Chap. 347.1 The Gift

Chap. 347.1 The Gift

Through a reddened mist, the leader saw a bay horse approaching them.

“There he is!” one of the men called out.

“Nay, nay, you dolt, there’s only one horse.”

“But it’s a bay.”

The rider approached, reins in one hand and gesticulating with the other fist. He was shouting angrily.

“They’re ALWAYS picking on me. Why Me? I HATE this, it’s always laddie do this laddie do that, when do I get to do what I wanna do? Huh? I got things to do but no I gotta barter this cheese, barter this cheese and don’t you come back empty handed. Shaffing cheese it stinks just like THEM!”

“Who’s he talking to?” one of the raiders said, the hair on his neck standing up.

“Hisself. Must be some brain damage in that one.”

They felt an instinctive repulsion, wanting to distance themselves from an obviously mentally ill person. Everyone knew insanity was contagious.

“I don’t see no barrel.”

“Of course not,” said the leader, “it’s not the packhorse. That one had two hind socks.” I can see that, at least, he thought.

“You’re right. I remember.”

The rider passed them, seemingly unaware of them as he continued to gripe in a deep voice.

The leader saw something bulky lashed to the saddle. “What’s that on the back of his saddle?”

“Looks like a cheese box.”

“Smells like it, too.”

The fire lizard chirped in recognition. His master failed to catch it.

“Feeling better, my boy? Good. Now, then, go ahead of us, there’s a good lad. Scan for the packhorse.”

The fire lizard opened his wings and flew ahead of them.

___________________________________________________________

Her heart rate had slowed to normal by the time she reached the port. Toric’s men are still here! she thought, relieved. Oh, thank you, Lizard. You’re so clever, I would never have thought to disguise myself. I bet you’ll laugh when I tell you what I did to get past them. My stars, I thought they’d recognize me. It’s so funny, now that I’m past them. Mum told me, if you’re ever in a situation where you fear someone, start acting crazy.

She remembered her mother relating that advice.

“Once I was at a Gather”, she’d said, “the crowd was thick, people everywhere. I looked behind me and saw this man right behind me and something in my head said he was going to pick my pocket. So I put my hands in my armpits and began clucking like a chicken. He backed off and ran away!”

She laughed at the mental image of her very dignified mother waving her elbows and scratching the ground. I’ll remember to act like that should I ever need to again.

She urged the horse into a faster walk. He was tired, she knew. She stroked his neck. “You’re a good one,” she said, “It’s not far, now, good boy.”

The Sea Treader was gone. She put off her feeling of dismay.

It’s okay, though. I still have to deliver the barrel, she thought. I’ll find a way home. All I need to do is transfer the barrel to Lord Toric, then I’m released.

The port staff was cleaning the wharves. In the same spot where the fight had occurred, the Stella’s were lounging in the shade of a tree. They were working at emptying a cask of wine while they related their part in the fight.

“Always try to win allies,” Lizard had told her, years before. I didn’t understand it at the time. Now, I suddenly do, she thought.

She reined in the horse before them. One looked up at her with a surly expression that said, “What’s your problem?”

“Excuse me,” she said, “But I have something for your cook.”

“Eh? Cooky?” The man stood up. “You know Cooky?

“No, sir. But whether you know it or not, you seamen did me a favor.”

Not accustomed to praise or thanks, especially from what looked to them like a person not quite sure what gender they wanted to be, some of the men looked wary.

“Cooky don’t usually give out favors.”

“Shards, he don’t hardly give us the time of day.”

She smiled. “No matter. You helped me by thrashing those four men, and I am grateful.”

“Oh, that were for fun, you know. We had a beef with ’em in the first place.”

“Like we needs one?” one said. They roared in delight.

She turned in the saddle to unlash the cheese. I am even more grateful to get rid of it, she thought, as she handed the bulky box to the man.

“A cheese? A whole cheese?” the man said, amazed.

“From Lord Dorn’s Singing Waters Hold. They make the best cheese on Southern.” I hope I’m right, she thought, I don’t know a soul on Southern other than Lizard, and I can’t digest cheese. But if they drink enough, they won’t be able to tell the difference. I know I can’t.

“My word, but it’s rank,” he said, feeling the weight to it. How much would this thing cost? Probably a lot. No, undoubtedly a lot.

“Yes, I’m sorry about the smell.”

“No, you misunderstand,” said the man, “It means it’s ready to eat, and here we’ve got wine to go with it! Will you join us? Um, your name is?”

“Vixen. From Lemos Hold. And no thank you, I must go. But please, accept this cheese as my thanks to you men for saving my life.”

Most of the men turned bashful. “Weren’t nuthin’ ma’am, ” one said, realizing he was a she.

“You was the one they was after, aye?”

“Aye.”

“Them raiders, they’ve had it coming for a while. We are more than happy to save your topknot.”

“Thank you.”

As she rode off, she heard them begin to argue.

“Okay, mate, cut her open, right here. We’s already got the wine.”

“She said it were Cooky’s.”

“Cooky weren’t here to help.”

“We didn’t need no help and iffen there’s any cheese left, then we’ll take it to Cooky.”

“Stop jawin’ and fill my cup. Cheese and wine! All we’s missin’ is a fresh loaf o’ bread.”

“Save me some whilst I go nick a loaf. Cooky just took three outa his oven.”

She rode off, laughing. Allies! Allies like them will be like having a wher for a pet.

She headed for Toric’s men.

The commander of the security detail met her. Something in her demeanour told him she was who they’d been sent to escort. People here in dragonrider’s lands seldom said a word to us Southern Hold folk.

“You are?”

“A courier, from Lemos Hold. I need to see Lord Holder Toric.”

“We’ve been waiting for you, Courier. How is it you’re coming back this way? Didn’t you see us waiting for you? Did you meet up with Lord Toric’s detachment? He’s on his way here.”

Imagine that, he thought, grandfather actually shifting his arse from his Hold.

“No, sir. I’ve not been that far. It’s a complicated story, sir. I came off the Sea Treader and there were four men waiting for me, and they weren’t your escort. I was attacked by a raider at Fort SeaHold, I escaped aboard the Sea Treader. When I saw those raiders here, I just knew they were going to get me. I confess I was so afraid, I was so intent of getting past them without their seeing me that I missed seeing you completely.”

One of Toric’s men laughed. “Ah, you also missed a good fight. The Stella‘s handed them their arses.”

“I know. I thanked them, too. I managed to pass the raiders on my way here.”

“You’re the courier, and yet you don’t have your cargo. Do you?”

She looked at the man, with raised eyebrows.

He saw her misgivings. Ah, our reputation. Lord Toric has managed to alienate everyone on Pern. It makes my job so much the harder.

“Excuse me, courier, but not all of us who are beholden to Lord Toric are knuckle dragging morons. All of my men here are good, honest men, you can depend on any of them. I know who you are and what you’re carrying, despite your disguise, I know you’re the person we’ve been assigned to escort. In fact,”

He reached inside his shirt and pulled out a broken ceramic chit on a lanyard.

He saw her relief wash over her face. Yes, I am right.

“Oh, my stars. Yes. I’ve hidden the cargo and my chit. Please. Let’s go back and get it, it’s only a few kilometers. My friend has my horses. He’s a trader, I’ve known him since I was a pup. He helped me escape and hide the cargo. “

“The trader with the caravan?”

“Yes.”

His mind worked fast. It was maybe half an hour, maybe forty five minutes from when the raiders left. They’ll be far up the road by now.

” ‘Ware! Loose horse coming, fast,” one man called out.

They heard the rapid beat of a galloping horse. A large dun mare rounded a bend in the road, the irons slapping her sides. The detail formed their horses into a line to keep her from passing them. But it wasn’t necessary. She slowed to a stop, whinnying.

A boy appeared as if from nowhere. He eased up to the horse and caught it by the reins. “Whoooooooa, there, whoaa.”

The horse, breathing hard, swung to face him. “Good girl, good lass,” he crooned,”aren’t you a fine filly! There’s a girl, what’s frightened you?” She rubbed her head against his chest. He patted it, soothing her with a soft voice.

One of the men’s horses called out, a whinny that said, “Hello!”

She called back.

“They know each other,” the rider said.

Another laughed. “Someone’s suddenly been dumped. Now he’s got a long way to walk to anywhere.”

The boy met the captain’s eyes and made a slight salute.

“This horse, sir, one of the raiders rode east on it, about half an hour ago.”

“You’re Hey Porter, yes? You took a cotholder’s trunk to the Sea Treader,” the captain said. “I’ve seen you working here. You’re a good one, lad, I’m grateful you keep your eyes on bad un’s like those raiders.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.”

“Next time you see their likes, you come to us and let us know. Just because this is dragonlands doesn’t mean I like seeing them harm innocent folk.”

“Yes sir.”

He twisted his head, looking hard at the horse. The man whose horse had called out, said, “Sir, that mare looks familiar. And my horse, sir, he knows her.”

Vixen said, “Excuse me, Captain, I need to talk to the porter.”

“We’ll come with you, if you don’t mind. I want to take a closer look at that horse.”

The boy, holding the reins to the mare, stole a glance at the courier. His thoughts raced. I saw you get off the Sea Treader with a bay packhorse and a dapple grey mare, but you were a girl. Now you’re dressed up like a well fed boy and the horse you’re riding-it’s Lizard’s bay horse! The very same one! What is going on?

The captain of the detail dismounted, handing this reins to his subordinate and approached the dun. He patted her, then lifted her mane, exposing white markings.

“As I suspected,” he said, thanking his gut. You’ve never misled me, he told it.

His subordinate said, “Stolen?”

“Aye. From Lord Toric, no less. See how the brand’s been reworked? And only recently, it’s healed but the white hairs are just now starting to grow in.” He felt a savage glee rise in his chest.

“The Herdmaster said he’s had some of his horses go missing ’bout six months ago,” one said. He sucked his teeth in a delightful conviction that he’d be feeling schadenfreude very soon. “Lord Toric doesn’t take kindly to his horses being stolen.”

The captain grinned. “Well, mate, we’re about to go and recover them. AND hand the thieves over to Lord Toric to deal with.”

His men chortled. “That won’t be pretty,” one said.

He remounted and looked down at the courier.

She saw her opportunity. Two horses. One me.

“Sir, my horse is tired, he’s been going since before dawn. The trader gave me instructions on what to do with him, so, if you don’t mind, may I ride the dun to where I’ve hidden the cargo?”

“Of course. But what about yours?”

She smiled and said, “Hey Porter!”

The boy’s eyes snapped to hers. “Yes?” he said, suspicion in his voice.

She dismounted and led her horse to him. The two horses breathed into each other’s nostrils, introducing themselves.

“You’re Kim, aren’t you,” she asked, so softly only the boy could hear.

His eyes opened wide in shock. “Yes,” he sighed, nodding his head.

She handed her reins to the boy and straightened up.

“This horse is from Fire Lizard Man,” she said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “He told me to give him to you. He is yours. Forever.”

Kim’s eyes filled with wonder and tears of joy. Not a man on the detail missed it.

“For…forever?” was all he could muster.

“Forever,” she said, treasuring the moment.

She took the dun’s reins from the boy’s suddenly nerveless hands and mounted.

He looked at her, hardly believing this was happening.

She looked at Toric’s captain and said in an official tone, “Sir, if you would, please witness that I, Vixen, Courier from Runner Station 15, Lemos Hold, gave a bay gelding, no markings, to Hey Porter to keep forever.”

Toric’s men all joined in one chorus. “Witnessed!”