The Vildecaz Talents: The complete set of Vildecaz Stories including Nimuar's Loss, The Deceptive Oracle and Agnith's Promise (73 page)

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On the third day after Ninianee had floundered ashore, her dogged progress along the river’s edge came to a place where the canyon gave way to a shallow valley, and the towpath broadened enough to make it possible to walk faster and longer in a day. Although it was cold, it no longer froze at night, and where the ground was bare there were the first, tentative hints of spring as a faint fuzz of grass-shoots struggled out of the earth. Ninianee was pleased to see the shift in season, but that satisfaction was leavened by the knowledge that the full moon was coming, and this time she would have to deal with her Change alone. That thought kept her walking steadily throughout the day, ignoring hunger and fatigue, wanting only to reach the borders of Vildecaz as soon as possible. By evening, as rain-clouds gathered in the southern sky, Ninianee came upon a towing-stage station. There were lights in the windows and a dozen sturdy ponies in the paddocks behind the station which backed onto a broad meadow bordered by birches, ash, and willows. Her first impulse was to go past it, for she didn’t want to risk being delayed any longer, but she was exhausted and intensely hungry, so she decided to take a chance and approached the sturdy wooden structure, choosing the side-door rather than the front to make her approach. She hesitated before she struck the door with the flat of her hand, repeating her percussive summons when there was no immediate response.

A barrel-shaped woman as substantial as the building she occupied opened the door to Ninianee’s knocking, standing, arms akimbo, her broad, plain face anything but cordial. “What is it?”

This was a new experience for Ninianee. She offered the woman a respect, and said, “Pardon my intrusion. The barge on which I was riding broke apart in the river. I’ve been walking for three days. “I’m bound for Valdihovee in Vildecaz. I’m hungry and cold, and I’m willing to work for a bed and a meal. I don’t mind what kind of labor you have for me.” As if to soften the hostess’ demeanor, she added, “I’m good with all kinds of animals.”

The woman regarded her skeptically. “Why did your barge break apart?”

“We struck something in the river – a boulder, perhaps, or a floating log, I couldn’t see whatever it was, ” said Ninianee. “It could have been a kuatiree, but there’s no way to know for sure. The barge was the biggest for hire, and still it couldn’t withstand the pounding it took.”

“Three days ago, you say?”

“Yes. We were still in the steep part of the canyon, coming down from the Worjinranth Falls. There was very little traffic going down-river, and virtually none going up.”

“It’s still winter. No one goes up-river in winter,” said the woman.

“So the river-men told us,” said Ninianee.

“Who else survived?” The woman sounded less brusque now, and more inclined to listen.

“I saw one mule climb ashore, but no one else. But once I was in the water, it was all I could do to keep from drowning, and the river was moving so fast, if anyone else got out, I saw no trace of them,” Ninianee told her, feeling shocked to hear her own voice admit so engulfing a loss.

“Whose barge was it, that you had animals upon it? You say it was the biggest for hire – who steered it?” There was a note of urgency in her asking now, and it struck Ninianee that this woman must know the owners of all the barges working the river.

“It was Onpoleneraz’s barge,” said Ninianee. “We were bound for Valdihovee. I still am. I think I said that already.”

The woman had turned pale. “Onpoleneraz?” She made a gesture to the Silent One. “Who was with him, other than you and any companions with you?”

“Our guide was Ferzal,” said Ninianee. “I didn’t see what became of her.”

“Ferzal. That’s sad.” The woman sighed. “Her people may be pirates and thieves, but she has never done anyone harm who didn’t deserve it.”

This information held Ninianee’s attention. “Pirates and thieves?”

“Yes. They operate out of their deep little canyon, waylaying barges, holding crew and travelers for ransom, taking all the cargo they can sell. Harsh folk. Ferzal broke with them years ago. She’s never been part of their crimes.”

“Remarkable,” said Ninianee, trying to imagine what would have become of them all had they taken shelter with Ferzal’s people as Ferzal had suggested. Perhaps falling into the River Dej was not the horrid calamity it had seemed to be. “I’m sorry to bring you sad news. I hope you’ll pardon me for distressing you, and will let me tend your ponies in exchange for a meal and a place to sleep. I’ll do right by you, no slacking, and no pilfering.”

The blocky woman stood very still, clearly making up her mind about Ninianee. Finally she said, “The season is just getting underway – in two weeks, if the weather holds, there’ll be dozens of barges heading up the Dej. You’re right: I need to be prepared. My stock needs attention. You might as well come in. I’ll give you a day or two to prove your worth.”

“I won’t stay much longer than two days,” Ninianee assured her. “I have to keep going.”

“Three days at most, then.” She stood aside to admit Ninianee to the kitchen where six oil-lanterns provided illumination now that the evening was coming. The room was large, warm, and old-fashioned, with large spits suspended in the maws of three massive fire-places. Only one contained burning logs, although the other two had fires laid, just awaiting a struck spark to add their heat to the room. Offering beams hung from the rafters, one for each meal of the day. A long trestle table went down the center of the room, flanked by a number of short benches and stools. The woman motioned Ninianee toward it. “Choose a place to sit. I’ll cut you a little of the shoat and give you a tankard of hot wine. When you’ve eaten, you can go out and groom the ponies and feed them. There’s grain in the tack-room.”

Ninianee felt saliva fill her mouth, and her stomach gurgled. “Fine,” she said, and chose a stool near the end of the table.

“I haven’t done any baking for three days, so you’ll have to make do with travelers’ bread. If you soak it in the wine or broth first, it isn’t too bad.” She bustled over to the fireplace, a wedge-shaped knife in hand. “I’ll cut the slices off the haunch,” she said as she reached for a platter on which to place the pork.

Ninianee took a pinch of salt from the open cellar on the table and offered it on the beam to Nyolach, the Unexpected and Monianaj.

“Someone taught you properly,” approved the woman, adding a third slice of pork to the platter.

“My father,” said Ninianee, thinking of how often in the last months she had neglected the Meal Rite.

The woman set the platter down, and then a blue crockery plate. “Take what you like.”

“Thank you,” said Ninianee earnestly, reaching for a knife and a simple two-tined fork and sliding two of the three slices onto the platter. “Everything we had went into the river.” She cut a section of the pink flesh and bit into it, thinking nothing had ever tasted so good.

“Ah, you are hungry,” said the woman. “Having a bout with the River Dej will exhaust the strongest of us. Well, eat it up and when you’re done with my ponies, I’ll see you have more food.” She poured out a tankard of hot wine. “This will warm your bones for you.”

“Thank you,” said Ninianee around her chewing. She reached for the tankard and washed the pork down, then cut another slice.

“You’ll sleep soundly tonight, I warrant.” Pouring herself a tankard of foamy beer, she went on, “What did you say your name was?”

“Agninean,” said Ninianee, using a name she had invented for herself during her three-day trek down the river.

“Your mother must have been a magician, to give you such a name.”

“I understand she was,” said Ninianee.

“A bit self-important, don’t you think? using a part of a goddess’ name for you? Just asking for trouble, it seems to me. Not that it’s my business, but I’d think you’d want a more personal name than that.” The woman laughed and drank. “I’m Herebarzit, and this is Meadow-Stage House.”

“Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Herebarzit,” said Ninianee, unable to keep from yawning. “Excuse me.”

“Finish your pork and go tend to the ponies before you fall asleep,” Herebarzit recommended. “I’ll keep the meat warm and soak some travelers’ bread in broth for you when you’re through.”

“That’s kind of you,” said Ninianee, pushing herself to her feet and taking a last, long draft of wine. “I’ll be back when I’ve finished with the ponies.”

“There’s a lantern in the stable, and a safe hook to hang it on. The rake for the stalls is on the east wall, and there’s a shovel, too, if you should need it, and a barrow. The old bedding goes on the midden behind the stable. Brushes and combs are in the tack-room, and medicated grease for their hooves is on the shelf above the brushes and combs.” Herebarzit was all business now, and she ticked off the points of information on her stubby fingers. “There’s a long trough running through the stalls for water. It’s in need of cleaning, but that’ll wait until tomorrow.”

“I’ll attend to it then,” said Ninianee as she went toward the door and stepped out into the gathering twilight, doing all she could to keep from missing Doms.

The armed and masked men had appeared out of nowhere, storming down on the company of travelers with blood-curdling shouts and howls, brandishing their weapons and trying to injure the horses and mules as a sure way to halt Kloveon’s and Erianthee’s escort, as well as the wagons they guarded. They rushed at the wagons, whooping defiance, and tried to slash the hindquarters and hocks of the mules, but were frustrated by the protective-bubble-spell Erianthee had cast when they left Tiumboj and had renewed every morning since. That hardly stopped the attackers from continuing their assault on the out-riders, or trying to find weak places in the spell.

Erianthee shouted out “Gremmi bontaj!” as a throwing-spike flew past her ear to thud into the front of the first wagon, narrowly missing the driver. She quickly recited the formula to strengthen the spell that guarded them from harm, even while she saw the escort begin to form into a wedge-formation, readying to answer aggress with aggress. “How many are there?”

“I make it nineteen or twenty,” said Kloveon as if the number didn’t trouble him. “They’ve got poor horses and old weapons.”

“And are protected by spells?” Erianthee asked.

“As we are, I would suppose,” he replied, shading his eyes to get a better look. “Twenty-two.”

She felt her heart sink as she looked over the nine men of the escort. “You mean twenty-four, or five,” she said, watching the escort draw weapons as they got into a defensive formation.

“Hold!”’ Kloveon shouted, after a swift glance assured him that Erianthee was unhurt. Drawing his sword and preparing to fend off the masked men, he urged his horse into the van of the wedge. “Escort! Stop them! Keep alert to spells! Strike them from behind if you can! Their spells will be weakest there.” He held onto the reins, pulling his blood-bay onto his hind legs as he readied for a counter-charge. He looked up at the mid-afternoon sky, trying to calculate how long a delay this skirmish could be. Here they were on this remote stretch of road, six days out from Tiumboj and four leagues from the next town. He knew they were dangerously exposed and would have to drive the attackers off or face being left in this out-of-the-way part of the merchants’ road to Otsinmohr, damaged, wounded, kidnapped, or dead.

“Kloveon!” Erianthee shouted, swinging her copper-dun around to join him. “I can deflect their spells. You’ll need that, at least.”

“Stay back!” He gestured wildly. “Keep safe!”

“But I can fight with you. I can cast a confusion spell, or a fright spell,” she protested. She was angry that her bubble-spell had left her vulnerable – although it was always a risk to a magician when malice was involved – and now wanted to confront the men who challenged them.

“You can do us good if you’d conjure up something to send them away, never mind countering their spells – scare them into retreat!” he called back, a grim amusement in his voice as he kicked his blood-bay into a gallop, swinging his sword around to the ready.

As much as she wanted to follow him and the armed men of their escort, Erianthee hesitated, worried that she might still be at risk for injury. If only the attackers weren’t masked, then she might have some idea of who they were and why they were after them. She pulled back on the reins, feeling the copper-dun worrying the bit in his efforts to join the others. One of the wagons halted, and Erianthee shouted to the driver to keep moving.

Not far ahead on the road the escort clashed with the attackers, their combat furious, a tangle of swords, dust, and horses, accompanied by shouts, curses, and the sharp clang and scrape of metal on metal. The driver of the lead wagon slowed his pair of mules to a walk. “Don’t want to get into that mess, Duzeon – take my advice.” He pointed up to a flight of arrows that had been slowed by her renewed spell, but still fell in profusion among the wagons and their teams. The reserve horses and mules pulled restlessly as the fight erupted ahead.

She looked down at him. “What do you mean?”

“Better they shouldn’t see you – in case they’re after you,” said the driver, his long, weathered face revealing a degree of calculation that she found unnerving. “You need to be out of sight.”

“Why would they be after me?”