After the first eight rounds of cheering, with people running after the Masker parade to spread the news, Tor managed to get a little closer to the royal box, by actually standing in front of it, just off to the side. After all he knew everyone and no one blinked at the idea. Plus if it was a trick or anything, he could tell. Denno might lie to them, but no one else there would.
Really though it was really pushy of him to interject himself, so he didn't say anything. He was a Knight though, so he pretended to be a guard and no one sent him away. Go figure.
“Situation report?” King Richard said calmly, fighting a smile until he knew what was actually going on it seemed.
Kolb nodded.
“The mission to Austra was successful as planned Sire, afterwards we opened a…dialog with the remaining rulers of the country, the parliament, and suggested that we would be pleased with a simple ceasing of hostilities, rather than surrender or enslavement of their people. They took a vote, and decided it was a good idea. We could not return with either of the heads however.” Kolb looked at Karina and bowed.
“But I assure you that they were verified personally. They are also being held in Austra for further authentication, as we may demand. They took a vote on that too. They seem to enjoy it, voting.” The large combat master smiled.
“Their votes became rather more friendly as soon as the Serges were out of the picture Sire. Indeed after a few tense moments early on, there was hardly any problem at all. Especially when they realized we weren't demanding reparations or calling for criminal action against anyone still living.”
People applauded. It was a loud thing that led to cheering and more people leaving to spread the news.
Along the street, directly in front of the palace, all of Kolb's people were lined up, Petra was three carriages back, with Karen and Davie Derring. It occurred to Tor that if they wanted to keep the secret group any kind of secret at all, they needed to get them off the street fast. Not that they weren't already seen. It was a bit of a challenge though. How could they get rid of them without being insulting? Especially since they'd just ended a war by themselves?
They were the hero's of the day, but they couldn't be. It wasn't fair.
Tor took a deep breath and caught Kolb's eye.
“Um, Instructor Kolb, sir?” He said softly, humbly and as if he was trying to avoid real attention.
The King and Queen both looked at him then, and that meant everyone else would too. Grand.
“Yes Tor?” Kolb said in a more gentle voice than he normally used with him.
“Um, well sir, did you bring these instructors and students from the school to act as messengers to other cities? Most of the Counts are here, but I can see that people would want to know about this. It's an excellent plan.” But it would help if someone would catch the hint and help. Tor couldn't say that though.
Richard, bless him nodded.
“A wonderful service to our nation Sir Martin. Thank you all. I won't hold you, since you seem eager to spread the news. I would like to have a private audience with Dennorian Brown, Kolb would you attend as the Knight of record here? Karen Derring as well please?” He waved his right hand regally.
“Everyone else, spread the good news and celebrate!”
That got a cheer too. Even Tor cheered along.
“Except you Tor. If you'd see to getting the word to other parts of the kingdom as soon as possible?” The man smiled at least. As if it would be a treat or something.
“At once Sire.” Tor did too, pulling his little hand unit, he started getting in touch with each capital. Most of the time he got either no answer or a servant, but funnily, the second he told people that the war was over and Rolph got on with him saying it was true, the people on the other end did most of the rest.
The streets were packed, so once that was done, an hour later or so, just as it was starting to get dark, Tor set up a carriage to get everyone going back with him to his house. The combat giants didn't get sent off on errands yet, because they all needed to sleep and rest first. The public transport people did it instead. Not all of them were even ladies of industry any more, Tor noted, as the word spread and the drivers came running to fly off and get the word out. From there word spread pretty well.
Tor just had to get to dinner then and make sure Lyn was provided for and all that.
Everything else was done.
Ali sat next to him, beaming happily as they flew back to their house along the river.
“Does this mean you can just work on what you want now and not do shields and weapons all the time? We could go back to school maybe or rehabilitate the Wildlands?” She sounded so excited he couldn't help but grin himself. She'd spent most of the day just sitting quietly and hardly doing more than looking his way every now and again. This was much nicer.
It was the violence earlier of course. Her whole life told her that violent people would hurt her. He wasn't like that, but she had no way to know that yet, did she? He'd killed a man. That idea was one that would be with him for a long time, of course, but he hadn't realized when he'd done it that it would be with her too. After he landed he heard more voices, in his head, not just Count Derring and Baron Rochester either. Daria and Glost were in his head too.
Seriously?
He sighed. Yeah, that made sense, didn't it? He'd set up the deaths himself, hadn't he? It had even been his idea in a very real way and he intended for them to die when he did it. Well, that wasn't good. Was he becoming some kind of evil murderer? He'd have to watch that.
No one liked the bad guys. Too much more of this and people would think the whole troll thing was real.
On the good side the Serges were just rambling as far as he could tell and the words barely made sense at all. Kind of soft and mumbled.
If he had to make up his own ghosts, that was the way to do it. Much better than the dreams would be no doubt. It was a little odd, to tell the truth. Actually, it was incredibly strange, that every time he killed anyone his brain would provide ghosts for him to deal with as a punishment, but that wasn't what caught his interest. No, it was that, as far as he knew, Afrak style genetics shouldn't be able to do something that specific.
Make him more prone to simple guilt? Yeah, that made sense, but this very high level, specific kind of thing almost had to be magically based. Only, from what little Burks had said about it all, the old Ancients didn't have magic hardly at all. Some field reading, but even that was looked down on. It had taken hundreds of years for Burks to come up with the first workable magical techniques that anyone could learn. Before that Noram was mainly just mud huts and decaying old style “technology” like what they used in Austra.
In the moment though, his little wife was probably more than a little scared of him. Tor put his hand out to her, which she took easily enough, and led her inside. The place was… a mad house, of course.
“Woooo!” A large form, Johan the combat giant, Gersh's brother, ran up to them and hugged Tor, spinning him around, then he did the same with Ali.
“We won!” He ran off, a little drunk already.
Collette was the only one not looking happy, standing in the center of the room, hands at her side. She was crying. For half a second Tor wanted to just ignore it and pretend he hadn't seen, but that made him feel too low, so stiffly, taking Ali's hand again, he walked to the pretty blond and hugged her too.
“Alright love?” He whispered into her ear, Ali joined in, and kissed her cheek gently.
The woman nodded, “I… just, if the Austrans killed Ginger and now we have peace, she'll never be avenged, will she? I know it's selfish of me, but…” Tears fell hard enough to hit the floor.
He straightened. Right. He hadn't thought about that at all, had he? Distracted by being happy. To buy time he hugged her again, then took a deep breath.
“I need a room. Something quiet?” He tried to look confident and smiled at her a bit grimly.
“I… know that it isn't fair to you right now Collette, but we need you to manage this mess, Lyn's people are coming at nine, and I invited Debbie and her brother Box to dinner, just the one for everyone else. I know holding two meals like this is a lot of work, I just…” Hadn't been thinking about anyone else? Was that true? Tor kind of feared it had been. Well, that wasn't really true, he’d thought about a lot of people.
Just not her.
He drew another breath, but didn't bow to apologize. He hadn't failed her yet. He didn’t intend to either.
She dried her eyes and took her own big breath, and gave him a hard look. Not stern, but confident, like a person readying for a battle, but knowing they could possibly win.
“I'm on it. Quite right. I shouldn't have let my emotions get the better of me.” She sounded a little sad, but did point the way to the same quiet room he'd used with Lyn a few days earlier.
He made a chair, a soft and comfy thing that was sized to him and covered in soft fabric that would have been impractical if it had been real. It would tear and stain far too easily and wear poorly over time. But it wasn’t real, so it worked. For a second he was tempted to make it purple, but opted for black instead. Deaths color. This was serious business, not something for his enjoyment.
Then he pulled his communications device and signaled the Palace. Not a second later a voice came into the room, almost startling him.
“Tor?” It was Richard. “I was just hitting the plate to get with you.”
“Oh? Good. Um, I… Would it be possible to talk with you? It won't take long.”
“I can have the room cleared at once… If…” From the background he heard a lot of voices, most sounding pretty happy. Tor felt like a heel, having to bring everyone down. He sighed though, which obviously carried into the room because the King made a noise in return.
“Is everything all right?” This came over at barely above a whisper. Tor doubted that the room there heard it even, unless they were trying too.
“I was just talking to Collette Coltress and she expressed concerns that the investigation into her sister, and the other murdered ladies deaths, would stop, and that if the perpetrator is an Austran agent they will escape punishment.” It was high handed of him to even question it, he knew, but the room on the other side of the device went silent.
“I… don't know honestly, Tor. I can I get back to you on that? The peace is new and fragile; we may have to eat the deaths as part of it. I don't…” It was rare for Rich to actually sound like he was both upset and uncertain, but in that moment both things were clear in his voice.
“If I may your Highness?” A voice spoke softly and no reply was heard from the King.
“Tor, Denno here. I can assure you that no Austran agent did this under any kind of official orders. They might kill, or even do the other things that were done for a specific reason, I'm not claiming that they're saints, but they didn't in this case.” He stopped for a second as people rustled in the background.
“What that means in this case is that, if the person or persons involved is an Austran, agent or not, they face full punishment for it. If desired I can have all of the agents here turn themselves in for questioning on the case, before going home?”
It was the voice of Smythe that came then, sounding far away and a little bemused. Gentle almost.
“You'd send in your spies for questioning? Honorable, given everything, but aren't you afraid we might harm them or abuse the privilege?”
There was another long pause and finally the King murmured something, which sounded like “honored” probably meaning that the Ancient of Austra had bowed or something.
“I'll make it happen, though if I can assure that their safety, if not responsible for personal crimes, is seen too? I'd not want anyone beaten or harmed for merely following orders. They don't really get a choice you understand? So, to that end, if my brother, Torrance Purple could see to their protection?”
Torrance Purple?
Gods that was awful.
No one laughed though, or even asked who the heck that was.
“Thank you Dennorian Brown. Do you need anything to expedite this?”
That was a very polite way of suggesting that whatever Brown was going to do, he not dawdle on it. Even Tor got the idea, tired as he was.
“I have gear with me this time, so I can see to it directly, would it be all right if I were to visit with Purple and Green later? At your place Tor? We have… family matters to discuss as well I think.”
Tor almost wanted to tell him that the morning would be better for it, since he was exhausted, but didn't. If it was as important to Brown as digging out a murderer was to the rest of them, it probably wouldn't pay to put him off.
“OK. Try not to leave it too long though, I've… had a bit of a day.” He thought he sounded all right, but a low chuckle started on the other side of the unit in front of him.
Then he was able to say goodbye, managing it with a decently polite “royal” accent for once and with a word from Smythe coming just before he hit the plate on his end.
“Baker?” The man’s voice was firmer talking to him. Then it wouldn't surprise Tor to find out the man kind of hated him.
He had tried to kill him after all.
“Would you and Miss Morgan be available in the morning?” He didn't say why, but he was the boss, so Tor shrugged, knowing it wouldn't be seen.
“I am. I'll see if I can find Trice and meet you, at your chambers? When would be good?” It was the polite thing to do, after all, go to the older man when asked not make him come around calling on them.
“Ten in the morning? Use a transport I think, at the east side entrance? I doubt we'll be passing on the streets easily even then.” There was a pleased chuckle to his voice.
Then Tor got away from the device and sighed. Now all he had to do was let Collette, and her family, know that vengeance wasn't to be denied them. They still had to make it happen, but it wasn't forbidden at least. If the monster happened to be from Austra, that wouldn't protect him at all. Even the Austrans agreed. Or they would.
If Tor had to go and ram it down their collective throats himself.
So far it didn't seem like that was needed at all. Really, who liked raping murders that hurt young women? No one, that's who. They probably didn't even like themselves.
Now all he needed to do was get bathed again, dressed for a dinner meeting, and talk to all of the Coltress family. In no particular order. Tor was shaking his head as he limped to the door of the room, wondering how to make all that happen. His head didn't hurt, but he felt like it should. This was all just verging on too much. Still, at least the news wasn't horrible.
He bumped shields with Sam as he walked out the door. Laughing, then both stepped back, the boy had been reading while walking, which wasn't exactly safe given the amount of people in the room. It was just a sheath of papers, hand written.
“Lord Baker.” He said politely.
Tor gave him a half grin and sighed, “Lord Sam.”
The boy paused for a second and then grinned himself. “Yay, a promotion. Can I get anything for you? You look half done in.” He waved at the fact that it seemed Tor was holding himself up with the door frame of the room for some reason.
He nearly said no, but then shrugged, Sam was his friend right? He did need the help, and not asking was rude with a friend.
“Um, actually, could you get some people for me? I… Check with Collette, you know her?” It wasn't a small point with everyone around.
“Incredible looking vision of loveliness? I think I could pick her out of a crowd at need, yes. We haven't really spoken yet though. Kind of different social circles and all that.” His accent was there but a lot softer than it had been when they'd worked the flood, months ago.
That…
Tor shook his head.
“Not really, you actually know a lot of people in common. Me and Rolph and his sister Kari? Rolph's parents too. Well, the ones disguised to look like them at least. You did pick up on that, didn't you?”
The boy huffed and made a sour face.
“No. Kind of embarrassing too. Lyn had to tell me about it later. There I thought Kari might really like me too. Should have known, high merchant girl like that wouldn't be looking my way.”
Tor had been there, so he got the idea, a poor scholarship boy didn't get a lot of attention from the girls at Lairdgren.
“I don't know, I'll ask if she remembers you though. She's actually better looking out of her disguise. Still, got a pencil?”
The kid did and took the names down, then ran to get them. It took the better part of an hour, so Tor managed a quick shower, dressed in his “official” military style outfit in all black, with a purple trim at the cuffs and was actually waiting in the quiet room for everyone when they were led into place by Sam, who'd shifted his own clothing. He looked like an overgrown version of a page from the King’s palace. That move had Collette written all over it.
After all, if he was doing page work and summoning Barons and Countesses, looking “official” couldn't hurt. Tor gave him a bow when he came in, not even thinking about it. A simple half bow between equals. He bowed back the same way, which got the attention of everyone in the room fast.
Well, not the Count and Countess Ward, who just accepted it. Or Trice. She hadn't been asked to come, but apparently had followed along anyway.
No one else even seemed to notice. It was like a super-power of hers.
“Trice, we need to get Smythe from the palace in the morning for the investigation. It's going ahead. I can fill you in later, but for now… Um, not to be high handed or anything, but could you do me a huge favor? I need to have Weasel picked up from Debbie's bakery? Debbie and Box too…” It was a lot to ask, after all Trice was a noble, not an errand girl.
He'd have sent Sam, but the boy didn't know where it was. Tor didn't even know if he had his own carriage yet. He should. The whole Lairdgren group should.
Blinking for a second Tor just nodded to no one, deciding something on the fly. Why not he was the Counselor of magic and the guy was a builder, wasn't he?
“If you could take Attache Sam here with you? I'd like him to get to know Weasel if nothing else. I mean, Builder Timon Baker.” He said the last bit proudly, but Trice didn't seem shocked.
“Yeah, those “air lances” are pretty good for an eleven year old. Not too powerful and not a real combat weapon maybe, but they sure made Rochester's forces stand down, didn't they? Your little friend, um, I mean Attache Lyn Cooper? She did most the copy work herself. Last night. At this rate you can stop building all together soon and go into farming or maybe being a boy whore on the side Tor.”
Everyone looked shocked, and Sam turned four colors of red, but before anyone could say anything Tor nodded.
“I'll skip the whoring part I think, but farming really could be fun. Who doesn't like growing things? At any rate, would you? I'd go myself, but…” He shrugged. “This. These people need to be updated.”
“Later then, tell Ali I'm sleeping with you two tonight? It's that or back to the house for me and I have a feeling that's going to be a pain.” She shrugged.
“Sounds wonderful. Could be a long night though. Just a warning.”
She just purred at him, as if that “long night” could possibly mean something other than work. Tor kind of wondered. He was, well, still really weak, pattern wise and sore as all get out, but other than that he felt both a lot better and a lot worse. He wasn't looking forward to meal time for a while. He had to eat, but everything smelled of rot. It got worse when it came to mind too.
Trice laughed and pulled Sam out with her, closing the door firmly.
Everyone in the space stared at him darkly for a bit, looking grim, so he stood and bowed, trying to make sure no one felt slighted. He'd bowed to his “assistant” but not anyone else. Oddly that could mean almost anything, from this being a trick to arrest or kill them all for the King, to what it did, which was Tor just being a little out of sorts.
“Apologies for taking so long. I…” the Baron looked down and shook his head, and Nita made a face that wasn't pretty at all. There was a woman that Tor had accidentally ignored too, a stunning older woman that had to be Ginger's mother.
“The Austrans have stated that if the killer is one of theirs, they support our investigation and punishments fully. The war being over does not, in any way protect them, if it is indeed one of their people. To facilitate our investigation they're allowing each of their spies to be questioned.” Tor held up a hand quickly.
“I don't know if we'll get them all, but I was told this by Dennorian Brown, the Ancient of Austra, himself. He's setting it up as we speak.” Tor stopped speaking, so heard the soft snort from the new woman.
“Oh? So you can't do more than fill us with fairy stories? The Ancient of Austra? I suppose the Green man will be coming later to rub my feet before bed?” It was derisive and got several outraged sounds from around the room, mainly from Maria.
“Mother! I can't believe… Argh.” She sank to her knees and started to bow low, looking at Tor.
“I apologize for her, Lord Baker, her lack of knowledge is my fault, I should have informed her-”
Tor stood and rather painfully helped her up.
“Gah, none of that today Maria. Wow I'm stiffening up.” He grinned and gave the Countess a small hug.
“Sorry anyway, um, Baroness Coltress?” Tor checked with Nita, who nodded, “I won't ruin anyone else's surprise here, but the short version is that the Ancients are very real, and have incredible influence in their own lands. Denno Brown will be by later, I think, Burks Lairdgren too. He's the Green man. As to foot rubs…” Tor smiled and shrugged. “Well, maybe if you ask nicely? I doubt it will be tonight though. Kind of busy, with several different matters. Plus, you'd have to argue with Bonita over that.”
The woman didn't seem convinced at all, but Maria spoke up nearly instantly.
“Mother… What Lord Baker said is not only true, his word is unimpeachable. I'd suggest you simply accept that what he says is true for now, and we can provide further evidence later if it's needed?” She didn't look at her mother when she spoke.
Tor got a sense that Maria and the Baroness really didn't get along at all. Mainly from the ten minute fight that broke out between them then. It was embarrassing, since after about three minutes the argument turned into a shouting match with Carol, the Baroness, suggesting that Tor wasn't a real investigator at all, but just a pretty boy that had gotten everything he had by licking the Queen’s ass. It was a bit vulgar really, and wasn't the only suggestion like that the woman made. With him having possibly licked things on the whole of the royal family and possibly some barn animals as well. Maria finally went dead silent, which seemed to indicate to her mother she was scoring a few real points.
“Remember, you wouldn't even be a Countess now if I hadn't sucked Marvin's cock for three years first dear. Just because you can use your position to angle towards the Queen’s toy, that doesn't mean he'll actually get justice for your sister. This is a farce. Maybe I should go and see to the King? Then we’ll get real action on this!” She spun on her Baron then, who'd done nothing more than wince a few times and tried to look apologetic towards whoever was currently catching the woman’s wrath.
OK, Tor could cut her some slack, after all, she was clearly upset about Ginger's murder. She should be. Tor was and he'd never even met the girl. The woman looked positively vicious then though. Nearly insane.
Which she turned on her own husband for some reason, even though, as far as Tor could tell, he hadn’t even twitched wrong.
“You! First you let that… Beast, get away with raping her, and now you won't even say a word to the King? Maybe we should have you see to him then? Since you like sucking his cock so much anyway! What I want to know is why have you done nothing? Baron Rochester is off screwing some little boy right now and you just sit here, not caring at all. You're weak and pitiful!”
She tried to hit him, but his shield kicked in. That meant it was a newer version. It made sense, Collette having had a box full of stuff to give away for months. Or… Looking again he realized it was more likely to be from Bonita, who suddenly seemed ready to apply a beating to the woman herself.
“Baron Rochester is dead Carol.” Count Ward spoke, his deep voice low and soft. “He challenged the Troll of Galasia to a duel without encumbrance, then made the mistake of letting him know that he'd harm a child as you suggested after he won. He was beaten to death.” The man stood and bowed towards Tor then sat again.
“I know that you just came in this evening from your estate, so may not have heard, given the other news. The man that raped your daughter is dead and will never harm another child. If I have the story right, the duel was in attempted retaliation for another beating that was delivered because of that specific event.” Then he went silent.
No one spoke for a minute. Finally the woman took a deep breath looked down.
“Good.” She hissed. “We'll get this Troll to find who killed her and let him deliver justice for it then!” She actually made a “humph” noise then, as if proving some kind of point.
Everyone just went silent again. Finally Maria took a deep breath and raised her eyebrows at Tor.
“Mothers a bit out of the flow of information. Funny that she got you were the Queen’s lover though, but missed the rest of it. Really, with the sudden field of palaces that grew up here you'd think she'd get the Wizard part at least?” Rolling her eyes she turned to her mother and spoke in a tone that was more than a little snotty.
“Mother, this man is Tor. The Wizard? The Counselor of Magic for Noram? The Troll of Galasia? Also a Knight of the realm and, as you mentioned, the Queen’s boy toy. I know, why don't you suggest you suck his cock for a while, you old bitch!”
Tor turned to the Countess and shook his head.
“Maria. No. It's Postern and I can't let you two keep going on like this. It's… unseemly to speak to your mother in such a fashion. I won't command you apologize, it's not my place, but as your friend, I have to recommend it.” He looked at her steadily, half expecting a physical attack or at least a wall of screams and tears. Instead she just stood and bowed.
“I… I am sorry. This is a tense situation mother, I let myself become too worked up and spoke in anger.” She didn't wait for her mother to release her though, and simply stood. The words hadn't sounded fake at least, or sarcastic.
Her mother… growled.
“Bitch. All of you are a bunch of evil… someone could have told me all of this before we came, couldn't they? How am I supposed to know how to behave if I don't know who's important or not?” Her voice was angry. Tor got that. He really did.
It was easy to be angry when you spent your life tearing everyone around you to pieces. It meant you were a bad person and while not everyone was equally good, even those that were nearly evil wanted to be. Didn't they? Finding out you weren't, realizing it, would be hard. Tor just nodded to her, a single head bob.
“I generally try to do it by treating everyone as important. Sometimes you end up treating a stable boy as a Prince, but so far I haven't gotten any complaints. Not from that side of things at least. Still, I think that it's not unfair to suggest this was due to… stress and concern about seeing justice done, rather than anything else. Now, I… Well, honestly, I need to have the room, The Baron, Baroness and Nita please?” He looked around the room, not smiling, since things were still tense. He really didn’t want to set anyone off.
The others looked confused and in Maria's case triumphant, and the Baron sighed as soon as the door closed and stood, bowing.
“Should I go for a full abasement? I can only ask that you blame only me for what has transpired and not those under my charge. Please. I beg of you. Those of Coltress do not deserve destruction for my wife’s words. If you must take a life for this, I offer you my own.” He didn't sound scared, and only half humble about it. Looking up a little, he winked then.
“And hers, let's not forget that part. Though do be a good man and leave the kids alive?”
Tor stood up and gave a quick, very truncated bow. It wasn't meant to be rude, he just couldn't make himself bend any farther now. Oops. He just admitted to it and stood. No one seemed to take offense at least.
Tor smiled then.
“I know this isn't the best time, but I don't know when we'll all be together again.” He looked at Bonita, his heart aching a little at what he was about to do and sighed.
“I'm bringing the official request of betrothal from Count Burks Lairdgren for the hand of Baronetta first Bonita Galley Coltress. As mentioned earlier, he's the Green man, so this is a life time position for your daughter. He's wealthy, powerful, and more importantly a good man. Kind and not uncouth or base at all. I even hear he's a fairly attractive. I can personally vouch that he's of humble temperament and hard working, as well as sober.” Tor was ready to keep going, but Two things happened then.
First Nita smiled and made a happy noise, then Carol… sneered.
“Her? What is the man, some wizened husk that can't do any better even as a Count? You'd think he'd make a play for Collette at least instead.”
The Baron blinked.
“Ah, Dear? Burks Lairdgren? You met him once? At our wedding? The one you said you wanted to pack up and take with us on Honeymoon?”
“Him?” She glared and finally shook her head, like she needed to clear it.
She did of course. Tor was beginning to think she might just be evil. What kind of person would be mean to Nita? That didn't even make sense. Was she stupid or something?
The woman stared at Bonita and shook her head slowly.
“What did you use as the bribe? As a Count he's more money than we do, so it's not that. Can't have offered up your sisters or me, after all, he'd just be able to get any of us into bed by asking… So, kill someone for him or something?” Her tone wasn't kind. It was really catty and man in fact.
Tor sighed and shook his head though.
“That's ridiculous of course. Originally I was going to ask for her hand, since she's my girlfriend, but the Count won out in the end. He's older and better looking after all. I can't really compete there, can I?”
The woman looked at him and shook her head again.
“No, I think not. This smacks of one of those set-ups again Bonita dear. I can't let you walk into it and be hurt. I must refuse. Send the man my regards but the answer is no.” She glared at the Baron when she said it.
Tor touched her field, wondering what the actual deal was. Hoping it wouldn’t hurt him too much, but having to know. Was her motherly concern just so strong she truly feared Burks would play with Nita's heart? Or that he would?
It wasn't that at all. She was doing it just to be spiteful. She knew it wasn't one of those elaborate set-ups after all, didn't she? Since she was behind the rest of them.
All of them.
Ah.
It was all he could do not to yell at her over it. The bitch had made most of Nita's adult life a living hell, thinking she was too ugly and unwanted to ever be loved, and now she wasn't going to let it happen just to spite… The Baron? That seemed right, though Tor didn't get it really. Her goal seemed to be making things really hard for her own husband for some strange reason. Nita was just a pathway to do that with.
Shrugging Tor pulled out his communications device and hit the palace marker. After less than a few seconds Rich answered.
“Hey Rich, I need Connie please. In an official capacity. If you have a moment too?”
“Um, One bit.” There was a rustling sound. “Tor's on for you, official?”
The Baron looked at Tor, and Nita just smiled, getting what was about to happen? She was close to the Queen after all. It didn't seem Carol knew that.
“Tor! Is there an emergency?” Connie sounded a little breathless, apparently having run to the room to talk to them.
“Yes.” He filled them in with three quick lines, not mentioning the why of things, leaving that for later. Mother or not, that kind of abuse would not go unanswered for by the woman.
She'd hired people just to insult and play with Nita's heart, not just once, but dozens of times and not just for a while, but for years. If the women were a man Tor would probably be fighting with her about now. Probably even knowing he'd lose. As it was he’d have to be cleverer about the retribution.
“So, what I'd like is for you, acting as Queen, to overrule that please. I have a sense that in this case, you being aware of Burks and what kind of man he is, you might have a clearer head?”
There was silence then, for about five or ten seconds.
“Bonita dear? Is that what you'd like? Marriage to the Count? I know you two have been close for a while now.”
“Oh, yes! I mean, yes ma'am.” Her voice was shy and small then, but then she was a quiet person. Tor always kind of liked that in her.
“Very well then. Lord Baker, see to it.” Then she turned the device off on her end.
It was a trick, Tor saw. She'd ordered him to see to it, but hadn't acted as Nita's mother at all. She wasn't overstepping bounds, just giving him a chance to use her words to help his friend. Brilliant.
Tor didn't say anything for a few seconds, merely smiling at them all, as if happy things were resolved.
“There we go. I suppose I'll send my own mother to discuss this with you Baron Coltress, and Connie? If that's all right?” He grinned. “Or, if you want, perhaps Maria or Collette would serve as well? I think Collette would do wonderfully, come to think of it, regardless of who else is involved. She has a superb sense of style. Should be good for a wedding.”
He turned to Nita and winked.
“Ohhh, and Petra would be perfect to do the gowns up for you. Oh! Um, I didn't think of that, do you still have that fireworks display from Warden? We should set that off tonight I think. Celebrations and all. The others went out already.”
“No… I think Marvin has it, shall I check on that?”
Tor jumped up and kissed her on the cheek. He'd have done more, but her parents were watching and pain stabbed through his back, which he chuckled about.
“Please love? I have to see to another of these now. Kind of a day for it I guess, marriages and betrothals. Burks really should be here later I hear…” Tor would have to talk to him first, because he didn't know he was getting married for certain yet.
He was though.
Soonish too. None of that waiting a year stuff that normally got done in noble society. After all, they didn't want to let Nita get away, did they?
He bowed himself out of the room, which got everyone else to get up, but it was really time to see to Lyn and that mess.
Tor laughed a little.
It wasn't a mess. It was a good thing, and probably wouldn't be half as trying as this was. Even if she didn't want to get married to Dorgal, that wouldn't be a big deal. The man was mainly doing it just to curry favor with her after all. They'd only met a few times. Tor found her standing in the front hallway, dressed in a cloud it looked like, her face still a little snubbed nosed and square, but only a bit. She'd used her disguise amulet to alter her features? It was still her and even looked like it. Only not.
He walked to her slowly and gave her a hug.
“Hey sis.” Tor winked.
“Brother. I… would you stand for me in this tonight please? Mother couldn't make it. I'm a little out of my depth here…” She looked down at the nice marble floor, which showed she wore comfortable shoes on her feet, nice white and red ones that look unusual and highly crafted. Magical constructs of her own devising? Amazing. Tor wondered at it and decided to get with her and see if she'd show him how to do his own like that.
Later. Right now it was dinner time.
It was rude really, for him to have a separate meal set up like he did, but with hundreds of guests, it would be needed. The table in the new dining room that Collette had formed out of the back of the kitchen space for ease of service for the over taxed staff, was small. Not tiny, but just big enough for about ten people.
His mother sat in the seat of the hostess, playing the part because Ali, brave as she was, had the job for the main table in the other room. Tor just wore his work uniform, hoping it wasn't tacky. Laurali looked really nice, younger than normal Tor thought. Almost like his sister Terlee. Tiera was off to the left and Timon was to the right.
He'd wonder where his dad was, but he sat at the main table for him as place holder. All these rules were strange to him, but it did seem to be working out. No one could feel that his own father being sent in was less than proper, could they? If they did, Tor decided not to care.
No one else was really there yet, though Collette followed them in. Tor stopped until everyone looked up. Lyn smiled widely, Tor watched her closely, not wanting her to feel uneasy, so he noticed her freeze suddenly as she looked at the table. At first Tor though it was about Weasel, who did cut a fine figure in his suit, even though it wasn't exactly a normal fashion for the Capital or anything. But then the girl took a step forward.
“Lara?” She said loud enough that everyone looked at her. Her voice was young sounding, timid, but different. Not as shy, but slightly… scared.
His mother just gave a small partial bow, seated. After all, Lyn was just a girl and not noble at all.
“I'm Laurali, are you Lyn?”
The girl froze then looked around half panicked, only to find Tor staring at her hard.
“This is Lara Gray's daughter. My mother Laurali Green Baker. Burks Green is her father, my grandfather, as I think you know? You probably have, haven’t you? We look just alike, I here.” Tor lightly touched her pattern and wanted to shake his head. He was such a moron sometime.
“Mother, this is Lyn Cooper. For lack of a better way of putting it, our sister.”
An Ancient.
Like they were. Tor took a deep breath and let it out when his field slipped over Tim, his little brother. Him too? God, was it everyone?
Now it was Tor's turn to panic. The world couldn't take too many people that just wouldn't die. He reviewed in his mind and nodded. He couldn't tell with his littlest brothers and sisters, but the rest were normal. Thank the universe. He looked at Lyn and smiled.
“I don't know which color though. Red or Blue? I think I've met the rest, mainly.”
The voice that came from behind him was his own, just a bit deeper, Tor turned, which was hard to do at the moment and saw that not only were Burks and Denno there, but his uncle Dan.
Denno stepped forward and grinned slightly.
“Red. This is your sister Lyn Red. The Ancient of Vagus.”
Of course she was.