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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11. Talon

Talon smiled -- or tried to --through breakfast. It was, he admitted, a lot better tonight than it had been yesterday. Yesterday was porridge and honey, fruit and cheese --filling, and good, but nothing complicated. Easy, all very easily made. Apparently Frammon, the slip in charge of the kitchen, had had enough time to figure out what he needed and how to get it. This breakfast was ... more. Much more. Thin griddle-cakes stuffed with farmer's cheese and a barely-sweetened compote of melon and berries, clabbered milk, sausages, fried slabs of ham, biscuits, poached eggs, and two kinds of gravy to go over the food --milk and sausage gravy, and a pale but lusciously rich yellow butter-yolk gravy. This joined fresh fruit, and slices of something like cake, only richer, covered in a sweet and crunchy struesel, hot tea, and even coffee --although Talon noticed that only the slips drank that. Master Zackton and the hobgoblins had tea.

"Quite the eye-opener," said Master Zack, regarding his now-empty plate. "Delicious, all of it, although I hardly expected less."

"Thank you, Master Zackton," the halfling bowed. "It's still early days, of course, but I think we can promise at least good food from now on."

"The food was good before," the half-orc said. "It's just ... more, and ... better." He paused. "Is Rexi about?"

"I'll fetch him, Master," Frammon said.

"Do you know where he is?"

"I ... I would have looked in the music room, Master, he's been going on about getting that finished."

"I have some reason to poke my nose in there," Zack said. "Talon? Are you done eating?"

"Yes, Master," said Talon, setting down his own cup of coffee.

Rexi turned to look at Master Zackton as he wandered into the music room, and looked around. "Master?"

"I was wondering how it was going ..."

"I'd rather refinish the walls, but ..." Rexi shrugged.

"I agree," said Zack, grimacing at the pictures practically lining the room. "That will have to be ... carefully, though."

"Master?"

"The room has a ... sound, Rexi. A very particular sound and tone, and the paper was part of it. The covering on the walls will change the sound of the room, and given that this is the music room ..." the half-orc shook his head. "I don't look forward to figuring that out. Even different papers can have different effects on the room's sound. Maybe I can find someone who understands it better than I do. Still, that is for the future. Rexi, I wonder if you could spare a few minutes?"

"Of course, Master," the halfling said, and Talon wondered why Rexi looked ... nervous? "How can I serve you?"

"Come with me, please. Talon, you too," and Master Zack turned and went back out into the main hall, and up the stairs. Surprisingly, though, he turned to the east wing, one of the properly-closed areas. "I trust that you know the value of discretion, Rexi."

"Yes, Master."

"Good," said Master Zack. "There is a room here ... well. Talon will need some assistance, and I have one or two quick errands to run this evening."

"You mean, my assistance?" asked Rexi?

"Yes. You seem to have the staff well-organized at this point, and everyone seems on-task. Do you think you can spend an hour or two on ... a special project?"

"I ..." and the little halfling stopped to think. "Honestly? We'd make a little better progress --some questions will come up and if I can't settle them right away, but ... there are any number of other things to do and we won't lose much ground."

"I see," said Zack. "Then you need one or two supervisors under you, Rexi, to see to this matter."

"Master?"

"Ideally, Rexi, you should have nothing to do."

"What?!" Talon thought the halfling sounded offended.

"Oh, that will never actually happen," the half-orc said calmly, "what it means is, your time should be spent dealing with things that come up, not ... standing tasks. Anything that happens over and over and over --even supervision of the staff --should be delegated. That means you can pay attention to the important things."

"Yes, Master Zackton," said Rexi, and Talon had no trouble interpreting that as I know.

"But of course there are always things that cannot be delegated," the half-orc continued as he went up the stairs to the third floor. "Things which require ... discretion."

"Yes, Master Zackton," Rexi said in almost but not quite the same tone, and Talon interpeted that as o_f course._

"This is one of them," Zack said, stepping off the landing onto the dusty corridor of the third floor east wing. His attention turned to the dark wood panel interrupted here and there in a diamond pattern of carved wooden blooms --roses, Talon recognized. Dull and heavy with cobwebs, they spangled the wall in little lumps of dusty gloom. "Hmmm."

"We haven't ..." started Rexi.

"I'm aware," Master Zack cut him off. "Please, Rexi. I know this is a huge house. You can stop apologizing for not having things done yet. I am satisfied with your progress, and if that changes I will let you know. I ordered the core open, not the wings, and so finding that you've followed my instructions and intent does not require an apology. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Master Zackton."

"I do not want you --or anyone --to apologize for following my instructions, ever. If you start to carry out my instructions, and at any moment think you may need to apologize to me for following them --consider that a moment to exercise initiative and stop. I am not perfect, my instructions are not perfect, and compounding my error with blind obedience is not a way to win my approval. I have watched you, Rexi, more closely than you think, and I am impressed with your competence, and your attention. You will have the benefit of any doubts, Rexi. Do not be afraid to act in my interest --I assure you, I prize that more highly than I can say."

"Thank you, Master," said Rexi.

"Getting back the business at hand ..." the half-orc said, and paused. "Let me see ..." He reached to one of the roses, and twisted it, and then he reached for another. "No ... maybe ..." he reached for a third, and it swiveled around, to reveal a keyhole. "Ah. And ..." Zack reached in his robe, produced a set of keys. The fourth one produced a rusty click, and then the panel swung in. Beyond it was a room, empty save for dust, and a once-fine parquet floor now scratched and battered. The half-orc looked in, and shook his head. "This is one of those secrets."

Talon looked around the room dubiously as Rexi did the same. It didn't seem particularly secret beyond the hidden entrance. The far wall was the heavy stone of the exterior wall, pierced by a deep and narrow window that --oddly --had glass at both the wall and the niche of the window itself.

"How thick is the parquet?" asked Rexi, finally.

"I have no idea," Master Zack said after staring at it. "But ... that's not why I brought you two here. I said it was one of the secrets of the house," and he walked over to the stone corner. "This wing is built a little lower that the main house, so that the third floor here is about three feet higher than the second floor of the main house."

"Yes ..." said Rexi with a fuddled look.

"So ... this," and the half-orc reached over to the start of the wood wall, and pushed.

Nothing happened.

"Stuck," muttered Zackton, and with a little more effort, there was a scraping sound, and the wall peeled back to reveal a narrow stair. "This runs right into my bedroom. The cabinet by the hearth opens out, to this stair."

"Oh," said Rexi.

"Yes," said Zackton. "That's half of it. The other half ..." he said, walking to the next panel. "This is built something like a puzzle box; if this door is open, then this panel opens ..." and he opened another panel, revealing a shallow cabinet not more than eight inches deep. The chains, manacles, and other iron restraints were dulled and tarnished, but without dust.

"So they are still here," breathed the half-orc. "I wasn't sure if they would be. And if these are, then almost surely ... Rexi, close the door to the stairs."

As it clicked shut, Zack pushed on the panel next to it. "Pay attention. Up. Right. Right. Down. And only then, left." That panel opened, too, revealing a similar cabinet stocked with black leather restraints, in perfect condition. "This panel won't open until the stairs are shut. Once the stairs are shut, neither panel will reopen again.

"They're enchanted, of course. The paneling here has a thin layer of lead. I'm ... still surprised to find them. I expected," he paused, "somebody, several somebodies, to turn this place inside out looking for them. Perhaps they never realized ..."

"Realized what?"

"Do these look like protective armor?"

"No," said Rexi.

"They are. Here. Let me show you. Get those manacles. Put them on me."

"Master?"

"Do it, Rexi."

"Yes, Master," and the halfling used the key hanging beside them to open them, fasten them around Master Zack's wrists, and lock them closed. "There."

"I look all tied up, don't I."

"Yes, Master."

"Appearances are deceiving, Rexi," Master Zack said, and ... pulled his hands apart. The manacles were still on his wrists, but the bar chained to them had detached. "You see? All of them ... have some catch or release. And that is the true secret here, not the room, not the passage ... this."

"And those do, too?" asked Talon, gesturing at the leather.

"Not ... precisely, but ... yes. They are not as binding as they look, certainly, and they are armor, extremely effective armor. Even the hood ... although I don't know how the hood will work for you," Zack said meditatively. "It either enhances --or provides --the ability to see in the dark, or it is simply transparent to that sense."

"Neither of us can see in the dark," Talon said.

"Yes ..." said Zack, reaching down, and picking up the hood. He turned it over, examining it. It was leather, roughly the shape of a head, with a finely stitched cutout for nose and mouth and five adjustable straps and still-gleaming silver metalwork. That, if nothing else, would have given it away as enchanted. The half-orc turned it over and over in his hands, smelled the supple leather, and then sighed. "I can't tell. It could be either. Talon, hold still."

"Yes ..." Master, Talon was about to say, but then the hood went over his head, and Zack was strapping it shut over his head. His nose was flooded with the rich scent of leather and saddlesoap --and something else, something more elusive, a faint scent that seemed familiar and out of place.

And ... He could see the room. Only ... different. Everything was a dark blue-purple, and exactly the same shade. That should have made it hard to see anything --everything should blur together into a monochromatic fog --but that wasn't what happened. Every shape, every distance, was clear. And ... he could see in back of himself. The entire room was clear to him, the walls, the scratches and dents on the floor, the rough beams of the ceiling --all of it. All at once. Even though he wasn't seeing with eyes --how could he be? --he closed them, and the strange panorama faded away. Not instantly, but ... over a second or two, until all Talon was left with was the deep dark of closed eyes in a light-proof hood.

"Talon?" asked Zack's voice.

"I can see," he said, opening his eyes and the strange scene returned. "It's ... weird. I can see all around me. Only ... everything's ... sort of indigo. Dark indigo. May I take this off, please, Master Zack?"

"Yes. Simply reach up, and pull the hood off."

"But the straps, they're ..."

"Yes, I know. Do it anyway," Zack said, so Talon tried it. Even though Master Zack had apparently expected it, when the hood simply pulled up and off of his head, he was surprised. And then more than surprised, as the brightness of even the indirect light coming in through the window made his eyes burn and water. He clenched them against the bright light; but even that wasn't enough, and he instinctually brought his arm up to shield his face.

"Oh," said Zack. "I didn't realize it would do that to you ... your eyes should adjust, give them a moment. I'm sorry, I would have warned you, but it just didn't occur to me."

"I'll be fine, Master Zack," Talon said, and the pain was decreasing and the harsh red of the light burning into his eyes was dulling.

"So it provides the dark sight, but at the price of light-sensitivity," Zack said. "I do sympathize, Talon, I know very well what that feels like."

"How did you know it was here?" asked Rexi, sounding a little confused.

"This house was built by a ... merchant, actually more of a smuggler-lord, and I know a lot more of its history than ... is commonly available," the half-orc said after a moment. "The house was attacked by assassins followed by, ah, more conventional thugs in a raid orchestrated by ten of his rivals. I've found nothing to indicate why, or even how so many petty crime-lords were able to cooperate, but they did. This house has, or at least had, a great many of his secrets. I expected some of them would have been discovered by the rivals --I know they searched the house over and over, but I couldn't tell what they'd found." A short smile washed over his face. "Less than I'd thought, if something this obvious remains after ... what, eight successive owners?" He paused. "I wonder what else is here. I've no doubt there are secrets I don't know ..."

"Master," said Rexi cautiously, "didn't you say you bought this estate without knowing anything about it? That is just came up for sale?"

"No," said Master Zack. "I gave that impression, deliberately, but I didn't say that."

"Oh." Rexi swallowed.

"There would be nothing odd about a merchant --such as myself --trundling up his slaves, all his slaves, onto a ship leaving for Katapesh, would there, Rexi?"

"No," said Rexi, and Talon could hear the sudden terror in his voice. "No, Master."

"You misunderstand," Zack said. "A ship can sail anywhere there's a port, Rexi. Oppara, Absalom, Almas --I think you'd like Almas, Rexi." He paused. "Once you got used to it. It's ... a much more pleasant town than Corynten, I'll give it that much. And ... I seem to recall that Andoran doesn't recognize the condition of slavery," and Talon watched Rexi stiffen with --what? Hope? --before fading back into a practiced servile nuetrality. "Is that interesting, Rexi?"

"Pardon me, Master Zackton, but ... I didn't hear you say anything that could be interesting."

"No. It would not be wise to make such an offer, when inquisitors are sniffing about. It is ... questionable even to talk about such an offer. Ever. With anyone. I trust ... that is clear?"

"I understand," said Rexi slowly.

"The only thing I can say, Rexi, is what you might hear from any reasonable Master --I will reward your good service. But I cannot even hint that I might --even if I might --take you and your family with me when I retire to Almas. Do you hear exactly what I am saying?"

Rexi nodded. "Yes. Master Zackton."

Master Zack nodded. "Good. You understand how ... confidential and sensitive this topic would be, if we had had such a discussion, which, I would point out, technically, we have not had."

This time Rexi nodded more quickly, Talon noted.

"Good," said Master Zack. "Then the discussion is closed."

"Thank you, Master Zackton," said Rexi. "Is ... there anything else?"

"I'm afraid so," said Master Zack reluctantly. "I need all that hardware cleaned and polished, and I'd like the leather suit and hood cleaned as well. And ... I had planned to have Talon do that but ... I am sorry, Rexi, I need him tonight. And I don't know how soon I'll need all this equipment ... I could have had it made, but I'd rather use this. It's ... already here, for one thing, and it means I don't have to involve any metalsmiths. You understand?"

"Yes," sighed Rexi. "This is one of those things that I'll just have to do myself. How soon will you need it?"

Master Zack shrugged. "Up in the air. I'll need Talon to become familiar with it. I will also need someone to teach him how formal service." The half-orc paused. "And what I know of it ... may not be correct for Cheliax here and now. Another detail ... you know it, I'm sure, and the others?"

"All the adults, Master Zackton."

"Better than I'd hoped. I'll need someone to instruct Talon --not you, if only because I know how much you're doing already. I may need that on short notice. I'm sorry, Rexi, the Scourge has disordered my plans for the next few days."

Rexi nodded. "That's my job, Master Zackton --to help you get through them."

"Thank you for that, Rexi. Ah. You'll need those keys, which means I need to retrieve them ..."

"Where are they?"

"A lockbox in the temple of Abadar," sighed Master Zack. "Which means I can't get them until the ..." and he paused. "Ah. But I don't need them, do I?"

"Master?" said Rexi.

"Here," said Master Zack, and he handed Rexi a chain of rings, each with keys. "This is the front door," he said. "And this one is this room. The rest of them ... well, I'm none too sure. Have fun figuring them out."

Rexi looked at the keys --there must have been nearly fifty, Talon thought, and said, weakly, "Thank you, Master."

"I imagine quite a number are to linen closets, desks, cabinets ..." Master Zackton trailed off. "And I've no more idea which than you do, I'm afraid."

Rexi hefted the rings dolefully. "I see."

"Yes," said Master Zack with a grin. "I know. More work. I'm afraid the more responsibility you have, Rexi, the more work is generally involved."

"Don't I know it," agreed the halfling, and then looked at the ironwork. "I should get to this, then."

"Don't ask me," said Master Zack. "I tell you what needs to be done. I trust you can figure how to do it."

"Yes," said Rexi. "If there's nothing more you wanted to show us?"

"No," said Master Zack.

"Then I'll stay here and get some idea of what I'll need, and how long it will take," Rexi said, "if you have no further need of me."

"No further immediate need, no," said Master Zack. He gestured at Talon, and the half-elf put down the leather hood, and followed his Master out the door, leaving the halfling behind.

For some reason, Talon couldn't get the smell of the leather out of his mind. Surely, magical leather would resist time the way Master Zack said, but ... the hood, at least, was as supple and dark as the day it was dyed. It still had that unique, deep fragrance of old wood, of smoke, that defined fine leather. Ordinary leather would have aged, dried, cracked --but whatever virtue some long-ago mage had given it had armored it against the intervening years, as if it had had just been put away a few hours ago, and barely had time to cool. Because it was not only the scent of leather and soap and oil that he'd tasted. There was another scent, another aroma clinging to that leather, faint but unmistakeable to Talon.

If the hood had truly been in that cabinet ever since the house was built, and its first owner murdered, then why did the hood smell, ever so faintly, of Master Zack's sweat and seed?