by P. S. Power
My.
Tor blinked and just walked in, floated in, the others following without pause. Behind the counter a familiar form worked, efficiently enough it seemed. Tor's little brother Todd. If by little he meant younger, which the kid was, by a year, rather than shorter. Somehow he'd managed to stretch up to nearly five-ten or so. Otherwise he looked like all the kids. Pale, black haired and light framed.
“S'rih wit'o ifn pleasure.” He said before making a full turn, a tray of bread rolls needing to go into the rack.
When he finally turned, wiping his hands on a clean cloth, he stared, first at everyone else in the room, then back to Ursala, who was almost a foot taller than he was.
“Um, Welcome Lords, to this humble establishment, how may I be of use or service today?” He bowed and held it, not looking at anyone in particular, but from behind the counter.
“Hey Todd, ma set up a marriage for you yet?”
“S'Tor! Um,” he stood up and glanced at the others, “Sorry, I meant to say, no, not yet. Why?”
Tor shrugged and very purposefully didn't look around.
“Just keeping up with things. I heard a rumor that Countiers are far more popular than regular Two Bends guys, but so far I'm not seeing it myself.”
He made the introductions, or started too. Todd already knew Ali and remembered Trice. He even nodded to Ursala.
“Um, Countess… Thorgood?” He said, making it sound like a guess. “We met, briefly, at the King’s birthday celebration?”
“Oh, of course! You were there with your parents, brothers and sisters?” She spoke warmly, at least getting that being nice to Tor's relatives was a nice thing to do.
They made small talk for a while, Ursala moving closer to the counter and Todd getting each of them a sweet roll, orange apple. It was unique, but Tor liked it.
“You make these Todd?”
“Yeah, da said I needed to come up with some signature food items, maybe run them by you and see if you'd front me the capital to start my own bakery. I do deliveries too, which pays well enough, but I always liked baking.” He let his head hang a bit, looking embarrassed, probably because it was considered a low level merchant position and they were all royals.
Taking another bite Tor nodded.
“Alright. Pick a location when you’re ready and I'll do that.”
Ali walked forward, pulling something from her purse, from the sigil it was one of the new, more advanced houses. It took a second, but she started to explain quickly enough.
“This will make a good bakery and you can live in it too, so you won't have to spend a bunch of money at first building a real structure.”
It was a good idea.
A great one actually. He could have a baking castle with that if he wanted, which actually sounded kind of cool. All he needed was to buy or rent some space, which was doable.
“Good. So just send a note or come find me and it will get done, gold wise. Should have thought of it sooner. Oh, hey, want a job for Postern? Everyone else will probably be off playing, but there will be a lot of nobles around, so if you can impress any of them with your products, they might want you to set up in their areas. It never hurts to have friends. I'll rent you a space next to my place outside the Capital and you can give away what you make. I'll pay you for it. Get some of the others to help too. If you want.”
He grinned, a charming, if shy thing.
“That sounds like fun. We don't get to do much for Postern here. Just eat a big meal and talk about how important family is.” Looking at the others he bowed again, a small thing though, rather than the proper one he threw out earlier. “Which it is, of course, but it doesn't really make for stunningly fun times for some reason.”
Next to him, Alissa nodded, “we'd love to have you. All of you, Kari and I can help with the baking maybe?” She looked at Tor a little slyly, but didn't smile about it.
Well, as long as she didn't sleep with his brother, that worked for him. Karina could go too if she wanted.
“Hmmm, well, she does need a suitable match, Todd here is within the three steps even. I'll suggest it too her.” Trice giggled as she said it though. Probably because Ursala was turning a bit red. It wasn't blushing, Tor knew that because her eyes narrowed.
“I think not.” She looked at Tor and tilted her head, which looked regal on her. “Where is your mother, do you think?”
He had no clue, but Todd did. She was working at the central warehouse, setting up the schedule for the next day’s deliveries. The pointing finger suggested they go down the street to the new buildings, to the right.
“Thanks Todd. Hey, I mean it about Postern. You in?” He used the home tongue, which got his brother to grin.
“Hey, yay! Just to see the Capital would be nice. I always get the deliveries to the eastern coast. Never been down that way save the once. Think ma and da will be all right with it?” The cadence was rapid fire and without much pause. It was nice to hear someone speaking properly again.
“Should be all right. I'll clear it with them now if you want. Oh, um, what do you think of Ursala here? She's single and needs to get married and is really nice. I can suggest to ma that setting up a go between might be a good idea.” It took work not to make his tone teasing, but he managed it. Mainly due to pure lack of energy, but Todd just blinked and stood still for a second.
“Alright. She's very pretty and if you say she's a good sort, that's enough for me. I don't know that she'd have me, but what the heck? Ever since Vera married Lind Samson, there hasn't been even one eligible girl in town. I know, you'd think that glamorous flying men would get some attention other places, but people tend to leave us all alone. I think they don't want to risk slowing a delivery.”
With a wave Tor got them all going in the right direction.
The new complex was just a large empty wooden structure, at least it had no interior walls to speak of, just the outer shell of a building. It had stuff in it, mainly cases with float plates on them. At a square wooden table he found his mother, sitting alongside Tiera, who had grown to look very similar to, but not exactly like, a younger version of their mother.
Thank god. Now if it just meant she had a shot at being her own person and not another copy of Lara Gray, Tor would have to start believing in some god or another so he could thank them properly.
“Hi everyone!” Tor tried for happy sounding, which got attention at least. His little sister ran to him and gave a large familial hug, then turned one on Alissa, sized up Ursala and bowed, then saw Trice through the door.
Small hands clenched into fists as she did that and she stepped forward moving between Tor and the other girl.
“What, do you think you're doing here?” The girl said, her voice almost copying the royal accent perfectly.
“Bitch.”
Chapter Seventeen
Trice didn't respond at first, just hanging her head a little.
“Yeah, I know.” She whispered.
“That’s not an explanation.” The much smaller girl said, walking forward, looking ready to hit someone. More to the point, like Trice was about to get a beating.
That couldn't happen of course, because of all the shields involved, but it was kind of a poor way to start a conversation, before anyone could say anything at all, Ali shrugged and looked down herself. It was just enough to get Tiera to look at her.
“I'm sorry.”
That got Tiera to stop in her tracks. Her problem was with Trice, though Tor didn't know why exactly, but Ali apologizing seemed out of place. The smaller girl asked why she was sorry.
“After all, you didn't lay into Tor in public and then break up with him. You married him as was proper. Didn’t invite me to the wedding, but I understand there were circumstances involved that precluded that.” She seemed confused by the whole thing and it showed on her face.
“Oh… that. Well, I don't know what that was about. I was just saying that Trice is here because I asked her to come with us. I didn't know that you
'd have a problem with her. She's really nice though. I know that she and Tor didn't get married, which really worked out for me, so I'm not going to complain about it. They seem to have gotten over it though, so, shouldn't we?” It was sensible and said so innocently that even a bossy fourteen year old, near that age at least, wouldn't fight about it.
He hoped. Tiera kept glaring though.
Which made sense after a fashion. She didn't know the whole story at all. Tor told her. The whole thing, how the King ordered Trice to do it in order to find who tried to kill him. Since her own parents had been the likely suspects she did it, which, when Tor heard what she'd said, made him break up with her.
“So, you know, no debts between friends. It's past and all.”
Tor noticed that his mother looked a little shocked at what he'd said too, his little sister taking it a lot better, just throwing her long black hair over her right shoulder and… bowing.
“The error was mine then. I apologize.” It was grudging and a little tense in tone, but Trice just nodded.
“I get it. Thanks. I hope we can be friends too.”
That was… nearly perfect for the situation. In the city those words didn't seem to mean that much at all. Here, in Two Bends it was like she'd just sworn to protect the girl with her life. Tiera nodded then.
“Alright.”
That was all. Just an acceptance that they were friends now.
Laurali stood and walked to her son, who floated in place, hands by his side, trying to smile gently.
“So, what have you done now?” She waved at the air under his feet, nearly making him want to sigh.
“Pushed myself foolishly, building to the very edge of what I can manage. I'm a little surprised no one told you. I was working for about two months straight.”
“I… see. No one mentioned it at all. Well, you lived, which is good. I suppose it's going to take a few weeks for you to regain your health?” Her voice held and edge, so he shrugged.
“Most likely longer. I don't know how long. Half a year? Maybe more.”
His mother sighed and shook her head with crossed arms, “Was it at least worth it?”
“Remains to be seen. So far it seems to be.” He waved to the little dragon on Trice’s chest, which moved to look at Tiera when she got close enough. She tilted her head at it and it did that too.
“It's alive?” There was awe in her voice, since it looked like it lived in a circle of glass.
“No, it's just a field that responds to motion and Trice’s thoughts. The real field, well, that isn't my story, but it was needed at the time.” Then he shut up.
His mother wasn't happy with that, but after a minute she just shook her head again.
“So to what do we owe this visit? You didn't come to borrow gold.” It was a statement, not a question.
He explained quickly, a long range plan, that involved a lot of work, golds being spent by him and a centralized package delivery service. Added to the people moving transport system.
“There would have to be more delivery people ready to fly, and kind of spread out, but the transports would get the packages closer to their individual bases, so they could be home each night and only work most of the day, instead of all.” He gestured with his head to Ursala, who looked interested.
“She's in charge of the transport part of things. I can get the flight plates made, and other equipment. Or I can get the Lairdgren group to do it at least… What do you think?”
It was asked to the whole room, not just his mother. Tiera nodded as if considering something.
“That would make sense, we could cut the trips in half that way. Lots of fields though. Do we get them for free?”
“Nope. You have to repay the kingdom in good works. Taking emergency messages for people that don't have money, transporting goods in emergencies. That kind of thing. Though you, of course, will be off at school for most of this.”
The girl grinned, “I keep saying that, but Mother and Father don't wish me to go. They think it's too dangerous.”
That got Sandra to clear her throat. She'd been so quiet that Tor had forgotten to even mention her being there. He quickly made the introduction and let his head hang a bit.
“The school is secured now. Every person there has proved themselves honest and loyal. It's probably safer than almost anywhere else in the area. Even here.” Which got the girl to look down, since Tor's mother was staring hard and looked ready to snap at her.
“Um, so I was thinking, maybe we should get you all updated shields? I think the ones you currently have are class two? Tor’s-class two if I get the feeling right. You should all have sevens. I can do that, I think. If that's alright?”
First Tor blinked, then he nodded smiling again. Sandra was a good friend to have.
“And new flying rigs. I'd love to see what improvements you can make on both too, not just raw copies. Say a week? Shields first though.”
The girl just nodded but Laurali seemed offended.
“Why are you giving this girl orders Tor? She looks to be your senior by several years.” Her tone was so dry Tor thought he felt the water leaving his system.
For once no one said anything, leaving him to do it. Fair enough, his job after all.
“I'm the Magics Counselor for the kingdom now. Still, Sandra,” He turned to look at her, excluding everyone else. “Those aren't orders, just what I'd like to see. If you have your own stuff to do, well, I can't say much. It's worth doing though, if you get the time.”
His mother just gave him a look at that, as if being the Counselor of magic might as well be Counselor of annoying sons. She was good at doing things like that.
“Well. That's something then.”
Sigh.
He was just going to leave after that, but was a little surprised when Sandra stepped forward towards his mother and bobbed her head a bit.
“I'd like to start negotiations for marriage, if possible. I'll send a go between…” Looking around she glanced at Tor. “I'll send Tor as my go between. I've heard that works. He got Princess Abbie engaged to the Prince. For your son Todd? Countier five Lairdgren?”
Ursala folded her arms and made a disgruntled noise.
“Hey, I was the one talking to him in there just now. Hmmm. No fair at all. How about, Tiera, would you be willing to act as my go between in this? Otherwise I'm short an agent on the ground.”
The girl looked excited for some reason.
“Sure, but I want to see a write up on what you have to offer. I mean, if I need to make a full pitch.” She looked at her mother who just nodded.
It was the tradition, so they kind of had to.
“Right, Sandra, one for me too. We'll have to race that into place, Ursala is a shrewd and canny adversary.” He smiled though. After all, Todd had already suggested that she'd do, so that would kind of set his mind in that direction.
It was Ali who confirmed the Postern plans though and made sure that everyone was invited.
“The whole family dear?” Laurali said, her voice soft and kind when speaking to her. It always was though.
“Oh, I meant all of Two Bends.” She dimpled at everyone.
Tor just nodded. Why not, they were, by and large, his friends too, weren't they? They could send transports for everyone that wanted to go, even arranging day trips if anyone wanted to sleep in their own bed at night. It was only for three days.
His ma nodded firmly, but suggested they let Tom the Mayor know as well. If it were a serious offer. That took another half hour, but was worth the effort. The man laughed at first, but had to keep bowing to Ursala and Trice, as well as Sandra. He skipped Ali for some reason, even though she was tall enough to be royal in his eyes. Probably because she was simply family now.
That was how things worked there.
Then Tor just had to get with half a dozen people at the school to arrange things and it would all be set. He hit the group first, and made sure to slip all of them some gold. Lyn got more, but he was her
sponsor. Not that she needed it from him, having been making her own for months now. The coins in hand reminded him to check in with Ridley and Henry, since they were handling the schools funds for the students.
Henry pulled out a ledger and held it up so Tor could see it.
“The expenses out are a little higher than I thought they would be… We do have funds through the end of the month though. I… spent three gold a week on improving the food here. I know that isn't essential… The fine students, they complained a lot though. Is that OK?” The real question was did he have the right to do that, of course. Otherwise it could be considered theft of funds.
He did, of course. He was the man in charge of that and had really been rather frugal, considering the whining he’d probably had to put up with.
“That's good, nice call, I'll bring or at least have delivered another payment.”
Ridley didn't have much to add, since Henry did all the real work with the coins, he informed Tor with a wink. “I just get to yell at some entitles noble dinks every now and again. Keep them from acting like Master Tor owes them full upkeep and whores in town. I told them they could handle that for themselves. That ticked a few people off. I really just meant they could use their own coin, but things have been a little tight for some.” He chuckled, but didn't seem to be trying to make every other word into some sly sex thing. It just happened with him most of the time.
“Wait, we have whore in town? I don’t remember questioning any of them…” Was there a gap in his net? Did they need to rush the military back into place?
Ridley didn’t laugh for once.
“No, you did. A lot of the shop girls and waitresses make extra coin that way, especially on the holidays. It’s nothing official, but it helps keep their families fed, so no one minds much.”
“Oh.” That made sense then. Good. He was worried for a second.
