A Simple Darkness (The Young Ancients: Tiera) (26 page)

Instead of laughing or questioning her, Timon looked at the other girl frankly and nodded. "Alright. We can at least look into the idea. I certainly couldn't see what Todd was thinking, not picking you himself. Princess Karina already put word in with mother for me, and so did Judith Kerry. This is probably more important though and you really are a catch. Certainly as valid as either of the others."

Tiera wasn't certain he was playing at all, but Sandra curtseyed and held out her hand, smiling. "That's most kind of you to say. It's hard to beat a Princess for things like that. Especially since I'm pretty well impoverished for the time being. Someone chastised me most firmly by destroying everything I own." There was a bit of bitterness to the words, but Timon just walked away, coming back with a little basket of things about two minutes later, from inside his little stone cottage. "Here, it's just to make sure you don't struggle for the whole days it takes you to get back on your feet. A cottage, some cleaning supplies and what not."

He handed it over, getting a very sweet hug from the larger woman.

"That is very thoughtful of you. Did you do the work on the cottage yourself? It feels like you, not Tor. Original work?"

They talked about that for a few minutes while Tiera wandered off, so that she wouldn't be eavesdropping. After all, her little joke seemed to be backfiring. For a bit she considered actually getting the two married. It would make Sandra family then, which should keep the Count at bay for a while at least. It was a bit self serving, but it would make her life much easier.

After a bit Timon waved to her and called out, "we have more work in a few weeks. Try not to dodge out on me will you? You'll have to work for a few nights, taking people to Soam, some food and trade goods need to come back too. I'll send a schedule. No wars this time." He didn't even smile when he said it.

He also didn't take the Fast Craft away, so she nodded. "I can do that. Sorry about before. I should have made sure that I finished my work before running off like that."

Then, as if he'd nearly forgotten, he showed her the map of the world on his little hand held Austran device. It displayed the pictures as if they were almost there, and showed where all the Ancients that Brown knew about lived. Timon didn't take a long time doing it, just letting her look at it for a minute and then making the picture larger over the dwellings so she'd be able to find them later.

"Got it?"

She nodded. It wasn't hard after all. The pictures still floated right there behind her eyes and would for hours. After that she'd be able to bring it back at need. She had to try to do that, but it was a useful talent. For some reason Sandra got back in the craft with her and didn't ask where they were going, which was clearly north.

"I have to stop in Two Bends, then we'll go to the school. My family will want the news about Torrance. Also, I have to be scolded for nearly destroying a County. It isn't fair, but I can't explain it very well at all." It was the rage that was the hard part. It wasn't a mindless thing, but she was so mad, almost all the time. She wanted to be good and help people, even meek and not create problems, but she just couldn't. How did she make that clear and not just seem insane though?

There wasn't any way that she could think of. Instead she'd just have to try to hold her tongue as her mother and father went after her for starting a war. That wasn't truly the case though was it? She hadn't created the conflict, just ended it.

"It will take about twenty-five minutes to get there." Less than that, but she knew that most people didn't actually count each second of the trip like she did. It would take her twenty-three minutes and fifteen seconds at the speed she was currently traveling. The Fast Craft had gotten faster as she used it, which said something about how it was made, she thought. What exactly, she didn't know. It felt almost like it was growing. Gaining power slowly over time.

They didn't chat at all until they were on the ground. Sandra had been to the little village before and had met everyone, so when Mayor Tom saw her he just smiled and bowed, but didn't rush the girl to shake her hand and try to make certain she felt welcome. Tiera waved at him, and Sandra gave a small bow and a wave herself, which seemed to make the man happy. The street wasn't muddy, but she put the craft alongside the bakery, since she didn't want to take the trunks out yet.

Then, not knowing what to expect she walked into the bakery, to find Todd behind the counter, coming from the back when he heard the little bell. He froze when he saw Sandra at least and blushed.

"Conserina Morris. How wonderful to see you." It didn't sound like a giant treat, but he bowed and looked only half panicked. "I don't know if you heard, about Countess Thorgood and I?"

The girl didn't have to, but she let him off the hook instantly and with a smile.

"I did. Well, my loss, her gain. Don't worry, I didn't come to bother you about that. I'm a hostage." She made a face as if that were a real thing, which got Tiera to realize that it explained things pretty well. Why the girl had just been following along with her like she was.

The others came then and by the way they casually greeted her like they were, it was pretty clear the news of her adventures hadn't reached them yet. So while it meant she didn't get an instant scolding, it also seemed that she was going to have to tell on herself. She waited for Taman, who was still too little for school, to run to the delivery warehouse to get her mother before explaining, since it wouldn't do to force her poor mother to come in halfway through the screaming.

That saved her five minutes of harsh looks and hard words at least.

Then there were more hugs all the way around.

"So... it's been a busy week. I... Count Morris started a bit of a thing with me. It's over now, I think." That was all true, and she wanted very desperately to keep it at that, but her father raised an eyebrow and pulled out his pipe, which he always did when he felt stressed and didn't want people to know it.

"What kind of a
thing
? He didn't get you pregnant did he? If so I'll have to take the boys and go have a talk with him." There was enough sternness in his voice that her mother laughed.

"It won't be that dear. Even if she were with child she wouldn't know yet, there hasn't been enough time." Then she re-centered on Tiera, her face looking amused. "Insults then? Plotting?"

Tiera nodded.

"Yes. That and a tiny war. I didn't kill anyone, but I did some minor property damage." That was playing it down and she knew it, but Sandra didn't let that part go, clearly
wanting
her to be in trouble.

"A few million gold worth. She crippled the Morris armed forces, destroyed all of our homes and about half of our major businesses. It was father's fault though. He should have apologized like a reasonable person after Tiera did. He was trying to avoid a duty and get Tiera to leave him so he wouldn't be at the Council of Counts for most of it, I think. Then his ego got in the way."

Then, as expected there was some shouting for a while. She told the whole story, and was just gearing up to do her own yelling when it suddenly ended, her mother hugging her suddenly.

"Well, that wasn't the way I raised you was it? From now on I expect you to leave such things to others, if you can't deal with it more politely yourself. I know that you might have some issues there. That means you have to fight harder for control however, not that you get a pass when you do the wrong thing, and while many nobles would have done the same, that isn't an excuse for harming all those innocent people."

She knew that. "I know, Tor told me the same thing. Oh, if that's going to help me out at all, he met up with me and gave me some packages for a few people. None for you, but he sends his love. He seems fine. Healthy and all. I..." She didn't go into the rest. He'd seemed different, but how exactly was too hard to put in words. Harder and less like himself, more like...

Her really. Filled with a barely contained anger that showed, even as it was being hidden? At least he had a real reason for it.

That got her problem forgotten for a time, until she mentioned that she needed to get back to the school, if they weren't actually marrying Sandra to Timon that week. That would change her plans after all.

Laurali smiled at that and shook her head.

"No. You will
not
drag your brother into that mess." She gave a single nod to the taller woman however. "Not that it would be a poor match, he's just a bit young as of yet. It also isn't his problem to deal with, Tiera." There was a matter of factness to the whole thing that seemed to say her word was final.

She winked at her mother, since it was a safe enough thing to do and left then, only to find Taman sitting in her Fast Craft, holding a basket that had been stuffed with cookies and covered with a napkin.

"For Mr. Guide." She'd changed her clothing too, into a very cute, if slightly plain dress that hung like a sack on her, along with shiny black shoes. For about half a minute Tiera was tempted to make her go back in, but instead she got out and poked her head into the bakery, since everyone was still talking about Tor and the problem of having her around.

"Ma? I'm going to take Taman to school with me. She has a present for Guide. I'll bring her back before dinner, if it's alright?" It was a hassle, but what the heck? It wasn't like it was dangerous. No more so than being at home at least.

There was a moment of silence, but then both of her parents nodded.

"Bring her straight back, please. We don't want her getting lost."

Tiera didn't wait, just getting in and flying off, her sister seeming very pleased by the turn of events, watching out the window happily. She talked to Sandra the whole time, going over how she was going to school soon and wanted to learn how to write and do numbers too. It was cute, but had to be at least a little annoying to the woman. She didn't let on however and started talking about building as a profession.

"It's difficult, but rewarding. Have you ever thought about being a builder?"

"Certainly. I got Tim to show me how. I can only make copies from templates, but he said that was good, for six." She seemed pretty proud of it too.

From the driver's seat Tiera snorted.

"Good for
six
? You're still five you know. That's all I can do and
I'm
fourteen. Most people don't even bother trying to do that at your age."

Sandra shrugged and smiled, looking out the window.

"It takes a lot of focus to do many copies at once. You need to learn to do it without a template too, before you go off to school. I can send some things for you to practice with."

That got a nod from the girl as if it only made sense, because children did that, Tiera knew. Her baby sister had lived nearly half her life knowing that she was a noble. True, she still kind of thought that all of that kind of person lived in houses that were close to identical to what their neighbors had in Two Bends, but it wasn't a shock to her. She was even learning the polite social rules. That should help. Maybe in eight years she'd be able to go and fit in at school, not practically being kicked out in the first month?

They found Guide in his room, which he shared with a second year boy named Lars, who saw them all standing there, with Taman in the front, and managed a credible bow, which marked him as being of decently high birth. He was tall, but recognized Sandra if not the other two and addressed her by name. As Conserina Morris.

She nodded to him, "we're here for Guide? Conserina Lairdgren, Taman, brought a gift for him." She pushed the girl forward gently as Guide poked his head around his roommate, who gallantly stepped to the side. Grinning and staring at the younger girl. From the side he bowed to her as well, which got Taman to curtsey back. Correctly too.

Tiera suddenly felt like she was backwards and inept. She didn't know how to do that yet at all.

Guide looked at the scene and recovered pretty quickly, making his own bow, which looked like something a kid from the country might have attempted, feeling horribly out of place.

"Hello. I'm Guide. May I help you with something?"

"Present for you. From my family. For the magical devices you sent with Tiera. Thank you, they are most welcome and used daily." The basket got shoved toward him a little roughly, but he took it with a smile.

"This is most kind! Please tell your parents that I said thank you. I... we don't really have anything for guests, would you like to come in?"

They did, apparently, since it wasn't everyday that Taman got to go visiting after all. Guide offered the cookies around. Taman informed him with a smile that she'd made them herself, which got him to freeze with one of the disks halfway to his mouth. Then, bravely, he took a bite, as if he expected them to be burnt or be made with salt instead of sugar.

"These are great. I mean
really
good. Much better than we get here by far. We should have you in to help with the cooking here." Then he seemed to realize that he was suggesting they turn a Conserina into kitchen help, but Taman nodded, as if it were a compliment.

It was how it was meant, so Tiera didn't say anything and Sandra didn't either, since Taman wasn't going to war with the boy over it. No, the little girl was kind and gentle. Proper. Not like she was at all.