Guyld III offers gifts to her servants on the way out... a lot of gifts

"Mrs. St. Vendigeld... I believe... we may be over-packed..." Lenore huffed as the two ladies descended the stairs together, both watching the long hems of their garments to avoid tripping. The descent was slow, due to the large, shoulder-strapped backpacks full of coin, questionably appropriated church merchandise, and 'St. Vendigeld family heirlooms,' which was the lady's way of writing off things she wanted to keep in her family that didn't strictly have anything to do with being faithful to the church. Apparently, she'd decided the family no longer needed them. Lenore's head was spinning as she tried to calculate the value of the items inside these leather packs.

"Nonsense! Ha ha, you should have seen my fitness during the inquisition days. I know that was a bit before your time," Guyld III chuckled, although she was having just as difficult a time heaving the large load. "The sight of me would have made those knights blush in shame!" That was quite an exaggeration; she'd been soft-bodied, even during those times.

"M-Maybe don't bring up the inquisition around poor townspeople you're trying to endear the church to," Lenore gasped, finding herself **** to remove the pack and release it down onto the floor at the foot of the stairs with a tremendous thud. There was no way she was going to be able to make it all the way down church street...

As if on queue, a veritable flock of servants approached from all directions, coming from the foyer, the kitchen, and even from upstairs, where they'd just passed. Each of them looked terrified, knowing they were a hair away from being reprimanded, as a whole, for their failure to assist the lady of the house with her heavy load. "Please, allow me," an old gentleman, who had no business carrying a pack that heavy, offered, beginning to tug one strap up from the floor. Like the others, he was dressed in a topcoat and white gloves, which had the effect of making him look much more wealthy than he actually was... the St. Vendigelds didn't get wealthy by keeping their man-servants on generous paychecks, though they did dress them in finery to look the part.

"No, drop that," Guyld III scolded him, shooing him away with her fan, then hiding a roguish smile behind it as he cowered. "My good man! Be merry! For you all are our first stop in a long line of recipients, blessed by my charitable endeavors, which, it shall be said, are the endeavors of Geod himself!"

The servants all mumbled, each looking to the other as if to say, "has she gone mad?" or "did you know about this?" Even Lenore was surprised, though she supposed it only made sense she'd start with the poor within her own household. Perhaps she still suspected Guyld was going to back out at the last minute.

"Everyone, please, form a neat, orderly line, and I will distribute you all a fine bonus for your years of outstanding service!" the lady of the house announced, feeling her heart lift as she announced this act of charity. The baffled, but excited, faces of all those attending her made her beam with pride... So this is what it felt like to make other people happy! What a thing! Feeling just as excited as all of them, she began to produce fabulously valuable items from her pack, one after another. "A silver serving plate for you... Silver cutlery for you... Well, aren't you lucky! Your gift is this fine, bedside portrait of yours truly! Use that respectfully, if you please~"

The man she'd given it to wore an uncomprehending face... this item was probably valuable, but not the type of thing you could sell through ordinary channels.

Lenore tried to follow suite, distributing items from her own pack. She didn't even know what to call half of them, which seemed like random, jewel encrusted orbs, bangles, that sort of thing. Although she was paid quite handsomely for her services as therapist, she had to admit... handing over so many items, each worth several months of her own paycheck, was making her a bit jealous. "And enjoy this, a set of unused, embroidered silk handkerchiefs, perfect for noble company," she told a young lady servant, as she handed over the small stack of folded white silk.

The woman unfolded one of the handkerchiefs and started, growing red-faced, but also a bit excited. "These are panties, aren't they?" she questioned, displaying a set to Lenore. They were white with gold trim... they had Guyld's name embroidered upon the upper front hem, a true feat of egotism. That was what had led Lenore to think they were handkerchiefs... along with their scandalously scant amount of silk material.

Lenore's narrow eyes took on a new, frightening glare as she took back the gifted stack, greedy in her speed. "Actually, I'm sorry. I meant to hand you this fine imported powder bowl," she corrected herself, stuffing the bundle into a side pocket where she wouldn't lose it, then surrendering a different item instead.

"Ah! Th-That does seem more useful," the maid giggled nervously as she accepted the bowl.

The St. Vendigeld family had a large house, despite few in their bloodline, which meant they employed a lot of servants. By the time all the items were distributed, Lenore could feel that her pack was at maybe a fifth of the weight remaining. "Mrs. St. Vendigeld... I don't mean to complain, but... Perhaps you were a bit too generous just now?" she questioned.

The green-haired woman shook her head violently, then pressed both hands together as if in prayer, beneath a radiant, beaming smile. "On the contrary! I feel so... so full of Geod's love! I can tell I'm doing the right thing, for the first time in a long time!" she sighed happily. "Besides, we needed to empty those packs a bit, didn't we? It will be much easier to move around now."

"Yes, but won't you run out of-?"

"Poppycock! I'm not worried about that in the least. My whole body is laden with jewelry. Each poor peasant faithful shall get their due. I may even throw a bone or two to those oafish knights, ho ho ho ho!" the noble woman chortled, with nearly a skip in her step at the age of not-quite forty, heading out through the double doors of the front of their house.