Bookworld Online: Marsh Man

My time in detention passed by in moments and both Mage Marks and I packed our things up at the same time. Neither of us said a word and I picked up the crate of potions, then I walked over to the door of the classroom. She arrived there before me and opened the door for me, so I stepped through and she closed it.

Mage Marks chanted a quick chant under her breath and the door was magically locked. “I'll meet you here again tomorrow after classes.”

“Yes, Mage Marks.” I said and we parted ways. I left the building and walked all the way over to my dorm mansion. The two guards on the front door greeted me and opened the front doors for me to pass through. I nodded my thanks and went inside and up the stairs. I dropped off the crate of cleaning potions with the crate of memory enhancement potions and would transfer then over to bring back the empty crate.

I was glad that there was almost an unlimited supply of both crates and vials at the academy for me to use and I wouldn't have to buy my own, especially since every potion I made I would want to keep. I went back downstairs and I followed the muffled sounds I could hear. They led me into the parlour and I opened the door.

“David, this place is wonderful!” Selena said as soon as she saw me and stood up from where she had been sitting on the thick carpet. Her six friends were in various states of relaxation. Two of them were sprawled out on the couches, two were half-reclining at the end of each couch while holding their friend's feet up off the couch as if they had coordinated it, and two were sitting back in the armchairs and looked half asleep.

“I can't believe my mom sent over so much great stuff.” Becca said from one of the armchairs as she opened her eyes fully. “I assume she sent over instructions on where the best place was to put them?”

I nodded. “With six work crews, the house was populated with everything she sent over in less than an hour.”

Becca laughed. “I have to tell mom that! What a great idea!”

“Sir. Madams.” The kitchen helper said as she ducked into the room. “Supper is ready.”

“Thank you.” I said to her and she blushed a little, nodded her head, and left.

“I think someone has a crush on you.” One of the girls laying down on the couch said as she sat up and put her stylish shoes back on.

“Is it you?” I asked and she looked startled for a second, then she blushed, too.

“Geez, David. Don't tease her like that.” Selena said and walked over to me. “She meant the kitchen helper.”

“I gave her a high paying job and she's doing well at it.” I said as Selena took my arm.

“She really is.” One of the others said as they all stood up to follow. “She's been a great help to Hope.”

“Thank you for still letting us come over, even if you couldn't be here.” Selena said, almost in a purr, as we walked to the dining room. “Hope showed us all over.”

Hope opened the dining room doors as we approached and smiled at us. “They were restricted from seeing both your work room and your potion room.”

Selena rolled her eyes. “I've seen them at the mansion and she still wouldn't let me look.”

I smiled slightly at Hope and she nodded slightly back and stepped aside.

“My lord.” Sara said as she stood up from the servant's table. “I heard about your unintentional delay and I'll have your bath drawn right after you eat.”

“There's no rush. I have some studying to do and the bath can wait until later.” I said as I sat Selena on the right of the table. I sat Becca on the left and alternated back and forth between the other girls until they were all seated. I sat at the head of the table between Selena and Becca and waved at the kitchen door with a bit of magic.

The food was served and Selena and her friends looked a little surprised that the help were eating in the same room as us. I ignored their reactions and made small talk as we ate the meal. Selena told me about her day in classes and how the etiquette one at the end of the day was as difficult as her mother and sister had warned her about.

“That's why it's always the last class of the afternoon.” Becca said with a chuckle. “It's so we can go back to the dorm and cry if we have to.”

“I didn't wait until then and let the tears flow as I was doing it.” Emily said with a laugh. “Look at my poor fingers from handling the silver tea service so many times!” She held up her hands and showed us her red and slightly inflamed fingertips. “Even though it's been hours, they're still sore and tender.”

I stood up and went over to her chair, pulled it out and turned it to face me, then knelt as I took out the partially drunk healing potion I had. I put a single drop on each of her fingertips and gently rubbed it in. By the time I had done all of her fingers and both thumbs, her face was bright red.

“Th-thank y-you.” Emily said haltingly, as if she had a hard time speaking.

I thought about making a joke and asking her if she wanted some on her red face, then decided against it. It would only have been funny if the work crews were here, because they would have gotten the joke. I stayed silent as I nodded to her and turned her chair back to face the table and then slid it back against the table to let her keep eating. I went back to my own chair and kept eating as well.

“That was the first time I saw the librarian out of the library.” Selena said, completely changing the subject.

“I knew she was tall; but, that was ridiculous.” One of the other girls said. “I'm not sure why she seemed so much taller outside when we've seen her walking around the library and putting books on the shelves.”

“You had more references of relative height with all the students milling around.” I said and they all looked at me with a question on their faces. “The book shelves in the library go right up to the ceiling, so even though she looked tall, it wasn't until you saw her surrounded by normal sized people that her height really stood out.”

“How do you know that?” She asked. “You weren't even there.”

“I didn't have to be to know what happened.”

“No? Then what happened next?” She asked, as if challenging me.

“She delivered my message to you, then she was swarmed by students asking about me.” I guessed and her eyes widened. “After that, all of you were approached as well, just because they knew where you were going.”

“Wow.” Becca said and looked at Selena. “He really did guess right.”

“David is a lot smarter than what my father told me.” Selena said and then caught her breath as she turned to look at me. She didn't see any reaction from me, because I had suspected that her father had me firmly in the 'fighter' category in his head and not the 'thinker' category. I hadn't corrected his misconception, either. With the way he set things up at the academy, he might not ever learn that I was actually both.

“Awkwaaaaard.” One of the girls said and laughed, then a couple of the others laughed, too.

“David, I'm sorry.” Selena said. “The next time I go home, I'll make sure to tell father all about...”

“He's not going to believe you.” I said and she looked surprised. “He has all the army reports. He has his own opinions already and I doubt even your mother could change his mind.”

We all finished eating the main meal and the kitchen helper brought in a little cart and took all of the dishes back into the kitchen. She came back out with a tray of desserts and served everyone cake, fruit and whipped cream, then disappeared again.

The girls made small appreciative sounds, almost moans, as they ate the delicious food. It was soon gone and the little cart was back and the kitchen helper put new wine glasses on the table for us all.

I picked up the wine glass and stood. “Thank you all for attending the first formal meal at my dorm mansion.”

“Wh-what?” Selena looked at me with surprise. “I thought you already ate a couple of meals here!”

“By myself and with Hope at the other table.” I said. “This is the first closing toast I've given here.”

For some reason, all of their faces went red as they blushed. I wasn't stupid enough to ask what was wrong, though. I took a sip of wine and they all took a sip as well, which finished the toast, and I sat down.

“Shall we all go back to the parlour to continue relaxing?” I asked and took another sip of wine.

“No, I... I think we should go.” Selena said, her face still red. “We've taken up too much of your time already by staying here all afternoon.”

I raised my eyebrows at her, because I hadn't been here for any of that. “Are you sure? This is a particularly nice wine.”

Selena stood and the others did as well. “Thanks for... thank you for inviting us over.” She said with a bow, then she walked around me and took Becca's hand. She led her and the rest of her friends out of the dining room and the door shut behind them.

“She practically ran out of here.” Hope said with a smile. “Sara, can you tell us why?”

“It's quite simple.” Sara said. “When our lord treated them like formal guests, it put them all on a different personal footing.”

“What? I don't understand.” Hope responded.

“They thought they were just friends over for a meal and to visit. They didn't expect a tour, to be treated so well, and then have a formal dinner with all the protocols.” Sara said. “A few of them definitely didn't observe them properly.”

Hope laughed. “Okay, I can see how that would change their behavior.” She said and looked at me. “That's why they blushed at the end. They were embarrassed that you were treating them like ladies and they weren't treating you like the lord of the house, even though you clearly are and had been since you arrived here.”

Sara laughed as well. “I can't believe that they didn't clue in when he sat them all formally. I mean, he did it and they went along with it instead of sitting down themselves.”

“That was the first cue?” Hope asked and Sara shook her head.

“The kitchen helper going to invite them when supper was ready was the first.” Sara said. “After that, Selena taking his arm to be escorted, being sat first on the right that's the seat of importance for a woman, with her best friend across the table from her... she missed all the signs.”

“As did the rest of them.” Hope said. “I wonder if they'll be telling anyone else about this meal.”

“I wouldn't bet on it.” Sara said and looked at me. “My lord, we will accompany you while you study.”

I glanced at Hope and she nodded. “All right.” I said and we took several minutes to finish off our wine.

The kitchen helper came out and she started to clean up. Hope and Sara helped as well. When I tried, I was emphatically told to sit and wait while they did the work. They quickly cleared the tables and brought everything into the kitchen. I heard them cleaning the dishes and I also heard the cook and the kitchen helper eating their own meal.

Hope and Sara came out of the kitchen a few minutes later and the three of us went upstairs to my room and the large desk I had there. It was spacious and let me spread my books and papers out.

“You managed to find an ingredient list?” Sara asked, surprised.

“Technically.” I said and she gave me a questioning look. “I worked with the librarian for most of the first afternoon class and we compiled several lists and other things for them. Their descriptions, preparation and properties mainly.”

“They let you out of class for that?” Hope asked, so I explained what had happened.

Both she and Sara were switching between anger and happiness at the whole thing, until I told them what happened in the practical lesson. Most of the anger went away and they were just happy about things kind of working out.

“We'll do our best to help you.” Hope promised and Sara nodded.

I started studying and they did just that.