by Power, P. S.
Maybe he already was? It wasn't like him to get that angry and just storm off. Then that wasn't something he associated with the Count either. He kept floating, not speaking to either of them, heading to his Carriage. It really was stuck in the ground pretty well. He'd have to be more careful landing in front of his own place. The area was going to be a mess if he started leaving holes the size of this one all over the place.
No one said anything, but they climbed in and waited, so he just left, taking off faster than was normally polite from the Palace, but settling slowly a few seconds later, drawing it out over most of a minute. He even waited for the others to climb out before he turned it off, though it occurred to him he didn't have to. Tor wasn't mad at either of them though, he was just angry. Way more than he should be, even if he was annoyed by Burks and his stupid Ancient rules. Going weeks early just to wait for people when they didn't have to? It didn't make sense at all. Not for Tor. Probably not for any of them.
Sam peeled off at the front door, mumbling something about getting ready for the dinner later, if he was still supposed to go to that. Tor just nodded at him and grumbled something about it being totally separate from anything else. Even if he wasn't going on to the summit he'd already told everyone that he'd get the spies back to Austra safely. It was his duty.
"So that part still stands." He smiled, not meaning it, but trying not to blame a fourteen year old boy either. Man. Sam was young, but not a boy any longer. He probably hadn't been for a long time and that very day he'd fought with three very dangerous men to defend the King. You didn't do that if you were a child.
"Go to the meal and flirt with Karina. She's only two years older than you, or three, so you two could date or something. Probably not high enough ranking to marry her yet, but I don't doubt you will be in a few years. The King had to have noticed you tackling those guards of his brother's earlier, which is practically an act of valor. Two more and you can be a Knight. Then you just have to get a title as a duke or better and you'd be all set." Tor was teasing, but shrugged.
"Or, you know, you could just be her friend. That's probably easier anyway. Lots of women in the world after all and you're still really young. Might as well get to know some of them before settling down." It sounded like good advice to him, but Lyn chuckled.
He glared back, his anger at Green spreading to her. It wasn't fair though, so he tried to hold it in.
"Yes? You have a comment on what I said?" It sounded like he was about to hit her practically, which got her to sigh and shake her head.
"No, it's just that to me you both seem so young. I barely even remember being your age. Just lost dreams of a world that was very different. It really isn't a bad idea Sam. Befriending a Princess is a good political move. Really, befriending almost anyone is, until they fall out of favor. Why don't you go see to your preparations? I think you can talk to the woman in charge of the kitchens here for hints on how to act at the meal? That or your Sandra? She's a Conserina, so she should know what will be needed." She waited for the boy to make a hasty retreat before turning to Tor, the pleasant look gone from her face.
He didn't wait for her to speak, cutting her off with a growl.
"What's up with you neglecting to mention that you're the Ancient of Vagus anyway? No one likes to be fooled like that you know. Indeed... you probably have to know that, don't you? Being as old and wise as you no doubt are. So, I don't suppose you had a real reason to blind side me like that?" The words just popped out, anger behind them. He didn't mean it, but she nodded at him and took a single step back.
"I... Originally, when we first met, I didn't know who you were for certain. I thought you were Green you know. I almost called you that, but you just sat and shared a meal with a bunch of children you didn't know. It seemed so out of place. Green is a kind man, as are you, but he wouldn't have trusted a group of new people so easily. Age causes you to become jaded. We've all had children used to try and kill us. Except you of course. I wondered then if it was just happenstance that you looked like him. Good looking people of the same race all have similar features after all. Then I saw the magics you wore. So many of them and all things that marked you as Tor. People talk about you, in the Capital. It didn't take me too long to figure out that part of things.
Magic was why I'd come, all those years ago, setting up as a cooper, since I know that skill well and everyone needs barrels and casks eventually. I tried to learn how to build on my own, then save enough to get into a school after I decided that would be easier. I hadn't even thought of a scholarship for it, since I'm not actually a child, until you suggested it.
I wasn't trying to trick you Tor, I just didn't know what to think when we met, even as I figured out that you must be a clone of some kind. I still haven't worked out how Burks and Lara did it. Even if Green had sex with your mother it's impossible for you to be as identical to him as you are. Nearly perfect. I figured that someone had to interfere in the genetic line directly, but Burks claims he didn't. My bet would be Lara anyway, she's the master of such things." She spread her hands and smiled.
"So I didn't mention who I was. Because honestly, there are only a few people in the world that could create you, and I don't think Burks would lie about it if he was the one behind it. Lara wouldn't either, not that I've asked.
Brown could do it, of course, in fact he's probably one of the best in that field in the world, after Gray, and has been for thousands of years. That only leaves Blue. Since she and I are pretty much enemies, I want to blame her for it, but it probably isn't the case. That's the suspect pool though. I don't think anyone else could do it, not that has a reason too that I can see."
Tor blinked. It was a lot more information than he'd expected from her. Really he'd figured she was just going to claim he hadn't needed to know about her.
"So, you hid who you were because you think that someone is watching me?"
"Oh... Tor... I know someone is watching you. Trying to kill you too. I even know it has to be one of us. I'm just trying to figure out who it is before they succeed."
Chapter three
"I know. The voices of all the people I've killed keep telling me that too." Well, not all of them. Count Derring hadn't been bothering him at all lately and when he had it was brief and rather more polite than the man had been in life. True it was all about Tor's own subconscious mind, but it meant that he knew that something like that, people trying to kill him, was going on, at least on some level.
"It could be any of you. Denno seems nice, but for nearly two years I was hunted by his Larval assassins. The first time they tried for me I wasn't even anything more than a school kid. Tried for me at Lairdgren, kicking me down some stone steps. Do they normally get used for annoying schoolboys though?" He knew they didn't. They didn't even get used for pain in the rump world leaders most of the time. Mostly just other killers, people that couldn't easily be controlled by any other means, and most of the time that was done in Austra, not Noram. They were the last resort when the law couldn't handle what a person was trying to do and no one else could stop them. Tor would have thought it sounded heroic, if they hadn't come after him so many times already.
"Burks could be the one, but I can't see why'd he'd be doing it so quietly. He's a Count, he really could just order it done. Well, not now maybe, because I was named Magics Counselor, but before that he could have. Or, you know, just hired it out to someone that would take care of the job quietly.
You're kind of in the same position. If you wanted me dead it would have happened already. Not that I think you do, but I can't see why any of you Ancients would. Most of you haven't even met me, and this has been going on for years, hasn't it?" Tor locked eyes with the girl in front of him, the Ancient woman, who didn't do anything at all for quite a while.
"That's the problem then, isn't it? Your whole life has been monitored and measured, controlled and influenced by forces that shouldn't even have known you existed at all. This might have even started before you were b
orn. But no one going through all the trouble of making you in the fashion they did would try to kill you now. Whatever the experiment is with you, you aren't a failure. If anything you've exceeded the design in many ways. You're a better builder than Green is for instance and he invented the skill. You're also getting work out of kids that clearly has to do with your direct influence ability. You tell the kids to succeed and they managed to do things far beyond what's considered possible and keep doing it. I've felt that effect myself you know, it isn't a minor thing. Clearly a command level power. What I don't know is if it's related to your building skill or if it's genetic." She paced then, not saying anything for nearly ten minutes as she covered the fake marble floor of the front room many times. It had throw rugs done in cream with a fringe of tassels on each, which were delicate looking things. The large staircase leading up to the second floor having been redone to look like smooth marble stone as well.
Tor waited, wondering if Lyn was thinking or just getting some exercise. When she spoke though the girl moved close to him, shaking her head.
"That, the ability to "encourage" people like that, beyond what they'd be able to on their own, it's a lost command line skill. All the people that had that are dead now. Except you, if you have it. Only... the Green pattern is a slave line. So is Grey and Brown. I need to see your genetic work-up. I don't suppose you have a copy of it do you?"
Tor smiled.
"Lyn, I barely know what that is, of course I don't have a copy of it. Burks said he had one and..." He stopped , his head tilting for a second.
"I think that I may be able to get one actually. I can ask at least."
"From Green? I figured you weren't talking to him for the day at least. Those rules really aren't his fault you know, things get out of hand over time..."
"No, I think that Princess Abby might be able to do a genetic thing like that. She's from Afrak, Lara Gray's granddaughter. A doctor. It can't hurt to ask, if you really want to know. Burks said it was the same as his, except that I had the gene for combat rage too. He figured it had worked in from my father's side of the family somehow."
That earned a snort from Lyn, "right, because that could happen. Argh. OK, if you can get a test like that before we leave? I'm going to have to refresh my memory on genetics. I used to be pretty good with the subject though. We all were. Why don't you go do that now?" Then without saying anything else she walked away abruptly. It was off-putting, but since he'd done the same to Burks not an hour before, Tor really couldn't complain, could he?
Getting in touch with Abby would mean either going back to the palace, which Tor really didn't feel like doing at the moment, still angry at Burks for annoyingly being himself, or sending a message. True, Tor could have used the communications device, but Abby was a guest there, and it felt awkward doing that. Who could he get to deliver a letter though? For that matter, who could he get to write it? His penmanship wasn't the best in the world. He also couldn't write it in Afrak, though he could speak the language. He only knew two people that might be able to write in that language and didn't know if Abby could read Noram standard to translate it.
It wasn't until he walked into the kitchen that it hit him. He was being a coward. What he needed to do was go and see Abby himself and not worry about running into Burks. If the man wanted to argue with him, or take him to task for something, it was going to happen anyway. Avoiding it wouldn't change things at all, just alter the timing of the event a little. They were going to be on a ship together the next day anyway and Tor wasn't planning on hiding in a locked room the whole time. That would be childish.
With that in mind he grabbed an earth moving device and headed back to the palace, landing beside the hole he'd left there earlier. Tor took about ten minutes to land and he was a little surprised that the Royal guard on duty didn't slap up the palace shields to keep him out, not after the lawn damage he'd done the last time. They didn't though and no one rushed him when he started to fill the hole back in, trying to make it as even as possible, so that it wouldn't look too bad. Still like bare earth, but that was how it had been before. This was the regular set down point for transports, which was kind of hard on the grass. They really should make something more permanent, possibly out of focus stone, or even regular cobblestones. That would look nice enough, he figured.
Just as he finished and stowed everything away Rolph came out, grinning at him for some reason.
"I see you came back? I was worried that you might have run off to become a fisherman or open a bakery someplace. I know that Denno and Count Lairdgren were both very concerned. I thought Brown was going to cry after you left, but I told him that you probably wouldn't skip the whole meeting, if he could guarantee that you'd be listened to. If it makes you feel better he did promise to make sure that happened. It seems rather central to whatever plan he has that you show up. Something about rigging a vote or two? Say," Rolph took a deep breath and rushed ahead as if asking for secret information, "do you know what this meeting of the Ancients is supposed to be about? I don't know if you're allowed to mention it, but I'm curious." His eyes looked doubtful, expecting Tor not to say anything.
Like he cared to keep Brown's secrets? He wasn't really sure Brown cared. It wasn't so much a secret at all as it was just something he hadn't shared with everyone yet.
"Um..." OK, it was kind of hard to explain, wasn't it? Tor thought for a second about what to say and finally shrugged.
"There seems to be something coming from space, if what I was told was real and not a trick or meant to throw us all off the real reason for the meeting. Burks and Lyn seem to think it sounds real enough, though I don't know that they're fully sold yet either, since no proof has been given yet. It seems that a long time ago the ancients, not the ones we know, but the people from some time after they were all born, sent out a bunch of ships into space, in case the Earth died. The people on board were barely human, designed to be really tough and survive whatever they found. Those ships seem to be returning, along with two other kinds that no one recognizes. So it could be anything, from aliens that live on other planets, to a different design of ship the people that left built themselves in space. They had the time after all.
Or, of course, it could be a trick, or a trap. Brown claims he wants us all to go because he wants a large voting block to back him up. Which I guess is kind of like rigging a vote, yes. That's all I know really." It was too.
The Prince tilted his head, finally nodding.
"Yes, the problem with people that deal in intrigue is always that they do so. Even when they're being honest you can never really know what's real or not. Well, go armed, wear a shield and be careful. I'd go with you, if not for that little side trip to Austra first. Can't imagine I'd be welcome there right now." It was an understatement and meant that way, the tone dry and humorless, which wasn't Rolph's normal pattern at all.
Prince Alphonse.
They weren't at school anymore and probably never would be, not together at any rate. That just hadn't worked out for Tor too well. He'd tried twice and things kept getting in the way. Kind of a shame because he was a pretty good student over all. Tor even liked classes, unlike most people his age. The rest of school hadn't been that great all the time, being a scholarship boy putting him at about the bottom of the social heap, but hey, it was something to do that he could at least pretend mattered. Right now there wasn't anything worth doing at all, his whole life was just a wasted bit of time.
Going to Austra with the spies was just a formality that anyone could have handled. Even finding out which of the Ancients might be trying to kill him was kind of just something to do. Hiding would be more effective really, if he wanted to stay alive. The thing there was, in the moment, he really wasn't sure he wanted to. Oh, he wouldn't kill himself, but that didn't mean he had to keep struggling against what came at him.
"Say, Alphonse, do you think you could lead me to Doctor Mutta? I have no clue where she is and need something checked out before I leave, I think.
" He said it blankly, which made it sound weird. He knew that because his giant friend looked down at him, worried.
"Are you alright? Maybe you shouldn't go..."
"Oh, this is about something that isn't health oriented directly. Um, some kind of test that Lyn wants so she can see how I'm put together on a basic level. I get the idea, but don't have a clue how to do it, but Abby might. Besides, she's family and I should say goodbye before I leave the Kingdom. I'm kind of responsible for her here. Not that she won't be in good hands with you and your family."
The walk went quickly, because Alphonse just walked fast all the time and Tor kept up by using his Not-flyer, the new one that didn't need hand controls. His friend watched him do it and sighed.
"That is so much more interesting to look at when you don't need to stick a hand out. Can you work that into the flying rigs or Carriages? Maybe even the boats..." His eyes went unfocused as they hurried down the hallway, an empty thing lined with wood and gray stone, filled every few feet with small statues of people and animals, most of them new. At least they were made of focus stone. Not bad work either, though clearly more than one persons.
Taking a second Tor considered the idea.
"Yes to the flyers, this unit has the basic controls for that already, even the Carriages are doable... Boats though, I mean, it could be done... that would be easier even than flying, but I wonder if they could be made to drive itself? That would be dangerous for things on land and maybe even flying, if you went too fast, but on water it could work. Until you put in to dock at least." It was a clever idea. Then his friend was smart that way. Most of them were.
