The Desert Spear (57 page)

Gared glared at him a moment, and Rojer felt his blood run cold, but he met the stare with one of his own and didn't back down an inch. After a moment, Gared calmed and looked sheepishly at the guildmaster.

'Sorry about the chair,' he said, trying lamely to put the arm back on.

'Ah'think nothing of it,' Cholls said, though Rojer knew the chair cost more than most Jongleurs ever had in their purse at once.

'I'm not qualified to say he's the Deliverer or not,' Rojer said. 'Until last year, I thought the Painted Man's very existence was an ale story. I spun more than a few of them, myself, making them up as I went along.' He leaned in to the guildmaster. 'But he 's real. He kills demons with his bare hands, and he has powers I can't explain.'

'Jongleur's tricks,' Cholls said skeptically.

Rojer shook his head. 'I've dazzled my share of yokels with magic tricks, Guildmaster. I'm not some bumpkin taken in by sleight of hand and flash powders. I'm not calling him Creator-sent, but he has
real
magic, sure as the sun shines.'

Cholls sat back, steepling his fingers. 'Let's say you're telling the truth. That still doesn't explain why you're here, if you aren't looking to sell me the story.'

'Oh, I'll sell it,' Rojer said. 'I composed a song, 'The Battle of Cutter's Hollow,' that will be called for in every ale house and square in the city, and there are enough stories from the last year to keep your Jongleurs working just to empty their collection hats so the people can fill them again.'

'Then what do you want, if not money'' Cholls asked.

'I need to train others to use fiddle magic,' Rojer said. 'But I'm no teacher. I've had apprentices for months now, and they can fiddle well enough to spin dancers in a reel, but none of them can shift a coreling's mood from more than 'blood-crazed' to 'savage.' '

'There are two aspects of music, Rojer,' Cholls said, 'skill and talent. One is learned, the other is not. In all my years, I've never seen someone with talent like yours. You have a natural gift that no fiddle instructor can teach.'

'So you won't help'' Rojer asked.

'I didn't say that,' Cholls said. 'I just want you forewarned. Perhaps there's something we can do, even so. Did Arrick teach you sound signs''

Rojer looked at the guildmaster curiously and shook his head.

'It's using your hands to give instructions to a group of players,' Cholls said.

'Like a conductor,' Rojer said.

Cholls shook his head. 'A conductor's players already know the piece. A sound signaler can compose on the spot, and if his players know the signs, they can immediately follow.'

Rojer sat up straight in his chair. 'Honest word''

Cholls smiled. 'Honest word. We have a number of masters who can teach the art. I'll send the lot of them to Deliverer's Hollow, and assign them to follow your word.'

Rojer blinked.

'It's not entirely unselfish of me,' Cholls said. 'Whatever stories you give us now will do for a short while, but Deliverer or no, this is the defining event of our time, and the tale is still unfolding. The Hollow is clearly at the crux of it, and I've wanted to send Jongleurs there for some time, but with the flux at first and then the refugees, no one has had the stones to go. If you can promise safety and board, I'll'persuade them.'

'I can guarantee it,' Rojer said, smiling.

JUDGMENTS

THE KNIFE

333 AR SUMMER

A FEW WEEKS AFTER Renna's night in the outhouse, there was a visitor to the farm. Her heart jumped at the sight of a traveler on the road, but it wasn't Cobie Fisher, it was his father, Garric.

Garric Fisher was a big, burly man, much like his son in appearance. In his fifties, he had only a few streaks of white in his thick curly black hair and beard. He nodded curtly to Renna as he pulled up in his cart.

'Your da around, girl'' he asked.

Renna nodded.

Garric spat over the side of his cart. 'Run and fetch him, then.'

Renna nodded again and ran into the fields, her heart pounding. What could he want' Had he come to speak for Cobie' Did he still think of her' She was so preoccupied that she nearly crashed into her father as he emerged from a row of cornstalks.

'Night, girl! What in the Core's gotten into you now'' Harl asked, catching her shoulders and shaking her.

'Garric Fisher just rode in,' Renna said. 'He's waitin' for you in the yard.'

Harl scowled. 'He is, is he'' He wiped his hands on a rag and touched the bone handle of his knife as if to reassure himself of its presence, then headed out of the fields.

'Tanner!' Garric called, still sitting in the cart when they came into the yard. He hopped down and held out his hand. 'It's good to see you lookin' well.'

Harl nodded, shaking hands. 'You, too, Fisher. What brings you out these ways''

'I brought you some fish,' Garric said, gesturing to the barrels on the cart. 'Good trout and catfish, still alive and swimmin'. Toss some bread in the barrels, and they'll keep a good while. Reckon it's been a while since you had fresh fish out here.'

'That's real thoughtful,' Harl said, helping Garric unload the cargo.

'Least I could do,' Garric said. He wiped his sweaty brow when the work was done. 'Sun's hot today. Long trip out and I'm mighty thirsty. Think we might set a spell under the shade of your porch afore I head back''

Harl nodded, and the two men went and sat on the old rockers on the porch. Renna fetched a pitcher of cool water and brought it out with a pair of cups.

Garric reached into his pocket, producing a clay pipe. 'Mind if I smoke''

Harl shook his head. 'Girl, fetch my pipe and leaf pouch,' he said, and shared the pouch with Garric. Renna brought a taper from the fire to light them.

'Mmm,' Garric said, exhaling slow and thoughtfully. 'That's good leaf.'

'Grow it myself,' Harl said. 'Hog buys most of his smokeleaf from Southwatch, and they always keep the best and sell him the stale dregs.' He turned to Renna. 'Girl, fill a pouch for Mr. Fisher to take back with him.'

Renna nodded and went inside, but she hung by the door, listening. With the formalities done with, the real talk would begin soon, and she didn't want to miss a word.

'Sorry it took me so long to come,' Garric began. 'Meant no disrespect.'

'None taken,' Harl said, drawing on his pipe.

'Whole town's buzzing about this business between the kids,' Garric said. 'Got it from Hog's daughter, or summat. Goodwives ent got nothin' better to do with their time than gossip and rumormonger.'

Harl spat.

'Want to apologize for my boy's behavior,' Garric said. 'Cobie's fond o' tellin' me he's a grown man and can handle his own affairs, but grown is as grown does, I say. Wern't right, what he done.'

'That's undersaid,' Harl grunted, and spat again.

'Well, you ought to know that after you sent him runnin' home with his tail between his legs, I caught wind and stepped in. I promise you, it won't happen again.'

'Glad to hear it,' Harl said. 'I were you, I'd beat some sense into that boy.'

Garric scowled. 'I were you, I'd tell my daughter to keep her skirts around her ankles, steada puttin' sin in the mind of every man passes by.'

'Oh, I had my words with her,' Harl assured. 'She won't be sinnin' no more. I put the fear o' the Creator in her, honest word.'

'Been more 'n words, it was one of my girls,' Garric said. 'I'da caned her backside raw.'

'You discipline your way, Fisher,' Harl said, 'and I'll do mine.'

Garric nodded. 'Fair and true.' He drew on his pipe. 'That sophearted Tender woulda married them, they made it to Boggin's Hill afore you caught 'em,' he warned.

Renna gasped, and her heart skipped a beat. She covered her mouth in fright, holding her breath for a long moment until she was sure they hadn't heard her.

'Harral's always been too soft,' Harl said. 'A Tender needs to punish wickedness, not condone it.'

Garric grunted his assent. 'Girl ent been sick none'' He made it sound casual, but Renna could tell it was anything but.

Harl shook his head. 'Still got her moon blood.'

Garric blew out a breath, clearly relieved, and suddenly Renna realized why he 'd waited so long to come. Her hand strayed to her stomach, and she wished her womb had quickened, but she 'd only had Cobie's seed once, and Harl was always careful not to spend in her.

'No disrespect,' Garric said, 'but my lazeabout son's got prospects for the first time in his life, and Nomi and I aim to find him a proper bride, not some scandal.'

'Yer son ent got no prospects at all, he puts his hands on my daughter again,' Harl said.

Garric scowled, but he nodded. 'Can't say I'd think any different, it was one o' my girls,' He tapped out his pipe. 'Reckon we understand each other.'

'Reckon we do,' Harl said. 'Girl! Where's that leaf''

Renna jumped, having forgotten all about the pouch. She ran to the smokeleaf barrel and filled a sheepskin pouch. 'Coming!'

Harl scowled at her when she returned, and gave her a slap on the rump for being slow. He gave the pouch to Garric, and they watched him climb into his cart and trundle off.

'Do you think it's true, Mrs. Scratch'' Renna asked the mother cat as she nursed her kits that night. They scrambled over one another in a great pile, fighting for the teats as Mrs. Scratch lay out behind the broken wheelbarrow in the barn where she'd hidden her litter. Renna called her Mrs. Scratch now, like a proper mam, though as expected the tabby that got the kits on her had made scarce since the birth.

'Do you think the Tender would really marry us if we went to him'' she asked. 'Cobie said it was so, and Garric, too. Oh, could you imagine'' Renna picked up one of the kits, kissing its head as it mewed softly at her.

'Renna Messenger,' she said, trying on the name and smiling. It sounded good. It sounded right.

'I could make it to Town Square,' she said. 'It's a long way, but I could run it in four hours or so. If I went late in the day, Da could never make it out in time, not with his aching joints.' She glanced over at the cart.

''Specially not if he can't ride,' she added slyly.

'But what if Cobie's away when I come'' she asked. 'Or if he doesn't want me anymore'' As she pondered that awful thought, the prodigal tabby returned, a fat mouse in its teeth. It laid the catch by Mrs. Scratch, and Renna thought it was a sign from the Creator himself.

She waited for days, in case her father suspected she 'd overheard Garric. She went through the plan over and over in her mind, knowing this would be her last chance to escape. If he caught her and threw her back in the outhouse, she doubted she 'd survive, much less dare to run again.

Her father came for lunch past noon each day, and took his time at eating before going back out into the fields. If she ran then, she could make it to Town Square with two hours of daylight left. Harl wouldn't notice she was gone in time to follow before the corelings rose, and would have to wait till morning, or at least stop for succor along the way.

If Cobie was in the Square, that left them the rest of the day to go up Boggin's Hill and see the Tender. If not, she would run on up the road to Jeph's farm. She'd never been there herself, but Lucik had, and said it was two hours' walk up the north road from the Square. She should be able to run it in plenty of time, and Ilain would hide her if Harl came looking. She knew she would.

When the day finally came, she was careful not to do anything out of the ordinary. She made her rounds and did her chores exactly as she had every day in the last week, careful to keep the pattern.

Harl came out of the fields for lunch, and she had stew ready. 'Stay for seconds'' she asked her father, trying to appear unhurried. 'Want to finish out the pot, so's I can scrub it and start fresh for supper.'

'Ent gonna turn down another bowl o' yer stew, Ren,' Harl said with a grin. 'Shoulda had you at the pot all these years steada Beni.' He pinched her behind as she bent to fill his bowl. Renna wanted to dump the boiling stew in his lap, but she swallowed the urge and forced a giggle, giving him the stew with a smile.

'Nice to see a smile on you, girl,' Harl said. 'You've had a sour puss since yer sister and the young'uns left.'

'Guess I've gotten used to things,' Renna managed, returning to her seat and having a second helping herself, though eating was the last thing she wanted to do.

She waited a count of a hundred after Harl left the table, then got up swiftly and went to the cutting board where she had piled vegetables for a stew she never meant to make. She took the knife and went out to the barn.

The only draft animals they had were the two mollies. Renna looked at them sadly, having cared for them ever since Harl brought the two foals home from Mack Pasture's farm.

Could she really do this' Harl's farm was the only world she knew. The few times she had been to Town Square or Boggin's Hill, she had felt suffocated by all the people, unable to understand how anyone could keep their head in such a crowd. Would they accept her' Did she really have a reputation as a whore' Would men try and force themselves on her, thinking her witless and willing'