“I erred. I… please don't punish anyone else for what I did.” She said her voice a little desperate suddenly, as if she expected a beating for what she'd done.
Or for death to descend on her and those she loved. A Count could do that, after all. Not to a Princess, but that really only left her. Given her life, just being married to his grandson offered no protection at all as far as she knew. Burks could order anything. It did, in reality mean the man would never hurt her, but even if told she wouldn't have trusted it. Not really. Her life had taught her to fear men with power over her and Burks, to her mind, had that. She honestly expected to be tortured or worse.
If the man had been any other Count that might even have happened.
Burks had a single hand on his head and a bit of blood coming out of his nose, but he waved the girls up. After a second Black caught on and started chuckling.
“Ah, this place is full of surprises isn't it? Well, no lasting harm done, I could do without the constant beatings though.” He turned to his brother and spoke with decent humor, considering how his head must have felt.
“You know Green, next time I think we should send some notes around first. That and maybe you could visit my home instead? I have a feeling that Tellerand would be many times more pleasant, at least for our heads sake.” He waved the girls up, not differentiating as to who should go first, rank possibly not meaning too much to him at the moment.
If someone had asked him, Tor would have guessed the men would practically run, trying to get free of the place after that, but instead they moved at an almost glacial pace. Tor kept his mind calm and worked on his schedule for the next week, since all this stuff was going away, for the time being. Really, given everything, he needed to get some land and start on that house Ali wanted. Rolph had offered him a large second of the Wildlands, which was basically desert, except that they could easily bring in water now. That would work, if his friend was still willing. He'd see to it as soon as the meeting was over.
Ali looked worried but Tor wasn't, not overly. Burks wouldn't hold a grudge over something an automatic defense shield did. It was his own fault for running into it like that, he knew they existed after all. Black would probably feel the same. Kind of hard on the man, since he couldn't always control when he attacked or fought though.
Thinking about it Tor realized that the Ancients as a group probably had to be pretty good at letting little things go, didn't they? After all, if they held long term grudges they'd all be dead by now. Picking fights and insisting that violence is the way had to be a bad plan long term and they were the ones that would know that best. So this probably wouldn't be a huge issue. The girls just wanted him not to have to be humbled by the others, regardless of his age. That was really sweet of them, even if they were a bit over the top, what with the pulling of weapons, but Burks would understand that, wouldn't he?
Of course he would. They were family.
That last bit was true of course, and Tor remembered to have that fight with his grandfather about the family line. He was his own grandfather, and his mother and little sister were his grandmother? That was wrong on about sixteen different levels, wasn't it? Just crazy.
They made small talk and Burks read him half a dozen times, as if trying to catch him thinking something other than what he was. It baffled Tor a bit, but he tried not to let it show, after all, he didn't want to be the stupid one all the time. After a few minutes Count Lairdgren actually got to his own knees and apologized, seeming to actually mean it.
“Tor. The girls are right and I deserved to be reminded that you aren't just a game piece or counter to be pushed around at my whim, I apologize for my behavior and hope that in time you'll see that I mean well, if nothing else. I can't promise results, but I really did,and do, have a plan.”
As apologies went Tor had heard better, but then he'd heard worse too, instead of a negative attitude, which everyone else seemed to expect for some reason, based on the looks he was getting, Tor just shrugged and helped the man up.
“Thank you. I really wasn't even thinking about it, but you have to admit, I have pretty good champions to my cause, don't I?” Tor walked the men to the door and let both of them use his healing amulet before climbing into the fast carriage that Burks had. It was one of Tor’s, not even a copy made by someone else, not even Burks. Tor kind of wondered if he had one missing from his luggage, but if so, no big thing. He even told that man that flat out.
“After all, better you get it from me than smack into the ground full force when the inferior one you made fails, right?” He shook his head as if the idea saddened him. It would of course, but that wasn't his point at the moment.
Lairdgren, still looking like Tor, grinned and stuck out his tongue.
“Still on that? OK, so your lie detector build was better than my fake, it's harder to do than you might think, matching someone else's work like that you know. Also, notice that everyone else bought it. I think you're just being a bit picky, don't you?”
Tor covered his mouth so that the laughter wouldn't be too embarrassing.
“Uh-huh. Sure, except I’m still willing to bet I can find at least three fourteen year old first year students at your own school that can do better. Speaking of which, I need to go and check on them, if I'm still allowed near the school at all?”
This got a snort.
“Of course you are, since you're footing the bill for half of it. But don't bother trying to make up what you've missed this last term. Not even you can do that. Do work with the kids though and see if you can find a place for Sandra Morris. She needs a bit of pushing, but she has potential if someone gives her a reason to try.”
With that the man climbed into the fast-craft and left carefully, and slowly, not speeding up until he was well away from the palace, outside the city wall even. Then they were gone. Tor shook his head black hair still short enough to barely move, if over his ears a bit. It had been months since the last cut. He waved to Karina and Rolph, then as an afterthought to Wensa and George. Ali just followed along, since she wasn't told to do otherwise. Her face said she thought this was clever and that sneaking along was some kind of game. It wasn't, but she had a shield and Denno Brown wasn't going to hurt any of them.
Not if he wanted to keep living.
Tor walked with a purpose to the guest house, a splendid and large mansion that the palace kept out back for some reason. It was where Tor had stayed about half the times he was there, a wonderful cream and gold on the outside and more varied but exquisite on the inside. Everyone followed along until they found a rather average looking fellow, a bit short for the Capital, dusting a low wooden side table in the long hallway. The man bowed and tried to leave when he saw them, a normal enough thing to do. The people here tried to get their work done without ever being seen.
“Denno! I see your using one of my disguise amulets, it's working well for you so far then? I haven’t really gotten to work with them myself yet.” Tor spoke happily enough, and didn't pull a weapon or anything. The man spun, eyes going wide.
The face wasn't homely, not really, but was just on the average side. Nothing was overtly wrong with it, the proportions were just a little off, the ears too big by a bit, the jaw jutting just a fraction of an inch more than could be called pleasant. Still, if someone were born with that face, it shouldn't have caused them worry either. It was solid enough.
Denno bowed again, “I'm sorry sir?”
Tapping a sigil on his chest and pointing made all of the amulets Brown was wearing turn off, including both his disguise and the clothing he had on. That would have been a sign right there as well, because by and large the lower level servants didn't have magical clothing yet. It was a good idea, but Tor had been busy.