The Brettermeres were both even more impressed after being show around and how to use everything and the Countess pulled out paper and pen to start her letter to the Queen right then. On that note the rest of them left, planning to get back to work.
Before everyone had no more than sat down another knock came at the door. This time a sitting Baroness and her husband, with their kids tagging along behind them. Three of them. In the back stood a good looking and familiar face. Beaming.
“Ridley?” Tor started, looking at the young man that Tor thought he recognized from school, but Trice practically tackled the guy and started kissing in a way that looked more than a little friendly. Everyone looked on for a second without comment. People had friends after all, so no one thought anything of it.
Trice kept an arm around him, which started to make Tor jealous, but he let it go. The guy had actually defended him to Trice when she was going off on him in that restaurant. Yes, under the King’s orders, but Ridley probably hadn't known that at the time and may not now. If they were lovers or something, then it had to be harder, rather than easier, to go against what she'd been saying, but he'd actively defended Tor anyway. It was hard to dislike someone that did things like that, wasn't it?
“Mom, Dad… this is him. Tor.” If he'd defended him before, his voice was positively deferential now. No reverent.
So, really awkward.
Before he could move three people were hugging him. The move was a bit familial for strangers, but whatever. A lot of people in the Capital were like that. It seemed nice enough at least. They didn't let go for a long time, but moved out of the way to let two more people hug him. One was a little girl who might have been seven or eight, and next to her was a good looking boy of about fifteen or so that hugged him too, if in a manful fashion with a lot of back pounding which Tor returned in kind. There was luggage so he suggested they get a room and then they could all visit at leisure. The Baron straightened, blinked for a few seconds and smiled hugely.
“Why… thank you! We figured on hitting the relatives then all the inns if we had to, but this is much easier. Nicer too.”
They got rooms, plural, three of them, next to the Brettermeres. Ridley and his brother flipped a copper to see who got to share with their little sister, since it meant more babysitting duty. The younger boy won, but did so with good grace and a promise not to make Ridley do all the work. The little girl crossed her arms then and shook her head.
“Right, like it's not me having to look after you two…”
Tor nodded to her seriously, “they do look like a handful.”
“Tell me about it. Well, what can I do? It’s my lot in life, I guess.” She spread her hands and shrugged.
No one laughed at the interplay, but everyone's face held a smile. Even the girl's.
Then, finally, they managed a whole half hour without knocking. The next group that came was Kolb and almost all of his people, who at least didn't expect hugs and cuddles. Mostly. Petra had to hand out a few and Tor got pounded on the back by a couple of the men. They got their own section of rooms, though they had to share, royals or not. Collette expected things to fill up fast after that, since people would have seen them all flying in and “Tor's Palace” was lit up on the outside, meaning easy to see as it got darker.
That made him try to convince everyone to call it a “Not-Palace” but that just made everyone laugh and Collette suggest they get ready, instead of playing with words.
“Brace yourselves, this is going to get busy, very soon, I think.”
She was right of course. Everything moved quickly, almost non-stop. It became almost a game, trying to sit before the next group came. They had to set watches to handle getting everyone a room that night. For some reason Tor wasn't on it, but that was all right. He just kept greeting people until his eyes got heavy, then went to bed. With his field so damaged and depleted, it was normal for him to feel more tired than usual, wasn't it? Kind of what it meant really, as far as physical signs.
If it ever got really bad though, he wouldn't just die. That would be too normal. No falling apart would be the way it would happen, bits and chunks of him raining down as they fought to stay together but couldn't. Something Tor decided to avoid if possible.
It would make the floor a mess if nothing else.
Eyes closed as he hit the pillow, naked but under the covers, the soft feel of satin against his flesh. When he'd first seen it Tor had thought of silk, not knowing any other shiny materials really existed. Collette explained it to him, so that the pattern could be repeated at need. It felt better on the skin she assured him.
It was certainly pleasant enough. Sleep took him anyway, and dreams, most of them about building, what he wanted to do, and how he needed to pace himself. They showed this by letting him try to build something simple, a light, or a flyer, things he'd done a thousand times, ten thousand or more really, and then start falling apart in bloody gobs. A few let him finish and then just fade, kind of like a ghost in an old story. He got the message he assured the deeper parts of himself as he fought to the surface, and he wouldn't be a complete moron if he could help it.
Something tickled his mind as he woke. Rousing him.
There was… pleasant activity at his groin and the sheets moved in a familiar pattern, gently up and down. When he looked to his left Nita was watching him, her eyes mischievous.
“We thought we'd surprise you. I hope you don't mind? She didn't think that you'd let her do it if you knew first…” She looked almost scared for some reason.
God, it wasn't Maria was it? That sent a chill down his spine, which perversely made the warmth below feel even nicer. Or… no, she'd definitely said she, so not some guy. Well. It did feel nice whoever was doing it, but just in case she was right, and Tor wouldn't normally allow it, he needed to check and stop it if need be, hard as that would be to do. Carefully, almost afraid of who it could be, his mind coming up with a dozen women that would be off putting, Duchess Brettermere for instance, or Ridley's little sister. Agh! No Bonita wouldn't have allowed that, it couldn't be anyone too bad. One of the women from Ward?
It took him a second to get it when he saw the face, still a little puffy with sleep, her mouth and face distorted a little as she worked up and down on him.
Karina.
Oh.
Her eyes went wide, but he laid back and let her keep working. Karina was all right, he decided. Once she finished, swallowing without hesitation, she moved up his body and kissed him.
“Sorry, it was driving me crazy all night, trying to sleep next to you like that and not doing anything. I know that I'm-” Whatever she was going to say it got drowned out in kisses, then knowing he needed to brush his teeth before doing too much of that, he worked down her body and returned the favor. She squirmed nicely and giggled just before the moaning came.
“Oh… Ah!” It was a pretty sound.
Looking over, after Karina was done, he realized they'd left out Nita. Tor decided to blame sleep deprivation and started working on her in a similar fashion, a little shocked to find Karina pushing him out of the way after half a minute or so. Playfully he took her place and then, awkwardly and with a little laugher they both moved their mouths into place. Taking turns.
Was that group sex? It was interesting. Not any better than the regular kind, but fun in its own way. Kind of like saying; look, all these people find me attractive enough. Good enough. Of course if one of the girls brought a man to bed that would be harder for him. Could he get away without touching the guy? Was that considered rude? For some reasons he doubted that was in “Manners”.