If the Duke and his wife were expecting a cool or grudging reception they didn't get it.
Instead Tor just made sure they planned to stay, and started trying to move their luggage himself, which had six strong men following him without asking, doing most of the real work. Collette jumped up and played hostess, leading the band of people to a room on the second floor. It was marked with a bright yellow compass rose, each door had a design, but Collette closed her eyes and touched the door, a few seconds later in very good hand writing and large black letters it said “Brettermere” on it.
The door opened and both the royals froze.
“Oh my! What a lovely room! I,” The Duchess looked down and then straightened, making a bit of a wry face. “Howard and I have had a standing invitation to stay at the palace, and have since before Richard took the crown. More than once he's led us to our room himself, as a Prince. This year we arrived only to be sent away. We thought… well, we are rather of a different generation than the Queen and thought perhaps we'd been put to pasture when she sent us off here. We didn't realize it was an honor. I think I might have been a little cold to the dear, I'll need to send her a note first thing. This is splendid!”
The Brettermeres were both even more impressed after being show around and how to use everything and the Countess pulled out paper and pen to start her letter to the Queen right then. On that note the rest of them left, planning to get back to work.
Before everyone had no more than sat down another knock came at the door. This time a sitting Baroness and her husband, with their kids tagging along behind them. Three of them. In the back stood a good looking and familiar face. Beaming.
“Ridley?” Tor started, looking at the young man that Tor thought he recognized from school, but Trice practically tackled the guy and started kissing in a way that looked more than a little friendly. Everyone looked on for a second without comment. People had friends after all, so no one thought anything of it.
Trice kept an arm around him, which started to make Tor jealous, but he let it go. The guy had actually defended him to Trice when she was going off on him in that restaurant. Yes, under the King’s orders, but Ridley probably hadn't known that at the time and may not now. If they were lovers or something, then it had to be harder, rather than easier, to go against what she'd been saying, but he'd actively defended Tor anyway. It was hard to dislike someone that did things like that, wasn't it?
“Mom, Dad… this is him. Tor.” If he'd defended him before, his voice was positively deferential now. No reverent.
So, really awkward.
Before he could move three people were hugging him. The move was a bit familial for strangers, but whatever. A lot of people in the Capital were like that. It seemed nice enough at least. They didn't let go for a long time, but moved out of the way to let two more people hug him. One was a little girl who might have been seven or eight, and next to her was a good looking boy of about fifteen or so that hugged him too, if in a manful fashion with a lot of back pounding which Tor returned in kind. There was luggage so he suggested they get a room and then they could all visit at leisure. The Baron straightened, blinked for a few seconds and smiled hugely.
“Why… thank you! We figured on hitting the relatives then all the inns if we had to, but this is much easier. Nicer too.”
They got rooms, plural, three of them, next to the Brettermeres. Ridley and his brother flipped a copper to see who got to share with their little sister, since it meant more babysitting duty. The younger boy won, but did so with good grace and a promise not to make Ridley do all the work. The little girl crossed her arms then and shook her head.
“Right, like it's not me having to look after you two…”
Tor nodded to her seriously, “they do look like a handful.”
“Tell me about it. Well, what can I do? It’s my lot in life, I guess.” She spread her hands and shrugged.
No one laughed at the interplay, but everyone's face held a smile. Even the girl's.
Then, finally, they managed a whole half hour without knocking. The next group that came was Kolb and almost all of his people, who at least didn't expect hugs and cuddles. Mostly. Petra had to hand out a few and Tor got pounded on the back by a couple of the men. They got their own section of rooms, though they had to share, royals or not. Collette expected things to fill up fast after that, since people would have seen them all flying in and “Tor's Palace” was lit up on the outside, meaning easy to see as it got darker.
That made him try to convince everyone to call it a “Not-Palace” but that just made everyone laugh and Collette suggest they get ready, instead of playing with words.
“Brace yourselves, this is going to get busy, very soon, I think.”
She was right of course. Everything moved quickly, almost non-stop. It became almost a game, trying to sit before the next group came. They had to set watches to handle getting everyone a room that night. For some reason Tor wasn't on it, but that was all right. He just kept greeting people until his eyes got heavy, then went to bed. With his field so damaged and depleted, it was normal for him to feel more tired than usual, wasn't it? Kind of what it meant really, as far as physical signs.
If it ever got really bad though, he wouldn't just die. That would be too normal. No falling apart would be the way it would happen, bits and chunks of him raining down as they fought to stay together but couldn't. Something Tor decided to avoid if possible.
It would make the floor a mess if nothing else.
Eyes closed as he hit the pillow, naked but under the covers, the soft feel of satin against his flesh. When he'd first seen it Tor had thought of silk, not knowing any other shiny materials really existed. Collette explained it to him, so that the pattern could be repeated at need. It felt better on the skin she assured him.
It was certainly pleasant enough. Sleep took him anyway, and dreams, most of them about building, what he wanted to do, and how he needed to pace himself. They showed this by letting him try to build something simple, a light, or a flyer, things he'd done a thousand times, ten thousand or more really, and then start falling apart in bloody gobs. A few let him finish and then just fade, kind of like a ghost in an old story. He got the message he assured the deeper parts of himself as he fought to the surface, and he wouldn't be a complete moron if he could help it.
Something tickled his mind as he woke. Rousing him.
There was… pleasant activity at his groin and the sheets moved in a familiar pattern, gently up and down. When he looked to his left Nita was watching him, her eyes mischievous.
“We thought we'd surprise you. I hope you don't mind? She didn't think that you'd let her do it if you knew first…” She looked almost scared for some reason.
God, it wasn't Maria was it? That sent a chill down his spine, which perversely made the warmth below feel even nicer. Or… no, she'd definitely said she, so not some guy. Well. It did feel nice whoever was doing it, but just in case she was right, and Tor wouldn't normally allow it, he needed to check and stop it if need be, hard as that would be to do. Carefully, almost afraid of who it could be, his mind coming up with a dozen women that would be off putting, Duchess Brettermere for instance, or Ridley's little sister. Agh! No Bonita wouldn't have allowed that, it couldn't be anyone too bad. One of the women from Ward?
It took him a second to get it when he saw the face, still a little puffy with sleep, her mouth and face distorted a little as she worked up and down on him.
Karina.
Oh.
Her eyes went wide, but he laid back and let her keep working. Karina was all right, he decided. Once she finished, swallowing without hesitation, she moved up his body and kissed him.
“Sorry, it was driving me crazy all night, trying to sleep next to you like that and not doing anything. I know that I'm-” Whatever she was going to say it got drowned out in kisses, then knowing he needed to brush his teeth before doing too much of that, he worked down her body and returned the favor. She squirmed nicely and giggled just before the moaning came.
“Oh… Ah!” It was a pretty sound.
Looking over, after Karina was done, he realized they'd left out Nita. Tor decided to blame sleep deprivation and started working on her in a similar fashion, a little shocked to find Karina pushing him out of the way after half a minute or so. Playfully he took her place and then, awkwardly and with a little laugher they both moved their mouths into place. Taking turns.
Was that group sex? It was interesting. Not any better than the regular kind, but fun in its own way. Kind of like saying; look, all these people find me attractive enough. Good enough. Of course if one of the girls brought a man to bed that would be harder for him. Could he get away without touching the guy? Was that considered rude? For some reasons he doubted that was in “Manners”.
They all took turns cleaning up, but when his turn came, after he shaved and brushed his teeth, Karina boldly led a charge on the bath chamber, Bonita giggling behind her. They just bathed though, so he got a good look at Karina nude for the first time. She was thin and hard looking, with slightly defined abs, and high, tight breasts, red hair or not, her nipples were a lovely shade of tan, a lot darker than her skin. Bonita had slightly larger breasts, and a softer body, but was closer to what Tor thought of as “just right” that way. Still, both were more than worth looking at. Or doing things with. That they were both willing to with him was humbling.
“That was fun! You're both way better than Lilli ever was. I do wonder what's going on with her. I mean, I shouldn't care, but I'm curious. I don't know why. Probably because I want to make her hurt, for hurting me, but I don't know, maybe it was a good thing? I realize now that I can actually have real friends and I don't have to buy their love. Kolb's people are here, maybe I should have some of them look into it?” She grinned, a little evilly.
That, Tor knew, could be bad.
Lilli was a bitch that hurt his friend, and he didn't wish her well, but she didn't deserve to die over it. Getting the “secret group” in on it would probably end up poorly for Lilli, unless Karina was very specific. No, they'd be best to poke around themselves he told her quickly, trying to make sure the Princess’s bad relationship didn't turn into assassination. That worked anyway, because Tor was headed to the bakery later anyway to try and buy up all the product he could at bulk rates. It was close enough to the areas that Lilli haunted to be useful to them.
Karina nodded when she heard the idea, looking a little scared. What if Lilli was happy and everything was brilliant and shiny for her? That would be worse than not knowing right now. The pain was a little too sharp still and the idea poured off her face, even if he couldn't read her field at the moment. He figured that Karina would just have him go check or might even give up the idea all together because of that fear.
Instead she grabbed her Not-flyer, all her other gear and several weapons that Tor hadn't known she had at all, including an explosive weapon that even the military didn't use yet. Not the big one, it's much smaller slightly older brother, but Kolb had described that as the most dangerous weapon he'd ever even heard of before Tor had foolishly made the bigger one. He pointed at it and she nodded somberly.
“Dad insisted, we all have one, even mom. The new shields too. She's bad about wearing them, because she likes to touch people, but she has to. Your new field makes it easier. I think she forgets it's anything but a pretty pendant from you. Dad had it put on a really fine gold chain for her, so she’d remember him too.” The thin redhead smoothed the front of her outfit and made direct eye contact with the other woman.
“Nita, you don't seem the jealous type, but my mom is totally into Tor. You should know that, because she'll go all evil Queen on you if you hurt him. Just a warning. She wouldn't hurt you for it, I don't think, not physically, but I wouldn't count on ever going to another social function again, or anyone showing up at yours, if she has to come after you. She's pretty much the kingdom’s expert at social combat.”
Wide eyed and soberly, Bonita nodded, “I won't. I promise.”
Tor would have liked it if they could all go, but Nita informed him that she actually had work to do and couldn't go off just then.
“Do you think you could go and visit my father though? You could take him some hand pies. Only the one bakery carries them, but it's a King's week tradition and near the house. I know it might seem odd…” She suddenly looked at him with that shy look she got sometimes, as if it would be some huge imposition.
It made sense with that visiting thing, didn't it, to take a gift?
“He likes the iced raisin and apple doesn't he?” Tor mentioned casually, trying to make sure he remembered correctly.
“That's right, how did you know that? Are you… using magic? I though you weren't supposed to yet…” Her voice was worried so he kissed her as a distraction. It seemed to reassure her a lot most of the time. People in general liked contact, but Nita was a special case, wanting it more than most. Was it because she was a little insecure for some reason?
“Silly. I don't want to die. Not that reading a field is that big of a deal, I mean, you're doing it right now, and so is Karina. Most people do it all the time on some level, they just aren't aware of it. I just worked part of the festival at Debbie's last year and Collette requested them for him, that's all. I don't think he and I have ever even met. Should I go without you though? I don't want him to think…” What? Tor didn't have any more to say, but Nita nodded and filled in what she thought he'd been saying.
“That I'm just a laborer for you here, instead of your girlfriend. But if both of you go and tell him that I managed to actually get some attention without having to pay for it, he'll stop worrying about me some small bit. Maybe. Even if I don't get married, I can show him I'm not alone any more. At least for now.” The words were firm, sharper than anything that Tor had heard before from the woman, so he gave her a solid nod.
“Then we'll follow your suggestion and take him some hand pies if we have to make them ourselves.” Well, he knew how, and come to that Karina had helped him make some before. An actual palace baking emergency when a kitchen had caught on fire.
Gerald and Gemma had set it on fire come to think of it…
Well, they'd done well with the super-weapon so far, so it probably wasn't a problem. It wasn't like they'd done it on purpose, just accidentally dropped a large pot of oil that caught fire, that was all.
They didn't talk on the way over, Karina seeming subdued, but lovely. Before they walked in Tor kissed her hard, enough to get her attention, so she took a deep breath. One that caught a little in her chest as if really worried or even scared suddenly.
“Alright Tor. Let's do it. If we have to fight, start with force lances, we can work up from there.” The order was at once military and absurd, but Tor showed her the white and multicolored glowing thing he kept in a small pouch on his hip. The top of the bag got left open slightly for easy retrieval. As weapons went it was powerful enough. Lilli wouldn’t survive it most likely.
“Ready.”
Inside the bakery was busy, but not slammed yet, being the day before the actual celebration began. The little device shop next door was active too, busier really, with a half dozen tall people walking around and a few well dressed kids doing the same thing. One, a teenage boy, about way too old not to know better, grabbed something from a display and tried to run out. Karina reacted instantly, her left leg flashing out across the tender shin, tripping him painfully, because her shield had engaged and took him about like an iron bar would have, since she was the one in motion. The new fields did that.
All the kid was bringing to the experience was soft and fragile flesh and a bunch of pain. She didn't move at all either, when the legs hit, all the force on her dispersing harmlessly into the floor with a pop. Force lance suddenly in hand and pointed at the chest of the boy on the floor, she spoke softly.
“If you have a ball of lint in your hand I suggest you show me now. I'd hate to use an explosive weapon in here over nothing. Let's see it… now.” Her voice was sing song and light, not even mean overly. When the boy, larger than she was by half a foot opened his hand a small glowing white piece with a simple sigil in red on it.
Tor nodded.
“It's a restroom.”
The boy must really have to go bad, Tor realized, since the penalty for stealing something that expensive would be a lot worse than the humiliation of wet pants. Plus, the shop had a restroom, and Debbie would have let him use it if asked. She was nice like that.
Tor slipped a truth device on the boy, he'd taken to wearing several over the last days. For some reason when one person needed one, several often seemed to at the same time. Then they questioned the kid, who tried to lie first thing, of course, which made sense, having been caught with the stolen device in his hand. He wasn't stupid though, after the third wrong answer and black aura streaking out of nowhere he cringed and just started telling the truth. Karina nodded encouragingly, still holding a weapon on him. It wasn't as dangerous as she'd claimed, but could still kill him, not having a shield or armor on.
“So… I got into town three days ago and went walking, because I was bored… and met this girl, Lilli? She has One brown eye and one green, it's exotic. She said so several times. Anyway she's good looking enough and I don't exactly have a lot of friends here, right? She told me that she'd get her friends to, you know, spend time with me, if I got her something from here. She didn't say what it had to be, just something. I didn't know what it was, it was just closest the door. God, don't tell my parents! Just… dump my body somewhere or… send me off to a mine! I'm strong, I can work hard, and I promise I won't run away or anything. I give my word.”
Odd thing was, he was telling the truth. His offer to go to a mine for forced labor willingly was an honest one. How bad were his parents if dying or a life of hard labor and an early death were honestly preferable?
“How about this, if you’re willing to die anyway, I'll give you this device… no, wait…” Tor looked at the display and picked out a bed and a decorative light display. Girls liked pretty things, especially shallow ones that weren't too bright, like Lilli. He traded the restroom out and explained what he was doing.
“These, they're probably more what would tickle her, don't you think Kari?”
Karina blinked, then nodded.
“Yeah. That would do it. All you have to do is help us catch her setting up thefts. I mean, she's really doing it, and corrupting a nice boy like you, who did you say you were?”
“Um, Jerral Derring. Countier Fourth. Third now… my sister died…”
“Karen.” Tor fought the grief from his voice, but not all of it left. She'd been his friend, they fought the fire in Ross together, he missed her and it showed enough Jerral's eyes went big as he nodded. “So you're Davies brother? Well, as half your punishment we're turning you over to him for the week then. He's in town. Expect a few beatings. Can't save you there, and you know, you kind of deserve it. This was about the dumbest thing I've heard of in months. Still, is it a deal? You may even get some sex out of it. If so, have fun. Meet us back here in the morning, if she tries to send you again or if you find out about her sending someone else, not just here, but to any shop or… anything really. Deal? No parents involved at all, if that's what you want.” It was, it turned out, a deal. This boy was truly afraid of Count Derring.
The one time Tor had met the man he hadn't been wild about him either, but it was a stressful day, so Tor had decided to cut the man a little slack. This… Well it didn't say anything good about the guy at all, did it? The boy left, but promised to do what they asked, in exchange for some beatings from his brother, and a chance to not have the guards called. Tor took back the Truth device and sent the boy to collect his reward. He wondered if he'd actually get anything for it?
Box came out of the back room holding a tray of delicious smelling hand pies and set them on the display rack, smiling hugely when he saw Tor and Karina.
“Hey! Well, as I figured, my little friend dried up and blew away about the time she figured out I wouldn't steal from my sister for a bit of tail. Well, plenty of fish, and it's King's week. If you can't get laid then, when can you…” He looked at Karina and winked.
“Begging your pardon for the language miss… unless you’re interested? In that case I'm-”
That earned him a slap on the arm from his sister who’d walked up behind him, “You! Keep that up and you'll drive off half the female customers. Word gets around you know, the Capital isn't that big. Tor, I wish I had you back as my assistant this week. This one’s a dog, and only half decent as a baker. Say… care for a job?” She laughed at her own words, but Tor nodded.
“Yes. Kari here too. She has no real experience, but she'll work hard and won't complain. Oh, and we both work for free, so that's a plus. We'll even take the morning shift? We both have duties later in the day and we may not be able to make it each morning, but…”
Debbie clapped and Box looked pleased rather than put out. Maybe he thought he could score with “Kari” if she was going to be around? The man wasn't bad looking, so maybe he could? It was worth it for him to try, as Tor could now attest. If nothing else it gave him something to look at other than his sisters customers.
Debbie sold them the hand pies for Bonita's father, trying to give them to him, but he wouldn't hear about it. After all, it was a business and besides he wanted to buy all the things he could from her possible for the King’s week celebration, which meant increasing production greatly. Box both liked and didn't like that when he realized what it meant.
“Ahg, never getting laid again, am I? That schedule won't even leave time for a professional girl… Well, I'll live. Done without before a time or two. Or six. Hundred? Six hundred? That sounds about right. See you both tomorrow?” Worried about getting some or not, the decent looking man eyed “Kari” pretty intensely then.
Speculatively.
It was just on the verge of creepy to Tor, but that might just be jealousy. Karina seemed pleased enough at the lingering glance, didn't she?
As they walked out, strolling so they could talk without calling attention, a dozen hand pies in a nice covered basket they'd bought across the street from Debbie's, Karina turned on him.
“So, working in a bakery is our cover, so we won't be noticed?”
“No… that's just for fun. I'm on vacation, remember? This way we can spend time co-opting all your old friends against Lilli and then turn her over to the King personally for leading a theft ring and coercing people into it. I mean without it being work, directly. That's obvious, right? I mean, you wouldn't be doing it, except for fun, or as a lark at least, right? So your dad will have to agree that I'm not doing anything too work adjacent?” It was kind of a real point, if a bit of a trick. Not that the King wouldn't know, but he might let it slide.
Tor kept talking, working through it all on the fly.
“He'll… probably go easier on her than we would, not wanting to punish her just for hurting your feelings, but it's a real crime and she does kind of have to pay for it. I could look the other way if it was just me, but if she's stealing from Debbie, who else is she doing it to? Besides, this is all new information and you're not part of her group now in any way, so we don't have to mention anything you did back when. Really we should try to get the others out too if we can. It sounds like they weren't any more guilty than you were.”
That got a nod and a guilty look at the ground. She'd done her share of things she wasn't too proud of she murmured. Then she told him that she hadn't been able to get in touch with the others at all, but then, while she knew where they lived, for the most part everything had always gone through Lilli, so short of visiting, she didn't know what to do. The answer seemed easy to him.
Visit.
It might be hard on Karina, he warned, if they were truly on Lilli’s team still and had decided to hate her now, but it would give them a chance to get out from under the ax before it fell if they were clever enough to take the chance.
The walk only had one turn, and Tor had been there before, once, so ten minutes later they were at the Baron Coltress' door, gifts in hand and smiling, the older man had light blond hair shot with silver and still managed to look stately and somehow younger than he should with a twenty-seven year old daughter. He was a good looking man, which probably explained all his attractive daughters.
“Hi!” Tor offered brightly. “Bonita sent us, with gifts? We're, um seeing her? She couldn't get away today, working with the Queen on the enhanced celebration thing, but she thought you might like to meet us?” His voice was a question the whole time and made the man frown and shake his head for some reason.
“Why won't you people leave my daughter alone? She's a good girl! She deserves to be treated with respect, and not made fun of by noble snobs and brats that have too much coin and not half enough sense for their own good. Tell me what they paid you to set up this… whatever this game is your playing, and I'll give you double to go away and leave my baby be. Triple if you'll tell me who paid you first!”
The man was close to being enraged, almost growling, except that he was sad too. It made Tor wonder what people had been doing to his Bonita? If her own father had this kind of reaction to them…well, it couldn't be friendly could it. Karina stepped forward just slightly and bowed a tiny bit.
“I don't know if you'll remember me? I had a different haircut then, and my hair was more red, the dye is wearing off so you can see the color? Anyway, I'm Princess Karina Cordes and this man is Torrance Baker, you know, the Wizard Tor? I suppose he could do magic tricks and I could stand around looking regal if you don't believe us, but Nita really is seeing us both, so we kind of need to prove the point to you I think.” Her voice held good humor even though the greeting had been more than a little harsh and off putting.
Tor took it as a father doing his job and protecting his child, as was correct, even if he didn't know why exactly, but didn't expect Karina to act that way. It seemed that once again she was more than a little full of surprises.
Six amulets later the man relented, and decided that they were who they said, since actors wouldn't have access to that many magical devices all at once and making a magical carriage and house appear one after the other in the front yard was a bit telling, especially since you couldn't even buy the carriages anywhere yet. He'd seen Tor before apparently, but the hair hadn't been so long. Tor brushed it back so it wasn't in his face. Laughing Karina tied it back with a truth amulet on a hemp string, wrapping it into a pony tail. The man bowed then and smiled.
“Ooh, hand pies? The right ones too! You must be a wizard then, well come in. So both of you are seeing Bonita? That's a bit of a shock.” The man didn't sound pleased to be saying it, but didn't hesitate either.
Tor tilted his head slightly and watched the man for a bit as he looked into the covered basket again. Giants did like to eat, as a rule.
“We are, and she's been staying with me at my house. Um. She has her own room there though. I don't want you to think that…” Tor blushed and shook his head, wanting to wince and shy away from things.
“That's not totally true. She has a room, but she's been sharing a bed with me.” Getting ready he moved slightly in front of Karina, in case that news triggered a combat rage in the Baron.
Instead the man just smiled.
“Oh? Well good for her! About time something went right for her in that way. Things haven't always been easy for her. It isn't fair at all. Come, let's chat in the drawing room.” He pointed the way with his left hand, the right holding the handle of the basket firmly.
The talk didn't last too long, but the Baron did get an invitation to dinner, Karina couldn't be there, palace duties, but Tor would be and she promised to send over Alphonse if she could. After all, they wanted to keep at least one watcher on Tor at all time to make sure he didn't do anything too close to real work. Apparently the King and Queen were in on that one too.
A real royal conspiracy.
When they walked out Tor hit his Not-flyer and looked at her sideways. After about fifteen seconds he grinned and looked where he was going.
“But if Rolph wakes me up the same way you did this morning, I'm leaving the Capital and never coming back.”
Karina giggled.
“I'll be sure to warn him about that. Really I think he just wants to get laid.” Giving him a sideways glance she grinned.
“Female company, most likely, though you are rather attractive. The palace is a little dry for all of us, honestly. Everyone is either a diplomat, dignitary, or related by blood. The servants are off limits in general, so that leaves almost no one. Your place is much more interesting! Plus the spies are all available for sex. Sara Debri, she's kind of cute, isn't she? Do you know if she's seeing anyone in particular?”
Tor thought about that. Did he know? She was cute, and lived on a military installation, sort of. If she wanted men, she had them. That didn't take a genius to figure out.
“Well, your brother for a while, maybe still, I don't think they've really stopped seeing each other. Me a little, about what we did, a bit more, a bunch of times. Um, maybe Ursala? I don't know on that, they never said one way or the other, but they had opportunity if they wanted too and both of them are great, so why wouldn't they? Are you interested, do you think?” That would be interesting, wouldn't it?
Karina tilted her head, clearly copying what he did all the time, and smiled a little.
“Well, I'm not that into girls, a diversion really. Bonita was only the third for me and you were the fourth guy, so I'm not absolutely certain. Can I… Do you think I could really be your girlfriend? I know you can't speak for Bonita, but will you, I mean do you want to? I…”
They were moving so Tor didn't kiss her.
“I'd love to. Though at this rate I think I'm going to start messing everything up soon. I can't pay proper attention so many ways, can I? Well, at least everyone else has people too. Trice certainly seemed happy to see Ridley last night. He's a good sort though, so I can't complain there, and really, all we've ever done is kiss a few times.” It was true, but Tor suddenly felt embarrassed and that must have shown on his face because Karina smirked.
“You and Ridley? Well, I'd better leave that out, or Alphie will feel you're putting him off a bit rudely, don't you think? I mean, you two have been best friends for a long time, years now and you're both good looking, so you'd think if you were going to do anything with the man it would be him. Really, you probably should, just to cement the relationship.” She gave him an odd look, one that spoke of thoughts he was glad he didn't know.
“I meant Trice, thank you very much.”
That got a laugh, “Sorry, misunderstood for a second, that's all. Really? You didn't even test her out in bed? You were going to get married. I mean, I slept with Raul just to see. He looks wild, but he's actually a good lover. Kind and gentle, attentive. I should have done more with him, and not gotten sucked in with Lilli. Yeah, Raul isn't as good looking, but looks don't matter that much do they? I mean, a good soul Counts more, right?” The tone was plaintive, as if begging him to agree. As if he wouldn't? It was just true.
“Kindness, a good heart, intelligence, all these things are more important than looks. But you're cute. Good enough looking that I'm getting looks as we go past people, saying, “how did he get to be with someone like her.” Though that might have been about the height difference too. People could be judgmental that way.
The Princess didn't say anything for a minute. Finally she cut her Not-flyer and settled in place, he had to float back about fifty feet to stand next to her.
Her voice was low when she spoke, not angry or sad now, but serious.
“They aren't looking at me, not at all, they don't even see me. Oh, a girl floating by, which is still interesting, even in the Capital, but not me. Even if they realized who I was, most of them wouldn't pay that much attention, not with you here. You're wonderful. Lovely and magical and brave. If I asked the next woman that passed if she'd like to have sex with you in an alley what do you think she'd say?”
Um… get away from me you freaks? Tor didn't say that, not wanting to be insulting, so he shrugged and paraphrased.
“Probably something shocked and frightened? I mean, who wouldn't? That's a weird thing to say to a woman at random, and they'd be within their rights to call the guard and have us both beaten. We'd have to let them too, because we'd deserve it.” Tor nodded at her confidently. After all, who did something like that?
Karina didn't wait, stopping a pretty woman walking along with another female, who wasn't as good looking, but smiled at them as she stood slightly behind the first woman, which made her face seem kind and friendly. Both were dressed in clean clothes that looked well used, but didn't have an air of lower class to them, so merchants maybe? They both looked to be about thirty or so, but well kept, even so. Tor nearly fainted when she actually said the words to the first woman, asking exactly what she'd said a few seconds before. The woman looked at him hard then Karina. Then she surprised him, because instead of calling for guards, or even telling them to get lost… she smiled.
“How much?”
Without hesitation Karina said a gold. The woman countered with five silvers, since she wanted to save a little money for the celebration, the woman behind her offered three silvers if he'd do them both. Four if he'd use his mouth, she liked that better than regular sex anyway, she let them know. Karina clarified that to oral sex and not kissing, which seemed to be an important point to her. They agreed and money changed hands quickly. Too quickly.
He hadn't been able to do more than stammer a bit during the negotiation. Everyone had kind of just ignored him too. Like he was incidental to the process. A good being sold. No one asked the opinion of a hand pie did they?
It made Tor feel a little sad for the pastries in Debbie’s shop.
The whole thing left him feeling shocked and speechless. It was a trap, one built for him personally, and so well that he couldn't get out of it. Refusing them now that they'd paid would be worse than calling them ugly, and even saying it was a joke would probably hurt their feelings. They weren't ugly or even women he wouldn't have liked to spend time with in general, but there were two of them and… he wasn't a whore. Was he? Apparently Karina thought differently and had just sold him as one.
Talk about rude.
Tor found himself led by the Princess to an alley just as she'd said. In the end he serviced both of them twice, once each with his mouth, one with his hand the other his manhood. It was embarrassing at first, but he let go of that and tried to focus on using all he'd learned and practiced to make sure they had fun. No matter what, they'd paid a lot for him, so giving them less than the best he could manage would be unconscionable, right? Both women handed him a coin, an extra silver each, as they left, and gave him a groping hug, but when one, the prettier of the two, tried to kiss him, Karina intervened physically, an arm across the woman’s upper chest, and gave her a stern look.
“No kissing. That's extra.” It was almost comical. After all that kissing was an issue? It was absurd.
So much so he nearly cried.
Tor felt used as they walked away. Not by the women, who'd paid a fair price, more than fair he thought, not really knowing normal rates, but by Karina. She turned to him though and kissed him, the taste of the women still on his lips, in his mouth. If she minded, it didn't show, instead she hugged him tightly and whispered in his ear huskily.
“So… yes, Tor, they want you. No games, no set up. We could do that again and double the price if we went to the nice district and probably get ten golds if I hit up some of the dowagers that have come for the week. A full gold for an hour’s work… A good girl whore would be out here for half the festival to make that, unless she offered really kinky things. Before her pimp took most of it. They didn't know you were the Wizard Tor either, or a noble at all. Just some good looking, and as it turned out, talented boy whore. Do you really not know what you look like or something? You're always so down on yourself. It seems phony you know, you always pretending your ugly or a troll or whatever.”
Oh. That.
“Yeah… Burks, Count Lairdgren, well he explained that, it's part of my pattern. He said I was really good looking, but basically I can't see it in myself. I don't, even when I thought he looked good when he de-aged himself. His real appearance is basically like this, I guess, exactly really, same age and all. Taller obviously, by about five inches. It's that Ancient thing. Your parents told you?” She might have forgotten, it wasn't like it would have mattered to her at the time, right?
It turned out that finding out a friend of yours won't age, and might live for thousands of years or more wasn't something you just let go of and didn't think about. She shrugged and offered to buy him something with the money he'd earned. After her eighty percent of course.
“Wait, pimps take that much? Why? Protection… but it isn't that dangerous is it? Do they have to fight every third man or something?”
Karina didn't really know herself. It was the tradition though. As it was she kind of felt she might have gotten taken on the price for him. Talented boy whores were hard to find. Especially famous ones. She'd make a killing, she informed him wickedly.
“So, you really, honestly, don't know what you look like? It… explains so much. Like why what Maria Ward and Cousin Patricia said about you hurt, even when everyone else probably just wrote it off for the most part. They were angry and said obviously untrue things. Like when a girl claims a man has a small penis or isn't good in bed, even if their huge and wonderful at it? You're a stupid and ugly boy? Hardly. Anyone looking at you knows it isn't true instantly. Maria probably didn't even think about the words she was saying and just let loose with the worst things she could think of. The rest, well, not everyone is tall, but it's hardly a crime, or even unattractive, even to noble women. A lot of noble women actually prefer their men to be smaller than they are, it's a power thing you see. They can feel dominant that way. You like having sex with men? Well they probably hoped so. I'd kind of like to see that myself… maybe later? You like children? No one that's even stood in the same room with you would think that, not if it was longer than ten minutes at least. No one would ever have thought what they said was true hardly at all. What Lilli said about me, now a lot of that was true. I'm not that pretty, and no, it's not like you where I just don't see it. Cute? Sure, I clean up well and all that, in a three hundred gold dress with full make-up, but I'm not Varley. She's gorgeous, knows it too. But a lot of people probably didn't think those words would hurt you at all Tor. A regular boy maybe, or if you were really ugly or stupid, but you?
“But if you can't see it, that might make sense. Do you think your stupid too then?”
“About average?” Even having been told otherwise it was still his answer.
That got a nod, but not an agreement. As they walked she went silent and finally kissed him again. She didn't say anything else at all, so eventually they went back to the palace and she traded places with Rolph who patted him on the back gently, not triggering the shield at all.
“Alright Tor? You look confused and baffled. More so than normal I mean. Anything I can help with?”
He didn't talk until they were well away from the palace outside the wall and part way to his house. Then he told his friend everything that had happened. Everything.
Rolph seamed… impressed really, which Tor didn't get at all.
“She sold you on the street, and the first two women double teamed you for a gold? Damn. That's… both impressive and a bit creepy. On her part. More than a bit. To copy a phrase of yours, “who does that?” I mean, I guess she made her point, but since when did she turn into an insane person? And why did you go along with her? You could have just said no and left, or told them it was all a joke… Of course you got free sex out of it, so there's that. I wonder if that would work for me?” He shook his giant head a bit mournfully.
“Probably not. Take the whole heir thing away and I'm just another royal out looking for some action. Women don't pay for that, they get paid for it. God I need to get laid! The whole time with Ferra… she was willing, but Gemma was right there, we slept in the transport mainly and the day I have sex in front of a thirteen year old girl is the day I cut it off and join a monastery. Fourteen… well that's legal and all, but thirteen is still just a kid. I don't suppose you have any extra girls at your place you could recommend me too? Over thirteen hopefully?”
It was a clever change of subject, subtle, and sensible. Rolph couldn't change what had happened and Tor hadn't been hurt or abused, not really. He could have walked away, just not without offending the women. But if someone they thought was a whore refused sex with them, what would that do to their self-esteem? Tor wouldn't have done that. Not ever.
Karina probably didn't know it, or wouldn't have believed it if she'd been told. It was just something that had happened, and he'd kind of found it interesting, hadn't he?
With just a little more rationalization Tor figured he could be good with the whole thing.
“Um, well, there are a lot of women there now and most of the women from Warden seem pretty friendly. Or… I think that if you were nice about it, Bonita Coltress would be up for it. I… just promise not to steal her forever, right? Collette might as well. She's nice, really pretty too, so I'd certainly ask there. Ursala, if she stops by of course. I'd like to spend time with her too, so if you see her first, remind her of that? Obviously if you're going to be married you get more attention from her, that's only right. Sara might be in. The rest are related to you. Well, Maria isn't… Collette is her prettier sister by the way. Have you met?”
They hadn't. That could work out then. The first time Tor had met her she'd been trying to meet Rolph at a party, there with Count Thomson. They might not like each other that way, or they could possibly both end up being too busy, but Tor could make some introductions. After all, Rolph was his best friend in the whole world. Any women should love him on sight, shouldn't they?
Of course.
A bit of giddiness ran through him at the prospect. It tickled his soul a little. Tor had never been in a position to set someone up before. Probably not a good idea, given his own track record in relationships, but it might be nice to try. Maybe he was better about it all when it wasn't him personally? When they got to the house, it was filled with people. About three hundred of them.
There was not one, but two new levels on the top, a new set of windows showed movement behind about half of them, a steady train of carriages ran the streets, mainly magical ones in a variety of colors and styles, noticeable because they didn't have wheels. Some were driven by Warden people and a few by Kolb's giants, some of whom Tor was used to seeing on the other end of a sword, usually with some pain involved. For him. They were all good, some of the best. Especially armed like they were right now. They needed to be updated, but they were better armed by far than the Royal Guard or the elite military units.
They found a harried and brittle looking Collette smiling as yet another person walked in, when Tor moved to her she looked at him, sighed and hugged him tightly, looking at Rolph with trepidation. The Prince smiled, but Collette narrowed her eyes, looking as if she'd hurt him if he dared to try and beg a room. They had the rooms, Tor knew that. If they didn't they could expand or even put up another dwelling somewhere else. It was probably the stress then, trying to deal with hundreds of demanding royals that thought Collette was a servant, not one of them. Not their hostess. Sounded like what they'd think at least. As a group.
Freaking royals and their entitlement.
“Collette, don't snap and kill us, please. This is Prince Alphonse Cordes, he wants to date you sometime. Possibly not tonight. I'm planning to run him past Nita first. Alphonse, this is Collette Coltress. I don't know for certain, but I bet if you help her right now she'll be your friend. What can we do to help?”
Collette laughed and hugged him again, then bowed to the Prince, and hugged him too. Tor thought it was a bit friendly since they’d just met, but Rolph seemed to enjoy it, so he didn’t say anything.
“Please? Help? Tor, could you guide people to their rooms and… Prince Alphonse, could you help me greet people? That would do I think. Half the people coming are being turned away from the palace, which is fine, we have the room, but they keep expecting us to wait on them too, and we don't have that kind of staff. Not even close. We can feed them and the beds make themselves, but they're calling for things like warm baths to be drawn up, even though the tubs are right there and all they have to do is tap a few sigils! One fellow even asked for a girl to be sent up to “relieve his tension”. When I mentioned we don't have anyone like that here, he suggested that I would do just fine. His wife was standing right next to him too! It was all I could do to not put him through a wall. How does your mother do it?” Collette looked ready to start ripping at her own hair.
Which would be a shame, Tor decided. It would make her look funny.
The Prince closed his eyes and focused, his clothing turning from a nice and friendly blue summer suit with no buttons into a dark purple and gold thing in silk and velvet, with the royal coat of arms over the heart. The shoes on his feet turned into black boots that disappeared under the pants, in all it looked a bit intimidating.
Opening his eyes he gave Collette a tight smile that Tor had seen made the business sharks of Debri house scramble for legal loopholes to keep themselves out of prison.
“I don't know how she does it really, but I don't think many men suggest she service them in her own foyer either. From this point on, simply direct anyone too troublesome to me. I assure you that mother only wanted people given a place to stay, there was no assumption that your guests wouldn't adhere to the basic rules of politeness and civility. Please accept my apologies for any hardship we've caused you and know that from now on I'll back you personally at need. If we have to fight, I'll go high, you take low, alright?”
The look Collette gave the Prince spoke of true gratitude then and she grinned. It was the happiest Tor had seen her in days.
Tor guided, carried bags and finally grabbed follow along floats from his room, using them to handle the luggage. It ticked him off that people weren't being nice to his friends. None of them were servants, except the palace staff that had come to help, and they were guests in a way too. Friends come to help, even if they were being paid for it.
It would be rude to kick people out, wouldn't it? Maybe he should set up another place and let the trouble makers get their own food and drink? Tor considered the idea for a while as he walked people to their rooms and helped them get set-up. Most of those were, if not polite exactly, no worse than any stranger would be in a new place. After his fourth trip he came down to find a fight going on in the doorway. Not just an argument either, and actual fight.
An attack really.
A rather drunk, and decently large royal in black, glass bottle of clear amber fluid still in hand about half gone already, punched at Collette with his right fist. The bottle in his left started to swing like he was going to hit her with it. She didn't move, much, just blocking on instinct, but as Tor and Rolph ran towards her position the bottle hit her shield, splashed stinking liquid all over, which was followed by a tinkle of glass as the bottle snapped in the man’s hand, meaning the blow hadn't been playful in any way. The fellow was at least forty, decent looking, but nothing special and didn't seem to get that the pretty blond girl in front of him wasn't there to, as he put it “get on her knees and lick his ass”. If there was a ruder thing to say to someone trying to help you, Tor couldn't think of it. Of course being impolite wasn't something he'd ever excelled at, was it?
The worst he'd ever done was tell a man to go fuck himself. That person being Countier first Scotty Ross, a man that was perhaps the single biggest human being Tor had ever seen. Even other royal giants called him a giant. Easily ten feet tall. Muscled too, like Count Ford, it wasn't just the thin tall build of the King or Rolph. Tor thought about this at that exact moment because the man himself stepped up behind the loud and rude drunk, placed his right hand on the top of the others head, and picked him up by it. The man kicked and flailed for a second, but then stopped, realizing perhaps that twisting around by his head might not be the best idea in the world.
The voice was deep and calm sounding this time, instead of all tense and angry sounding like it had been every time he'd spoken to Tor.
“That's rather a lot to ask of a woman you're assaulting at the moment, even if you can't manage to hurt her. That should be a signal to stop, don't you think? I'm pretty sure she's wearing a shield and the way she was just moving, I'm pretty sure she's about to kick your ass if you don't stop, even if she doesn’t have one.” Without any perceivable effort Ross turned and looked at Collette.
“Excuse me please, my lady…”
“Coltress. Collette Coltress. May I help you?” She said with a genuine smile. Of course reeking of liquor or not, her antagonist was still dangling from the larger man’s hand, which had to be uplifting, given everything.
Tor liked it.
“Perhaps… Do you have a room? I have my family with me, four of us, but we can share, this year a lot more people have come down it seems and we were told we should try here, but that nothing is guaranteed. Obviously we'll understand if there's no room left.”
Tor walked towards the man who's face fell a bit when he found out it was Tor’s house. He went still when Tor bowed humbly at the waist and apologized for what he'd said and done the last time they'd met. He didn't bother with a truth device, because he wasn't certain at all that he really didn't think the man kind of deserved being intimidated by a young man literally half his size and a sixth his weight. The guy had kind of asked for it. That didn't mean it had been right of him to act that way himself though.
Scotty looked at the man he was holding up, “I can't really bow back at the moment, not without falling over…”
Ah, that made sense.
“Well… I think for my part, that if you say, took that man and set him down outside, I wouldn't be displease with that at all instead. I don't know what the rules are for drunken nobles… Prince Alphonse, could you help me with this? I'm lost here.”
That didn't take him, it turned out, just Rolph and a few of the Ward people, so he showed the Ross family to not one but two rooms. Then he fixed the beds so that Scotty and his eight foot tall son, Gary, wouldn't hang over the end. It was the work of a few moments to make the beds extend, the sheets and blankets with them. They both thanked him as if that were special. Before he left Scotty's room the giant bowed.
“I pushed you. Back then. At the fire. I was wrong. I apologize.” It wasn't a good one compared to his, but Tor had probably had more practice lately. A lot more. He bowed back.
“Well, it was a tense thing, with the fire and all that. I hope we can be friends in the future? Generally more fun over all, Don't you think?”
“We're friends now? Good, I won't have to feel bad about staying at your place uninvited and eating up all your food then.” The tone was jovial so Tor winked and left them all to settle in.
As he walked away Tor seriously decided to get Collette to order in extra food. Those guys were huge and Gary was looking to end up at least as big as his father. Larger probably if he kept growing into his twenties like most of the nobles did. Maybe a few whole cows would be good? Or a dozen pigs? They could get the Warden people to help them dig pits to roast them. Tor wondered if it would work in the dry soil around the Capital.
The whole thing was a mad house, but the drunk was gone when Tor got back to the foyer, which calmed the tone down a lot. About twenty minutes later Tor happened outside to see how the set up was going, and found the drunkard sitting on the bench of the ducking booth, which was filled with ice water already. It seemed to be a test run, though a small crowd was gathering. Collette had donated several hundred pounds of ice for it. Wise, since they needed to make sure any problems were fixed as fast as possible.
The whole thing looked good, very festive Tor thought. Brightly colored in purple and gold, with a green border, since Lairdgren was sponsoring the event. It had a clear front that was probably a shield, not glass, but not one he'd made personally. The effect was good, you'd be able to see the desperate and cold nobles as they sank. A rather angry looking Collette was hurling balls at a red and white target, each one getting closer as she got a little practice. On the seventh one the ball did its job and the man dropped, submerged in the water, going wide eyed for all to see, and then came back up, screeching.
Heh. Cold water was cold. Go figure? It served the man right though. Who treated someone as nice like Collette in such a fashion? As it was Tor wondered if he should kick the man out anyway, for having assaulted his friend like that. He decided to, then and there, making a point of telling everyone that could hear, including Collette. When the noble climbed out of the water, a hard task without help, the booth designed to make it so it seemed, he pulled the man aside.
“Right. You're not welcome in my home any more. If you have people with you, they can stay, but you have to go and find other accommodations. If you can't, you can sleep behind the main building, but if I catch you accosting any of my friends, or guests, in any way, I won't be nearly as polite and forgiving as this, do you understand? As it is you can bet that the Queen will hear about this. We’ll try to avoid telling the King, because Richard would likely come and kick your behind himself if he heard. Consider yourself lucky.” The part about the King wasn’t true, but it made for a nice counterpoint to just “telling” on him.
The man blanched and cursed a little, but didn't try to hit him or anything, which he'd half expected really.
Tor went back to work and wondered what the next day would bring. He really kind of hoped it would just be easy for once. Eventually something had to be, right?
Right.