by P. S. Power
"I can do that. I need to talk to Tor anyway. Alone. It will probably still be a week before I have them for you, unless we happen to meet by accident. Since I fully intend to be on a beach somewhere out of the Kingdom tomorrow, or perhaps on a mountain range, that won't be happening."
That was good enough for the King, but it wasn't exactly a real chance to vanish, unless he left his communications devices at home. Since this wedding vacation was real, if a little spotty as to the details of what they were doing, it was tempting. Of course that wouldn't work if Trice brought hers along, would it? Since that was nearly as big an issue, he let it go and decided to just see what happened. So far they seemed happy enough with leaving it with Timon just being who he was and taking coin from anyone that had it to spare. They'd want more later, but if they weren't paying attention people might just find themselves being disappointed.
The King smiled and stood, clearly indicating that they were leaving by taking several steps toward the door.
"Will you be staying for dinner?" It was almost enough to get a laugh, only Timon nearly lost it. They were almost being pushed to go by the man, even as he spoke the words.
Timon took the hint and shook his head a little, which was too familiar, but didn't attract attention.
"No, thank you, Sire. We really should be going now. Kind of a tight schedule. Give our love to Aunt Constance... and Karina? I hear she tried to have someone killed for us? I'm sure that explaining things to her will be enough to put an end to that, thank her for me? Also, let poor Veren go. It wasn't like he really had a choice, was it?" Timon tried to just walk from the room then, but Trice grabbed him by the arm with her left hand, harder than was humanly possible. It would have broken something in his arm if his shield hadn't kicked on when it did. She didn't let go, but the vice like grip stopped increasing in force and then slowly was pushed back. Her hand was like the craft or one of the houses. It was visible, unlike a good shield, but was made of the same stuff. If it hurt her in any way she didn't let it show on her face.
He didn't either. It was only pain and he'd learned to deal with that the hard way. This was nothing, a mere annoyance that he could block out if he tried, which happened nearly as fast as the pressure being released did.
The men in the room all looked at him hard, except the King, who snorted once and waved them away.
"Of course you heard that already. I'll pass your words along and take your idea as far as Veren goes to heart, since I do agree with you. Karina however, not only knew better, but should have consulted with me before attempting such a thing. She said that she didn't want to risk me saying no. Sometimes I don't know what I'm going to do with that girl. Then I remember that I'm going to get old and dump the duty on her brother, which always makes me feel better, as petty as that sounds. Go away now and don't come back unless you really need to, for at least a week." There was a pause for a few seconds as the three of them moved toward the far door of the room. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't mention this to Tor, if possible? I'd rather not have the Palace laid to siege as he tries to rescue her from her onerous incarceration here."
That seemed relatively fair, so he nodded a few times and made himself not rub at the skin of his right arm, where a bruise was clearly going to be forming.
"It shouldn't come up."
The King sighed and looked a bit miserable for some reason.
"Good. As to the issue at hand, if you could refrain for now? It would be helpful." There was no more explanation given than that, but there didn't need to be really.
The man was asking him not to start a war with Gala, if it wasn't needed. It wasn't a thing that he could totally promise, since there were other people involved.
"See you in a few weeks. Happy New Year."
"You two as well. See you then."
The man shut the door himself as soon as they were in the hallway, Trice grabbing his arm hard again, trying to drag him along. He suffered it for the time being, struggling not to be afraid of her. A light shaking started within him, as the pain from the bruising was rubbed against by her unreal fingers. He didn't speak until he saw Kevin, who looked at him blankly enough, eyes darting to the grasp that his wife had on him, sliding away, clearly trying not to see the abuse. That was something that had to happen every now and then at the Palace, didn't it? People with unequal power in close quarters led to things like that.
"Veren should be out later today. Princess Karina got him to go and steal some underclothes from Tor. It isn't like he'd care, but the Queen took offense, so they both got in trouble, even if it is kind of funny. I doubt that Karina will get off as lightly. Poor thing. Aunt Constance can be very protective when it comes to my brother." It was a lie, of course, and Kevin clearly knew that too, but nodded anyway and didn't hand over a Truth amulet.
"Ah, well, that's better than a sex scandal. A prank gone wrong? I'll make sure to put the word out. I know that George will certainly feel better. Wensa as well."
Timon recognized the last name, but couldn't remember a face to go with it. Looking up at the man he tried to think it through.
"Large woman that beat me the other day?" It was all he had really.
"Exactly. She's the Heir's Royal Guardian. Just like Veren is assigned to Princess Karina and Kara is assigned to Tor. Really, she should move to the school again, if not his household, but no one has really told him about her job clearly yet. I don't think he'd take it badly, do you?"
There was an angry tugging at his elbow, which he ignored, hiding the irritation that he felt decently well.
"Probably not. The rule there is a simple one, I think. Just have her go and tell Tor that she's moving in and that it's her job, like it or not. He won't make her sleep in the yard."
"I'll pass that along. Thanks again for the help. No one has been able to get anything out of anyone yet."
Then, rather unceremoniously, Patricia pulled at him again, so he forced a laugh.
"I think this is wife for, we need to go now dear. Talk to you later. Tell everyone I said hello." It never hurt to fake politeness after all.
Trice didn't start screaming at him the instant the door of the craft was shut at least. She just threw herself into the passenger's seat and started playing with her dragon pendant. It moved on its own and seemed nearly alive, but held inside a glass disk. Someday, when she wasn't angry with him, he needed to examine it more closely. It was sophisticated, but if he could copy it, Mark Morgan might just be able to have a normal life, like his sister did.
"I take it that I'm piloting?" He let himself rub at his arm then, and made the sleeve vanish, showing a ring of already purple bruises there, causing her to wince and gasp.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't realize I was holding on that hard. I felt the shield kick in but-"
"Right. If you do that again, I'm leaving you. There won't be a second warning and I'll do it publicly enough that I'm certain that Baron Gala will mail out your new wedding announcements within the week. Now, explain why you're acting like a schoolyard bully that's gotten into her pa's hard cider."
It sounded angry, but he was, so that would fit the situation nicely.
For her part she went back to glaring and pouting at the same time.
"They told you what happened! No one told me, not even Uncle Richard. Something is very wrong there. Not that I'm saying you aren't important, but I work for him directly. You'd think I'd be told, wouldn't you?"
Timon got the craft into the air slowly, not making it large yet, wanting to actually be in the back for that, so he could move the table that was pressing against the now broken coin chest in the back while he did it.
"Honestly? Princess Karina tried to have a Royal Guard kill Rico Gala. I'm almost certain that they all assume you put her up to it."
"What? They said that?"
He scoffed a bit and moved to head toward the South again, so that they could move out to sea and then come back to land in Printer in the dark. It was almost late enough now, but th
ey had some flying ahead of them, if they wanted to do this right.
"Said? No. Don't be silly. I just worked it all out. It makes sense. After all, you did put her up to it, didn't you?"
There was no answer for a bit, as he held the control hand piece all the way forward, moving off into the dark twilight sky.
Chapter ten
"Wrong. So wrong I can't even laugh about it. I'd never do anything that stupid. I have three different plans in the works that will end with Rico dead and none of them lead back to me like that. I bet Karina wasn't trying to help me at all, and just trying to make sure you were free to marry in a few years. She's a lot harder than most people think, you know that don't you? She cut off my arm once." The hand that got waved looked real enough to him, but that was the point. It wasn't, and Timon knew it. She didn't even have to explain.
"Sure. You didn't rub that in at all, did you? Or point out that if Rico were dead, our little arrangement could really be undone by the King without any problems. You worked her into place and she probably didn't even notice you doing it overly." He winced and put the craft into a hover, so that the healing amulet could come out from under his shirt. It smarted while it did its work, but in a few minutes the whole thing was healed.
Not the damage it had done to their relationship of course. The physical part had been.
"Seriously, never again. You understand that? I'm not some child for you to school and thrash into obedience and if you can't handle that we can turn this crate right around, and head back to your Uncle tonight. I know that I'm too young for this, but if you act like I am, then there's nothing in this for me at all." It was just the truth, but she frowned at him and crossed her arms, it was a hard move that looked sullen and a lot younger than her years.
"I said I was sorry. What's the big deal anyway, you healed. I thought you were supposed to be tough or something. All immortal and that sort of thing."
"You can crush stone with that hand, and nearly did that to my elbow. I don't bruise easily and you... You know, I'm not having this particular discussion. You know why a giant woman hurting me, even a little, isn't going to work with me. Just like how I know not to leave you with scummy jailers." It was a low blow, bringing that up, but she was asking for it.
Rather than fight then, she teared up and looked out the window, swallowing every few seconds. It was loud enough to hear in the rather quiet cabin of the craft.
"I know. It hasn't been easy for me and this thing with Rico and having to get married. I'm really grateful to you, but I would have picked someone else if I had a choice. Waited at least. You aren't even able to hug me without shaking. I know it isn't your fault, I really do. I just..." She sobbed, but didn't let it get too loud. "This isn't going to work is it? I can't help but think that I should be in charge, being larger and older and you... You're smarter than I am. I hate that. It isn't just a bit either. Or only in one tiny area, like building. You're just brilliant all the time and I feel like my brain is stuck in thick mud, sinking slowly the whole time. You're always two steps ahead in everything. The things you know, it's like magic sometimes. People think that you're reading their minds most of the time. You really aren't, are you?"
"No. I don't need to. People let things slip and give plenty of clues. As for this working, well, it's like everything else. There are two of us and if we decided to make it work, we can. The real problem isn't that we can't do that, but that it takes effort that neither of us is really committed to making yet. You have to treat me as an equal, years aside. For my part I have to remember that you're a good bit smarter than most." He smiled and tried not to point out what that really meant, but she was intelligent enough to work it out without straining.
"So I'm the smartest of the monkeys in the menagerie? Good to know. I'd hate to be the slowest and too moronic to know it." There was a bit of attitude in the words, which was deserved. She was his wife after all, which meant he really should try to get along.
"That's not what I said. Not at all. I said you were brighter than most. Clearly, Tor is the smartest monkey in the circus, and Tiera is right in there with him. Maybe Princess Veronica. She's decently bright. Terlee, Count Lairdgren, my mother, as much as I hate to admit it, Taman, clearly, is smarter than I am... You're kind of a step down from that. At least from what I've seen so far."
She was still crying, but managed to give him a look that said she hated him without the words coming out. It was a good trick really.
"Oh, gee... That's better. I can't even call you a liar. I know that you're all smarter than I am. It doesn't leave me feeling easy at night you know. How am I supposed to do my job when everyone I know is ten times smarter than I am?"
Timon just flew for a bit, thinking, then shrugged.,
"About thirty percent smarter than you are. Tops. Well, for the rest of them. I might be twice that, but I'm clearly not bright enough to hide that from you, so don't tell anyone I said so. For your part, there are probably about ten thousand people on the planet that are much smarter than you are. That's not a lot. You won't ever run into most of them and the ones you know are largely on your side. It really shouldn't be a problem. You married me after all, so if it comes down to it, I have to help you figure things out, if I can."
He meant all this to sound charming, but it really just seemed like he was busily hating her right back. It was a stronger thing than he was used to feeling, to tell the truth. Then he got it. She'd slipped her dragon off and had it sitting on the seat next to her and was busily goading him into a combat rage, using her own power to push him into it. That had to mean she was honestly angry with him, but it didn't make sense. They both had shields, but if the craft crashed at full speed that might not save them.
What did she gain by doing that?
After thinking it through silently he thought he understood. She'd hurt him. It wasn't a bad wound and she hadn't meant to do it, but she had and knew it was wrong. She wanted him to attack her now, so that they'd be even. Because that made sense.
If you were unbalanced and a trauma victim.
"Trice, could you put the dragon back on?" Tim waited, and she did it after a minute, her face looking hurt, as if him asking her not to send him into a homicidal rage was an insult to her or something?
There was a low sound then, that he could just barely hear at all.
"Sorry." Clearing her throat she tried to sound happy and bright. It was a good effort, even if fake. "Well, most people make it whole weeks before getting to their first fight. It's a good sign, I'm sure. Why at this rate we'll be taking knives to each other by the end of the honeymoon." Then, fake cheerful or not, she moped for a long time, not even looking at him.
They were heading over the eastern ocean and coming around carefully in the dark. It was a lot harder to get to Printer at night that way, but he did it carefully and only had to search up and down the coastline twice for it before seeing the pattern of lights that had to be a large building in the dark, along with some oil lamps along the streets. It wasn't the best lit city in the Kingdom at night, but several places had red magical things going, which let him find a street that he recognized from the air. They were, of course, supposed to come in and land like a boat. Or at least pretend to be one. They could actually go into the water, but it was silent to ride above the waves and no one would notice them too much if they did that.
Unless there was a watch out for strange things? That might get some attention then. Feeling a bit upset still, he reconfigured the craft into a credible looking boat, a nice white and blue thing that had a wooden deck and could pass for a real boat in the daylight, even among people that knew such things. They had to move up the new staircase to the top level and the pilot house there, but Trice didn't seem to mind. Maybe the fresh air would help cool her down a bit?
She leaned on the new railing arms crossed and holding herself at the elbows. She had to lean down a little bit to do it, the railing only about four feet high. It was just there to keep people from fallin
g off the side after all, not lock them in like a prison fence. The top looked like slick and polished pine, a light color that matched the deck. It was visible in the half moonlight, the sky wasn't perfectly clear. Off to the ocean side of things, on the east side of the boat clouds gathered on the horizon.
"This is amazing. I didn't know that you could do this. Really, I was impressed that you made something magical at all. You haven't even gone to school to learn how. I've never even been able to make a copy, much less something like this." There was a softness to the words, an almost breathy quality that made her sound gentle and kind. Scared too. That was the main thing he was taking away from her body language at the moment, even she was trying to hide it, turning away from him as she spoke like she was, meant she wanted to express herself, but not the confrontation she had to suspect was coming. Her legs were spread shoulder width and firm, but her arms were crossed in front of her. She was keeping something back from him. It was almost certain.
Timon didn't want to fight either, since it almost never actually helped to make anything better. Action sometimes did, but there were risks to everything. He'd need information before there was any real way to know what to do about the woman he was stuck with.
"Tor always puts out so many incredible things that I think everyone forgets that other people can be good too. Not him, he won't forget. I guess I mean me, don't I? It's not fair." There was no hint of a whine to the last line, which meant she wasn't talking about herself.
Timon waited, not knowing where she was trying to go with the conversation at all. They were just resting in the water, not moving, except for a gentle rocking as the boat stabilized itself in the waves.
There was no turning around at all, her gaze only on the coastline ahead of her.