Caj sat at his new table, in his new quarters, looking at his new manservant. He used the term manservant loosely. Rai Half-Head sat staring back at him, still looking stunned. Caj himself couldn’t really blame the boy, as his circumstances had basically shifted overnight. As it was, Caj was just happy that Rai wasn’t mad. The lad had taken it all in stride, accepting and approving of the change with surprisingly little strife, saying that the only thing he needed to take care of was informing the “boss-lady” that he had found new employment. When Caj had asked about whether the boss lady would cause trouble, Rai had just laughed and easily replied that it “wouldn’t be an issue. She cares more ‘bout our health than her money.” Caj was rather curious about this mystery caretaker, but Rai was very tightlipped about her.

That’s not a bad sign. He thought, Loyalty is a powerful thing if you can earn it. Caj had never had a servant before, but he presumed that a loyal one would be better than a disloyal one. Emma, as he learned Mute’s real name was, was sitting in the corner actually reading a book. Caj had been surprised to find that the girl was literate. When he asked about it, she wrote him a note with excellent penmanship.

“Boss-lady made me learn to read in write so that I can talk to people.” Caj was impressed with the care that the woman showed for such a small, seemingly unimportant girl. Of course, Rai ruined it a moment later by noting,

“Ye’d be surprised how much people say in front of a girl who they think can’t repeat it. Boss-lady recognized that.” He grinned at Emma, “Mute here is probably the only reason we lasted this long.” Emma ducked her head shyly, somewhat embarrassed. Caj looked at the girl consideringly. Would she be willing to use those skills in service to him? Caj snorted laughter at himself.

You’ve been a member of a Noble household for half a day Donovan, He thought to himself, it’s a little early to be trying to start a spy network. He smiled at the thought, and looked down at the paperwork in front of him. On it, his full name was written for the first time he could remember. Sir Caj Donovan. Disinherited heir to the dukedom of the Sea, newly knighted in the service of Lord Bietre Noblis. It felt odd to even think. His eyes flicked down to the two other names inscribed: Emma Mute and Rai Half-Head. That portion of the contract was even stranger to him. How strange it was to have two wards when barely two years into adulthood. It was this section where he had first learned that the two children were literate, although Emma clearly knew more than her brother. Rai, however, had learned enough so that he could communicate with her and write his name, if somewhat sloppily.

Caj had wondered why they didn’t use their surname, but choose to ignore it, not wanting to make them uncomfortable. They entered a tired silence, with Rai rubbing his fingers through his newly washed hair. He had roughly combed it away from the burned side of his face, not shying away from displaying the grisly burn scars and gray eye. He had also refused an eyepatch. Emma sat in the corner, mute, as always, and flipped through a rather dry recounting of wars in the Pewhoasil Desert that Caj had been reading on Narms advice. Caj himself sat thinking about his life and future. He would have to make a point of visiting Narm and the Murphy’s on a regular basis. Marci especially would be sad to see him go, as he was the only decent company of her own age. It was at that point that there was a loud knock on Caj’s door. Narm’s voice rang out, making Caj grin.

“Sir Caj,” his smooth voice called, “Would you give this old man entry?” Caj stood, but stopped, looking at Rai. What good was a Manservant if you didn’t make him get the door. Caj sat down again and looked at Rai.

“Master Rai,” He said with a slight smirk, “would you please get the door?” Rai shot him a dirty look.

“Ye’d better be payin’ me fer this big-man Undertaker.” He huffed, but got up an went to the door. Across the room, Emma let out a few small whooshes of air that passed for her laughing. Caj smiled lightly at her, being sure that it wasn’t his normal grin that seemed to scare her so. Emma smiled hesitantly back. Caj nodded satisfied, it wouldn’t due to go around to scaring his youngest ward.

Rai moved to the door with surprisingly quiet footsteps. Narm bowed slightly to him when the door was opened, blinking nary an eye at the boy’s wounds.

“Thank you, young master.”

“Sure, one-eye, get in if you’re gettin’.” Rai replied. Caj winced at Rai’s odd naming conventions. Narm simply cocked an eyebrow at the ignorant and rude young boy.

“You’re one to talk.” Narm replied easily. Rai grinned at the old man.

“Rai,” Caj said wearily, “We are going to try this again. Say to Narm, ‘Hello sir, please come in.’” Rai looked at Caj incredulously.

“First ye want me tae open your door fer ye, and now ye want me tae talk strange.” He said with pursed lips, “Ye’d better give me a blasted good reason big-man.” Before Caj could answer, Narm had cuffed the boy.

“You’ve to give me face, boy. I am an important member in the crew. Your crew in fact. Just like you would have to give face if I wasn’t part of your crew.” Rai still looked confused.

“How is that givin’ ye face one-eye? It just sounds like I’m talking out of me arse.” Small puffs could be heard from Emma again, and she held up a piece of paper.

“Idiot” it read, leading Narm to chuckle.

“I’ll leave the explanations to Sir Caj.” Narm said evenly. Caj groaned.

“Ughh, but Narm, you’re so much better at that part.” Caj complained. Narm shot him a pointed look, and Caj sighed with a putt-upon expression and mockingly said, “I mean, ‘Undertaker Narm, you always do such a good job in explanations, that I feel inadequate.’.”

Narm smiled tightly at that, and Rai snickered. Caj rubbed at his face. He was exhausted, but he decided to give it his best try.

“Rai,” he said wearily, “The consequences of not talking like that to people in your new world can be death.” Rai blanched a little bit. Narm sighed heavily at Caj, giving him a pained look. Caj scratched the back of his head. “Rai, Emma, it’s late, and we have an early day tomorrow. Go and put yourselves to bed please. Emma stood compliantly, and walked towards the side quarters. Rai snorted derisively, but followed anyways.

After the children left, Narm walked over to the table and sat down heavily, groaning as he set his cane aside. Caj sat in silence as Narm pulled out his pipe and tobacco. A few moments later, Narm was puffing away. Caj sighed, rubbing at his tired eyes.

“How did you do it Narm?” Caj asked. Narm looked at him with raised an eyebrow.

“Do what, Caj?” Narm asked.

“Teach me the way you did.” Caj replied wearily. Narm shrugged.

“You just have to put it into context. Teaching him in particular will be difficult, since he is used to an entirely different set of rules.” Narm said easily. “You have to frame his lessons differently because of that. On the bright side, no one will expect him to be completely well mannered, due to his appearance. He seems to be proud of his scars, and that can be used to your advantage. He can help put visitors off-balance.” Caj looked up at Narm, surprised.

“Isn’t it a little early for me to start worrying about politics?” Caj asked.

“It’s never to early to start planning for such things. I imagine that you will be getting a visit from Adarian MacNeil at some point in the next month. There’s no way that your name won’t be noted. On the bright side, he is unlikely to try and kill you since you don’t really hold any sway, and aren’t trying to usurp him.” Caj thought about it. Politics had never been his strongest subject, and he suspected that he lacked the necessary duplicity to ever be a master of the subject, but he knew enough to survive political upheaval. At least according to Narm. He remembered his thought about Emma earlier.

“Emma is mute,” he said slowly, “their old boss used to use her as a spy, that’s why she’s literate. Do you think that is something I should consider asking about?” Narm rubbed his jaw slowly.

“No,” the old man said slowly, “Not yet anyways. I doubt the girl knows what to listen for. Mother Jamia probably just used it as an excuse to keep them in her fold.”

“Mother Jamia?” Caj asked.

“Mother Jamia is the person behind most thefts and whorehouses in Goldstern. You said Rai called his boss ‘boss-lady’ so I assume that is her.” Narm replied, taking a long draw on his pipe. Caj nodded thoughtfully. He wasn’t surprised that Narm knew who was the local crime lord, It just seemed like another one of those useful tidbits the old man could provide.

The old man probably knows who the local crime bosses in the private imperial cities of the Vencheng are. Caj wryly thought to himself.

“You said not yet,” Caj said, “Does that mean I should teach her what to listen for?” Narm let out a snort of laughter.

“Caj, you wouldn’t know what to listen for if it hit you square between the eyes.” Caj gave Narm a hurt look, and the old man continued, “Oh, you’re smart enough, and you notice some details well enough. But it’s the ones you don’t notice that are the problem.” He looked at Caj’s face with a slight smile. “If she wants to learn, send her to Isabelle. Isabelle used to do that kind of work.” Caj was surprised, but not overly so. Anyone could be an informant after all.

“What about Rai?” Caj asked, “Can you or Count Isaac help him?” Narm grinned maliciously.

“We could,” Narm replied, “But then you would lose a valuable learning experience.”

“You’re a right bastard sometimes, you know that?”

“Only to you Caj, only to you.”

They sat in silence for a few moments, until Caj finally said,

“Can you take him in the mornings at least? I train for most of that and I would rather him not be bored.” Narm closed his one eye as he thought it over.

“How about this. I will teach him history, basic economics, and stones in the morning.” He looked at Caj sharply, “I won’t do any more that that. No politics or etiquette. Or combat.” The old man added as an afterthought. Caj looked up sharply.

“Combat?” he asked, bewildered. Narm looked up, surprised.

“Well, yes,” It would be a disservice not to have him learn combat. He is your ward after all.”

“But his hand,” Caj said, “I don’t know if you saw, but he only has the one Narm.” Narm snorted at Caj’s sarcasm.

“That’s a disadvantage,” the old man granted, “But one easily worked around. Start him with that club of his, and I’ll see if I can’t work out a basic prosthetic for him.” Caj sighed. Narm was probably right. The blasted man usually was, sure as sure.

“Alright,” Caj relented, “I will see what I can do on that front. No promises though.” Narm nodded once, dropping the matter.

“When the two of them come in the mornings,” Narm said “You should bring them yourself, the Murphy’s and I will miss seeing you around.” Caj smiled and nodded.

“I will miss seeing you all too.” He replied, feeling very much like a child again. Narm smiled.

“I brought some of your things by the way,” he said suddenly, “I left them downstairs with the guardsmen. For some reason they weren’t alright with me carrying a load of weapons up to your quarters.” Narm said, as though the guards were being unreasonable. Caj chuckled.

“Thank you Narm, I will retrieve them when I show you out.”

They entered a long silence then. Narm puffed on his pipe, and Caj ran his fingers over the three names on the paper in front of him. His hands shook slightly. They sat at the table for a long time, nearly half an hour, without saying anything. Finally, Narm stood, putting away his pipe. He smiled as Caj ushered him to the door, leaning on his cane.

“You should know lad,” Narm said as they left the room, “That I am proud of you.” He smiled at Caj, and Caj smiled back. If Rai had seen it, the boy would’ve sworn that it was like a wolf and a shark grinning at one another, but to Narm and Caj, it was just a standard farewell.