by P. S. Power
"This is County Ward and I'm the Countess! Shouldn't we be doing what I want? At least part of the time?" This was said as they finished loading crates of fresh fruit into the back of her new craft. She'd had to leave it small, to travel on the streets, which were meant for wagons, not vast cargo carriers. She did make it a lovely pink color though, with a sky blue stripe. That color blue had been Reggie's favorite after all. The pink was just so that people would actually see them and get out of the way.
It was Carol that answered her daughter, actually managing to be pleasant enough really, considering all the beatings and groveling she had left to do.
"True dear, but Conserina Lairdgren was given an important task, and we should seek to aid her in that first, shouldn't we? Besides, I don't know what you've been up to, but I've never been to another land like this. It's exciting, isn't it?" She seemed to mean it, even helping to load the goods herself. Maria stood back, but Collette wasn't too good for manual labor.
Gerent was quiet and helpful, which was nice. It was good to see that, really. He did keep looking down at the ground however, as if shy.
Once they had what they could get off of the list, or the substitutes for it if they couldn't, which took nearly an hour and a half even with them hurrying, they managed to get themselves into the air. Collette started to play with the craft almost instantly, making it a bit more roomy, increasing the size by about ten times, and creating a restroom in the back as well as comfortable chairs and a nice red carpet for the floor. When Tiera looked around, her hands still on the control, she had to nod. It was lovely, really. Better than she would have managed, if it had been left to her.
"I'm not putting in sleeping rooms or a kitchen yet, but I can do that for you, if you want? We'll probably need to make this smaller, if we need to go onto the roads there. They have roads, don't they?"
Tiera nodded, since she'd actually been there before and everything. It wasn't like she knew the place well, but she'd been to Denno's house and memorized the route, and had the map of the main city in her head, complete with landmarks and most of the buildings. They did really excellent maps there.
"Those are a bit bigger than the ones we're used to, but you have it right, we need to keep the craft smallish. I think I can drive on their roads. They have rules for it, put they aren't hard, really." It was just a bit of small talk, but she knew she could actually do it, having watched both Tim and a real Austran do that before. The information was still fresh in her mind.
Not that she forgot anything.
Maria watched the ocean under them and actually settled into the back, talking with Gerent about gardens, of all things. Carol was included in it, but Collette sat in the front passenger's seat with her, so that she wouldn't feel abandoned. That's what Tiera figured it was about, at first, but her words were actually a good bit different than that.
"Thank you, Conserina Lairdgren. I don't love my step-mother and never have, but she's still my mother, like it or not. I wouldn't want her harmed, too much. Just enough to learn the lessons she needs to. Your service to my family is... Well, needed." There was a sweet looking smile and a head shake, the soft golden curls swaying a bit. "I would have killed her last night and that, earned or not, would have been murder. Meaning that I'd be sent to the gallows for it. I should challenge her to a duel, but in my anger I nearly forgot myself."
Shifting around she looked nearly vicious for a moment, and looked behind them, to where the others sat in their comfortable cloth covered seats, as if it were all just a pleasure trip. Then, for those three, it really was. Even Collette wasn't working.
"At least Gerent is getting something from her of value. She better not abuse him though, or I'll..." She didn't finish the statement, but Tiera agreed anyway. After all, he was her brother.
"Yes. Well, that can be arranged, at need. Honestly, if I were her I wouldn't accept rides over the deep ocean like this with people that have reason for her not to make it to the other side. Not that I have anything planned for her myself, but..." She grinned and meant it. "Really, you should have seen her yesterday. In that alley, her face falling as those men walked away from her. I don't know that it means she's going to ever be a good person, but I think she understands that people always count now." Maybe.
Collette, clearly being a better passenger than most, changed the subject then, picking topics that, for most people, wouldn't have been hard at all.
"So, are you seeing anyone right now?" She didn't even wince at the words, clearly not really knowing about Regina and that whole situation.
It was no doubt part of the new changes that Tor had helped her with, but she only felt sad, not bitterly angry at it. The woman didn't know, or hadn't remembered. That or she truly believed that a young woman would have more lovers than just the one. She did, now, so there was that.
"Count Breen and I are friends. And Sherri Bonner? I don't know if you've met?" Except of course, she did. It just wasn't polite to assume that the woman next to her would remember that though.
"Ah! I have. She seems a very sweet girl." There was no mention of Regina, but it was clear, from the way that she looked out the window, that Collette really did have that situation down too. It made sense, being friends with Tor and Tim, but it wasn't the kind of thing you spoke of on a journey. Not trapped in a small space with a person that was well known for combat rage. Not that Tiera had that, but a lot of people thought she did, for some reason. Probably because she'd gotten angry a few times and hurt people. The in skin weapons and shields had to lend themselves to that as well, didn't they?
"How about you? Are you seeing anyone new?" She didn't think about it first, but the woman nodded happily enough.
"Gerent. He's very interesting in bed. Shy, but not unskilled. Have you and he..."
Tiera giggled. It was a real thing that suddenly bubbled up from deep inside her.
"Gods no! He's my brother. How could you even suggest such a thing." She had to pretend to be scandalized, and the Baronetta covered a giggle of her own with her left hand, making the sleeve of her blue dress pull up a bit.
"Oh? Well, an adopted brother, certainly, but no one would mind, I don't think. As long as you use birth control, why shouldn't you?"
It was too complicated a conversation for the moment, especially since the others in the back could probably make out what they were saying and doing that might well leave her brother feeling awkward. Instead she winked and refused to say more on the topic, which would make it seem like she planned to actually make a move on Gerent, which wasn't really the case. It would make the family dinners too strange, she decided. Plus, he seemed to be getting his share of attention now anyway, wasn't he?
Maria called from the back, her voice happy sounding.
"Is there any chance of getting something to drink? Timon always has these wonderful food baskets on his trips."
He really did, but Tiera didn't. She had some water though, in a skin. It was in a box behind her seat.
"It's that and pilfered fruit from the back for us, I'm afraid. Unless we stop for a meal in town? I don't know if they take gold there yet." There was a lot left in the purse her brother had given her, which was on her side at the moment. She'd heard that Austra had an exchange rate now, but that didn't mean each shop would take their coin. "We're making a delivery to a restaurant, so that might be something we can do. They serve Noram style food, so it isn't very adventurous that way." It would be food however, which was the important bit, as far as she was concerned. Tiera's stomach was already growling at her for neglect. They were hours away too.
In the end they robbed the food shipment shamelessly and drank most of the water by the time they were in sight of land. They had to come in along the Southern coast and go slowly, as well as no more than a few feet off of the water, so that the Austran missile system wouldn't attack them. It didn't make sense to her, having a system to do that, when the only place on the planet that could have attacked from the air, until nearly a year bef
ore had been Austra itself, but it was there, she'd been told.
So, being a good pilot, Tiera eased the pink and blue craft toward the correct dock, and stopped in the water, about a hundred feet from it, which meant that the woman there in her white jumpsuit could see her and Collette. It took a bit of focus, but she made the craft smaller again, going slowly, and making furniture vanish and then the restroom. It took several minutes, but the lady watching them wasn't alone by the time it was done. In fact a goodly crowd had formed.
Opening a hole in the side, she called out, trying to sound happy.
"Hello! We have a produce shipment for The Royal Table, as well as some visitors from Noram. Real ones, I mean. I'm planning to see Denno Brown, since I have some gifts for him." She carefully didn't make it a question, and tried to smile through the whole thing.
"Land on the dock, please!" The lady called this back, a board in her hand with paper on it.
It took longer than it should have to get done, since the dock had to be cleared, but it was the same one that Timon always used, she was certain. It had a strange look to it, like pale stone had been pressed together to make it, but metal rods were set in it as well first, to hold it together. It was sturdy underfoot, she thought, since the Dock woman walked over easily enough when Tiera stopped.
"Sorry, I don't know you by sight. Are you from Noram?" She asked it with a bit of an eye roll, clearly indicating that she knew that, but that it had to be asked. The craft was a bit of a giveaway after all. She nearly sarcastically answered that she was from Tellerand, but didn't, just nodding, making it seem happy.
"Yes. I'm Conserina Lairdgren, Tiera Baker. We've actually met here before, with Tim and Tor? You might not remember, since you started squealing and trying to seduce my older brother almost instantly..." She smiled though and shook her head as the woman blushed. It wasn't an un-pretty thing, though the lady was kind of average looking, if in a fit way. "I was the one with the short black hair?"
That actually got the woman to chuckle a bit, as Tiera smoothed the fuzz on her head.
"I remember now. I was a bit distracted. So, who else do we have today, actual tourists you said?"
"Indeed. Just a day trip. We don't have paperwork. I can call Brown though, Timon lent me his device for it." Getting that out she showed the woman, who just nodded absently. "I... Do you want us to bring a guard from here around with us? So that..." She was thinking sabotage might be a fear, or attack, but the woman smiled as half a dozen hands went up, volunteering it seemed.
"So far that hasn't been needed, but perhaps a guide? Or not... I wouldn't trust this lot. Mainly dockies you know. That and people hanging on to see if Tim or Mark show up. This is a treat seeing new people, so, names?" She seemed suddenly far more professional and looked through the window at Gerent, who wasn't the closest person to her at all, but was the most eye catching.
"Gerent Lairdgren, ma'am." He added nothing else.
That meant he had to be prompted.
"Reason for visiting today?"
There was a pause and finally he looked down, embarrassed.
"Well, really, I was just kind of brought along to keep me out of the way I think. It might have been rude to leave me behind. I can't think of any other reason that I'd be included."
The woman actually stopped and shook her head for a few moments, then smiled at him playfully.
"So... tourism?"
"Oh! Em... yes?" That seemed to be the right answer at least and she made a note of it.
The others went in turn, with Carol being asked who she was first and Maria last. She didn't stand on titles though or insist that the woman see to her before the others, which was a good bit less entitled than she might have been, had they been in their own land.
"Maria Ward. Countess Ward. I'm here visiting." She said it with a lilt to her voice that meant something the woman taking notes just couldn't get.
Tiera knew that one though and translated, chuckling a bit.
"Again, just for the day. It's a Noram noble tradition, visiting. It means to drop in on people without forewarning, drinking all their best wine and sometimes even staying for weeks or months. We, however, need to be headed home before evening. I have school in the morning." It was just headed that way here, into morning, so she didn't know if the time schedule would mean much to the woman, but she just made a note of what was said.
"I should arrange with Tim to take me and my people over there someday. Can't afford the fee, I'm afraid. Maybe if the government chipped in? How many credits do you think it would run?" This was addressed to Tiera personally, which made sense, from the Austran perspective. It was her job after all, so of course she'd know the cost of it.
It actually made her realize something. This lady was a professional organizer of travel and commerce. She counted things and kept track of them. It was the kind of thing that their new Space Fleet would need, wasn't it?
"Have you considered joining the new Space Program? Tim's organizing it, and Alice Orange is in charge of it, but I think they mentioned a school being planned? You could teach us how to do what you do here. It would need to be done in a few different languages, but someone has to do it. Then you could probably get free travel wherever you want to go." Probably into space too, if she wanted to try it. That was fun.
The woman went silent for a good forty seconds and then looked around at the people capturing them with their image boxes. They were mainly devices like the one that Tiera still had in her hand.
"I'd love that, but I have a husband. He's a good sort, but his work is with computers, so that probably won't translate into something needed. I don't think he'd want me to be over there all alone like that."
Tiera nodded, after all, you stayed with your family, didn't you? It was a much bigger thing for her than for the woman in front of her, or so the rumor went, but it was a good enough reason.
"In that case... Why not come to one of our parties? Maria, you have things like that on occasion, don't you?" It was within her rights to start screaming then, or even trying to hit Tiera, which wouldn't work, thanks to various shields, but she smiled and moved closer to the window instead.
"That's a superb idea! Yes, I'll invite all of you to come and visit! When are you all free?" She actually looked into the crowd, smiling happily. "Tiera will come and get you for it and you can stay the night with me and my husband."
She nearly gave the Countess a dirty look, but realized that it was actually pretty fair of her to volunteer her, since she'd just been doing the same to her.
Instead of growling, she chuckled a bit and forced a smile.
"Fair enough. Let's call it... a month from now? I'll come and take the first fifty or so people for it. I'll get with Denno to arrange who really get's to go, but..." She looked at the woman and tried to remember what Tim had called her the last time she'd come. "Henna and her people get to be first."
It wasn't a perfect plan, but Maria seemed excited about it, rather than upset. She even clapped a bit.
Then it was time for Tiera to call Brown, and see what the plan actually was. She didn't figure that he'd have a lot of time for her, since Tim was his favorite, but after Henna showed her how to make the device work right, looking impressed at the three names that showed on the little screen, the woman tapped Denno's name and then a button that made the unit buzz softly.
"Just hold that to your ear and speak normally." It was helpful instruction, but Tiera knew that one, having seen it in action before.
It rang for a while. Then there was a strange click, and a warm voice spoke directly into her ear.
"Hello? Tim?"
"No, sir, this is Tiera? Tim lent me his device for the day, so that I could make a delivery for him. To Alice Orange and you, as well as some produce for a restaurant." She didn't know if the man knew where the place was personally, but thought he did.
"Oh? Excellent. Always good to see family. Can you find your way all right? I can come to you on the docks, if you
wish." There was no weight to the words at all, but calling up the map in her head, Tiera figured she could get to places, easily enough.
"We could meet at the restaurant? I don't know if they're open right now, but I could use a bite to eat. If they aren't, then I'll probably have to raid their order again."
"We can do that. I'll call ahead and see if they're ready for us. See you there, in say, twenty minutes?"
That sounded too slow, but she had to go on the surface roads, which took time, given all their special rules.
It was actually more nerve wracking than she would have thought, driving in traffic. People gave her a lot of space, compared to what they gave each other, but they also kept pulling alongside her, trying to look into the craft for some reason. It meant that about half of them swerved very close to the vehicle, one actually bumping them. They didn't move at all, but the other craft, a low wheeled carriage that was painted a cheery red buckled slightly on the side. She had to find a place to pull over, so that she could make certain the other driver was well. She had a healing amulet on her, thankfully.
The man, who was about twenty, got out and seemed very sheepish.
"Sorry! Lost control there. All my fault. Should we exchange insurance?" He had to explain what that was then, and Tiera finally just smiled and gave him several gold coins instead, not having anything else at all.
"I don't know if that's enough? If it costs more, please let my Uncle know? Denno Brown? He'll get in touch with me and we'll make sure it's fixed."
The man shook his head slowly.
"I'm almost certain the fault is mine. I... owe you money for this, not the other way around. You're car seems fine. I didn't damage it, did it?"
"What? Oh, no, it's magical anyway, so it would fix itself instantly. That's not a problem. You're well however? You don't need a doctor or healing amulet?" She pulled hers and offered it to him, but he shook his head.
"Just a bump. I... Would you like to go out sometime? On a date I mean? I probably shouldn't ask, but you have to be old enough to drive, so..." The man wasn't very good looking, and had red pocks on his face, but not too many. She wondered if he were actually younger than he looked to her, but took his name and accepted the dinner proposal. He tried to give her his compact number, but she had to hand Tim's device to him, explaining that it wasn't hers so she might have to speak to her brother.