Envoy to Earth

by P. S. Power

  "Wait, I'm not going to start being insulted by people thinking I'm too tall. It just isn't happening. Besides, it's not like this man, Wilson, and I have met before, now next time..."

  It was funny, but the Count just glared at him a little, then walked in, led by the butler. It wasn't until they got to the door that he realized the big man was gently laughing and not angry with him.

  "I can see that. Yes. It would be, perhaps, a bit ungrateful to complain about good fortune like that. Very well, sir. Very well." They were actually taken inside, and allowed to sit in a front room while they were being announced.

  No one spoke, which he didn't understand. It was a sitting room and boring enough that it was probably allowed. Even if there were spies in the walls, or people in the other room to pay attention to their needs, they could have spoken about the weather, or talked about music, or fishing. He'd fished before, since it had been part of keeping himself fed. It was hard to find a net, but that was the easiest way to do it. Before he could bring that up, a man came in that was big, but, he realized, actually shorter than he was.

  Count Thomson. Big, and muscular, as well as blonde, with blue eyes and skin several shades lighter than that of either Count Peterson or Petra. About like what Collette had going on. Lighter than many, but nothing like the pale cream coloration of the lady that followed the man in.

  By comparison she was tiny. Thin and so lovely that Collette stared at her, in envy. The idea that they were going to set her on rapists seemed wrong suddenly. Then, they had a plan for that. The one that Princess Veronica had provided.

  Gerent stood up, which had Peterson doing the same. The ladies stayed in place, but he bowed, smiling. Tovey looked at him blankly, but then managed to nod.

  "Well met. Count Peterson! I recognize you all, except for this man? Your... son?"

  That got Gerent to blink, but strangely Count Peterson didn't leap to deny it. Not aggressively at any rate. Rather he patted Ger on the back firmly.

  "Posssibly my father's child? Gerent isn't nearly young enough to be my own. He does have the family look, doesn't he? If what Timon mentioned to me was correct, he should be growing into what he should have been. At least of noble heritage, clearly. I fear the wrong done him in life was even greater than what it had originally seemed."

  He was tackled by Terlee, who held him around the middle, firmly. It was close enough that he had to move her back a bit, since she was just the right size to hit him below the waist with her stomach. Given that she was supposed to be his sister, that wasn't a thing he wanted to let happen. Not in a room full of people at any rate. The concept of having a sister wasn't a real thing to him, and Tamerlane was noble enough that the idea of taking a lover or two was just expected of her. Again, this wasn't the time to investigate that idea with her, if it ever was.

  No one noticed too much that he moved away, but he made a point of holding her upper arm for a bit, so that it wouldn't be offensive.

  She ducked her head, a bit shyly.

  "Brother! We haven't heard from you for so long I was worried. We wanted to ask you to move in here, but then you vanished? Is all well?"

  It was a good enough time to introduce the plan, after a fashion.

  "With me? Well enough. I'm going off to Harmony tomorrow, to pick up an aid package that Queen Tiera and her people have made for those in need here. There's something else that we need to discuss-" A tiny being, in a little dress, crawled into the room, looking at them all with brown eyes. The baby was pale, and had its gown around its neck, which only seemed right. After all, crawling like that pretty much required getting the thing out of the way. It was practically like shackles, otherwise.

  "Dumas! What are you doing in here?"

  He had a little mop of blonde hair on the top of his head, and Terlee rushed over, embarrassed, to pick the child, clearly a boy, up. She actually blushed, as if it were a huge problem.

  Count Peterson smiled, his beard moving hugely.

  "Ah, one of your heirs! If what brought us here today wasn't so dire, I'd suggest we include him in the discussion. I fear it isn't a matter for one so..." He actually stopped and looked at the tiny baby and then slowly shook his head. Speaking directly to the boy, he threw off a seated bow. "I mean no offense, of course, Countier Thomson. It is merely that we suggest dark workings, and it would not be the time for you to engage in such. We should however get together shortly, and perhaps go hunting? I'm thinking of a campaign later in the spring, you could bring your parents?"

  There was no hint of anything but pure politeness in the words, and the baby smiled back, nodding.

  "Ya'kay." It was clearly an answer. Gerent blinked, but then nodded himself.

  "Good thinking, Count Peterson. His Aunt, Taman, was a full builder at six years. Underestimating Dumas here would be... a poor plan. I'm your Uncle, by the way. Uncle Gerent." They'd never met after all, so it made sense to introduce himself.

  Everyone else was introduced too, and then the boy was moved back to whatever guarded space he was supposed to be in. Tovey, having been listening carefully, led them to their own secret room, which was small, but had seating, for comfort. Nothing on the walls at all, which were stone, and a silence magic field in the middle, on a low table. They waited on Tamerlane, who blushed again when she came back.

  "Forgive me. I didn't know that he'd wake from his nap. I don't think he's able to hunt yet." She smiled and looked at the big Count.

  "All boys learn, eventually. Most girls too. When young they normally just ride around with their father, or a groom, holding a toy bow or lance. Now, not to be rude, but I do hope you will both be out for the event? Needs of the realm providing?"

  Tovey was sitting, so bowed from there, gently.

  "It's a kind offer, well met. If we can't make it there, please know that you and Veronica are always welcome here. We should make firm plans."

  They went back and forth like that for a few turns, when Count Peterson fixed first the other Count, then his wife, boldly.

  "When taken by the now deposed Count Rodriguez, Petra Ward, Conserina Two, was sorely used. Tortured, and raped by some of the Count's men. She hid the later to nobly and honorably protect the innocent of that County."

  Tamerlane stood up, her eyes wide and wild looking, before the man could finish. She moved in front of Petra, where she sat on a low tan chair that was made of wood, like it all was, but with a nice red cushion on it for comfort.

  "I swear that we will see to what you need. Tovey, I need to go, and..."

  What she thought she was going to do, Gerent didn't know, but Count Peterson ran through the current plan, which had her in agreement, far sooner than Ger would have been. Rather than look at her husband, or anyone else, she focused on him, her face tight.

  "Yes. We will send Counts and Countesses for it. You as well, brother, to stand for Lairdgren. Though do not leave out Count Lairdgren, the new. He is an older man, but more clever than most would imagine."

  Collette nodded.

  "That's true. Kyle Hardgrove is not a man to trifle with. Don't be fooled by his demeanor. We should seek him out too, at least to get his blessing. That might need to be on the return from Harmony in a few days. We're going to run out of time otherwise. We have your backing, and aid, in this?" She looked at Tovey with eyes that spoke of long familiarity. Gerent had to wonder about that one, figuring that she would have known Terlee, having been close to two of the woman's real brothers.

  There was no doubt of it however, and other than being stopped at the door by Dumas, who had escaped his room again, they were headed back shortly after that.

  It was, by that time, mid-afternoon. To get their minds off things, after luncheon, he grabbed Petra by the hand. She didn't shrug him off or stiffen, just holding his palm in hers. It was a powerful grip, but her hand was smaller than his own, which made it a bit strange to him.

  "Will you come out with me to get some trees? It's not that much fun, but I'd like to try out at least
a few, on this trip. Some shrubs, as well. We need some canvas... Dirt too, I bet. I have no clue what the Moon has that way." That meant taking the woman to the grand market, which was busy that time of day still.

  The colorful stalls always changed, filled with things from all over the world. They were mainly made of wood with cloth strung over them in places, to provide shade. It was intense enough that his Timon shield had darkened, making him look like a dim spot in space. Petra did the same, so at least they matched. They didn't spend much, just three gold on a bit of cloth, some shears to cut it with from a blacksmith, and a few trinkets to give as gifts. Handmade things that might be useful, or at least pretty enough that no one would wonder why they got it.

  Part of that thought got him to wince.

  "Three gold. I was just thinking that it isn't that much." He shook his head for a bit, as the girl next to him nodded.

  "Yes, it was a good deal. You bargained so closely for everything that I thought a few of the merchants were going to close up shop rather than deal with you!"

  "That's not what I meant. Do you know, before I was twenty-five, I don't think that I had even two gold to call my own, for my whole life? I don't mean at once, either. The entire thing. I barely touched a copper, and the one time I held a silver it was meant to be split three ways. Tor let me have the key to his vaults, on a whim I guess, and that's changed so much for me. It's made me a bit lazy with it, you know? Just expecting coin to be there when I need it. That wasn't always the way." For a moment he felt stupid, his tongue no longer working, but the girl next to him just looked around, pleased. As if he were secretly brilliant, noticing that he was turning into a lazy dandy with a pocket full of gold.

  "It's a good thing, to remember where we came from. Especially in regard to where we plan to go. Right now... I think that's to get some plants? Because hard work is clearly what all the pampered and wealthy Countiers are doing these days."

  It was his plan, so they hurried, since night, and the fancy meal he was supposed to be at, would come quickly. Smiling he thought about what she said, and decided that there were some things he didn't really want to become, if he could help it. Like someone too lazy to help out his friends. Or his new family.

  Chapter four

  Getting trees wasn't hard for them, since they used earth moving devices for it. Tor had done the original design, but the ones he had were copies that Timon had run up for him. The boy wasn't shy at all about stealing other people's work like that. Not his older brother's at least. The shrubs had to be bound, and he needed to break out a dozen of Boxy's siblings to carry the plants they'd gotten and enough soil to keep them alive, and from going into shock and dying.

  When he explained this to Petra, she grinned at him and pointed at Boxy, a single lean finger doing the work. She had lovely hands, he realized. Long and subtle, even if the palms were hard with callus. Darker than his own, by a bit, if he compared them closely.

  "Let me get this right. That floating case is named Boxy? And you have it following you around all the time? Even if it's empty?" She thought it was funny at least, so he shrugged.

  "I learned, a long time ago, as a child really, that you have to have friends. Once I had a friend that was a rock that lived in my pocket, until I lost him. That was sad. So, when I was off alone for the last months, I went back to my old ways, without thinking about it. I know that Boxy isn't real, I'm not insane, but it gave me someone to talk to. Silly, right?" He tried to look happy about it, but the woman, still smiling, just reshaped the craft for them, making it big enough for all the plants to sit in the back, and then opened it up along the side with a ramp, so they could guide everything in.

  Then, minutes later, as they settled into the front seats, she looked at him.

  "Silly? Yes, a bit. Probably not too well balanced either, but I've heard about worse. You might want to put him away for your trip to the palace tonight. Sneak him in with you. I'm not saying you should be impolite to him, even if he doesn't understand, since all practice in manners is a good thing. Letting everyone else know about your imagined friend might make them doubt you however, and since you're representing an entire world tonight, you can't let that happen." She looked away, still seeming to think it was funny, for some reason.

  Gerent, leaving the craft on the ground for the moment, sitting in a forest about two hundred miles above Galasia, since he sort of wanted to avoid that place, turned to her and made a comical face, then he looked into the back.

  "Hear that Boxy? You have to pretend to just be an amulet tonight. That, or go as my date. I can see that one not going over so well." He hadn't thought about that part of things, but looked at Petra and felt himself go a little wide eyed. "Um... Am I supposed to have a date? I mean a real one. Not that I'm disparaging Boxy, but he's a boy. It could throw off the seating."

  She nodded, clearly thinking about it all.

  "You do insane too well, you know that Countier Lairdgren? As to your question, yes. Probably. When in doubt, call in to check. Though, my guess is that you can take me, or Collette, and no one would bat an eye. She's one of King Richard's personal spies after all." She let this drop as if being casual, looking at him a bit too closely for it to not have been on purpose.

  It was strange. Mainly because people rarely told him real secrets like that. For instance Collette hadn't. Was she spying on him? If so, why hadn't she asked more questions? It wasn't like he had real secrets, was it? Also, did that mean she was spying on the Wards? Except... he knew that one, didn't he? If Debbie could be trusted, then they were on the King's side, despite what they were going around and telling people. Even to the point of letting their people suffer for it a bit, to sell the act. They weren't getting half the food and supplies they needed to make up for shortages. The King had to give his supporters more, but if he let those others suffer too much, they'd never work with him again.

  His head tried to reel for a bit, but he covered by taking off, going straight up, not stopping until he was thousands of feet above the ground. Then he left the craft in place for half a second, found his bearing and headed south, back toward the Capital. It was still daylight, so they were in good time, he thought.

  "Sure. Everyone knows about all that." He managed a better sounding casual than Petra had. That was one of his skills, after all. He could lie believably, as long as no one thought to tuck a Truth amulet around his neck. Luckily for him, almost no one had them. Petra probably did, and so did he, but neither one of them pulled them out. Thankfully.

  "You know already? Did Tim tell you? I swear, you can't keep anything from that boy. Princess Veronica is the same way. It's like they read your mind all the time. So, I can't use that to make myself look better than Collette? I mean I'm not a spy. That's something you'll want in a wife, don't you imagine?" It was said lightly, without her making eye contact at all.

  Like a liar might do.

  Ger nodded a little, then pretended he knew things he wasn't planning to share.

  "Right, not a spy..." He looked out the front too and then let a small, if false, grin take his lips. "But you do that other stuff for the King, don't you?" It was just a guess, but Petra was pretty, and at some point the King had probably noticed her. He was the King, so if he wanted to take a turn, you probably had to say yes, even if you didn't really feel like it.

  Then, almost instantly he felt bad about the idea, and winced, which got her to stare at him, her face going hard.

  "What do you mean? Did Tor tell you? I know that you're his brother, but I didn't think he'd let that slip. It's isn't much of a Secret Army if everyone knows about it, is it? Sure, he started it, but..." She trailed off, seeming a bit upset.

  He just felt glad it wasn't a tale about how the King had assaulted her, or insisted she do things that harmed her soul.

  So he waved it all away.

  "Well, you know Tor. Brilliant, but not that politically savvy. Unlike me. Yep, I sure have all that political maneuvering down, don't I?" He glanced
at her, for just a moment, heading back to the Capital, noticing that Galasia, the city proper, was right below them. Petra noticed him watching it.

  "Galasia... I, that place holds bad memories for you, doesn't it?" She sounded subdued, but then she knew about what had happened to him there. How he'd failed to protect Patty, over and over again, letting those monsters have her. Too small and weak to stop them.

  "Yeah. I..." He didn't want to speak of it, but hiding things like that didn't help, in the end, did it? "They raped her. So many times, and I tried to fight... But I was too... You know, what I was back then. When I could I took revenge, Tiera and I did, but it was too late. They hurt her." If misery had a sound, it was his voice in that moment. Petra reached toward him and patted his arm, which he shrugged off.

  Then he stiffened. That was rude and she was only trying to give comfort. He just wasn't used to that sort of thing.

  "Sorry. Not trying to... You know, so, a trip into space. Have you done that a lot?" Not everyone had, but she was rich and important, as well as connected to a lot of people that knew the ones with all the ships.

  To his surprise she shrugged.

  "Once or twice. Tim got me up there. You?" It was idle talk, but he finally had something to say about it.

  "Oh, I lived up there, for about four months. On the Ranford, mainly. With my friend Alice? I don't know why she kept me around. As entertainment, I guess. Running errands as a job, for the most part. Nothing all that useful. Kind of like what Tiera has me doing now. Delivery boy. Work is work though, so I won't complain. I need to do something to earn my place."

  The woman next to him reached out again, as if testing his reaction. This time he leaned toward her a little, trying to make it seem like his previous response had just been about the topic, not her. That was true, so it wasn't a hard sell. She seemed more relaxed after that.