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.

---

Rexi 2

The halfling had stepped through the gate after the hobgoblin -- thank goodness Master Zack had seen fit to warn him about them -- opened it, and looked around at his new responsibilities. He'd been dreading them ever since Master Zack had described the neglect and abandonment. One glance was enough to confirm that the gardens and the house were as badly off as he'd feared. Maybe worse.

The reality, however, brought with it a sudden freedom. This was the situation, and all it needed were supplies and hard work and Master Zack had made it clear that supplies were not a problem. Well, Rexi and his family had no problems with hard work. Which, ultimately, meant no problem at all. Master Zack had been trusting -- surprisingly trusting -- in giving him coin. After sending out three cousins, a niece, and two nephews with nearly twice the money they'd need, Rexi still had more than half of it left.

It was a test, of course, Rexi knew that. Master Zack intended to trust him with his house, and if Rexi couldn't handle that responsibility, then Master Zack was better off knowing sooner rather than later. Rexi was certain that Master Zack would go over the requested receipts carefully, to see how and what he'd bought, and if Rexi had done a good job. This was Cheliax, so Rexi might be damned anyway, but he'd certainly be damned if he didn't do a good job. Master Zack had bought his entire family. They would be together; that was worth nearly anything to Rexi. Certainly, it was worth working for a very peculiar half-orc.

And ... looking around the grounds, he realized this had been quite a fine place, once. The gardens were overgrown, the house needed repairs and painting and ... once it was done, this would be as fine a house as any in Corentyn. Better than the Equelles', even, if Rexi had anything to say about it.

No, Rexi thought to himself. _ Much _ better than the Equelles' ever was.

Master Zack called Rexi over, and ordered a hot bath in his chambers for the half-elf that he was carrying -- still carrying, Rexi realized. It was as if the weight of the half-elf meant nothing to him. Because the weight of the half-elf meant nothing to him. It took all of Rexi's hard-won control to keep from stepping back, to keep any of the realization of the half-orc's almost uncared-for strength from interrupting the proper expression of concern and attentiveness.

Except, much to Rexi's chagrin, Master Zack seemed to notice it regardless. "You are disturbed?" he asked.

"There's just an awful lot of work to do, Master Silvercane."

The half-orc quirked an eyebrow at him in a disturbingly subtle gesture. "True, but there is no more work now than there was a minute past."

Rexi nodded, unsure of what to say, and Master Zack simply stood, waiting, until the half-orc sighed. "You are correct, Rexi, if you assume that, at the moment, the physical needs of my half-elf take precedence over ... whatever qualms you may have. I will have time for a longer -- much longer -- discussion after settling him, and then I will settle you. But in the meantime, please see to the hot water and ..." the half-orc paused. "Food," he decide, "Fruit, cut and peeled, in small bite-size portions. Cheese, the same. Porridge, with milk and honey. All of those things should be immediately available." Zack took a breath. "Clear?"

"Yes, Master," Rexi said.

"Dismissed."