CHAPTER 9 Fitting Everyone In
Obi held on to Ilena tightly as she shivered uncontrollably. "Well, what is this?' he asked calmly. "I've caught a falcon that went someplace she shouldn't have, I think?"
"It's awful, Obi!" she complained. "It isn't even human. It's so warped that his own brain's been warped by it!"
"Well...I don't think it is quite that bad," he said. "Master's only trying his best with what he's been given, you know." He stroked her hair, petting her to help her calm down. She was breathing hard. "Shh...shh...a little slower...in…out…in…out…there you go...like that…. I'm here." She was still shivering, though. He extended his senses a bit. "Back off a bit Petroi, Thayne. That's far enough you three." She calmed better once she didn't feel closed in by people. "Explain, please," he said looking at Henry and Marcus.
Henry explained her purposeful exploration of the Regent's wing and her reactions. "I think she was trying to understand what it was originally used for and it's original layout. She learned it, as best I can tell."
"Was it really worth the price, Ilena dear?" Obi asked wryly.
She took a deep breath. "Well, if Master Zen will listen to me, it was. They won't make it all winter and stay sane if he won't." She sighed. "And I really went just to meet with the ladies."
"Well, Mistress Ilena, then you should have just done that, don't you think," Rio had come out now and joined them. "I think you would have been fine if that's all you would have done." Henry and Marcus both nodded. "Even if it had been a short visit."
"I'm sorry," Ilena said, repentantly. She'd finally stopped shivering.
Obi looked again at the now four people in front of him, his eyes going to Amber. "Hmm…," he said, pursing his lips a little. "Ilena...was this a test?" She held a little stiller. "Don't you think it was a bit extreme?"
Marcus and Henry sighed and slumped in defeat, then looked at Amber. "Well?" Obi asked, still looking at her. Amber looked back at him curiously, not sure of his meaning. "What do you think of our little family?"
Amber blinked. "I think it's fine?" she said, not quite sure what he was looking for. Everyone was looking at her actually and she shifted just a little. "I mean, everyone supports Mother and helps her out. It worked well, didn't it?"
Obi slowly smiled with one side of his mouth ironically. Henry and Marcus also smiled slowly, though more brightly in the end. Even Rio relaxed and folded her arms and nodded. "It'll do," she said.
Ilena shifted in Obi's arms and he looked down at her and loosened his hold on her a bit. She looked up at him soberly. He looked at her just as seriously. "Should there be a punishment, then?" he asked her. Her eyes, which had only just begun to see, dilated again and her 'ears' went back again. He pet her head. "All right. That was punishment enough," he said gently. "Please remember not to do it again, though, alright?" He pet her again as she nodded. He put his mouth near her ear. "Breathe."
She took in a breath of air, having forgotten, and closed her eyes again until she was focused on the whole of Obi again. Finally she sighed and relaxed. "Gods, that was awful," she said. "Can we sit down? We'll have the meeting here in the grass."
They got situated in a circle, carefully putting Ilena with her back to the Regent's wing. "Are you even going to be able to sleep tonight?" Thayne asked her.
"I'll sleep with the pony," she said with a shudder. "It's summer and warm enough at night."
"Well, the pony won't help you if you have a nightmare," Obi said practically.
"Well, no probably not," Ilena agreed. "Maybe Amber can come sleep with me and the pony then."
"No, I don't think so," Amber said. "That isn't a way for anybody to get good rest. You've got lots of work to do."
As people around the circle chuckled, Ilena looked crestfallen. She sighed. "You pass, Amber. Master Zen and Mistress Shirayuki will approve now, too, though it's sad."
Amber looked at her confused. She looked over to Marcus to see he was looking at her with a grin of approval as well. She blushed slightly and looked away, then took a breath and looked back at him and smiled. He blinked, then looked away and the back of his neck turned faintly red. His problem was he looked in Ilena's direction. She was watching both of them, which meant Obi was as well. Ilena tipped her head slightly and her eyes were lit up. She raised an eyebrow slightly and he looked away from her, turning redder, then nodded once, ever so slightly.
"Hmm…," Obi commented as Ilena leaned into him and relaxed her head on his shoulder. He looked at her with a little exasperation, then gave in and put his cheek on her head with a sigh. "So...what is it you want to say, then?"
"Everyone, this little wren is Amber. She's the new assistant for the Lower office. Her hearing is approximately as good as Rio's, her tones just as clear. She handles strange and stressful situations calmly and obediently, and she knows how to say 'no' to strong personalities. She is also cute and smitten with Marcus."
Amber blushed bright red. "W-why would you think that?" she asked
"Because you listen for his voice and always pass on his messages, even if you don't need to." Ilena smiled at her. "Now she just needs to be tested for volume of material."
Rio turned to Amber. "Recite every message that passed by you today," she ordered.
Amber sat up, took a breath and began. The rest sat quietly listening as she recited, ending with Marcus' call to Obi to come for Ilena. Ilena nodded. "She remembered all the ones I tested with, and the ones after that as well."
"Given the ones before that, from where she was placed, she remembers the rest correctly as well," Rio said. "It's a small volume, but that's close enough for now."
"You're content, then, Rio?" Ilena asked. Rio nodded. Ilena looked at Henry. He nodded. Marcus did too, when Ilena looked at him. Thayne and Petroi agreed as well. Ilena shifted enough to look up at Obi's face.
Obi lifted Ilena off of him and set her to be sitting next to him. He motioned for Amber to come to him. She looked confused again, but moved to kneel in front of him, her hands on her knees. "Miss Amber, my test is different," he said to her. "Were you at the Family celebration at Falcon's Hollow? Or did you hear it?"
Amber's eyes lit up. "Yes, I was there," she said.
"Good," Obi said. He looked at her for a moment going through his mind all the stories he had read. The castle book had been the second one he'd read after finishing the unabridged Falcon's Hollow stories. As the Captain of the castle he felt he needed to know those second best. He took a breath and sat up straight though relaxed, then went into remembering and reporting mode, though he kept her eyes in focus, and began to recite her own story back to her.
As the weight of the memory began to press on her, the others in the circle moved closer to her - Rio first, then Marcus, who moved closest. The other three moved in closer around them, but none of them touched her, and they stayed calmly sober, listening to her story also. When the weight of the story moved out of her eyes as tears and she caved to it, Obi took her in his arms and held her until he finished the telling. Then he gently healed her heart and mind with his words and his comforting strong arms and back.
Amber curled up in his arms and rested, as Rio had when Obi had healed her, filling back up with his strength and peace. When she was nearing done, Marcus reached into his jacket and pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her. Amber took it gingerly, smiled a little in gratitude and wiped her face. Obi let her go and helped her sit back up, but made her look at him again. When she was ready, Obi held her eyes. "Amber. You must remember who I am. Ilena and I have many faces and play many roles, but always I am Father. Never forget it."
"Yes, Father," Amber bowed to him, held it for a moment, the raised herself up again. Her eyes were clear, though tears dripped again slowly down her cheeks.
"Marcus," Obi said. Marcus wiped the tears from the cheek closest to him, then the other one as Obi reached for Ilena and pulled her to lean on him again and wrapped his arms around her. Marcus helped Amber back to her place in the circle as the others moved to open it up again to give Obi his space, and distance Amber from his light enough she could recover. Rio rubbed her eyes as well, and Obi looked at her and smiled. "Dusting?" he asked her kindly.
Rio nodded, looking like she wanted to be embarrassed, then she chose to sigh instead. "It's still new enough I'd forgotten almost," she admitted.
"It's good you were here for it, then," Obi said and Ilena nodded.
"Father," Thayne called with quiet respect. Obi turned and looked at him. "Is that what you learned before?" Obi blinked at him, then nodded. "Mother," he called Ilena.
"Yes, Thayne?" Ilena asked quietly.
"It's the same as you've said, but I still don't comprehend how it works for us and Father and you and Rio and Amber."
"Mmm…," Ilena considered it. "It is the teacher? And the friend? No...not quite friend. It's what I did for Mistress Shirayuki...what I do. I lead, teach, and push gently. It is strengthening, not healing, and in the giving of strength they find healing because they can continue to move forward." She paused. "For each of us, we need a place to rest and lay down our burdens. Then we need the encouraging voice and hand to lift us up and give us the strength and courage to move forward again. The opposite parent provides a safe resting place. The similar parent proves the encouragement - mostly because the similar parent knows what needs they themselves have and therefore know what and how to give it. The encouragement I would give to Mistress Shirayuki wouldn't work for you, and the encouragement Obi gives to you wouldn't work for me."
Thayne considered it, then nodded. Obi looked at Ilena, then shook his head. "It seems so odd to me that you can see this as nearly a science, enough to lecture on it. My answer is that it's just natural."
Ilena laughed. "Of course it's natural, but all natural phenomena can be observed and defined in general." She looked back at him fetchingly, her head resting on her hand. "In specifics, I have a lot of the analytic, but I also willingly live very naturally, so I often become my best research subject. It actually makes me want to laugh at myself a lot, when I'm not feeling insecure or focusing on producing a specific outcome."
Obi put his hand on her head. "Ilena, I suspect what you just did before this was not making you want to laugh."
Her eyes unfocused and the smile left her face. "No," she agreed.
"Please listen to that next time. If you begin to do something again that warns you that you won't laugh, stop and don't do it."
Ilena closed her eyes and sighed. She reached up and took his hand off her head and kissed the palm. "Obi, I'll experiment with it, but there are many times where I must walk that path regardless of what my preferences are. I will promise to not follow it if it's not necessary."
Obi looked at her soberly. "I believe, Ilena, that you will find that it is never necessary. There are other paths that could be taken that would not lead to bad results. Think harder to see them, the same as you do your plans of counter-defense."
Ilena frowned, though she nodded. She looked up at him. "They gave you that detailed a reporting after that?" she asked him.
Obi paused, then nodded. "You really went too far that night. They wanted to make sure I never let it happen again."
Ilena sighed and ran her hand over her head. "I guess so." She looked away from him.
Obi, seeing her mood becoming depressed, stood and lifted her up by the arm. "Let's go. There are still many things to do." The rest stood as well.
Petroi and Thayne led the way, followed by Obi and Ilena. Amber walked behind them and Marcus and Henry put her between them, though Henry fell behind if the walkway became too narrow.
"What else have you accomplished this afternoon?" Obi asked Ilena.
Ilena raised her eyebrow at him. "Didn't he come while you were there?"
"Who?" Obi asked.
"Mmm…, well it's part of my test. I'll tell you when I've talked to Leah. I've only got one more person to find, and that person isn't here."
"Do you know who it is?" Obi asked her.
She looked off into the distance. "I don't know where he's been hidden."
"Well, we'll be going lots of places in the next three months. Maybe you'll find that person along the way," he said encouragingly.
"Mmm," Ilena nodded.
-o-o-o-
When they entered the Lower office as a group, the eyes of the Sons immediately went to look at a certain place in the room. Amber noticed as well, but being new herself thought nothing of it. Rio, on the other hand stopped and stared for a moment until Leah motioned her over. Ilena had seemed to ignore the person, but had obviously registered his presence. Obi, however, had completely missed it. The rest watched as he went and sat in the head chair at the table. He looked around for Ilena and was slightly confused when she wasn't just automatically sitting in the couch in the position to his right. That made him pay attention to the placement of everyone else. He sighed. "What have I missed?" he asked. "Am I dead by assassination again?"
They looked at him, then Thayne nodded. "Yes, Father you are."
Obi shuddered. "I really hate that, you know. I know I'm supposed to learn to be unaware, but to be completely blind is viscerally frightening."
"Well, now that you know, try again," Ilena encouraged.
"I don't want to," Obi put his hand over his eyes, "because I know what he is, if not where or who."
"That isn't kind, Obi," Ilena scolded. "He's very nice and I worked very hard to find him for you."
"Isn't the imagination more frightening than the reality?" Petroi was relentless, giving Obi's words back to him.
Obi dropped his hand and looked at Petroi darkly. He glanced around the room again, then looked at the Family more closely. Rio gave it away, for she was still stiff. Obi looked at her, felt her tension, then followed that until he could see. He crooked his finger at the man sitting in the chair on the wall quietly, then watched him as he rose from the chair and walked to stand in front of him, near Ilena, on the other end of the table. He was rather slight in size and about Mitsuhide's age, so roughly thirty or so. He had medium length brown hair and brown eyes that were kind, and a pleasant but neutral expression, perfectly practiced for his position. He was also as much a pretty boy as Kadzuki, once he was visible, though he was old enough to be a beautiful man.
"Obi, this is Justinian. From today, he's your manservant who will be laying out your clothes for you and other such appropriate activities. If you haven't yet talked to Master Zen about how he uses Rutherford, please do so very soon. Until you're ready to train him, he'll be acting similarly to how Rio does with me, though with less attention, as I specifically chose him because he doesn't overly fret." Ilena turned to Rio and directed Justinian's attention to her. "Justinian, this is Rio, my personal maid. Rio, Justinian. Please be gentle with him."
"Ah, me, Mistress?" Rio was surprised.
"Yes, please," Ilena said firmly. She turned to Justinian. "Please give Rio time to get used to you. I've been protecting her from having direct male co-workers until now." Justinian raised an eyebrow and glanced at all the guards. Ilena smiled. "The Sons don't count. They are her Brothers and she doesn't directly work with them in this office, and Obi is Father. ...She does have a beau already, though, so for the first time, with you, she will be interacting as only co-worker. Please be patient. I was pleased with how you worked with Mister Buler, so I trust it will go well enough."
Ilena turned to looked at Obi, though not in a focused way. "You will also find it difficult to work with Obi at the first. I've specifically chosen you for your invisibility to make your job easier for you. You'll likely find it easiest to begin as ghost like as possible and slowly work your way into his life, experimenting little by little until a balance is reached. I may hit you before he does, though, so don't forget to keep an eye on me. He has more patience than I do, except in the dressing room. Please don't keep your mouth shut. Everyone here knows how to restrain me, and will punish me when I forget, though you may not until Obi allows it. Ah...the same for you, Amber. But you may ask them to do it for you. If Obi needs punishing, ask Rio to do it, or Thayne or Petroi." Ilena paused, thinking about if there were any more instructions.
Obi reached into his jacket and pulled out a small handful of keys. He sorted through them and pulled out two. One he held out for Amber. Marcus took it, glanced at it and handed it over to Amber. Obi stared at Marcus hard for a moment and he promised with a look back he would be good. Obi then handed the other key over to be given to Justinian. "Please take care of me," Obi said calmly. "I'll do my best to learn to be more lord-like for you, though I have a deep seated aversion to actually being a lord. ...Or perhaps it is the other way around."
"I think it's the other way round," Ilena agreed. "You make a very good and natural Lord. It should only take you three days or so."
"Well, that's true," Obi sighed. He looked over at Leah. "This is Amber, your replacement. Congratulations, you are now officially retired from the office, after the training is complete, anyway." He looked at Amber. "Please work hard."
Amber bowed. "Yes, Father."
"Ah, Miss Leah, please don't become furniture after you become only a head nurse and secretary. I would miss you."
"No, Master Obi. I shall continue to scold you and Mistress Ilena." Leah said firmly, and the rest all smiled.
"When should Jiru and Collin arrive?" Ilena asked.
"Jiru will be here by tomorrow and Collin shortly before we leave, maybe by a half-day or so," Petroi answered.
"When they come, they're yours to train in the Upper office, Eldest, Second. When they are trained, Grandfather may also retire to personal secretary and voice of scolding," Ilena said dryly. Grins went around the room again. "Leah, did the nurses come and report properly?"
"Yes, they did. They've been assigned rooms as well, though they've had to double up in the singles. It will be tight with our current imbalance."
Ilena sighed. "Even here it's suddenly too small." She was quiet for a moment longer, then complained, childlike, "I'm hungry." As usual, she lightened the atmosphere, freeing everyone to relax.
Obi looked at Rio and Rio fetched Ilena and gently led her by the hand to sit next to Obi. This broke up the gathering and people faded into the background again.
Leah took Amber and quietly began to tutor her in her new duties. Rio fussed over Ilena for a while, giving her a snack. Finally she took a deep breath and took up the courage to direct Justinian to go with her into the master bedroom. There she discussed with him the things that had been decided in the meeting of the personal maids and man-servant she had just come from so that Justinian would also know what the expectations were for the progress since he would be going with them. She made sure to learn his preference for riding by horseback or carriage and pass it along as well. In the end, she found him just attentive enough, but not overly so, and properly competent, so she relaxed a little. She turned her attention to her office duties then, and Justinian went back to being invisible in the main room in order to learn Obi, so he would know how to best serve him.
When the end of the day came, Rio quietly instructed Justinian in what the rituals were and the part she played and led him along with her so that he could learn what he could and should to for his part. They managed to not bump into each other, or the Master and Mistress, and Obi was only slightly nervous, Ilena's calmness helping him. Before slipping into bed, Obi did open his eyes and very carefully look around the room. He called to Justinian just as he was about to walk out the door, and made him promise the same as Zen had made Tanner promise, that he would properly be not present when he wasn't supposed to be. Justinian, like Tanner, promised it sincerely with a kind smile. Once the door was closed, then Obi was able to climb into bed with Ilena and relax. Ilena was already asleep, having mentally and emotionally overworked herself that day, and having forgotten that she had wound him up with expectations for the night. Obi sighed, kissed her hand, curled up next to her, and fell asleep also.
Obi did have to comfort Ilena through two nightmares and she shivered him awake the next morning. He chose to let them have a slow, calm morning, claiming his promise she had rudely forgotten the night before. Therefore, Justinian also got to learn how good a ghost Rio was, though he only ghosted to the wall just inside the door to watch her routine that morning. She'd warned him this would be a bad morning for Ilena and he should be still. If the falcon flared up, Obi would see him, but if he started as a calm, quiet presence in the room, Ilena would eventually also begin to ignore him and then he could move about on these kinds of mornings.
-o-o-o-
"Obi, do they keep the old maps somewhere?" Ilena asked as they ate their brunch at the Lower office table.
"I think in the archive at the library," he answered.
"Could you take me there next? I'd like to do a bit of research before lunch."
"...'Take'?" Obi said faintly. Really it felt a little more like he was being punished for her lack of judgement yesterday. He'd already had to carefully encourage her into the bath room that morning and wash her while she sat shivering with her eyes tightly shut. Every doorway was a hurdle as well, oddly enough. "Alright." He answered more normally, calmly eating his next bite of food. He really was going to have to think of a suitable delayed punishment for once. Until she recovered, any punishment for it would only reinforce her fear, not the lesson.
"Rio, Justinian, we'll leave for Falcon's Hollow after lunch today and return about the same time tomorrow," Ilena continued. "We'll need the following day for packing and final communications. Please set out casual traveling clothing and pack the same for tomorrow morning. We will be going into the city to visit the studios and Mister Lowen on our way out. The two of you may stay here and begin packing for the progress without us in your way."
Jiru will arrive this evening, Mistress Ilena, Petroi said from above in the Upper office.
"Mmm...we really should give him as much training as possible before we have to leave since he'll be able to help Grandfather then, even just a little. ...Since he's east, Petroi would need to stay. Is that okay, Obi?"
Obi considered it. "That's fine." There wasn't much danger for any of them and if they weren't also going for the requirement, even Obi wouldn't need to go. His part was small and more involved him showing his face than anything else. If it weren't for all the work involved in preparing for the journey, he'd be perfectly content with enjoying a full day's vacation. Of course, Ilena wasn't viewing it as a vacation. It was all work for her. Obi sighed to himself and settled into his old mode of follower and guard. It looked like until they got back from Falcon's Hollow, it was going to be like he was following Shirayuki again. That was nostalgic...and a lot easier than what he'd been doing lately.
-o-o-o-
"The historical maps of the Regent's wing?" The library clerk at the desk pushed up his glasses. "Those are restricted."
"But you have them?" Ilena asked. The clerk nodded slightly. "Who may see them? I'm picking them up for the Regent."
The clerk raised one thin eyebrow. His lips thinned to match. "May I see your identifications, please?" He asked it coolly as if he had to ask for them all the time.
Ilena took hers off and handed it to him. He took it as he reached for a pen. He looked at the identification, then made a notation in a ledger. He looked over the other five standing with her as he handed it back. "Will all of you be looking at them?" Obi and Ilena both nodded. The clerk held out his hand and Obi took his off and handed it to him. Once all six of them had been duly notated, he asked, "Which ones do you wish to see?"
"All of them," Ilena said. "I expect there to be three, but if there are more, we need the initial one from first construction and then each major renovation after that."
The clerk blinked from behind his round spectacles, then rose from his stool. "Excuse me, please." He disappeared into the back stacks and came back about five minutes later carrying four maps with two pages each. He set them on the desk, then notated filing numbers in the ledger next to their names. When he was done, he picked up the maps again. "Follow me. You may review them in one of the private rooms."
"Ah, if I find what we are looking for, are we allowed to take them up to the Rose office to show Regent Zen?" Ilena asked.
The clerk pursed his lips again and looked them over one more time. "Given your department and the security you brought with you, I suppose I can't say no, but they need to be returned today by mid-afternoon."
"That will be fine," Ilena relaxed. They followed him to a small room with a table just big enough for them to open the maps on. He set the maps on the table, bowed, and left, closing the door behind him. Ilena purposely did not look at the door. Obi reached out and took her hand. "Put them in order, Thayne. Most recent on top." Ilena's face was drawn, but she contained her reaction to being shut in the small room. Once she had maps to focus on, she let go of Obi's hand.
The first map was of what the current layout looked like. She skimmed it quickly, but Obi looked at it more closely. "I know how big Master's room was...how wide is this room?" Obi pointed to the long narrow room on the window side of the Regent's suite. Ilena went gray, then stood straight and held her arms out straight to either side of her body, then turned her palms up.
"It's the bath room for the servants," she said quietly.
"No."
"Yes." Henry nodded, supporting Ilena.
"No bath room is in that shape - narrow and long."
"It's not human, Obi."
"No, I guess not," he finally did have to agree, at least for that space. He flipped to the first floor plan and learned it, but without comment. Ilena gestured for him to hand that map to Marcus.
The next map down was similar, but older, and didn't have the narrow servant's bathrooms. Ilena nodded. "What are the dates of the two maps?" She asked. She pursed her lips after hearing the answer. "Marcus your research is in the range five years before the older to two years after the newer. General military and political history of Wilant, please." Marcus handed the map he was holding to Henry and left the room. Ilena allowed the second map to roll and handed it to Petroi.
The third map showed that the first floor rooms were all storage and bedrooms. The upper floor Regent's suite didn't have the dividing wall between the sitting rooms. Ilena nodded. The current bath room was also not a bath room. Where the men-at-arms room was currently was the original bath room on that map. Ilena nodded again. She lifted that map to look at the last one, then looked between the two, comparing details. Finally she looked up at Henry. "Your research is the time from ten years before this oldest map until ten years after this other one. Same subject matter." Henry flipped through both sets of maps for the dates and left to fulfill his requirement after passing his map over to Thayne.
Ilena pinched her lower lip, thinking hard. "The oldest for sure…," she pulled it out and rolled it up and handed it to Obi. "I think just talking is sufficient and this one can stay here…." She rolled up the last one on the table. Ilena gave Thayne the map in her hand. "Those two we'll leave here. The other two we'll take with us." Obi handed the map in his hand to Petroi and took her hand again, then walked her to the door, opened it and pulled her out of the little room. She stood looking out into the expansive library and focused on breathing as Thayne returned the two maps to the clerk, who notated that they'd been returned properly. When he returned, they left the library and waited for the Twins out of doors.
-o-o-o-
*Knock* "Master Zen, may we interrupt you slightly early?"
Zen wasn't sure which way to look. Glancing at the door, he saw Shirayuki entering the Rose office with her guards. Turning to face the balcony doors, the usual complement from the Department of Intelligence was waiting to be let in. Zen sighed. "I really am going to have to renovate or move to a larger office."
"Ah, sorry, Master Zen, I forgot I was going to look...oh, right, you have that map here." Zen saw that Petroi was holding two maps yellowed with age.
He frowned slightly at the group on the balcony. "Aren't you coming in?" He raised an eyebrow when the men all looked at Ilena, who took a deep breath and looked around the room from outside with slightly wide eyes. Obi took her hand and she closed her eyes until he'd led her through the door and to standing in front of Zen's desk. She opened her eyes again when she was standing still. "It's still that bad?" Zen asked. Maria and Delia had told them about Ilena's brief visit.
Ilena nodded, her eyes still a bit wide, and her grip on Obi still tight. She took a breath to relax. "I've asked you all to come early for lunch so I can show you what I've discovered. I would like to make all your lives a little easier while you're waiting for the new wing to be built."
Zen wasn't sure he really needed one more project, particularly if it included expenses, but he liked the sound of her offer enough he was willing to listen to the proposal. He stood and they all gathered around the map table - everyone in the room, since except for the Department of Intelligence, everyone was now living in that space, or was likely going to be.
"We'll start with a brief history lesson," Ilena said and pulled out one of the two maps from Petroi's arms and unrolled it on the table. Mitsuhide put weights on the corners. "This is the original form of the Regent's wing. Henry."
Henry gave a concise history, explaining that at the time this wing was built, there were regular wars between Wilant and Tarc, with Lyrias(which had been another small country before being made part of Wilant and Clarines), and with Clarines. Wilant had been a small country caught between other nations and was therefore constantly teetering between wars, though the worst were between Wilant and Tarc, and Wilant and Clarines. The castle grounds as a whole had been much smaller then, and the Regent's wing was the main living quarters for the King of Wilant. Well, it was actually the seventh or eighth iteration of it, as the previous ones had been burned down or destroyed in the various wars. At the time it was built, there was tentative peace.
"The odd shape seems to have been desperation on the part of the ruler at the time," Ilena interrupted. There were nods around the table. It was understandable that desperation might drive a King to try just about anything to stay alive. Ilena pointed to specific details. "On the main floor, you can even still tell this room was once a kitchen. The one across from it was likely the larder. He obviously had it built to be self sustaining to withstand at least a minor siege. These rooms were the servant's quarters. I found the entry hall to be odd. This layout makes more sense." She pointed to the main floor area that was currently the entry and staircase. It had an entry, but it looked more like the manor homes, where there was a room to either side of a moderately wide entry that contained a modest staircase. There was a second room on the left, the one on the right was double in size. "I believe this was a dining room." Ilena pointed to that larger room.
She looked around the table until everyone was satisfied with that page. Then she flipped it to the second page. There were blinks and sighs around the table. "This arrangement also makes more sense," she said. There were many nods this time. There were more rooms again, over the rooms that no longer existed, and there were no cramped spaces. The Regent's suite was still a suite, but not quite as long in total length as the current one, more like a double set of rooms. "I believe the upper rooms were for nobility, or for the King and his children and maybe their nurses," Ilena said. "Certainly, it holds to even the current format we tend to use in manor homes of the lords of Wilant today. I didn't bring the next map with us, as it only has minor changes to it. Henry, if you'll please continue."
Tens of years later, war came again. Eventually, it came even to siege, however it was not a minor siege but a long and bitter one that came with a long and bitter winter. Many of both sides died from exposure and starvation until the battle became fierce just so it could be ended and food could be obtained from the enemy...except neither side had food. The snows were so bad the invader's supply lines were cut off. The defenders had not stored up enough supplies to last through both an extended siege and an extended winter. The defender's of the castle won by default, but it was many years before they recovered, becoming more of an earldom than a country for a time.
Ilena pointed to the kitchen. "This is the only map on which this is a kitchen. I believe they removed it in favor of more storage space for food and used the fireplace in the dining hall to cook over. ...Have any of you noticed that the building doesn't have any fireplaces at all in it? In Wilant, that is unheard of. How are all of you going to stay warm?" They stared at her. She sighed. "Really, the insanity of that King and his children knew no bounds. I do hope that blood no longer exists. There were fireplaces in it, at the time of this map and the next one, and because of the long winter they'd survived, they must have needed them desperately. It's possible the shape even originally was so the overhang would protect that much firewood outside the building, but that's an odd concept. Marcus."
Twenty-five years later, Tarc invaded. They were thrown back multiple times, and during the winters the Tarc withdrew, only to come again with the thaw. Eventually, the fighting became fierce - so much so that the outer castle walls were breached and the King and his men had to fall back to the King's quarters and defend the wall that surrounded it. The only thing that saved them was a treaty with Clarines. In order to prevent the Tarc from being able to march into Clarines, if the King of Clarines would send his forces up into Wilant to defend Wilant, the King of Wilant would submit and become a vassal state to Clarines. The king of Clarines agreed to the treaty and sent his troops into Wilant and finally pushed the Tarc back into their own country. "Lyrias to the west was another small country and the King of Clarines just finished out the expansion to the natural borders and combined the north into one region. From that time, Wilant has been held by Clarines, and is overseen by a Regent appointed by the King of Clarines," Marcus finished. Zen was nodding. He knew about the treaty, expansion, and why he was there.
Ilena took the second map from Petroi, and Mitsuhide helped her put it on top of the first map. She flipped to the second floor plan. On the second floor plan, the suite had been expanded so that it was now three rooms long. "Here, where the two sitting rooms are divided now, was the master bedroom. Where the man-at-arms room is was the bath room. Where the ladies-in-waiting room is was the nursery. Where the nursery is now was the Queen's sitting room, where the bath room is now was the King's sitting room, and the current bed room was the receiving room, and there were still fireplaces in all the rooms. I think the King who built it originally had died and his son renovated it to suit his grander tastes and younger family."
"However, with the constant surge, then retreat, of the Tarc, I think he became as desperate and insane as his father. In the next map, the master bedroom is divided and it looks much like the one of today, but without the narrow bath rooms that exist today...and there are no fireplaces." Zen motioned to Mitsuhide and he fetched the current map. Ilena continued as he found it and set it on the table, though she pointed that it should go next to the one in front of them.
"I believe that during one of the sieges, or even just accidental, coals from the dining room fireplace escaped and set fire to the dining room and that they were able to contain it, but it damaged those front rooms sufficiently that they were destroyed. Because they knew the Tarc would be coming soon again, they couldn't build a new building, so they tore out what was not repairable and did the minimum they could and put in a hopefully defendable stairway and doors on the halls. Of course, this being the ostentatious king, he built an ostentatious staircase. Also being as insane as his father, and not wanting to die by fire - which I understand completely having watched my own home destroyed by fire - he made them remove all the fireplaces."
"Now there weren't enough rooms below or above, so they made the current arrangement of rooms. The only reasons I can think of for putting the master bedroom inside are so he could be first to escape from the house if it caught on fire again, or because he was so afraid of external attack...or because it was the warmest room in the building, now that there were no fireplaces, it being insulated on all sides by other rooms full of people." There were sounds and movements of annoyance around the table, and Ilena nodded sympathetically. "The upper third story may have even been added at that time for further insulation above. None of the maps have that level on them. Having given up his ostentatious suite, he kept one ostentatious luxury…."
"The bath," sighed Shirayuki.
"Yes." Ilena nodded. "However, it became the one place of sanity." Zen and Shirayuki both looked at her like she was the one insane. "In the final siege, they had not only those who were supposed to be living in the building, but all remaining persons left in the castle grounds as well. I suspect there were people sleeping on the ground outside the building, and that they were using much of the entry hall to care for wounded. The odd baths were added last. Surely they needed them for all the many more people who were in the house. They must have been desperate for a solution to winning free of the siege. The history doesn't say how the treaty was agreed to, when they were holed up in this small place."
She looked around at everyone. "I believe they dug a tunnel from the storeroom to the other side of the enemy just large enough to send one or a very few people through to take the treaty request to the king of Clarines." She pointed to the main floor storeroom. "This room still has strongly in it the smell of damp earth. I would like to send one of my stonemen in to explore this room and what lies under it. I believe that when they learned they would be that hard pressed, they began to dig an escape tunnel from this room to hopefully arrive somewhere on the backside of their enemies and escape. As they dug, the only place to put the dirt was in the servant's quarters on the main floor, thus necessitating even more people moving out of the lower floor and into the upper, if they weren't dying of attrition by then anyway. They managed to survive in this arrangement, behind that single wall, until the forces of Clarines arrived. I believe the only escape they had from the constant terror, worry, and confinement, was the bath room. It's what kept them living...as awful as it is."
Ilena removed the top of her two maps, rolled it and gave it back to Petroi. "Master Zen, the construction that changed it from this to that," she pointed between the two maps on the table, "...is both old and easily done away with, except perhaps the bath which may take more time. I believe you will all go insane there very soon, and Master Zen already has, for you have naturally decided it's acceptable the way it is. Please choose to have it renovated one more time while we are on the progress and live with your household in it the way it was intended to be lived in from the beginning. We are not at war in the manner they were later. I have great faith that you and I will never allow Tarc to invade in that manner again. ...And then, when the new wing is built, carefully move the windows that we no longer know how to make into the new wing and burn this one down. There are a great many other things that could be placed in this space - like a new office building for the Regent." Ilena smiled, "Though for now, you could just remove that wall," she pointed to the wall opposite where the Lotus office was, adjacent to the remaining empty upper office.
Everyone turned and looked at Zen, lights of expectation in their eyes. "Thank you, Ilena, for helping us understand why it's become the way it is. We certainly don't have to follow the pattern set in a time of desperation. Can workers be found quickly enough to work on it when we also want the other wing built at the same time, and brought to bear before we leave? Will they be done by the time we return? How will we pay for it?"
"I can have them hired by this afternoon. Obi can request identification for them directly after lunch tomorrow when we return. They can be the same workers since this other arrangement is far more livable, thus you will all have more patience. They may not be completely finished when we return, but they will be very close, and most of your people have rooms here already. If necessary you and Mistress Shirayuki can come stay in the one remaining room we have available until your suite is completed. Mitsuhide and Kiki can stay in her father's rooms, though it will likely be complete by the time they get back anyway." Ilena paused, then grinned at Zen. "I would be happy to loan you the money…,or you can pay in horses - Tarc horses. I'll take the six coming now as the down payment. Do you want them to take down that wall at the same time?"
"Will that interfere with the work Aiden and Brianna need to get done?"
"No."
Zen held out his hand to Ilena. "Yes, take down the wall also, and Tarc horses it is, three herds worth."
Ilena took his hand and sealed the agreement. "Done. Thank you for doing business with Falcon Construction Studio. You are safe under our wings."
"Yeay!" Shirayuki couldn't contain herself and clapped, a big smile on her face that was matched by everyone in their household.
The door opened and the lunch carts were wheeled in. Ilena quietly asked Marcus to copy the map of the original building layout so that she could give it to her construction manager and Mitsuhide put the current map back in the map case. Lunch had the air of a celebration. Ilena made sure when they left that she had both maps they needed to return to the library, the copy needed to reconstruct the current Regent's wing, and the final draft of the plans for the new one to be built. "We will be back tomorrow after lunch," they promised, and dropped off the balcony.
"Will you come visit after the renovations are done?" Zen asked from the balcony, looking at the six.
Ilena shuddered. "Maybe in three months I'll be able to, but no. It's not necessary. I've seen enough. I know what it looks like now and when it's done. Even corrected it's still a prison, just a nicer one."
