by P. S. Power
The last bit was hard for her to add, since it was nearly an insult, but it was also the truth. Burks looked at her and then Sam. His eyes held age and wisdom, but also slight annoyance. For some reason that made her feel better, which was horrible of her, no doubt. It made her smile anyway.
The man grumped at her, which was a thing she'd never seen from Tor at all.
"I know. It's possible, but I think that I've worked myself into a place where I can't see the answer, over all these years. Much like Black and his aversion to magic. He can't even turn a thing like this on now, but that's all habit and thousands of years of repetition, eschewing magic. My guess is that it's doable with our new technologies however. We have the communications devices after all."
She nodded, getting that one, having worked with something similar already.
"I can see that, I think. I don't know how to turn it into much faster travel, but... Well, I can think about it, right? I'm no Tor or Tim, of course." That came out sounding humble really, when she just meant it to be true. Burks, her loving grandfather, simply nodded, which, Count or not, got him pushed a little by Sam. The boy went wide eyed and stared at his hand, as if it had betrayed him or something.
"I... Sorry!" He did start to bow down low, dropping to his knees, but Count Lairdgren smiled and picked him back up.
"No need for that. I simply meant that Tiera was herself, and not them. It would be a mistake to think them too similar. Tor is more like you, Sam Builder. At least at this point in his life. Protective of others without thought, even at the potential cost to his own life and well being. It is a good trait, so please don't think I'm insulting you. Timon is... Well, clearly insane. A fine maker of magic, but I worry for him more than you others. Tiera is our new warrior though. I imagine the same is true of you Karen? Though that might change now, so we'll have to watch and see. Shall we go? I know that people would love to meet you all, again."
Tiera just climbed in, not using the little step provided for her. The craft was a bit tight in the back for her and Karen, and Sam was invited to sit in the front. The trip itself was quick though, and made her miss having her own craft. Touching it again she sighed and realized that she could make one. Or a hundred. Copies of it at least. It was fantastic, and scary at the same time. A person that could do that might do anything at all. In a few weeks time she, personally, could destroy the world if she wanted.
She could think of ten different ways to crack the whole thing in two, kill all the people, or even burn all the air off, so that nothing would ever live there again. It wasn't even hard. Insane to even imagine, but doable. It occurred to her that reality wasn't built for people like her and these others really. People that could create things out of nothing that could reshape everything, in mere moments.
Even the four of them there were probably too dangerous to let live, if she wanted to be honest. Any sane and reasonable person would simply release the Ancient killing plague right then, and end them all, before they became a real threat. Not that she wanted her friends and family to suffer, but it was a thought, wasn't it? Sam wasn't Timon, as far as building skill went. Yet. But what would he be in a year, or five? His mind would become sharper, his reflexes and abilities would grow, and what he'd had to learn as a regular boy would amplify into something more than she could imagine.
Or not. Tim may have put some kind of limit in, which would, most likely, be the fact that while the new ones would all be smarter, they wouldn't reach his level of intelligence. She was pretty certain she wasn't there for instance.
She forced a smile and cleared her mind, trying for real happiness. She was going to get out of being a Countess soon, and also see to the protection of her people. That was enough. It was the really important thing too. Sitting up straight, her head hitting the low ceiling, she looked out the side shield window, since they were almost at the Palace. She wanted to hurry down, rushing in before anyone could understand what was happening, but instead she waited. Slowly drifting into place, like a snowflake.
It was what they did at the King's Palace, even if it didn't make sense at all. After all, once through the large palace shield, all they had to do was fly around through the building for a while. Nothing in the place would stop them. Not without also destroying the whole thing. But it was the rule, so she let it go and made herself be patient. A Countess could whine at the King and Queen about things like that if she wanted, but Tiera Baker, regular person, didn't have that right. Letting that sink in, she rode the craft down, and climbed out when it was time, simply holding her hand out to the Royal Guard that moved forward.
Kevin.
He was in his twenties, and about six-four or so. Cute, in a guardy way, wearing the black and purple of the King. Real fabric too, not magical clothing. It was heavy cloth, but probably wasn't too warm, since it was early in the spring still.
"Please state your name, affiliation and intent here today."
She thought for a few seconds, and then nodded as the light amulet, hit her palm. It wasn't activated, so she did it with a thought, her left palm closing around the thing as the white and golden yellow glow surrounded her body, hovering about a foot away.
"I'm Tiera Baker. I've come to discuss some things with King Richard and perhaps others. I intend no direct harm to anyone here today, and don't think that any indirect harm will come either, though that may not be the case in the future." She sounded soft and friendly when she spoke, and meant that giving up her County might cause problems, but the words got several of the other guards to stiffen, as if she'd just laid a dire threat or something. Kevin just took the amulet back, left it on and handed it to Count Lairdgren, who smiled, said his name and that he planned no harm.
Things didn't get really interesting until they got to Karen though, since she was well known there and didn't look like herself at all.
The guard looked at her closely, his pupils flaring as he moved in, interest pouring off of him. "Sir Derring? You look different."
There was a bit of accusation in it too, as if that was a big problem, but she simply shrugged and winked at him.
"This is how I really look. Do you like it?" The amulet didn't flicker at all, and, after staring at her for a long time, they were let in anyway.
It was probably a mistake, all things considered, but there was only so much they could do and not start a war, right?
That was always a problem, in Noram.
Chapter seven
Tiera didn't do a lot of bowing and scraping, since that was her least favorite part. The royal family was clearly uneasy though, which seemed odd. It wasn't like she hadn't been to visit before, after all. She distracted them by producing one of her new food devices. Tapping the sigil she let the pearl and blue thing come into being, and noticed that there was a stirring from the walls. As if she were about to be attacked. Like that would work?
"Could we have a bucket of dirt or rocks please?" She said this to King Richard, who looked like he was about to die for some reason, but raised his right hand anyway. That was a thing they did, the servants in the Palace would see that it got done then.
Like magic.
He looked at the arrayed group, and focused on Karen for a long time.
"I don't believe that we've had the pleasure, miss?"
Karen curtsied, the light blue and white dress she had on only had four or five layers of puffy cloth, since it was a visit, not a grand ball. Tiera was actually in something heavier and made of brocade. All dark green and light blue. It wasn't pretty, but wasn't meant to be.
"Conserina Karen Derring. I look different. Real changes, made by Timon Baker. What do you think, Sire?" She was clearly being a bit vain about how she looked but the man rallied without so much as a frown at all.
"Why, you look lovely, as always. I wasn't aware that things such as that could be done. It will rather make things more dangerous, once the spies get hold of that trick, I dare say."
Count Lairdgren bowed low, getting the man's attention a
nd a light frown from the Queen. She wasn't thrilled with the man, which was weird, since she very clearly, and honestly, loved Tor. They were basically the same person, or had been once. On the outside at any rate. That might have been her point though. Tor was innocent and sweet, brave and courageous as well as powerful. Lairdgren was youthful looking enough, seeming about thirty at the moment, but also so old it poured from him all the time. That, and jaded. If Tiera had stripped down and kneeled to service the King and Queen right there, he would have no more than looked on with a blank expression.
She doubted he'd do a lot more if she pulled an explosive and took her own head off.
Constance seemed to understand that, it seemed.
When the old Count stood he looked relaxed and a bit bored. Like always. "Sir Derring is one of a small handful that Timon is allowing to be changed. Twenty in all. Since only a few people in the world can do such work at this time, we're probably safe for a while that way. That is, ultimately, what we've come to discuss today. Perhaps in a more private setting Ricky?"
It was hugely out of place, but Sam looked at the Count and made a face.
"Tor mentioned to me once that he hates being called that. Rich, or Richard is preferred? He suggested I correct you if you make that mistake." He winced, but so had the King right before that. To his credit, Burks did too.
"Which I knew. Somewhere in here. Sorry Richard. Perhaps if we retire to the safe room?"
That seemed to mean something, but the bucket came in, filled with what seemed to be part of a wall. All broken up into hand sized chunks of marble. Tiera hoped that it wasn't something they'd made just for her, since really, some garden dirt would have worked as well.
Sam ran forward and provided her with a stack of bowls, plates and even clear wine glasses and silverware. Not that any of it was actually there, but it would all work, they knew. She put the dense chunks of rock in the hopper on the right, and closed the little door, then turned to Prince Alphonse and Princess Abbey, his wife. Her niece. After a lot of stupid and strange family tree nonsense. She had lovely dark skin though and was even smaller than Tiera used to be. It was very cute, what with her ice blue eyes, which, Tiera saw, were like what Karen had now, and her flame red hair that stood up a few inches, all over.
She spoke to the Prince though, this being the Palace and all that.
"So, a snack? What would you like, Alphonse?" They were on a first name basis, she was pretty certain. He actually relaxed when he heard his name too, and moved forward a bit.
"Oh, food? My favorite thing to eat. What choices do I have?"
"Pretty much what you want. If I know what it is, I mean."
"How about, spice chicken and cream potatoes? I've been wanting that all day." There was a small smile on his face, but Tiera wrinkled her nose, not knowing that one at all. Karen waved her hand though, since she seemed to have some clue. Tiera got out of the way and let the large woman use the device for her, a Guide plate going in for the food to rest on.
The Prince wasn't a fool, so ran a rather nice Focus Stone poison detector over the plate when it was handed to him, and, seeing that it was fine, took the provided fork and slowly tried a bit of potatoes, then the chicken.
"This is very good. I don't know if it's better than the food here, but it's better than many restaurants I've been in. Father, you should try it." He started to pass his plate over, but Count Lairdgren cleared his throat.
"That will defeat the purpose of the demonstration. Ricky, Richard, would you perhaps desire something different? Perhaps a dessert, or some wine?"
Tiera let Karen run the thing for them, and a light, but perfectly frozen sorbet came out, which seemed to be lemon. Connie had a glass of dry white wine and Princess Abbey asked for something that Tiera had never heard of. No one else had either, but instead of admitting failure, she waved to the woman.
"Why not give it a try yourself? It might not be perfect."
She got a bowl of vegetable stew in which none of the things in it looked familiar to Tiera at all. Princess Abby seemed happy with it however and stood there, eating it with a spoon, as if she might never get to have such a thing again. She beamed however, a large smile on her face the whole time.
The King nodded and waved at the machine.
"Amazing. Simply incredible. Is this a Timon work? Or... is Tor back?" He looked around, as if either of those made sense, which they did, but Lairdgren shook his head.
Then he bowed toward his granddaughter.
"Countess Baker did the work. Which, I believe makes this a very good time to retire to a secret space?"
She left the device up, not wanting to bother with the rocks yet, and moved with everyone else, first through the well decorated palace, and then down below it, into the small dank room they held their most secret meetings in. Princess Abby moved back, clearly getting it wasn't for her, and Sam was gestured away, along with Karen. Connie, for once went with them and when they got into the space, both Karina and Smythe of Westend were there, both armed and looking ready to fight.
Her.
Tiera winked at them.
"I didn't come to fight. Far from it. I'm announcing my heir."
That got an interested glance from the Queen, even if everyone else stared at her like she was being silly.
Constance smiled, just a bit.
"Isn't that already your younger brother, Timon? Then down from there? It is traditional."
She nearly proclaimed that was stupid, but given her family, it really wasn't. If Tim had to take over, crazy like Burks had said or not, he'd do a fine job. Maybe even better than she could. Terry would have too, if anyone would ever listen to him. He was bright and more than that, good. But not in a soft way. He'd fight if it came to that, to protect their people.
The thing there was that he would anyway, even if they weren't his people at all. Given that fact, he should probably have been put in himself as soon as he was old enough. That...
She nodded.
"I'm putting Terry in, as soon as he turns twenty. In the mean time, I'd like Lawrence Morris to manage things for him, if he'll take up the task. That means that he'll basically be Count for ten years. Longer if he can make a deal with Terry for it, which he probably can. Terry would then pretty much be his direct heir." It was convoluted, but seemed to go over better with the room than she thought it would. She'd figured on an argument, and being tackled by Royal Guards.
Instead there were simply nods.
The King sighed at her though.
"Do you feel that you've repaired the County enough to be done with it then? I have to admit, if you provide your new devices to them, they should fare well enough. Do you think that Morris is going to be loyal enough?" He meant to her, she thought. It was hard to tell.
She nodded anyway.
"If he wishes, I'm certain that Terry will wait until he's ready to leave the position." He had time, and might not want it at all.
Acting as if it had been the plan the whole time, Lairdgren bowed to the King, and smiled at the others.
"I too, am changing my heir. To Kyle Hardgrove. There's news..." He paused, clearly for dramatics, or thinking that someone would interrupt him, but no one did, which got him to look shocked. "Ah, two times in the same century? Well, Timon has a device that will kill all the Ancients on the planet. That means that the rest of us have to flee for about ten years. Then we'll all be back, but in the mean time, we need to set things to right. We leave in three months, but word of that cannot leave this room. If it becomes known, then, clearly, our enemies would have no reason not to do whatever they can to stop us."
There was silence for a long time, but finally Prince Alphonse nodded.
"I understand, sir. So... Is that the change made to Karen? Is she going with you?"
Tiera smiled.
"You are far smarter than I thought. How did you figure that out?"
The man looked around and then made a face.
"Timon came and offered to make m
e one of you. I told him that I had to think about it. Does my duty as the future King mean I should take that, and rule for all time, or does it mean that I must have a much shorter span, so that the hubris won't cause me to misstep?" He looked a bit saddened by the whole thing, but Karina smiled.
"Well... Um... I'm moving to space then? Heh."
That caused some problems then, though no one yelled at her at all, thankfully. Mainly they screamed at Burks, it was heartening, for a bit.
As if he were responsible for what Karina did?
Tiera stood up and waved her hands around. She was, functionally, no longer a Countess, perhaps, but she was tall, and it sort of worked anyway. After half a minute they were all silent.
"It's done, and only for ten years. Just think of it as her going off to school. It isn't like she won't be able to use communications devices to talk to you. Daily, until she works out how to dodge your calls. Really, Alphonse should take the treatment too. If you live when we get back, then the rest of you should as well. Except Richard, I mean." She was just being bitchy, but the man nodded, as if that made some higher form of sense.
"So as to not become a God-King?"
She nearly snapped at him then, but shrugged. "At least put it off until after you abdicate. It will be dangerous, but someone has to stay here, that can fight, just in case the Others pull out a trick that we aren't ready for. We can help, from above, but that isn't the same as being here." It made her feel proud that she hadn't suggested that the man take his own life by jumping head first into a privy. She still felt a bit like that, but she tried to let it go. In case he really was her family.
Constance was still a bit upset, but asked for her to stay, when the others got up to leave. It was... Strange. Still, she wasn't needed to write up the papers giving her plan merit. Burks and the King could do that well enough on their own. Probably better than if she were there, annoying them.
