Lineage (The Young Ancients: Second Cycle Book 1)

by P. S. Power

  He nodded, knowing that it was going to be something. Hopefully it wouldn't be all that large, since they only had five servants and they were all new and might not know how to do that kind of thing. He didn't, so why would they?

  Sara however, had that part for them, which was nice of her. That meant he just needed to go and... Honestly, he had no clue what was going to happen next. It wasn't going to be fun though, he was willing to bet.

  As it turned out, it really wasn't.

  His handheld went off in his pocket, and while he figured it would be his new half sister calling to yell about being hung up on, which would be fair, or her husband in the same vein, it was actually some man he didn't recognize at all.

  The face was lean, and his outfit a bit strange, but other than that there was nothing about him that seemed too special or odd. He had a nice medium dark skin tone, and light eyes, but that wasn't too odd.

  "Hello?"

  The other man furrowed his brow tightly.

  "Sorry? I'm trying to get in touch with the new World Port Authority? I was told by King Richard this was the right name? I might have tabbed the wrong line..."

  Dareg could understand how that could happen.

  "That's me. What may I do for you?" He was fourteen. Young for a real job. Of course, the week after that one, no one would care if some kid was making sure all the trash was picked up. That week he looked pretty good though. People would probably even think it was important, for a bit.

  "Oh... Well, I'm John Foley. The Prime Minister of Austra. Our Revered One, Timon Baker, is returning to Earth tomorrow after a long absence. You've heard about that?" The look on the man's face told him that for some reason he didn't seem to think that anyone outside of his own land would have, rather than assuming that Dare was a moron.

  He was going to take it that way at least.

  "Sure. He'll be in tomorrow at five, our time. I... Can you get here by then? Or whoever you have to meet him? I don't know if I can set that up..." He looked around, and oddly enough, David raised his hand about half way.

  "I could do that? I have a craft capable of that right now, on loan. I've done it before. The main city there, on the southern side? Will that work?"

  The man on the device suddenly relaxed a lot.

  "Oh, that would work. Very well actually. We have... Call it two hundred people that will want to attend?"

  That got a head shake, the David suddenly frowning.

  "I can't do that then. I have room for twelve, if they aren't too big. Old style fast craft. Unless someone has a space craft I can borrow? That will speed things up a good bit."

  Dareg felt annoyed, and then shook his head. He wasn't lending anyone his jump ship.

  "I can pilot it. I have a ship. Can you give me directions on how to do it without being blown up?" He glanced at David, who smiled at him, rather than seeming doubtful.

  "Not a problem. We can be there in... Six hours? Is that enough time for you to have everyone ready?"

  That got a sour look from the man, and a head shake.

  "Only if I want to be hung in the city square. Can you give us ten hours?" It was a negotiation, or could have been, but it didn't really matter.

  "Not really? It's about what, four now? I have to be at the dinner at nine, that will take a few hours at least, then... Well, I need some kind of sleep... How about fourteen hours? As long as we can load people fast on the other side, and get right back, that will work pretty well."

  David nodded, and no one else said anything would be wrong with that. In fact Prime Minister Foley looked relieved, and smiled, if a bit tightly.

  "We should have been informed earlier. It would have been nice to do this at home, and not in a different land. We can at least get this screened, thank goodness. It would be a bit more personal if he'd have had his home coming with us, but we do understand that he's from there." There was a bit of darkness to the words, as if Austra was being slighted.

  "All right. Do you want us to refuse to let him come? We could set something up over there? He is your Ancient. Or, do you think people would be all right if we did that in a week or so there? That way we can get some supplies in and fix up the port on that side, if it needs it. I haven't been out to look at it yet." Because of course he hadn't. He'd never been outside of Noram.

  Unless you counted space. He'd been there, which was kind of wild to think about. Really, now that he thought about it, he had been all around the world, too. He just hadn't landed in a lot of places.

  The Prime Minister laughed a tiny bit. It influenced his breathing, which was an exhalation at the moment. The tiny puffs were soft, but discernible.

  "No. No thank you. I'd hate to start off our new arrangement by telling him what he can and can't do. I do like your plan to fix up the port however. Can we discuss that when we meet?"

  Dare nodded.

  "That sounds good. We'll be there in fourteen hours, give or take an hour or two. We'll try for slightly early, if I can wake up in a timely fashion? I don't want to over promise." Which was just the truth.

  The man tilted his head and muttered in his funny accent about how the boy was at least not claiming he could have the Moon.

  They said rather polite goodbyes, which let him get off the line.

  Then he waited for a bit for something else to come up, which it didn't.

  He was still standing, not having sat for a long while, but really he felt a bit reluctant to do it. His goal had been to get the palace to grow, and Sara had fixed that for him. Now he needed to go find the next thing, or else it would hit him when he wasn't looking.

  He turned then and waved to the room.

  "Sorry to run out. I need to go and make sure everything is going smoothly. It's the first day, so if things are going to go wrong, it would be now." Not that he knew that, but the people in the room all nodded, as if he were simply speaking of knowledge hard won.

  He wasn't, just making things up to get out of the room, he realized. It was easier than explaining who he was over and over.

  As he did it, no one in particular moved, except Commander Derring.

  "I'll go with you? I need to get you up to speed on the investigation." She said it like that made perfect sense. Like it was the most normal possible thing she could be doing.

  Nodding, he waited for the almost unreal looking blonde woman to follow him. She did it very smoothly, like a fighter, or possibly a ghost. There was a bit of sexy hip shifting in it, but he wasn't going to buy that one. Not completely. She wasn't trying to get his attention that way, she had something else in mind. It was clear in how she kept looking around them, but not at him.

  Outside the front door she stopped while he closed it.

  Her voice was too smooth and a bit soft, in the din that was the world around them. There was music and the sound of singing off in the distance. Over the smaller ships and the buildings behind them, he could just make out the taller of the events. The very top of the stone tower, and a mountain that had people sliding down waterfalls.

  He pointed that way.

  "Now that looks fun. I'd ask you do go with me, but you have news? What are the odds it takes us over toward the party?"

  She chuckled and touched his arm a little. A surge flared through him, that caused him to feel rather kindly toward her. It was more than it should have been just based on her looks. Not that those weren't incredible enough to do it too. That was already happening however.

  "Not good at all. We've managed to track Straughan to County Ford. He's a side relation to a Baron there. Adopted, I think, but to a good strong family. So am I, come to that. A relation to the Baron. That means we can't really go in and just take him. Not legally. Worse, he seems to be trying to undermine the High Servants. To take over, politically. There's no hint that the plan is to use force, but that isn't going to happen. I... I need help. I've been gone too long, and while the King is with me, I can't rest on that. I need to find the rot and cut it out. If it's really rot, and not j
ust grousing. That means starting with Kevin Straughan. We may not be allowed to go after him for rape, not here. Not of commoners, who were merely pushed into action like they were. Coercion doesn't count at that level. We can however kill him if he's trying or planning to undermine a Royal Order like the High Servants." Then she went silent and looked at him while he walked away. Touching him again.

  A flare of sexual interest hitting him.

  "Hey, no fair. Stop that. I don't know what I could do to help anyway. I guess I'm going to support what the King wants. So if he's good with it, then I am too, but I don't really have anything to add to the effort. Not unless you want me to go with you and kidnap this fellow? I have no real skill that way, but if you need me, I might be in."

  She smiled then and pulled her hand back, looking at it.

  "Sorry. You know, I used to be ugly. Not so much people noticed, or threw things at me when I walked the streets, but to that level where no one really saw me? Not if I didn't have a sword in my hand. Now they can't help it. I spray out chemicals that make people like me. I think you kind of do, too. It isn't sex with you though, is it? They just do what you want. I can feel it pulling on me when I'm around you." Then she waved her hand at him. "Not the point. Really, what I need right now is your name. You know, so I can go to others and mention that you're in on it too, and things like that. There is some risk to it, since I don't know how everyone else is going to jump this time. The King is with us. I think Prince Alphonse and Princess Karina are as well. I have no clue about Veronica and her husband Count Peterson. We should set that up next. The thing there is that they might well take your calls this week, and I'm not at all certain that mine will be..."

  Dare tilted his head and then shook it.

  "Offer to have sex with them? That would do it. I mean, you kind of have that one assured with most people, don't you?" He was playing, but only a little. That would work, for most people that liked that kind of thing with women. Maybe even some that didn't. Her draw was just that high.

  Rather than be insulted, the lady, the Commander, nodded at him.

  "If I can get their attention for long enough. I'm not even certain that they'll be available to talk, truth be told. There's no real reason for them to care about this issue. It's my failure that caused it. I let the High Servants go on too long, thinking that it was a dumping ground for third sons and fourth daughters that couldn't do any better for themselves in life. There's some truth to that, but they take oaths. It doesn't matter why they did it in the first place. Once you say the words, you're supposed to follow through, no matter what you were before."

  He nodded, not wanting to make her angry, since he kind of wanted to sleep with her. Not that she would. If her plan was to use him, then paying off that way might not be part of the plan.

  "Do you want to spend the night with me? You can go with me to Austra in the morning. We'll have to share my tiny bed, but I'm sure it will be cozy." That was a bit blunt, but the woman patted his shoulder again. A bit like she might with a small child that was being a pain. The idea was cute enough that he smiled about it, rather than becoming offended.

  "Except for the part where Tor would never talk to me again, it sounds tempting. So, no help from you unless I put out? I suppose that I can't argue against that. This isn't that important to me. Not if it means making an immortal mad at me."

  That got him to shake his head.

  "Who says we have to tell him? Still, I'm in, as long as the King is. It was a suggestion, not blackmail. I'll check that with him, but until then... You know... Let me see."

  He used his handheld, and once again was very surprised when the red headed man smiled at him, like talking to some annoying kid was a great treat. If so, then the rest of the people he dealt with must be real prize winners. That it was actually possible left him feeling a bit sad for the ruler for a second.

  "Prince Dareg! I was just going to get in touch with you. I... You aren't upset with Constance, are you? She was most concerned at the ending of your last conversation. She's afraid she insulted you?"

  He winced and shook his head firmly.

  "Nothing like that. I'm just too rude for noble circles, I think. I got busy and did it by accident, not thinking. Please tell her I'm sorry and that she can beat me around with a pillow later, if she wants? That is what sisters do, isn't it? I never had one myself." He had seen the girls at school though, and very few had ever treated their male relatives like that. Not in front of him.

  The King smiled and stroked his chin, his face pleased by the words.

  "I'll leave the beating part out. She's stronger than she looks, and a fair hand with weapons. Even pillows, I'd wager. She'll be glad to know that. So, if you aren't getting in touch to suggest I chastise her for her foul words or treatment, what may I do for you today?" He leaned in, interested.

  "The High Servants. Commander Derring has asked for help uncovering a... I don't know what to call it, a takeover attempt? Maybe just people being disgruntled at how things are running? I told her that I was on your side, whatever that is. So, what's our move on that one?" It was probably too inclusive, but the King went somber, and nodded pensively.

  "I was briefed on that earlier. If you could aid us in this, it would be most welcome. I... Are you allowed? You're a Prince of Harmony, can you get permission from Queen Tiera for this?"

  He shrugged and looked over at the Commander.

  "Do I need to? I live in Noram, and have always been a citizen here. She seems nice, and is my aunt, I guess, but you're the King. No one has said that anything had changed that way, so as far as I know, that means I'm one of your people. So I'm in. If Queen Tiera wants, she can yell at me later, when she comes to visit?" After they spent some time in bed. Not that the woman would.

  She was probably all moral that way. It was a good thing, but a little sad, since she was kind of interesting.

  King Richard went a little wide eyed, and then nodded.

  "Thank you, Dareg. If you would see to this? You, both of you, have my full backing and the power of the crown behind you, as related to the High Servants. Up to, and including, proclaiming war. Try not to do that, but it can be a useful goad, if it's needed."

  That was a lot to dump on him, so he decided it was really about having the power to get the job done.

  Tilting his head, Dare nodded then, an idea coming to him.

  "We need to go and collect some people from Austra in the morning. At six? Do you want to send someone to see about that? I think Prime Minister Foley is coming. I don't know who else, but it's probably going to be a lot of them. About two hundred bodies? Commander Derring was thinking about approaching Princess Veronica to feel her out for help, and her husband the Count? That would give her, oh, half an hour to talk to them, if she's clever enough?"

  The woman nearly made him laugh, crossing her eyes at him, like she was, but the King tossed off a seated bow. It made the screen in his hand tilt.

  "I can ask. At six in the morning, from the spaceport?"

  "That's right. We can meet right at the front, on the city side. That will place things near my pod house, making it easy for me. That's also about the best place to meet, so it works both ways." Which was totally true.

  The King seemed to think that sending his youngest daughter and her husband off to a different land was a great idea. Not that he didn't like her, or the Count. He simply seemed to think they would make great ambassadors for the day. It was a pretty good point, considering that the leader of that land was coming in himself, making it a very big deal.

  The King appeared to think for a bit, his large red head nodding, then he closed his eyes. It didn't take long however, before he opened them.

  "Would it be all right if I send in someone else as well? Some guards, and other dignitaries?"

  "Um, as long as they all get here on time? Really, that should be about five or so, which means I have to get up earlier. Bleh. I can though. Sure, we can do that. I have to make the time schedule
too however, though I did build in that we might be a little early." Which was a bit hopeful on his part.

  The monarch seemed to be fighting a laugh.

  "Ah. Youth. I remember when I expected things to go to plan, too. Just make certain you're all in by five in the evening. Everyone will want to see you there, I'm sure. Will you be standing with Connie and I? We're having a box set up."

  It was leading. Why, Dareg didn't know.

  "Probably not? My guess is that I'll be running around screaming and pulling my hair by then. I can't do that properly in a box. Not at all. There wouldn't be enough room to build up any real speed."

  That got a polite chuckle, which stopped suddenly as the giant leaned in.

  "Keep me apprised on the High Servant issue? Sir Karen Derring is a capable individual. She was, I fear, removed too soon away from her new duty early on. If need be, we might have to cull the ranks. That... Might be too hard for her. If it's needed, can you take care of that?"

  Dare blinked, several times. Then he nodded. It could be hard to go around killing your own people. He glanced over at the Commander, who looked amused, rather than angry. Bloodthirsty, too.

  "More to the point, Sire, I may need to have the right to countermand her on that. I don't think the pain of removing people is her big concern. We should save the ones that might be spared. Kick them out, or... I'll need to think about it."

  "Done, then. You have my hand in this, Dareg Canton. Again, try not to go to war, if it can be avoided. If not, end it before anyone knows what's going on? Get with William Smythe on that. Sorry, I have to go now."

  Then the line cut, which was a very sudden thing.

  Commander Derring smiled at him then.

  "Damn. I'm technically one of his advisors, and I'd have been most of a day getting through to him like that. You even got us a shot at Peterson and Varley. Remind me to invite you over if I ever have to move house." She stopped, and then shrugged. "Speaking of which... I am kind of in the middle of a move..." To make her point, she looked straight up, even if the Moon wasn't in the sky at all at the moment.

  "I see, so I'm good enough to use for my jump ship, but not spend the night with? Tsk, Commander. Shame, shame." He was teasing, but the large lady froze and went very wide eyed then.