The Tricksters Way Book 1: The Mortal Universe

Chapter 32 - Wine or Potions?

(I am still thinking about who lux will fight with in the Lords tournament.
So here is a chapter to introduce Wine making.
If anyone has any ideas for characters (type of ability and Name would be good as well.)

When Gerald leaves a Butler and 2 women servants appear at the top of the twin Staircase.

They hurry down the staircase and bow before Lux and his mother.

The butler welcomes Lux "Hello my lord, welcome to Starlight manor.
Please come with me so dinner can be served."

Lux nods and follows the servant to the dining room.

As they are walking Lux asks the butler "What is your name?"

The butler nods and says "our names are our titles.
My name is Butler and the servants are called servant, this saves our employer from having to learn any new names.
We are raised and trained from a young age to fulfill every need our employer could have.
Ah, here we are.
Please enter the dining room sir."

Lux enters first into the dining room which is filled with expensive furniture. The walls are painted dark red and bright gold.
The cutlery and plates are also gold.

The butler ushers Lux and his mother into their seats with Lux at the head of the table.

Once they are seated, the Butler claps his hands.
6 Servants carrying a large platter with a dish cover enter the dining room.
They place it on the table, as theyvare doing this a futher 4 servants enter the dining carrying small plates which they place around the table.

The butler then tells Lux "For dinner we have..." the butler then reveals the the largest platter " Barbequed Bronze Boar.
A large demon famous for it taste and ability to raise the defence of the body.
It has been cooked with many different herbs to give it a heavenly texture which will melt on the tongue.
The other dishes are a wild vegetable salad made with honey and chilli sauce, a blue sweet potato mash which can increase the soul, a Shining Rabbit soup which can increase the eaters running speed, and last we have the five spice Chicken on edible bamboo shoot skewers.
Please ask for which dish you wish to try first and the servants will place it on your plate.
For drinks we have a selection of Rare herbal wines which are made on the property.
They are named after Jewels.
The wines are Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire and the rarest is Diamond Star.
We only have 2 bottles of Diamond star left my lord as we were unable to afford the ingredients when the old master owned the property."

Lux stunned at the extravagance of the meal asks "how many staff do i employ?"

The butler states "you hired 18 staff my lord including myself.
10 servants, 2 maids, 1 wine master, 1 wine master assistant and 3 chefs my lord."

Lux nods and says "Please invite them to dine with me as there really is too much amazing food which will go to waste.
Also i wish to make a speech."

The butler nods and slowly walks away to gather the rest of the staff.

While Lux is waiting he accesses The Dreaming to learn Wine making.
A stream of knowledge is poured into Lux's mind.
Lux thinks to himself "wine making is like pillmaking.
Once fermented it needs time to mature.
I now know thousands of recipes.
Strange, the Dreaming calls wine making Potion making.
The recipes seem to use many common ingredients like Purple Grass."

As Lux is 'learning' the staff walk into the dining room.

Lux noticing this says "Just sit anywhere."

The staff look at each other then quickly sit down.

Lux stands and says "Hello, I just wanted to say I am not like most Lords.
I happy with the food and the service of the servants.
I also am excited to try the wines which are made here at Starlight manor.
I also have an interest in wine making, i have some old wine making recipes which i am eager to try out.
Wine master i wish to talk with you after our meal.
The reason i am different to other Lords is because i was raised in the slums so i know what it is like to be hunger.
For this reason i have decided that from now on me and my mother will dine with you the staff.
I also which to know if any of you have had warrior training?"

The Lux's staff look at each other and then quickly shake their heads.

Lux sighs and says "Very well, does anyone here wish to learn how to be a warrior.
I can train you if you want, it is your choice.
If anyone wishes to be a warrior then i will pay to train you and pay you 100 gold a month on top of your standard wages."

The staff stunned begin to murmur amongst themselves for about a minute then they all stand up and say "we thank you master, we wish to become warriors."

Lux nods and says "good. Tomorrow i will gift you all a suitable warrior technique determined by your souls attribute.
Now lets eat."

The servants quickly serve Lux and his mother first by giving them barbequed boar and small portions of the side dishes.
The butler quietly asks Lux "should i bring some wine from the cellar."

Lux nods and says "bring 2 bottles of Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire from the cellar.
Should be enough for everyone."

Butler nods and leaves to get it with another servant.

They all feasted till about midnight then the staff clear the table.

The wine master walks up to Lux and says "you said you wished to speak to me My lord?"

Lux nods and hands him some pieces of paper on which Lux had written some wine recipes during the meal.

Lux says "tomorrow i want you to buy these ingredients so we can test the recipes written on the back."

The wine master says "ok my lord i will sent the list to a friend of mine who specialises in wine and pill ingredients."

Lux nods and the wine master leaves.

Butler appears and says "my lord please come with me a i will take you to your room."

Lux follows Butler who takes him to a large room with a large bed with soft cotton sheets.
The bedroom walls are the colour of the night sky, with small stars.

Lux gets ready for bed and crawls into the bed where he lies on his back as he feels the softness of the mattress.
He murmurs "this is heaven."