by P. S. Power
"Good enough point. Alright, well, after we finish, let's go see to all that? I have enough gold with us for the trip."
She just ate then, her eyes wandering back over to him more than once, since there wasn't a lot else to look at really. The waves were beautiful, and ever changing, but lacked novelty after a bit. So did he, but there was a certain amount of duty involved in her actions, he realized. Just like he needed to do the same, acting like they were really married, even if it was a bit of a joke on some levels.
To that end, after he tossed out the remaining food that they weren't going to finish he turned the water pump off and then picked a half dozen tropical flowers for her. She was already in the pilot's seat when he got to her, settling in to leave. It was interesting, since the world was filled with greenery and flowers outside, but her eyes actually lit up when she saw the clumsy clumps of color in his hand.
"Oh! For me? They're wonderful!" For a half second he wondered if she were over acting on purpose or if it was just habit, but she took the flowers, tied together at the bottom with the stem of a totally different plant and smelled them, seeming far too overjoyed. "Thank you!"
Then, without thinking about it, she moved forward and to the side, so that she could kiss him. It wasn't what he'd been going for at all, but at least her head wasn't above him. That would have been too much. This way she was below him, sitting as he stood, and she had enough control of herself that, while the kiss was on the lips, she didn't use her tongue or try to turn it into anything more than a simple thank you.
Of course they had nothing to put them in, so they ended up being laid on the shelf in front of her, so that she could look at them while she flew. He didn't argue that, as the man, he should be the one controlling the thing. She did a good enough job and needed the practice with the larger kind of craft. She owned one after all, so it only made sense.
Warden was to the east a good way and north of course, but not so far that it took all that long. They flew over the southern gulf for most of it, keeping the coastline in sight to their left. It was the longer way to make the trip, but they wouldn't end up overshooting and were still there less than two and a half hours later, so Timon didn't complain. He did reach out and change the color of the craft while they flew, without asking if he should. Or, more to the point, he didn't change the color, but made it glow brighter, so that it was a more vibrant green and red. It was still close enough to Noram Day for everyone to have their decorations up and while people might get that a giant mirrored craft was him coming to visit, they might also panic and run away in fear.
Trice lowered the thing slowly over the front lawn of the Ward estate. Even with the craft being as huge as it was, there was room for it. Ward was a rich County and the Count's ancestors had grabbed up land in the city early, so that they could have their huge Palace and what amounted to an un-walled park. The local people were even there, walking through it and staring at them as they landed. A few looked scared, but as Timon and Trice got out others waved and a few called out happily enough.
Timon waved back.
"Hello! Just come to visit and shop in the market. Happy New Year!" It was close enough to that time that everyone at least waved, and then went back to whatever they were doing. For most that was eating lunch. It was warm enough that they were dressed in loose white clothing for the most part, a few wore other colors.
Trice waited for him to finish that up, since it was important for business to be friendly with as many areas as possible. Doing otherwise could lead to higher prices, or a lack of interest in dealing with him. It didn't take long, which meant they got to the door before it opened. Landing a giant craft on someone's front lawn kind of got the attention of the people inside however, and Trice had barely pulled the bell once, the clang it made being deep and pleasant, when the thing opened.
It was a guard that opened it, his clothing in deep blue and yellow, but with the Royal livery on his chest. He was an older man, but fit. A Royal Guard, but not one directly assigned to the King or his family.
"Oh? Is Kedrin Cordes here then?" Timon said the words happily enough, since he didn't care who was where really. The words got the angry looking man in the doorway to stiffen, and start to pull a weapon from the pouch on his side. Tim grinned and then bowed, keeping the angle right for a Countier coming to visit the household of a Count. "We've come to see the Count and his lady wife. Would you pass that message to them? Tell them..."
He paused for a second, but Trice smiled and put her left hand on his shoulder possessively.
"Tell them that Countier Lairdgren, Timon Baker and his wife, Patricia Baker, have come calling, please?" She didn't bow to the man, but he stopped going for a weapon and just stood, looking at them for a while. Then he waved to the side, which apparently was enough to have someone running away to report that they were there.
A few minutes later a man in all white, with dark skin and a happy smile was busily looking at them. Timon didn't know him, but the man clearly recognized Trice.
"You're married? Wonderful ma'am! Please, everyone is off in the cool room. Come this way."
There was no introduction, and the butler, if that's who he was, chattered the whole time they walked, so that they'd feel welcome, no doubt.
"Things have been a little strange here for a while. I wish... Well, you know what they say, if wishes where fishes and all that." He didn't comment on Timon's age, but then, he looked older now, didn't he? He'd been wearing the disguise amulet the whole time, since the wedding. Except when he was in the bath. That probably meant he was subconsciously aware of his youth, and didn't want to stress Trice out too much with it. She hadn't mentioned it and it was, really, a great idea. After all, half his problems in life had been due to his age. Without that being as apparent, a lot of things would be easier for him, wouldn't they?
The cool room had wicker seats that he'd seen before, since Timon had actually been there a few times, even if on those occasions he'd been led there by the Count himself, or his wife. There were several people sitting there. Maria, who was wearing a pretty dress that was nearly see through it was so shear, her Count, with his great dark looks, who took up one of the half shell seats by himself he was so huge, and another man that did the same. There was also an older woman who looked to be in her late sixties or so, who had very clear eyes and white teeth, meaning that someone had provided her with a healing amulet at some point in the last months. The resemblance to the Count and Petra was enough that Tim didn't need to ask who the woman was.
The others were people that, from their clothing, and size, had to be nobles from other areas. They all had reasonably dark skin, but the clothing, while similar in style, was different and slightly lower quality than what the Ward's or Kedrin Cordes wore. That made sense, being they were all clearly in magical garments.
Timon bowed at the door, but didn't get to say anything, since there was a sudden rush toward them, Maria coming at them like a wild woman.
"Trice! So good to see you! I was worried that our current... dispute, with your Uncle would have caused a rift between us. I hope that isn't the case? I've missed you." She showed that then with a less than discreet bit of kissing that would have made Timon feel jealous, if he were a little less apathetic than he was.
Marvin smiled gently and looked at him, his eyes confused for half a second.
"Timon? Something..." He shook his head and then shrugged his massive shoulders. "Forgive me, I must have mistaken you for someone else."
"No, it's me. Here..." He switched the disguise amulet off and then back on for them, which got everyone to stare at him for a few seconds. The Dowager Ward smiled and looked at him very frankly then.
"Clever. Are you Timon Baker then? Petra mentioned that you were very intelligent, as well as nicely appointed, as far as looks went."
"That's me. We're on our..." He nearly called it a wedding vacation, but these were nobles, so he used their word for it. "Honeymoon. Hence me looking a bit older. L
ooking younger than our years is a family trait, so I thought that I'd even things up a bit that way." It was as good an explanation as any and if it wasn't true, totally, it was enough for most people.
It was instantly clear that he'd said something wrong, since no one spoke for a time, about fifteen seconds, and then Maria turned to him, her arms still around Trice warmly.
"Wait... You two are married? As in a real marriage, or is this for some other purpose?"
Trice rolled her eyes.
"It's real. Done at the King's Palace with half the nobles in the land attending too. No one can doubt it." She didn't explain the reason behind it at all, and no one asked. They couldn't over the sudden, very happy, screaming.
"Trice! Oh! Congratulations, this is so wonderful!" There was general squealing and dancing in a large circle then and Maria pulled Patricia around with her. Marvin stood too and moved to clap him on the shoulder, which made some sense, being that they were friends, after a fashion.
What was strange was that Kedrin did the same, his face nearly splitting in two for some reason.
"That's wonderful! Timon Baker... Countier Seven Lairdgren? I have that right, don't I? Todd, Tiera, Timon.. Then Tess and Terry? No, that isn't right, Terry then Tess." The man listed them off on his fingers, much to everyone's amazement.
Trice actually froze and went wide eyed.
"You memorized all his siblings? I haven't even done that yet. We can work on that later. But, yes, this is my husband, Countier Lairdgren. We had the ceremony yesterday." She took his hand, as if waiting for someone to call her on the fact that he was a child, but to that end, the disguise seemed to be working. Even the King's brother didn't mention the fact that he was only twelve, even if it was clear he understood that. Tim wrote that off to his probably knowing about Rico Gala. It would explain why he was so happy that Trice had gotten married at least. Unless he was just that wowed by the fact that Timon had.
The other people in the room looked... Pained, to tell the truth. No one introduced them at first, which meant they were left sitting there, watching everything without being included. It was a man, who looked to be about in his late thirties, a woman that sat close, so was with him, most likely, either a wife or girlfriend, and a boy that was about sixteen or so.
Timon smiled at them, commiserating a bit since he felt a bit out of place himself. The interaction got Kedrin to nod at the people, his face a little troubled.
"Baron Michael Eager and his wife, Stephanie. This lad here is Wallace, their son and heir. It seems that our current... dispute, with my brother, has harmed their business. They have a concern that makes wood products, but need shaped edging equipment and can't get it right now, since most of the builders that can do such work live in areas that can't be reached easily right now. I don't suppose that you could whip some up for them, could you?" There was a playful air to the words, as if he didn't think anything of it and was just trying to tell a joke, if a bad one. "You can do that while Maria and I whisk your wife away and entertain her for a few hours."
There was a strained laughter then, and a slightly hard look on his wife's face, Maria actually seemed to be considering it seriously.
Timon looked at the man hard enough that he took a full step backward, and held up his hands.
"I meant no offense. It was only that I too, know what it's like to have a brother of great renown. I shouldn't have teased you like that..." He bowed then, which got everyone else in the room to do the same, as if he were going to fight the man or something over mere words? Who did they think he was, Tiera?
"Of course. I was just thinking that it might work better if Maria and Trice had some time alone instead. You want shaped cutters? Can you draw the patterns you want? That shouldn't take long. Specialty work, so five hundred gold per unit?" That was merely a guess as to the regular price for such work, and the Baron took a sudden breath, being taken off guard.
"Can you go lower than that? We need ten units, but only five different patterns. If you could do the work for three thousand... You can do the work?"
That was actually the case, as unlikely at it had to seem to the man. Five different fields would take a full day, however. Cutters were simple enough to make, but holding a novel shape for each one would be extra work. The Baron seemed eager enough, but was trying to talk him down a little too much, especially given the situation.
"Four thousand, and I'll have them to you by morning. Only if the Wards agree to have a party for my wife however, to keep her entertained. We're on our honeymoon after all. Horrible of me to even consider it, for mere gold, but I don't want to leave you in dire straits either." Not that they seemed to be in that kind of a situation, not if they could afford thousands of golds like that.
The Baron tried to talk him down on the work, then, rather rudely, demanded that he show that he could do it at all. As if putting forth the pieces the next day wouldn't be enough? Kedrin looked scandalized, but before he could do more than sputter, Timon nodded.
"Alright. Give me the shape for the first one." It was a strange design, meant for decorative edges on tables and dressers, but not that hard to hold, just being a bent line. He didn't have anything silver to make it on, but Wallace actually pulled a small bar from his jacket pocket.
"Um, will this work?" There was no etching on it, and it looked like it was well worn, a lucky charm or something, but it was nearly the correct shape.
"Almost perfect. Here... let me see."
It was just a test, but no one cared if he closed his eyes. It really didn't take that long, being very nearly a copy of things he was well used to making, so two hours later they were able to test it, edging a plank that some of the servants got for them from in town while he'd worked. Kedrin smoothed his mustache and stared at the Baron hard.
"I think you owe the Countier an apology for doubting him." That changed the air in the room, but the Baron stood to bow, and started to lower himself to the floor.
Trice looked away, since it was too much for the situation, but didn't call out for the man to stop. The Baroness and her son stood and started to do the same, which got Marvin to tense up a lot.
Timon winked at Michael before he did much more than bend his knee. He was a tall man, but only about seven feet. He looked short compared to Kedrin or Marvin who were both about nine feet.
"Apology accepted. Now, if someone could find me some working materials? Oh, here Wallace. Your silver back."
The boy looked at it, then shook his head.
"It's magic now. We have to pay for it."
It was a good point, but why the man would need a lucky charm that made decorative edgings Timon didn't know. He really should have made a regular straight cutter on it, he realized, so that it would be of actual use to him.
Timon just smiled and pressed it into his hand, since it would be easier to put a sigil on things that didn't have a strong field on it already. It would make him seem generous, when he really wasn't being that at all. The thing was worthless to him and wouldn't make the exact same kind of edge as what he made next, which might be important for the work they needed done.
Marvin set it all up with a clap of his hands, which sent servants scurrying in the next room, from the sound of it.
"What a grand adventure! A solution to the current problem as well. Thank you Timon. I promise that Maria and I will look out for your lady wife while you work and we won't let Kedrin at her. This is a good reason for a party." He stood, as if to leave the room, but didn't, just calling for some refreshments instead. It was nearly time for mid-afternoon luncheon after all.
The building itself was pretty boring, but good practice he figured. It didn't take that long either, About half what he thought it would, so he was able to join Trice and Maria at the party, just as it was winding down, about ten hours later. It had taken nearly an hour for him to make the simple sigil designs on the metal, using a cutter he already had for the work. It made the metal glint a little in the right place and was prett
y enough. In this case the marks just showed what the cuts would be, so looked like bent lines in different shapes.
The Baron and his family had already gone to bed, it being about one in the morning, but there were still people dancing and music playing, as well as people drinking. Trice had been doing a bit of that herself, and smiled at him loopily when he walked up.
"Timon, husband of mine! Come sit down..." She pulled him close, even though there was no chair for him there. He snagged one with his foot and ended up between Maria and Trice, with both women smiling at him. "You're so cute. You made the magics already?"
"Yes, sorry about disappearing like that, but..." Well, it was rude, but it had given her a chance to pass whatever message she needed to. Plus there was all that gold. That was hard to turn down, for a few hours work, even if building wasn't his chosen field.
"Good. Maria and I were about to go and have sex in the ship. You can come with us. Don't worry. We won't hurt you..." She laughed, but it sounded a little mean. Like she knew that she was pushing him. Maria actually reached out and grabbed his behind then, holding her hand there long enough that it was starting to become a problem for him. A real one.
He was stiffening and not in a good way, or an expected one. In a few seconds it would become apparent too, since a sudden chill was running down his spine. It wasn't a good thing. If he pulled away it would be seen as a rejection and while the movement was a bit pushy on her part, it wasn't like they'd never met before, was it? She was even pretty and was just doing what any normal boy his age would secretly be hoping for.
She also didn't let go. Her voice was also a bit drunk sounding, which... Timon noticed that while they were both acting intoxicated, neither smelled overly of alcohol. That meant they were faking it. If that was the case, then they were trying to get him alone on the craft for some reason. Or maybe they just wanted to be alone themselves and that was a very good place for it?
"I suppose. Remember, I don't have a clue what I'm doing, and..." He didn't know how to announce that he wouldn't be able to do much at all, which wasn't up for discussion anyway. Trice took him by the hand and pulled him out of the white wooden chair, her steps awkward and clumsy. Not too much so, but she was clearly acting more drunk than Maria was.
