Tor shook his head.
“Screw that, I paid ten thousand gold to have the man killed, if we want to start pointing fingers I don't think they actually move all the way over to you if he shows up dead now.”
“You what? Really? Why? Not that there aren't a thousand good reasons, probably one for each coin you spent, but it's dangerous to take on a Count like that.” Karen did not sound displeased. Happy was closer really.
Why had he? The answer was simple enough.
“Because no one else really could. He hurt people, hurt my friends. I can't make him pay for that, not really, but I can stop him now that I know. Look, I don't know if anything will even happen, so you have to keep being Dara, and I have to marry Ali, your sister Gretchen? So that he can't get at her. I can't protect the boys, but David is his own man now, and Jerral has an apprenticeship with Kolb lined up, which will get him away from home at least. It's the best I could come up with so far.”
“Ali is Gretchen? I didn't know, she looks so different! And you're getting married? When, is she even old enough? I… Aue twelve… Tomorrow? Today now? She's an adult under the law. Not free of him, but able to marry. But you need his permission… or… how?” She seemed worried suddenly, confused.
But oddly hopeful.
That was simple, he told her, his fingers gently stroking her back again, a sudden thrill of fear and desire in her. Gods. That bastard had conditioned her to both desperately want and fear sex? Why? What kind of sicko did that? The kind that had total power in his own little word, obviously. A lot of people didn't do very well with power did they?
“I got permission from the King himself, acting as her father. If Count Derring shows up before it's consummated, he can take her, but after that she becomes my responsibility. If he tries to touch her then I can take her away, or even fight for her. Every man has that right, even against a Count and his army. Only, you know, most people can't fight an army. I cheat.”
Magic.
The Count may be able to beat him in a real fight, man to man, or bring an army to bear, but with magic Tor could best him. Maybe at least. It was a risk, but Tor would do it if forced.
After a few moments he asked her what she wanted to do, meaning a plan or something, how he should act around Dara that kind of thing. She smiled happily and pushed him back, her mouth finding him hungrily, eagerly. Tor was just about to finish when the girls came back just walking in, not making a noise. Trying to catch him and Dara? Well, oops. Karen didn't stop, or even look up until he was totally done, then she started licking him clean, her attention riveted on Tor alone, oblivious to the two new comers standing and staring at her.
At Karen.
“I… see.” Trice said after a moment, nodding and making sure the door was locked.
Sara just blinked at them, looking a tiny bit jealous for some reason. Maybe she wanted Karen for herself? Well, or him, but she kind of already had that, so it didn't really make sense.
Tor explained quickly and swore both girls to secrecy, for now at least. The King and Queen would know, Burks would know, these two and him. Davie knew she lived, but not that she was Dara. OK. That was fine as long as they didn't drag things out for years. Everyone could keep a secret that long though, couldn't they? The weakest link here was probably him. Tor the bumpkin. All this intrigue stuff and lying was new to him after all.
They all talked most of the night, meaning he had to leave early to start on Ali's cake. Apple spice, with a butter cream frosting and a light dusting of crushed almonds. It was what they had the ingredients for, though he was using dried apples chopped almost into powder. At dinner everyone clapped and called Ali out, let her have some cake, and then proceeded to do lewd things to her that would have been illegal the day before in Noram. Like half of them hadn't done the same things already.
They stopped short of getting really naughty, and apparently no noble girl was really expected to make it to fourteen as a virgin, but it was the tradition to pretend anyway. What could they do? Tradition was tradition after all. Finally she settled on his lap and asked for her present. Tor was thankful that he'd packaged something up for her, things that got applause even though out of everything only the house was really hard to get yet. At least for this crowd.
Smiling she leaned in and kissed him.
“That's not what I meant.” Her hand reached between his legs to the laugher of the room, making him blush. That and squirm a little.
Oh.
Oh.
She was legal, so it wasn't a problem there and so completely not a virgin that it wouldn't hurt anything, but he felt like they should wait for their wedding night. Then again he'd done that twice and it hadn't worked for him at all, had it? Could they split the difference somehow?
Petra had an answer for him.
“Sure. We won't dock until tomorrow afternoon, not really docking at all. Wait two hours for midnight, have the wedding here and the King’s orders will be fulfilled. Consummate and everything will be jolly.” She kept her words low.
Honestly, Tor hadn't been aware that she knew that much about why they were getting married, but apparently either as ship’s Captain, member of the secret army or just his girlfriend, she'd picked up that this wasn't just a casual thing.
At sea, the Captain could marry people legally. Everyone knew this, except him, which made Tor duck his head, slightly ashamed. Right, it was in the stories of nobles and merchants, but not bumpkins.
They had two hours in which to decorate and pick clothing. And of course, now that a marriage was going to happen, Tor wasn't allowed to see her, it was bad luck. Petra his go-to clothing person, was helping the bride, so he got Karina and Rolph instead. They'd worn clothes almost their whole lives, they assured him, so it wouldn't be a problem. He ended up in black velvet with tight white stockings under loose pants and a fine jacket that hugged the waist, for color he had a brilliant red sash that ran from left shoulder to right hip.
Rolph looked at him and shook his head.
“It will have to do, can't change the face at this late date.”
Karina punched her brother on the arm hard enough to activate his shield.
“Don't you dare tease him now, besides, you know full well that if we sent him out on the streets of the Capital looking like this we'd never see him again. Some Countess, or Princess, would kidnap him and he'd be whisked off the country. I'm not at all sure it would be me getting there first either. It would be a race.” She sighed.
“My lovely Tor.” She petted his arm lightly and looked at him wistfully, but didn't kiss him or even move in to hug.
The ceremony was short, but attended by a group of splendidly clad combat giants and ten Royal Guards dressed in full livery, stiff black and purple, standing on either side of the top deck spectators behind with the Prince and Princess as the first maid and best man. Petra had jotted down the words quickly, but they resonated with him. Powerfully.