unfair to suggest this was due to… stress and concern about seeing justice done, rather than anything else. Now, I… Well, honestly, I need to have the room, The Baron, Baroness and Nita please?” He looked around the room, not smiling, since things were still tense. He really didn’t want to set anyone off.
The others looked confused and in Maria's case triumphant, and the Baron sighed as soon as the door closed and stood, bowing.
“Should I go for a full abasement? I can only ask that you blame only me for what has transpired and not those under my charge. Please. I beg of you. Those of Coltress do not deserve destruction for my wife’s words. If you must take a life for this, I offer you my own.” He didn't sound scared, and only half humble about it. Looking up a little, he winked then.
“And hers, let's not forget that part. Though do be a good man and leave the kids alive?”
Tor stood up and gave a quick, very truncated bow. It wasn't meant to be rude, he just couldn't make himself bend any farther now. Oops. He just admitted to it and stood. No one seemed to take offense at least.
Tor smiled then.
“I know this isn't the best time, but I don't know when we'll all be together again.” He looked at Bonita, his heart aching a little at what he was about to do and sighed.
“I'm bringing the official request of betrothal from Count Burks Lairdgren for the hand of Baronetta first Bonita Galley Coltress. As mentioned earlier, he's the Green man, so this is a life time position for your daughter. He's wealthy, powerful, and more importantly a good man. Kind and not uncouth or base at all. I even hear he's a fairly attractive. I can personally vouch that he's of humble temperament and hard working, as well as sober.” Tor was ready to keep going, but Two things happened then.
First Nita smiled and made a happy noise, then Carol… sneered.
“Her? What is the man, some wizened husk that can't do any better even as a Count? You'd think he'd make a play for Collette at least instead.”
The Baron blinked.
“Ah, Dear? Burks Lairdgren? You met him once? At our wedding? The one you said you wanted to pack up and take with us on Honeymoon?”
“Him?” She glared and finally shook her head, like she needed to clear it.
She did of course. Tor was beginning to think she might just be evil. What kind of person would be mean to Nita? That didn't even make sense. Was she stupid or something?
The woman stared at Bonita and shook her head slowly.
“What did you use as the bribe? As a Count he's more money than we do, so it's not that. Can't have offered up your sisters or me, after all, he'd just be able to get any of us into bed by asking… So, kill someone for him or something?” Her tone wasn't kind. It was really catty and man in fact.
Tor sighed and shook his head though.
“That's ridiculous of course. Originally I was going to ask for her hand, since she's my girlfriend, but the Count won out in the end. He's older and better looking after all. I can't really compete there, can I?”
The woman looked at him and shook her head again.
“No, I think not. This smacks of one of those set-ups again Bonita dear. I can't let you walk into it and be hurt. I must refuse. Send the man my regards but the answer is no.” She glared at the Baron when she said it.
Tor touched her field, wondering what the actual deal was. Hoping it wouldn’t hurt him too much, but having to know. Was her motherly concern just so strong she truly feared Burks would play with Nita's heart? Or that he would?
It wasn't that at all. She was doing it just to be spiteful. She knew it wasn't one of those elaborate set-ups after all, didn't she? Since she was behind the rest of them.
All of them.
Ah.
It was all he could do not to yell at her over it. The bitch had made most of Nita's adult life a living hell, thinking she was too ugly and unwanted to ever be loved, and now she wasn't going to let it happen just to spite… The Baron? That seemed right, though Tor didn't get it really. Her goal seemed to be making things really hard for her own husband for some strange reason. Nita was just a pathway to do that with.
Shrugging Tor pulled out his communications device and hit the palace marker. After less than a few seconds Rich answered.
“Hey Rich, I need Connie please. In an official capacity. If you have a moment too?”
“Um, One bit.” There was a rustling sound. “Tor's on for you, official?”
The Baron looked at Tor, and Nita just smiled, getting what was about to happen? She was close to the Queen after all. It didn't seem Carol knew that.
“Tor! Is there an emergency?” Connie sounded a little breathless, apparently having run to the room to talk to them.
“Yes.” He filled them in with three quick lines, not mentioning the why of things, leaving that for later. Mother or not, that kind of abuse would not go unanswered for by the woman.
She'd hired people just to insult and play with Nita's heart, not just once, but dozens of times and not just for a while, but for years. If the women were a man Tor would probably be fighting with her about now. Probably even knowing he'd lose. As it was he’d have to be cleverer about the retribution.
“So, what I'd like is for you, acting as Queen, to overrule that please. I have a sense that in this case, you being aware of Burks and what kind of man he is, you might have a clearer head?”
There was silence then, for about five or ten seconds.
“Bonita dear? Is that what you'd like? Marriage to the Count? I know you two have been close for a while now.”
“Oh, yes! I mean, yes ma'am.” Her voice was shy and small then, but then she was a quiet person. Tor always kind of liked that in her.
“Very well then. Lord Baker, see to it.” Then she turned the device off on her end.
It was a trick, Tor saw. She'd ordered him to see to it, but hadn't acted as Nita's mother at all. She wasn't overstepping bounds, just giving him a chance to use her words to help his friend. Brilliant.
Tor didn't say anything for a few seconds, merely smiling at them all, as if happy things were resolved.
“There we go. I suppose I'll send my own mother to discuss this with you Baron Coltress, and Connie? If that's all right?” He grinned. “Or, if you want, perhaps Maria or Collette would serve as well? I think Collette would do wonderfully, come to think of it, regardless of who else is involved. She has a superb sense of style. Should be good for a wedding.”
He turned to Nita and winked.
“Ohhh, and Petra would be perfect to do the gowns up for you. Oh! Um, I didn't think of that, do you still have that fireworks display from Warden? We should set that off tonight I think. Celebrations and all. The others went out already.”
“No… I think Marvin has it, shall I check on that?”
Tor jumped up and kissed her on the cheek. He'd have done more, but her parents were watching and pain stabbed through his back, which he chuckled about.
“Please love? I have to see to another of these now. Kind of a day for it I guess, marriages and betrothals. Burks really should be here later I hear…” Tor would have to talk to him first, because he didn't know he was getting married for certain yet.
He was though.
Soonish too. None of that waiting a year stuff that normally got done in noble society. After all, they didn't want to let Nita get away, did they?
He bowed himself out of the room, which got everyone else to get up, but it was really time to see to Lyn and that mess.
Tor laughed a little.
It wasn't a mess. It was a good thing, and probably wouldn't be half as trying as this was. Even if she didn't want to get married to Dorgal, that wouldn't be a big deal. The man was mainly doing it just to curry favor with her after all. They'd only met a few times. Tor found her standing in the front hallway, dressed in a cloud it looked like, her face still a little snubbed nosed and square, but only a bit. She'd used her disguise amulet to alter her features? It was still her and even looked like it. Only not.
