Madrak cleared his throat and said, 'The Lady Laraelra Harsard, daughter of Guildmaster Malaerigo Harsard of the Cellarers and Plumbers' Guild, and one Meloon Wardragon, sellsword.' Madrak's tone left Renaer little question as to his opinion of them.
'I've met Laraelra before at the Wands manse, but never more than to say hello,' Renaer thought aloud, 'but why she would need a sellsword to come here?'
The halfling harrumphed and said, 'They claim to have questions for you about your properties on Kulzar's Alley. They appear to have come directly from the sewers to your door. I took the liberty of receiving them around back at the stables.' Renaer smiled. 'Thank you for that.'
'No thanks needed, young lord. After all, you'd not be the one to clean up the foyer after such, would you?' Madrak said, and then asked, 'Shall I tell them to call another time?'
'No,' Renaer said, and he got up from the table. 'Odd that the guildmaster's daughter herself brings me news of some problem with the cellars or some such. It's the sort of thing normally channeled through low-level guild members and servants.' Renaer pulled his napkin out of his shirt front and wiped his mouth, then looked down at the butler at his side. 'Could you have Bramal bring me the deeds and keys to those properties? I don't know who's renting them at present, if anyone. That way, we'll be able to deal with any problems directly.'
'Very good,' Madrak replied. 'I took the liberty of asking my son to do just that before I came in here. He'll join you around the stables. Now, don't let these strangers take advantage of you. I've heard tell that the cellarers can back the sewers up into one's vaults simply to shake coins loose from an unsuspecting young lord such as yourself.'
Renaer chuckled and patted Madrak on his shoulder. 'I appreciate the warning, old hin, but I didn't just fall off a dung-sweeper's cart. Let's see what they have to say before we accuse them of trying to separate me from my gold, hmm?'
Madrak snorted and said, 'Lad, you just learned to walk a short tenday ago in my eyes. I'm looking out for you as I promised your good mother when she placed your swaddled self in my arms. You've a good ear for sniffing out falsehoods, but your head for business isn't nearly as keen as your love of books.'
'And that is why Bramal conducts the bulk of the family business as my proxy.' Renaer knew that Madrak's son and his children were vastly more capable than he would ever be at keeping track of his holdings, collecting rents, and the like. 'I trust you and them, Madrak, but today at least I wish to have a hand in my business.'
'Does our hearts good to hear that,' Madrak said. 'It's high time-'
'The Brandarth holdings were seen to by me, not my father?' Renaer said, and the old halfling flushed.
'I'd never say that, young master,' Madrak replied, and he and Renaer said in unison, 'for it's not my place nor my concern.'
Renaer knelt at his butler's side and rested both hands on his shoulders. 'Madrak, you and your family have been at my side since I was born. I know that Dagult would have put you out, save for my insistence and the conditions of Mother's will. Never fear. Your family will always have a place in my house-and not just because of the hin-sized servants' passages. You never have to mince words with me, old halfling. I trust your judgment more than my own.'
A wry smile appeared on the halfling's lips. 'Then you'd best stop leaving guests awaiting your pleasure, milord Renaer. Time to start living up to all your potential and being more than a shut-in scholar or a rake-by-night racing with the Watch.' Madrak shooed the young man off. He waved a dismissive hand at the cloak rack by the doors leading into the stables. 'Oh, and wear that heavy cloak, milord. Auril's blessed us with a biting cold this morn.'
Renaer grabbed the cloak off its peg and swung it around his shoulders as he shoved open the door. The smell of hay and horse manure wafted around him as he closed the door behind him. He waved to Pelar, the groom, who was brushing down Ash, Renaer's favorite stallion. While all the servants answered to Madrak, not all were halflings related to him. By necessity, the grooms were humans capable of handling the larger animals.
Renaer spotted two strangers standing a few paces to his left by the servants' entrance off of Senarl's Cut. He turned and walked in briskly coward the scrawny woman and broad-shouldered man. She stared out at the stream of carts and people heading toward Tespergates at the southern end of Senarl's Cut. She hugged herself, but Renaer couldn't tell if it was from the cold or nervous habit. The young man seemed more interested in admiring Neverember House's carriages and horses.
'Milady Harsard? Master Wardragon?' Renaer asked when they turned to face his approach. 'What seems to be the problem today?'
Laraelra spun on her heels and pointed an accusatory finger in Renaer's face. Her face switched from angry to surprised, as if she had shocked herself. 'Who's living in Roarke House right now?'
Behind the three of them, the rasp of a sword being pulled from its scabbard preceded Pelar running forward to defend his young master with a shout of 'Back away, woman!'
Renaer noticed the blond man with Laraelra-noticed especially his hand reaching for the axe on his back.
Renaer held up both hands and shook his head. 'Calm yourself, Pelar. This lady has a lot on her mind. No threats here, right?' Renaer shot a smile at Meloon, whose grip relaxed on his axe hilt.
Laraelra sighed and stepped back. 'My apologies, milord. It's been a tense morning.' She hugged herself again and stared away. Pelar stopped, sheathed his blade, and slowly returned to Ash's stall.
Renaer exhaled and began again. 'I'd invite you in for a warm cup, but the state of your clothes presents a problem for my staff.' He smiled at Laraelra's answering blush and continued, 'Now why do you ask about Roarke House? I've got someone fetching me the deeds and details on that property as we speak. Is there a problem with the sewers beneath it?'
'Not as much as-' Meloon started, but he stopped when Laraelra elbowed him in the stomach.
'I just need to know who's living in that building, Lord Neverember,' she said. She grabbed some errant black hairs that waved in front of her pale face and pulled them back inside her hood.
'Lord Neverember is my father,' Renaer said. 'Call me Renaer, but don't expect me to part with my business if the Cellarers and Plumbers' Guild won't tell me why they need to know it.'
'This isn't guild business. It's-'
'Someone's torturing someone in the cellars beneath your property, man!' Meloon blurted. Renaer's jaw dropped.
Pelar stepped forward again, fists up, and said, 'Take that back, and apologize to the saer.'
Even though Meloon was nearly a foot taller than the stable hand, he stepped back, surprised by the anger in the man's eyes.
Renaer rested a hand on the older man's shoulder and said, 'Thank you again, Pelar, but I don't need to be saved from everyone with a cross word for me. Besides, I want to hear what's got these two all wound up and angry with me this morning.'
Pelar's eyes never left Meloon's, but he lowered his fists and muttered, 'They should show more respect to you, saer, that's all.' He dropped his hands, nodded to Renaer, and then returned to brushing the horses.
The door behind them opened and a halfling with his long, dark hair tied at the nape of his neck entered the stables. He juggled a few scrolls, and keys jangled at his belt. He cleared his throat, and said, 'Milord, a word. In private.' Despite being less than half the size of Meloon, this halfling cowed both him and Laraelra with a stern look when they tried to follow Renaer. Once Renaer was close, he knelt in front of the halfling to block their line of sight to his face.
'What is it, Bramal?' Renaer said. 'Do you have the papers on Roarke House?'
The halfling whispered, 'No, milord. That's what I came to tell you. They're missing, along with two sets of keys. I didn't sell or lease out the property. The last dealings I had with that house was in renting it this past summer to some guests of Lady Nhaeran Wands. As far as any of us know, Roarke House should be vacant. There're only four people with complete access to those records and keys. You and I are two of them, and the others are our fathers.'
'Very well, Bramal, thank you. Don't worry about it, but do give me the other set of the keys to the place.' Renaer stood as Bramal put the ring of keys into his hand. 'Was there anything suspicious about the deeds on the adjoining properties?' Renaer asked this loudly for his guests to overhear, and Bramal took the hint.
'No milord,' he replied. 'The Gildenfires remains, as it has for thirteen years, in need of repair and a tenant to do so. We replaced the roof year before last to keep the building intact, but your father insisted we not waste
