by Chris Hechtl
“Yeah, lucky me,” he said wrinkling his nose.
<==={}------------>
“Here are your quarters,” Zara said, pushing a large ironwood door open. The hinges were leather, something both Ryans and Perry were not comfortable with. “A bit dark,” Charlie said, hand waving in front of her mouth. “And musty, hasn't anyone opened a window in here?”
“Apparently not,” Perry replied dryly as he went to the one window. It had a large cover seat and multiple shutters. The shutters didn't do a good job; debris had come in around the cracks. There were stains on the tartan cloth. He undid the simple latch and then opened the windows. “There,” he said.
“It will get cold,” Zara warned. For the first time she was both nonplussed and embarrassed by her people and their living conditions. The gaijin kept everything so clean and neat! She'd have to ask them how.
“Are we really staying here?” Charlie asked.
“For a while, at least the night.”
“How long?” Charlie asked wrinkling her nose and pulling the bedding off the rickety looking bed. The bed was made out of reeds bent and tied together into various arches. She pulled out a spray and started spraying everything.
“I think I'll um, bed down with the hummer,” Perry said.
“I'd love to join you but no room,” Charlie said twitching the covers off and then yelping as something scuttled off into the shadows.
“We'll deal with it,” Ryans replied grimly.
“How long are we going to be here again?” Charlie asked looking around. A maid had come in behind them and was tending the open pit fireplace. A boy was hauling a basket with moss and branches and other things.
“That's not a whole lot of firewood,” Charlie griped.
“You're going to be in a sleeping bag remember?” Ryans asked. “And yes you can have the bed. I'll sleep on um...” he looked around and then sighed and pointed to the deep window seat. “There will do I guess,” he said.
“What are we going to do here?” Perry asked.
Ryan's eyes cut to the princess who had her back to them as she oversaw the servants and the fire. Apparently they were having trouble getting it started. He hoped the chimney had been opened and checked recently. “Not here,” he said in English, shutting his translator off. His eyes narrowing slightly as the princess turned an ear to listen. Zara apparently understood some English he realized. That was something they'd have to be aware of. “We'll make sure the King is stable and then go from there.”
“Move on?”
“Right now our only ride home is sitting right next to a battlefield and is right on the convoy route of one of the armies. We can take them on but for how long?”
“True,” Perry replied with a nod.
“Besides,” Ryans said thoughtfully. “Doc had a point, Sydney, Nate, and Princess Deidra too. We can be a help to these people. If they are willing to listen and put the effort into it.”
“True,” Perry said again, turning enough to see Zara frown and glance at them. He caught on to why Ryans wasn't coming out with his plans now. He'd have to find a secure place to talk then, soon.
“I'll give you a ring later and we'll chat,” Ryans replied, knowing that little euphemism would trip the eavesdropping princess up.
“Gossip, right,” Perry replied with a slight smile. “Just like old times,” he said.
“Something like that.”
<==={}------------>
Zara caught up with Deidra shortly after she left the tower. Deidra had dressed in her brown gown and robes, feeling much more comfortable after a bath and regaining some of her own clothes. She was glad now her mother had insisted she leave some behind. This one felt strange though at first. The gaijin's clothes were more tightly woven and stitched. The soldier woman Lisa had explained in their travels that they were made by machines. She could hardly understand it.
Zara was wearing a light green outfit, a little small for her but it was presentable for now. She curtsied to her mother who was sewing in the corner. “They are settled in, at least the ones in the tower. They are not comfortable though.”
“It has been a while since it has been aired out. It is the summer tower after all,” the Queen replied with a nod.
Zara frowned slightly. “It's not so much that mother as the gaijin are very clean and neat. You should see their traveling carriages! Their camper!” she said shaking her head.
“Perhaps another time,” the Queen murmured in slight amusement at her daughter's excitement.
“Did they speak of their plans?” Deidra asked, crossing her arms. She looked around. The ladies had been dismissed, only a servant girl was near. She was deaf and therefore trustworthy. She tended the fire and kept quietly to herself.
“A little,” Zara said, dry washing her hands a little. She sat on a stool, adjusting her dress and then smoothing out any wrinkles in her lap. “They will at least spend the night. The leader Ryans said he's not ready to commit too much beyond that. The healer Sue is insisting they remain until father is better.”
“Which will be a long time if ever,” the Queen sighed. Zara stared at her and bit her lip.
“I have known it was coming for some time daughter,” the Queen said softly. Zara was instantly distressed. Deidra nodded grimly at her mother's look of pain. Her mother looked away, lifting her chin, fighting tears. “He is a stubborn man and his age and health are against him. News of your brother's death has hit him hard.”
“That and its implications,” Deidra replied.
Her mother turned to stare at her. “Indeed. It's implications on the succession and on you my daughter. Your troubles...” she sighed at the flinty look Deidra had. Zara flinched. “There is no child?”
“No,” Deidra replied. “The gaijin healer gave us medicine to prevent it.”
“Excellent. So we need not go into that matter any further. I so wished you two would have brought that news in private though,” the Queen sighed and then smoothed the cloth in front of her. “But what is done is done and we will deal with it.”
“Mother, how goes the war preparations?” Deidra asked.
The Queen grunted, putting her embroidery kit aside, into a basket beside her chair. “Not well. Our coffers are full and we have many able bodied men but this caught us by surprise with no warning. The wall fell too quickly as well. We need time to prepare, to get the word out to our most distant lords and lands and to at least get the seeds into the ground before we call our people to war.”
Zara bit her lip. Matters of state normally bored her. This was grim news though. The hated Duluthians were concentrated and fouling their land but they would be able to do nothing to drive them off for some time. And with father ill...
“It's not all doom and gloom mother,” Deidra said, turning to the fire and then back to her mother. “The gaijin.”
The Queen nodded. “They are a bonus, if they remain.”
“If?” Zara asked. She looked from her sister to her mother.
“If. We dare not force them,” Deidra replied wrinkling her nose. “You and I have seen their weapons. We can ill afford to lose men in trying to force them to do our bidding.”
“At least not now,” Zara replied. “I for one do not like that idea though; they have been nothing but kind and generous to us.”
“True and we will take that into account,” the Queen replied with a regal nod. “But we must have their bloodlines. It has been far too long since gaijin have walked our world.”
“One in a century,” Zara replied with a knowing nod.
“Yes the man who said he flew. I wonder now if he was telling the truth?” Deidra asked, turning. “But I was not only referring to their blood mother,” she said. Gaijin were treasured for their blood and for their knowledge. New knowledge was a bargaining chip with other Kingdoms, and it could help their own people. The stories the gaijin told were also fascinating to the people.
“Well, the leader's blood in your case sister,” Zara said with a
knowing smile.
Deidra rounded on her with a glare but it bounced off that smile. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Have a care sister,” she growled.
“You know the law. He has saved our lives many times,” Zara replied, lifting her chin in defiance. “You know I am right,” she said.
“This is news,” the Queen said. “How did this come about?” she asked.
When Deidra refused to say anything Zara explained their travels in greater detail. Finally Deidra interjected. “It doesn't matter! We need their tools! Their aide in fighting the Duluth! With their weapons we could cut right to the heart of the raiders and drive them from our lands!”
“I think it does matter,” the Queen mused, shaken that her daughters had been so exposed to danger. She now understood why they were changed; it wasn't just exposure to the gaijin that had done it. “I think the law will be the tool we need to cement their aide if used properly. But that will require a sacrifice on your part daughter,” she said turning to Deidra.
Deidra sucked in her breath at that look. She turned immediately in a swirl of fabric and moved to the door. “No. There must be another way,” she growled.
“We shall see,” Zara said, now troubled. She had only been teasing her sister but the implications... “Do we even know if he's unmarried?” she asked.
“I would have thought your travels would have told you that,” the Queen rebuked her.
“I... I don't think so,” Zara said as her sister paused at the door. “He hasn't been with the gaijin women and he didn't make a move on any of the peasants or either of us.”
“Then it behooves us to find out the truth of the matter. And soon,” the Queen said. She nodded to her daughters. “Now, I know you are as wearied by today’s events as I am. I am going to go sit with your father. You two rest.”
“Mother...”
“I will be fine. I'm afraid if I am not there your fool of a father will get himself into trouble. None dare stand up to him even when he needs it.”
“Someone standing up to him would stress him further mother,” Deidra replied, hand on the door jam.
“True,” the Queen nodded. “Which is why I must be there to thwart his stupidity before it becomes reality.”
“I think the gaijin healer will stand up to him. I know it,” Zara murmured.
“Then she will have to be watched,” the Queen nodded getting up. “You two sleep. I want a full report on these gaijin and how they are organized, how they think in the morning. I fear it will be vital.”
“Yes, mother,” the girls replied in unison. They curtsied and then left together.
<==={}------------>
The dawn light woke the King and once more he tried to assert he was fine but the Queen squelched the argument with a single look. She made him stay in bed despite his grumbling. He chafed at her attitude, and really got annoyed at the cooks for the lack of fat and salt. When the doctor explained that it was bad for him he started to get angry. The Queen quickly put him down with a look. The Doc chuckled, making the Queen's eyes glitter with mischief.
“I guess some things never change,” she laughed. The Queen nodded, the King groaned in agreement and then chuckled, humor restored.
<==={}------------>
The next morning Ryans skipped breakfast and went to find Sue and check on her. He'd had a terrible night on that window seat and didn't want a repeat performance tonight. Something had to give here and soon.
Sue pointed out the Kings' puffy hands and legs. “See that? It's not all flab, that's fluid retention. I've given him water pills. It should make him pee more which will eventually lessen his swelling and his blood pressure, putting less strain on his heart. He also has kidney stones which have blocked things up a bit.”
“Typical in men over forty Doc,” Ryans replied with a nod.
“I've given him aspirin to help thin his blood but there are...” she ran a hand through her hair. “I shouldn't be telling you all this. Doctor patient privilege,” she said.
“I'm discrete Doc. Besides you're telling me vital information so don't sweat it.”
“Don't stay long. I'm serious. He needs quiet, no stress,” Sue said emphatically. “Ten minutes, fifteen tops and no more. I'm going to knock him out after to get him to rest and keep the visitors at bay,” she scowled.
“Good Doc, I getcha,” he said.
“What do you intend?” the Queen asked.
“Well,” Ryans shrugged glancing at Sue. Sue was busy and not quite out of ear shot. “My people and I came to explore. We will be returning to Earth as soon as our mission is complete.”
“None return,” the King replied with a growl. “Tis impossible, a faerie dream. Best forget that lad and move on. Thee and thine shall settle here with us,” the King said magnanimously.
“Not quite,” Ryans replied. “You see there have been a few, well changes. A few scientists discovered the portal between worlds and we managed to contain it on Earth.”
“Contain?” the Queen asked in shock. Her embroidery project fell into her lap as one hand went to her heart. “Is that even possible?” she asked, exchanging dubious looks with her husband.
“I assure you it is. We brought along equipment to do the same here. It will take time to set up but when it is done we will be able to travel back and forth between worlds every year or so.”
There was a brief silence as they digested that. “So you intend to be here a year?” the Queen finally asked. He nodded.
“That's the plan, the problem is the Duluth are squatting on some of our equipment and the portal,” he sighed.
“Indeed?” the King asked.
“Yes, we could get around them or even destroy their army but we're not happy about that.”
“So few,” the King rumbled.
“Our numbers may be few but our weapons are powerful,” Ryans replied with a small feral smile. “You'll have to take my word for it now. A demonstration is out now until you are better,” he said. “You can ask Princess Deidra and Zara to relate some of the details, however. If you haven't already,” he said nodding as Deidra came into the room. She froze and then glared a little at him.
When they began to talk agreement Ryans pulled out a camera and recorded it all. Deidra attempted to warn her parents that he was recording and what it meant. They did not understand and waved her concerns off.
Ryans came to an agreement with the King. Caught off guard by the invasion, the monarch was desperate for any aide. The King agreed to full diplomatic immunity for the gaijin off worlders, and leadership roles for each. The weapons and technologies would only be used in defense of the realm, and under the approval of the gaijin. The gaijin would also show them how to improve their civilization and technology but they would have to accept changes in the law and treatment of the serfs. The Queen wasn't happy at first, but agreed reluctantly when she realized they had little choice.
Ryans insisted it be put in writing. The monarchs were immediately wary, knowing the implications of that. They knew that an oral agreement and a written one were two very different things, one could be flexible and even broken or its existence denied. A written agreement had all sorts of implications they weren't comfortable with. They didn't have a choice however so the royal scribe was called in.
Ryans made his own call through the radio and just before the scribe arrived Perry, Sydney, and Wanda arrived.
Ryans made introductions and then explained the situation to his fellow Terrans quickly. Sydney nodded. Perry pursed his lips. He was not happy, but the agreement was better in some ways than he had hoped for. Sydney pulled out a laptop and listened to the recording with headphones, typing up the agreement quickly.
While he was talking Ryans pulled Perry aside for a quick consult. “I'm sorry I went off half cocked,” he said apologetically, bracing for a blow out from the lieutenant.
Perry eyed him for a moment and then turned back to the royal couple and then room at large. Finally he returned to Ryans. “You
didn't. You are the leader of the expedition and it's your show. But yeah, I'd would've liked to have been consulted,” Perry replied.
“Again...”
“Yeah, yeah I know. Sometimes things move fast and you've got to act. I get it. I don't have any qualms, it beats running around the bush without a goal in mind. We can draw resources from them?”
Ryans turned and had Sydney add that. The historian nodded as he typed. “Already on it,” Sydney said, clearly on his best behavior. Ryans patted him on the shoulder.
“You know, something's just occurred to me, I never heard the name of your Kingdom,” Ryans said turning first to Deidra by the window and then to her royal parents. The Queen looked at her daughter who was stiffly staring out the window. “I mean I heard your northern invaders are called Duluthians or populous de Duluth but no one's told me your Kingdom's name.”
The Queen patted her husband's hand and then looked at Ryans. “I shall remedy the oversight,” she said, straightening and glancing once more to Deidra. Deidra's shoulders were hunched once more. “You are most welcome to the Ianua Imperiun.”
Ryans waited until the computer parsed that out. Part of the sentence had been in Greek but the last bit was Latin. “Ianua Imperium,” he pulled out his tablet phone and typed with the stylus. After a moment he looked up and nodded. “The gateway realm, interesting and appropriate I believe,” he said with a smile.
“We tend to think so,” the Queen replied with a regal nod.
When the royal scribe arrived he was followed by two assistants carrying bags of material, a folding stool and an easel. They grumpily set up in a corner and then the scribe cracked his knuckles in a show and picked up a quill pen. The royal scribe was muttering about interruptions, always interruptions. Ryans glanced at the old codger. He looked to be in his sixties, but that really didn't mean anything, here with the level of civilization and medical standards the way they were he could be in his low forties or mid thirties.
He was grayed, had a pony tail and a red French style cap with a long striped white and black feather sticking out of a golden crest on the band. He had a red bandoleer sash of some sort of silk, with a purple and gold trimmed jacket and bloused half pants complete with white stockings and purple shoes. His assistants were dressed much the same just not quite as richly.