by P. S. Power
"I doubt it. At least three of those five are men that I'd personally broken the nose of before. Their leader didn't even recognize me Kara. He couldn't see me at all past the being short with black hair. Not even when I stomped his nose in for him again. I know that some people can't really help that kind of thing without a lot of personal work, but the City Guard should make the effort. These ones haven't though, and I really don't think they will this time either." It was a miserable situation, but she just laughed, a single convulsion that didn't come out as a noise.
"True. Anyway, the King and Queen are waiting for you. Both afraid that you'll throw in with the traitors over this. George told them it wouldn't happen, but Wensa thinks that you should at least take the coin you're putting forward back. We have a bet. My take is that you'll prevent them from apologizing and stand there smiling at them while they scramble to understand what you mean by it. If, you know, you're looking for a plan. I could take five silvers for it." She was serious, but didn't expect him to change his plans for her really.
"Ah. Well, I don't know if I can do a lot of smiling, but I'll try it out."
It would have to do, since he had too much to cover to be a regular petty noble this time.
Chapter sixteen
"Tor..." The King just sat at the table next to his Queen and put his giant head in his hands. "I can't..."
"Of course you can't. The Lairdgren students didn't leave because of you at all, but because of society. Yes, we need some kind of mechanism to get those of noble birth to treat those of other classes as people, but..." He shrugged and remembered to smile. Just in case it was close enough to get Kara those silvers. "It wasn't you that caused the problem. I suspect it was Cordes. The original. The copy in my head can't confirm that, but he does agree it seems like the kind of high handed lame headed thing he'd do, without understanding the consequences."
'Hey!' The single thought only got Tor's smile to widen, and the man didn't go on.
"We have someone trying to fix it, but that will take time. Centuries at least. Doris? She's been doing it for a long time now. She's also the same one that messed with our genes, Connie and Varley's. Mine too, and the rest of my family. Even my mother. It's why I have combat rage and all that. Not Taman though, apparently, or Varley's daughter. Wait... I did mention they're both immortal, didn't I? With the Ancient pattern?" He waited, not remembering what he'd said to whom about that.
The Queen nodded.
"We've been informed. That wasn't on purpose then? Well, that's something. How did you find out? For that matter, who's Doris? An Ancient we haven't heard of? I thought we knew of them all..." There was a glance at the King, who seemed just as puzzled inside, even if he didn't admit to it.
"Oh, no, there are more. Not a lot of them really, and most of them don't want to be bothered with anything. I thought Orange was a bit recalcitrant that way, but she's practically a paragon of social duty compared to most of them. Doris too, I guess. Even if she is being inconvenient about things right now for me personally. She's the Meditation Instructor at Lairdgren?"
"What?" Richard actually stood all the way up, shocked to his feet, almost looking like someone had stuck him with a pin. Which would be hilarious, but not what Tor would ever do himself. He liked having a head after all.
Nodding, Tor explained.
"Yes, she's been using it as a base to make her changes. It's where she met you, Connie. She was very forthcoming to me about what she's been up to and why, and apologized for... You know, the things that happened. She just didn't think we'd meet. Or that if we did you wouldn't like me. I think she meant that there was something put in your pattern to prevent you from liking Burks and she figured it would include me, only it didn't. That's mainly a guess on my part though. You took classes from her, didn't you Rich?" No one had mentioned it, but the man's mental control was so tight it had to be something like that.
"For years! She's even visited us here at the Palace. One of my favorite Instructors. Who else? What other Ancients have infiltrated my home unknown to me?" The man was suddenly dark and anger cast off of him, but Tor shook his head.
After all, it had already happened.
"Seriously? All of them that wanted to, I'd imagine. I know that Burks hid out here, playing servant for months at least a few times and no one noticed him overly. He wasn't even hiding, just walking around doing the job. I just didn't get how that had to work, until earlier today. All of you are blind to the lower classes. Unless you know them really well at least." He smiled at the King and Queen and then shook his head. "Maybe not you Connie. I think you're missing that change to your pattern. You have it though, Rich. At least you fight against it pretty hard and know it isn't right from time to time. Most of you giants can't see it at all."
There was a shocked look and the start of a denial from the King, but he went silent and his eyes glazed over, concentrating on his memories. Tor could sort of follow along, since the man wasn't bothering to hide if from him. Dozens of times when he'd confused one servant for another, even though he should have known them well, or thought a claim was less important when it came from someone that looked poor, or small, even though later, on paper the situation was clearly different than that.
"I... wasn't really aware I did that." The words slurred a bit but only for a moment, until he regained his normal focus.
"Yes, well, it's something to work on. Anyway, I take your meaning. I don't know who would have bothered. Kolb has been here though, and you made him a Knight. I can't think of any others off the top of my head, but like I said, it wouldn't surprise me if it's happened before. Most of the Ancients seem to pretty much do whatever they think is needed at the moment."
The King sat with a very undignified thump, which was unusual for him. In fact Tor had never seen the like of it before. The chair was sturdy though, made of heavy wood, so it held with only a few protesting creeks.
"Sir Kolbrin? That... Would explain why no one had ever heard of him before. He was just there one day and Count Lairdgren vouched for him. I... think I understand. It wasn't his idea to make him a Knight however and there is a Baron Kolbrin, an old recluse that doesn't visit with anyone..."
It didn't take a genius to work that one out. It was probably a scam that the two of them had been pulling for centuries, one that wasn't a true lie at all. Kolb just didn't care to play Ancient all the time, so would make himself into his own son, or even grandchild, whenever it came time for him to move out into the world for a while. It was easier to do it Tor's way and just tell everyone, but the past had been different, most likely.
He shrugged and waved it away, which the King allowed without question. That, Tor thought he was starting to understand. Rich wasn't just being nice to him, he was making political decisions all the time when Tor was around. It was in his thoughts even as they regarded each other. How often he had to side with Tor, because he didn't know how far the boy could be pushed, and how many times he'd been taken by surprise when Tor just swallowed things that others would have been killing people over.
That got Tor to agree with him, not taking his eyes away from the man.
"It was a miscalculation, siding with Count Morris over my sister. We all understand it, of course. Even Tiera, I think. If you'd picked her side, the Count would have turned against you then. Instead of a few weeks later. No one could have known how that would have turned out though. Sandra shouldn't have acted like that. Not over a few days on a work crew. I was there and I still don't understand it." Only... he did. Now.
He couldn't tell for certain, but it made sense, if she just couldn't stand the idea of a bunch of little peasants pushing her around. The Count would have responded that way too, probably not even realizing it. Tor just sighed and waited. He wasn't in charge here after all.
The King waited then, actually becoming more tense, rather than less and Connie fluttered her eyes at him, then gasped, realizing that she was flirting with what was, essentially, her own father. It made Tor
glad he was paying attention, or he wouldn't have understood these people at all.
Richard looked at the wall and let his face go into an uncharacteristic frown.
"So, not to push in any way, but the Lairdgren Group is leaving us? Even the students? I can understand it. I don't like it, for my people, but I don't see how it can be avoided. We can't afford to have the entire City Guard out of commission right now either, not with people potentially seeking to infiltrate and plant more explosives. I will put out orders to be polite however. Will that serve, do you think?" The man reached over and took a large metal cup, one that seemed to be made of real gold and drank from it deeply, then put it back.
"No. Probably not. You can't fix problems bred into a line with a few orders. If that were the case most of our current difficulties wouldn't exist. It might save a few innocent people a beating or two though, so it's worth spending a few minutes on." The actual question that the King had, and wouldn't ask, was about the gold. He was ready to let it go, that was clear. In fact the ruler was half expecting Tor to make some rather unreasonable demands. Possibly ones that he couldn't meet at all, given the coming war.
It was also very central to the man's thoughts that he'd have to do it anyway.
After all, to his mind... Tor was the real Heir to the throne and he, the King, was just a placeholder. The thoughts shocked him, but Tor didn't let it show on his face at all.
Instead he just looked at Connie.
"So, we're slated for an uncomfortable talk? One in which you say that you love me, I affirm that I feel the same about you and then spend an hour trying to convince you that doing anything about it would mean, now that I know about the whole thing, that I'd have to kill myself, or at least go away forever first?" He sounded like a creep saying it. Like an overbearing jerk. Tor tried to soften the words with a smile. "As you can tell, it's been on my mind. The traditions just don't line up. You're family though, so I'll do whatever is easiest for you. Visit or not, kill myself or what have you."
It was... He meant it, of course. No one would believe him, but the Queen just seemed ready to cry.
"It's so unfair. We'll have to do what's proper. That's a given for people of our station. I can't say it won't hurt. I don't want to lose you as a friend though. Can you bear it, seeing me often? It seems like you've been avoiding me..."
She was fishing for him to proclaim how hard it would be, Tor realized. As if it wouldn't be? It was agony just being this close to her, knowing he couldn't be with her at all. He loved her all the time, but it was worse in the moment...
With that thought his shield kicked on and started to glow with little purple sparks that came from her direction. That's what it did when nanos or viruses were coming in. Or, clearly, pheromones. The effect of them didn't fade instantly at all, but fishing out his healing amulet as the two people in front of him hit their own shields he was able to fix that, at least as easily as removing alcohol from a person's system.
Then he got to explain what was going on.
"I... forced you to love me?" She sounded shocked at least, which was a reward. He was a lot less interested in her suddenly, thanks to the healing amulet.
"Not really. It's a thing you can do, but it isn't conscious, is it? Would you blame a pretty face for doing the same thing? Or a clever mind? If we want to blame anyone, we have a handy Doris for that. Oh, speaking of which, she should be taken off of the guest list for now. I can't confirm it, but I think she can beat the Truth amulets. I can't read her at least and those are just a weak version of that skill, turned into a field. The only reason I believed her so far was that she was saying things that make sense, and don't make her look that great. At least not to me."
"Oh, good. I'd hate to think I was going around forcing people."
Who wouldn't? The idea would be horrific for any good person.
The interplay let him dodge the question she'd asked of him first, about whether he could handle being around her. The truth was, it still wasn't going to be easy for him. He really had been avoiding her, and there was a good reason for it. Even then, knowing what he did, some tiny part of him just didn't care.
A sick and depraved part that wanted his lover back, even if it was wrong. A thousand and one justifications came to mind, but they were trumped by one fact. He couldn't live with himself if he let that happen.
The King cleared his throat, uncomfortable. At first Tor figured that the conversation was doing it, since... Well, who talked about that kind of thing? It had to seem bizarre and off putting. It wasn't that though. He really didn't care who his wife slept with, as long as she was happy. To his mind Tor wasn't even a real threat, just being a pretty toy. No more than a peasant... Then he caught himself and winced, trying to block the thought from his awareness, wondering if Tor had gotten it.
Not explaining it to Connie, he made a face at the King and winced himself.
"You might want to feel a little bad... I've been trying to read everyone all the time lately. Searching for errant grandmothers and all that." It seemed to come from nowhere, but the ruler bowed his head and let his eyes closed.
"Forgive me." He started to rise again and Tor shrugged.
"For thinking? Old habits take time to break and that one is something put into all of you nobles. On purpose, if I have it right. I'm planning to get over to see Lyn and try to get her to talk to me about it. I'd try Burks, but the man seems to want to keep me ignorant. I'm sure he has a good reason or two, but things are getting too complex for that now. If he won't tell me, or can't, I'll find someone that will."
Sinking back down, Rich actually felt kind of miserable. At every step he felt that he'd been failing Tor, and it showed on his face. It didn't help that he had to take great care to avoid asking about the funds that Tor was providing. If he still was. That could be pushing him, and that would be theft, pure and simple, King or not.
Except that Tor was almost certain he'd never planned to take that away. There was still a war and the world was the same place it always had been. He just had a bit more insight that day than most.
"So, I need to get back to the school and set things up. You know, I'm not doing this taking it easy thing well at all, am I? Oh..." He went to his floating chest, which no one had checked on the way in, counting on his Truth testing instead and got out half the floating chests that were left and piled them on a side table. Next to them there was a pile of magical clothing.
"In case people ever show up and don't have the right things for dinner or what have you. This way they won't be uncomfortable. Unless borrowing something from me makes them that way. Do you know what most of the Counts think of me? Even the ones on your side are either afraid of me or think I'm a blowhard that has more power than I should be allowed. Nothing we can do about it, but you'd think that at least a few of them would be alright with me, don't you?" He managed to sound conversational, instead of downcast about it, even though he felt that way.
It wasn't true anyway. His friends weren't like that. Not even the Counts and Countesses. That was just the ones that didn't really know him.
"Now, unless there's something I have to do, I need to get back and work out how to juggle everything. I'll leave my communications device... No, you know what? Just get with Kolb if you need anything. He can make the arrangements for you and all that. I'm pretty sure the Lairdgren Group hasn't cut you off yet. You might send a note or whatever it is people do in situations like this. Point out that beating up people in the street for fun isn't supposedly part of the City Guard charter."
"I'll do that, Counselor Baker. I was wondering if..." The man actually blushed and the Queen did too, realizing what would be coming. "I know that we have no right to ask, but, those funds you offered yesterday... It would benefit the land if they were still available."
He made a pained face but didn't leave them wondering what the actual situation was.
"Get with Alphonse. If he and Counselor Johansson feel it's a good idea, then I'll back them."
It came out a little more stern than he meant it too, but that was all he could muster on the topic. "Also, if you see the Commander of the City Guard, this is twice that Captain Curtis did something like this that's come to my attention. Please ask the man if that's how he wants people to think of the Capital City Guard. I know that, at this point, I'm tempted to move away from here myself. I'm certain others might feel the same." True, they'd be workmen and such, but if the Lairdgren Group wasn't safe, or Tor, who was?
The giant redhead frowned but waved him away, cringing again when he realized how high handed it would seem. That one was fair though. The man was annoyed by his words, and the King. It was in his Palace and everything too. If he didn't want a pesky bumpkin in his presence that was certainly within his rights.
Tor just left, making sure he wasn't angry or annoyed himself. It took some work, but Doris had been right on that one. Meditation was useful for that kind of thing.
Getting out of the place was hard and took the better part of an hour. They made him wait so that he could dash out from under the shield as they let it down so that Counselor Smythe could come in, along with General Thorgas. The men were busy running, so couldn't say much, but there was a look from Smythe. It didn't seem pleased at all.
In passing Tor picked up why. He'd stolen all those potential cooks away from him, sending them off to Lairdgren, where it would be a lot harder to get at them. If they wanted to work with the military though, they could. No one would stop them. Well, except possibly their parents, friends and instructors. The last time there was a war the school very nearly shut down... This time...
He'd prevent that from happening. It was an odd idea, but one already started. They'd become their own force, going when needed and attending school the rest of the time. It might be a little short on personal glory... But then again, maybe not. The Songbirds had helped save the Capital and they weren't even fighters. The kids that would normally have run off for that kind of work all had claim to real glory in the battle, for what that was worth, didn't they? He could sweeten the pot and get the Count to make it all a little more official somehow.