27 Dawns Before New Moon

They said little the next day as they raced down an ill-used Messenger road. Arlen's hood was drawn against the sun, but Renna knew the look of frustration it hid.

What business does Arlen have in Deliverer's Hollow that's so all-fired important?

It had to do with a girl, she knew. Leesha Paper. The name itched at her like a chigger. Arlen was evasive the first time Renna tried to ask who Leesha was to him, but they hadn't been promised then, and she'd no right to insist.

Reckon it's time to ask again, she thought.

'Look out!' Arlen cried as they turned a tight bend. Right in front of them, a cart was turned across the road, thick bushes to either side making it impossible to ride around. Renna dug her knees into Promise and pulled hard on her mane. The giant horse reared, whinnying and kicking wildly, and it was all Renna could do to keep her seat. Arlen watched, amused, from atop Twilight Dancer, who had already pulled up short and composed himself.

'Promised you no halter,' Renna said to the mare when she finally calmed. 'Din't say nothin' about no saddle. You think on that.' Promise snorted.

'Ay, Tender! We could use a hand!' a grey-bearded man called, waving at them with a worn and beaten hat. He and another man stood behind the cart, pushing as the skinny nag in front pulled.

'Let me handle this, Ren,' Arlen murmured, edging Twilight Dancer ahead of Promise. 'What happened?' he called.

The man came over to them, taking off his hat again to wipe the sweat from his brow with the back of his dirty hand. His hair and beard were mostly grey, the deep lines of his face streaked with dirt. 'Stuck in the rottin' mud. Think you might lend us one o' them big horses long enough to break free?'

'Sorry, can't help,' Arlen said, his eyes scanning the area.

The man's eyes gogged at him. 'Whaddaya mean, you can't help? What kind of Tender are you?'

Renna looked at Arlen, surprised he would be so rude to a greybeard in need. 'Dancer could pull them free in no time.'

Arlen shook his head. 'Cart ent stuck, Ren. This is the oldest trick in the bandit handbook.' He snorted. 'Didn't think folk still did this one.'

'Bandits? Honest word?' Renna looked around again, this time with her night eyes. She and Arlen were cut off in the middle of nowhere, in daylight when they were weakest. The mud wasn't even up to the ankles of the men, and the bushes on either side of the road could easily conceal more men. Her fingers drifted towards her knife, but Arlen whisked a hand at her and she left it in its sheath.

'Bad enough we got demons at night,' Arlen said. 'Now folk turn on each other in the day.'

'That's ridiculous!' the greybeard cried, but he was stepping back, and Renna could see the lie in his eyes now, so clear that she wondered why she hadn't seen it before. That day folk, even elders, could be just as bad as demons was no new lesson to her. Harl had been grey, and Raddock Lawry.

The man standing behind the cart ducked out of sight a moment, and then reappeared holding a crank bow. Two men came from the bushes, aiming drawn hunting bows at them. From around the bend behind them came three more men with spears, blocking their retreat. All were gaunt, with dark circles under their eyes and ragged, patched clothing.

Only the greybeard was unarmed. 'Ent looking to hurt anyone, Tender,' he said, putting his hat back on, 'but these are desperate times, and you're carrying an awful heavy load for a Tender and his ...' He squinted at Renna. She was dappled in shadows, obscuring the wards on her skin, but there was no missing the scandalous cut of her clothes. The man with the crank bow let out a low whistle, moving forward for a closer look.

'Don't go gettin' any ideas, Donn,' the greybeard warned, and the crank bowman checked himself.

The greybeard flicked his eyes back to Arlen. 'In any event, we'll be taking any food, blankets, or medicine you got, not to mention those big horses.'

Renna gripped her knife, but Arlen only chuckled. 'Trust me, you wouldn't want the horses.'

'You don't get to tell me what I want, Tender,' the greybeard snapped. 'Creator abandoned us a long time ago. Now you two get down off those horses or my men will fill you full of holes.'

Arlen was off Twilight Dancer in an instant. Renna barely saw him move as he closed the distance to the greybeard, catching him in a sharusahk choke hold and twisting the old man between him and the bowmen.

'Like you said,' Arlen said, 'ent looking to hurt anyone. Just looking to be on my way. So why don't you tell your men to ...'

He was cut off as one of the bowmen let fly. Renna gasped, but Arlen snatched the arrow out of the air the way a quick man might snatch a horsefly.

'This was apt to hit you more than me,' Arlen noted, holding up the arrow in front of the greybeard. He tossed it aside.

'Corespawn it, Brice!' the greybeard shouted. 'You trying to kill me?!'

'Sorry!' Brice cried. 'Slipped!'

'Slipped, he says,' the greybeard muttered. 'Creator help us.'

While all the attention was on the bowman, one of the spearmen took the opportunity to quietly move up behind Arlen. He was sneaky enough by day folk standards, but Renna didn't cry an alarm. She could tell just from Arlen's stance that he knew the man was coming. Was baiting it, even.

Just as the spearman lunged, Arlen shoved the greybeard away. The man put his spear horizontally over Arlen's head, meaning to come up under his chin in a choke. Arlen grabbed the shaft, bending forward with a twist that turned all the man's momentum against him, flipping him over to land heavily on his back. Arlen, now holding the spear in one hand, put his foot on the man's chest and looked at the others.

In the struggle, his hood had come down, and the men gaped at the sight. 'The Painted Man,' Brice said, and all the bandits began to mutter among themselves.

After a moment, the greybeard remembered himself. 'So you're the one everyone says is the Deliverer.' He squinted. 'You don't look like the Deliverer to me.'

'Never said I was,' Arlen said. 'I'm Arlen Bales out of Tibbet's Brook, and I ent gonna deliver anything but a whipping to anyone doesn't start acting neighbourly right quick.'

The greybeard looked at him, and then around at his men. He waved a hand and they put their weapons up, all staring at Arlen, who glared back at them like Renna's mam when she'd caught the girls at mischief and was readying a scolding.

Even the greybeard couldn't weather that stare for long. He wiped the sweat from his weathered brow again, wringing his hat in his hands. 'Ent gonna apologize,' he said. 'I got mouths to feed, and folk in need of proper succour. Done some things I'm not proud of to get by, but it ent from greed or malice. A man tends to forget himself when he's been on the road a long time with nowhere to go.'

Arlen nodded. 'Know what that's like. What's your name?'

'Varley Oat,' the greybeard said.

Arlen nodded at the surname. 'You're out of Oating, then? Three days' north of Fort Rizon, past the Yellow Orchards?'

Varley's eyes widened, but he nodded. 'You come a long way from Oating, Varley,' Arlen said. 'How long you been on the road?'

'Nigh three seasons. Since the Krasians took Fort Rizon,' Varley said. 'Knew the desert rats would come for us next, so I told folk to pack up everything they owned and set off right away.'

'You Town Speaker?' Arlen asked.

Varley laughed. 'I was the Tender.' He shrugged. 'Guess I still am, after a fashion, though I been doubting there's anyone watching from above.'

'Know that feeling, too,' Arlen said.

'Whole village of Oating left together,' Varley went on. 'Six hundred of us. We had Herb Gatherers, Warders, even a retired Messenger to guide us. Plenty of supplies. Honest word, we started with more than we could carry. But that changed quick.'

'Always does,' Arlen said.

'Desert rats came quickly,' Varley said, 'and their scouts were everywhere. Lost a lot of folk to the running, and a lot more to the winter. Krasians stopped chasing us eventually, but no one felt safe until we got to Lakton.'

'But Lakton wouldn't have you,' Arlen guessed.

Varley shook his head. 'We were looking a bit shabby by then. Folk would look the other way for a bit if we camped for a week in a fallow field or fished a bit in their pond, but no one was looking to take five hundred new folk into their town. Someone would accuse us of stealing something, and before you know it, whole town comes out with rakes and hoes to run us out.

'Went on from there to the Hollow, where they're taking in Rizonans by the thousand, but folk there were chewing bark and digging bugs just to fill their bellies, and the Cutters roam the refugee camps, looking for recruits to get themselves killed in the naked night. Some of us lost everything to the Krasians, and they want us to start fightin' demons? Won't be no one left.'

'So you set off north,' Arlen said.

Varley shrugged. 'Seemed like the wisest course. I still had nigh three hundred folk to look after. Hollowers gave us a couple of warded spears and what help they could. Farmer's Stump wasn't half so kind, and the bastards in Fort Angiers turned us away at spearpoint. Heard there might be work up Riverbridge way, but that place was no better. Packed full. So now we're here, and got nowhere else.'

'Show me your camp,' Arlen said. The bandit looked at him for a moment, then nodded and turned to his men. The cart was out of the mud in an instant, and they were soon travelling off road through a narrow pass in the trees. Arlen dismounted, leading Twilight Dancer by the reins. Renna did the same, laying a hand on Promise's strong neck to guide her. The mare stomped and snorted when any of the men drew near, but she was growing used to Renna's touch.

It was over an hour before the Oatingers' camp came in sight, hidden well away from the road. Renna's eyes widened at the ragtag collection of crudely patched tents and covered wagons, thick with the stench of sweat and human waste. Perhaps two hundred souls were gathered there. Varley's men, ragged themselves, were the pick of the lot.

Women, children, and elderly stumbled about the camp, exhausted, filthy, and half starved. Many wore bandages, and most feet were wrapped in rags. Everyone was working repairing and warding tattered and meagre shelters, tending gruel pots, airing laundry and scraping dishes, gathering firewood, preparing wardposts, tending scrawny livestock. The only idle were the sick and the wounded, housed under a poorly constructed rain shelter. Their moans of pain could be heard clear across the camp.

Arlen led Twilight Dancer through the camp, his back stiff as he looked in the lost and tired eyes of the people. They started when they caught sight of his warded face, and began to whisper among themselves, but none had the courage to approach him as he passed.

They came to the shelter for the sick, and Renna choked on the sight like it was demon meat. Almost two dozen folk spread out on narrow cots, covered in bloody bandages, filthy and reeking. Two of the patients had soiled themselves, and another was covered in her own sick. None of them looked apt to recover.

One frazzled woman attempted vainly to tend them all. Her grey hair was pulled in a tight bun, and her narrow face pinched. She wore no pocketed apron on her worn dress.

'Creator, they don't even have a proper Gatherer,' Arlen whispered.

'My wife, Evey,' Varley grunted. 'She ent an Herb Gatherer, but serves as one, for those in need.' Evey looked up, and her eyes widened in shock as she took in Arlen's and Renna's warded skin.

Arlen went to his saddlebag and fetched his herb pouch. 'I've some Gatherer's art, particularly when it comes to coreling wounds. Like to help if I might.'

Evey fell to her knees. 'Oh, please, Deliverer! We'll do anything!'

Arlen's brows knit in sudden anger. 'You can start by not acting the fool!' he snapped. 'I ent no Deliverer. I'm Arlen Bales out of Tibbet's Brook, and I'm just looking to help as I can.'

Evey looked as if he had slapped her. Her pale cheeks grew a bright red, and she got quickly to her feet. 'I'm sorry ... I don't know what came over me ...'

Arlen reached out, squeezing her shoulder. 'You don't have to explain. Know the ale stories the Jongleurs spin about me. But I'm here to tell you I'm a man like any other. Just learned some old world tricks folk these days have forgotten.'

Evey nodded, finally looking him in the eye and relaxing.

''Bout sixty miles north of here is the village of Deadwell,' Arlen told Varley. 'I can draw you a good map, with places you can camp along the way marked off.'

'Why should they want us at Deadwell more'n anywhere else?' Varley asked.

''Cause there ent no one in Deadwell any more,' Arlen said. 'Corelings got in and killed every man, woman, and child there. But we just been there, and swept the place good. Might be cramped at first, but it's got everything you need to start a new life. Just make sure you brick up the well, and dig a fresh one.'

Varley gaped at him. 'You're just ... giving us a village?'

Arlen nodded. 'Used to go there a lot. Place was special to me. I'd like it to be a home to good folk again.' He gave Varley a pointed look. 'Folk that take a dim view of banditry.'

Varley seemed unconvinced. 'Canon says, Trust not the man who offers all you desire just when you need it most.'

Arlen smiled. 'Creator abandoned you, but Tender Varley can't stop quoting Canon?'

Varley chuckled. 'World's full of contradictions.'

'Deadwell ent gonna do you any worse than you already are,' Arlen said. 'Your wards are weak. Could see that just passing through.'

Varley nodded and spat. 'Ent got so much as a Hedge Warder outside a hospit cot. Folk are just warding their carts and tents as best they can.'

Arlen nodded to Renna. 'This here's Renna Tanner, my intended. She's a fair hand at warding. I'd like you and your men to take her around the camp. Help her see if she can't grant you more succour.'

Evey bowed to Renna. 'It's a real blessing, you doing this for us.'

Renna smiled and grabbed Arlen's arm. 'Excuse us a minute.' She turned and dragged Arlen back between the horses.

'What are you playing at, Arlen Bales?' she demanded. 'Had to fight tooth and nail for you to let me ward my own backside, and now you trust me to ward this whole camp?'

Arlen looked at her. 'Saying you ent up to it? I shouldn't trust you?'

Renna put her hands on her hips. 'Din't say any such thing.'

'Then why we talkin' about this?' Arlen asked. 'Light's wastin', and you need to shore up them wards any way you can. Bully folk and slap the fool out of them if you have to, but get it done. Take a few spears and some warded arrows, to give to those as can use them.'

Renna blinked. No one had ever trusted her to ward more than the barn before. Or given her any responsibility, really, beyond milking the cow and making supper. Now, without a wave, Arlen was trusting her to be Selia Barren to these people.

Love you, Arlen Bales.

Renna quickly saw the wards were even worse than they feared. There was no proper circle around the camp at all. The Oatingers had spread haphazardly through the clearing, each of their carts, wagons, and tents individually warded, with varying levels of skill. The best of them were barely adequate.

'How many folk you losing every night?' she asked.

Varley spat. 'Too many. And more each night.'

'Only gets worse every night you stay in one place,' Renna said. 'Big camp like this, smell of fear and blood in the air, will draw corelings like ants to an apple core.'

Varley swallowed. 'Don't like the sound of that.'

'Shouldn't,' Renna said. 'You get these people on the road to Deadwell tomorrow, whatever it takes.' She stopped in front of one cart, surrounded by wardposts staked into the ground.

'Been seein' a lot of these posts,' Renna said.

Varley nodded. 'Our Warder made them before he was cored. Used to be enough to surround the camp, but we've lost a few and ent been able to replace 'em.'

Renna nodded. 'Pull them all, if you please, and bring them over to the edge of the clearing.' She pointed. 'We'll circle the biggest wagons and put the posts in the gaps in between. Whole camp needs to squeeze in tight to fit inside.'

'Folk ent gonna take kindly to us pulling up their wards,' Varley said.