Tor yawned. It wasn't that he was tired really, all the drawn weapons kind of got him to perk right up. No, it was just that he wanted to show the room that he wasn't all worked up, even if everyone else was a bit. As long as people weren't attacking his friends, they weren't going to have a problem with him. If they did, well, then no matter what he'd see things through. For now though, nothing truly unforgivable had happened, which Tor promptly pointed out.
“Which means that we can all just put the weapons away and relax. The Royal Guard can't start firing on the Princess for trying to hold a prisoner I don't think, and attacking Ali means fighting Karina too, in this at least. I really doubt Rolph is going to stand by and watch someone trying to hurt one of his sisters and… you can see where I'm going here? So, how about this. Everyone, and I mean all of you, put the weapons away and lets actually talk about things first for once? If you agree with me, let's see a show of empty hands?” Tor grinned and raised his right hand to head height.
The Queen went next, a funny look that was half smile, half terror on her face. The King nodded to the guards and raised his own hand, which got most of the room to follow suit. It was just Ali and Karina left after that, at least openly. The people in the walls probably had weapons honed in, but nothing they had would probably touch the girls, which everyone in the room already knew.
“What should we do Kari?” Alissa asked innocently, sounding very young suddenly.
Karina sighed and unloaded her hands into her side pockets. Ali followed suit, her eyes still wide and afraid. Tor got that, without a weapon in hand, no regular people could take on the Royal Guard like this. But if all went well, they wouldn't have to.
Rolph strode forward and bent a little to look at the two on the floor.
“They’re breathing. So, um, sis, what the heck? I missed the part of the plan where we start a war with Lairdgren, possibly Tellerand too. Maybe you should fill us all in before he wakes up?”
Tor snorted.
“That's obvious, she wanted Green and Black to tell on Brown, but that's not needed. We need to wake these fellows up, apologize politely and send them on their way now. Just a mix up, you know. Tell them that you just… Gods and the universe, what can we tell them? Don't mention Brown though, got it? Trust me on that one.” Would anyone listen to him? He tried to be trustworthy, but that didn't mean anyone else saw it that way.
Karina was crying, silent tears running down her face, oblivion behind her eyes. Tor could feel it coming off of her. Holding up a single hand he shook his head.
“Don't worry. Things are closer to what you want than you think, but we need to let these nice men go. It's urgent that we do.” There, he dropped in the palace command code word, urgent. If Tor had the meaning right that meant basically “do what I say, this is more important than I can explain right now.” Karina's eyes went wide, but after a few seconds she nodded to him.
Rolph and Tor got chairs for the two Ancients and rounded up some cold compresses to place on their faces. If that didn't cause them to wake up feeling loved, Tor was out of ideas. Of course it didn't work at all. Black woke up first and promptly hit Tor a dozen times, all of them stopped by his shield, but the man was beaten unconscious again too. It was the auto-defense thing. Tor winced and stepped back, got everyone to move away and just waited then. It took another seven minutes for him to come to again, with Burks having already done so, but just sitting quietly, as if afraid anything he did would invite another attack.
Now all Tor had to do was figure out a way to let the two men get out of the palace without this all happening six more times. To his surprise Karina did it for him.
She knelt on the floor, not bowing, but a humble enough thing for a Princess. Alissa followed suit without having to be told and bowed low when Karina spoke, her voice soft and contrite.
“Forgive us, please. We acted a bit rashly, wanting to make you apologize to Tor for what you did earlier Count Lairdgren. You haven't yet. We should have used words, not weapons. Your response was, well, it should have been expected. No one in a tense situation wants to be made to feel powerless or trapped. Again, we both apologize from the bottoms of our hearts. Things got out of control way too fast.” She went quiet and bowed low.
Ali spoke then, her voice nearly silent and full of real tears, “I'm sorry. I…” She sobbed a little, a single tear fell from her cheek and hit the ground, leaving a single blotch on the dark stone.
“I erred. I… please don't punish anyone else for what I did.” She said her voice a little desperate suddenly, as if she expected a beating for what she'd done.
Or for death to descend on her and those she loved. A Count could do that, after all. Not to a Princess, but that really only left her. Given her life, just being married to his grandson offered no protection at all as far as she knew. Burks could order anything. It did, in reality mean the man would never hurt her, but even if told she wouldn't have trusted it. Not really. Her life had taught her to fear men with power over her and Burks, to her mind, had that. She honestly expected to be tortured or worse.
If the man had been any other Count that might even have happened.
Burks had a single hand on his head and a bit of blood coming out of his nose, but he waved the girls up. After a second Black caught on and started chuckling.
“Ah, this place is full of surprises isn't it? Well, no lasting harm done, I could do without the constant beatings though.” He turned to his brother and spoke with decent humor, considering how his head must have felt.
“You know Green, next time I think we should send some notes around first. That and maybe you could visit my home instead? I have a feeling that Tellerand would be many times more pleasant, at least for our heads sake.” He waved the girls up, not differentiating as to who should go first, rank possibly not meaning too much to him at the moment.
If someone had asked him, Tor would have guessed the men would practically run, trying to get free of the place after that, but instead they moved at an almost glacial pace. Tor kept his mind calm and worked on his schedule for the next week, since all this stuff was going away, for the time being. Really, given everything, he needed to get some land and start on that house Ali wanted. Rolph had offered him a large second of the Wildlands, which was basically desert, except that they could easily bring in water now. That would work, if his friend was still willing. He'd see to it as soon as the meeting was over.
Ali looked worried but Tor wasn't, not overly. Burks wouldn't hold a grudge over something an automatic defense shield did. It was his own fault for running into it like that, he knew they existed after all. Black would probably feel the same. Kind of hard on the man, since he couldn't always control when he attacked or fought though.
Thinking about it Tor realized that the Ancients as a group probably had to be pretty good at letting little things go, didn't they? After all, if they held long term grudges they'd all be dead by now. Picking fights and insisting that violence is the way had to be a bad plan long term and they were the ones that would know that best. So this probably wouldn't be a huge issue. The girls just wanted him not to have to be humbled by the others, regardless of his age. That was really sweet of them, even if they were a bit over the top, what with the pulling of weapons, but Burks would understand that, wouldn't he?
Of course he would. They were family.
That last bit was true of course, and Tor remembered to have that fight with his grandfather about the family line. He was his own grandfather, and his mother and little sister were his grandmother? That was wrong on about sixteen different levels, wasn't it? Just crazy.
They made small talk and Burks read him half a dozen times, as if trying to catch him thinking something other than what he was. It baffled Tor a bit, but he tried not to let it show, after all, he didn't want to be the stupid one all the time. After a few minutes Count Lairdgren actually got to his own knees and apologized, seeming to actually mean it.
“Tor. The girls are right and I deserved to be reminded that you aren't just a game piece or counter to be pushed around at my whim, I apologize for my behavior and hope that in time you'll see that I mean well, if nothing else. I can't promise results, but I really did,and do, have a plan.”
As apologies went Tor had heard better, but then he'd heard worse too, instead of a negative attitude, which everyone else seemed to expect for some reason, based on the looks he was getting, Tor just shrugged and helped the man up.
“Thank you. I really wasn't even thinking about it, but you have to admit, I have pretty good champions to my cause, don't I?” Tor walked the men to the door and let both of them use his healing amulet before climbing into the fast carriage that Burks had. It was one of Tor’s, not even a copy made by someone else, not even Burks. Tor kind of wondered if he had one missing from his luggage, but if so, no big thing. He even told that man that flat out.
“After all, better you get it from me than smack into the ground full force when the inferior one you made fails, right?” He shook his head as if the idea saddened him. It would of course, but that wasn't his point at the moment.
Lairdgren, still looking like Tor, grinned and stuck out his tongue.
“Still on that? OK, so your lie detector build was better than my fake, it's harder to do than you might think, matching someone else's work like that you know. Also, notice that everyone else bought it. I think you're just being a bit picky, don't you?”
Tor covered his mouth so that the laughter wouldn't be too embarrassing.
“Uh-huh. Sure, except I’m still willing to bet I can find at least three fourteen year old first year students at your own school that can do better. Speaking of which, I need to go and check on them, if I'm still allowed near the school at all?”
This got a snort.
“Of course you are, since you're footing the bill for half of it. But don't bother trying to make up what you've missed this last term. Not even you can do that. Do work with the kids though and see if you can find a place for Sandra Morris. She needs a bit of pushing, but she has potential if someone gives her a reason to try.”
With that the man climbed into the fast-craft and left carefully, and slowly, not speeding up until he was well away from the palace, outside the city wall even. Then they were gone. Tor shook his head black hair still short enough to barely move, if over his ears a bit. It had been months since the last cut. He waved to Karina and Rolph, then as an afterthought to Wensa and George. Ali just followed along, since she wasn't told to do otherwise. Her face said she thought this was clever and that sneaking along was some kind of game. It wasn't, but she had a shield and Denno Brown wasn't going to hurt any of them.
Not if he wanted to keep living.
Tor walked with a purpose to the guest house, a splendid and large mansion that the palace kept out back for some reason. It was where Tor had stayed about half the times he was there, a wonderful cream and gold on the outside and more varied but exquisite on the inside. Everyone followed along until they found a rather average looking fellow, a bit short for the Capital, dusting a low wooden side table in the long hallway. The man bowed and tried to leave when he saw them, a normal enough thing to do. The people here tried to get their work done without ever being seen.
“Denno! I see your using one of my disguise amulets, it's working well for you so far then? I haven’t really gotten to work with them myself yet.” Tor spoke happily enough, and didn't pull a weapon or anything. The man spun, eyes going wide.
The face wasn't homely, not really, but was just on the average side. Nothing was overtly wrong with it, the proportions were just a little off, the ears too big by a bit, the jaw jutting just a fraction of an inch more than could be called pleasant. Still, if someone were born with that face, it shouldn't have caused them worry either. It was solid enough.
Denno bowed again, “I'm sorry sir?”
Tapping a sigil on his chest and pointing made all of the amulets Brown was wearing turn off, including both his disguise and the clothing he had on. That would have been a sign right there as well, because by and large the lower level servants didn't have magical clothing yet. It was a good idea, but Tor had been busy.
Everyone behind Tor suddenly went for weapons, but Tor just walked forward and tapped the Ancients clothing amulet for him, turning it back on. After that, with a look over his shoulder Tor waved to everyone.
“Weapons away please, I think we already did this one today. Anyway Denno, um, please don't take over the world? Austra isn't that great you know, not trying to say it's all bad, but really, I think the world is doing pretty well right now in the main, don't you?” Trying to look supportive and helpful just got the other man to sigh.
“It's more complicated than that. I… Well if you have a few years, maybe I can explain it all. I suppose I'm under arrest then?” He waved to the Royal Guards who certainly looked ready to do that.
“Um… maybe. It depends on whether you’re willing to deal or not?”
“Deal? I thought you Noram types were all about honor and superstition, what kind of deal would you want to make?” The old man that suddenly looked better than anyone else in the kingdom smiled at everyone, a winning thing, but one that wasn't working too well yet.
Except on Ali who looked ready to have sex with the man on the floor of the guest house if she could. Tor didn't sigh, but really wanted to. That girl would have to at least learn to fake not being interested during emergencies. That didn't matter right now though, since Brown was staring at him, not the others, as if he controlled things here.
“It's a bit complicated, but the long and short of it hinges on this; how personally attached to Daria Serge are you?”
Denno Brown just shrugged, his answer feeling honest and unforced, “Can't stand the crazy bitch. She killed my dog when she was twelve because I wouldn't sleep with her. I haven't had a pet since. Why do you ask?”
“She's wanted for murder here in Noram. More to the point, she's already confessed to the crime and been convicted of it, she doesn't even try to deny it. Daria hacked a sixteen year old girl, Yardley Principle to death. Then she escaped back to Austra, as you know, but now we want her back. If you help us, and agree to not start senseless wars for a few hundred years, I think we can get you out of a lot of the hot water your currently about to be in. What do you say? Do you love Daria Serge more than your own freedom? If so, then please come with us to a cell, we'll get you a pack of playing cards and some dice…” Tor made his tone teasing and light. No need to escalate things after all.
Denno laughed.
“Ah, so betray the only woman I love or languish forever in a dank cell?” Dramatically he put the back of his right hand to his forehead. “Whatever shall I do? Alright, I'm in, what do you need to know? Her likely whereabouts when at home? Which room is hers in the mansion? Where her private apartment is? I know it all. Of course I can't do anything until just before dinner. I'm on shift.” Denno picked up his dust rag meaningfully waving it in the air and went back to work.
Everyone else laughed for some reason, but it made sense to Tor. He'd taken the job after all, and it was a real enough thing. Someone had to do it.
“Alright, well, come to dinner then? A real one. Obviously if you run off… well, you know what? I trust you not to. Meet up with me at the side entrance of the palace at nine?” It was a risk, but the man didn't have a reason to run. This was a good hiding place for now and enemies didn't tend to look at the hired help too much. Tor did have to remind Denno to turn his disguise back on while he worked, but then he just turned and left. Looking skeptical, everyone else did too.
Wensa stopped him about ten feet out the door with a hand on the front of his chest.
“Sure about this? I'll back your play, just make sure you don't lose the prey at this stage of things.”
Tor shrugged and raised his hands, “How would I know? I just don't think we can work with him as a prisoner, so we might as well take the chance. If he doesn't show, we can try and track him down, but he stayed here for a reason. They could have gone anywhere, but they didn't. Aren't you wondering why about now? I know I am.”
That led to a rather long and drawn out discussion about how Tor was probably too naive and should learn that people other people won't be as trusting or trustworthy as he was. Karina in particular was nearly livid with anger at him. If she didn't hit him, it was only because her fist kept being repelled by his shield. Rolph kept shaking his head, but he smiled at least and finally asked his sister to save the destruction of Tor, at least until Denno didn't show up for dinner. It was clear no one thought he would and by nine, when dinner was normally served, Tor was kind of convinced of that himself.
The only person waiting for him was Tor, everyone else having decided that it wasn't worth the headache. At ten past Tor turned to go back in, only to hear a now familiar voice call out.
“Ah! Sorry about that, I thought the other side of the building was the side entrance, things are a little turned around for me here.” The man looked… well, good of course, but his clothing was still the same as what he'd worn to work in.
Giving him an appraising look, Tor reached over towards him slowly and focused for about ten seconds. The appearance of the clothing shifted and warped, leaving the man in a fine sit of loose silk and soft sued boots. Brown of course. A light and shimmering brown, lighter than the Ancients skin, just a few shades for the sake of contrast. Once that was done a single gesture got Denno to walk in ahead of him. It was a bit of a slow and cautious walk, but no one waited inside.
The Ancient looked back at him and smiled, “Well, that's refreshing. I kind of half expected a trap. I know you can't be well pleased with me right now…”
That was… not actually true. The fact was that Tor didn't care too much about most of the things that had been done and really only wanted things to be fixed. It was a lot to ask for, but he hoped it would be possible in time. Maybe even before a vast war ripped the world apart? As they walked down the black stone floor, polished to gleaming, Tor could only hope. The alternative was useless killing. No one liked that. No one sane.
When they walked in to dinner, a bit late, everyone else was still standing. Karina looked close to tears, but froze completely when Rolph smiled and gestured lightly towards the door. Shortly after that everyone turned to stare at Brown for a bit, after a few seconds the man just gave a small, mostly ironic, bow.
“I've found over the years that it's best not to anger my fellows. I might be able to outrun the kingdom of Noram for a few generations, but I don't think I'd like to try my odds against Tor.” Smiling he winked at Karina.
“Besides, I really can't stand Daria Serge. I should have taken care of her long ago, but I really don't have the stomach for it. But helping you do it, that I can manage. Shall we eat first or…”
The Queen gave the man a cold look, but gestured towards the far end of the table. The very last position. If Denno got that this was the poison seat he didn't respond to it at all. He simply sat quietly, and waited. Diner came, it was good, but not much would have pulled attention from the Austran Ancient, all eyes rested on that last chair, staring and examining in a way that would have made any Noram noble simply refuse to eat, even if it would give offense. As it was the man simply smiled and ate slowly. Tor didn't get it at first, yet in the end it made sense in a strange way.
If he was poisoned and ate slowly, he'd be able to realize it and stop before getting too much into his system. Tor couldn't confirm it, and really couldn't ask, ordinarily you didn't talk about such things at the table after all. Did Denno's pattern, genetics or whatever it was that made him immortal, help him fight off the effects of such things?
It kind of made sense.
When Tor had been poisoned it had sucked and he was worn down for a long time, but he'd also had a lot of cyanide. A whole lot. Enough to kill several people at least. Was it the same for this other man?
A moot point anyway, because no one here planned to kill him. Really it was the other way around, as long as he wanted to help out. Karina was watching the man closely, but her damp eyes had dried and a look that spoke of craftiness had taken the place of defeat. Ali sat next to him, her leg pressed to his for comfort, so Tor made a point of touching the white puffy sleeve of the gown she'd changed into, a soft fabric that reminded one of clouds. It was the look to clothes that she seemed to prefer. Light colored and fluffy.
For their parts, without letting it show too much, both Richard and Connie seemed shocked to learn that the Brown man had been working in their guest house. More, the report from Quavel, the Queen’s personal butler Tor thought, if such a position actually existed, was that the new man, Greg, was actually doing a superb job of it too. Diligent and hard working, as well as learning the ropes faster than normal.
Tor just shrugged.
“Well, for now, I guess he should just stick with that then.” Tor addressed the royals directly, but then turned to Denno and smiled.
“Though after you get together with the girls here, I think you and I should start on those years of needed discussion? Maybe you can short hand it so that I can get mainly up to speed a little faster than that?”
There was a small look of shock from the older man, which baffled Tor, but he stood and bowed, which wasn't the custom in Austra, so was done for some other reason. When he sat he ate again, still slowly and frustratingly didn't explain. Probably a trick then, to make Tor wonder what it was all about. Of course he just didn't care really.
It made him harder than usual to fluster.
Honestly, while Tor didn't want his friends hurt or killed, it didn't matter much to him who ruled the world. That was the kind of thing that almost had to change eventually. The current system was old and stable. That didn't make it perfect. Of course if the Austran Ancient tried to hurt his kingdom, Tor would try and stop it, just a given really. If the man had a thousand year plan to take over, then that wasn't really a problem was it? Not anything to fight over. They could get together and just chat about it, draw maps and make plans so that no one got hurt and in the end things ran more smoothly.
Really he just assumed that that was what the treaty the Ancients went on about was.
The big issue for Tor was the Larval assassins. If he had that situation right, there was an army of insane super beings ready to be turned loose soon. On them. Given everything so far, possibly on him, personally. They really seemed to dislike Tor for some reason.
The thought stuck in his head for a moment. Was that really the case? Austra had declared war, a full out, hard core battle of wills and armies, but all they'd done is send in about fifteen assassins and a few fast flying craft. They had some boats off the coast, but really, they honestly just pulled up along fishermen and called them names. They had a full military, Tor had seen some of them, so it wasn’t like that was honestly the best they could do. It had been nearly two years now even…
Who declared war and didn't fight?
Someone that was using it as a distraction for their real goal, that's who.
Ah. So, at the very least, someone was pulling strings behind the scenes. That was probably an Ancient then. Denno? Lara? Tor reflected on it for a moment, and then had to let it go. He didn’t have enough information to guess, did he?
Tor took a deep breath and let it out so slowly he couldn't help but fall into a trance state. No one noticed except Rolph, who was a lot more attuned to such things than anyone else for some reason. It really wouldn't shock him at all to learn that the Prince had more than a little bit of natural building talent. Something to think on later. For now Tor gave a slow nod and a smile.
“Rolph, would it be all right if you and I talked after the meal? Some things, land and a few other bits.” The words had that slow cadence and almost drugged slurring to them that meant he'd gone deep. It was the kind of thing he did to prevent panic. In the whole kingdom only one person really knew that, everyone else just thought he was a little air-headed sometimes, or at least drifty and not connected. Rolph, his friend, the heir to the kingdom, got it instantly.
“Alright, I've been meaning to set some things up with you anyway. Besides, I think the ladies are going to want to keep their own meeting from us…” The smile he gave his sister and then turned on Ali could have made them squirm, but Karina just chuckled. It was a little scary, because it didn't sound like her. Really, it didn't even seem exactly sane. It sounded like Lillith Degray, to tell the truth.
“Oh, don't worry. We won't do anything illegal or even immoral. Remember, Daria Serge has already been sentenced to death legally and escaped custody using coercion on a grand scale. All we're going to do is fix that.” She had a wicked smile on her face as she looked at her father.
“Can't fault that, can you? I mean, you could, but this is real justice here, I'm not even talking simple revenge or using the principle of placement. This is all legal and everything. Granted, we have to be careful, but I promise we will be.”
Rich looked down at the table for a long time before clearing his throat.
“I won't forbid it, but run the plan past me and your brother before you take action? Whatever you do, it can't come back on us later.”
That was reasonable and while Karina clearly saw it as a trap to stop her and Ali from doing what they had to, Tor didn't. At least ten ways to execute the girl flashed through his head instantly. Of course most of them would endanger a lot of innocent Austrans, so should be taken off the table. Killing was to be avoided when possible. Even if the people being saved would never thank you for it.
There was no lengthy talk after the desserts came, people just left for their own work or scheduled activities. Rolph said that he had something to take care of but would be back in about half an hour, leaving Tor just sitting as everyone else left.
Except the Queen who was already sitting right next to him. For the first time in a while she made a point of touching him, her hand going to his arm and just resting on it gently. After a few seconds she stood and pulled him along behind her. Bemused and maybe a little baffled Tor walked along. Today she wore a deep green velvet dress, but as with most of what she wore lately, it wasn't real, but the amulet around her neck. Perversely Tor wondered what would happen if he turned it off. Probably a beating from the Queen, he decided, wondering if it would be worth it anyway.
They “retired” to a small room that held only a low sofa and a couple of wooden chairs. Nice ones but this was almost a closet for the palace, maybe six by ten, if Tor had to guess. There were no lights on inside and Connie didn't bother arranging for one. A secret meeting? Well, the nobles did love their intrigue, didn't they. Settling on the soft cushions the attractive woman patted the seat next to her.
“I was thinking, since we have time, maybe we should-” She stopped when Tor moved in and kissed her hard.
Where that came from he didn't know, but it was all he could do to keep from ripping her clothes off suddenly, he was hard already though he hadn't been a moment before. At least she kissed him back, it would have been embarrassing if she didn't.
It was wrong, but Tor suddenly didn't care anymore. Using a bit of intent, he turned off her clothing and then his own and kissed her again, moving to her breasts faster than he normally liked to, but then, they had a time limit, didn't they? She gasped slightly as his lips touched the soft nipples, licking and stroking gently.
“Tor…” It was a murmur, a gentle thing that sounded a lot more like “do more” than “please stop”
He pushed her back gently and did things to her that she seemed to enjoy, then did a few more that they both did. It was fast and intense and really, regardless of the fact that he'd been the one doing it, felt off-putting and wrong now that they were done. After all, she was married. It was pretty normal for the royals and she probably did things like this half a dozen times a week, which didn't help Tor feel better about the whole thing at all. Sure, he loved her. That didn't mean he had a right to use her like this. It was fun, and felt… great, if he was to be honest with himself, still a cold and dark sense came over him too. Sigh. Stupid prudish bumpkin. Can’t even have fun when it was freely offered. That was hardly sane, was it?
Connie seemed pleased though, cuddling him to her even as they both got their clothing back on.
“Well! And here I was going to ask you to stop playing games with my affections. I was a little bit put out when you didn't show for our walk in the garden you know, but this, well, we need to make plans to make it a regular thing I think. I didn't know you'd be so manly about the whole thing. Bonita described you as being gentle and attentive. Not that I have any complaints! That was almost exactly what I needed right now.” She held him close until Rolph stuck his head through the door, no more than three minutes later.
“There you are! Well, if you're ready?” It was all that was said, but the look on his face… Tor knew that the Prince got what had happened. Mortifying.
Tor stood and kissed the Queen on the cheek.
“I enjoyed our talk, we really should do it more often.” There, that wasn't too indiscreet and still told her that he planned to do it again. Really, as wrong as it was, he kind of felt like giving it a try as soon as possible. Maybe with a little more foreplay and some other things thrown in?
Yeah, that would be nice.
Laughing Rolph took his hand and led him away at a fast walk, leading him down a familiar set of gray stone steps that went down into the deep basement, a damp and cool place at the best of time. The little room at the bottom was empty, which meant that Rolph really had gotten the whole thing at dinner. The guy was mentally quick for sure.
Tor pushed the heavy iron door shut and turned, letting his face go serious.
“Austra isn't at war with us.” It was a statement and he didn't stop there, lining out all the evidence, starting with the lack of attacks and the Larval army being built.
“So… I think their planning something else, an attack on another land maybe? Because honestly, if they tried for us, well, the Larvals wouldn't last that long against our military, not fully armed. It's one thing to attack a few parties or get in a fight with some unarmed little builder, but take on the King’s army with a few thousand lightly armed and unshielded people? I think not. But…” This part was the most difficult really, Tor just didn't know enough.
Rolph nodded.
“But if they’re not coming after us, and I agree, it would be foolish, assassin force or not, then who are they going for and why use a long term distraction like this? As far as I know Austra isn't even being aggressive towards anyone else right now. They’ve even left Tellerand alone for years.”
What if, Tor asked, pensive and focused, this wasn't about war at all? Or not a war like any that two Noram boys would think of. What if this was about something deeper, older? A war between the Ancients? Something a lot bigger than any of the rest of them had thought of, because they all worked on normal mortal time scales.
“Except you.” His friend chimed in, not seeming put out by the idea.
“Nah, I do too. I'm only nineteen, it's not exactly like I have a few thousand years behind me to become jaded or bored or whatever their rationale is.” Tor spread his hands and grimaced.
“Not that we know any of that for sure. I think we should pin a few Ancients down and… No. I should pin a few of them down and find out. This isn't really your concern, as long as Noram isn't directly involved yet. A family thing. A messed up, moronic, and probably incestuous, family thing.” He shuddered as he said it, but Rolph laughed.
“A bit that, huh? Well, I've heard of a lot worse. Recently even. At least the Ancients have convoluted plans and reasons involved. Half the noble houses are related to each other, which means nearly half the dates I've ever been on were a bit too close for more than hand holding, you know?”
Right. Well, Tor just shrugged.
“You’re not too closely related to Dorgal though, so at least there’s that. I… Well, we're supposed to be friends now, he and I, so I guess I should just be happy about the whole thing, still, it's a little rough for me. I mean Dorgal Sorvee? Well, I'll adapt. We didn't even fight over all those weeks trapped in the mountains like we were. He was polite the whole time, I can’t fault him there at all.” It was just an offhand comment, but Rolph winced.
That kind of took Tor by surprise. After all, He'd walked in on his friend doing Ridley from behind once, nearly a year before. Or, well, time was just a blur to him anymore, wasn’t it. A while ago, Tor figured, at least. That was a nice specific way to look at things. He really needed to get a calendar. The idea that his friend did guys too wasn't exactly a new one to him though, so that didn't seem to be the issue.
“Ah… So, yeah. Well, clearly you got that one. OK. Um where to start?” Rubbing his big red head he sat on the table behind them, an old and rough wood piece that would probably give him splinters if he scooted around too much.
“I… Well, Dorg and I were kind of seeing each other a bit, you know, just as friends, before the whole thing with Maria Ward. When she went around telling everyone that you and I, you know, that we were lovers? Well, Dorgal heard it and kind of… Really from what he told me a few weeks ago, he kind of flipped.” Rolph held up his hands.
“I swear, I wasn't even putting him off or anything and, you know, we were just friends, close and we did some things, but it was mainly just hanging out and stuff. Anyway, he kind of figured that, well, if I had you that he couldn't compete at all, so he sort of took off after you then, trying to break us up…”
Ah. That made some sense then. Well, good to know Dorgal had a reason all that time, wasn’t it? He didn’t hate poor scholarship kids at all then, it had just been Tor. Well…
Good.
“So the bully that plagued my time at school and the most embarrassing moment of my life to date are linked?”
“Kind of. Worse, they’re both linked to me too. I'm responsible for most of the bad things that have happened to you in the last few years. Even the attacks from the Wards. Everything really.” He looked miserable about it, but Tor just shrugged.
“No debts between friends. Besides, while you should have fixed a few things, like the stuff with Maria, earlier, how could you have known about Dorgal? I mean he didn't come to you at the time and chat about it or anything, did he?”
Rolph blushed.
“Well…”
“Ahem? Well?” Tor stared and didn't hardly even blink at the man. “Well, what?”
The Prince hopped up and started pacing back and forth, it wasn't a comfortable thing, or even something that seemed playful or just to relive tension. Finally after about four minutes of this, which was spent in silence he sighed loudly and turned.
“Back then he asked me if I liked you, you know really liked, not just as friends? I didn't think much of it at the time, I mean, Dorg and I were buddies, and you're hot, so I figured he just wanted to know if he could take a shot at you, right? But I told him that I kind of did, so that, you know, he wouldn't bug you. I think maybe that was a mistake.” Rolph blushed a brilliant crimson color.
Tor nodded anyway. It was a lie. He didn't even have to read his friend to get that. He shook his head and groaned softly. Gods, well, this was coming out then, wasn't it? Less than fun. Well nothing for it then.
“You mean you told him that you really liked me, and were trying to move things along, because thought you loved me? Only you didn't make a move after that, because of the whole Maria thing, and then later because I was such a prude about anything sex related, especially with guys?”
Rolph turned white. It wasn't the combat rage white, just the kind that happened before you passed out, Tor thought.
“Um. Yes. Pretty much that one.” Looking down he nodded, going tense. “That’s about what happened.”
“Oh. Well, that makes sense then. I…” Gods what to say? The truth, but would it be too hard to hear? Well, Rolph was tough and… really what else could he do?
“Look, I'm still the same way, about men, and really, I think I'm just kind of made that way. Denno talked about how hard he'd worked to get Burks into bed, but couldn't. If a man looking like him can't do that in three thousand years, then it's a pretty strong thing, right? I know I feel the same way about that. Sex with men just isn't… me. I don't think it ever will be. I… know it won't.”
Rolph looked ready to cry, damn it, which made Tor feel like a heel. He couldn't just close his eyes and pretend his friend was a girl? What kind of monster was he? Tor couldn't though, it really wasn't something he could do at all.
“Look, Rolph, it's just the sex part though, you get that right? I mean, you make my short list of people that I love and everything, so it's not that I don't have feelings for you, it's just that I can't, you know, do anything about it.”
No more words came out for a while.
“It's OK Tor. I… get it, you are who you are and part of that isn't really something you have control over. I'll deal. We can still be friends though, right? I mean… I haven't said anything because I just figured that if you knew you'd hate me, or be afraid or something. I…”
“Are my best and truest friend. Always. Don't ever doubt that.”
Silently, without speaking again, they climbed the stairs together. It was tense and uncomfortable. Dismal really. Tor did love his friend, but… just not the way he wanted him to. The failing was his, and always would be. The whole situation left a void in his middle, like maybe he'd lost his friend now.
Why couldn't anything ever be simple? For a second a flash of anger came over Tor and he wanted to punch a wall, he didn't, because that would have been wasted effort. It hurt that he'd caused his friend pain. So much that Tor felt it himself and probably would for a long time.
As they walked Rolph reached out and touched his arm gently, just to get him to stop.
“Well, awkward and all now, but here.” A rolled piece of paper with a red ribbon on it was produced with a small flourish from the inside of the Prince’s purple and black jacket.
“Your wedding gift. Late, I know…”
It was a land grant. For the Wildlands. All of them, nearly four thousand square miles. Tor blinked when he read the document and on the fifth time through he smiled.
“Thank you, but isn't that an awful lot?”
“Abbie told me to give it to you. She expects you to turn it into a forest you know. So why not? Right now it's just going to waste. Besides, this way you won't move off to Afrak on me or something. I… I know you don't want to hear it, but I kind of need you, even if we are just friends.”
Tor hugged him and hoped it wasn't cruel. Who handed out thousands of miles of land like that?
His friend. Obviously.
Everything stayed strained and Tor didn't see Ali or Karina for the next three days. Actually, after the second day everyone was gone suddenly, or busy. The only person around that didn't have anything to do was one Torrance Baker. Well, he did have a few things to do. Sitting on the bed in the room he and Ali shared, Tor made a new hand for Smythe of Westend. After all, he could now and he had cut off the last one. It seemed right to fix what he'd broken, even if it wasn't a perfect thing at all. It was very like a real hand, but it wasn’t one, after all.
It didn't take long to make, about six hours, since it was nearly just copy work. Then he made a hundred copies of that, and did a hundred left hands too, then did copies of Trice’s arm field and flipped it as well. That way if people needed a hand or arm, he could just give them one. Tor knew he needed to do legs, but decided he should really get with Smythe and give over the hand first, just to make sure it worked well for him.
Amazingly, he managed to find his way through the maze of the palace corridors, not being in any hurry, trying to stall just a little really, Tor looked for secret passages and doors in the walls. He knew they were there, some paintings swung out, for instance, and a few recessed wooden panels slid to the side to let people through. Nothing really jumped out at him in particular, not in the older looking section he found himself wondering, trying to find his sometimes boss.
The correct corridor would have escape his notice without a guide, being rather more narrow than the rest of them and hidden behind several twists of hallway and a large decorative screen that totally escaped his notice the last time Tor had come to visit led by the King. It was a nice thing, mint green and cream silk on a focus stone frame, so a new piece, obviously. Such materials hadn't been around more than a year or two so far. Still, without the yelling coming from behind it, Tor wouldn't have even thought to look at all.
“I'll fucking kill you Smythe!” The deep male voice cried, a loud thump coming not three seconds later, followed by some clattering.
Then the sounds got louder, until finally two struggling figures knocked the nice screen down and ended up laying on it. Smythe was indeed there, Tor noticed, happy to have found the man so easily. The large man on top of him was big. Huge really, and had a knife out that he was using both hands to try and drive into the older and smaller counselors throat.
Smythe was using both arms, his left hand and the stump of his right, to try and hold it back, but that wasn't working too well. The other man half roared, his look more than a bit vicious.
“Now I'll teach you to mind your manners you fucking spy!” The bigger fellow screamed.