Leaving the empty kegs and the wagon behind, the trio walked away from the distillery.
“The wagon stays here?”
“So they can load. The other places will set the orders aside so I can swing by to grab them after the wine’s ready,” Davis explained.
“Hmm, that makes sense. The wine is the biggest part of the run. Oh, take the extra vela we saved and put it into cooking supplies.” Gregory held out a small sack. “Add this to that, as well.”
“Sir?” Davis asked, surprised.
“I get a stipend from the clan, but I almost never spend all of it. I can at least help supplement the spices to bring more flavor to the food. That might help improve morale.”
Davis knew it would, but more so if he let the sergeants slowly drip that information to the men. “I’ll take care of it, sir.”
“Then a personal request, as well,” Gregory said, holding out another small sack. “I need aether meat. Jerky is preferable, as it’ll keep. Then, grab a small hand keg of whatever alcohol would be preferred by you and the sergeants. That should get you all two glasses out of it.”
“You won’t have any, sir?”
“Alcohol and magi do not mix. The only ones I’ve imbibed have been aether-infused wines, like Rosem.”
“Ah. I’m glad you’re one of the ones who doesn’t drink, sir. If you’d been a water magi, we’d not be spending as much on wine.”
“A good point,” Gregory mused. “Roshana will have an edge in that category.”
“Or a fire mage, as they can ash waste and make it easier to keep sickness out of the camp.”
“Again, something I hadn’t considered. Today is a day of learning.”
“The mayor’s home is just ahead, sir.”
“I’ll be coming next time to learn who and what we buy, and also to see if we can’t knock the prices down a bit more again.”
“Understood, sir. I’ll look forward to it. The more we have to work with, the better.”
“Captain, do you want to sit in with me or go with Davis?”
Willof considered it. “I’d just as soon not deal with the idiocy of politics, but I’m your instructor. Besides teaching you, seeing how you comport yourself is my task.”
“Understood.”
Davis slowed as they approached a manor. “This is his place, sir. Mayor Kestral.”
Gregory looked over the large home, taking in the ornamentation. “Very well. If we finish before you, we’ll return to the distillery— we might never find you, otherwise. If the wagon is gone, we’ll go to the gate to wait for you there.”
“Yes, sir. That’ll make it easier.”
Gregory went into the courtyard that surrounded the front of the manor, with Willof a few paces behind him. The flowers were in bloom and their scent filled the air before the grand building. A silver doorknocker gleamed on the door, so Gregory used it.
Nearly a minute passed before the door opened, revealing a man in butler’s attire. Pink-skinned pig ears jutted up, then folded over themselves from the man’s head. “How may I help you, sir?”
“I’m Magi Pettit. My men are camped an hour from the town. I’ve come to visit the mayor, as I’m sure he has been hoping I would stop by.”
“Ah, Magi. Yes, he has been waiting for you,” the butler said. “If you and your retainer will follow me.”
“Captain Willof is my instructor, not my retainer,” Gregory corrected the butler kindly. “But please lead.”
The butler bowed to Willof. “My apologies, sir.” He let them in before closing the door behind them. “No need to remove your shoes. The reception room is before the rest of the home.”
“I was wondering about the lack of slippers,” Gregory said, never having seen a house without a place for them to take off their shoes.
“That is after the reception area,” the butler explained as he took the lead. “This way, please.”
It was a short walk down the hall to the room that the butler opened for them. It was a well-appointed sitting room; ample soft chairs were gathered around a table where people could talk.
“Would you care for any refreshments while I get the mayor for you?”
“Tea would be fine,” Gregory said.
“I’ll have a cup, as well,” Willof agreed.
“I’ll have the maid bring it,” the butler said, bowing before he left the room.
Alone in the room, Gregory glanced at Willof. “Have you been in a home without slippers?”
“No, but if he sees the people of the town here, it makes sense. This is basically an office for meetings. Only those he values would be taken farther in.”
“Hmm… I can see that. I’d expect the mayor to send the butler back to take us to his personal space, then.”
“That seems likely, but probably after the maid has arrived with the tea.”
Gregory’s lips pursed. “No. I think we’ll be taken in, and then tea will be delivered. It takes time— by the time he informs the mayor, the tea won’t be done yet. He’ll come back quickly to let the maid know, then come get us.”
Willof thought it over, then nodded. “That makes sense. He wants to make a good impression. That’s obvious from the bed he gifted you. You chose well there. You’ll find a use for it, and the men will know while the mayor continues to believe his gift was well-received.”
“I really wanted to give it back, but there’s no point. Like Davis said, it would just create an environment that’s suboptimal for my men.”
“You know, Gregory, if I wasn’t positive you came from the fringe, I’d never know. No fringer that I know uses half the words you do, nor as well as you do.”
“Yuki helped a lot with that,” Gregory chuckled. “My informality is still a big giveaway.”
“That’s very true. I’m glad you haven’t tried to do that with your men.”
“I was told about how it could help or hurt. Davis and Basal have been told it’s fine to be informal when the others aren’t around. I might add the sergeants, eventually, but the rank and file…? Probably not. I need to be a leader to them, not just a friend.”
“Not even a month in and you’ve learned a valuable lesson already. That divide is necessary for you as much as them.”
“Because when they die under my command, I can’t let it affect me. If I treat them like friends, it would hurt more than it already will.”
“Exactly.”
The door opening revealed the butler. “Gentlemen, the mayor has asked me to bring you into his study. If you’ll please follow me.”
Gregory stood up as if he’d expected to be asked. “Of course.”
~*~*~
They’d just received their tea in the study when the mayor appeared. He was a little shorter than average, his hair just starting to gray at the temples and through his mustache. With a bright smile, he advanced on them. “Magi, Captain, an honor for you to visit. I’m Laseus Kestral, the mayor of Gardenia.”
“Mayor, I should thank you for your gift. It was waiting for me when I arrived,” Gregory said, rising to meet the man.
“Ah, well, what is life without some luxury?” the mayor laughed as he shook their hands, then took a seat. The maid was there a moment later with a cup of tea for him— he didn’t even look at her when he took it. “I wasn’t sure if you’d visit me during the first resupply.”
“How could I not?” Gregory chuckled as he took his seat again. “When a gift is given, it needs to be acknowledged.”
“I don’t mean to be rude, Magi…” Kestral said slowly. “Your clan? It’s not an emblem I can place.”
“Aether’s Guard. The clan fell on hard times, but we are rising again.”
“I had thought they had vanished. How unusual. Rising again, you say?”
Gregory sat back, sipping from his cup. “In the last two years, my clan won the top spot in both tournaments at the academy.” He wasn’t positive if they’d managed it with him and his wives gone, but he would posture a little. “We also were the standouts during the tournament with Buldoun.”
Kestral’s eyes widened slightly as he took a drink, clearly buying time before replying. “I see. The academy is far from here, so we don’t hear what happens there.”
“We’ve recruited the best young magi the academy has seen in the last two years and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.”
“Pettit and his wives singlehandedly led the empire teams to victory against Buldoun,” Willof added. “Without the three of them… the empire might have lost face with our neighbor.”
Kestral glanced at the captain, then back to Gregory. “Not even an adept, yet already making a firm impression… I will have to learn more.” He took another sip of tea. “I trust your men will be well-behaved when on leave in my fair town?”
“If they aren’t, I will make them wish they had been,” Gregory said. “I’d appreciate it if we could continue the friendly relationship we’ve already established.”
“Of course. I’m sure that, in the fullness of time, Aether’s Guard will remember the assistance I’ve given.”
“Depending on the assistance, I will, at the very least.”
“Excellent. If I can make things smoother, just let me know.”
“Gladly,” Gregory smiled. “It’ll be a couple of months before I give my men the day off, as it is. When I do allow it, they’ll be returning before dinner, so that should curtail any extreme issues.”
“True. If they aren’t staying the evening, they shouldn’t cause too much trouble. Has your officer been able to get everything he needed?”
“I know the wine has been handled; we had to stop there first to leave the wagon behind. The rest I will learn in a couple of weeks when we have to resupply again. Meeting you was more important to me for this trip.”
Kestral seemed to puff up a little at that. “I’m very glad you did.”
“Tell me about Gardenia, Mayor. I find history fascinating,” Gregory said, knowing that giving the man his time would look valuable to Kestral.
“My family has been part of Gardenia since shortly after the empire built it…” Kestral began, a proud smile firmly in place.
