The Valley of Ten Crescents Series (Box Set: Books 1-3)

by Tristan J. Tarwater

  “Fine, yeah…you know where I am. Though you call my pa names again, and I’ll make you regret it.” And with that, she turned around, her skirts swishing, her straight frame disappearing around the corner, not bothering to look back at Shamsee once as she left the alley.

  Touching…she thought about what Shamsee said the whole way back. Could it be true? Why would he lie to her about this? And though Shamsee wasn’t smart as thieves come, she did see him around women frequently. Derk hadn’t offered any help, just made her feel stupid and gotten on her about boys. Boys. She didn’t even really like this particular one that much anyway. Tavera had seen him carrying something in a basket into a shop and thought he was handsome, though not as handsome as her pa. He had curly hair and freckles and apparently liked girls with big tits, since after his shift all he did was stand around some bosomy girl and talk about stuff that made them put their hands over their mouths and laugh. She couldn’t make out what he was saying, but she could see him staring at the girl’s chest when he thought she wasn’t looking.

  It wasn’t fair. Why did some girls get to be pretty and have big tits while others looked strange and were flat chested and had over-protective fathers? She sighed and let herself into the room where Derk was laying on the bed once more.

  “How’d it go?” he asked warmly, sitting up in the bed. Tavera shrugged and pulled her boots off, climbing into the small bed with her dad, snuggling close to him. He smelled like tobacco and sweat and the oil he used for his skin. It comforted her and she looked down towards the foot of the bed, wiggling her toes.

  “Sham called you a fapper and ran the bit too long. But I might run it again with him, just for something to do.”

  “You didn’t hit him, did you?”

  “I did, but not for what he called you.” They laid there for a moment, her father’s body shaking as he chuckled, playing with her short hair.

  “I talked to someone I know who’s opening a tea mercantile. Said he can use some help, someone with quick hands. Interested?”

  Help at a store? If Tavera was helping at a business, it meant they would be staying a while. Her one good ear perked up slightly. “Tea? That bitter shit you try to get me to drink when my nose is plugged up?”

  “Language, Tavi,” he said, wagging his finger. “Yes, tea. I’m thinking you’re getting a bit older and it might be good for us to sit for a bit. Winter’ll be here soon. It’d be good to learn something new and there ain’t shame in work for pay, long as you do keep doing what you do best. What d’you say?”

  If they stayed in town, the boy with the curly hair might notice her. She pretended to think it over for a few seconds and then shrugged, hugging her father. “If you think it’s a good idea, it might be nice to stick around for a bit.”

  “Good then, it’s settled. Though I suggest you don’t do too many jobs with Sham, he’s an idiot.”

  “Yeah,” she said, laughing, rolling out of the bed with a thump. Tavera sighed as she sat down by the window, staring out onto the busy streets that she would get to know better, thinking about what Shamsee the idiot had said. Touching. Maybe she could have a beautiful body, or at least something to fill out her blouse a little. Derk would disapprove if he knew what she wanted, even if it did mean that she could have a bit more happiness. It was too early to go to bed but Derk would nap before supper so he could stay up all night, leaving the next few hours free for the girl. Tavi set her chin on her hand and watched the men and women go by, wondering who they were and if any of the women had ever done something so silly as rub an onion on their chest. Tavera smiled at the thought of seeing the boy again. Maybe he would be willing to test Shamsee’s trick with her.

  CHAPTER 6

  Trial By Blood

  Tavera woke up and grimaced. Her stomach hurt and the feeling of pain creeping through her belly had woken her. It was still early in the morning. The birds that typically sang just as the sun was coming up were sending out their calls. The only other noise was the sound of Derk snoring behind her. His arm was draped around her middle, pinning her down. He seemed as if he was deep in sleep but she knew if she spoke he would wake up. They weren’t usually early risers but her stomach did hurt, as if someone was squeezing her guts, twisting them gently and she felt a bit nauseous. The heavy arm pinning her to the ground didn’t help and so she wiggled a bit under the blankets, hoping to wake him up before she spoke.

  “I don’t feel good,” she said quietly. The change in his breathing told her he was awake though he didn’t move yet. She lay there and waited, feeling the pressure on her side lessen as he gained control of his limbs.

  “How d’you mean?” he mumbled. A bird tweeted, closer than before. Tavera looked towards the campfire, or what was left of it and tried to think of how to describe it.

  “I dunno,” she said, wiggling in her bedroll. “I’ve a stomach ache.”

  “What did you eat last night?” he asked. He didn’t sound annoyed or angry, just tired. The half-elf girl tried to think of what she had eaten last night and realized it would be easier to think of what she hadn’t eaten. She’d been ravenous the last phase, eating everything in sight. Derk had chided her on eating too quickly last night, saying it would give her stomach problems. Maybe that was it.

  “Same as you,” she said, squirming again as another squeeze pushed in her stomach. “Same as always.” Derk sat up and she stayed lying on the bedroll, not wanting to get up in the cold air. But he tickled her on the side and she grimaced and laughed at the same time, slapping his hand away as she did her best to keep the blankets around her. Derk reached over and pulled her eyelids up and then down, feeling where her neck met her head and pressing there with his thumb and middle finger. He placed a hand on her forehead and frowned, his blue eyes still weary with sleep and he shook his head.

  “You seem well enough. Go make toilet and see if that doesn’t help.” Derk kissed her on the forehead before he slumped back towards the ground, eyes fluttering closed as his head disappeared within the blankets. Tavera pouted and got up as slowly as she could. It was cold and she shivered as she unwrapped herself from the blankets. Twigs and pebbles pressed into her socked feet as she picked her way around the remainders of the fire, walking far enough away from their small camp for privacy. Little ferns and bushes snapped at her legs as she meandered, looking back over her shoulder to make sure she could see the campsite but that Derk wasn’t looking, spinning around to make sure no one else was either.

  Derk had probably passed back out. He only bothered her if he thought she was taking too long and right now, it felt like everything she had eaten last night was about to fall out of her. They had lunch in town, and she had gorged herself on roasted barley soup, as many rolls as Derk would buy her, a piece of roasted ground fowl and all the fish they had brought. A few pilfered fruit satisfied her desire for sweets and Derk humored her with a bag of charred nuts on the way out of town. She finished off the bag before he could think to ask for some. Tavera burped. She wasn’t hungry at all now. Food sounded horrible. Fumbling hands pulled down her trousers and she squatted down after she kicked around to make sure no snakes or spiders were hiding anywhere.

  The birds still chirped and twittered above and about, a little red breasted bird hopping around just a few paces away. The girl made a face at it when it cocked its head at her and she hissed at it when it flew a few widths closer. She finally put her head down to try and block out the little bird, feeling her stomach pains ache lower. When she looked up the little bird was gone. Her stomach was still cramped but at least some of the pressure was gone. She pulled out the rag she had tucked in her pocket to wipe herself, wrinkling her nose as she did and her mouth falling open when she looked at the scrap of cloth.

  Blood.

  Was it really blood? The girl cursed under her breath. It was pinkish. If the fabric had been darker, she wouldn’t have noticed but there was a pink and red smear on the fabric. She finished wiping and left it there, pulling her pants back up
and wiping her palms on her thighs as she walked back towards the campsite. Derk was sitting up on his bedroll now, looking in her direction. His eyes were narrowed, watching her carefully as she walked back, tripping over her own feet but catching herself. He looked her over. “Everything alright?”

  Hesitant sounds came out of her mouth and she made a few faces as she looked into the embers of the fire, scratching her head. “I…yeah. I just think…maybe…it started?” She chewed on the side of her mouth, not sure what else to say. Tavera knew what was happening, she was fairly certain. Prisca had told her about it and Old Gam had mentioned it. Derk just looked at her blankly, strangely alert.

  “What started, Tavi? Are you sick?” He coughed into his fist, squinting at her. Tavera put her hands under her stomach and felt tired.

  “It’s…it’s my Red Earth time,” she said, quietly. In the early morning stillness it still seemed loud and Derk’s eyes went wide as they stared at each other for several breaths. Eventually Derk seemed to snap on it and a paranoid smile came across his face as he scrambled up from his bedroll.

  “I’ve got to boil some water,” he said, picking his belt up and buckling it around his waist, grabbing his vest off the pile of things that belonged to him. “This couldn’t have come at a better time, with Gam being in town. This is your first, right? Tavi? Tavi? Are you okay?” He grabbed the pot and then set it down again, going into his pack and pulling out a pair of pants. “Tavi, come sit down, dear.”

  Tavi walked over to where the beds were and sat down watching as he pulled off his pants. He put on the pair he had removed from the pack.“Derk, what are you doing?” she finally asked, slightly exasperated by his sudden increase in activity.

  “I’m changing into my good pants so we can tear up my old ones for you,” he said, buckling his belt again and having some trouble as he had the kettle in one of his hands. “But I’ve to get water to boil the rags in. Then we have to go into town to the temple so you can have first rites.”

  “First rites?!” Tavera squeaked. Her stomach was still tying and unraveling, and she squirmed in her seat, wishing she had something to make the pain go away “Like what? Is it like a holiday?”

  “I guess I haven’t kept you ‘round girls your age, have I? Otherwise you’d know. Hasn’t Old Gam told you about this?” Derk put a hand up to stop the both of them from talking, his blond hair still mussed atop his head and his shirt half tucked into his trousers. “Let me get this water. If you’re up to it, rip these old things into strips. I needed a new pair anyway.” He fumbled around in his bedroll, pulling out his dagger and handing it to her. “You’ll be alright?”

  “It’s blood, not brain,” Tavera snorted, taking the dagger from him. “What, like for wounds?”

  “I don’t know!” Derk said and he blushed, avoiding her eyes. “Just think about…what you think you need! But I should boil them first, some of them at least. I’m going!” he shouted, walking away. “Scream if you need me!”

  “Fine!” she shouted after him, watching him go. There was a little spring not too far away from where they had set up camp. Tavera ripped off a rectangle of fabric and looked at it, wondering how big it should be. Her gaze wandered towards the fire pit, seeing the pile of sticks that lay close at hand to feed it. She set the pants and dagger aside; Derk couldn’t boil water if there wasn’t a fire. She stirred the ashes with one of the sticks, seeing if any embers lay underneath. A handful of dried grass fed the remains of the night’s fire, going from yellow to brown, then black and glowing orange as they caught on fire. Twigs came next. A low, long yawn was stifled as she heard Derk shout and saw him rush forward, throwing the kettle of water onto the fire she was building.

  “What the tits are you doing?!” Tavera started, some of the water splashing up onto her. She glared at Derk, still holding the twigs in her hand. He just looked at her sheepishly, putting the kettle under his arm. “I know how to make a fire, you know it! Why’d you do that!?”

  “You can’t build a fire-”

  “Yes I can, I do it-”

  “NOT…now,” he said, finally lowering his voice. He rubbed his eye with the palm of his hand and sighed heavily, looking into the empty kettle. “Now…it’s not good. You can’t build a fire. When you’re on your Red Earth time. It’s….”

  “That don’t make no sense,” Tavera said and her good ear twitched as she said it. It didn’t. Why couldn’t she build a fire? She still knew how to build a fire and she had done it countless times. Whatever had been left of the fire was gone now, a pile of soggy ash and grass. “No ladies build fire in their red time? How do they cook then?!”

  “It’s just…it’s one of those things, Tavera,” Derk said and when he said it, he sounded unsure about it. “I’m sorry I splashed you. But it’s supposed to be…bad. A taboo.”

  “What like…like plowing children?” She asked it hushed and after she said it, they both looked around worriedly. Derk mumbled something under his breath and set the kettle down, mechanically tugging at the prayer bracelet he wore around his wrist. He shook his head at her, his lips a thin line that cut across his face.

  “Not that bad, no,” he said, still looking around. “It’s an old…like I said. It’s bad luck.” He picked up the kettle and looked her over again, cocking his head to the side like that bird had done. “You look pale.”

  “I’m more dark than you.”

  “Eat something, if you can manage. I’ll fetch more water. And do those rags if you can, you’ll need them.”

  “What food is there?”

  “Whatever you didn’t cram yesterday. I might have something sweet in my pack.” Tavera watched him leave and she huffed, blowing her hair out of her face. She wasn’t really hungry. Her stomach still hurt, her body trying to squeeze the unused earth out of her, to make space for new earth, new life. That’s what she had been taught happened at this time. Prisca mentioned Tavera would start seeing men after her first time came. In all honesty, she hadn’t really understood all of what Prisca had said regarding her Red Earth. She would have to start doing what Prisca did and she would get money for it. That had been a long time ago and hadn’t come to be. Derk took her in and cared for her whereas Prisca…the sound of Derk’s footsteps on the leaves and twigs brought her back to her cramps and her task, ripping a few more rags off of the old pants. The man set the kettle down carefully so as not to spill any of the water and went about rearranging the stones next to the old fire pit, trying to rescue what he could.

  “What else can’t I do?” she asked, ripping off another strip, using the knife to turn it into two, hand sized rags. Derk shrugged and shuffled over to his pack, picking out the two fire stones wrapped in their special bag. He wrinkled his nose at her as he rolled them out, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand before he crouched into the wind.

  “Depends on who you ask,” he said, striking a stone against the other. “Some would say you can’t drink milk. No kissing babies. I’d say no kissing boys.”

  “That can’t be one of them,” she said, ripping of another ring of fabric. The dagger tugged at the seam and she pulled it with a jerk, loosening the piece from the rest. “I know it ain’t true.”

  “You could, I just would prefer you wouldn’t,” he said, striking the stones again, his back towards her so that his words were muffled. “Or rather, I should say, I wish you would stop kissing boys.”

  “Oh, pa, you know I only kissed that last one because his mam worked at the Wren! There was a whole bag of seedbarley to get!”

  “And just last week it was that red headed one for a bolt of fabric and then before that the dark haired lad with the big ears. I don’t even remember what that was about.”

  “I liked his ears, I thought they were cute.”

  “Tavi!” Derk said, looking back at her finally. Tavera tried her best to stifle her laugh, making her face long and her eyes big. Her attempt just wiped Derk’s stern expression from his face and he sighed, turning back to the fir
e that he had barely started. “Tavi, just…be careful. If that red headed one and the blond one find out about one another, they could get in a row and then the parents come looking for me.”

  “Fine, I’ll just kiss boys that got no parents.”

  “That’s not what I’m…or what about this?” he offered. The sparks had been transformed into a happy little flame and he grabbed a piece of bigger kindling, snapping it in two before he placed it carefully over the fire. “What about women? You’re just hitting men up! That’s half the people in the Valley you can’t use your tricks on!”

  “Some ladies like other ladies, you know that,” Tavera chided, forgetting about the rags for the moment. “Don’t you remember when we went to-”

  “But you shouldn’t lie about who you like or want to kiss,” Derk finally said. He put another piece of kindling on and got the frame to hang the kettle over, digging its points into the earth. “It’s not good to do, to garner ills from thwarted lovers. People don’t like to be kissed and left. And besides, I’ve warned you against being a dog of one use. I don’t want you to get lazy.”

  Tavera kept her thoughts to herself, feeling another cramp twist inside of her making her queasy. She put the torn up pants on her lap and blinked, watching as Derk set the kettle of water over the fire finally. “So…” she said slowly, looking over the dagger in her hand. “We’re going to wait for the water to boil, and then boil the fabric and then wait for the rags to dry?”

  Derk looked at the water quizzically and then to Tavera. After a breath he shook his head and put his hands up. “You got me,” he admitted, feeling around for his pipe. “I ain’t done this before, Tavi. I don’t know what’s going on.”

  “We’re supposed to meet Gam and you wanted to get there by mid-meal,” Tavera said.

  “I know, I know,” he muttered, fumbling around inside his pack. Tavera yawned and laid back on both of the bedrolls. Her father nudged her out of the way, finding the pipe but lacking the tobacco. “Just….”