The bathroom proper had no windows; it was lit by but two oil lamps and one must needs feel one's way in until the eyes became accustomed.
"Well now," said a voice that I almost recognized. "They seem to let anyone come in here."
"You'd think the place was a common stews," said another almost familiar voice.
"But then, again, it is a common stews," said a third voice. "That is to say, it is common and we are all here up to our necks stewing."
"True," said the first. "And he doesn't seem a truly bad sort."
"Indeed, he comes in the company of five of the truly good sort."
"Unclad ladies must always be considered socially acceptable," agreed the first. "In fact, I move that we make a guild ordinance to that effect."
"Moved, seconded, and passed by general acclaim."
It was still too dark to see who was talking. Straining to see them, I bumped my shin on the rim of one of the two huge half-sunken tubs.
"Tsk. Such a clumsy sort. And his mother was so proud of him. Twenty years of careful upbringing gone to waste. "
"Mothers all feel that way. It comes with the fief. But see. He has had the foresight to bring potables. If this wisdom is matched by generosity, he might prove a valued member of our company."
The girls were giggling at the exchange, but I have found that it is not wise to act belligerent when naked. Had I been in armor, my response might have been different, but I attempted humor.
"I brought the pitcher from the table lest it be abandoned. This very night, little Moslem children will be going to bed thirsty, so it's a sin to be wasteful."
"You know," Conrad spoke for the first time. "My mother used to use a similar argument to try to get me to eat my vegetables."
"Mine as well, though she never used it on beer," said a voice. "I always told her to send them to the poor infidels, but she took no heed."
"I did precisely the same," said Conrad. "Do all mothers read the same books?"
"My mother can't read at all. Nonetheless, it was wise of Vladimir to bring the beer. Why, it might have fallen into the hands of some intemperate inebriate and thus contributed to all manner of venial sins."
"As well as a few carnal ones."
"Just who are you men?" I shouted.
"He doesn't recognize us. I'm crushed. It must be eyestrain."
"Doubtless brought on by staring at these lovely ladies."
"Dammit!" I said.
"We're the Upper Selesian Drinking and Fighting Men's Guild."
"Dragons slain, treasures liberated, maidens put in distress, and promptly rescued."
"All services performed by true belted knights."
"I never heard of it," I said.
"Reasonable. We only just formed it this afternoon. After all, if the commons can have guilds with all sorts of special privileges, why can't we?"
"Right. We have, for example, declared a guild monopoly on rescuing fair maidens in distress. Now you, young lady, you look to be in need of rescuing."
"But I'm not in distress!" Natalia said.
"Easily arranged. Gregor here can do it."
"Gregor!" I shouted. "You are my cousin Gregor!"
"A slow lad, but he comes through in the end."
"And that's second cousin. You must allow us some dregs of pride," his brother Wiktor said.
"Nonetheless, we are family, Vladimir," my cousin Wojciech added. "So get in the tub, share out the beer, and introduce us to your attractive friends."
I got in. The room had lightened enough for me to see reasonably well. "Have some beer, if you need it badly enough to beg. Unfortunately, I can not introduce you three to my friends. You see, they must maintain their standards, which would be irretrievably lowered by social contact with the less fortunate members of-"
"Come off it, Vladimir. They played a good joke on you. Don't rub it back on them. Gentlemen, I am Sir Conrad Stargard."
"And I am Sir Gregor Banki. These are my brothers Sir Wiktor and Sir Wojciech."
"Sir Wojciech! What fool finally knighted you?" I asked, but was ignored.
"You are the Sir Conrad Stargard? I should have known by your size," Wiktor said.
"You are the warrior who singlehandedly destroyed Sir Rheinburg's outlaws? The warlock who is doing all those strange things in Okoitz?"
"Gentlemen, if you want to stay friends, I'll ask you to forget that word 'warlock.' I've built a textile factory at Okoitz and I have a few windmills going up. As to the rest, well, it just sort of happened," Conrad said.
A waitress from the inn brought a tray of beer and mugs. Despite the fact that we had five lovely and nude young ladies in the tub with us, all male eyes followed her around the room as she served.
As she left, Wiktor said, "Sir Conrad, how do you go about training them to walk that way? I mean, the way her, uh, derriere moves. ."
"It's not training. It's the shoes. Walking on high heels requires more hip action."
"I've got to get one of those outfits!" Yawalda whispered.
Conrad laughed. "Gentlemen, let me complete the introductions. These are Lady Krystyana, Lady Annastashia, Lady Natalia, Lady Yawalda, and Lady Janina."
"We are honored, ladies," Gregor said. "You must forgive me. I had assumed that since Sir Conrad just came from Okoitz, you must be some of Count Lambert's famous ladies-in-waiting."
"Well, they are," Conrad said. "Or were. But since I seem to be their guardian, I've just promoted them to the nobility."
"Can you do that?" Wiktor asked.
"Are you saying that I can't?" Conrad said.
"Sir Conrad, considering the stories that we've heard of your sword, I'd say that you can do just about any thing you want." Gregor laughed.
"Then it's settled," Conrad said. "I think I've soaked enough to loosen the dirt. Krystyana, if you'd get a brush and some soap going on my back, I'll return the favor shortly."
As soon as Krystyana went to work, Annastashia claimed proprietorship of my own back. After a few moments of reciprocal grinning between my cousins and the other girls, there was shortly a great deal of scrubbing going on. A very great deal. In fact, the waitress returned to freshen our mugs and was hardly noticed.
Things became increasingly boisterous, which was just as well. The mood of the company was such that things had to fall out either to sport or to sex and I wouldn't like my aunts to hear that I was involved in a public orgy!
Soon people were bumping into people, Natalia splashed Gregor, he retaliated, and in moments the room exploded with soapy water as everyone joined in.
As the water settled, Conrad vaulted from the tub and went to the clean-water tub for a hot soak. The old bath attendant, having finished with our clothes, came in, shook her tired gray head and picked up a mop. She dried the floor, muttering under her breath. The waitress returned with fresh mugs of beer, as the old ones were half filled with soapy water.
The others followed Conrad to the clean tub, but Annastashia motioned for me to stay behind with her.
"What Sir Conrad said," she whispered, "about how we were all ladies, now. Is that real? I mean, would your parents. -."
I shook my head. "It means that you will be treated with great courtesies at the inn and on Sir Conrad's lands. But my parents, especially my mother-she'd look down on anyone whose great-grandfather was a commoner."
After the bath, my cousins accepted Sir Conrad's invitation to supper. We returned to the inn to find the table ready for us and fairly groaning with food and drink. We did justice to a slab of smoked shellfish, a joint of lamb, and an entire goose. Gallons of wine and buckets of beer washed down mounds of bread and cheese. I think only my Uncle Felix sets a better table than Conrad's innkeeper.
Further, we did not have to go to the market to purchase these things so that the inn could prepare them, as is the usual arrangement with inns, but the inn provided the service, not only to us but to all as a matter of custom. The innkeeper told me that this innovation of Sir Conrad's was partly responsible for the profitability of the inn, for by buying in vast quantities he was able to get the best at very low prices.