Counselor tya-5

by P. S. Power

  That left Tor to go to dinner with the royal family and Denno Brown, the Ancient of Austra. Honestly Tor didn't figure much would happen. They'd eat, make small talk and go to bed. At least Tor got a real bath first, in the guest house out back. It was his normal room, so he knew the way, and he even had a toothbrush this time. Really, Tor didn't want to sleep here, but short of going all the way back to school, or at least Two Bends, he didn't have anywhere else to go. So here it was for the night. Whee.

  The bath was delicious. It sounded strange to put it that way, even inside his own mind, but it was simply the truth.

  It felt so good to actually scrub his skin after all that, to wash away the stink of the escape and the four days mainly under water. He didn't feel tired for once, which was good. He almost always felt tired any more. It was like he was just running and never taking a break, but that was silly. He slept nearly every night, didn't he?

  Tor leaned back and must have dozed off for a time, because he felt someone straddle him and lock their mouth over his passionately. Gently, before he got his eyes open, a warmth eased over his manhood. Well, Tor thought as he struggled to the surface, at least it was a woman. It would have caused a scene if Denno had found his room and tried something, and on so many levels.

  So many.

  When he got his eyes open he was mildly surprised, having expected Karina, since she was pretty forward and aggressive sexually, but it was Varley, naked and pregnant, showing just a bit, riding him in the bath.

  “Hey.” Tor's voice was soft and a little baffled, but not too much. They were friends after all, and even been engaged to marry at one point, until her pregnancy by a different man had caused her to have to marry someone else pretty quickly. She was tall now, he noticed, nearly six-three, even sitting on him she had to work to reach his mouth with hers. That was all right, Tor paid attention to her breasts, which had grown a good bit, probably the first stages of what would happen as the pregnancy grew inside her. Not that he was an expert. He'd just seen enough pregnant women in Two Bends to know their breasts got bigger.

  She gasped and kept moving faster and faster, making sounds that were half pleased and half sounded like pain. Tor reach out to her field to make certain she wasn't hurting herself just to please him, but it wasn't that, these were just the noises she made. That was fine then. After ten minutes or so she stood and turned, facing the other side of the bath and asked him to enter her from behind. Tor was gentle with her and went slowly. At first. She urged him on, faster, until she almost collapsed on the side of the tub. He hadn't finished, but she obviously wasn't going to be up for another round just then. Oh well, it was a bit frustrating, but he'd deal.

  Chuckling, she splashed his groin with water and then washed him, clean, still hard, possibly more so than before. Kneeling she took him into her mouth, not being soft or gentle at all, working her lips and tongue hard, sucking and bobbing her head so furiously he worried for a moment that she might injure herself.

  Then it all hit him and he stopped worrying at all for a few minutes.

  When they'd both recovered and bathed she poked a finger into his chest, not a hard move, but not a tickle either.

  “Alright you, why exactly did you miss my wedding?” Her tone was serious.

  “Wedding? I… congratulations!” Tor hugged her warmly and then gave her a kiss for luck and then another one to hide his sudden panic. He'd slept with someone’s wife? A Count’s wife? He must have looked scared or something because she started laughing.

  “Oh, Raul is a nice man, once you get used to the looks. Smarter than you'd think too. Not at all jealous either, in fact he suggested that I seek you out and make sure we have a solid friendship still. Of course he said I should “screw your brains out”, but I decided that would be too messy, besides, you might need them later.” Giggling, something rare for her, she kissed him again.

  “Oh, also, wedding presents. Don't forget or people will think you're stingy, or, given who you are and what you've done for people, they'll probably think you're mad at me still for breaking the engagement. Not that I'd blame you for that, but… I kind of wish… well, never mind, done is done.”

  “What?” Tor dreaded the answer, but knew that he had to ask anyway, she wanted him to. “What do you kind of wish?”

  “Oh, it's nothing… just I would have liked to marry you regardless. Who cares if the baby looks wrong? We'd love her anyway and if anyone said anything we could un-invite them from all the best parties.”

  Tor nodded.

  He really would have liked that too, but as she'd indicated, done was, when you came down to it, done.

  Chapter Seven

  Tor felt his anxiety growing as he woke the next day. It was simple enough really, every second or third time he stayed at the palace, someone tried to kill him. Usually his new temporary boss, Smythe of Westend, but who knew what was coming this time?

  Tor decided, since he wasn't actually needed for any of the current things to run back to the school and see about catching up on his classes. He'd been working out, running and practicing his fighting skills as best he could without a partner, though part of that he had do to in his head, imagining the fights, because there hadn't been room on the submersed craft for any of them to be flailing around. They'd had to take turns even stretching. It seemed that the Austran method of seeing things in the ocean would see them if the craft got too big, or they could have had a lot more room.

  He almost got out without anyone talking to him, but he ran into the King, leaning his eight foot plus frame against a ten foot high open door.

  “Tor, fancy meeting you here!” He said brightly, his voice dry, rather than witty.

  Caught then.

  “Hmmm. Well, I'm running out, at least for a while. I have school you know. I've worked on what I could, even got Denno to tutor me in math, but I need my violin if I don't want to fail music. Plus, wife and friends to connect with. I'll be back later.”

  The King sighed and patted his back gently, reaching down to his own waist to do it.

  “I understand Tor, I just wish it didn't take seven hours to fly back here if we need you.”

  “Um, about an hour now.”

  The King looked impressed, “Really? New flying rig?”

  Tor explained the new carriage system to him and that he could bring back a few copies of the device that day, or if he wanted a lot more of them. The devices could be made at Lairdgren School after all. They had an actual thing going on there, he confided. Not that he knew what to call it, but the Lairdgren group was doing a good sight better than the major manufacturers so far. If they kept improving, which Tor knew they would, the numbers for things would probably go up greatly. Sure it meant less money for him maybe, but he had enough, didn't he? What did he need really, some food? The occasional trinket for his wife?

  Land?

  Richard let him go on the condition that Tor came back before dinner later that night. The King wanted him there to make Denno feel comfortable. The man was, no matter the circumstances, a dignitary, and that meant doing whatever they could to make him feel welcome. It would make the trip more rushed, but he'd deal. Maybe he could bring back Ali and Rolph for the night?

  “Is that all right? I'd rather my own bed, but if we wear shields all the time it should be safe enough.” He glanced at Richard warily, not wanting to be mean about it all, but not wanting to end up dead either. So far he'd been attacked less inside Austra than the King’s palace. It made a body leery.

  “Tor… It saddens me greatly that not only do you fear staying in my home, but that it's a deserved fear. I hope to do better in the future by you.”

  That was honest enough, no promise it would work or even that he'd really try, just that he hoped to do it.

  Grinning Tor laughed.

  “And I hope to pass economics, but if I don't go and at least see to my schoolwork a bit, Wensa's going to kill me and then where will I be? Failing even more classes, that's where.” That
Wensa would kill him for not attending classes was insane of course. Beat him in the commons… That was possible. It was even within the school rules, so Tor would have to take off his shield and let her, if she demanded it as penance for his having missed so much.

  He hoped not though, because as a Royal Guard, she could kill him that way. Maybe even by mistake and that would suck.

  The trip was smooth and faster than he'd thought by nearly twenty minutes. It took Tor a bit to understand, but the field on the fast carriage was based on organic principles, so it would keep trying to grow and get stronger over time, or should at least. Eventually the growth would stop, it would simply find a comfortable place and stay there, but for now it was exciting. Really, a forty minute trip was better than an hour by a lot. If they could get it down to half an hour, it would suddenly be a trip that could be made daily without hardship.

  He went to check on Ali first, knowing that showing up unannounced would probably lead to finding her entertaining some boy, man, or even fellow schoolgirl, probably naked or hurriedly dressing. Maybe even a couple at once. She was allowed, so it wasn't like Tor could get mad about it. Not really. Well, he could, but if tradition said she could have all the lovers she wanted, should he blame her for being good at finding them? It was a bit of a skill, wasn't it? Really, Tor decided, he should be proud of her ability to make friends so easily. It wasn't something he did half as well or as comfortably.

  So he made himself relax on the way, an act of will even knowing it wasn't a real problem, and knocked on her door firmly but without being the kind of pounding that some people used. The door flew open as if someone was expected, but it was Sheri who looked out and then grinned.

  “Alissa! Look it's your husband! Tor’s here! See, he isn't dead at all!” She pulled him in roughly enough that his shield activated, throwing her hand away with a painful jolt. It really felt like a solid slap, and didn't hurt that much, but if it was unexpected people generally yelped. Sheri did, but then laughed a little, too relived to care about a bit of discomfort.

  Inside the room sat a miserable looking girl, very light brown hair disarrayed, brown dress looking like it had been slept in and eyes dull and sullen. Had she been ill or… Or had one of her “friends” broken up with her? That could be hard on a person, Tor knew. He moved to her side quickly and wrapped her in a tight hug.

  If anyone had hurt his wife by being cruel, they'd be getting a piece of his mind, if not more than that. After all a whole brain being thrown had to be off putting. That would show them. The image caught him for a second, but Ali needed him. Whatever it was he was there for her.

  “Tor? Tor! You're alive? Oh gods! I've been so worried. Did they hurt you, do you-” She looked at his crotch less than subtly. Right Daria's threat to have him unmanned.

  Tor chuckled, not able to help himself, “It was all talk, I'm fine, the Ancient was rescued, if it was a rescue at all and I've come to take you to the palace for the night. Special permission from the King, so I think Hardgrove will let it slide, we're taking Rolph along too.” Tor turned and looked at the lanky and wide eyed girl that stared at him in amazement.

  “I'd take you too Sheri, but I have to ask first, so maybe next time? Or, well, Noram day is in a month, would you like to come down to the Capital for it? You don't live close enough to go home for that do you? Not that we couldn't get you home if you want. Really we should consider transport for everyone here. I'll have to see if anyone wants to work on that.”

  She shook her head.

  “No, I live about a thousand miles east of here, but I'd love to go, I mean if it's really all right. It's OK if you were just being polite, I'm sure the school celebration-”

  Tor nodded, “Is grand. But we have room and transportation, so baring emergencies? Really, you two should make up a list of who you want there, because I might not know all your friends yet. Different classes and that. Oh! Remember to invite the building kids too… Anyway, honey, we won't be leaving until about eight, so…”

  They made plans, exchanged hugs and kisses and groped more than was polite in front of someone else. Tor wondered if the other girl and his wife were lovers, but if so, Sheri had always managed to be discrete as the conventions required, so Tor wasn't going to ask. It would just make things more uneasy in his life and really, he didn't need that right now at all.

  The next stop was to get his class work. Really he needed to talk to Rolph first, but after what he'd picked up the last time… Tor hadn't thought about it much, because he didn't know what to think at all on the topic. Rolph loved him? As in, really loved? And wanted to have sex with him? It was too hard to deal with. He didn't want to hurt him, and really Rolph had never said anything and probably wouldn't, but could Tor manage to be the same now that he knew that existed?

  Should he?

  The plain truth was that the idea of having sex with a man… did nothing for him at all. Might as well be describing rocks and trees. But that didn't mean the Prince was in the wrong here, Tor wasn't even willing to really try. That was his failing not his friend's.

  Gah!

  Couldn't anything in his life just be simple anymore? So, he'd get his schoolwork first and then try to figure what the hell he was up to with his best friend. Maybe it had just been a passing thing? Worry because he'd been leaving? That might be it. Tor knew that he was lying to himself saying that, but screw it, if the lie got him through the day, he'd take it.

  Wensa drilled him on economics, which mainly dealt with accounting in the phase they were in, which was pretty much the same everywhere, and what Tor read about before he had to leave, because the instructor had ordered him to. Raising a single eyebrow she said he had a grasp of the material, but she didn't praise him more than that. She wouldn't though, not with him. They got along OK now, but they weren't exactly friends or anything and she seemed to expect him to pull miracles out of various orifices while at the same time hiding in the woodwork. Not that he wasn't good with that plan, it was just hard to do sometimes.

  The rest of his classes where pretty gentle about him having been gone, since the Dean had told them that Tor was away on a rescue mission. Not subtle at all, but true enough, he supposed. Instructor Fines handed him not one, but three new books to read on building theory.

  “Now, don't run off and do all of it at once, some of the things in there probably shouldn't be done at all, even if they can be, but it might give you some ideas.” The man seemed pleased and said that Tor could easily catch up if he applied himself and the kingdom’s needs gave him half a chance. It was a load off his shoulders to hear that.

  Really being gone nearly three weeks in the middle of a term should mean he had to repeat the whole thing, which would be a pain, at the current rate he'd be eighty and still working on the end of his fifth year. Sure there was time, but school was a means to an end, learning. That's what this was all about and just like he had the last time he was in school other things kept getting in the way.

  OK, so all the instructors were being really nice to him about it, which helped, but Tor felt bad about not doing his part as fully as possible. He decided that, just as soon as Denno was settled a bit there would be a serious academic push for a while. That planned out he went to find Rolph, who was actually in their room doing schoolwork like a good student, wearing plain canvas browns and brown boots. It made him look like one of the poor combat giants, instead of the Prince, but to Tor it was a wonderful sight.

  A hard working Prince not afraid to look humble, who didn't seek the best luxuries for himself even in private? Who didn't like that? The Two Bends kid in him wanted to bow and scrap a little at the sight. It was like something out of a legend.

  Rolph looked over when the door opened, a slightly shocked look on his face. That was understandable, since no one knew when, or if, Tor would be back. He jumped up and hugged Tor tightly for a long time, his feelings warm and friendly, a bit of love mixed in that suddenly threatened to overwhelm the poor guy, Tor noticed. He h
ad to know what was going on, so spying on his friend’s field was needed. At least he told himself so. But it was also unfair.

  To Rolph. The guy was great, fantastic even. His best friend and really, when it came down to it, Tor knew he loved him too. Not a huge love that overwhelmed him, but he'd die for him if need be and not even think about it. Or maybe even kill to protect him…

  That was the important part.

  There were a lot of people that Tor would die to protect, even some he didn't know. Any child or person that couldn't defend themselves for instance. He once went to his death, what should have been his death, for Maria Ward of all people, and he'd disliked and distrusted her more than anyone else on the planet at the time. But there were few he'd actually kill for.

  Connie. Yeah, Tor had kept his distance there and she hadn't pressed him for a long time on the matter, but she made the list. Rolph of course. What scared Tor a little there is that when he judged the feeling he was more willing to do it for his friend than anyone else. The implications really frightened him. A lot.

  Changing the subject he realized that Trice also made the list. Sarcastic, judgmental and sometimes bitchy about things that didn't even make sense, but she was his. If anyone tried to harm her, they'd die. Tor nearly laughed, which must have showed on his face, because Rolph let him go, looking embarrassed.

  “Sorry…” Rolph mumble, looking down, but smiling himself.

  Tor hugged him again.

  “It wasn't directed at you, I just realized something about the people that I'd protect no matter what, who I'd die and kill for, and the idea of me going all military commando and taking someone out just struck me as ridiculous, that's all. “Me mighty Tor, me crush you!” You have to admit, it's a bit silly.” Tor mugged a little and puffed himself up when pretending to be the big warrior, which got a smile.