Boartusk Heights upon settlement;

head downturned, agrippina held her gaze upon the earth as she searched in silence for @Paloma.

her duties would be given there, and perhaps she might be able to focus her mind once more.  

not daring yet to leave the villager's district, agrippina dithered there for a moment, turning.

Paloma came to meet their latest, as directed. A pale lavender eye hard on her latest lesser. She began immediately and continued to walk as she did so, expecting the woman to follow. 

There has always been myself as an herbalist and at least one healer among us. Alder, currently. She spoke of the man. Before him was Soleon and she really didn't want more wolves to keep up with toying around her garden. They were much further south then some settlements, so she still had plenty stored despite the late season. 

We keep guards at our border and at the palace grounds near the entrance. Fighters came and went often. Their guard @Klara and hunter @Hashut most loyal. Hunters and guards were often out and about and saw the light of day for more, when the royals slumbered. 

It is my job to tend to the nobles within. You, will tend to the needs of everyone else. She was but one girl yet luckily there was only five of them. Just as many as Paloma had to tend to.

herbalists. healers. 

paloma served nobility. agrippina would be indentured to the needs of the common guard.

considering karpos with a lurch to her belly, she refastened eyes to the pretty, brusque paloma. "what needs?" voice hushed but eyes wanting to know all truths.

in this, for all her education, her arts, her knowledge, agrippina had no experience. her mother had told her often that her role was to be at the side of a well-ranked man, cautioning the girl to protect herself from coarsened lust. 

in la muerte her role was clear, but already she felt aversion to the idea of —

What needs? To this Paloma pauses her steps to roll her eyes in a very dramatic form and sighs. Any needs, obviously. You are a servant to our court until stated otherwise. And before the woman even opened her mouth to, I don't know, maybe ask for examples, Paloma gave them as she began her pace once more. There are places where water flows naturally in the mountains, yet in the early times of our building, I have dug holes and lined them with large leaves and then stone to help collect water when the rains come. You can build more. 

Food to be brought to them in the mornings, afternoon and night from the caches of the hunters. Shake out their bed furs when they leave on their routes, dont if they ask not to. Some would rather not then to have their areas touched. If they ask for herbs, you will seek me. If they ask for healing, seek Alder. If they ask for Matriarca or Patriarca you may bring them to the palace entrance but do not bring them in without asking the royals first if they would have their presence.

She stops, spinning around to meet the other woman face to face once more. Are you getting all this?

yes, domina, murmured the servant at once. she wished to appease paloma while musing through the tasks that had been assigned. all menial. all doable. no mention of these men allowed to sully her, though she sensed with a mind tormented too early that these were things expected but left unsaid.

serve them. feed them. clean for them. announce them.

would the elegant little fox see that agrippina was trying?

i will begin with the food, she offered, palms twitching against the earth; she wanted to begin but knew that paloma must dismiss her.

and paloma must furthermore like the little bird if her own aims were to be realized. is there anything that i can do for you, my lady?