The Mansions of Idumea (Book 3 Forest at the Edge series) (63 page)

“Doing all right, Poe?” Perrin asked quietly.
“I’m sorry to be sending you back north already. Most people never
get to Idumea.”

“It’s all right, sir,” Poe assured him. “My
welcome to the city wasn’t the friendliest. I don’t have a lot of
desire to stay.”

Perrin squeezed his shoulder. “I am sorry
about that, but very grateful. You’ve done a brave and exceptional
thing today. I made arrangements for you on the third wagon. You
can nap on the bags of dried apples.”

Poe turned quickly to him. “No, sir. I
thought I was riding with you!”

Perrin shook his head. “You’ve slept only a
few hours—”

“You’d be surprised what I accomplished with
only a few hours of sleep, sir.” Poe cleared his throat. “Or,
perhaps shocked.”

When Perrin chuckled sadly, Poe added,
“Remember—I’m Mr. Out All Night. I can help you, sir. I’ve had a
few lessons with the sword, too. And more recently than when I was
nine and you taught me how to hold one. Apparently I’m a
natural.”

Perrin didn’t answer right away, but watched
the positioning of another wagon for yet another team of
horses.

“How about you act as a relief driver?” he
eventually suggested. “Each wagon will have two drivers, one to
drive, the other with his long knife out and ready. You could still
rest, then—”

“I can handle it, sir,” Poe promised.

Perrin felt his shoulder droop under his
hand.

“Oh. I see now. Sorry, sir.”

“Sorry about what, Poe?”

“You don’t trust me yet. I don’t blame
you—”

“That’s not it at all, Private,” Colonel Shin
said firmly. “I have complete faith in you. You’ve already
demonstrated your devotion to me and to Edge.” Then, in a gentler
tone he added, “But Poe, you look thin and exhausted. I really am
just worried about you.”

Poe grinned. “Sir, I always look thin and
exhausted. And I promise, all I need are a few hours of sleep, and
I’m good for the rest of the night. Try me!”

Perrin slapped him on the back. “Then go get
us two mounts. And uh, Poe?
Ask
for them this time.”

---

Somehow Mahrree, Jaytsy and Peto got
everything packed in bags and two large crates. Even Peto’s new
ball from his grandfather was shoved into a corner of the coach
that wasn’t occupied by food that Joriana had Kindiri pack. Two
captains from the garrison loaded everything into the coach, and
all too soon it was time to go.

Mahrree felt as if she could barely breathe
from the rush of it all. Was it really just last night that she was
watching the dancers and her husband, who nearly all of Idumea came
out to meet?

But also just last night she’d been so
homesick for Edge. Now that she was heading back there she was
confused to find herself missing Idumea. Her head pounded so much
with trying to sort it all out that she just wanted to sit on the
ground and wail like the baby Perrin held in his arms.

But it was time to go.

Peto and Jaytsy climbed in the coach, both of
them sniffling and subtly wiping their eyes. Before Mahrree took to
the coach steps, she looked to say goodbye to the majestic house,
but she had to turn away. There was much she disliked about Idumea,
but she had to confess that on an occasion or two she had fancied
herself as mistress of the mansion. She’d even paid attention to
where Joriana placed all of the notes from The Dinner. Those were
the moments when she forgot she was Edgy.

But then she’d remember there was no place
else that could ever be home.

From the kitchen Kindiri came running with a
basket to interrupt her disparate thoughts. “Mrs. Shin—here!”

Mahrree took the basket. “Apples?”

“Yes,” Kindiri panted. “I overheard you one
day telling Mrs. Shin that you haven’t seen these in Edge since
last year. And since you’re leaving so suddenly, I wanted to give
you something for your trip home. I found them in the cellar. I
trust
all will be well.”

She wasn’t very good at that, Mahrree
thought. Her obvious wink when she said “trust” nearly bobbed her
entire head. Mahrree suspected Kindiri hoped her gestures would be
enough to keep Mahrree from telling Joriana, who stood right behind
her, about her and Riplak’s late night dalliances.

Mahrree smiled guardedly at Kindiri, because
she’d already decided to send Joriana a letter when she got back to
Edge. “Yes, I
trust
they will be as well. Thank you for the
apples, and remember to lock your door,” she added in a
whisper.

“I will,” Kindiri lied.

Mahrree turned to her mother-in-law.

“Oh, I’m coming with you! As far as the
garrison, that is,” Joriana added as she prodded Mahrree to get
into the coach.

Mahrree gripped her arm. “And then come to
Edge, as soon as you can. Just bring a bag of grain.”

They climbed in the coach for the short ride
to the garrison. Joriana put her arm around her daughter-in-law as
they sat next to each other on the bench, leaning sadly against
each other.

“Be careful, all right?” Mahrree said to
her.

“I was about to say that to you,” Joriana
sniffed.

“Grandmother,” said Jaytsy, with tears in her
eyes, “are you and Grandfather going to be in trouble?”

Joriana put on a brave smile that looked
convincing in the growing darkness. “The Administrators owe us a
great debt. If we’re in trouble, then it’s just a little. Perhaps
we’ll retire early.”

“And come to Edge,” Mahrree repeated.

Joriana nodded. “That’s a possibility I’m
entertaining more every minute, Mahrree.”

---

Perrin made his way over to the Reserve
Storehouse. The loading of the twenty oversized wagons, designed
extra deep and long for hauling supplies to forts, was nearly
finished.

High General Shin came out to watch with his
son as dozens of soldiers methodically moved bag after bag into
last wagon. Frost was definitely in the air, and Perrin was
grateful he remembered to wear his thick riding coat.

Relf leaned slightly against him. It’d been a
draining couple of days for a man who nearly died not too long ago.
“I estimate you have a good eight hours ahead of you before any
Administers realize you’re gone without permission,” Relf told him.
“Maybe even twelve. Barring any breakdowns or delays, you could
even be home by tomorrow evening. Don’t push the caravan any faster
than you have to. These are tremendous loads and the horses will be
well-strained as it is.” In a quieter tone he added, “And with most
of the Administrators gone until after Holy Day, you may have
everything distributed before any of them even realize what’s
happened.”

The Edge fort coach containing Mahrree,
Joriana, and the children rolled up to the storehouse. Perrin
sighed when he saw it. It meant the end.

“Well, this is it, I suppose,” Relf said to
his son. He stood tall, supporting himself with his crutch, and
formally held out his hand.

Perrin looked at it, insulted. “That’s not
going to be good enough tonight, Father.”

“It’s going to have to be,” Relf said
stoically. “We’re on garrison land.”

Perrin shook his head. “I don’t care. I’m
going to say something to you,” he said with the beginnings of a
smile. “And you’re going to hear it.”

“No, son. That’s the kind of thing you say
when you think you won’t see someone again. Save it for later.”

Perrin smiled at the diversionary tactic.
Relf had a dozen of those. “I don’t have to save it. I have an
unlimited supply of words, saved up for the past forty-three years.
And when you feel a great debt of gratitude and respect, and want
someone to know—” He began to choke, unable to finish the preamble
that wasn’t getting him any closer to what he wanted to say.

“I know,” Relf said quietly. “Really. The
feeling’s mutual.”

Perrin shook his head, ignoring the tears
that made his eyes itch. He was a full colonel, for crying out
loud. How hard could this be? “No, you’re going to hear it! I know
that look of dread in your eyes. It’s the same look you had when
you walked Mahrree to the fort when you first met her. Father—” He
was so sure he could say it this time, but the words piled up in
his throat again.

Relf took his son’s hand instead, pulled him
close and, for the first time Perrin could remember, hugged him. “I
love you too, son,” he muttered as his crutch clattered to the
ground.

“I love you, Father,” he whispered back and
chuckled. “Now, how did you say it first? Because I’ve been
practicing it in my head for days now!” He pulled away from the
general and grinned blurrily at him.

“I’ve been practicing for years,” Relf said
gruffly and feigned a cough as cover.

---

Mahrree had let herself out of the coach and
stared in astonishment at the Shin men . . . hugging? Something in
her heart twanged. She put her hands on her hips as father and son
stepped away from each other and looked at the coach almost
sheepishly.

“When Shins decide to break rules, they break
all of them, I see. General, may I be next?” and she held out her
arms.

To Perrin’s growing surprise, Relf hobbled
over to oblige her.

“Take care of him, all right?” Relf said in
her ear. “And yourself?” He kissed her on the cheek.

“Of course. And thank you for everything.”
She squeezed him gingerly. “I really enjoyed getting to know Relf.”
She stepped back just in time to see the High General of Idumea
quickly wipe away a tear.

Realizing he started a trend, Relf held out
his arms to his willing grandchildren.

Mahrree turned so as to not see their
embrace. She was sure her heart would crack in half at any moment.
But she turned the wrong way, and found Perrin holding his mother
who was sobbing uncontrollably.

“Just come to Edge, Mother. We’ll take care
of you. Hycymum has room, I’m sure.”

Joriana laughed in her sob, which was
extremely inelegant.

Perrin kissed her on the cheek. “I love you,
Mother. Watch out for him, and yourself.”

Joriana couldn’t speak but nodded as she
kissed her son on the cheek, and didn’t even bother to wipe it off.
She turned to Mahrree for another hug, needing someone to
embrace.

“Thank you for being so aggravating!” she
whispered to Mahrree.

Mahrree laughed softly. “Thank you for
forcing us to Idumea. I’ll never forget these days. The Dinner was
remarkable, and so are you.” And, remembering what Relf told her
last night before The Dinner, she added, “I’m so impressed.”

“You’ll be back, you know,” Joriana squeezed
her tighter, obviously hearing what she wanted. “You
will
be
in that mansion, and I’ll sit in that guest house and nag you all
the time.”

“I hope so, Mother.” Mahrree turned to Perrin
and saw him holding the reins of a horse. There was no more time to
spare.

“I’ll ride behind you. We have only four
guards: Hili and me, and two lieutenants. We won’t need more, I’m
sure,” he said to her worried expression. “Can’t take too many
garrison soldiers,” he whispered. “Even though Thorne’s got
thousands here, he’s still not going to be pleased when he wakes up
and finds about fifty of them missing.”

Perrin watched his father finally release his
grandchildren. He kissed each of them, and they rushed back to
their grandmother for one last goodbye.

“Need to go, now,” Relf said, wiping away
another tear which defied the general. “There are hungry people
waiting for you.”

Relf tried to help Mahrree in the coach, and
she pretended to let him. She watched as Relf lent a hand to each
of his grandchildren, then stepped away from the coach and put an
arm around his wife.

It occurred to Mahrree she’d never seen him
do that before.

Joriana gripped her husband’s free hand and
smiled fearlessly. Mahrree wondered if she was wearing the last
dress she owned.

Jaytsy and Peto, seated on either side of
Mahrree since the bench across from them was occupied by crates of
Joriana’s clothing, leaned to look out the window and waved
miserably at their grandparents.

Perrin mounted his horse and called over to
the lead driver of the caravan who was waiting for the command.
“I’ll take the back with the fort coach. You take the lead with the
two lieutenants.”

The soldier nodded and slapped the reins on
his team to start the caravan.

“Hili,” Perrin called to the private who was
waiting on his mount several paces away, “ride near the tenth
wagon. You can be the go-between man. Keep track of the condition
of the horses. Let me know if any look like they’re failing.”

Hili nodded to Perrin before saluting the
High General.

The general saluted him back and smiled.
Mahrree would later tell Poe Hili how rare an honor that smile
was.

The Shin family watched in silence as the
horses and the twenty full wagons headed toward the open gates of
the garrison. It was only a short trip through the garrison to the
open road reserved for the army through Idumea, where the horse
teams would be spurred on to a gallop. The drivers knew time was of
the essence, and that the loss of a horse or two was far less
important than the loss of human lives. The first relief teams
would be encountered in twelve miles.

When the last of the wagons approached, and
the coach followed to bring up the end, Mahrree peered out the
window at her in-laws one last time.

Perrin was also looking at his parents
standing together in the cold.

They gave him proud smiles.

Perrin sat up tall and saluted his
father.

His father stood at solid attention and
saluted back.

Then Colonel Shin kicked his heels into his
mount and followed the coach out of the garrison.