by P. S. Power
She could catch him with variations, which, she understood, was the point. There was nothing she could do that he couldn't match already. She had two arms and two legs, a head and so on. He'd fought that, and everything it could do, for millennia, and won the whole time. What he was doing was trying to force her to grow, as fast as possible. To not be predictable, and to learn to counter him. Or what he was doing. That probably wasn't the same thing.
She ended up sweating and gasping for breath, but not very injured at all, which was nice. Friendly even. When it was lunch time, he patted her sweaty back, not seeming to mind that at all.
"Tiera, dear, would it be all right for us to visit with Maris? I should check on her, to make sure she isn't being mistreated." It would be an hour before the next group came in after all, and while Tiera figured that the woman was probably doing fine, it wouldn't hurt to check and make sure she wasn't feeling lonely. That or being used as a sex slave by Ali and her friends.
She wanted a shower, but Remy actually had a job to get to, and a limited break, so she contented herself by cycling her clothing until the worst of the damp and scent was gone. It wasn't perfect, but she was no worse than most people would be by that time of day anyway. When they got to Ali's nice house, there was no one there. It was a bit strange, so she just led Remy down the street a bit.
"They also own a bakery? Maybe she's there?" Hopefully not scrubbing the floors like a drudge. If that was the case, Tiera was going to have some words with her sister in-law. Instead she was there with Sheri, and they had one of her new food devices out and were practicing making various food items. It looked like they had a good array of things going too.
For some reason they both froze when she and Remy walked in and Sheri at least, looked worried. Not 'afraid for her life' scared or anything, but like a tiny child with the stolen candy still in her mouth.
"Ah. So..." It wasn't very helpful, but she waved at the machine. "I borrowed that from you? I was going to get it back before luncheon, I promise, I just lost track of time."
There was a desperate feel to the girl, but she was also being honest. It wasn't theft, just borrowing, which was a sort of tradition for noble girls at school. Normally it was clothing, but it could be make-up, boyfriends, almost anything really.
Tiera waved at her and sat in one of the heavy Focus Stone chairs that Tor had for people to use.
"Not a problem. Maris, what do you recommend today, for lunch?"
She expected a big production to come, with the woman unable to think of anything at all, instead she simply smiled and moved to the device and produced a fine looking sandwich, with golden strips next to it. Then she placed it on the already full table, the nice china plate looking a bit out of place and waited. Taking a bite, Tiera nodded.
It was Chicken, with a very delicate crème sauce. Spicy too.
The strips were fried potato.
"This is very, very nice. So, are you getting ready to open your shop? I've gotten us all a ride up there. Well, except Remy. He has to work."
Maris smiled happily. "To the new colony?"
"Yep, all the way to the Moon."
Sheri clapped, like a little schoolgirl. Which she was, so it sort of worked.
Chapter eight
"I bet that's expensive. I wish I could go. I was thinking, after I get out of school, if I don't have to get married right away, that I'd go into Space Fleet, and see if I liked it. That might not get me that far out, but it could. They need cooks and bakers, don't they?" She eyed the device next to them and sighed. "Or they did. I don't suppose that will last long, and everyone tries for pilot, or Captain. What could I do?" There was less defeat in the words than there was considering a change of plans.
Tiera thought about it for a few seconds.
"Do what Terry is? They run on magic, so learn to make copies. Do that without a template, and they'll snap you up so fast that bones will break, I bet. We can get Sam and Guide to help you practice that on the trip out."
Sheri nodded, "out where? Oh, are we going to your County? We just finished our off days..."
Maris looked at the other girl happily, while Tiera ate her food. It was really good. Nearly perfect. The all black woman, who was in a light pink dress with tiny flowers on it, which she pulled off perfectly, looked at Remy.
"Sheri is actually very intelligent. She just doesn't want to be presumptive, even though it's clear that Tiera has made arrangements for her to go along as well. Why though?"
That was a good question. The real answer was that she was wanted because she was an Ancient, but that was being hidden and she wasn't far enough along in the combat section to rate that way. After a bit, Tiera tried to look sheepish.
"Well..." She was going to say that she just wanted to sleep with her, but Remy chimed in. Clearly proving he was faster than she was in more than one way.
"To babysit Tiera's younger siblings?" It was a guess, but Tiera jumped on it, because it was good.
"If you would? That wasn't really the plan, but if we both help, mother will be a lot happier, I think. They aren't bad, or anything, so it won't be a lot of work. We're needed to help set up the restaurant. Possibly build it, out of Focus Stone. Decorate it too. So, there's plenty to do. It isn't exactly a vacation really. Maybe they'll let us do food on the way there, to practice?" She tried to make it sound fun, but it wasn't cooking and she had a feeling that managing the heat flow would be a skill worth learning.
Now Sheri clapped again and was busily hugging first her, then Maris, when Ali walked in, still wearing her student brown uniform. So was Tiera, though Sheri was in a light green dress of what seemed to be velvet.
Her sister in-law moved in for her part of the hugs, even without knowing what it was all about, and included Remy, since he was a person she knew. After a fashion. He wasn't a regular human, but looked that way, so it counted, as far as she went.
"What's this? Are we having a party?" She looked into the back, where Nik, the man that actually worked the shop, was busily cleaning. People came in on occasion now, since Tor wasn't there each day, scaring all the costumers off by being a wizard. None had since she'd come in, which probably had to do with her size, and the strange things going on.
Sheri explained the device, and then got her friend a meal that could well have been served to the King without anyone batting an eye. While they ate, she went on about the Moon trip. It sounded almost surreal to Tiera. A trip to the Moon. She'd even been before, and it sounded like a joke to her. Ali just seemed a little sad though.
"That sounds fun. How long will you all be gone?"
Tiera didn't really want a replay of the last conversation.
"How long will we, as in you as well, be gone? About three weeks. A week or so to get there, the same coming back and a week on the ground. You need to go with Sam, to see if it's suitable for your orphans to work there. Karen mentioned something about that. They won't be paid really, but they can, I don't know, own land? Put up their own businesses, that kind of thing?" She was getting good at making up reasons for people to go, she thought. That almost even sounded like what a noble should be doing with her time.
"Can I do that though? What if Tor comes back?"
She didn't have an answer to that one. It really was true too. What if he did? He'd done it once already. Finally she shook her head.
"Ali, you heard about the fake Kolb yesterday?"
"What? No. I didn't hear about anything like that. I was working last night. Just copies."
"Ah, there was a clone that tried to lure me and Karen away. It was actually Cordes, but he looked like Kolb. We need to get everyone out of here for a bit. Remy can pretty much take care of himself, and the rest too, if it comes to it, but we need to get most of the high profile targets out of the way. To protect the other kids." It made sense to her and got a single nod from the killing machine.
"Correct. There is a fifty percent chance that you would be targeted personally Alyssa Baker. It is known that To
rrance Baker is not fully on the enemy side. Only his magical abilities and willingness to provide such for us is protecting him at this time. That will last as long as his good will does, since the thought is that eventually the Cordes mentality will take over in a moment of weakness. That doesn't fit with what I project, but it's what Gray and Cordes seem to believe. So you not being a target is optimal. You're going with them." There was command to the words, and Remy waited, poised as if to strike.
Ali ignored that.
"If Tor needs help, will you do it? Will you promise me that you'll try at least?"
There was a moment, and the air filled with something that might have been death, as far as Tiera could tell, but Remy Two simply agreed.
"I promise. I'll do whatever I can to help protect Torrance Baker, if he comes here for aid, while you are gone."
It was pretty specific, but Tiera only noticed that because it was what she did all the time too. It made Ali happy, and she agreed to go, so there was that.
The next days were spent either in meditation, fighting practice, or making copies. Well, she did work on a slow growing device, doing it the same way as the first food units. She kept that secret, because, ultimately, she was a girl, but it wasn't very practical, when it came down to it. That or it was the most useful thing ever made. One or the other, depending on what people did with it.
On the day before the big palace dinner, she got in touch with Lawrence Morris and summoned him to the Capital, for a meal the next night. He seemed nervous about it, but Tiera didn't let him know about anything, since she wanted him to sign the papers without having a lot of time to realize that when he retired, Terry would be in charge. A lot of people got hung up on things like that, wanting their heirs to be blood relations, so she didn't want him considering it for too long.
The next day she got herself into place, but didn't take anyone with her, even though it was supposed to happen. That worked really well though, since her right hand man was standing outside the door alone when she got there, swearing several times that he was friendly and harmless.
"I don't even hold Countess Baker responsible for the murder of the old Count. Or his older daughter. I can't say that I'm pleased about the other two, but I'm satisfied that it wasn't done on purpose. I believe that there is true remorse there. Plus, she's the Countess." It was a point, and one that she'd never considered, but her buddy George picked up on and questioned the man on for a while. He was angry about the old Countess and the little girl that died, and did blame Tiera for it. But he wasn't going to lash out at her.
Then oddly, several of the Royal Guard closed ranks and stared at the man, even as she stood behind him, about ten feet back.
George gave him a hard look that was a clear threat.
"Very good sir. Miss Baker is a friend of very many powerful people. It would not serve for anyone to forget that. No matter who they were, or how much power they hold themselves." He stepped back then, and didn't let the man go forward, but questioned her, which had Lawrence goggling, since he'd been distracted, and hadn't realized she was standing there for most of what he'd said. Tiera could see that. It hadn't all been exactly what a Countess would want to hear from her top advisor, was it? Honest though.
"I'm loyal enough, and don't plan any harm to anyone here today." She started speaking before the Truth amulet touched her palm and George cleared his throat.
"Do it properly, please?"
Setting herself she let her mind go blank. It wouldn't help, but it felt right anyway. It wouldn't do to accidently misstate anything, especially since the guards here would kill her for it. In theory at any rate.
"Fine. I plan no violence here at all today. I'm not wild about the King, on a personal or governmental level, but do consider him family, which means I can't harm him. I don't even plan to berate or demean him, this time. Or anyone else, that I know of."
George shook his head.
"Have you been in contact with the Rebellion?" That one sounded pointed, didn't it?
"Oh, yes." She left it at that, but he glared, even as other people started to build up behind her.
"And?"
Tiera had to read the man to get that this was supposed to be a set up or something, so that other people wouldn't trust her, or at least so that word would get around that she might be less than loyal. That was annoying. Not really wrong though. The funny part, if it could be called that, was that George actually thought of her as being very loyal really. To him it was all a trick, to lead the rebels to her, so she could infiltrate more deeply.
"And what? I'm not currently in with them, in particular. I'd be a fool not to listen to what they were saying though, wouldn't I? You know that. Even the King knows that. Is that going to keep me out today? I rather came for a reason. Invited and everything. Isn't it enough that I'm not planning anything here at this moment?"
That got all the guards to look upset, but George made a face and moved out of the way.
"Barely, Countess Baker. Of all the people that come through here, no one else that answers as you do has proven truly loyal, in the long run. It would be disappointing, if you turned out to be of that ilk." He seemed pretty mean about it, which was over the top. Given that she wasn't a spy or anything. She was a free person, not an employee of the King.
What they thought they were doing, other than pissing her off, she didn't really know at all. Clearly the rules for Conserina's were different than for sitting Countesses. So much for her doing the noble thing for her people, making sure they were taken care of...
She grinned. Then took Lawrence by the arm and walked on. The dark skinned man, his balding head shining a bit with sweat, was all in heavy brown material, with long tan socks and short pants. On his feet were brown shoes, and he had a bow tie, a giant one, that matched his socks. It was very different, and seemed more like what a merchant would wear, rather than her top advisor. It was all magical clothing, so he could have made it seem like anything.
That meant, she assumed, that he thought he was being called onto the carpet by the King and wanted to enforce the idea that he was both loyal and had the people's best interest at heart, even at his own expense. It wasn't a bad idea. She, for instance, had dressed up in student browns, changed to look like they had blue and dark green brocade all over them. It was almost as bad, she decided. Possibly worse. They looked strange, when they were led to the small dining room. The whole thing filled with her family. That, and Smythe of Westend. Even Tim was there, along with Trice and her parents. That was all though.
Taman walked up to her and Lawrence and bowed.
"S'Tiera!" Tiny arms were held out for a hug, which she got, proper for the situation or not. After all, Tiera didn't want hard feelings there. The girl would end up being older one day, she was sure. People almost always did.
"S'Taman!"
When they got to the table, she was placed next to, but directly above Lawrence, with Terry on her far side, and Tess next to him. It probably looked strange, but she got the idea. It was in honor of the changing ranks. Except for hers, at the moment.
King Richard stared at Lawrence, and pulled a scroll out, along with a pen and ink well. Then, without saying anything to him, the man bowed.
"Timon Baker, as we discussed, do you endorse this plan? As the Heir Apparent, you have the right to have this heard before the full council, on demand. What say you?"
Timon stood, and bowed at Terry, who went a little wide eyed.
"I endorse this plan fully, and without reservation. I can think of no finer substitutions, or I would recommend them, firmly." That, from the look on the King's face and the way Alphonse had to slap a hand over his mouth, mirth filling his eyes, probably wasn't what he was supposed to say.
It worked for her though. If he really had a better idea, now was a good time to say it. The day before would have been even better. It was good to know he wasn't upset though. She was kind of skipping over him, after all.
Richard, looming over them
, which he couldn't help, being a giant, looked at first Terry and then Lawrence.
"Countess Tiera Green Baker, feeling her duty in regard to County Baker being well enough, if not perfectly, dispatched, is resigning her title and powers. She is however, as a last act, doing two things. First, she is naming Terrence Green Baker as her Heir at remove, and second, as long as this is agreed to, is assigning Lawrence Lewis Morris as the Count, for a time of not less than ten years, and at his will, for as long as he should desire, with the understanding that Terrence Baker, and no other, is his sole heir in this regard. No other, however. This only applies to the County and any wealth you gain directly from that. Do you so agree, sir?"
The paper and pen were moved in front of the man, and a servant, George, Tiera noticed, fighting a smile. He was professional however, though he loomed. On purpose, she bet.
The man looked at her, scared for some reason. She didn't get that at all.
"Countess?"
Tiera pointed at the line with her name on it.
"Not if you sign that. I won't force you, but the job was always going to be yours. Even before I took over officially. I'd hoped to give you more time to get things in hand, but you're doing the work already. I have full confidence in you."
Then, scared or not, the man glared at the looming King, swallowed and spoke anyway. He sounded nervous, and spoke regardless of that. It was a good sign, Tiera figured.
"Not even the King and crown can force a sitting Countess from her land, Sire. If that's the case here, I have to refuse. That would mean war."
Tiera felt herself tear up a little, but made herself smile at the man, and nudge his arm a bit as her mother looked on. It was a bit close, but not flirtatious.
"It isn't like that at all, Lawrence. King Richard is... Well, he and I aren't friends, but he is family and wouldn't do that. Not without having the courtesy to bring the Military in, first, which isn't the case. As I said, you were always the choice. Almost always at least, in case I need to prove this later under Truth testing."
