by P. S. Power
“Temperature equalizers. They change color depending on your mood too. I'll make enough for everyone if I get a chance. How many people do you have here?”
Maria knew that off the top of her head, being in charge of the house normally.
“One hundred and seven all told, more counting guests…” She looked around at Trice, Collette and Ellen. Her gaze skipped Petra. Old habit or did family not count as a guest? If so, why count Ellen, her mother in law… Well not his concern.
Tor just nodded. After a second he got it. Petra had her amulet out and showing, so wouldn’t need one.
You'd have thought he invented bread or something the way they went on about the equalizers, Tor thought, how they tracked the mood and turned lovelier colors if your mood was good. Ellen smiled at him and bowed from a sitting position, which reminded him of something. He handed her another one. She looked at him, happy enough, but not understanding.
“For Georges. I have some other things for him as well, I can send those along with you?” Tor remembered the old serving man and retainer, who'd guarded them with his rusty spear the one time he'd been to her house, even further south. It was largely a swamp, hot and uncomfortable all the time he'd bet. They had a problem with dangerous giant lizards there. Ones that apparently thought royals were tasty eating. It was probably true, they had a lot of meat on them.
Her eyes lit and she surged to her feet, pulling Tor into a hug that pulled him from his feet for a moment. She kissed his cheek.
“Oh! That is so sweet! He'll be please to know that Master Tor thought of him personally and remembers him by name, I think.” She beamed but let him go and sat, which was good, since it let him get to the next pile of stuff.
“These are fishing boats.” Tor didn't explain and didn't have too, because Petra started to gush about them instantly, clapping her hands.
“Oh brother! Those aren't just boats, they're magic schooners, fifty foot long and they propel themselves through the water, even against the wind, at speeds faster than a horse can run. If we moved beds in we could take long voyages in one. I…” She stopped suddenly and grinned a little. “They're really neat.” She finished lamely.
Beds? Well, if you didn't need the hold for fish, that could be done. He hadn't thought about turning one into a home before. Was that a thing? He realized that he already had almost everything he needed for it. He'd probably want to make it a bit bigger and maybe prettier… Add some amenities that the fishing boats didn't have, like restrooms and showers. Tor realized that Petra was looking at the amulets wistfully. He shook his head.
“Petra, can I give you yours in a few days? I have an idea…” He didn't say more and as dark as she was he didn't think she blushed, her even smooth tan skin staying the same lovely shade, but she nodded and gave him a funny look.
“I didn't mean…” She started to say a little meekly, but Tor moved to the next pile of things.
These were just freezer units for cold boxes, since it was warm here and ice was a treat in the heat. Tor assumed it would be the case at least.
Everyone but Trice went very still, including Collette. Tor glanced at her and tried to show that he didn't get it. Was having ice forbidden? Had he just run up against some kind of anti-frozen water social taboo here?
Ellen rescued him, thankfully, explaining the situation, her voice impressed, even if her face looked a bit shocked. She had some at home though, at her dowager estate. Tor had sent them himself, so maybe it was because the Count had been in trouble so recently?
“That's a fine and expensive gift. A pound of ice is worth a gold here in the summer and half that in the winter. The ability to make even small amounts of ice is like being able to produce currency this far south.”
Maria nodded, and told them that they should make an effort to give some away to the poor, since they wouldn't have access to any otherwise, especially if they could do it for free. Tilting his head Tor had to stare at her, for three reasons. First, she was pretty. That's what got him into trouble with her in the first place wasn't it? Second, well, she seemed awfully nice really. Everyone he'd talked to about the topic had described her as a bitch, but he hadn't seen it, well, not recently at least. Was this all an act? It wouldn't help her or her husband in regards to the investigation, and Tor would have done the same things even if she was still screaming at him and being belittling. Then Trice hadn't said Maria was bad, just that she had more dick in a month than the girls at the whorehouse. A bit promiscuous, even by royal standards, but not a sin really, just… friendly?
The last was a new design idea, if everyone was willing to just give ice away for free or at least sell it cheap. Tor nearly laughed when he realized that this, too, was just a recombination of things he already could do. At this rate he could have more presents for the next day.
If only Trice’s arm was that simple. Maria had pulled her down next to her in the awkward looking seat, a bowl shaped disk that looked like everyone should slip out of them instantly. The last was just a set of lights. On stone, not metal.
“The ones in here are going to fail in about six months and probably dim and flicker three months before that. So, here.”
Instead of asking for a room, Tor set up a house on the lawn out front, which caused people to come and peek in the windows. A lot of them. So many that Tor finally set up another one on the other side of the lawn for people to tour. It didn't get everyone to leave him alone, but it cut down on the noise a little at least.
The beach here was a smooth white sand, about a half mile from the palace. Light gray at least. It took a lot longer to find rocks to work with, so finally, he just used a compressor, one of the new stronger ones for processing rock and used a small cutter to make about four hundred thin glossy tiles of white. Whiter than the sand itself by a good four shades, however that worked. They looked like glass he realized, if opaque.
Then he popped some holes in then, with a device, a modified cutting tool, right there on the beach as people watched from about ten feet back. Everyone still wore white, but now they had different colored sashes not just blue and red. Filling up his canvas sack he walked away, trying to smile, but feeling self-conscious as he went. People were watching him. Smiling, but clearly tracking him with their eyes as he moved away.
It wasn't meal time yet, even though he was hungry, but Tor started working anyway. If he did the equalizers first he could have them done by dinner. It would be two batches, but that would leave some extras to hand out, if people wanted them. They ended up looking different, but in a way they were even more elegant, the thin white squares contrasting nicely with the purple light of the sigils that glowed constantly, and disappeared when turned on.
He had enough of them, hopefully, so after he washed up and changed to another set of workman's clothes, that being all he had. Tor loaded the tiles into his little bag, then went to dinner, which was to be held outside, festival style, since Tor was “letting” the Wards have full liberty, as long as they held to their agreements. For the common person it was cooler outside than in, so the tradition had the evening meal served there. Bugs or not.
Well, Tor had grown up in a forest, he was used to insects at least.
The sandwiches were a cooked and shredded meat, with a tangy sauce made of fruit, and thinly sliced vegetables. It was good. Everyone ate the same food, and it seemed like half the city had turned out, again with a band playing and people dancing and drinking foolish amounts of alcohol. Tor stuck to pure fruit juice, checking it openly for poison, using the little stone he'd created for it. He passed those out as well, since he had a lot of them. The food was on a huge table, so he checked the whole thing. It was safe, of course, but then he'd thought that all food was safe, once upon a time. Being poisoned really sucked. Hard. If he could help anyone avoid that, he simply would.
Maria had Trice sit on her left and waited on her like a servant, reaching out to touch her over and over again. Ellen sat directly to Marvin's right and Petra past her.
There was no room for Tor at the table, not the one set up in front of the residence at least, so he just grabbed a plate of food and went to join Collette at one of the round ones that had been set about twenty feet away, out on the short grass. Men kept coming over and asking her to dance, which she playfully declined, since she was eating still after all. They'd just have to wait…
Tor didn't blame them though. He'd have asked her to dance too. The idea made him chuckle a bit and shake his head. Why shouldn't he? Collette looked at him politely, if quizzically. Right, she couldn't read his mind. He finished his bite, waving his hand to indicate what he was doing, so that he wouldn't have to talk with his mouth full. It was both in that book on manners and something his mother had taught all the kids from childhood. It made sense, after all, they were the rules she'd been raised with as the daughter of a Count, so she passed them along.
Really, it was only the sexual etiquette and relationship stuff that Tor had big trouble with. For the most part, he found reading the book, he hadn't even been messing that up too badly yet. Oh, he hadn't been polite, but it was a near thing, so he just looked cold, not like he wanted to insult anyone. It was a relief to see it in print, but he already knew that real life could be a lot different. Maria had freaked out on him after all, hadn't she? That wasn't covered in the book at all yet. It just wasn't supposed to happen.
Ever.
“I was just thinking I should get you to save a dance for me too, that was all.” He smiled, hoping it wasn't too forward. They didn't know each other that well really.
She laughed out loud, enough so that the people at the head table looked over at them from some twenty feet away.
“Me save a dance for you? Master Tor, I think it should be me asking that instead. The only reason women haven't been asking you yet is that they need a few more drinks to work the courage up. Even if you hadn't being giving out magic all evening it would happen. If you sleep alone tonight it won't be due to lack of offers. Is there a queue for that? If so I'd like to take a number myself…” She reached out and touched his arm, starting when she hit his shield. She pulled back suddenly as if embarrassed.
“Oh.” she said, worried suddenly, as if embarrassed.
“What?” Tor asked amused.
“Oh, well your wearing a shield? Are you afraid of attack here? I know that not everything has been smooth between you and the Count and Countess, but I don't think they'll attack you here. They rather need you after all…” She looked down at her plate, the food half eaten.
Tor shrugged and smiled.
“Habit mainly. Having a shield and not using it is a bit like being kicked down a flight of stone stairs, or getting a knife in the back, I've found. Plus, we're at war with Austra. Austran agents have tried to kill me, three, maybe four times already. For a nobody like me, that's a lot.” He turned the shield off and reached out to touch her arm, then took a bite and put it back up while chewing and sitting. He did it automatically now and normally didn't even notice it any more. “Anyway, I think the topic was you wanting to know if there was a waiting list to spend the night with me. The answer is, alas, no. I'm intending to work a lot tonight though, but I have tomorrow night free, if that wasn't just an offhand comment, I mean. If it was, that's all right, I won't take offense if your already engaged or busy.” Or just didn't really want to. She was nice, but that didn't mean she'd want to get that close to someone like him. Tor could understand that.
It was a little clumsy maybe, but the book had said that all invitations had to be taken seriously, but when in doubt, give the other party a graceful way out. He was in doubt of course. Collette was blond, not his personal favorite hair color, preferring brunettes really, but she was probably as pretty a person as he'd ever met. And she'd always been kind to him. If the engagement with Princess Varley fell through, which it probably had already, and if Petra didn't want to marry him, Collette would certainly be someone to ask.
The idea startled him a little bit.
Not that he'd consider asking her, but that she'd actually marry a little troll like him. He fought to keep a wince off his face, which was good, considering what she said next.
“Really? I'd love to. Your house then, tomorrow night? Shall I plan to spend the whole night, or… is this a secret? I can manage discrete if I try, I think. A quick visit in the evening perhaps, wouldn't be taken amiss. I could tell people I was consulting with you on a bit of magic, or trying to wheedle something from you. One of those houses for instance. I looked in to the other one earlier. A full working kitchen, freezing box and oven. A working restroom that removes waste with magic and a full warm water shower and bath? And those beds… Have you considered making those as a standalone? I'd buy one. Right now. I don't care if it beggars me until I get my next allowance even. Just heavenly. Could be a bit bigger though, in case I wanted to have a friend or two over….” She giggled, so Tor chuckled too.
Apparently, according to “Manners”, if a woman chuckled, giggled or laughed at anything other than death, a gentleman did too. Even if it wasn't really funny. The instructions flat out said that too. With death you were supposed to pretend it was just nerves on the ladies part and comfort her as if she were troubled, even if she was really just being evil about it.
If she passed gas in public the nearest man was supposed to look embarrassed and excuse himself for having done it, to save the lady in question from being shamed. Well, so far that hadn't come up, but if it did, he was ready. “Manners” was a really complete book.
“Well… Technically I'm engaged to Varley, Princess Veronica? But that may be falling through, political stuff, if I was told correctly and not just being put off. We're friends regardless, so I wouldn't want to embarrass her, and I'm kind of fond of Petra, so I wouldn't want to insult her or anything either, so… I guess a bit discrete? I think we can get away with more than a quick meeting though. We're friends too.
“On the other stuff, I haven't made beds like that, but I have the basic field for it, so that would be easy enough. I can't do it tonight though, not if I want to sleep. If I didn't I would have asked you over already. But I have some things to do up first… I can give you a house though, if you want. I have a bunch of them left.”
She clapped and leaned into him, whispering gently.
“Can you decorate it too? I'd love a sofa and maybe some drapes.” She laughed, but this time he didn't, not trying to be rude, but taken aback a bit as the idea hit him.
It was all possible, if he knew what he was supposed to do. He could even modify the current field to redesign the interior without having to rebuild the whole field. If he could get her to show him what she wanted…
“Yes… It will take a little longer, but if you're willing to do the design work and get me pictures, or examples to work from… That could be done. It's really a good idea. The thought is for these houses to be portable, which gets harder if you have to put in real furniture and stuff. But making it a part of the field… Yeah… That makes so much sense.” He grinned at her, feeling a little excited at the idea. “Let’s do it!”
After he finished eating dinner, but before the real dancing began, the Wards made a point of passing out the temperature equalizers Tor had made, so almost everyone was glowing openly when the servants, also glowing at the throat, mainly in bright yellows and greens, brought out three large containers of ice for everyone to enjoy. Maria made a point of giving the credit for it to Tor, but it hadn't been his idea. It was hers.
The Countess smiled at Tor and bowed lightly, but didn't take any credit for her own action in giving it away at all. Tilting his head towards her he bowed back with raised eyebrows. She got it well enough to look pleased, which was a little baffling to tell the truth. He wouldn't have thought she'd care what he thought about most things, especially her.
After that, well, it turned out that Collette wasn't wrong about women coming to ask him to dance. A couple of men did too, much to his surprise. Tor nearly froze the first time, but then
shrugged. If people thought he liked men, well, those rumors had been around for a long time, hadn't they? Started by Maria, come to think of it. As long as they were just the happy bouncing dances and not the grinding ones that couples were doing, he decided to just agree. He mainly danced with women and did manage a turn with Collette, though she was as busy as he was. He tried for a turn with Petra, but that wasn't happening he soon realized. She was very popular here and a good dancer. Like him she didn't turn anyone that asked down, it seemed, and that meant she didn't get a chance to do more than breathe between songs.
Tor would have danced with Trice, but she just sat next to Maria the whole night, leaning into each other more and more closely as things wore on and drink flowed. Both had glowing amulets out and both had more than a little pink showing. So they were friends? Tor looked at them, and realized the interest was probably more than that.
Right.
Well wasn't he just a provincial hick, then?
Tor had no business telling them how to live their lives in their own place. If they went to Two Bends, the rules there were different, but here? Well… they weren't exactly being discrete, were they? So maybe that would be an issue. It wasn't his business, but it seemed a little mean to Count Ward. He just sat and watched the crowd. Apparently the high royalty weren't allowed to dance or something? Or maybe he just didn't feel like it? His pendant was black and blue swirls after all. Maybe he realized that things were darker than Maria did? That seemed odd, because she kind of seemed the brains of the operation, but there it was, Marvin Ward, pensive and gloomy, in front of everyone.
At about eleven Tor made his way to his little house. The sounds from the party would continue, he knew, but he could block them out. It took effort and more than once people pounded on his door, which caused him to rouse a little each time. The third time Tor also heard a woman’s voice and it sounded urgent, scared, so he pulled himself up from the work he was doing to check on the situation. His mind had been deep and really, Tor didn't come all the way out, holding the pattern he’d been working on the whole time.
