there to make Denno feel comfortable. The man was, no matter the circumstances, a dignitary, and that meant doing whatever they could to make him feel welcome. It would make the trip more rushed, but he'd deal. Maybe he could bring back Ali and Rolph for the night?
“Is that all right? I'd rather my own bed, but if we wear shields all the time it should be safe enough.” He glanced at Richard warily, not wanting to be mean about it all, but not wanting to end up dead either. So far he'd been attacked less inside Austra than the King’s palace. It made a body leery.
“Tor… It saddens me greatly that not only do you fear staying in my home, but that it's a deserved fear. I hope to do better in the future by you.”
That was honest enough, no promise it would work or even that he'd really try, just that he hoped to do it.
Grinning Tor laughed.
“And I hope to pass economics, but if I don't go and at least see to my schoolwork a bit, Wensa's going to kill me and then where will I be? Failing even more classes, that's where.” That Wensa would kill him for not attending classes was insane of course. Beat him in the commons… That was possible. It was even within the school rules, so Tor would have to take off his shield and let her, if she demanded it as penance for his having missed so much.
He hoped not though, because as a Royal Guard, she could kill him that way. Maybe even by mistake and that would suck.
The trip was smooth and faster than he'd thought by nearly twenty minutes. It took Tor a bit to understand, but the field on the fast carriage was based on organic principles, so it would keep trying to grow and get stronger over time, or should at least. Eventually the growth would stop, it would simply find a comfortable place and stay there, but for now it was exciting. Really, a forty minute trip was better than an hour by a lot. If they could get it down to half an hour, it would suddenly be a trip that could be made daily without hardship.
He went to check on Ali first, knowing that showing up unannounced would probably lead to finding her entertaining some boy, man, or even fellow schoolgirl, probably naked or hurriedly dressing. Maybe even a couple at once. She was allowed, so it wasn't like Tor could get mad about it. Not really. Well, he could, but if tradition said she could have all the lovers she wanted, should he blame her for being good at finding them? It was a bit of a skill, wasn't it? Really, Tor decided, he should be proud of her ability to make friends so easily. It wasn't something he did half as well or as comfortably.
So he made himself relax on the way, an act of will even knowing it wasn't a real problem, and knocked on her door firmly but without being the kind of pounding that some people used. The door flew open as if someone was expected, but it was Sheri who looked out and then grinned.
“Alissa! Look it's your husband! Tor’s here! See, he isn't dead at all!” She pulled him in roughly enough that his shield activated, throwing her hand away with a painful jolt. It really felt like a solid slap, and didn't hurt that much, but if it was unexpected people generally yelped. Sheri did, but then laughed a little, too relived to care about a bit of discomfort.
Inside the room sat a miserable looking girl, very light brown hair disarrayed, brown dress looking like it had been slept in and eyes dull and sullen. Had she been ill or… Or had one of her “friends” broken up with her? That could be hard on a person, Tor knew. He moved to her side quickly and wrapped her in a tight hug.
If anyone had hurt his wife by being cruel, they'd be getting a piece of his mind, if not more than that. After all a whole brain being thrown had to be off putting. That would show them. The image caught him for a second, but Ali needed him. Whatever it was he was there for her.
“Tor? Tor! You're alive? Oh gods! I've been so worried. Did they hurt you, do you-” She looked at his crotch less than subtly. Right Daria's threat to have him unmanned.
Tor chuckled, not able to help himself, “It was all talk, I'm fine, the Ancient was rescued, if it was a rescue at all and I've come to take you to the palace for the night. Special permission from the King, so I think Hardgrove will let it slide, we're taking Rolph along too.” Tor turned and looked at the lanky and wide eyed girl that stared at him in amazement.
“I'd take you too Sheri, but I have to ask first, so maybe next time? Or, well, Noram day is in a month, would you like to come down to the Capital for it? You don't live close enough to go home for that do you? Not that we couldn't get you home if you want. Really we should consider transport for everyone here. I'll have to see if anyone wants to work on that.”
She shook her head.
“No, I live about a thousand miles east of here, but I'd love to go, I mean if it's really all right. It's OK if you were just being polite, I'm sure the school celebration-”
Tor nodded, “Is grand. But we have room and transportation, so baring emergencies? Really, you two should make up a list of who you want there, because I might not know all your friends yet. Different classes and that. Oh! Remember to invite the building kids too… Anyway, honey, we won't be leaving until about eight, so…”
They made plans, exchanged hugs and kisses and groped more than was polite in front of someone else. Tor wondered if the other girl and his wife were lovers, but if so, Sheri had always managed to be discrete as the conventions required, so Tor wasn't going to ask. It would just make things more uneasy in his life and really, he didn't need that right now at all.
The next stop was to get his class work. Really he needed to talk to Rolph first, but after what he'd picked up the last time… Tor hadn't thought about it much, because he didn't know what to think at all on the topic. Rolph loved him? As in, really loved? And wanted to have sex with him? It was too hard to deal with. He didn't want to hurt him, and really Rolph had never said anything and probably wouldn't, but could Tor manage to be the same now that he knew that existed?
Should he?
The plain truth was that the idea of having sex with a man… did nothing for him at all. Might as well be describing rocks and trees. But that didn't mean the Prince was in the wrong here, Tor wasn't even willing to really try. That was his failing not his friend's.
Gah!
Couldn't anything in his life just be simple anymore? So, he'd get his schoolwork first and then try to figure what the hell he was up to with his best friend. Maybe it had just been a passing thing? Worry because he'd been leaving? That might be it. Tor knew that he was lying to himself saying that, but screw it, if the lie got him through the day, he'd take it.
Wensa drilled him on economics, which mainly dealt with accounting in the phase they were in, which was pretty much the same everywhere, and what Tor read about before he had to leave, because the instructor had ordered him to. Raising a single eyebrow she said he had a grasp of the material, but she didn't praise him more than that. She wouldn't though, not with him. They got along OK now, but they weren't exactly friends or anything and she seemed to expect him to pull miracles out of various orifices while at the same time hiding in the woodwork. Not that he wasn't good with that plan, it was just hard to do sometimes.
The rest of his classes where pretty gentle about him having been gone, since the Dean had told them that Tor was away on a rescue mission. Not subtle at all, but true enough, he supposed. Instructor Fines handed him not one, but three new books to read on building theory.
“Now, don't run off and do all of it at once, some of the things in there probably shouldn't be done at all, even if they can be, but it might give you some ideas.” The man seemed pleased and said that Tor could easily catch up if he applied himself and the kingdom’s needs gave him half a chance. It was a load off his shoulders to hear that.
Really being gone nearly three weeks in the middle of a term should mean he had to repeat the whole thing, which would be a pain, at the current rate he'd be eighty and still working on the end of his fifth year. Sure there was time, but school was a means to an end, learning. That's what this was all about and just like he had the last time he was in school other things kept getting in the way.
OK, so all the instructors were being really nice to him about it, which helped, but Tor felt bad about not doing his part as fully as possible. He decided that, just as soon as Denno was settled a bit there would be a serious academic push for a while. That planned out he went to find Rolph, who was actually in their room doing schoolwork like a good student, wearing plain canvas browns and brown boots. It made him look like one of the poor combat giants, instead of the Prince, but to Tor it was a wonderful sight.
A hard working Prince not afraid to look humble, who didn't seek the best luxuries for himself even in private?
