Princess Rescue Inc (31 page)

“Ah,
very well, thank you your majesty,” the royal chambermaid replied curtsying.

“Dismissed,”
the Queen mother said, picking up a feather fan and fanning herself with it.
The other woman dropped her eyes and left without another word.

“That
won't work mother,” Deidra said, looking at her mother from the corner.

“Oh?”
the Queen asked turning to her daughter. “Come now daughter, all men are
clothes horses. They like to look their best for the ladies,” she said with a
small knowing smile.

“But
he's not interested in courting or in court appearances, he's focused on
getting the job done,” Deidra admitted. That was something she had to admire
about the man. He was intent on his job, whatever he chose it to be. He lacked
direction though, focus.

“I
did notice he wasn't interested in attending to my gentle requests for an
audience,” the Queen said haughtily.

“You
mean he didn't come at your call like a good pet,” Deidra replied. Her mother
looked down her nose at her with scant favor. “I know what the court is saying
about that mother. He has his own way of doing things and getting him to see
things our way will not be achieved overnight.”

“Or
at all if you do not attend to your duties my daughter,” the Queen replied with
just enough teeth in her voice to make her daughter freeze and frown
ferociously. She folded the fan and smacked it into her hand a few times and
then set it down.

“I
will do as duty requires if and only if it is necessary. He does not believe in
following in our laws and customs so...”

“He
may not but
we
do my daughter. We are held to higher standards than the
commoners.”

“He's
not a commoner mother. As you pointed out he's a gaijin. A powerful one.”

“But
he is not royal.”

“But
he is a leader mother,” Deidra sighed and shook her head as her mother picked
up the fan once more. She could tell her mother was agitated by the entire
situation.

“He
will learn,” the Queen finally said, looking away.

“He's
not going to bend to your will mother. I know the man, I've watched him. He's
accustomed to getting his own way,” Deidra replied. “Force him and you, we,
will regret it.”

The
Queen fanned herself once more. “We shall see about that. Even the reed must
bend in the wind daughter. Else it will break.”

<==={}------------>

Ryans
turned as he heard footsteps approaching. “You rang boss?” Sydney asked,
hefting a camera.

“Yeah,
I've got a job for you.”

Sydney
frowned. “Can't...”

Ryans
shook his head meaningfully. Sydney's frown deepened into a scowl. “No,
everyone else is tasked. Everyone that is except you,” Ryans replied crossing
his arms. “The military contingent is busy digging in with their field, Max is
up to his ears in engineering projects, and the others are all tasked. You're
it.”

“Crap,”
Sydney frowned.

“Oh,
you'll love it I bet,” Ryans grinned evilly as he waved to the door at the end
of the hall.

“Right.
From your expression, somehow I doubt it,” Sydney replied warily.

“Observant.
You'll need that,” Ryans said nodding as they went out into the courtyard. They
rounded the camper to see a group of kids around Gregory the cook and go to
guy. The Russian was happy to have some help but seemed dubious about the
quality it seemed. The gopher was patiently explaining how to use the laundry
machine. He looked up with hope to see Ryans.

“Sorry
to interrupt folks,” Ryans said and smiled. “I have your teacher here, well one
of them. We're each going to take a turn,” he said. He nodded to Sydney.
“Sydney here is a historian and journalist. He's going to check your skills and
help those of you who need it.” He waved to Sydney who was looking a little
pale.

“Classes
start at ten a.m. here in the courtyard or in the class room once we get one
set up. How many of you can read?” he asked.

Corgi
and Answorth immediately raised their hands. A few others did tentatively. He
was pleased to see it was a mixed group, boys and girls. The boys outnumbered
the girls three to one though. “All right, we'll get you tested. Basic reading,
math, and some history. The Kingdom's historian is going to help. I believe she
is on her way.” He turned to see a frumpy big breasted woman stumble around the
corner. She was squinting and had a rumpled dress on, not a good sign. “Ah, I
think that's her,” Ryans said. Sydney turned and winced.

“Miss
Nirvana correct?” Ryans asked politely, trying hard to breathe through his
mouth not his nose. Some of the court didn't believe in regular bathing, they
preferred to dose themselves in perfumes and colognes and could knock a skunk
over from a hundred yards downwind. The woman blushed and nodded. “And let’s
see.” He turned to see a pair of teens approaching. “Your instructional aides.”
He nodded to them. “These four people and a few others will be the core of the
castle teaching staff until we get things sorted out. For now, please bear with
us as we get things set up. Classes will run from ten a.m. to lunch, then from
one until three. Then you’re off for the day.” He nodded to the new staff.

“You'll
have to split the students by level and probably into smaller class sizes. I
was going to suggest using a nineteenth century schooling method, but its up to
you Mr. Principal,” Ryans said with a nod to Sydney. He smiled to Sydney and
then turned to the students and staff. “A principal or in your language a
principium is the person who is responsible for the running of the schola or in
our language school. We've got some private tutors who will be helping out once
we get negotiations with them settled,” he frowned at that last bit.

“You
mentioned a classroom?” Gregory asked. Ryans smiled. He knew the Russian was
just asking to hopefully get the kids out of what little hair he had. “Yes, I
was told a store room in the east wing near the library will be used.” He
turned to Answorth. “You know where it is right?” he asked. The lad nodded.
“Good you can lead those who don't there.”

Answorth
snorted softly. Ryans had a distinct impression that what he had said was
considered stupid. Most likely the kids had every nook and cranny of this place
explored and mapped.

“Get
to work folks; we've got materials for you there.” He clapped his hands. The
historian and kids moved off. The two junior instructors... actually squires to
the King moved off to keep order. Sydney glared at him hanging back.

“I'll
get you for this,” he growled darkly.

Ryans
grinned. “Well, you could switch with Gregory here, he's got to train the
military support staff as well as keep up with our own crew... and I think he's
doing buzz cuts tomorrow... and cooking in the field when the army leaves.”

Sydney
looked at Gregory who looked hopeful. Then he sighed. “Ah hell, I can't cook
worth a damn.” He shook his head. “Dare I ask if there's a plan?”

“I
roughed out a syllabus and lesson plan last night before bed. It's in your
e-mail. There's a print out for the staff as well. This is a pilot project
Sydney, the first of its kind on a new world. Instead of reporting history, you
my friend are making it. Congratulations,” he smiled.

“Gee
thanks,” Sydney said shaking his head.

“Cheer
up; it's only five or six hours a day. We'll all chip in when we can. You can
contact each of us as guest lecturers and schedule us time permitting. See
Answorth about my schedule,” he smiled. Sydney rolled his eyes as he walked
off, shaking his head.

<==={}------------>

“My
Dominus you have a scheduled appointment with the chambermaid for a fitting,”
Answorth told him as he checked in with Max. Max had a prototype tracing lathe
in pieces on his improvised work bench.

“No,
I don't,” Ryans replied, filing a bur off a gear. “I cleared my schedule this
morning. And I told you to check with me before you add anything to it,” he
said not looking up.

When
Answorth didn't leave he looked up to the lad. The boy looked distinctively uncomfortable.
“What?” he asked.

“It's
by order of the Queen sir,” he said.

“I
don't follow the Queen's or the King's orders. We gaijin have diplomatic
immunity. Furthermore, I've got better things to do than to stand around while
women cluck over my choice of wardrobe,” he growled. “You can tell her majesty
that too. Now get out or you'll be drafted.”

“Um...”

Ryans
sighed. “Just tell the chambermaid no and leave. I'll deal with it, you're
clean.”

“As
you say my Dominus,” the lad said and gulped. Ryans waved to him to scoot.

Max
looked at him, hands on the casing for the gear train. “Was that wise?”

Ryans
turned in disgust. “I'm not some overdressed lap dog. I want them to get that
through their thick heads now. I've got better things to do than play political
pissing matches over something so petty and stupid. Can't they figure out there
is a war on?” he demanded, hands up in disgust.

“Yeah,
I getcha, sometimes I wonder about them,” Max said, shaking his head and going
back to work. “The good news is the casting tech they've got is pretty good.
They use sand casting and even have a binder. Just got this flash to clean up
and a quick quality control check and we can put some of the pieces together.”

“I'm
not happy about this thing being water powered,” Ryans grumped. “Damned
inefficient,” he said.

Max
shrugged. “Right now I'll take what I can get. Yeah it'll be slow and buggy but
it'll hopefully work.”

“Hopefully.”

“If
we finish sometime soon,” Max said. Another artisan came in with a load of
parts. He frowned. “Which isn't going to be anytime soon as long as we keep
jawing about it and not doing nothin'. I'll get on that, you finish here,” he
said.

“Gotcha,”
Ryans said nodding and turning back to the gears.

<==={}------------>

About
an hour later a shadow in the doorway blocked out the light they were using to
see. Annoyed Max turned and noted the guards and then poked Ryans. Ryans
turned. He took in the no nonsense guards and set the file down. One hand
drifted to his pistol butt. “Problem gents?” he asked.

He
waited for the translation to clear. He still had trouble speaking the native
tongue but he had a half ass grasp of it now. It helped that English was based
in Latin and other languages and many of the root words were there with the
same meaning.

“You
are required to attend to the chambermaid,” the lead guard, a big guy with
black hair and a scar on his right cheek said, hand on the pommel of his sword.
“By order of the Queen.”

“Seems
like we've got a bit of a Mexican standoff here gentlemen. The Queen agreed I
am not under her command. And I frankly have better things to do than listen to
a bunch of over dressed peacocks right now,” Ryans said, half snarling.

“Be
that as it may my Dominus you will attend.”

“Really,”
Ryans asked softly, hand gripping the gun butt. “Wanna bet?” he asked softly,
cold eyes locking onto the guard's.

The
guard with him backpedaled, gulping visibly, He pulled the scarred fellow to
the side and quietly warned him about the gaijin's thunder weapon. Scar face
turned back to Ryans. “You dare threaten a soldier on Queen's business?”

“You
dare order me around?” Ryans asked thinly, eyes flashing. “Why don't you
contact Maximus and see if he wants this to go down now.”

“I
have my orders,” the guard replied stubbornly, not moving an inch.

“Okay,”
Ryans said using his free hand to touch his bluetooth. “Ryans to Perry.”

There
was a click and then a momentary pause and then distant sounds of a phone
ringing. “Perry here,” Perry said.

“We've
got a situation here and it's spiraling out of control fast. It seems the Queen
is reneging on her end of the bargain.”

“Shit,”
Perry growled. “Are you telling me what I think you're telling me?”

“I
think you better be aware of the situation. Find Maximus and alert the team.” He
turned to Max. “Max is with me. He'll be enroute. Close up shop.”

“Frack,
I'll get on it. What about you?”

Ryans
explained the situation, eyes never leaving the three guards. “I think their
majesties and I need to have another heart to heart,” he said finally.

“All
right.”

“I'll
keep the channel open.” Ryans turned to Max. “Max circle the wagons,” he said.

Max
grunted and then eyed the guards. “Damn it. Stupid,” he said and left by
another door. Ryans watched him go, pushing past another pair of guards standing
there.

“All
right gentlemen; let's go talk with the Queen.”

“The
Dominus chambermaid ordered...”

“Did
she order this or the Queen?” Ryans demanded.

“She
speaks for the Queen...”

“We'll
see about that,” Ryans said. “After you,” he said. Waving. Scarface gave him a
cold look and then left. The four other guards followed behind in their wake.