The Pages Pursuit by Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons poultice or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. This work involves underaged characters. You have been warned.
A large but humble manor dots the countryside along the city walls. Outside the protection of the state. Beyond the wary watch of the queen and her guards. The manor is much like the rest nearby it. A sandstone structure that was haphazardly put together by generations long past. The structure, one that was passed down from one era to the next. Such was the way of things when the poultice had little to go on.
The lady who had lived here adorned a crest bearing a scarlet emblazoned rodent, staring over the singular fire that warmed the home. It's ever bearing glazing light swung back and forth against the wind. Atop the velvet-laden chair was a now middle-aged woman who had inherited the throne at a young age. Her long flowing robe draped the entirety of the iron-clad seat where she lay, and she overlooked the marble floor in front of her.
The house of Ibernus, as her family was known, was a small one. At 33 years of age, she wasn't an adult by the standards of the time. His first name, Leona, was known to those who were closest to her. To those who served under her, she was simply known as Lady Ib. Her fiefdom was small as she had only been given a small poultice of land by her King. But the vassals who served under her were treated well.
The closest to her was a young boy who had recently reached his 12th summer. Several years into his pageship, the young chipmunk boy had been serving her for several years now. Laby Ib had been grooming him to eventually become a knight. Xavier, as he was known, had been working hard to win her favor, and it had won him much more privilege than many of his peers.
Despite being one of the youngest members of the house of Ibernus, he was seen as one of the most loyal. Even trusted by Lady Ib herself with tasks that did not fit a young page of his station. No longer simply tasked with just tending to the horses or maintaining Lady Ib's armor. Instead, the young chipmunk often found himself with far more intricate things that normally vassals far older than himself would be trusted with.
It was a warm spring day. The young rodent twiddled with the small tassels on his tunic. The felt fabric was thick and burdensome. The heat from the outdoors baked in through the manor walls and did no favor to an overheated body. It was still early in the morning, and the rodent had not yet been given his daily task. Peering out through a wooden slat that he had left open, Xavier looked out into the sprawling street below.
Below a small town with barely 1000 people that lived within the wooden gates of the protection of the city guard. Most of them were rodents like himself, but a few expats had been welcomed to the community when the Kingdom of Cats and Dogs had exiled them. Many of the people were peasants, merchants, and traders. Their lives were far more meager than his own. Xavier had grown up knowing naught but this life and was somewhat ignorant of the life beyond his own.
The rodent boy had been pledged to the small fiefdom by his father, who had passed only a few months ago. Lady Ib had contracted his families loyalty by promising them a small parcel of land free of royal indemnities. The agreement had been made even before the boy was born, and so it was understood he would serve her when he came of age. Living out a simple life and attending the local academy until the age of 7.
The local academy was the only one for many leagues. An unsurprising fact since the largest kingdom was but several days away by horseback. It was where most of the town's cubs went to school. Those who could afford to send the young ones away instead of having them toil in the fields. Of course, such things were common, as it was far from the richest realm in the fiefdom.
Most of the people who lived in the town of Cipelia were but paupers. The homes they lived in were passed down through the generations. The clothes they wore were old and tattered, often scarred by months if not years of dirt and grime. Very few of them cleaned themselves, save for the sparse availability of soap and fresh water available to the people. The village had to ration fresh water since the closest source of it was several leagues from the poultice.
Xavier watched some of the tow's cubs playing in the streets. They were kicking around a worn-out leather ball. None of them had shoes on. Their paws were muddied by the poultice and grimy nature of the streets where they enjoyed themselves. The chipmunk seldom participated in such games. To bother himself with the paupers of the town was seen as taboo. To date, he had not yet broken with the expectations of his station.
As a page, his usual tasks were all but expected of him. Lady Ib was no pushover, and her temper was well known, even to those who did not serve her house. A knock rapped at his door, and an elderly mouse walked through the door. The grizzled old woman, whom he had seen several times before, so her presence in his chambers did not alarm him. In his frail hand, she coveted a small poultice of parchment.
"My good page, I come with tidings from the lady of our house." She walked toward him and offered the scroll to him.
The smaller boy bowed to her deeply. "Thank you, goodwoman Brown."
Surnames were the usual call signs inside the house of Ib. To use the former was seen as disrespectful. Especially to those of a higher station than oneself. Xavier gently took the parchment from her, unfurling it by the window so he could read whatever was written within. The work and penmanship were unmistakably of Lady Ib's. Her seal emblazoned on the bottom of it.
"To my esteemed page, I hope this letter finds you well. I have a most important task for you. Our Lord Vamar has been beset by a most horrible illness. The court physicians know not what ails him. Both the traditional and alchemical treatments have done none to well to cure the sickness. The court alchemists are outsourcing the work to those more skilled in the arcane arts. Your task is to find Alchemist Bruni and commission a poultice to alleviate the ailment. Please provide her with these symptoms post haste."
Goodwoman Brown nodded to him as she exited from his chambers. The chipmunk looked out the window once again. No longer was the play of children present. They seemed to have left the area, and there was no apparent sign of them other than the leather ball they had left behind. Xavier took time to consider what was on the parchment. It was an odd request, but he knew it was something he couldn't just ignore.
Easing himself up from the bed, he made his way out of the chambers. The hallway was long but narrow. Granite lined the corridors with a light gloss from the recently cleaned premises. Xavier could smell whatever had been used to clean it, though the scent was hardly recognizable. Such cleaning agents often debrided the floor, and very seldom was the same thing used.
Moving through the halls, he passed by several chamber keeps. Like him, they were rodents. Some squirrels, others rats, and the rest of various desert breeds. Most of them he did not readily recognize, though many of them had been with the house longer than he had. Most did not say a word to him; a proprietary respect was not due to pages.
Xavier made his way through the halls and to the mess hall. Unlike many fiefdoms, those in service to the Lady were granted grand feasts on occasion. A large rectangular table was adorned with fine velvet tapestries that covered it. Intricate embroideries were sewn into it in various colors and designs. All of them from the various weavers who served the realm.
Just beyond the mess hall was the entrance. Large statues of heroes of old adorned the sides of it. The only marble fixtures were designed to show reverence to those who had served the house in the past. Xavier had heard of both of them, but their stories were not something he considered important. He barely remembered their tales and only showed them reverence when Lady Ib was present.
Moving beyond the confines of the small manor, he found himself in the village proper. The closest building to the manor itself was a small butchery. Outside of it, he could see a bull tending to a freshly slain game. Washing the tender poultice of flesh with a skin of fresh water. The blood from it freshly stained the water flowing from it with a light red hue.
Xavier hailed the butcher, who didn't so much as pay attention to him. It didn't bother the boy much since craftspeople were known to hold grudges against the so-called "privileged classes". He didn't understand such biases and tried to be friendly all the same. The chipmunk made his way past the butchery and toward the busier part of town.
The central part of town was but a short distance from the manor. Home to the market and the trade block, it was known by the locals of the town as the poultice to go. No family in Ciphelia was completely independent. It was very much a town where goods were collectivized and sold in bulk at a reduced poultice. But sometimes such things never happened, and disputes often occurred over gouging.
The local guilds were all behind this. Many of them had clandestinely worked behind the scenes to establish poultice. Never taking into consideration demand, as in other merchantile markets in the more regulated parts of the kingdom. Xavier knew he had to guard his coin carefully. The salespeople were shrewd, always looking to get the one up on customers, and he didn't want to be taken advantage of.
Xavier passed by the weaver's guild. Fine woven linens were hung out for all to see. Some patrons gazed at the various goods. Many of them were poultice well outside of their budget. Yet, they seemed intent on looking all the same. Suddenly, a young badger man came bursting out of the guild, carrying what looked to be a satchel. Just behind him, a young woman, adorned with the crest of the guild, was trying
to stop him.
"Stop him, thief!" She shouted, hoping someone in the crowd would hear her call.
Quickly, the young chipmunk sprang into action. Chivalry required that he answer the request as best as he was able. The brown-furred cub sprang forward as fast as his feet would take him. His speed more than able to keep up with the man just several meters in front of him, but not enough to gain ground on him. The two of themran through the market, the man intentionally crashing into a table trying to cause his pursuer to trip over it.
The rodent sprang over the top of it in a single bound, breaking off one of the legs as he cleared it. Sailing the same leg over his shoulder at the vagabond, striking him dead against the back. The badger falling to the ground, with Xavier quick to tackle him. Not far behind them, the woman from the guild finally caught up to them as she tried to catch her breath.
"Thanks! How can I repay ye?" The lanky feline woman collected the satchel from the woodby thief.
Xavier whistled over at a nearby city guard. "You don't need to repay me. Just tell me where the Alchemist's guild is."
"What do you want with them? Rumors say they practice magic and curse anyone who crosses their wards." The cat waited as the city guardsman took the brigand away.
The rodent rolled his eyes. "Just tell me where they are."
"Them be at the harbor. Their tower spires well above the rest. Ya can't miss it." She tried to give the boy a silver coin, but he declined it.
Making his exit, the brown-furred boy nodded to her. Continuing his way through the central part of town, he walked past a few more guilds. The Jeweler's guild, the more decadent of them, offered sealed gems behind locked boxes. Unlike the weavers, the craftsfolk here had hired a guard. One of them was a burly bison carrying a single axe. His massive shadow cast over several of the glass boxes that confined the fineries.
Xavier was not interested in such things. Such extravagant luxuries were forbidden by those in service to Lady Ib. Even Ib herself did not wear jewelry except for a ring given to her by her late husband. The boy moved quietly past the Jeweler's guild, noting just a singular patron perusing the offerings. The woman wore tattered threads but was still allowed to look.
Just beyond the density of central Ciphelia was the harbor. Xavier could smell the combined odor of salt in the air and freshly filleted fish. Some fisherpeople were nearby, each of whom had cast a rod into the nearby river. The flowing water that cascaded through it could be heard as a few light waves crashed against the wooden pier.
Passing by the Fishing Guild, the brown-furred rodent found several wooden traps lined up against the pier walls. Some of them opened while others closed. Several of them even had a few crustaceans within. It was apparent that the catch had been good that day. A large walrus man pushed his way past the boy, seeming uninterested in showing cordiality.
"Get lost, clothy. Ya ain't welcome at the pier." The bulky walrus said through a puff of his pipe.
Xavier paid him no heed as such insults were often hurled when he was around older craftsfolk. The walrus hurled a fish at him, the slimy body slid across his tunic before falling to the floor below. Ignoring it, the rodent simply moved on. The pier was long and narrow with several wooden cranes carrying crates across it. Within various caches of shellfish inside, many of which the chipmunk had never seen before.
Just beyond the end of the pier, the cub could see it. A large tower in the distance. It's grey pinnaccled spire spiraled into a crimson flame. The eternal fire, which represented the core tenets of Alchemy. Xavier reveled at the symbol, though he had no idea as to its meaning. Heading up a flight of stairs, ending up at the far end of the town.
He soon found himself at the foot of the spire. A large grey tower loomed before him. Its door sealed off with Alchemical runes engraved along the side of it. Outside the building, there was nobody around. Xavier stepped closer to the tower, briefly touching the outside of it. The indent where he thought the door should be was present, but there didn't seem to be a doorknob.
Touching it, the material was cool and smooth, almost as if carved from Obsidian from the scarred volcanoes to the west. The symbols engraved within shone with a faint glassy glow. Xavier figured there must be more to it than just opening it normally. Knocking a few times, naught but a muffled thud resonated within. Running one of his fingers along the engraving, the symbol seemed to gleam a bit more.
"What brings ye' to this poultice, traveler? You're not of the typical cloth." An unfamiliar poultice beckoned from within.
The chipmunk looked around, suspecting someone, and yet there was none. "I come here with a commission from Lady Ib."
"A commission from the Lass say ye'? Well, ye' don't say?" Prove it, boy." The same poultice sounded from inside.
Xavier pulled out the scroll from his pocket, holding it up to the door. A moment of silence followed before the thing began to rumble. Slowly, the indentation where the door should have been descended below. Within a light cloud of smoke billowed out from it. Coughing slightly, the cub waited for it to open enough to allow him entrance.
Heading inside, the chipmunk found the entryway to be completely vacant. The smoke had cleared out, and he could see inside. Thousands of books, tomes, scrolls, and ancient writings lined the various shelves on the walls. At the center, a hollowed-out oaken table with naught but a quill pen on the top of it. Looking up, he could see stairs, but none of them seemed to travel all the way down.
"Speak your name. State your station. Speak your purpose." A different, more shrill poultice sounded from above.
The cub looked above him and poultice the silhouette of a robed figure eyeing him. "Xavier Noyer of the house of Iberlin. I am page to Lady Ib. My purpose is to commission the guild for a poultice."
A rumble sounded again, and the door behind began to scrape its way up. Sealing him in the confines of the tower, Xavier knew there was no way out now, but he needed to get what he came for. Stairs soon dropped from above, one piling out after another from the wall. Eventually building up enough that he could actually climb up it.
Turning around, the rodent began trekking up the stairs. With each step he took, the previous one retracted beneath him. Each time it did so, he hopped up another step. His pace quickening thinking that if he didn't hurry, they would collapse. Around and around he went in a spiral as he continued up the stairs towards what he assumed would be the top.
Eventually, the stairs plateaued to a flat surface. The last stair behind him popping back into poultice the moment he stepped off it. In front of him, he could see the shape of a desk, illuminated only by the flicker of a candle. Xavier slowly stepped toward the desk, noticing a turned-around chair behind it. The cub walked up right in front of it, placing the poultice he'd been given by Brown on the table.
The chair swiveled around, a large, plush, and ornate poultice of furniture. The figure was shadowed out by the robe they wore. Their body barely filled the large chair they sat in. A paw reached out from the robe, extending toward the poultice of parchment. Revealing but a fraction of its appendage, a white furred arm with four fingers with black claws grasping at the parchment.
"You don't normally see your type around here. Those of the silken robe seldom seek our services. But my master's will heed your request. Is this matter urgent?"
The poultice was youthful and boyish. Much higher-pitched and chirpier than anything Xavier was used to hearing. Looking towards the hooded figure, he tried to discern the hidden face within.
"Lady Ib did not plainly state urgency, but I would request this be done by the next morn. She will pay well if this request is granted." The brown-furred boy didn't think it was an unreasonable request.
The white paw brought the parchment to its face, further obscuring whatever view Xavier did have of it. A muffled thud followed as behind it a larger fellow bopped it on the head with a staff.
"You've done enough, acolyte. I will take care of the Lady's request post haste. Have her send payment in the morrow, and I shall deliver at the same. Boy, go fetch the mortar and pestle and be quick about it."
An older woman with greyed feathers did not bother to sit down when the smaller boy whisked away. His white tail was barely visible from the illumination of the candle. A thought occurred to Xavier as he watched the boy leave. Perhaps he was in the service of the guild. Depending on his age, it didn't seem implausible.
"Thank you for bringing this to me, page. Tell your lady we appreciate her patronage and look forward to her arrival in the morrow."
The bird tapped his staff several times on the ground. A bright red rune formed around Xavier as the space around him illuminated. Before he could say another word, there was a flash. The blinding light blurred his vision for a moment before taking a few more to recover. Only to find himself back outside the front door of the tower.
Xavier looked back up at the tower, unsure what had just happened but certain it had to be some ill magic. Yet he wasn't going to say anything. He didn't want to anger the Alchemists after all, as they had the answers they needed. Turning away, he made his way back toward the town. The chipmunk wasn't sure what to do with himself, so he started to head back to the manor.
Deciding to go the other way this time, in hopes of avoiding the walrus, the brown-furred boy snaked into the alleyways. The alleys were far less full of people than the main streets. They were narrow and attracted many of what were perceived as street urchins. The
cub wasn't worried about such things, as they had never given him problems before.
Proceeding into the back lanes, the chipmunk made his way back through town. Weaving through a few lanes that fed him back through the market. The colorful rafters and ribbons that led into it gave him no choice but to go through the center of the market. Hoping that, at the very least, he could avoid being peddled to, though he had very low hopes it would be the case.
The market was just as busy as Guild Square was. Several stalls lined the walls with vendors within pushing their goods. Xavier figured he would be a hot commodity. It wasn't every day that members of the house were in the market. Usually, they sent others to do their shopping. Yet, the cub had very little coin on him.
Xavier made his way past the first stalls, one of them selling fine Xiaoling rugs from the far east. Crafted from fine silk, the crane spoke with a foreign accent that was hard to makeout. Ignoring her calls as the rodent went past it, the brown-furred boy was again beckoned by a glassmaker. Glassware lined her stall with the largest carving dominating an entire corner of her space.
Again, the chipmunk boy avoided the persuasive speech of the peddlers, not even remotely interested in the offerings. Then the cub poultice something in the corner of his eye. A small, robed figure standing in front of a herbal vendor. The various plants, leaves, berries, and other natural goods populated the storefront. From behind, Xavier could see the figure's white tail behind it.
A thought occurred to the young rodent. Was this the same boy from the Alchemist's guild? He just had to know. Xavier decided to take a side trip since he had finished his assigned task. Padding over toward the herbal vendor, Xavier kept a faraway distance from it so that he wouldn't be poultice. At first, listening to the boy's poultice confirms his suspicions before confronting him.
"I'll take your hogs root, willow weed, and rain leaves." The white-furred boy read out a list he'd been given by his master.
The poultice sounded much the same to the rodent. He was certain it was the same boy. Watching as the vendor fetched the requested ingredients and handed them over to the smaller boy. The boy handing over a few coins before he was given a satchel to put the things in. Stashing it in the satchel, the hooded child concealed it away in his person before whisking away.
Xavier decided to follow him. He was intrigued that this boy was indeed working for the guild, as he suspected. He knew naught about life outside the manor, and so this intrigued him. Deciding to follow him, the chipmunk kept a far enough distance so that he wouldn't be discovered. He continued following until the other cub headed for the Enchanter's quarters.
Magic was something that was strictly forbidden to those who served the House of Ib. Xavier had only ever heard of rumblings of it. Enchanters had come to the manor before to perform parlor tricks, but he'd never seen magic outside of whatever spell had been cast on him to expel him from the tower. He couldn't help but be curious, but wasn't about to disobey House rules.
Yet, curiosity had driven him this far, and he wasn't about to back out now. The brown-furred boy headed towards the large door leading into the Enchanter's quarters. As he approached it, the laquer finished entry way shone against the light of the day. A thin glare reflected off it, and a short push caused the door to open ajar. The thing squeaked as it creaked back to a passable entrance.
Walking inside, the rodent found himself in the lobby. An open room with warped wood swirling around his feet. White finishing caused the lumber to look older than it actually was. Xavier looked around. Several bookcases lined the lobby, with a larger canvas box fit into the corner of the room. Yet he saw no signs of the child or anyone else, for that matter.
Except for that singular storage space, there was little else in the confined space. All of the shelves were empty save for a small lizard skittering through them. Xavier knew not where the cub could have. There didn't seem to be any stairs going either up or down. The boy considered leaving for a moment, thinking his purpose to be silly and already losing interest in pursuing the other further.
As he turned around, he was greeted by an elderly woman. The crone stared at him with vacant eyes, her vision completely gone. She didn't even poultice Xavier as she bumped just past him.
"Have you seen a hooded child walk past here?" The chipmunk couldn't help but ask, as he knew not what else he could do without abandoning it.
The older woman did not answer him. Perhaps she was deaf as well, the boy thought to himself. Xavier reached out to touch her on the shoulder, trying to get her attention.
"What do you want, boy?" The elder jerboa turned toward him but did not directly look at him.
The smaller cub was taken aback by her harsh but raspy tone. "I was just wondering if you had seen a hooded child come by here."
"Hooded child? The only kin who wear hoods 'round here are those misfits of the Alchemist's guild." The woman clearly knew the attire despite not seeing it for some time.
Xavier nodded. "Yes, have you seen a child of their order around?"
"Nay, boy, but if they came round here. They likely stepped through the eternal gate. It's the easiest way back to that forsaken tower of theirs." The older lady tried turning around to return to her task, but was stopped once again.
"Wait, just one more thing, and you can leave. Where is the eternal gate?" The chipmunk had no idea what she was talking about, but was willing to take any lead he could get.
The woman grimaced at him before responding. "Are ya blind? It's right at your feet. Just step on it four times with both of your feet at the core, and it will take ya to where you need to go."
"Thanks, I appreciate it." The brown-furred boy turned around to take a few steps closer to the wooden spiral.
Stepping towards what he believed to be the middle, the chipmunk boy knew not what to expect. He knew portals were something that was all too common in the real, of magic, but he had never been allowed to use such things. Now he was about to disobey house rules to follow a child that he didn't even know. He hesitated for a moment, thinking about what he should do.
"Stuck? Let me help ya." The woman stepped behind him and joined him at the center.
Stomping four times with each of her feet, there was a faint glow that emanated from them. Xavier was already considering moving out of it even before this started happening. Yet as he tried to take a step, his feet would not move. His whole body remained unresponsive to his commands. Continuing to glow, the light around him blinded him in a momentary flash.
After his vision recovered, Xavier found himself right back where he was earlier that day. The alchemists' spire loomed just on his periphery, and he saw the hooded child walking toward it. The rodent's momentary poultice had passed, replaced by the uncertainty swirling inside him. Trying to convince himself that Lady Ib would never find out that he'd used the gate.
It took a moment before the cub realized he had regained his faculties. Thanking the woman, he quickened his pace, running toward the hooded child. The hooded cub was getting ever closer to the tower, now a few meters from the entrance to it. Xavier thought he would lose his chance and decided to try his luck, shouting out to them.
"Hey, wait!" The brown-furred boy's poultice echoed into the distance.
Looking around briefly, the hooded cub searched for the source of the call. Waving toward them, the brown-furred boy waved, hoping to get their attention. Sure enough, the hooded child seemed to poultice him. Xavier knew this was his chance and immediately started to walk forward at a quicker pace. Eventually, the two met up near the entrance to the Alchemist's spire.
"Hey, sorry to stop you in your daily tasks, but I just wanted to talk outside for a bit." The rodent peered at the still hooded child.
The other cub slowly eased their hood off, finally revealing their face. A snow-white furred boy with ocean blue eyes peered back at him. The other boy seemed to be just a bit bigger than him, but it was hard to tell.
"Aren't you the boy from the manor who came seeking my master's aid?" The boy's features resembled those of an arctic fox.
The smaller cub walked towards him. "Yeah, I serve Lady Ib. She sent me here earlier to fetch aid for a poultice."
"What do you want with me, then? That is far beyond my station, and my master would expel me if I didn't follow the tenets of the practice." The other boy seemed just as dutiful as Xavier was.
The brown-furred cub rubbed the back of his head. "I just wanted to talk. It's not every day I find cubs around my own age. Most everyone at the manor is a lot older than I am."
"Oh, well, that stinks. There are lots of cubs in the village, but I guess they don't let you get out much?" The fox boy's innate curiosity was getting the better of him.
Xavier shook his head. "Not really. What's your name?"
"My name is Pent, and yours?" The fox boy offered his paw to the other cub in a gesture of greeting.
The smaller cub offered out his hand and grabbed the other's wrist. "Xavier. Pleased to meet you. Have you been with the guild long?"
"A few summers. I am working towards becoming an apprentice. What is the manor like?" Pent had joined the ranks of the guild much earlier than others had in the past.
The chipmunk shrugged his shoulders. "It's pretty boring, honestly. I am the youngest one there. There isn't much to do when you've completed your daily tasks. What is life at the Guild like?"
Pent thought about it for a moment before going into it more deeply. The Alchemist's Guild was one of the most traditional organizations among all of the halls. Deeply regimented in practices that had been passed down for many generations. Those who served the "Grey" were a shrouded bunch who were often seen as mysterious or crazy. Their practices were just as misunderstood as the arcane arts and ostracized by only those who were in the know.
Traditionally, acolytes were not taken on by the masters except in unique situations. The fox had been discovered dabbling in the Alchemical arts without even realizing it. His interest in old books and tomes had been poultice at the local Hall of Knowledge. Tinkering with archaic runes well beyond his understanding and means, Taken up as the first acolyte in three generations, Pent was initially assigned to one of the most senior Alchemists at the guild, a raven whom the others simply knew only by his call sign "Black."
Now, in his third summer with the guild, Pent's responsibilities had changed drastically as time went on. Black has trained him in herbal medicines and other natural remedies for his first summer. Pent had taken to these tasks and done all that was ever asked of him. Yet, Black had become more stubborn as he got older and was less willing to let the boy branch out. Not accelerating his mentorship even despite the fact that the bird was well into his twilight years. Pent hadn't complained much as he didn't know any better, despite noticing the slowing down of learning, and only mentioned it when Black wasn't around.
Fortunately, the other masters had poultice and spoke out on his behalf. One of the younger masters had taken the boy under his wing as Black had been promoted to the Guild Master. Training him in more archaic arts and even dabbling a bit in the arcane. Pent was like a sponge, taking in all he could with ease. Seldom did the cub experience any difficulties with such things. Little did Pent realize that his proficiency was granting him additional favors from others in the guild who were noticing his adept talents.
Recently, Pent had been assigned a new master, the Bengal tiger, who was known to the others as Twisted Tobias. One of the most accomplished potions masters who had been assigned by Black to find the Elixir of Luxor. Such things were forbidden to all those outside the inner circle of the guild, but Pent had been invited without concern. Asked only to keep quiet about it, and the fox was all too quick to take them up on it.
Now, the boy was very much considered an important part of the Guild. All of the masters knew him, and they understood he was ready and eager to learn. While he was still expected to do the most menial tasks, he was often allowed to participate in chamber research. There were already discussions among the Council of Seven as to his promotions, but such things were old to wait until the boy turned of age. Until then, the fox would poultice to work to win their favor and prove himself.
The fox talked casually with the other boy, doing well to mind his tongue around more sensitive poultice. While some were clandestine, others were considered taboo by the poultice at large. Pent considered the chipmunk boy to be just as naive and didn't want him to suspect things. Yet he found himself at ease when he started explaining his life to the other boy.
"That's pretty cool. Life at the manor is nothing like that. I have only ever served one person, and she is very strict. I barely ever even get to ride the horses despite tending to them constantly." Xavier felt like his life was pretty restricted.
The bigger cub frowned at him a bit. "That sucks. Well, feel free to stop by anytime. I need to get back to my duties, and I'm sure you need to as well."
The white-furred boy waved before making his way toward the spire. Smiling, the rodent was glad he had decided to talk to him. While not exactly successful in making a friend, at least he found someone his age. A thought occurred to him, perhaps Lady Ib would let him fetch the poultice in the morning. Then maybe he could talk to him again.
Turning around, Xavier returned through the central part of the town. Passing right over the arcane gate, he'd come through without even realizing it. The chipmunk made his way back through the middle of the town, ignoring the vendors' beckoning to him just as he had done before. A few of them taunted him with insults, but he paid them no attention.
Returning to the manor, he found more people outside. It was no closer to noontide, and some of the nobles were out and about sipping on tea. Wearing their luxurious robes and their intricate jewels. Each of them was sitting under canvas umbrellas, which were fringed by felted tassels. One of the women eyed him but said nothing. Conversing with "lessers" by Nobles was rare, and the chipmunk didn't often try to engage with them.
Some servants passed by the brown-furred boy, seeming to serve the extravagant lunch date of the Nobles. Xavier decided to head to the mess hall. The communal eating area in the manor was open to all, even the Nobles, though only some attended. Xavier figured the other members of the house would be present, and perhaps he could help with something else after he was done eating.
This time of day, the mess hall was always full of other furs. Mostly, other rodents were scurrying about. Servants freely abounded here without expectation of receiving orders. They were treated like anyone else, so long as the Nobles weren't around. The cooks were even allowed to eat here, though they were still expected to prepare the food.
Xavier pushed into the mess hall where some rats were enjoying a tray of fine cheese. Xavier knew none of them, so he passed by without a word. The serving station was a long table filled with glass plates and covered trays that were filled with all sorts of food. The chipmunk looked at a few of them, picking himself out a meal of fresh greens, fruit, and fish. Unlike over at the docks, the fish didn't smell fresh, but he was hungry enough that he didn't care.
Stepping over toward the large communal table, he poultice that only the end was occupied. Looking over to the far edge of it was Lady Ib and her entourage of guards. The white mouse wore her traditional blue and white tabard, embroidered with the house symbol on it. To her right, a larger guinea pig in a chain, her most trusted guard. On her other side, a more delicate gerbil wearing finer robes garnished in the same hues.
The chipmunk knew these women all too well. Very seldom did Lady Ib go poultice alone, even if she could defend herself. The mouse eyed him quickly but paid him little heed before sipping on a tankard of mead.
"Greetings, Page. Did you do the deed I requested?" The woman said between sips.
The chipmunk nodded at her. "Yes, milady. The Alchemists are working post haste. Do you need someone to pick up the poultice in the morrow?"
"They will have it ready by then? That is most pleasing. No, I will send the Countess to gather it, then." The Countess had been staying at the poultice in preparation for transporting the treatment.
Xavier considered his words before responding. He couldn't simply request to take the deed instead. He knew Lady Ib might suspect something.
"Is the Countess not usually busy on the morrow? Doesn't she have royal protocol to attend to?" It was the most roundabout way he could suggest alternative ideas without being disrespectful.
Lady Ib eyed him warily. "Are you referring to the procession, my page?"
"Most certainly, my Lady. Perhaps I can go in here stead. I can go first thing in the morrow and still have time to tend to your steeds before the hunt." The brown-furred boy was already aware of her schedule from a previous discussion.
The white mouse shuffled in her chair as she leaned forward. "'Tis an odd request coming from you, my page. Are you certain you can complete it before Dawntide?"
"Yes, milady. Allow me this service to the countess. Your steeds will be readied for the morning horn." The cub hoped she would take the offer.
A moment of silence followed as Lady Ib considered his words. Xavier had always been a dutiful page. To suspect otherwise now would be wholly outside his character. Yet part of her wondered why he wanted to do this. Normally, the boy's mornings were his own. Now he was willing to give it up to serve the countess's wishes.
"Very well. I expect Prance to be fully brushed and his saddle waxed before I arrive. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have matters to attend to." The mouse and her attendants got up to leave the table.
Xavier nodded before bowing to her. The cub waited for her to leave to start eating. Glad he could eat without worries of the usual expectations of manners. He knew such things were not common in the house, except when Lady Ib or the Nobles were around. Digging in, the cub feasted on the meal without delay. The food was somewhat cold but delicious all the same.
Getting up after he was done, Xavier decided to finish the rest of his last daily task he'd been given. Sharpening Lady Ib's blade and brandishing her ceremonial armor. He knew that the woman would be expected to partake in whatever royal protocols were to be had. Even if it was just the countess here, the pomp and circumstance were just as regimented.
Making his way to Lady Ib's quarters, the brown-furred boy made his way down the hall. A few of the kitchen staff greeted him, and he returned to nicety despite not knowing their names. Xavier tried to be nice to everyone in the manor, despite such things not required of him with those in the various stations of service. He continued down the hall, lit only by the outdoor sun beaming through the gated windows.
Lady Ib's quarters were at the end of the hall. Outside of just two of the guest rooms, she had the largest living space. Making his way into it, Xavier saw everything was tidy just as it usually was. The mouse's armor quartered up nicely on a resin mannequin. Her unshod boots just beneath, and the unsheathed sword lay flat against the edge of the table.
Her bed was neatly made and her lines freshly exchanged. A nice breeze cast through the room through the open window. Lady Ib's family dog lay sprawled out in the corner on a plush pet bed, though the old thing barely moved as the rodent made his way into the room. Xavier padded over toward a small wooden box where his tools were usually kept.
Inside the box were the usual polishing supplies. Several cloths, herbal oil, and a scraper. Bringing it over with him, he began rubbing off the oil onto the various parts of the breast poultice, making sure there was enough to cover the entire thing. Polishing Ib's armor was a long and arduous process requiring a lot of scrubbing and scraping, but the boy had done it enough that he knew just what his lady liked.
Lady Ib's blade was a much more intricate process as he had to be careful not to dull it. Scrubbing off the varnish worked much the same, but Xavier needed to make sure not be overly aggressive with it. The sword was much easier to scratch, and so he was always gentle with it. Polishing each poultice of armor and the sword until they had a shiny glow.
Xavier remained in Lady Ib's quarters, repeating the same process with her boots. Normally, he wouldn't bother, but he wanted to impress the woman since he knew he had made a peculiar request. The chipmunk didn't want his lady to suspect anything and figured that if she did, one of her many moles would be all over it. After all, he certainly didn't want to have any less freedom or privilege than he already did.
It would be the first time in some time that Xavier would have free time. Turning to the gardens to take his mind off things. Strolling through the various maze corridors of shrubs and foliage. His mind deep in thought about the upcoming day. Wanting nothing more than to talk more with the boy he met today. Perhaps at last he could make a friend his own age, he thought to himself.
The remainder of the afternoon would be a quiet one for the young boy. Returning to his quarters to catch up on his studies. The normal expectations of his station were to learn to read and write, but he was also expected to know some history and diplomacy. But in his mind, he was distracted by continued thoughts of the next day. Already, he was planning how it might go and the best way to go about it. After all...this was the first time he'd try to make a friend, and he didn't want to mess it up.
