The Eagle And The Nightingales

lord, I appreciate that_'

As the boy whisked out of the suite, Harperus turned to T'fyrr. 'Well, now you're a Sire, and that lad is your entire retinue. The thing to remember is that Nobs duty is always to you, first. That means if you keep him doing things for you all the time, he has no right to eat, rest, or even sleep.'

T'fyrr's beak fell open as he stared, aghast. Harperus just shrugged.

'It's the way these boys are brought up,' he said philosophically. 'Chances are, he was hired as a child of four or five, and he doesn't even live with his own family anymore_he probably doesn't see them more than twice or three times a year. His whole life is in Palace service. Just remember that, and if you want the boy to have any time to himself, you'll have to order him to take it.'

'I'll keep that in mind,' T'fyrr said absently. Every time I think I have seen the last of subtle human cruelties, another pops up! Can it be that there are masters who would keep their servants so bound as to permit them no time to eat or sleep? Is that why he said he thought I would be a good master?

'Well, come let me show you the bathing room, old bird,' Harperus said, oblivious to T'fyrr's thoughts. 'You'll probably like it better than the one in the wagon; since this is a royal suite, there should be a tub big enough for you to splash around the way you do when you find a pond.' The Deliambren shook his head with amusement. 'Honestly, you look like a wren in a birdbath when you do that!'

'I do not,' T'fyrr responded automatically, but followed Harperus anyway. This room was bigger than the entire traveling wagon put together, tiled on the walls, floor and ceiling in beige and brown. The bathroom was all Deliambren in its luxury, every fixture sculpted into some strange floral shape, the floor heated, the rack for the towels heated as well. The sink was big enough to bathe an infant in, the tub fully large enough to have a proper Haspur bath, and the 'convenience'_convenient, and discreetly placed behind its own little door. The 'usual' Deliambren lighting could be made bright or dim as one chose. There was even one of the Deliambren waterfalls that Harperus called a 'shower-stall,' though it was much more luxurious than the one in the wagon. There were full-length mirrors everywhere, and T'fyrr kept meeting his own eyes wherever he looked. The Deliambren showed him the various controls, then ran water into the basin.

'There,' he said under the sound of the running water, 'if there's any spies listening, and I'm sure there are, this should cover our conversation.'

'Ah.' T'fyrr nodded cautiously and pretended to finger another fixture, as if he was asking questions. 'Well? Did this proceed as you hoped?'

'I'm overjoyed. You could not have done better,' Harperus told him gleefully. 'You absolutely exceeded my wildest wishes.'

'I didn't do anything_' T'fyrr objected, feeling uncomfortable about taking praise for something he'd had no hand in.

'You kept your beak shut and let the King have his way by not giving his Advisors anything to use against you; that was enough,' Harperus said. 'Now, I'll have to make my instructions very brief_there is one bag that isn't yours; there are some devices in it that you will recognize. I want you to place them around your rooms; tell Nob that they're statues from your home. Then talk to Nob about everything that happens to you that you think I should know. If there are spies listening, it won't matter; they won't be surprised that you're asking advice from a page, they'll think it shows how stupid you are, and they won't know what those 'statues' are.'

T'fyrr made a caw of distaste. 'If they are what I think they are_I've seen those little eavesdroppers of yours. They are hideous, and you will make Nob and those spies believe that my people have no artistic talent whatsoever.'

Harperus grinned and went on. 'You'll need to get directions eventually to a tavern called the Freehold. It's owned by a Deliambren, and he'll be your contact back to us if you need anything else.' He correctly interpreted T'fyrr's dubious expression. 'Don't worry, before the week is out, people will think it's odd if you haven't visited there at least once. It's the center of social activity for every nonhuman of every rank in Lyonarie_and a fair number of humans, as well. It's like Jenthan Square in the Fortress-City. You might even go there just to have a good time.'

T'fyrr nodded, relieved, and Harperus reached over and turned the water off. 'You may want to leave specific orders with Nob for baths,' he said, as if he was continuing an existing conversation. 'You know how the lights work, of course. Can you think of anything else?'

His eyebrows signalled a wider range to that question than was implied by the circumstance. T'fyrr only shook his head.

'Not really,' he said truthfully, spreading his wings a little to indicate that he understood the question for what it was. 'I only hope I can serve Theovere as well as you expect me to. I am, after all, less of an envoy and more of a messenger of good will.'

Harperus raised his eyebrows with amusement at T'fyrr's circumspect reply. 'In that case, I'll leave you to settle in by yourself,' he said. 'Once the boy finishes with his own gear, you should have him fetch a meal for the two of you. You'll be expected to eat in your own quarters, of course_people are likely to be uneasy dining around anyone sporting something like that meathook in the center of your face.'

People will be offended if I dare to actually take my meals in public, with the rest of the courtiers and folk of rank. After all, I'm only a lowly nonhuman. I shouldn't allow myself any airs.