Chapter 9 - Part V

Surely the creature had to be connected to the b'heithel, but to what capacity, Reiba did not know.  She briefly entertained the idea that the creature was once a man, augmented by the art of the b'hei, and while she never ruled out that possibility, it seemed unlikely that human beings could be changed as easily as an object.  The art of the b'hei could not improve an object without first injuring it, and starvation aside, the creature did not seem debilitated at all.

Her imagination took hold at the thought of what grotesque b'hei art would be required to turn a human to look like that creature, and it gave her chills.  That was when she realized the window on the other side of her study was slightly ajar and the cool early summer night was upon them.  Rather than forgo the fresh air, she put on her long padded robe over her grey tunic and changed the rubber boots to much more comfortable sheep skin slippers.

"My lady", came a voice from the other side of the gold-wrought door that separated her suites, the Wing of the Major Moon, from the rest of the compound.  The voice was accompanied by a heavy-handed knock.  It was Vergaihl, the head of house staff, much to her dismay.  The hour was late and she'd prefer to spend the rest of her waking hours watching the progress of the creature.

"I will be with you presently.  I must make myself decent." she replied, pocketing the small pill in the folds of her robe.  She exited the study and closed its papered sliding doors. Traditional Eirdren architecture once relied solely on these flimsy dividers, papered doors, and wooden walls to the outside world.  Expensive compounds might have had a stone foundation, but it was not until the Yibouh had filled in Center City, razed the original Augur, and built a new one out of granite, that it became fashionable among the wealthy to have stone walls around each wing and other buildings as well; such as the dungeon.  In keeping with some form of their native architecture, the paper doors and dividers were retained within each wing to separate sleeping quarters from libraries, privies, studies and social rooms.  (NOTE TO SELF, DRAW OUT MAP OF ARCHNE COMPOUND)

Unlike the receiving room in the main building, the social room was for guests on an invite only basis.  The social room was closest to the main wing entrance and it was the most ornate.  The dividers were beautifully painted with scenes of waterfalls, mountain views, and for this season, summer birds.  They would be replaced when fall arrived.  Soft, plush, slightly elevated red mats lined the walls of the hall and well lacquered, gold inscribed thin oak tables no higher than her thighs awaited friends and relatives who would join for tea and conversation.  Tonight, of course, it was empty, but this was as far as she would let any of her staff, and even then, only by explicit permission.

Vergaihl, a tall, middle-aged man whose blonde hair was slowly turning white without notice, entered the room cautiously.  It was a mark of his familiarity with the household.  As the head of household staff, as his mother had been prior, he knew exactly the amount of deference required before his master likely did.  And he knew at this hour Lady Zaexyl would not be pleased about this intrusion.

Vergaihl wore a high necked green long tunic with the seal of the House of Archne stitched into its breast.  At his waist was a lighter colored stiff green sash cinched the tunic half way and was knotted at his back.  Underneath the tunic he worse plain white trousers.  His shoes, he had ejected prior to entering the wing and his feet were bare.  At the sight of her, he kneeled in order to address her.

"My Lady, two envoys have come to seek your audience." He informed her.

"They can come back tomorrow.  Dawn is not long away." she shot back.  She did not have time for this.

"Yes my lady, although the Lady Tsutil and Lord Shik insist that they are unable to return on the morrow.  Shall I send them your apologies?" he asked.

Reiba understood this as a very polite way to tell her that she risked delivering further offense to her peers if she did not entertain them.  "Very well," she sighed, "Please ready the receiving room for their comforts and I shall be on my way over."  Vergaihl  At best, they too will be demanding I wed their second sons.  Let us hope it is nothing more. She sighed, absently touching the pill in her pocket.  She left for her changing room to prepare to receive the unwanted visitors.