As Arthur followed Dame Primus back inside to the castle he was lead to what he supposed was to be his chambers and thrust into the care of an unmistakably familiar face. Arthur's eyes goggled at the man now laying out several pairs of trousers and four different coats on his bed, not to mention the five shirts and the choice of three neckties next to them. "Ah, just one of the duties of being a gentleman's gentleman my lord" he smiled.
"Ichabod?" Arthur queried.
"Yes my, lord?"
Arthur paused and then a smile broke across his face. "I really wasn't expecting to see you"
"Course not, your Dresser had a nervous breakdown at the last minute, I was called in to substitute if you will. Now," he swept his hands towards the bed. "Which pair of trousers, shirt, coat, belt, necktie, and boots would you like to wear this evening?"
Arthur made a few random selections which he was positive would make him appear to be nothing less than a court jester and was surprised to see his handsome reflection in the mirror.
"I dare say you have been schooled quite well in the proper way of dress" Ichabod smiled over Arthur's shoulder in the mirror. "You look absolutely dashing my lord. Now if you please, There are others I must attend to." He looked down at a small index card in his hand and rolled his eyes. "Oh, him, he does nothing but squirm when he's being fitted" Ichabod sighed. He turned to Arthur and bowed and left the room progressing to the room three doors down. Arthur could hear the person answer the door.
"Oh I see you have come to ensure, be certain of, take care, be responsible for, to see if I am dressed properly, adequately, suited to the occasion…."
"Yes, yes, yes, all of that now go on and let's get this over with" Ichabod grouched.
"Of course" they answered.
"Now a few of these appear to need alterations, if you'll just put them on and I'll tack them in—"
"Are you sure that needle isn't too sharp, very slight, pointy, razor like…."
"Oh do be quiet!"
Arthur heard the door slam after that, but still he could hear fussing as he started down the stairs. At the bottom there was another oval mirror hanging on the wall. He paused briefly at that, patting down his hair and then was about to continue when he heard a crash upstairs.
"Please Madame, I was only making the necessary adjustments"
"Adjustments my foot!" came the haughty answer. "Right jabbed me with that there needle"
"Almost done," the voice soothed.
There was quiet and then a whispered reply. "I hope so, can't very well move in all these blasted skirts, and do I really need the hat? We're in side tarnation!"
The corner of Arthur's mouth quirked up as he looked up the stairs.
"Oww! That's hair up there you know, not a rug!"
"If Madame would only be still for a moment"
"I'm right rigid! All this fabric and lace tied about my neck like some sort o' leash"
"Almost done milady"
Arthur was doubled over in laughter now, for he was sure he knew who was making all the fuss with her Dresser. The door banged open and out came a flurry of cloth and hair, fleeing further down the hall. "I'll dress myself!" she called.
"Oh please, " the maid attending to her pleaded. "Only another moment" she called following her distraught mistress. Moments later another door opened and Ichabod came jogging down the steps.
"Can't tell you how good it is to get away from him," he jerked a thumb at the man following after him with his head held high.
"Thank you my Goodman for assisting, helping, aiding, offering guidance…"
"Don't you ever shut up!" Ichabod screeched, the most rude and improper thing he had ever said. "Terribly sorry my Lord." He bowed getting a hold of himself and hurrying away again.
"He's very high-strung, uptight, rigid, easily annoyed, that fellow"
Arthur gaped at the man. "Japeth. It's good to see you again"
"Hmm? Oh, oh!" Japeth grabbed Arthur's hand and shook it vigourously "Arthur! Well it's rather pleasing to see you again after such a long time!"
Arthur laughed. "I'm sure it is"
"Hold it, hold it, hold it!" The woman was heading towards the steps with her skirts bunched in her hands so she wouldn't fall. The maid hurried after her scissors in hand.
"I just need to snip off…" she aimed carefully for a loose piece of cloth dangling from the dress. Her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth as she did so. "There, you're done"
"Bout Time!" She pulled away and plodded down the steps to the bottom where she let her skirts fall and she finally stopped fussing. Arthur was silent for a time upon seeing her. Never in his life had he ever seen so many clothes on one person, and she didn't look at all frumpy or old. Suzy glared at him. "What, what're you looking at?" she tugged at her skirts again nervously.
"Nothing," Arthur answered promptly still in awe of Suzy. Her dress was flowing in a cream color, with pearls sewn in around the neckline, which Arthur couldn't help but see as low, well, for Suzy anyway. There was also a ruffled sort of lacey collar around her neck with a cameo set in it. Arthur only blushed slightly when he realized his profile was on the cameo. Suzy noticed what he was looking at and tugged on the collar.
"It's too tight for starters," She said. "And that little thing with you has become fashion. Dame Primus commanded me to wear it tonight"
"Oh that's not fair" Arthur answered.
"No, it really is rather inopportune, unfair, lacking merit,"
"Once a thesaurus always a thesaurus" Suzy muttered. "Let's get going already, everybody's waiting for you, and I'm hungry, I hope they have those cream puffs I like" she said and began walking five paces ahead of Arthur heading for the hall where surely everyone was waiting. Japeth followed after her and Arthur stayed behind a moment still thinking. This is it.
Suzy had been right, everybody was there. There were the chief servants, which numbered twenty one, seven Dawns, seven Noons and seven Dusks, not to mention Dame Primus, and her own array of guests. Arthur had hoped to melt into the crowd and maybe spend the night chatting with Japeth and Suzy, and Mondays Noon if ever he became available but upon entry Dame Primus spotted him and called everyone's attention to him at once. Immediately all of them bowed and swept deep curtsies, a stream of greetings creating a racket.
"Greetings, Lord, Arthur, Lord, Lord, greetings, Arthur, greetings, Arthur, Lord, Arthur"
He waved shyly like a schoolboy meeting his class for the first time and before he could get a word in Dame Primus approached him and slipped a heavy chain over his head. "The Architect left this for the Heir" she explained. "To be given to them before being bestowed with all of the keys"
Arthur swallowed hard. It was all becoming much too real too fast, he wasn't even believing it anymore. Him, master of the Universe? No, no, no, it couldn't be, but there was Dame Primus, already handing over the first key to him, hilt first. It felt comfortingly heavy in his hand, but before Arthur could get use to it the gauntlet gloves were handed over to him. Then came the trident and before Arthur could blink, he was adorned in glittering objects. He could feel the power flowing through him, changing him entirely, and recreating him in the image of their wielder. He was becoming a Denizen; it was winding through his fingers and crawling up his neck in a not so much painful but rather uncomfortable way. His nose tingled and his head felt hot. He kept seeing flashes of his past before his eyes and a new worry came to Arthur. My life is flashing before me eyes he realized frantically. I'm going to die, the power is too much all at once, and I'm going to, there was a collective gasp as everyone saw their master teeter on the spot and then topple backwards.
"Arthur!" he heard a voice yell and the shuffle of footsteps coming closer to him. "Arthur?" the voice asked. It sounded so familiar, could it be?
"Leaf?" he murmured, his head still buzzing and his temperature rising.
"Arthur,"