Trice sat on his bed, looking at him with the small smile that Tor used to think was her being smug or smirking at him, but now got as just her being content and maybe even slightly happy. Knowing that made it easier for Tor to relate to her, to feel more connected and a lot less judged. She was wearing a soft version of special school blacks and stretched out a bit, pushing her medium sized chest at him in a move that might, or might not, have been by accident.
“So, what are we doing? I could use my mouth on you if you want? We haven't done hardly anything at all since you've gotten married. I've gotten more off Ali to tell the truth. Definitely time for some Tor quality attention.” Her voice was playful, but she kissed him firmly enough to get a reaction. She had a reasonable point. She was his girlfriend after all.
“Well, you know, busy. Very. But, if you don't mind, could you use your hand? On me I mean.” He grinned as she held up the left one teasingly. Without the ability to feel she'd probably injure him if she tried it.
“Alright, but won't Ali mind the bruising down there?”
Tor laughed and held up the new hand amulet, this time on a simple dark brown hemp string so that when it was turned off she could slide it over her hair with one hand. The silver chain of the other one had to be a pain for her, even if she never complained.
She recognized the sigil and shrugged, replacing her left arm quickly. The new one started ugly and wrong looking, but quickly melted to match her perfectly as she looked at it, her own intent subconsciously organizing the field into an exact replica of her original hand. Finally stopping when it looked right, down to the fine dark brown hair on the back. Tor reached over and stroked the soft fuzz softly, causing her to jump.
“Hey, that tickles!” Then she touched the arm herself.
“Oh. Got that finally then. Hmmm. Not too bad.” Her face was serious and considering for a moment.
“Only one problem with it.”
“What?” Tor asked, hoping it wasn't too major.
“Well, obviously I have to steal you from Ali and keep you in bed for the next fifty years to pay you back.” She grinned. “Thank you! I love you so much. You’re the best overly short wizard ever!”
Then she wanted to use her hand for things indeed. A few even involved Tor.
That got him mainly caught up and for two weeks after that Tor just helped other students with their novel builds, ran flight practice and attended his classes. That and had a stream of girls at his door nightly. It wouldn't have been a big deal if they were just the ones he knew, or even if he'd been able to feel comfortable enough with his marriage to have just sex with them, whoever they were. As it was though a lot of them were total strangers to him and clearly came wanting attention for some reason. From him.
Tor felt ready to pull his hair out, but it was too short for that now. Rolph pointed out a solution, which he was totally thankful for.
“Post a schedule. Just hang it on the door. Then when you're busy, anyone coming to visit unannounced would be rude to knock. True, people will fill in your empty time slots for you, but that takes guts, don't you think? Anyone willing to do that without asking probably has a real reason. Just be sure to fill in when you plan on spending time with your wife.” His big friend sighed.
“I'd do the same, but Rolph Merchant doesn't get half the attention that Prince Alphonse Cordes would get here. Maybe I should anyway and see if anyone notices?”
Laughing they both tried it, if nothing else the knocking that first night tapered off greatly, letting him finish his violin practice in peace.
Lyn was the third of the younger kids to get his help on a novel build, the idea she had was dangerous and fascinating at the same time. Probably the most potentially deadly first build Tor had ever heard of, and it wasn't even a weapon. Before they started Tor made her practice the steps needed on little builds, over and over again, until she got each one exactly right. Truly, those were novel builds too, but when she mentioned that he told her they didn't count.
“You see, I know you can do so much more, so only the big ones get counted right off the bat. Still, not bad…” He ruffled her hair a little and got a punch that landed right under his arm, an awkward thing that didn't touch, thanks to his shield. They laughed about it.
Tor also made a note mentally to get her in some kind of self-defense training. The blow wouldn't have done anything much even if it had landed and that wasn't half good enough.
Her build took two days, which was decent considering the work being done, again sitting on the little pad in his room, and being fed by Rolph and Tor when needed. Leading her to the restroom was awkward, but they both figured that if no one was complaining about them keeping a first year girl in their room, people probably weren't going to be worried about them taking advantage of her that way either. Or as Rolph pointed out, they probably were assuming that they were both taking turns with her anyway, so screw them.
“She's legal and here of her own volition, what we do or aren't doing isn't any of their business.” His big friend finished with a grin.
When she had it ready her eyes opened a bit blankly, and as instructed she immediately made ten copies. Hers were in stone, so took longer, the plates bigger and the sigil carved into the surface. The whole thing was solid looking and had a feeling of strength to it. They had to find untanned cow hides to test it, but it worked perfectly, the skins tanning in minutes when exposed, perfectly so in fact. This wasn't just a novelty, this device had retail value, which meant that Sara was at the door with Trice inside an hour of the testing.
“You mean I could make some gold on this?” The girl said innocently as Sara nodded and tried to make a deal on the spot for Debris house, offering ten percent of the final sale to the girl for the use of the template. Tor shook his head though.
“Resale only, not manufacturing. Your people suck at that and the kids here can use the money from the work. Fifty-fifty and Debri handles shipping. Same for any of my new devices that you want to carry for now. We'll make them here. Everyone needs the practice anyway.”
Sara stuck her tongue out at him but agreed. She didn't make money off of it anyway, unless she sold them herself. It did mean though that they needed to hire an accountant to keep the books, Sara pointed out, her hair brushed back from her eyes as she spoke.
“Tor can't do it, and if you try to wing it or not keep records someone’s going to get shorted, which means hard feelings.”
Lyn looked up at Sara, being about the same size as Tor, he noticed. Then she wrinkled her brow a bit and screwed up her mouth. It was very nearly cute.
“What about your friend Rolph Merchant?” She asked seriously. “He’s good with coin and handling my personal investments already. Do you think he’d do it for us?”
Sara smiled, and Tor got it, the idea of hiring the heir to the realm to do your books… Then again, why not? He was an accounting student and had openly said that his parents had cut his budget for the year in half.
“We can ask, worse he can do is say no after all.”
Oddly enough Rolph loved the idea. Tor, he allowed, may be busy as all get out, but as a fourth year accounting student he was just about bored to tears. It just wasn't that hard of a subject really. Plus real world experience never hurt, did it? Even Wensa liked the idea, which given she was in charge of the Prince as far as education went, was saying something.
Then, the Royal Guard weren't afraid of hard work, were they? That meant they weren't overly worried about it for their charges either.
That set up, Tor just started following his schedule, the one posted on the door. The paper was a cream color and sturdy, so the weather hadn't degraded it too much yet. It really did keep people from bugging him overly too. Most people didn't want to set an “official” time for anything. For a while. When he came back from fighting practice two days later he noticed that people had started writing some things in. That evening he had an extra combat practice he noticed, just after violin, and the next day he was supposed to have lunch with someone named Judith Kerry. The name didn't ring a bell at all, but he had to eat anyway, so why not? Maybe she had building questions or something?
The dining room was packed when he got there the next day, and he looked around feeling awkward and shy. Ali had already settled next to a group of girls, so he ambled over and asked if any of them knew where he might find this Judith person. Giggling one of the girls pointed over to the farthest corner of the room, where a plain and lonely looking girl in brown sat alone, no one on either side of her. Wincing Tor got the idea. For some reason she'd been picked to be this year’s social pariah and someone had put her name on his schedule to try and humiliate her.
Jerks.
Why would they do that though? Punishing her by making using him as an insult? What had she done he wondered? Well, one way to find out. He leaned over and kissed Ali on the cheek.
“I have a date with her for lunch, meet me later?” He asked gently.
Ali smiled and leaned into him, “Always have time for you love.”
The girls giggled again. Damn that annoying giggling. He’d have to get with the King and see if they could outlaw it. Prohibit it in public at least.
At the girls side he stopped, not sure what to say. Meeting new people was often hard. How to start? Right. Normally. Just like everyone else did it.
“Hello? Are you Judith Kerry?”
Whatever people had been doing to her, the girl was ready to fight, whipping around with a fist clench and anger in her eyes. She froze when she saw him though and didn't move for a second, her face melting from harsh to blank.
“Yes.”
Not much of an answer, but it would have to do he decided.
“Oh, good! It was written on my schedule that we had a lunch date? Next time we should grab something in town though, it's a bit crowed in here this year.” He sat next to her before she could deny that the date was real. A clutch of girls, not the one with Ali, looked at them and giggled, but it sounded mean and harsh.
Ah, her bullies. Well, at least they weren't much bigger than she was. Superior numbers though, since there seemed to be four of them to her one. That could be fixed.
The girl was about sixteen, maybe older, her clothing was new, first year new, that, or she was growing incredibly fast, some of the royal kids did that.
“Sorry, sar. I'aint norstanding yer fraid.” Her accent was strange and heavy, a little like an extra strong version of the Printer accent. Ah. One of the new scholarship kids. Tor tried to remember what he'd heard there and craft a reply she could get. He sounded a bit stilted, but her eyes lit when he spoke.
“Are you from Printer? The accent sounds familiar. I'm Tor. Someone wrote that we have a lunch date today, so here I am!” He waited to see what she'd say, but the girl ducked her head and mumbled, instead. Finally she glared at the girls, having figured out the likely culprits already, they stopped laughing though, when Tor managed to speak clearly to her.
“Sir… are you the Tor? Countess Printer said that you'd be here and that we all owed very much to you, even if we don't realize it yet. I came to learn history and geography as well as fighting. The Countess said that I should meet with you if I could, only I didn't ever write that we should meet yet. I didn't know you could speak regular or anything. Most people here talk too funny to hardly understand.”
It got easier to communicate with the girl after a bit and Tor found out that she was actually slated to be a combat giant. He hadn't noticed her in the practice square, because she was in the morning section with Rolph. He'd set up lessons for them early on, but hadn't gone to them himself, being busy that early in the day.
“I can't really talk to the instructor though, so I don't know how I'm doing or anything. I miss a lot because of that. He tells me things when I mess up, but I only get about half of it. Lots of hand waving and hitting then, trying to make it all clear. Kind of frustrating.” Her large shoulders shrugged as if to ask what she could do about it.
Tor waited for her to finish eating then asked her to come with him. When the girl stood she was nearly six foot six already and only fifteen she'd mentioned earlier as they ate. The royal girls troubling her were a lot smaller and probably always would be. Really, if they had half a brain they would have thought about that. A giant girl with a sword could be a problem for them. Yes, a common girl like her might be killed for doing it, but if they were dead or crippled, it wouldn't be fun for them either. Noble didn't mean invulnerable. Sometimes scary and tough, but Tor would have bet on Judith over the bullies if it came down to it.
Kolb looked at her and then Tor, when they walked over.
“Problem?” He asked succinctly, face calm, which on the lean and hard man looked a bit scary.
“Not really, I was just wondering if Judith could have her weapons practice with me for a week or two, while she gets up to speed language wise. She mentioned that she's not been understanding about half of what was said here, so…”
“Alright. I'll make it happen. She'd yours for the week, and longer, when you get back. Run and stones first, if she can keep up with you. If she can't you don't get to slack off, remember that.”
So, Tor got to spend the rest of the week helping Judith adapt to school. The language was the same, just with a heavy accent, so it wasn't too hard to learn to correct. She was smart enough and diligent, which was what got her the scholarship Tor figured. Holly or one of her people had seen that in her and they weren't wrong. Bit of a rough adjustment, but all the girl needed now was a bit of help and some good friends and she'd be fine.
To his surprise she seemed to be taking care of the friend’s situation pretty well as soon as the language situation had been sorted out a bit. On the day before he left, he walked into his room to find Judith and Rolph naked on his large and rather nice bed. For once when he walked in on Rolph doing something, his naked butt wasn't sticking up in the air pumping away. The girl sat on top, frozen in place and staring when he came in. She grabbed for her top in a panic but Tor just waved.
“Hey Judith. Hi Rolph, I need my violin then. Just a second… Be right out of the way.” A year before he would have been vastly embarrassed, but now it was almost normal to him. When had that changed, he wondered.
He didn't stop, just took the instrument in its case and his sheet music. He could just set up in the commons, kids did that sometimes and the weather wasn't bad for it, not too hot or cold, he didn't think, the air was just about right for the instrument humidity wise, if he'd learned enough to tell yet. Of course most the people playing in the open like that were actually decent already, but since he didn't want to embarrass his friends, it was that or skip practice and he wasn't good enough for that yet at all.
The practice stand was a thin metal piece that telescoped out and had clips for the paper, not that he needed the sheet music for this one, having practiced it several times already. Still, Instructor Binchly, the lady that taught the beginning music class insisted they all learn to sight read, and said that practice was the best way to gain the skill. She wasn't wrong there, at least as far as experience had taught him. Doing things right always helped.
Mainly.
Tor felt very aware of people watching him, so he focused as hard as he could on his hand and wrist position, his breathing and carriage, then worked to play as smoothly as he could.
It wasn't a simple piece, Binchly had given it to him to test his resolve she'd told him, one day after class. That comment didn't get explained, but Tor understood that she meant for him to practice it daily. Finally, on the third time through he lost himself in the music, the notes felt almost like they were a part of him, he wasn't using the paper anymore, so he could play through the whole thing in one go without the rustling of paper six times in order to keep up with the lines. He noticed the scratches and uneven parts as if they practically glowed in the air, but when he stopped playing a gentle applause came. It was just one boy, standing and watching carefully.
It was him.
Or rather Burks Lairdgren in his natural form, which being essentially the same person meant that he was him. Closer than twins he'd said. After a second his clothing changed to match the canvas browns Tor wore.
“Very good. I won't point out the errors. I know you got them. Still, they'll smooth out rapidly enough. Thought I'd come get you myself. Are you ready?”
Tor tilted his head.
“I was planning on leaving tomorrow. After lunch. I suppose I can go earlier, but I want my things, since I'll need to keep up with my schooling on the trip and I want to let people know I'll be gone for a while. My wife for instance, I don't know that she'll miss me, but we have a regular meeting each night, so she might notice if I'm not there.”
His grandfather, three thousand years old and looking fourteen gave him a knowing look that Tor couldn't exactly place. The man was incredible looking, even like this, almost pretty, but in a way that didn't make him look that feminine. Of course, Tor realized, he might just be rationalizing that bit, since, after all, to most people they looked identical. Burks was taller, which Tor would be too, eventually. If the crazy Austrans didn't kill him first.
That. Ugh. Tor had been putting off thinking about it really and decided to keep doing so. He was going for a rescue mission, because in a strange and bizarre fashion, Denno Brown, the Ancient of Austra, was his brother. In a weird way his grandpa was too. It hurt his head to ponder, so he didn't. Finally Burks shrugged.
“Al right, I'll be over at your house with Bonita then. She came up to stay with Alissa while we're gone.” Burks look was appraising instead of angry when he started speaking, his voice even sounding a little amused.
“So, you've decided that she and I should marry? It would have been nice for you to have mentioned that to me first you know. Oh well, if we manage this next bit alive I said I'd make an honest woman of her.” He held up his right hand quickly.
“Old term, it means “to marry”. I haven't really been with anyone since Mary. I hear you were helping her out recently. Any problems there? I mean with her, you can tell me the rest later, or not. You know, when you explain how County Lairdgren is aiding the Queen and Princesses in supporting the school here?”
Tor thought about it, then decided to dodge the school issue all together if he could. Mary wasn't a problem at all, she was in fact, sharp. Almost every move she'd made worked and once she set someone a task she didn't bug them about it, just let them do their job. This made Burks grin widely.
“Good. I worry about her. She… has her moments. Both good and bad I'm afraid.”
Tor shrugged and got an identical one back.
“I'll meet you at my house in two hours then.” If the wait bothered the older man, well tough. Tor had obligations too, and his wife and friends came before travel plans.
He decided to meet with Ali first, and found her actually reading a school book instead of entertaining someone when he got there. He understood why she had sex with so many people, sort of at least, she was looking to reassure herself that she was loved, but it was always uncomfortable to come to the to find her and some young man or woman scrambling to dress and pretend they weren't doing anything. Even to Tor it was obvious.
Today she looked normal enough, sitting on her bed, a thick book in her hands which turned out to be a complete cookbook. Tor had heard of such things, but he'd never seen one like it before. He sat next to her and they looked at it together for a while, finally she kissed him and worked her way down his body, loosening his clothes and servicing him gently on her bed. When she was done she looked up sadly.
“It's time for you to go and do that thing, isn't it?” She knew about the plan, was even in on it, and had been the whole time, but whatever had happened in life to make her that way, most of it very bad he was sure, his wife knew how to keep secrets. Even alone she wouldn't mention anything more specific than “that thing”.
“Yes, I leave in a few hours, less now. I just wanted to see you first, and Rolph. He was… entertaining Judith Kerry in our room when I last saw him. Hopefully they're done by now, I need to pack.”
Ali smiled at him broadly, a happy thing.
“Good for her! Rolph's a nice boy and everyone likes him, that should get some of the third year harpies to lay off. They'd have taken after me I think except I have you, so they don't really dare. Plus Petra and Trice have been watching out for me. They don't think I get what they’re doing, but I do. Judith doesn't have anyone though.”
“Except us.” Tor said thoughtfully, getting a nod for it.
“Except us.” Ali gave him a strange, considering look and nodded. “Right. I'll see to that then.”
Judith was still in the room when he got there, but had clothes on and was looking a little embarrassed when he walked in. At least she refused to make eye contact and blushed prettily enough.
“Sorry sir. We thought we had more time.” The accent was still there, but just sounded charming now, she was clear and understandable, for the most part.
“Tor, not sir. Really though, you two have as much right to the room as I do. For now though, Judith, could you give us a bit? I have to go away for a while and Rolph is my best friends, so… I hate to be rude.” His face showed the pain he felt at even suggesting it. He didn't want her to feel rejected or anything, as she walked past he gave her a hug and whispered into her ear.
“Thanks for being so understanding.”
Rolph didn't need to be told what was going on, just that Tor was going and that in two weeks the real mission started. What plan there was so far, he knew as well as Tor did. Maybe better, if any updates had come in from his parents. Normally Tor would have expected people to tell him things like that, but in this case it may just be better for him to not know.
For instance, if the plan turned out to be him waiting to be castrated and set to being used by the crazy masses in Austra as Daria Serge had promised as her wedding “gift” to him, then really, it was better not to tell him. Of course she wasn't getting that chance. Tor was going in shielded and armed and if they had a problem with it, they could forget the whole thing. At least shielded, he reconsidered. A weapon might be too much to ask, but even insane people couldn't feel threatened by a shield, not if they were trying to give the illusion that they didn't just want to kill him outright.
The Prince didn't say much, he just looked at him for a long time and then shook his head.
“I'd go with you if I could. Or take your place. Even if it meant dying.”
It was a true statement and for a second tears stung at Tor’s eyes. The idea wafted off of Rolph's field, it sang to Tor so loudly he couldn't ignore it. It was what lay under that sense of desperation and fear for his friend that made Tor draw back mentally.
Rolph loved him.
Not, “hey buddy, let’s go pick up chicks” love, or “hey… don't get yourself killed” even, but the real, “I'd die for you” kind, mixed with “let's share a bed”. It was something that Tor had never noticed before from him.
Or expected.
Tor just nodded, not able to find anything clever or witty to say. Not that he managed either of those all that often. Rolph was funnier and lighter most of the time. He had to say something though. You couldn't leave that kind of statement just resting in the air.
“I know. Never doubted it for a second. Unfortunately you won't fit in my clothing. The rest I think we could manage, but making you look smaller would be really hard.” He smiled, even though it wasn't funny… it was true. Both parts.
Tor needed to be able to disguise himself and soon. The more tricks he had up his sleeve the better. Premier Glost Serge was a nut job from what he'd seen and Lilli, the name that Daria had used while roaming the streets of the Capital, stealing and killing people, personally disliked him for some reason.
That or she thought threats of castration and forcible and repeated sodomy to be foreplay. Tor was kind of hoping for the crazy threat, to tell the truth. Then he wouldn't feel as bad when he had to kill her. He'd never directly killed anyone. Paid for it to be done, once, but to just do it? Never. But he knew that getting Denno Brown free might mean he'd have to. He might have to murder a bunch of people.
He hugged Rolph goodbye. It was troubling and awkward for him, but his friend was still his friend, and if that meant Tor had to deal with complications and issues he really wasn't ready for, then so be it. The hug was long, but had that back pounding “guy hug” feel to it. Good enough. As he left Tor wondered how long his friend had that going on in his head, those kinds of feelings. Days? Weeks?
Years?
Well, something to deal with when he got back. After all, he really could die doing this. What were the odds that the Glost's plan for him involved lavish entertainments and candy? Not very likely. All he could do was ready himself and then go do his best.
The walk to his little house on the edge of the school complex only took a few minutes. It was his, literally, but it felt strange to just walk in. He'd only been inside once, and it looked different now. The front room was tasteful, larger and had a lot more decoration. In fact Bonita Coltress, one of his very good friends, was showing off her ability to decorate it to Count Lairdgren. Her actions and words all but shouted, “I'd be a wonderful wife!” it was cute, but she really was trying too hard, the man had already said yes, and didn't seem inclined to change his mind. Which was good, since then Tor would have to tie him up and deliver him to the wedding that way. The only reason Tor was letting them get married at all was that he couldn't marry Bonita himself.
But the Count seemed to get the idea without needing to be told. A benefit of being thousands of years old probably. It was good. Tor wasn't sure exactly how to go about capturing an Ancient anyway.
He seemed entertained by the antics at least. Then he probably found it cute too, since Tor and Burks patterns were essentially the same.
Tor walked in and gave her a huge hug.
“Nita! So I hear you've talked the Count into settling down? I figured it would be you… who could resist?” Certainly not Tor. She was nice. Her face was close to a true oval, her eyes just a bit too far apart for pretty and her nose was large, straight down the middle and hooked down at the end, but on the wrong face for it to really work. Her smile showed too much gum and her laugh was shy and timid most of the time. She was also one of the sweetest and most caring people he'd ever met, and bright too. In short, nearly perfect.
At least if you had enough brains to see it.
Burks did. So did Tor. Seeing them so happy together made him a little sad, but joyful at the same time. They both deserved something wonderful in their lives. Nita smiled at him, large and innocent.
“I know, I didn't even have to bribe him or anything, go figure? It's good to see you Tor. Do you have time to chat?”
Did he? Sure, he had all the time in the world for her. Especially if it meant putting of thinking about his pending mission. Burks chuckled, obviously having a good idea of what he was thinking. He was older, wiser and probably better at everything imaginable, but he'd been Tor. The circumstances were different, but he'd lived all this more than once, probably.
“We could spend forever here and be marvelously happy love, but every moment we waste could be the one that costs us everything. Obviously Denno can't save himself. Unless this is just a trap. It wouldn't be like him, but even those like me and Tor are people, and can make mistakes and do things that others simply don't understand. Which brings me to the first thing I wanted to talk to you about Tor…” Burks gently moved him towards the door. It wasn’t all that subtle even.
Laughing Tor quickly hugged Nita again and then kissed her, more warmly than he really should have in front of her prospective husband, but she returned it without pause. If Burks didn't like it, he shouldn't have made “the rules” like he had. The whole messed up system of the nobles was literally the old man's creation after all. Tor kissed Nita again and whispered that he'd see her soon into her ear. Then he got pulled out the door a little forcefully. Burks was chuckling a bit himself, so it wasn't meant to be a true chastisement.
They talked while they flew, taking one of the new carriages that Tor had made, the really fast ones. Tor made it gray to match the color of the clouds above. He didn’t want to scare anyone seeing it, who might think it an Austran craft come to bomb their little town or village.
Burks had started with small talk and watched Tor carefully, trying to remember what it was like to be that young. Most likely realizing how stupid it meant too, Tor thought. Well, that wasn't wrong.
He still did things because his feelings were hurt and reacted like a buffoon when a pretty girl paid attention to him sometimes. That was the hard part too, the “sometimes”. One day a woman would proposition him for sex and he coolly accept. The next day a nervous young lady would ask if he was free to chat and he'd stammer and feel like his face was on fire from blushing.
It was idiotic for him to go instead of Burks. If they could swing a good disguise device they should both go, of course, but him alone? That would be suicide. Still, if that was the plan, he had to try it. If someone called you brother and meant it, then you had to do what you could for them, didn't you?
Really he just wondered how he could bring Burks around to thinking that the idea was the right one? He was wiser, a way better fighter, maybe one of the best in the world, and had that calm under fire that Tor wondered if he'd really ever learn, same being or not. If he were the one held hostage, Burks would be the one to come get him, not some eighteen year old knock-off that could freak out at any moment.
Burks just sighed.
“I think I should go in as you Tor, I-”
“OK.” Tor cut him off, relief rushing through him.
“What?” The old man, Ancient and wise stared at him. “I'm pretty sure we're supposed to argue about this all the way to Grenwyn, then you grudgingly accept my superior skill and ability to handle the unknown and we go from there, we me carefully managing you the whole time. It's why I left two whole weeks to get ready.”
Tor chuckled.
“You're three thousand years old. If you aren't better than me at nearly everything, possibly even things I haven't imagined being real, then… no… really, You're just better. You can go in and I'll work back up, transportation and any building you think you need. I have some stuff ready and some ideas. Besides, I'd rather not have my nuts cut off. I've barely gotten to use them you know. I still haven't tried half the things Ursala, Countess Thorgood, told me about. So… is that Grenwyn down there? I've never been. It looks like Afrak… only greener.”
It did too. If Tor hadn't seen the way they lived, their domes earth houses and plants everywhere, almost turning their very spread out cities into giant gardens, he'd have missed this now. It was impressive, stunning from the air, in that it was nearly invisible. The only thing that gave it away were a few wood smoke plums rising from hills.
The Count nodded.
“There it is indeed, home sweet home. I did mention that gardening could be a satisfying hobby, didn't I? Land over there please.” He pointed to a clearing near a large hill, covered with shrubs and blackberry bushes and surrounded by trees. Evergreens at a distance, but there were fruit and nut trees throughout.
Burks looked at him from the side seat.
“That was a bit quicker than I expected. Obviously this isn't a regular carriage.”
“Yeah, but not even close to what the Austrans have. Quieter, but they can outrun us. I really don't have time to figure out how to do more before we go, I don't think. We'll need to be gone before they know it. If we can, say, get an eight hour head start, it should work.”
Not commenting the other man popped the top and stepped out easily. Tor couldn't match the grace of the movement, but did get out without tripping at this time. A woman of about thirty came out the reddish brown door sunk back into the hill and stopped suddenly, staring first at Burks and then Tor. After a moment she tried to speak, but nothing came out.
“Um, hi, I'm Tor. You can tell because I'm shorter. And I think our haircuts are different. If you want I can change my clothes into something else, here…” His voice was happy sounding enough, nearly charming even as he focused and made his student browns turn a deep purple so that he didn't look as much like the other man. Finally the woman glared at Burks and then Tor.
“I see. So this is some kind of game your playing with me? Telling me my cousin the famous builder is coming and then showing up with two of yourself instead? Well I never!” She held the incensed act, with hands on the hips of her brown dress, a gray rag in hand and an equally drab kerchief on her head for about fifteen seconds. Then she grinned, a wide and playful thing that reminded Tor a little of his mother.
“Ah, don't mind me Torrance. I'm Brenda, and actually was warned about all this. I can't say I believed it, but I was given foreknowledge, so any shock I feel is my own failing. You'll be staying here. Notice that wasn't a question? If it's not grand enough for you, then I'll beat you with a wooden stirring spoon until it is.” The tone and words reminded him of someone.
“God Burks!” Head going forward and mouth open in feigned amazement. “You've already cloned my mother? How… Why?”
Holding up his hands defensively he verbally back pedaled.
“Not that my mother isn't a wonderful woman, but still, ones isenough, isn't it?” Tor was trying to be funny, but remembered that they needed to actually have that conversation for real. Lara Gray the leader of Afrak was his mother the same way the Burks was his grandfather and him. Worse, Tor really feared that his younger sister Tiera might be her too.
But for now they all chuckled.
“Even the same sense of humor. Well, Cousin Tor, come in. I guess you can leave your… thing? Right there. Probably kill the vegetation under it but we'll live.” The voice suddenly wasn't pleased.
Then who would be, if their garden was about to be starved of light? At least it floated about a foot from the ground instead of actively crushing it.
Tor didn't respond, just took out the one trunk he'd brought, a small one, mainly with amulets, for gifts if anyone wanted them, and his toothbrush and cleaning supplies. Then he tapped the sigil on the carriage making it vanish and slipped the hemp string over his neck. The sheer number of amulets he wore daily was becoming a nuisance. He could consolidate them into one, if he over got a chance. He'd never heard of it being done, but it should work well enough. Really, it was just copy work.
Actually, he realized, he'd already done it once. The new weapon he'd made that had eight different fields on it, for different situations. Ah, well, proof of concept right there if nothing else. Good.
Brenda had the same black hair he did, but her eyes were a light green, almost like the sea in sunlight. Her face was rounder than his, but it was all high and strong cheekbone and powerful jaw, not fat. She was taller than Tor was, taller than Burks, but not more than an inch or so. Her skin looked to be made of gold, lacking only the shine. Everything about her should have been stunningly beautiful, but somehow it combined into merely pretty, almost handsome. Then… he got compared to a girl at least once a week, so what did he know? She seemed nice, if a little forceful in character.
Once they got inside, without a word, she vanished.
Tor could feel her, she'd simply gone a little further down a hallway, but what looked at first like a dead end of blue gray was actually slightly bent, enough so that the point where it went at a ninety degree angle wasn't visible from the door. Burks didn't show him to a room, if he even got one here, instead he took him to some steps that went down, below ground. A basement. He'd never been in a place that had one before, not a real house at least. The King’s palace did, but that was a dank little room for keeping secrets. This was big and dry.
If the things in it weren't secret, Tor would have to change the definition of the word, at least when he used it. Most of the objects he didn't even have names for. He could name parts if, like glass windows on boxes of silver, and lenses on other, smaller black boxes, but if asked what they did he'd be lost. Other than the glass and some small bits of metal, he didn’t even know what they were made of. What he could recognize was that this was based on science. The strange and wasteful magic of Austra and possibly other places. Afrak claimed their magic as science too, and they only worked with the alteration of living things. Or at least that's all they'd told him about. It wasn't like he'd asked at the time.
“So, secret hoard of science? Is there a tiny dragon to guard it as well? If not I can get you one. I made one for the King last year. Birthday present.” Tor asked, not knowing for certain, but guessing it was illegal, or against the treaty of the Ancients, whatever that was. Probably some eight thousand page book written over the course of a century describing everything under the sun in great detail. Then forbidding it. That was basically what rules and laws were, right?
“Yes. Technically not allowed here, but I make a point of keeping up with what the others are doing. Not just science, technology or genetic research, but the spiritual and harmonic systems as well. I even try to get down to the Antarctic now and then for a visit. Now they have some technology that defies description. Magic too. They aren't much for making it, but they come in and buy it every now and then. If you want to make friends, you should send Blue a selection of your work. Something to remember… Denno Brown doesn't believe in magic. It's hardwired into him, much like we can't understand our true intelligence even when it's proved. This lack of belief has colored the whole of Austran culture for thousands of years. Great guy, Denno, but he can't see what's right in front of him at times. Glost Serge is more or less in that mold, but really kinds of hates us. Me personally that is, for thwarting his attempt to kill Laurie most likely.” He pulled out a chair in the middle of a decently sized table made of focus stone and wave for Tor to get comfortable himself.
“It was moronic of course, he brought in a group of Larvals, they must have been about thirteen years old. Tough, but not more than I could handle alone. If he would have waited another ten years we'd all probably have died. The attack came without warning or hint. Well it worked out. Not a happy memory.” That Tor could see.
Killing six little kids? Or seven, because that seemed the Larval way, groups that large being the norm. It had to be done, but… Yeah. It wouldn't be something to chat about if you didn't have to. That meant that Burks thought he needed to let Tor know. Why, he couldn't guess, so he waited without commenting.
“That, acting too soon, it's been a major part of the Serge character for generations. I really think it may be genetic, a part of the familial field pattern. Possibly Rhetistic, if one of the others meddled in the line… Which is a field we need to discuss at some point, because it effects both of us, but later, since it’s a bit hard to understand and we don’t have time now. I'm hoping it doesn't work against us. A sudden attack before we make land and the whole thing is moot. Of course in this case it wouldn't really be acting too soon, but they don't know that.” Burks smiled slightly.
Tor shuddered and looked into his own face, identical, but not him, not even like looking in a mirror, which showed the same image, but was plain and boring looking, to his mind. The whole thing was eerie, but not important at the moment, not really.
Tor shook his head, tying to clear it.
“Lilli is a problem here too. The plan has to be to kill me, or if they figured out that we'd possibly make a switch, to get you. But even if Glost is smart enough to not kill me instantly, I don't know how balanced Daria is. She could simply do it, even against orders. Then again, maybe the whole crazy thing is an act. I don't suppose you have a secret technique to let us know which it really is do you?”
Tor tapped the smooth reddish black table top under his fingers, the focus stone was from around Wildlands Station, by its color, the work was plain, but sturdy, no edging cut in or any of the other things that had been added over time, so it was from the first few months of production there most likely. Nothing in the room moved, except Tor for a moment. Burks had moved within himself, mind silent and eyes closed.
“No secret technique, but we can simply assume that they are stupid, insane, clever and setting a trap at the same time. Just like we have to assume Denno is in on it. I hope not, but if he is, then we best be prepared. The man can't see magic for what it is perhaps, but he's incredibly intelligent. Oh, he comes across as all charm and sweetness, but don't forget that he's literally twice as smart as almost anyone else you've ever dealt with. If he makes a mistake, it probably isn't one, but rather a trick to throw you off.”
“OK.”
Really Tor felt a little disappointed. Three thousand years and the best this Ancient could come up with amounted to “prepare for the worst”? He could have said that. Before he could mention it though Burks stuck his tongue out playfully.
“Yeah, but the trick isn't in knowing it, everyone that bothers to think for a moment knows it. It's in following through and actually applying what you know. That's the step that takes people a long time to figure out. If there's a great secret to living a long time, some grand wisdom, it's that. Apply what you know and learn to recognize when you're about to make a stupid decision. Do that now and I'll have to admit your smarter than I am, identical or not. It took me nearly a thousand years to really learn that.”
Ah.
Well, if that was the wisdom of the ages, Tor would do his best. Really though, there had to be a little more to it than “don't be stupid”, didn't there? Maybe not. How many lifetimes would it take to really get that down? However long it would take, he kind of needed to survive first for it to count.
In life, being dead kind meant that you lost.
The room went quiet while Tor thought, Burks just sitting patiently and waiting, which seemed odd. Tor wasn't in charge of this and didn't have the skills to be. He gave the other man a nod, hoping it would get him to speak. It was another two minutes before he did.
“We need to familiarize you with what Austra is like on the ground. Hopefully we can park you out in the ocean, under water, to wait for me to get Denno out or fail completely. But just in case you ever do have to go ashore there, it won't hurt to have some basic information. Besides, you really are adapting to the new plan a lot more smoothly than I thought you would, so we might as well spend some quality time, eh? As it is I'm kind of starting to think you really are smarter than I was at your age. Perhaps all the building and meditation helps? I didn't start even really trying that for hundreds of years… Well, let's start, shall we?”
The data started flowing in rapidly, as fast as Tor could learn it, pushing the boundaries a bit really. Finally he had to drop into a meditative state and just absorb what he could. The customs were very different. Little things, like how you addressed a lady, or a man in the street, when not to make eye contact and the use of pieces of paper to buy things in stores. There was no haggling either, you paid what the shop said or got nothing at all.
The science was different than in Afrak, but the basic idea was the same as getting magic in Noram really. You paid for a device that did work, eventually it would wear out and you either got another one or went without. The people there were the least likely of all the groups on the planet to hold to the treaty or promise too. Greed and materialism led there. Burks actually went on about that for a long time, Tor noticed. The idea of science didn't seem to be a problem, it was the greed and desire to have things that did it.
Finally Tor gave him a funny look, “Most people here want stuff too though, don't they?”
That got a snort, one that sounded exactly like Tor’s own.
“Sure, they want things. Devices to help them survive, occasional comforts and good food. Sometimes they even want to show their neighbors how successful they are by collecting objects that are far more wasteful than needed.” He sighed gustily.
“But Tor… The Austrans are all like that. A few aren't perhaps, to be fair, but the average man on the street strives to have the richest life possible and if they don't have at least what a Duke would here, they consider themselves poor. Even the bottom tier of their society has more in many ways than the rich do here. It's fine on the surface, but it takes more than their share of energy and resources from the planet. Denno has tried to reign that impulse in, but in a technological society it’s too easy to let those things slide.”
Nodding, Tor thought about it for a minute, the idea of everyone trying to live like a royal. The drain on the environment would be vast. And nearly invisible to someone inside the system. It kind of made sense, of course an Ancient should know better, right? Denno had vast knowledge and had probably see the signs a thousand times before. Why would he just let it go now?
“Because it gets boring Tor. We're forced to watch over people and protect them, but after a while you start to want to do something else. You seek entertainments or new projects to hold your interest and then the next thing you know, it's fifty years later and some mad man has seized power and threatens to undo everything we all fought so hard for. Glost Serge is far from the first. Really it happens about every forty to sixty years. Some person, normally a man, but women have done it too, pops up and think they should rule everything, that if we all did it his way, things would be better. It never is thought. The best humans have ever managed is not killing their neighbors and remembering to say please. We need to strive for more, but don't really expect it.”
A knock came from the Top of the stairs.
“Diner!” Brenda sounded annoyed, probably that she had to say anything at all, but scent tends to rise, not sink, so how were they to know it was time?
Well a clock, but Tor didn't have anything like that on him. Burks grinned, a charming and almost happy thing.
“We'd best go then. If we take too long she'll throw the food down the stairs and we'll have to eat it off the floor.” Burks looked… tired suddenly, exhausted and far older than he should.
“Tomorrow we start the real training. Try to get some sleep after we eat.”