by Power, P. S.
David laughed, and looked away. It was fake, his aspect dark underneath the sound.
"You missed that, didn't you Willet? Dare just tried to put himself in between you and a thrashing, and you showed great disrespect. That's poor form. Even worse, you asked if he knew who you were, but you don't know who he is either, do you?"
There was an eye roll in response to the words.
"What's to know? He's some lucky merchant whose father bought him a place in a decent school. That, or he licked the Countesses privates well enough to get in. He has the looks, though the no hair thing is funny." He did stop glaring however, and managed a snort. "I'm Duke Wessling. The sitting Duke."
There was a small undertone of beat that to the words. As if being a Duke was going to keep the two large men from thrashing him for missing classes. The fact that he was there, having shown up for it, meant he intended to take his punishment, even if he complained at the same time. Which meant that going after Dare made no sense.
He nodded then, instead of bowing.
"I see. So... You don't want to work with the likes of me? Understandable. I guess I'll just have to watch? I really do need the work. I'm new to this kind of thing." That was said to Havar, who seemed to be in charge that day. Why, he didn't know, but the large man smiled.
"We'll get you a turn after Willet goes? I'm sure he'll endeavor to tire us out for you?"
Then, with no ceremony at all, David leaped in, and dumped the fat kid to the dirt below him, hard, picking him up by both legs to do it. Then, he climbed his body carefully, ready for blows to come, or some trick. That did happen, and Willet worked to toss him to the side, but each time he tried, David was ready with a stabilizing leg or hand.
The boy wasn't horrible at fighting it seemed, and did several things that looked like they could work. Some did, but David was better, and able to keep going longer. After a few minutes, with only a few punches tossed, the boy on the bottom was gasping hard for air.
It reminded Dareg of being in the void, which apparently showed, since Havar remarked on it.
"Are you well? Willet isn't being harmed, not more than he can bear."
"It's... Not that. I was stuck out, in the void, with no air, yesterday. I did it to take out one of the Adversaries." He didn't know if the Baron was in on that, but he went wide eyed.
His voice, when it came was hushed.
"Alone?"
"Yes. I can cover it later. It cost me my ship. I have a jump shield, so I didn't die, but... It was close." He was shaking a bit, which got the man to pound him on the top of his shoulder.
"If you can fill Derring and I in on that? Ward too, Petra, I mean. You recall her?"
He nodded, not explaining yet. Instead he focused himself and tried to watch what was going on. It was really clear that these men were taking it easy on the boy. That didn't mean no good moves were being used, which he needed to learn. All of them, really.
Finally David stood up, and moved back. Instead of hammering the gasping Duke, Baron Havar let him recover, which took nearly seven minutes. Then they repeated the thing. There was a bit more punching and kicking this time, but it still ended up on the ground, with the heavy kid being on the bottom.
David didn't wait, trying the same move with him, a two-legged take down, that he'd used on Willet. He got a punch to the face, a low hook, for his trouble. They still ended up going down, but David wasn't sitting on him. They ended up being more side-by side, so Dare kicked out, hard, hitting the man in the middle.
Then they really went at it. In the end, after about ten minutes, Havar stopped them, laughing.
"There. See that Willet? That's what you have to be doing. Every fight, from now on. Right now you're better, skill wise, than Dare is. Ask yourself though, do you think you could win against him? I mean, in a dirty, no holds barred, fight to the death? Take a close look first. He's not even breathing hard, and took twice the beating you did. Working with just one man. Watch."
Then he had to fight again with Havar. It was about as hard, but vastly longer, and in the end he actually started to win. Not easily, but he was simply able to keep his speed up as the other man flagged. Not that blood wasn't pouring out of his face. Finally Havar, gasping himself this time, moved back, waving.
"There... Do you... See? If you... Want to... Live..." He waved for them to wait, and walked away, taking deep breaths.
David covered for him.
"If you want to live you have to be ready for anything. You didn't recognize Dareg. Prince Dareg Canton, of Harmony. Countier Baker, and Countier Lairdgren. So you understated his position and mocked him. Luckily it's Dare. Anyone else would have razed your duchy to the ground. Plus a third of the beating you got today was due to you foolishly not throwing in with him when he offered to help. In a real fight you can't afford to look down on anyone. Anyone. Trust me, there will be times when having some merchant kid, or even the man that licks the Countess's nethers, at your back might be the only thing between you and death. Think about that. The next time this happens we won't be as soft on you."
Instead of bowing, the bruised up Duke sighed.
"Sorry. I was rude. I shouldn't have been. Even if you weren't a noble. I thought you were mocking my fighting skill. People do, because..." He waved at his body, instead of saying the word fat. "It's hard for me to resist food. I really do try, but I get so hungry." He seemed miserable about it, but didn't go on. Or give a good apology.
Not that Dareg cared about that.
"I think I understand. So, who's going to teach me how to do more than just flail around until people get tired?"
That it turned out was everyone, including Willet, who was better when people weren't sitting on him, it turned out. Not as good as most of the other fighters had been, but he wasn't in the morning class at all. Just the afternoon ones, which was when the kids that mainly had fighting as a regular class took it. From what Havar told him it was the same, just a bit easier and less intense.
After that, when Willet left, the men both came over to him, to get the news. He told them all of it, not holding back any details.
"So, that's where we stand right now. I don't know what to think about it all. The thing with two Bill's... They weren't the same however. I... Actually need to get going now. I need to get to Austra and check in on the port there. Which probably means calling ahead, to let them know that it's time to hide."
There were High Servants doing the work, after all.
So that either meant it wasn't happening, or that something was very different than it had been before.
A white and blond person flashed onto the screen, his face a bit annoyed. At first. He got his face under control as he looked up however, even before recognition passed into his eyes.
"High Servant Johan here. How may I serve you today?"
"Hi Johan. Dareg Canton on this end. Um, you mentioned that you've been working the ports with your people? I was planning to finally get back to work and start in on Austra. How do I set that up? There are protocols for landing right? To get around the missile system."
The fellow blew out air, and nodded, but took a bit before speaking.
"When are you coming? Things are a bit of a mess here... We're doing six simultaneous building projects, and the Austrans aren't used to the equipment. Good workers though. Even the volunteers are doing well that way. I think that you coming would be all right... Being the man in charge and all that." He smiled and shook his head a little then grinned. "It depends how picky you are? If you want to run white gloves over the walls, then you will be sadly disappointed. If you just want to come and make sure we're doing something, then you might be pleased enough?"
It all made sense, and was friendlier than he would have expected. He barely knew the man after all.
"That sounds fine to me. I really figured that nothing would happen while I was recovering. Thanks for picking that up. Which, by the way, I can totally use the help with. I'm not pushing you out or anything. As long
as the work gets done, it's good." That was the point after all. The ports being up.
In truth, they all were, in that ships could land at them, and all that. They just weren't nice really. Just landing places made of focus stone. Big, empty pads. They were ugly and not all that useful. At the very least they needed water and a way for people to get out of the elements while they waited for ships to come.
Johan looked away, and gestured, which was just visible, since he used his other hand, and was clearly trying to get someone to leave him alone for the moment.
"So, in three days?" He sounded almost worried about it, which was strange, but he explained instantly."We need to have a conversation here about who's in charge, or else people will act like it's me, and then I'll have to beg you not to kill me for stealing your power. I haven't, I promise. I just don't know how well everyone here will get that." Then he chuckled, weakly.
It didn't fit his large, and powerful frame. The man was a fighter, for all he wore the white robes. He was also hard working and honest, as far as Dare knew.
"If you need that time, you have it. Don't worry about me however. I was just asked by Tam-Unit to make certain people kept her filled there. It hasn't been a problem here, but I guess in other locations people won't just keep her filled if asked?"
Johan looked annoyed again, but didn't say it wasn't true.
"I know. It's a cultural thing, I think. Austrans will do a lot of hard work, but things like carting dirt around are considered beneath them, for some reason. Being a farmer too, which is strange. They have plants and flowers, even food in the fields, but they look down on the people that grow it even more than the nobles back there." He stopped. "Anyway, when you want to come, if you move directly over the port and settle straight down. That way the Austrans won't kill you. Actually, they set it up the way you suggested? So, come in on the east by ten miles, and all that? There's a circle around the port now that's safe. Don't move too fast? We don't have ship to ship communication all the time yet."
Dareg felt the loss of his craft again.
"No ship for the time being. I can use the same thing with a jump shield?"
Johan tensed and looked worried.
"You don't have your ship? Was it taken away for some reason? Or lent out?"
"No, I had to fly it at the Sun. Luckily I had the newest shield. It's harder to use, but it saved my life." It wasn't much of an explanation, but it was clear that Johan, though troubled by the waste, wasn't planning to scold him over it. Not just then.
Probably in person, later. That would be fair, after all. Jump ships weren't things to waste like that. Even if it had been needed at the time.
David leaned in then, his face still battered a bit from practice. For that matter, Dare needed to see to healing himself. Johan hadn't reacted to that at all. Probably, now, thinking it was about his punishment for being so stupid and wasteful.
"The Adversaries. Dareg had to fight one that was even more powerful than the ones that killed Kolb and Karen. Alone. From the sound of it he nearly died doing it, but pulled out a win." It didn't sound complimentary, or like he was tattling. It was kind of dead, and bland. Even the depression that could have been there was gone.
Johan went slightly wide eyed and looked around instead of at him or David, who was still crowding in alongside of him. Placing an arm over his shoulder, the seven foot whatever he was man put on a tight and angry expression.
"So far we're winning, but I don't know if we can afford this. Not that we get a choice."
"Understood. Do you need me there? I can get things around here well enough." His voice shifted, firming and going hard. Like it probably should have been all along.
David shook his head.
"No. Hold fast there. Canton will act as our go between if it's needed. We only have one man that has successfully stopped the threat alone, so we need to get him in with us. Not that I know how to do that. I mean, Prince of the Moon... Son of the richest man in three worlds... How do we even bribe someone like that?" It was really bizarre, because the tone didn't change, but Dareg could tell he was actually teasing. Making fun of his status, right to his face.
Like only a friend would have felt comfortable doing. A real one.
Johan looked over at Dare, paused, and then shrugged, moving the whole screen.
"Sex? Or does my helping with the ports count toward that end?"
Dareg thought for a second, and had to agree with the idea. Both really. Not that he felt like sex at the moment.
"It does. I don't know that I can get in on this secret thing you all have going on, but I'll do what I can, as long as it doesn't work against Queen Tiera, or King Richard." He had split loyalties, but so far it hadn't been that big of an issue. If those two ever went to war, he was probably going to lose half his world, but until then worrying about it helped nothing.
Besides, the way things were going he probably wouldn't live to see that day anyway.
Baron Havar moved in and slapped him on the back, the action vigorous enough that his shield kicked on, throwing David back, getting a soft sound from him as the air left his lungs, he stumbled away. The large and powerful baron looked at him and snorted.
"You were holding your shield off and fighting the rage that entire time? Impressive work. Sorry there, Derring."
David grinned, standing six feet away now.
"No harm. Anyway, you were going to say something?"
"Just that I think we can work within those rules. Now, Dareg... Why do you think we have some kind of secret? Not that we don't have our own miniature conspiracy to fight against the Adversaries here, but I hadn't thought we'd given it away that clearly." He was acting jovial, which was strange for him, as far as Dare knew. Really, he only seemed happy when he was practicing, so far. Then, Dareg hadn't met him that many times, that he had hidden depths wasn't a huge leap to make. Most people did.
"Ah. No, I didn't mean that. The other one. The work for King Richard? I don't know what you call it, but there have been a lot of signs of it. I don't think I can join that, but like I said, I'll help you fight the Adversaries, regardless."
The men with him stiffened, but Johan rolled his eyes like it wasn't a big deal.
"That should work. Try not to mention this around? We have a reputation to keep up, and people just guessing about this is... Not great." He smirked then, like he was lying to impress Dareg, but there had been too many signs in the last month.
Even before the attacks started.
"Agreed. Anyway, three days? I was planning on coming in a few minutes. I can do that though. It sounds like the big things are taking place. The landing being allowed has been my major concern. Try to figure out how to get working material into Tam-Unit?"
"On it. Thanks for getting in touch. Oh... Not to put you off and beg in the same breath, but we could use some lights? The Austrans have them, but they use up power and we'd have to pay for that. For the landing areas? So the bright ones we can set the colors on, if possible?"
"I'll see if I can get something around toward that. Thanks Johan." His lips were swollen, making his word a bit mushy. His jaw hurt too, but he didn't start healing yet, in case there was supposed to be more fighting practice. Doing that many times wasn't a great plan. It ate up too many of his internal resources.
They chatted, but not for too long, since these men had real lives and things to get to. They didn't say what, but both of them used healing amulets, and walked away, heading toward the city of Printer, not the school. That was closer, but probably a bit boring most of the time. He did see people walking around over the low, focus stone wall, but none of them were the ones that he'd met before. They glanced at him, but it seemed that a bald boy in student brown didn't catch that much attention there. It was kind of refreshing, actually.
Healing first, he lifted swiftly, going straight up into orbit for the jump. He didn't know what would happen if you did it with air all around you, but it felt wrong to him. Like it would possibly be
bad. Dangerous, if not to the person moving far away. Like a weapon, nearly. The world having to suddenly fill an empty space the size of his shield. That was bigger than he was by a good bit, he thought. The shield was close to the skin at the hands, but the air bubble was much larger than that. Two, or even three feet away from his body, almost all the way around. Not under his feet however, the thing lifting him just a bit when it turned on.
It probably wouldn't harm anything, if he was away from people, but doing that, jumping, from a closed room might well collapse the space in on itself. Regardless, he wasn't going to be trying it if he didn't need too.
In space the leap between places was simple, and silent.
Dareg just hung there, looking at the world spinning slowly under him, matching the movement, so he was over the Capital of Noram, more or less. Then waited for a minute. It was a nice view, and no one was going to bother him while he was there. Even if they tried, he couldn't answer his handheld. That took tapping a sigil, and it was inside his shield. Only that wasn't totally true. While he'd need to turn it off to reach into his pocket, he had learned to turn things on and off with his thoughts, not touching things at all. At least if it wasn't too far from him. Five or six feet maybe.
About half an hour later, still just floating there, he got to test that out, as the thing in his right hand side pocket started buzzing at him. Focusing on it, he tried to hold the idea of hitting the glowing blue activation tab. After a few moments a voice started speaking.
"Um, hello? Dareg? My screen went black, I don't know what that means." The voice was familiar, being his half sister.
"Hello, Queen Constance! I'm in space right now, above the Capital, so the handheld has to stay in my pocket. The shield gets in the way. Is there an emergency? I can be there in about... Two minutes, if there is. Well, a bit more if it's someplace else." Not much longer however. It would just take a jump first, to orient his dive at the Earth.
"In space? We'd heard that your ship was lost in yesterdays battle. Did Tor give you a new one?"
"Nope. I'm using a jump shield. It's like the regular space ones, but, you get the idea, it can jump? It's harder to use that way. Helpful though. I think I like it. Hard to take passengers however. If you need that... Well, I can probably call in some help."
