"Tiera, Taman. It's good to see you. Now, what's this? Taman is going to set up shop?" He examined the craft they'd come in and nodded. "I see. Well, perhaps..."
Ancient or not, he faltered and had to ask for an explanation, which took a while, so Tiera unloaded the back of goods, getting Alice to help her. Bonita stood by, going wide eyed at the news coming from the child.
"So I left home. I can do that, if I can make my own way. Can't I?" There was a sturdiness to the girl, and upright posture that Tiera took as her knowing that for a fact.
Rather unhelpfully the Count nodded.
"That's true. Still, it would hurt your mother to have you leave so young. She cried for weeks when your brother Timon did. She told me that. At night when everyone else was sleeping. It would be worse if you did it. Perhaps you could come to an accord with her? Work out a time schedule, so that both of you get part of what you want? That's an important skill in life. A hard one, but valuable."
Then he started talking about complex ideas and social contracts. Tiera was able to follow it, but Taman got lost early on. That was the point, which she got after a few minutes. The man was showing Tam that she still had a lot of things to learn.
Knowledge that she could get in school. Or at least with a tutor. The Two Bends school mistress wasn't a bad woman, but she didn't run into philosophy too often, or advanced social information. Nita was helpful then, talking about her own tutors and managing to do it without sounding like she was trying to sell the idea as fun. Needed, and not unpleasant, but real work.
Orange started to nod along.
"Very good. You shall return home, but work part of each month on the plans you've made. Set aside time to come here, and work with me as well. What we need is an interface between these craft, and the ones to come, with computers. That will require a great deal of study to learn about. I think that Green here might be able to do it, but it would be better if we had more than one that could." She looked at Burks and then Taman. "We'll need special tutors for her then. Ones to do your kind of magic, others for technological processes."
Tiera shrugged, which got the Count to do the same thing, but she spoke, her voice low.
"All my younger brothers and sisters should be in on that. Fighting too, as well as the customs and traditions of all the lands." It suddenly sounded like a lot, but they were all smart. For a second she felt a little jealous.
After all, she'd have loved to know all that when she were a child. Looking around she was surprised to see that everyone except Taman was nodding along. The Count even clapped a few times. It was thoughtful though, instead of excited.
"That will help to keep Timon from thinking that I don't love you all equally too, so a win all around. Very good. Let's set that up now."
Tiera thought for a bit and then pulled her communications device. They'd need to get in touch with some people for it, if they didn't want a screaming Laurie to descend on them all later that day.
"Um, Tor for the building parts?"
That got Lairdgren to shake his head.
"No, Instructor Fines and his people. Tor will be too busy. He has to design the main drive system, and that will take years. We'll have to have the kids commute for that. And... Let's get with Denno for the science portions of the events? Normally I'd get one of the Blue's in on this, but again, they'll be far too busy. As for the other things, I'll leave that to you two. Though Douglas can teach them fighting. Etiquette... Their mother would actually be good for the Noram side of things, having a nice understanding of all levels of society, but perhaps we should see to others..."
Tiera didn't blurt out that she didn't think her father could fight at all. Not past what any baker in a small town would know, which wasn't much. If the Count said it was the truth, then it was, and she lacked information. As a Countess though, it was a bad plan to show how little you knew about things like that, wasn't it? She'd need to find out some other way.
She contacted Brown then, and got a helpful man instead, who informed her that the Revered One was sleeping. So she just ran the problem by him, which actually had him tapping away at something that she figured was his compact.
"I have a listing of potential candidates here. I can set up a time for interviews? They're looking for work and all single. Would men or women be preferred?"
Tiera thought for a moment and then looked at the others.
"Either. They'll have to live in a very small village, and be willing to travel with the kids for educational reasons. On the good side they'll probably get to go back to Austra a few times per year. Maybe more. I'll be there in a few days... eight or so, to see about that? If you could be available to help with the interviews? That way we don't have to take up Brown's time. I... can pay you. In trade? Some..." She had to think for a second, but realized she didn't know what that would be. She didn't have a lot and offering her body would have that cook from Carlos's restaurant scolding them or perhaps even being violent to protect her. "Produce? Or goods from here that you might want, and can't get there? We can discuss it."
The man didn't say no, and actually scheduled a specific time for it, speaking as if him doing that kind of work was completely normal. It might be, but Tiera was glad for the help. It reminded her that she had to get over there sooner than that too, because Maria was having a party. That was just for a pick-up. Counting she realized it would be in twenty seven days, she thought. So not really sooner at all.
"No rest for the Tiera." She muttered it, which meant everyone standing there except Nita heard her.
That done, she debated just taking Taman straight home, but didn't get a chance, since the device in her hand started to glow. It was flashing, and very bright, making the whole area light up. Even the workmen planting trees turned to look, since the river changed color in bright blue pulses. It was getting dark after all, and they were just finishing anyway.
She tapped the device to activate it, wishing it had some way of telling her who it was.
"Tiera Baker here. How may I help you?"
The voice on the other end was panicked and desperate sounding. Her mother.
"Tiera, Taman is missing, I think she's run away, we've been searching the woods all day! Terry said that you know something?"
Tiera did something that she'd seldom done with her mother, and
lied
. Right in front of her grandfather and little sister too. They'd probably think she did it all the time or something.
"She's here, and safe. Apparently you told her to get tutors? She's arranging for all the younger kids to have them. We're going to Austra to see about one to teach them science and that sort of thing in ten days, and Count Lairdgren is assigning one of the best building Instructors to them as well. All the kids will get lessons. You're on tap for advanced etiquette lessons, I think, and I'm going to ask Princess Abbie to teach them about Afrak medicine and their language. Really, I'm jealous myself. We should see if any of the other kids in Two Bends want to sit in on any of this. I might too, if I can get the time. They'll need to travel a bit for some of it, but the plan is for whoever we get from Austra to live there, with you. They'll need a room."
She wanted to swallow, her mouth suddenly filled with saliva. She wasn't afraid of her mother, but the woman might just start fighting, she knew. It was part of her way, when she didn't get what she wanted. Except, if she'd done it right, even Laurie should see how valuable what was being offered might be.
"She's with you?"
"Right here, listening."
"Oh...
thank goodness
! Taman, please let us know if you're going to leave on errands from now on? I was worried nearly to death. Everyone has been out searching for you all day. Worried you fallen into a stream and drowned, or were taken for ransom."
Or, more likely, as a hostage in the war. She was small and easily portable. Or would be except that she had a shield on, and might just drive away in her little carriage. That would be hard for regular villains to beat.
"So, I'll get her back to you shortly. Oh, just so it won't be a surprise to you later, all the kids have been conscripted into the new Space Fleet. Very low rank to start with too. Real work, so tell them to expect to stand duty at least once a month." She managed to say it with a dry tone, not showing she was kidding, but Count Lairdgren spoke up then, sounding as serious as he always did.
"That's correct Laurie. It will be very safe, but an actual responsibility. I've been informed, more than once, that I've been neglectful as to my duties as a grandfather. To that end I'll be making an effort to be more involved in their lives, as I may. We'll be down in... Call it fifteen minutes? There should be seven of us. Is that too short of a notice?"
There was a pause and a female voice that Tiera didn't recognize say, "no ma'am, we shall be ready." in the background.
"That's fine, you'll all be here for dinner then? Are you spending the night?"
"If we may? We have some other things to discuss. You, Douglas and the children as well. Tor and Timon should be there too, but I don't know if their schedules will permit that."
"Oh? Well, as long as it isn't bad news, I'd love to have everyone together. Terlee as well? Terry can use his Fast Craft to pick her up. It will be a party. Is Count Thomson allowed, or is this just for the main group."
There was a chuckle that sounded slightly sinister, but the Count sounded normal when he spoke next.
"Everyone. Countess Thorgood as well, if she's around? This isn't a secret."
Except, Tiera noted, that it
was
, since she didn't know what was intended. That didn't leave a lot of time, but they split up who was contacting which person and set to work. Bonita worked her device while Tiera set up to get the others down there. It was simpler this time, dark or not. Gerent sat in the front by her, but didn't speak at all. In fact, none of them did, except Bonita, who got in touch with Timon directly. She didn't have to explain a lot to get him to agree to come. Tiera however, decided to be rude and called out.
"Tim? Tor will possibly be there. I know things have been tense..." She didn't explain why, but her brother sighed loudly.
"If he tries anything, I'll have to stop him. You get that?"
The only way to do that, of course, would be death, which he tactfully wasn't announcing to everyone in the Fast Craft.
"I do. I'll handle that. Just try to get along."
He didn't sound pleased at all. Tor was a bit better that way. He was even back at his place already, which meant he could bring his wife in.
Terlee was Terry's responsibility, apparently. Tiera was baffled that
he
had a Fast Craft, and wondered what it meant, but decided just to ask him, if she got a chance. Things had, apparently, changed a lot in the last days.
Two Bends in particular. It was glowing. Magical lights and lanterns were all over the place, making it seem like a County Capital almost, or the city of a fine Baron, rather than a humble little backwater. The trees cut down on that a bit, but her parent's house had a nicely glowing green roof, and a ring of lights showing where they should land. It was convenient. Also the way they did night landings for the delivery service, so she recognized the pattern.
"And here we are. Taman, you should find mother directly. I'd keep my shield on if I were you. Scared parents might just decide on a spanking after all." Not
their
parents, but it got the kid's attention, she thought.
Inside there was a warm enough welcome, with everyone getting hugs.
Including
Alice, who pounded backs and avoided most of Tiera's brothers. It took a second for her to understand it, but that would be down to her natural distrust of good looking men. The boys were children, but it seemed that years weren't as important as all that to the woman, and they were all fine looking.
Douglas spoke to them all, his voice pleasant and his clothing made to seem like a high merchant, instead of a noble. It fit his look better. Tiera was still dressed in old looking student brown canvas, and hadn't bothered to change yet, being busy. She needed to, since important people would be showing up. Counts and Countesses. The others were all dressed more nicely than she was including the kids, she noticed and excused herself to go and get changed for whatever was coming.
She had a dress that would work, she thought, looking nice enough, without overpowering the room. She added accents of deep green and sky blue to it, but the main portion was an off white. It was a more functional thing that seemed nearly businesslike, rather than a pretty party dress. Her shoes were white and shining leather with green stockings that hugged her legs closely. It was a bit odd, but she was fourteen, so decided that she was allowed the occasional quirk. Then she turned on her disguise amulet and looked in the mirror.
It was still set to what Kara had set up the day before, which... Worked. She looked a lot better than she'd thought, to tell the honest truth. Older, more sure of herself, and with hair. She decided to leave it that way, since it made for an easy and quick way to get ready for the evening.
Lazy? Probably, but something was going to have to give in her schedule, and it wasn't going to be eating.