“Excellent, how long do you anticipate it will take you to move your men to the mine?” Calliope asked, gesturing towards the map with her chin.


“Three days, two and a half if we push,” Kayden answered without hesitation, proving he had already considered the logistics. Calliope nodded and stood up, unpinning the map and allowing it to roll up. Mesmer snatched it up and retied the twine which held it in its tube shape.


“Three days will be sufficient, four may even be better for my purposes,” Calliope replied. Kayden nodded his head.

“You have us for a month, you may have us march as quickly or as slowly as you like,” he told her, also coming to his feet.


“We shall return to your men in the morning, it is too late to travel and my knights are required here to defend me. In the morning we shall travel to your camp.”

“Otto, you and your men will accompany us and defend the strong box.” The knight made a gracious bow, though his face had not quite rid itself of its troubled expression. 


“You understand that I will have final say on how my men are deployed of course, if you outline a task for us we will get it done but…” Kayden began but Calliope waved him to silence.

“Yes, yes, I have no designs on tactical command. I will need some of your men to remain to defend the mine once it is retaken, a smaller force to return me here, and a few of your… more colorful men for another task I shall explain later.”


“Defend the mine so you can take silver out of it or something?” Kayden queried.


“Or something,” Calliope agreed before changing the subject. “Johan, is dinner prepared?” The servant nodded his head.


“The stag was where you said it would be my Lady,” the squires have dressed and roasted it, I believe they found some vegetables in the old garden. Calliope made a face as though disappointed by food as plain as venison and vegetables.


“We shall have to see about renting out some of the land, once we are done with the masons,” Calliope said. Mesmer and Otto both nodded though the latter shook his head slightly and lifted his eyes as though his mistress were living in a fantasy land.


After dinner, which proved to be garnished liberal with roasted potatoes, carrots, and wild garlic, washed down with excellent wines. Calliope bade Kayden good night and provided both him and Morek with sleeping quarters, a pair of rather musty rooms not far from the base of the tower. She began to head up the stairs towards her own sanctum, eager to return to her own work now the business of the night was concluded. Otto accosted her at the bottom of the steps.


“My Lady, I must protest,” he began, casting a glance over his shoulder as though he suspected Kayden might be lurking. A raven fluttered in through one of the windows and landed on Calliope’s shoulder, tilting its head at the knight.

“Maasst you?” it cawed, as though attempting to mimic human speech. Otto twitched but didn’t recoil from the creature and the question it delivered on Calliope’s behalf.

“The gold you promised the sellsword… it is almost everything you have left,” he continued uncomfortably.


‘Yaaahs, tis,” the raven cawed. Otto’s face screwed up in frustration.

“How are you going to pay my men at the end of the month, we are loyal of course but we have expenses…”
Calliope reached out and laid a hand on Otto’s cheek. The knight flushed, unused to his mistress touching him but also excited by the novelty.

“I do not question your loyalty Otto…”

“Thank you my…” Calliope held up a hand, interrupting the knight.

“And I will thank you not to question my care for my household. I will see that you are paid, just as I will see myself restored to my rightful place.

“But how my Lady… how will you….”

“Goodnight Otto,” Calliope replied, her voice cold and firm. She turned and walked up the stairs without another word. The crow on her shoulder didn’t break eye contact with the knight until the stone work blocked its red eyed stare.