The Steward in abeyance

Currielle was roughly the same size as Anglet, with perhaps a thousand permanent inhabitants and almost as many transient workers - sailors and porters - there working on any given day. The carefully laid out streets and uniform appearance of many of the white stone buildings gave it a military feel quite different from the rough and tumble anarchy of the northern free port.

Noah appreciated the clear functionality of the place, even if it did feel somewhat bland. One of the larger company compounds is on a prime location near the docks and the other trading houses - the Kuniq Collective being the loose grouping of outfits owned and run by the folk of the Untritilik Kikittak, as the Kuniq call their archipelago.

“This is your pay, sign here. This is your bonus, young Amaruq is as ever overly generous with her bonus shares, but if her co-owners back home don’t care enough to stop her largess it is certainly none of my business. This is your danger bonus, for combat duty, that apparently your whole crew managed to earn in an hour of ‘combat’. Probably a tavern brawl with sailors dressed as lizardkin. Absurd, but sign here and take it I suppose.”

The man behind the payroll desk was ancient, his small frame withered in a voluminous grey cloak. A pair of large magnifying lenses were mounted on metal frames, able to be moved around to help him focus on the tiny ledgers he keeps. His grimly set mouth twitched with a constant stream of vague aspersion about basically everything and everyone, but his eyes were bright with attention, and he was meticulous with his record keeping.

A moderate pile of coins were now stacked in front of Noah, along with some large banknotes and what appeared to be a promissory of some kind. With a small sigh, Noah wondered what he was to do with it all, and he said, “Thank you sir, the Captain is indeed extremely kind and fair.”

Any further half-muttered comment about the quality of Captain Amaruq’s benevolence was lost at the sound of the outer door opening. The ancient payroll master’s eyes flickered over Noah’s shoulder, then returned to the ledger.

At least two people were walking toward the paymaster. Noah was about to glance behind him when he heard a cheerful, “Ahoy there!” called out from Ipellie as Kireama grabbed a free chair nearby and turned it around to face the former steward.

“Ladies,” Noah smiled. Ipellie grinned back and leaned against the counter a few paces away. Both were freshly bathed, with wet hair slicked back, dressed in clothing noticeably finer and more colourful than the rougher work garb he was used to seeing.

With a dry cough, the Co-op man said, “You two, of course. Slept in I’m sure, now here for your pay to gallivant around the port. Well, you’ll have to wait until this one is paid out, I won’t be rushed just so you can go out chasing boys of dubious character and waving full purses at every waiter in town!”

If the Kuniq sailors were insulted by the old man, they didn’t show it. Instead, Kireama had a slight curve to her lips as she replied, “Master Sissaq, we would never think of hurrying you! You practically run this place, besides you handle the accounts so well you’ll be done in a gust anyway.”

Nodding eagerly, Ipellie added, “Aye, it is just as fun for us to sit and watch the work here. Reama and me, we don’t go into that boy-chasing stuff anyhow. We are just here to do some shopping for the family back home and then sail back downriver. My Ma always wanted me to be a clerk instead of a sailor, maybe I can pick up some things about it.”

The old clerk stiffened, peered nearsightedly at the pair, then sniffed, “Well… good then.” With a final, faintly suspicious glance at the bland smiles of the young sailors, the ancient man adjusted the large magnifying glass on its articulating metal arm and began to carefully write sums on the ledger.

“So, Noah, you stayin’ in port a spell?” Ipellie asked, faux-casual.

He couldn’t help but grin as he turned in his chair to face her, saying, “A few days, for sure. Just to rest up if anything before I, uh, move on. I came here to close my account and clear my contract,” - seeing the clerk start to raise his head Noah clarified - “I mean, put my current contract into abeyance as Master Clerk here instructed me, so I remain in good standing and can resume my employment at a later date.”

Seeing the man was not, blessedly, going to lecture him again about maritime contract law and the finer points of employment status among short-timer casual crew, Noah continued, “So tonight I guess I’ll take a room in town instead of sleeping on the boat again.”

Ipellie stiffened, then all but yelped, “Deep hells! You could rent a room at the Duke’s Seat! I mean, me an’ Reama stayed at the dorms last night but we always rent a big room at the Duke’s when we’re in port, not to party or nothing,” her eyes flicked to the clerk and she winked at Noah, “but to save money. You have the coin to spare to get a single room there, it’s a nice inn, or you could bunk with us maybe, we’ll have a big ol’ bed. Tight fit but I’m sure we could all make room.”

Her normally loud and brash voice had quieted significantly as she spoke, but the fussy old clerk simply shook his head and continued pretending not to hear them.

From the other side, Kireama said, “Aye, we normally all share a room at the Duke’s. If you wanted to bunk with, it’s usually 3 of us. Course, it’s Hitty who stays with us, I’m sure she’d love to go out with you, but I don’t really know how she would react to being around if we were sharing a bunk with you, she might-”

“Fuck me with a ‘kins cock, Reama! Shush already!” Ipellie hissed at the characteristically blunt, and somewhat indiscreet Kuniq lass.

“What? Like Noah don’t know that Hitty is like to punch one of us if we talk about him too openly, on account of she’s beyond crazy about him? Spirits only know what would happen if she was drinking and saw us both strip him down and hop under the covers with him! Better hide the blades, anyway!”

Noah felt himself blushing, even as a small part of him enjoyed hearing that Hitty felt… jealous? About him? “Oh I’m sure Hitty wouldn’t do anything like that, but I wouldn’t want to make her mad anyway, she did literally save my life! But it doesn’t matter, I don’t think I can do that tonight. Captain Amaruq was invited to some formal function tonight and I said I would go with her, so I think that’s my social calendar booked.”

“You’re going to the Governor’s Ball?” Two sailors and one clerk all spoke at the same time, saying essentially the same thing.

“Uh, yes, I was there when a messenger invited the Captain so she asked me. I came to get some pay and then-”

“That’s only in a few hours!” Ipellie said as she jumped to her feet. “You stay here, Reama come with me we need to get Noah sorted out. I know just who to do it!”

“Are you committed to your hair style?” Yutu’s expression was polite, but Noah wasn’t fooled.

“Why? Is it not fashionable? Will I look odd?”

The man shook his head, smiling, “No no not at all, you look fantastic, and the length is completely fashionable. But with the new jacket and trews, a more slicked up hair style would be more common.”

Yutu stood behind the chair, next to a middle-aged woman with very elaborate make up and hair piled on top of her head in elaborate curls. The proprietress of the barber salon took Noah’s chin her hand, moving his head back and forth as he sat in the seat, his face freshly shaved by the woman’s experienced hand.

It had been a hectic couple of hours since Kireama and Ipellie got back to the company office with the twins in tow. Everyone - even the master clerk - had loudly insisted Noah get “cleaned up” so as to be a proper escort for the captain. Yura was currently making a trip back to the tailors to collect the clothing that had been picked out (with, admittedly, some grudging input allowed to the person who would be wearing the fancy outfit) while Yutu had Noah at what he considered the only barber in the small port that would do.

“So, you say menfolk from your side of the ocean don’t wear makeup, right?” the woman said. She had seemed surprised, her only experience with 'far from away' travelers had been a troupe of male dancers who had almost exclusively dressed as women for their bawdy shows. Before they stripped, at least.

“No makeup,” Noah confirmed.

“Your hair is not bad, but I can trim it a bit, even it out, and then style it back. You’re already going to turn heads, may as well look the part. A fine suit, some cologne, a proper gentleman’s coiffure, don’t be shocked if a spoiled, pampered, trophée garçon doesn’t try to duel you, worried he will lose his rich officière.”

Noah chuckled, although the woman just stared at him impassively. Yutu broke in, “Oh, I’m sure that won’t happen!”

“Go to many banquets at the Factor’s House?” the woman arched an eyebrow, “I was under the impression you did not socialize in those circles, though you are certainly handsome enough to get invited. I can think of a few younger lieutenantes who would brawl to snap you up to keep their billet warm.”

The poor Kuniq man looked away, saying, “Er no I do not go in those circles.” Noah had the impression that the barber was tacitly talking about his sexuality as much as his social standing.

“Indeed. Well, young man, you will have a lovely evening, I am sure. But just listen to an old woman who has been to many of those events - everyone will smile, everyone will flatter. The food is excellent, the wine is strong, and the conversation can be witty and elegant.”

Holding out her finger, the barber pointed at Noah’s reflection in the mirror, “But keep your wits about you, say little, smile and focus on what Captain Amaruq is doing. She is respected and no one’s fool. Big news means change and change means many will see a chance to grab more than they currently have. This is the biggest news in years. Things have been too static here on the border, many are saying the status quo is holding commerce back, and commerce is a hungry wolf always.”

She began to comb out his hair, humming a song to herself as she worked, and Noah could only say, “Ma’am, aye aye.”