back and looked older suddenly, a lot like her mom.
“Varley, Karina. How are you two doing and most importantly, what are you doing here? Come to visit your brother? He’s just outside…”
Karina spoke first, standing far more regally; she walked to Tor and bowed.
“Don’t be silly. We’re here to invite you to the palace. Here,” she held out and envelope to him that he’d missed in his bafflement at seeing not one, but two Princesses in the room upon entering. “This is an invitation for you, and a guest, to the royal dinner party next Tuesday evening. Please come at seven. Father and mother will also be at the main gate personally to make sure that nothing goes wrong.”
She looked cute in the silk and leather flying clothes she wore, the blouse was a rich purple. Varley wore an identical outfit, which made the whole scene even more interesting, though he didn’t mention it. Cute identically dressed Princesses could easily spark a fantasy that would force Rolph to thrash him if he wasn’t careful. If his friend found out about it at least. Tor wasn’t sure if Connie could read minds, and Varley had her moments of insight, but Rolph never seemed to do anything like that at all, so maybe Tor could survive having such thoughts.
Varley chimed in then. “It isn’t a summons, just an invitation. Given everything I wouldn’t blame you if you decided to skip it, but I do know that no one has really figured out what happened, and trust me, no one wants to alienate you at all. I mean no one too. Half the palace staff threatened to quit after the birthday party incident you know and only a solemn promise that this would be handled efficiently and quickly has gotten them to stay.”
The younger girl hugged him again, and then again as they all walked to the door.
“We’re just delivering messages this week. Dad has us flying all over the kingdom. Still, we’re getting massive flying practice in, aren’t we? Please come? It’ll be nice having someone there that I can actually talk too. Please?” She attempted a Karina worthy wheedle, but he stuck his tongue out at her, getting a laugh from the Dean and at least one of the Royal Guard, dressed almost identically to the girls. Ah, camouflage. It should work too. From a distance they’d all look about alike, especially if everyone had their hair up under a flying cap. He didn’t own one, but they were all the rage in some circles he’d heard. Those circles being amongst people with money to waste on funny looking leather caps made to size for the wearer.
“Honestly? I don’t know. I’m a little tired still and wondering around the city looking for a place to stay all night might be a bit much for me right now, you know? It would be nice to see everyone, if they want to see me, that is. I’m just not really certain they do…” Tor relented a little and told her that he’d think about it, because she’d asked so nicely.
The idea of trying to walk around the Capital all night right now really did kind of seem like too much. But still, maybe in a week? Five days. He had to count them out but… It was so hard to know.
Torrance collected more hugs on the way out, which was more than he’d gotten altogether since he’d been not let in the palace the first time. Huh. Well, if they let him in at all, it would be a big deal. He wasn’t going to go without another place to stay first, and some coin this time. If they did leave him stuck he’d be able to get some food and maybe pay for a place to stay. That, he guessed, would be the big thing then. Could he get enough money in time?
Probably not.
Later that night he asked Rolph about what things cost there and, lifelong resident that he was, he had almost no clue. How would he know the price of an inn when he lived at the palace? His suggestion was that they go find Sara and ask. Not so much because she’d know either, but because she might know who would, merchants had friends that traveled and that meant they might stay at an inn and would need recommendations as to which ones to frequent. It neared dinner time, and while the girls weren’t going to be eating in their dining hall, Rolph did know what restaurant in town they liked.
That the little town had eating establishments Tor knew. What they were like inside? Not a clue. Going in had always been a bit of a bad idea for him. Oh, it would have been possible for him to do it when Rolph paid him for the clothes driers for the Queen, but since then he’d spent most of his money on materials to make stuff.
“I guess I shouldn’t keep giving everything away for free. It makes me feel good to help people though and, you know, as desperate as it sounds, I want everyone to like me. So I give them some of the junk I make. So far it hasn’t really been working too well as far as making friends, but I’m sure it will kick in any day now.” Tor made a face that said he was joking around, or at least he tried for that. How well it worked he didn’t know. Honestly he could just barely care enough to try and seem engaging at all. So far so good though, right? It was probably just the poison taking its toll and it would take time to bounce back. Then, he hadn’t felt like things had much spark even before that, had he?
Rolph laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “You’re doing fine. And, by the way, people do like you. A lot really. You just intimidate them is all. You can’t help it. I mean it’s the kind of building you do and how smart you are mainly. Plus your looks. There are other people that put out things as high quality as what you’ve been doing, one or two may even be better, or at least more complex in what they’re doing. Maris and Ent both come to mind. But you do more of it, faster, and with high quality than anyone. People are starting to notice that. Plus the other stuff you’re doing. Drought relief? Helping cities escape a plague? Do you know how many of the top builders help out each year with disaster relief? Or Countiers doing the same for that matter? Other than you I mean? None. Not one. So, yeah. You’re… cool.” Rolph grinned at the use of the term.
Tor got it, because as far as he knew, he’d invented it. At least in that usage. It meant, “alright or good”, now that the Prince was using it, maybe it would catch on?
They talked a little more on the subject while they walked to the restaurant, which while not far, still took several minutes, because Tor wasn’t up to running the whole way, which is what he normally did when he walked with the long legged behemoth beside him. Rolph slowed down this time. Probably to lull him into a false sense of security. It was a crawl for his friend, he knew, so this kindness wouldn’t last too long. He really needed to get back in shape fast. Even thinking about it was exhausting, but it had to be done. Especially if people wanted to kill him.
That part just didn’t mesh with his reality.
When he’d thought it was Wensa, well, she just didn’t think highly of him and had thought he was a possible threat once. But who else would hate him so much? No one really came to mind. It bothered him though. A lot. You didn’t poison a person like that by accident.
Well, unless it had really been intended for Rolph?
Eek. Tor hadn’t even considered that before. I was addressed to him, so he just figured… But anyone that knew him would have guessed that he’d share, right? Possibly even if he was really angry still. That made a lot more sense. His friend was actually important and everything.
Tor was breathing a little hard when they got to the place, so he asked if they could stand outside for a minute while he caught it. Mainly gesturing this need. He didn’t want to be embarrassing inside the shop or whatever it was. He’d never been in a real restaurant before, so a good retulsion was important. Rolph was paying though, it wouldn’t cost him anything personally, which was good or he wouldn’t be going.
They didn’t see the girls immediately, though they both glanced around covertly, trying not to stare at anyone. Rolph got them a table out in the open so that they could wait and easily be seen when they came in. That was the idea at least, or so Tor guessed. They didn’t talk about much, being so exposed.
Rolph ordered wine before the meal, which came in a clear glass with a stem, but Tor stuck with water, which he checked covertly for poison before he drank. His giant friend checked his wine too though, so he didn’t feel too awkward about doing it himself. The place was… odd. People talked at other tables, some of which were hidden behind screens, but open on one side. The dividers were dark wood frames covered with nicely woven white and cream material. It looked like silk, but probably wasn’t. The place looked nice, but it was a kind of surface finery that he’d learned to recognize over the last few months, not the deep kind that the palace had in places. Still, it was the most attractive business establishment Tor had ever been in.
They weren’t there five minutes when Tor noticed the noise coming from one of the tables with divider screens, about three back. The voices were familiar, being the girls they’d come looking for. There were a few male voices mixed in as well though, which made Tor catch his breath.
Right.
Well, it was very possible that Trice had a boyfriend or, by the rules of royal society, maybe a half-dozen? If she was here with one of them then… what was he supposed to do? Ignore it? Leave? Rolph didn’t seem to think anything of it at least, so maybe it was just a regular crowd of friends he didn’t know yet? Either way he tried to
