The men were running before I could finish my speech. Rosemary ran to me and threw her arms around me, sobbing. “Thank the stars you showed up, Seth. I think I know what those men had in mind for us and I couldn’t bear it. I’m saving myself for you, just as my sisters are. We consider ourselves yours and hope that someday you’ll want us, too.”
I looked at the other girls and they were blushing and nodding. I had to ask, “If you want to be mine, as in a consort position, how would you take care of your farm? A large part of being a consort is helping the Lady of the house with duties.”
Holly spoke softly, “I guess we could take turns at the farm and help Lady Tabitha the other days. We’ve just fallen in love with you and want to be with you. Isn’t there some way that we can be? All four of us?”
I chuckled. “Heather too, huh? You all have heard why I’m so disappointed with the idea of consorts. I had two leave because they were jealous of me not spending enough time with them.”
Jasmine giggled softly. “We’re sisters, Seth. We’ve always shared everything and sharing you and your love would just be natural for us. I donno how it all works ‘cause I’m just a simple farm girl, but I hope there’s a way for us to love you the way we wanna.”
I sighed and knew there was only one place to go for answers. “Why don’t you milk the cows, ladies? After they’re taken care of, I’ll take us to the castle. Lady Tabitha knows more about this than I do.”
The girls finished their morning chores and I ported them all to my apartment. I explained to Tabitha about the men and what the girls had told me.
Tabitha smiled. “You’re just going to have to quit being so lovable, Seth. The thing with the men coming to your farm and making unwanted advances bothers me. If you ladies plan on staying there, I’m going to have a couple guards on horseback make rounds. A lady shouldn’t be afraid in her own home. Now here’s a suggestion: we could make the family colors that beautiful blue and white we got from your grandfather. We could put flags over the castle and dress the staff in the same color. At least it isn’t pink and won’t get overpowering.”
I chuckled. “Ok, so now we have a new family color and flag. How is that going to help them?”
Tabitha smiled patiently. “You, Raven or Celina could change the clothes that they wear when they’re out, and people would know that they are yours, too.”
I raised an eyebrow. “That they’re mine?”
“Seth, they love you and you obviously have a soft spot for them or you wouldn’t have been there this morning. They will just have to wait for you to come around. If they get tired of waiting, then they can find someone else, because no vows have been taken. People seeing them in the family colors will know not to bother them. When you come around and fall for one or all of them, you’ll have my blessing. I already like Heather a lot and know I’ll like these three when I get to know them, too.”
I laughed. “So you have it all figured out for me. When should I start on this color-changing project?”
Tabitha looked at the girls. “Are you fond of the colors that you’re wearing? Seth can change them to the blue and white we’ve been talking about. If you hate it, then we’ll think of something else.”
They all agreed to the color change and I turned their farm dresses to the beautiful swirling blue and white pattern my grandfather had suggested for my consorts’ clothes. They gasped and commented that their work clothes now looked nicer than their town-going clothes.
Rosemary was blushing before she spoke, “Lady Tabitha, when do ya think that he’ll really make us his? We done told folk that we’re his girls. I don’t wanna spread falsehoods, if he ain’t gonna really make us his.”
Tabitha glanced toward me, then answered, “You can tell people you’re his girls. After all, he has given you a home, land and money. He just hasn’t shared your bed yet. You could think of him as a husband that works too much and doesn’t get around to working the lumps out of the mattress. I think he’ll come around some day. Now he can leave us to chat, while he raises flags on your house and the castle, and works on the staff uniforms.”
Having been dismissed, I left the room shaking my head and listening to the laughter of the girls. I met a maid on the stairs. “Excuse me, miss.”
She curtsied, “Yes, My Lord?”
“My wife has just informed me we’re going to change the staff uniform. Would it be all right if I made the adjustment to yours?”
She blushed. “If you’d like, My Lord.”
I took the sleeve of her uniform and transformed the plain black dress to our new family colors. I smiled and told her, “I think that this looks more cheerful, don’t you?”
She grinned and nodded. “This is lovely, sir. I’m sure that the rest of the staff will be pleased, too. Will there be anything else?”
“Actually, there is. I have to go out to the tailor’s for a moment. If you would round up the staff for me and have them meet me by the stairs, I could get that entire chore done at once and sneak off to the pub!”
She laughed. “I’ll do that for you, sir. If you do go to a pub in Ohana, you should go to the one on the west side. The east side pub owner said you stole his prettiest girl.”
I laughed. “And now she’s a maid working here. I’ll take your advice, but I’m not worried about it. I’ll see you shortly.” I went to the courtyard and the castle tailor’s. I purchased a bolt of heavy cloth and colored it. I asked the tailor to cut it to size and bind it around the edges. I explained that I wanted to put flags of that color up around the castle and on my farm property to the west.
She smiled knowingly. “That farm where ya got those pretty girls stashed?”
“That’s the one. I want people to know that it’s my farm and everything in it should be left alone.”
“Yes, My Lord, I’ll have my boy hang the flag for ya.”
“Thank you, ma’am, and give him this for his trouble.” I dropped two silver coins on the counter.
She smiled and I exited the shop. I walked to the gate where I was now recognized. The captain came out of the guardhouse to meet me.
“Good morning, Seth. What can we do for you today?”
“The girls that I have living in my farmhouse were almost assaulted this morning. Luckily, I just happened to be checking on the place and interrupted it before things got out of hand. I’d like for a rider to check on that farm regularly to make sure nothing like that happens again.”
“That’s not far from the castle. It bothers me that someone would be foolish enough to try something that close. We’ll make sure no one bothers your girls out there. If they winter out there, ya might let us know. I bet the straw in the attic to keep the heat in has turned to dust by now. The boys and I wouldn’t mind helping them out, seein’ as they’re your girls and all.”
“I’ll find out their plans and let you know. The tailor is making some flags with the family’s new colors that I’d like hung. Could you collect them and put them up for me?”
“Will do, Sir, you have a good day.”
“You too, Captain.”
I went back into the castle and found the staff waiting on the stairs. I colored their clothing, working my way down the line. I finally got to the end where Heather was waiting.
I spoke softly, “Heather, my dear maid, I have decided to ask you to become a consort and officially join the family. With the training that my slave-driving brother has us doing, I don’t know when this could be consummated, if you accept. If you’d like, you can go to the tailor and have a consort’s uniform made.”
She smiled happily. “Lady Tabitha told me you’d come around. I know it’s not the way things are normally done, but would I still be able to work on the maid staff? I’ve worked all my life and think that I’d be unhappy just sitting around and working on purchase orders and payroll.”
“Your sisters had a situation this morning and that’s what prompted the color change. They are all with Lady Tabitha right now. I don’t think
it would be a good idea to mention your position change in front of them. If you pull my wife to the side and tell her, and make your suggestion, I’m sure that she’d work out something.”
She kissed me on the cheek, which was as affectionate as a maid should appear, and went upstairs. I went back to work knowing that I might not get another day off from Alec’s training for a while. I ported to the farm house and went to the attic. It was as the Captain had feared; the straw that had been placed there years ago had turned to dust.
I contacted Raven and Celina. “Excuse me, ladies, but I have a project. I’m trying to get the farmhouse ready for winter and we need to fill the attic. I need someone to send some of the Captain’s men to help and someone to go to a nearby farm and buy a bunch of straw.”
Celina’s thoughts came to me, “I’ll talk to the Captain and bring Warin.”
Raven chimed in, “I have some coin and have seen farms with large piles of straw. I believe that I’ll bring Anne and Tina. Those two are feeling neglected since we started training.”
I sent my acknowledgement and went to work. I removed a section from the end of the house so we could get to the attic easily. From inside I could see spots of light coming in though miniscule holes in the roof. It was made of thatch so that was to be expected, but if those girls were staying here, I didn’t want them to have any problems with leaks. I only knew of one person that might have a better idea and I ported to Wizard’s Castle.
I was quickly granted an audience with the King. “Welcome, my son! What brings you here on a beautiful fall day?”
“Father, I’m fixing up an old farmhouse to be the home of three lovely young ladies. The roof is thatched and I don’t like the possibilities of them waking up with snow dripping in their faces. What did the people in your world use for their roofs?”
Father chuckled. “I see you care for these ladies; it’s in your voice. We don’t have access to the materials that were most commonly used in that world. What some families did was use something called shingles, which were made of cedar. They would overlap them from bottom to top. Here, I’ll show you.” He got a pen and parchment and drew a rough sketch of how a shingled roof might look.
I winked. “Good thing you’re the King; you’d not make it as a scribe or artist. I know where a stand of cedar is and I’ll go play lumberjack. Thank you very much, Father.”
He hugged me. “You’re welcome, my son. If you need help with your training or the mission you’ve been charged with, all you have to do is ask.”
I laughed. “If we survive Alec, then any mission should be quite easy. Aunt Alice’s son is a slave driver!”
Father chuckled. “So he’s told me. He just wants to make sure you can face whatever you’re up against. You do look stronger after only two weeks. Be safe, Seth, and give your sister my love.”
I bowed and ported to eastern Eredwynn where I knew a stand of cedar grew by the mountains. I felled several trees and cut them into slabs to lay down across the rafters. When I was sure I had enough to cover the roof, I focused on a few more trees, pictured what Father had drawn for me, and let my intent flow. Piles of shingles fell away from the trees, layer after layer. I then made a huge pile of pegs to fasten everything together and ported it close to the farmhouse.
Raven had already purchased straw and Celina had the guards, Anne, Tina and Warin in the attic. The girls were passing up piles of straw to the men and they were packing it into the spaces between the joists. The boy had come by with the new flag and the girls thought it would look better on a pole. They’d located a tall, slender birch and made a flag pole from it. When I commented that I didn’t think I’d been gone that long, I was told that a woman can do twice what a man can do in the same amount of time. Since they were helping, I wasn’t about to argue the point.
I carefully stripped the thatching and went to work with the new shingles that I’d made. If nothing else, the farmhouse would smell wonderful for quite some time.
Just as we were finishing, the four sisters returned home. The girls that had worked on the project were all hugged and thanked. I thanked the guards and sent them back to the castle. Celina and Raven went inside to change more clothes to the family colors while I ported back to my room. I felt like spending time with my immediate family was important, and the ladies that made up the extended family would be fine for the rest of the day without me.
The next day Alec returned and we went back to work. He incorporated running into our routine. The farmhouse was in the right place to run around, to the castle, then back in an oval. We ran until I thought I’d drop and that was about one lap. Then we were back in the courtyard with the guard and shopkeepers looking on as we were tortured, hour after hour.
By the end of the day, all I could think about was a hot shower and bed. I dragged myself up the stairs, which I was sure someone had made higher, and stumbled to my bed. No one was around so I undressed there and made it to the shower. The hot water soothed my aching body, but I wondered if doing as my grandfather had asked was worth it. Hands started massaging my shoulders and I sighed.
“Thank you, whoever you are. I don’t even care, unless you’re Warin.”
There was laughter behind me and I turned around. Raven and Tina, who had the room closest to my water closet, were in the shower with me. They were beautifully dressed in nothing. Still laughing, Tina managed to say, “Raven was a maid before she found her magic and doesn’t hurt like you do. Tabitha suggested that we take you to our room and massage your sore muscles. If anything else pops up, we’ll be happy to take care of that, too!”
We finished out those two weeks and could tell that we were getting much stronger. We could also handle our weapons without getting tired. I hated to admit it, but Alec really did know what he was doing. In the beginning I thought he was just making stuff up to try to kill us.
On our day off, I asked Karly to take care of David and Tamia while I spent quality time with Tabitha. With all the training and the children, it seemed we didn’t see as much of each other as we’d like. She let me know that the girls at the farm hadn’t given up on becoming consorts, but had settled down and decided not to keep pushing me. Heather spent most evenings watching her door and hoping that I’d show up.
That evening I decided to go to the west side pub. I walked in, sat at a table and was amused to see the girls on the stairs signaled to make themselves scarce. As they were leaving to return to their rooms, I saw a young lady that I really wanted to visit with. I waved for her to come over, but she was pulled back towards a room. I ported her to the chair beside me and the bartender knocked twice on the bar. An enormous bouncer materialized beside the door and glared at me.
I turned to the girl. “Good evening, Miss. What’s your name?”
“I’m Debra, sir. You haven’t seen me here ‘cause I ain’t been here but a couple hours.”
I nodded. “Well, I’m Seth; so what do you do here, Debra?”
She shrugged. “I ain’t sure, sir. I’m s’posed ta talk to the men if they wanna talk. If they give me money, I’m s’posed ta take them to a room.”
“And what are you supposed to do in the room?”
She shrugged again. “I s’pose they’d wanna talk to me or somethin’. I ain’t been told why they wanna talk in the rooms.”
“I’m just wondering; how old are you, Hun?”
She grinned. “Today’s my birthday. I turned twelve today and my Uncle dropped me off here. He said, ‘You’re a woman now, so go in there and behave like a woman.’ Then he just left me here with just the clothes on my back.”
Anger burned in my belly. “Debra, how would you like to go with me and see a castle? There are some friendly ladies there that would love to meet you and you wouldn’t have to be in this smelly old pub.”
She smiled. “That would be fun ‘cause I don’t really like it here that much. The way some of the men look at me makes me feel funny.”
I laughed. “I’m sure it does. The man at
the door might try to keep us here and there might be some yelling. Just hold my hand and you’ll be safe.”
She nodded and I shielded her, up’d the power on my own shield and headed for the door. As we got close, the bouncer shook his head.
“The girls aren’t allowed to leave the premises. If you want to visit with her, you can get a room upstairs.”
I sighed. “Sir, do you know who I am, and more importantly, what I am?”
“I heard you’re the Lord of Starford, but that doesn’t change the rules.”
I shook my head. “That’s where you’re wrong, because this young lady is going with me, and if you decide to get in the way, I’ll move you.”
By now I was quite angry. Finding a twelve year old, who had no idea what sex even was, on the stairs had started it. Now this oaf in my way pushed me by grinning, moving in front of me and blocking the door. I shot him in the foot with a magic arrow; the flash from the spell started a panic behind me. He yelled from the sudden, but minor, burn on the top of his foot. I lifted him up and shoved him through the door. I followed him out while keeping a hold on Debra’s hand. Floating him six feet above the ground, he led the way toward the governor’s office. As we got close, the guards responded to the disturbance. They knew me on sight and asked what was going on.
I replied, “This man was keeping this young lady as a working girl against her will. I’d like for you to inform Governor Ridley of a new law I want put into effect. No girls under the age of fifteen will be working in the pubs of this province. This girl doesn’t even know what goes on in the rooms and they were going to turn her loose with whoever paid for her company.”
The head of the watch nodded. “Yes, My Lord, we’ll pass that on for you. What would you like us to do with this man?”
I gave a humorless laugh. “What I’d like is to see his head roll, but I think it would be better to lock him up and let the governor make the call. This is his city, after all.”
Seth, A Naiad's Son (Generations of Eredwynn Book 3) Page 24