When The Petal Fell

17-1

17

With Pirizd managing to still seem as perfect as usual, despite languishing in the interrogation room for hours, and travelling for days before that without any kind of washing facilities, he, Klaron and Sora arrived at the Thought Mage Hall shortly before ten bells.

As opposed to the last time, she and Sora had visited, Klaron noticed the Hall now abuzz with people. Moving between rooms, climbing up and down the elaborate staircase, standing and talking. The older woman, that had met them before, no longer sat behind the desk beside the door. Instead, a younger man with a fake smile regarded them as they entered the Hall.

Upon Pirizd entering, the people in attendance began murmuring and staring. Pirizd, at home, strode through the entranceway, greeting people as he moved, drinking in the adoring stares, shaking hands, flirting. Klaron pursed her lips. They weren't here for the man to parade around like some conquering hero, back from some high adventure. She coughed and scowled at Pirizd as he turned around, looking as if he had this second noticed her.

"Ah. Yes." Pirizd sidled up to the front desk where the young man with the fake smile, stared at Pirizd with undisguised lust. "Winfrd. Be an absolute darling and find Old Sefro for me. I'd be terribly grateful."

Winfrd almost fell over his chair trying to rush to complete the task Pirizd had given him. Pirizd watched the man race through a nearby door and raised his perfect arched eyebrow as he stared at the man's backside. Once Winfrd disappeared, Pirizd sighed and returned his attention to Klaron and Sora.

"Patrons' blood, man. Can you try not being you for just a little while?" Sora scowled at the looks of the people in the area, taking in all the murmurs and tuts. "He's just a man, for Patrons' sakes! Give it a rest!"

"Yes, well, opinions may differ on that one." Pirizd placed his hands on his thighs and then picked them up again, shaking them and grimacing. "Would you ladies mind if I freshened up and changed into something a little less ... common?"

"You go nowhere without us." Klaron, her hands behind her back, a picture of calm and propriety, had, for the most part, stopped being so awestruck in the presence of the pretty man.

"Of course! My! Two beautiful ladies in my bedchambers. What is a Thought Mage to do?" He hooked his finger, urging them to follow, and set off up the sweeping staircase.

Klaron followed and, after fixing several of the people in the entrance hall with vicious stares, Sora joined her. The staircase turned back upon itself leading to a balcony level, from which several corridors led away, into the Thought Mage Hall. Pirizd had already strode away down the widest corridor, towards a set of double-doors at the end. With a flourish, he pushed the doors open and entered his bedchambers with Klaron and Sora not far behind.

While Sora made a cursory examination of the room, Klaron stepped over to the window where she saw the excellent view of the city that Pirizd must see every day. It was almost as impressive as the views from the Palace of Words. Almost.

Pirizd had already thrown off his travelling clothes and stood there, naked, before the two women. He had thrown open the folding doors of a large closet and now stood, as casual as ever, perusing the hundreds of items of clothes within.

A series of servants trooped into the room, all carrying jugs, and headed toward a copper bathtub in the corner of the room, beside the window. Klaron hadn't even heard Pirizd request it. She assumed it was expected of them under such circumstances. They each poured steaming water into the bathtub and then circled back out of the room. Klaron and Sora exchanged glances as the servants returned a short while later with more jugs of hot water. After filling the tub, the last servant poured some kind of sweet smelling oil into the water, swishing it around with her fingers, and then left. None of the servants looked twice at Pirizd.