“I, give me a minute…” She waited, eyes closed for a long time, then she put her hand out so he could help her up and showered again.
“Fuck Tor… I mean it. Anytime you want, just let me know and I will gladly do it with you. Again. Now if you want. Here… or in front of the house with everyone watching. Whatever. I don't care right now.” She grinned and kissed him, he tried to do a good job of that too.
She shook her head and whispered in his ear.
“When Bonita left you that gold in Ward, we all thought she was just being silly. I can see it now. If she got half that, how could she not think you were a pro? A high end one too.”
Tor climbed into the tub, which was overflowing and had been for a while. The drain in the floor took the water away, back to the river, filtering it first, so that they weren't adding things to the water that a lot of people needed for drinking and bathing. Really with the Falcons up too, the water quality had improved a lot even below the city.
Tor laid his head on the edge and tried to relax, after a moment the water overflowed again as Trice got in, and then the water, already hot to Tor, who'd taken all his amulets off, suddenly burned as Trice increased the heat. She always liked to push things, didn't she? He fought a pained gasp and let himself get used to it, waiting for her to talk. To say whatever it was she had to. She didn't, and finally he cracked an eye and poked her, noticing that all her amulets were gone too and she had only one arm.
“Talk?”
She nodded and opened her eyes.
“Yeah. I… I won't hedge here Tor, but try not to hate me for it, all right?”
What could he do? He shrugged and smiled a bit.
“Going to get married to someone else? Or… I don't know, going to go back to Ward with Maria full time? That almost makes sense, I'm sure the King wants a person there still. I would if I was him. Probably for decades. Declare war once, and suddenly no one trusts you anymore, right?” Tor really did see it and that was saying something. He wasn't normally big on the idea of spying like that.
She splashed hot water at him and laughed, “No silly, well, it really isn't a bad idea, and I have been asked, Maria actually wants me to ask you to go back with them too. She likes you, you know.”
“What the who now? I mean… huh? She hates me Trice! You heard her when Smythe was questioning them down in Warden. She didn't really mean the apology she'd made and was just doing it because they wanted to use me to stop the mess they'd gotten into. It made sense, but that's hardly indicative of her liking me at all.” Tor stared, his mouth tightening and more than a bit of anger in his eyes.
Trice snorted and splashed him again.
“Don't blow things out of proportion. She had doubts about the situation, but you cleared up the thing with the flowers and she accepted it. Actually she went back to her room and cried for hours going on about what an evil Doretta she is and how you were so good and noble compared to her. Then you were nice to her favorite sister. A lot of people aren't, like messing with her heart is a sport… Bonita's really nice, but for years she hasn't been able to catch a break relationship wise. People do these elaborate set ups to hurt her. I know at first Maria thought you might be doing that too, trying to hurt Bonita to get at her, but I told her that just wouldn't happen. Not with you anywhere around the situation. I was right, of course.” She leaned back and bumped his thigh with her foot under the water, just able to reach him as long as her legs were.
“Then to cap it all, when the Larvals had her and you could have just killed them all, including her, you didn't. I told her about how your weapon could have done that easily you know, just ended it there in an instant. You made them let her go, even though you knew you were going to die doing it. Traded her life for yours openly. How could she not love you after that? I mean, I explained it to her, how if she were a serving girl or the horse boy you would have done exactly the same thing, but I think that made it worse. People aren't used to real selfless action like that Tor. It's like one of those stupid hero stories for girls, the bold Knight, or in this case wizard, risking everything for the lady he loves. Heck Tor, it's both. I keep forgetting you're a Knight too. And you forgave her, she had you hurt and almost killed and you let it go… It doesn't hurt that you look like you do either.”
Tor splashed her now.
“How does looking like a troll help here?” He asked softly. It wasn't nice of her to make fun of his looks.
“Heh! You know… I cornered Lairdgren the other day and made him tell me stuff about you and that situation. He mentioned how you just couldn't see how good looking you were. How when you look in a mirror you really don't see what we do. You see someone plain and boring. He still does you know. He told me that doesn't go away. Still, you have to accept that it's what is, even if you can't see it. You go around breaking hearts everywhere you go and don't even get it. Women and men throw themselves at you and you hardly seem to notice. It's… well, how really good looking people like you act, but it's rude. I mean Count Ward and Maria were talking about how pretty you are the other day and how only her rage at Alphonse made her act like she did towards you even back then.”
It was hard to imagine, even with people telling him it was true. Trice moved in and kissed him again.
“Here's one, you remember at school when everyone used to stare at you? Why do you think that was?”
He thought, remembering the hostile stares, the girls giggling and laughing at him, the boys avoiding eye contact are giving him looks that had clearly threat behind them. Tor tilted his head.
“Because I was a joke to them?”
Eyes rolling she shook her head.
“Nope. Jealousy was some of it, sure, but mostly they were just in awe of you, but you were so stand-offish! Girls would play with their hair and make eyes at you and you'd just looked away. Guys would try to be your friend, and you barely acknowledged their presence. People stayed away because they thought you didn't like them, or were too good for them. Sara and I watched you for months before we actually talked and then you were all nice and everything. It took us by surprise you know, how nice you were. We didn't know all this stuff about you back then. So, in the future, when someone looks at you, smile and listen to what they say. I don't know, play make believe? Assume that they mean what they say?”
Right. That wouldn't work, but he'd try. Pretend people were interested in him? That might work. Till then he'd just keep Trice with him to let him know when he was messing up. She kissed him when he said so and then straightened.
“Which brings us to the thing I wanted to talk to you about.” She took a deep breath and didn't break eye contact, working up her nerve it seemed to Tor.
“I… can have Count Derring killed, if you want. It will cost gold, about ten thousand, and still take some time, but if we go to the people I have in mind it will happen. I know-”
“Do it. I'll pay. I'll get the money around today. Don't give me details and don't tell anyone else. Ever. The sooner the better, but.. yes.” It would still mess with his mind he knew. Ordering it would be the same as killing the man with a sword, but if it was done right, there'd be no war or talk of war. It had to be done and no one else could do it.
Trice stared at him and swallowed hard, but she didn't ask if he was sure. His voice had told her that.
They dressed, rearmed, Trice literally, which she pointed out with a smirk, obviously having been saving that one to use on him. When they went into the bedroom Ridley was busily kissing and tickling Alissa on the bed, still clothed but things had been loosed in interesting places. Tor crossed his arms but Trice patted his shoulder and spoke first, not sounding angry at all.
“Alright you two, but Ridley, remember that she's underage, no matter what she looks like. You're not that old either, but no sex.”