Chapter 17 - Inside the Palace
Massimaferro led Copeland back into the palace. It surprised him, like most other people who went into the living areas, not with its opulence but the fact that it was startlingly ordinary. Since the people who resided in there tended to be from humble backgrounds they tended to feel more comfortable with ordinary furniture.
"This is it?" Copeland asked Massimaferro, "Doesn’t look like much."
"It’s home," Massy said, "Been such since I was your age."
"This is too weird," Copeland said shaking his head, "I don’t feel like I belong here."
"You will," Massy smiled, "It’s a sad day, but in a way a good one as well. The changing of a Mullinix is always a bittersweet thing."
"How so?" Copeland asked him, "I don’t quite get that?"
"We lose a friend," Massy explained, "But we gain a new one too. We don’t get new faces in here all that often. Glad to have you aboard. Now it’s time to meet the new Elder."
Copeland shrugged and followed along. Insegniferro was finishing up the paperwork and looked up as they entered the room. He smiled and signed the last of the papers dealing with the transition and stood up to greet them.
"So we meet again, Copeland," Iggy said, going over to the boy and offering a hand, "How are you feeling?"
"Like I need another drink," Copeland said, shaking the hand of the older man, "How are you, sir?"
"I’m not a sir," Iggy chuckled, "When we’re not being official you can call me Iggy. I’d appreciate it if you did. I feel old enough becoming the Elder."
"How do you all sound so normal?" Copeland asked them, "I mean…"
"We grew up just like you did," Iggy said, "I meant what I said in the chamber. We’re no better than you are. We’ve just received training that you haven’t yet. The fact that you’re here and this calm says to me that you’re willing to learn."
"I’ll be honest," Copeland said, "This still scares the hell out of me."
"We’ll do it slowly," Iggy promised, "Come on, let’s go meet the others."
They left the room and started heading for the back stairs when a young page started running towards them. He was out of breath and holding a couple notes. The three Mullinix stopped and waited for the child to catch up. He was ten if he was a day, but he was conscientious.
"I have a message for the Mullinix," the child said, offering it to Insegniferro, "Wire is open for a response."
"Give it to Massimaferro," Iggy told the child, "He’s the Mullinix now."
The child did what he was told and Massimaferro read the message. He looked up at Iggy with a look of pain in his eyes. He passed Iggy the message and Iggy growled when he read it. Copeland looked at the both of them, wondering what had happened.
"Those bastards," Iggy said, "They did it again."
"What?" Copeland asked, "What happened?"
"The Mavelans launched another raid," Massimaferro said, "They went after civilians this time. Two dozen dead, twice as many wounded."
"Oh gods," Copeland said, blood draining from his face, "What do we do?"
"You and I will get you started here," Insegniferro said to Copeland, "I can’t do the rites without Massy, but we can get all the paperwork laid out and start the process to get Tali laid to rest."
"I’ll take care of that mess down there," Massy said, "Paulus is still here. If Roland shows up send him down cause he knows the area as well."
"Get moving," Iggy said, shoving him off, "I’ll get Copeland settled in and take care of the niceties. We’ll do the formal transitioning as soon as you get that settled."
"See you in a few," Massy said and ran down the hall with the page.
"What is he going to do?" Copeland asked Iggy.
"Talk to the Colonels and give orders," Iggy told him, "Come on, I’ve got some things to take care of to get you installed. Walk with me and we’ll talk a little."
Copeland nodded and followed him. They went towards the stairs and started climbing. Iggy was in good spirits despite Tali’s death and he liked the kid so far. He thought that Copeland wasn’t that far removed from himself when he was younger. He just hoped that Copeland wouldn’t be forced into ascending as early as he was.
"You ok, Copeland?" Iggy asked him, seeing that the boy looked a bit dizzy, "Need to rest?"
"No," Copeland said, smiling for the first time, "Last night’s sweet ale is catching up with me."
"I’m sure the generous hits from the bottle Massy brought with him didn’t help," Iggy laughed, "We’ll get you some tea when we get upstairs."
Marina, Marianna and Julia were waiting outside of Taliaferro’s room. Julia was still not in a particularly good state, with the younger two women comforting her. Copeland looked at the women and didn’t know what to do. He felt out of place and rather impotent in the situation. Medico Rasten walked out of the late Mullinix-Elder’s room when she heard them approaching.
"I’d like you all to meet our new Mullinix-Apprentice," Insegniferro said to them, "You can go ahead and call it, Medico. No need to hide it now. We’ll do the formal investiture tonight, but it’s ok to have it wait a few hours."
"Very well," Medico Rasten nodded, "I’m not sure how to handle this part since no one at the Hospital was part of the staff that took care of Crianferro."
"Standard embalming," Iggy told her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Treat him like you would any man of respect who has died of natural causes."
Copeland watched this, still feeling like an outsider. Marina looked at the young man closely, though he didn’t notice her yet. She was surprised when she saw him, really, as she wasn’t expecting someone as cute as he was. Massimaferro was a rather attractive man as well, but he was old enough to be her father and that ameliorated the attraction a little. She decided that if he was like they were talking about she’d need to make the first move.
"I’m Marina," she said to Copeland, offering a hand, "You are Copeland if I remember correctly?"
"Yes ma’am," Copeland said, taking the hand and bowing a little as he shook it.
"Don’t give me that ma’am crap," Marina chuckled, "I’m only a couple years older than you are. You look like you could use a cup of tea."
"And a couple headache pills," Copeland nodded, appreciating the warm smile she offered, "If that wouldn’t be too much trouble."
"That’s what we’re here for," Marina said, "I’m surprised Iggy and Massy haven’t told you that yet."
"We haven’t had a chance," Iggy protested, "Trouble in the south again. Massy is working on that now."
"That’s no excuse," Marina said, chastising the elder, "You can handle this part without him, Iggy. Let me show him his new quarters and get him that tea and headache pill."
"I stand chastised," Iggy said, without the slightest hint of regret at that, "Marina will take good care of you, Copeland. Go with her and get yourself taken care of. Might want to catch a nap if you haven’t slept in a while. We’ll talk more later."
"You ok with Julia?" Marina asked Marianna before going off with Copeland.
"Yeah," Marianna nodded, "Take care of the new kid. That’s your job until he’s settled."
Marina nodded at Marianna and gave Julia’s hand a squeeze before leaving Iggy behind to make the final arrangements for Taliaferro. She then smiled at Copeland and pushed her red hair back before taking him to his new quarters.
"Is she ok?" Copeland asked Marina after they got out of earshot, "She looks more distraught than anyone."
"Julia and Taliaferro had been lovers for the better part of her life," Marina told him, "She loved him dearly."
"I thought the Mullinix couldn’t get into that type of relationship?" Copeland said, "I know they can’t marry…"
"Not they anymore," Marina reminded him as they walked, "You."
"I’m trying not to remember that point right now," Copeland sighed, "Point still goes."
"You can’t marry in a
traditional sense," Marina said, "But that’s part of what we do for you. What you will be doing is stressful. Nobody expects you to do it without having some way of decompressing afterwards."
"So that’s what you…" Copeland said, blushing at the thought.
"Only part of it," Marina laughed, "We’re here to make sure you three stay sane. We make sure you eat, and we make sure you relax. You can’t rule properly if you’re fretting about your next meal or feeling decidedly alone can you?"
"I guess not," Copeland admitted, "I still have so much to learn about this."
"It’s overwhelming," Marina admitted, "Marianna told me the stories about when Massy came in. He was just as confused as you were, maybe more-so since he didn’t have as much book learning as you did."
"Couldn’t tell it now," Copeland said, "He’s smart."
"So are you," Marina smiled as they approached the room, "Welcome to your new home."
The suite of three rooms was fairly large. Marina opened the shutters to allow the remnants of the afternoon sun to filter in. There were four Mullinix suites, all identical to each other in design. The basic way things worked was that when a Mullinix died their suite stayed empty, giving the house staff and the other Mullinix a chance to go through things at the proper time. That left one suite empty at any given time, which was the suite that any new Mullinix received.
"Who’s room was this?" Copeland asked, looking at some of the furniture and pictures.
"Crianferro," Marina told him, "He was the last Mullinix to pass away before Taliaferro. He died before either of us were born."
"How old are you?" Copeland asked her, "You don’t look as old as the others."
"I’m the baby of the house staff," Marina smiled, "I turned twenty last month."
"So what exactly is this house staff?" Copeland asked her, "I don’t quite get this. Your job sounds like being a servant, but you took Insegniferro to task about what he was doing with me."
"Have a seat," Marina said, "Let me get the tea and pills and we’ll get that head taken care of and talk about it."
"Ok," Copeland nodded and sat down in one of the more comfortable chairs, rubbing his head.
Marina left quickly and collected the tea that Sascha had brought up to the upper floor where the Mullinix suites were. Sascha looked at her friend and smiled, knowing that she’d been sizing up the new Mullinix.
"So how is he?" Sascha asked her, "Is he cute or what?"
"I don’t know if he’s your type," Marina smiled, "But I think he’s cute. He’s not overly large, and he has a kind face."
"Just make sure there’s something left," Sascha grinned, "Don’t scare him senseless."
"It’s too early for that," Marina chuckled, "He needs sleep more than anything, I think. We’re going to talk for a while. If something else happens, it probably won’t be for a few days."
"Spoil sport," Sascha grinned, "Better get back in there."
"Right," Marina nodded.
Marina walked back in the room and took the chair across from Copeland, pouring a cup of tea and putting the pills on the table in front of him. She could tell he was frightened of her a bit. She was determined to not scare him off, especially since she was truly attracted to him.
"So what exactly is it that you do?" Copeland asked Marina as he took the pills chased by tea.
"The House staff is concerned with keeping you sane, as I said before," Marina smiled, "Sometimes that comes in the form of making you dinner, sometimes that comes in the form of a touch or a back rub. Sometimes we go farther than that."
"Ummm…" Copeland said, trying to figure out the nice way to ask the question, "Including… well… You know?"
"We’re not whores, if that’s what you mean," Marina told him, "We’re not paid to do that and not everyone on the house staff does, though some of us will happily do so."
"I’m sorry," Copeland said, "I just…"
"I don’t worry about it," Marina said, flashing him another smile, "It’s part of life, one that nobody expects you to do without. You’ll see how it goes. You’ll also get your fair share of rebukes from us. We’re a family here, Copeland. I think you’ll learn to like it here."
"We will see," Copeland sighed, "Gods, I’m so tired now."
Marina smiled. She figured that would be happening soon, especially since she had Sascha bring the sleep inducing tea. The headache medicine often did that as well.
"This is your home, Copeland," Marina said, "It’s been a long day for you. Go ahead and sleep a while. We’ll talk again later on."
"I’d like that," Copeland told her, "I like talking to you."
"Good," Marina said, a really genuine smile, "I’ll see you later."
Copeland didn’t get anything else out before he fell completely asleep. Marina covered him with a blanket and walked out of the room. Much as parts of her called to slip in there and just hold him as he trembled in his sleep, she knew it was much too early for that.
"Soon," she said to herself, "I hope…"
The Mullinix Book 1: Ascension Page 18