by P. S. Power
"That's adventurous. Have you been to Harmony?"
He hadn't, but neither had she, so it worked for both of them. When they landed in front of Tor's grand palace, Gerent turned to her, his face as bland as he could make it.
"I... Do you really mean it? Or is this whole thing a game? It's all right, either way. I just need to know and... Don't." He felt foolish and little again. The clever comedy player that lived off of crusts of old bread and the bits of meat left on well chewed chicken bones.
"Sorry? What part? I can't think of any games at all, this day. Not even with the fight practice earlier. You might have the makings of someone very good, if you work at it."
It was telling, that her mind went there first. That her assumption wasn't that he wondered if she were teasing about wanting a marriage with him, but about combat.
"The marriage one. I... you know, I always figured that it wouldn't happen for me. That I'd live and die alone. I was so happy when I figured out that Count Lairdgren actually meant it when he said I was his adopted son. It took a long time. It just seemed unreal. Like a fantasy that I had as a little child. The rest of them, the Bakers, they did that too. Making it all into something to count on. But having a wife? I... Is it really something that you'd want? With me, I mean?"
She looked at him, and then shrugged.
"I have to get married. It isn't really a choice. If I wait too long, then Marvin and Maria, or my mother, will pick someone for me. Collette is in the same boat. The thing there is that her pool of people to marry is about six times larger than my own. Inbreeding and line crossing means that there are about six men in the Kingdom that I can become attached to. You're safe though. Even if it turns out that you're the son of some nobleman, or woman, with a merchant. You look right for that. Even if you were Marvin's child, that half parentage would make you safe enough for me. You aren't, by the way. I worked out the math on that one. You're too old, even for Marvin to have done it. So, yes, I really mean it. I would if you were old and foul, or just turning fourteen. That makes it sound bad, doesn't it? Like you're only good as a place filler. I don't mean it that way!"
She nearly yelled the last bit, panicked. Probably thinking that he'd be insulted by the information. Gerent wasn't. Not at all. It was, in fact, good to understand what she was really thinking.
She went on after a minute, "I... It's just that Marvin is right about you, and didn't have to explain a lot. I can choose to pick you, pray that some old woman dies and leaves her husband a widower, or try to wait for Terry to get old enough to wed. The competition for both of you is fierce. It will be worse for him, I bet. He has Tim's good looks, so women will line up for miles just to look at his smiling face. You..."
She looked out the window and made a hard face that was reflected lightly in the clear shield window. It wasn't even twilight yet, but the sky would be darkening soon. She didn't speak. Her lips went hard and white, and she started to breathe deeply, taking huge gulps of air.
"I have to ruin everything, don't I? Brilliant Petra, tell the man that his little brother is more attractive than he is..."
Gerent smiled, finally understanding it.
"But he is. All of them are. That isn't a big thing. I'm better looking now than I ever dreamed of being. Nearly average, even!" It was true enough, if what he'd been told was right. He still hadn't really looked in a mirror.
Next to him, the woman shook her head just a little, "average has its charms. It was rude of me to mention that. I... Can we start over? I just wanted to say that I'm really serious and that I like you. You seem nice enough. For instance, the last man I was engaged to had me tortured, and let his men rape me for days. So far all you've done is try to make that right. It's better. Embarrassing and shameful, but I get the concept. We need to save those innocent villagers and fisher folk along the coast in Rodriguez. They didn't do anything to me."
It probably wasn't the last time they were going to have that conversation, or one pretty similar to it. Gerent understood that however. She would pay for what those others had done for a long time. There was no real way around that. You could only get through it. Move past it all and keep going forward. Except that, here he was, pushing for them to revisit the idea, which would be causing her pain, constantly.
He looked at her and sighed, feeling lost and helpless for a moment. Finally he touched her arm, doing the same thing that she'd done to him, a bit earlier. She leaned back too.
"What's the plan then? Run off to the priest tomorrow? How do people do that anyway? I don't have anyone to set that up for me. No mother, or grandmother to take her place." Ger looked at her, hoping that his words would seem bold, not like he was an idiot. Thinking about it he understood there was no way for that to have happened, but Petra giggled, and hugged him, awkwardly, from the side.
"Announcements first. We'll need to tell everyone. Then we'll get... Um, well, you need to get with your Counts, to see what they suggest. Hopefully that won't be some other woman."
He blinked.
"Hardgrove... Um, I only count the one... Or... Do you mean Tovey?" That sort of made sense, given that he was kind of an in-law, after a fashion.
She shook her head, then hugged him again.
"Nope. Count Baker. Tiera set up the line of descent to include all her brothers and sisters, starting with Terence. So that makes you Countier Sixth, Baker. I thought you knew that? Not that you'll ever get either title yourself. Not with all those immortals in the way. That's fine though. If we want land that badly we could go to the Moon and set up there. Really, we should think about a second home there too. If you get a jump ship, and can come and go at will, that gives us years to set things up without competition." She seemed to be getting excited by the idea, which had him shaking his head a little. "Or not, if you don't want. I know you have your own concerns. The Wildlands, and your Envoy job."
That got him to smirk a little and do his own head shaking.
"Delivery boy, as far as I know. Not Envoy. That has a nice sound to it though. I'll have to run that past Tiera. Anyway, so, um, I guess we need to do that stuff. Tell everyone and all that? Who first?"
That, it seemed was the very most important thing in all of it. There were two people that had to know, before anyone else, with a certain Baronetta in the third position, since Petra didn't want a feud to start with Collette. Without changing or doing anything of the sort, they had to head to the communication room and connect with Ward.
As soon as that happened, Petra sobered a bit and looked at him, her eyes shining a little.
"Is mother there?" She was speaking to the Count directly, and didn't even ask how he was doing first, which got his attention.
He sounded suddenly wary and sharp.
"She is. Do you need assistance?" That came out gently, with a forced calm, for some reason.
Pet laughed, which was hearty and happy at the same time. Then she reached out and took Gerent's hand.
"Not like that. This is the other kind of thing that I might need mother for. I asked Gerent Lairdgren, Countier Sixth Baker, Countier Thirteenth Lairdgren, Lunar Envoy and adopted brother of Queen Tiera of Harmony... To wed." It was an impressive listing, when she did it.
Gerent had to think for a moment, but decided that he liked it. Not so much that being Ger was too good for him now, but in the right moment it had a certain ring to it. There was no sound from the other side of the device however, and that stretched on, for a long time. After a bit he had to wonder if he was unsuitable. It was true after all. Who was he? Not a real Countier, just someone given a title, almost as a joke. They all knew it too. He felt a surge of panic, but a soft female voice spoke, clearly having moved in by the device itself.
"Petra... Any word as to how he might respond?" Maria sounded scared, or at least nervous. As if she didn't think the answer was going to be positive.
"He said yes! Just now. He's right here. We're going to call his sister next, but I wanted mother to hear first thing. He's very swee
t. Well connected too." She said it as if a sales pitch was going to be needed.
Maria screamed. A girlish shriek that was happy and a bit insane at the same time. Then there was clapping.
"Oh, that's perfect! Yes, wonderful. You can hold the wedding here..."
Petra cleared her throat, a gentle thing, but meant to stop the Countess from speaking. It worked, by some strange magic that Ger didn't know about. Or, actually he did, but it was still impressive.
"That's for the mothers to decide, or, in this case his oldest sister, Laurali and mother. I imagine that it will be held in space, so his family can be there? His sister is a Queen, you know. That's... Well, this is a state wedding, given that. So it probably won't be too fast. I'm pushing for speed myself, so that nothing can get in the way."
They all chattered for a bit, but no one required anything from him on that communication in particular. The second call was harder for him, since it took a bit to get Laurali woken for the day, and she grilled poor Petra like she were a brigand trying to steal him, rather than a Conserina offering to stay with him forever.
"What do you bring to the table here, Conserina Ward? A family in rebellion? A wealthy one, true, but Gerent has no need of coin. A pretty face? Well, there are lovelier around. A good heart?" Then, fantastically, as Petra looked more and more downcast the tone of the words changed. "Well, as to that I have heard some very good things. From more than one person, too. Also of your courage and personal loyalty. So Gerent, what do you think? Is this a match you want? You're young still, for our family. Low enough in rank that no one will expect you to marry if you don't wish to. Unless... you two aren't expecting, are you?" She sounded oddly pleased by that idea. Then, she had a lot of children, herself.
"Not that one. It seems like a good move and she's very kind. Pretty too, and despite what you said, that, plus a good heart is very rare. I mean, sure, some of your daughters can swing that claim, but can you?" He was teasing, but Petra looked shocked, as if he'd called his adopted sister names. Everyone knew she was a bit prickly at times.
Which was probably the point his new fiancé was making with her upset face and gasping mouth.
Laurie just sighed, "a real point. Fine then, we need to meet. Can you bring her mother to me? If she agrees of course. We'll need to discuss matters, and make certain this is the right thing to do. Then there's the matter of the wedding. I'd go to her, but..."
Petra moved in and almost whispered.
"We can be there in a few hours. I'll send for her. Thank you, Lady Baker."
There was no reply for a bit, and then a deeper voice broke in, sounding a little familiar to Gerent, but not that much. Younger than it should have. Still, strong and hearty.
"Ah, another wedding! Well, we can contract Tor to make the cakes for it. We should invite Richard and Connie too. I haven't seen them in a good while now."
That had to be Douglas, Gerent's brother in law. Laurie's husband. They spoke for a while longer, but then Petra sent him away, to change for the meal to come. It didn't take long, but they were running out of time, and needed to be at the palace a little before nine, so that they wouldn't arrive late. He showered again, then repacked the letters from the rebellion with him. Petra probably wouldn't need him to deliver hers, if she were going with them.
In the hallway just standing at the bottom of the stairs, he met Collette, and just blurted out what had happened, figuring that she probably wouldn't mind that much.
"Petra and I are getting married." He tried to make it sound happy, but her face actually fell a little. Then, for some unknown reason tears came to her eyes, even as she forced a smile.
"I... Figured that might happen. She's a very good catch. I'm happy for you, both of you." Then she ran off, up the stairs.
Gerent wanted to pretend to not understand, but he did. She'd actually wanted to marry him? Things were tight, as far as men in the right circles, but that didn't mean she couldn't take her pick. Except that beauty faded over time, and she was at least twenty-seven. Much longer and she'd be one of those noble women that people snickered at when they came to parties with their brothers or cousins. He felt horrible about it all for a moment, but it would have been even worse for Petra. Like she'd said, while she manipulated him into place, she didn't have as big of a pool for things like that as Collette did.
Petra, for all that she'd been on the communications device the whole time, was fantastically dressed in a lightly glowing gown that shifted as he looked at her, going green to match the suit he was in, then, almost as an afterthought, turned into what seemed to be nearly regular material. Satin, but not exactly. More buff colored, but not silk either. There was a subtle pattern worked into it, raised ever so slightly from the background, but in the same color. It was incredible, he realized, seeing more of it as he watched.
He was just in the regular green jacket and trousers that he'd learned to mimic. Petra didn't ask if it was all right, just touching his arm, making his outfit alter. It became a deep green, but one that was nearly black. The cut changed, and the buttons were like opals, instead of the silver that he normally used. The shoes were black leather boots still, but with more opal colored buttons up the side, going halfway to his knee.
Then, without pause, she tapped the wall of the palace, causing a large mirror to form. It was shocking to him, and he winced before even looking up. He avoided mirrors and always had. No one wanted to look and see themselves looking squashed and lumpy. He wasn't though. In fact, the man in front of him, other than looking too young to be him at all, was fine. Oh, not like Tor or Timon, or even Douglas Baker, but he looked normal. His nose, which had once been a bit like a potato, now seemed like a nose. Larger than he'd thought it would be, but straight, and regal looking.
On either side of his head he had ears that were too big, but only the tiniest bit. No one would comment on them, he didn't think. It wasn't perfection, but it was. He was... Regular. Better than that, he didn't look like everyone else, but like a normal noble. If a skinny one. That was all the growth, he knew, which had stretched his tiny mass over a new and larger frame.
The outfit made him look good too. Professional and wealthy, if a bit strange. The opal buttons did that part. He pointed at one and Pet winked, putting her hand on his shoulder. Reaching up to do it. He was half a head taller than she was.
"Lunar Envoy. I figured that it would remind them that you aren't only their servant. You have to watch royalty that way. They can forget, at times, who works for other people. Or at least pretend to. Now, I think we both match and look presentable enough. We should find Collette. It won't do to tell her after a public announcement."
"I already told her. She said she was happy for us, then started crying and ran up the stairs. I don't know what to do there. She's a lovely person."
He was hugged then, which he understood to be Petra trying to get out of having to say anything herself. To her mind, she'd won, and feeling bad for an opponent that didn't win wouldn't help her, would it? Still, she affected a slightly sad face for a moment, and then made the mirror on the wall vanish with a touch.
They left then, and went to the palace properly enough, using her fast carriage, since his was sitting there with plants in the back of it and boxes of dirt. As she floated carefully above the city street, her craft made to look like a glowing pink glass carriage, if without horses, big enough for four of them, she hummed a bit to herself.
Gerent liked that better than talking. He didn't know what he was really supposed to do, after all. At the gate one of the Royal Guards stopped them, and asked for windows to be formed. Then they had to state their names and assure everyone that they weren't there for negative reasons. Or at least not harmful ones. As always a Truth amulet was put on them each first.
He glowed a pure white with two yellow stripes the whole time, but Petra had a flash of dark near the end of her little speech. Instead of seeming scared, which is what Gerent felt, she grinned.
"I have news... I
t's good, but secret for now. So, that's why it registered, I think." She didn't explain more than that, and the guard nodded, the woman's face not changing.
"But you mean no harm to anyone here?"
"I mean no harm."
It was enough to get them in, to the second checkpoint at least, where it was all done again, with different amulets. It wasn't until they were past that, being led inside to the dining room they were supposed to be in, that Petra said anything.
"I remember a time, not that long ago, when you just had to have your name on the list to get in. Now you need to practically swear loyalty just to get past the door. I understand why, but I can't like what it means for us all."
Gerent didn't understand what she meant. Things were worse now, because there was a rebellion going on? Or was it that now, with a way to know for certain that truth was truth and so on, there was no way to be even a little bit less than perfect? To get in the door there you had to really mean that you weren't going to work against the King. That being said, a lot of people probably just didn't bother to go anymore. Most people had their own hopes, dreams and agendas, didn't they? It was confusing to him however, because he couldn't know if that's what she was thinking. Asking would be a bad plan too, at the moment. He didn't know about who was a spy or not, perhaps, but they were being led into place by a very fit looking man dressed like a butler. Because all of that kind of person spent hours each day at exercise, didn't they? So they'd look nice in their fancy outfits, no doubt.
They weren't announced at the door, which was interesting. They did that at parties, but tonight they were led into a space with a long table that only had six settings at it. The King and Queen at the top, Count Peterson and Princess Veronica on the Queen's side of the table, and, he guessed, two places for him and Petra. There was no food out yet, which was normal, when there was fine dining about to happen. People would bring it out, as they ate. Slowly. In this case, they wouldn't be expected to stand and take a tiny bite of food each time first, since there were so few of them. If he died of poison here, it would just be blamed on King Richard, since it was his table.
