The roads were difficult to navigate. Not because the city was laid out in a particularly confusing manner, even if it was, he had a map, so that wasn’t the problem.
The snow, which came to mid-thigh and disguised every uneven cobble and dip, slowed their progress and demanded greater effort.
Still, Alex found the time to look around. The buildings here topped out at three stories, and he figured most of the construction was probably timber or maybe wattle, but it was impossible to say as the city was universally, as far as he could see, painted white.
Probably lime, as had been common in Earth’s past, and for the same reasons, protection from the elements and to make oneself look more wealthy than one was.
Lisril didn’t seem interested in the scenery, and he supposed that made sense; after all, she was a local. It must have been pretty pedestrian for her.
Instead, she focused her efforts on maintaining the appearance of leading her man through the snowy streets. Of course, he was the one who knew where they were going, but it made her happy, so he gently directed her in the right direction and allowed her to lead.
Finding the engineers took longer than it should have; the men had been running behind, and he and Lisril had missed the team a couple of times as a result before finally tracking them down.
Lisril, ever the stoic, covered her fatigue well, but he’d known her long enough to see that she needed to find somewhere to sit.
He waved the men down as they approached, nodding to each as he walked up.
“You the guy?” one asked.
He nodded. “I’m the guy.” He handed them his schematic. “You’re running six of these cables to the palace.” He gave them a letter. “Show them this; they’ll let you in.”
The men conferred over the plans, and the one who’d greeted him peeked over the top. “A power conditioner every fifty meters?”
Alex shrugged. “DoD wanted it.”
“Uh-huh,” the man said. “And ah, how soon did you say DoD wanted this done?”
“Pretty soon,” Alex said.
The man shook his head. “Ground’s frozen.”
“What do you need?” Alex asked.
The man retreated back behind the paper, whispering with his friends, before popping back up. “Everything.”
Alex shrugged. “Send a list to Alex Hagan at the palace; I have it on good authority; everything is on the table.”
“Well fuck, looks like we’re going to be busy, boys. What’s all this for, anyway?”
Alex thought about it; on the one hand, the feds probably wouldn’t like him talking about their project; on the other, it was his patent. “Quantum communications array.”
The paper came down, and the whole group looked expectantly at him. “Messages encoded in entangled subatomic particles allowing instant communication between planets.”
One of the men whistled, long and low, another said. “And here I thought Universal’s laser communications satellites were impressive.”
Alex shrugged. “Anyway,” he said. “My wife and I have somewhere else to be before this evening, so I’ll let you get back to it. Keep the schematic; I don’t need it anymore.”
The men waived, and Alex rejoined Lisril. “You know the way to our guildhall from here?”
“Yes,” she said. “And as fortune would have it, it’s not far; come along.”
She guided him by the arm, and true to her word, it really wasn’t far. A big building, impossible to say what it was built of, painted as it was, all white with lime. She opened the door for him, and as they entered, a woman who was in early, or perhaps very late, sweeping looked up from her work.
“You’ll have to come back later; we aren’t open yet.”
“That’s a shame,” he said, stepping into the guildhall and walking up to the woman. “Would it be alright?” He pulled the letter from his jacket, sealed with the Empress’ signet. “If we waited inside until you were ready to receive people?"
The woman looked at the letter, then at the fading light coming through the window. “Oh,” she said, taking the letter. “Is it that time already? I must have lost track during my work; we just opened.”
“How fortunate!” Alex cried. “May my lady and I use two of your chairs while you have a look at our request? We’ve been standing all morning.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
“Yes,” Lisril said. “Please, a chair for my husband, but you needn’t worry after me; I’m quite alright.”
“Nonsense,” Alex took her hands, gave her the I am strong enough to make you rest smile, and said. “Come and sit with me, my love.”
She sighed. “What woman could say no to that?” She turned to the sweeping woman. “Presuming we have your leave.”
“Sit anywhere you like,” the woman said. “I’ll see to your request.”
They sat, and he put a hand on her thigh, squeezing and rubbing. “I think someone deserves a massage tonight.”
She closed her eyes, sighing. “Well, that does feel nice.”
She opened her eyes to look at him and grabbed his hand. “I’m fine, Alex, fine.”
“No, you’re not,” he said. “You’re exhausted, and I know you well enough to tell. We’ll be back at the palace soon; I’m sorry I pushed you so hard.”
“Stop,” she said. “I’m fine, and even were I not, I am your wife, and I have a duty to your care and protection to which my health is secondary.”
He shook his head slowly. “Lisril, I don’t-”
He was interrupted by the guild woman. “More laborers,” she said to herself. “The palace has been asking for a lot of them recently…. Where am I going to find them?”
“If it’s too much…,” Alex called.
The woman’s head shot up; apparently, she hadn’t realized she’d been speaking aloud. “I didn’t say that,” she said. “I didn’t say that. You’ll have your women mark me; in fact, I can think of two projects I can pull some womanpower away from. Of course, it will leave them a bit underwomand, but a letter of writ is a letter of writ; our clients will understand.”
“There now,” she finished. “Would there be anything else, m’lord?”
He glanced at Lisril. “Could you send a courier to the palace and request they send a coach for us?”
“I can do better,” the woman said, looking pleased with herself. “The guild can provide you a coach; wait around the front, and I’ll rouse my driver and have her ready it for you; it shan’t be long at all.”
Alex nodded. “Thank you.”
The woman bowed and hurried out, leaving them alone. “Shall we, m’lady?”
“Yes,” Lisril said. “I’ll be happy to have you back in the palace, anyway.”
She led him out onto the narrow walking path at the side of the road, the two of them looking out for the coach when something, no, someone bumped into him.
He looked and saw a girl, a little shorter than Lisril, running past. “Sorry, suck-”
The carbon fiber cord connecting his wallet to his pants snapped taught, and the girl made a grand arm-waiving display of eating shit.
“Nice form,” he said. “Scuffed the landing, seven and a half.”
“You little bitch,” Lisril snarled, jumping on the girl before she could scramble to her feet.
“Let go of me,” the girl struggled beneath Lisril, “I’m gonna-”
“Shut up,” Lisril said. “You’ll be lucky if I don’t gut you.”
“Now, now,” Alex crouched down next to the squirming girl, collecting his wallet. “Let’s not be too hasty; what’s your story, Sweetheart?”
“Oh, sir!” she cried. “It’s my sister, she’s a terrible fever, but my mother drinks up all our money and-”
He stood. “You can have her, Lisril.”
“No!” the girl shouted. “Wait!”
He looked down at her. “You gonna keep lying to me?”
The girl glanced from side to side. “Do you think a different lie would work?”
He laughed, slapping his thigh. “Thanks, I needed that laugh; go ahead, Lisril.”
“Wait!”
“You keep saying that, but I’m starting to become impatient,” he said.
“I’m hungry,” she grumbled.
“Hungry?”
“Yeah, like when you haven’t had enough to eat.”
“You can’t hunt?”
The girl scowled. “You need a license, or a fancy title, neither of which I can afford. ‘Rather get the post for stealing than the gallows for poaching.”
“Makes sense,” he nodded. “Well, I can fix hungry; you’re hired.”
“Hired?” the girl asked.
“Hired!” Lisril screamed.
“Huh,” he looked around. “Didn’t know a street like this could echo.”
“Alex,” Lisril said. “Stop being ridiculous.”
He looked down at her. “Let her up, Lisril.”
“She tried to rob you!”
“Yeah,” he said, reflecting on a very different life from a long time ago. “I’ve done worse. So I’m going to give her a chance; let her up.”
Lisril sighed and shook her head. “Alex, you can’t-”
“You gave me permission,” he said. “Remember?”
She shook her head again but stood and let the girl go.
“How you feeling, Sweetheart?” He asked.
The girl stood, looking for the world like she wanted to bolt; he wouldn’t blame her if she did. “What- what are you hiring me for?”
“Tour guide.”
“Tour guide?”
“I want someone who can show me around the city,” he said, nodding.
“I am more than capable of-” Lsirl started.
“Can’t afford the overtime.”
“I’m not-” Lisril growled low in her throat. “Impossible, you’re impossible.”
He grinned at her. “I love you too.”
The girl watched their fight; head tilted just slightly. “Um, is- do you want to go somewhere in particular?”
“We’re waiting for a coach right now,” Alex said.
“Well, then, where’s the coach going?”
He smiled. “Surprise.”
She shook her head. “I’m not getting on any mystery coach.”
“Spoilsport,” he said. “Have it your way; we’re going to the palace.”
“Palace!” she backed away, glancing all around. “I didn’t do nothing to deserve no dungeon.”
He frowned. “Why would the Empress lodge me in the dungeon?”
“For me, not you.”
“But you’re my guest, so…,” he trailed off; teasing her was fun.
She eyed him suspiciously, and he threw his arms out to his side. “Sweetheart, if I wanted to lock you up or black bag you, for that matter, why force Lisril to let you go?”
She seemed to struggle, for a moment, to figure out a good reason before hesitantly inching closer to him. “I’ve got a name,” she said. “It’s Rosslln.”
He nodded. “I’m Alex; you’ve been introduced to Lisril; nice to meet you, Sweetheart.”
Rosslln opened her mouth, but Lisril stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “He’s just hazing you a bit, and lest we forget, you did try to rob him, so let him have his fun. He’ll get bored soon, trust me.”
She grumbled but offered no more objection, and the coach driver chose that moment, looking drowsy and harried, to drive their horses around a corner.
She came to a stop and looked down at the three of them, frowning. “I was told there would be two.”
Alex made a show of counting them on his fingers. “No, there’s three of us.”
Lisril, shaking her head, opened the door and ushered him and Rosslln into the coach. “Thank you,” she said to the driver. “For accommodating us; I’ll see to it the palace compensates you fairly.”
Alex sat as Lisril closed the door and took her place next to him, Rosslln seated on the bench opposite.
She squirmed in her seat and, as the coach got underway, said. “So, the palace, huh?”
“Yes,” Alex nodded. “I think it’ll be a good time, and you’ll like Eli.”
“Eli?”
“The Empress!” he chirped.
The young woman’s cheeks puffed out, and slowly the air leaked through tightly pursed lips; at the bottom of her breath, she squeaked out a strangled. “Who- who in the hell are you?”