Toofy Ch. 03

The other guests were assembled as Sai entered the long hall. Striding passed pictures of his forebears, looking down on him with the disappointment of a fallen house.

Here he was, bringing together a collection of experts to teach and train someone who wasn't even human. He had no heir, and no one who could inherit the estate.

The House of Sai was dying.

As things currently stood, upon his death, the property and responsibilities would revert to the crown. A new lord would either be titled, or it would be given to one of Sai's many rivals.

His precious neko would probably be part of the auction to pay down the many outstanding debts against the land and house. Her freedom could not be guaranteed until she was able to be protected by other lords once Sai was gone.

Even if he freed her, and she didn't simply disappear with her own ambition, it was likely that the crown would ignore it. Freedom wasn't generally accepted unless one was human.

To save her, and to save his house, he needed to follow through with what Twenty Four had told him on her first day.

The renewal of the House would begin with her ambition.

"My lords. Most gracious ladies." Sai said as he stood behind his chair at the head of the table, "Thank you, all, for accepting my invitation on this day. I hope you will all have the opportunity to converse with my new mistress, and that we will all have the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of my estate."

He gestured, and took his seat.

As he did, Twenty Four sat down at his left hand, golden eyes flicking around the room frantically. Not in fear, but analysing the environment. Drinking in the details.

As she sat, the rest began to.

Lord Castelle, who failed to help his wife seat. Demonstrating the cold rift that was growing between the two. A possible sign of the rumours that the lady was preparing for an attempt on her husband's life.

The lord was an expert hunter, which all people in society were expected to show some skill in. Sai had no doubt that Twenty Four did have considerable hunting skills, but what was necessary here was refinement. Learning to hunt in a civilised manner.

His lady was famed for her tea. It was a skill that most ladies of the court were expected to be well versed in. Sai didn't expect his neko to appreciate the importance of tea, but so much of politics happened over tea, and shifting the mood was easiest with nonverbal tools.

On Twenty Four's left was seated the only other nonhuman in the room. There was no one else that Sai knew of to invite for the role of magical expert. In the court, and society, Lord Elatham was renowned. Accepted, despite being an elf.

To Lord Castelle's right, was seated a monk-like figure in brown robes of poor material. This was a servant of the temple, one of their senior archivists. Lord Yu. A man with a terrible temper, a propensity for wine, and a cavernous mind for knowledge. Sai had hesitated, but there were few other senior archivists who would respect his invitation.

Across from Yu, separated from Twenty Four by Lord Elatham was a woman she already knew, and probably despised. The Priestess Efina, who despite her treatment of the neko, was still the leading authority on all things religious. None could represent the temple better, and one did not operate in society without the temple's agreement.

To Yu's right was a dour-looking woman, who was nonetheless striking in her appearance. Whilst she had no official expertise, she wrangled most of the marriages in the city, and private disputes often found themselves in the deft hands of Domina Florence.

To the domina's right was the expert in wine. Sai's lands included many wineries. They might not be fit for the emperor's table, but they were part of his limited influence. Twenty Four would need the help of Lord Vanhern if she was to increase that influence.

Finally, seated beside the priestess, was Lord Westcolm. Without him, all of this was pointless. He had the emperor's ear, and was the only one who could meaningfully vouch for a nonhuman. His knowledge of all the races, their cultures and traditions, ran deep. His expertise in the clashes between them, even moreso.

However, seating Westcolm so far from Twenty Four had been a deliberate choice. Westcolm might be an expert, but that didn't mean he had the slightest respect for those that he studied. He saw all but a handful as little more than animals, and convenient tools.

Sai would not be training his neko in a single seating with these people. Rather, he wanted her to know their names and faces. This was her introduction.

He had originally planned for the domina to sit across from his little cat. She was a woman with her own title and lands, a rarity. Her subtle politics would have been an asset for the woman to learn, but they still had time for that.

"Lord Elatham, it has been a long time." Toofy surprised him by recognising the man, and bowed her head towards the elf. "Toofy does not expect him to remember, but she enjoyed listening to him."

He, for his part, was also surprised. "Oh, no, little neko. The honour is mine. I was quite surprised to be invited by Lord Sai to meet his new mistress, and more surprised when I heard it was my most gifted pupil. I was exceptionally disappointed when the temple decided not to continue your training."

"She was trained to be a mistress, not a magician to perform for the court." The priestess said with an angry derision.

Lord Castelle leaned forward, "Now, this, I would hear. You are acquainted with the lady of the house, my dear elf?"

Elatham smiled smugly, "I was not exaggerating, sir, when I named her as my greatest pupil. She had a talent for magic, of course. All who are not human have it, to some degree or another. But what was truly amazing was her thirst for knowledge, and her ability to apply it so very quickly."

Sai touched his neko's foot with his own, giving her a glance that she needed to cut that particular conversation short.

"You embarrass Twenty Four, sir." She said meekly, "But... We may yet see her magic. She has cast a bet with the Lord Castelle, to show him magic, if he outpaces her at the hunt."

Elatham lit up excitedly, "Truly? You have continued your studies?"

"The lady is embarrassed, sir." Domina Florence interjected, "Perhaps, we can instead speak to this hunt. It has been some time since I have been invited to one, and I hesitated. Bloodsport is not something I generally enjoy, but the conversation, may be another."

As she was still speaking, the servants arrived and began to serve the first portion of the meal. The maids buzzing around and serving a hot soup, whilst Isaac made the rounds, pouring the wine.

"This is what good conversation needs. Good wine." Lord Yu pronounced firmly, "I don't think I can recall many moments in time when good came from any meeting, where the wine was sour."

"The wine may not be my own, but it would hardly be sour." Lord Vanhern laughed, turning his glass in front of him and inspecting the colour, "Though, perhaps, that may not always be the case in future. I heard the blight might have made its way to your lands, Lord Sai. You have my dearest sympathies."

Sai's jaw tightened at the slight, "This is unfortunately true. Though I did only hear of it myself, this very morning. You remain well informed, Lord Vanhern. Perhaps you might also have the knowledge to combat the disease?"

"I do not, sir." Vanhern said grimly, "The blight grips all the land. A third of my own estate is infected. Grapes withering on the vines. It seems almost... Unnatural. Lord Elatham has graciously agreed to investigate if that is the case."

The elf shrugged, "When time permits. The emperor has his own concerns and needs of my magical expertise, unfortunately. He quite drains me dry, some days."

"Drains you, sir? To the point of exhaustion?" Lady Castelle asked in shock.

Twenty Four nodded sadly, "This is often true, for all magus. There is a limit to how much magic you can cast in a day. Little spells are easy. Big spells can kill you, if you attempt to surpass what the gods have allowed of you."

"So you do still have some respect for the gods, then." Efina commented, "I am pleased you have not thrown away all my lessons, in your new found freedom, little one."

"Madame Sai." Toofy snapped at the priestess, "She may be a slave, with collar and bell, but you are beneath her roof, and will show her respect, priestess."

"She has you there, Lady Efina." Westcolm laughed, "Familiarity may be tempting, but you must recall that you are now in the House of Sai, and she is the mistress of the household. She outranks a priestess of the temple."

The priestess bowed her head, "Apologies, to all. A wave of nostalgia has caused me to embarrass myself. I do so enjoy watching those I once taught excel in their new roles."

In all of this talk, Sai had noticed that Lady Castelle hadn't said much. She was remaining quiet, but fidgeting. A considerable difference to the gossiping that had passed between her and the neko when they were outside.

It only took a cautious movement to find that he couldn't touch Toofy's feet anymore, only her shoes, and confirm what he had suspected. The irritating catgirl was busy trying to seduce the lady, rather than paying attention to the people around her.

"Twenty Four is not ungrateful for her lady's tutelage." The catgirl said, with a tiny hint of distracted effort, now that Sai was listening for it. "She has often thought a woman is best taught, by another."

That last comment was probably directed at Lady Castelle.

"Apologies for asking, if this is offensive, but your dialect, Madame Sai." Lord Westcolm suddenly interjected, "I have not had the chance to meet many neko, but most didn't always refer to themselves in the third person. They drifted back and forth."

Toofy grinned lopsidedly, "Twenty Four is afraid that Lord Westcolm is mistaken. A neko calls herself by her name, to be polite. It is only when speaking to someone who has deeply insulted them, that we revert to a syntax alike your own."

The table was surprised that she dared to correct the racial expert, but Westcolm simply nodded, "I was afraid you might say that. It is difficult, studying a race with nothing more than the dregs who get caught by the slavers."

"Twenty Four was not bought from any market." The neko said angrily.

Efina stepped in, "One of my acolytes brought the orphan to the temple, when she was a child. Another victim of the war. Another babe born to a refugee who did not survive. Slavery was merely the fate she was born to, as the gods elected to elevate humanity above all others."

"And they call elves superior." Elatham commented to the neko drily, "Elevated by the gods, indeed. Nothing at all to do with the fact humanity burned down our forests."

"Our?" Lord Castelle asked in surprise, "I know elves are of the old forests, my lord, but it does not seem to me that a cat would hunt in such a place. There are some, of course, but few large cats inhabit those lands."

"Some nekos were once forest dwellers." Toofy said, with a curious sort of tone, "But not her ancestors. The Madame Sai is born of the desert tribes. Her grandfather was a hooktooth."

Efina turned her head, "It has always been strange to me, how it is you know all this, despite being raised by humans as an orphan, little neko."

"Madame Sai." Toofy corrected her again, angrily. As she did, Lady Castelle let out a small whimper.

Elatham raised a hand, "Oh, let us not fight. The answer is quite simple, priestess. In the kindness of the gods, those born to magic, inherit the magic of their ancestors. Every spell that I learn, through great effort, will be passed on to my heirs at their birth, through blood. The knowledge of magic, is not the only knowledge passed in this way."

"Memories, from Twenty Four's tribe." The catgirl nodded sadly, her ears drooping. "She remembers her mother. Her father. Fleeing from the plagues of the north. The war was not kind."

"Many of us fought in it." Lord Castelle said grimly, "You have no need to speak of the atrocities at this table. Today, is meant to be a day of celebration, in your honour."

The cat smiled at him, "Twenty Four's honour? Perhaps. If she wins her little bet, with his lordship."

"Yes. What is this bet?" Lord Westcolm asked, "Lord Castelle gets to see magic, and we get entertained. But what if the impossible happens, and our exotic mistress manages to win the hunt?"

The lord shrugged, "She asked to be entertained by my wife. Something about a vague interest in her tea gardens."

Toofy smiled lopsidedly, "All the gardens, sir."

Lady Castelle was beginning to look flushed. If the neko continued whatever the hell she was doing to the woman, she might actually break. It was reminding Sai of how she'd ministered to him at the breakfast table when he'd been speaking to Isaac.

Which was making him uncomfortably jealous. He had given the girl permission to bed her handmaiden, but he had been quite explicit when he said she wasn't allowed to have sex with his guests.

Maybe he'd given her too much leeway.

He would have to remind her that she belonged to him. That though he had affection for her, she was still his property and was supposed to follow his orders, without question.

The domina spoke quietly, "You are interested in herbology, Madame Sai?"

"Twenty Four learned a little." She nodded slowly, "Afraid not much, and her interests might make the lords, and especially the ladies, uncomfortable. Cultural differences."

Westcolm burst out laughing, a loud and obnoxious sound, "What she means to say, is that her interest in the garden, is finding all the insects she can stuff into her mouth."

"M'lord." Sai cautioned him, as Toofy looked down in embarrassment.

Florence smiled, "Oh? How delightful that you can experience a joy that we cannot. I think, perhaps, we may have questioned and interrogated our exotic mistress enough for one day. Surely you must have some questions, for us?"

Sai thanked the stars he had asked someone so insightful to the table. Of course the domina knew exactly why he had chosen each of them to appear here.

Toofy, however, was distracted. Whilst pretending to be focused on her food, her eyes were flicking to Lady Castelle's with quite the frequency. Whatever she was doing, was reaching an important turning point.

"Twenty Four must admit, she has heard of many of your names. She feels herself overwhelmed by the breadth of power here." The neko said quietly, "She has only studied heraldry, not met many lords."

Westcolm was intrigued by her, "Power? Yes, I suppose you could say we represent some level of authority throughout the empire. Whilst few of us can say we are honoured to know the emperor, most of us do make decisions that are wide reaching... But it is curious that it is power you notice, and not knowledge."

"My girls are trained to find and exploit the weaknesses in others, as a form of power, sir." Efina said quietly, "A mistress cannot well serve her master, if his enemies continue to threaten him. She must find, analyse, and destroy them. Without mercy, hesitation, or regret. This is the will of the gods."

Lord Castelle raised his eyebrows, "Whilst I doubt any of us would not say that your girls are not great hunters, it is surprising to hear you admit it so openly, Lady Efina."

The priestess shrugged, "I raise them as shields for their masters. There is never any secret to that. I have been proud to have taught girls who have sacrificed their lives for our emperor and his safety. But, in recent times, I have felt that a defensive strategy, alone, does not best serve their masters."

"Twenty Four has always been a hunter." Toofy said, eyes fixed on the Lady Castelle. "Her family were a desert tribe. We follow, and wear down our prey, before we pounce. It is not authority that gives power, but the will to act. Your names are all held high, attached not to titles, but to actions. This is how Twenty Four knows you."

Sai leaned back in his chair and gestured for the neko's handmaiden to approach. The woman curtsied, "M'lord?"

He whispered, extremely quietly, in her ear, "Either get your mistress to stop playing with Lady Castelle, or I'll cut out her tongue."

"M'lord." The handmaiden curtsied again.

There was another buzz of activity, which is why Sai had timed it as he had, as the staff returned to serve the main meal. It wasn't exactly lavish, considering the state of the estate's farms, but it wasn't common fare, either.

Unlikely to impress his guests, but enough to ensure he didn't fall too far in their eyes.

Isaac finished the serving, and then gave a quick rundown of the midday meal. "For today's bounty, we have freshly boiled potatoes, part roasted turnip and carrot, served beneath a thick gravy. To the side, we have fillet of venison, cooked in red wine, with a cranberry glazing. Served with a dash of diced pork."

Sai glanced over to make sure that Toofy had received the earlier message, but he struggled not to laugh as he did. The cat's eyes were wide and she was practically drooling as she stared at the meat on her plate.

The temple had sent him home with several missives about how to care for his new neko slave. Whilst she could eat vegetables such as potato, they wouldn't provide her with nutrients.

Toofy was a carnivore, all the way through.

Turning his attention to the victim of his irrepressible mistress, he could see a few tinges of relief, and tiredness, but surprisingly also some disappointment.

He found it... Aggravating.

Sai wasn't just Toofy's master, he was also her paramour. The only who should be looking his neko with that kind of desire, disappointed or otherwise, should be himself.

He allowed her to play with her handmaiden, but that was all that was. A game, entertainment for someone he couldn't give the appropriate attention to.

The handmaiden was a part of his household, acknowledging him as lord and master of the domain in which she was allowed to exist. She knew the hierarchy.

Toofy belonged to him.

The entire table was waiting for Sai, eyes turned to him, as he gazed around them. It wasn't unusual for a lord to take a few moments, or give a small speech.

Almost the entire table. His neko was staring at her food, with white knuckles clenching on her chair as she struggled to resist tearing into it violently.

He hadn't actually shared a meal with her yet. This would be their first. The thought hadn't occurred to Sai until that moment.

He picked up his wine glass and lifted it, "To Twenty Four, may she find a home among us, and bring honour to the name of Madame Sai."

"Hear, hear." The others answered the toast, whilst the neko didn't even seem to notice it.

He gave a small sip, and then began to cut his food. The others turned their attention back to their meals and conversation. Breaking off into discussions of the local politics among those closest to them.

Sai nudged Toofy's foot, and whispered, "That means you can eat."

She looked up at him, ears flattening as she stared at him with eyes full of desire, and a trembling bottom lip.

He frowned, "Is something the matter, my mistress? Something not living up to your expectations?"

"T... Toofy wants it." She swallowed, "But... She can't eat it."

"Excuse me?" Sai said with an insulted tone, "The chef prepared this meal especially for you, Twenty Four. The venison was hunted by my gamekeeper this morning."

"I... It isn't for servant ears." The catgirl said meekly.

Sai rolled his eyes and stood, "Apologies. It appears a personal matter requires my brief attention. Please, continue."

He held out his arm which Toofy took and stepped out into the hallway with her. He grabbed her almost instantly by one of her ears and hissed, "What the hell has got into you?"