3.7

After the current day’s fair obligations everyone in the family was incredibly exhausted.

Father had not been amused when he learned Jewel had volunteered a guest from the attending strangers. More so once Mother had found out (before she finished sobering up) and gave him an earful on the man and what he said about their daughter.

Mother had been so vocal in her drunken displeasure, Jewel was pretty sure that the stablehands clearing the courtyard of detritus and filth could hear.

But he had waited until the evening meal (a thin stew of pork and turnips) had been finished and the dishes cleared away before he spoke.

“My Dear Jewel, could you perhaps explain why you extended hospitality too a common peddler after he compared you to-”

There was the dull and distinct thunk of Mother’s boot into a well muscled shin.

Well accustomed to the blunter signals Mother favored when she was still settling towards sobriety late in the day, he did not even twitch a muscle as he corrected himself.

“Who insulted you so gravely? I appreciate the act of diplomacy during the fair but it hardly seems appropriate to have gone so far.”

Jewel cleared her throat in the dainty manner appropriate for a Baron's Daughter and Lady.

“At first I thought the same Father - Best for him to be set up in the stables for the night to stave off any incidents with the subjects in public. And then maybe a swift escort out of our lands, yes?”

He nodded for her to continue.

“But then I got a proper look at some of his wares, and after that, a survey of his garments. And at once I realized.”

She paused for a moment of dramatic pacing.

“That this is not some mere scrap peddler, Father.”

Her revelation did not garner the response she had hoped. No one gasped in surprise and Father just nodded for her to continue. Only a little disheartened Jewel pressed onward.

“He, either through skill in trade, artifice or a greater standing than he appears, is most assuredly dressed in trappings befit a titled Lord at least. They are threadbare, the gold embroidery was stripped but the taste of it was still upon him and it had been removed with great skill and care to preserve the fabric.”

That got a raised brow from Father.

Jewel continued on, now getting Mother’s full attention as well and at least a passing interest from Alexander.

Kraok seemed a bit lost, but he was still in the start of his education as a Knight.

Lothlar however had a glint to his eye that he seemed to be appreciating what she was implying.

The Wizards however were apparently not interested in the discussion at all, mostly watching Jewel in that distanced and vague way they had taken too. Occasionally writing notes on rolls of parchment in each of their own manners.

Fizzbunches’ feline shape in particular was quite amusing, despite all suspicions to the contrary, He actually insisted on writing with a tiny chicken’s feather quill held in his right paw.

Not some mystical levitating instrument as big as the cat Wizard himself! Just a little quill held in his little paw!

Jewel had never appreciated the fact he apparently had a thumb before he started taking notes on her.

Shaking her head of the distraction, Jewel continued before the silence got too awkward.

“Furthermore, of his wares? I suspect that they may very likely be of significantly greater value than the hae and whole pennies he was charging the peasantry. Of note he has a copper Amulet set around a fragment of Shell of Wyrm Egg!”

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That brought a dead silence to the table until Alexander muttered a question.

“What?”

Mother gently patted him on the shoulder and explained softly.

“The value of the shell alone could well exceed a whole Crown Auren or more Alexander.”

That finally got Kraok to pay some attention, good he at least knew the name of a currency of higher court. Although perhaps not the valuation?

Fizzbunches of all people had something to say. Although he did not turn away from his writing to even glance at anyone but Jewel.

“This assumes the Amulet is not also a work of sorcery. It is distinctly possible it could be ten times that or more if the workings are a rare one and even somewhat intact.”

Jewel nodded hard to the Wizard, loath as she was to offer him anything. It was the place of Wizards to know the value of enchantments.

Father leaned forward in consideration.

“And he was peddling these wares to peasantry? For hae penny?”

Jewel shrugged.

“Of the few folk I talked to, the highest price charged had been ten silver penny and that was for a copper figurine fit for a temple offering to warm a household through midwinter’s harshest season.”

Father nodded.

“We might be able to get the amulet for a pittance then.”

Jewel nodded, that had been her idea but such a purchase was best made by Father officially than herself. Even a pittance of the value of that amulet might require far more expense than Jewel was allowed.

However Father had more to say.

“But if he is, or more likely was, of a means to acquire it in the first place there could be a boon in assisting him far more than simply taking his treasures at a bargain price.”

That had not crossed her mind precisely, she had mostly been worried that they might insult someone with a powerful relative.

But if he had been disgraced then perhaps there were other angles to gain here she had not even realized?!

Jewel could not help but puff up a bit with pride! Arching her neck with how pleased she was to have caught onto such a boon for her family that could easily have been missed.

Father nodded and then turned too Fizzbunches.

“I will consider this matter the last trial before I select which of you may remain to serve out the duration of your Debt Lord Sorcerer. After that while you are welcome to visit for a season to attend your studies of my daughter I expect you to do so from properly rented, maintained and paid for accommodations in my demesne and not under the aegis of my hospitality. Is that clear?”

A firm nod from Fizzbunches which was mirrored by the other wizards.

Jewel trembled a little inside.

She had mostly put it out of her mind, but one of the Wizards was going to be an actual sworn Vassal of Father’s for more years then she had yet breathed.

A glance to the whispering wind of the Weird of Autumn and the slick Inkinesss of The Weird of Bogs followed.

Jewel hoped it was at least one of the two of them.

Fizzbunches was far too smug of a cat for her to see anymore of him then entirely necessary.

“Of course, my Lord Baron Rochford. You may count on my attention personally for this. In fact if the artifact is of particular interest I might be willing to purchase it immediately. At the full and honest price for such a find.”

Which was enough for Jewel and Mother to boggle at the Wizard Cat.

Just how much money did he have on paw that he could drop what might very well be a dozen or more Crown Auren on a trinket?!

The smug blink of amusement just further cemented Jewel’s desire to see no more of the cat Wizard.