Part 27 (2/2)

”Oh?”

”They tend to run away,” said Nettle.

Master Farkin chuckled. He asked after Captain Argoth, told them he needed more mink, suggested they avoid the Dog Street tailors, then bid them good-bye.

Back at the wagon, Da said, ”Kindness, boys. It's irresistible. Don't you think?”

”Some people are immune to it,” said Nettle.

”I don't know,” said Da. ”I believe that a sufficient quant.i.ty of kindness can renew the hate-salted field of almost any man's heart.”

”But people won't see kindness if they don't trust you,” said Talen. He was thinking of the lies they'd told the Bailiff. The small lie Da had just told Master Farkin. What if Master Farkin discovered Da's treachery? And that's what it was legally. How much kindness would he show then?

Da ignored his comment and asked, ”How does your arm feel?”

Why did Da keep asking that question? ”It feels fine,” he said. Then he realized it felt more than fine. His whole body felt rested and fresh, like he'd just woken up from a long and lovely sleep.

”Good,” said Da. ”A little more patience, son. You're almost ready.”

”You talk as if you're waiting for a loaf of dough to rise before you put it in the oven.”

”That's not a bad a.n.a.logy.”

What in the Six was Da up to? ”I don't know that I want to be a loaf of bread.”

”I could do with a loaf of bread,” Nettle proclaimed. ”I'm starved. Add a bit of cheese and hog fat, och, that would be the summer's breeze.”

”It would indeed,” said Da and motioned for them to join him on the wagon.

They climbed up onto the wagon seat next to him, then Da flicked the reins and directed Iron Boy to pull out into the road.

They threaded their way down the street. When they came to the intersection that ended the street they'd been traveling and started the one to the fortress, Da stopped the wagon.

Da looked up and down the Fortress road. It was a relatively noisy spot with a number of vendors bellowing about their wares a few houses down, but there wasn't anybody close by here. Da turned to them and pitched his voice low. ”I had planned a good meal for us as well as a good chat, but Master Farkin's news of this Divine has changed things. I don't want you to wait for me. You must not. Deliver the goods we have left and take a message back to River. Tell her the news. Then tell her to prepare the garden for a frost. Use those exact words.”

”But we're weeks away from a turn in the seasons.”

”You want to be trusted?” asked Da. ”Then do this thing.”

The way Da said that made Talen think there was more to the message than he supposed.

”We're not going to the fortress?” Nettle asked.

”You're leaving as quickly as you can without attracting any attention.”

Talen saw Da was serious. ”I'll take the message,” he said.

”Tell her not to delay,” he said then opened his purse, fetched out a number of coins, and gave them to Talen. ”Do not wait for me. They might keep me for an hour or a day. So get the supplies and make the visit to the widow Lamborn. Now tell me the list.”

Talen recited all the things they needed. When he finished, Da said, ”Don't pay the smith one grain more than fifteen measures for the maul.”

Talen didn't know how they'd fare without one of them wearing the token of the Council. ”Are you sure you don't want us to wait?”

”You'll be all right,” said Da. ”You've got Nettle with you.” Then he handed Talen five more coppers. ”Purchase some honey; we'll let your sister eat her own poison.”

”I'm just thinking that it's not safe for you to travel back through the wood at night,” said Talen.

”I'll be fine,” said Da. ”Finish your business and go directly home. Remember: not everyone here is like the guard at the gate.” Then he climbed off the wagon seat turned and reached under the seat and retrieved the Hog. ”Get moving,” he said.

Talen took the reins. ”Are you sure?”

”Go,” he said. Then he swung the Hog up over one shoulder and walked up the road to the fortress.

Talen looked at Nettle.

”A bit ominous,” Nettle said.

”He took the Council's sash,” said Talen. ”We're not getting through the gate we came in without it.”

”I'm sure we can fight our way through with our mighty whittling knives,” Nettle said in jest.

At that moment Talen realized that this was more serious than he thought. Which also meant that by giving him this task, Da was trying to tell him that he trusted him. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more sure he was of Da's intentions.

Talen looked up at the sun. It was past noon. He would have to hurry to make it home before nightfall. He did not want to be out in the dark with Fir-Noy hunters and a monster running about.

And if he didn't make it back home before dark?

Well, he would. So he didn't even need the answer to that question.

20.

Snake Games TALEN FLICKED THE reins and drove the wagon away from the fortress. As he went, one fact pressed itself into his mind: sooner or later some over-vigilant Mokaddian would see Talen and decide he was sleth by a.s.sociation. Someone would decide he needed to be taught a lesson. It was common for such lessons to be delivered in the form of some thrown object-rotten food, dog t.u.r.ds, the ever-handy rock. But Talen didn't think he'd get off so easy this time. So as the clattered down the lane he kept his attention on the corners of streets, on odd windows and sudden intersections.

Having Nettle along should dissuade some from molesting him. But while there were many even-headed Mokaddians like Master Farkin, there were others who were not.

He stopped at two houses to purchase harness rings and forty feet of tight hemp rope, keeping an eye out the whole time, but the owners of neither house would let him in. Nor would they allow Nettle in his stead. At the third house Talen sat back at the wagon like a servant and sent Nettle to the door as his Master. Only then were they able to obtain the goods.

When Nettle came back, he asked, ”What have I got to do to get something to eat?”

”People are giving me the eye, and all you can think about is your stomach?”

”What?” asked Nettle. ”I can't get hungry?”

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