P. Power - Knight of the Realm

More, that meant that two of his friends were probably spies for the King. Sara had even lived with him for months. Tor had figured that had been all about Rolph wanting to sleep with her, since he was there too, but now he wasn't so sure. His friend had told him once that the girl had joined the military to be near Tor, after they'd had a fight. How likely was that? Tor tried to be a nice guy, and failed at it as often as not, but wasn't “join the military to be near” incredible. That had only come after Tor had cut ties with Trice too… A replacement spy?

Now the Princess, well, if she wasn't writing home, they needed to leave immediately for the Capital. Taking off with her and not getting in touch, even for a week would probably have the Royal Guard after them. As it was he was a bit surprised he hadn't noticed any of them yet. They were around no doubt. The ones following them were probably just that good, he realized.

Varley smiled at him.

“Corresponding with mother almost daily. I… I'm not supposed to say anything, but there’s been some talk that I might have to marry Count Raul Peterson, since Karina won't. She's claiming that she loves someone else, but she won't say who, not to me at least. Mom's angry, but dad just keeps avoiding the topic with her, saying it will all work out.” She didn't mumble, or look down when she said it, but her face looked pretty sad.

Right, well, they were engaged, but he'd told her father that if she needed to be doing something better, he'd step aside. The King hadn't insisted, Tor just understood that a Princess was more important than he was. So was a Count of course. Peterson was a wild looking giant, but seemed to have a good heart if not the world’s sharpest mind. He ran the flight training school about fifty miles from Wilderness Station. Demanding and a little self-entitled, but that was royalty for you. Tor nodded to her, but didn't make a face.

“That's odd. Any guesses who Karina's going after?”

Nodding Varley glanced at Kolb, “Countier David Derring. I've seen them together a few times. It's a good match, at least on paper. Within the three steps, he's good looking and so is she. He won't inherit, but god willing, neither will Karina. They know some of the same people and all that, plus, I know for a fact they slept together already.” She made a face.

“Normally not a huge deal, Karina wanting to marry someone else like that, but Count Peterson is important. His family is so intertwined with the military that going against him is sure to cause an armed rebellion. Oh, I meant to ask earlier Holly, if that happens, can we count on your support? Between you and Thorgood, that would almost match the King’s army in advanced fighters… There's a chance that Peterson may not accept me as a substitute for my sister. He likes red hair and mines this odd brown color…”

Tor snorted.

“Well, I can't control your marriages or engagements, but if he tries to go to war with the kingdom over something that silly, I'll get Rolph and my brothers and we'll go tell him off for you. You’re one of the best looking women in the kingdom though, so I doubt he’d complain.” Seriously Tor shook his fist a little in the air to show he meant business. Oddly no one laughed, even if he did mean it as a joke.

Kolb glanced at him and nodded, which got Petra to do something similar.

“That would about do it, I think.” The large bald man said.

“If Tor and Alphonse both went, Peterson would have to listen, wouldn't he? I don't know if your brothers would add much, but I could be wrong on that. Peterson is a good man, but he does tend to favor powerful warriors and royalty as advisors… Maybe you and the Prince should visit with him soon? Smooth things over. After all, if he's going to steal your fiancee the least he could do is be gracious about it.”

This got a chuckle from everyone but Tor, who sighed. It looked like yet another engagement was going to fade on him. Oh well. If it did, he decided, he was going to start sleeping with a bunch of women, even if he had to hire them. This country idea of saving himself for marriage was getting old, and most likely making a laughing stock of him with the nobles, who all had more relationships than they did fingers. The idea made him blush furiously, but that didn't mean he wouldn't do it.

For now though, work.

“I need… Um, Petra I think. Trice too, having lately been down in Warden. Varley, you're probably needed back in the Capital and honestly, even if the Wards are totally genuine in their sentiments, I'm not taking one of the Noram royal family to people that were at war with us less than two weeks ago. Too tempting, plus… Marvin wants to sleep with you said? Not that I can blame him, but you already sent a go between to put him off for now, right? So it might be a little confusing if you turn up on his doorstep. Kind of an implied offer if you did, after being asked.” Bad enough Tor had to take Trice, since she'd probably been sleeping with the guy herself. It made sense, he was good looking. Incredibly so. If Tor was a girl he probably would have considered it already himself too.

That left Kolb, Holly and her guards to protect the Princess on the way home, but it wouldn't be an instant thing. First Tor had a lot of work to do and wanted to rearm himself and his friends. Also, really, if he was going to fly off, possibly forever, with the clothes and gear Ethyl and Clark had given him, Tor wanted to leave them with enough things to keep them going for a while and to make their trust in him worth having given.

After the pie was eaten and plans made Trice and Petra walked with him to the store, so that he could deliver the shields for the merchants, knowing the old woman had to be feeling a little exposed after her trauma, being robbed like she had.

That was something he'd felt himself after attacks and it helped to know that people couldn't easily do it again. With a good shield, well, she could be robbed maybe, but no one would be hurting her, unless Smythe of Westend decided to come after her or something. Things could always be replaced if it came to that, goods or gold. It was the people that needed protecting.

The shop was busy when they walked in. Too busy it seemed to him, but Ethyl and Clark both smiled as they demonstrated how various things worked to the twenty or so well dressed adults and nearly as many kids, most of them looking a little shabby, if only by comparison to the well dressed grownups.

Money changed hands quickly, golds, silvers and a few coppers at times. Ethyl nodded, but didn't announce him to the room, thankfully. It was all he could do to not hit own shield and that mainly because it was already on. He simply handed her the amulet with its slight inner glow of blue and brighter glowing sigil in the same color, a dot inside a circle, and explained in a whisper what it was. She put it on instantly and relaxed, her face going from tight and pinched to calm almost instantly. Clark's face didn't change, except for the fact that his smile had gotten bigger when the saw the look on his wife's face.

No one paid much attention to him, most of the people that looked at all stopped on Petra who was the biggest person in the room, and pretty, as well as stylishly dressed in an off pink material from Afrak that she'd fashioned herself into an interesting looking dress that exposed her left shoulder. The rest looked at Trice, eyes lingering on the stub of her arm a little. She pretended not to notice them noticing her, flouncing her blond hair slightly. It was an odd fuzz, not the dark set of curls it naturally was, since he'd told her to change it after he made her stab him about a month or two back. Over two months now? Three? So much had happened it was hard to keep track. He wasn't even totally sure it was still spring to tell the truth, it could be early summer, the idea that he didn't know even that made him wince. Who didn't know what season it was?