ALL NOVEL [54] Left Hand of the Salstars
Tanisha sat facing Joha, who was explaining different salesman tactics in one of the common areas. Æsa interrupted to retrieve Tanisha, to prepare her for the banquet. It would be starting in a few hours, and they wanted to make sure she was properly dressed and prepared. They returned to Tanisha’s room where three other servants were waiting.
Tanisha used her Identify on the group of ladies.
Identify
Name: Roskva Yulu
Race: Wendigo
Level: 6
Vocation: Noncombatant
Identify
Name: Hervor Faas
Race: Wendigo
Level: 5
Vocation: Noncombatant
Identify
Name: Ranveig Kole
Race: Wendigo
Level: 10
Vocation: Mystic Swordswoman
“Ah, and there she is,” Hervor said with a wide smile. “She looks as cute as a flower. What a gorgeous tiara as well.”
The women were all snowfallen wendigo, and all introduced themselves. Shortly after, Tanisha was embarrassed as they stripped her down and took her to the bath to wash and scrub her down. They worked on her hair, and Tanisha found she was not alone. Helina was getting the same treatment and loving every minute of it.
When they returned to the room they measured and fit her for a new formal outfit. A montage of trying on various dresses, robes and accessories ensued. Tanisha could not help but think of her life before she was kicked out and lived in the academy. As a little girl the Salstar servants would dress her for events, and her older sister would always put on her accessories. A pang of sadness washed over her, knowing that her sister was gone and she was now a shai.
She also remembered her mother’s Right Hand Thyra; a mean lady that would always discipline her and her siblings. Thyra believed in etiquette and manners above all else; as a lady of the Salstars, Tanisha, or as she was known then Freja, needed to exude class at all times. Tanisha remembered hearing that the woman was actually a powerful mage, although Tanisha didn’t remember ever seeing her use magic.
Tanisha shook the thoughts from her head as Ranveig secured a black sash around her waist, completing the outfit. She was in a red dress with a sash around her waist tied in a big bow. Her hair was slightly shorter, as they’d cut off all of the split ends. Tanisha was finally able to see herself when the ladies brought her a mirror.
“Wow, I look…” Tanisha had a huge smile on her face as spun around to see everything. “I look good…”
The door to her room opened and Æsa walked in with Bjorn. Tanisha’s eyes lit up when she saw her familiar, and she swore he struck a pose when she saw him. He was in a modified red cloth horse barding. His antlers were decorated in the same style as her own, with red and blue feathers. He looked at her and let out an approving growl that must have sounded threatening to everyone else because they backed away. Tanisha reached up, and he lowered one of his heads. She nuzzled him.
“Don’t you look handsome too, my Big Man.” Tanisha said lovingly.
The banquet was taking place in one of the large training fields, which had been decorated in white and baby-blue. Four rows of tables were set up; each had expensive looking dishware placed on it. A stage at the far end had a band of string instruments, which gave the area the ambiance of sophistication. There were many people already there; the survivors from the village made up only about half of the attendees.
Tanisha saw many people she had not seen before, including of other races such as a kumiho couple. Their nine fox tails and long ears were a dead give away even without Identify. Æsa led Tanisha and Bjorn to a special table where Joha and the goblins were already sitting. Bjorn had his own large bowl on a separate smaller table behind them.
Tanisha couldn’t help but notice there were other bowls placed on the table for familiars that had yet to show up. Tanisha didn’t get the chance to ask about them before Helina squealed in excitement and ran over to her, complementing her appearance. Female goblins were always beautiful, and Helina was no exception to that rule. She wore a black dress which sparkled with magic, giving it the effect of a tiny star in the night sky. Tanisha couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous of the small woman's beauty and curves, but that feeling was quickly taken away by maya under Tanisha’s manipulation.
The small woman grabbed Tanisha’s hand and happily led her to a seat between her and Joha. The tiger demon was in what Tanisha assumed was formal clothing from his homeland. He wore a silk lime-green and asymmetric sherwani with beautiful golden patterns across the outfit. A matching dupatta rested across his broad shoulders. Owen and the boys were in matching black outfits, but Tanisha couldn’t get as good a look at them.
The Isi family entered the banquet area, all of them in, white, baby blue and black; the family colors. Kolbien, Hrolf and Tyr all had a shoulder cape with their coat of arms embroidered on it. They slowly made their way around, talking with everyone over the course of the next ten minutes.
When they finally made it to the merchant's table, Tanisha caught Tyr’s eyes. They didn’t get time to talk beyond simple compliments on each other's appearance before Kolbien moved the family on, finally taking seats at a table that faced everyone in the banquet. Kolbien and Hrolf took the stage, and the band stopped playing. Servants with trays of drinks quickly served everyone in the venue. The patriarch of the Isi stood proud as he opened his mouth to speak.
“Friends and family, ladies and gentlemen, our esteemed guests, tonight we gather to dine and to honor the courage, sacrifice and unbreakable spirit of heroes among us,” Kolbien said, his voice strong and confident. On que, a servant offered him and Hrolf drinks. “It is with utmost gratitude that I raise my glass to Joha of the Rakshasa, Tanisha the mage and arcanist, Owen and Helina the extraordinary merchants. Their deeds have saved not only my life, but half of all here today.”
Tanisha could not help but glance into the faces of everyone at the banquet. Their eyes looked over the merchant's table. The villagers knew them, but the others were studying them with newfound interest. They were especially looking at her, and Tanisha wasn’t sure why. Thinking it was all in her head she turned her attention back to the patriarch on the stage, who had been continuing his speech.
He spoke on for a few more minutes then raised his glass in a cheer. Everyone cheered and drank; Tanisha’s glass held flavored water but everyone of drinking age had a traditional wendigo milk-wine. Wendigo being obligate carnivores had a difficult time with other alcohols, although Tanisha saw some of the non-wendigo guests with red wine and champagne.
Once the toast was over servants rolled out large haunches of meats in various stages of cooked, from raw to well-done. They walked around and cut directly from the haunch onto the waiting plate of whomever they passed. They served the Isi family first, then the merchant table before everyone else. After them came more and more courses of meat, from beef to poultry and seafood. Tanisha saw some of the non-wendigo being served salad and vegetables.
The banquet became lively as food and drinks flowed and people conversed. Tanisha talked cheerily with her companions, really feeling like she could let her guard down. It was nice to be amongst people that she could trust again. She felt they truly had her back.
After a while people from other tables came over to speak with them. Many of the villagers paid their respects, and the other, obviously more influential guests inquired about their goods and services for networking. More than a few wendigo asked about Tanisha’s mage status and if she was a noble. She waved off any talks of nobility.
“No-no, I am an alchemist potion maker. Joha is my arcanist teacher and Helina my magic instructor,” Tanisha responded.
At some point into the evening Tyr came over and requested a dance. Tanisha was nervous but accepted, and the two danced to the music along with several other couples, including Helina and Owen who were both very tipsy.
They weren’t able to dance for long before the sound of wings flapping overhead arrested everyone’s attention. A wyvern familiar landed in an adjacent field; worst of all Tanisha swore she recognized it. The orange and red scales were a rarity amongst wyvern, and unmistakable as a familiar.
Two figures hopped down off the back of the Wyvern; both women in the veiled uniform of a Right or Left Hand. The first woman Tanisha recognized even before her Identify confirmed it. Her uniform had the navy blue of the Salstar domain.
Identify
Name: Thyra Ilsori
Race: Wendigo
Level: ??
Vocation: Sanguine Mage
Tanisha didn’t know what she wanted to do; why was Thyra here? She was the Left hand of Ingrid, Tanisha’s mother, and a mage that had served their family for decades. The Hands were sent out to neighboring domains for various reasons; usually negotiation, trade or other political needs. So the fact she was there didn’t mean her mother was, thankfully. Still this was a tenuous situation, and Tanisha wanted to get as far away from her as possible.
The second woman had on the green, red and white associated with the Nazem noble house. Tanisha could guess that she was one of the Hands of Nazem.
Identify
Name: Isgeror Dal
Race: Wendigo
Level: 4
Vocation: Noncombatant