That thought was creepy though. Oh, Tor knew that Laurali had sex, but only with his father right? Except, that wasn't likely at all. Not growing up royal like she had.
Eek. She'd even gone to school with Rich. And Connie. Who she'd said that she'd always liked. He'd assumed it was just a friendship thing but…
Tor decided to never think about that again. It wasn't his business after all. Plus, he really didn't want to know.
Ever.
Just as everyone else was starting to get the feeling of unease, Johanson the older, not so overly tall finance minister walked up and laid a gentle hand on Tor’s back.
“Ah, just the man and the perfect topic. I was thinking that we could have you pay for that celebration, as well as a few others… you don't mind do you? After all, your funds in the treasury just keep growing and the interest is frankly killing us.” The man smiled when he said it though.
So it was supposed to be a joke.
Tor did some quick math though. He wasn't really working, but he had funds coming in all the time, he actually owned a lot of things that had businesses attached, so rents and stuff. He didn't know where that gold was, but it would be enough for him to live on, comfortably even, right? He just needed to make certain Ali never had to scrape or lacked for anything… Which he could still do on about ten gold per year.
Maybe less once the Wildlands got turned into food producing lands.
“Um… yes. Let’s do that. I'd like to keep part of it for a my constant draw, but the rest should be fine to use. Let's leave that to the King’s discretion? I mean, use it, but the amount that, I need my financial man over here for this… Where is Prince Alphonse anyway?”
Count Ford twisted to look and started waving. It wasn't the most dignified thing ever, but it worked, which it just wouldn't have in this room if Tor had tried it. He'd need to yell which wouldn't play at all. After a few moments Rolph walked up, a lovely very dark skinned short woman on his arm, bright red hair, like the feathers of a bird and wonderfully blue eyes, that reminded him more of ice now than before. She'd changed them, only with her it was a real change, though how she did it was beyond him. He'd learned a tiny bit about genetics and biological science, from Abbie herself, but it didn't include doing that.
“Great Uncle Court Jester! So good to see you. I'd heard of the damage done. I wish to see you later, for treatment.” She hugged him, a light thing, but one complete with a happy smile.
The Queen quickly introduced Sandra and Johanson, making it clear that Abbie was supposed to already know everyone else. Johanson kissed her hand, which got a chuckle from everyone, because no one did that hardly at all, but Abbie just batted her eyes at him, which was cute. Tor thought so at least.
Ursala glared.
But only until she caught Tor watching her do it. Then she sighed and looked away. They really needed to find her a replacement fiancee soon. Then, she'd lost her chance to grab him up, which had worked out, but still, he'd made the offer when she needed it. That aside, he did have a bunch of brothers just as eligible as he'd been. He'd have to mention the situation to some of them.
Johanson stood gracefully and winked at the Prince.
“Counselor Baker was just saying that we could raid his treasury funds for Postern and some other festivities, but that we needed to arrange it through you and King Richard? Would that be right?”
Rolph blinked for a second then nodded, “yes. We could look into that after the meal perhaps? I'll need a word with Tor first, but I think that will work just fine.”
Taking Tor by the arm he grinned at the crowd, “back in a few minutes. I just have to find out what this is all about, you understand?”
For some reason the whole crowd chuckled, so Tor sighed mightily and tried to do it too.
That caused more laughter, which was what he was going for. With a thought, without moving his arms, he raised four inches from the floor so that he could float away with his tall friend. Rolf was tall enough that walking with Tor meant either crawling or a run for the smaller man. He couldn't do that right now. Rolph got it, but several of the people stared as if they'd never seen a Not-flyer before. That or it was considered tacky to use it at a function like this. Oh well, he had a reason for it, and they'd live.
Rolph, it turned out, didn't need to know much about the funds, “I was looking at your accounts the other day. I know you want to keep the funds moving, but almost half the treasury is just your coin, sitting there, not working at all. So, yeah, festivals, projects, all that. I get the idea. Should we just give Johanson the keys to it? I can protect enough to keep your draw safe for years.”
Tor didn't get that money at all. It was what he used to pay for Kolb's special army of insane combat giants. Tor just smiled and nodded for a bit.
“Yeah, lets. Also, hold the same portion aside for the Lairdgren group? I told Sandra she was getting paid and the kids should to, for Kingdom work at least, students or not. I can't think of a better person to dump all that gold on than the finance minister though. Practically his job description even.”
That out of the way, the Prince wanted his own update about the school. Ah. Right. He had people there too, even ones that Tor didn't know about. He was actually popular, even as “Rolph Merchant” and everyone liked him.
Swallowing Tor started with the list of the dead.
“Oh… Yeah, I knew all of them. Tracy's gone? She was only sixteen. I… sorry. I'll be all right. Sad about Campbell too. He wasn't my favorite person all the time, but I never wished him ill.”
Tor just stood, silent for about half a minute, remembering how they all died.
How he should have saved them. He'd done it before, frozen death dust in the air. Of course if he'd tried that this time, it wouldn't have worked and he'd have died too. It wasn't like there was nothing to be done though. If their shields would have worked, or if he had a wider field of effect on his own shield…
Perhaps a very large field? One the size of the palace or larger? Then the units could be put in strategic locations, at the different schools, the palace and so on. He…
Couldn't do it.
Tears came to his eyes, but he didn't say anything and Rolph just smoothly moved between him and the room, so that no one would see his weakness. He fought the emotion for a minute and gained control of himself with a lot more work that he thought it would take. Finally it occurred to him that he wasn't the only builder in the world.
Not even the best. Not by half.
“Rolf, I mean Prince Alphonse. Would it be possible to meet with some builders, I mean… I don't know many, Instructor Fines and the ones at the school, but some of the big names, Maris and Nox? Larter and Gamble? We need things built. The Lairdgren group, they're good, and going to be better, but right now we need a way to stop nanos. So far it's been about the most effective thing Austra has used. I may not even need to meet with them, just a note or something, but they have no reason to even look at anything coming from me…” He sighed.
The Prince shook his head, making his still short red-hair move just a tiny bit.
“Tor, you're too nice, you know that? You're the Magics Counselor for the whole kingdom. They're the wizards. They don't work for you, so it's not like the army, but if you send a note, they'll read it. Wouldn't you? Think about it and forget that you're the one in charge for a second. A messenger comes, hands you a letter with the kingdoms official seal on it…”
It was a point.
“Ah, right, I just, well, that obviously isn't real, is it? Your parents put it together when they figured I was going to die, a kind of promotion that didn't mean anything, which was really nice of them, but, you know, I don't expect it to last. It isn't a traditional position or anything.”
His friend stared at him a little and finally hugged him warmly, arms barely touching him. People looked but the words where still just whispered into his ear gently, so just for him.
“Tor, it’s as real as you make it. Just like anything else. Do the job well enough and no one will doubt your worth. This way they just don't have to hold a party or parade every time you do something good for the kingdom.” He moved back, a strange look on his face, one that spoke of more pain than should be there. “Of course it also means you really are responsible for the kingdom now. Kind of takes that whole argument away, doesn't it?”
That didn't seem to make him happy. Not at all.
Dinner was called then and as often happened, for no apparent reason, he got sat next to the Queen. Of
