Sheepfarmers Daughter (25 page)

Despite the clear sky, it was still colder; Paks dreaded the night to come. The column halted; the smoke of their watchfires stained the evening sky. Canna kept moving, and they edged past at a respectful distance. Paks wondered why, but she was too breathless to ask. At last Canna stopped, well beyond the head of the column, and explained her reasoning.

"We're sure now where they're going, and by what road," she said. "Now's the time to separate. We've found no food; if one takes all we have, that's enough to make the Duke's camp — I think three days' travel. They'll take at least five, with those wagons. But without food, all three of us can't make it. The Duke must know — "

"But Canna, you said yesterday we should stay together," said Saben. "One person could be stopped by anything. And what about food for the two left behind?"

"We'd find something," said Canna.

Saben snorted. "You with an arrow wound, and Paks with a broken rib? I suppose you meant me to go?" Canna nodded, and Saben shook his head. "No. I won't leave two wounded companions and take all the food — not if there's any other way."

"Why don't we stay ahead tomorrow?" suggested Paks. "Maybe we'll find something to eat — and if there's a chance to stay together — "

"I suppose so," said Canna, sighing. "I wish we dared have a fire; those redroots would be good."

Paks felt her mouth water. "You ate raw eggs; why not raw redroots?"

"Tastes awful," said Saben. "But it might fill the holes."

They gnawed on the raw roots, bitter and dry, and ate a slice of bread each. Paks offered to take first watch, but the other two insisted that she sleep. By morning the ground was frozen, white hoarfrost over the stubble.

About midmorning, they were striding through a small wood when they startled a sounder of swine; the boar swung to face them with a wheezing snort. Paks froze. Beside her Canna and Saben were as still. The boar's little eyes, set in wrinkled skin, were golden hazel; the bristles up its back were rusty brown. Paks watched as the pink nose twitched in their direction. One of the sows squealed. Two others minced away on nimble hooves. The boar whuffled, and swung its head to watch the rest of the pigs. Now they were all moving, drifting along a thread of path.

"Roast pig?" said Saben plaintively. The boar looked at him and grunted.

"Not with daggers," said Paks, remembering the butchering at Amboi's farm. The boar grunted again, backed a few steps, and swung to follow the others. Paks relaxed and took a deep breath. "I hope we don't meet more of those," she said.

"Right," said Canna. "We'd have a — " she stopped abruptly as a boy dressed in rough shirt and trousers jogged into their view and stopped short. His eyes widened.

"Soldiers," he breathed. He backed up a step, fumbling for his dagger.

"We won't hurt you," said Paks. "Don't be afraid."

He was poised to run. "Ye — ye're a girl, an't ye?"

Paks and Canna both grinned. Paks answered. "I am. Were those your swine?"

His eyes narrowed. "Why'd ye ask — ye'll not take 'em, will ye?"

"No," said Paks. "I just wondered."

"Wheer ye be goin'?" he asked. Paks judged he was about fifteen or so, a short muscular redhead with pale eyes in a heavily freckled face. She thought of Vik with a pang, and wondered where he was now.

Paks winked at the boy. "We're just — taking a little trip, lad, you might say. Know where we could find some good ale?"

He relaxed a bit and grinned. "Is it ale ye're wantin'? Ye look more like robbers, I was thinkin', but ifye've got the coppers I know wheer ye can get ale."

"Robbers!" Paks tried to sound shocked. "Nay — we're but travel—worn and thirsty. As for coppers — " she jingled the coins in her pouch.

"Weel, then," he said, "ye might do worse than my uncle's place, over on the river down yon — " he pointed south. '"Tis not what ye'd rightly call an inn, not bein' on th' road. But serves the farmers round, ye see, with rny uncle's brew and no tax to pay like that
Silver Pheasant
out on the road. And I'm thinkin'," he added shrewdly, "ye may not be robbers, but ye look like ye won't have to do wi' roads, eh?"

Paks grinned. "As to that, lad, if you should happen to see a sergeant, you might not remember you saw us — would you?" She had a copper ready for the hand he held out.

The boy snickered. "All I seen in these woods is swine — that's all." He turned to the path they'd taken and followed it.

"I wonder how many fugitives that lad's 'not seen,' " said Canna.

"Or turned in," said Paks. "I know it was risky, Canna, but I couldn't see killing him — "

"Of course not. We're not the Honeycat. I daresay he thinks better of us for being irregular. He won't turn us in unless the price is right."

"If we're lucky, they'll try to bully him first," said Saben. "That one won't bully easily. Do you think we can stop at uncle's for anything?"

"No — " Canna began; Paks interrupted.

"It's our one chance to get food, Canna. He may not tell on us if we go, but he'll surely gossip if we don't. And we can go straight on from there, with a good start on the column."

Canna frowned. After a minute or so she said, "Well, it's worth trying, I suppose. If it works, we'll be much better off. But — they don't need to know how many of us there are. Only one will go — "

"Me!" said Paks and Saben together.

"No. Saben will. Paks, you and I stay under cover. If there's trouble, Saben, yell out how many. If we can, we'll take them. Don't hesitate to walk out if you sense anything wrong."

They could see a line of trees ahead, and the gleam of water beyond. A thin stream of smoke bespoke a chimney. Canna and Paks melted into the hedge along one side of the hay meadow they were crossing, and Saben walked openly beside it to the cluster of shanties on the riverbank.

The largest building had two chimneys, one smoking, and two children playing in a wattle—fenced dooryard. As Saben neared the fence, the children looked up and yelled.

"Ma! Ma! A man!" The door to the shanty opened, and a tall fat woman peered out.

"Good day, mother," called Saben. Paks could not hear if she answered. "A lad I met in the wood said I might find somewhat to eat here, a deal cheaper than the
Silver Pheasant
, he said." The fat woman's head moved, as if she spoke, but again Paks could not hear. Canna nudged her and pointed; Paks saw a lean figure dart from one of the huts behind the larger one. Paks slipped her knife from its sheath.

"I'll watch Saben," said Canna in her ear. "You keep an eye out for more lurkers." For several minutes Paks saw nothing. She stole a glance at Saben, now lounging against the gate of the wattle fence. She looked back at the other huts. A flicker of movement: she'd missed seeing what or how many.

Beyond the buildings, a narrow trail led westward into trees; it must go to the distant road. She glanced around the margin of the clearing, and caught a movement not ten yards to their left. A tall man in rough leathers, with a heavy bow, crept to the edge of the trees; he was watching Saben intently, his mouth agape. Paks nudged Canna, whose eyes widened. With infinite care she eased back, leaving Paks on guard, and made her way behind the bowman. Paks did not shift even her eyes, lest it call attention away from Saben.

"Ye might come in whilst ye're waitin'" called the woman from the shanty door.

"Thank you, mother, but no," said Saben casually. "I'm not fit to enter anyone's home. Another time, if it please you."

"Please yerself. We're not fine folk here," answered the woman. "The bread'll be out directly." Paks's mouth watered at that. "Ye'll be havin' a hard journey all alone," the woman went on.

"No one's lonely, going home," said Saben.

"Oh? Weel, wheer's yer home, if I may be s'bold?"

"Far away, mother, and worse that I have to dodge all around, going as many ways as a cock picking straws — why, the woods be full of sergeants, and at this rate it'll be Little—eve before I see my sweetheart again." Paks had never suspected Saben of so much imagination.

"I only wondered, ye see, because ye wanted so much — more than fer one fellow, even such a big 'un as ye be."

"Why, mother, wait till your little lads grow taller — my own family always said I ate more than any two grown men. They were glad enough to see me leave, for all I work as well as I eat."

"And will they welcome ye?"

"Aye. I told 'em the time, ye see, and she said she'd wait so long and no longer. So when they told me I must serve more months, well — I'm no deserter, mind, nor traitor — but I've served my years, as I count 'em, and I'll not lose my sweetling for any sergeant."

The woman cackled. This time her voice was warmer. "Ye're a fine one, I can tell. And ye've been savin' yer honey all this time, eh?"

"Well — " Saben sounded doubtful. "Depends what you mean. I've sweets for my sweetling, if you mean so."

"I'll say ye have." She cackled again and withdrew inside. Paks saw two figures leave the back door of her shanty. One flattened against the wall facing her; he had a naked sword in hand. The other disappeared around the far side. Nothing moved for several minutes. Paks wondered where Canna was, and if the bowman had drawn his bow. Then the shanty door slammed open, and the far woman emerged with a steaming sack.

"Here ye are, lad — hot bread, a bit of cheese, and I threw in a leg or two of fowl — ah, thank ye, lad — "as Saben dropped coins into her hand. She passed the sack over the fence. Paks saw that the man on her side had bent double and moved along the wattle fence to the corner, where he crouched in readiness. "Now, lad," said the woman. "Give us a kiss for luck, and I'll be hopin' yer girl waits fer ye." She leaned over the fence, reaching out a huge red hand to Saben's face.

Saben had stepped back, out of reach. "No, mother," he said. '"Twould not be respectful, and me so dirty as I am, but thank you all the same for your good wish." He backed farther from the fence, and turned toward the trees.

"Dirty thief!" screeched the woman. "Robber! Liar! Help!!" Saben swung around to face the two men who rushed him from either side of the dooryard.

"Now, mother, that was unkindly said," he called, swinging the sack to hold them off as he drew his dagger. Paks hurtled out of the trees, heedless, as a thrashing commotion broke out where the bowman had been. She hoped Canna could handle it. The swordsman nearest her spoiled his stroke at Saben as she surprised him. With an oath he turned on her; she faced a notched but broad—bladed longsword. The other man had a curved blade; neither had shields.

Paks jumped back out of range of a sweeping blow, then darted forward. The backstroke nearly caught her, but she ducked it. Again her opponent lifted the sword for a two—handed swipe. This time she waited until the stroke was committed, then pivoted in to grab his elbow and throw him sideways, stabbing under the armpit. He yelled and went to his knees. Paks jerked the sword out of his hand as he slumped to the ground, and spun to help Saben. He was backing slowly toward the river, parrying the strokes of the curved blade with his dagger. Paks hesitated a moment, but the fat woman waddled forward with a hefty slab of wood. Paks aimed a powerful slash at the man's back. He screamed and dropped his sword. Saben scooped it up as Paks turned to face the woman.

"Murderers!" she yelled. "Bandits! Robbers! I'll teach ye — " She broke off with a screech as Saben poked her back with his newly acquired weapon.

"Now, mother," he said politely. "Calm down and be quiet. We didn't start this, but I'm not loath to finish it, if you'll have it so." The fat woman stood like a stump, chest heaving.

"Drop that," said Paks. The woman glared, but dropped her stick.

Saben grinned at Paks over the woman's shoulder. "Well met, messmate. Perhaps I do want someone to travel with. Now, mother, you'll be wise to stand still, while this lady makes sure you have no more unpleasant surprises." Paks thought the woman might explode, she was so red in the face, but she said nothing. Paks backed away and looked around the clearing. Nothing that she could see. She ran her eye along the trees and caught a quick hand—signal. She said nothing, and brought her gaze slowly back to the shanty in front of them, then to the woman's face.

"Think I'll take a look inside," she said. The woman's face lighted, then twisted in a grimace of fear.

"No! Please — my babies — don't go in there. Ye've killed my man; don't hurt my babies — "

"Your babies won't be hurt if they don't hurt us. I daresay you've a houseful of stolen bits and pieces taken from honest travelers." Again Paks surprised a fleeting look of cunning and hope on the woman's face, followed by exaggerated fear. Saben quirked an eyebrow at Paks over the woman's shoulder, and Paks, moving toward the shanty, gave the hand signal for danger. She ducked behind the wattle fence, slid around the windowless end of the building, and came to the back door before the woman realized her intent. She shot another glance at Canna, who had moved to a position covering the back door. Paks took a deep breath and slammed the door open.

As she had hoped, the remaining defenders were in the front of the shanty, one to either side of the front door. She had entered the kitchen. Grabbing a poker from the fireplace, she met the faster of her opponents in the narrow opening between the two rooms. This was a gawky youth with a club. Paks caught his hand with the glowing tip of the poker and he screamed and dropped the club, stumbling back into a heavy older man armed with two daggers. He kicked the boy aside and came at Paks through the opening. With her long arms and weapons, Paks held him off easily, until he reversed one of the daggers and threw it. Pain seared her left arm; she dropped the tip of the poker. At once he rushed her, forcing her back against the heavy table, and aiming a thrust at her face. Paks rolled away and slashed at his legs with the sword. He hopped out of reach, swearing, and turned to the fire for a weapon of his own. Paks surged forward, and thrust the long blade between his ribs before he could turn. He gave a gurgling groan and sank to the floor.

Silence. Paks stood breathless, sides heaving and sweat running down her face. She felt weak and shaky. The cut on her left arm hurt more than she expected. She wondered about the boy, and looked into the front room. A crude ladder led to a loft, and she heard rustling from above. Quickly she stepped to the back door and caught Canna's glance; she signalled and looked back into the kitchen. Flitches of bacon, hams, strings of onions, fowl tied by the legs — all hung from a beam. On a shelf by the fireplace were at least a dozen loaves of dark bread. Paks stepped onto the table and cut down a small ham, then took six loaves of bread and wrapped her cloak around the lot. Then she returned to Saben.

The fat woman was as pale now as she'd been red before. Paks shot her a hard glance before opening the sack Saben had dropped. Three soggy loaves, dipped in boiling water to make them steam, a cheese that stank when she opened the sack, a string of onions. Paks held up the onions. "Fine drumsticks your fowl have," she said. The woman did not answer. Paks turned the bag inside out, filled it with the food she'd taken, and looped the string closure. "I'm thinking you should be quiet at home this day," she said. "All that yelling might have given someone the wrong idea." Paks flipped the woman's headscarf off her head and folded it. She looked at Saben. "That bit of cord?"

"Good idea," he said. "My pouch." Paks held the woman at sword point while Saben extracted the roll of cord and bound her hands behind her. Then they pushed her over to the shanty wall, forced her down, and tied her ankles as well. Paks gagged her with the headscarf.

"Her babies will free her soon enough," Paks murmured, "but we'll have a short lead."

"Time to head for home, I think," said Saben, with a last look around. They reentered the trees and worked their way to the river. There they found a convenient rock and waited for Canna. Saben had taken a cut on the knuckles of his dagger hand, and sucked at the wound. When Canna came up beside them, she was carrying the big bow.