A Simple Darkness (The Young Ancients: Tiera) (25 page)

Then she held up her right hand.

"Do it again and I
will
be forced to take sterner measures." It wasn't even a real threat, and the man actually seemed to realize it.

"What, are you going to do, charge me double?"

The problem with growing up in the forest, Tiera decided, was that a lot of the really good insults just weren't used. She could tell this was some kind of dig about him calling her a whore, but she didn't really understand why he'd bother. Unless he meant the golds she'd requested from him? There was a point to that though, since it wasn't a real surrender if it didn't hurt a little.

"Yes. If you come at me again, I'm going to cut off your arms and legs, then heal the wounds with them off, so that you'll be that way forever. I've heard of that being done to control evil people, so it seems fitting. You may think that you're safe behind the shield that Sandra gave you, but let me show you something..." It was risky, since she never managed it before, but she tried to turn the thing off and keep it that way, focusing as hard as she could. It gave her enough time to kick him in the shin, her foot being thrown back when it reengaged, the combined force making the whole thing a lot more effective, making him stagger a bit. "Not perfect, but you can't hide behind your shield from me for certain. I
can
behind mine however."

Well, she reflected, not if Sandra or Count Lairdgren didn't want her to, but she was kind of pleased she'd gotten it to work this time. It might even mean all that practice was worth trying. The Count threw the knife at her, in frustration it sounded like from the way he bellowed.

"I'm a Count! You can't treat me like this! I have an army. I'm important."

She yawned, patting her mouth delicately. It wasn't a real thing, just a Two Bends mannerism, that surprisingly, everyone else seemed to get.

"And I'm Immortal. Not trying to one up you, but we can do this all day if you want. You have an Army and I've made them all live in tents and cook over fires. You have vast wealth and half of it is in danger, because you still haven't apologized for purposefully starting a fight with me. You think that you're important, and you are, but you and you alone, have set up your entire County to be vulnerable in a time when that almost guarantees attack. Now, if you want to come after me again, let's do this and finish it right here. Otherwise, I need to be getting back to school before they kick me out."

She got out her cutter, which the man stared at but didn't seem to really understand. It was a nice one that had a five foot sweep on it. Meant for people just like him. She turned it on, without notice from the room and tried to turn his shield off again and hold it that way.

Sandra got it.

"Father, let's cut our losses here. I... don't think I can save you this time." There was enough fear in her voice that the man paused at least. Then put the knife away, which was, if nothing else, a start.

Then he glared at her, his voice stern.

"If you think that I'm going to surrender to some trumped up street walker of a schoolgirl, you have another thing coming." He actually pushed his chest forward, as if to try and intimidate her. Because clearly, that had worked at all so far?

So she turned off his shield and took off his left arm. It hit the floor with a nice meaty thunk. As he stared at it she moved in and kicked it away, and then did the right, getting it just below the elbow as he started to fall down, because of shock and blood loss. Cutters didn't hurt when you cut yourself, but the work was effortless, which made them very dangerous. Then got the legs and asked if anyone had a healing amulet and wanted to save his life. His mouth moved like a fish.

Sandra looked panicked, but Tiera stopped her and kicked the limbs back to the man, taking a little pity on him. It took four people to hold them in place while he was healed, but he lived and they all got back into place correctly.

"Alright, that was your last warning. I've been
far
too nice about all this. Here are the new rules. You pay me all of the gold, Countess Morris is now the sitting ruler of your County and if I see you again and you aren't acting perfectly humble I
will
do things to you that you cannot even imagine. Over and over again. Do you understand me? If you or any of your people do anything at all to trouble me, ever again, then I will destroy you."

The man murmured something, but it wasn't intelligible.

"I'll take that as a yes. Sorry about the mess in here. Count Lairdgren will you see to any needed negotiations for me? Please make certain they stick this time." Then, even though it didn't make sense, she took Sandra by the hand and left, taking all the floating trunks with her, except the three that were supposed to stay. Now all she had to do was look up Timon and dump the rest on him for delivery and it would all be finished.

As long as he didn't just take back his Fast Craft. She didn't own it after all, or even have control over it. That belonged to Tim, and she hadn't exactly done her full part of the work for the Council of Counts, had she? Unless they were going to go with messing up Morris as her portion? That seemed fair to her, since the man had clearly been trying to start something with her.

In the hallway she stopped and let go of Sandra's hand.

"Look, I don't know what we're supposed to do now. I didn't want a fight in the first place, even if it seemed otherwise and I know that I did a lot that will make you angry with me. I didn't know what else to do. If it makes me seem any better to you, you did a lot to me too. Your family at least. So... Count Lairdgren says I should try to make friends with you now and that if I do you'll let things go. Is that real? He's smart, but... He also isn't
you
. Does he know you that well?" Tiera didn't think so, but then, for all she knew the two had been lovers for years.

If that was the case the pretty girl next to her wasn't going to share it seemed, just shaking her head a bit.

"Not really. I can see the sense of it though. Did you really steal all my things from school?" Her face was a bit displeased by the idea.

"Um, I destroyed them. Except the amulets... No, don't look hopeful. I dumped them in the ocean." Tiera knew that she'd have to account for that, so turned on the Truth amulet Tim had given her. When it set to glowing she explained. "That way it wouldn't be theft. It was an act of war."

That was the truth at least and she stopped there, not speaking about how angry she still felt about the whole thing. It came in flashes, but at any moment she might feel like going back and killing the Count, which wasn't a thing she wanted known. She wasn't going to do it, so it shouldn't be a thing she had to answer for. People were still allowed their feelings, right?

Sandra was, and in the moment she did not seem happy to hear about her things.

"My devices?
All
of them?"

Tiera didn't answer, knowing it wouldn't help. Still, if they were going to fight, it was better to do it there, without as much time for the other girl to plan for it. She'd have to kill her though, that was clear. A builder was too powerful an enemy to let live, at least any of the Lairdgren group. That was something else too. She was their leader, so Tiera would have to move from that fight to killing the rest of them instantly, wouldn't she? Otherwise
they'd
be after her too. They seemed close at least. Always eating together. Laughing at her...

As her own anger built and she ready for things to start again, the tall dark skinned woman sighed.

"Alright. I can let that be, I suppose. Gone is gone. Being upset about it won't help now. I... He's my father. I know that isn't a good reason to interfere with a duel, but... Well, he
says
things sometimes. He doesn't act on them, not really, but his words tend to be bitter. His plans aren't always the best either. What he was thinking starting something with you, I don't know. I apologize for my part in it and ask that you please consider that he can be a bit... odd at times, before continuing with this. For all his faults he still has his pride."

Tiera nearly added that he didn't seem to have much honor, but she managed to nod instead.

"I'll try. That's... I just wish I had some way out of this. He controlled the whole thing. Well, you know,
you
helped him do it." The anger was building again, so she shook her head and smiled, not meaning it. "We should see if Ali will let you stay at her house. You don't have any gold left either."

That got a shocked look and a hard wince, with the other girl clearly biting her tongue.

"Dumped?"

"Um, yes, but on the street, so that the poor could have a shot at it."

They walked then, in silence, the cases all floating behind them, like little square ghosts. That was all she had to say, but for some reason Sandra climbed into her craft after it was set up and loaded. Her hands were folded in her lap and she was wearing a nice gown that had been totally correct for the palace and didn't look that out of place in the nice magical craft. Instead of taking off though, Tiera stayed in low use mode and floated slowly to the front gate. As she did she focused, changing the shape of the vehicle, making it smaller and a cheery pink color, since that fit the mood she wanted to project, if not what was actually inside.

The other girl stayed relaxed and calm even as things changed around her, though the Royal Guard on the gate stared a bit.

Sandra smiled at him, but there was no big check used on the way out.

"So, Tiera, what now?" Her voice seemed to be a little tense, giving the lie to her face, but the words seemed fair enough.

"We need to find Timon. I was thinking that we could offer you to him in marriage, if you aren't going to go for Count Overland. Tim is shorter, but you two have a lot in common." She grinned, and continued, hoping it wasn't too soon to play with the woman. "You're both builders for instance. Also both giant pains in the rear, so there's that too. Clearly meant for each other."

Instead of laughing, or trying to hit her, the Conserina suddenly seemed very serious.

"He's a bit young, but those are good points. So you think we should fix this through an alliance wedding? We'd have to get special dispensation from the King, due to his age, that or wait. Two years isn't it?" The fact that the woman knew that about her little brother was only a bit surprising. Karen had mentioned that there was a lot of competition for noble men in a certain range.

"That's right. Well, I'm sure that the King will sign off on it, just to keep the peace. I'll trade him to you for those amulets. Your clothes and bedding too. I burned them."

That got a face made at her, but no rebuke.

It was a slow drive through the city, even though she knew the way pretty well. People just walked in front of them, some stopping to stare and gawk, as if they were there to amuse them. The only thing to do about it was keep going, almost hitting them if they didn't get out of the way. That meant going slow, since they probably didn't deserve to die for being curious, even if it wasn't exactly the best time for her personally.

She headed straight to Tim's not knowing if he'd be in at all, but hoping that he could be located at least. It was still early, and while he was there, her brother was clearly getting ready to leave for the day. That meant he was outside at least, and he did stop and wait for her to get over to him, rather than hopping in and taking off at full speed to avoid her.

"Tiera!" He looked at Sandra as she got out and then the size of the craft, his mind working in that way of his. "Taking prisoners now? A good pick I suppose, if you have to do it. Leave her alive though, since she's worth more than the things you've destroyed so far."

Then, without asking he went to the back and opened the double doors, unloading the cases without bothering to ask what the plan was.

"I won't go to Afrak. Gray and I don't get along, if she's still alive. Can you see to that one? Blue too? I have a map, Denno gave it to me. Nothing against Blue though, I liked her well enough when we met. I just won't have time for a while."

The words sounded pretty certain, so Tiera rolled her eyes and humphed. "You take all the fun out of having news, you know that? Tor finally contacts someone and you act like it was only expected."

Sandra went wide eyed and turned to her as if she couldn't believe it, clearly happy to hear the news, but Timon looked nearly bored.

"It was the fireworks display at Lyn's wedding. It had to have been an announcement that he was ready to bring the pain to the Larval. Otherwise he was offering all of us up as hostages. If that wasn't the case it would mean he's a moron, which we know he isn't." He finished making the transfer easily, using the little amulets and a bit of pushing, to control what stayed and what didn't. Then he looked at the plain one and nodded. "For Ali? Or Trice?"

"Trice? Why would he send special things to her? It's for his
wife
." Her tone had gotten sharp, since she was already a bit displeased and Patricia Morgan wasn't on the top of her list of favorite people at all.

Timon didn't comment on it.

"So hostages? Are we secreting Sandra out of the kingdom then, or hiding her in Two Bends? Other than that I can't think of a good place to keep her. Not if you don't want her found."

There was a pause and Tiera smiled, looking at the other girl, "Oh, I was thinking of marrying her off to you, to get things to calm down. Her father isn't all that happy with me right now."