by P. S. Power
"I imagine he got his accent in the Capital miss. The Noram Capital. This is Countier Timon Baker. The Tor's brother. He was my roommate when they brought us back on the Royal Palm. I saw that you were in town, Tim, with your super-sonic transport. Does that mean we can start shipping in some real food again? I got spoiled in the Palace. Even what they fed the floor washers is better than what we have here, but that's down to supplies. Carlos is an amazing chef. This is actually fine dining for here."
Timon turned in his seat and nodded.
"We can start on that at least. This is my friend Kenner Thorgood... Or actually I don't know your real name, do I?"
"Kenneth Messer. Ken, so that part isn't so different."
"And Ken, this is Kincaid Rue. We were just discussing a date next week, but I don't know what a compact is. Not really. Is it like a communications device?"
The boy, who was fifteen, but had been given treatments to make him look younger, nodded and seemed to be thinking about how to explain it for a few seconds. That's what it looked like at any rate.
"Yes. Except that almost everyone here has one. I have one. They can also take pictures... I think that you should get your Uncle, the Revered One, to get you one. If you plan to do business here you'll need one. I don't think they'll work outside of Austra, but people can leave messages for you." There were some slight stresses on different words that was outside of the accent everyone used.
Timon heard it though and thought he got the idea. It wasn't a message for him, but for the girl next to him. Ken was telling her that Denno was his uncle for some reason, as if warning her. If she picked up on that it didn't show on her face. The girl just looked over to where Brown and Petra were sitting, stood up, composed herself a little with a deep breath and walked over toward them.
It was only about twenty feet away, and when she got halfway there Kenner touched his arm and whispered to him, leaning in as servants did in the Palace when they were letting you know something without embarrassing you.
"Kincaid Rue is famous here. An actress... That's like a masker sort of, except it's a much bigger thing here. She plays young girls for the most part, but she's actually about twenty. Word is she's been coming here to practice for a role." Then he stood back politely, and made a small gesture that seemed to be telling Timon to follow her.
It wasn't the way it would have been done in Noram, just walking up on someone still sitting at the table, but others were doing it, a line forming to walk up to Denno. He smiled at each of them and shook their hands when people offered them. The Ancient also passed out hugs to people that he couldn't possibly know. One little girl actually climbed on to his lap for a few moments. It was cute. It also made the guards grit their teeth and go tense. They were standing behind Brown, ready to draw their awkward and huge weapons the instant anything happened.
Kincaid got herself into line, just like everyone else, not pushing ahead or standing on her own fame it seemed. Several people were taking pictures of her, as well as Denno and Petra, if that's what holding their "compacts" like that meant. There was no noise from it and the crowd of people was actually very polite about it. Tim moved in along side of the woman and nudged her arm lightly with his shoulder. She was taller than he was, but only by about four inches, so it didn't look too awkward. No one seemed to care either, even though he was moving along the line without waiting.
It didn't take long to get to Denno, since no one was discussing business or doing much more than saying their names and touching the man, almost as if for luck. A few smiled at Petra, but no one approached her overly. Her face was politely interested the whole time however, never looking bored or out of place. She'd have been trained for that, given her rank and social position. When Kincaid got to them she touched Denno's hand lightly, then bowed to Petra. It was a good attempt, but not deep enough.
"Revered One... I'm Kincaid Rue, I was hoping that I could talk to your companion about her wardrobe?"
That got a smile from Denno and a shrug, though Petra lit up a little and leaned in a bit.
"Oh? One of my favorite topics, fashion. Please, let's discuss that." The giantess gestured for Kincaid to move behind and around Denno, so they could move slightly away to chat.
Timon glanced at Denno and smiled.
"She's some kind of player, I guess. Anyway, I was told that I need to get a 'compact' if I'm doing business here. Is that allowed? I don't know if the treaty lets me have your technology. I haven't read it yet." The treaty of the Ancients was kind of picky about who could have what where, but Brown tilted his head and after a minute, almost not moving he nodded.
"I'd have to own it, but we can do that. I'll have one for you before morning." There was no talk of cost or purchase, because, as he pointed out, he'd have to own it. It would be up to Timon to make sure it wasn't a loss for him. That wasn't exactly the way of either of their lands, more a combination of the two systems.
"Thank you Uncle. Now, I need to find Carlos the chef here..." They needed to talk after all. The food wasn't nearly what the man could manage with good materials. Arranging that wasn't great business sense on his part, but this set up was kind of advertising for Noram in a way, and that meant it was worth doing well.
"Back that way, to the left. Start walking and someone will try to stop you no doubt. You can ask after him then." There was a charming smile and Denno moved on to the next man in line, who shook his hand hard enough to make the thing look a little strange and got one of the tan guards to take a single step forward.
The back hallway was well lit and done in an ugly white tile that held no warmth at all. It turned out that Denno was wrong however, since even as people passed no one said anything to him at all, even as he got into the kitchen. There were people dressed in light blue, instead of white, and the floor was the same smooth red brick that it was out front. The biggest difference from a real kitchen was that there didn't seem to be an oven at all, just rows of large silver boxes. Some had pots on top, but no room for a fire below at all. He got the idea, magical stoves and ovens could do the same after all. They were heated from within by some other means. As if to show that was the case, a tray of bread rolls came from one of the boxes, pulled by a man with short hair, who moved with a calm efficiency. Those went to a rack as the man spun in place, saw him and walked over, smiling.
"Hey Tim! Heard you were in town. Come to compliment my wondrous cooking?" His face tightened a bit, but he didn't take it back.
"After a fashion. That you did that with what you had to work with is nothing short of amazing and truly impressive. I have a full load of produce from Warden. Bananas, coconuts, lemons and oranges, as well as full boxes of other things. Some vegetables and potatoes. No strawberries, but there are some pears. Get me a list and I'll be able to bring a load in once a week or so for you."
There were ten workers in the room and to a man and women they all stopped to stare at him, until Carlos waved them back to work and growled at them a bit.
"What? You've never seen a Noram noble before? Back to work, we have another full meal to produce and will be sitting our customers in ten minutes!" The tone was hard, but the face smiled when he turned to Tim.
"We can't afford that kind of thing, I'm afraid. Barely keeping the doors open as it is. Thanks for thinking of us though. I'd kill to have that kind of produce." There was a hint of bitterness under the words, or frustration at least.
That was something Timon could understand. Cook Carlos had worked in the Royal kitchen, which meant he was good. Far better than he could show with the poor tools and materials he could get in this land. Everything here was done for pay of course... So they could only afford to purchase certain things for their shop. It wasn't nearly good enough. Not if he was going to be representing Noram like this.
"No. You're my friend Carlos, and there are no debts between friends. Get me that list and some people to unload the craft. I can come to this door back here? One moment." He didn't wait for the man to mouth prot
ests. He'd named him as one of his people after all. That was, as far as he was concerned, that. It was going to cost him a lot, he realized, but that was just what would have to happen.
He jogged to the craft, followed by a woman in pale blue who didn't say anything. She was a thin and stately looking person, her hair up and slightly red from the heat of the kitchen. When they got to the mirrored box, which sat floating above the ground she hesitated.
"I... can show you how to get around the building."
Timon smiled and waved her in, suggesting with a gesture that she sit next to him up front. She wanted him to take the craft out on the road, then around the square of streets to use another entrance. Instead he just lifted up and went over the building slowly, the woman making a squeak as he did it. On the good side she was pale again when they landed. The back door was opened so the product could be taken out and she looked almost scared when she saw what the crates held for some reason.
"This is... Are you really going to sell us this? I've seen the books, and Carlos wasn't lying. We can stay in business, as long as things don't fall off, but just to pay for this load would cost most of what we earn in a month, not just a week."
He gestured at it and then shook his head a little.
"You want the truth? Carlos is a great cook, maybe one of the best in the world. You probably all are, or he wouldn't let you step in his place, but that meal was... shameful. It isn't your fault, indeed, you probably all had to work very hard to try and save it, but... as a friend it's my duty to make sure Carlos and Ken have what they need, if I can help at all. Even if it beggars me to do it." He knew that explaining wasn't going to work, since the rules between places were just too different.
The woman didn't wait, calling at the door for everyone to come and start moving the goods. She might not have really gotten why he was doing it, Timon knew, but that didn't seem to matter to the cooks and workers that were doing the work.
It took a bit for it all to be gone and Carlos came out with a hand written list on paper, his eyes downcast, handing it over with a swallow. It was a goods list, with things that would be hard to get in without special arrangements. Heavy cream and real butter needed to be cooled for instance, and cold ice wine was expensive. That was probably why it was on the bottom of the list. There were a lot of greens too, as well as spices. If he bought it all at once it would probably be nearly twenty golds worth of things, not counting the wine, which would be around a gold per bottle. He knew because Carlos had helpfully listed maximum prices he should buy at next to each item.
Timon suppressed a wince at the cost, committed by his words already. "I'll try to be back with it in seven days then. I might have the other pilot come in with it, so someone will need to meet him at the docks if that happens. I also need a list of anything that the Noram people here might need from home. Can I pick that up here? I know that it's an imposition on you, but..." He was responsible for them too. At least as far as making sure they weren't being abused in this strange land. The spies seem to have been looking out for at least some of them it seemed, since he'd recognized a few faces from the boat. The man at the door for instance. One of the women in blue was too, he thought. She caught him looking and walked over before grabbing a box to take in.
"I didn't know we'd have patronage from home, sir. I do miss the music. Could you arrange for someone to come and play for us sometime?" It was said with a happy lilt that showed she didn't expect anything at all for herself, not really. Carlo glared at her, but Timon looked off into the night.
"I can see if anyone wishes to try it. Maybe in exchange for being allowed to come see your land? I'm not so rich I can afford to pay them all, but if we work this right I bet someone will want to try it."
The woman giggled and bowed, earning her a strange look from the other kitchen staff and a slap on the arm from Carlos.
"Back to work! Replace the strawberries with the ripe bananas. Tomorrow we'll serve hand pies with cream, so I'll need the baking crew in early." He grinned and looked at Timon.
"Can you work that? Food made by a Countier would go over very well I think."
That... probably would, but he had to shake his head anyway.
"Tomorrow will see me in Afrak. The day after that Vagus, then Soam and Noram. It's why I'm not leaving now to get some real cream for you. Sorry about that."
He got a slap on the back and then Carlos pulled the last crate that wasn't filled with leather goods or straw hats. On a whim Timon called the woman he thought was from Noram over and gave those to her.
"I don't know if you can sell them here or not, but if so..." He shrugged and found her bowing again, this time going much lower.
It was a little embarrassing, so he bowed back quickly and moved back over the building, hoping that they'd be allowed to leave the place quickly. That wasn't going to happen he soon realized, since Petra was having too much fun chatting with Kincaid about clothing. They were both smiling and tying up part of the dining room as people started to come for the next meal. Quavel was smiling, but it was starting to look strained, since he couldn't just tell a Conserina to get out, and possibly not Kincaid either.
"We should leave so that they can get the next meal set up. This is a business after all." Timon said it to Petra directly, interrupting, but knowing that it was only rude for him to do it, but not unforgivably so like it would be for a merchant in his shop. "Kincaid... Why don't we make arrangements for you two to meet later and talk? If that's a good idea? I'm not sure about the rules for that kind of thing here."
She moved in and put a hand on his back warmly.
"That sounds wonderful. I can have someone call and arrange that. Let's see... Oh, do you have a compact Conserina Ward?"
Denno held out his own and smiled, the line of people that had been visiting with him had left and he was just waiting on Petra and her new friend.
"They can contact her through me, until we get her one to use while she's here. She'll be staying at my place, as an emissary from Noram, for a while."
Petra beamed and seemed happy about the idea, and looked sidelong at Timon.
"Miss Rue is attempting to learn about our land for a part in a... play. It's about Princess Karina and Ali and how they saved Austra from the evil that had plagued it. How anyone here knows about all that I don't know, but she's to be Karina. I was telling her that she should go and visit, to see what it's like."
Which would mean Timon taking her. Probably for free. The whole thing with Austra was going to be a bit of a bust it seemed, costing him a lot more gold than he could ever make back. It was good for the peace effort, if nothing else. Still, he was going to have to be a lot more clever if he didn't want to lose everything, working with the other lands.
"Of course. I've promised to bring in a load of fresh produce and other foods in seven days. Would that be a good time for you to leave? You could spend a week. I... don't know where we can put you for certain. I can definitely get you a room at an inn. My guess is that Alyssa will host you however, but her home isn't mine to offer for certain. I don't have a house yet, but I may by then. You can, of course, stay with me if that's the case." He didn't know for certain, but it felt like he was ending up with more work every time he opened his mouth. That wasn't a bad thing, but he wasn't anywhere near being able to afford school yet, not even for the next year. He'd made twenty-three gold in a day and already committed to spending nearly thirty in the next week. Or more.
The woman next to him stiffened a little, but her face was happy. He almost didn't get it at first, until she mentioned her problems.
"I'd love too, but would it be alright for me to bring a few people with me? If I can get a camera crew as well... How much will your services cost? I can get the studio to cover that, I'm sure. They'll probably want to shoot in Noram if it's allowed. If we could do that... I need to make some calls I think!" She laughed, hugging Timon hard. "I can't promise a part for anyone, but this could be a very good thing. Thanks."
/> She moved off and started walking toward the door absently, black box to her ear suddenly, talking into it. A moment later she ran back and touched her compact to Denno's who held his out. Then they all moved outside, Quavel escorting them out so that no one would press against them, the line outside being far longer than it had been earlier.
There was even a bunch of people standing around taking pictures of his craft, three rows thick. A lot of them taking pictures of it. Kincaid was left standing at the door, talking on her communications device, distracted it seemed. She finally looked up and waved to him, then looked around, her face baffled. She didn't seem happy for some reason, which Timon feared was a sign that she wasn't to be allowed to go to Noram, which was fair enough. They'd been at war in the last year and if she was as loved in this place as Ken had said, they may not want to risk her in a land of potentially hostile strangers. Moving back toward her, he got ready to comfort the woman and give assurance that he took no offense.
That wasn't the problem at all however. She was just expecting a ride and it hadn't shown up yet.
"New driver. I should get my own, not just the one the studio provides, but I don't live here full time. Over in Wallace you know. This is where the work is, so I have to be willing to make do. I can't get in touch with the man, which is strange. I hope he's alright..." The words were kind enough, on the surface, leaving only a trace of annoyance underneath.
That made sense, because the rain had started again, pelting them lightly. It didn't feel cold to him, but Kincaid started to move back under the awning, even though that meant standing very near the long and growing line of people, some of whom were busily staring at them. The girl looked a little strange, it was true, not wearing clothing that truly looked right for the crowd, but Timon didn't have brightly colored hair or face tattoos, which was at least as big of a deal. No one seemed hostile about it, just curious. As a people, the Austrans seemed to be that way, didn't they?
In his homeland people would have looked at the strangers, but not as openly. In Two Bends they probably would have avoided a woman with piercings on her face for instance, and the bright hair of some of the others would have been interesting, but not stared at half as hard as they were looking at him.