Murmuring assent Ridley went back to what he was doing and reached under her shirt again. Tor nearly hit him, but Trice pulled on his arm and walked out of the room. Right, he had things to do. Like get with Collette and see about arranging funds.
The money turned out not to be a huge problem, not getting it. Ten thousand golds? He didn't know it, but Tor had it sitting around the house. Just locked in a sturdy room behind the main dining area. The door would let Collette in, but no one else. She blushed at that, but he nodded. It was a good plan, safe, and he'd need her to run things while he was gone to Afrak. Besides, if he really wanted in he could do it. Not without using magic, but once he was better it wouldn't be a problem. If nothing else he could just turn the place off and everything inside would end up sitting on the ground. Anyone could do that, but apparently no one ever thought about it.
Transporting the money was harder, since having trunks floating along behind her would attract attention. Trice smiled and told him she'd handle it, now that she had the funds, and moved to leave, kissing him and mumbling about later. Collette smiled at him and winked.
“About time, she's been panting after you for at least as long as I've known you. The first time we met I thought she was going to scratch my eyes out for flirting with you. But you were there alone, so fair game.”
“Wait… you were flirting with me?” Tor didn't remember it that way at all, had she said something at the time? He blushed.
“Of course. Do you really think that women past the age of twelve can't control where their breasts are going? Think about it, how often do you bump things with your chest? Even if you're busty you have to move in close to brush against someone. I was standing with my whole body pressed against your back. The room was crowded, but not so much I had to do that. Plus I asked her if you two were friends, remember? It was clear flirting. Actually It was a bit heavy handed, but I was surprised to see someone as lovely as you there willing to talk to me. Plenty of men had copped a feel already, but you were the only one other than Tovey that actually carried on a conversation.”
Ah. Well. Trice apparently was right. He really needed to learn to pay attention. Colette was pressing up against his back, to demonstrate her technique, when his mother and father walked up. Tor blushed but didn't move away from the tall girl that stood behind him, she smiled genially at the new comers.
“Hello! Are you coming to stay with us? We have some rooms still. All on the top floor I'm afraid, so a bit of a walk, but the rooms are nice. I'm Collette by the way, Baronetta Collette Coltress. Sorry about throwing titles around, but I've found that if I don't, people seem to think I'm a serving girl and get demanding. I'm in charge of the house for Master Tor. Do you need help with your bags?” The words came out so smoothly that it was clear that she'd said them hundreds of times over the last days.
The properly sized black haired man winked at her with a friendly expression on his face.
“Douglas Baker, this is my wife Laurali, Tor's parents among other things. Not to drop titles myself, but I'll have you know I'm the main baker for my village. Three hundred and fifty people now and growing fast.” He kept a straight face for a second then grinned, hesitated for half a moment, and bowed.
Tor's mother grabbed him into a hug and he felt his father pound his back a little too, just to add to the family feel of the moment. Laurali smiled regally at Collette and shook her head.
“We already have accommodations, staying with my daughter and her husband. We're just here to visit, if you have the time? Richard told us you're taking a break, a vacation? And not doing it very well at it yet either… Oh! Connie told me to let you know that she's horribly, terribly sorry about the invitation difficulties and is willing to make it up to you. Actually she was far more graphic about exactly how she was willing to do that than I, as your mother, really wanted to hear. She seemed quite… intent on it actually. I said I'd pass the message.” She made a face then, “but really Tor, be careful there. A bad break up with a school girl is a mess, but a Queen? I've never heard of it. Probably because you don't break up with Queen’s. Just keep that in mind.” She spoke in clear, very royal, Noram standard, really she had the same accent the royal family and Burks did.
Was that because “proper speech” had been dictated and influenced by the Ancient for millennium? Or was it just coincidence, or practice?
His mother wasn't done, and smiled at Collette. It left an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. After all, in Two Bends exactly one relationship was ever discussed. Engagement for marriage. The rest just was. That was what he grew up with and his mother had been the main one teaching him and his brothers and sister those rules. But nearly the second she was outside Two Bend his mother had reverted and become an almost unrecognizable person. That was the woman he faced now. Perfect for the situation, here at the Capital, but embarrassing at the same time. Of course she was hovering her appearance so that she looked more like his slightly older sister than his mother and he didn't look his age at all yet.
“So, Baronetta Coltress, are you and Tor seeing each other?” From the way she said it Tor could tell she knew the answer.
Spies. Freaking spies all over the place.
“Oh yes. He's very popular. He also won't just use a girl for sex, so he has loads of girlfriends. What, five? Pretty attentive too. Though I think It's my turn to get some attention again Tor…” She gave the older two Bakers a sweet look.
“He did introduce me to Prince Alphonse though. Pleasant fellow, have you met him?”
They had, the Prince having gone to Two Bends a little over a year before with him, when he and Trice had gotten engaged. Tor suffered to hear more of his exploits bandied about than he'd have ever wanted his parents to hear, but at least they chuckled to learn of his bakery work.
Douglas clapped him on the back again.
“Good! I was afraid you'd let all this go to your head. Still a baker. Honest work keeps you grounded and in touch with real people.” His dad looked… proud? Of him? Tor wondered at it, but then realized that good parents almost always were proud of their children as long as they weren't messing up too horribly.
By Two Bends standards Tor was definitely wrong, nearly evil, having more than one girlfriend. Here it was… Probably a little backwards, he was coming to realize. It felt overwhelming to him for a bit and he had to take a deep breath to hide it.
He really needed to get with his parents in on the whole thing too, since he was going to marry in a month, they'd need to be there, or at least understand why he was doing it. Even if they disagreed he'd go ahead with it of course. He was an adult, sort of. He'd never defied his parents before, but if he had to now, to save Alissa, he would.
Taking a deep breath Tor walked them up to his room, knocked and popped his head in first and found Ali sitting in the single chair reading from “Manners”, the only book he had. He felt his stomach tighten and start to burn a bit. Well, he thought, here it goes. He opened his mouth to speak, but Laurali rushed forward and hugged the girl tightly.
“Is this Alissa? Burks told me your plan… and why.” She looked at the girl grimly, “I'm so sorry for all you went through. I had a chance to kill your father once, and spared his life. He tried to rape me. More to the point, he did rape me. Drugged first. I let him go when he swore it was just a game, but I should have ended him, I see now. Can you forgive me for my failure?” She held the girls hands in front of her.
Ali nodded.
“How were you to know? Besides, Tor is going to protect me now. He said so, and so did Kari. I'm scared, but I won't go back.” It was defiant and not broken sounding now, her head held high.