P. Power - Knight of the Realm

There was, Collette assured him, an area outside the town where the temporary market was set up for bulk goods just outside the wall, not too far from the river, where they could “camp” for the time being for a modest fee. If they set up, the fee collectors would be out with the guard to get the silver per week rent, which they were allowed to pay for as long as they wanted, though the space was nearly empty this time of year. It was a dry dusty zone without even a well, but the river really wasn't far off, so Tor picked a space out of the flood zone and set up a house and an ice making device before going off to see to his business in town.

Not that he was dragging his feet, trying to put off the uncomfortable visit he had to make.

Nope, definitely not that.

He left the girls to set up the house as they liked and gave them twenty golds to use to set up rent if needed. When he left they were out piling up blocks of ice into a little castle shape. People were coming out to look even before Tor buzzed towards the city using his Not-flyer. Ice festival part two? It made him grin. The idea was great for promotions, and really, it wasn't like it cost them anything to do it. The place could use the cheering up.

It was something that he hadn't quiet admitted to himself before, but Tor really didn't like the Capital much. At first he'd thought it was the heat, but he didn't feel that now, and hadn't felt that way in Printer or Warden, which were as hot and humid too, which should have been even worse. No, it was all the bad things that had happened to him there. Being abandoned to wonder the streets, being attacked by commandos and left blind, the emotional ripping and tearing that always seemed associated with it too. Not really knowing who he could trust. Even Rolph was more suspect than he'd ever imagined at school.

It just made him sad.

What didn't was that, as he floated quickly down the street, having come through the south gate, he could smell a bakery nearby. One that, when he saw it, Tor recognized. Debbie's. He'd worked there for about three days once, before fleeing the city, not knowing if the King and Queen hated him and were spurning him at their gates on purpose or not. They'd claimed it was all an accident, but given the intrigue they went in for, that was suspicious. Could he trust anything they said? Well, he could if he tried to read the truth, or lie, in their words.

It felt low and un-trusting of him, but then… it was.

So at least there was that.

On a whim Tor stopped at the bakery door and went in. He probably didn't look that different, though his clothes had been made green, they reflected a simple silk look that was at once expensive looking and plain enough that no one would think he robbed a young Countier or something.

The woman behind the counter looked up with a smile but clearly didn't recognize him at first. On the wall there was a temperature control plate and the whole interior had been redecorated, with lights all around and Tor noticed, a new door, expanding into the shop next door? Cool! The little shop was growing then. He felt a little better, since last King’s week he'd run off and left her in a bit of a lurch, which wasn't fair of him at all. He'd left her some money and some field devices to make up for it, and sent some later with the lights, but it had left a bad taste in his mouth at the time, even through the rest of the misery he'd felt. That she'd made do… it made things easier.

Tor smiled and poked his head into the space next door, which had an empty glass topped display case for goods and some tables where customers could sit and eat in the cool, several people were busy using it for that at the moment. It was a good idea. Not everyone could afford their own temperature plates, or knew him to get personal ones to wear, but for the price of a roll they could get out of the heat for a while here.

There was a stirring behind him, a rustle of fabric and a scent of vanilla before he turned around.

“The magical Tor devices are all sold sir, but we do have some baked goods…” Her voice was diffident, but Tor smiled when he turned.

Right, so she had a store front for magical devices, but was all out? That could be fixed. He wondered if she'd take the same sales deal that Ethyl and Clark had. Without preamble Tor mentioned it, her face looking shocked as she put it all together.

“Tor! I…” He found himself wrapped in a hug, or at least her arms tried for it, she stood back eyes wide, but not commenting on the shield.

“I never thought to see you again! How are you?” The voice was worried, but not scared.

Debbie still reminded him of his older sister Terlee, straight black hair, thin, but not raw boned about it, and with brown eyes that looked happier now than they had last time. Her clothing was a good bit nicer too, but then his sister had started dressing the royal, which she was, so Debbie couldn't compete there, not yet.

“Right, well, so far it looks like I'm not kicked out of the city, though people keep trying to kill me since we last met. So, if you want I can bring some things for you to sell in a few days? Sooner if I get a chance to work. But well, palace stuff, you know? Who knows how that's going to go.” Tor grinned and looked down. “If they don't refuse me at the gate again, but right now I almost hope they do. I'll make up some things for you and come work in your bakery for King’s week. I mean if you'll have me of course, after the way I dodged out on you last time. I… feel really bad about that. I'm sorry.”

Tor wondered if he should kneel and beg forgiveness like some of the royals did when they really messed up, but Debbie didn't seem to require that of him, she snorted instead.

“Tor… you left me enough to keep me as a Princess for the rest of my life! If anyone should apologize it should be me for not realizing who you were sooner, I… sir…” She curtsied.

“Cut it out Debbie. I'm your employee or maybe, now, partner in half the shop? Without ownership of course, which makes you the boss still, so I'm pretty sure you don't curtsy to me at all. If anything I should bow to you, but I won't, because I think were good enough friends to skip all that. Right?”

Tor got a beef hand pie and ate it there before saying his goodbyes and heading out to the palace to face Smythe. It was funny but that was the part that worried him now. If Varley couldn't, or no longer wanted to, marry him he'd deal. After all, he had experience with bad relationships now.

The military minister, that was a different horse all together. Normally he'd have left him blind and crippled, just for his own safety, possibly even suggested he be removed far off to a country estate where it would be harder to plot against him. Even if he had to pay for it himself. Tor wouldn't put a blind man in prison though and wouldn't suggest it. He'd been blind for a bit. It was its own prison. You could deal with it, but it made greater punishment too much.

It was scary to him anyway. Smythe was needed, for the Wards to feel comfortable if nothing else, and possibly for everyone else too as well. But Tor still shook a little at the idea of facing the evil man again.

The gate guard recognized him at least, though Tor still had to wait for someone to come and confirm it was him. It was a good safety procedure, he had to admit. What if he was just made up to look like Tor? It wouldn't be that hard to find a short man, or even a boy, with black hair and pale skin, and the guards probably didn't know him so well that something like that might not fool them. He'd worked with Debbie for three whole days and she hadn't gotten who he was immediately, so having him vetted just made sense.

Normally Varley had the job, and once or twice he'd seen Karina do it, but today Rolph came out, smiling.