Knight Esquire ya-2

by P. S. Power

  It was sound thinking and since Sorlee would only have to work at it about two hours a day, making runs to the Capital in the afternoon to start with while Haper made sure she knew what to do, she readily agreed. For a few seconds Tor felt a flash of jealousy.

  Not because the country girl might sleep with the man instead of him. That would just be stupid to even think. For one thing, she had sex with a lot of guys, for all he knew Haper was a regular client. Besides, Sorlee would have slept with Tor or done almost anything else he could think, of and probably a lot he couldn’t begin to dream up, right then.

  He knew because she’d told him so on the flight down, several times. He’d winked at her, but didn’t plan to take her up on it. That would be too much like buying her. Tor felt bad enough about the thing with Ursala already, he didn’t want to compound the situation with Sorlee.

  No it was because he’d never gotten to fly a transport at all. Haper said it was harder for flyers to learn to do, but the controls were designed to be instinctual for him personally. If anyone had an edge there, he should. If not, he could still give it an honest shot at least, right?

  First things first though. When he got back he had to do some of the hardest things he ever done, then work out how to do some others that might even be worse.

  Chapter sixteen

  Rolph, Sara and Ursala all sat in his hut and tried to help him craft the perfect letter. The only problem was that everyone had their own take on what that was. Rolph thought he should play the whole thing very seriously and use Varley as a goad. Sara, pacing on the red carpet holding a rock about the size of Tor’s fist that seemed to be made of focus stone, disagreed.

  A lot.

  “She might take it as a signal to leave off what she’s doing and come back now. She loves Tor, so if she thinks he’s giving her a real signal, she might just take it, after what happened before with them. This has to be a lot harder on her than it seems from here… You didn’t see her after everything went down after the restaurant, Tor, she cried for days.” Sara kept pacing, annoyingly enough she tapped the rounded piece in her hand on the table each time she walked past it. It wouldn’t have been so bad, except that Tor was trying to write, and it made the table bounce just enough that his pen jumped a little each time. Tor was just about to ask her to stop when Ursala pointed at the odd rock like thing and asked what it was with her eyebrows raised.

  “Oh, um, well, one of the guys from the work shop gave it to me, he, uh, wanted to know if I’d get Tor to put a light on it, if it’s possible. It’s cheaper than wood even and if it works he figured that a lot of items could be done that way and you know, get the price down, since it’s pretty, but cheaper than gems are. I told him I’d ask, but didn’t promise anything. It’s basically stone, and I know that’s harder to do really than metal. Sorry, I shouldn’t-” She stopped when Tor put his hand out.

  “Right, I’ll try tonight. It’s a good idea. Here, give it to me though, so you don’t break the table with it.” He grinned and set it next to him. If it would take a field at all, it was more than just a good idea, it was a brilliant one. Everyplace had dirt after all. Dirt cheap was even a saying. At least in Two Bends.

  Ursala thought that he should be more demanding and bossy in his letter, telling Trice that she had to apologize to him. Rolph shook his head, his long hair fanning out, because he’d left it loose, which he almost never did.

  “No. I know Trice and while that would make her mad, it won’t have the same effect as if Tor writes something more positive that gives her hope. Plus, think about it, if he says “I love you come back to me, I’m a better person now” and she slams him in front of the Wards, that will have a lot more impact than if he’s a jerk to her.”

  Ultimately it was up to him, so he split the difference.

  Tor told her that he missed having her as his friend and that he’d tried to change some of the things she’d mentioned, even though he was still short, of course. He mentioned the engagement to Varley, but that it wasn’t set yet, so if she’d come back, even if she didn’t want him, just so they could be friends again…

  It wasn’t anyone’s idea of perfect, but Tor hoped it would be enough, because that and some stuff he had laying around was what would be going. It wasn’t real junk, but it was odds and ends. Some things he simply wouldn’t give her to trash. She couldn’t have a river, or a shield, not past the one she already had. It might end up on one of the Wards after all. He did send some temperature control plates, one for an oven, a griddle, complete with metal top and focus stone stand and pretty much one of everything else he had around. At the end Ursala whistled and pointed at the pile of stuff that was packed into a shipping crate with a float on it.

  “Sara, what would that market value of all that be? Roughly I mean?”

  Short blond hair moved a little as she swung towards the open face of the box and looked in. Pointing and obviously counting something up she moved her head slightly, but rhythmically from side to side.

  “Really hard to know, I mean half of this stuff isn’t even on the market yet, which makes it worth a lot more than you’d think, to tell the truth. At a guess, since we know Tor and could probably get a discount if we’re nice to him?” She grinned and looked at Tor with a smile. “Just kidding Tor. I know that you wouldn’t charge us… Um, about… five thousand gold. Maybe six thousand. If it were being sold on the market by Debri and we used my family discount. Way more right now since a lot of it just isn’t. About five times that?”

  She said it casually, but even Rolph did a double take when he heard her say it.

  “Welcome to Tor’s shop of the curious.” The Prince said with a grin while spreading his hands in a grand fashion, as if presenting the pile of junk in the box to an audience.

  Tor chuckled.

  “Oh! That reminds me, Sara… Godfrey mentioned that we need a store here, the soap and needles kind, and I don’t know any merchants other than you. I know that you can’t do it, of course, because you’re military now, but, do you know someone that could? Real things mainly, but if they want I’ll make up some stuff like this for them to sell too, if that would help? I don’t know if a lot of people here would buy it but…” He looked at her with a shrug, and she stared at the far wall, then nodded.

  “I think I might, if… Well, let me ask first?” Shaking her cute blond head she stood up and started pacing.

  Tor realized that he had an appointment soon, so dressed in his oldest pair of student browns and headed for the door again, taking him past the crate. To his surprise Rolph did the same and joined him as soon as he saw Tor starting to move. Sara and Ursala stared at them both. Like they’d gone mad. Or at least were acting strange.

  “Um…” The Countess muttered gesturing at their odd clothing choices.

  “Oh, this, well, you know the Kolb is starting a school for elite warriors out back right? So, we two are the first students.” Rolph gestured between the two of them. “As unlikely as it seems. I think he’s trying for some high profile people to start with to drum up business. Want to come? I mean I know you’re still recovering right now, but he really is good, and even Count Thomson learned a lot from him…”

  A few minutes later they were all, much to Tor’s surprise, walking towards the back wall with the heavy wooden crate floating behind them about a foot off the ground. Sara was wearing a pair of her oldest blacks, like she either expected really hard work or didn’t want to show up Tor too much. Either way she looked pretty hard and lean, the loose clothing draping just right on her frame.

  Ursala had put on a light brown leather outfit that actually had pads at elbows and knees. The Countess also carried a blunt practice sword and a long well worn blond wood stick that she pulled from the back of her luggage. She walked smoothly, her hips still a little wide, but Tor noticed, most of the fat that had originally been on her when they met was gone. So had that all been baby weight back then? How pregnant had she been? He didn’t want to ask, he decided. W
orse… he probably didn’t want to know. It would be sad if any baby died, but to have one killed like that if she was close to delivery, that would be… He didn’t have words for it. Her will power must be immense to keep her from declaring war on County Ward with every breath during the day.

  Tor wondered if she’d been sent to his house in order to delay her or… Did the King and Queen understand that if she did go to war that her forces would be going in with the best he could outfit them with? He didn’t want innocent people hurt, but a fast battle with overwhelming force used by one side was about the best resolution that such things ever got, outside of good diplomacy.

  That being the case, was he supposed to be making sure he had things ready for her? He’d have to sneak some more work in, then. The military would have to wait a bit, or at least be willing to take things at a slightly slower rate. Of course copy work wasn’t that hard, not with good templates, so maybe, if he was careful he could get it all done?

  Kolb and a giant young man walked over, one that stood a head taller than the weapons master did. It took a moment before Tor recognized him at all; the boy just looked so different. David Derring. The puppy fat was gone and he was stripped lean, nearly skinny. Under the flesh hard muscle stood out in corded bands. Tor wasn’t sure, but thought he might have been able to make out a hint of abs hiding under the leather the kid was wearing, if someone that could destroy you without trying could be referred to as a kid any more.

  Kolb smiled and waved at all the people and the box, but didn’t say anything.

  Tor got it.

  “Um, the box is what we talked about the other day? If you could see to it as discussed? The people are new students. There may be more if you’ll take them, perhaps some of the ladies of industry or military personnel? I figured that if the criteria allowed for a couple people like me here, then these others would easily make the grade.” He meant it to be a joke but Kolb just nodded instead.

  Sigh.

  The man didn’t even grin as he looked at everyone else, just regarding them coolly.

  “Alright. Testing then, for everyone but Alphonse and Tor. Tor, run the outer wall five times at best speed. Everyone else with me.”

  Running. God, he hated running.

  Especially now that anything over a fast walk was leaving him breathless and tired. Dropping into a trance he made himself move and then started working on what he needed for the shield on the palace. He could make combined fields… that’s really what the rivers were in a way. The shield itself wasn’t hard, just big, he knew field type pretty well now. So all he really needed was to figure out blast forces in the air.

  Normally air was a good thing, but a sudden burst of it could do a lot of damage he’d been told. How could that be stopped? It was hard to figure out, but if a “shock wave” as Kolb called it, was really like he said, a vast and organized sound of incredible force, then could he form a shield that would stop sound, but not air flow? If he could do that, then a stronger version should keep out a sudden blast of it, stealing its force away. At least he knew what to do there, just tuck that force deep into the ground and direct it away from the shielded space.

  The problem was distracting, but he thought he might have it figured out as he kept pounding away. On the sixth lap he realized that he was done running… and that the river floating in the air behind the structure barely cast a shadow at all. It was well placed, hidden a few hundred yards back from the wall, just peaking above a low rise. He had to jog over to actually see it. He’d found it by sensing the water itself, along with the organizing structure of the magic. Without trying, due to the light trance he was in, probably.

  Very well done indeed. Now he just had to get some pumps in place so that they could use the water easily. The other base would need some too. The long distance ones he’d made up in Ross during the fire would work, until he got something better.

  When he got back Kolb looked at him with concern at his long absence, so he shrugged.

  “Sorry, worked on a problem while I ran and ended up doing extra. The river looks good, through here at least. I have some pumps that will reach… Can your people hook up the flight school too? Maybe without them knowing about it? That will be harder…” He almost said that Karen could make them work, but stopped himself just in time.

  Without warning his eyes got damp and a sob caught in his throat. She was dead and he’d never see her again. He wiped at a tear and shook his head when Kolb gave him a questioning look.

  “A moment. I… put off grieving for some of my lost friends, and this is the first time I’ve really come to a fight practice since…”

  As hard and scarred as the bald man was, Kolb understood. Tor didn’t want to say too much, because almost everyone else in the yard had lost her too. Her own brother stood not fifty paces away even. It wouldn’t help for him to stir up all the old memories for them.

  It didn’t get him out of practice, but it did get him a minute to collect himself. Luckily, due to his pitiful state of conditioning he got to start slow, lifting and swinging stones, which had been made of focus stone, and ranged from about ten pounds up to weights that he honestly didn’t think anyone could lift alone, rounded things bigger than he could have wrapped both arms around. Hundreds of pounds or more at least. Davie worked with him on it, starting him on exercises with the heaviest weight Tor could manage and then working each one until he couldn’t move any more. Then he got a brief break, long enough to suck down some water but not really rest, and was put directly to sparing with people.

  He’d watched them all practice while he worked harder than he had in months, trying to catch a sense of how good they were. Everyone was better than he was Tor decided. Even Ursala used her practice sword and stick like a pro. Not as good as the others, but Tor didn’t doubt she could kick his sorry little butt. When he was up for practice Kolb called over one of the other combat giants, his new instructors, a guy that Tor had worked with before, but not for half a year or more. No doubt the man had gotten even better, pushing harder because a war was on.

  The man didn’t cut Tor any slack, apparently as punishment for him having missed too many work outs in a row. He got it, really he did. When that man had “killed” him five times, another new opponent was called in. Several of them had gathered around to take their own turn apparently, since there favorite target was back in the game. He stuck with it as best he could. When the second round of him being beaten with a practice sword was over, he was “rewarded” by being allowed to fight the remaining giants with his bare hands.

  Because that made sense. If any of these people ever came at him to fight, he’d just take off and run away. Like he was supposed to.

  Apparently in this new troop or whatever the name ended up being, practice rules were harder than at school, it now being fair to hit or kick to the arms, legs, middle and back full force as well as use full force throws and joint locks. At least when people were working with him. He did the best he could, fighting, kicking and even pretending to bite and gauge eyes.

  Tor would have run away, but he was already too tired. Anyone would catch him instantly now, most likely. That was part of the plan, no doubt.

  The last person he faced wasn’t as big as the others, thankfully, but hit nearly as hard. They wore a full helm, so that he could practice blows to the face as well. The person was lean, but obviously a woman, Tor felt her breasts through her leather training outfit. They ended up locked on the ground, both struggling to try and lock a joint, to distract the other, or throw a punch that would have ended things. The woman writhed under him, her hips rhythmically thrusting, trying to both throw him off and entice him at the same time. Like that would distract him in a fight? After a while he actually managed to get a few good shots in to the face plate when Kolb called an end to the exercise.

  “Kind of pitiful Tor. Your conditioning is all but gone, and you’re far too little to give that away against an attacker. Everyone is. Tomorrow same time, unless you hav
e a major build planned?”

  Tor, gasping for breath, shook his head.

  “No, sir, just some light copy work. I’ll be here.” Tor was just glad that no one had hit him in the groin this time.

  “Good enough. I may have a project idea or two soon, but not until you’re in better shape retucally.”

  Dismissed, they all walked back towards the hut, so that they could grab showers and clean clothes for the rest of the day. Tor was already sore, which was probably his just due, for failing to make himself stay in better shape. It was a process he knew, that had a frequent toll, in work. Stop paying and it goes away. He hobbled as best he could, trying to keep up with the others. Ursala stared at him, then looked at the others, even turning around to see if Kolb was still watching as they walked through the door that had been cut in the smooth black stone. Once through she stopped them all by raising her right hand in front of the group.

  “Wait… did they just…” she looked at Rolph first, but then started at Sara. “I mean, what was that? That’s not normal at all, even for hardened warriors. Do they train like that?” She asked, sounding exasperated suddenly.

  Rolph seemed baffled, but Sara got it and nodded, “Yeah. It’s the way Tor’s been trained for years too. Here watch this; Tor, out of the four of us, who do you thinks the best fighter?”

  What? That was an odd question to ask. He had to get her to clarify what the parameters were, just who would win a fight? Armed or unarmed? Shields, armor, or street clothes? There were a thousand variables to consider.

  She told him to consider just a straight up fight, no shields, no weapons, no mental tricks, just body against body.

  “Rolph.” Tor said instantly, not even having to stop and think about it. “Skill counts, but he’s a giant compared to the rest of us, and he has a lot of training. That’s provided he’s willing to hurt us of course, which normally wouldn’t happen, but presuming an actual, anything goes fight, it would be him almost every time.”