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Tomorrow came earlier than Jack expected and, true to her promise, Ash gave him a fairly light workload today which allowed him to finish a few hours after noon with a good amount of time before dinner or the party. So, seeing as he had some free time, Jack decided to take a walk through the grounds to admire his handiwork over the past few days.

Jack didn’t pay much attention during the time he was enthralled, something he learned as a way to pass the time since he was stuck in his own body. A silver lining to this was he was able to admire the work he has done as though it was done by someone other than him, in fact, doing so often made him forget he spent a week enthralled. My body still feels sore from bending over though. Jack winced as his arms pulsed in reminder.

The garden was cleaned up, all the weeds were pulled. New flowers were placed around the fountain, roses by the looks of them. They gave off a good smell. At least he had done some good work during the last week. “Finished all your work?” Tarkus asked, approaching Jack with a ladder in hand.

Jack nodded, “I was just taking a little walk before I got ready.”

Tarkus grinned, “Well you’ve been doing some good work lately. I think the Mistress will be pleased with you. I was worried, actually, that your best work would have been when you were enthralled, guess that worry was unfounded though!”

Jack waited until Tarkus was done laughing before asking him something he’d been wondering about for some time, “Oh Tarkus, I’ve been meaning to ask, what were you doing before you came here?”

Tarkus sobered up, his smile fading. “Hmm,” he grunted, “about that…” he was silent for a moment, his eyes glancing around as if checking to see if anyone else was nearby, satisfied, he sighed, “I was… a common thief around these parts. Nothing too serious, some change here and there, maybe a knick knack or two. Although… one day I stole from someone pretty important. Got caught too, that was the worst of it. They threw me in a cell to rot away. Would have too, if the Mistress hadn’t been passing through.”

“She broke you out?” Jack asked.

Tarkus threw his head back and laughed, “No! I have …