Envoy to Earth (43 page)

Possibly on Harmony? They didn't have places that large
there however, did they? In all his trips he'd never gone into anyone's home.
That probably said something, didn't it? That they didn't want him around their
lives? That,
or
, when he thought about it, that he hadn't stayed long
enough to even talk to people most of the time. He ran everywhere practically. In
most cases he didn't even communicate with anyone unless he wanted something,
or to find out what was going on. On a whim he hit the sigil for Tim, thinking
that it would be good to just talk to someone. Oh, it would probably end up
with him doing more work, but that was life for the moment.

Patty's face came on to the flat pale surface, looking as
real as life, if smaller. She smiled when she saw him, which was nicer than
what he expected from her, given their past.

"Gerent! I was just thinking about you. Is... everything
all right?"

He'd stopped walking again, about fifty feet from the front
of the green grass of the palace lawn. There was no wall for Tor's, just grass,
looking like an emerald in the tan that surrounded them.

"Yep. I actually just called to check in and see how
everyone was doing there?" He didn't mention the events of the day, which
was probably a good point. Duchess Keen might be embarrassed about it. She was
another person he needed to keep in touch with, if he didn't want her to get
the idea later that he was in the wrong, and had killed her guard just to make
a statement.

What that message would be, he didn't know.

They just talked, for a time. Like they used to, after a
fashion. She asked a lot about what he was doing, and he hid most of it. Just
like the old days, when they traveled together. He did the same with her, and she
hinted at things he didn't know and wouldn't clarify anything. He loved her,
but it occurred to him that he'd never really known her very well. It was hard,
but also true, he realized.

As he did that, came to that conclusion, the conversation
found a natural place to stop and he took it, not wanting to be a burden to his
friend. When her face vanished, he felt a silent pang of remorse, for what he'd
never have.

The feeling was as real as anything he'd ever felt for
another person. She wasn't just his love, in his heart, but also just about the
only person that he didn't fear. The others... Well a few of them were fine.
The King, Tor, and Laurie, those three scared him so badly that wetting himself
was a real risk, when in their presence. Tiera... Well, the first time he'd
seen
her
, she'd saved his life, taken revenge for what those prison
guards had done to Patty and him, and then told off the King and pretty much
demanded that Count Lairdgren adopt him. That was a sort of power he didn't
understand.

It was intimidating.

Timon was his friend, but even if he was a boy, Gerent had
always looked up to him. Not just physically either. He was smarter than almost
anyone, wasn't he? That he bothered to give Ger any thought was amazing. The
rest of the family held only one threat for him. That they could simply decide
one day that he didn't belong. He didn't, so that was probably going to happen.
Except that, after he killed thousands of people to save everyone else, they
hadn't shunned him, even if some of those people had been their own flesh and
blood relatives.

Collette and her mother were scary too, if in a very
different fashion. They represented lust and a simple feeling that he was going
to be killed for touching them. Or they had. Maybe that had left, now that he
knew he was different than he'd always thought? Not a commoner at all.

Petra...

She was, when he considered her for a bit...
Fine
.

It made him blink, but he realized that he didn't fear her
either. Oh, she could beat him in a fight, he didn't doubt at all, but the fact
was, outside of practice, she wouldn't be doing that with him. Not
against
him, at any rate. She was, as far as he could tell, just a good person.

His betrothed. Not his beloved, yet, but that would come. He
kind of thought that it might have already. There was fear of that idea, sure,
but he could live with it. No one that had been him, survived what he had,
would ever give in to something that small. The fear of having something
better. The risk of it not coming.

He was just about to walk into the giant dwelling when he
realized that Collette had come out, and was smiling at him, a communications
device, one of the new good ones that Terry had copied for them all, in her
right hand.

"He's here, father. I can pass that to him, yes. I'm
sure it won't be an issue..."

She waited for the man to leave the device before speaking
to him.

"Gerent? Daddy called and told me that you wanted some
information? He said that the man you seek is working in the city household of
Sir Hessian. That's on the north western side of the Capital. I can take you
there, or draw a map? It isn't hard to find."

"A map would be good. I'll handle the rest. I need to
find a tavern first. The right kind." It sounded funny, so she smiled at
him.

"I have a nice brandy if you'd rather?"

He leaned down and kissed her. Gently. It wasn't romantic,
but he managed it well enough that she pressed into him.

"Thanks. I don't need drink however, just to hire a few
people. The wrong kind. Can I get some gold from the vault for that? You
probably don't want to know why. Not really."

"Oh? Is this man going to be killed then?" She all
but whispered the words, as they got into the front room, a great stone looking
place, with marble floors and interior columns of the same material that went
nearly three stories up. He'd seen it before and still felt a bit in awe, when
he saw it again.

He just nodded. "Oh, yes. Legally even. That isn't a
problem. That...Well, like I said, best not to ask."

Gerent had to work for a while to get everything into place.
First he found the house he needed and located the man, asking around about
him. He was, surprisingly enough, a good looking fellow. The kind that would
seem proud of it even. Not too tall, with blond hair and a scar on his face
that was faint enough that he looked mildly rakish, but not deformed. When the
man came out of the house, an hour later, looking a bit stern, Gerent was ready
for him.

He had a plan, and simpered at him a bit, as if smitten,
even as he spoke.

"Excuse me, sir, you've been requesting me?" It
wasn't cold or violent, but menace flowed out of the man anyway, even toward
someone that was near a head taller than he was and clearly noble, dressed in
rich clothing, with a magical carriage right there. That meant that he was
likely an important person, so the man was pushing his luck, speaking like
that.

Gerent had lived too long on the road not to get the basic
idea. This was a man who, for all he didn't have much, thought of himself as
both deadly and powerful. He was
dangerous
, that was clear, because the
fool didn't know when not to push his luck.

He smiled at him and looked away, a little shyly. He flirted
with the man, using his eyes, not knowing if it would work. He might only like
women, after all. That probably wasn't the case, and he worked with nobles, so
he'd at least follow their social rules, and not be mean about it.

"Asking
after
you, not asking for you to come
out. That seems a bit forward, doesn't it? I... Would you be available to spend
some time with me? Just to... talk. I don't want you to think that I want
anything... Untoward from you. Unless... Unless you want to?" Oh, sure,
the other man didn't
seem
the kind to love men exclusively, and didn't
know him, but Gerent had dressed himself as if he were headed off to the King's
Palace a few minutes later. He looked wealthy beyond normal measure, and coin,
to a certain kind of power hungry man, or woman for that matter, counted for
more than mere interest. He was baiting the hook with as many lures as he
could, not wanting the man to become wise to the trap.

"I don't see why not. I'm off duty in three hours, can
you meet me here? Or is that not discrete enough?"

"No, no,
that
will be fine. I'll return then.
Thank you. Oh, I'm Ger, by the way. Gerent Lairdgren? Prince Gerent of Harmony,
the Envoy to Earth. I'm very pleased that you want to come and... talk with
me."

The man smiled coldly, since that was part of who the
monster was. "Jimson. Pleased to meet you."

Guard or not, he had gold in his eyes to match the most
willing of street walkers, by the time the carriage moved away. Having enough
confirmation to get things started, Jimson being the same name and the fact
that he was pretty certain anyone related to Collette would do good work. He'd
check the rest later however. Truth amulets were made for a reason.

It took most of the time he had to hire the five large men
he needed. They were all of a type, having been in prison before. One had been
on a prison ship even, working coast duty, during the Austran war. He paid half
up front, but they were all happy enough for the work. It required going to the
worst kind of tavern, however. Just trying to walk into the place two people
tried to rob him, and another, totally unrelated to anything, mistook him for
someone that owed him funds and tried to stab him as he walked past. None of it
worked. Shields were good for things of that nature.

Then he had to figure out where to store the men, which
ended up being in his little house in the Wildlands. It was a ways away, and
isolated, but he could get there so quickly that no one even got bored on the
trip. Not that any of them had flown before. They were about on the bottom of
the heap, socially. That meant that the trip through the air was almost
incomprehensible to them. They didn't show fear however, and gaped at the view
of his little place when they stepped out.

"Gods and fishes!" One man swore, as he looked at
the others. "Who are you, Tor the Mighty Hisself? This be one'r them magic
places. The little kind."

Gerent shook his head.

"No, I'm someone else. I'll be back, in about an hour
or so. As we agreed, gentlemen?" They weren't that, but being rude to his
new friends wouldn't help them like him.

They all agreed to wait, not getting that they were about
three hundred miles or so from anywhere of interest, unless they wanted to look
at a magical floating river in the air. Even that would require waiting for
morning. It just wasn't worth looking at the area in the gloom.

He worked up a dozen plans and alternate ideas as to how to
get Jimson to go with him. When he got there however, the man walked out,
dressed in clean, but worn clothing, and looking a good bit like the guard he
was. Gerent just smiled, and opened a door on the passenger's side of the
craft.

"Have you ever been in a flying carriage before? One of
the fast ones?" It was an interesting question, but the man just shook his
head.

"Nah. You have to be pretty well connected to get in
one of those. I took a ride in one like this before, a few years back at a
festival. Even getting this is pretty much a sure way to show the world what
for, eh? I bet you get all the cock you want, just offering men like me rides,
don't you?" There was a sly undertone to the words, as if he were clever,
figuring out what Ger really wanted like that.

"Oh, you know, don't change what works. This
is
a flying carriage however. A fast craft, made by Timon Baker. The Wizard. Do
you want to go up? It isn't scary and doesn't feel like anything, but here,
you'll see." It really didn't, and it was clear that the man thought he
was playing, until the purple river moved under them. Technically you weren't
supposed to fly over the city, but he was kidnapping a grown man, so had to
take what he could to help that along. A grown fighter at that.

"
Hells
. This is a sight!" He actually
seemed impressed, but again, didn't get the distance traveled at all, so a few
minutes later, about ten, when they climbed out of the craft, he seemed a bit
out of place mentally.

The nice enough looking man seemed baffled, which was a good
thing. One that Gerent had to feel happy about.

"What's this? Your tiny love palace? Are you going to
make me your love slave, or are you looking for a master?" It was...
Actually, Gerent had heard worse lines, considering the situation. If it had
been real, the man probably would have been close to hitting the right idea.

Gerent waved him over to the door, and opened it, you could
see the men inside, but he just gestured at them.

"These are my friends. Helsley, Gimp, Remet, Knocker
and Maurice. Men, this is Jimson. Our new...
friend
." It was said
politely enough that the guard didn't even get it was a set up. Not more than a
little. Even when he was hit as hard as Gerent could in the back of the head,
knocking him to his knees, the man didn't try to fight back. The third blow
took him out, at least.

"Good.
Now
we can get started."

The others moved in, not waiting for any more instruction
than that.

It wasn't until three weeks later that Gerent and the men
with him returned to the Capital. He took the little house he had down and
packed it away, since after what had happened there, he wasn't going to want to
move back. There was a grave for Jimson, but they didn't mark it. He'd just dug
a hole, and they'd worked together to put the remains inside.

Then he hardened the dirt over it so that the man couldn't
rise as a specter or ghoul and plague anyone else. Gerent didn't know if that
was a real thing or not, people digging out of their graves to get revenge, but
if it could happen, this particular man was going to have a hard time of it.

The Wildlands still had some greenery growing, though the storms
they'd gotten, two of them, had broken a lot of the slimmer trees down. They
were all young still, so they grew even half fallen. Life would find a way. In
this case it meant that a lot of trees were going to come into being sideways,
he figured.

The winds and rain hadn't been bad, his personal idea of
what that meant having been skewed by the bigger events that he'd witnessed.
They were still intense however, and had dumped water all over the place,
causing flooding in what was essentially a desert area.

After the first week, Ger had sent word to his crew that
he'd be gone for a little while and that no one should try to contact him. It
had been a lot harder than he'd thought, instructing the men to do to Jimson
what they had. Worse in the first hours, since the man had refused to simply
tell them what he'd done to Petra, and why. He made a mistake after a while,
and claimed that it had been the old dead Count that had ordered him to do it
and to get the others to, but that was a lie and it showed as a deep black gash
in the Truth fields pure glow.

After that he managed to work the idea out, even without
cooperation.

Jimson had
wanted
to do it. He'd thought that they
were going to kill Petra anyway, and that no one would ever know. They kind of
had to make the body vanish, since even torturing her would have been enough to
cause a bloody war. Everyone could see that. So he decided to grab what power
he could and use her, before they got rid of the evidence.

It probably even made sense to him, at the time. She was
under his power, and that meant he could do what he wanted to her, right? He
learned better, over the next weeks. The men there made certain of that. Then,
on the twenty-first day, marking when Petra had been rescued during her own
captivity, Gerent just walked in and took his head off, to the shock of the men
with him. He hadn't helped with the torture, or the other things, so they'd
gotten the idea that he was soft. It was more that he didn't want to kill the
man by mistake, before it was time. These others had been cruel, but
professional in their tasks. He didn't think he could manage that. Not with
this man.

Then, without comment, he dug that grave, buried the beast
and set up the Maker that Tiera had given him and made up a tidy chest of gold
and jewels for the men with him. Each. At first they all looked at the device
in awe and clearly contemplated stealing it, but he'd given them all enough to
set up their lives as minor lords, if they wanted. Even the greedy had a point
where they could just accept that they had enough. At least for a time.

No one spoke, other than to mutter thanks, since he'd only
promised them ten gold each for the work. That was
still
a lot, but it
had been harder than he'd figured it would be. He felt dirty inside. They had
to as well. Or they should. So he took them all to the Capital, and landed by the
North gate, away from Tor's place.

"Gentlemen... Each of you is very wealthy now. I highly
suggest that you leave this place and go away to find a better life. You don't
have to, but I would, if it were within my power." He had to be there
however, since he was, like it or not, the Envoy from Harmony.

He delivered messages. It was his job.

Thinking about that, he winced and decided that he needed to
finish the rest of the plan then. It was going to take a bit of work. Not as
much as he feared though, since he simply called up King Richard using his
communications device, to see what would be needed.

The man looked the same as before. Big, red headed and
having a strong straight nose. That was all he could tell over the picture in
his hand. He smiled however, when he saw who was there on the other end.

"Prince Gerent! How are things going?"

He didn't bother explaining anything yet, he felt too tired
for that. The last weeks hadn't had a lot of rest, not for anyone involved.

"I'm fine. Thank you. It's done. That... Project we
were working on? The last man is gone. Well, one of them... I can explain in
person? I just need to rest and then run your daughter to the Moon. How do we
finish this? It would be best if he heard it from us, I think. Or would it? You
have more knowledge of that kind of thing than I do."

There was a long pause and it was clear that the man waved
to someone else, who wasn't on the bit that Ger could see. After a moment
Richard winced, then took a deep breath and drew himself upright.

"We'll have the needed persons here, for a meal
tonight. That's going to take some doing, but I'll make it happen. Varley will
be ready when you are."

Dinner wasn't until twelve hours later, so he thought about
it all and then nodded.

"I'm coming now, if that's well enough? I need to make
some arrangements, but... Call it twenty minutes?" That way Dorgal and the
rest could come and get them.

He could sleep on the ship.

They were good enough about it that Erid and Dorgal were
there, along with Wallace, ten minutes later. Michael was in Austra, and
apparently doing a good job setting up their magical testing section. No one
had passed the basic test yet, but that was only a matter of time, he bet.
Someone would work out how to do it and once that happened, a lot of people
would try.

It was annoying, getting Princess Veronica first, since he
was so worn out, but she didn't insist he talk, or try to touch him too much,
even for show. That made it easier. When they were on the bridge, he waved to
the four crew there and yawned. He managed a smile for Kimi, who was actually
at the controls, her dark face beaming at him.

"You know what to do. I need some rest. Sorry everyone.
It's been a hard bit of time for me." No one asked why that was.

As he shuffled, his lean and tall form aching a bit, he
wondered if that was due to everyone having already guessed what had happened?
If so, it was a good thing, since he wouldn't have to try and explain it too
many times then.

Dorgal knew the plan, and let him sleep for ten hours,
getting him up with only an hour and a bit before the meal was to start, but
having returned them to Earth already. It was enough time, mainly filled with
bathing and shaving, since magical clothing was easy to manage. Then he got
himself to the King's Palace about half an hour early, since he didn't know
what he was supposed to do that way. The dinner was at nine, but with the group
of people they had coming in, who knew what special tasks he was needed for.

That, it turned out, according to the Royal Guards, was to
simply stand with them as the transports came in, and let everyone on the rebellion
side of things know that they were in
his
party for the evening. Count Harris,
Countess Printer and Countess Callwood all seemed to get what that meant. To
his shock, Ambassador Eto came, along with Dorgal. They both walked in from the
front gate, but weren't in need of any reassurance, not being at war with King
Richard.

The Wards looked uneasy when they got there, coming in last,
being from the furthest away and not wanting to be early, it seemed to him.
They eyed the people in the rebellion, and moved over to their little clutch
instantly. Maria whispering to him when they got near.

"Is this a peace negotiation then?"

He shrugged. "No, this is something else. You're all in
my party for the evening. I was told to make certain you all know that. If
anything happens, which it won't, it would be an act of war with Harmony to
touch any of you."

She smiled, but seemed a bit out of sorts anyway. The Count
too, except that he was darker about the whole thing, clearly feeling uneasy.
It would be a perfect plan to kill them all, wouldn't it? All it would take was
for him to have thrown in with King Richard. A third of the enemy side would be
left without leaders in an instant. That wasn't the plan however. Instead, they
were questioned as to their
current
intent, using Truth devices, and
then led to a rather nice banquet. It was in a medium sized room for such
things, and there were about twenty people in attendance. Most of them Counts
or Countesses, but Duchess Keen was there too, and so was the Baron that had
hired the first two men they'd found. Reves. The honorable ones that had killed
themselves when they found out that they'd broken the law.

The only real surprise to him was that Petra was already
there. Sitting at the right hand of the King. It changed the normal seating
arrangement, since that place was usually reserved for the Prince. He couldn't
make it however, so there she was. Ger was ushered in next to her, with the
rest of the people settled in different areas. Count Ward seemed strangely
surprised to find himself settled in next to the Queen.

He managed to bow toward her, looking like something was
very wrong, but was gracious when she returned it.

"Count Ward. Countess... Be welcome." No one else
looked at them. In fact most of the people in the room were studiously glancing
away. It was kind of a giveaway that everyone else knew what was going on.
Petra didn't do that however. She just took his hand under the table, and
smiled at him. Weakly. It was very clear that she didn't particularly want to
be there at the moment.

The meal itself was very good. Slow however, as if everyone
was hoping that the Wards would fall asleep or leave early and they wouldn't
need to explain it all to them. Not that Maria wouldn't have some clue already.

The small talk was nearly nonexistent, so everyone was
already quiet when the last dish was removed from the table by the green clad
servers. Then the room was sealed, and the King stood. Next to him, to show
solidarity, the Queen did as well. Then Petra did. Gerent did too, and then,
down the table, so did the rest of them. Tamerlane and Tovey were placed at the
end, but they hadn't seemed afraid while they ate. Someone had to be there, and
by placing friends in that spot, everyone else knew that their safety was being
assured.

Only the Wards were left sitting, and when the Count started
to stand as well, Constance put her hand on his shoulder.

"Marvin... Maria... We have some dark news. We... all
of us here and others as well, have worked to repair what damage we could in
this matter. We can only hope that it will be enough to stave off an unneeded
war."

It didn't tell them anything, but Maria looked at her sister
in law across the table and went wide eyed. She, for some reason, suspecting
what the source was.

"When they took you?"

Petra, not wanting to be on the spot or not, spoke clearly
enough for the whole table to hear her.

"Yes... I was raped. Over and over, by Will's guards. I
lied about it, trying to save innocent lives, but it was found out, and these
people, all of them..." She teared up, but smiled a bit and looked
directly at her brother, who seemed to be in shock. If not about to head into
combat rage. Gerent hoped that one wouldn't be the case. It was messy and
annoying at the best of times. This was far from that. Petra went on, her voice
trembling a bit. "They killed Will for it. Or... They broke him and then
made him kill himself. He didn't order it..."

The King cleared his throat, getting everyone except the
Count to look at him directly.

"Correct. Prince Gerent unmanned him first, then each
here or their proxy, rebuked him. We located the men that performed the...
crime, and at least some of them have been brought to justice. I think we can
all agree that the death of the man in charge, Count William Cordes Smythe
Rodriguez is the important part of course?" He looked at Ward closely,
until the man shook his head.

"They... did that to her? What... punishment did these
men receive? Can it ever be enough?" His voice shook with rage on the last
words, but the King was silent.

Gerent spoke instead, much to his own surprise.

"No. It can't be. Worse, most of the men involved had
been told that their Liege had ordered it done, when it was in fact the order
of the guard in charge of a shift detail. A man named Jimson. When the first two
found out they were allowed to kill themselves. They'd been tricked, and
thinking it their duty, had done the wrong thing. It was..." He shrugged.
"Relatively peaceful. They each used a Cutter that I gave them on their
own necks. It isn't enough, but more than that would have been compounding
things, and taking revenge that didn't help anyone."

It was all true, and he sounded strong enough about it, but
the others all tensed, expecting a meltdown. Count Ward just tightened his huge
jaw.

"I understand, Prince Gerent. What of the others?"

This was the dangerous part, for him personally. The best
thing to do was just admit it all, he guessed. From the glare the man was
giving him, it seemed like that was not going to work very well, but he didn't
have anything else. He had to be the one to speak too.

No one else except Dorgal knew this part of things.

"One man had refused to participate. He didn't save her
either, and probably couldn't have. He didn't think it was a real order, but
also didn't go to find out, fearing that it might be. He couldn't question it
either, I hear?" That got nods all up and down the table. Doing exactly
what your lord commanded was what being a sworn man or woman meant. You just
didn't get to pick and choose and yet, here, that man did. "I left him
alive and unharmed. If you need his life, he stands duty as a city guard in
Galasia. I suggested he flee, but he didn't want to take that option from you.
Either of you." He looked over at Petra as he explained it. Not that the
man had said that part, but it was clear that had been his real concern. Not
the feelings of the Count.