The Dark Half of the Sun (The Young Ancients: Timon)

by P. S. Power

  Instead she heaved a few deep breaths and stepped toward him quickly.

  "I'm sorry... I... don't think I understand totally. You... wish me to eat?" Her hair was red, streaked with gray and white and she looked hot, and smelled it too when she closed. It wasn't foul, but a scent of a person that had walked a good way in the heat.

  "Yes, and then I'll take you to your lands, and help as I can, as so far as transport for planning goes. I can't take sides, but you can pay me. It's ten gold per thousand miles flown, each way. Five for you right now, since King Richard sent you. It's a deal we have, he and I. So remember how he got you a good deal later. Is that acceptable?"

  She looked down, her face going toward white again.

  "No, damn it! I don't have that much on me at the moment. I didn't realize that I'd need it or I would have begun the process of making a withdrawal from the bank. I need to go as fast as I may, but it will have to wait. Damn it!" She looked at the sky, which still had a few hours of light left and screamed again. Louder than before, if that was physically possible.

  He just stood and watched her, trying not to move more than he had to, not wanting to set her off.

  "I understood that part actually. You can pay me later. I know I can trust you for it." He did too. If she didn't pay, he'd never work for her again. Do that too often and word would get around and soon no one would do work without gold in hand.

  The closest place with food he could buy was Tor's. Yes, they'd feed him for free, but that wasn't the point. If he was going to be a grown-up at all, he had to start seeing to his own upkeep. To that end he probably needed to hire someone to take care of his house for him. That or get married and as the last week had pointed out over and again, he was too young for that. So a woman to keep his house would be a good idea. Or a man, since he was a boy. He didn't want people to think the wrong thing.

  He waved for the Duchess to walk with him, going fast, since her legs were longer than his were. They went right in, which caused her to pause at the door, unsure of what the protocols were in this case, but understanding that anyone with a palace nicer than what the Royal family had probably wasn't someone to impose upon overly. She sighed when the cool air inside hit her, closing her eyes for a moment, even if she was a little put off by his presumption of just going in.

  Smiling a little he tugged at her arm to get her to move, since there was a time schedule of sorts. At the kitchen door he stopped and got out two silvers. Glaren nodded to him, then looked up to see who was behind him. She made a disapproving face. One harsher than any he'd ever seen from her at all, by far.

  "Why have you brought an animal into my kitchen Countier Baker?" Her features were more than a little hard suddenly, which caught him off guard.

  "Oh... we need some food. She's a client, so please be nice. It's a bad situation, so, you know, it would be a good time to be friendly." You didn't just tell people that someone was about to lose it, but not warning the kitchen lady seemed insane. The attractive blonde woman didn't seem to get it at first, even with him making significant eye contact to try and send the message.

  "Well, I don't want her here. She hasn't earned the right."

  The Duchess went stiff and cold, her skin turning white and eyes going wide. Then her breathing started to shift, going deeper and speeding up. It wasn't a good sign at all. Glaren for her part was totally missing it too.

  "Glaren. We need food, and don't have time for this. Just make it and take the silver." Timon didn't like being short with her, and for all that she was glaring at the other woman she wasn't seeing what was happening at all for some reason.

  "Water too please. We won't want wine with the food. This is an emergency and I don't have time to explain it all overly."

  Glaren glared at him then, which was slightly better at least, and her words came out stiff and harsh, but with enough politeness that he couldn't fault her for them. Or, well, he wouldn't anyway. She really didn't seem to like the lady standing behind him at all. Some old slight or battle most likely. Glaren was normally a sweet enough woman, so it probably wasn't her fault either. After a few seconds of hard looks and a bit of heavy breathing of her own she growled at him.

  "Very well, sir. I'll have something for you in about ten minutes. Do you need anything else?"

  He did actually, it was why he had two coins after all.

  "Can I beg a crust of bread or some cheese? I haven't eaten recently and won't be able to in-flight. I know it's an imposition..."

  She rolled her eyes and shook her head for a few seconds then gave him a tight smile and moved to get him a small plate of things from different cold boxes and cupboards. It was enough to tide him over, easily. A full meal, if a cold one. She didn't offer the Duchess anything he noticed, which was a sign of near hatred from her, no doubt. Timon didn't offer anything either, figuring he could share if it was needed.

  They moved out the door to the smaller dining room behind them, and sat, the plate set carefully between them as the older woman fumed a bit. She did take a bit of sharp yellow cheese and nibbled it with a distinct lack of interest.

  "I didn't know that she'd be here, or I wouldn't have come in. We used to be friends. I got caught up in a bit of intrigue and it..." The woman sighed and took another bite of cheese. "I cost her a good marriage. Baron Coltress? A true love match. It wasn't my intent and I wasn't alone in it, but I can't blame her for her feelings now. Probably spitting in the food as we speak. If not poisoning it."

  Tim ate a little more avidly than the Duchess did and finally shrugged.

  "I hope not, since I'll be eating it too. That does sound like a bad situation... Maybe next time we can avoid bringing you to the door like that? I was trying to get things done quickly, not cause anyone pain." That had happened anyway. There was a real point to it all, wasn't there?

  Most of the nobles past a certain age probably had something or other that would be like that, which meant that he didn't just have to manage time schedules, but seating arrangements and probably fifteen other factors that he hadn't thought about at all before. Who sat where, who got picked up first and in what order. It was going to be a pain.

  For half a second Timon went still, trying to work out how to do that, finally deciding that it would be done by rank, and with a lot of blunt language.

  It wasn't Glaren that came out, but a man who looked familiar from the other day, holding not just one, but two full baskets.

  "Bottles of chilled water instead of wine, as you requested sir. Glaren asked me to extend her apologies for her behavior earlier." He bowed when he said it and from the tension in his shoulders it seemed that he might just have been lying to try and smooth things over, not report what was actually said by the woman. The odd thing there was that he bowed to Timon, not the Duchess at all.

  Looking at the man he smiled, trying to make it seem real. The truth was he'd gotten snappish too, so it wasn't just one person that needed to make things right. He stood and bowed back to the man, matching him, taking care of the first thing first.

  "I also apologize. To you for being subjected to the scene, and to Glaren as well. I'll be by later, in a few days, to do that part more formally. In the mean time, please let her know that I meant no harm." He'd be damned if he was going to explain that he'd been trying to stop a combat rage incident in front of the already worked up woman. Finishing the last bite of bread he grabbed the heavy baskets and headed for the door.

  "If anyone needs me, please let them know that I'll be in Duchy Keene for the night. Not that people should come here... I need to hire someone for my house. Ideally someone that can cook too." It was an offhand comment but the man nodded and bowed again.

  "Very good sir. I'll see to that for you, if you wish?"

  Timon blinked and then smiled hugely up at the fellow, "Would you? That would be wonderful. I've been running enough that I was dreading trying to do it myself."

  There was a very formal click of the heel then and the man left back to the ki
tchen without another word. The Duchess stood as well and helpfully grabbed one of the baskets, heading to the door anxiously.

  "How long do you think this will take, to have me returned to my mansion?" The woman moved at a fast walk toward the front of the place, as if the few seconds that would be gained by that would make a vast difference.

  He didn't speak at first, until after he got out the amulet from around his neck, with its glowing sigil and set it up in the front walk, ushering the surprised woman directly into the back of it. Less than a minute later they were in the air and traveling northeast rapidly.

  "It's a little over two thousand miles away... I should have you there in about two hours. Less if we don't have to search for it overly. I'm from Two Bends in Lairdgren, which is right next to Keene. Count Thomson is my brother in law. That's on the way, so do you want to stop there first? I actually know how to get to his house, which will make it a little faster." He spoke absently, but the woman grunted in a rather unladylike fashion.

  "Please. He's never been a problem, unlike his father. I like the boy. If I can get him to fall in with me, then I should get Boris and Nora as well." She didn't explain who those people were at all. He didn't worry about it, figuring that in a few hours he'd probably know who they were and where they kept their homes as well. He needed a map.

  Morgan would too.

  They flew in silence, except when the woman got a bottle of water and popped the cork on it, drinking it absently. After a few moments she sighed and spoke, sounding a lot more calm about the whole thing.

  "Good thinking, not letting me get drunk. I guess King Richard was looking out for me after all, sending me along to you. I promise that I'll pay you in full, just as soon as I can get to the funds. You have my word on that score. No matter what happens in the next days." She had an absent tone to her words which told Timon not to answer, even with a polite disclaimer or positive word of encouragement.

  It took a lot less time to get to County Thomson than it would have to find the Duchess' house itself. Her place technically wasn't in any county, set between four of them. Holder was the one that her lands didn't border on. That was probably why Count Holder was being the problem. He felt safe, way up in the north, protected by another's land as he was.

  The Thomson capital was a walled city, like most of them were, having a rough stone look to it, like an old castle. The people had always seemed decently content when Tim had delivered packages there. Not perfectly so, of course. No place had that. Some people always had to have a problem with everything, and then there were random hardships, deaths in the family, problems with crime, things of that nature, that affected lives. No Count could fix all of those things for every person. It was mainly enough to see to good schooling and that enough gold flowed through to keep most people working and reasonably able to care for themselves.

  He landed in the front of the place inside the wall around it. The whole thing was impressive, since it was an actual stone castle. There was even a moat around it, the water in it kept flowing thanks to three windmills with paddles on them that stirred things nicely enough to keep the fish alive. It was a decorative thing, meant to impress visitors, rather than to hold off invaders. After they climbed out the Duchess all but ran to the front door, over the heavy wooden bridge that crossed the expanse of water. It was only about twenty feet wide, the wood of it thick and made of heavy timbers. Thomson, like Lairdgren, was mainly driven by selling timber.

  At the door the woman started pounding, which was a little rude, at least to Timon's eyes. It got results fairly quickly however. The woman that answered the door was small, pretty and dressed in a plain skirt and shirt again. It was one of the things that Terlee just wasn't getting about being a Countess. She kept dressing like a girl from the backwoods. It confused the Duchess too, it seemed.

  "I need the Count. Now! Run girl and get him for me!" It was abrupt and angry sounding, which got his sister to pause, ducking her head in shyness for a second. Then the woman yelled at her for not moving fast enough, which got Timon to walk up and place a hand on the giant lady's arm.

  "Duchess Keene, calm down. This is Countess Thomson, don't make her angry by yelling at her first thing." He didn't roll his eyes, but moved around the woman, being rude himself, and gave his sister a hug. "Hey, sis. Is Tovey in? There's a problem that the Duchess needs to talk to him about. An emergency, as you can no doubt tell." He didn't make his voice soft or protective, since his sister didn't really need to be coddled. She was a lot stronger than she seemed, just shy. Really he was making an effort to protect the other woman from her, even if no one in the world probably would have thought that if they saw the scene. Tamerlane was a lot smarter than most would ever think and that translated to an ability to plot and plan that was incredible. Most never even knew who was doing it when she went for them.

  She rallied and patted his shoulder lightly, looking at the noble giant calmly.

  "He's here. Could I invite you in? I made some cookies earlier and have a pot of water on for tea." She moved out of the huge door, as if her slight frame was actually blocking it, which got them all to go inside rapidly enough, the large woman being a little pushy.

  She bowed however, once the door was closed.

  "Forgive me Countess. In my haste to see to my own issues I was rude. It isn't my normal way of greeting a peer. Or anyone. It's been a trying day." She didn't explain further, which seemed fine, since Terlee showed them both to a sitting room, which was a bit dark, until the magical light on the high ceiling was turned on. There was a control sigil for it on the wall and the thing itself was a small glowing stone that was as bright as day as soon as it was activated. The light was like the sun, coming from the very air around it, nearly a foot away from the device itself.

  This got the Duchess to pay attention pretty quickly, since magic was expensive and using it casually was considered a sign of extreme wealth. That, or personal power. Of course a Count would be rich, that was a given. The poorest of them were. The Duchess would be as well, though that was sometimes a harder thing to measure. They got a small portion of each of their Counts' taxes annually, Timon thought. They didn't have the vast lands or properties and it was far more of a ceremonial thing than not. Really it was a position that they didn't need as a Kingdom. It was the tradition anyway, which meant that he had to help the woman if he could. A little bit.

  They'd been seated for several minutes when Count Thomson walked into the room, a pleasant look on his face and a tray of tea and cookies in his hands. That was a big deal, him waiting on them himself. It was him honoring the Duchess' position greatly. That or her age. She wasn't that old, so probably not that one. The woman nodded and took a cup when it was offered, a silent thing, with Tovey pouring for them all. There was sugar, but Tim skipped it, since he was going to eat a cookie.

  It was something that he remembered from home. A spice and berry creation that his father had come up with. They were his favorite. Terlee didn't come back immediately, which was a little odd.

  Without preamble or welcome the Duchess started in on her plan to smack Holder down with force and violence, asking Tovey to aid her in it, marching his forces out that evening, flying both banners.

  Surprisingly, he didn't refuse or even hedge.

  "Of course. We can see to that at once. I have to say, I'd feel better if we could do it without using any real force. My men stand ready however. Have you sought any of the others out yet?" He nibbled one of the treats from the tray himself, his rich blue and gold outfit looking ready to go to court at a moment's notice.

  The red and gray haired lady shook her head.

  "No, I came directly from the Capital to here. Countier Baker assisted me. I was thinking that I'd hit you up for aid first, since we actually get along. That way I can bring that up with Count Richland. He's far more likely to be useful if you move first. Countess Alan next and then on to Breen, since he's the least likely to want a military action, being on the Holder border.
I don't blame him, of course, since any fighting would be there as likely as not. It's always easier to have a war if you know that the battle won't be in your own yard. I wish it wasn't going to come to this, but Holder isn't giving me much room but to act." She sounded so certain of that no one asked if it was true.

  The whole meeting took less than ten minutes, and Tovey pulled him aside as he was leaving. Timon figured it was going to be a caution about involving himself, even as a hired man, in someone else's battles, which was good advice, but instead he smiled and patted his shoulder.

  "Well, if you're going to refuse my offer of funds for schooling, at least you seem to have a plan to keep yourself busy. I... Everything is alright between us, isn't it? I haven't given offense or harmed you?" It was a strange thing to say, but Timon understood it, he thought. The Count couldn't understand why anyone would turn down funds unless anger was involved.

  He smiled and looked up at the man.

  "It's nothing like that. I just want to do it on my own. There are some reasons, family things, you know. Nothing to do with you or Terlee at all. Some of my favorite relatives in fact. Unlike a certain brother of mine that keeps managing to both aid and disrupt my life, even after running off." He grimaced and relented, not wanting to jinx his kin somehow. "I hope he's alright."

  The Count nodded and slapped him on the back, leaning in a little, his youthful face big and earnest.

  "I can't promise that he's equal to an army of assassins, but I've fought against him in practice and once as I was in a combat rage. I've never beaten him and I'm considered very good. If anyone in the Kingdom can do this thing, can survive and defeat the Larval, it's Tor. If he can't, know that I'll stand with you as you seek vengeance."

  There was a soft sound behind him, which turned out to be his sister holding a large basket filled with cookies. "Take this. I know you like them." She gave him another hug and leaned in herself to whisper to him, her lips close to his ear, warm breath on his cheek.