Eight
Moving on
The door opened and a young maidservant entered. "The master will see you now, if you will follow me, he's in his vault."
Rash led the way and we followed dutifully down into the basement where I sent my scrying eye last night.
"Come," he shouted through the door as the girl knocked.
She opened the door and let us through. He was sat at a desk against the wall, I saw that there were no other chairs there and marked that against him.
"I've come for my money," Rash said flatly.
"Your chest is there," he said pointing vaguely at the one nearest us. "I have taken my commission so it's ready to go. Now young lady, would you consider selling some of your jewellery? I'll offer a fair price for this necklace and earrings set."
"It's not for sale," she replied bluntly. "Return it to the chest so we may be off."
"I'm prepared to be generous...."
"I'm not of a mind to sell anything, so if you please." She held out her hand.
His eyes turned hard as he looked at her then he turned back and gathered the corners of the cloth and bundled the jewels up. Rash took them and turned to the chest and packed them away. She motioned the two acolytes over and they strapped the chest up and lifted it by the handles.
"I bid you good day sir, and a goodbye as well, for I doubt we shall meet again." She said with a deliberate hardness in her voice as if she were dealing with a servant
Rash led the way out, the acolytes with the chest next, then Jay and I. The door man rushed to open the door as we emerged from the basement, holding it wide as we tramped through and down the steps. Jay trotted ahead to join Rash while I walked alongside the chest.
The journey through town was punctuated by rest stops for our acolytes, taking the last one once we made it through the doors. She made them struggle with it all the way into her bedroom before releasing them. As Miri showed them out we sat down, while Jay went and stationed herself by the door.
"After we've rested do you want to walk to the market with me, I fancy omelette and cofftea at that Shie stall," I asked her.
"Yes, if you want, though I'm not hungry, I'll just have cofftea," she replied relaxing back into the chair and displaying her legs as she propped them on the low table.
"What are you doing this afternoon?" she asked.
"I've got another session with Swapswisle, not that there's much point but it'll keep them happy," I replied.
"I want to go around and buy a few things, pay one or two creditors and get things started on the house. I was hoping that you could come with us, we could check on how they're coming along with the clothes I ordered," she said.
"Sorry, he'll be expecting me and the council want a progress report,"
"Oh well, will I see you later?"
"They're having a going away party for Xen tonight, her brother's coming for her tomorrow, with that and my meditation practice I'm pretty much booked up for the evening as well, I should be free from lunch time onwards tomorrow if that's any help."
"You can come and help in the house if you want, I want to move it there as soon as I get things set up." She turned to Miri's door. "Miri!"
"Yes, I'm coming," Miri shouted back.
When she appeared Rash asked. "How are things going with hiring servants?"
"I have four juniors but we lack a cook and a housekeeper still," Miri replied, stepping further into the room.
"Aha, well we're going to need them in a couple of days. I want you to come with me this afternoon, I have the money for the furniture now and you can help me pick."
"As you wish mistress, will that be all?"
"Yes, I'm off with Dav to the market in a minute so your free till after lunch."
She turned back to me. "I'm ready for that cofftea if you are."
I stood up. "Yes okay."
Rash got up and Jay opened the door and peered out into the passage way before stepping out in the lead.
"I'm only going to do the sitting room and the bedrooms for the moment, I can sort out the reception and ballroom when were settled in," she said as we walked to the stairs.
The walk to the market was filled with her ideas of how she wanted the house and garden to look, I kept a wary eye open even as I listened and peppered the pauses with yes's and no's and the occasional nod.
While Rash stuck with only a drink I ordered Jay an omelette and cofftea along with mine, we sat at the bench table out front. Jay was sat sideways across the bench to keep a better eye on things while I sat the other side of Rash.
As well as keeping an eye behind Jay I was looking at the folk leaving the market, dodging and weaving in the contraflow as they lugged their purchases home. It was the ideal place to be noticed with the bright sunlight sparkling on Jay's armour alongside Rash's elegant dress.
We stayed for twenty minutes, maybe half an hour with Rash still focused on the house, she was bemoaning the fact that she'd love to have some of the wall hangings that adorned the palace. She sooner rather than later wanted to make a journey to Skelmasdale, she could buy a few choice ones directly from the trading ships there.
It was rather close to where Xen would be, she would be an hour's ferry ride away over on the main Isle, The Big One in local parlance, though it was officially Skanwen in the local language. That was something that would have to be put on hold while the matter of her father's agent was dealt with.
We walked back, Rash telling me that she had decided that it was fine Jay wearing her armour when they were out but she should wear normal clothes when she was indoors. I gave her a gentle reminder of the need for loose skirts to give her freedom of movement.
Though she was reluctant we parted at the path to the dorms, with an eighth left to the dinner bell it was too long a time to spend alone with Rash. I walked slowly almost to the door of the dorm as I thought about creating a tunnel when it struck me that even though they'd lock the door her money was still open to theft.
I turned and backtracked, hurrying to catch them up, I could use the excuse of getting Xen or Cal to cast a spell on the keys in order to hide my abilities. I intended to borrow the keys till dinner then drop them back when the bell went, casting the spell as I exited to be sure of it.
My haste proved futile and I stood and knocked the door. Jay opened it as expected, what was unexpected was how she was now dressed. Gone was the armour and her lithe athletic body was on full show, she was dressed as she had been in that dim candlelit room, now freshly revealed in full daylight.
She was just a bit shorter than Rash but with broader shoulders and bigger breasts, the leather top hugged them and ended an inch under leaving the expanse of her midriff bare, she had the short skirt she'd worn under the mail skirt and jarringly, incongruously blunt toed soldiers boots laced to mid-calf.
She let me in without question, Miri was there but Rash was conspicuous by her absence.
"She's in her room, resting before dinner."
"How many keys are there to this room?" I asked.
"Just the one."
"Do you have it?"
"No, Rash has it in her pocket, what do you want it for?"
"I was going to get one of the girls to put a spell on it. You could have it back for dinner."
