P. Power - Knight of the Realm

It was a bit boring to watch for most people after the runners got around the first turn, so Tor bought up the food from all the stands and had it passed out for free, first come first serve. Same with the non-alcohol drinks and relenting when Rolph begged, some of those too. It cost nearly a hundred golds all told, but meant that kids, who never had a lot of coin, and poor people, got to have some too. Tor had to go in early to make things, as soon as the footrace finished. He waited but just to hand out the trinkets and explain how they worked. Casually he mentioned that things would be available for sale if anyone wanted them at Debbie's shop, next to the bakery, next to the Cartwright by the south wall. Oddly almost everyone knew where that was already.

He worked in focus stone and didn't sleep, making large batches of a hundred each. He created some unique things too, that weren't actually new, things like tubs and mirrors that just hung in the air, beds that could be set up anywhere and a few things that just looked pretty that he thought people might like as well as a bunch of more practical things. He had twelve hundred items all glowing and solid as far as the work went, though not on thread or leather thong. When he got to the shop, it was early, not bakery early, but only about twenty people were on the street. All of them were waiting in front of Debbie's.

People started to complain as he worked his way through to knock on the door. He had to do it persistently, until finally, eyes looking worried, his partner and boss opened the door and nearly yelp at him.

“You came! I was afraid you'd forget and I'd end up having to barricade the door and pretend not to be home. So what do you have?” She seemed both relieved and a little manic. Excited by the whole thing?

Tor hoped that was the case. He opened the bags and explained what it was he'd brought.

Enough that her eyes boggled by the end of his list. She couldn't handle both shops, so she very practically set Tor to baking, which he knew how to do well enough, having grown up in a bakery and all that. He finished the bread she'd started and, after confirming the idea with her, decided to make several large batches of festival hand pies, fruit and meat. Just in case anyone got hungry while shopping for items next door. When the door opened the shops both filled, at first the bakery did more business, until about noon when the royals started to make their appearances.

If the morning crowd had come to gawk, the afternoon was all about buying junk Tor had made and paying more for it than was really reasonable, but less than they expected, since Tor could do something about quantity where most other builders found that hard. That or they wanted to keep prices up. But Tor had to just shrug about that, after all, what was the point of keeping people from having your work?

The flow into the bakery was steady still, but now people came to watch the wealthy and influential, to see and be seen as well. A few kids from the area came in and a giant, fierce looking guard of a noble tried to run them off, even though they were clearly just locals, not thieves or even poor overly, just the kids of tradesmen. Tor looked at the man and asked him to leave his clientele alone, thank you very much. It was said with a grin, but the large fellow didn't seem to find it humorous at all.

The man bristled and said that they weren't buying anything, so pulling a silver from his pocket and tossing it in the till box, Tor asked the kids what they wanted. The man turned a beet red, but didn't ask them to leave again, even though they watched the wealthy lady shopping in her fine gown openly though the door. She was an older woman who looked kind of familiar. A Duchess, Tor knew that much since she'd been announced at a palace party once with her husband… It came to him just as she watched into the bakery door to collect her guards.

“Good afternoon Duchess Terrell.” Tor hoped that was right, he remembered it because it was his older brother’s name, nearly at least. It might be spelled differently. She spun and looked at him, them bowed, making her guard goggle a little.

“Master Tor… So unexpected to see you here. And being useful too?” She winked at him knowingly, though what she knew he couldn't guess and didn't really care. Did she think he was sleeping with Debbie? That was hardly a crime. She'd make a good wife even. Or mistress, though he wouldn't want to play with her.

She was his friend, but seemed too delicate for the whole noble have sex with everyone thing. Then again, what did he know? It was the Capital, so maybe that was her way too? The big drawback there is that he could imagine rolling over in bed one night and accidentally start thinking about Terlee, they looked too similar for comfort there, so… no. But it wasn't any flaw in her that prevented it. Any good man should be pleased to have her and any bad man would answer to him if he found out about it.

“I bought one of those magical clothing devices, they're all the rage right now you know. Now I just have to convince my husband that it's not a waste of money. A thousand gold, but…”

A… thousand?

Tor had to make himself not blanch.

“Well, what does a single dress cost, in Afrak gossamer silk like the one you wore to that party last year?”

“Oh a trifle, a few hundred gold, it's just doing it at once that will rankle him…”

Tor smiled and gave her a small bow.

“But you have all your clothing paid for the next three or four years, maybe longer. Plus shoes, swim wear, what have you, even heavy winter wear if you want to go north. So, as long as you use it, haven't you actually saved thousands of golds? Not that it matters of course, but it should make him happy once that's pointed out I think. He seemed like a practical fellow at least.” If dour and humorless meant practical. Still it was a real point, if the man cared to think about it.

She agreed, delighted, and asked if he'd be free for a dinner invitation soon, unfortunately he had to beg off.

“I'm being put in as Smythe of Westend's assistant for a while. Investigation coming up. I can't say much.” Really he didn't know what was common knowledge or not and figured that playing dumb couldn't really hurt.

“Smythe? Didn't you blind him and cut his hand off in a fight? Was that wrong then? Are you investigating the Wards now?” She looked interested leaning close to hear his answer.

“He can see now, I fixed that yesterday. The hands still gone, but we've worked out our difficulties I think. I guess Ward would be the most likely thing, but for all I know I'm going to be getting him drinks and cleaning his chamber for him. I think I recall him saying something about riding around the town on my shoulders twice a week, but that could have been someone else… Possibly a horse, but why would he name him after me?” It came out innocent sounding and deadpan, but the woman winked again.

“Well, it's good to see you aren't letting things go to your head. Keep that up.” The last was an order so he bowed and agreed to do everything in his power in that regard. The guard kept goggling, but the kids looked bored. After they left one of them that had long hair and could have been either a boy or girl asked if the man was very big.

“Smythe? He's good sized, about six-eight or so I think. Kind of muscular too. Why?”

“Oh, because it might be hard to carry someone that big around on your shoulders. You're kind of little.” She or he smiled at him innocently.

Tor shrugged and sighed.

“I know! That's what I told him, but he's very insistent. Picked out a saddle already and everything.” The little kids laughed, getting at least enough to know when a joke was told.

While they finished laughing a group of girls, mainly wearing boys clothing, trousers and such, a few in student browns, walked in. It took half a second for him to recognize Princess Karina Cordes in the midst of the group. She had shorter hair today than the day before, a real military bob not just shoulder length and as black as his own, no longer the dyed brown that was barely hiding her natural red on the stage. Her gaze caught his and she looked like a startled deer, eyes going huge and scared.