by P. S. Power
"Patricia Alison Morgan, do you accept this man, Timon Grenworth Baker, as your husband, for the rest of your days?"
There was a pause, but it wasn't that long. She even sounded sincere when the word came out.
"Yes."
"Then, now and forever, I pronounce you man and wife."
No one had told him what he was supposed to do then, so he moved in and kissed her. Thankfully she went along with the idea and did it back. After all, it was what you were supposed to do.
With that, they were married, and everyone stood and bowed towards them.
Taking her hand, he led her, his new wife, out to meet the world.
Chapter seven
Timon was almost instantly lost in the crowd of tall people that had come to greet him and Trice as they walked out of the chapel. It was always like that, even in Two Bends, where everyone would have known both of them their entire lives. Or at least him. It was pretty normal to hold the ceremony in the girl's home town however, and even if the Capital wasn't that for Trice, she still knew most of the people around her.
He'd met a lot of them, but, as always, they were giants in the main, so he couldn't see much at all, just a press of bodies with one of them occasionally patting him on the head. Like a dog. Because nothing made a day special like being treated like a pet, did it? He forced a smile and made himself go blank inside, just watching what was happening. There probably wouldn't be any real danger, but saying the wrong thing or even seeming snippy could set off a chain of insults and hidden attacks with this crowd. Really, wasn't that what was going on with the Queen? He'd said some things that made sense to him at the time, but that she took offense at, and instead of just calling him on it, or taking him over her knee for a spanking, she used intrigue. Or at least social pressure and tricks, to take him down.
No one had told him what the plan was for the rest of the day. Normally, if this were the kind of wedding he'd seen before, there would be a meal, dinner given the hour, and cake. Then he and Patricia would be off, for their wedding vacation. That was normally two weeks, but some took longer. No one back home took less time than that really, but what the rules were here he didn't know at all.
There was a plan to sell, so Timon took Trice's hand, half expecting her to throw him off, now that she had what she needed from him, which was a shield against having to marry someone else. She could be rude and drive him away even, and it wouldn't make a difference. If that was her plan, she was saving it for later, since she actually gave his hand a squeeze in return and moved closer to him, her left arm against his.
"This part shouldn't go on too long. A few minutes, as long as Tor doesn't provide a fireworks display. I told him not too, since we aren't Lyn and Dorgal, but it's hard to tell what he's going to get up to at any given point." Then, for some reason, she kissed him on the cheek, which had the few people close enough to see it back off for a moment. Whispering into his ear she chuckled. "Then we can get out of here. Any plans for the honeymoon?"
Timon had heard the noble term for wedding vacation before, but hadn't realized it would be his job to come up with something. The whole point would be so that they could be alone, to do the things that married people did. Trying to start a family. Since that wasn't happening, he'd need something a little more adventure driven. Then again, she was clearly needling him for her own amusement, because she had to know that he wouldn't have a clue toward that end at all.
"Yes. I was thinking that we'd try out one of my new Fast Craft and go to all of the other lands for a visit. Spend a few days in each place. Maybe even Afrak?" Now that Gray was gone, it made sense to him. He could even get a bit of business done at the same time, and there really were places he'd wanted to explore, but hadn't, because he was busy working all the time.
The dark haired girl, his wife, looked at him as if truly shocked.
"Really? That... actually sounds fantastic. I wasn't thinking that we'd be doing much at all, since, you know..." It was too obvious a thing for her to say in the crowded space, but there was no need to answer, since her mother and father were suddenly there, along with his.
A large hand pounded him on the back. Duke Morgan seemed to be happy enough and didn't look at him like he was stealing his little girl away or anything. That part was nice. Her mother moved in and hugged them both at the same time, which got his to do the same thing.
It was Eric Morgan that did the talking for the group, which was handy enough, since it meant he didn't have to speak much at all. No one really expected him to feel too comfortable it seemed. Especially his ma. She actually had that wicked expression on her face that she used when she thought her stupid male offspring had walked into something that would require her aid to get out of.
Timon just smiled back at her, his eyes looking down into hers now, if only slightly.
Duke Morgan shook his head.
"Well, I never thought I'd see the day, but here she is, my baby girl, all grown up and married. So, what plans do you two have?" It was such a common question that the words seemed to just slip out, though the man had the good grace, and intelligence, to wince a little after they were spoken. It wasn't a smart plan to put someone on the spot like that, after a rushed emergency action like they'd just taken. The large turnout had probably made the man forget it wasn't some long term plan. His wife seemed about ready to step in at least, but Trice moved closer to him, and in return he put his right arm around her back. It wasn't easy to do, not without tensing up, but Timon managed it well enough. Any tension would probably just seem like nerves, which most would forgive him for that day.
"Timon and I are going on a world tour. Then we'll be settling here in the Capital for a while, since this is the headquarters for his business. After that we haven't decided. Possibly purchase some land somewhere? I have some of course, but it's all the way up in the Duchy, so we'll probably just put up a little cottage there, for visiting purposes. It's never good to be too close to the parents after all." She grinned charmingly, and said the words as if they had an actual plan set up or something.
It really was, he realized, what they'd discussed. She wasn't setting up anything that hadn't been talked about at all, and most of it was even what he'd said they should consider. For half a second he felt almost grown up.
His father had his pipe clenched between his teeth, even he was dressed as a proper gentleman, so he didn't have to say anything, but there was a sage nod before he spoke.
"We should talk, before you leave. Just a few matters..."
From behind, and well above, came a deep voice, which caused him to turn to see that he had a wall of giants behind him that had totally snuck up on him. For half a second he panicked, even after realizing that he knew them all. Counts Peterson, Thomson and Prince Alphonse all stood there, smiling happily.
Thomson had his sister Terlee right next to him, her hands folded peacefully into her wide sleeves. Her gown looked heavy and a little prim, but that was so she wouldn't accidentally be better looking than the bride on her special day. For his sister it was an actual danger, so it was nice of her to have taken steps. She wasn't even wearing makeup, probably for the same reason.
"I had Tovey speak to him earlier about all that, father. I wasn't certain if there would be time later. Besides, I'm almost certain he already knew. He's older than he looks." She managed not to seem all that shy, and actually gave both Trice and he a hug as well, before backing off.
The Prince waited for a bit, even as the others said a few words each and moved off, which meant that Tor came over and stood with him, since they were best friends. It took a while to work through everyone, even though he'd been promised it wouldn't be that extensive. It was mainly his fault, since he actually knew the people from overseas, and Kincaid had come along with Denno and the Austran Ambassador to watch what was going on. They had three people working hand held cameras, as well as one that simply floated above the crowd, making half the people more than a little uneasy. There were two Royal Gu
ard who did nothing but stand and watch the black device that floated above them, making its low hum the whole time. Each had a weapon out, ready to destroy the thing at need.
Kincaid moved in and gave him a kiss on the cheek, her eyes light and cheerful.
"Is the traditional orgy next? We need to know, in case this is going to become adult themed. The way things are done here are so different, and this is going out to almost everyone back home." She didn't whisper at all, which got interested looks from everyone that was close enough to hear her.
Trice had to cover her mouth, because she was in real danger of laughing in a very unladylike fashion, and the Ambassador looked ready to actually burst into an angry tirade, since it could have been considered rude of her to say out loud like that. In Austra at least.
"Nah, that's not the tradition here at all. Just a meal, some sweets and us leaving for a few weeks so we don't have to put up with the in-laws. What do you do over there?" Timon was actually interested, because, while they had marriage, he didn't know the customs there at all. Maybe they were the ones that had orgies like that?
Disappointingly, Brown chimed in then, dashing that idea.
"Pretty much the same as here, if I have it right. We didn't know that we'd be allowed so much access to you, so didn't plan on anything in particular for this part. We have some questions coming in from people in Austra, if you have a few moments? We completely understand if you don't wish to however, on this most precious occasion." Like always, he sounded smooth and pleasant. His smile was both relaxed and grabbed attention too, the cameras all moving to point at him, except the automated one that flew above them all, which pointed at him and Trice, since it was run by a machine that didn't care what they looked like, but only what the actual subject of the moment was. In this case, at a wedding, that was clearly the people that had gotten married.
It was tempting to beg off, since the people of Austra could be pains in the ass with their questions and prying, but he needed the business contacts and trying to avoid them wasn't going to work very well at all.
"A few, I guess." He turned and saw that Tor was standing right behind him, which was just as well, since odds were half of the questions would be addressed to him.
That turned out to be wrong. None of the ones that Denno asked, looking at his compact, which had to be a special one that used a satellite relay to reach them, had anything to do with his brother at all. It was probably just that Brown wasn't asking those, but maybe the people there weren't as silly as he sometimes thought they were? Different didn't always mean bad after all.
"Here we go. Jonathon Lyde asks: Do you think that the importation of fresh foods from Noram will increase, now that an exchange rate has been established?"
Before he could answer at all Trice jumped in, her eyes looking very happy.
"Yes. We have a new kind of cargo hauler that will help a lot with that, bringing things in the same day, fresh from the field. Timon made them." She smiled at him as if it was the greatest thing since bread had been invented.
It was very cute, he had to admit. Accurate too, as far as that went.
"The increases amounts should help bring the price down as well, meaning that more people will be able to get things. We'll be looking for people there in Austra to act as sales agents for the goods. After the Honeymoon, of course."
The questions actually went on in that vein for a while, but they were rescued by the Prince, who looked at his watch covertly and stepped in, after about fifteen minutes.
"Sorry to interrupt, but we should all move inside, I think. It's nearly nine, which is when dinner will be served..."
The meal was, as always, very good, but Timon felt like it was passing in a blur. He was a bit surprised to find Trice actually staying by his side the whole time, instead of sneaking off to talk with her friends, or even have sex or something outrageous like that. It made sense not to, since the plan was to make it all seem very real, but she was clearly taking it all to heart at the same time. At least outwardly.
She was trained well, in the arts of spycraft. If he'd had any doubts about that before, they were gone now.
He didn't shove cake into her face, even it was sort of expected. The actual thing itself was huge and lovely, having five tiers built into it and taking a magical float pallet to bring into the room. It was cream colored and had a nice frosting on it. The cake was a simple white, but was delicate and vanilla flavored, which was an expensive spice to use in the amounts that would be needed for this sort of thing. The event dragged on, with dancing after, and then people watching them open presents, of all things. Some were useful things actually, for the home. Very few actually provided things for the bedroom, except Ali, who did it with a chuckle, coming up separately from her husband to deliver a set of magical devices that produced vibrations in the air.
That was telling, since Tor actually refused to look at her when she did it. Trice actually seemed miserable for a few seconds, but his sister in-law shook her head and leaned in.
"Don't worry, he's being a bit of a stick in the mud, because Timon is so young, but he isn't mad at you." She actually leaned in and kissed Tim on the cheek then. "Either of you. He understands now, I think. It's a good thing. After all, I don't want anyone to be hurt."
She did admit to having built the amulets she'd given them herself, but that just made them more special, rather than less.
Tor, for all he wasn't talking to his own wife for the evening, did manage to make his way over, half towed by the Prince, who seemed fine with the whole thing, and surprisingly, the King, who held back a tiny bit.
His brother sighed, but stuck his hand out, a small box being thrust at Timon.
"To get you started. It's just a house. One of the larger ones. I... wish you both happiness." If there was even a single part of him that actually meant it, that part belonged to Cordes, and lived deep inside the grudging husk that was his older brother. Still, he said the words and stalked off without saying that he thought it was all a huge mistake and probably a betrayal or something. Timon could even see how he might think that.
No one ever told him anything really, did they? Tor wasn't that great at seeing what everyone was doing either, so it meant things sometimes came as a surprise to him. Like Trice trying to get out of a bad arranged marriage. Timon would bet gold that his brother hadn't known about all that before Trice had asked him to marry her. If he had, things would have probably gone a lot differently, early on.
King Richard watched Tor move away and shook his head a little, which everyone probably saw, since it was sticking up so high, like a red beacon.
"I understand that you two might be out of touch for a while? I hate to ask, given the day, but if we need to move more troops into place, will your services be available?"
Trice, cutely enough, actually scowled and shook her head in return, but Timon shrugged.
"Yes. Arrange it with Collette Coltress for now. I'll leave a few extra craft, so that large groups can be moved that way. A thousand gold for every two hundred moved. Try not to need us personally if possible, for a few weeks." It was the kind of thing that needed to be said, with all the people listening, so no one even laughed at the words, as funny as they really were.
"Of course. Very good then. The troops in Rochester made all the difference, by the way. The enemy forces have retreated for now and the line is being held while others march into place. It's a bit more heated than I like, but I'd prefer battle not be needed at all." This part was, clearly, for everyone else listening. Not that the man didn't mean it.
"That would be ideal." Timon took Trice's hand again, ready to use having talked to the King as an excuse to get away, but the man didn't let him, clapping him on the shoulder first.
"Good!" The word was loud, and he spun them both around and actually started moving them off toward the door, as people turned in the ballroom, to look at them. "Away with you then. Go and don't come back until you're ready!" He was smiling hugely, as he m
oved them along with tiny shoving motions.
Everyone clapped and cheered a little, except Tor, who sighed and bowed a bit as they passed, which was polite, given he was sort of against the whole thing.
As soon as they were outside, Timon set up a craft, his old one that was faster, because it was set to be a fairly small mirrored cube at the moment and wouldn't crush anyone when it came into being. Princess Varley and her giant husband walked over, as well as Sara Debri, who had hung back all night, since she was half convinced he hated her now. It wasn't true. It never had been.
She hugged her friend and smiled at him, not moving in. The Princess spoke then, her voice low, but friendly.
"We'll deliver the gifts to your home, Timon. Everything will be taken care of. You two go and have fun." There was a grin that wasn't really very Princess like, but rather spoke of what kind of fun she thought they'd be having. Princess Karina managed a smile for him too and waved from a distance as they loaded up. There were hundreds of people outside, surrounding the craft, and they cheered as they left, which was pretty much the tradition everywhere in the kingdom really, so he didn't take it personally.
He lifted in the air, but moved directly in front of his own little cottage a few moments later.
"We should get our things and move out before anyone realizes it makes more sense to put us to work." He made himself sound decently friendly about it and Trice chuckled as he put the craft away. His trunks were packed and she had a bag, in her room at Tor's Palace, which meant taking about twenty minutes to get everything ready, but that wasn't bad, considering she was a noble woman. Most of them took forever to get ready.
She didn't do more than hold his hand or put an arm around him, until he set up one of his new craft, made it fairly large, sitting in front of his own house again, and caused it to glow red, with a green stripe. There were people watching and enough of them figured out what was going on that they cheered as they lifted off. People in the Capital loved an excuse to hold a celebration after all. People everywhere probably did, if he were going to be honest about it.
