Chapter Three #2
Tor jerked upright. He reviewed the interaction feverishly, straining his mind to make sure that he hadn’t missed anything, that he wasn’t mis-remembering because he was desperate. But… no, he was certain that was what Varex had said.
He’d no doubt meant to link all those ideas together, but he’d been angry and curt, and each order had come out separately. Meaning the solution had been staring Tor in the face this whole time, and he’d missed it.
All Tor had to do was set foot in Vayrin, and then he could go find someone else to court.
Just the act of doing the latter would be considering his marriage prospects—but he’d already refused Varex once, and that hadn’t worked very well.
The whole point was to convince Varex that the best possible outcome was for Tor to stay as he was.
So he needed to pick someone that Varex wouldn’t want him to bond with.
Since Tor needed to make an actual effort at courting, it couldn’t be someone who was too young or anything like that.
It would need to be a royal, or Varex would just dismiss it as Tor not taking the matter seriously.
So, who was left of marriageable age who was so inappropriate that Varex would be happy to grant Tor his freedom?
Marwila wouldn’t do because she was a reasonable choice.
She was Sovereign Gornexi’s sister in Bessar, and if Varex was worried about Vayrin’s influence there—since Gornexi was bonded to Terila’s sister—then there was an argument for Tor courting her.
Tor definitely didn’t want to get her hopes up, and he was pretty sure she was about the same age as Terila. Still too young for him.
No, he needed someone whom Varex would dismiss immediately but who technically fit all the requirements.
Tor was going to do exactly as he’d been told, just his way, so he’d get the exact wrong results. Varex would see how foolish and arbitrary it was, how that was no way to pick marriage prospects.
He grinned. That was it. Tor should have thought of it before.
Tond was the smallest and most northerly realm, one that had lost a chunk of its land when the war ended.
Vayrin and Lotar, who’d both allied themselves with Alossa in the end, had been expanded, and Bessar, Filon, and Tond had shrunk.
Plus, Tond had lost more people than any other realm when some of its citizens had rebelled and fled, declaring themselves to be without Fealty.
To keep the peace, Tor’s mother had declared the land over the mountain in Tond to be the land of the Exiles.
They weren’t allowed in the United Realms, but as long as they stuck to themselves, they would be left alone.
On the complete opposite end of the Realms from Alossa, Tond was generally discounted in Varex’s political machinations.
King Forex had three children. Bavil was the heir, so he was potentially too eligible if Tor wanted to ensure this didn’t actually end in marriage.
The youngest, Larexa, was Extraordinary, so that probably bumped her up in consideration.
Plus, if memory served, she was around Terila’s age, maybe even younger. She definitely wouldn’t do.
But Pelun was Unremarkable, and that made him perfect.
He was a middle child with insignificant magic.
And there could be no children out of that union without intervention from the High King and his magic.
Tor had trouble thinking of anyone his brother would think was less suitable to be his partner, even though Tor could easily argue why he was a valid choice.
Tor could claim with perfect truthfulness that he’d chosen a royal from a realm with whom they didn’t currently have any ties, and it would be impossible for Varex to gainsay that.
Tor was already Extraordinary, so it wasn’t like he needed Larexa to hopefully increase his magic with a bond.
He could probably even claim that it was the thoughtful thing to do, elevating someone who had Unremarkable magic.
All of that was perfectly accurate, but he knew full well Varex wouldn’t approve at all. He would want someone of more consequence and standing. He’d be able to scold Tor for being a fool, and if the choice was Tor unmarried or badly married, he’d be relieved to go back to the former.
Tor couldn’t stop smiling, relief washing through him in a powerful wave.
Yes, he could definitely do this. He just had to figure out how to get away from his retinue, because even if his guards had been hand-picked, he would definitely not put it past Yomil to have slipped in a spy or two amongst the servants.
Framed as helping the High King, who could argue?
Tor needed enough time to actually court like he’d been instructed. This would go better without a royal summons immediately recalling him.
The obvious thing to do was to request the aid of Rin, so the next morning, he chased his best friend down and pulled him away from breakfast with the troops. Rin pouted, and Tor showed him the bag of snacks he’d absconded with from the kitchen.
Once they were seated in one of the out-of-the-way rooms that assured them of privacy, Tor laid everything out.
The other man’s face creased into a broad grin as soon as Tor told him the bare bones of the plan. “I knew that you’d figure this out, Tor. I like it already. Of course I’ll help.”
Tor wasn’t so sure that his friend was going to like the next part, and he was right.
Straightening sharply, Rin snapped, “You can’t go haring off on your own! You’re the High Prince!”
Rin was always up for a lark, but he had a few hang-ups, and this was one of them. There was no limit to what the two of them could do together, but if Tor tried to head out on his own, then all bets were off.
“I’m perfectly able to take care of myself,” Tor reminded him.
“Anyone can be ambushed or overwhelmed,” Rin said stubbornly, crossing his arms and glaring.
Smugly, Tor pointed out, “But no one will know that I’m me.”
Rin’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
Tor grinned, feeling lighter than air. He hadn’t realized just how much his worry was weighing him down. “Why, that High Prince Torex will be continuing on to Glomar in Vayrin, of course, and Sir Rinil will be visiting Tond.”
Rin eyed him doubtfully. “You do realize I’m not your brother, right?”
Tor grinned at him. “You sure aren’t. He would never agree to something like this.”
The other man still looked doubtful. “I’m blond.”
They were almost the same height, and the build was close enough, but it was true about the hair.
Tor’s grin deepened. “That can be fixed.”
Rin expression was almost horrified. “A dye job? Really?”
Tor offered his most endearing look, fluttering his lashes. “You love me, don’t you?”
Rin rolled his eyes but said immediately, “You know I do, you reckless fool.”
Tor couldn’t stop smiling because he already knew Rin was going to do it.
“Obviously, Terila knows what I actually look like, more’s the pity,” Tor added, “but if you buy me a few days, I’ll be well away, and it will be much harder to figure out where I’ve gone.”
After considering for a moment, Rin told him, “I think you’ll have to leave in all state in your carriage.”
Tor made a face but didn’t protest overmuch given that Rin was doing exactly what he wanted. It was perfectly logical. Anyone could be in a carriage, and no one would know the difference. It was a lot harder to look like someone else when you were on horseback.
Tor got into the spirit of it. “And as we get farther away from Alossa and our close neighbor Lotar, we’ll no doubt be far more concerned about attacks. We should wear full armor.”
Never mind that Vayrin was also one of their closest allies.
Rin nodded solemnly, managing to keep a straight face. “Absolutely. And by the time anyone works out that there’s actually just one person in the carriage instead of two, you’ll be well away. You’ll want to be seen on the way?”
Tor nodded. “I mean, I need to go through Vayrin for at least a little while anyway to adhere to my brother’s orders. Then we’ll split off, and I’ll go quietly through Bessar to get to Tond.”
Anything to avoid Filon and King Nostex.
Fernila’s father was bluff, jovial… and a windbag who was so very proud of his daughter the High Queen.
Nostex was already going about how their next child would inherit Filon one day and he couldn’t be more proud.
Tor might not think much of Fernila, but even he thought she should get a bit of a break before she was under pressure for more children—Cala wasn’t even a year old yet!
Not to mention, if Tor had to sit through one more interminable dinner or lecture on Nostex’s many exploits in days of yore, he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions.
“You’re sure about this?” Rin asked him seriously.
Tor met his eyes squarely. “Given how sober I am, Rin, I can probably say with all honesty that I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.”
Rin eyed him for another moment and then gave a firm nod.
“Then it shall be as you wish.”
As always, the good thing about Rin was that once he committed to something, he was all in. And for all that he was often the life of the party, he was actually capable of a great deal of subtlety.
Tor made appropriately reluctant sounds about needing to finally make his way to Vayrin.
“You have a plan,” Ada said, her eyes narrowed and intent on his face.
They were walking in the castle gardens, seeing what green and growing things were poking up through the earth. Hena and Para were playing some obscure game that seemed to involve running around and yelling a lot. Ada was keeping a weather eye on them.