Chapter 4
Tarsha sighed, already missing her twin that had left with everyone else three weeks ago to get back to Haven in time for classes to start again, after making sure that all the children with gifts had it all under control. No one was really surprise to find out that Devid, Jazmine and Jessica had no gifts. In fact their parent's were surprised that so many of their children had gifts.
:Sad?: Quick foot asked looking up at her from where he was lying at her feet.
"I miss my brother." She replied as she moved her attention back to the mare that had taken a stumble in the field.
:It is sad when family moves away but it is the way life goes.: Quick foot told her sounding a little sad himself.
"I never figured you one for such deep thoughts, Quick foot." She told him with a smile. "You are one smart pup, smarter then most I have found." She remarked as she finished wrapping the leg of the mare and continued to make up dinner for the rest of the horses, a little sad that there were no companions for her to share apples with now that they had all headed back home. Even if it meant that she had less work to do. "Don't you find yourself missing being around your own kind, Quick foot?" She inquired as together they walked down the stable feeding the horses.
:I have been on my own for a long time, I barely remember there being anyone else.: He replied with what felt like a mental shrug. :But now I have you and you have me, together we can keep each other company and that helps ease the loneliness.:
"Yes that is very true." She smiled down at him as she set the last bucket down.
"Hey Tash." James hailed her as he came into the stable. "Pa needs me to head down to the village to take those horses to be reshoed."
"So late in the day?" She asked in surprise. There was no way that he would get the village before the midnight hour if he left now.
"No, silly in the morning." He told her with a laugh, hugging her shoulders. "I wanted to know which ones would like to carry me there."
"You are only asking now 'cause you know I can speak to them" She accused him, pushing him away a little with a laugh.
"True but I wouldn't want one to toss me off because they didn't feel like it." He retorted with a snort. "Please?"
"Alright." She laughed at the pitiful look he gave her. :Which one would be will to carry my brother, to take those to have their steel hooves replaced?: She inquired of the four who would not be taking the trip.
:No one carries my man with out my say so.: The dark grey stallion replied with a stamp of his hoof.
"Greylock says no one carries you with out his say so" She repeated with a laugh. "After all he is your horse."
"True but I thought I had better ask." James replied with a chuckle as he walked forward and gave Greylock a scratch. "I'll be back when I get up in the morning…Oh Pa asks if the loft room is okay for you, he meant to ask you at dinner."
"I love it." She nodded. "I spend most of my time here any way and they all would protect me if something got in here." She grinned up at him. "It's better then sleeping next to you and Devid with your snoring keeping me up all night."
"Very true." James laughed as she wrapped an arm around his waist, hugging him. "Is it just me or is it every time I see Quick foot he has grown a little more?" He asked looking down at the pup, who seemed now to be at knee height.
"He is a pup, James and it has been a week since you've seen him." Tarsha pointed out with a chuckle. "I think by the time he is full grown he will be waist height."
"I don't doubt it." James nodded with a smile. "Mama told me to remind you not to miss breakfast tomorrow." He added as he pecked her cheek before heading for the door.
"I wont." She promised before he disappeared. She checked over the stalls once more before lighting the safety fire that her brothers had built for her so she wouldn't accidentally light the stable on fire. She headed for the main doors as she heard horses approaching. Now that she had stopped trying to block all the animals out she found that she could hear them clear as day before they came with in hearing distance of the inn, a candlemark after James usually warned her that they had company coming.
"Is there room in the inn for eight people lass?" A well dressed man in what looked like a uniform asked.
"Yes, sir." She nodded respectfully as she noticed a richly dressed man and lady beside him, all of them looking like they had ridden hard. "Will you be staying the night?"
"How far to Deren Keep? I seem to have lost track of where we are." The richly dressed man asked.
"Another four or five candlemarks my lord." She replied bowing a little.
"Then we will be staying the night and heading out at first light." He nodded as they all dismounted, the Lord and Lady heading into the inn leaving the other six who appeared to be servants to deal with the luggage and horses.
:Hungry?: She asked the horses who all looked like they were ready to drop in exhaustion. She pushed down the chuckle as they all whickered their agreement of hunger. She waited until the servants had the luggage off. :Empty stalls please, and I'll get you some good mush.: She couldn't help but laugh as they all eagerly stepped into stalls with out anyone leading them or waiting for their tack to be removed. She moved to the grain bins and quickly made up eight buckets of mush, ignoring the murmuring from the servants, before five of them headed into the inn.
"If you don't mind me being so forward, but do you have a gift with animals?" The man who had asked if they had room, inquired looking a little anxious.
"I do." She nodded slightly as she set the buckets down in front of the hungry horses.
"I was wondering if you could see if there was anything wrong with the Lady's mare? She has been a little panicky for the last few days."
"In what way?" Tarsha asked as she moved towards the beautiful chestnut coloured mare that the man had pointed out.
"She isn't as fast as she used to be and she shies at everything."
:Anything troubling you sister?: Tarsha asked the mare as she ran her hands over the mare. :The man here worries about you.:
:I carry my foal and something pains my left fore hoof.: The mare replied serenely.
:Then let's have a look.: She tapped the hoof in question and the mare lifted it as Tarsha pulled a hoof pick from the belt that Danny had given her for midwinter and pulled out the mud and grass that was packed into it. :Hold steady this may hurt, you've a stone.: She warned the mare as she picked it out. "Grab the bucket by the fire for me? And the jar with the green label and rag?" She asked the man as a little puss flowed out of the little wound. He quickly returned with the requested items with an extra rag and watched as she washed the hoof off and made up a poultice and wrapped it with the clean rag. "There, I'll see how she is in the morning. She had a stone in her hoof and she is carrying a foal." She told the man as she scratched the mare between the eyes and patted her neck.
"My thanks. I am Jeral, Weaponsmaster for Lord Deren." He introduced himself with a little nod.
"Tarsha Mannerly." Tarsha accepted his hand and shook it. "No one has seen your Lord and Lady in five years, people will be surprised to see them again."
"It has been awhile since we've been home, but things are settling down at court and have become a little dull over the last years so here we are." He shrugged. "Will the mare be able to travel tomorrow morning?"
"I'll let you know in a candlemark, I'll know for sure by then how well the poultice is taking." She told him as she began removing the tack from the mare are Jessica came running in.
"Sir, Jeral? Lord Deren would like to see you sir." Jessica told him before she moved to help untack the horses.
"My thanks again." Jeral bowed a little before heading towards the inn.
"Can you believe it? Lord Deren back? Apparently the rest of his people are a day or so behind him, including a company of Mercs hired to protect him on his trip." Jessica informed her sister, knowing that it was the only way that she was kept up to date with everything these days, was by what her family told her during meals or when they stopped in for something.
"At least this way the farmers are going to have a little bit more trading now that Lord Deren is back." Tarsha smiled as she moved to Lord Deren's stallion and quickly removing the tack while Jessica moved along behind her giving them a quick grooming. :Any one else with pains or troubles?: She inquired sending to the other seven horses.
:We are fine, just tired.: The stallion assured her as he nuzzled her chest. :My thanks for tending to Blaze, we were all concerned for her. I am Midnight.:
:You are most welcome Midnight: She assured him with a smile as she patted his neck and quickly got the others untacked and began grooming them, wrote out a quick note to her mother asking for a flask of hot tea and something to nibble on for her and Quick foot and called Quick foot from where he was watching. "Give this to Mama for me, Quick foot? She should give you a small basket to carry back." She asked.
:Gladly.: He nodded and carefully took the note in his teeth and trotted off.
"You know I don't think that Mama will ever get used to seeing him waltz into her kitchen carrying notes." Jessica commented with a chuckle.
"She has no problems with it, in fact she insists if I want anything but can't come in then to send Quick foot." Tarsha replied with a grin of her own. "I can take it from here if you want to head in, sis." Tarsha added noting that Jessica was slowing down and looked tired.
"You don't mind?" Jessica asked looking like she wanted to go but didn't want to leave her with out help.
"I have handled worse on my own, and there is only two more to do." She assured her.
"Well if you are sure."
"I am, you are ready to drop." Tarsha nodded firmly and gestured for her to go and gave her a quick hug before she ran off back to the inn. Once she had finished grooming she checked over Blaze again, asking how it felt just as Quick foot returned carrying a small basket.
She returned to the fire, adding a log and pulled out the bone that had been placed in there for him and gave it to him with a smile and gulped down a mug of tea, and waited long enough for the ache to leave her arms before heading into the inn to give Jeral her report on Blaze.
She found him sitting with the other servants one table back from the fire.
"Jeral?" She spoke up to get his attention, "Blaze will be ready to travel tomorrow, providing you take it easy for the first leg of the trip."
"What is this about Blaze?" Lord Deren look up from what was left of his meal near the fire.
"She had a stone in her hoof and she is carrying a foal, she'll be right to travel by morning if you take it easy." Tarsha repeated with a slight bow.
"What about the others?" He inquired.
"Midnight and the others are fine, just tired from the trip." She assured him with a smile. "A good feed and grooming when you get to the keep and they will be good as new."
"That's good news, I've been worried about them all." He nodded with a small frown. "Though how Blaze is carrying a foal I have no idea, she is always kept in a separate stall to the others."
"I believe that Midnight is responsible for that, she is a month along, so my guess it just before you or just after you left Haven." Tarsha replied with a small shrug.
"How has the weather been lately?" He asked as Devid placed a mug of ale in front of him.
"We are expecting the first true snow in the next day or two, no more then three days away." Tarsha replied. "There has been heavy rain fall for the last three weeks which will be good for next years crops, though we have had a few heavy hail storms."
"Any one lose their crops?" He asked in concern.
"No my Lord, everyone knew that it was coming." Devid replied for her with a shake of his head. "There are plenty or warnings when you know what to watch out for."
"Well if Blaze and the others need the rest then we'll leave two hours after dawn, that should give them enough chance to recover…" He told them both. "I had better talk to the inn keeper and let him know of the others that are behind us."
"I'll get him for you." Tarsha offered and only moved off when he nodded. "Pa, Lord Deren would like a word about the caravan that is coming behind him." She said as she passed the bar heading into the kitchen with Quick foot at her heels. "Ma, I don't think I am going to get much chance at breakfast tomorrow." She told her mother as she grabbed a towel and began drying the dishes that were sitting on the bench and putting them away. "James leaves at dawn and Lord Deren and his lot head out after him…" She stopped as she realised what she was saying.
"Tarsha you know that we all eat before dawn anyway." Annabell pointed out with a small chuckle.
"I know, it only just clicked, I must be more tired then I thought to getting times mixed up." She sighed with a shake of her head. "How you feeling?"
"Big." Annabell laughed patting her swollen stomach. "Just another three months and I'll drop, though Ma thinks I may be a little early considering it is twins and my first."
"Do you need any help in here?" She asked looking about.
"No, we only have Lord Deren and his crew tonight so you can head off." Ma shook her head. "Just don't forget to bank the fire."
"I won't." Tarsha promised as she gave them both a hug and headed back out to the stable, holding back a yawn. "You coming to bed with me Quick foot?" She asked as she closed the main doors to the stable.
:I keep watch and nap…maybe my true name will come in a dream.: He shook his head as she banked the fire.
:Any one need anything before I turn in?: She asked the dozing horses.
:We are fine, we sleep.: Greylock informed her with out opening his eyes.
With a quick scan of the stables she blew out all but two of the lamps and climbed up the ladder to her room in the loft and settled down to sleep.
OOOOOOO
She woke to Quick foot nuzzling her neck before giving her cheek a quick lick.
:Time to rise, Tash.: He thoughts entered her mind softly.
"I'm up, I'm up." She muttered groggily as she slowly sat up rubbing her eyes, blinked a few times to get her eyes to focus as she felt her mind wake completely and quickly dressed and pulled on her shoes and headed down the ladder and built up the fire to take the chill off and checked the water buckets and hay trays before heading into the inn where her family had already gathered, discussing the days chores.
"Morning sleepy." Pa greeted her with a small smile.
"Quick foot let me oversleep." She shrugged as she took the offered bowl of porridge and a slice of toast that was offered to her.
"Looks like you needed it." Ma commented as she took a seat pouring out mugs of tea and chava before handing them down the line.
"Tash I need you to go up and check the road sign again, Lord Deren said that it was lopsided and the fence needs repairing again."
"I'll do it as soon as Lord Deren is all saddled up." She nodded.
"Devid did you want to go with James?" Pa asked looking at his second eldest son.
"I was hoping I could" Jessica looked up from her meal. "You said the next time some one went in I could go"
"That is true I did." Pa nodded slightly. "James?"
"I don't mind, Jessica is as good as anyone else in handling horses." James shrugged.
"Alright you can go with your brother, just make sure that you so what he says." Pa told her sternly.
"Yes Sir" She mock saluted him wit a grin.
"That's my girl" Pa chuckled. "Now Devid, you and the girls will be needed here to help if that caravan comes in today and Devid you'll also be needed to help Tash saddle up." He paused as they all nodded in agreement. "Annabell you help your mother in the kitchen and with the rooms." With the chores handed out everyone quickly finished up their meal and headed off to where they were supposed to be.
Tarsha took some left over meat from last nights meal for Quick foot and headed to the stables. She set the plate of meat down for him and quickly saddled up Greylock and Jessica's favourite mare Patch and placed the four horses that needed reshoeing on leads so they were ready to go when they walked in at true dawn.
"Did you have good dreams Quick foot?" She asked as she checked over Blaze making sure that she would be good for the trip.
:I did. I found my true name. It is Yual, it means protection.: He replied finishing up his breakfast.
"Well Yual, you want to join me as I go and fix the fence and sign post?" She asked with a grin.
:I would never pass up a chance to run.: He dropped his jaw and his tongue lolled out at her, his version of a grin and laughter.
"I did think you would." She chuckled and looked up from Blaze's hooves as she heard footsteps. "Good morning Jeral." She greeted the Weaponsmaster.
"Good morning Tarsha." He returned her greeting with a smile. "How is Blaze?"
"She is doing well, they have all eaten and well rested, ready for the journey ahead. You should be able to pick up pace after a candlemark and make good time." She assured him as she patted Blaze.
"Then we can leave when breakfast is done?"
"You sure can." She nodded. "I can start saddling now if you want me too, that way they will all be ready to go by the time you are done." She offered.
"Sounds good." He nodded in thanks and headed back to the inn.
"Yual, would you grab Devid for me?" She asked as she grabbed Blaze's saddle.
:Be right back: He nodded and trotted out of the stable. She had just set Midnight's saddle on his back when Devid came in looking a little confused with Yual at his side.
"You send for me?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I did. They will be heading out as soon as breakfast is done." She nodded tightening the girth before adding the bridle.
"Right" Devid nodded and started on the next horse.
"How did he get your attention?" She asked with a smile as she continued working.
"Well he tried nudging me and when that didn't work he grabbed my sleeve and pulled me towards the door…" He grinned at her. "I kinda got the hint after that."
"Your lucky." She chuckled. "Awhile back when I sent him in to get James he knocked him over to get his attention, he was busy reading at the time." She moved to the next horse that needed to be saddled. "Oh and his new name is Yual."
"You named him did you?" Devid asked with a smile.
"No, it came to him in a dream." She shook her head. They quickly finished up just as the servants began entering the stable to lash on the saddle bag to their horse. They stepped out of the way as Lord Deren and his wife came in and mounted with out any help and saw them off.
Tarsha smiled as Devid headed back inside and collected her tool kit and headed to the door, opening Jona's stall as she passed and the mare followed her out into the dim sunshine. She mounted easily not even bothering with the bareback pad and with Yual at her side cantered out to the turning point. It didn't take her long to right the sign that had toppled over in the storms but she sighed when she saw that the same piece of the fence had fallen down that she had fixed only a few moons back.
She had just gotten it into place when she heard a companion approaching.
"Well this looks familiar." A familiar voice chuckled.
"I bet it does, Leren." She chuckled as she gave the nail one last hit and turned and smiled up at him. "How have you been for the last six moons?" She asked as she packed up her tools and whistled for Jona.
"Not too bad, I have a few letters for your family," He replied as she mounted and kept pace with her. "Who is your new friend?" He asked spotting Yual.
"Oh that's Yual, he was caught out in a hail storm just before midwinter and took shelter in the stables with me." She replied with a grin. "He is just a pup, but he is a smart pup."
"He looks like a Kyree to me." Leren commented with a small frown. "Seems to be smart as a normal human?"
"Yes." Tarsha nodded. "What is a Kyree?"
"They are like a cross between a dog and a wolf, intelligent as a human or companion. They have three sexes, male, female and neuter and they have gifts just like humans." Leren explained. "Though I have never heard of Kyree being here in Valdemar before unless they were travelling with some one. Mainly they stay with the Tayledras where they are protected."
:Do those names ring any bells?: She asked Yual looking down at him.
:Not really, but like you said I am just a pup, I've had no one to teach me.: He shrugged as he lopped along beside her.
"He doesn't know, but that would explain a few things. His mother died when he was little and has been on his own ever since."
"You have mindspeech?" Leren asked in surprise.
"Animal speech." She corrected him with a shake of her head. "Along with my weather prediction and something else that my uncle or aunt can't identify." She shrugged. "They were here for two weeks testing and teaching us what we needed to know."
"Well at least you don't have to worry about your gifts going rogue then." He smiled.
"And how are you doing Jerna?" Tarsha asked the companion.
"She said she is fine and thanks you for asking." Leren repeated what she had said.
"Will you be waiting for the sector Herald again?" She asked as they approached the stable.
"No not this time, I have to get back to Haven, though I will be staying two days or so to get some rest." He shook his head as they both dismounted. As Tarsha passed the stalls she opened the backs of them to let out the horses into the field so they would have a chance to stretch their legs, knowing that she could call them in if she sensed a change in the weather. She laughed as Jona joined them and they all galloped around playfully and quickly got to cleaning all the stalls while they were vacant.
"Head inside, Ma will give you something to eat." Tarsha called to Leren as he finished untacking Jerna and gave her a quick grooming.
"I think I might do just that." He nodded as Jerna headed out into the field with the horses.
She had just finished the last stall when Yual nudged her leg.
:Lunch is ready, Ma asks that you come in.: Yual told her as she scratched his ears.
"Some days you really must feel like a messenger, Yual." She smiled down at him as she put away the rake she had been leaning on and washed her arms and face.
:Some days but I do not mind.: He assured her with a grin as he followed her into the inn and sat beside her feet, gulping down the meat that Ma put down for him even as Tarsha started on her own meal of hot stew.
"Annabell has just gotten a letter from Deren, he apologised for getting her with child and has offered to send her some money to help support it and her." Ma told her as she took a seat next to her, starting on her own stew. "He also apologised that there was no way he was going to be able to come and see her for at least another year or so."
"At least it sounds like he cares." Tarsha pointed out. "What does Annabell say about this?" She asked turning towards her sister.
"I'm writing a reply now, telling him that what ever he can offer will be helpful and we look forward to seeing him when he can manage but I do not expect him to marry me nor does my family, I know what a Herald means and what it entails." Annabell replied with a faint smile.
"That should relieve his mind at least." Pa nodded in agreement. "Let him make up his own mind about things."
"I also put in that I would not move to Haven under no circumstances." Annabell added with a brighter smile. "Call me crazy but I love it here."
"Then we all must be crazy." Ma laughed.
"Here, Here!" Tarsha and Devid cheered and grinned as Leren came down from his room and paused as he heard their cheer.
"Sit and eat." Pa waved him over. "Let me give you a bit of friendly advice if you are here for rest, Leren." Pa said as Leren sat down. "Don't wear your uniform, or every customer will be at you all the time."
"I think I'll do that…if I had something else to wear." Leren told him with a shrug.
"Well you don't seem to be any larger then Devid here, I'm sure that we can loan you some clothes." Ma informed him with a smile.
Tarsha looked up from the meal she was eating and her eyes unfocused and sighed.
"What up Tash?" Pa asked noting the sigh.
"The caravan is here." She replied and quickly shovelled her food. "They are at the turn off."
"I'll get you those clothes." Ma said as she stood up and hurried off.
"Everyone scramble." Pa ordered. "How many?"
"Thirty horses, eight mules and a hell of a lot of people," Tarsha replied. "That is nearly all of our stalls taken up, even if we double up." She shook her head. "I'll have to put the doors on the companion stalls to add more room."
"We'll have to double rooms too, that is if they are staying."
"They will be, the horses are exhausted." Tarsha nodded as she ran out the door with Devid, and Yual at her heels getting to the stable just as the caravan of six wagons pulled to a halt, with riders cursing at each other and their horses who fidgeted and pawed the ground and mules refusing to go another step.
:Hush now, soon you will be warm and fed.: She sent out to all of them and smiled as they all settled at once and the riders blinked in surprise. "Welcome to Traveller's Rest." She greeted them as they all began dismounting. "I may not be in charge of the inn but I do run an orderly stable so two at a time and two horses to a stall." She added the command to the horses and chuckled as they pulled their reins out of their riders surprised limp grips and filed into the stable and placing themselves into stalls. Jaws began dropping as the mules followed with out having to be prompted. "No need to stare gentlemen, see to your mounts." She turned to the wagon drivers. "You can park around the side and unhitch your horses there."
"You got enough room for all of us?" One of the drivers called out over the sound of the riders making their way into the stable.
"How many all together?" She asked.
"Sixty three."
"There maybe some doubling up but you'll all fit." She nodded and waved them on and made her way into the stable as Devid ran into the inn to tell his father the numbers. She made sure that three stalls were left free for the horses that James had and saw that the others horses had already come in from the field and watched with interest.
She could barely hear herself think over the racket that the riders were making as she waited at the door for the horses that were pulling the wagons before leading them down to their stalls with out touching their reins
She set to making grain buckets instead of mush as it would take too long to make enough for everyone and began pouring them out into troughs as she passed each stall.
"You got quiet a voice on you lass, what's your name?" One rider asked as he finished up grooming his gelding. She turned her head to look him over and grinned.
"Tarsha Mannerly and judging from your look you must be one of my famous uncles." She replied and watched as his jaw dropped in surprise.
"You mean Jacob still runs this hell hole?" He exclaimed with a loud booming laugh.
"Sure does, since you all ran off on him he had no one else to take over for him." She replied with a toss of her head and a smile. "Which one are you?"
"Redick, Captain Redick of the Demon Dogs." Then looked over his shoulder. "Hey Feren, Kern, Griff, Jacob is still here."
"What even after all these years?" Three other men that looks simular to Redick walked forward, there wasn't much to tell them apart, except maybe a few scars and years.
"This here is our niece Tarsha." Redick told them. "How many kids he got now? Last we heard he had four."
"Six." The youngest corrected.
"Twelve." Tarsha told them as she continued on. "I'm the fifth, all have been twins." She turned towards the doors as Devid walked in. "Yo Devid tell Pa that four more of his brothers are here."
"More?" Devid shook his head with a laugh. "Uncle Teven is bad enough when he can get out of bed."
"Teven is here too?" The youngest asked looking surprised.
"He showed up three weeks ago in the middle of a hail storm, he got three months leave and decided to come and see what his family was doing." Tarsha replied, noting the cross scar on the youngest's left cheek.
"Yo PA" Devid yelled from the stable doors.
"WHAT?"
"MORE OF YOUR BROTHERS ARE HERE." Devid yelled.
"YOU NO GOOD BANDITS! SOME WARNING WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE" Pa screamed from the inn.
"I see he hasn't lost his bellowing voice." Redick noted with a grin.
"He has practice on us kids." Devid shrugged as Pa came up behind him.
"Redick, Griff, Kern, Feren" He greeted them with back slapping bear hugs. "You no good felons you haven't been in touch in ten years."
"Been too busy, Bro." Redick shook his head. "You got enough room for us all?"
"Most will have to double up but you'll fit." Pa assured them, "Come on in if you've finished here and say hello to Mary, most of the kids ain't here and won't get to meet you at all."
"Why not?" Redick asked as they all headed for the door.
"Two are Herald trainees, one is a healer trainee and one is a bard trainee, two are down at the village, one's in the kitchen with Mary getting food ready for you lot, you met these two and two are too young, they are only four months old." His voice faded as the crossed the yard.
"YOU STUPID BLOODY HORSE!" A man yelped jumping out of his stall clutching his foot.
"You hit that horse and you'll be sleeping in the yard, mister" Tarsha yelled over the racket and went silent as the rider raised his fist to strike the horse and strode forward.
"Oh yeah?" He demanded looking mad as hell. "Say who?"
"I do, Stables are my territory and my rules goes or you are out before you can say Companion." She told him firmly, with Yual at her side growling in his throat.
"Would you look at this little chit telling me what to do?" He said mockingly.
"Cool it Merv, she's related to the captain and the innkeeper." A woman hissed.
"Like I care." He snorted. "This here is my horse and I'll do with what I like."
"Not in this stable you won't." Tarsha told him standing her ground. "You don't like my rules then leave."
"The horse deserves it Lass, he is a mean one." One of the other riders called out.
"I doubt it, horses only get mean when they are mistreated." Tarsha snorted. "I warn you if you want to walk out of here then you will obey MY rules and behave." She ducked as he threw a punch at her and punched him squarely in the jaw, and ducked another swing, as the riders started yelling and tried to intervene, dodged back two blows he aimed at her head and stomach and landed another solid blow to his temple knocking him down and Yual was standing on his chest growling in his throat.
"What is going on in here?" Redick demanded pushing his way through the stunned crowd, saw Tarsha dusting off her hands and one of his riders on the ground with a large dog growling at him.
"My rules, my territory, you don't like it then get out." Tarsha told them all firmly. "I don't put up with any abuse to me or my charges." With that she turned to the horse in question.
"Problem Tarsha?" Pa asked as he joined the crowd.
"Just setting a few ground rules Pa." She shook her head as she patted the 'mean' horse as he nuzzled her chest.
"I take it that Merv started this?" Redick asked looking annoyed.
"His horse actually." One of the women riders spoke up.
"Yual let him up." Tarsha said softly as she gently ran her hands over the stallion, frowning as she found bruises, cuts, healing broken bones, stones in his hooves and a broken tooth. "You been in combat lately Uncle Redick?" She asked as Merv slowly sat up rubbing his jaw.
"Not for eight months why?" Redick shook his head.
"This horse is close to dropping and not just from exhaustion, it has multiple bruises, broken bones, stones in his hooves and a broken tooth." She glared at the rider. "He is bad tempered because he is pain."
"Jacob?" Redick looked at his brother.
"Tarsha has been around horses her whole life and she is an animal speaker so she knows what she is talking about." Jacob shrugged. "She also has five brothers so she knows how to handle herself."
"That I can see." He turned back to Merv. "You were warned to look after your horse as it is a company horse not yours."
"I'll not be shown up by some little chit" He snarled launching himself at Tarsha while her back was turned and crashed to the ground with Yual on top of him, his mouthful of arm that held a dagger. Merv screamed in pain.
Yual backed off as fellow riders restrained him, even as Leren in full whites stepped out of Jerna's stall.
"We Heralds don't look kindly on attempted murder, nor do mercenaries." He said in a loud enough voice to be heard. Merv went completely still at the sight of Leren. "I see you haven't changed Mervren, now I know why Uncle threw you out of the house hold."
"Now that I have your attention Merv, you are out, no pay, no horse and no recommendation. Just a mule and what you own." Redick stepped forward and pulled off his company badge off both sleeves and watched as his riders readied a mule that was willing to move, threw his saddlebags over it's back and four riders escorted him off down the road, making sure that he left.
"Tarsha?" Pa stood beside the stall where it appeared she was getting the stones out of the horses hooves.
"Can I have the bucket near the fire, six rags and two green jars?" She asked quietly as she pulled another stone out. It didn't take long for the requested items to appear beside her and continued on fixing up the horse as if nothing had happened.
"Has any one else got a problem with Tarsha's rules?" Redick bellowed.
"No sir" Came the quick reply.
"Right, rest of you inside and hit the baths and settle in. No more trouble or you will be feeling my wrath." He commanded with a growl and watched as the riders cleared out. "Tarsha you have my deepest apologies." He told her softly.
"No harm done…well not to me anyway." She replied with out looking from where she was adding poultice to the stallions hooves and wrapping them carefully. "Yual will always protect me, no matter the danger and with men like that…" She stood up and gave him a shaky smile. "I can deal with on my own, I may only be fifteen but as Pa said I have five brothers and three of them older then me or my age."
"Fifteen?" Redick blinked. "Fifteen and you took down a man with ten years fighting experience?"
"He was over confident and cocky because I was a girl." She shrugged and turned back to the horse.
"He could have easily killed you Tarsha." Leren spoke up looking troubled.
"But he didn't. There is no use thinking and brooding on what if's. What is done is done, no one can change that."
"How long will it before he is good to go again?" Redick asked changing the topic.
"A good moon or two yet. Some of those stones have been in there for weeks, and it will take me that long to convince him to trust another rider." Tarsha said thinking it over. "It maybe that he will be ruined for anyone but an animal speaker, I won't know for awhile yet." She shook her head as she left the stall. "There isn't anything that I can do for his healing ribs or his tooth, not unless I can get Daniel to visit with Meren. I need to get some more grain from the barn." She added as she made her way out of the stall and headed out of the stables with Yual at her heels and Jona that kicked her stall open and followed.
"Daniel and Meren?" Redick looked at his brother.
"Daniel is the son that is learning to be a healer, he also has a little animal speech, so he would be a good choice to help her." Jacob explained. "But as far as I know he isn't due back here for another two moons." He turned to watch his daughter disappear behind the barn.
"I can't believe that she just tried to shake it off." Redick muttered to himself. "Or that she took him down."
"She has had practice taking her brothers down and drunks in the bar, not to mention the other men who don't know what no means." Jacob sighed. "If her twin was here I would send him after her, he was always good at calming her down, no one else will get near her for awhile now."
"Where is her twin?"
"Herald Trainee." Jacob sighed. "He left after visit for midwinter three weeks ago." He looked at his brother. "Is he likely to come back for revenge?"
"There is a good possibility, yes." Redick gave a sigh of his own. "I'll have a few of my people sleep in here tonight to watch the stables."
"She sleeps here, up in the loft with Yual." Jacob pointed up the ladder. "She doesn't like being away from her charges."
"Well they can guard her too." Redick nodded.
"Jerna and the other horses are also good at kicking up a storm when an intruder is near by." Leren added with a grim smile.
"I'll get two of the women and two men to keep watch down here…I better go and make sure that the others know about this." Redick turned and left with Jacob at his side.
OOOOOOO
Tarsha placed the grain barrel harness over Jona's rump and loaded up too barrels before her hands started shaking.
:It's okay to let your fear show now, he is gone. You know that I will always protect you.: Yual told her soothingly as her knees gave out under her and let her wrap her arms around his neck and sob into his fur. He continued to talk to her, letting her know that he understood her fear and that he would always be there for her. He kept on talking until she had cried herself out and pulled back and chuckled weakly as he licked away her tears, before she pulled a hankie from her pocket and blew her nose and got up to wash her face in the ice cold water that was kept in the barn before leading Jona back to the stables and unloaded the grain barrels.
She immersed herself in work to take her mind off her troubles and only stopped when she sensed Greylock and Patch enter the stables with the four other horses and James and Jessica.
"Whoa, where did all the horses come from?" Jessica exclaimed.
"Caravan arrived," Tarsha replied looking up from where she was pitching hay down from the loft. "So did four uncles. They are in the company of Mercs."
"Wow, five uncles in one moon, who would have thought." James shook his head as they both dismounted and unsaddled their horses and groomed them all. Jessica left first heading in to help with dinner. "Are you okay Tash? I Saw what happened." James asked when he was finished and wrapped his arms around her, feeling her tremble.
"I'll be okay, I'm sure that they have arrange a guard for me in case he comes back." She told him hugging him tightly. "Yual protected me and he always will."
"I know that, but that doesn't stop us from worrying." He told her gently. "You want me to sleep up there with you?"
"Would you think me a coward if I said yes?" She asked her voice shaking.
"No, it is understandable." He shook his head. "And sensible. I'll join you as soon as I can get away."
"Thank you." She whispered letting him go.
"You should come in for dinner." He wrapped his arm around her waist and guided her out. "Yual will guard the horses for now and we can bring dinner out for him."
"He agrees with that." She nodded as they went in through the kitchen entrance and ate in the kitchen. James only left her alone long enough to have a quick word with Pa. When they were finished they went back to the stable with a hunch of raw roast for Yual and the four riders who would be keeping watch and closed up the stable.
She thought that it would take her forever to fall asleep, but she was wrong.