Strange Land (The Young Ancients Book 15) Read online

  All of the Tellerand men had been like that though. Not just with her, but all of the women, even their own. They acted in a patronizing fashion, and the women just took it. Meekly. Yes, she knew that one herself, since she had to do that as well from time to time, but not with everyone.

  Trying not to be the bitch she felt like inside, she cleared her throat gently. Then spoke in Noram Standard, since that was where they were.

  "We have to drive through the city, which will take about twenty minutes from the gate up ahead. It's meant to help prevent attacks from the air." Which was tactically sound. It also meant that someone had weapons available to take craft out if they didn't comply. That was the idea that she'd been given at least. It wouldn't shock her to find out that the King had some Austran weapons hidden in the city, after the big attack a few years before.

  She didn't mention that part of things. The world had been having major problems, but there was also a rebellion still going on in Noram. Not a very active one, unless things had changed while she was gone, and no one had bothered to inform her of it. That was possible, but she didn't expect it to happen. No, the next round of attacks would be something covert. Assassination most likely.

  It would have to come soon, and hit all of the remaining royals. The heir was alive, but couldn't come back for nearly seven years still, or he'd die. The second heir, Karina, was in the same ship. Both of them had been given the gift of long life by Timon, and there was a death plague on Earth that would end their existence if they set foot on the planet.

  Given that, she really needed to make sure they all had Healing amulets and top end shields, didn't she? The King, Queen Constance, Princess Veronica and her husband, even though he wasn't in line to take power. Luckily she had some of those with her still. That she hadn't given them over already was mainly down to the idea that they'd all have them even without her being involved. It might pay to check though, and not take that on faith.

  Her mind buzzed with things to do suddenly, having been gone so long. The first though, the very first thing, was getting the grime off of her. She itched. Also she was pretty certain that she was growing a nice winter coats worth of fur on her arms and legs. It would, no doubt, keep her toasty warm. Plus she could braid it in decorative fashion soon, if it kept growing at the rate it was.

  Roget made small talk as he rode, beside her now, not having a choice. He looked out the shield window to the side, taking in the sights of the strange city.

  There was enough to see that she didn't blame him.

  Unlike Tellerand, people in Noram actually wore bright colors, and some of them, dressed in either fine handmade clothing or that made of magic, were spectacular. Even out on the street, early in the day. It wasn't everyone, but some of the taller people looked ready to go to a ball, practically. One or two literally glowed in blue or green. The complicated tapestries of light and color were impressive. Looking down at her sack, she nodded her head.

  "I feel suddenly under dressed. Here..." With a thought, still guiding her craft carefully, Sara shifted into a dark blue satin dress, complete with lace at the edges to decorate the thing. She had no idea what the rest of the package would look like. Not great, since she hadn't as much as combed her hair in so long it would probably all have to be shorn off her head to become manageable again.

  There were still probably ashes on her face too.

  Whoever cleaned the tub when she was done would love that, no question.

  She didn't tell the man with her to change, feeling a bit annoyed with him, now that they weren't in his land anymore. Really, he needed to take that stick out of his ass, or someone would take offense. She wasn't planning to mention it, but suddenly took a deep breath and shocked herself by diving in.

  "Roget... This is Noram, not Tellerand. You can have whatever religion you like, but it's considered rude to try and force it on others. So pray and praise Him as you desire, even openly and in public, but don't try to convert anyone. Unless they ask you about it, which some might. Then it's fair game. After all, the One God is a known thing here. Also... Um..." She looked over at the man, stopping in front of her old childhood home at the same time. It was comfortably familiar to her, but the man stopped, gazing at the place instead of her.

  "Is this the palace of the King here?" He spoke accented Standard, but his meaning was clear.

  The place, being only three stories tall, was modeled in the same vein. The ceilings were all vaulted too, which made it seem larger than it really was from the outside. The decorative trimming was a deep gray now, and the building had been repainted white, but it was well cared for and very pretty.

  "No, that place is much bigger. Nicer too. This is Debri house. My mother owns it. Anyway, I was just going to suggest that, if anyone offers to have sex with you, or asks you out on a date, you should do it. It might help with that problem you have." She felt a little mean, saying it that way, but to her shock, the man nodded.

  "I know. It's the same in Harmony. Those of Tellerand are rather more conservative than our fellows. We seem aloof, and as if we do not enjoy the company of others. That isn't the whole of it. Really it's more about protecting the virtue of the women in our midst. The poor men that traveled with us ached over your form, as often as not, I would guess. Driving themselves not to see you, in hope that they would not shame you." To him, it was clear that he believed all of that.

  It was better than she'd thought, at least.

  Sighing, she smiled at him.

  "Good! You all had me worried there for a bit. Well, for the most part, you don't need to worry about that here. So, if anyone asks for attention from you, or just dresses nicely, look at them and smile. If they want you to do anything, then do it. Um... men might want to do things too. That's forbidden over there, isn't it? Men having sex with other men?"

  That got a grimace and a nod.

  "Aye. But not in Harmony. I have met such people, and survived the adventure. I do not think I would enjoy such, however."

  "It probably won't come up. If it does... Well, just offer to use your hand on them, or your mouth. That's less uncomfortable than a lot of other things. We'll try to make sure you don't have to though. You're kind of short, like a commoner would be here, so if a noble tells you to do it, you'll just have to. On the good side we won't be here too long." She wanted to be joking with him, teasing him for being prudish, but there was truth in what she'd said.

  It wasn't a hundred percent, but in the main if a noble man or woman told you to have sex with them, and you weren't near their own station, you really didn't get a choice. The best you could do in that case was volunteer to do something that wouldn't hurt too much and get to work fast enough that they didn't get bored with it.

  The small pale man next to her looked mildly afraid at the idea. It wasn't wrong, so she didn't correct him on the matter. Fear might just help him in the long run, if he used it well.

  "Still, don't be rude to people by not looking at them. Try to smile, and if you can't, then make sure you don't let anything show on your face. People can take offense, and this is the Capital. Some of those people have armies to back up their anger, if it comes about."

  There, that would help not at all, she was certain. No one that wasn't from that part of the world would really understand what she was telling them. Not until it was too late. Their best bet was to lock Roget away in a few small rooms for the duration of their stay, and get him back to Harmony in the shortest time possible. That would be the next day, she thought. If all went well.

  She got out, unloaded her bags from the back, and handed the small man with her his own single tan pack. It was the same kind of thing that everyone in Harmony seemed to carry. Available at the free store there. The one that her brother, Kurt, ran. If he hadn't been killed for being a pervert yet.

  Then she took the craft down and put it on her neck. It had a silver chain that went with it. She preferred gold, herself, but that was expensive in Noram, and wearing too much of it would
look wrong, given her station in life. Even if she could get it for free on the Moon. So she went with the lesser, but still nice metal. That meant touching her hair however, to move it out of the way at the back of her collar. It was just as gross as she'd imagined. Thinking about it made her itch all over her body too.

  When they got to the door it was pulled open quickly, and the very thin, not too tall, man that stood there, blinked at them both for a while before getting who they were.

  "Mistress Sara! I... Here, let me take your bags." Without waiting he called out, ringing the front bell, which was normally used to announce a guest had come. "Brian! Germaine! Come and carry for us. Mistress Sara is here! With a friend."

  The names were familiar to her at least, belonging to men that had worked at the house for several years now. They were both taller than Roget, by about half a foot, but were about the same age, being thirty or so. They wore house blacks, with white shirts underneath them, and matching gloves. Normally that would have been too warm for where they were, at this time of year, but it was practically cold out for the Capital. As chilly as late Fall, it felt like.

  "Thank you. Not to be a pain, but could we have use of the showers, and two baths drawn up? My friend here, Roget, and I have been living rather rough for a while." She managed a smile for the men, who all suddenly seemed worried for some reason. Probably because she looked like someone had locked her in a cage for a long time and that never had a happy tale attached to it.

  They all bowed, to both of them and didn't ask questions.

  "Very well ma'am. Two rooms?" Erod, the butler, said it totally without inflection. There was no judgment to the words either. If she told the men that they were sharing a bed, it would simply be made up for the night. It was, she realized, that the man didn't know what Roget would be expecting from them however, rather than anything being implied that way.

  "Yes, that would be good. Roget is the second assistant of the Ancient Terrance Baker, in regards to Tellerand. Soon he may be the first, so we should make sure that he's comfortable, and has a place to pray? We should only be here for the night."

  That got the man next to her a second bow, short and smelling bad as he was, and both of them led to the baths. It wasn't until after the shower, which was heavenly, that she noticed there was a problem.

  She was scrubbed clean, and had torn at her hair long enough with a sturdy bone comb to rip out most of the difficult areas that had become part of her, if not all of them. It was that, like most good houses in the Capital, they only had one bathing chamber. Two tubs, each big enough for several people to lounge in had been filled and warmed, using the heating tiles on the side.

  It was that poor Roget looked panicked when she finally came in. First he stood, which brought him less than halfway out of the water, then he went wide eyed, looked away from her and actually covered his eyes.

  Sara smiled, getting that her being naked was the issue. She was freshly shaved too, and not offensive that way, if a bit too skinny.

  "Hey! That's exactly what I was talking about earlier. Everything you just did was exactly wrong for this place. So open up your eyes, take a good look, and then smile. Even if you think I look like an old hag, that last part is important. Otherwise you might make me feel uncomfortable, and like I'm ugly. You don't want to do that, do you?" She was teasing a bit, and trying not to be judgmental. Even Tor had handled that kind of thing better and he was from about as far from a civilized place as you could get without actually living with pigs in your home.

  Roget complied, but looked like he was about to be raped. Seriously too. She blinked, but moved to her own tub as he tried to force a frightened smile onto his lips.

  Sinking into the warm water of her vast wooden tub, she nodded.

  "Just to set your mind at ease, this really is pretty normal here. Actually, we should be sharing the tub, so if that comes up, just go with it. Also, since I know your ways are different, this doesn't mean that you're obligated to marry me or anything like that. It's just a bath. You don't even have to have sex with me. It would be good if you could seem a bit less scared, if you can manage? I promise, I'll leave your virtue intact."

  If he was that old and a virgin though, she'd have to see about doing something for him. Even if she didn't really like him all the time. If not herself, then on Harmony. They had a free whore house after all. You could just walk in and get some, day or night. It wasn't the only reason why, but they didn't have a problem with rape there. So far as she'd heard no one had been sexually abused even once. When someone finally did manage it she was kind of betting that her own brother would be the one to manage the trick. Somehow.

  Kurt was a problem that way.

  Honestly, if he hadn't pretty much always been like that she would have wondered if she should have him killed for it. As it was she kind of suspected that he'd drugged her a few times and done things to her, in her sleep.

  The thing with that was she couldn't prove it was him. Not without using a Truth amulet, and while she could get a hold of one, did she really want to know?

  It had happened three or four times, and only when she and Kurt, her little brother, were both home at the same time. She'd go to sleep, dressed and prepared for a night alone, and wake up in the morning, late. Sore too. Her behind particularly. The same with her jaw, reminding her of how it felt after a session with a particularly large man.

  True, it could have been any of the men in the house. Though really, if any of the rest of them wanted to do something with her, she probably would have, so drugging her into it was unneeded. It was a bit unconventional for a servant to request sex like that, but wouldn't get them in trouble for trying. Raping her however would. If they were caught.

  The same was true of her brother though. Not the part where she'd have sex with him, but the one where he'd be put to death for having done it, if she knew for certain. Probably by her, if Tor or one of her other friends didn't handle it first. Flynn might just do it, for instance.

  Thinking about her artist friend she smiled, looking across the water, letting it cover her breasts so that the man trying to make himself look at her wouldn't be offended.

  He was the one she needed to be worried about for the moment though. He was acting like a virgin, after all.

  "Um..." His words came slowly, and he seemed very red, and not just from the warm water he soaked in. Blushing. His light skin made him turn a lovely color that way. "I'm not that virtuous, but, I wouldn't want to take advantage."

  "Oh? That's fine. You wouldn't be though. We're friends, so, if you want to do something we can. Here at any rate. Tellerand had different rules. Here, I'll wash your back for you?" That required changing tubs, and just as she did it, intending to use her hands on him if he could manage it without passing out, her mother walked into the room.

  Also naked.

  Seeing that they were in one tub, she moved to the steps and then lowered herself without introduction. Her tan skin being taken in by Roget, who started to look away, but caught himself, locking with her eyes, to avoid seeing her dark nipples.

  It was an improvement, so Sara slid over and patted the other lady's right shoulder.

  "Heather! I was hoping you'd be here. We both, Roget and I, needed to make ourselves presentable before finding anyone. I still need to work on my hair. It's been a bit of an ordeal, the last months."

  Her mother, who looked younger than her years by about eight, looked directly at the small man and smiled.

  "I'm so pleased to meet you Attaché Roget. Do I have the title right?" Her words were honestly concerned, and she sought her daughter's correction with a glance. In Noram it was very important to get that kind of thing right. Wars had been fought over failing to do so.

  Sara nodded. It was about the level she'd selected for him, after all.

  "That's right. He's the second to the new Ancient of Tellerand, Terrance Baker. Soon I expect that position to be much higher. We both just spent three months walking, on foot,
over a good chunk of that land, praying and bringing the miracle of Saint Timon's food devices to all that would take them. We weren't alone and about eighty percent of the people there have food now. It was harder than it sounds." Her voice was low when she spoke of it, trying not to broadcast the news to the whole world. Not that it was a secret, but old habits came back quickly.

  Heather smiled, most of that being directed at Roget, who was, after all, an important person that she'd been told might soon have even more power. Only a fool would ignore a person like that. Sara could see a bit of calculation in the way it was done, but her mother started trying to get on the stranger's good side almost instantly.

  "What a marvelous thing. We've all been very worried about the people of Tellerand in these trying times. Do they need anything that we might provide them?" Her words didn't hold the normal phrasing however, which would imply that there would be, naturally, payment for whatever they provided. No, this was a different thing than that by far.

  If Sara didn't know better, she would have sworn that her mother was actually offering help, without expecting anything in return.

  Roget however didn't know that, so simply nodded, his face still red, even as he glanced at the slightly older woman's breasts, which weren't hidden below the water line enough to obscure in the slightest measure.

  "People have food now, if their faith in Him allows it, but times have been very trying for many. Clothing, medicinal aid, and ways to protect from the worst of the new storms would be a blessing. Anything that could be done would be a boon."

  Sara nearly gasped then, as her own mother, head of the largest merchant house in all of Noram, if not the world, gave a small bow to the man.