Strange Land (The Young Ancients Book 15)

by P. S. Power

  The Moon was suddenly huge in front of them, even though they were thousands of miles away from even being in orbit.

  Roget squeaked in the back, and there was a gasp, from Countess Thomson, but Tovey was stoic and manly about it all. The littler Countier, Dumas, toddled up to the front though.

  "Got big! Can I fly?" It was cute seeming, so Sara nodded. There was nothing to hit out here anyway, as long as they didn't go too fast.

  "Sure. You have to sit on my lap though. We can fly into orbit, then Clemance can help me land. Unless the rest of you want a turn too? Gemma?" She was teasing a bit, but it didn't hurt to have people learning how to control craft like that. Someday they'd need more pilots, after all.

  Dumas did a little kid job of flying, letting her control things, but feeling important because his hand was on the controls.

  Clemance however concentrated like his life depended on it, when it was his turn. Sara took a risk and let him orbit the Moon once, not touching his tiny four year old hand. She did hover a bit, waiting for him to mess up, and he was a little rough, but he managed it without dashing them toward the silvery surface below.

  He also gave her back control when his turn was done without issue. That showed some good parenting. Most kids got fussy, if they were having fun.

  "Good work, both of you. We'll have to set up some lessons for you both." She looked back at Tamerlane, who was a bit tense looking, and pale, but she was always the last one. Her eyes were a bit big at the idea, but her Count laughed.

  "That's a splendid idea. Are you offering to teach them?" That, of course, would be the real problem, she finally understood. Terlee didn't want constant fits or begging.

  Sara nodded though.

  "Yep. Clemance first though. Because he's older." This was said to the younger Countier, who nodded, as if he understood. "Gemma, you too. We can ask Tiera to give you a ship, if nothing else. There are rules for having one though, so you may have to decline, if she says yes." She was kidding, since the ships were so valuable that no one would say no, and just asking for one was a bit like asking King Richard for your own County.

  A thing that some probably did, but that would get no more than a polite chuckle, from any ruler.

  Dumas nodded again.

  "Me and Clem too? When I'm old, like he is?"

  Sara understood all the words, but felt positively ancient suddenly. Thinking of the tiny boy's brother as old nearly caused her mind to twist in two.

  "Well, those aren't mine to give away. You'll have to ask Queen Tiera. You shouldn't just ask either, of course. You need to do something for her, so that she'll think you're worthy of them first. I don't know what that would be. Both of you should keep your eyes open to see if you can find anything. It could take a while to work it out, but if you have a plan, I can get you up here. I bet anything that makes her job easier would be welcome." She realized that telling a two and a half year old boy all of that probably wouldn't be the best plan ever, but she was getting a little fuzzy.

  "Right now though, I need to get us into the hangar, so you two pay attention to what I do. I'll talk through it. You have to move very slowly."

  It was true, and after the outside wall of the slightly domed building started to glow tan, to match her ship, she approached it with care and precision. Then, after the wall vanished, she eased inside, which was easier with her ship being as small as it was at the moment. They were down in ten minutes, and the coupling projection, a bright red tube of shield energy, connected with them five minutes later. It was her job to make sure it was air tight at the seal, but that wasn't too hard.

  As soon as that was done, Sara yawned, then sat and rubbed her eyes for a bit. Finally, she stood and stretched.

  "Right. It's about three in the morning here, so no one will be up for a bit. That's fine for us, since most of the businesses are open twenty-four hours a day. You can sleep in the ship, if you like. We can make beds, and separate rooms. There's a water hook up here, so we can have showers and baths." It was what she normally did when spending the night there. It was nearly as nice as a magical palace, and less hassle than finding someone that would take her in all the time. Not that people here didn't offer.

  Roget cleared his throat, as if to prove that very point.

  "You're all welcome to stay with me? I don't have that much space here, but what I have is yours to use." He didn't look at anyone then. It was a real, and genuine offer though.

  Her time in the man's homeland told her that. Things were similar enough in Noram that everyone else just accepted it that way too.

  Terlee practically beamed at the man, who was dressed in plain black cotton now. Magic, but made to look humble and lowly. He'd need to do better than that, if he were going to move up in the world soon.

  "Thank you, Attaché Roget. We should be able to find room with family here, but it's always nice to know that there's more than one option."

  The man nodded, and looked directly at Tovey, as if the Countess hadn't spoken at all.

  Sara sighed.

  "No. Roget, she was speaking to you, so make eye contact, smile and if you can't think of anything to say, bow. Countess Thomson is from Noram, so you have to treat her like she's accustomed. You're going to be going to all the lands, so you have to treat people like they should, or it might cause problems." If he were going to be the Tellerand Ambassador, that was. Sara wasn't really certain he could do the job. Then, she was pretty certain he was about as good as Tellerand could do, at the same time.

  To her surprise, the man stood, and bowed toward Terlee.

  "Forgive me, Countess. I need to adapt more smoothly." His words were a little stilted, but spoken with only a light accent, and in Noram Standard.

  It also started a protocol chain, which had everyone bowing, including the little boys. Thankfully they were interrupted by the outer wall glowing at the airlock.

  It was purple, which got her to blink.

  "Um... Well, you don't knock on a ship like this. Someone wants in? Let's see?" She moved in front of the others, in case whoever it was had hostile intentions. Not that violence was a big problem on Harmony, but just in case, she was in front. It was her ship, after all.

  When the hatched opened, she had to look up a lot to see who was standing there.

  She nearly melted when she saw the lovely face. Tor.

  "Hi Sara! I noticed that you were here and thought I'd come say hello. I'm just going to get ready for work. I haven't seen you for a while though." There was a hug, which was lingering, and a warm kiss to go along with it. It nearly stole her breath away.

  "Hah! I didn't expect anyone to meet us. I have some visitors with me. Ones that you might want to see?" She backed up, so he could peek into the craft.

  Oddly enough he was tackled not by his sister, or the little ones, but by Squire Gemma. Sara had been told that they knew each other, at least in passing, but this seemed a bit more than that. Not too much, at least. Enough that Sara didn't feel too jealous. Yet.

  "Master Tor!" She didn't kiss him, but there was a bit of energy behind the embrace the girl gave him. He returned it, but not for too long.

  "Gemma! I should have connected with you before this. Sorry about that. I've been sort of busy, I'm afraid. Not that that's a good excuse." There was a tiny tightening of the hug, but then he had to let go and greet everyone else.

  Terlee hugged him too, then Tovey did. The boys both bowed, cutely enough. Todd seemed to be slowly waking up, thanks to the noise.

  Their mother smiled at it. So did Sara, since it was, technically, the correct thing to do, if you didn't know someone, which they didn't seem to.

  "Torrance, these are your nephews, Clemance and Dumas. I thought it was time to come and introduce them to everyone." The Countess spoke with a nearly perfect noble accent now. It was delicate, and almost matched Tovey's, if with a bit more polish.

  Sara remembered the first time they'd met, back in the tiny village that both Terlee, and Tor, had grown
up in. The language there was so thickly accented that it was almost a different language altogether. In fact, it was. Sara hadn't known it at the time, but Blue Four had told her once that what Tor had always referred to as "Backwoods" was actually a complex language exercise, meant to teach those that learned it as a native speaker to be able to learn other modes of conversation with great speed and skill. It was showing in the Countess. She'd been barely able to make herself clearly understood not five years before. Now she sounded like she'd been raised by the same tutors that the Prince had.

  It nearly made her feel a bit out of place and slow. Or would, if she hadn't done the work the hard way to pick up all of the world's languages as best she could. There were only so many of them. True, it would have been nice to do it in months instead of years, but she had them all down well enough to make herself understood in a pinch. In fact, she was fairly confident in Tellerand now, thanks to living there like she had.

  Tor finished greeting each of the boys, and hugged everyone again, except Roget. He bowed to the man. Then moved in alongside Sara and took her hand. It was nearly so sweet and attentive that her thoughts became suspicious about it. It wasn't like him to be that way with her really. She always had to seek him out. Always.

  Her old friend shrugged, looking into her eyes from the side slightly.

  "That's how I used to be. I get to choose who I am now. I decided that I wanted to be the kind of person that cares about the people who care about me. And shows it." It was clear that he'd been reading her mind. Then, he was one of the best Wizards anywhere. It was kind of expected.

  Also, totally cheating in personal relationships. She didn't glare though, just squeezing his hand back. It was bigger than hers was now. Just like he was. Everything about him was greater than what she had. It was why, in the end, she'd be alone. Not with him anyway.

  His face looked a bit strained as she thought that, but it was still true. A merchant, no matter how successful, just wasn't high enough in the world to be with someone like him. Perfection wasn't the kind of thing that was just given away to the little people. Like her.

  He made a face, but it was a lot more playful than she would have thought.

  "Seriously Sara? I live in Harmony now. You're one of the only lifelines we have up here. I'd say that your status is a good bit higher than that of a baker now. Even greater than the Ancient of Vagus. You and Gerent both."

  She nearly denied it, but there really weren't a lot of people that could go back and forth yet. For some reason.

  "Well, I signed up three more recruits. They have to work for Noram, but if Tiera gives them jump ships, when they're ready, I'll make sure they all get trained. We have to keep them out of war, since there are some issues still back home, but I think that King Richard will allow it, if we ask. Even with that kind of string attached." It would be years before two of them could do anything, after all.

  Tor looked around, and got who she meant without asking, which was pretty different, since Sara wasn't thinking about it in particular. He simply figured it out.

  There was a nod however.

  "I can talk to Tiera and Rich about it, if you want? Or you can. That might work better, to tell the truth. Tiera is a bit less than pleased with me right now. She feels that her brothers should be doing more to make her life as a ruler easier. So far that hasn't gone over with any of us. Except Tenet. He's been very good about helping out. It isn't that none of us want to, just that she really has to do the leadership parts on her own. Or at least get her staff to do it. I think that's what she wants to talk to you about, Sara."

  It was an interesting possible topic, but her body and brain betrayed her, making her yawn.

  "Sorry! Sleep hasn't been all that easy for a while. Mainly on the ground. You know how that goes."

  "I've done that a time or two, yes. Now, we need to go and find someplace for everyone to sleep. Would you all come to my place? Ali will be thrilled to have you all." He was clearly including Roget in that, but the man just bowed again.

  "I should go and pray, before I find my rest. Sara?" He wasn't half as standoffish about the words as he had been, meaning he was making a real effort.

  Still, he was inviting her to pray to the All High. Outside of Tellerand. Like she was a true believer? Then, that wasn't the point was it? Her job was to seem like she was, for now. Anywhere that someone from that land might see. Including her junior partner in crime.

  "Of course. Gemma, would you come with us? You should learn the ways of Tellerand, too. We'll pray, and then go to sleep?" Please, she asked silently, let there be sleep involved.

  The Squire took the offer, clearly getting that she was trying to make sure that she wouldn't end up feeling out of place at a family reunion. Todd, who'd finally finished sleeping in the back row woke up and stood, his face going a bit funny.

  "What did I miss?"

  Gemma, low ranking Squire or not, dimpled at him. They weren't that far off in age from one another after all. The girl was about sixteen or so. Plenty old enough to get an attractive Count into bed if she wanted.

  Her words weren't half as flirtatious as they probably should have been however.

  "Tor and you are supposed to go and get some jump ships from Tiera for Clemance, Dumas and I. I don't know, but I think that Count Thomson was going to call King Richard for us and ask if that would be allowable? I mean, that was said, right?" She was joking, so it was within social bounds. Barely. It wasn't the kind of thing that Sara would have said to Tovey, and they'd had sex more than once or twice.

  To her relief, the man smiled.

  "In the morning? If Queen Tiera agrees. It's a delicate thing here boys, so expect her to say no. At least for the time being. You have to be at least fourteen to have your own Jump ship. That's a rule."

  Tor nodded, "though they can take lessons before that, so they'll be ready when their birthday comes? It's not that bad of a deal."

  The tone was placating, but it was clear that Clemance realized it was a trick. Age being used to keep him from doing something adult and fun. That was the way of the world though, and it was best that he learned it young.

  Terlee smiled about it though, and pretended that it was a good thing. Clasping her hands she gestured for Todd to walk to the side hatch that had the airlock hooked up.

  "Tor has invited us to his house. It's very late here, and he has to go to work soon, so we might wish to hurry along? Ambassador Debri and her Attaché need to see to their devotions before they sleep."

  Tor looked at her sidelong, as if to say he was impressed with the news, but she just yawned again, smothering the wide open mouth with her left palm.

  "We really do need to do that. Publically. Soon too, or I'm going to fall asleep. Is there a meeting place here?" She addressed that to Roget, who lived and worshiped there after all.

  "Yes, on the third level. No one will be out this time of night." He seemed hesitant about even trying. Probably because it wasn't very humble.

  That wasn't her goal though. She wanted the people from Tellerand to see an outsider or two taking their religion seriously.

  "Right. Let's do that here now, and go visit for morning prayers? Or noon. I don't know when I'll be awake after everything." That was just honest.

  Roget looked away, but was fighting a grin of his own.

  "I too, might well sleep the day away. It is wicked, but the body demands it. Come, and we will away to a public space, so none will think I take advantage of you both."

  Gemma nodded, her face serious.

  "Can't have that. Of course no one here would think that would they? If it bothers you, we can just tell them that we're all married. They do that in Tellerand, don't they? Multiple wives?"

  That got a stammer from the small pale man.

  "Nooo. Why would you even think that? A man can have but one wife in his life."

  Gemma shrugged.

  "Really? I'd always heard it was one of the perks of being a leader there. Ten or twent
y women? Or... Well, what I don't know about that land, yes?"

  The others were all carefully escaping, Sara noticed. Probably so they wouldn't have to pray too. It was a good plan, but there was work to do. More kneeling, without any payoff, or her getting a turn too.

  That thought got Tor to laugh, but he didn't mention why. It got everyone to look at him, but he shook his head, refusing to say why he was acting strange in front of the kids.

  "We should go. You must all be exhausted. Sara? Can you find me when you wake up? I should be at the new school then, for afternoon lessons. After you talk to Tiera? Unless you plan to avoid her. I know I would, if I were you."

  "I can do that. See you." She knew that she didn't sound as hopeful as she should, but him leaving already hurt, and he wasn't even gone yet.

  He kept looking over his shoulder as he and his family all headed down the white stone hallway of the hangar bay.

  They all walked together for a while, but Roget stopped as soon as they found an interior corridor that held several other people. Most of those were dressed in bright colors and strange styles that seemed to be a combination of what they wore in Afrak and Austra.

  They were all small and dark, but like Noram commoners, not people from either of those lands. Apparently that was enough to protect their virtue and reputation, so Roget sank to his knees right there, in front of the people who looked on, if carefully.

  Then he let his voice raise.

  "Praise be the All High! The mighty one that watches over us all!"

  Sara did the same thing, and after a few more lines, so did Gemma, though she was late in mimicing the words.

  "Praise be the All High!"

  Then, shockingly enough, a few of the others in the hallway did the same thing.

  One of them, an older, tiny woman, nodded.

  "Yes. We should give praise to Queen Tiera. That is a very good idea."

  Sara nearly laughed, and Roget turned a brilliant color of red through the face. So she explained the concept to the people with them.