Connie told me to let you know that she's horribly, terribly sorry about the invitation difficulties and is willing to make it up to you. Actually she was far more graphic about exactly how she was willing to do that than I, as your mother, really wanted to hear. She seemed quite… intent on it actually. I said I'd pass the message.” She made a face then, “but really Tor, be careful there. A bad break up with a school girl is a mess, but a Queen? I've never heard of it. Probably because you don't break up with Queen’s. Just keep that in mind.” She spoke in clear, very royal, Noram standard, really she had the same accent the royal family and Burks did.
Was that because “proper speech” had been dictated and influenced by the Ancient for millennium? Or was it just coincidence, or practice?
His mother wasn't done, and smiled at Collette. It left an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. After all, in Two Bends exactly one relationship was ever discussed. Engagement for marriage. The rest just was. That was what he grew up with and his mother had been the main one teaching him and his brothers and sister those rules. But nearly the second she was outside Two Bend his mother had reverted and become an almost unrecognizable person. That was the woman he faced now. Perfect for the situation, here at the Capital, but embarrassing at the same time. Of course she was hovering her appearance so that she looked more like his slightly older sister than his mother and he didn't look his age at all yet.
“So, Baronetta Coltress, are you and Tor seeing each other?” From the way she said it Tor could tell she knew the answer.
Spies. Freaking spies all over the place.
“Oh yes. He's very popular. He also won't just use a girl for sex, so he has loads of girlfriends. What, five? Pretty attentive too. Though I think It's my turn to get some attention again Tor…” She gave the older two Bakers a sweet look.
“He did introduce me to Prince Alphonse though. Pleasant fellow, have you met him?”
They had, the Prince having gone to Two Bends a little over a year before with him, when he and Trice had gotten engaged. Tor suffered to hear more of his exploits bandied about than he'd have ever wanted his parents to hear, but at least they chuckled to learn of his bakery work.
Douglas clapped him on the back again.
“Good! I was afraid you'd let all this go to your head. Still a baker. Honest work keeps you grounded and in touch with real people.” His dad looked… proud? Of him? Tor wondered at it, but then realized that good parents almost always were proud of their children as long as they weren't messing up too horribly.
By Two Bends standards Tor was definitely wrong, nearly evil, having more than one girlfriend. Here it was… Probably a little backwards, he was coming to realize. It felt overwhelming to him for a bit and he had to take a deep breath to hide it.
He really needed to get with his parents in on the whole thing too, since he was going to marry in a month, they'd need to be there, or at least understand why he was doing it. Even if they disagreed he'd go ahead with it of course. He was an adult, sort of. He'd never defied his parents before, but if he had to now, to save Alissa, he would.
Taking a deep breath Tor walked them up to his room, knocked and popped his head in first and found Ali sitting in the single chair reading from “Manners”, the only book he had. He felt his stomach tighten and start to burn a bit. Well, he thought, here it goes. He opened his mouth to speak, but Laurali rushed forward and hugged the girl tightly.
“Is this Alissa? Burks told me your plan… and why.” She looked at the girl grimly, “I'm so sorry for all you went through. I had a chance to kill your father once, and spared his life. He tried to rape me. More to the point, he did rape me. Drugged first. I let him go when he swore it was just a game, but I should have ended him, I see now. Can you forgive me for my failure?” She held the girls hands in front of her.
Ali nodded.
“How were you to know? Besides, Tor is going to protect me now. He said so, and so did Kari. I'm scared, but I won't go back.” It was defiant and not broken sounding now, her head held high.
“Ridley told me about how a Count tried to kill my brother David once and Tor made him fight him instead…” At this she sounded unsure and looked at the older people for confirmation.
Laurali nodded very seriously, making eye contact with Ali as she did. Brown eyes looking into the younger girls blue.
“That's true, I even saw the end of it, Tor let the man apologize to your brother, then let him go unharmed.” She turned to Tor and swallowed.
“You… realize you can't do that here, don't you, I know that your make-up will make it a lot harder than for a regular person, but…”
Tor nodded and made a small gesture with his hand that he’d see Rolph use at school, held low, he moved it to the outside. His father didn’t seem to notice, but his mother gave him a funny look, face suddenly tight, then nodded back once.
He knew. Saying what he'd planned and paid for wouldn't help and they were better off not knowing. Instead they talked about the wedding, a surprise thing that would take place at the docks in Printer the day of their return.
Then Alissa would go to Two Bends until she went off to Lairdgren school a month later. That… was fine with him. He could make things there, as he got back to his copy work and slow building, while he returned to classes. They could get a house, or really, he had some they could use, so it wouldn't be a problem that way. They just needed to rent some land. He'd missed a year, but if he worked hard maybe he could catch up?
His mother and father looked shocked, as if he'd suggested that he grow a second head and name it Timmy.
It was totally what he'd name his second head. Except of course that he already had a brother with that nickname. Unless he switched over to Weasel full time? Then it would work. Maybe he'd send a note and check with the boy? He stared back at his parents though.
“What?”
His father waved at him and Ali.
“Well, I guess no one expected you to, well honor the marriage really, a fiction to protect her, not something to tie you down.” The words weren't unkind in tone, but it was blunt enough that Tor frowned at his dad.
“Excuse me? Why wouldn't I take is seriously? She's great, and I need to be there to make sure she's taken care of, don't I? I said I would be.” So there, he wanted to add but didn't, Ali smiled up at him sweetly.
“Oh! That's so wonderful! You'll be the best husband and I promise I'll learn all the proper things. I've even started!” She gestured at the book. Then she looked down at her hands.
“I understand what they mean though. You have a bunch of women right? But, that's all right. I like all of them and Kari said that she'd live with us if I wanted, at least part of the time. So I won't be alone really, and Petra can come, and Bonita. Petra can teach at the school I think. Davie said. Bonita can help me run the house, since I'll be in school a lot…” She looked happy for a second, but then her face fell a little. She was used to her dreams being dashed. Too used to it.
Nodding Tor patted her shoulder after moving closer to her.
“See? We already have a plan. I know she's a bit young, but legal is legal, and from what I've seen I doubt that any nobles will complain about it. Really, it's the easiest part of all this stuff so far. Now I've just got to work some things out and get away from the kingdom until she's of age.” Simple, right?
They talked until dinner and didn't leave to go down until Karina came to eat up in the room with her friend. Tor, they told him, had to be at the meal, or it would be noticed. His parents went with him and sat just below Smythe at the table. Rolph across from counselor, on the right, and Count Ross on the other side of Petra. Of all the Counts and countesses he wasn't really close to, the old couple were his favorites by far. Countess Ross was huge and kind of ugly, but had a brilliant laugh that she used often, loved wearing bright colors, and dotted on her Count, who still seemed more like a well dressed gardener than anything else.
What wasn't to like?
They ate dinner properly, Smythe seeming shocked that he was so near the head of the table instead of the far end, where people used their poison snoops openly, and checked their food with a little fear, even though he didn't even know them, and had no personal problem with anyone down there. It was where, traditionally, the people out of favor were put, so that everyone else had to eat first, meaning they'd be poisoned, and act as tasters, for the ones in trouble. It was a convoluted and useless system, hence the poison detectors. Tor checked his own
