either.
Burks explained the whole thing with the pattern and how massive and repeated trauma's to it could lead to dissolution. No one at the table got it, except the Prince, who goggled at his friend.
“Crap! You nearly died protecting us? And if you do it again, for decades, you just die? Tor! You can't do that, we need you! I…” The Prince didn't finish the words, just letting them trail off.
Karina nodded.
“Yeah Tor. We can find some other way to protect ourselves. For your part, arm yourself better and make sure you don't need to do stupidly heroic things like that anymore. I'd rather have these new shields for all of us than you destroying yourself in one moment. I don't know how we stop them if they come again but-”
Well that was obvious at least.
“Squires Gerald and Gemma. I was a bit surprised they didn't take out the ones the other day really. Probably trapped inside the shield? That can be fixed though, if something like it is about to happen again.” Tor looked at the King who seemed baffled for a moment and then nodded.
“I'll see they're given what they need for the task. Very good. Well, I think that will protect us from the air at least. I'd forgotten how very able our Squires are these days. I for one feel much better now that I'm reminded, don't you dear?”
The Queen laughed eloquently.
“Of course! I'd been told, but I didn't think about them at the time! Yes, they'll do nicely. Thank you Tor.” Her smile was real, he thought. If she wasn't acting to make everyone else feel safer. Either way it was good to see and better than the drawn and pinched look of a few moments prior.
That left the planning for the celebration which was way more complex than he'd ever imagined. The Queen was in charge of it, and ran the whole thing like a battle campaign. Karina was her general, now that things had shifted about with the attack and they'd gone almost wild compared to what they normally planned.
As he'd been warned, the funds for it were coming from Tor's personal account in the royal treasury. The Special County Lairdgren Fund. It was more gold than he thought really existed, but he nodded anyway. It was only gold and if it got to the public, then all to the good. Everyone but Burks gave him a funny look when he said it though. The King acted like he'd just admitted lifting his purse, and the Queen blushed at him, but made solid eye contact and smiled prettily.
“I have some devices I made for it too. I don't know if it's going to really help, but it's something…” He listed everything off that he had planned. Which got appreciative murmurs from the room.
Rolph suggested that they give people rides in the magic carriages, and bring in some air transports, maybe even for free trips to other cities to spread the cheer. It would reassure everyone to see that they had aircraft too. That was a new thing, and Noram had kind of lived in terror of what Austra could do to them from above. Now the field was more even. Austra attacked and for the first time in history, Noram responded by simply destroying their craft. That had only happened before once. Back when Cordes ruled. He’d taken a single craft out much like Tor had.
Only while in a combat rage.
“But showing people that we have flight capability too, that should help people rest at night.” Burks assured them all, with that maddening little smirk he had.
They'd have to borrow some transports from the military, but it should be doable. That or get the new public ones in for a few days.
Humorously enough Burks suggested a “ducking booth”, a contraption that no one else had ever even heard of. The idea was to put someone, say a high ranking noble or two, up on a high platform, then let people throw heavy balls at a triggering device that dumped them into water below if they hit hard enough. For extra fun they could put small chunks of ice in the water so that it would be really cold and give the sitters funny costumes to wear the whole time. They could put nobles on it and people would flock to the event, the Ancient assured them.
Tor thought it sound like a fun idea himself, and agreed with Burks plan of charging a penny for three throws, and then donating the money to families left in need by the war. Who wouldn't want to dump a giant in freezing water? People would be pooling their funds together for the chance. It was probably as close as anyone would ever get to taking some of their own back from the royals that looked down on them, wasn't it? Tor put in that he might just slip some of the partiers some extra coin, just so more could have a turn. No one else loved the idea, since they were the giants in question, but grudgingly Count Ward agreed to sit the bench as a form of penance for his foolish declaration of war.
“I can’t apologize to every person wronged, but perhaps those that hear of my being humbled will accept it as a sign of true intent?” He didn’t look pleased about it, but Tor nodded to him anyway.
To real people, back in the villages at least, that probably would work pretty well It would have for him, if he’d heard of it as a child.
The man kept surprising Tor with his contrition and humility. He was supposed to be a jerk that was easy to hate and got all your girls pregnant, not a nice guy that… got all your girls pregnant. That was still there.
To his surprise Karina volunteered to do it herself.
The Queen started to speak about it not being dignified, but then grinned.
“Then again, it does no real harm for the citizens of Noram to see us as people too. Very well. That's two. I won't be doing it myself, but I may deign to lobe a few of these balls if the right person is up there. Who else is doing it? Burks?” She made her face so innocent that it had to be practiced in front of a mirror.
“Of course. I'll volunteer Tor too. Who doesn't want a chance to humble the mighty wizard? It will show them that they don’t need to fear him. We should leave the King and heir off, too close to treason, even if in sport. Hmmm.” He pointed rudely at Countess Ward. It was a single finger stabbing at her directly, an aggressive move that seemed nearly angry for the normally calm man.
The voice was relaxed though. Smooth.
“Wear something shear and white and men will line up to see you get wet. I… don't mean that precisely as it sounds… That too though, if you can manage it.” He chuckled at her as she turned red.
The tone wasn't biting, but somehow it hit home in a way Tor didn't understand at all. He got all the meanings of “get wet” now, but hadn't thought that the idea of doing either would have bothered the girl. It seemed like something she'd have enjoyed really. Except maybe the ice water. No one could like that. The idea made Tor shiver a bit already.
Then it was becoming clear that his idea of Maria as an evil bitch that destroyed innocent young men for no reason might not be the whole story. She was far from perfect, a bit vain, shallow, too free with her favors maybe. Maybe not, given royal society, he didn't know. She was said to be indiscreet, but so far Tor hadn't really seen it, except with Trice. And she was her girlfriend right?
Stopping, Tor blushed, it must have been a deep scarlet. He'd referred to Trice as his girlfriend earlier. After he kissed her. That kind of put the focus of the words on her at the time, hadn't it? Ooops. Well, if it bothered her, he'd hear about it, probably in a restaurant while she told the world how ugly and stupid he was, and how he kissed like a dog. How short and childlike as well. Since those were even true mainly, he couldn't argue the points. Only, he wasn’t ugly.
Burks had said he needed to remember that, but it was just so hard to believe.
No one noticed thank goodness and he got his face under control when Karina suggested some games. Just little things, like a ring toss and sheet pulling races. Tor had to ask what that was, being new to him, but the idea was simple enough. A team of four people pulled a fifth while they sat on a bed sheet, pulling them along the ground, racing against all other teams. Each team that won got a prize. Normally chilled fruit. It was a picnic game. It sounded like a good prize though. Who didn't like chilled fruit?
They went on like that for a while, with Nita taking notes the whole time, and making diagrams, for placement of events and a calendar of when things would take place. They only had a single day left to prepare, and vendors, entertainers and set-up still had to be gotten going.
When they got ready to leave Tor boldly asked if he could steal Karina for the night, so that planning could be done without contacting the Queen every ten minutes. It made sense even, and the Princess looked so happy about it that permission was given without discussion.
So… work to do or not, Karina had been moping? Well, it made sense. Tor had been downcast a lot longer than a few days himself after Trice, and what had happened to Karina was at least as bad. Worse. Tor had kind of
