Chapter 23 - I know someone ...

The bodyguard smiled and glimpsed at the closed book. "Are you so certain that I didn't came for this fascinating read?" She said with a smirk before shaking her head. "While I enjoy visiting you my friend, I am here on official business." She offered me a rolled-up piece of paper with a signet attached. "The queen invites you and your family to join her and the king for a small banket in three weeks." I carefully unrolled the paper, but it was just a simple letter confirming that I, my family and every retainer I wish to bring along we were invited to dine with the royal family. "We are more then humbled by this invitation, but may we know who else will be there? And since it is for the family does this include my ... our daughters?" The lady hesitated for a brief second before answering. "Your daughter's are more then welcome. It will be only this family, the royal family and the closest supporters that are currently nearby. However I would advise against bringing the youngest one since in my experience it will be a lengthy affair."

Suha looked at me with an expecting look and I carefully gave her a nod hoping that she was just asking for my approval. "We gladly accept invitation of course. But I assume that there is more since this could have been done easily by a royal currier." The bodyguard shook her head with a grin and picked up a box that looked quite heavy and ornamented. "These documents and books were confiscated from his office at the prison. They rightfully belongs to you, your Grace." She gently gave it to me. "Our scribes looked through them after they were done here. But just in case, if you find anything that they might have overlooked just tell captain Elaine." I nodded and placed the box carefully next to me. "And finally the reason why it was me that was send and not a courier." She smiled widely. "The queen wanted to know how you were settling in and if you regretted your choice yet. But I can guess that the answer to that is. Quite well and not at all?"

I nodded back with a wide smile, while my wife did frown next to me a bit before shaking her head slightly. "We didn't had any reason to skin this cat, dear madam don't worry." She said with half teasing half treating voice. This only caused the bodyguard to laugh gently. "I will let the queen know milady" She turned back to me. "Another task at hand is that I was to ask you when you will be ready to meat up with the royal trainers and then finally to ask if you wouldn't mind if I would give your friends Johanna some more pointers on how to be a good bodyguard." I bowed slightly towards her. "I will be busy but i wont ever to busy to learn new things. They can come here as soon as they are available and we will discuss the details. You  are free to come and go as often as you like madam. I don't think that Johanna would mind getting some pointers from you but that is ultimately up to her. My house is always open for the royal crown and its supporter." She laughed loudly. "Thank you for that, just let us keep quiet about it or people might try and use that." I nodded.

Suha had had her arms crossed slightly but more in a reserved then angry fashion. She didn't seemed to be to disappointed with me and sat down opposite of the young Bodyguard. "My dear 'husband' you wanted to talk to your friends, if I remember correctly don't worry I will keep our esteemed guest entertained." She really liked to use the husband like a weapon you could still clearly hear the irony she connected with that word. "Yes ... of course please excuse me." I raised and nodded towards the Madam who looked at all that with an amused smile and gave me a gentle nod back.

I walked over to Johanna who eyed me out of curiosity. "Every day something new." I chuckled to myself then bowed towards her slightly. "Forgive me my friend I forgot an important matter yesterday and just remembered it when spending time with my wives." She looked relaxed putting down the notes she had been reading. "You oblivious remembered to wear pants so it cant be that bad." She said with a cheeky grin making me chuckle. "I only forgot to give you an official position and tell you about a task that I would like to have your help with if you are up for it. I need someone to guard me ... to guard my house even and to command those that help her in that task and I couldn't think of anybody more suited that I know and trust then you." She looked only mildly surprised because technically she was already task by the queen to do something quite similar but still a official position could no hurt.

"And for that you want me to do what?" Her voice was calm only with a little bit of curiosity. "I need help to rebuild my guard. Most of them are gone, those that remain are of questionable skill and personality. I am currently protected by the royal guard but they most definitely can be redeployed at any given moment." She pondered for a moment. "Do we know how many guards we need and do you have preferences?" I hesitated then shrugged my shoulder.

"I think that madam Laferin might be able to tell us how many are needed and preferences ... well those things that are hard of course. Trustworthy and skilled if possible. If there are any of your old comrades that are still around for example. Woman are preferred simple because this house is made up by the female gender and it will lull those in a falls sense of security that view woman as lower." I hesitated a short moment. "Does that mean you accept this position?" She chuckled and saluted me with a closed fist and a small bow. "Did you really have any doubt? I still feel guilty that it took us so long to get you out of there." I shook my head and gave her a small hug. "If it wasn't for you two I would have lost my mind and will to life ages ago don't worry I know that you could not do much more."

She nodded before returning the hug. "As for the budged we have to talk with Gabrielle and Marie about that but I assume we will be able to spend some coin to get some protection for this place. Which brings me to my second mishap. Marie." She was a bit to focused on comparing notes to notice me right away but once I steeped between her and the light letting my shadow fall on what she was trying to read she finally looked up. "Oh hello Misra it is good to see you again. You wont believe how many strange entries he has that are in truth cross references to an entire book. This is a mess and at the same time quite organized although I think that might be completely intentional."

"Anyway we finally got a complete list of all the slaves that are connected to this property and only three are not beyond the contract length and overdue to be released. In addition we have a list of all the money currently in your private possession and a general overview of your properties funding. Additionally we have a list of the money still owned to this house by different people. We made a different list for all the nobles. How you want to use that is up to you but some of them are in dept since over three generations and there has been so many additional late fees that the original dept has been paid at least a generation ago." She shook her head. "We still are looking through the list of the properties owned and the expected income from them but it is a lot in any case. Anyway can I help you with something?"

I looked at the four massive piles that she had pointed at. Each one taler then the next with the slave one being the smallest surprisingly. "Um yes I realized today a glaring oversight of mine. I was so used to have you two around and went with what the court said that I never thought about giving you two an official title. Johanna will be the defender and commander of my guards without any doubt but apart from the royal appointment to me I don't know which title would be fitting for the kind of help you already are giving me and my family." She just smiled at me. "Yeah I guess such wouldn't hurt. But I already receive a big compensation from the crown for helping you here so ... money Is not a big motivator. More the protection and rank that such a title will bring. And that a former slave can gain it in your court. Anyway thank you. It is good to know that this is not forgotten. Do you plan to hire an official bookkeeper beside me?" I nodded.

"I want you and Gabrielle only have to keep track of the big stuff the small writing down and hunting for errors should be done by someone who can focus all their attention on that. But well I think the first position to fill will be the one of a butler. Someone who will be the link between us and the personal next to madam Laferin." Just when I spoke her name she steeped in the open door and closed it gently behind her. "Please forgive the delay it took the maid a short while to find me." Suha waved her off she and the bodyguard seemed to have been in a quite conversation but they both stopped now.

I nodded to her. "Welcome madam, sorry for distracting you from your current task but well this house needs apparently urgently to fill the position of a butler. Or a head of the butlers I am not to certain on the titles but we where wondering if you may have some good suggestions for places to at least look for someone that would be suited for that position." She was quite for a moment. "I assume that person should be someone of moral standing, who is capable and skilled in the royal court to assist in the daily tasks?" I nodded in agreement. "Well ... I don't know off anybody right away, but I can ask around if you wish. I don't know if that will be of much help since my contacts to nobility are quite limited. However I know that I will be able to assist with testing and evaluating potential candidates."

Suddenly the young guest spoke up. "I might know a few promising candidates that might be suitable for that position my dear but they might be not perfect if you look for candidates that only will bring prestige if you know what I mean." She had a wild grin of excitement on her face making it clear that her candidates might have the skill but are most definitely not the typical butler. "As long as they have promise and are willing to be tested before being hired I wouldn't mind some more exotic suggestions." I said with a wide grin but then remembered something important. "If that Is alright with you milady?" I bowed towards Suha with a smile.

She raised an eyebrow slightly surprised and mildly amused then nodded. "That is fine. If we will have say in it too we will definitely add towards the testing. However first we need to talk about the tailor visiting us today. Did you book enough time for us all Madam Laferin?" Her voice was only worried not aggressive towards the older woman. I could clearly see that these two had a decent work relationship full of respect. The old maid had a small reassuring smile. "Worry not milady. It had been so long since we had a real fitting for everybody that I decided to book them for the rest of day, until we don't require their services."

I could see a bit of tension leave Suhas shoulders. "That is good to hear thank you." The old lady made another bow towards us. "Is there anything else I can be off assistance with?" I nodded. "Yes can you please gather together everybody working in the palace apart from the guards currently on duty? Well if there is enough time before he tailor I have some details I have to discuss with my new employees." I could see hesitation in her eyes and she answered me carefully. "I certainly can do that milady ... can I however make a small suggestion?" I titled my head slightly. "Of course, you have more experience with stuff like this." Neither her face or body showed any tension.

"If you wish to give them a speech gathering them isn't a problem at all although so shortly before the tailor it won't fit, I am afraid since some of them will take a while to return from their current task. If you just wish to give them orders or new rules you may tell it to the different head of households so they can spread the message and can enforce your will. Or, if you wish to chat to them directly and have them answer beyond a yes or no, I would humbly suggest to gather them in smaller groups so that everybody has actually a chance to talk." Suha was watching this with a slightly surprised and amused face, while I felt a bit like a fool having not thought about it beforehand.

"You are right. Sorry I assume we have a place that would be suited for speech?" She nodded. "We have the theater room that should be big enough for everybody or the dance hall in one of the adjacent buildings ... we do have the dukes throne room as well but that one is usually only used when receiving guests from the dutchy and we haven't receive one in quite a while. The duke ordered us directly to not waste time on it, so currently it is in need of attention before a large crowd can gather there." I nodded. "It may give off a wrong impression anyway ... I think the theater will work just fine for this." She bowed slightly. "As you wish milady, the tailor will be here quicker should I gather everybody after you are finished?" I shook my head. "I think it will be enough if we can hold think a few hours after lunch?"

She bowed again. "Certainly milady." I nodded once then remembered something. "Oh and another thing. Can you please organize that handles and locks are installed on the inside of the harem? I don't want my wives to feel trapped in there. It should be our sanctum not a prison." This guided to yet another raised eyebrow and then a bow while suha looked pleased for a short second before she spoke up. "Please create five ... ah no six keys so we can lock it whenever we need to for the little ones ..." She eyed Johanna up and down then sighed. "And one more for the dear commander of our guards of course as well as enough for your servants to not hinder your work."

Madam Laferin nodded again confirming that she had understood. "Now then lets talk a bit more about the training and the teachers you wanted to send from the royal palace ..." We did dive into some more plans on what I need to learn for the banquet. What was to be expected from the teachers and who was send here. All the while the plate with snacks did shrink down quickly. The madam stayed as a royal advisor. Since she was directly connected to the kings house and definitely trusted by the royal couple. I had no problems including her into such long term plans. I am certain that it was part of the plan, but with giving me this title and everything else they definitely made me a loyal supporter of them. Suha stayed and we were later joined by Gabrielle who quietly slipped into the room and supplied us with a even more detailed look through their findings.

It was amazing to see how well Marie and Gabrielle worked together. When I mentioned to her that Marie would work as her and mine assistance, she registered it with a nod and short smile before continuing on about the current topic. After two hours of this however we where disturbed by a gentle knocking on the door. "Yes please?" I said looking up from the detailed plan of the palace. We had just discussed how to arrange the new guards around the Harem, now that they where mainly there to keep unwanted guests out instead of keeping someone in. One of the maids steeped calmly inside and bowed. "The tailor has arrived your grace. Shall I guide them into the fitting room?"

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Well ... that wasnt exactly christmas xD a lot has changed for me the past month. Apart from covid and staying at home i was currently let go for the first time in my life ... yay unemployment. And i had cyberpunk ... and i was stuck at what the exact reason for the visit for the dear bodyguard was .... xD Still omg it took way to long to update. Sorry about that ... however i have not given up on this book and wont give up anytime soon. I have most of the next part already ready sooo ... well i wont promise any time again but ;) I do have still hope that it wont take so long

Stay healthy! And i hope you all enjoyed this chapter ^^