Everything got checked out with a poison snoop, but no one even blinked at it. Either so normal it was accepted or, more probably, so odd that no one had a clue what he was doing. Magical seasonings maybe? Or just a really funny looking salt shaker.
Tor didn't know if he could go to the markets with them, or even out on the water, it might be considered work. What he needed to do was find Rolph, and see what he had to say on the matter. It would also be fun if Nita was around.
He hadn't seen her in days, not since the attack. That kind of thing could put a person off, assassins coming for the person they're sitting next to, so she might just stay at the palace, figuring it as safer.
Then, she might be right.
It would be a shame, but he couldn't blame her if that was the case. After a while spent chatting everyone else moved off to start doing things, and not wanting to be the last one sitting around, he got up and did too.
Tor had absolutely no clue what he was up to. Boredom had already started to seep in around the edges and this was what, not even hour three yet?
Hurray. Vacation.
Chapter three
Being daring, Tor ventured out to the ice manufactory carrying amulets for two more of them, hoping that handing them off wouldn't be against the rules. This was harder than it seemed like it would be at first. Really, he hadn't realized how much he'd been working in all, having been thinking of work as only being building, or maybe copying. Most of the time planning would have been done at a time like this, or helping someone do something at least. When he got to the place people were loading their ice and Collette, wearing a light pink workman's tunic and a broad tan hat that looked to be made of grass, waved at him and looked excited.
Looking around, she hopped over, a literal bouncing movement and kissed him. Her lips touched his and she gasped.
“No shield? I can't work with ice and have one on, but is it safe for you? No one wants to kill me… Unless your sister Tamerlane is more jealous than she seemed? Didn't seem like it the one time we met.” She gave him a look that wasn't exactly teasing, so Tor just chuckled and shook his head, black hair long enough to actually move a bit, even from the gentle shift of position.
“No, Terlee…” He stopped suddenly and tilted his head. “Honestly? I know for a fact she wouldn't harm you just for having dated, or even slept with, her future husband, but I don't know that she might not really be unhappy about it. She doesn't always talk about what she's thinking. Um… You might want to send her a letter or something, proclaiming the two of you friends? Then there will be no debts between you, including things like that.”
“Wait, I just say, “we're friends” and it magically means she can't be mad at me? I like that rule.” The pretty blond smiled sweetly.
“We're friends, aren't we Tor? I know I think of you as a good friend.”
Tor stuck out his tongue.
“Silly. But yes, of course we are. Only, it has to go both ways. You forgive people, but that doesn't mean you have to put up with them constantly trying to tear you down or anything. You have to be a real friend. Terlee really would be a good person for you to get to know though. She's quiet, but a good person.”
“Alright then. I'll send a letter off to her. Know where she is? Two Bends or…” A small breeze caused the hat to shift, making her grab it without comment.
“I don't really know. What I'd do it take it to the Two Bends Fast delivery outpost around the wall and have Stewart just hand it off to the next delivery people through to take to her. It should get there.”
“Done then. Kind of handy really. Would that work if I needed to get something to you, do you think?”
“Maybe? I need to let my family know where I am more, probably.”
“That doesn't explain the lack of a shield though, or that people keep trying to kill you.”
Tor shrugged.
It was as good a time as ever to try the field out, since she asked. He took her hand and kissed it gently, just to show he was really making contact. The whole time he looked right into her eyes, which made her blush prettily for some reason.
“OK.” He made his face go blank. “Now hit me.”
She hesitated, “What?”
“Shield test, hit me, like you really mean it.” Then he shut his eyes and let go of her hand in that order.
The shield engaged with the blow stopping her hand in the air about a quarter inch from his body. A decent uppercut to the stomach. Her field showed a lot more muscle under her work clothing and skin than it looked like. He opened one eye first and grinned.
Nodding, Tor turned it back off and asked her to trying choking him instead. The shield turned back on before she could make contact. When he had her just stroke his neck nothing happened. A warm hand moved around his throat from behind, hard with calluses, but pretty when he looked down, a solid dark tan color, almost brown. Petra. Gently she started petting him, but then made to tighten around his throat in a sudden rush.
The shield wasn't fooled. It made a soft sound as her hands flew away.
“Damn! Ow!” Shaking her hands, she grinned. “Full shield too? Like your newest ones? How does it work?”
That was hard to explain really, so he didn't try to tell her the whole thing. How it actually linked to a person’s own deep mind and used the information from that to tell if a threat was coming or not. Instead he just told her it responded to danger, even accidents, in case a person wasn't quick enough to turn it on or didn't remember to in a panic. That had happened too many times so far, and he'd almost lost people that way, including himself. This would help.
“Plus you can touch people now and actually enjoy a good party without acting like everyone’s always going to try and get you. Ohhh, hence the yellow sash! Very daring and bold around here, with this many people. Um… I'd like to, if… you aren't too busy already? Collette can join us. Not now, later obviously, duty calls and this ice won't sell itself. As it is the line will be going back to the wall by noon. We just can't make it fast enough. Oh well.”
Glancing around for the King, Tor quickly shoved the two amulet sets at her earning a pleased expression and a hug. Then he asked her what she and Collette would be joining him for, even though he was up for almost anything. A yellow sash probably meant something more than he'd thought…
“Yellow sash… it means you're paying for the drinks!” She said brightly.
Oh. He could do that, he laughed and shook his head slightly.
“I thought for a second it was an invitation to group sex or something. I just put it on thinking that people wearing them always seemed like fun. Well, drinks on me then.”
Collette heard that and hugged him from behind. A gentle kiss settled on his cheek.
“Oh? OK. I'm in. Pet?” The blond was obviously teasing him for his silliness. Petra joined in for a bit, then went to hook up the other two ice manufactories, an act which got cheers from the people waiting in the wagons. They had to load them by hand, and the person getting the ice was always hurried along by those behind them. Often loudly and with a little less than good cheer. Could a loader be come up with… no. That was work. Instead Tor shrugged and went over what Johanson, the finance counselor, had said to him the day before. Three days before he realized.
“We can hire people for that. Loading and deliveries? And lower the prices during festivals? It feels funny doing it, but I get the idea… more people will be able to buy it. We can just make more ice. I'm saving up for a house though right now. Maybe one of your magic ones? What do those run anyway, thirty-forty thousand gold?” Her voice sounded innocent, but not wheedling. After a second he got the idea anyway, she was trying to lower the price so he'd sell her one more cheaply. Shrewd bargaining. They were probably worth a lot more than that on the open market, but who had that kind of gold just laying around?