P. Power - Knight of the Realm

The trip through the city was always a trick. It was early still, most shops were just opening, some of them smelling very good, but again, stopping wasn't in the picture, as hungry as he was. If he messed this up and people died, it would be on him. And the Wards.

Mostly them, but right now was his part, not theirs. It took nearly an hour to get to the palace gate, and from the bell clock in town he could tell it was nine in the morning. It may have been too early to visit. Then again, he wouldn't know unless he tried, would he? He looked a mess still, covered in dried blood, teeth needing to be brushed and hair desperately wanting both a washing and brushing. The only positive was that, since growing a beard he never looked like he had two days growth going on any more.

For once he didn't even get to the gate guard house before the main gate opened. Standing in the center of it was Richard Cordes himself. The King. Tor raised an eyebrow as the man took several steps forward. He tried at least. Both eyebrows going up at the same time, probably looking shocked instead of skeptical.

“Well at least this time you came to tell me to buzz off yourself. This isn't a social call. I have documents for you and Connie to look at. I mean the Queen. Prince Alphonse Cordes too, if he's around, I'd guess, and any counts, advisors or intelligent stable boys you have in this place that want to listen in.” Tor waited as the King stiffened slightly and looked like he'd just been punched in the balls. The idea very nearly made Tor smile, since he could literally do that with an uppercut on the giant. If he could get close enough. For some reason the King didn't say anything, just led him into the palace with a simple hand gesture and a stilted turn. It made Tor wonder if commandos were about to pop from the walls again. True, last time it had been Smythe of Westend behind that, but the man was still walking free. After all, trying to kill Tor didn't count as far as the law went. Literally, he realized, at least at the level these people played. No law said they couldn't kill him.

Rich asked Tor to sit in the meeting room, it was one that had a large table, an extremely ugly oval one that probably cost more than some entire families made in a year. Focus stone would have been both cheaper and more durable, as well as nicer looking. Except that he hadn't created the process to make it when this table had been made. From the sense of its field he wondered if his mother had even been born then. Tor sat at the far end of the table, not the head of it, he didn't think, the opposite position. The guest chair, so to speak.

If they'd fed him, he'd have to look out for poison for sure.

It took a long time for anyone to come and then they all showed up at once, a long stream of stiff looking people. Probably all pissed at him for being rude and beating up those men just because he got mad. The King and Queen led them, followed by Rolph, the Princesses, Ursala and Holly, Tovey and Smythe of Westend. Tor didn't get up. He was too tired and a little too pissed at most of these people for one reason or another. Not Holly, and possibly not Tovey. That was it. When they sat down Tor flicked the first letter down the table, a sliding toss, it didn't even get half way there, but Ursala grabbed it, looking at him as if he was trying to steal the palace silver and passed it down the table, until it got to Richard, who broke the red wax seal on it and opened it very slowly, taking a deep breath.

It was clear he read it more than once.

It got passed around the top of the table, which was a tradition, he thought, having seen it before, but then the King took it back and stood.

“Well. That's rather different than what I expected I must say. Tor's been to Warden and both the Wards have agreed to declare the war over and admit it as a grave mistake on their part, and give full apologies for their error, then they include why this happened, what led to their mistake, claim that they were not behind the attack two weeks ago and further that they were not behind the mass poisoning that killed so many. Some names are listed…” Richard looked at the paper again.

“Tor I notice that your name isn't listed on here?”

“They admitted that they caused my poisoning to happen. They claim it wasn't what they intended, but they also said that they had me attacked the first time, the guy dressed like Wensa? Maria said she meant that one.” Tor didn't say anything else, because Ursala and Holly both started shouting.

It was hard to understand, but it came down to how they couldn't let things rest there. The language was a good bit harsher than that and had some name calling, but that's about what they were getting at, Tor thought.

The King nodded.

“Nor apparently do the Wards think it should. They both say that their willing to surrender themselves into Tor's personal custody and in fact already have, to stand fair trial. Their only concern is that it be a truly fair hearing, if I read between the lines correctly, not just a show to excuse killing them. Tor it says here that you witnessed them write this with their own hands and sign it without duress? Then you had them initial that as well? Very thorough.”

That was the case, so he nodded. Prince Alphonse Cordes rolled his eyes a little and started listing off all the ways that Tor, innocent that he was, could have been fooled or taken advantage of. Especially in the state he was currently in. Tor threw the second letter at him, which also didn't get halfway down the table. It got passed to Rolph, since Tor pointed at him rudely, who opened, read it several times and started laughing out loud. Instead of passing this one around he just started reading it to everyone.

“Ahem. To whom it may concern: Of course they're probably lying about this, but everyone deserves a fair trial don't you think? Maria keeps over-acting and trying to use her tears to influence me, as if that could matter at all. But if Count Ward is acting, he's the best I've ever seen, and we should get him to tour with a group of maskers or players, instead of doing this silly ruling thing he has going on. Still, they claim they didn't do most of what they're accused of. If that's the case, we need to know it before a bunch of innocent people get killed. Then he signed it “Tor, who's not as gullible as you think, which you should know by now, Rolph.” and had both the Wards put a witness statement at the bottom. Which he initialed. Heh. Funny, but kind of cold Tor, making them sign it like that.”

So, Tor told them, after he got a place to stay and cleaned up, he'd come back and they could work out the particulars of the trial itself.

“We'll have your room made up in the guest house…” The Queen said, lifting her right hand.

Tor shook his head, “No, thank you. I'll find someplace on my own if it's all the same. Given everything I have no doubt that Smythe at least is going to try and have me killed again. Who knows what the rest of you are going to do. The only thing I know is that it won't likely be to my benefit. It hardly ever is where you royals are concerned.”

Yeah, it was surly, dark and probably slightly unfair to some of them, but he could hardly think still, too tired and without rest the reaction to the combat rage lingered still, worse Smythe sat alternating between glaring and looking smug.

It was annoying.

Smythe's right hand came up from under the table suddenly and pointed at Tor, a roaring blast of pain washed over him, along with a blinding light. He didn't move, but a small scream escaped his lips. There was yelling then, but Tor couldn't understand it. Finally it occurred to him to try and hide under the table. The room had gone black, but from the pain in his eyes Tor was pretty sure he was just blind. Darn. It wasn't a partial blindness either, the room was gone totally. His eyes burned and felt funny, wet and sticky, as he forced himself to crawl along under the table. He couldn't really run, could he? What could he do?