Everyone looked shocked, and Sam turned four colors of red, but before anyone could say anything Tor nodded.

“I'll skip the whoring part I think, but farming really could be fun. Who doesn't like growing things? At any rate, would you? I'd go myself, but…” He shrugged. “This. These people need to be updated.”

“Later then, tell Ali I'm sleeping with you two tonight? It's that or back to the house for me and I have a feeling that's going to be a pain.” She shrugged.

“Sounds wonderful. Could be a long night though. Just a warning.”

She just purred at him, as if that “long night” could possibly mean something other than work. Tor kind of wondered. He was, well, still really weak, pattern wise and sore as all get out, but other than that he felt both a lot better and a lot worse. He wasn't looking forward to meal time for a while. He had to eat, but everything smelled of rot. It got worse when it came to mind too.

Trice laughed and pulled Sam out with her, closing the door firmly.

Everyone in the space stared at him darkly for a bit, looking grim, so he stood and bowed, trying to make sure no one felt slighted. He'd bowed to his “assistant” but not anyone else. Oddly that could mean almost anything, from this being a trick to arrest or kill them all for the King, to what it did, which was Tor just being a little out of sorts.

“Apologies for taking so long. I…” the Baron looked down and shook his head, and Nita made a face that wasn't pretty at all. There was a woman that Tor had accidentally ignored too, a stunning older woman that had to be Ginger's mother.

“The Austrans have stated that if the killer is one of theirs, they support our investigation and punishments fully. The war being over does not, in any way protect them, if it is indeed one of their people. To facilitate our investigation they're allowing each of their spies to be questioned.” Tor held up a hand quickly.

“I don't know if we'll get them all, but I was told this by Dennorian Brown, the Ancient of Austra, himself. He's setting it up as we speak.” Tor stopped speaking, so heard the soft snort from the new woman.

“Oh? So you can't do more than fill us with fairy stories? The Ancient of Austra? I suppose the Green man will be coming later to rub my feet before bed?” It was derisive and got several outraged sounds from around the room, mainly from Maria.

“Mother! I can't believe… Argh.” She sank to her knees and started to bow low, looking at Tor.

“I apologize for her, Lord Baker, her lack of knowledge is my fault, I should have informed her-”

Tor stood and rather painfully helped her up.

“Gah, none of that today Maria. Wow I'm stiffening up.” He grinned and gave the Countess a small hug.

“Sorry anyway, um, Baroness Coltress?” Tor checked with Nita, who nodded, “I won't ruin anyone else's surprise here, but the short version is that the Ancients are very real, and have incredible influence in their own lands. Denno Brown will be by later, I think, Burks Lairdgren too. He's the Green man. As to foot rubs…” Tor smiled and shrugged. “Well, maybe if you ask nicely? I doubt it will be tonight though. Kind of busy, with several different matters. Plus, you'd have to argue with Bonita over that.”

The woman didn't seem convinced at all, but Maria spoke up nearly instantly.

“Mother… What Lord Baker said is not only true, his word is unimpeachable. I'd suggest you simply accept that what he says is true for now, and we can provide further evidence later if it's needed?” She didn't look at her mother when she spoke.

Tor got a sense that Maria and the Baroness really didn't get along at all. Mainly from the ten minute fight that broke out between them then. It was embarrassing, since after about three minutes the argument turned into a shouting match with Carol, the Baroness, suggesting that Tor wasn't a real investigator at all, but just a pretty boy that had gotten everything he had by licking the Queen’s ass. It was a bit vulgar really, and wasn't the only suggestion like that the woman made. With him having possibly licked things on the whole of the royal family and possibly some barn animals as well. Maria finally went dead silent, which seemed to indicate to her mother she was scoring a few real points.

“Remember, you wouldn't even be a Countess now if I hadn't sucked Marvin's cock for three years first dear. Just because you can use your position to angle towards the Queen’s toy, that doesn't mean he'll actually get justice for your sister. This is a farce. Maybe I should go and see to the King? Then we’ll get real action on this!” She spun on her Baron then, who'd done nothing more than wince a few times and tried to look apologetic towards whoever was currently catching the woman’s wrath.

OK, Tor could cut her some slack, after all, she was clearly upset about Ginger's murder. She should be. Tor was and he'd never even met the girl. The woman looked positively vicious then though. Nearly insane.

Which she turned on her own husband for some reason, even though, as far as Tor could tell, he hadn’t even twitched wrong.

“You! First you let that… Beast, get away with raping her, and now you won't even say a word to the King? Maybe we should have you see to him then? Since you like sucking his cock so much anyway! What I want to know is why have you done nothing? Baron Rochester is off screwing some little boy right now and you just sit here, not caring at all. You're weak and pitiful!”

She tried to hit him, but his shield kicked in. That meant it was a newer version. It made sense, Collette having had a box full of stuff to give away for months. Or… Looking again he realized it was more likely to be from Bonita, who suddenly seemed ready to apply a beating to the woman herself.

“Baron Rochester is dead Carol.” Count Ward spoke, his deep voice low and soft. “He challenged the Troll of Galasia to a duel without encumbrance, then made the mistake of letting him know that he'd harm a child as you suggested after he won. He was beaten to death.” The man stood and bowed towards Tor then sat again.

“I know that you just came in this evening from your estate, so may not have heard, given the other news. The man that raped your daughter is dead and will never harm another child. If I have the story right, the duel was in attempted retaliation for another beating that was delivered because of that specific event.” Then he went silent.

No one spoke for a minute. Finally the woman took a deep breath looked down.

“Good.” She hissed. “We'll get this Troll to find who killed her and let him deliver justice for it then!” She actually made a “humph” noise then, as if proving some kind of point.

Everyone just went silent again. Finally Maria took a deep breath and raised her eyebrows at Tor.

“Mothers a bit out of the flow of information. Funny that she got you were the Queen’s lover though, but missed the rest of it. Really, with the sudden field of palaces that grew up here you'd think she'd get the Wizard part at least?” Rolling her eyes she turned to her mother and spoke in a tone that was more than a little snotty.

“Mother, this man is Tor. The Wizard? The Counselor of Magic for Noram? The Troll of Galasia? Also a Knight of the realm and, as you mentioned, the Queen’s boy toy. I know, why don't you suggest you suck his cock for a while, you old bitch!”

Tor turned to the Countess and shook his head.

“Maria. No. It's Postern and I can't let you two keep going on like this. It's… unseemly to speak to your mother in such a fashion. I won't command you apologize, it's not my place, but as your friend, I have to recommend it.” He looked at her steadily, half expecting a physical attack or at least a wall of screams and tears. Instead she just stood and bowed.

“I… I am sorry. This is a tense situation mother, I let myself become too worked up and spoke in anger.” She didn't wait for her mother to release her though, and simply stood. The words hadn't sounded fake at least, or sarcastic.

Her mother… growled.

“Bitch. All of you are a bunch of evil… someone could have told me all of this before we came, couldn't they? How am I supposed to know how to behave if I don't know who's important or not?” Her voice was angry. Tor got that. He really did.

It was easy to be angry when you spent your life tearing everyone around you to pieces. It meant you were a bad person and while not everyone was equally good, even those that were nearly evil wanted to be. Didn't they? Finding out you weren't, realizing it, would be hard. Tor just nodded to her, a single head bob.

“I generally try to do it by treating everyone as important. Sometimes you end up treating a stable boy as a Prince, but so far I haven't gotten any complaints. Not from that side of things at least. Still, I think that it's not

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