Ancient Kings (The Young Ancients) (55 page)

Tor nodded.

"That's the right way to say it. Listen, you, all of you... You can't trade for things that way. From now on when you need something, come here and..." He looked at the woman who stared back. After a few seconds she got what he meant.

"Oh... Serta, Serta Fallows."

"Then
Serta
will sell it to you. All the children here, not just you five. Pass that along." Tor handed the woman enough amulets then that her eyes bulged out of her head more than a bit.

"Take these. I'll bring coin as soon as I can for it, I know that real traders won't part with goods all the time for anything but that. Give them whatever they need. I'll handle the soldiers that have been abusing them." He took the bottle of wine and put it in the floating case and then stomped out. Mardy and Serta both followed him though, along with the others. They seemed slightly afraid suddenly. That made sense, given the twenty-five or so military men standing in formation in front of them.

"Halt, by order of the base...
Master Tor
?"

Someone here had actually recognized him? That was better than what he was used to by far. Maybe getting into a fight with a few hundred people at once actually made an impression. That or it was the fact that the young man in front of him was familiar to him. Taller though, by a good half foot since last they met. Young too, but standing in the front, leading the group.

"Swarley Jones. Just the man. I need the base commander here. Is that still Major Godfrey?"

"Sir, yes sir! Men, at attention! At attention for the Wizard Tor!" He sounded nearly panicked, which hardly made sense. True the boy might still owe him some gold, but the important part was that he wasn't acting as a thief any more. Probably still a spy, for Holly Printer, but that didn't bother him at the moment.

He summoned the base commander, which was no doubt very odd, but to everyone's surprise the rust haired and mustached man ran to meet him.

"Situation Report!" It was bellowed in official fashion and everything.

"The situation? That young children are being sexually abused on your watch. I don't have time to get to the bottom of this today, but I'll be back in the morning. In the meantime, please spread the word that any man that has done this needs to be in front of my hut at noon. If they fail to show up, I will hunt them down, and things will not go nearly as smoothly for them." He gestured at Serta and then glared at the man again, who looked tired, even though it wasn't that late, not even dark out yet. "This woman is going to see that all the children have what they need as far as goods go. Is this understood?"

He didn't have a right to tell the man what to do as far as military personnel went, or even the law, Tor realized. If it was even tangentially related to magic, he could pull rank, maybe, but he had no leg to stand on at the moment. Other than the fact that he'd fight if he had to, to protect these kids.

That, it seemed, wouldn't be needed at all. The man stiffened, but actually seemed to feel relieved and called out in a loud voice.

"Pass the word, any military person that has had congress in any sexual manner with one of the orphans need to report to the central core at noon tomorrow. Failure to do so means
death
." The man glared at everyone around him, but they actually started passing the word it seemed, even if the threat was a bit over the top.

The man wiped his forehead.

"It's been a problem for a while now. Technically, since these children have no one to speak for them officially, it isn't illegal to do that sort of thing with them. I've been trying to find a loophole in the regulations, but so far nothing has presented itself."

Tor just nodded at that. It sounded about right. They weren't anyone, so no one cared to protect them, or at least felt they had a legal right. No one could adopt them all, and short of that, they were at the mercy of whoever had control of them. He couldn't change that.

"Tell everyone that anyone caught touching any of them like that from this point on will face me over it. If they've forgotten, please remind them that the last man I faced over the same issue was a Baron. I killed him by beating him to death with my bare hands." It wasn't a great threat. He was only one man after all. He'd do it though, if it came to it. That would last for a day or two, maybe a week if he actually killed someone that night to make the point. He just didn't have time though.

"I have to go now, but I'll be back in the morning. By noon at any rate. Plan for it then. This will be fixed by tomorrow. I trust I have your support and that of most of your men, Major Godfrey?" He sounded snooty and stuck up about it, but the man saluted, which meant everyone else did too, including the kids.

"Yes, sir! It will be seen to immediately."

Tor set up his craft and started to get in when Serta ran out of her shop, holding a second bottle of Golden wine. She handed it over with a funny two hand presentation that he recognized from the Palace. He took the bottle though, since he had traded for it fairly after all. He needed to make more funds then, if these kids would be shopping regularly now. It meant he had a lot more to do, didn't it?

The bottle was placed on the seat next to him and he arrived only a little late. Grenwyn was as much like a regular city as an anthill was, except that it was hidden better, all the homes being low domes made of earth, with grass and trees all around. He could see the glow of the fires inside used for cooking and heating, even though it was no more than brisk outside at this time of year. It was pretty, but he had to search to find the Count's house, which was no nicer than what anyone else had. He lived simply and didn't put on airs at home at all. When Barbara had said she was fixing a simple meal that meant the woman was doing her own cooking and the food would be plain stuff for real. That wasn't some kind of code for eight courses and a fine dessert or anything.

Like a real home.

He found the place, thanks to a handy pink light that was in the front. It was magic, so he could feel it, and just to make certain he searched the hole in the ground for Barbara and the Ancient Count. They were both in there, with another person. A man it felt like. No one he knew.

It took care to step out on the thin pathway which was paved with stone but barely a foot wide, so that he didn't crush any of the plants. Barbara had once threatened to spank him for doing that, with a stout wooden spoon. He'd been an adult at the time, but he didn't think she was really playing with him on the idea. She was a strange one after all.

The door was closed, so he brought the bottles, let his case follow along behind him and knocked loudly enough that it would carry to the back of the front space where people were sitting. He could tell that much about it. Even Barbara was in a chair. It was Lairdgren himself who walked to the door however. It opened without a sound, the thing having been fitted perfectly and been well cared for it seemed.

"Tor, good to see you. I hadn't thought that you'd be dropping by like this. Come to beat me up for allowing your life to be ruined?" He looked well dressed and was wearing a clothing amulet, but no disguise, even though the field was with him. Inside him. That was interesting. Tiera had some fields like that as well. Exactly like these in fact.

"Something like that. After the meal though, so we don't insult all of Barbara's hard work." It took effort, but he used the same two handed presentation that the woman at the store had, and gave the bottles to the Count, since it was his house after all. He took it easily and looked at the labels closely.

"Ah, Veremont Vineyards. In the north of our own County. A very nice choice." He backed into the room and turned so that Tor could see the seated people. Barbara was wearing a plain blue and white dress that hugged her middle slightly, showing that, in her thirties or not, she was keeping her figure. Her hair was brown and she had really high cheek bones, that looked nothing like his mother, but the overall look still sort of did. She was nearly six feet tall though. A giant for his family.

The man next to her had on a simple red shirt with long sleeves and a bit of lacing at the neck, made of what seemed like leather cord. He had a round face and a thick neck, as well a full brown beard. He was a giant, it was clear, since even sitting down his head was higher than Tor's was. By several feet. There was no way he'd gotten into the room without ducking a lot.

His cousin waved to him, and actually had a happy look on her face, which wasn't how he remembered her. Then she ordered him to sit, a bit sternly, which was
exactly
what he expected. He did that without comment, ending up directly across from the vast man. He was thinking about woodworking, but his attention snapped to Tor as he sat at the table.

"Oh! That
is
shocking. Barbie told me that you and the Count were identical, except for age, but I thought it would be more of a simple passing resemblance, or a family thing. Like how I look a bit like my father and all that." He didn't add more, but Tor tilted his head and focused on the man for a minute, there was a feeling to him...

Tor had to shake his head.

"I don't think I've ever met the man. You feel a bit like Scotty Ross, without the entitled stick he keeps up his rump, I mean. If he's a family member of yours, please know that I get along decently well with the current Countess and her Count. Countier Ross and I just tend to...
bicker
." Tor smiled, hoping that he hadn't just stuck his foot in his mouth. Scottland Ross was nearly old enough to
be
this man's father. He looked about thirty or so, and Countier Ross was in his fifties, so it was possible...

After a few seconds there was a huge, booming laugh.

"Hobart Ross. Scott's my cousin. No offense taken though, the man has his less than perfect moments. I moved here about ten years ago and have a place down the path a ways. This is a treat though, you can get us caught up on the news from the Capital." There was a cheerfulness that rang from his whole being, if that was possible.

Or even if it wasn't.

"Oh, well, nothing that wonderful. We had to pull the Lairdgren Group out of the Capital earlier today. A group of City Guards beat up Sam Builder and Guide Eastgreen for looking like well dressed peasants with too much magic. They're both builders, but young. Fourteen... Maybe fifteen by now? I don't think so though." That part was for Barbara and Hobart, since the Count would probably know who they were.

The Ancient stopped him though and gave him a blank stare.

"Guide Eastgreen. Right. That's flattering. Did he pick it himself? The last I heard he only had the one name."

"Like it? I had to come up with something as I went, presentation to nobles, so... You know how it goes, you were there. If you don't have four names and at least two titles they think you're a perfect waste of space. That's part of why I'm here. We can talk about that later though. Maybe you can save me a flight to Vagus to grill Lyn?"

The food was on the table, cooling due to him being slightly late, so Barbara started dishing them each a plate. Hobart got about half the food, but he probably needed it. All the big people ate a lot. The chair he was in was a special one for the room, bigger even than what they used in the Palace by far. Sturdy too, but low.

The chicken was moist and they ate it with their fingers. It wasn't fowl properly, but mentioning that would be both rude and splitting hairs. Hobart Ross was as charming and polite as could be wanted, listening easily, and adding bits to the conversation when things died down.

"The Lairdgren Group... I think I missed that one. A string quartet?" It was clear he really didn't know, but was also teasing, since he knew at least two of them were builders.

The Count smiled at him and filled the man in.

"You have to be a builder to get in, or at least become one shortly. Many of them are no more than children, like Sam and Guide. Or Tor's wife, Alyssa. She's fifteen now, if I have that right. They push themselves to excellence however. To be a senior member you have to be able to make a minimum of a hundred copies inside two hours, without using a template, which is impressive. They aren't just promising builders however, but already some of the best in Noram. The City Guard attacking two of our people is... dire. Was there at least a reprimand for their actions?"

That got Tor to shrug again and look away, feeling more than a little guilty for what he'd done. It wasn't the good or adult thing, fighting the men in public like that. Worse, it wasn't even about Sam and Guide really. He was holding a personal grudge, and it had made him upset that Captain Curtis hadn't remembered him, even after he'd subdued and imprisoned a hundred of his men one time. That was insulting.

"I... thrashed them all. In public. Then I suggested to the King that he mention to the City Guard Commander that Captain Curtis might not be the person he wants representing them. It wasn't harsh enough, but they need to be out working, not sitting in a plush cell with Gerent bringing them playing cards and treats every four hours." He forced air out and made himself drop into a very deep state, feeling whatever might be coming off of the Count then. It was mainly a sense of surprise.

"Gerent has his own prison, I know that. Is it as comfortable as it sounds?" Green was making direct eye contact and avoiding the scolding that would probably come about the guardsmen. After all, Tor had accomplished exactly nothing by his actions toward them. They couldn't help but see those they thought of as peasants as less than human.