They found him in the room he shared with Tor, and smiled when he walked in.
“They haven't even kicked us out yet, can you believe it? I'm not sure why though. We can't complete the term, but everyone is letting us back into classes anyway. I checked for everyone, because, you know, why should I be the only one to suffer?” He stopped and smiled at the people that crowded in.
Kari ran up to her brother and squealed a little, a lower sound than would have normally been. Something she was faking personally, but Tor could make that work with a device too… Which he decided to just write down, later.
“Rolph! So good to see you!” She all but tackled him in a hug.
Wide eyed he patted her back and looked nervous, obviously not recognizing her at all. A half beat later Maria moved in to do the same and finally Count Ward, who raised the normal pitch of his voice nearly to a deep tenor, did the same.
“Son! How's school life been treating you?” The accent was, nearly perfectly, standard merchant class.
“Um… Fine sir.” It was strange, no doubt, but Rolph got that something was going on and until someone either came to help him escape, or at least explained, would just play along. Tor got it. He pointed to each of the players as soon as the door shut.
“Rolph, This gentleman is William Merchant. Next to him is his wife, your mother, Mary, and your sister, Kari Merchant. They came to visit and are staying at my house for a few days. They brought some guards, which is a little bit of putting on airs, don't you think? Still, they all seem nice. I was just going to take them to lunch.” Tor stopped and furrowed his forehead a bit, still floating in place. It was still too hard to really walk any distance, though he could stand now, which he needed to make himself do whenever possible he decided, so set down.
“We, so you know where the working group is? I want to take them too. Lyn needs her allowance if nothing else and I should check the others too, make sure they have what they need.”
“Uh, yeah, I made contact yesterday. Um, I can run get them, or those not too busy at least. I fear you've infected them all Tor. Driving themselves like, well, you always do. I suggest you also point out the potential down sides to that.” He left then, leaving everyone standing, which was a little rude.
Of course, he came back with Wensa in tow, as well as Backus, who was both a Royal Guard and a music instructor. One of the best at the school. Tor held a hand out to him and shook, then gave Wensa a small hug, like he would his own sister if she'd been there.
Rolph smiled and wrinkled his nose at both those things, but didn't smirk about it.
“I got Sam to run and fetch everyone else. Would it be all right if Instructors Wensa and Backus join us?”
That got a low chuckle from Trice, but everyone else played it straight. Tor mock glared at her.
“Yes, always. I may need Instructor Backus' help getting back into violin lessons, once I can hold it again. Instructor Binchly would of course be within her rights to beat me in the commons for missing so much, but, honestly, I can't survive that right now.” He was sending a message, but it was a real enough one and not in code. Wensa got it and tilted her head.
“That rough?” Was all she said.
“Yes. But you know, sit around like I have and… Well it adds up.” Tor smiled, because she really did know all of that and really trying to talk to her in code about it was stupid.
He looked around the room and then winked at Rolph.
“Everyone is in disguise. Two hundred gold if you figure out who your family is by the end of the meal. Don't say it all out loud there though. I want to see which of the kids figures it out first. I guess… Hmm, this is a hard one. Lyn or… Mark I think. He's a third year, which is when he should be starting to get really curious about things.”
They walked to the restaurant, of course, except Tor, who floated. Not being able to do it any other way, except maybe flying outright. He hadn't built the controls for that without using his hands yet, but it was coming. Later though. Really, he didn't think any of the kids would be able to do it yet, since it was really complex. Then again, underestimating these people would be a mistake.
Lyn walked beside him and got him to drop back a bit, not two minutes into the walk. Just a gentle motion of her head and some eye contact.
“Tor? These people… They, I think they're making themselves look different than they really do, is it, I mean, do we need to fight? I… have a cutter.” She sounded scared, so he put his hand on her back as they moved along. It was firm for a girl, but not more than it should be with regular work outs. Apparently she'd kept up with her new fighting classes.
“We're good. They're all friends. Good catch though. Don't mention it to the others. I want to see if they get it too.”
“Oh. Alright.” She smiled then, happy and walked a little faster so she was next to Guide. They linked arms, which was something new, Tor thought. Then, how would he know? He hadn't exactly been around had he? Plus it also may not mean anything. If he did that with Mrs. Merchant, no one would think anything of it, right?
Except Maria.
The meal went well and he covered it all, since he invited everyone. Rolph started to get the tip, but his dad just chuckled and took care of it with a wink. Ward was amazingly good in his role and Maria managed to keep her mouth shut enough that it was hard to pick up on who she was. Kari, for her part, just kept staring at Sam, a meaningful enough interplay that it left the boy blushing. He did glance back though. So, as long as Kari wasn't just teasing the boy, Tor had no problem with it. After all, she wasn't his sister.
After the meal, the kids all had to get back to work, mainly classes or copying. He pulled Sandra aside before she could run off, and set up a meeting.
“New work stuff. Can we meet tonight?”
“Sure. I was going to do some work, but I can wait a day…” She grinned at him for a second. “Your room or mine?” She was decent looking, so it was a natural enough thing for her to add, and even assume that sex was the real plan. If he wasn't so worn down he'd have switched up to it, or been tempted to at least, but instead he held his hand out.
“Read my field. Carefully though.” He waited.
After a few seconds she gasped. Then she took her hand away, slowly enough everyone else noticed.
“What did you do?” Her words were half accusation, half awe.
Tor pointed at the little dragon on the left side of Trice’s shoulder.
“That.”
Sandra walked to it and started to put a hand out, then froze and made eye contact with Patricia.
“Would it be all right? I won't turn it off or anything, just…”
“Go ahead.” She stood still while a single finger came towards it.
Sandra didn't say anything for a while. A long while. Finally she stepped back and made a face.
“I see. You need to show that to Instructor Fines. I'm not even half good enough to tell you it's good. Of course, you're nearly dead, so I hope the build was worth it? I don't know how you're even managing to be out of bed. I've seen dead people with more field cohesion.” She looked at Trice and then Rolph, who was standing back, by his “mother”.
“I don't mean that as a joke either, I've literally seen it… Don't let him do, anything in regards to building. For… I don't know how long. Just don't.”
Tor sighed, “yeah, worth it. But point taken, hence the need to get you all up to speed. For a while you and the rest of the group have to make sure we keep up with what the kingdom needs for the war. So tonight? No sex this time?”
The girl laughed at him. Or at least the words he used.
“Ten? Or, do you need to be asleep by then?” It was a real question, not just a joke at his expense.
“I think I can make it that long. Bring the others, if they're available. If not, well, then make them understand as soon as they are, if I'm not around.”