Page 23 of Ogres Don't Play
“Now,” I said, collapsing onto the small red velvet chair and putting my feet up on the stool. “What would you like to discuss?”
Delphi glanced at Lanise and then at me. “I wanted to talk about the Jubilee. With the recent goblin attack, perhaps we can use that to convince the mayor not to have a festival this year. Singsong isn’t ready to have the world’s attention yet.”
I considered that while I chewed on a breadstick. Yes, I’d already eaten dinner, but I was recuperating, and you neverknew when you’d get your next meal. I’d been a travelling musician too long to take things like steady meals for granted.
“Or we could use it to bring together Sing and Song in one festival that proves that there is more to the darkness than violence and chaos.”
Delphi frowned. “I don’t believe that’s the mayor’s vision. I believe he wishes to showcase the lighter side of Singsong City, to improve tourism for those whom he approves.”
“Then he should have given the assignment to those who share his vision instead of the two people he could blackmail. That shows a shortage of his own wisdom, I believe.”
She started scratching her neck and then stopped and picked up a breadstick, like she was trying to break a scratching habit. After so long itching like crazy from the goblin bomb powder, I felt an overwhelming urge to scratch all over, but I ignored it.
“You think that you could really put together a great festival like the mayor has in mind?” she asked.
“Why not? On my own, I could do something musical, but you with your connections with society’s elite, we could put together real dynamite. You are the society journalist, aren’t you?”
She hesitated, then nodded. “I have some connections to elves since I’m half elf and half gnome.”
She was a gnome? That explained her height. “Elves are perfect! I’ve already arranged to have a group of elven musicians as part of the production.”
I’d gone to a great deal of parades and festivals with my father. Commanders had to go to those kinds of things, but I’d never planned any before. Being who I was, I thought there should be more music and fewer martial displays. It would be a pity not to have the flight shows that Rich and his friends put on with their angel wings and Pegasus steeds, but this would be an opportunity to showcase the talents and beauties of allthe species. Perhaps I could get some Gargoyles to do some aerial demonstrations. Hm. I was starting to smile. “It would be particularly interesting to see ogres and elves perform together, don’t you think?” Not my ogre, because he was only allowed to perform with me, privately. For a moment I was caught up in the moment, the memory, but I bit my breadstick and forced myself to focus.
I flashed a smile at Lanise since she was an aspiring musician who might like to perform with elves, but she was eating with her back to the stone wall, glancing between the door and the window, like a real bodyguard, not someone obsessed with music.
“You really want to do this?” Delphi asked, brow furrowing in confusion. She’d expected me to help her upset the Mayor’s plan, not lean into it.
“No. I’m busy with a million other projects to keep the music hall afloat, but I have even less time to fight with the mayor than I have to plan a Jubilee. Fine, we’ll make it a jubilee in proper singsong style, with singing and songs that go viral, and showcase the full potential of the city, Song as well as Sing. It’s always good to have an official venue for the musicians to perform at. Deadlines can inspire musical study like nothing else. Public humiliation also works wonders. Could you publish something about the jubilee looking for local food businesses to sell their wares? We should have different places for different age groups, young children, older, teens, that sort of thing. Older kids always got to do the cool stuff, like archery, while the younger kids were stuck learning traditional dances from the old sticklers.”
She smiled warmly. “That sounds like a wonderful idea. I don’t know what traditional dances Singsong City has, or had before the dark times, but I can do research about it, and perhaps get some of the older folk to do demonstrations and leadthe classes, vampires as well as elves.” Her eyes danced at the shocking idea of vampires and elves working together.
I grinned at her. “Yes. I know a vampire who is very enthusiastic and would probably love to help with the planning. I’m afraid that about anything other than music, I’m clueless.”
“I doubt that,” Delphi said, studying me thoughtfully. “You look tired. You must be from your trip to arrange things with…what was his name? A luthier? Is that an instrument maker?”
“Rook, the Luthier. He is absolutely the best artisan in the world.”
“Maybe he can be part of the jubilee. If he did demonstrations, wouldn’t that bring in tourists? Everyone seemed to be very excited about him, like he was a real celebrity.”
Lanise snorted. “Rest time. You go now.” She stood up, looming threateningly over Delphi.
The reporter froze for a second before she stood, hands filled with plates and knitting. “I’m sorry if I’ve…”
“You’re fine,” I said, trying to stand up and falling back in my chair when agonizing pain ripped through my body. I gasped and put my hand on my ribs while I took shallow breaths. “I may have to pass on walking you out. Maybe I should invest in an elevator.”
“Oh, there’s no need for you to bother,” Delphi said hastily, her sharp eyes noting my condition. “I have an extremely good sense of direction. I’ll simply return the way I came. Thank you so much for dinner. I’ll see who is willing to be involved in the Jubilee. You don’t mind if I use the name of Rook the Luthier, do you?”
“Talk over,” Lanise said, grabbing Delphi’s elbow and helping her to the door. She opened it, pushed the reporter out, and then closed it before turning to glower at me. “You rest now.”
I nodded, then frowned. “I have to get a bed ready for you first.”
Lanise snorted, and ogre snorts were extremely loud as well as rude. “You care for me? You. Rest. Now!”
Look, I was the music master, and this was my music hall, but I had the idea that if I climbed any more stairs, my old wounds would break open and I’d end up tied up somewhere with ogres growling at me. I carefully eased myself out of the chair and then walked carefully to the door of my bedroom. Lanise walked past me into the room, switched on the light, the old-fashioned gold drop pendant that dangled from the ceiling revealing the four-poster bed with ancient hangings all around it, and the large window and door with balcony, then took a chair and parked it at the foot of my bed, so she could stand guard over me while I slept. I stood there, staring at her, before I shrugged and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth.
When I came out, she was still there, frowning suspiciously at me. “Rest. Now.”
“I’m going, I’m going. Look, Lanise, you aren’t my bodyguard. You’re here to learn music, not to protect me.”