sythyry | (no subject)

[4 Trandary 4261]

The Wandering of the Rassimel

Dubaille threw his clothing and Havune's around their room as he picked some of it to squash into a valise.

Me:Where are you going, Dubaille?

Dubaille:I cannot imagine that it should matter in the slightest to you, Sythyry. For it does not matter in the slightest to me.

Me:Even so, might could be it matters to Tssellllkhkharrrasssch. (That was not a name I would have known the day before, but Prof. Syyllia had made a point of alarming us with the local monsters -- a category in which she included the usual sentient and semi-sentient nonprimes, and, less traditionally, the elementals who govern the details of physical law. I imagine she would have gladly included all manner of dangerous people, from the thugs who lurk in the depths of Vulblossom Street to the Duke himself, as monsters, save only that the Duke might act monstrously towards her if she did.)

Dubaille:What?

Me:A cloudthief often found above Vheshrame. It has been quite busy these last two days, and the sky is thick and heavy with its plunder.

Dubaille:What are you talking about, obscurantist of a Zi Ri?

Me:It's going to rain.

Dubaille just shrugged. Rain did not seem to be his darkest concern.

Me:And, while you've still got Havune's greatcoat on, you can't very well sleep in it, can you?

Dubaille:I was hoping to spend the night indoors. At home.

Me:You're not going back to Quissenden Court, are you? I should think she'll have you beaten again, or worse.

Dubaille just shrugged again.

I gave him three lozens. He stared at them with much perplexion.

Me:Help me clean up to Havune's satisfaction, and stay at an inn tonight, and I give you my word of honor that tomorrow will miss certain miseries that today enjoys.

And he did, too. Well, I don't know about the staying the night, for night has not come yet, but we did spend the best part of an hour tidying up.

Nothing Denser than a Dragon

Havune:Sythyry? How thoroughly attached is your muzzle to that Magic Theory book?

Me:Havune, your nose is not so keen as you claim, or you would have smelled that it is Formal Enchantment, not Magic Theory. In any case, I've read this sentence four times, backwards as well as forwards, and it makes quite as much sense one way as the other. I should be grateful of an interruption.

Havune:Well, I will be glad to interrupt you politely. Though my question will be a bit rude.

Me:I prefer Orren, truth to tell. As do you, or so the spear-wound says.

Havune: [chuckling] Or in any case, Orren prefer me to you, and just as well, for a spear would skewer you most terribly. No, the rude question was this: What were you doing in my room?

Me:Encouraging Dubaille to clean up.

Havune:Encouraging him ... in the sense of filling the whole room with your scent? Not that I mind your scent, of course.

Me:The only encouragement I could think of was to do it with him.

Havune:[nodding -- Cani always figure these things out instantly]Sythyry, there's really no need for that. You've got your studies, your friends ... Dubaille should do his own cleaning; it's his responsibility.

Me:I'm afraid that hearing you beat him was not the best for studying.

Havune:It did not please me greatly to do, though I must say I thought it should have done. Which is why poor Anoof didn't get to his studying, either.

Me:Still, if you can give him that sort of kindness -- even kindness mixed with slow poison -- then why is it that you glower at me for doing it?

Havune:Well, your parent wouldn't be pleased with you for spending your time cleaning up your worthless roommate's mess, would zie?

I'm afraid that I brushed his muzzle with breath-fire at that. "I shall give my accounting to my own ~mother~, and to the Bank of Teleporting Hexagons. Not to you."

Havune:[Laughing]I'm afraid I'm being a bit too polite here, Sythyry.

Me:I fail to see how you are being polite at all, Havune.

Havune:Indirect, then, though politeness was my intent in the indirectness, and in that I have failed. I am hinting -- poorly hinting! -- at something entirely different.

Me:You should leave the obliqueness to the Zi Ri.

Havune:Well, your parent gave you money to get a maid. A maid who could clean up after Dubaille, as well as you, I should imagine.

Me:[blink ... blinkblink ... blinkblinkblink ... blink]I daresay zie wouldn't be aghast at the thought.

At which he is absolutely right. I shan't be getting a new place to live until the end of the term, but there's no reason we can't get a servant sooner.

So ... how does one hire a servant?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Why, one posts an announcement at the door to one's residence. Perhaps there is a commons at your college where such announcements are posted; I suggest that you do this as well.

Let the prospects do the work by coming to you. This shows that they want the job enough to make the trip.

Suggest that the prospective servant clean your abode once, for a fair day's wages, and if they do a tolerable job, they will be hired. If they do less than tolerable work, they will not be invited to return. The hiring process itself, should you be unlucky enough to have several unsuitable workers, may raise your standard of living considerably.

Hearing your description of your Formal Enchantment class brings back not-so-fond memories of Database Systems. Ick.

- HC

I'm certain that your fair city would have many (nonexclusionary) guilds dedicated to cleaning. But students everywhere need lozens, and (so long as your guilds devoted to cleaning are also nonexclusionary) do quite well.

If that should fail -- if your school disallows personal messages, or the cleaning guild is exclusive, or whatnot -- then surely your marketplace also has people offering services.

(Don't hire a young mages who tell you only that a potent Creoc Pyrador spell can eliminate the mess.)

In addition to the good suggestions already offered, you might ask your friends if they can recommend anyone. This is particularly appropriate if you want to hire someone to come in once or twice a week, rather than a full-time employee.

Go with the guild idea.
And pay well enough that the maid doesn't augment with tips from your possessions. Maybe a Cani maid, who would be duty bound to do well and could understand all the scent markings?

Hmf. Again with the application of monstrous ideals to Prime situations, but I feel that one should do one's best to be neither employer nor employee. By necessity I am the latter, but I hope never to be the former. :>

Sythyry's greatest need is obviously for a servant who is not only efficient, but unflappable. Stipulate in the advertisement for a servant that a bonus will be paid at such time that combat should be required as a part of the servant's duties.

Must be good with children and Orren.

You know, Sythyry, quite apart from the question of hiring a servant -- helping Dubaille clean up, and offering him money for a place to stay for the night -- that was awfully decent of you.

*hug*

I've read this sentence four times, backwards as well as forwards, and it makes quite as much sense one way as the other.

I think I read that book during my own studies. At least, that sentence is very familiar!