Chapter Text
It started out much the same as any other day: waking early to prepare for the day and be available for anything and everything Lord Corrin and Lady Kamui may need him for. His daily ablutions were nothing out of the ordinary, braiding his hair and tying it back with a neat ribbon, straightening his clothing (freshly laundered and pressed), washing the last vestiges of sleep from his face with cool water from the small basin in his room.
He looked in the mirror to assure himself that he was perfectly presentable and, with a satisfied nod, headed out to prepare breakfast and tea for his lieges. The sun had yet to peek over the horizon, but there was already plenty of work to be done.
As he cut fresh fruit, water boiled in a kettle for the tea, sausages sizzled in a pan, and his mind operated on a steady repeating refrain of the duties for the day.
Prepare breakfast, stoke the fire, gather the laundry, wash the laundry, hang the laundry to dry, fix lunch, train for exactly two hours, wash up, iron, press, fold the dry laundry - it went on and on, detailing his day.
His thoughts were interrupted as someone entered the kitchen - one of Lord Takumi’s retainers. He watched from the corner of his eye as the young man snagged an apple from the top of a barrel containing them, polishing it on his clothes (wrinkled) and biting into it with a loud crunch. He strolled around the kitchen as though it were his own, and Jakob noted his interest in the browning sausages. He quickly maneuvered so he stood directly in the way of the other retainers goal. His Lord and Lady’s breakfast would not be subject to raiding by dirty fingers, or any fingers that wished to remain attached to the hand they belonged to, at least.
The brunet pouted faintly, before shrugging and taking another bite out of his apple with an appreciative hum.
“How’re you doin’ this mornin’, Jakob? Makin’ breakfast for yourself?”
His lip curled slightly.
“... It is not for myself - taking care of my lieges needs comes before my own.”
As he spoke, he unloaded the sausages onto a proper serving plate, covering them quickly to keep them fresh and piping hot before setting it aside to do the same with the sliced fruit. As soon as he had finished, the kettle started to scream, and he swiftly removed it to empty it into the waiting tea pot.
All of this accomplished, he placed the meal on a large tray and hefted it, paying no more mind to the man who had finished off the apple and now seemed in search of more food.
He left the kitchen with purposeful strides, carrying him closer to his life’s purpose, the ones who gave him reason to continue - and noticed within seconds that he was being followed. With a grimace, he realized that the other retainer seemed to be trailing after him, like an excited hound dog might follow potential table scraps. With an aggravated sigh, and without bothering to turn around, he addressed the other man.
“Have you nothing better to do than follow after me like a lost pup? Go find a way to make yourself useful - I've work to do, and no patience to babysit.”
He'd hoped the caustic tone of his words would scare the smiling man off, as they did most people, but it almost seemed like nothing could stop the bounce in his step.
“Awww, I figured after you got the Lord and Lady their breakfast, you'd make yourself something - and maybe something for me, too?”
He could almost picture the wagging tail now, and he let out a disgusted noise.
“I will make something small for myself, but I have no intention of feeding you - if I do, you'll never leave. It's always the same with strays.”
He couldn't have said he didn't expect the whine that came after that statement.
“Whaaaat? Why not - you're gonna be back in the kitchen, anyways, what'd be stoppin’ you from makin’ a lil’ somethin’ for ol’ Hinata?”
Ah, so that was his name - he remembered hearing it somewhere else, belatedly. He'd written it off then as superfluous to his duties, as he did now.
“Because I serve only Lady Kamui and Lord Corrin - there is no room for any others, and I have no obligation to feed someone who doesn't even have the sense to prepare a meal for his own liege - why Lord Takumi tolerates such a sloppy, lazy retainer is far beyond me.”
He made sure to bleed as much disapproval into his words as he could, finally reaching the wing where his Lord and Lady made their beds. With a final sigh, his pursuer finally peeled off.
“Aww, whatever - maybe another day. I'll hold you to it!”
Jakob mentally shook his head as he toed open the door to the parlor his lieges shared.
“There will be no holding anyone to anything…”
“Ah, good morning - did you say something, Jakob?”
“Of course not, my lady.”
He lied smoothly as he placed the full tray on the table already set for breakfast and set about the next of his duties. Of course his lady would already be up and working on the pile of paperwork that never seemed to diminish at her desk. He carefully poured a cup of tea and prepared a small plate of vittles for her, and she offered him a wan smile.
“Cold, this morning. Winter is on its way. I've just finished reading through a requisition for extra blankets for the troops - it looks to be shaping up to be a cold, bleak season.”
He bowed easily.
“Allow me to stoke up the fire and warm your clothes for the day - that should help to chase away the chill.”
Kamui offered him a more genuine smile.
“You're a blessing, Jakob - truly.”
His heart warmed at the praise - so like the sun that seemed so reluctant to rise today, and he set about working through the rest of his list.
Stoke the fire, gather the laundry, wash the laundry, hang the laundry to dry, fix lunch, train for exactly two hours, wash up, iron, press, fold the dry laundry, prepare dinner...