Rexi and Talon

By Onyx Tao

Jack: Rexi and Talon by Onyx Tao is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://onyx-tao.sofurry.com.

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Author's Note: A reader's suggestion has caused me to rethink the numbering scheme used for these installments. My original scheme was to increment the section number for each character, thus each POV character installment would start at 1 and march on through the remaining positive integers or the end of the story, whichever came first. The reader gently suggested that this was confusing.

The reader is correct; that was confusing. I have gone to a single numbering scheme, so the position of any segment may be instantly known from its title index. I apologize for any confusion this renumbering may cause, and hope that its simpler nature will result in a net loss of confusion.

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06 Rexi

The house was amazing, Rexi thought. There was so much_of it. And ... _some of it had been closed up properly.

But only some. The outskirts, the guest wing, the ballroom, the music rooms, the salle, all of the occasionally used rooms. Some of the core rooms, even. The Master's suite. A few adjoining rooms.

But most of the core had simply been abandoned. At least they closed the windows, Rexi thought, although the windows hadn't been properly boarded. In two places, the glass had broken, or perhaps slipped from the casing, and weather had gotten in. It could be repaired.

All of it could be repaired.

Eventually. If only the rooms he needed the most were usable. Still. It was easy to quarter his family in the older, properly preserved section for now, and work on getting what he needed of the core ready. The kitchens, primarily. Although the broken window had been there, and the cabinets ruined, and the floor would need refinishing at best and perhaps replacement; he didn't know yet.

At least the new Master and his hobgoblins weren't interfering, which had been his first concern. Master Silvercane had -- with an almost disturbingly level of blithe indifference -- put the matter in his hands, and vanished upstairs to deal with the traumatized half-elf. Better Master Silvercane than me, Rexi admitted. Rexi knew how to put the house together -- back together. He'd be out of his element trying to put a half-elf back.

Which, of course, left the hobgoblins. Again, Rexi's expectations had been confounded when the hobgoblins, who had set up almost a simple camp in the kitchen, allowed themselves to be moved into older guestrooms. Instead of demanding food, one of them had just told Rexi what they would require, and all they asked for was their food be devoid of flesh, no meat of beast, nor fish, nor fowl. Eggs and milk and cheese were ... rich, but acceptable.

So his next priority had been to get the kitchens working again. The piped water would have been awfully convenient, but it wasn't running, and it took a couple of hours before they'd discovered a pump mechanism nearby. It hadn't been hidden, just ... disguised ... under a pile of ruined cooking tools. Rusted pots and skillets, most of which needed to go back to a forge and melted down. Ruined. Fortunately there were some older stoneware pans, and getting a fire on the hearth hadn't taken too much effort. The chimney looked sound, and Rexi hoped it was. Food would be rustic, stews and panbreads until they could get the ovens and stovetops working again.

If they could get them working again. Some of the kitchen seemed to have been magiced, and of course that was all broken. And not something that even the most skilled craftsman could simply repair. Rexi left that for later; his instructions were clear. Master Silvercane would decide what to do with it.

For now, he just needed to get what he could done, done. There was more than enough of that to consume his full attention for several days.

"Steward," a gravelly voice said at his side, and Rexi nearly leaped out of his skin as the hobgoblin who had somehow materialized at his side ... carefully didn't let his expression change at Rexi's reaction. "A delegation of six human males, all armed, and four armored in chain, are approaching. We judge their appearance calculated to be intimidating. They bear matching livery."

Hellknights, thought Rexi.

"If we understand protocol correctly, you should answer the door? Or should I?"

"No," said Rexi faintly. "I should."

"They will be at the door in less than a minute," the hobgoblin said.

Rexi turned and ran for the door.

He made it just as somebody pounded the knocker against the door. Rexi paused, swallowed, and opened the door. They're not here for me, he told himself. There is no way they could be here for me. Rexi's experienced eye identified them immediately. The Order of the Scourge.

All of them had their namesake weapon at their belt.

"May I help you?" Rexi said politely.

"We understand that Zackton Silvercane resides here."

"Yes, Sirs, he does." No point in denying it.

"We are here to see him."

Rexi's brain stopped for a moment, and then started again. "I'll let the Master know you're here. A moment." The halfling closed the door -- closed the door on six Knights of the Scourge -- and hurried upstairs to the Master's room.

As Rexi entered, Master Silvercane said "Speak softly," following his own advice as he had wrapped himself around the half-elf "Talon is sleeping. He seems to be more damaged than I'd expected. What is the issue?"

"Knights of the Scourge, wanting to see you." Rexi paused. "Master, I don't wish to be forward but ... they're very dangerous. Should I put them off? Or try to?"

"I agree," his Master said, "but it would be imprudent to decline to see them. I trust none of the receiving rooms are open?"

"No, Master, I'm sorry, I should have ..." Rexi mumbled ashamedly.

"Hush. No. I would be displeased to discover otherwise. Receiving guests before we are prepared to see to our own comforts would be ridiculous. Divert no effort towards that end. The entrance hall will do. Show them in, inform them that no better place is ready upon their ... ah ... precipitate arrival, and that I will ... attend them, hmmm, as soon as ..." the Master paused, considering his words. "As soon as propriety admits."

"Yes, Master," the halfling's voice was clearer, or maybe Talon was closer to waking up.

"Dismissed," and Rexi fled back to the door.

"Propriety admits, eh?" asked the apparent leader, a human of maybe forty years, his hand resting lightly on the scourge doubled over in his belt. "How delicate."

Rexi did not think delicate was a compliment. "Yes, Sir." That, at least, was always safe, right up there with its familiar cousin, No, Sir.

"Master Silvercane," Rexi announced, as the half-orc appeared on the balcony. His appearance took some of the Knights by surprise, Rexi noted with his own surprise. The Knights of the Scourge had a reputation for knowing ... everything. But these hadn't known that they were dealing with a half-orc? Rexi prepared, behind his mask of bland servitor, for yet more surprises.

"You are ... Zack Silvercane?"

"I am so known," the deep confident rumble came back almost instantly. "And you have me at a disadvantage. Several, to my regret. I have only arrived, and this house was ... not as ready as I had expected, either for its Master or to entertain his guests. I fear the best I can offer you at the moment is this drafty and rather bare hall." Zack was nearly half-way down the stairs, and he continued. "Return in a few weeks, and I will be as hospitable as you deserve."

"That much?"

"At least," Zack said, from the bottom of the stairs. "And you are?"

"Doloforous Graith, Senior Penitent of the Order of the Scourge."

Zack blinked, and nodded. "Welcome to House Silvercane, Senior Penitent Graith." He smiled, a ferocious showing of teeth, and added, "That is the correct address?"

"Close enough. The Master of our Order in Corentyn extends his compliments, and cordially invites you to visit him at your convenience." The words sounded stiff.

Master Silvercane frowned gently. "Regarding?"

"I believe regarding Katapesh. You did just come from Katapesh."

"Yes, I came here from there," Zack said thoughtfully. "Although I hadn't spent that long ..." he paused. "Yes, well, Katapesh it is then. I thank the ... six ... of you for your so-cordial invitation, and I will call upon your Master tonight, before dawn. My existence is nocturnal at the moment, and I have other errands this evening which I cannot delay. Unless that is too late for your Master, in which case I can call upon him either in the early morning before I rest, or in the early evening."

"Our Master will receive you when you call," Graith said, and handed Zack a heavy envelope.

"Marvelous," said Zack, casually ripping the wax seal off, and pulling a heavy sheet of parchment out. The half-orc's eyes danced over it. "Yes. Interesting." The voice changed to one of deep regret. "Your Master requests a reply. I am sorry that I have no stationary just yet -- Rexi, add that to the list of things to do -- so the response must be verbal -- I trust you can convey it?"

"I can," Graith said.

Zack smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Sir. I am committed this evening, and for the early night, but of what of that? Two bells after the midnight hour I will call upon you at your Order's Chapterhouse. I thank you for your offer, and I will discuss it with you at that time. Your most humble and obedient, I remain, Zack Silvercane."

"I see."

"And I thank you for your embassy and kind consent to be my return courier, Senior Penitent Graith." The half-orc paused. "Your embassy is complete?"

"Yes," Graith said.

"Then I bid you and your friends a good evening. Rexi, the door?"

Rexi walked over to the door, and opened it.

"Until we meet again, Senior Penitent Graith."

"Until we meet again, Master Zack Silvercane," the human said, in a tone that looked coldly forward to that meeting.

Zack stared at the closed door, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Master?" asked Rexi.

"An inconvenience," said the half-orc. "Very inconvenient. Or maybe something else ..."

"Something else? Like a disaster, you mean?"

"No," and the deep voice turned very, very cold for a moment. "A temptation. Bait."

"I don't understand," Rexi said.

"It does seem unlikely," the half-orc said quietly. "But I did agree to visit. And I do have other errands. And ... ah. Yes, that would explain ... except why this ... no, that doesn't make sense. I must be missing something." Zack shook his head. "I wonder what. This really isn't ... hmmm. I should have expected, I supposed, to be drawn into Corentyn politics."

"Master?" asked Rexi again.

"I'm thinking, I do it out loud sometimes," the half-orc said. "I had hoped to avoid ... perhaps I still can. Perhaps. Rexi, add as one of your top five priorities getting the grounds and gardens cleaned, cleared, and trimmed. Hire more hands for the task. But save anything you come across; bricks, cut stones, equipment, it will make restoring the house easier if we can use original materials. Somewhere there are paintings of the house from years ago; that will help with restoring the frescoes. I'll see if I can find them."

"The gardens?"

"Yes. And ... as one of your top ten priorities, make a survey of all the artwork left in the house. Pictures, tapestries, carvings, statuary, metalwork, windows ... and their condition. I imagine the fabrics will need renewal, at least. How soon can you have those things done?"

"I ... the house list, a couple of days. The gardens, I'm not sure."

"It is a priority. I want to know what's left before we get deeply into repairs and refurbishment."

"Ah, I did want to ask, Master, about the magics and the piping?"

"Household magics? I ..." and then Zack shook his head. "Make another list. What concern is ... piping?"

"The water pipes, Master."

"We have piped water?" Zack sounded surprised.

"We could have piped water, if the mechanisms were fixed, Master."

Zack shrugged. "Then find plumbers and get it repaired. I'd guess there's a watertank somewhere in the attic. You know how to find, hire, and oversee tradesmen?"

"Well, yes," started Rexi. "But ..."

"Then do so. Do you need funds?"

"That's the ..."

A bag dropped onto the floor. "There," the half-orc said indifferently. "I'll set something up for you and the house with the Temple of Abadar, tonight or tomorrow morning. I'm going out; I have a number of appointments. Have more food sent up to Talon. Find something for him to wear. Something soft; his skin is ... alarmingly fragile. Maybe that's normal for elves; I don't know. And water. And tea. He will want another bath; make it so. Try to keep him in my rooms. Bring him some books. I think the library here ..."

"Small but intact, Master," said Rexi. "I haven't opened it up ..."

"Nor should you. Other things are more important," said Master Silvercane. "I want the results of that survey as soon as it's done." The half-orc paused, thinking, and Rexi wasn't sure if he was waiting for a response or not.

After a half-minute, Rexi finally said, "Yes, Master. Is there ... anything else?"

"Oh, a thousand things," Master Silvercane said. "I'm just sorting through them to determine which are important, which are urgent, and which ... can be put off ..." His voice slowed, and then started again with decision. "Are there enough servants for an estate of this size, Rexi?"

"Uh ..." said Rexi, and suddenly he was thinking, about the number of rooms, the kitchens, the daunting amount of cleaning of even the in-repair areas. It could be done, he thought. "Yes ... mostly, Master."

"Mostly," sighed Master Silvercane. "Rexi, please say, 'No, Master Silvercane.'"

"No, Master Silvercane," Rexi said hesitantly. It felt ... odd, to say that to his Master.

The half-orc nodded. "Say it like you mean it."

"No, Master Silvercane," Rexi said with a little more confidence.

"Better," Zack said approvingly, "but ... one more try, eh?"

"No, Master Silvercane!" Rexi said.

"That will work. So, are there enough servants for an estate this size, Rexi?"

"N-no, Master Silvercane."

The half-orc's grin was decidedly toothy and not at all reassuring. "And after all that practice, too, Rexi. Undertand, I prefer an honest no over a weasel-yes anyday. Add, ah, twelve, no, sixteen bottles of decent wine to tonight's dinner for the servants on the strength of that no, Rexi. And, by ... ah, next sundown, I want a list of what further servants we will need, a list of positions. If you have thoughts about filling those positions, I want to hear them then, too."

"Yes, Master Silvercane. Thank you!" Rexi was surprised at Master Silvercane's generosity.

"Your work -- and I include all of your family in that -- have more than earned it," Master Silverclaw said. "You've made much more progress than I expected, and of course I've heaped a great deal more work on your head in the last few minutes, Rexi. And I am going to go out, and probably come back with still more things I need done. I expect to be back by dawn; I'll have a little to eat, and then I'll be retiring for the day. I don't expect you to be up when I get back; but someone to answer the door would be good."

"Yes, Master Silvercane."

"Thank you, Rexi," and the well-dressed half-orc stepped towards the door, following in the path of the Hellknights. "Carry on."

For a moment, Rexi was paralyzed. There was already so much to be done, and the Master had just added ... probably five or six days of work, and maybe more. But the Master wasn't unreasonable; the Master himself had admitted it was a lot of work. No, Rexi thought to himself, if he was making good progress, the Master would be satisfied. And it's not as if the ideas were bad, a survey of all the remaining art in the house was a good idea. Rexi nodded, and mentally detailed a work crew for that. And for the gardens, the Master wanted them a priority. Harder. Still, he could hire some day labor, and Rexi mentally delegated a couple of taskmasters for that, as well. His niece could look after that poor half-elf, he decided. The plumbing ... Rexi didn't know anything about plumbing, so he better do that himself. And the list of servants ...

That would have to be handled adroitly. As pleasant a master as Zack Silvercane seemed, he was still a half-orc, and Rexi had only known him for a couple of days. Rexi's family had connections, of course, cousins and second-cousins and third-cousins all throughout Coryntyn ... they certainly did need more servants, but did Rexi will want more family? Maybe ... maybe he should talk to another family. See what they could work out. And it wouldn't hurt to bring some eligible unpaired youngsters into the house, anyway. Done right, this could ... be a bonus. An opportunity for his family. Quite a significant one, really.

Which meant he had to talk to a number of other Heads, quietly and as soon as possible. Rexi nodded to himself, and headed back into the kitchen, to announce the reorganized schedules, and his own trip out.