The first bell of the day tolled as Allisse entered the Silk Spool tailor shop and took a deep breath. No vampires, no need to rush anywhere, just elegant outfits of every type. There were blouses and pantaloons, dresses and hats, and even what looked like clothing that incorporated some armored parts. Perhaps those last were for adventurers. There were fashions for children, or maybe they were for halflings. And this tabard here looked like something a dwarf might wear. She looked closely at the intricate gold thread marking out something in dwarvish, when a woman behind her said, “It’s an interesting piece isn’t it?”
“Yes,” said Allisse, turning. The woman in front of her was dressed in fine silks and linens, but more demurely and subtly than anyone of means would dress. The apron and the sewing equipment it contained marked her as a seamstress. Allisse said, “Marcaveus told me to come here to get my livery.”
The seamstress’s face dawned with sudden realization. “Of course, right this way. Head to the fitting booth in the back and I’ll be right with you. Is the gentleman over there with the Inn as well?”
“Yes,” said Thinneus.
The seamstress nodded. “The booth next to hers, then.” She went to the back room while Allisse and Thinneus went to their respective booths. Each was a small room with a red satin curtain and a low dividing wall between them that reached near the top of her head.
Allisse spoke up over the divider, “Marcaveus said your name was Thinneus?”
“Thinneus Calleanon,” the boy replied.
“Calleanon? Is that Elvish?”
“Sylvan actually. It means something like ‘skilled in the weaving of charms.’ And what’s your name?”
“Allisse, Allisse Brenner.”
“That’s a nice name. Do you own it or just have a lease on it?”
“Huh?”
“It was a pun. You know, ‘Allisse’ sounds like ‘a lease.’”
“I never thought of it like that,” Allisse said, after a second.
There was a soft knock outside the booth and the seamstress from earlier entered. “I have the start of your new livery here, I just need to take a few measurements. If you could remove your dress and kirtle?”
Allisse nodded and stripped down to her shift and the seamstress took the tape measure off of her neck and began taking measurements. On the other side of the divider, Allisse heard Thinneus getting the same treatment. The seamstress left, measurements taken, and whoever was getting Thinneus’ measurements departed.
“So,” said Allisse, “the Inn owner is a vampire.”
“Yeah,” said Thinneus.
“I mean, won’t he drink our blood and steal our life force to keep him alive?”
“I asked around,” said Thinneus. “A lot of people have a lot of opinions, but they generally agree that Marcaveus is all about hospitality. He is very protective of his staff and his guests. I don’t think he would harm us. But, if someone hurts one of his people, well, that’s when he feeds.”
Allisse gulped. She wasn’t sure if that information made her feel more or less safe. “He used some sort of mind control spell on me,” she spurted out.
“I don’t think so,” said Thinnues. “I felt it too when I first met him. But vampires have this mystical charisma that affects the people they talk to. I think that’s just his normal speaking voice.”
“So you don’t think he’s dangerous?” Allisse asked.
“Of course he’s dangerous. He’s a vampire. But… well, here’s an example. You’re walking down the street and a horse is coming the other way. It’s a giant animal that, if it decided to kick and trample you, it could kill you easily. But that doesn’t even cross your mind because it’s just a horse, it’s just a part of life. You’re careful not to fall under its hooves, and if it rears up, you stay away. But if you try to live in this city terrified of every horse you pass, you’ll never get anywhere. Marcaveus has been in the city a long time, longer than you or I have been alive. And it seems like he’s gotten along peacefully with everyone. If anything, I think I’m safer under his protection than somewhere else.”
Allisse thought about that for a second. It made a certain amount of sense. It was cold here in just her shift. Was Thinneus cold as well in just his underbreeches? Hmm… She had an urge to tiptoe and peek over the divider. But what if he decided to reciprocate? Better not.
The seamstress returned with pieces of the new livery. “That was fast,” said Allisse.
The seamstress took some pins out of her mouth and began pinning the sections over Allisse. “We keep cutouts on hand in a variety of sizes for whenever Marcaveus sends a client over. We try to get you outfitted as quickly as possible. Breathe in and hold for a second, if you would.” Alisse did and the seamstress began stitching together pieces. “You can relax now.” It was a few minutes, but the seamstress’s fingers moved with practiced ease as she turned the pieces into a complete outfit. “Now comes the supportwear,” the seamstress said, holding up a velvet waist. “I don’t know how to tie that,” said Allisse. “I’ve always used a kirtle.”
“It’s no trouble at all, a waist is much easier to work than a corset,” said the seamstress. “Simply adjust the laces at the side until it feels snug. You should still be able to breathe with ease and bend without any difficulty.” The seamstress quickly adjusted the waist’s lacing and Allisse felt it conform to her chest.
“All right, that should do it.” the seamstress said, eyeing her work approvingly. “Will there be any final alterations you need?”
Allisse looked down. It seemed in order. And the fit hugged her frame in a few places, but that was probably the style. Nothing seemed to pinch or inhibit her movement. “The skirt seems a bit short,” said Allisse. “I don’t know.”
The seamstress dropped to one knee and examined it closer, measuring. “Marcaveus’ instructions state a handspan below the knee. In the past, when we made the skirts too long, they would get ragged and soiled too quickly from the work you do. You should still be plenty modest compared to your clientele if they are in keeping with the latest fashions.
“That should be good then.”
The seamstress nodded and left. Allisse stepped out and looked at herself. Linen cap with blouse, petticoat, and skirt, these last three all made of silk. She’d never worn silk before; it felt unnaturally smooth on her skin. The linen apron alone was nicer than anything she’d ever worn, and it was just there to absorb spills. The black velvet waist glittered almost like a gem, something that belonged on a rich man’s daughter. It was all too beautiful. It was the outfit of someone who was ready for the job. And it just wasn’t her. A wave of nausea began passing through her.
Thinneus stepped out, dressed in similar fashion. He wore black knee breeches over white stockings, a black doublet over a white linen shirt, and a black and white felt cap. All of it was embroidered in the same style as hers. He looked good in it.
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Allisse sat down on a chair holding back tears. “I don’t think I can do this.”
“What do you mean?” said Thinneus, rushing over.
“I’m from Skinner’s Row, not some palace. I don’t know anything about high society or how to deal with nobility. I’m going to do a horrible job and that vampire is going to eat me when he finds out how bad I am at this.”
Thinneus stooped over and put a hand on her shoulder. “I’ve dealt with nobles before and there’s nothing to it. They don’t even realize you’re there most of the time, and when they do, you just drop ‘sir’s’ and ‘ma’am’s’ until they stop talking. They don’t remember half of what they tell you, so even if you get something wrong, they usually don’t realize it. Occasionally they trust you with something hard, but you’re smart and you’ll be able to figure it easily.”
“I feel like an actor wearing a fancy outfit to pretend to be someone I’m not.”
Thinneus smiled. “You wanna know a secret? Everyone’s like that. The people who just made our clothes are pretending to be tailors. The lords and ladies we’ll be serving, they’re just average people pretending to be better than those around them. Everyone is pretending to be someone they’re not, and hoping no one figures out the lie. But the beauty of it all is that if you pretend to be something for long enough, you get so good at it that you become what you were trying to be, and then you can pretend to be something even better.”
“You think Marcaveus is pretending to be an innkeeper?”
Thinneus thought for a second. “No, I think he’s pretending to be human. But he’s getting really good at it.” Allisse looked up and he smiled at her. “Come on. Let’s go back to the inn. It’s our first day, let’s learn our lines and play our roles. No one’s expecting us to have it all together just yet.”
Allisse nodded. “Okay.”
Allisse and Thinneus strode back to the inn together in their new livery. Allisse looked at the people going by: servants, merchants, nobles, messengers, and guards, everyone with someplace to be and most in a hurry to get there. None of them noticed her; just another servant going about her master’s business. That reminded her. “Thinneus, what was on that list of tasks?”
Thinneus unrolled the paper. “Task the first: Be at the kitchen before sixth bell, ready to serve the midday feast.” Right as he was saying this, the temple bell tolled out the second bell of the day.
“So that’s four hours from now,” Allisse said. That shouldn’t be too hard. “What else was on the list?
“Task the second: Room service is typically provided between lunch and dinner. Make time to check in on each and every guest and see what tasks you can accomplish for them.”
“Okay, that’s also for later.”
Thinneus continued “Task the third: Eat lots of basil and coriander so that your blood is extra tasty.”
Allisse hit Thinneus lightly. “It does not say that.”
“The third task was actually picking up Basic Alchemy for Everyday Use from Herman’s Fine Books.”
“That’s better.”
“Finally, task the fourth: Return to the kitchen before twelfth bell, ready to serve the evening feast.”
Thinneus said, “I know where Herman’s Fine Books is, why don’t I go pick that up while you check in on the Inn?”
“Sounds good,” said Allisse. They parted ways and Allisse walked up the crushed seashell path past the gardens and hedgerows, and arrived at the front door, only to see Lupin talking to a pair of nobles. He waved Allisse over with the bow from his violin and said, “Count and Countess Barania have just arrived to grace us with their presence.”
Allisse curtsied “Your Majesties.” Everyone looked slightly confused. Lupin hummed a faint note and she heard a voice in her head say
“Well, yes, I was just a baby when-”
“Well, then of course you’re out of touch with how to treat people of rank and title. The Inn here is one of the few places in the city that still knows how to show the proper respect. Pay attention, and you’ll soon learn.”
Allisse nodded.
The count said, “My other servants are getting the bags out of our carriage. If you would give them a hand up to our rooms.”
Allisse paused. Where were the stables? Lupin pointed subtly out the door, his hand behind the counter and out of view of both nobles. “Right away,” Allisse said, curtsying again.
She went out the door and looked in the direction Lupin had pointed. The hedgerows were taller than she was, but hidden behind them were the stables. The building smelled of manure, and had stalls appropriate for all manner of creatures, although only a few horses and a greatgoat were currently kept there. At the end of the hall, three footmen in green on sable livery were getting the luggage out of a white carriage. Meanwhile, their horses were being tended to by an elf wearing a leather apron and white on black livery. She was beautiful, even by elf standards, though the way she wasted it under bits of grime and men’s pants seemed such a shame to Allisse. As she worked, the horses got stubborn and the elf pulled the pipes from the thong on her neck, played a soothing melody, and they began to comply.
Allisse turned to the servants. “How can I help?” she asked. One of them handed her a trunk and she nearly fell over taking it, but caught herself and trudged toward the Inn’s entrance. As she walked through the open doorway, Lupin walked over to help her, and let off a sharp whistle up the stairs, and picked up half of the trunk.
“Thanks,” said Allisse, her muscles feeling less strain from the weight. “Can you help me up to their room?”
“Marcaveus prefers to center my presence on the front desk, but- Ah! Wren, could you assist Allisse here in conveying this trunk to the Cerulean Suite?”
A pixie shorter than Allisse’s forearm flew over and made a few strange gestures as she sang a short magical incantation. Suddenly, four transparent hands appeared below the trunk and began to lift much of its weight.
Allisse shifted her grip and asked “And where is the Cerulean Suite?”
The pixie pointed with her actual tiny hand to the grand staircases that curved up to the second floor and then further on to converge on the third. “Third floor, I’ll show you.” She began hovering ahead of Allise, her left hand periodically repeating arcane gestures.
Allisse lugged the trunk up the stairs. “My name’s Allisse Brenner. Lupin called you Wren?”
The pixie nodded enthusiastically. “Wren Candlewhite, I’m the maid here.”
“That magic hands spell you have is incredible. And I just saw Lupin cast some sort of telepathy spell. Did everyone here study magic?”
Wren laughed. “Lupin went to bard college but he’s the only one who studied magic and it’s just that I’m a fairy creature so I was born able to cast a few spells. Now Remon, he’s the assistant cook, as a high elf he has enough fey blood that he can do a few small tricks and Ardryll the stablehand has enchanted pipes but she can’t do magic on her own and then of course Marcaveus is an incredibly powerful wizard but you already knew that.”
Allisse nodded as if she’d caught all of that. They reached the top landing and Wren pushed open the door with another magical hand. It looked like the effort was straining her concentration, and that last hand disappeared almost immediately. Allisse said, “Could you teach me to cast a spell sometime?”
Wren laughed. “Sorry but I don’t know how I do magic I just do, so it’d be like trying to teach you to fly.”
They arrived at a door with a blue wave on it and the magic hands began disappearing. “I’ll leave you to it and maybe they’ll give you a bigger tip if it looks like you lugged this thing all by yourself.” She winked and flew off. Allisse knocked on the door and when a woman inside said “Enter” she opened the door to the suite and lugged the trunk the last 10 feet and set it down. The lord handed her several copper coins. She curtsied and said “Is there anything else I can do to be of service?”
“Not for now” the lord said. “But if you would check in on us in a few hours we may have something for you when we’ve settled in.”
“Thank you, Your Lordships,” Allisse said, and left. Her first hour of actual work wasn’t over yet and she’d already made three copper coins. And the livery meant she wouldn’t have to buy clothes for awhile. If this rate was typical, she could afford to support both her and her grandmother and still have enough left over to buy the medicine in a month or two. She was starting to get a good feeling about this job.