The Nook Inn was already enjoying a roaring trade when Samuel stepped through its doors. That wasn’t entirely surprising, given that a host of nearly a dozen extra people were visiting the village. Even the fishers and other workers of the village were in today despite the hour. Harlest had always been a simple, small village, and any break from the ordinary was a reason to celebrate and put work on hold. When it was one of their own that caused the excitement, the people of Harlest were even more excited.
Samuel was started by a loud chorus of yells and cheers as he entered the taproom. It seemed that half the village was inside, waiting for him to show up. The unexpected outburst of noise started more than Samuel too. A trio of traveling merchants in the corner jumped and looked around in alarm, wondering what was causing the ruckus.
Predictably, James was the first to jump out of his seat and rush over, throwing an arm over Samuel’s shoulder. “Looks like the village hermit is about to spread his wings and fly!”
An appreciative chuckle rose out of the spectating audience, and quite a few of the men let out wolf whistles, laughing as Samuels’ face turned red. Arthur rose from his seat at a large table in the center of the room and strode over, a deadpan expression on his face.
“You mentioned having to say farewell to a few people, sir,” he said, casting a quick look around the room, “But this is more than I expected. You seem quite popular here in Harlest.”
Samuel shrugged, doing his best to seem diffident. He caught Sera’s eye from across the room where she was bringing a fresh round of drinks to a table. She didn’t seem too upset at the news that he was leaving. Perhaps she was just hiding it, he thought. In any event, he gave her a sheepish smile, which she returned.
“Oh, Sam’s been with us a while,” James told Arthur. “We’re just excited to see him finally get his dream.”
Samuel elbowed him in the ribs, and James pulled away with a mock hurt face. “As you can see, he’s quite sad to see us go and take off on a grand adventure.”
There was a general round of laughter from the others in the room. They were indeed excited to see Samuel get the chance to do what he really wanted. They’d miss him, but they also knew him well, and wouldn’t stand in the way. Samuel made eye contact with quite a few of the people he knew, and he received encouraging nods, waves, and mugs lifted in his honor.
“You seem quite popular in this village, Mister Samuel,” one of the figures seated at Arthur’s tables rose from his chair and strode over with his hand extended. “It almost seems like we’re here to kidnap you.”
“This is Seamus Oriman,” Arthur said, by way of introduction. “He is the head chef of your estate.”
“Nice to meet you,” Samuel said, shaking Seamus’ hand. He’d never thought about having a head chef before. The thought of not having to prepare his own meals was a decidedly attractive one. “What made you come all this way from the capital?”
“I just had to meet you,” Seamus said eagerly. “When I found out that old Master Bragg had a son, I was so surprised!”
Seamus was a portly man, and his trademark white apron could not entirely conceal the bulk of his body. His slightly red face was split by a wide, enthusiastic smile. Samuel could tell it wasn’t an act, either. The man was in a perpetually good mood, judging by the wrinkles around his mouth and eyes. His jolly nature seemed quite infectious, affecting the others so that there were smiles all around. Even the grim figure of Arthur seemed more light-hearted in his presence.
“You seem quite joyful,” Samuel said with a grin.
“Almost too much at times,” Seamus replied instantly. “I’ve got so much joy in me, I have to spread it with my cooking! You’ll find out soon enough.”
“Ah, so you’re the man who will steal my favorite pastime of making sure Samuel gets enough to eat.” A voice sounded from just over Samuel’s shoulder, and he turned to see the innkeeper, Thomas. A tall and well-muscled man, his bulging forearms seemed in direct contrast with his chosen profession. He never talked about his past much, but Samuel guessed that he was from a foreign nation and that he had spent much of his early years as a soldier.
“I have to warn you,” he said, putting a large hand on Samuel’s shoulder as he smiled at Seamus, “Give up the dream of making him any fatter right away. The boy only grows upward.”
Seamus let out a laugh at that, and he and Thomas both looked Samuel up and down. “I live for a challenge!”
“Master Thomas,” Arthur said quietly, once the laughter had died down. “I wonder, could I steal a moment of your time?”
“Of course, sir!” Thomas said with his trademark grin. “Anything I can do for the man that has brought me so much business!”
Arthur took Thomas by the arm and led him away, already talking in a tone too quiet for Samuel to pick up. That left him facing a table of strangers. Most of them, dressed in simple armor and wearing swords, were obviously the guards hired to protect the others. Two, however, wore cooks' uniforms.
“These are Jameson and Clara,” Seamus said, taking over Arthur’s job of introductions. “They’re studying under me. Jameson makes excellent pies, and you’ll never like another cup of coffee once you taste Clara’s brew.”
Samuel nodded politely as they were introduced and bobbed their heads in respect. His face was starting to hurt from all the polite smiling he offered. He was introduced to the guards then, who all gave him a brisk salute, and Seamus finally sat him down at the head of the table, in the seat that Arthur had just vacated. James sat down to his left without invitation, turning the chair around so that he sat on it with his arms resting on the back.
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“So,” he said, his eyes glinting with silent laughter, “When were you going to tell us that you were the son of a noble?”
Samuel threw him half a glare. “You know I had no clue. I never even knew my father.”
“Does Sam look like his father?” Thomas continued on, not appearing to hear him. “Everyone around the village who remembers him says he does, but I’ve always wondered just how similar they are.”
He missed the real glare that Samuel threw at him now with the re-mention of his father. Nobody answered at first until one of the guards at the other end of the table leaned forward. “It’s like a young George. Except for the eyes.”
“What do you mean?” Samuel asked before he could stop himself. His eyes were often the thing they said was most similar, at least after his hair. “I’ve always been told I have my father’s eyes.”
“Aye, they’re the same color,” the guard said. He had a lined face and appeared to be about Arthur’s age. “But you’ve got a keen, intelligent look that Lord Bragg never had. He’d zone out if he wasn’t busy, but I haven’t seen your eyes sit still once since you came in.”
“Oh, he’s curious,” James said with a snort of laughter. “Probably read more books than half the village, Samuel.”
Samuel didn’t reply. His eyes were locked with those of the senior guard. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought that, alone among the others, this guard knew how Samuel truly felt about his previous lord and was making an effort to point out the ways in which he was unique. Samuel appreciated that, even more so when the others chipped in with how he seemed to have a lot in common.
Maybe I should think about cycling my staff, he thought darkly. I’ll keep Arthur because George wanted me to, but I can’t live in a house of my father’s sycophants.
“Ah, this is Torrand Belan, Samuel,” Seamus said. The chef had used his name from the start, not trying to address him as ‘my lord’. Samuel quite appreciated that as well. “He’s the Captain of your household guard. He’s probably been with the estate longest, after Arthur.”
Torrand knuckled his forehead in a respectful salute. Samuel returned it without thinking. “You don’t strike me as someone who spends a lot of time around the nobility, Torrand.”
“Aye, that’s true. I’m a simple soldier, ever since I was a boy. But I’m young Mari’s guardian, so I joined the house when she did.”
“Who’s Mari?”
“Mari is the ward of the late Lord Bragg,” Seamus explained. “Her mother worked in the estate when she died, and her little girl had no other family, save for Torrand, who was courting her at the time.”
“Fine woman, her mother,” Torrand said, raising a mug to nobody in particular. “She’s with the Mother now.”
What an odd thing to say, Samuel thought. He’d never heard of this ‘Mother’ before. Maybe that was one of the gods they worshipped in the capital. He brushed past that, sure that he’d find out sooner or later. “So I have a sister? That’s just as much of a surprise as finding out I’m supposed to be a Lord.”
“Not quite,” Seamus said, and now he looked a little awkward. “She was never officially adopted by Lord Bragg. She was just raised there and lives with us until she decides what she wants to do with her life. She’s studying at the College now.”
Arthur returned then and showed no sign of displeasure that Samuel had taken his seat. He sat beside Seamus at his right and pulled a stack of papers out of a satchel he carried. “I’d like to go over the return trip with you while we eat, if that’s okay, sir.”
“Sure,” Samuel said, taken back a bit by the sudden change in topic. “I’m not sure what I can do, though. I’ve never planned a trip.”
“It’s quite simple. I made the arrangements for the trip here, but as you’re now the Lord of the estate, All decisions are yours to make.”
He spread the sheets out on the table in front of Samuel, and he studied them. One was a list of names and figures. He recognized Torrand’s name at the top and assumed the others were the guards hired on for the trip. The second was a list of supplies, containing rations, foodstuffs, and repairs made to the wagon and other equipment. The third and final was a chart of the surrounding area. Samuel frowned down at the map.
“Is this the map you used to get here?” He asked, glancing up at the steward. “It’s missing all kinds of information.”
Arthur’s face showed blank shock, and he leaned forward interestedly as Samuel dug one of his own charts out of the pack beside his seat. Even Seamus showed surprise when Samuel presented a map he’d made, putting it beside Arthur’s to show the difference.
“This is marvelous work,” Seamus said, his eyes glittering. “So much more detail than the cartographer put in his. Who did you buy this from?”
James grinned widely and reached over to slap Samuel painfully on the back. “Sam here is the best map maker this side of the continent. I’m sure he beats whoever you got in the capital, no problem!”
“I’m inclined to agree,” Arthur said seriously. He shared a quick glance with Seamus. “Master Deceed claimed this had the most up-to-date information.”
“He didn’t include the brigands,” Samuel pointed out, tapping the info he’d scrawled onto his chart. “It looks like you passed right through their area. I’m surprised you didn’t see them.”
At the mention of brigands, Arthur’s frown deepened. “We saw no brigands. This is concerning.” His eyes glanced up, visible noting the number of guards that were with them. “Is it a particularly bad problem?”
“They robbed a convoy from Jyrok just a few weeks ago,” Samuel said. “That’s why notices were sent out to all the villages. I thought you’d know about it in the capital. They’ve even begun raiding some of the larger villages. Sera, didn’t you say something about Klimek Bay?”
Sera, who had just been passing with a tray of empty plates, paused, frowning. “I don’t think there’s been much trouble there. They tried to raid the docks, but they were pushed back.”
“I didn’t know that Klimek had a military,” Samuel said. He dug through his notes about the countryside. “They don’t even have a simple guard. Any security comes with the ships.”
Sera offered a slight shrug. “Rumor was that one man chased them away.”
“He’d have to be an epic warrior,” James snorted. He never put much stock in rumors and local legends.
“Yes, he’d have to be,” Arthur said, changing the topic. “We may have to hire additional guards.”
“How many do you think we’ll need?” Samuel asked, doing a quick count of the men at the table. “We already have five.”
“Two more should be reasonable,” Arthur said. “We could get away with one more, but I’d be comfortable with two. I can guard you personally, but we may need more men for Seamus and his juniors.”