Synopsis: Differel Squared Part 1 (a Sir Differel Dreamlands adventure)

Prologue

Medb and Dracula have been watching over Differel and the girls for a little over six hours. Medb knows from the passage of time how long they have been in the Dreamlands, and she remembers what they have done, because the events are part of her past. They went there to investigate the possibility that it could be used as a staging area for an invasion of the Waking World. While this turned out to be false, they uncovered a plot by Miranda Guinevere Pendragon, Differel's Aunt Mandy, to conquer the Dreamlands and turn it into a nightmare realm through which she could enslave the human race. They managed to thwart it and destroy her. They now have some forty days left before they will awaken and return. She remembers that they thought their job was finished and they could now relax, but she knows there are still trials ahead of them.

41 days left

The day they all arrive back in Celephais, Kuranes meets with the Atullian ambassador. He informs him of the Atullian defeat and the destruction of Mandy and her Chigger army. While his nobles and privy council are demanding his trial, Kuranes offers to reinstate the non-aggression pact they negotiated days ago, with a few changes, in exchange for opening relations between their two nations. Surely more can be accomplished through diplomatic exchanges and commerce than by war. Either way, the ambassador is free to go as soon as passage can be arranged for him, but they are now aware of his people and can keep watch for any future aggression. It is up to them whether there will be peace or continued strife.

40 days left

Victor proposes to Differel. She at first objects, since after a few more weeks she'll never see him again, but the girls assure her the Medb in the Waking World can make it possible for her to return. Victor proposes again, but Differel can't decide. This is all kind of sudden and she needs time to digest it. The girls are disappointed and Sunny goes so far as to ask what's there to think about? But Medb hushes them and Victor grants Differel whatever time she needs. They then retire for the evening. Differel asks Victor if he's really okay with her request for time to consider his offer, and he assures her she has nothing to worry about. He then suggests that in the meantime, even if technically they may not be married now (death after all did part them), they could act as if they were. Differel states she is not adverse to that.

39 days left

The next morning, most of the party leave for their respective lands. The only ones who stick around are Capt. Ney and his Ghouls, the spider who has become retainer to Victor, Medb's Tuatha Dé Danann mercenaries, Ssas'sashu'ra, Morgiana, and Ubasti. They return with Differel, the girls, Medb, and Kuranes to Celephais. Upon arrival, Lady Saighlíne Baroness Áirdenté takes Victor, Medb, and Differel to their estates in the city, so they can get settled in. Differel is greeted by the majordomo of the estate, who introduces her to the staff and gives her a short tour. Though the estate itself is smaller than her Waking World family holdings, the mansion is much larger, and employs a bigger staff. He has made arrangements for the former Knight's personal belongings to be distributed in accordance to her will, and then plans to brief Differel on the inventory of what's left, and the audit of the estate's accounts, the following day. For now, however, he suggests she rest. Differel cannot help but notice that the staff seems to be in mourning for their previous master, and despite their best attempts to hide it, are not particularly happy with her takeover.

Victor finds out that his estate serves as the official Karchedonian consulate, with the staff being Punica citizens, augmented by Ooth-Nargai workers. After settling in and changing, he then is briefed on the operations of the consulate and advised of communiqués from the Queen.

Medb discovers that her estate is essentially a ruin. It had suffered a devastating fire a few centuries ago and had never been rebuilt or reoccupied. Though at first upset, she realizes that Kuranes knew she would want to remake her estate in her own image, so he gave her a clean slate to work with. The last the girls see of her she is walking into the ruins rolling up her sleeves to get to work, her mercenaries following her.

The girls return to their estate, and after a massage, bath, and meal, meet with their own staff for a briefing of everything that went on while they were gone. Afterwards, a cat official of the city tells them that the cats have gotten intelligence of an intrigue brewing over Kuranes and Differel. They ask the cats to keep their eyes and ears open.

Differel is given a meal and then shown to what would be her private suite. She suddenly realizes that she's bored; with no adventure, crisis, or administrative work to keep her busy, she has nothing to do. She considers asking the majordomo to brief her now, when he appears and announces she has a visitor. She is taken to a study, where she finds Kuranes waiting for her. She orders tea for them and they sit by the fire. He asks how she is settling in. She remarks that it hasn't been a day, but she thinks this may not be a good idea. For one thing, she feels like an intruder in someone else's home. For another, the servants seem to resent her presence. She isn't used to either, having lived in an ancestral home all her life. Kuranes admits that these transitions can be difficult, but he points out that this is not a family estate. It is one of a group that are given to newly-made knights, so that it has changed hands several times over the past few centuries. As a result, its décor is a hodgepodge accumulated by various tenants over time. Eile and Sunny had been in a similar situation when they acquired their estate, but they dealt with it by treating it as a rented furnished summer home and making few if any changes. On the other hand, he expects Medb will deal with her transition by gutting her own mansion and redecorating it entirely in her personal style. But that reflects their basic natures: the girls are here so seldom, their "home" is in Ulthar, whereas Medb only rented rooms there, so she is likely to make her estate her home. He realizes Differel may need time to sort out her personal plans, but in the meantime he suggests that she take steps immediately to put her own stamp on the place, especially in those rooms that will be her private domicile, so that she can feel more comfortable about living here. As for the servants, he points out that like an English family estate, it is they who live here permanently, whereas Differel is expected to use it only when in Celephais. Naturally they think of it as their own home and their masters as merely tenants. They will need time to get to know her, to get comfortable with her being there. Besides which, the previous Knight had been a populist who didn't believe in master/servant caste systems, and treated the staff as family, though he suspects that may have had more to do with her being an orphan in the Waking World. In any event, they had a great deal more freedom than most servants do. They have heard that Differel is an aristocratic blue-blood, and they are afraid they will lose those freedoms. He suggests that when her majordomo gives her his briefing on the mansion, its contents, and its finances, that she ask him to explain about the staff's situation. Then she should carefully weigh any changes she wishes to make, and finally explain them to the staff so that they understand her reasoning. In any event, he believes she will discover that, as long as she treats them fairly and with respect, once they become comfortable with her they will accept whatever changes she wishes to make, even if they curtail some of the freedom of action they had previously enjoyed.

He then tells her there was a legitimate reason for his coming. He explains that the reason the Order of Cornwall is so seldom awarded is because, as the highest award in the Ooth-Nargai honors system, it makes her the first among peers. In other words, it literally makes her the highest ranking noble in their society, above even a duke. There is no one she need be deferential to, save himself, and all must defer to her. That news so surprises her that her cigarillo droops in her mouth. More than that, as the holder of the OC, it makes her his heir presumptive, and second in command of the whole kingdom. This time the cigarillo falls out when her jaw drops. She tries to catch it and burns herself when she grabs the lighted end. He explains that under most circumstances, it is more of a formality than anything else, though there are a number of ceremonial aspects to the role. However, she is expected to run the country when he is visiting Serannian or otherwise abroad; she will lead his armed forces in time of war; and she will represent him to other leaders. While not quite an ambassador, she will nonetheless have plenipotentiary powers, and she will be fully authorized to negotiate in his name. And, if anything should happen to him, she would be crowned the new ruler of Ooth-Nargai. He realizes this is probably more than she bargained for, and she will be given time to reconcile herself to her new role, but he wanted to explain it in person. He also understands that her time is limited and she is likely never to return, but he wanted a way for her to be honored for however long she remained. Besides which, it is highly unlikely she will be called upon to handle any official duties aside from a few ceremonial appearances. She is so stunned that she cannot get her mind around the idea, and Kuranes leaves.

After it has a chance to sink in, she decides she needs to talk with someone, and she heads over to the girls' estate. The majordomo suggests she take an escort, but she refuses, believing she is safe. When she arrives, she finds that Ssas'sashu'ra, Morgiana, and Ubasti are staying with them, but they agree to leave her alone with the girls. She explains what Kuranes told her, but to her dismay the girls are actually excited. Sunny even goes so far as to ask when the coronation will be. Then she realizes they simply do not understand, being Americans and too young. She decides she should go talk to Victor, but to avoid hurting their feelings she agrees to stay for lunch. During that, she learns that Ssas'sashu'ra has been appointed to Kuranes's personal staff. That prompts Differel to ask the girls how they treat their household staff. Eile was a business major before her life took a nosedive and made a business career impossible, but she still remembers the theory. In Celephaisian society, servants and retainers have to be cared for by the knight or peer who takes them on. The girls pay theirs a salary in addition to giving them room and board, and provide full benefits as in the Waking World, including retirement and long term disability programs. Through investments, they have amassed a fortune too large for the them to spend, so they use it to benefit others. It's certainly true that here a manorial model might make more sense, but they need a loyal staff to take care of things while they are away, and not being of a Celephaisian family with a long history, and not being highly charismatic leaders, they have chosen to adapt the Waking World industrial, commercial model. Though Differel's paradigm is that of servants who themselves were born and raised in families that lived alongside the family of the lord, such were still paid salaries and given benefits, so she is familiar with that system.

After lunch she goes to see Victor. He congratulates her on the honor, but he understands how she feels, both on a personal level and within the bigger picture. Personally, he tells her that if the George Cross has not convinced her she truly deserves the honors she has been awarded, he doesn't know what will. He also points out that Kuranes is not of royal blood himself, so why must his successor? Besides, as a Pendragon, she has more royal blood than he does. As for the bigger picture, he sees the purpose in making the holder of the OC the heir presumptive. Kuranes is not married and has no children. As such, there is a need for a designated heir to allow for a smooth transition of power should anything happen to him. The holder of the OC would have proven both himself capable of ruling and his loyalty to Ooth-Nargai. Presumably he could be counted on to rule in the best interests of the kingdom and not his own. Also, there is no chancellor or prime minister to act as second in command. Technically, that would be the Privy Council, but they do not always speak as one voice. The holder of the OC would fill that role, though there wouldn't be any administrative duties, just ceremonial ones. Personally, he would rather see Differel in charge than most of the Celephaisian nobles, but if she is really dead set against being the heir, she can abdicate her OC; there is precedence for that. He advises against it, but whatever she decides, he will support it. He asks her to stay for dinner, but she declines. She has a lot to think about and she needs to set her estate in order. She suggests breakfast at her place, which he accepts.

On her way back to her estate, she is ambushed by a group of mercenaries. Though she fights back, she is surprised and they nearly overwhelm her when uniformed guards intervene and rescue her. At first she thinks they are the city guard, but then she recognizes the uniforms as being those of the guard of the estate she inherited. They escort her back and she thanks the majordomo for sending them, saying that the girls had assured her Celephais was safe. He explains that they did not lie, but there is intrigue that she must watch out for. Winning the OC has made her some enemies, people who either felt they better deserved it, or who resent her "low" status, or who do not want to see an heir presumptive. She asks him to schedule his briefing tomorrow as early as possible, so she can learn everything she needs to know to adapt. She also asks him to prepare a report on the staff and their status under their former master, and that Victor will be joining her for breakfast.

The cats inform the girls of the attempt on Differels' life. Victor and Medb, who are visiting, overhear. The girls ask the cats to keep an eye on her and alert them all should anyone try to attack her again.

At dinner, she smokes the last of the cigarillos from the box she obtained in the Cavern of Flame. Afterwards, she meets with the majordomo to discuss ideas on redecorating her private quarters and study, designing a standard and crest for her new station, and redesigning the estate's livery. Before she finally retires, he tells her that the staff is pleased and honored to be part of the household of an OC, and that they will do everything they can to help her make this estate her own.

38 days left

Victor arrives bright and early the next morning and Differel meets him in the entry hall. The servants watch them embrace and kiss, and the majordomo nods to the housekeeper, who surreptitiously disappears into the house. After Differel makes a few introductions, the majordomo takes them to a small table set up in the inner courtyard patio, where they are served. The servants keep a discrete distance and only approach when signaled. Afterwards, Differel and Victor take a walk under the pergolas in the garden, seemingly alone, but under the watchful eyes of the hidden guards.

When Victor leaves, Differel turns to the majordomo and thanks him for his consideration. He then takes her to the great hall, where the whole staff is assembled and everything is laid out for the briefing.

First he introduces the staff: accountant, boots, butler, charlady, chauffeur, chef, companion, cooks, dressmaker, footmen, gardener, groom, groundskeepers, hall boy, handymen, herald, housekeeper, laundress, maids, musicians, pages, personal guards, personal trainer, physician, saucerer, seamstresses, secretary, spicerer, stable hands, stable master, and valet. She asks about the companion. It turns out that the previous Knight used him for a bedmate and similar sexual purposes. Differel has no need for those services, but promises him that if he wishes to stay she will find other duties for him.

Next he explains their service status. Most of them are family, having lived in this house since it was first constructed. He himself is a direct descendent of the first majordomo. Some of the footmen, maids, groundskeepers, stable hands, and guards are recent hires, as are the accountant, companion, herald, personal trainer, and physician. They also temporarily hire extra help for parties and special occasions. They started out in a standard servant/master arrangement: in exchange for their services, the lord would provide them with room and board. However, as time went on and more modern Dreamers took over the estate, their condition improved as they received greater and greater benefits. As of now, they receive rather generous salaries, health benefits, life insurance, disability insurance, generous severance packages if they leave service, and retirement pensions. Of course, most of these are simply extensions of what they would have received under the original arrangement, but they are spelled out in contracts that the previous Knight, the one she is replacing, had signed with them. Also in place are specific protocols for hiring and firing, occupational safety regulations, bonuses and rewards for faithful or extraordinary service, and more. More than that, the former Knight acted more as family patriarch than a master, including providing education for the servants' children, throwing parties for birthdays and other milestones, and taking an interest in their lives, hopes, and ambitions. Though at first they found such behavior uncomfortable, they have since grown used to it.

He then shows her maps and a model of the estate. It reminds her of a mansion in the heart of London: a large house with small surrounding grounds. It is surrounded by a wall, with three gates: a main one leading up to the front entrance; a servant's gate, now used for deliveries; and a stable gate. Though the wall is defensible, only a handful of the guards man it, mostly at the gatehouses. The front and side grounds are narrow; most of the open space is in the back where the central courtyard opens into the garden. The house itself is three stories, plus a basement. The front entrance is at the base of a tower, and two wings branch off from that. The west wing contains the living quarters, while the east wing contains shops and offices. The basement is used for general storage, but it also has a dungeon. The ground floor is the servants' floor, the first floor a guest floor, and the second floor the living space for the current Knight.

Next he gives her a complete report on the contents of the estate, while presenting an overview. Differel is surprised at the sheer volume of items, most of which are in storage in unused rooms. She asks about its disposition. The majordomo explains that technically it all belongs to the estate, and while she is free to sell it, the money would belong to estate, though she may keep a percentage for herself, and a percentage would go to the staff. She understands that it represents the accumulated wealth of the estate, and her own experience with her Waking World estate has taught her that the value of the objects goes beyond their monetary worth.

Finally, the accountant takes her through the finances. Traditionally, these estates have three sources of money. The first is a grant provided by the city for the upkeep and maintenance of the estate. The second is the stipend paid to the Knight. Differel's will be four times normal being a Lord Marshal and an OC. The third is the Knight's personal finances. The previous Knight's investments will revert to the crown as per her agreement with Kuranes. Some investments are in the name of the estate, but they are not enough to make up the loss. Since Differel has no money of her own, that will reduce the estate income but not as much as originally thought due to her larger stipend. Nonetheless, it is important that she begin to invest or otherwise acquire other sources of income, or the estate will suffer from a shortfall.

Differel thanks the staff for their cooperation and dismisses them, then talks to the majordomo alone. She tells him that for the time being, she will make no changes in the staff's arrangements. She wants to see it in operation for a time, to assess its efficiency. She may make some changes at a future date, but she considers her main priorities are to get settled in and provide for the estate once she is gone. The majordomo agrees, and once again promises to make her transition as smooth as possible.

Kuranes arrives at Victor's estate to seek his advice on what to do about the Atullian ambassador. His Privy Council is pushing to place him on trial, but Kuranes believes he is the best hope to make a permanent peace with Atullia. Victor agrees. Kuranes asks him to request the support of the Karchedonian Queen for his release and repatriation. After Kuranes leaves, the girls arrive to let him know they plan to take Differel on a tour of the city, and ask if he would like to come along. He declines, saying he has official matters to attend to, but they encourage him to find time to be alone with her. When they leave, he considers their words good advice.

Differel spends the rest of the morning going over plans of the mansion and investigating its history. The girls come by at noon to take her on a tour of the city. She permits an honor guard of three to accompany them, and they spend the afternoon seeing the sights. She discusses with the girls her need to find sources of income, and they tell her about their own investments. During this time they visit Medb and find her hard at work directing surveyors and architects as they map the mansion. She offers to let Differel invest in some of her business concerns and encourages her to contact Seidhloch in Ulthar. He has any number of ventures that he would like to have financed.

Victor receives word from Karchedon. The Queen supports Kuranes's desire to let the Atullian ambassador go, and authorized Victor to go with him to negotiate peace with Punica. He sends word to Kuranes of the news.

Differel and the girls return to the estate by evening and have dinner with her, during which the majordomo surprises her with a box of cigarillos. He had taken the liberty of filching one to have it copied. She is touched by the gesture, but in deference to the girls doesn't light it until after they leave. She strolls through the garden in the dusk, and Victor arrives on the hippogriff, to see how she's doing. He agrees to stay the night with her.

When the girls return to their mansion, the cats warn them that a plot is developing to assassinate Differel and Kuranes. They know who is involved, but as yet they have no proof, and while feline testimony is admissible in Ooth-Nargai courts, by itself it is insufficient to convict. The girls instruct the cats to keep watch and let them know where to obtain proof if they find any.

The companion meets with a group of men and women at a dockside tavern. They offer him money to sneak a group of assassins into the mansion. He admits that he hates Differel for demoting him, but not enough to betray her. Then, one of the women reveals who she is and offers to hire his services at double his present salary. She even offers to have him adlected to the gentry, with land of his own. His greed and ambition get the better of him, and he takes the bribe, but offers to kill her himself. He knows a way to strike when she is most vulnerable. They agree to let him try.

37 days left

The next morning, Victor leaves after breakfast. The majordomo briefs her on decorating ideas, the new design for the livery, and a personal crest design. She talks with the accountant about the investment ideas the girls suggested. He informs her that there is little leeway in the funds without cutting back on amenities, however, he suggests that she could raid the benefits pool, since currently there is no one using the pension or disability funds, and the bonuses are tied to estate prosperity. However, Differel refuses to consider it. Instead, she asks him to draw up a list of stored items that could be sold. It would be a short-term way of getting needed funds, and would provide her with money to invest. She talks with the majordomo about wanting to create a lair in the basement for Ney and his ghouls. He informs her of the possible cost, as well as the cost of acquiring the new décor she wants for her rooms. There simply are no funds available. However, he tells her the staff is willing to offer her ten percent of their salaries and pensions, and to give up their bonuses for the year, to be used as an investment pool, in exchange for partial ownership in the estate. Again she is touched by the gesture, but postpones a decision until she can acquire some money herself; she would like controlling interest and the majordomo agrees that is only fair.

The girls meet with Saighlíne, Victor, and Medb to inform them of the plot. They pledge their support, but Victor is upset that Differel has not been warned and they intend not to. Medb, however, is impressed that the girls are willing to play that sort of game, and argues that the best way to get proof is to let an attack go forward and catch the conspirators red-handed. If Differel is warned, that would put her on her guard and alert the plotters. Victor is uneasy, but he goes along with it. Saighlíne, however, insists that Kuranes be informed, and Medb agrees that he should. Saighlíne and Medb then go off to brief Kuranes themselves.

A summons from Kuranes takes Differel to his palace in the afternoon, where she finds Medb, the girls, and Saighlíne. He announces that he has made an agreement with the Atullian ambassador and that he will be returning to his homeland within the week with a joint Ooth-Nargai-Karchedon legation. Victor will represent the city-state, and Kuranes wants Differel to represent Kuranes. He will return the ambassador's cloud barge to him, but in lieu of the decision by the prize court, he will purchase the barge from the claimants. They agree and the funds are paid out. Differel is surprised but pleased by the amount. Afterwards, Kuranes serves them tea, and introduces them to a friend from his own adventuring days, an oriental gentleman named Yang Cheng, who is staying with him. Ubasti is there too, as one of Kuranes's new bodyguards.

Upon her return to her estate, Differel makes arrangements with the accountant to invest an amount that will provide her with 55% interest. The remainder of the pool will be used to pay for the redecoration and basement modifications Differel wants, and she will repay the fund out of her percentage from the sold items. The accountant and the majordomo have drawn up a list of valuable items that nonetheless will not be missed. He can arrange for the auction in a couple of days.

The girls and the cats meet with Ney and the ghouls in secret to inform them of the conspiracy. Like Victor, they are uncomfortable with withholding information from Differel, but they agree to help the cats with the surveillance.

The majordomo overhears their conversation. He understands the import of what they are saying and decides to take matters into his own hands. He confers with the housekeeper, and they confer with the senior staff. They all agree that Differel's safety is their primary concern.

After dinner, Ney reports that his ghouls have excavated a tunnel down to the sewers and would like to explore the city's underworld. She grants permission. After she retires to her study, the majordomo surprises her by exiting a secret door. Though at first she suspects treachery, he persuades her he means no harm, and tells her what he overheard. He assures her that he and the senior staff have her back, but he warns that some of the junior members may be untrustworthy, particularly those who are not family. She instructs him to make no changes in the daily routine for now, but to quietly place the guards, those whom the captain can trust, on the alert. She also asks him to keep an eye on the juniors and hirelings, and to report any suspicious activity. As he leaves, she first admonishes him to take her on a tour inside the walls sometime, and then sincerely thanks him for his loyalty.

The senior staff meet in secret and discuss whom else they can trust among the staff. At the top of everyone's list of untrustworthies is the erstwhile companion. They decide he should be kept under constant watch.

During the night Differel is awakened when someone straddles her and places a pillow over her face. At the same time, she feels her assailant try to rape her. She strikes back and manages to throw him off. She grabs a pistol, but in the dark she misses. The attacker then comes at her with a knife. He cuts and stabs her before she can subdue him. As she tries to light a candle, however, he throws a strap around her neck and tries to garrote her. Again she manages to subdue him, this time pinning him down on the floor. The guards arrive and she discovers it is the companion. She has him locked up, and after the doctor tends her wounds, she returns to bed, with a couple of female guards watching over her.

36 days left

In the morning she sends word to Victor, Saighlíne, Medb, and the girls, then interrogates the companion. In the Waking World she has to use restraint, but here she allows the captain of the guard to use whatever method to persuade him to talk. He knows only one name, which he finally reveals. When Saighlíne arrives, she turns him over to her for trial on charges of attempted murder and rape. She then tells Victor, Medb, and the girls that she knows about the plot. However, she is not angry and she shows impatience with attempts to apologize for placing her in danger; her own carelessness let her down. Saighlíne is astonished that the woman the companion named would be involved, because she is a high-ranking member of the Privy Council. However, if anything happened to Kuranes before Differel's winning the OC, she was the odds-on favorite for becoming the next ruler. However, a forced confession is no more admissible here than in the Waking World, but at least now they have something to go on. Even so, they cannot move openly, or the conspirators will be alerted and go to ground. They have to stop this now, or live with a Damocles sword hanging over their heads forever. Nonetheless, they have the cats and ghouls concentrate their surveillance on the councilor while they pretend nothing is wrong.

Differel announces she wants to take a bath. However, once the maids leave her alone splashing in the tub, she gets out, dries off, dresses, and opens a secret panel in the wall leading to the hidden passageways. There she meets the majordomo and Ney with his ghouls. The majordomo takes them on a tour and explains that very few of the previous Knights ever knew about them, but they have been a family secret for centuries. Even then, only the seniors know their full extent, and the hirelings know nothing about them at all. Or shouldn't. He returns Differel to her bathroom before too much time has passed. Before she gets back in the tub, she instructs Ney to thoroughly explore the passages so that he and his ghouls can move freely throughout the mansion.

The cats alert the girls that armed men have been slipping into the Knights' neighborhood one and two at a time, and rendezvousing at a tavern. They where no livery or insignia, and don't look like city folk. The girls suspect an attack and put their household guard on alert. They also send word to Victor and Medb.

After she finishes her bath, Differel goes into her dressing room. She is surprised to find a maid present but not alarmed. As she dresses, however, the maid attacks with a poisoned dagger. She catches a glimpse of her in a mirror and is able to evade her. The maid had counted on surprise and is otherwise ineffectual; Differel has no problem subduing her. A ghoul appears out of a wall, and keeps her cowed. Differel finishes dressing, then summons the majordomo and the captain of the guard. The latter takes her away while the majordomo explains that she had been the companion's lover; the attack was probably motivated by revenge rather than politics. Nonetheless, Differel is fed up with two assassination attempts in her own mansion and decides to weed out the deadwood. She's rather be understaffed with people she can trust than have to constantly watch her back.

Victor takes his spider retainer out beyond the walls of Celephais and puts it through some paces. He notes that the spider is quick and strong, both fast and maneuverable, but its method of attack is to run down an opponent, pummel him with its pedipalps, then bite with its fangs. As such, Victor is able to demonstrate that that leaves it vulnerable for attacks to its face, where it could be blinded or even stabbed in the brain. He instructs it in what for a human would be hand-to-hand combat, teaching it to parry and block blows as it seeks an opening to knock the opponent off his feet, then subdue him before delivering the fatal bite. As they prepare to call it quits for the day, a cat runs up and announces that Differel's estate is under attack.

Continued in Part 2