The Shining Wyrm

12.4

“Lady Jewel! Oh have you grown girl?! Welcome back to the Flushed Lamb! Oh and to you too, Sir Lord Rochford!”

Freewoman Hożanka Masondottir was proving to be one of Jewel’s favorite people outside of Rochford.

The boisterous, loud, and very round woman bustling about with a size of personality that could make you forget she was no taller than Mother

“We’ve got your rooms all settled, Praise stars for the messenger ahead of pace, my lord! I was able to get the boys to close off a feasting hall and get it all situated with a bed for your daughter in time!”

A glance over at Mother in her traveling clothes and the strangely shy shuffling of Alexander was followed up by further outpouring of delighted and incredibly happy words.

“Oh and is that the wife?! And your son? Oh what a scrumptiously fine lad he is!”

Jewel had found her experience with Smithson incredibly useful on this new journey to Kaeketeh. Her brother, for all his bravery and bravado when it came to hunts and mortal peril, was adorably shy when it came to the many strangers and personages he was presented to in their journey.

He’d even hidden from Abbot Herbort behind mother’s skirts like an infant!

Jewel’s older brother was adorable!

This bashfulness was on full display now as the force of nature that was the welcoming storm of Freewoman Hożanka Masondottir descended on his flushed red face.

“Oh Lady Jewel! You did not mention that your brother was such a wonderfully handsome young man! For shame, a sister not vouching for her kin at every opportunity!”

Jewel smiled warmly in the eating hall of the inn, which had been cleared ahead of their arrival this time (on the Countess’ coin).

The only ones present being Jewel, her family, Bromthil, Kraok and Smithson.

For this trip Jewel had insisted that her Squire join them in the nicer accommodations instead of staying in a tent or barn like he had last time!

She had gone to war for the Countess, fought and seen men die.

The scheming nobles could suffer her Squire not knowing the basic courtesies.

The idea of letting her fear of impropriety force Smithson to sleep with the horses and eat with the servants seemed cowardly now.

Jewel nodded to the Innkeeper and grinned sharp and toothy.

Knowing from experience that nothing she did short of refusing extra portions of stew was liable to bother Hożanka.

“Oh dear, I apologize, Lady Masondottir. I was just a young girl out on her first journey from home then! I completely forgot to regale you on the virtues and valor of my dearest brother.”

To which Alexander finally managed to make something like speech. Well more of an awkward squawk much like Jewel sometimes did when she was caught especially by surprise.

It was in fact a very good imitation of Jewel despite his relatively tiny throat.

“Oho! Tell me more about this valor! But first you’ve all been long on the road yeah? I can see your dust and smell your horses and leather! Come come! Have a pot of stew to warm your bones all of you!”

And then she was fussing all of them to their seats, Lords, Ladies, Dragon and Squire all alike under her commands to settle at a sturdy wooden table.

Clapping hands to call her maids and staff with bowls of that wonderful hearty stew Jewel remembered. Steaming hot bowls and what must have been an entire cooking pot of it brought over to Jewel’s place at the table!

It was just as good as she remembered and conversation briefly stilled as everyone tucked into the welcoming hot food that banished the chill of the season.

Not as cold as when Jewel and Father had last traveled, but still well into the start of autumn cold.

Mother finally spoke up over the meal as Hożanka left to oversee something in the kitchens.

“Well, she’s certainly a very friendly host. And a good cook. Pity she’s a freewoman or I’d say we should claim her for the manor staff.”

Father laughed and shook his head.

“I made the offer to hire her after I saw how taken with her Jewel was. But she declined, plenty of family here and she makes more than I could justify paying for a cook. Even if she was head of the whole household staff.”

Mother nodded and looked at Jewel.

“Still, it is good to have friends and allies abroad, and known safe shelter on the road, even if she charges for the pleasure. I imagine we will be making this trip more often?”

Father sighed.

Jewel imagined he also nodded while listening intently, but her view was blocked by a pot of the absolutely delicious stew she had taken up and was drinking deeply from.

“Yes, I think our time being able to stay hidden away in Rochford all year every year is at an end.”

Time on the army march had given her so much more appreciation for having a proper stew with meat, turnips, peas and beans!

She would never again think even her suppers at Rochford were simple.

Mother’s tone also sounded weary from more than the road as Jewel swallowed and occasionally chewed her stew.

“We knew it would not last. Well, at least after this battle we can stop paying for your absence from the army each year.”

Compared to the thin broth of milk, bone and soaked traveler’s bread they eat every day in the army, it was as lavish as pig dripping in saffron!

Father’s words were jovial in response.

“Jewel is certainly going to receive a title on par with that of a Knight of Viznove. With both obligations and dispensation appropriate I expect. It might even be a landed title on par with my own, but if so I will insist to the Countess it be one neighboring Rochford if not a manor within it.”

That statement struck a chord, but with such delicious stew to eat Jewel could not break herself away despite her need to interject. Thus she had to finish her pot off in a rush.

She lowered the iron pot after dragging every scrap free with her tongue in time to see Mother had not even gotten halfway through her bowl!

Jewel licked her lips and brow clean of splatters as everyone at the table but father was staring at her.

He too was looking, of course, but seemed greatly amused instead of shocked.

Mother for her part was using a practiced calm that came down when she needed to hide her expression.

“Was there something you wished to say, Daughter?”

Jewel nodded heavily. Then realizing there was a speck she missed earlier licked it up from the tip of her ear.

“Y-yes Mother!”

Nodding quickly Jewel continued in a rush.

“A Title?! I know the Countess promised to declare Shining Wyrm a properly declared rank in the army but a full landed title?! On par with a Barony like Father’s?!”

Father laughed and gestured to the completely empty iron cooking pot that the inn-staff were hauling up and away between two of them.

Quickly replaced with another pot of equal size and just as delicious smelling stew. Like the last one it was brought in by a pair of very well built cookhands.

“My dearest daughter, the most fresh of gryphon riders is entitled with at least a full manor and a knighthood just to secure feed and kit for his steed and your appetite alone is more than enough to match two gryphons.”

Jewel started at that, she knew she ate quite a lot. But twice over for a Gryphon?!

Mother’s smile was understated but her eyes shined with jest.

“Oh yes, I have some very well listed accounts on your meal costs alone, If you are a curious daughter. And then there is the price of the oils, and firewood burned for your daily baths.”

Jewel went still.

Her Baths?

What did that have to do with needing a landed title?

Every lady needed to be clean. Jewel’s daily routine just made of her a stink that required hot water and scented lavender oil to overcome.

Father chuckled good naturedly, this was an honest jest. None of her family held any malice for her.

No more harm than the teasing she made of Alexander earlier.

But Jewel did not understand.

“I beg your pardon, Mother? What of my baths?”

Which swept the conspiratorial smile from mother’s face for a warmer, gentler one.

“As of last accounting we go through rough abouts forty-three felled trees worth of two-year aged firewood a year to heat your baths.”

Jewel felt like she had been struck by the terror boar between the eyes, she knew her bath was large, that in principle it took wood to burn for heat and make of it a fire.

But Forty-Three Trees a Year?!

“We use the water after of course, when in season it is very fine for washing the wool of lanolin. For the rest of the year the staff are allowed to use it in the wash of the dishes and clothes. The smell is very nice.”

Jewel could only think of all the houses in the village through winter that were short of firewood and needed her to help light still wet or fresh wood to burn for heat.

“And I must admit, a good bit of lavender scented hot water is very pleasant at the end of the day. It does wonders for my skin. But this is not something that comes for free, Daughter.”

How many households could she have warmed with the wood they burned for just one of her baths?

How many days of warmth in winter was that?

Mother smiled warmly.

“So yes, Daughter, you very much deserve a full manor of your own to see to your life, food and comfort, even before the need to house, clothe and feed your staff and own footmen, captains and knights. And then with your value in battle? Really a barony is the least you deserve.”

Jewel’s head was feeling incredibly full with the very idea of it.

To which she was going to blame this burden for her complete unawareness. And by which the startled squawk when Freewoman Hożanka Masondottir appeared like a wizard directly beside her.

“Speaking of baths, since your last visit me and the staff have made arrangements for the Lady Jewel and her family to enjoy some of her expected comforts tonight!”

Jewel’s nose caught the scent of Lavender on Hożanka. It was a different blend, different oils and fats and not the same exact plants as the blend she had in Rochford. But it was lavender oil all the same.

“Took some doing and I apologize, but we had to set it up in the stables for want of room but it’s a proper bath as set by lord Rochford’s last specifications! Steaming Hot! Fit for the Lady Jewel herself!”

Jewel nodded mutely and in shock.

No wonder no one had been able to see to her usual bathing routine last time!

The sheer expense of it?!

And given such a kindness, Jewel for all her new understanding could not dare to refuse.

Her voice was quiet and reverent for the flame expended on her behalf.

“Thank you deeply, Freewoman Hożanka Masondottir”

Jewel could feel tears in her eyes, but she hoped the wide smile kept them from being an insult.

“Oh no worries Lady Jewel! Think nothing of it.”

Those last words echoed in her head and almost put Jewel off from finishing her stew.

Almost.

It was really very good stew.

But it was one request Jewel had to refuse while she tucked into her second pot.

She refused to think nothing of it.