Rone changed into lighter clothing, after complaining about sweating to death in the heavy furs Felli had given him, and went out to take care of the livestock as his bath water heated up. Felli joined him to see what kinds of things she could help with. Meanwhile, the women ran Kal and Jurien out of the house, so they could put something together for lunch as well as a large meal for Ikuno and another for the oni, Kal, Rone and Felli when they went back to the harpy’s cave later.
Kal was surprised to hear that Rone was coming back with them.
“Felli’s agreed to wait on her baby, so it will be born after ours is,” said Marda, “much as I would like to have Rone here with me tonight I think she deserves something special for waiting so long. Besides, it’s her first night in our family; she shouldn’t spend it alone in her nest.”
Kal was about to mention that she could invite Felli to sleep in the house but decided against it, Marda would make that offer when she was ready.
He and Jurien sat out on the front step enjoying a couple of tankards of ale after Rone informed them he wanted to take care of things around the farm by himself, after the last few days he wanted something ‘normal’ to do.
“As you know already you can officiate weddings,” explained Jurien when Kal asked what exactly being a ‘recognized’ or ‘official’ master of the town meant. “You can also witness transfers of ownership either by sale or to an heir, either way, you and the other witness are responsible for collecting the King’s taxes and handing them over to the council so they can be taken to the capitol at the end of the year. People look at you like you’re stealing their money, I avoid it if I can. If someone wants to declare an heir, either if they don’t have a living son for it to go to or if they want it to go to someone besides their firstborn you can witness that to make it official. Last you can be appointed to the council if the opportunity arises.
“If I’m not mistaken Ellis has already tapped you to take his spot should he pass away. Poor Ada, I think this sickness of his is harder on her than it is on Ellis, she’s been trying to give him an heir ever since he fell ill this last time, but nothing has taken yet. Ellis doesn’t think it will, says he got sick as a kid in whatever godforsaken city he was born in and it messed him up badly. The man’s been sick more than anyone in the town.
“Speaking of bad news, I may need your help with something, Kal. Ellis wants to give the Inn over to Kahrin and Bren when he passes on. The other town masters will grudgingly accept Kahrin, probably since every one of them has had his cock in her at some point, present company included.” Jurien lifted his mug and Kal tapped his own against it with a knowing smile. “The problem is Bren; the other masters won’t accept a giant-kin as an owner in town.”
Kal about spit out his ale, “Giant-kin?”
“Aye, his grandmother was half-giant.”
“Wait… everything I have read and learned about monster girls says that a giant mating with a man only produces another giant and never a male.”
“True, that’s what I’ve heard too, but I’ve no reason to doubt the man. If it isn’t the truth, Bren doesn’t know it. Back to the problem at hand, if you and I act as witnesses, then the rest of the council will have to accept the transfer of ownership. It may not make you to popular when you take Ellis’s spot on the council, but they’ve no reason to deny you.”
Kal sipped his ale before responding, “I don’t think it will work out having me on the council anyway. I’m coming to the end of what I can learn here, I plan on leaving for a few years and finding other texts and mages to learn from.”
“Are you planning to take Lady Perra with you?”
Kal thought for a long time before answering, “No. As much as I want to, I keep getting reminded that out in the bigger world, I’m just not that powerful. If something happens to me, then it’s on my head. If something happened to her, I don’t know if I could live with myself.”
Jurien chuckled, “You’re a wiser man than most of your peers then, most young men would bring their woman into danger just for the sake of keeping their dick wet. I’m just as guilty as any, luckily Nina forgave me and married me anyway.
“We keep getting off track. If Perra is staying behind then, it will be fine as long as you aren’t gone for more than a couple of years at a time. All of the council have other professions that take them away from Telsin occasionally; when you become a council member, you must pick a second or proxy to state your wishes and vote on the council at times when you are traveling. Thankfully the grumpy old men on the council are not as picky about proxies as full members and don’t object to having women. Nina is mine; Lady Perra can be yours.”
Kal set his tankard down and put his head in his hands, “Too much. Too much, too fast. I started this day just trying to find a way to make Rone and Felli happy and get some breakfast for the man. Now I’m an official master of the town and have to think about possibly becoming a council member.” He put his hands down, “Aren’t I a bit young to be on the council?”
“Normally, yes. What you may not realize Kal is that between running off those three thugs; saving Kahrin, her sister, and her niece; rescuing the boy from the tree; all of the people whose lives you made better by taking away their aches and pains, some of whom are on the council mind you; charging coppers for what would cost silvers in the capitol and not killing the man who tried to lay hands on Lady Perra the other night, you have proven yourself many times over, all while not letting the title of ‘Master’ go to your head. The fact that you are weighing this and not just champing at the bit for the extra status and power says to me that Ellis and the council have made a good choice in you.”
“The next part of this journey starts tomorrow once I have Felli’s egg,” Kal stopped for a moment, “that was easier to think about before yesterday when it was just ‘the harpy’s’ egg. Even though I know, it will never hatch now I feel like a bad person for taking it.” Kal shook his head to clear those thoughts, “The next part will hopefully go a bit quicker. With luck, I will be mentally prepared for all of this by the time I get back.”
“You have some time, Kal. Ellis is in rough shape, but he still has a few weeks or even months left in him before you need to worry about it. I blame it on Ada, who would want to go to the great beyond when you have that pretty little thing draining your balls twice a day.” The door behind them had opened about the time he mentioned Ada, Jurien looked back to see his wife standing there, “Bloody hell,” he said hanging his head.
“Bloody hell is right ya dirty old man! Go get Rone. He should be done with his bath about now, then get your arse in here and get something to eat.”
“Yes, dear,” said Master Jurien as he slowly stood up. The apothecary handed his mug to Kal before heading around the back of the house to where the large washtub was.
------
Ikuno quietly crept into the attendant’s quarters; she knew they were empty since she was still the only one there. The caution was unintentional as much as unneeded, she just didn’t feel comfortable invading Felli’s living area while she wasn’t there. Still, a small bit of curiosity about something she felt over the bond was getting to her.
She moved over by Felli’s nest and, sure enough, there was an opening on the front wall. She didn’t think the hidden entrance was magical in nature just some very clever stonework. As she stepped inside the crystals set into the ceiling began to glow much as they did in the storeroom. She smiled as she beheld the large stone bathtub along the back wall, large and deep enough for her and a couple of others to sit comfortably. Just above the rim of the tub was a rectangular hole that water came out of to fill the tub. About neck height for her was an oddly shaped spout coming out of the wall, her guess was the shape was to spread out the water as it came off the end. Much like her own cubby, the toilet was little more than a hole in the ground with a stream of water running beneath it. There was also a small sink with another spout just above it.