Taking the key, Alburet nodded, “Good to know. Can I take Erin away for a few minutes?”
Kim nodded and Erin stood up, a little puzzled as he led her and Stacia into the back. He came to one of the empty rooms and ushered the women inside. “This is going to be your room Erin, if you want to stay here. This way you won’t have to go back to the Inn if you would rather not. We also have a few things for you.” He motioned to Stacia, who pulled small pieces of furniture, about a foot in size each, out of her bag.
“Where do ya want the bed and dresser?” Stacia asked.
Erin’s eyes were wide as she looked from Stacia to Alburet and back. “There and there,” she replied, in a little bit of a daze.
Stacia set the furniture down where she had been shown and a moment later a full-sized bed and dresser were there instead of the smaller furniture she had placed. “There ya be, sis,” Stacia told Erin, giving her a hug.
Erin gave a glad little cry, a few tears spilling down her cheeks, “Oh, thank you, thank you so much. Never thought we would nay be at the Inn. Now ya are married, and I be havin’ a job outside, with me whole life ahead of me.”
“Glad to help,” Alburet told her as he leaned against a wall. “Besides the stuff Kim is showing you, you are also going to be tasked with cleaning the guild hall. Okay?”
Erin nodded quickly, “Tha’ be fine, it be much smaller than me be used to cleanin’.” She paused briefly, Err… is it be okay for me to have company over when me not be workin’?”
“Yeah, just be mindful if business is going on and also of your neighbors,” Alburet chuckled.
“Just make sure ya choose good,” Stacia added.
Erin nodded, before she separated from her sister and gave Alburet a hug. “Thank ya, Alburet. I am grateful ya gave me this chance. I can nay wait to see how Wilbur responds to me nay bein’ at the Inn.”
“Did he have issues with it?” Alburet asked curiously.
“Nay for himself, but seems his kin was given him trouble for ‘slummin’,” Erin sneered the last word. “His older sib’ seems to have a nasty streak in him.”
“Very true,” Alburet agreed, his voice going cold for a moment before he shook off the anger he still held for Skippy. “This is all we wanted to show you. Feel free to get things for your room as needed when you have time. Kim will be arranging a schedule for you two once she’s sure you are ready to go.”
“Thank ya again,” Erin told them before she left the room, going back to work.
“Now,” Alburet said as the left the room. “How about we head back to the house and see what kind of trouble we can get into, Kitten?”
Stacia let out a pleased sound of agreement as they headed back to the front room. Entering the front room they, were met by a scene of civility. Kim was explaining to an older woman that the guild leader was busy and not able to see anyone. Alburet’s eyes found those of the elderly woman, who smiled in triumph.
“He is right there,” the woman stated simply. “His name is Alburet and we have had business in the past. I am sure he will take a moment or two to meet with me. Won’t you?”
Stacia let out a sigh as she glanced from the woman to Alburet. “I be over at the house, asthore. Please come home soon.”
“Treasure?” the elderly woman queried. “Would you be his wife then?”
Stacia met the eyes of the richly dressed older woman, “Aye, he be me husband.”
“Then you should join our discussion, dear,” she replied easily. “I am Lady Abigail Theron.”
Kim blinked as she recognized the name, as did both Erin and Stacia. Alburet noted how all the women straightened a little at the name. “I did not think to see you again, Lady Theron. If you will come this way, please.” He opened the door to the back, holding it for Stacia who slipped through first then for the Lady, following them both into the hallway.
Alburet led the women to the meeting room where he held a chair for Lady Theron and then for Stacia before taking a seat himself. “What can we do for you, Lady Theron?”
Lady Theron gave him a piercing once over before she nodded. “I have done my own digging around about the man who helped me some time back. He went on to aid the guards, training them in new techniques, setting off a wave of new ideas. He earned the respect of a few men of the guard with his diligence and the respect he showed them. He traded a very rare and valuable tome to Vladimir for the insanely low price of a map, a bag, and some boots. He was vigorous in his pursuit of gaining experience by killing monsters. He found a woman of this world to woo and wed. He also made a deal with Sir Jones, giving away the location of the Forgotten Prison, to help ease the restrictions on those of his class.”
“True, I did all of those things. But what brings you to us today, Lady?”
“My late husband, Sir Gawain Theron, was among the last of his breed. He was a noble who cared for the commoner. He spent years in command of the guards, going from post to post to improve their conditions. We met during one of his many deployments, love at first sight,” she trailed off for a moment, her eyes going misty. Shaking her head, she coughed gently once, “We spent years together. I went with him to every deployment. We were rarely in the city to deal with the nobles. We also never spent coin needlessly, earning us scorn for being thrifty. In all the time we loved each other, we never produced an heir for the line of Theron. I have looked for someone suitable for five years, ever since his death, and have not found one who would do.”
Alburet suddenly had a very bad feeling he knew were this was going and got ready to cut her off. Stacia seemed to tense beside him, her eyes flickering to him then back to Lady Theron. She obviously had the same thoughts he did.
“What I want is for you to find me a man in the city who will do as my husband did. A noble man who will dedicate his life to helping the common man and the guards. Will you take on this task?” Lady Theron asked, looking at both of them.
Blinking slowly Alburet wrenched his mind off the track he had thought she was going down and to the one she had finished with. “Find a man who can be a noble and who will dedicate his life to commoners and the guards?”
Stacia seemed to let out a held breath, “Tha’ nay be somethin’ easy to do, as ya self has said, Lady Theron.”
“Of course it isn’t easy, if it was I would have done it by now. I know the guards as a whole respect Alburet though, as they used to respect me. With that said, I am hoping he will have better luck speaking with some of them.”
“What happened?” Alburet asked without thinking.
Lady Theron looked away, “Nothing that need concern you. Will you accept the task I set before you?”
“I can’t guarantee results on this matter,” Alburet began with a pensive look. “I will, though, give it my best effort. I do need to know what other requirements you have for the person to be acceptable.”
“He must be able to stand his ground in an argument with nobles, while also being able to build rapport with the men.”
Quest: Heir to the House of Theron
Find a man who meets Lady Theron’s requirements.
Rewards: Unknown
Alburet checked the pop-up, accepting the quest after reading it. “Very well, Lady Theron. How will I contact you if I find someone?”
Lady Theron got to her feet gracefully with a slight wince as if a joint was troubling her, “Just send word to my manor. I wish you a pleasant day and you have my thanks for accepting my task.” With those words she left them, even as they got to their feet.
Stacia took Alburet’s arm, “Do ya have a plan to try to meet her task, asthore?”
“Not really, but I don’t mind talking with the guards I’ve talked to before to see what they know.” He led her back to the front room to find Kim speaking to a guard. “Good day, sir. Can we aid the guards in some way?”