the Leathermines

Last chapter is Chapter 18.  Start from the beginning of the full story with The Slave Warrior, Chapter 1

 

 

“He will not be allowed on this floor.  I have had guards posted.”

Falmir was taking yet another spoon full of the soured cream and fruit that had been sent up to Laun for her breakfast.  She had not eaten as much as she wanted, but she was willing to have him eat his fill.  It had been tasty.

“Thank you.  I am glad that I was awake when he came in.  I am not sure what would have happened...”

Falmir put his hand on her knee and was serious.  His thick brows came together as he said, “You are very well protected here.”

She had several comments she wanted to make, but said instead, “Thank you.  I am glad that the officer you had already assigned to me told you what happened.”

Falmir clenched his hand on her knee for a moment.  He narrowed his eyes and had a sour look on his face for a flash.  “Not much gets past you.”

Laun shook her head, smiling slightly.  “Many things go right past me, but someone with helmet length hair, the stride of someone used to a sword on his hip?  If he had just introduced himself, I would have been less bored last night.”

Falmir’s eye flicked to another of the male servants in the shadows.  Laun wondered if it was natural for him to check the people he had planted or if he was trying to lead her.

It looked like Falmir was sorting out something.  He ate some more of the food on the table and avoided Laun’s direct gaze.  It took a few minutes of quiet between them before the large man turned back and looked at her.

“Thorn.  I ask if you will denounce Dreng and pledge to me.”

Laun sighed and said, “No, sire.  Even if it means you will push to the Salam-Dir lands to try to take it over without me, I cannot pledge to you for I think you are in the wrong.”

He nodded, not moving his eyes from hers.  He did not exactly look resigned, but he did not have any real anger or rage in him.

“Lady, Laun, what are your plans for the day?”  His tone was supposed to be light, but it came off a little gruff.

“Sire, I have very little.  Reading.  Perhaps a bath.”  Laun continued in her mind with, planning ways to make you squirm, perhaps getting fucked by the man you planted in my chamber...

“Well, cleaning up and putting on some more appropriate clothes is in order.  I’m going to escort you through the kitchens.”

Laun bowed her head.  “If you would allow me, I can be ready in a few minutes.”

Laun went to get up and Falmir held his hand to hers.  She used it and steadied herself before she went to the bathing chamber.  She did notice that his eyes had gone to her breasts several times as she stretched out her back before walking.

Laun freshened up, brushed her hair and had the green caplet over her shoulders and the cut linen dress.  She had silver ribbons in her hair and also as a belt to keep the caplet closer to her body.  She tied the little bell to her ankle, with some difficulty.

The doors had been open for the few minutes Laun had been dressing.  She had stopped several times when going back and forth to adjust the lacing on the ivory linen dress while in the doorway or to pause while finishing a pull on a bow in her hair.  She knew she was tempting, Falmir as well as several of the other men who were in the servant’s ranks.  It was part of her, and she wanted to see if she could tell which of the men was the next officer on duty and seduce him.  She had many reasons, but mostly to keep herself occupied.

Laun was ready and stepped out of the bathing chamber, her slippers in her hand.  She walked towards Falmir and held out her hand to the side, her eyes never leaving her father’s.  Hazalam was there and took the footwear from her.  She stopped and he knelt in front of her.  She used his head as a balance point as he raised her foot and slid the slipper on.  His hand stayed a little too long on her leg as he took the other slipper in hand for the other foot.  Laun gripped his hair slightly and he ducked a little lower as he quickly put the slipper on for her.

Falmir had seen that exchange and had a knowing smile on his face.  Laun did not know or really care what Falmir thought he knew.  She stood before her Father and waited.

He stood and held his hand out to Laun.  She took it and made a slight curtsey.  Falmir made a shallow bow over her hand.  They turned to leave the room.  Laun heard Hazalam moving behind her and pulled up on Falmir’s hand.

Without looking, Laun pointed to the floor by the bed.  “Stay,” quietly came out.  She continued to walk and she heard the slight scramble before Hazalam settled, kneeling at his place.

Falmir tried not to look back to see if the servant had done as told.  He glanced as they were going around the screen and saw the servant kneeling with his eyes closed.  Falmir was stupefied as to how she had trained him so quickly.

It took a while to get to the kitchens.  They were walking slowly, Laun’s back and hips not making her able to rush.  There were also the escort around them consisting of servants and a few military officers who had to move around and with them.  The stairs were a little bit of a problem for Laun, but not as much as seeing Bregnan’s eyes from behind a group of nobles who tried to get Falmir’s attention as they strode past.

They went from the polish and glitter of the main halls in the Palace to the underlayment that the servants and slaves used to get around.  It was soot-dark, beams and walls in need of repair visible wherever they went.  They were met by a large man wearing something that used to be a white tunic and apron just outside a door into the kitchens.

He made a cursory bow to Falmir and then held his hand out to Laun.  Laun took it and felt the used strength in that hand from years of working in the kitchens.

“Lady, I have been wondering who had requested such a precise dinner the other night.”  He bowed over her hand, saying as he straightened, “I am Klemner.  I run these kitchens.”

“I am very pleased to meet you, Klemner.  I have mostly enjoyed what has been presented to me.”

There was a red flash over his pale face and one eyebrow went up.  “Most, Lady?”

Laun shrugged.  “Your new baker...”

There was a slightly nervous laugh from the man.  “Only you two have had any comment on it.”

Falmir had his arms crossed over his chest.  “She is the one who pointed it out to me.”

Laun held up a hand and said, “It was edible.  I just miss my baker at home.  He lets his sponge set for a little longer before using it, I think.”

There was a surprised look on the aproned man’s face.  “You know about baking?”

Laun let a little blush come through as she said, “I find it is useful to know a little of everything when running a household, good sir.”

There was now a smile on his face.  He turned to the door into the kitchens and it was opened for them.  It became much louder and the hints of smells Laun had before rolled through the scruffy corridor.  Klemner motioned the two through before him.

There were so many raised hearths full of pots and pans that Laun was not sure how many there really were.  Doors were along the walls that were not taken up by cooking surfaces or storage.  The heat was amazing from the open fires and ovens in the room.  She looked up and saw that there were holes in the ceiling above the hearths.  The chimneys had been built in and seemed to draw the smoke out well.

The people who were cooking barely looked up at the nobles who had just come in.  They were too busy to care about anything but what was in front of them.  Laun took a moment to look around, smiling, and was able to pick out which hearth was for what.

She took a step back as a man in just a short, scruffy tunic went by them with a hot pan in his hands.  Falmir almost did not see the servant coming towards them in time until he had Laun’s hand on his arm.  Klemner nodded approval at Laun and motioned for them to follow him.

“I don't remember the last time I had one of the nobles down here,” he called to them over the din of the work happening around them.  “I try to run this as efficiently as I can, but we never know what the requests are going to be by the residents.”

Laun nodded.  She pointed to an area that had a spit holding a pig and a hearth with several large stock pots.  There was a door close by that someone with a leg of something over his shoulder was coming out of, placing it on a table close to the spit’s hearth for butchering.  “Do you find that it saves time to roast and fill the stock pots like that?”

He nodded.  “It was arranged differently when I came here twenty years ago.  Took some time to get it up to here, but I am satisfied now.”

Falmir stepped close to one of the large pans that a cook was pushing vegetables around in.  “I didn’t think those were in season.”

“We have things brought up from the South every week in the spring.  And then from the North as the growing season changes.”  The look on Klemner’s face changed and it looked like he wanted to say something.

Laun took it upon herself to say what the lead Chef could not in front of his master.  “The conflict has made it difficult, hasn’t it.”

Klemner nodded, a glance to Falmir.  “I have had to spend and trade more this season than ever before to get what the residents expect on their trenchers.”  He motioned and they continued around the edge of the room.

“The cold cellars are through there, the ale and wine is stored through past this door.  And over there,” He leaned closer to Laun, “is where we store the milk you have been going through.”

Laun took an opportunity to smile and touch the mans’ arm.  “I thank you for keeping me in milk.  I would love to have the method for the sweet milk.  I think I could get Orgia to make that for me.”  Laun turned towards Falmir.  “If I ever get to see her again.”

Falmir grimaced and stepped closer.  Klemner’s face brightened.  “Orgia?  From Salam-Dir!  Oh, I haven’t seen that wench in five years.”

Laun had thought that would be a good lead in.  “She is holding the place together in my absence.  And even I don’t get to call her wench.”

The man used the back of his hand to brush something invisible off his cheek.  “Well, we have met.”  Laun and he exchanged winks and they laughed.

Falmir pushed his way between them and asked, “How many people do you have down here?”

The chef nodded and motioned for them to keep following him.  “For normal days, about three hundred.  For festivals and other gatherings, I pull in about two to three hundred more.  That doesn’t count the food runners and the farmers I pay directly.”

Laun felt her voice was going to be very horse after being in the loud room as she said, “How many...residents are there?”

Klemner raised an eyebrow.  “I have been told about one hundred fifty on average.”

Falmir had an odd look on his face.  Almost dumbstruck, but with a hesitant apology behind it.  “Two kitchen staff to one noble?”

The chef nodded.  “And then we also serve the servants of the Palace, and certain nobles have paid to have your scraps brought to them.”  He smiled, showing his teeth, and the ones on one side that were missing.

Laun had to stop and looked for a place to lean.  They were surrounded by hot surfaces.  “Klemner!  I hate to impose, but is there a stool or bench I may sit on?”

“Ah, I thought you were a delicate one!”  He motioned towards a door and led them through.

It was quieter in there, but it had also become quiet as the servants standing in the hall and sitting on the benches that lined it saw who had come in behind the master of the kitchens.  Several of the servants turned and left, some bowed.  Most were just too stunned to do much of anything.

“Metis, move your ass-”  The chef looked shocked at himself.  “I am sorry, Lady Laun.”

As Laun took the place that had been vacated, she said, “I didn’t know his name or I would have said it.”

There was a nervous laugh in the room that followed the chuckle of the chef.  “As you wish, Lady.”

Laun made a show of stretching and then rubbing her belly through the green silk.  Klemner’s eyebrows went up and Laun put up a hand, saying, “If I were back at the household, I would be in the kitchens butting heads with Orgia.  She says that I don’t know my own limits until I am past them.  I still am not used to the baby and forget.”

Falmir was looking particularly uncomfortable.  No one dared to look at him as he stood near the door they had come through, his arms crossed close to his chest and a glare on his face.  Laun looked over to him and said, “Sire, do you need a piece of bench?”

Several of the servants stood and made room without prompting.  Falmir knew that he had to take the space and so strode through the close corridor and sat next to Laun.  He did not like the need, but he said, “Thank you,” to the air.

Laun smiled.  She spotted a face that she thought she had seen in her room a day or so before.  “You are one of the fastest runners I have seen.  I can’t believe that you actually get all the way down here and back up to the room with things I have asked for.  Within minutes!”  She had brought color to the servant’s face, but knew that he was not going to say anything.  She turned to a random servant and said, “It must be hard to keep all of the residents straight and getting back and forth all the time.  I know I wouldn’t be able to do it!”  She rubbed her belly and smiled a toothy grin.

Klemner laughed and smacked one of the servants on the back of the head as he said, “Some are better than others.”  There was a real laughter that briefly went through the servants.

The door opened and a tray was being held by one of the kitchen staff.  “Lady Jem-”  The man’s eyes went wide when he saw his King sitting with the servants.  One of the servants took the tray and made his way through the others and out into the dark tunnel of a corridor.  The kitchen door closed and there was a smirk on Falmir’s face.

“As I said, your Majesty, we don’t get nobles down here.”  Klemner leaned against the slightly greasy wall as he stood over Laun.

Laun smiled up at the master of the kitchens and started to ask him questions about the way the kitchen ran.  They talked for several minutes on the grain storage and what was done with scraps.  He went on a little too long on the method that he employed to keep the supply of meat fresh, though he knew that Falmir was not liking how much was being spent on those in the Palace.

“...to the harbor and the fishermen use it for some sort of bait and we get half of the haul.”

Laun had her hand on Klemner’s arm and was smiling broadly.  “That is one of the best trades I think I have heard of.  And you don’t have to find someplace to bury it.”  She turned to Falmir who was paying attention, but being very bored.  “Sire, at least the fish is coming in without more expense.”

Falmir leaned over and said, “I hate fish.”

“Careful what you tell me, sire.”  Laun smiled and saw Falmir’s eyes narrow slightly.  “I am certain that your man here would be able to find a fish dish you would like.”

The chef smiled and Laun could see the padded muscle in his broad chest flex slightly as he pushed off the wall.  “That would be at his Majesties’ pleasure.  But be that as it may, either I need to get you through more of the kitchens or end the tour.  I see a particular servant coming in...”

It was not a blue and grey clad servant.  It was someone’s private servant dressed in red and black.  There was recognition on the faces of many of the servants still in the corridor, and Falmir’s face tightened.  His eyes flicked to Laun.  Laun knew this meant she either needed to know the servant and their employer or should know them already.

Laun looked at the servant as he...no, she walked past.  She nodded to Falmir but had gone straight to Klemner.  There was a paper in hand and Klemner looked at it.  “Lady, your Majesty, please forgive me.  She is very particular.”

The red and black servant found a place against the wall and looked at her boots.  She was wearing breeches of a heavy material and a fitted black tunic under the striped red and black tabard.  Her blonde hair was up under a cap with a small red feather held in place with an onyx pin.

Laun’s instinct was to completely mistrust the servant.  It was not for the slight masculine cut of the clothing.  It was not because she would not look at anyone else in the group.  It was the small knife she saw partially hidden under the tabard.  The one with the carved black onyx gem in the pommel.

Laun turned to Falmir beside her and said, “Perhaps this is a good time to go.  I am not feeling entirely well.  It takes too long to get to my room.”  Laun held out her hand in Falmir’s direction and he stood to help her up.

Falmir did not look directly at the servant who stood out so much.  Most of the others also did not.  Laun stepped alongside Falmir towards the door back into the kitchen.  It was close in the area and Laun made a play she hoped would not be too dangerous.

Laun kicked slightly sideways and one of her slippers went skidding along the stone floor.  She went the other direction, landing on the red and black servant.  One of Laun’s hands went to the stomach of the servant and the other to the knife under the tabard.  Yes, there was a carving on the onyx as her thumb went over it and she knew what it had to be.

“I am so sorry!  I don’t know what has happened to my balance.”  Laun was trying to straighten up, leaning on the wall next to the servant and hopping slightly on the foot that still had the slipper.  One of the other servants had found the slipper under a bench and was on his knees to put the slipper on her.

Laun took a breath in and smelled too much of the imported bathing oils on the skin of the servant.  She also did not smell of work sweat.  There may have been something starting from the walk to the kitchen, but that was it.

Laun saw a slight scar on the back of the girl’s neck, almost hidden by a loop of the blonde braid stuffed under the cap.  Hazalam had one very similar that he had before she had broken him.  If what Geralk had said was right, this was an apprentice assassin of the second rank.  She was not a servant.

The fake servant was trying to not look up, but held her arm to help steady Laun as the slipper was being placed.  Laun saw a slight flick to the side and then back down when the assassin-servant saw the ribbon around Laun’s ankle.

“Thank you.  I’m not the master of my body any more.  It’s like the baby is trying to kill me some times.”  Laun felt a slight reaction to that under her hand.

Falmir held out his hand to her and she took it.  She smiled at those around her and put a hand on the forehead of the one who had replaced her slipper for her.  He kept eyes on her, but Laun saw that he also had reacted to the little bell on the ribbon.

It was a loud and hot push back through the kitchens.  Klemner waved and motioned to the door they originally had come through.  The large man met them there and bowed to them.

“It is always busy here.  Thank you for taking time out of your own days to come down.”

Falmir nodded and said, “It has been informative.  I am glad the Lady suggested it.”

Laun made a slight curtsey and held out her hand.  “I hope to be able to meet with you again.  This was too brief of a meeting.”

He took her hand and the chef kissed it.  “We can exchange recipes and you can tell me how Orgia has been.”

The escort that they had left on the other side of the kitchen door came to attention as they walked through.  It was as long, if not longer, of a walk back to her room.  Laun looked for the black and red, but did not see any more in the people they passed.  It was another mystery to look into.

Falmir left Laun at her door.  He bowed over her hand, putting his forehead to her knuckles.  “I hope that you rest well, Lady Laun.  I hope to walk with you on the green tomorrow.”

Laun made a shallow curtsey and replied, “That would be wonderful.  I hope the weather holds clear for us.”

Laun went inside and tried to keep the front up as long as she could.  She was very tired.  She had to pee.  And she was very hungry.

But first, she went to her own assassin and put her hand on his head.  His eyes opened and he looked up at her.

“Red and black tabard.  I want information.”

He was up and out of the room before she turned to go to the privy.

 

In Chapter 20, a day on the Palace Greens, and the introduction of a political rival.