by P. S. Power
“Of course. Do you really think that women past the age of twelve can't control where their breasts are going? Think about it, how often do you bump things with your chest? Even if you're busty you have to move in close to brush against someone. I was standing with my whole body pressed against your back. The room was crowded, but not so much I had to do that. Plus I asked her if you two were friends, remember? It was clear flirting. Actually It was a bit heavy handed, but I was surprised to see someone as lovely as you there willing to talk to me. Plenty of men had copped a feel already, but you were the only one other than Tovey that actually carried on a conversation.”
Ah. Well. Trice apparently was right. He really needed to learn to pay attention. Colette was pressing up against his back, to demonstrate her technique, when his mother and father walked up. Tor blushed but didn't move away from the tall girl that stood behind him, she smiled genially at the new comers.
“Hello! Are you coming to stay with us? We have some rooms still. All on the top floor I'm afraid, so a bit of a walk, but the rooms are nice. I'm Collette by the way, Baronetta Collette Coltress. Sorry about throwing titles around, but I've found that if I don't, people seem to think I'm a serving girl and get demanding. I'm in charge of the house for Master Tor. Do you need help with your bags?” The words came out so smoothly that it was clear that she'd said them hundreds of times over the last days.
The properly sized black haired man winked at her with a friendly expression on his face.
“Douglas Baker, this is my wife Laurali, Tor's parents among other things. Not to drop titles myself, but I'll have you know I'm the main baker for my village. Three hundred and fifty people now and growing fast.” He kept a straight face for a second then grinned, hesitated for half a moment, and bowed.
Tor's mother grabbed him into a hug and he felt his father pound his back a little too, just to add to the family feel of the moment. Laurali smiled regally at Collette and shook her head.
“We already have accommodations, staying with my daughter and her husband. We're just here to visit, if you have the time? Richard told us you're taking a break, a vacation? And not doing it very well at it yet either… Oh! Connie told me to let you know that she's horribly, terribly sorry about the invitation difficulties and is willing to make it up to you. Actually she was far more graphic about exactly how she was willing to do that than I, as your mother, really wanted to hear. She seemed quite… intent on it actually. I said I'd pass the message.” She made a face then, “but really Tor, be careful there. A bad break up with a school girl is a mess, but a Queen? I've never heard of it. Probably because you don't break up with Queen’s. Just keep that in mind.” She spoke in clear, very royal, Noram standard, really she had the same accent the royal family and Burks did.
Was that because “proper speech” had been dictated and influenced by the Ancient for millennium? Or was it just coincidence, or practice?
His mother wasn't done, and smiled at Collette. It left an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. After all, in Two Bends exactly one relationship was ever discussed. Engagement for marriage. The rest just was. That was what he grew up with and his mother had been the main one teaching him and his brothers and sister those rules. But nearly the second she was outside Two Bend his mother had reverted and become an almost unrecognizable person. That was the woman he faced now. Perfect for the situation, here at the Capital, but embarrassing at the same time. Of course she was hovering her appearance so that she looked more like his slightly older sister than his mother and he didn't look his age at all yet.
“So, Baronetta Coltress, are you and Tor seeing each other?” From the way she said it Tor could tell she knew the answer.
Spies. Freaking spies all over the place.
“Oh yes. He's very popular. He also won't just use a girl for sex, so he has loads of girlfriends. What, five? Pretty attentive too. Though I think It's my turn to get some attention again Tor…” She gave the older two Bakers a sweet look.
“He did introduce me to Prince Alphonse though. Pleasant fellow, have you met him?”
They had, the Prince having gone to Two Bends a little over a year before with him, when he and Trice had gotten engaged. Tor suffered to hear more of his exploits bandied about than he'd have ever wanted his parents to hear, but at least they chuckled to learn of his bakery work.
Douglas clapped him on the back again.
“Good! I was afraid you'd let all this go to your head. Still a baker. Honest work keeps you grounded and in touch with real people.” His dad looked… proud? Of him? Tor wondered at it, but then realized that good parents almost always were proud of their children as long as they weren't messing up too horribly.
By Two Bends standards Tor was definitely wrong, nearly evil, having more than one girlfriend. Here it was… Probably a little backwards, he was coming to realize. It felt overwhelming to him for a bit and he had to take a deep breath to hide it.
He really needed to get with his parents in on the whole thing too, since he was going to marry in a month, they'd need to be there, or at least understand why he was doing it. Even if they disagreed he'd go ahead with it of course. He was an adult, sort of. He'd never defied his parents before, but if he had to now, to save Alissa, he would.
Taking a deep breath Tor walked them up to his room, knocked and popped his head in first and found Ali sitting in the single chair reading from “Manners”, the only book he had. He felt his stomach tighten and start to burn a bit. Well, he thought, here it goes. He opened his mouth to speak, but Laurali rushed forward and hugged the girl tightly.
“Is this Alissa? Burks told me your plan… and why.” She looked at the girl grimly, “I'm so sorry for all you went through. I had a chance to kill your father once, and spared his life. He tried to rape me. More to the point, he did rape me. Drugged first. I let him go when he swore it was just a game, but I should have ended him, I see now. Can you forgive me for my failure?” She held the girls hands in front of her.
Ali nodded.
“How were you to know? Besides, Tor is going to protect me now. He said so, and so did Kari. I'm scared, but I won't go back.” It was defiant and not broken sounding now, her head held high.
“Ridley told me about how a Count tried to kill my brother David once and Tor made him fight him instead…” At this she sounded unsure and looked at the older people for confirmation.
Laurali nodded very seriously, making eye contact with Ali as she did. Brown eyes looking into the younger girls blue.
“That's true, I even saw the end of it, Tor let the man apologize to your brother, then let him go unharmed.” She turned to Tor and swallowed.
“You… realize you can't do that here, don't you, I know that your make-up will make it a lot harder than for a regular person, but…”
Tor nodded and made a small gesture with his hand that he’d see Rolph use at school, held low, he moved it to the outside. His father didn’t seem to notice, but his mother gave him a funny look, face suddenly tight, then nodded back once.
He knew. Saying what he'd planned and paid for wouldn't help and they were better off not knowing. Instead they talked about the wedding, a surprise thing that would take place at the docks in Printer the day of their return.
Then Alissa would go to Two Bends until she went off to Lairdgren school a month later. That… was fine with him. He could make things there, as he got back to his copy work and slow building, while he returned to classes. They could get a house, or really, he had some they could use, so it wouldn't be a problem that way. They just needed to rent some land. He'd missed a year, but if he worked hard maybe he could catch up?
His mother and father looked shocked, as if he'd suggested that he grow a second head and name it Timmy.
It was totally what he'd name his second head. Except of course that he already had a brother with that nickname. Unless he switched over to Weasel full time? Then it would work. Maybe he'd send a note and check with the boy? He stared ba
ck at his parents though.
“What?”
His father waved at him and Ali.
“Well, I guess no one expected you to, well honor the marriage really, a fiction to protect her, not something to tie you down.” The words weren't unkind in tone, but it was blunt enough that Tor frowned at his dad.
“Excuse me? Why wouldn't I take is seriously? She's great, and I need to be there to make sure she's taken care of, don't I? I said I would be.” So there, he wanted to add but didn't, Ali smiled up at him sweetly.
“Oh! That's so wonderful! You'll be the best husband and I promise I'll learn all the proper things. I've even started!” She gestured at the book. Then she looked down at her hands.
“I understand what they mean though. You have a bunch of women right? But, that's all right. I like all of them and Kari said that she'd live with us if I wanted, at least part of the time. So I won't be alone really, and Petra can come, and Bonita. Petra can teach at the school I think. Davie said. Bonita can help me run the house, since I'll be in school a lot…” She looked happy for a second, but then her face fell a little. She was used to her dreams being dashed. Too used to it.
Nodding Tor patted her shoulder after moving closer to her.
“See? We already have a plan. I know she's a bit young, but legal is legal, and from what I've seen I doubt that any nobles will complain about it. Really, it's the easiest part of all this stuff so far. Now I've just got to work some things out and get away from the kingdom until she's of age.” Simple, right?
They talked until dinner and didn't leave to go down until Karina came to eat up in the room with her friend. Tor, they told him, had to be at the meal, or it would be noticed. His parents went with him and sat just below Smythe at the table. Rolph across from counselor, on the right, and Count Ross on the other side of Petra. Of all the Counts and countesses he wasn't really close to, the old couple were his favorites by far. Countess Ross was huge and kind of ugly, but had a brilliant laugh that she used often, loved wearing bright colors, and dotted on her Count, who still seemed more like a well dressed gardener than anything else.
What wasn't to like?
They ate dinner properly, Smythe seeming shocked that he was so near the head of the table instead of the far end, where people used their poison snoops openly, and checked their food with a little fear, even though he didn't even know them, and had no personal problem with anyone down there. It was where, traditionally, the people out of favor were put, so that everyone else had to eat first, meaning they'd be poisoned, and act as tasters, for the ones in trouble. It was a convoluted and useless system, hence the poison detectors. Tor checked his own food and passed his own device to Smythe, Collette making a point of using only that one too. It was real, but the idea was that Smythe wasn't taking any more risk than they were.
The small talk was about the festival and how exciting things were this year, the singers and free food, events and all that. Countess Ross confided that staying with Tor was much nicer than the palace, which was, she assured them, still very nice, but those that insisted on staying there tended to be a little too concerned with the appearance of position.
“It's just a shame that the King and Queen can't come here for a night and get away from their own world for a bit. That would be delightful, but a lot of work to set up. The Royal Guard won't allow it I imagine. I'm surprised that Prince Alphonse is allowed, to be honest. Isn't it dangerous?” This came from the giant Countess who directed it past her husband and Petra to Rolph directly.
“Not really. This place is more fortified than it looks and there are guards here that no one knows about.” He leaned close to her and whispered loud enough for the top quarter of the table to hear.
“If you look around you can spot the Royal Guard all over the place. They're the ones grinding their teeth over the change in routine.” He smiled suddenly getting a polite chuckle from the table, echoed by those too far down to have heard. When in doubt, join in.
It was in the book. Chapter six.
After dinner he “retired” with Smythe, but didn't take anyone else along. It didn't concern them at all and no one thought it was odd. People often did that when they had to speak of either secret matters, or things so boring it would be tedious to guests still at table.
They went to a small room with wood panel walls, unstained looking but so rich and dark that the sanded appearance gave them a soft feel, smooth like silk. There were two large and comfortable chairs, made to be particularly soft to allow them to relax, sinking in a few inches as the furniture hugged their bodies comfortably. Like him, Smythe didn't drink alcohol, so there was a wine decanter filled with apple-pear juice. Tor fought a wince and checked it, both glasses and the outside of the container for poison.
It was his favorite flavor, but he'd nearly died drinking it once and his body remembered that. Just the scent was making his stomach try and knot a little. The amber liquid was cold though, and when he took a sip delicious, even as he nearly gagged on it, his body trying to fight the poison that wasn't there by instinct.
Smythe waited, sipping slowly at the beverage. Finally, slowly, he spoke.
“Was there something you wanted to say to me? I take it that this isn't some clever trap, since you could have killed me a thousand times here already, so…”
Sip, near choke and swallow, a slightly painful thing, then Tor started.
“I'm due to go to Afrak and set up some rivers. It should take a month, maybe slightly longer. I wanted to get permission from you for it though, since I'm assigned to you for the investigation. I don't want to get in the way of it. We need to uncover all the Austran agents, so if I can't go, well, I'll send the gear and some people to set it up. I am the Ambassador… Still the war effort has to come first.” He could do that, Ali would still be safe, even if he wasn't there. He'd sneak over to get married on the day and it would be all right…
Smythe smiled and touched his arm. An odd gesture for the older man.
“Is that all? You want permission to go and do the King’s work, building bridges of support with Afrak? It's… very kind of you to ask. Since we've determined that it was the Austrans, I just assumed that your part was done, and well done too. Those little truth devices… We've cleared more investigations in the last week than normally would be done in a year. I'm almost at a loss as to what to do with myself.”
It was nice to hear really. The devices would make sure that people got an honest hearing. It may not always be popular, especially with people that would have walked with a mere lie before who wouldn't now, but it was fair.
“There is something else…if you seriously have the time?” Tor added casually. Or maybe not that casually since Smythe gave him a wry and slightly sour look.
Smythe humphed at him.
“There always is. So what is it? Want me to help you railroad the Degray girl for the Princess? She's guilty, you can rest your mind there. She'll hang within a week.”
“That's… kind of the problem actually. We need to make certain she wasn't working with anyone else first. Once she's dead we won't have a chance to pick her brain, will we? Karina needs to know for certain that this is really over, and that if Degray had an accomplice, or if someone was backing her, putting her up to the thefts or moving goods, that they're uncovered as well.” Tor shrugged and grinned, it was actually a good point. They needed to get the whole of the weed, including the roots, or part of it could come back.
“Plus, Karina and Alphonse are going with me to Afrak. We want that to be kept quiet, obviously, for safety, but Karina would like things to be ready for her, trial wise, when she gets back, to get it over with, but also to be assured that the whole thing gets a real investigation and that Degray isn't railroaded. That basically means you doing the work. I love Karina, and we’re close personal friends. If I did the investigation, or were even part of it, people might suspect something. They might also be right. I… can't be objective here… I want Lilli dead for this!”
His voice had become surprisingly sharp, so he took a deep breath and smoothed the green silk of his shirt. Taking a deep breath as if he needed to calm down he sat straighter and let his voice become cold.
“But it has to be a real investigation. Justice demands it. Even if it's some secret royal thing behind the scenes. It needs to be real and honest, so that when people find out later, they can look at it and know Lillith Degray had to die and her organization, if she has one, went with her. No doubts, no questions left hanging and no appearance of us having killed her for being unpopular, or inconvenient to the crown or one of the royal family. It has to be real. The case merits it and we need to show it so clearly that anyone trying to ever say different chokes on their words.” Tor felt himself tear up and wiped at his eyes angrily.
The old man shook his head slowly, Tor felt his stomach drop.
“You want a full investigation done in a single month? On a theft ring like this? Trafficking in slaves? It could take a lot longer than that. I understood that Princess Karina was eager to see the end of this, but your point is well taken too, if she can be made to support it. I… to tell the truth, I felt the whole thing rushed, and while I understood why, as some things are best left hidden to save the Princesses pride, I'll hardly be spreading tales across the kingdom about it.” Smythe sat up himself and started to nod softly.
“Very well then, I'll suggest to the King that I've conferred with my… colleague and that we both agree that a more thorough investigation is in order.” The breath Smythe took was huge, filling his giant lungs slowly and let out even slower.
“It's the cowards part, but I'll leave the task of telling the Princess to you. Tell her… Three months? It's the best I can do, and I may need longer.” He looked uneasy.
“Alright. I'll hold Karina and keep her out of the way. She wants justice too, but she may grow impatient. That monster killed her friend. I can't say I blame her for her anger, but you'll have your time.”