Knight of the Realm tya-3

by P. S. Power

  Well, even after it was over, they could just knock on the door, right? That would be fine. Or send word of where the people were, if they couldn't be moved? It wasn't like it was work to hand them an amulet for a few minutes.

  Then there were singers and players from the Capital, coming with their prepared works and jokes. It was, in general, the best festival he'd ever heard of, much less been to. Tor stopped and bought a sweet roll, which was good, so he got a full dozen and carried them on a wooden tray to the ice manufactory where all “his” people stood helping with ice sales. Petra had put a top on and put her equalizing amulet outside the clothing for all to see. It was a bright and happy yellow that changed to nearly pure pink when she saw him. A sign that she really liked him. That or she realized with that many rolls, he'd come to share. Either way she seemed happy. Collette too, though her amulet tinged with green occasionally, showing greed. Well, that was normal enough too.

  They each took a roll and so did the military men, who all called him by name. These guys recognized him, of course… Then they were focus stone workers, not gate guards, so they wouldn't have been on duty anyway, no matter when he'd gotten there. Probably down on their off day. When he took a second roll, Tor checked it for poison, but found nothing again.

  They were decent. Not enough cinnamon, but then different people had varied taste perception. He always liked spicier foods himself. The crowd looked up and pointed suddenly as a transport moved to land behind the castle. The ice castle, not the big one next to it and the whole royal family got out.

  They waved to everyone and to a man, woman and with a little coaxing, child, everyone else moved back to let them walk around and watch the proceedings unimpeded. The audience bowed as one too, which was kind of impressive in its own way. After all, before the war this kind of thing was normal, wasn't it? People seemed heartened to see the King and Queen at least and began cheering, which got the royals to all go up on the stage, chairs appeared for them to sit in, nice soft ones that were purple and gold, the Cordes colors, gaining more applause and the whole show from earlier was repeated. This was on the left side of the stage, a liveried Royal Guard standing behind each of them, as if it was normal.

  The guy making things with focus stone worked off to the side the whole time and presented the King with a statue that was bawdy enough that the audience hooted when Richard held it up for all to see, his eyes alight. It was a light tan color, but clearly showed a man and woman intertwined.

  Tor recognized the work, if not the artist himself. Flynn. Then he made practical things again for the audience. Karina stared at Petra when she made her clothing change, fairly salivating. He'd have to give her one of the clothing devices before she left if he could. The Royal Guard might not want anyone that close to them of course. Tor couldn't see them, other than the ones on stage, but if the King was there, they were too. The Prince hooted as the boats raced, and said he wanted one, which got Petra to bring out hers and put it in the middle of the river. There was barely enough water to support it, but people gasped and stomped, which seemed a popular enough activity for the crowd. Stomping. Apparently clapping just wasn't enough for some things.

  Tor went into the castle and tried to find his trunk, which was on the second level up a stone staircase, first door on the right. He had to track it by feeling for the variety of fields in it. A trick that worked pretty well he realized, as long as he wasn't too far away. The room was fantastic, it had a huge bed and was lined with silk and velvet. Smiling he realized a person almost couldn't find anything to touch that wasn't soft, or so smooth glass would have felt self-conscious about how course it was. He pulled some amulets to give away as gifts or prizes and went out on the stage itself to pass them to Petra, who seemed to be in charge, her eyes lit brightly as she held the pieces up by their cords.

  “Contests!” She yelled in a booming voice, turning with a bow to the King and Queen, telling them they got to pick by tradition. If it wasn't the tradition in the Capital, no one found it amiss either. It seemed like something you'd have a King and Queen do, didn't it? Tor had brought out one of everything that had been demonstrated, except Petra's boat and Collette's house. He had the smaller versions of both though.

  There was a foot race around the Capital with a prize for the first man, woman and child under twelve to finish, without shortcuts of course. The flying guard were out in force to check on that in their bright red and white uniforms.

  It was a bit boring to watch for most people after the runners got around the first turn, so Tor bought up the food from all the stands and had it passed out for free, first come first serve. Same with the non-alcohol drinks and relenting when Rolph begged, some of those too. It cost nearly a hundred golds all told, but meant that kids, who never had a lot of coin, and poor people, got to have some too. Tor had to go in early to make things, as soon as the footrace finished. He waited but just to hand out the trinkets and explain how they worked. Casually he mentioned that things would be available for sale if anyone wanted them at Debbie's shop, next to the bakery, next to the Cartwright by the south wall. Oddly almost everyone knew where that was already.

  He worked in focus stone and didn't sleep, making large batches of a hundred each. He created some unique things too, that weren't actually new, things like tubs and mirrors that just hung in the air, beds that could be set up anywhere and a few things that just looked pretty that he thought people might like as well as a bunch of more practical things. He had twelve hundred items all glowing and solid as far as the work went, though not on thread or leather thong. When he got to the shop, it was early, not bakery early, but only about twenty people were on the street. All of them were waiting in front of Debbie's.

  People started to complain as he worked his way through to knock on the door. He had to do it persistently, until finally, eyes looking worried, his partner and boss opened the door and nearly yelp at him.

  “You came! I was afraid you'd forget and I'd end up having to barricade the door and pretend not to be home. So what do you have?” She seemed both relieved and a little manic. Excited by the whole thing?

  Tor hoped that was the case. He opened the bags and explained what it was he'd brought.

  Enough that her eyes boggled by the end of his list. She couldn't handle both shops, so she very practically set Tor to baking, which he knew how to do well enough, having grown up in a bakery and all that. He finished the bread she'd started and, after confirming the idea with her, decided to make several large batches of festival hand pies, fruit and meat. Just in case anyone got hungry while shopping for items next door. When the door opened the shops both filled, at first the bakery did more business, until about noon when the royals started to make their appearances.

  If the morning crowd had come to gawk, the afternoon was all about buying junk Tor had made and paying more for it than was really reasonable, but less than they expected, since Tor could do something about quantity where most other builders found that hard. That or they wanted to keep prices up. But Tor had to just shrug about that, after all, what was the point of keeping people from having your work?

  The flow into the bakery was steady still, but now people came to watch the wealthy and influential, to see and be seen as well. A few kids from the area came in and a giant, fierce looking guard of a noble tried to run them off, even though they were clearly just locals, not thieves or even poor overly, just the kids of tradesmen. Tor looked at the man and asked him to leave his clientele alone, thank you very much. It was said with a grin, but the large fellow didn't seem to find it humorous at all.

  The man bristled and said that they weren't buying anything, so pulling a silver from his pocket and tossing it in the till box, Tor asked the kids what they wanted. The man turned a beet red, but didn't ask them to leave again, even though they watched the wealthy lady shopping in her fine gown openly though the door. She was an older woman who looked kind of familiar. A Duchess, Tor knew that much since she'd been announced at a palace
party once with her husband… It came to him just as she watched into the bakery door to collect her guards.

  “Good afternoon Duchess Terrell.” Tor hoped that was right, he remembered it because it was his older brother’s name, nearly at least. It might be spelled differently. She spun and looked at him, them bowed, making her guard goggle a little.

  “Master Tor… So unexpected to see you here. And being useful too?” She winked at him knowingly, though what she knew he couldn't guess and didn't really care. Did she think he was sleeping with Debbie? That was hardly a crime. She'd make a good wife even. Or mistress, though he wouldn't want to play with her.

  She was his friend, but seemed too delicate for the whole noble have sex with everyone thing. Then again, what did he know? It was the Capital, so maybe that was her way too? The big drawback there is that he could imagine rolling over in bed one night and accidentally start thinking about Terlee, they looked too similar for comfort there, so… no. But it wasn't any flaw in her that prevented it. Any good man should be pleased to have her and any bad man would answer to him if he found out about it.

  “I bought one of those magical clothing devices, they're all the rage right now you know. Now I just have to convince my husband that it's not a waste of money. A thousand gold, but…”

  A… thousand?

  Tor had to make himself not blanch.

  “Well, what does a single dress cost, in Afrak gossamer silk like the one you wore to that party last year?”

  “Oh a trifle, a few hundred gold, it's just doing it at once that will rankle him…”

  Tor smiled and gave her a small bow.

  “But you have all your clothing paid for the next three or four years, maybe longer. Plus shoes, swim wear, what have you, even heavy winter wear if you want to go north. So, as long as you use it, haven't you actually saved thousands of golds? Not that it matters of course, but it should make him happy once that's pointed out I think. He seemed like a practical fellow at least.” If dour and humorless meant practical. Still it was a real point, if the man cared to think about it.

  She agreed, delighted, and asked if he'd be free for a dinner invitation soon, unfortunately he had to beg off.

  “I'm being put in as Smythe of Westend's assistant for a while. Investigation coming up. I can't say much.” Really he didn't know what was common knowledge or not and figured that playing dumb couldn't really hurt.

  “Smythe? Didn't you blind him and cut his hand off in a fight? Was that wrong then? Are you investigating the Wards now?” She looked interested leaning close to hear his answer.

  “He can see now, I fixed that yesterday. The hands still gone, but we've worked out our difficulties I think. I guess Ward would be the most likely thing, but for all I know I'm going to be getting him drinks and cleaning his chamber for him. I think I recall him saying something about riding around the town on my shoulders twice a week, but that could have been someone else… Possibly a horse, but why would he name him after me?” It came out innocent sounding and deadpan, but the woman winked again.

  “Well, it's good to see you aren't letting things go to your head. Keep that up.” The last was an order so he bowed and agreed to do everything in his power in that regard. The guard kept goggling, but the kids looked bored. After they left one of them that had long hair and could have been either a boy or girl asked if the man was very big.

  “Smythe? He's good sized, about six-eight or so I think. Kind of muscular too. Why?”

  “Oh, because it might be hard to carry someone that big around on your shoulders. You're kind of little.” She or he smiled at him innocently.

  Tor shrugged and sighed.

  “I know! That's what I told him, but he's very insistent. Picked out a saddle already and everything.” The little kids laughed, getting at least enough to know when a joke was told.

  While they finished laughing a group of girls, mainly wearing boys clothing, trousers and such, a few in student browns, walked in. It took half a second for him to recognize Princess Karina Cordes in the midst of the group. She had shorter hair today than the day before, a real military bob not just shoulder length and as black as his own, no longer the dyed brown that was barely hiding her natural red on the stage. Her gaze caught his and she looked like a startled deer, eyes going huge and scared.

  Was she not supposed to be out? He checked with his mind and found that she was at least wearing a shield and had both a force lance and a cutter on her, both good quality, though the force lance was getting old and wasn't up to par with the ones he made. He'd have to get her a better one. He just nodded.

  “Welcome ladies, might I get something for you?” It was the same opening line everyone got, with changes only for gender or station. When in doubt, promote upward in social rank, except Karina didn't want to be recognized. She knew he did, but that didn't have to be acknowledged if she didn't want. Maybe she was just embarrassed that they knew each other?

  She wore an old pair of worn student browns that had probably once belonged to the Prince. Well, good to get as much use out of things as possible, besides, they did blend pretty well. Everyone wore brown for school, so there were people walking around dressed like that at any festival and even more on the street. It was also a pretty common workman's color, so it would work that way too.

  One of the other girls, taller than him, lean, short black hair and a patch over her right eye stared, looking almost angry. A wave of interest came off her though, and recognition.

  “That's him, isn't it? Master Tor his own self. Here to serve us goodies and make the miraculous happen. Didn't expect that, now did we? Well your sleeping with him Kari, at least that's what you claimed, get him to fix my eye and you're the boss for the next year, everyone agreed?”

  Everyone was, except Karina who suddenly looked miserable.

  Chapter eleven

  “Wait…” A round faced girl that looked to be almost normal in height to Tor, so about five-three or so, probably taller if she stood straight, said sounding baffled. Same short, dyed black hair, and gray workman's clothes, but with a bust line that would have put Petra to shame and on a much smaller frame, so it looked that much larger over all.

  She was cute.

  “If he's Master Tor, then why is he working in a bakery?”

  That got a shrug along with a gentle grin.

  “Why not? I know how, and the owner of the shop is running the part next door. It never hurts do your share, right?” Tor said simply, trying to remain polite.

  He was sleeping with Karina now? Since that had never happened and they hadn't even kissed more than a peck on the cheek something was definitely up here. From the look on her face “Kari” had been the one telling tales too. Well. What should he do? Ignore the jibe? That would leave his friend in distress though. Right, well, distraction time then.

  “You're eye… accident, illness or born that way?” He said, indicating the patch with his whole hand. It was less rude than pointing, the book said so.

  The girl, Lilli, told him about the illness that had hit five years before leaving her unable to open the eye and even when pried open she couldn't see from it. As long as she wasn't born that way it was worth a shot. Tor pulled off his healing amulet and handed it to her. He would have anyway, even if “Kari” wasn't with her. Didn't people know anything about him at all?

  She clasped her head, screamed and moaned dramatically and finally slipped the eye patch off, showing a normal eye underneath. The wrong color, brown instead of green like the one on the other side. She looked in a mirror that came from one of the new amulets, just something Tor had made up the night before, since regular mirrors were generally of poor quality and expensive. This one reflected light perfectly so she noticed right away.

  She didn't complain or even seemed bothered by the effect, she just grinned. Tor had thought she might have a problem with it at first, seeming a little entitled in her manner, kind of like some of the more annoying nobles, though a bit short for that
. She was only about five-ten or so.

  “I'll take it. Brown is a good color, boys like it, and now I have something that makes me simply unique, not crippled.” She kissed Karina on the cheek warmly and put her arm around the short busty girl.

  “You're it then Kari, for a whole year. What do you want us to do? Bath you with our tongues? I know I enjoyed that one myself… Or, I don't know, dance naked in the streets? Do drugs until we can't stand and let questionable men do things to us?”

  These were her friends? They sounded both close and like horrible people at the same time. At least Lilli did. Well, no wonder she'd wanted to impress them so much. It was probably self-defense. A tall buff colored girl in the back, who was pretty, except for a horrible case of acne, moved forward and asked how much the pretty temperature equalizers were. She looked about sixteen and said her name was Yardley when asked, sounding a little shy.

  It was a strange name but easy to remember. He handed her the healing amulet without even thinking about it, or asking if she wanted healing, which was rude. Tor winced internally but managed to keep it off his face. They all watched her acne fade in a few seconds. She looked in the mirror and started crying, then pulled her shirt up in the back exposing perfect skin. Lilli rubbed her hands over it and pronounced it smooth as silk.

  That looked kind of like fun touching the girl like that, but other people were staring at the girls, so Tor got them to move to the side so he could work. He had a bakery to run after all, he mentioned with a wink. A few minutes later they were all standing and looking at amulets wistfully.

  “Fifty gold? No, I don't have that on me today. Thank you.” Yardley muttered quietly to Debbie in the other room. She sounded really sad. Given the heat out, he couldn't blame her. He wore an equalizer himself and he knew Karina did at the palace. She didn't now though, probably so she wouldn't be rubbing her wealth in her friend’s faces.