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The Unexpected Apprentice (Retro/PrinceCaspian)

RetroWitchcraft

RetroWitchcraft

Star
Joined
Jun 24, 2011
Location
The Basement
Royce could hardly believe what happened. The nobleman who had taken care of their providence and owned the land that her father worked had suddenly and, without warning, demanded that the debt the laborer had built over the years be paid back in full. The small farm that the two had been working on together had taken a turn for the worse. Three seasons had gone by with producing little in the way of vegetables and they lived off the meager earnings that selling the flowers from Royce's garden brought in. Whenever their hard situation was explained to the lord, he had given them pardon until things began to look up for them.

Her magic wasn't powerful enough to grow anything. All she could do was make her lovely flowers thrive once they bloomed.

There was nothing that could be done for it. He was the law of the area and almost everything he did was given royal amnesty. At first she thought of making a plea to the Queen but realized that it was her family who looked like the criminals; after all it was they who had neglected to pay taxes for such a long period of time.

Instead she had offered herself as a servant to the lord's home and, while he was displeased with the arrangement, he agreed to the pact. Possibly because it meant that he would not have to pay other servants. She promised that she could do the work of several. Farming was not easy work and she was sure that she could perform circles around pampered house hands.

The sun's rays were drifting into the small alcove that had been designated has her space. There were no walls to separate it from the rest of the domicile, just a thin drapery that provided her some privacy. There she sat on her straw mattress, folding the few skirts and bodices that she had. A small bag laid next to her on the patchwork blanket. There were already three items in there: a pendant belonging to her dead mother, a music box she was given when she turned thirteen, and a book that she could barely read (being a peasant meant her literacy was not very high but she was able to make out a few words and their meanings). These were treasures of the young woman reaching her seventeenth year.

After she packed away her clothes she stood, pacing about. Her dark, reddish black curls bounced with the movement and her skirts swirled about her ankles. The lord's carriage would be there to pick her up by nightfall to cart her off to his estate. Although she had agreed to this, she could not help but be nervous. This was a new thing for her and she was terrified for the change.

It seemed like an eternity of waiting for her but, finally, her father pulled back the cloth that lead into her quarters. His face looked drawn and tired. For almost the whole day he had avoided her. Clearly he didn't like the idea of his only child being sent away. Guilt lined his features and she knew he blamed himself for the predicament that Royce put herself in.

"The carriage is here to take you up to his estate now," he said gravely.

There wasn't much affection to their parting. He was wounded by her leaving and she did not want to overstep her boundaries. However she did offer a quick peck to his cheek and a promise to return within three seasons; the amount of time they had dodged their taxes. This did little to quell his upset, she knew, but what else could be done? Grabbing up her small bag she hurried outside of the small home. The coachman was a grim little fellow that practically pushed her inside of the rickety old thing. When the lord said carriage, he really didn't mean his best one, did he? This was more so glorified goods cart with a rough bench tucked away.

Looking back she watched as her former life faded off on the horizon as a little speck on the landscape.
 
He had been called a genius, a conjurer, a menace, a knave, a gentleman and noble. In the end, however, Elland of Calderdale was a just a man with the fortune of being born into a noble family and the added gift of being skilled in magic. He drank too much, consumed too much Henbane, he gambled, he womanized and he had a temper that was unrivaled. He had a superiority complex and felt that most, if not all of the human race was beneath him. His natural talent for magic made it impossible for him to fathom people who did not have the skills he did. This resulted in people disliking Elland, even though he was a terribly witty companion. He would claim that he was misunderstood, but he was misunderstood because everyone who dealt with him mistook him for an ass.

Elland was a tall man, thin and dexterous. He had long, wavy black hair that framed his somewhat pale face. He had piercing blue eyes and sharp facial features. He was never one cut out for working the fields or any trades. Instead he spent most of his time going over incantations and spells, learning some of the greatest magics in history. He consumed more wine and whiskey than he did food. He also experimented with plants and medicine. He often took Henbane for it's hallucinogenic properties, thinking up new ideas and testing them however he could. He had managed to create things never before seen or heard of. He bred plants that thrived on only wine and would sprout flowers of ice petals and fire stamens.

Elland was an ass, and today Elland was waking up with a bad hangover. He had drunk nearly a gallon of wine, and had sacked the poor serving girl who had refused to bring him another quart and refused his advances. He slept somewhere between a fitted sleep and a coma. His sleep was neither restful nor recharging and he woke up feeling as tired as when he had lost consciousness. He staggered about the room looking for something to cure his headache. He found nothing, so he sought solace in his library instead. He closed the curtains and lit the room dimly with a small fire. After an hour of wrestling with trying to focus his eyes on words he fell asleep.

Elland's headache was a dull throb when Evander, his manservant, entered the room. "Sir, the carriage has returned. Your newest servant is here. Would you like to meet her?"

Elland shook his head. "No, not now, I need to..., you know... whatever it is that I do, well I need to do that." Elland replied from the floor, slumped over the carpet like a tired sheepdog. "I will meet her later."

"Very good sir, I shall leave you to your studies." Evander exited the room trying very concertedly to hide the disappointed expression on his face. Courtesy dictated that a noble must meet his servants upon their arrival. "Shall I tell her to expect you soon?" He said, peeking his face back in one last time. Evander was one of the best servants to nobility. He was possibly the only person who could ever persuade Elland to do anything.

"Oh yes, very well, I'll meet this girl. If her family had any bloody money for their taxes I wouldn't have to feed and house her. I even sent my best carriage. Or at least the best one I will have until I win my good one back." Elland grumbled into the carpet. He waved his hands and snuffed the flames of the fire - leaving only the hot coals to warm the room while he went back to sleep for an hour.
 
What she was expecting was certainly not what greeted her at the great estate. She imagined great tapestry and fine paintings would line the walls. In her mind there were fancy rugs with elaborate patterns and glittering gold threads shining brightly up. Suits of armor lined the walls in her imagination, shining and pristine as they had never seen a day's use. When she was lead into the main hall what she saw was lovely but, really, quite modest. There weren't many trappings that would suggest that Lord Calderdale were of noble descent.

Her footsteps echoed as she walked on, studying everything around her with interest. The bareness of it all made a shiver run through her spine. This reminded her of old ghost stories that her father used to tell her when she was susceptible to such prattle. It seemed that fear of spirits still lingered within her, however.

"I've never seen a place so cold," she whispered to herself.

She wrapped her slender arms around herself, her vivid green eyes downcast a moment. What had she gotten into with this deal? Surely it saved her father the grief of not only settling his debt but, also, finding the coin to feed her. Yet the miss could not help but feel as if she had taken a plunge into water too deep.

Standing there she cut a rather pathetic figure. She was slender; even the work in the gardens hadn't given her much muscle to her body. In the harsh light of the lanterns her light olive skin looked pale, the hue of the sun being taken from it. She clutched to her bag, waiting the arrival of her new master.

She jumped as she was addressed and nearly dropped her satchel. Damned nerves! Royce was informed that the nobleman would be out to see her shortly. This was hardly the reception she expected. Was it not the duty of the lord of the manor to be one of the first to speak to her? The fear she felt was eagerly replaced by anger and she crossed her arms beneath her chest, accentuating her bust. While she was petite her breasts were of a nice shape and size; perky and round. She was far more lovely than what she gave herself credit for.

"Do you know how much longer he will be?" she asked, her voice harsh. Clearly she was not used to serving anyone or being the lowest person on the totem pole.
 
Evander opened his mouth to speak, only to fall silent as Elland walked up behind her silently. Elland's hangover was not any better and being forced up off of his plush, dimly lit carpet was no way to improve his afternoon. His bedraggled hair was lopsided and dust from the carpet clung to the side of his head. He was wrapped in his coat, which still had a stain of wine on it from the evening before. This was known as an ask-spot among the servants of the castle. If they or the castle needed anything, they needed to wait until one of these ask-spots appeared on appeared on his clothes. It was an indicator that he was so hung over that he did not recall the night previous. All they had to do was look downtrodden and he would give in to most reasonable demands and even the occasional unreasonable demand.

Thinking hurt, so saying anything particularly cutting would be saved for when he could string two thoughts together. "Well, that depends on how you wish to see me."

For a second Elland debated taking her hand and kissing it, but realized that would be a poor decision if the other staff had seen it. Besides, she was a servant. Elland had nearly forgotten. He cursed himself, wishing he had made the cutting comment after all.

"That also depends if you don't want to spend the next three seasons in the cellars feeding my mushroom and spores nursery. You'd come out with the complexion of watered down milk." Elland smiled wryly. That felt a little better.

Elland was surprised that she did not look like a commoner. She was certainly well knit and not covered in pocks and did not appear to come from squalor. In fact she appeared to be quite attractive, given her lithe frame and green eyes. Then another smug thought: perhaps her looks are what have gotten her what she wants.[/] Elland did not care for the outwardly beautiful. There were spells, potions, alchemy and all manners of conjurations and concoctions to make someone appear beautiful. People who leveraged their outer beauty seldom had inner beauty, in Elland's opinion, at least when he wasn't hypocritically currying favor with one of the other nobles.

"Welcome to my home. I assure you that it is quite lovely, when everything is in it's place. I am just waiting for the opportunity to get everything back - so I can put it in it's place." Elland said to Royce almost as much as he said it to no-one in particular. Elland looked about the room. "You will be staying in the servant's quarters, but I have been made to understand that you are adept with plants. I shall have you work in the gardens, my cellar nursery and the kitchen. In turn you will receive food, shelter and a very modest pay. Isn't that right, Evander?"

Evander nodded "I consider my role of servant to the house of Calderdale sufficient enough sir. Indeed, the pay is so modest that I rarely even receive it, but I know that when I do, it is by the generosity of m'lord that I am given my wages."

"Quite right, Evander. You may show young... " Elland pointed at Royce "Young... her to her quarters. Ensure she is given a tour of the estate and given bedding and a bath. I would hate to have commoner all over my library or finery."
 
At first she assumed that the man behind the servant who addressed her was, indeed, another servant. His appearance suggested that he was a man very down on his luck at least. Through his own mechanics, too, for he smelled as if he had fallen into a barrel full of booze. The distance between them was not so far that the stench of stale alcohol could not be detected. Not only did the scent indicate of what he did but the stain was clear; she seen similar ones on the town's character lush. Her nose crinkled.

It was to her shock and horror when he addressed her as the master of the estate would. Her features slackened and she looked at him with her mouth agape. Not only was he speaking with her but he was being very mean to her. Still she listened to him carefully, eyes watering as her senses were accosted. She could not conceal a snicker when he told her that, if only everything was in its proper place, the manor would be lovely. Judging by his ragged appearance and his stink of the night prior, he likely had squandered all of his wealth on his addiction. At least that would be the sort of thing her father would say.

"I took a bath before I came here," she replied with an annoyed huff. "Honestly not all peasants are dirty and smelly all of the time."

And even if I hadn't had a bath in ages, I don't think you have room to talk, she thought boldly. Now was not the time to smart off. This nobleman was not of the caliber that she had expected and, likely, would throw her out for having the slightest slip of tongue. Even if the slip were honest and very much true.

"My name is Royce, by the way."

She followed gave a frightened look to Evander. The servants went without pay sometimes? How was she ever to pay off her father's debt if a portion of the money she was to feed back to the lord never came? Would she be trapped in that place for her entire life trying to work off an unfair sum?
 
Elland looked at the girl and was able to combine two opposing expressions simultaneously: frowning and smiling. He looked at the girl, her frame was slight and she looked like she didn't eat much. He'd find a way to profit from her services, no question. He might as well keep her. She was pretty enough, and her skin had a lively tone - something he lacked himself.

"Very well... Royce, I am Elland of Calderdale. You are welcome to wander the house. Myself, I am going to go to my study and read. That's where I look at little symbols on a page and discern a meaning from each of those symbols that corresponds to a sound. Those are letters. Do you read at all?" Elland looked smug. He knew full well that less than 5 women in 100 could actually read at all.

"I can read in several languages - I've always had a knack for it. I can read most anything. It's one of two talents that I have. The other one is even more impressive to commoners." Elland winked and held his arms straight above his head. He extended his thumbs into the air and lowered his head. Elland's eyes shut tight and his mouth moved, forming words that weren't quite spoken aloud. A white spark formed at the end of his thumbs, which exploded in a pulsing arch from one thumb to the other. He widened his stance and lowered his hands so that they spread out wide, just above his head. The sparks jumped from his hands to his feet, completing a circle around Ellands extremities. The arch then snaked along the floor, rising up so that the front tip was mere inches from Royce's nose before it all dissipated in a bright flash that left everyone blinking away sunspots.
 
The bastard knew. Just by that bemusing half smile and half frown she could tell that he very well knew what he was doing. Disgust twisted her stomach in knots and her word hardened hands balled into a fist. Inwardly she fumed, cheeks becoming redder with each thing that fell out of his mouth. What the bleeding hell did he think of peasants?! It was true that most of them couldn't read but they understood the concept of it just fine.

"This reading you speak of sounds very interesting, m'lord." she replied sharply. Royce didn't want him to know that she could read and understand some words. Simple ones but they were words none the less.

Before he demonstrated his talent she wondered what it could have been. Rudeness and a smug sense of superiority weren't things she would personally brag about but she wasn't a pompous drunk. However when he showed what he could do, the petite ill fed young woman was impressed. The only other person she had seen perform (other than herself) magic was her mother and that had been long ago. As the spark came to her nose she reeled back and flinched.

Again she figured it was time to be prudent. Despite the urge to tell him that he wasn't so special and that she could do some magic as well, she reigned herself in. Peasants generally didn't have such abilities and it was suspect when one did.

"Truly impressive, m'lord. Truly."

It was impressive to an extent. The command he had over the craft was nice. She did not have that and she could not remember if her mother did or not.

"If I can be pardoned to explore on my own for now I can let you get to your large, complex symbols that I dare not even try to comprehend."
 
Elland's expression remained smug, he wore the same grinning frown and nodded her adding a shoo-ing motion to ensure she did not bother him. As soon as she turned her back to his eyes gazed to her backside as she walked away. She was, indeed, very easy to appreciate aesthetically. Once she was out of sight and he could not ogle her any further he glowered.

"Evander, I must know more about this girl. He reaction was not what I expected, and I am usually right about everything I expect. That's why I get so damned bored." Elland pursed his lips so hard they turned white.

"How did you expect her to react sir?" Evander offered, knowing his masters game of talking things aloud with him. Evander was one of only a handful of servants to actually understand this process. Master Elland would have made him play along anyways, so there was no sense in not going along with the master's wishes.

"Like a peasant, of course." Elland sneered

"Sir?" Evander prompted his master again to continue his explanation.

"Usually when I do that impressive little number people panic, they accuse me of being a demon or worse! Half the time a young girl like that would make water onto the floor. She simply ducked and went on going like it was nothing out of the ordinary."

"Ah," offered Evander. "Is the master displeased with Royce's lack of excitability or is it something else."

"There is more to this girl than a pleasant walk, Evander, and I must know what it is. In the meantime, instruct her of her duties. She is not to deal with my food, drink or safekeeping until I know what I want to know." Elland looked at Evander. Of course it was done to distance himself from the female staff. Once he got too familiar with them they would leave or wind up sacked very quickly. He wanted to solve the mystery of this common girl who did not run shrieking from him and his little illusion.

"Very good sir. May I draw you a bath?" Evander offered "To sooth your nerves?" Evander would never let the master know that it was because he smelled of wine-turned-vinegar. Evander nodded and undressed, leaving his clothes in a pile on the reception room floor and made his way to the stone-walled bath room. The pot had already been boiling and the bath merely waiting for the addition of hot water. Elland slunk into the tub, a look of deep thought on his face.
 
Everywhere she went was just as bare as the front parlor and seemingly devoid of life. There had to be more servants there than just she and Evander. With a place so large she knew there had to be at least five people on staff just to keep things clean. That was her assumption anyway. Royce had never seen a building so big. Not even the prodigious shop owners had store fronts as big and expansive and they had people hired to help. A lot.

A lump rose in her throat. Had he fired them all? The man servant already said that Lord Elland sometimes went long whiles without paying them and paid them very little. It seemed completely plausible that he fired a good handful of his wait-staff to better feed his vices. She wondered how many she would actually be sharing with the servant quarters. She slung her bag on to her back and continued her investigation of her new house.

Like before she noted the beautiful make of the building. It was a shame that it could not be decorated in the glorious splendor the place was built for. She came from a humble home which was satisfied with what little furnishings it had. The estate would probably have cried for shame if it could at the way it was being treated.

A small hand came to stroke the wood of a stairway. "Its alright, miss, I still think you're beautiful and once the master gets his head out of his ass, he'll fix you right up."

This was an odd belief of hers. Houses had life energies of their own. So much happened inside of them that, eventually, they absorbed all of the emotions that happened to them. Since this house was owned by a line of rich nobles likely concerned about their appearance, she assumed that it was not pleased with the current owner. Not only was he clearly stripping her of her glory but he looked shabby and unkempt himself.

"Well I hope he will. At any rate I'll bring flowers in to chipper you up every once in awhile."
 
Elland crawled out of the bath, looking around for his clothes. "Evander, where are my damnable clothes and I need something to eat. Also bring me a glass of..." Elland's stomach lurched a little from the idea of liquor. It was too early and his body was not going to accept anything but a small amount of food and maybe some thin milk. "Thin Milk!" Elland finished.

His clothes arrived from another servant, Mrs. Nicholls, his house seamstress, cook and general tidier. His nudity did not seem to bother her in the least. The master had fallen down drunk many, many times and she often had to undress him. She had seen him in the company of young women in his earlier days, so she was accustomed to seeing him naked often. She laid the clothes out on the bed and left a tray of cold, cooked meat and a small loaf of bread and the thin milk he had requested. She turned around and left without a word. Elland did not like being this unprotected in front of her, so they had an unspoken agreement. She didn't talk to him while he was naked in front of her and he did likewise. It made afternoons like these easier to manage.

He was feeling better after a little food and some fluid that did not come from a wine bottle. He wandered over to his study and shut the door behind him. He roused the flames in the room up so that he could read by them and selected a book on the transfiguration of simple insects and amphibians.
 
Royce had managed to find the basement in her wanderings and her nose crinkled at it. Mold and fungus farms were disgusting in her book but she understood why they were being kept. Still the conditions of the cellar were nasty at best. He was right. Being forced to work down there would change her parlor and her health considerably. Thank goodness she had other duties other than that hole of stink.

Upon ascending back into the realm of fresh air and pseudo finery she was instantly grabbed up by a rather bony middle aged woman. The circles around her eyes indicated that she hadn't slept in days or had a particularly rough work week. She looked frail; as if a strong wind would blow her to pieces and Royce wondered if the poor thing had eaten in the last two days. Her clothes were also a fairly worn; the bottoms of her skirts showed considerable wear and by the way they hung to her body, Royce assumed that whatever chemise she had was nearly disintegrated. In her one arm was a rather heavy bundle of folded bedding.

"Thank the gods!" the woman said. "The lord's sheets need to be fixed up nice and proper but there is so much I need to do to'ay. You look nice and strong and a far more welcomed sight in his bedchamber's than me!"

Without any warning the blankets and sheets were shoved into Royce's arms. The soft fragrance of soap wafted up from them. It was a nice scent. One that she wasn't used to and she took a second to sniff it.

"But... I..."

"Hush now and get on your chores! We don't have a large staff anymore so the lot of us have to help each other out when needed!"

That made sense to Royce and she didn't want to seclude herself from the rest of the staff. Not to mention she as sure that if she helped out another servant that the woman would return the favor in kind. So without hesitation she asked for directions to his bed chambers so she could do the task. When the information was gotten, Royce made her way towards them.

As quietly as she could manage she slipped into the room. He was in a different part of his personal quarters. To her surprise his previous stench hadn't lingered there and it smelled remarkably fresh; like the linen in her hands.

She stripped his former linen quickly enough. Getting the new dressing on was much more difficult. The size of the bed was huge firstly and whenever she managed to tuck in one corner another one would come undone. Color rose to her cheeks. Why did he think he needed such a large bed anyway? Four or five people could fit into it comfortably! With a huff she threw up her arms. He was well engrossed in his study at any rate and likely wouldn't be back.

Looking at the sheets was enough for them to spring to life and she managed, somewhat sloppily with her magic, to tuck all four corners in.

"We needs three separate bed coverings?" she muttered as the second sheet sprung to life. and tucked itself in. Uncrossing her arms she went over and began to smooth out wrinkles. "Spoiled man."
 
He had spent the remainder of his afternoon in his study, gathering up information and tidbits on what fungi and fauna were transmutable and which were completely changeable. Insects proved to be interested, since they could always be changed from one insect to another. You never had to revert an ant back into it's original form before changing it into a bumble-bee. Then again Toadstool could not be changed into a toad, or vice versa. However, there were several fungi that were capable of all sorts of things. Especially hallucination-inducing effects from special varieties of mushrooms. He snapped his fingers, knowing the first task for that new girl, Race was it? Or was it Rice? Reese? It was not important. What was important was that she would be sent at first light to gather up some ants and then toadstools in the forest. If there were any varieties that had the properties he was looking for he would be certain to make the staff try them.

Making the staff try his experiments were one of his favorite pass-times. He would never make them try things that he didn't try himself, but it was amusing to watch his staff lollygagging about in the halls, talking to whatever art and tapestries still hung in the walls. His favorite part was watching the effects take hold of the staff while in the middle of their duties. Somehow, only Evander was capable of not being effected by his little prank; or he somehow managed to keep his composure throughout the experience. Elland suspected that Evander had some unrevealed magical ability, but he was never certain. When his senses weren't dulled by liquor, women or Henbane he was quite astute at discerning who had a touch of magical skill. If Evander knew magic, Elland didn't know for certain.

A bell rang clearly down the halls, bouncing off of the stone walls unobstructed by tapestries or elaborate rugs. It traveled down the hallway like a strong gust of wind between two buildings and assaulted Elland's delicate ears. Elland wandered down to the table for dinner. He used to sit by himself in the formal dining room, but in order to pay off a gambling debt he sold the grand oaken table and ate with the servants. Eating by oneself was lonesome anyways, Elland had not had guests in some time, not since his luck ran afoul, anyways.

This evenings dish was poached fish, potatoes and soup made from the remainder of a duck - all caught or grown on his own property. Most meat came from rabbits, ducks and the occasional deer. The groundskeeper, Lorin, was responsible for the hunting of animals on the property. Between his hunting and his vegetable garden in the summer and fall, the castle had food. It was this blasted spring that had been a blighted mess. Nothing but old potatoes, and other tubers that had been stored all winter until his stipend came. Then they would have wheat, and wheat meant bread. Elland's mouth watered at the thought of hot, crusty bread from the baking oven. He sat down to his meal and looked around waited for the rest of the staff to arrive. He wanted to get another look at this new serving girl. Something was different about this one.
 
Finishing up, she left the room without giving herself time to look around. There were likely things in there that Royce did not want to see or know about. He was a right mess and there was probably piles of bottles licked cleaned of their alcohol in a shadowed corner. Maybe a mistress would come sauntering out of the water closet in nothing but a pair of stockings and a smile. The more she thought about it the faster she moved down the corridor.

In her continued exploration of the castle she found a few other things that were of interest. The servant's quarters were located down a pair of narrow steps just down the hall from Lord Elland's room. There wasn't much to them. There was a girl's room that was small and housed the five woman who worked there and the male's quarters, which were considerably bigger simply for the fact there were more men than women. Just through the quarters was a rather tiny kitchen meant for staff use that connected to the large kitchen. There a cook, a large man with a red face and bulbous nose, chastised her for trying to get a nibble early and shooed her out of his working space.

There were many (at least many to her) small passageways that the servants of the manor could easily get around the house and she had fun finding them and figuring out how to move about the place. By the time they were all called for supper she had made her way around the entire place several different ways and felt rather accomplished for it.

Following other servants she made her way back to the servant dining area. Although she did not realize it, the eyes of several of the younger men traced the sway of her hips. Her eyes widened when the surprisingly clean lord was sitting there. Goodness! She had expected him to, at the very least, take his meal in his personal chambers. Visibly flustered, she took a seat away from him.

The meal set before her looked amazing. She had never had one that had more than one sort of dish. There was fish and potatoes and a delicious smelling stew. Well. At least there was one good thing about this arrangement. Now she could eat much better than what she had been eating.
 
He watched as they all poured into the dining hall. They all sat down at their usual places. Ms Wolcott looked somewhat out of sorts when the new girl, Royce, sat in her chair. She wasn't upset though and took over the spot which sat vacant since he had one of the milking maids sacked for insubordination. He did not remember why she was so subordinate, but Evander assured him it was because she would not bed him. Of course, Elland reminded himself, if he was so inebriated that he could not remember the night then it was unlikely he would have been able to perform anyways. Elland would have known that... wouldn't he? Elland shook his head chasing the thought away.

"Ah, Solid food. How I have missed thee." Elland tucked into his fish and the household followed suit. They did not waste much time on idle chit-chat or details. Elland had a few orders under the veiled title of "requests" and they were to be performed the next day. Some of the staff were resigned to do as they wished for the evening. Elland did believe that the serving staff needed a few hours of their own time. Evander was the only servant who was responsible 24-hours a day, and even Evander was given the occasional day-off to visit his family in the town nearby.

Elland consumed his fish and his stew and decided that his potatoes should go to the pig. The pig was the only fat thing living on the property. He watched the girl sideways as he engaged some of the other members of the staff. He gave them a few menial tasks and made mention of how they would be reduced to cleaning with their own rags if things kept up the way they were. The stipend was 3 weeks away, he could feel it coming on the wind as though it were the weather itself. The entire town would be abuzz with his spending spree, and then he would win back his fortunes. Perhaps this time he might even be a little wiser with them. Perhaps the new girl would be better with finances than the last unfortunate soul. Elland had caused that man to explode. Every now and again a body part would show up in some remote corner of the estate. He pondered for a moment.

"Tell me, ummm... Grace, are you at all good with numbers?"
 
The dinner had been wonderful and Royce had downed hers with a very unladylike enthusiasm that had earned her odd looks from the other, better mannered wait staff. If they did not approve that was their problem. She, for one, was going to enjoy the delicious meal provided for her. Then again they were probably gawking at the fact that she thought the spread was a formidable feast. Most were used to the meals provided before the lord had fallen too heavily into his vices.

As all of the others were given tasks to do after their supper, Lord Elland had stopped her. For a moment she wondered what job he was going to assign her. Dishes perhaps or something like that. What he asked her was shocking.

"Royce," she corrected him. Grace was a horribly elegant name and did not fit her. "And, m'lord, if I am a simple peasant that doesn't understand letters, how would I understand numbers?"

She did not understand what he was trying to get at. With a sigh, she added "But I am sure I could properly get them if I were taught or exposed to them long enough. Is there a reason you need me to be good with them?"
 
"Well, Rose, I am curious to see what other skills you have. I am certain that there is something about you that just isn't, well, it isn't normal." Elland said flatly. "I am a good judge of these things, you know. I can read people like I can read books. I am a master gambler. Well, at least when they don't pry me with liquor or henbane... Once my perceptions are weakened, well then..." Elland motioned around the room, showing that he was near destitute. "But I shall win it all back and then it shall be the palace it was meant to be. Maybe I shall have the roof repaired as well..." Elland trailed off, lost in the dream of what the house would become. He shook his head and brought himself back to reality. "Besides which, the hurt you displayed when I mentioned your ignorance of letters was enough to indicate you at least know some of your letters. I need someone to do numbers for me though, and you will learn to manage my finances. At least, when you're not tending to my mushrooms."

Elland watched the face of Royce as he spoke, studying her reaction, looking for another clue as to what was different about her.

"I receive my stipend in 4 weeks. Evander, in the past, has managed them but it is beyond his reckoning. If Evander is pleased you will undertake the finances of the household. There you will manage the finances for the household and what everything is to be used for. For tomorrow though, I shall meet you in my cellar and teach you of my mushrooms and plants."
 
"Royce," she replied back through gritted teeth. Oh! What she would give to be able to turn the lord of their province into a toad or equally vile creature! Her hands balled up into tight fists and she watched the smug expression sweeping across his face. "Not Rose or Grace."

Her lips pulled into a tight purse for a second but her features relaxed quickly. There was not need for anger. Of course he had forgotten her name, even if she had told him many times, there was just so much to look after. Like all of his gambling, apparently. It was interesting to hear how he had lost everything on a foul gamble but he intended to 'win' everything back.

"This may seem like novel idea, m'lord, but why not simply buy the items back a little at a time instead? It may take a little longer than gambling but it doesn't seem to me as if you're very successful about it."

She nodded her head. The mushrooms were better company she wagered and, when the time came the next day, she would be glad to be rid of him.

"So I will see you then, m'lord? Wonderful. I bid you a good night."
 
"Yes, Rhonda. Exactly. I've never been good with money and it appears that you already have a better idea of what to do with it. I will see you in the morning then."

Elland asked Evander for a mug of beer. Perhaps not the best choice given the mild hangover, but at least it was something. He still had no idea as to why he enjoyed the wine and ale so much, but it was his one vice, apart from gambling, and the henbane, and the women. Apart from those four things, he was a man of few vices. Oh, and manipulating people of high standing in society. Very few vices indeed! Hopefully he would have enough money with his stipend to play a little.

What other things would she be able to do, he wondered. His eyes closed for a moment and replayed the image of her sauntering away, her backside swishing side to side as she walked. He shook his head and opened his eyes.

"Evander, you are to keep an eye on that woman." Elland demanded.

"Very good master Elland." Evander responded dutifully.
 
She was convinced that he was purposely saying the wrong names just to get a reaction out of her. Well then, she was just not going to give him the satisfaction of the annoyance. Whenever he called her a different name she would simply ignore it. Royce walked away, hips sway as she did so.

The evening provided good enough rest. Though her sleeping was punctured by the bark-like laughter for the younger servants from the next room over? Even though they were around the same age, she could not fathom why anyone wanted to stay up so late. They worked early in the morning, didn't they? It wasn't as if they did not work hard. Why would they risk being exhausted for their tasks the next day?

Still she managed to get a good amount of sleep in before she had to go down to the cellar of the estate once more. She looked rough, having forgone the typical routine to make sure she was at the meeting place before he got there. A hand ran through her knotted hair and she groaned softly.
 
Elland navigated the narrow stairway into the dark, labyrinth of a cellar. He passed through the wine cellar. On occasion this would be as far as Elland got, but today he had a reason to be in the mushroom cellar. It had fallen into great disrepair, but it would not take much for the new girl to maintain it. It would take a while for her eyes to adjust to the dark, but that was all well and good.

Elland looked around the various toadstools, fungi and mushrooms. A few creeping vines that did not like any light what so ever crawled around the floor of the cellar. One attached itself to Elland's leg, which he shook off in a vigorous kicking motion. Hopefully they would not be so forward with the new girl.

"I wonder where that Janice is, surely she can't be as sluggish as the rest of my house staff." He muttered under his breath and one of the species of toadstools began to glow and eerie iridescent turquoise colour. "Much better." He waited for his new charge to come and see his exotic collection of fungi.
 
Royce huffed loudly as she made her way through the veritable maze of the cellar. How she managed to find this place before without stumbling over something or being accosted by plant life was beyond her. A vine crept its way upward and wrapped around her thighs. She yelled and managed to beat it off before continuing on and meeting him just when he asked when 'Janice' would arrive.

"I am right here, m'lord," she told him, rending a half hearted curtsey. "I had some troubles navigating this place..."

Her voice trailed off when she noticed the odd, glowing light from the fungi. It boggled her mind. In all of her time dealing with plants and vegetation, she had never seen anything like it.

"Are all of your mushrooms like this?"
 
"No Eunice, as a matter of fact you're looking at one of the most rare collections of fungii this side of the Carpathian mountains. In fact, were things to get very desperate I could make enough selling these to retire comfortably for the rest of my days. As things are, however, I refuse to sell them. Some of these I have brought to my house painstakingly, traveling only at night by carriage from the Fens and Dales of upper Scotland."

Elland went from toadstool to mushroom, from fungus to mold. Each had it's own properties: healing and regenerative powers, hallucinogenic traits or deadly poisons. Elland pointed to the "Destroying Cap" mushroom. "An excellent fungus. I make some of the most powerful pesticides and anti-herbivore solutions out of that. Half a cap will kill a man."

He pointed to another strain of tall, blue mushrooms. "Those are for recreation for many, I prefer them for experimenting with new spell ideas. Take too much, however, and you'll be a gibbering fool for the rest of your days."

"Now, Eunice," Elland smiled, having thought he remembered her name and saying it twice to reaffirm himself. "What your roll is, is to make sure that they all receive ample watering as well as splashing them with water once a day to ensure their skin remains soft and supple. While some of these shall be dried, I have a process for this which I will show you. I will also have you draw the specimens once a month. You'll select three mushrooms or toadstools and draw them. If you need help with charcoal and parchment I will teach you."
 
"I am sure taking care of them won't be too much of a hassle at all."

Royce listened intently as he described the fungi and her duty towards them. It all seemed simple enough and easy to do. Watering the things only would take a small portion of her morning and, really, her other duties were light at best. The drawing, however, made her teeth set on edge.

"I don't know how to draw," she informed him. "At least not very well... and it's Royce."

It was then she realized that he had not been feigning ignorance. The man had actually been forgetting her name all of this time. A sigh escaped her lips. Thankfully her name wasn't really important. Surely he thought of her very little and had no interest in her pass showing her the duties which she was required to perform. That was something she was grateful for. Perhaps if she was well mannered enough, he would let her go early.
 
Elland frowned for a moment. "So have you been changing your name repeatedly like a child or have I just been that confused? Very well Royce, I can teach you to draw. It's actually just learning to depict what you see. I will show you at a later date, specifically when I have enough money for parchment, now... please take a look at these..."

Elland guided her to a small bunch of mushrooms that sat in the darkest corner. "These are special. Do not touch them with your bare skin, it will poison your mind. It can take up to a week to regain your senses, and without an antidote you might lose your mind for the rest of your life."

Then, ignoring his own advice, he picked up a few and placed them into an earthenware pot that he kept underneath the stone table. Took the pot and placed a heavy lid on the top. "Follow me, I will show you where and how to dry these beauties."

Elland walked back into the dimly lit halls of the basement and made his way over to a kiln that rested against an exterior wall - venting into the cool spring morning. He put several logs and some coal into the kiln and blew into it. Then he spit into the center of the logs and they crackled into flames. "I always leave the pot in the kiln for an entire day, just to ensure that everything is dry. Also, check outside to see if there are any animals sitting around the vent for the fire. If there are and they do not run from your approach pull the pot from the kiln - something is wrong then. Usually a broken pot or an unsealed lid." Elland smiled to the girl. "You are the first I have ever shown this to. Hopefully you find it rewarding in some manner."
 
"You must have been that confused," she told him. "I've always been Royce."

Royce could not help but think that, despite his magical inclination, the lord of the estate was a mixture of crazy and just plain old stupid. The drink addled the brain. Even when a drunk wasn't getting himself lost in a pint of ale, they seemed perpetually confused. At least that was the impression she was getting from Elland.

When he moved off to the darkened corner, she followed him like he had asked her to. They were mushrooms but it was hard to tell specifics about them in the dimly lit area; she couldn't tell their color or exact shape. Though, really, she didn't want to know what they looked like. Whatever type of mushroom they were, they sounded just dreadful. Her eyebrows rose whenever he picked a few with his bare hand and placed them in a pot that was kept beneath a stone table. This made her wonder if they were really as dangerous as he said they were but she didn't question it and she would not be trying that for herself.

She supposed she should have felt flattered that he had decided to share such a 'treat' with her. A smile flitted across her lips but she could feel it falter into a grimace. "I am sure I will find some enjoyment in the task. Though, honestly, the thing about animals scares me. Do the pots or lids crack often?"
 
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