Lora of Two Worlds

Yorvik had no night market. Partly because the city's material life hadn't reached the point of lighting up all night. And partly because in the dark, ghosts walked, and one wrong step could end your life. Tonight, Horn's secret room held one more person: Askar Corin, who'd insisted until the young lady took him in. Corin and his people had been in Yorvik over a year. Horn, observant, had noticed them. As Faye said: fallen nobles, trampled by everyone, the lowest rung. In the thick night, they hadn't become ghosts. They'd used their noble upbringing to survive, waiting for their dawn. "My prison-break plan is completely independent of Claudeniang's operation. Even Linnie and Sheffield don't know. It runs simultaneously, in case Sheffield changes his mind after his coup succeeds." Lora looked at the group with resolve. Horn nodded repeatedly: "The young lady has nerve. Yorvik has three household generals.  Even if Sheffield kills the rebel, he needs the other two to back him. Right now, anything that earns support, he'll compromise. And with our people in prison, their lives hang by a thread." "What's the best approach? My men can set fires near the barracks, create chaos." Corin had guessed the rescue plan when he saw them scouting the prison. Now he knew, the young lady was from the Odenheim house. General Odenheim! Perfect. "Right, the more chaos, the better. The governor's palace and the barracks, both in turmoil. That's our window." Lora agreed. Horn hesitated. "What? You see a problem?" "To be honest, the last two years, business in Yorvik has been bad. Horn's cooperation with Leon and Lora, he wanted the crown's backing to get a share of the canal trade.  The canal was the north's lifeline. Leeches clung to it, sucking blood. Why shouldn't Horn get his share? His words confirmed seven-tenths of Lora's read. Horn's cooperation with Leon and Lora, he wanted the crown's backing to get a share of the canal trade. The canal was the north's lifeline. Leeches clung to it, sucking blood. Why shouldn't Horn get his share? His concern was fair: hit-and-run, yes. A prison break, might not be a ten-minute job. Meaning: the Black Eagle could run the perimeter. The prison break itself, they couldn't do. That left Lyle and Shawn. Corin slapped his chest: "I'll go! Jian and Mo can come too." "Six people. Enough." Lora unfolded Corin's map. How did she count six? Shawn asked, hesitant: "You didn't... count yourself, did you?" "What's wrong with me? That tree today, I jumped up and down just fine." Three men went silent. To say that with such a straight face, only the young lady in all the world. That night, Corin, Jian, and Mo shared a bed. They received an unexpected gift from a servant: ten hot boiled eggs. "The young lady says: peel them and roll the hot eggs on your bruises. The swelling will fade faster." After eating several eggs, Jian patted the bed contentedly: "Our mistress is rich. With her, meat to eat, beds to sleep in, and medicine when you're hurt." Corin turned and kicked him in the rear: "Remember, Askar has only one master. Himself." A night without lamplight, so long, so dark. The Sheffield residence was also restless. Sheffield was hosting again. But tonight, his guests were the other two household generals. "You brat, two days 'sick,' and now you're full of life, calling us for drinks?" Claude Baldwin, who'd ordered his men to attack von Klein yesterday, trying to force the rebel's hand. Cedric Hugo slammed his bowl on the table: "That liar, promised a mark per guard. Now he's lord warden and won't pay up." "The worst part, the ones who weren't there will think the ones who were there pocketed the difference. How are we supposed to lead after that?" Sheffield pointed at the mutton on the table: "So much meat, can't shut you two up? Here's why I stayed home, to distribute money fairly. The guards outside the city get the same as the ones inside." "Distribute? What money? The rebel slipped you some?" Claude Baldwin raised a fist. Sheffield, unhurried, poured them wine: "Nothing that good. I'm paying from my own pocket. It's change of season, every family needs coin." The household guards were family men, fathers and sons in arms. Their pay was their livelihood. And years of indulgence by the marcher lords had swollen their expectations. Cedric Hugo didn't buy it. He knew exactly how deep Sheffield's pockets went. "So how did you get rich?" "Tell them it was women's money, would you believe me?" The two men howled. Yorvik had no rich widows. "Did some tribe's chief die and leave a woman for you to pick up?" Cedric Hugo laughed till his nose ran. "I did pick up a woman. But she lost her father and brothers. Her adopted father brought her back from far away, to inherit the family estate." Sheffield raised his bowl: "From now on, she's your sister-in-law." "Ha ha ha, you're having us on. If it were that easy, point us to one!" Cedric Hugo laughed till ale came out his nose. "Believe it or not, Linnie, come pour wine for your uncles." Linnie entered the inner hall. She wore the dance dress from the boat, the one she'd performed in. In her hair, the full set of gold ornaments Lora had given her. She walked to the two generals, smiled, said nothing, and poured. This... where did he find her? Beautiful even without money, and with money... "Sister-in-law, where's the family business?" Claude Baldwin couldn't quite believe it. "I lived with my maternal grandfather in Weybrook. My father had land in Gibford, Highgarden. Never developed. But we know there's coal beneath it." Coal. That was gold. Heating, iron-smelting, kilns, nothing worked without it. The Empire had already discovered that coking reduced coal smoke. True coke hadn't been achieved, but coal was widely used. Back when the boats stopped at Yelford, Lora had talked coal with Roland and Leon.  During their half-day ashore, they'd asked locals. Highgarden had a few people secretly mining small amounts, the land was unclaimed, so they didn't dare advertise. Back when the boats stopped at Yelford, Lora had talked coal with Roland and Leon. During their half-day ashore, they'd asked locals. Highgarden had a few people secretly mining small amounts, the land was unclaimed, so they didn't dare advertise. Lora had looked at the maps and realized: Highgarden was the future Tangshan. The purchase was absurdly easy. The nearest county was Shicheng, under Pingshan.  Gibford was thrilled, someone was developing waste. More residents, they could set up a county. Pingshan couldn't grab it as "waste land" anymore. Lora was elated: That place had coal and iron. Right now, it was wilderness. No time to lose. Roland had sent a guard with gold to the Gibford office. He'd bought Highgarden, a few dozen households, and the surrounding miles of waste. All paperwork done. The purchase was absurdly easy. The nearest county was Shicheng, under Pingshan. Gibford was thrilled, someone was developing waste. More residents, they could set up a county. Pingshan couldn't grab it as "waste land" anymore. And the gold was a bonus. Lora hadn't sent Linnie in with just a pretty face. She'd given her a coal seam, away from Highgarden itself, but part of the deal. With coal, Sheffield had money. Over cups, he won over Claude Baldwin and Cedric Hugo: The rebel can't pay? I'll cover it from my own funds. When the crown's reward comes, we three split it. Tomorrow, one word: revolt.

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