Chapter 31 - Two for the ambassador

It didn't took long for madam Laferin to announced that the meal was ready to be served and we all made our way towards there. I walked with Suha the by now familiar way and talked with her about what we had planned for the rest of the day when we heard a shrill shriek coming from the dinning room followed by loud giggling. We looked at each other in confusion. The shriek did sound like surprise not danger or hurt but after a short while a woman yelled. "YOU LITTLE! ..." we could hear a metal bowl falling down and general chaos from he dining room when someone was apparently chasing something. There was a lot of giggling and the grown woman grumbling and cursing. When we carefully peeked through the door we could see a giggling Sabiha running around the table getting away from a dripping wet Neile who had her arms stretched out and was in a full sprint to get the little girl.

But even through her face looked angry her yelling sounded way more amused. "Just you wait till I get youuuu!" Sabiha suddenly stopped when she realized that we were right there and Neile had to struggle to not to run her over. Both of them looked at us like a deer chough out in the open. On the other entrance door lay a forgotten metal bowl. On one of the chairs at the table sat viola together with Madiha who both apparently just had watched the chaos happening around them. Suha crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. That was enough that both of the troublemakers started to talk over each other. "It was just an ...! I was only waiting for ..." They both quiten down and I noticed now that Sabiha was drenched too leaving a small puddle of water next to Neiles.

"I think I can guess what happened here ... so if you two want to join us for dinner you both better get changed quickly or we will start our roasted chicken wings without you." Suha spoke with a soft sweetness that clearly said you better hurry up now.

They scrambled towards the door to their room, Neile picking up Sabiha to run quicker and only leaving a wet water spot behind. Suha looked to me with a smile and just said: "They both love chicken. Which is why we had the handwash bowls here ... maybe I should send them out themselves to fill them to hammer home that they are not meant as toys." One servant silently entered through a side doors and replaced the empty bowls with fresh ones. Our three guest meanwhile where seated by Gabrielle, I noticed that she seated them next to where I was going to sit and took a seat herself at the other end so they were seated between me and her.

I shook my head in amusement with a chuckle before going towards the table myself. Lizbeth had somehow snuck in quitely and just greeted us all with a nod before continue to dive into her book. She obliviously had not noticed the three newcomers yet. I chatted with Suha while we waited for the two to return and the meal to start when i noticed that the table was extended somehow, or they had exchanged the table and I had to fight the urge to peek below the table cloth to solve that small mystery. However, I was apparently intensely staring at it because I got a gentle nudge from the side breaking my contemplation. "Sorry ..." I noticed how most were looking at me. "Um ..." Suha gently repeated herself. "I was wondering if we should start." I noticed that Sabiha and Neile had returned and where sitting neatly next to Gabrielle and Lizbeth. "Oh! of course. Please let us begin ... sorry I was lost in thoughts for a moment."

I stayed quite for most of the meal. Last night was now really catching up with me so I wasn't much of a good host. My guest spend most of her time answering questions of the youngest of my Wife. Apparently being the royal bodyguard means that a lot of your life is known about in rumors or half-truth. Thankfully she seemed to take it in good spirit and Suha had to rain it in only once or twice. Lizbeth was quietly telling viola all about what she had read since yesterday, mostly about how apparently the government in one of the kingdoms of the far north was working. Something about elected elders below the king or something like that. I had expected Viola to look bored from all this but she showed some genuine interest not as much in the topic itself but in having it explained by Lizbeth to her.

But even though I was seated only 3 people away I was unable to make out most of the conversation. Johanna and Marie were engaged in swooning over Madiha who had decided to sit with Gabriele instead. The little girl seemed to blossom with the attention of the three and only managing to get In bites slowly while telling all about how I had rescued her early this morning ... It felt like it was ages ago ... and how one should not go swimming alone. The view of her telling all the grownups about the dangers of going swimming alone made me smile.

It took me a moment to realize that everybody was already done with their meals and was just sitting around chatting and playing with the two little ones. I had no idea if I should have been the one to release the table and what would be the polite way to do so. Thankfully a short worried look towards Suha did calm me down, because she nodded then clapped her hands getting everybody attention. "Now then as this is just a family table with guests. So if you want to stay you can of course but the Harem will retire to their quarters soon someone needs to get their naps." There were protests from the two little ones but they were only half hearted.

Johanna and Marie both got up together with Gabrielle to return to the office but the Royal Bodyguard did approach me. "I will have to take my leave soon but I have one more important topic to discuss in privacy if I can have a moment of your time?" She had an odd grin on her but I just nodded. "Of course um if I remember right there is a smaller workroom nearby." I clapped my hands to call for one of the maids to let her guide us to a room that would be suited for a private chat.

We were guided by a maid who I had seen before but haven't learned the name of yet towards a small Library room which apparently looked over the inner courtyard. When we steeped in there were two comfy armchairs in the center with a large assortment of books on three walls. The fourth wall were basically two large, open doors that had a framed view towards the center pavilion of the inner courtyard. The maid put up a colored glass carafe full with water and two glasses and then left us alone. I walked around to see if the books were another example of weaponized poetry but apparently most of them were actually real ones about a large spectrum of topics. My guest did take out one of the books with a smile and skim over it before looking back to me.

"Well then ... I was tasked by the queen and the ambassador to inquire about your progress in winning the hearts of the ladys of this house." I completely froze and all I got out was a "Umm" She chuckled "so the ambassador wins that bet" she sat down in the chair smiling at me. "Umm ... what bet?" She shook her head. "Not important but the question stands." I took a moment to sit down and shook my head. "It was just a week ... I mean what a week it was but I simply did not find the time ..."

"Appoint one of your maid to do time planning for you." I blinked "But ..." The idea of scheduling time to spend with someone felt off. "At least until you have a butler and the important stuff figured out. I was told to tell you that if you wait to spend time with them the year will be over before you know it. It is good to see that you are eating and working together but take at least an hour a day or more with one of them each day to just get to know them. In addition to non-scheduled meetings and such while working with each other. However the reason why it is important is because the queen mother has figured out that if they are not married to you in a years time, some of the more greedy nobles might try and force them to marry them and depending on the religion they actually have a chance with that. Because ... If they twist certain laws by the wording not the meaning they could make you pay a dowery for their weeding and while that won't be a significant amount for your finances it definitely will not be the base for a happy marriage."

I shook my head slightly trying to clear my head. I had honestly not thought much about the stipulation of having to win their hearts or at least have them to agree to the mirage within the year simply because a year was so long but if the whole year was going to be as busy as the last week then it was going to be hard to find the time to be romantic. "Did they tell you any suggestions?" She laughed gently. "Another bet won by your aunt ... yes take them to activities. Exploring, working anything that you can do together but just with one or two of them ... and only activities that requires not to much attention so work itself does not count. From Fio I was told to tell you to explore the palace together with them. Or plan a Party or well any of the many activities possible in your giant home. Meanwhile your aunt recommended to take them to places inside the city but ... I advice against that until your friend has your guard formed and you have your servants sorted ... I highly advise against just walking outside ... there has been one attempt at your life already and I am certain someone would jump at the opportunity for a second attempt."

I just nodded silently which made her smile. "And now after my duty is done, if you don't mind I have a book to read. I was searching everywhere for this one." I peeked at the book in her hands that read in big golden capital letters: "The love of a queen volume three." I smiled at her. "You are more then welcome to take it and return it once finished, or use this room for reading. Is the series any good?" She shook her head. "Nope but that's the fun. I will return it when I introduce the butler to you." I nodded and then left her alone in the room she really gave me something to think about.

Outside of the room was a maid waiting patiently. "Milady madam Laferin did send me to inform you that the first group of slaves is ready for your speech. I can guide you to them if you want?" I nodded to her in thanks and confirmation. "Can you tell her that I require her assistance after I am done talking with them?" She bowed slightly in confirmation and then guided me towards were the first group of poor souls was waiting for me. The next hours were tiering but fulfilling all the same.

We were using a theater room that the estate had and I just sat down at the front on the stage while the small groups filled in. It was lots of talking, of helping them on their first steeps of becoming free people again. Thankfully the royal house had lend us a civil servant that had all the necessary paperwork so once they left the theater they were free, paid and had a choice to make within the next five days if they wanted to stay in this house or be on their own.

It was good to watch their eyes go from confusion and worry to be fill with hope once they understood that I was not just promising to do something to free them but instead had already worked out how to do that. Having a captain of the royal guard in the planning and the ear of the royal family really helped with that. They were all domestic slaves so in a much better condition then most of the farm slaves I had seen so far. The real sad part was that even through we were compensating them as if they were skilled labor the payment hardly made a dent in just todays expected income telling me clearly how ridiculous wealthy the house of the duke was.

The only one that were any worry were the remaining three one middle aged man and two young girls. The girls had joined the house just a few weeks earlier and had yet to find their permanent task. Meanwhile the guy had been one of the assistant gardeners. He had around a more year until the minimum time needed for a release was up, meanwhile the girls had still full six years ahead of them so the offer we made was simple. "We can set you quasi free were you are free to walk the Kingdom and seek employment of your own. You will have a letter stating that your task will be to explore the economics of the region that you are in and are still rightfully owned by us and not a runaway slave. You are to write a reports of your journey at the earliest opportunity for which you will get regular payment ..." the guy took that deal even before I had explained all the details.

Meanwhile the two young ones chose to learn trades in the palace ... which one that was going to be was still to be determined, but with the large amount of people working for or with the palace there were many options to choose from. I offered them the third option of setting them free in another country as soon as they reached it but that would mean that officially they were a runaway slave ... and some of the pushier nobles had an eye open for stuff just that, so it would be extremely risky if they ever returned so they all declined that.

It was then that I realized that one of them was the young slave that had welcomed us in the palace and assisted Johanna with getting out of her shoes all the way back then. "Regardless of which job you choose you don't have to assist with shoes anymore ... unless you choose to be a maid and are tasked with that for a day of course." I smiled to her and she chuckled and nodded back to me. It still felt wrong for me to be officially the owner of them, but I just took it as a legal guardianship as frustrating as it was. They all have become slaves due to debt to my understanding. Debt like someone in the family having an accident or getting sick both not exactly things you have much influence over. But some old law that still had to be changed, offered domestic slavery as a way out ... the only problem was that the other three methods of serving in the army, paving the roads and serving in the navy did not really help those that were physically unable to do those things. Of course, that law was not the only way debt was settled but it was the primary way used for new domestic slaves.

I shook the depressing thoughts out of my head and finished our long chat. When I left the room I noticed Madam Laferin sitting next to the entrance of the theater at a small table working through some paperwork. I sighed I should have waited with the request of meeting her after I finished the talks. "I am sorry for making you wait madam." I said with a soft smile but she just shook her head. "It is not a problem your grace, I was kept informed about the progress of the talks and just decided to sort through these here after you started your talk with the last group." I nodded and took a peak ... paper was quite common in the kingdom so I wasn't to supprised that they were delivery receipt of goods for the palace. Apparently she was sorting and approving them.

"Well I have need of your proven skill of organization ... I realized that currently it is getting hard for me to keep track of how much time is spend on a certain task and well I was made aware of that I should find some time to spend with my new Family every day ... so until we have a butler could I burden you to help me organize a schedule?" She had listen to me quietly with her calm and neutral expression before answering with a simple short nod. "That wont be a problem milady, would it be acceptable if I delegate the task of actually reminding you to the maids?" I nodded in return and she continued. "If you want anything added ore changed to it just tell them and we will amend it."

I closed my eyes and went through if there was anything else that needed to be talked about. "Were you informed about the result of the three remaining domestic slaves?" She nodded and pointed towards a paper that was laid to the side. "I made arrangement for the girls to be transferred towards the maid chambers where the matron will find them suitable rooms to stay at. The other was transferred towards one of the guest's rooms for servants of visiting nobles until he is on his way. All of them were giving an allotment of cloth that reflect the change of role". A sigh of relive escaped me to have someone who seem to have no trouble to understand my intention was really helpful. "Then that was all that I wanted to talk about unless there is anything from your side?" She shook her head with a brief smile.

I nodded to her and let her to her paperwork while making my way back to the Main office were I expected to see Gabrielle and my two friends at work planning our next steps. For a moment I thought about inviting her to a walk around the gardens but realized that if I wanted to do it right I needed to start with Suha. So halfway there my steeps guided me back to the harem instead. I was close to the main door of it when I heard the unmistakable cry of a small child not wanting to do something. She was clearly not in distress but rather was upset.

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Well then that took a while :/ First i had a real writers block were i didnt knew what to write ... and then i had six basically half chapters that i removed/edited and then removed again simply because they felt boring ... And then i had 3 months of RL trouble that really put a stop to all of it buuuuut! In the last month the sun came out and i did manage to write at least 600 to 800 words every day or two again ... i wont make promises but ;) i am glad that i managed to finish this chapter today on my birthday and i am glad that i still got a feeling for the characters and the book in general even with the long  delays between each writing attempts ^^ So i hope you guys enjoyed the continuation of my long slow burn of a book ^^.