The view from the window mainly afforded Vai the sight of the garden. A gardener was examining the plants and trimming dead leaves while a pair of maids walked past with baskets of laundry, headed for the river beyond.

Lyra burst through the door, suddenly, a scowl on her face and Vai jumped to his feet. She ignored him, throwing open a chest in the corner and pulling out a bag and stuffing it with various items. She threw it over her shoulder and began for the door, but paused for a moment by the concerned Vai.

"Right. Bryn's coming so I'm heading out. Find Ulris and ask him to get you a schedule and keep you out of trouble." She opened the door and added, "Oh and avoid being in the same room as Bryn."

Lyra was gone before Vai could think of what to say. He wrung his hands nervously for a moment. She'd left. Abandoned him so quickly. His stomach sank and he nervously reached for the door handle.

He stood with his hand on the knob for a few minutes, trying to muster the courage to leave. Finally, determined to complete his mistress's commands he opened the door and stepped into the hall. A maid nearly knocked over the vase she was filling when he emerged, bare chested and bandaged. She scurried away and Vai cautiously followed. He remembered where Ulris had said his office was and tried his best to make it there.

The old man found him first. "Ah, there you are. Let me guess, she's already gone?"

Vai nodded. "She told me to ask you for a schedule...and to keep me out of trouble." It was embarrassing to say and to not know what to do.

"Of course she did," he grumbled. "Follow me. Leona?"

A passing maid with a coil of dark hair paused. "Yes, sir?"

"Go fetch a shirt that will fit Vai please. We'll be in the kitchens."

The girl nodded and Vai followed Ulris down the steps and through the swinging wooden door that led to the manor’s large kitchen. Cooks chattered and giggled as Vai walked through the galley. Following Ulris to a wooden door, it opened to a small dining room with a long wooden table and a basin of soapy water.

"Here's where you'll take your meals with the rest of the staff. Breakfast is served at dawn, dinner at dusk. Gilda?"

This time it was a large woman with huge arms wearing a white apron with many pockets who appeared. Ulris gestured to Vai. "This is Vai, Lyra's new addition to our staff. Vai, this is Gilda, head of the kitchen staff."

Vai bowed and Gilda raised an eyebrow. "Lyra? He's not for the kitchen, is he? I told her she and her people aren't allowed there anymore."

Ulris shook his head and Vai puzzled over her words. This servant had banished his mistress? "No, he's...part of her wait staff."

"I'll add him to the list and make sure he's fed then." With that, Gilda returned to the kitchen, her shouting heard through the door.

"Right then," Ulris turned back to Vai, "I don't suppose you have any useful skills?"

Vai looked offended. "I am very skillful, sir. No mistress or master of mine has ever expressed any of my skills displeasurable."

Ulris held up a hand, stopping any further oncoming descriptors. He frowned. "I meant besides sex or anything leading to it."

Vai opened his mouth and then closed it. He was a zhurl, what more was expected? He was as focused and trained on his craft as any tailor or cook. "I can make tea," he finally said lamely.

"Hm." Ulris tutted disapprovingly. "You'll need something else to busy yourself with while the lady is away." He snapped his fingers. "Ah, laundry."

Vai once more followed the old man through the manor halls until they ran into Leona again. She had a dark green shirt in her arms and Ulris handed it to Vai who slipped it on. The sleeves were too short. Vai was beginning to notice he was taller and thinner than most of the men in this country.

"Starting tomorrow, Vai will be taking over the linen route. Show him what to do but just the collecting for now. He's..." Ulris glanced at Vai searching for the right word, "delicate."

Vai frowned but said nothing. It was true he'd never done any of the tasks he'd seen the manor's servants doing but he didn't feel incapable. Although thinking of Gilda's calloused hands, he supposed he understood Ulris's point.

"Now I must go make sure preparations for the master's return are completed. Vai, listen to Leona and stay out of the main hall."

"As you wish, sir."

Leona stood awkwardly for a moment as Ulris left and Vai's golden eyes turned to her. Color rose and she stuttered, "I-I'm Leona."

Vai nodded. "So I've been told. Please explain my duties so that I might learn them quickly."

She blinked and looked down. "Oh, right. Of course. Well then," she looked back up and pointed down the hall, "I usually start with the east wing."

Leona walked Vai through the manor, explaining which linens to collect and whose laundry was whose. He did his best to commit everything to memory.

Finally she led him to the laundry room where sheets and clothes were sorted to be either carried to the river or washed in giant basins. She introduced him to the washmaids, Hanna and Hjora. Hanna was another young girl but was the splitting image of her mother, Hjora, who pursed her lips disapprovingly at Vai.

Hana explained the sorting process and Vai thanked the ladies for their lessons. As he was practicing folding a shirt under Hjora's watchful eye, a boy appeared at the window. He had sweat on his forehead and thick gloves on his hands.

"Heya, Hana." He looked at Vai. "Who the hell is that?"

"Oh that's Vai. He's new, works for Lyra." Her intonation made Vai bristle.

The boy whistled. "Ah, that's a rough one mate."

Vai carefully placed the shirt he'd folded on a pile next to Hana's, noting with frustration how much neater hers was. "I would ask you not to speak of my mistress in such a tone."

The servants all exchanged glances and Vai could practically feel the air grow cold between them. Finally, Hana asked, "Filip, is it true the Bear is back?"

Filip made a face. "Yep, Lady Dyla too. I just finished putting the horses away when I saw the man himself ragin'. Apparently, Lyra flew the coop before he could get here."

The boy glanced at Vai but quickly turned back to Hana. "Said he was leaving tomorrow to fetch her."

There was a collective sigh from the women. Hjora tutted over a holey sock and said, "That won't end well. Best we all keep our noses out of things and do our jobs and give ol' Ulris some piece of mind."

The others nodded somberly. Filip and Leona left to get back to work and several hours stretched by, Vai continuing to fold and sort with the washmaids who occasionally pointed out his errors or answered his questions.

He was finishing up folding a large sheet, his long arms encouraging the washmaids to give him the task, when his stomach growled loudly. The two women looked at him.

"I apologize." He grimaced in embarrassment, quickly folding the sheet and setting it down. Hana gave him a pitying look and Hjora threw down the sock she was mending. "Oh for goodness sake, Hana, go get the man something to eat."

Hana nodded and hurried out. Vai objected, "There's no need." But she was gone and he turned confused to Hjora. "I was told to eat at dusk."

The woman pursed her lips. "She didn't let you eat then."

"I was attending other duties. I was only told to get orders from Ulris."

Hjora's blue eyes bared down on Vai and she seemed to be debating something. Finally, she folded her hands on the table. "You're a slave, aren't you."

Vai was taken aback. "Yes, of course. My mistress...acquired...me a few days ago in Taka."

"To do what exactly? Not to fold laundry, I gather."

"No, to pleasure her. I am a zhurl, trained in the empress's harem."

Hjora's eyebrows raised but she nodded. "I suspected so from your...appearance. Well don't go expecting any kindness from Lady Lyra. Half her staff has ended up poisoned or worse. As I'm sure you've gathered, she is hardly ever even here since...well since she's been allowed to leave."

Vai disgusted this new information. Hjora was the third person to suggest Vai would hardly see his mistress here at the manor. "I will respect your words, but my mistress's desires are my own. I only can hope she returns for me."

The washwoman seemed annoyed with his answer and quickly before her helpfulness faded he dared ask, "You say she is 'allowed' to leave. Is she not of high standing?"

Hjora rubbed the back of her hand thoughtfully. "She's a lady of this house so, in a way, one of the most powerful women in Valhym. But she, like us all, answers to the Bear."

"Her father?"

"Aye. The master and Lady Lyra have been fighting since she was a girl. They've reached some sort of peace agreement but she does like to test him. If she weren't his daughter, she'd have been dead by now."

Hana walked back in with a plate and Hjora quickly took up her darning again. Hana placed the food on the table by Vai and turned to her mother breathlessly. "I just ran into Lisbet and she says that Valo said that the Bear ordered Master Fenrin to go after Lady Lyra."

Hjora nodded. "Good. Lady Dyla must have talked sense into him. Although it's been a few months since the whole family was gathered. We'll have much more to do with all their entourages back at the manor."

Vai was sent to fetch lemons from the kitchen and when he returned and asked what they were for Hjora only said, "Always best to be prepared." After a few more hours of folding, Hjora stood, stretched and announced it was time for supper.

Vai ate his meal quickly. Not terribly hungry after his evening breakfast. There was a lot of chatter at the table which was full of various servants. He'd sat down near Hjora and found himself in the company of the older women. Hana had skipped off to eat with Leona and the other younger maids and boys like Filip.

He expected the many points and looks he got from the other people at the table and as soon as he'd watched enough people leave to understand what to do, he stood up and rinsed his plate in the basin, leaving it with the others on a dripping board before walking back to his room.

The bed, still unslept in, had been straightened. He leaned against the door and sighed. The room was cold and uninviting, nothing like the lush and warm zhurl chambers. He'd never had his own room before, unless you counted the cell he'd occupied before being sold off.

Despite knowing she wouldn't be there, Vai opened the door to Lyra's room to check. To his surprise, there was someone sitting on the bed. He started and the women turned, brushing the pale blonde hair from her bright green eyes. She smiled at him. "You must be the man Fenrin spoke of."

Vai bowed low, unsure who the woman was but cautious from her not using ‘master’ before Fenrin's name. "I am Vai."

"I am Lady Dyla."

Vai dropped to the floor, pressing his forehead to it. "A thousand pardons my lady for not addressing you properly."

"You are forgiven considering you've never seen me." Vai kept his face to the floor and Dyla continued, "Although I don't suppose you know where my daughter's ran off to?"

Vai stiffened. "No, my lady. I only know she told me to stay here until she returned."

Dyla sighed. "I do wish she wouldn't leave like that. I haven't seen her in months," she said wistfully. "Ah well. She is well though?"

"Yes, my mistress is in good health."

"That's good to hear." Her voice was sincere and Vai heard her slip off the bed. She walked up to him. "Stand up please."

Vai obeyed but kept his eyes on the floor. Gently, Dyla touched his cheek and raised his eyes to her own. Vai looked into those intelligent green eyes, noting how similar they were to his mistress's. Dyla let go. "Hmm, it'll be nice to have someone here Lyra wants to return to. I'm glad she brought you."

Vai's face lit up. "Thank you, my lady."

Dyla nodded and before leaving said, "When she comes back tomorrow, do try to help her relax."

"Of course, my lady."

She shut the door leaving Vai who smiled in the dark. The Lady Dyla had been the first to think Lyra would return to him. She'd praised him for being worthy to return to. His mind at peace, Vai returned to his little room and fell asleep.