by Emerson, Ru
"I saw as much. All the same, you show talent at it—besides the willingness to fight. That's uncommon."
"What—among women?"
He shook his head; apparently the sarcasm didn't register. “That, of course. But nearly a fourth of my father's guard—and I'll wager Jadek's guard, too—can use weapons but only as a game. I would hate to depend on some of them to guard my back in a real fight."
"They looked all right coming up to you."
Dahven snorted. “Deehar's and Dayher's men? They aren't even good in a pack, or hadn't you noticed?"
"It had occurred to me. But your back is safe here,” Jennifer said gravely.
"I think so. I like the way your Chris thinks."
"Thank you.” Chris had come up behind them, unnoticed by either. “Still want to learn bo?” Dahven nodded, and with more enthusiasm than he had the first time. “Good. Poor old Ernie's gonna be tough to show anything; I thought he was gonna lose it back there when the scene got real on him. But you should do just fine."
"I'll trade you lessons, sword for bo,” Dahven suggested, but Chris was already shaking his head.
"There's no way I'm gonna ever use a sword, all right? I mean, I don't even carry a pocket knife, all they're ever good for is I cut myself and a sword is a lot longer than a pocket knife. Besides, I'm specializing, once we get Aletto home, I'm gonna open my own shop, charge through the nose for lessons. Tell you what, though: Aletto really needs to know how to swing a sword; why don't you show him how?"
Dahven spread his hands wide. “Because I don't think he'd accept the offer. You've been with him a while; you know how he takes anything like that."
"Well, but maybe not,” Chris said. “I mean, when we first met up with him, you couldn't talk to him about almost anything, he'd get snooty and offended and stomp off. Mom figured out how to handle him, of course, but she's got a gift or something, she can handle anyone. You just have to figure out what his problem is and work around it, like when we were out in the desert, remember, Jen? The night we had that wall of stickers and no water?” She nodded. “And he was a, like, genuine hurting frog and chewing on anyone who so much as looked at him. I think Lialla was about ready to stuff him in with the cactus and leave him there. So anyway, Eddie and I talked about how we felt like crap, just between ourselves, you know, except loud enough he could hear us. So he finally figured he wasn't the only softie paying for not being in good shape."
"I hope some of that made sense to you,” Jennifer told Dahven. “I can only assure you it wouldn't have made much more sense in our own language, even if you were another Angeleno."
"I caught the intention, if not the exact sense, thank you."
"Hey,” Chris demanded. “Am I being double-teamed, or what?"
Jennifer laughed. “Get used to it, kid."
"Not likely. No, anyway, what I think is, you ask Aletto why doesn't he practice sword with you, that you're so out of shape or whatever that you really need to go back to the easy stuff and work up. That way you don't have to bring up that he's never done it, and he doesn't have to admit to it—with Aletto that could be half your battle right there."
"It's not far off, either,” Dahven replied gloomily. “I haven't had occasion to use a sword since my last weapons tutor gave up on me."
"Yeah, well, you could've fooled me,” Chris said. “And probably you could've fooled the other guy, too—you know, the one back there who traded a sword for a headache? But hey, you got style.” He glanced over his shoulder. “So, anyway, how far we going?"
"You guys were the ones with the map,” Jennifer said. “And the built-in good campsite for tonight."
"Right. Before the goon squad hit us, though."
Dahven shifted. “We have no reason to go farther than that, do we?"
"Don't know,” Chris said. “Those guys: I didn't recognize any of them from our last bash.” He grinned; Jennifer groaned. “But the source is the same, right? The last ones weren't all that bright."
"These don't seem to be either,” Jennifer said. She couldn't see any point in mentioning the ones who'd been in Bez.
"They aren't,” Dahven said flatly. “If Firsi comes after us, he won't have much difficulty catching us, no matter where we stop for the night—thanks to that wagon."
"I know.” Chris nodded. “Try and talk Aletto and mom out of it, though."
"Why don't we wait and see what Edrith has to say when he gets back?” Jennifer asked.
Chris sighed. “Eddie,” he reminded her in an exasperated voice. “I mean, really. You know?” He drew back on the reins, slowing his horse so the wagon could catch up to him. Dahven shook his head in mild bewilderment.
"I mean, you know,” he echoed. “Is this some kind of invocation?” Jennifer laughed.
"Wait'll he starts trying to teach you the hip hop,” she said. “And no, it's not another kind of fighting.” Dahven merely shook his head.
* * * *
Edrith showed up well over an hour later, by Jennifer's watch—long enough that Chris was getting noticeably worried about him. “Yo, guy,” he called out as Edrith came riding up behind them. “I was beginning to think you'd fallen in the surf."
Edrith rolled his eyes. “Sure you did. You knew I had to go around those guys."
"So, how long could that take?"
"Well, if some of us were smart enough, they'd realize I stopped and snuck in close to listen to them for a little, see what they were planning. You know?” He would possibly have gone on in the same vein, but Lialla came up on his other side and tugged at his sleeve.
"The rope—it was holding?"
"When I left them. That was a while ago, though. But that isn't the important part. As soon as they get loose, they're sending a couple of men after the horses, and coming right on up the road behind us."
Lialla's face was very pale against the Wielder Blacks. “That still should give us—Jen? How long, do you think?"
For answer, Jennifer slid from her horse and closed her eyes. She finally shrugged. “I can tell they're back there, a number of them, not going anywhere. That's about all, just now. All the same, two men walking back for the horses—Eddie, how far did you take them?"
"Not far enough,” he said gloomily.
"That isn't exactly specific. An hour by foot? Two?"
"Maybe an hour. But Firsi was saying something about the two he sent being messengers and if they are, then it wouldn't be nearly that long."
"You didn't recognize them?” Dahven asked. Edrith shrugged.
"I know the Thukar has always kept a few runner-messengers; that's common knowledge. You didn't recognize them?"
"They're outside the market,” Dahven said. “And Father kept a number of men I didn't really know. They were all familiar, you know—I'd seen the faces—"
"Is this important?” Lialla asked impatiently.
"It isn't,” Chris said. “You're right, Li, we need to boogie, like now."
"Whatever that is, we'd better do it, if it means moving fast,” Dahven said. “That wagon—well, it can't be helped."
"It's my father's,” Enardi put in tentatively. “I told him I'd take care of it—"
"It's cool,” Chris assured him. “Let's get going and everything'll be fine, all right?” From the look on Enardi's face, he didn't believe a word of it.
* * * *
They took an hour stop at the site Enardi had suggested for the night's camp—to rest the horses and the mule, to eat a cold lunch, and to give Jennifer a chance to try and find their pursuers. She found them, apparently still not moving, but she still wasn't able to tell anything else. “Sorry, folks,” she said finally to the rather anxious group around her. “I don't know anything else to try. So far as I can tell they haven't got the horses yet."
"I thought you could tell the difference,” Lialla began.
"Well, I can, usually,” Jennifer said stiffly. “This time, I can't. Let me go at it again, after dark."
"They're probably all carrying
good market charms,” Dahven put in quickly, before Lialla could say anything else. She looked at him with unfriendly eyes, then turned away. Dahven cast his own up.
"It's possible,” Jennifer conceded. “It could be running water; Neri said it's been known to affect Thread. It's harder to Wield in full daylight."
"Hey, does it matter?” Chris asked. “We know they're back there and Eddie says they're on us. So we find some place we can hide and either let them slide on by, or some place we can hang out and jump ‘em real good this time. Ernie, you got any ideas at all what it's like ahead of us?"
The Bezanti shook his head. “Other than what I said this morning."
"It's rough country,” Dahven said.
"I can see that,” Chris said sarcastically.
"There's a pass of sorts, cliff running down to the water, then gradual slope cut by dry washes, a lot of rock.” Dahven cast Chris a withering look. “It's a hot, dry area, and not that many years ago said to be controlled by two villages back in the hills. Not that much was ever shipped by road, even a reign or two ago, but for a long time little or nothing got through."
"Bandits?” Chris asked. “Oh, great."
"Snake country and bandits,” Robyn muttered; she looked even more unhappy than Lialla did.
"No, it's all right, they're long gone,” Enardi assured her. “Shesseran XII finally sent in almost an army; there hasn't been anyone living near the road in at least fifty years, until you get near the inn."
"We can't make the inn tonight?” Lialla asked him. Enardi shook his head.
"Then we'd better decide, now,” Aletto said. “They'll expect to find us here, and there isn't any place around here to hide."
"Not all of us,” Chris agreed. “And personally, I don't feel it's a good idea to just sit here and wait for them."
Aletto nodded. “Bad idea.” He looked at Dahven. “You seem to know more about the road around here than anyone else. What do you think?"
"I don't really know it,” Dahven said. “Not from my own experience. I talk to caravaners, that's all."
Aletto considered this; Dahven waited him out—unwilling, Jennifer thought, to let Aletto lean on him. “Well, then.” At the same time, Aletto looked uncomfortable with making the final decision. Life as usual, she thought sourly. Except that Lialla, for once, was staying entirely out of it. Well, that was just fine; the last thing they needed just now was another screaming fight between Lialla and her brother. Aletto squared his shoulders, gave Dahven a faint, rather embarrassed smile. “I think we should go now, as quickly as we can, find some place to get ourselves completely off the road and out of sight before dark. What we find might decide whether we hide or we fight.” He spoiled the effect by adding, “Don't you think?"
Dahven spread his hands. “Don't ask me. It's your decision, after all."
"I—” Aletto looked briefly angry; he considered this then, and nodded. “This time, at least. We'll go, then."
"Well, yeah,” Chris said slowly. “I got only one comment, though. I mean, if we hide and let them go past us, that puts them ahead of us. Do we really want those guys ahead of us? Logically, even if they're as dumb as they come across, they're gonna eventually figure out that's what we did, and that lets them pick the ambush. I say we break heads.” Robyn, who was breaking up a crumbling cheese and spreading it on dry, flat bread Edrith handed her, made a faint, wordless protest. “Sorry, ma. But I am totally bored with these guys, and I'm ready to pull someone's card. You know? Someone in that pack of geeks is gonna get lucky and do one of us down, and then I'm really gonna be pissed, because we just let ‘em keep coming until they did. You don't want them in your face either, mom, do you?"
"You've made your point,” Robyn said flatly. “At least, I think you have; either my grip on the language is slipping or—"
"Chill out, mom,” Chris said as she hesitated, but he was grinning. Robyn took a swing at him, and missed his ear.
"Chill yourself, brat. Shut up and eat, so we can get out of here, before they catch up with us right here. I'd be pretty bored with that."
* * * *
The sun was sliding behind a brush-covered ledge when the wagon stalled. Chris swore under his breath, leaped down to grab the mule before it could drag its burden any farther. Edrith and Dahven were already down behind the wagon, inspecting the problem. Edrith shook his head. “It's going to be a job, but I think we can get it free without damaging anything."
"How bad?” Enardi asked anxiously. He slewed around on the high seat, peering back across the loosely piled goods they'd thrown in all anyhow hours before.
"Wheel's caught."
"You could just back it—” Aletto began.
"We can try,” Edrith said. He was squatted before the wheel now, scowling at it and the stones blocking it. “It was bound to happen,” he added gloomily. “This wretched road might have been made for wagons once but now—” He bent forward, caught hold of the wheel, leaned back to call up to Enardi, “Set the brake, and Chris, don't you dare let go of that animal, it's my hands down here, and I'm rather fond of them.” He started nervously as cloth brushed across his back; Lialla came up to crouch beside him.
"What's happened?” she asked brusquely. He shrugged.
"The wheel slipped down, wedged between two rocks; another came down off them or from above something and that's what has it pinned."
"It wasn't—set that way,” she went on, more tentatively.
"I doubt anyone could have planned anything like this. Why?” For answer, Lialla shook her head and got back to her feet.
"What next?” she asked generally.
"With luck, we lift it out and everything's fine,” Edrith said. He sighed. “Until the next time—probably the next five times, between now and full dark. Ernie, I really do think we're going to have to leave the wagon."
The Bezanti was already shaking his head. “I can't do that. My father—"
"Would surely prefer you alive to you dead and the wagon returned in one piece, don't you think?” Jennifer demanded acerbically. She remained on her horse and was now standing in the stirrups to better see around them. Enardi looked at her unhappily but his mouth was set in a stubborn line. “You won't be abandoning it, you know; we can hide it off the road, we have one spare horse so you won't have to ride the mule, and we can divide the things in the wagon. And then you can retrieve it on your way home. Don't—” She held up a hand as he would have spoken. “Just think about it while we get the damned thing free, why don't you?"
Chris nodded. “Mom, you're better at animals than I am; why don't you hold this stupid mule, so I can get back there and help with the lifting?” He looked back down the road. “It's starting to get dark, you guys, let's do it."
* * * *
It took what seemed like forever. By the time Jennifer, Aletto and Lialla had shifted the tent, the packs, the blankets and the spare horse gear as far forward as possible, the last yellow glow of sunset was gone from the horizon. By the time Edrith had found an angle from which he could work to pry the fallen rock out of its tightly wedged position over the wheel, so he, Chris and Aletto could lift the back corner and Robyn could lead the mule a few paces on, the only color left in the sky was deep blue and the gray of a few clouds drifting in from the west on a rising wind. Enardi eyed these anxiously; Jennifer caught the look on his drawn face as she straightened with the last armful of blankets she was tossing toward the back of the wagon. “What? You see something?” She turned. “Dahven, anything?"
Dahven, who had reluctantly allowed himself to be persuaded to stay mounted and serve as rear guard, shook his head. She could barely make out the movement, near as he was; apparently aware of this, he added aloud, “No horses, no riders."
"When the clouds come in like that,” Enardi said, “it means rain. A lot of it. Before morning.” Jennifer glared down at him.
"You scared hell out of me for a rainstorm?"
"You haven't been in one along the inner sea,” he replied
rather defensively.
"Hey, you guys, can we continue this later?” Chris demanded. “If this thing's ready to move on, anyway."
"Ready as it's going to get,” Edrith replied shortly, around the finger he was sucking. He'd pinched it just as they freed the wheel and it was hurting him. Aletto clapped his shoulder as he walked along the side of the wagon to join Robyn. He peered ahead and sighed.
"We'll need to put one or two afoot, out front."
"Great,” Lialla muttered. “That should slow us."
Enardi, hunched on the wagon seat, looked so unhappy, Jennifer felt rather sorry for him—except that it was his stubbornness that had landed them in such a spot in the first place. They'd been trying to talk him into leaving the wagon behind for the better part of two days, since the road had gotten so bad—even Aletto, who had been the most pleased to have it, had suggested since leaving Firsi that they might be better off without it.
"It's all right,” Aletto said—probably as much to ease Enardi's embarrassment as Lialla's nerves. “Even without your father's wagon, we couldn't ride fast through here afterdark; we'd lose half the horses in no time. If those men are behind us, they'll have the same problem."
"Good thinking,” Chris said. Enardi sighed.
"If we can find a place where the wagon won't be visible from the road, I'll leave it."
"We'll worry about that later,” Chris said firmly. “Right now, let's just go."
At full dark, Aletto called a brief halt. “Someone break out the blue-lights, so we can see something up here."
"If anyone can find them after the way the box got loaded,” Robyn added sourly. Jennifer dismounted and climbed into the back.
"I had my hands on just about everything here. I saw them—hang on."
"As if we had a choice,” Robyn retorted, even more sourly.
"Just—hang on,” Jennifer said. Her voice was muffled by the sides of the wagon box and the bag she was digging through. “I felt them—no, damn. Not that one.” Her head popped up briefly. “Dahven, what's the word back there?"
