“I am going to the Citadel for the Winter Reception,” said Dorius plainly.

  Hart started at the unexpected admission, but kept his stance square and his hands behind his back. Val kept her eyes lowered, leaning on her axe near the doorway.

  They had just returned from the road, both covered still with sweat and dust. Val stood a head and half over Hart, hunching slightly in Dorius’ study to fit her horns. She was heavily armored in plain padded gambeson and brigandine armor.

  “You will be hired,” continued Dorius, beginning to slide contracts across his desk, “to accompany me. The estate will be paying for armor and clothing for the Company to act as my retinue, and enough bulls. I’ve also purchased some talon steeds from a stable at the Citadel. There is another contract there for some men to meet their escorts and bring the mounts to us.”

  Hart gently picked up the contracts, beginning to sort them, “Strand knows?” he asked, naming his second.

  Dorius nodded, and rose from his seat. A carpenter passed through the study with a quick bow, a fabric screen masked the construction beyond.

  “Strand is aware and already has some of the logistics worked out. There is one more thing though…” Dorius tucked his hands within his robes, made of elegant pewter grey brocade with raised golden designs. His eyes were on his sleeves as he spoke, “I will be purchasing Val’s full time employment from you. There is a contract there with the terms.”

  Val raised her head, just as Dorius did the same, and there was a barely contained grin of self-satisfaction on his face when their eyes met.

  “As a full-time retainer?” clarified Hart.

  “As my bodyguard. If I am to confront my family, I will need all the tools I can get my hands on if I am to make an impression. “

  Hart frowned sternly, “You know we charge triple the price for her. Some of our clients will be disappointed to learn she’s no longer available.”

  “Cash flow is not the concern it used to be. You will get plenty of new work if we can strengthen our connections inland to the rest of the Fourth Pentarchy,” dismissed Dorius.

  Hart shuffled, unable to object to the point, so he asked instead, “Val?”

  Val blinked at the question, and muttered, “If it’s what Dorius wants, it’s fine.”

  Hart pulled on his harness, resettling his twin axes, “Well then, I’ll go review these and get them back to you tonight. Val, you’re dismissed, drop by the staging yards when you are free then?”

  Val nodded as he collected the documents and passed out of the study, and then looked at Dorius who was grinning at her with the biggest shit-eating grin she’d ever seen on his face. She couldn’t help herself, and gave him her own smile, which seemed to break any chance he had of containing his own joy, and he sat and put his feet up on his desk.

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  She came to sit on the edge, shrugging off her axe and leaning it against the side of the desk. There was the sound of hammering beyond the fabric sheets, but the noise of construction had become a familiar backdrop at the estates in recent months.

  “How long have you been planning this?” she asked.

  His grin would not budge, “Oh you know. There’s a room here for you included, and a personal stipend. All of your equipment will come from the estate now - the very best I can afford, given you’ll be at my side.”

  “I’ve only done personal guarding contracts a few times?”

  “You’ll be fine. Half of the job is just you standing there and looking like you do, I do have a special request though…” Val studied Dorius as his grin slipped, “I’m not sure what we will walk into, it will be the first time I am to meet most of my family. I think it would be best if we don’t give too much away…”

  Val hesitated, “What do you mean?”

  “I’m not asking much from you, just be silent, and act a little like old Jake, like you’ve taken too many blows to the head. I want them to underestimate us…”

  Val grunted in the back of her throat, “Oh,” she replied a little bitterly.

  Dorius continued undeterred, “Based on what Elias has told me, it will be to our advantage to cultivate their assumptions and prejudices.”

  “That… It doesn’t matter,” Val took a breath and pushed away from the desk, “When will we leave?”

  Dorius, returning to business, shuffled the documents on his desk nervously, “I’ve given Strand my requests. He should be back with the details by tomorrow at the latest. I’ve got a few other contracts to finalize as well…”

  “Guild Steward says yes,” Bastian burst into the study without a knock, “Oh Val you’re back! Did you tell her?” he paused as they both looked at him, and seeing Val’s face immediately asked, “What’s wrong?”

  Dorius shot a glance at Val, who turned from them both and began to undo the buckles of her harness, “I assume you mean my employment with Dorius? Yes, I’ve been told.”

  Bastian turned on Dorius, his brows knitted and mouthed an accusation at him silently. Dorius did not meet his gaze, his hands were busy at his desk.

  “And you’re accepting? I’ve signed a similar contract, we’ll be working together again.” Bastian kept his voice light, and his eyes on Dorius in reprimand.

  Val turned back to them, curious, “As a bodyguard?”

  Bastian laughed, “Watcher, could you imagine? No. Same thing I do for the Company really, a bit of everything. I figure we’ll work it out as we go along.”

  “Are you accepting?” asked Dorius, hands propped on his desk, spinning one of his rings around one knuckle.

  Val folded her harness in her hands, her silence dragging on just long enough to be uncomfortable, then raised a hand to scratch the base of one horn at her chin. “Of course,” she replied, her voice mild and gentle.

  Dorius visibly relaxed as she spoke.