were deeply sown into her face. Soft lives of mirth and joy echoing from her soul. “You’ve lost your own haven’t you. I’ve known many who have and it is never easy. The wound never heals. Come have a cup of tea with me, I’m Mildred.”
“Dolan, and I would love some tea but I have Lady and Lord Ermine to attend to. If you're awake later perhaps we can.” It was hard to turn her down. The comfort of someone whose soul was old but not ancient. Wisdom even some dragon’s never possessed could be found in the souls of mortals.”
Mildred held my hands and they were warm and soft. Her smile was worth all the gold in the world to me in that moment. “I’ll be in the servant’s quarters. I usually spend my time here in one of their many rooms. I travel only with the children though. Thank you Dolan, for the children.”
“You’re welcome, Mildred. I’ll find you later.” I let go of her hand and walked through the house to Ermine’s lounge and stumbled upon his wife and him enjoying some wine together as they waited for me to enter. I held my lute but was interrupted by a raised hand.
Adrianna spoke, “We would like to know what you learned while you were at the Truose estate. I hope you did more than just dilly dally around with young Patricia.”
I bowed to hide my frown, “I didn’t know I was sent to be a spy on another household. That wasn’t what was expressed to me.”
Tracey spoke up, “I thought it obvious I know how servants like to talk and gossip with one another. You should tell us what they thought was most interesting. It is the least you can do for me setting you up with another pence to your name.”
I felt a chance there, I had to play this as either someone that was loyal to the Ursals. Or paint myself as able to be bribed. “Can I make you a deal?” Their eyes bore into my own as I took a seat with as much confidence as I could.
“What is it you desire, I could give you more coin worth what I think the information is. Or maybe set you up with more work outside the court should you not succeed.”
“I need to send a private missive to the Duke about a matter he wanted me to look into. If you help me figure out how to make sure that it is not able to be read by another I would give you something that you would find most interesting.”
Tracey stroked his chin, “Here I thought you wanted to be friends to the Ursals.”
“I do, but I am a servant to the Duke before I am to you. Teach me how to write this code the other servants talk about and I’ll tell you what I learned.”
Arianna spoke up next, “It is a deal then. Tell us what you think is so important we let you in on a family secret.”
“The Truose family intends to betray their neighbors and invade them to recover the wards that have been taken. The servants spoke of a extremely sensitive meeting that took place in the utmost privacy of the house. Some of them whispered it was the king that planted the idea.”
Both of them gasped and looked at one another, Tracey spoke first, “I was wondering why they were so stingy with offering troops to us. It is because they have been planning to capitalize on the war that is taking place. Those bastards.”
“Calm yourself Tracey,” Snapped Arianna. “We must tell the Duke as well. He needs to do his best to defend the border if we want to make any moves as well in the chaos. Maybe if they plan to march we take Patricia now before she is fully introduced to the court and have her stay with the master. Some form of protection if the Truose are wanting to be more ambitious than they should.”
“Maybe so. But how will we convince them of this course of action. I’d hate to decrease the dowry in order for us to accomplish this. The lands need so much more than what I’ve managed.”
The room got deathly quiet as they contemplated something, I knew that I wasn’t going to be welcome with deeper discussions but I would have to listen in somehow. “I’ll let you two discuss going forward. I’ll retire and expect a lesson tomorrow before your next appointment.”
Arianna looked at me with suspicion and wariness. All the heat she had for me was gone in an instant. Tracey stroked his chin while he measured me. I was like a lamb being eyed by wolves and measured to see if they could eat me. The machinations of humans were hard to avoid but if I used my abilities to stay ahead of them I should survive.
As I returned back to my room I changed my ears once more and quieted my mind to listen through the walls by placing my own against the floor. Trying to feel any of the vibrations that would tell me what they were speaking of.
“...Kidnap…” It was so hard to hear them I was only catching some words, “Bribe… Nan… Sle thistle… Part… Ba… Accident…” I couldn’t make out any more of the words no matter how strained my abilities were. The clodding of shoes pacing the floors made it too difficult. My mind raced but I knew one thing, I would have to be on my toes.
Deep down I reverted my ears but changed my liver and kidneys to those of the most hardy of beasts in case there was poison in my near future. It would degrade my body quickly so I would have to spend more magic on maintaining it in this state.
I headed to bed.