by P. S. Power
He grabbed a bowl of oatmeal and a slice of bread that smelled fresh, so early bread, made that day. Feeling a little guilty about it, he put a half spoon of honey on the top and spread it around with the light tan focus stone paddle. It was a waste he knew, adding sweetener to the meal, but he did have orders to have fun from the King, and apparently the whole Council of Counts. Did that count? Eating sweet foods was supposed to be fun, right?
Tor didn't stand on ceremony, just placing his bowl and small plate next to the woman that had been speaking first. The woman next to her scooted out a bit to make room. Someone got him a chair and some fruit juice to go with his meal.
Everything got checked out with a poison snoop, but no one even blinked at it. Either so normal it was accepted or, more probably, so odd that no one had a clue what he was doing. Magical seasonings maybe? Or just a really funny looking salt shaker.
Tor didn't know if he could go to the markets with them, or even out on the water, it might be considered work. What he needed to do was find Rolph, and see what he had to say on the matter. It would also be fun if Nita was around.
He hadn't seen her in days, not since the attack. That kind of thing could put a person off, assassins coming for the person they're sitting next to, so she might just stay at the palace, figuring it as safer.
Then, she might be right.
It would be a shame, but he couldn't blame her if that was the case. After a while spent chatting everyone else moved off to start doing things, and not wanting to be the last one sitting around, he got up and did too.
Tor had absolutely no clue what he was up to. Boredom had already started to seep in around the edges and this was what, not even hour three yet?
Hurray. Vacation.
Chapter three
Being daring, Tor ventured out to the ice manufactory carrying amulets for two more of them, hoping that handing them off wouldn't be against the rules. This was harder than it seemed like it would be at first. Really, he hadn't realized how much he'd been working in all, having been thinking of work as only being building, or maybe copying. Most of the time planning would have been done at a time like this, or helping someone do something at least. When he got to the place people were loading their ice and Collette, wearing a light pink workman's tunic and a broad tan hat that looked to be made of grass, waved at him and looked excited.
Looking around, she hopped over, a literal bouncing movement and kissed him. Her lips touched his and she gasped.
“No shield? I can't work with ice and have one on, but is it safe for you? No one wants to kill me… Unless your sister Tamerlane is more jealous than she seemed? Didn't seem like it the one time we met.” She gave him a look that wasn't exactly teasing, so Tor just chuckled and shook his head, black hair long enough to actually move a bit, even from the gentle shift of position.
“No, Terlee…” He stopped suddenly and tilted his head. “Honestly? I know for a fact she wouldn't harm you just for having dated, or even slept with, her future husband, but I don't know that she might not really be unhappy about it. She doesn't always talk about what she's thinking. Um… You might want to send her a letter or something, proclaiming the two of you friends? Then there will be no debts between you, including things like that.”
“Wait, I just say, “we're friends” and it magically means she can't be mad at me? I like that rule.” The pretty blond smiled sweetly.
“We're friends, aren't we Tor? I know I think of you as a good friend.”
Tor stuck out his tongue.
“Silly. But yes, of course we are. Only, it has to go both ways. You forgive people, but that doesn't mean you have to put up with them constantly trying to tear you down or anything. You have to be a real friend. Terlee really would be a good person for you to get to know though. She's quiet, but a good person.”
“Alright then. I'll send a letter off to her. Know where she is? Two Bends or…” A small breeze caused the hat to shift, making her grab it without comment.
“I don't really know. What I'd do it take it to the Two Bends Fast delivery outpost around the wall and have Stewart just hand it off to the next delivery people through to take to her. It should get there.”
“Done then. Kind of handy really. Would that work if I needed to get something to you, do you think?”
“Maybe? I need to let my family know where I am more, probably.”
“That doesn't explain the lack of a shield though, or that people keep trying to kill you.”
Tor shrugged.
It was as good a time as ever to try the field out, since she asked. He took her hand and kissed it gently, just to show he was really making contact. The whole time he looked right into her eyes, which made her blush prettily for some reason.
“OK.” He made his face go blank. “Now hit me.”
She hesitated, “What?”
“Shield test, hit me, like you really mean it.” Then he shut his eyes and let go of her hand in that order.
The shield engaged with the blow stopping her hand in the air about a quarter inch from his body. A decent uppercut to the stomach. Her field showed a lot more muscle under her work clothing and skin than it looked like. He opened one eye first and grinned.
Nodding, Tor turned it back off and asked her to trying choking him instead. The shield turned back on before she could make contact. When he had her just stroke his neck nothing happened. A warm hand moved around his throat from behind, hard with calluses, but pretty when he looked down, a solid dark tan color, almost brown. Petra. Gently she started petting him, but then made to tighten around his throat in a sudden rush.
The shield wasn't fooled. It made a soft sound as her hands flew away.
“Damn! Ow!” Shaking her hands, she grinned. “Full shield too? Like your newest ones? How does it work?”
That was hard to explain really, so he didn't try to tell her the whole thing. How it actually linked to a person’s own deep mind and used the information from that to tell if a threat was coming or not. Instead he just told her it responded to danger, even accidents, in case a person wasn't quick enough to turn it on or didn't remember to in a panic. That had happened too many times so far, and he'd almost lost people that way, including himself. This would help.
“Plus you can touch people now and actually enjoy a good party without acting like everyone’s always going to try and get you. Ohhh, hence the yellow sash! Very daring and bold around here, with this many people. Um… I'd like to, if… you aren't too busy already? Collette can join us. Not now, later obviously, duty calls and this ice won't sell itself. As it is the line will be going back to the wall by noon. We just can't make it fast enough. Oh well.”
Glancing around for the King, Tor quickly shoved the two amulet sets at her earning a pleased expression and a hug. Then he asked her what she and Collette would be joining him for, even though he was up for almost anything. A yellow sash probably meant something more than he'd thought…
“Yellow sash… it means you're paying for the drinks!” She said brightly.
Oh. He could do that, he laughed and shook his head slightly.
“I thought for a second it was an invitation to group sex or something. I just put it on thinking that people wearing them always seemed like fun. Well, drinks on me then.”
Collette heard that and hugged him from behind. A gentle kiss settled on his cheek.
“Oh? OK. I'm in. Pet?” The blond was obviously teasing him for his silliness. Petra joined in for a bit, then went to hook up the other two ice manufactories, an act which got cheers from the people waiting in the wagons. They had to load them by hand, and the person getting the ice was always hurried along by those behind them. Often loudly and with a little less than good cheer. Could a loader be come up with… no. That was work. Instead Tor shrugged and went over what Johanson, the finance counselor, had said to him the day before. Three days before he realized.
“We can hire people for that. Loading and deliveries? And lower the prices duri
ng festivals? It feels funny doing it, but I get the idea… more people will be able to buy it. We can just make more ice. I'm saving up for a house though right now. Maybe one of your magic ones? What do those run anyway, thirty-forty thousand gold?” Her voice sounded innocent, but not wheedling. After a second he got the idea anyway, she was trying to lower the price so he'd sell her one more cheaply. Shrewd bargaining. They were probably worth a lot more than that on the open market, but who had that kind of gold just laying around?
That made him blink. He stopped, and thought, and then blinked again.
“Um… Collette? You already own half the new magic houses… I have ten so five are yours or half the money from it if we ever sell them, whichever you want. I mean all of them, so if I make a thousand, half is yours and so on.” She'd helped design it, which was important. Yes, building was his part, but he wouldn't have thought of most of it without her. He tried to explain that clearly.
“Just like how Major Godfrey has half the transports, or Petra half the magical clothes. But even if you didn't, say if Petra wants a house, or you want anything I make, all you have to do is ask. What's the point of having friends if you can't help them out every now and then?” It made sense to Tor, but both of them seemed both excited and gave him strange looks at the same time. Not disbelieving, just… slightly shocked.
It kind of made him wonder what friend meant where they came from.
It was that way, three ice manufactories set up, three lines forming and both girls giving him an odd look, that the Prince finally found him, pulling up in one of the royal carriages. It would have been safer and more comfortable to travel using his Not-flyer, and several times faster what with all the early preparations for King’s week going on, but then the two Royal Guards and the tall Princess wouldn't have been hidden from view as easily. Not that the Royal Guard cared about hiding themselves, just the fact that they had cargo with them.
What they called the royals when they traveled. Cargo. It was kind of telling as to how they thought of the nobles, wasn’t it?
“Tor, you are not out here working are you? I'll tell my daddy and mommy on you if you are.” In the bright light the red in Rolph's hair was almost back. Karina's too. It had been pure black a few weeks before, not even that long, but that didn't seem to have lasted. Maybe she should go bleach blond? That was holding out pretty well for Trice. Karina had gone to a red military bob and while a little young, looked like she could almost pass in the ranks now if she had too. Both wore black clothing, not military, but loose and soft looking with over long sleeves that had to be pushed up. It looked slightly uncomfortable, but if they were happy about it, why not?
Karina didn't look happy though.
Her face was still dark and down, her gaze barely lifted to his face and he doubted that anyone else was even visible to her except as a torso. Moving in he hugged her, expecting to hit shield and be shrugged off, but hitting soft fabric and lean girl, arms wrapping him tightly and not letting go. Well, a bit clingy and moody was better than standoffish and glaring.
A conversation started behind him about hypocrisy and how if he wasn't wearing a shield, why should Rolph have to. Stepping up behind him his big friend aimed a slap at the back of his head, triggering the shield and throwing Karina back. She didn't swear or call out, but it had to hurt. She glared at Rolph, while Petra explained happily and he turned the whole thing off again.
It turned out that the royal kids hadn't come to stay yet, just collect him, along with Wensa, who he gave an awkward hug to as well, Royal Guard or not. It got a smirk from the man she was with, but Wensa didn't respond to the humor of it. She wouldn't have batted an eye if he'd kissed her, Tor knew. Not because she wanted it, no, it was just part of the training. That didn't mean the guards wouldn't make fun of each other or crack jokes though. Strange ones often involving violence or death, but they had a collective sense of humor, even Wensa.
Somewhere, in that possibly soulless husk she claimed as a body.
She looked a bit younger now, her gray hair a solid brown, her wrinkles smoothed with makeup. Not too much, but enough to make a difference. If she got out of the uniform she'd look almost human. It was an interesting affect, since he'd mainly seen her pretending to be an accounting instructor in grand Royal Guard tradition. That was, she'd actually become an accounting instructor and was one of the best the Lairdgren school had before Rolph left and she followed her charge back to the Capital. They weren't just scary fanatics, trained from near birth for their job, they were all smart too. Even the stupid ones at the gate that kept him out all those times. Of course even being brilliant didn't mean they couldn't be a pain in the rear if their work of the moment required it of them.
That was pretty much their job as far as he could tell.
The plan, after loading up on magical devices was to go around “visiting”. It was a King’s week tradition, you took snacks, small gifts, normally wine or spirits, and put people on the spot by showing up on their doorstep without warning. It was so you could set up private parties and assure your own invitations, or beg a place to stay if you didn't have one yet. It sounded… fun was the wrong word. Tiresome came to mind, but Tor didn't say that.
Traditions must be upheld, or what was the point of having them? Instead he kissed Petra and Collette on the cheek, and went with Rolph and Karina to his room and collect up some junk to hand out. He gave them each a bunch of new amulets. Normally that cheered the Princess up, but this time she just grunted.
Princesses didn't grunt. Titter and twitter, chuckle and if highly derisive, snort. But grunt? Especially when given one of her favorite things. Stuff. It was dismal to watch. Well, it was a lot of things for them all to play with later. No weapons and nothing that would hurt anything, except the boats, carriages and protective housing. Those could be a problem if set up in the wrong place or at the wrong time. It was an excuse to get a shield on Karina that she couldn't leave off, just hoping someone would kill her.
Tor waited until the Prince had his back turned and kissed her. It was incredibly inappropriate, but Tor had a hunch it might be taken as funny or playful. It was on the lips and well enough done she started responding, depressed or not. It got a smile from her, if a weak one. They were nearly halfway down the hall, a box full of things floating behind them, a large one too, in case they met up with more people than they'd counted on, when Karina caught on to what he'd done.
“Hey!” She sounded outraged, but it was her funny, mock outrage, thankfully.
“You changed my clothes!”
From dismal black she now had on light mint green, and wore a skirt instead of flowing pants. The belt was gold and sparkly and her shoes weren't military boots, but delicate slippers that would have looked right at a palace function. It wasn't the change that was daring though, it was the fact that the green dress was very nearly transparent. Oh, it hid all the naughty bits well enough, thicker fabric there, but it looked good. Sexy. You could see her belly button, swell of breast and line of hip without straining even.
Rolph spun and looked at it.
“Oh, good, were off the black thing then? What should I change too then? I could match Tor's look, it's pretty unique or maybe-” Closing his eyes the Prince suddenly wore a nice tan cotton thing that looked stylish, with heavier lines of brocade down the front of the shirt, light blue in two stripes. It didn't have pants though, it just was gathered at the waist with a gold cord and hit mid thigh, on his feet were sandals that had dark leather straps and wooden bottoms. Karina finally broke into a grin and matched him but with brown stripes. It was a good enough look, if less sexy, so Tor followed suit, making his brocade stuff green. That seemed right, didn't it?
Important somehow.
The sandals on his feet felt funny to walk in and nearly made him stumble several times before he got the hang of it, but Karina took his hand as they walked out, so he wouldn't land on his face. At the bottom of the stairs she turned to him and kissed his cheek.
“Thank you. I know I'm being a pain. No one wants to be around a doom cloud all day. Thanks for being so nice. I didn't know that when Alphonse brought you home from school I'd be getting such a good friend too.” Her voice sounded soft and subdued, but Karina tried for a smile. It failed pretty badly, but it was an actual attempt.
In the back of the carriage, which annoyed Tor more than a bit, being a bit cramped, with five people. Karina cuddled up to him closely enough that Rolph made a face at him. Then he relented with a huge sigh.
“Screw it. If you can keep a smile on her face for the next two weeks I'll glue the two of you together. Just make sure he has fun sis, or dad will have our behinds. And don't rub it in with Varley or it will be cruel. She really likes Tor, and now that they can't get married…”
Wait, Rolph knew that Varley was mildly upset over her plans changing, but could barely see massive depression in Karina? What the heck was up with that? Karina nodded, murmured “of course” and laid her head on his shoulder, which couldn't have been comfortable given the angle.
Well… Tor could try to entertain her if it would help. She was nice enough and cute, if not as good looking as Varley. But looks were only one thing. Being a good person counted for a lot more. Varley was nice too, but that didn't mean she was a better person overall based on looks. It wasn't like such things were measured on a scale or something, each bit nudging you over others. Besides, she lied a lot, and manipulated. Being smart, she did it well too. That was hard for him to understand, it simply not being his way most of the time. He could lie, but mainly didn't bother. Who cared that much about what he thought anyway?
Something that Tor did notice was that he liked Karina a lot better now that she was pressing herself up against him. It was kind of shallow, but a real effect. Not just lust, he liked her more. Did that happen to everyone? Would he suddenly be friends with Maria if she was sitting there not Karina? All his life Tor had thought that friendship was a mental thing, not some physical mechanism, but what if it was both? Was love the same way? Did people love those they could touch and hold more than people they couldn't or weren't allowed too? It was an interesting idea.