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Nero Walker, Book 3 Ch.113 (228)
🕑 Added 2024-09-13 22:30:02 +0000 UTCAfter coordinating with the household staff to get the troops situated in the guardhouse, Knight Angleton found himself standing on the balcony of his new room, thinking about how he ended up here.
Looking out over the well-maintained grounds, he saw combat rings for melee training, variable difficulty obstacle courses, recruit barracks for trainees… anything and everything he needed to forge a powerful private army. It was both eerily similar to the elite training compound he’d recently been asked to run and yet utterly different at the same time.
Turning away from the sight, he walked back into the officer’s room he’d taken over. Instead of the militaristic stone walls he’d grown used to, everything was adorned with artistically carved wood and finery. Even the oversized desk looked as if it were worth more than his former yearly salary under the employ of the army.
Yet, that wasn’t why he’d signed up to follow Lord Walker.
Hearing the door to his office open, he saw Blackwood entering the room with an uncharacteristically professional look on his face.
“The rooms are all assigned, and arrangements have been made for tomorrow's ceremony,” he said without preamble before coming to a stop and standing calmly with his hands crossed behind his back.
After offering his friend a small nod in greeting, he said, “And their mood?”
“No problems, sir,” he replied quickly before adding in an uncertain tone, “I believe they are still waiting for you to express your opinion.”
Managing to stop himself from scoffing, Knight Angleton made his way over to the desk and took a seat in what was now his overly stuffed leather chair. “My opinion?” he asked sarcastically.
Something in his tone must have felt like permission to drop the formalities, as Blackwood’s tense shoulders relented and he returned to his normal relaxed state. Walking lazily over to the desk, he plopped himself down onto one of the guest chairs and threw his feet up on the desk. “Well, yeah. Everyone has been wondering how you’re feeling about what our new lord said last night. You told them that you’d be getting some answers this morning, but then spent the entire trip here lost in thought.”
Knight Angleton met Blackwood’s gaze across the desk, his stony demeanor clashing with Blackwood’s smirk.
Rolling his eyes to break the tension, Blackwood asked, “So… what’s the plan ‘Knight’ Angleton? We’ve all put in our resignations and agreed to follow you. Are we going through with the oath tomorrow, looking for another sponsor, or forming our own mercenary company? Not to put too fine a point on it, but time is running out, and the troops would like to know what you’re thinking.”
Tapping his fingers in thought on the arm of the chair, Knight Angleton asked, “What do you think?”
Blackwood replied immediately, apparently not needing any time to consider his response, “Me? I’m with you regardless of what path you decide we should take. We all recognize that we would have died out there if it weren’t for you. If -”
“If it weren’t for him,” Knight Angleton contradicted him harshly.
Nodding in agreement, but continuing, Blackwood said, “Maybe so, but they aren’t his troops just yet. For now, they still follow you. If you were to say that we’ve repaid our debt with our aid during the rest of the assault on the kobalds, no one would disagree with you. However, that being said, if you don’t give them a reason to stay together, many will scatter. In fact, unless you specifically ask them not to, most will probably choose to take the oath to House Walker as they liked what he said.”
Keeping the surprise off his face, Knight Angleton asked, “And you? Do you like what he said?”
Sensing how serious Knight Angleton meant the question to be, Blackwood paused for a moment to choose his words carefully. “I can’t say that I disagree with him. While I’ve always respected the knight’s code, I haven’t always agreed with the many interpretations I’ve read about its application. As you know, I was raised in the nobility. So, when I tell you that duty and honor should be considered an afterthought, and instead urge you to look out for yourself first, you should know what I mean.”
Blackwood bit back a chuckle at the grimace on Knight Angleton’s face. The man was never comfortable acknowledging the darker aspects of humanity.
Instead of letting him respond, he continued, “Lord Walker made a point of telling everyone that he wasn’t going to lead them or lie to them about what it was they were signing up for. He went out of his way to state his goals clearly and concisely, telling everyone exactly how he intended to use his house’s forces. He also basically commanded everyone to think for themselves and figure out what kind of life THEY wanted to live, as he isn’t interested in mindless followers.
The young man didn’t appeal to their humanity, or call in the debts of honor everyone clearly owed him. He made their service voluntary and demanded they understand the inherent responsibility behind that choice.
I’ve heard many speeches from people in authority… nobles, commanders, the general, even my father. But, what Lord Walker said sounded more like something one of the founders would have said. For that, people respect him. They want to follow him, to see where his path will lead.
Many of them had given their lives to the army, and having that trust betrayed has left them feeling empty. Instead of trying to fill that void, Lord Walker demanded that they take control of their lives and remember that their path is their own. And for that, I respect him.”
Seeing as Blackwood was finished, Knight Angleton said, “While Lord Walker has shown his preference for duty and honor, he’s also made it clear that he considers them a luxury he’ll only afford himself when he can. If we do choose to follow him, we’ll be nothing more than mercenaries.”
Blackwood scoffed loudly, before responding with a tone full of mockery, “And being part of the army was different, how?”
—--
Having acquired the estate as a reward for his inexplicable, though successful, participation in the noble war between House Dorchen and the city’s leadership, Nero was surprised to see so many people happy to see him. He’d been an absentee employer at best, and he’d expected to be receiving glares filled with accusation rather than the worshipful stares everyone was throwing at him.
While Vera was pointing out the historical significance of the gigantic portrait hanging on the wall, Nero nodded along, feigning interest in what she was saying. Yet, most of his attention remained on the gaggle of servants who were following them around. Through his essence field, he knew they were there, just waiting for the opportunity to be useful.
He found it more than a little creepy.
Seeing as Vera had reached a natural stopping point in her speech, Nero took the opportunity to change the subject. “Hey, Vera, I get that you want me to know the… ‘house’... I’ll be living in and all, but is this kind of in-depth tour really necessary? Can’t I look all this stuff up on the household Thought Hub… which I’m apparently now in charge of?” he asked, sounding rather unsure of whether or not someone had made some kind of mistake.
Vera’s stern gaze turned toward him as she continued to lead him out of the large empty room and back into one of the central hallways. “Of course, my lord. Although a general tour may not be needed, is there anything in particular that you’d like me to clarify for you before I show you to your offices?”
Rolling his eyes, Nero replied, “Vera, seriously, knock it off. I get it, you want me to be serious, and you’re trying to set professional boundaries or something by acting like this, but it’s really unnecessary. And more importantly, it’s never going to work. I’m not going to suddenly start acting like you want me to, no matter how prissy and uptight you act. I’m just not capable of that particular brand of douchie-ness.”
Sighing heavily in defeat, Vera replied, “Very well. You don’t want a tour of your new estate, and you don’t want to assemble the staff for a comprehensive review. So, what do you want?”
Pausing his steps, he felt the crowd of servants circling him at a distance stumbling to a stop. Looking over at Vera, he tried to stuff as much sincerity into his stare as he could when he said, “I want you to run my house like you have been, sucking any and every advantage you can for yourself while you do, while not completely screwing me over or making me end up destitute in the process. I want you to continue to be my partner and confidant. I’m, as usual, in over my head and I need you to continue to explain to me all the things I’m too stupid to see.”
Gesturing to the servants hovering 20 feet away down the massive hallway, he continued, “For example, why don’t you start by explaining how I have an entire super-mansion worth of servants already? They can’t have been from the former owners as I doubt you’d keep around anyone still harboring loyalty to the Dorchans.”
The barest hint of a smirk appeared on Vera’s face as she replied, “You’re the lord of a house on the rise, and plenty of people have been inquiring about the opportunity to join. Through service and loyalty they can advance, and one day, earn a place at your side. Well, their children might, or their grandchildren, but the opportunity is there and many are looking to seize it.”
Staring at her blankly, he replied, “Uh-huh, right.”
Taking a step closer to her, he whispered, “And how am I paying all these people? I thought we went over my finances and decided that all of this was unnecessary.”
Vera snorted and replied, “We did, and it was. But now everything is different. You’re due compensation for your quest from the city, and many people have pledged to sign their lives over to you during the life-oath ceremony tomorrow. What’s more, the trading posts you tasked me with setting up are making quite a profit. Between the essence crystals we’re receiving and the trade goods we’re selling, House Walker’s finances are more than sufficient to handle filling out your household.”
Halfway through her speech, she began walking off, clearly expecting Nero to follow her.
“You need to understand Nero, now that House Verena has pledged allegiance to House Walker as its Dorchester auxiliary, you’re now receiving a tithe from my share of profits as well. Nicholas’ too for that matter, though his aren’t all that impressive.
With the hunting teams Ms. Averett is setting up, your investments in the arena, and Precision Shipping, along with several other sources of income I’ve developed for you, you don’t have anything to worry about regarding your coffers,” she declared smugly.
Nero shook his head in disbelief at what he was hearing. “So, people are really just signing over their life savings to me and declaring themselves my followers, fully understanding that I’m going to bounce all over the place and get into trouble for the sake of adventure and expanding my horizons?”
Vera replied quickly, sounding almost insulted that he had to ask, “Of course! An opportunity to follow a unique at the start of his legend is something very few will pass up without a good reason to stay on their current path.”
Nero listened as she continued to drone on about ‘why’ people were so intent on following him. She covered in great detail how people viewed this as an opportunity for personal growth and even went so far as to make it sound like they were right to be paying him for the privilege of being his… for lack of a better word… peons. To Nero, it sounded like they were treating it as an apprenticeship or something.
Eventually, she led him to his room, having realized how little interest he had in exploring the ridiculously large super-mansion he’d found himself living in.
The ‘chamber’ she understatedly referred to as the master bedroom was large enough to play a solid game of laser tag. The arched ceiling was tall enough to have shadows hiding murals and floating lights interspersed between massive chandeliers housing swirling balls of essence. The walls, like everything else in this place, were filled with meticulously carved designs that made the whole room feel unnecessarily fancy. Wardrobes, couches, rugs, lamps, tables, and every other type of furniture filled up the space around the central pedestal that housed his bed.
As if they expected him to be some kind of sultan, the bed had a canopy that made it look more like a gazebo than a mattress. At best guess, he’d be able to fit every woman he’d ever been with in that bed and still have room for all of their sisters. Granted, that number wasn’t all that impressive as some people’s might be, but it was still a ridiculously big ass bed.
After sweeping his gaze across the insanely unnecessary master bedroom, he turned to Vera and asked, “Seriously? This is my room? Does it come with a map? Or do I have to plot a course to the bathroom by studying the placement of the chandeliers?”
Snorting in amusement, Vera replied, “As your personal attendants, Ms. Davis and Mr. Cochran will be more than happy to show you around. Be sure to let Mr. Cochran know if you need anything, as he’ll be in charge of your clothing and armor. Meanwhile, Ms. Davis will manage your other needs.”
Narrowing his eyes at the two people standing behind her, he asked with a hint of concern, “What ‘needs’?”
Raising a singular eyebrow in response to Nero’s hostility, she replied, “All your needs. Linens, food, your washing, things of that nature. As the personal chambermaid of her lord, she’ll also be willing to fulfill your carnal needs if that’s what you’re worried about. However, I’d recommend focusing more on your responsibilities than worrying about that sort of thing. Besides, there are trained bedmates in the pleasure houses that would be far more appropriate for that sort of thing.”
Nero’s jaw dropped, simultaneously both shocked and offended at how he was both right in his suspicions and insulted by her misunderstanding what he had meant. “That’s… I mean… Goddamit, Vera… I’m not going to have sex with the maid!”
Confused, Vera replied, “Well… of course you won’t. I just told you that you shouldn’t. You’re a lord of a unique house, with a rather strong local position. You can afford to pick your consorts with a little more thought and tact than that. Or at least I hope you can. Regardless, try and get some rest. Tomorrow will be a big day, and you need to do your best not to ruin anything with your antics. Be sure to read the schedule I’ve sent you, and if you have time, look over the estate’s introduction packet I prepared.”
Gesturing to the two people in matching robes behind her, she added, “As I said, if you have anything other questions, I’m sure Ms. Davis and Mr. Cochran will be able to help you.”
Without another word, she walked off, leaving Nero alone with his new personal attendants, both of whom were looking at him with expressions somewhere between happiness and respect. They were both wearing matching gray robes with teal highlights, which he vaguely remembered being the house colors he’d chosen.
Mr. Cochran was just under 6ft, with an average build, but impeccably groomed to the point that Nero wondered how long he must take to get ready in the morning. His short brown hair was slicked in a perfect part, and his beard’s uniformity at approximately one-half inch in length must be a total bitch to maintain. The man just ‘looked’ like he was the kind of guy who sorted his cereal boxes by fiber content.
To his left was Ms. Davis. She on the other hand looked more like a middle school teacher at a prep school rather than a maid. Her bright blond hair was in a tight bun, giving Nero no idea as to how long it actually was. Her rounded face and naturally cheery eyes gave the impression that she was ‘there’ for him. Seeing that she was rather plump in all the right places, just short of being overweight, made Nero have the uncomfortable urge to give her a hug.
Seeing as he was not emotionally prepared for this type of meeting, Nero said, “Well, it’s nice to meet you both. I’m sure you’ve both been vetted and are more than capable of whatever it is you’re supposed to do here. Lucky for you, I don’t plan to be here all that often, and I doubt I’ll be needing you to do too much. However, just so you know, if anyone offers to buy your loyalty or pays you to off me in my sleep… always remember that I’m willing to pay more, fight dirtier, and hold grudges better than they will.”
Seeing their smiles becoming a little strained, he rubbed the back of his neck in annoyance. He really had no idea how to deal with the fact that these two random people were now just… part of his life.
“For now, I’m just going to take a shower and eat some food I have stored in my personal space. Feel free to go about your business, and do whatever it is that you’re supposed to do. I’ll be sure to look up the section concerning your duties in the packet Vera… I mean… Lady Verena sent. When I have something for you to do, I’ll let you know. It was nice to meet you both.”
Turning around, Nero was about to walk off before he paused and asked over his shoulder, “Um… so which way is the bathroom?”
Both Mr. Cochran and Ms. Davis raised their right hands and pointed off toward one of the walls in the distance. Their unspoken coordination and equally confused expressions nearly made Nero burst into laughter. Luckily, he limited his response to a smirk as he left them there wondering what just happened.
Nero quickly put them both out of his mind, as he was more interested in what the decorators were thinking when they furnished this place. He couldn’t understand the point of random couches and tables arranged in circles all over the place. It was like they were expecting groups to gather while waiting for their turn in the ridiculously large central bed.
Shaking his head in amusement, he thought to himself, ‘That’s probably exactly what they were thinking when they designed this place.’
Finding the bathroom wasn’t all that hard once he got near it, as the doors were wide open. Yes, doors. There were two of them.
Upon entering, he saw a large tiled room with an overhead mural filled with clouds and an essence light mimicking the sun. Thin, beautiful pillars sectioned off different areas while holding up the faux sky.
The shower, if you could call it that, was an entire area that had constant gentle rain coming down from the ceiling. On the other side, there were raised areas with stairs leading to various-sized hot tubs with steam wafting off them. Then, in the middle, there was a bath that could only be described as a swimming pool.
Throughout the bathroom there were various types of sitting options, including stools, benches, sloped mats, and even couches… all of them waterproof somehow. And then there were the mirrors, so many mirrors. There were hundreds of them seamlessly integrated into the walls and pillars.
Had he not spent the better part of his day thinking about enchantments and specifically what they were capable of, he wouldn’t have considered how difficult it must have been to set all this up. He was looking forward to delving into everything and figuring out how it all worked.
But, with the sound of water from the ‘rain-room’, he had more pressing concerns. Although he did want a shower, he was more interested in finding a toilet.
That’s when he noticed them. Multiple toilets spread out through the room like stools with holes in them. They were all over the place, and each was incorporated subtly into whatever area they were placed.
‘I guess they don’t even bother with toilet paper here. As the master of the house, I’m expected to know how to magically wipe my own ass,’ he thought to himself with a chuckle.
Shrugging away the weird combination of artistic pragmatism of the room, he started taking off his armor, fully intending to christen every part of his new bathroom.
After taking care of his business, he took a soak in the magical version of a jacuzzi, ate some food, perused the Thought Hub, read the estate’s welcome packet, and answered a few pings. It was both thoroughly relaxing and surprisingly productive.
The downside of all that productivity was that he now had a better understanding of how the citizenry of Dorchester, along with its nobles, saw the ‘new and interesting Lord Walker’.
An hour later, he walked out of the bathroom with a thoughtful look on his face, ready to call it an early night so he could get some thinking done.
Stuttering to a stop, he saw both Mr. Cochran and Ms. Davis standing next to the stairs leading up to his bed, each with a patient look on their faces. They didn’t say anything, but he could ‘feel’ their request for orders coming through loud and clear over the ether.
After coughing lightly to regain some composure, he said, “Um, thank you both for… whatever it is you did, or are doing. But, you can both head out for the night. I’ll be fine. Big day tomorrow and all, so I’m just going to head to bed a little early. That is… I mean, is there something I need to be doing before I can get some sleep?”
Mr. Cochran replied swiftly and professionally, “No, my lord. Lady Verena has asked me to remind you to read the schedule she arranged, but other than that, everything can wait until morning. Good night, my lord.”
Ms. Davis echoed, “Good night, my lord.”
Then, as if having practiced the maneuver many times before, they simultaneously offered a slight bow and walked away in lockstep.
‘Seeing that kind of thing in person is just as creepy as I thought it would be when I saw it on TV,’ he thought to himself.
Now alone, he walked up the stairs to his bed and crawled toward the center… or at least he started to. After a few feet, he decided it was pointless and sprawled out where he was. Closing his eyes, he sunk into his inner world, resolving himself to a thorough and complete session of self-reflection and heavy thought concerning how he felt about being called ‘The smiling death’, ‘The Saviour of Dorchester’, ‘The Hand of the Heavens’, and among other things… ‘The Walker’.
‘I should really look into getting some royalties based on how many people are talking about me,’ he thought to himself sarcastically, doing his best to keep calm and not freak out.
Comments
Pararably
Thanks for the chapter!
