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He angled his cart against the wall and gave me his full attention. "Always. How can I help?"
"I need lantern oil."
"Lantern oil?" he asked.
So I waved him inside. "Yeah. I have a lighting issue. Maybe you have a better idea?"
So he followed me in. Ela and Wraythe were sprawled across the living room furniture. Anver and Talin were at the table, working on an assignment. Everyone looked up and either smiled or jerked their chin at him, because Drandir was getting to be a regular fixture around here.
I kept going to the bedroom, then showed him how we'd arranged things. "Living with the guys, space is at a premium," I explained. "We've got a screen in front of the toilet area, but it blocks a lot of light from the main gas fixture in the bathroom. In order to do my cosmetics, I need this mirror - since the bathroom is usually occupied. I'd been using an oil lamp for lighting."
Drandir blew out his cheeks as he pushed out his breath. "Yeah. Having your guardians with you makes this very cramped."
"It's not bad with four," I explained. "But five is just one too many."
"You can fit five people in that bed?" he asked, flashing me a teasing smile. "I can see about getting construction in here, if you want. It will be loud and messy for a few days. Maybe even a week. Still, I'm sure they could run a gas line and give you a lamp over your table and one in the toilet area." But he was looking around as if planning. "Will you be leaving for the winter holidays, by chance?"
"Probably," I admitted. "Wraythe, Ela, and Anver will still be here, though."
"But you have the rooms across the hall, right?" Drandir asked. "I'm just thinking that if I schedule the construction for when you're gone, it might make things a little easier."
"How much will this cost me?" I asked.
The look he gave made it clear that was the wrong question. "You stand up for Obligation, Nari. I'm thinking there's a gas leak in here, and it's going to require opening the wall to repair. The entire temple was fitted for gas long after it was built. We can find some excuse to get your light put in."
"And I will still tithe," I assured him. "Just give me an idea of how much?"
"About a gold a day for construction is common," he said. "The workers will split it amongst themselves."
"Will you tell me how many days?"
Drandir shook his head. "Nope. But I'll talk to the guys when I get done with the wood, and I'll let you know when they can fit it in. Will that help?"
"More than you can imagine," I assured him. "Thank you, Drandir, and give my thanks to the ones who'll be working on this? Obligation is a little too good at being invisible."
The next day, there was a small bottle of lamp oil waiting beside our firewood. After that, I forgot all about the lamp. Mostly it was because Saval had received the surveys about our dates. She very proudly displayed a list of everyone's scores, gave us all ten minutes to check them, and spent the rest of the class answering questions.
Ela and I had received excellents for both days. The strange thing about that was that it didn't surprise me. This year, my grades had been better than ever before. I actually felt like I was learning things without needing to struggle to keep up. The same was not true for everyone else.
A few of the priests in our class were upset because their common patron had graded them the hardest. Saval asked if it might be because they'd treated that man or woman as being stupid, disgusting, or beneath the priest who was supposed to encourage their enjoyment of the festival. From the looks on a few faces, it seemed they knew the answer.
But one girl had a very good question. "Saval, why does a date like that fall under Entertainment?"
"Because you were hosting, in a way," she explained. "The specialization you all chose is the most varied in the temple. Sensuality focuses on giving pleasure. Control tends to give pain. Subjugation deals with the balance of power. Exotics handle deviance. Entertainment works with the rest. This is why you are learning about the holidays of the gods, so you can guide a nervous patron through what is expected. It's why you're learning class-based manners, so you can mingle at a working-class tavern or a baron's wedding. You, the priests who declared Entertainment, will be dates to social functions, you will be a patron's fantasy, and you will become the kind of priests who can turn the worst session into something for your patrons to brag about."
"What do you mean a baron's wedding?" someone else asked.
Saval chuckled. "There will always be new barons. Temptation's Baron just changed a few years ago. Inspiration's is older, and his health isn't the best. At those very public events, some members of high society will need a date. Women whose husbands are busy with work, ill, or away. Men whose wives are heavily pregnant, ill, or out of favor. They will want a trophy on their arm, and you are the priests who will be selected first."
People began to smile, and suddenly the holiday dates began to make more sense. Oh, I'd known about such things. Shalsa and Amerlee were popular choices for dates to functions. Maela used Ela as her escort more than her husband lately. And while that wasn't an official session, once we graduated, I had a feeling it would be.
"And one other thing," Saval said. "For most people, the easier the assignment is, the higher their patron will score them. I'm sure those of you who received excellents on your holiday dates aren't sure what you did, right? Those of you who tried so hard were often graded lower by the person you were supposed to entertain. It's because your patrons do not want to feel like a job. They want to be treated as friends or lovers. They want it to feel natural. The more you can convince them it is, the better your chances are to be that priest on a baron's or baroness's arm."
