Chapter 5

She woke up hearing shouts and horses kicking and screaming. James was no longer beside her but Yual was now lying on the bed where James had been.

:Peace Tarsha, the others are dealing with this intrusion, James asks that you stay here.: He informed her gently as she looked around in panic.

:Intruder!:

:Hurt the career of us!:

:He would hurt one of our own!:

:Killer of horses: The many horses below screamed, Tarsha clapped her hands over her ears.

:Please! Softly my friends, you hurt me with your shouts.: She pleaded tears of pain streaking down her cheeks.

"Tarsha!" James ran into the room, wrapping his arms around her holding her tightly. "What's wrong little one? He has been dealt with."

"They are so loud." She whimpered, "They are so angry that they can not hear me" She pushed James away from her and scampered out of the room with Yual only a second behind her. She ignored the calls from the riders and hid in Jona's stall, even as Jona laid down and curled herself so Tarsha was between her legs. Tarsha wrapped her arm around Jona's neck.

:It is over little one.: Jona tried to calm her.

:Please, Please quiet, my friends.: She pleaded again.

:SILENCE!: Greylock shouted at the other making her whimper once more. :We are hurting her being so loud.: He added softly as all the horses calmed and went silent.

Tarsha took a deep shuddering breath, calming herself and steaming her tears and sighed as she slipped back into sleep, with Yual guarding the front of the stall, growling softly warning everyone who came close to stay away. Though he did let James in to lay a blanket over her and left her to rest.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Tarsha sang softly under her breath, a song for animals that Yual had heard in his dreams and had taught her. She could hardly believe that a year had gone already. That she was sixteen…a year with out her twin beside her, a year since she had seen him, though it had only been two moons since she had heard from him, saying that they were coming for midwinter, which was three weeks away.

She stepped out of the stalls as she heard young laughter and scooped Rolan and Judas up in her arms as they ran to her, calling her.

"Tash, Tash." They laughed as she spun them around.

"What are you two doing in here?" She asked as she set them on her hips. She found it a little hard to believe that they were a year and half old and that Annabell's twins were just under a year old and were crawling everywhere. She had named them Trevor and Talen.

"Lunch, Tash." Rolan crowed, his mouse brown hair falling into his green eyes.

"Lunch, Tash" Judas repeated tossing his pale brown hair out of his blue eyes.

Over the last year they had extended the stables yet again so they now had over seventy stalls and twenty companion friendly stalls as they found that since Lord Deren had returned to his keep they received a lot more customers, merchants, bards, Heralds, and caravans. In a normal week they had up to a hundred guests, during festivals and holiday breaks they toped over two fifty easily. It had taken all summer to add the extra stalls needed, but the good thing that had come out of it was that those working on the stable had built her a proper room in the newest part, she now had a bedroom and a place to have visitors of her own with fire heaters in both rooms to keep her warm in winter.

She laughed as they continued to chant that it was time for lunch as she carried them out into the yard. As she crossed it she sent out a silent call to Yual that lunch was ready if he wanted to come in for it.

"Ma I found something you misplaced" Tarsha called as she entered the common room where her family was eating by themselves as for once they had no guests. During the spring they had added yet more rooms to the inn expanding it out and up and more bathing rooms to accommodate the swell of guests.

"And what was that dear?" Ma asked as she looked up from her meal. "I didn't misplace them I sent them to fetch you." Ma replied with a smile as she spotted her two youngest clinging to Tarsha. "I called you four times already."

"Sorry I was cleaning out the last stall from out last guests." Tarsha apologised as she sat down and took the offered plate of roast lamb and fresh crusty bread.

"Are they all clean ready for the next lot?" Pa asked looking up from where he was mopping up gravy from his plate.

"Yes sir, all one hundred of them, including our own. Hay has been restocked, grain has been replenished, stalls cleans and refreshed, troughs cleaned, fire heaters ready to be lit in one week." She nodded telling him what she had been doing for the last three days, more then she had been asked to do.

"Very good, looks like you won't have chores to do for the next two days, except if visitors come." Pa grinned at her. "Devid, James?"

"Wood piles stacked under tarp and in the basement to dry out, ale barrels brought up, fence fixed firmly, shutters repaired, doors repaired, tables knocked back together, a few more benches made for the new tables we had delivered last week." James rattled off their weekly chores.

"Good that means we can seat more guest in here. Annabell, Jessica?" He turned to his eldest daughters.

"The order of plates, bowls and mugs were delivered yesterday, they were cleaned and stacked ready for use, rooms are cleaned and beds made, bathing rooms cleaned, kitchen scrubbed, common room sorted and cleaned, stock taken and replenished." Jessica rattled off what they had done as Annabell was busy feeding her children.

"Mary when are the rest of the crew due to arrive?" Pa asked with a frown.

"Two weeks, Travis, Daniel, Karen, Dirk, Deren, Talia, Leren, your five brothers, who are trying to find Stephen the last brother." Mary told him with a smile.

"Jemmie isn't coming this time?" Pa inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Talia said that he may come she isn't sure…actually they aren't sure if they are coming yet, but asks us to make room for them just in case." Mary shrugged.

"Alright, everyone be ready for customers at any time, lets not be surprised like we were last week." He warned them all.

"Not my fault that I didn't See them" James sighed. "I guess we should be glad that Tarsha heard their horses or we really would have been caught unprepared."

"Where is Yual?" Ma asked looking at the hunch of lamb that she had waiting for him.

:Yual? Hunch of lamb waiting for you: She called to him.

:Lamb? I'm coming.: Yual replied eagerly.

"He's coming, it seems he prefers lamb to what ever he was hunting." Tarsha informed them with a chuckle.

"He's been hunting?" Pa asked with a frown.

"On unclaimed lands, near the road." Tarsha nodded as she finished her own meal, mopping up gravy with her bread. "He only really hunts rabbits, most of the time he will bring back a few for us to stew up."

"Is that where they have been coming from?" Pa chuckled. "I had wondered."

"Well now you know." Ma told him with a grin. "Ah here he is, here you go Yual" She smiled as she gave him his lunch in a basket so he could take it to the stables and eat.

He bowed his head to her before taking the basket and trotting off.

"Do we know what breed he is yet?" James asked as Jessica began collecting up the empty plates.

"I have a few ideas." Tarsha nodded and smiled with out giving them an answer.

"Customers coming" James told them looking towards the door his eyes unfocused. "Ten in all, merchants train."

"Well no rest for the wicked." Pa sighed as they all stood. "How far?"

"A candlemark, no more."

"Well everyone to your stations, we all know the drill" Ma called as she picked up the dirty plates and carried them off to the kitchen with Jessica picking up Rolan and Judas as Annabell picked up her own two and followed.

Tarsha hurried out of the inn back to her stable and opened the stalls that were empty ready for the incoming horses. She readied buckets of grain to pour into troughs and made sure that there was fresh hay in each stall.

:Enjoying your meal four legs?: She asked Yual as she passed him, filling a few troughs, tilting her head as she began picking up the merchants horses, counting them and filled up twelve troughs and filled water troughs.

:It was very enjoyable, I think I might save the bone for later.: He replied hiding the bone in the hay.

"There are horses coming fur face so watch your step." She warned him as she made her way to the entrance of the stable as she heard hooves on dirt and the welcoming whinny from nearly all the horses. "Greetings Merchant Johan, you're a little late this year aren't you?" She hailed him.

"Trading we good in Haven, we stayed an extra fortnight. How have things been here Tarsha?" Johan asked as he dismounted, patting his mare's neck.

"Busier then usual, we've had to extend the inn and stables twice in one year just to keep up with demand." She told him as the wagon driver urged the team of horses to the yard by the kitchen. "Just unhitch the horses, they come to me on their own." She called to the driver.

"Got a gift do you?" Johan smiled as he let got oh his horses reins and chuckled as his mare happily trotted into the stable followed by the other horses that had been dismounted.

"How long will you be staying?" She asked as she patted the side of a horse that trotted by her, team horse as it had no saddle.

"A few days so we can rest, can you check over the horses for us? I think one of the mares is in foal." Johan asked as he followed her into the stable to claim his saddlebags, his men right behind him.

"I'll look them all over while they are eating." She nodded as she closed some of the stalls, so the horses wouldn't get out while she was away.

"I had best go and greet your father…any family additions?" He asked with a grin.

"Four, two more brothers and two nephews." Tarsha nodded with a grin of her own. "Annabell had twins nearly seven months ago."

"Looks like I have some catching up to do," Johan sighed with a shake of his head and headed towards the inn with his men.

:Alright lovelies, heads up who needs stones taken out?: She turned her attention to the horses. She nodded to herself as four heads came up. :Any one with more urgent worries?: She asked as the heads went back down.

:Everyone else is in good health, friend.: Johan's mare's head came up and looked directly at her as she spoke.

:Johan mentioned that one of you might be with foal?: She questioned as she pulled on her tool belt can carried over a bucket, rags and poultice that would help with any stones that had gotten infected.

:I carry a foal, I am near my time, I am Cherry in case you had forgotten.:

"I remember, Cherry." She nodded as she opened the stall and ran her hands over Cherry's stomach. "I would say you are very close to your time, Cherry. You may drop tonight, if you don't it will be tomorrow."

:Has the foal turned? It is something I have been concerned about.: Cherry asked.

Tarsha moved her hands all over feeling for the foals head. "It's turned, have you had pains?"

:A few, I do not think that it will be long now.: Cherry nodded.

"I'll let Johan know that he won't be going any where for at least a week." Tarsha pulled parchment out of her pocket and wrote out a quick note. "Yual?" She passed the note to him. "Give this to Merchant Johan please." She smiled as he trotted off and turned her attention back to the four horses that needed stones removed and only need to wrap two hooves with Poultice to draw out the infection.

"You wanted to see me Tarsha?" Johan called as he entered the stable two candlemarks later.

"Yes, I'm afraid you won't be going anywhere for a week or so. Cherry is with foal and will either drop tonight or tomorrow." She informed him as she washed her hands in a near by bucket.

"Well it looks like I won't be getting home for midwinter then." He sighed with a shake of his head. "We'll have to travel slowly for the foal."

"I realise that it maybe an inconvenience for you but you could leave them here until you come back in spring." Tarsha suggested.

"I'll think on it, but Cherry is dear to me…" He patted Cherry's neck as she rubbed her nose against his chest. "You are an animal speaker? What does she say?"

"She asks that we wait and see, if everything goes well you will be able to be on the road in a week or two at the most." Tarsha replied opening up the outer doors that lead into the field so the horses could go out if they wished to. Her head came up sharply as she caught the edges of a panicked sending.

:Tarsha, please, please hear me, it's Jerna, Leren has been hurt, he needs a healer: Jerna sent, her voice filled with fear.

:I hear you Jerna, how far away are you?: She asked holding up her hand as Johan tried to get her attention.

:Oh thank goodness, we are two candlemarks away at best speed.: Relief filled her voice.

:I'll see if I can get a healer here in time, if not they will get here a little after you do. Just keep him alive, Jerna, I'll do the rest.: Tarsha ordered as she turned her mind to Daniel's horse, Gimpy, knowing that Daniel would be able to speak to him. :Gimpy…Gimpy!: She called.

:I am here, Tarsha.: He responded faintly.

:Get Daniel and Meren here at once, we have an injured herald on the way in, two candlemarks.: She told him quickly.

:Daniel said they are packing up now, we are near by, we'll be there in one candlemark: Gimpy replied after passing on her message.

:Thank you Gimpy.: She turned her attention away from her concentration and ran to the inn, leaving a confused Johan behind. "Ma" She entered the kitchen. "Leren is incoming, injured, Jerna called me."

"Did you call Daniel?" She asked looking worried.

"I did, they are closer then Jerna, they will be here in a candlemark, Jerna will get here in two." She ran her fingers through her hair that she had been growing. "I just hope that she can support him for that long."

"Well the best that we can do is set up a room for Meren to work in…"

"What about the spare room in the stables?" Tarsha suggested. "That way we don't have to carry him far."

"Yes that would be a good idea, set up some buckets and I'll start boiling water." Ma nodded and placed a large pot over the fire and filled it with water.

Tarsha ran back to the stables and readied the spare room that was below her own quarters where Meren could work on Leren before moving him up to her room where it was warm, and Jerna could easily reach him if she had the need.

She checked over her own supplies of herbs and bandages, making sure that she had everything that she needed, or Meren might not have on him.

"Tash!" She poked her head out of the room and saw Daniel lead in Gimpy and Meren's horse, both breathing heavily, heads bowed in exhaustion. "Is he here?"

"Not yet, I can't get through to Jerna at the moment, but I can sense her now, she isn't far." Tarsha shook her head.

"Where are you setting up Tash?" Meren asked as he hurried in.

"Back room." She gestured to the room that she had just come out of. "I figured you could treat him there until he is stable and then move him up to my quarters for warmth."

"Can Jerna get up there?" Meren asked with a slight frown.

"If Jona can get up there with out a problem then so can Jerna." Tarsha nodded as Meren stepped into the room she had been preparing.

"Hot water?"

"Ma is boiling as we speak." Tarsha replied as Yual flipped her hand and she scratched his ears.

:I am at the turn off Tarsha:

"They are here." Both she and Meren held themselves back against the wall just as Jerna flew into the stables and skidded to a stop. Leren was leaning over her neck, strapped in with leather ties to the saddle to prevent him from falling. Two arrows protruded from his torso and sword cuts over his legs and arms.

They quickly unstrapped him and carried him into the room and Daniel ran to the inn to get the boiling water from Ma.

"Tarsha cut away his shirt, so I can see where exactly these arrows have hit." Meren ordered as he scrubbed his hands. She pulled a dagger from her belt and cut through his shirt, ignoring her mind as it gibbered at her in panic and fear at the sight of his wounds and blood. "Do you know field dressing?" Meren asked as he looked over the arrows.

"Yes, I do." She nodded as she tore the rest of his shirt open.

"Then clean and stitch up his cuts and then you can help me pull the arrows."

"Wouldn't Daniel be better to help with that?" She asked as she quickly cleaned her hands and made up a cleansing herb paste and began smearing it over the wounds after washing off the blood and dirt.

"He hasn't gotten used to the sight of blood yet, but he doesn't faint any more." Meren grinned at her as he passed her bandaged.

"He fainted?" She asked in surprise but with out stopping what she was doing.

"Yes I did." Daniel spoke up for himself as he carried in the bucket of boiling water. "I still do if I see too much…but all the healers assure me that it is something that I will get over."

"You will, do me a favour and check on Cherry? The red chestnut mare, she is close to foaling." Tarsha asked as she tied off one bandage and Meren tied off another.

"Sure thing." Daniel nodded and left the room.

"The rest aren't too bad, just scratches." Meren nodded as they turned their attention to the arrows. "I've made sure that he will stay asleep, all you need to do it hold him down." Meren told her as he placed her hand on the shoulder and the other just below his stomach. She watched as he pulled carefully at the first arrow that was close to his heart and held the other hand over the wounds as it came free, stemming the flow of blood and healing slowly. "I can't heal him completely right now." Meren muttered under his breath.

"Just enough to stop him from bleeding to death will do, Meren." Tarsha told him softly and saw him nod slightly before moving to the second arrow and pulled that carefully and worked a healing on that too, ignoring Leren as he twitched under their hands.

"Bind the wound, Tarsha." Meren whispered.

Tarsha quickly bathed both wounds even as Meren continued healing and bound them tightly.

"Do you think between us we can carry him?" Meren asked tiredly as he stood back looking over the bandages.

"No, not at the moment, we are both tired and would be more likely to drop him then carry him." Tarsha shook her head. "Yual, grab James and Devid for me please?" She asked her friend tiredly as she and Meren washed their bloody hands. "Yual?" She turned to see where he had gotten too. :Yual where are you my friend?:

:Begging a snack from Rolan and Judas.: He chuckled. :What do you need friend?:

:I need James and Devid please, we need to get Leren to where it is warm,: She replied drying her hands and tossing the towel to Meren.

:They are on their way.:

:Thank you.: She sighed leaning against the wall. :Jerna? Leren is stable, he wont be going any where for awhile…how are you doing?: She asked tiredly.

:Tired, Daniel saw to me, stay with him?: Jerna replied sounding a little tired.

:I will.: Tarsha assured her as James and Devid came in.

"What's the problem?" James asked and stopped when he saw the state that Leren was in.

"Carry him up to my room?" Tarsha asked quietly, wincing a little as her voice cracked. She had no idea how long she had been helping Meren for, but she was tired beyond belief, she glanced at Meren and saw an apologetic look on his face.

"I had to borrow some energy from you, I hope you don't mind."

"I don't, let's just get him settled upstairs." Tarsha shook her head and followed her brothers up the stairs and into her lounge.

"You want him on the lounge or the bed?" Devid asked as they paused.

"There is a cot under my bed, so just put him in my bed and I'll sleep in the cot." Tarsha told them as she threw a few more logs on the fires in both rooms. "Can you bring up some more wood and some dinner for three?" She asked as the came out of her room.

"Just two, I'll sleep in the inn, there isn't much more I can do until tomorrow." Meren shook his head. "This packet is for pain and this one for sleep." He showed her the blue and green packets. "A pinch of each in a mug of tea or broth when he wakes, he'll need plenty of sleep to recover." He smiled tiredly at her uncertain face. "Just think of it as dealing with your hard headed brothers when they have a really bad flu."

"Well that should make it simple then." Tarsha smiled.

"I doubt it, Heralds are sneaky and are very bad patients." Meren warned her before following her brothers down the stair case and into the inn.

It wasn't long after she had let herself collapse on the couch when Jessica came in with dinner for her and a kettle she could place over the fire to heat the water.

"Meren says to eat and then sleep." Jessica told her as she passed her the meal.

"Well at least I know that Yual will watch him for me while I sleep." She yawned picking at her food.

"Is the cot set up?"

"Yes, I just have to pull it out." Tarsha blinked a few times before pushing her meal aside. "Bank the fire for me please?" she asked as she stumbled towards her room as Yual entered and followed her.

"Sure." Jessica nodded.

Tarsha had just enough energy left to pull out the cot and bank the little fire in her room before falling asleep.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She woke with a groan as she felt Yual licking her face. :What?: She asked with a tired whine in her mind voice.

:Leren is awake and in pain, he is trying not to wake you.: Yual told her, knowing that she was tired but knew that she would tend Leren.

"Leren? Don't you dare move." She whispered as she sat up and turned up the lamp so she could see.

"How did I get here?" He asked blinking owlishly at her, his eyes filled with pain and confusion. "Jerna is too deeply asleep for me to ask her."

"She brought you here after the attack, she called to me and told me what had happened so I could have healers here to help you." She slowly crawled out of bed and poured him a tea with the pain killer in it but not adding the sleeping power, she had feeling that he was not ready to sleep again just yet. She let it steep for a few moments before she knelt on the edge of her bed and helped him to drink it down. "From what I can figure out it took Meren and I over four candlemarks to save your life, you are going to be bed bound for a few days and very sore." She told him quietly.

"It is not the first time that I have been injured." He replied weakly.

"That maybe so, but this is the first time that I have been frightened beyond thinking." She replied as she set the cup aside and watched as the pain slowly faded from his eyes.

"The first time anyone sees blood and death it scares anyone beyond thinking." Leren said softly.

"That is so, but I have seen that already and it did not affect me so…" She whispered not looking at him but instead studying the lamp. "It was almost as if apart of me nearly died when I first saw you…" She broke off and stood, "You must be hungry, I have some broth on the fire keeping warm for you." She abruptly changed the subject and picked up the mug and managed to get the sleeping powder into it with out him seeing it. "Here drink this down, it will help you restore all that blood you lost." She told him with out meeting his eyes. She waited quietly well aware that he was studying her with confused eyes. It wasn't until she heard his breathing even out that she turned to look at him, tucking a stray hair out of his face before carrying the mug back to her sitting room and washed it out. :Yual, stay here and watch him? I'm going to check on Cherry:

:Don't stay up to long, Shara, you are still tired.: He warned her as she quietly slipped down the stares and smiled faintly as she saw that the stable lamps were still on and Daniel speaking softly with Cherry. Yual had begun calling her Shara a few moons ago, saying that her full name was a mouthful and he had just rearranged a few letters in her name to come up with a new nick name for her.

"How is she doing?" Tarsha asked softly as she stroked the mare's sweat drenched coat.

"You should be sleeping still." Daniel gave her a stern look.

"Yual woke me to tend to Leren. I couldn't get back to sleep" She shrugged as she moved around to Cherry's rump and looked to see how things were progressing. "How long has she been in labour?"

"Five candlemarks, two candlemarks after you fell asleep." Daniel replied stroking Cherry's flank.

"Wow, that's more sleep then I usually get." Tarsha shook her head, she moved to a near by bucket and scrubbed down her arms. :How you doing love?: She asked the mare who was snorting tiredly.

:Tired, but I feel as if a few more pushes and it'll be free.:

:Mind if I take a look?:

:Not at all.: Cherry shook her head as Tarsha gently pushed one hand into the mare and felt around.

:Here comes a contraction Cherry, I want you to push, the foal in turned the right way and it won't take much for it to slip out.: Tarsha told her cheerfully. With each contraction she pulled her arm out a little more following the foal's progress. :One more, do you want him handled?:

:Not just yet: Cherry replied.

"Back away Daniel." She told him as she too backed away until they were both out of the stall, leaving the last bit up to the mare.

"But we could help." Daniel protested quietly as they both washed their arms to get blood off them.

"She doesn't want the foal handled until after she has him feeding." She told him firmly as she passed him a towel. "That way she knows that he won't accidentally think that one of us is him mother."

"Never thought of that." Daniel nodded slowly in agreement.

"How long have you been up little brother?" She asked noting the dark circles under his eyes.

"Since dawn." He smiled warily at her, knowing full well that he looked tired but also knew that he was wide awake.

"Just you wait until you calm down a little and you are going to drop like a stone." Tarsha warned him with a small chuckle.

"I know…but I just want to make sure that the little one is okay and then I'll crash in the spare room that I cleaned up a little while ago to keep myself occupied." He nodded as they both turned to see Cherry cleaning her foal. They both dipped their heads a little to see what sex it was.

"Congratulations Cherry it's a colt." Tarsha smiled.

:Thank you both for you help.: She thanked them before turning her attention back to her new born son, who was trying to find her milk.

"Off to bed little brother." Tarsha pushed him towards the spare room. "I'm going back to bed myself." She told him as he looked like he was going to rebel.

She went back to her room and crawled into the cot, pulling the blanket over her head as she slipped back into sleep.