Bennit managed to keep his face neutral and subservient as he opened the door. Of all the things he had expected to see in his new Lord’s bedroom, it was not the Lord kneeling before his bedwarmer, who had a sheet wrapped firmly around her. He hadn’t liked how he’d forced Suzsise to dress last night, but he knew the way of things.

  Her mother had been a bed warmer, her grandmother had as well, and likely all her ancestors going back a hundred years. His only hope of saving her would be to wait for Master Alboim to toss her aside and then ask him for her. For now, at the very least, he could be there to share her burden.

  Bennit smoothed his face almost before the door finished swinging open. He carried a covered tray and gently set it on the desk as he closed the door with his foot. Bowing formally, he placed his right hand over his heart and intoned, “Good morning, my lord. Good morning, Su- I mean, cat-girl. I hope your night passed well. I have taken the liberty of bringing you your breakfast, My Lord.” He handled a small bundle of cloth to the girl.

  Lord Alboim had the decency to climb out of the bed and go to the desk. The curtains closed quietly. Bennit was faced, however, with the silhouette of her quickly changing into the higher-status clothing he had brought her. God of Light! She is so beautiful. I hope that someday she can forgive me for what I have done to her.

  “Is there enough for the three of us?” Master asked. Bennit quickly suppressed a confused look at the interruption and set his expression to a smooth neutrality as Lord Alboim continued. “And Suzsise is still Suzsise. I will not be changing anyone’s names. In fact, I don’t want slaves at all. How do I free you guys?”

  Suzsise shook her head sadly from behind the curtain. “I’ve already told you, Master, non-humans cannot be freed. Human slaves can be, but it is expensive.”

  “One gold crown.” Bennit added. “The king places a tax of one gold crown to free a human slave like me. That is as much as a laborer makes in a month.”

  “So, I have been gifted two slaves but have no way to free either of you. I’ll have to speak with Aunt Elspith about this. I hope I’ll be able to go back home eventually, but we’re stuck with each other until that happens.” Master smiled grimly. “Are you aware of my situation?”

  As Alboim spoke, Bennit had been busy pouring tea into a small delicate cup. “I was told a little, my lord. You were brought here from another world by accident. Would you like any honey in your tea, my Lord?”

  Master shook his head no, and Bennit handed the unsweetened cup to him. “I trained to become Mistress Elspith’s butler’s replacement, My Lord. I will assist you in any way I can; that is my duty as your butler.” He could not help but keep a hint of pride out of his voice. Butlers were the most valued and important slaves. Only the ruthlessly competent could become, and stay, one. “If you would like, I can research your legal options. If you dislike slavery so much, however, it will be very hard to operate as a lord should.”

  “I care more about being able to look myself in the mirror.” the lord answered. “I do not plan to stay in this place any longer than I have to. And now that I have been gifted,” his voice took on a bitter quality, “the two of you as slaves I have a responsibility to you as well. I cannot just abandon you. I cannot believe how whiny I sound right now, but all I want to do is go home. There’s no place like it, and I need to get back to my family.”

  Did Dobsen ever have headaches like these? Bennit kept his face impassive. “Until that time, my lord, you must cooperate with those around you. We all must do things we dislike,” he carefully did not look at Suzsise, who had now emerged from the bed dressed in a simple but elegant black linen dress with a bit of snow-white lace around the edges and emphasizing her bust-line, “for the sake of larger goals.”

  “So, owning slaves is like forcing a five-year-old to brush his teeth.” Sarcasm dripped from Alboim’s lips like poison honey.

  The lord was getting angry. Bennit had to do something to defuse the situation. “No lord. Merely that you are in a position to do nothing without allies. Alienating those who would work with you is counterproductive. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. But that step must be made with deliberation and care, after the proper preparations, else you will fail in the middle of your journey.” Bennit counseled. He changed the subject.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “I have brought you eggs over-easy, fresh redwood bark rolls with butter as well as some porridge. But not enough for all of us. My Lady Elspith has informed me that until your household is set up, she will provide for your slaves. I have already eaten.”

  “OK.” Their looks of confusion led him to explain the Americanism. “And we will have to get together sometime today to figure out how we will get along with each other.” Master looked at her, and with a start, Suzsise realized she had been staring at the food in front of them. “Would you like some breakfast, Suzsise?”

  She froze. A lifetime of training rebelled at the thought. “No, Master! I cannot take your food. Your needs come first, second, and last.” That had been pounded into her head since her earliest memories. The master’s wish was her duty to fulfill.

  “Eat the bread.” he ordered. “If you do not eat right, you will not grow to your full potential. Bennit, butter the bread and drizzle some honey onto it before you give it to her.” The Master took the bowl of porridge, a savory affair with cubes of vegetables and shreds of chicken, and ate a few bites, then switched to the eggs. There were two of them, with vibrant orange yolks. The first bite was like a flavor-bomb in his mouth. “What are these? They’re even better than the eggs from Mr. Henderson’s chickens!”

  “You have chicken eggs on your world? It must be a rich place indeed, my Lord.” Bennit answered. “These are duck eggs from the castle kitchens.”

  Suzsise watched him as Bennit complied and handed the roll to her without comment. Only a single arched eyebrow betrayed his surprise at their new master’s generosity. Still, he was glad that their lord seemed to care so much about his property. It bode well for their future, assuming he survived. Given the Brantle family history, that was not assured.

  She took the bread and nibbled at one end. Soft bread like this was reserved for Mistress Elspith’s table, so for the slave girl it was a rare treat. She hesitated, stopping after only a few bites, but her stomach complained loudly. “Eat it all.” Master demanded, and she did. Bennit smiled. The master was already skilled at using her training to get Suzsise to do what she wanted to do, anyway.

  “Well,” Master stated after wolfing down the eggs and between bites of porridge. “It seems that I am Lady Elspith’s nephew. My father and mother fled this world to the one I grew up on after the king branded them traitors. I was mistaken for Father because my arwa is similar to his, and am stuck here for at least six months until the magic circle that links your world and mine can be reestablished.”

  “Yes, my lord,” Bennit answered. “That is the gist of what Lady Elspith’s butler told me. I am to function as your butler for the duration of your stay here.” The young slave hesitated before adding, “It is my, and Suzsise’s, task to answer any questions you may have.”

  “OK then. First question, Bennit, what is a butler?” Alboim asked.

  “The highest ranking slave. A butler is a close confident of the master, who works to coordinate his household to his master’s benefit. I would be responsible for all your other slaves, your correspondence with other nobles, your household finances, and any trade your house carries out.” Bennit replied.

  “So, an executive secretary with overtones of overseer.” Alboim smiled. “You are, in essence, my right-hand man.”

  “If you say so, my lord. As you have such a small staff, my main duties will be to coordinate with the Lady Elspith’s staff, at least until you are properly set up.” Bennit bowed low. “I will perform my duties to the best of my ability.”

  “Suzsise called herself a construct. What is that?” Alboim asked Bennit.

  “Humans, elves, and dwarfs are natural creatures, created by God on other worlds. There are other natural races, though they are rare here, or only encountered on the worlds God created them on. No natural race is native to Iosa. It is said that the elves came first, then the dwarfs and lastly men arrived. Mages of the three of God’s races mingled their own essence with that of animals for various reasons, and these hybrid creatures are the constructed.” Bennit shrugged. “Some of these experiments were more successful than others. Cat-people are relatively rare, though they breed in large litters.” Suzsise, for example, was one of only two survivors from a litter of eight. “Many kittens die before they reach five years, and they are popular as bed warmers for humans. If a human mates successfully with a constructed, their offspring will most likely look more human than constructed, so they are regularly crossbred back into themselves lest a constructed be born able to pass as human.”

  Suzsise, he failed to mention, was about as close to human as allowed. Under normal circumstances, she would be sterilized, or sent to a breeding center to reinforce her children’s feline features. Her brother had been castrated before being sent to the vineyards.

  The last of the porridge was devoured, and Suzsise had long ago finished the roll. “I believe that my first order of business is to speak with Aunt Elspith. I have to think of a few ways to repay her largess.” Alboim rummaged through his bag, pulling out a thin, silvery rectangle. Seeing her confusion, he answered Suzsise’s unasked question, “This is called a micro comp.” He opened it and muttered to himself, “Damn, it's only half charged, maybe good for three or four hours. Hope I have the solar charger with me.” He rummaged further and produced another strange-looking device. “Good! It is here. All hope of modern technology is not lost.”