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Olivia allowed the inn bedroom door to swing open. When it hit the hall, she took a step inside, her hand on the sword at her side. Her brown orbs examined the chamber. Her shoulders lowered and she let go of her blade, she glanced over her shoulder to the maid behind her.
“It’s safe,” she informed, giving the other woman space to enter.
The blue-eyed maid studied her quarters, she turned to her armed companion. “Thank you.”
“Don’t worry,” she said, “this is what I’m getting paid to do. If you need me, I’ll be in the next room. Not for now, though. I’m going out, see if I can find the man Sir Crawford spoke of.”
“The counselor of the Count,” nodded the maid. “Perhaps I should join you, it’ll be my position, after all.”
Benson raised a hand, the light from the candles reflecting on her gauntlet. “I know you don’t think you need protection, but your lord hired me to do it. I wouldn’t be doing my job right if I were to take you with me,” she said.
The younger woman pressed her lips together tight, her eyes grew cold for an instant, but she sighed and shook her head. “Very well,” she laid her bag on the ground. “I guess all I can do now is rest.”
“Thank you,” said Benson, “for trusting me on this. I won’t be long. If you need anything, go to the innkeeper, I spoke to her, she’ll keep anyone who bothers you away. Or you can come to my room if I have already returned.”
“Alright,” said the maid. “Good luck finding the counselor. Hopefully, he won’t be too unpleasant.”
A small smirk appeared on the older woman’s features. “Hopefully. Good night.”
“Good night.”
The bedroom door closed. Benson considered the door of her own bedroom, the weight of her armor back in her mind as she considered her options.
She entered her chambers, her helmet the first piece to go, followed by her gauntlets and vambraces, the couters were also removed. She regarded her reflection in the mirror and decided her figure was intimidating enough.
She stopped by the door, hand on her sword. She left the room armed.
Apart from three drunks debating their horses, the ground floor of the inn was quiet. The warrior approached the counter with ease, where the innkeeper busied herself by cleaning.
“How is your friend doing?” the black woman asked without raising her eyes.
“She’s doing good,” said Olivia, “thank you.”
“How can I be of assistance?” prompted the innkeeper, facing the other woman.
“I’m supposed to speak to a Barba, he’s a counselor of the Count, do you know where I can find him?” questioned the warrior.
The younger woman grinned. “Your maid must be important if she needs to contact the counselor,” she continued cleaning, “You’re in luck, down the street there’s a tavern, Forlini’s Beer and Bread. The counselor is often there, you might find him there. At this time, he’s definitely there or on his way there.”
“Thank you,” said Olivia, “anything I should know about him?”
The innkeeper paused, tipped her head. “Don’t bullshit him and keep the sword on you, but don’t be rude. He respects knights, but only the good ones.”
The older woman’s hand went to her weapon, she shook her head. “Very well, let’s see what he is about then.”
The air at Forlini’s held the scent of cooked chicken and beer. Had Olivia missed dinner, her stomach would have growled at her. The crowd wasn’t the expected for a regular tavern. The drunk were quiet beside their friends or alone, and the men not inebriated paid her little mind even after identifying her as a woman. She saw a raised eyebrow or two, but glances escaped her as soon as they processed her.
The knight made her way to the counter, she met eyes with the boy working behind it, he rushed to her. “Yes, what can I do for you? A beer perhaps?”
“I’ll pass. I’m actually looking for counselor Barba, is he here?” she asked.
The boy blinked, shook his head. “Right. Ah, four chairs to your right, in the corner,” he shifted on his feet, bit his lower lip. “He isn’t in the best of moods, though.”
“Do you know what he likes to drink?”
He furrowed his brows. “I do, yes.”
“Get him a cup of it, on me.”
The boy smiled. “I see, I’ll be right on it. Good luck.”
“Thank you, Mr…?”
“Call me Marius.”
“Thank you, Marius,” she said.
Benson took a deep breath and made her way towards the man sitting in the corner on his own. His plate was almost empty and he had his eyes on a piece of paper. She waited for him to lay it on the counter before getting closer and taking a seat beside him.
“Counselor Barba?” she tilted her head.
“Who’s asking?” he questioned, raising his attention to her. He studied her armor, her sword, then her features. “You are not from around here, are you?”
“How can you tell?” she asked.
“I’m good with faces,” he said, “Who are you, Dame? What brings you to this county?”
Olivia analyzed him. “I’m Olivia, I was hired to transport a maid to this county, she’s to be sent to the house of a Lord Krendler, a baron.”
“You’re a knight, you were hired for her safety I presume, correct?” questioned Barba.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
He shook his head. “Your maid has a confused boss. Is he in debt?”
She frowned. “None that I’ve been informed off, I was paid in full, no problems.”
The counselor narrowed his eyes, he ran a hand through his chin. “He isn’t telling you everything.” He waved the thought away. “Lord Krendler is a pest in this county. We’ll be lucky to be rid of him as soon as possible. We have yet to be done with him because the viscount of Muskrat still has a say in the matter and the Count is too busy with other situations now. Anyway, is she young? The maid? I wouldn’t send any woman to Lord Krendler, especially not a young one.”
“She is young, yes,” said Olivia.
Barba nodded, he held her gaze. “It won’t do to have her sent to Krendler. Listen now, come to the castle tomorrow with the maid, I have an idea of how to keep her out of trouble.”
The knight furrowed her brow. “Why are you doing this?”
“Why did you come here without her to see me?” he prompted.
“I didn’t know it would be safe.”
The counselor grinned. “You’re committed to your job and to doing it well, so am I. My mother was a maid, gods know what they go through in the house of certain men. Meet me in the castle tomorrow, I’ll make sure your maid friend is safe.”
Marius laid a cup before the other man.
“Perfect timing, Marius,” said Olivia, “the counselor here deserves a good drink.” She smiled.
Counselor Barba stood at the castle entrance hall, Olivia removed her helmet at the sight of him and strode in his direction.
“Is that him?” the maid following her questioned.
“Yes,” said the knight.
“He has an eye for fine things,” observed the younger woman. She regarded her surroundings. “I see where it comes from, I haven’t seen a place like this before.”
The towers were forty meters high, the halls were large and decorated with exquisite taste. It made the maid swallow, she found a hunger within her she couldn’t name.
“Counselor,” Olivia called. The man spun in her direction, he faced her, then paused as he studied the maid beside her.
Barba released a sigh and walked to them. “Sir Benson, good to see you again,” he said, “and this is your friend.”
“Starling,” said the maid.
“A pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” he said. He met Olivia’s eyes. “She most definitely can’t be placed under Lord Krendler. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” He watched Starling. “I’ll speak to the Countess on your behalf.”
“About what precisely, Rafael?” a woman’s voice questioned from behind him.
The Countess wore the finest piece Starling had ever seen, her eyes were of a maroon color that made them seem red at times. Her hair was dark, her features harmonic and breathtaking. Her gait spoke of absolute noble blood.
“Your grace,” the counselor, the knight, and the maid bowed.
Counselor Rafael Barba presented a smile. “Your grace, this is Starling, she was sent by Sir Crawford to be a maid at the house of Lord Krendler. The situation worries me, as you know Lord Krendler hasn’t the best history on the county and, frankly, I’d sleep better at night if she could be sent somewhere else.”
Maroon irises regarded the maid, a pleasant beam accompanying them. “What name did your mother give you, child?”
“Clarice, your grace.” said the younger woman.
“Clarice,” she tested the sound, “lovely name. Clarice, may I call you Clarice?”
“Of course, your grace.”
“Thank you,” the countess said. “You see, Rafael here is clever, he knows I have every intention of pestering my eldest until he finds a wife, especially now that his father is ill. And the counselor is also aware that I’ll need a handmaid soon when the next Countess is chosen. In this castle, we’re fair, we’re demanding and we pay for it well. I know the look in your eyes, Clarice, and I think you’re precisely what I’ve been searching for. I’ll send word to Lord Krendler and to Sir Crawford, you’re to stay with us. I’ll see to it that Lord Krendler is sent a maid who’s prepared to deal with his indiscretions.” The woman turned to the counselor. “There you have it, Rafael. Is there anything else you wish to discuss today?”
“No, your grace, that would be all,” he said, smiling at her.
“Good, because the count needs me and I need word sent to my son. I want him home soon, his studies can wait, we need his eye if the count is to live,” she declared. “There’s a lot to prepare, the season will begin soon. I need both him and Mischa at their best and ready.”
“I’ll send word to the young master,” said Rafael, “take care of the count, your grace. We’re all wishing him the best.”
She nodded. “I know,” she faced the maid, “follow me, Clarice.”
The two women walked away into the castle.
Olivia sighed. “Thank you for that,” she said.
Barba smiled. “Just doing my job. Krendler isn’t a good man, he’d have dishonored this girl at the first chance he got.”
“She wouldn’t have gone down easily,” observed Benson, “in another life, she’d be a knight like me. She can do incredible things with a sword.”
The counselor turned to the knight. “Good for her. This is a good place, the family is good. She’ll be safe here, I’ll be watching,” he assured. “And you? Are you staying? I’m certain we could find you a position for someone like you.”
The woman frowned. “You know nothing about me.”
He chuckled. “You’re Olivia Benson, the woman knight, I’ve heard the songs. I heard of Sir Cragen, great knights followed his footsteps, I hear you’re one of his best.”
“Word travels fast, huh?” she commented.
“When Lord Krendler is involved, yes. I asked around after we met at the tavern,” he held her gaze. “Here’s something: no one expects the count to survive. He’s a good man, but this sickness, we’ve seen it before, it could take down a bear. When his son comes and takes his place, we’ll work on Krendler and on the viscount who protects him. And there will be heat because of it, specifically, there’ll be heat towards me. They know me and I might need a sword to guard my back. What do you say?”
Olivia studied him. “You knew I was coming.”
He shrugged. “I might have heard word of it. I didn’t know the specifics, but when I saw you at the tavern I could tell they had been singing the truth. You’re Cragen’s pupil, he isn’t a sword you want to have as an enemy, he’s good at what he does. I’d trust him to have my back, but I don’t have him, I have you.”
“This is why you helped me and Starling.”
“That too, but I do despise Krendler. Well? May we have a good breakfast to discuss the matter? On me?”
Benson watched him. “Alright, counselor. I’m listening.”
He beamed. “Good, come with me, this could be a promising partnership.”
They walked out of the entrance hall together.