"Breathe with me," Izzy cut her off, returning to pressing her hands in time. "In.... hold... out... You're in control of yourself. You can do this." After so long with only the forest and the Forestyne around her, no wonder Lady Siofra had panicked in a crowd.
Izzy had never heard anything but good spoken about the Duchess of Greatbriar. Lady Edythe's duchy prospered, and she was a generous patroness of several Goddess shrines. Izzy hadn't thought she was the kind of person who'd send her daughter away for half a decade just because she didn't want to train her in magic. It set something sour simmering in the back of Izzy's throat. Izzy had been off training as a squire when she was twelve, but she'd gotten to visit home a few times a year. Her family had visited her whenever they could, and sent a constant stream of letters and packages. No one should be sent away and forgotten.
"I can take you back to the forest, if that's what you want." Izzy remembered the girls holding Lady Siofra, their tearful goodbyes, sharper now that she knew how long Siofra had been with them. If Lady Siofra had made herself a better family than the one she'd been born into, as she came of age among the Forestyne, Izzy wouldn't forcibly take her from it.
Lady Siofra shook her head hard. "I want to go home. I really want to."
"Then I'll take you there," Izzy promised. "You can do this." It was going to be hard for Lady Siofra to get used to society again. Arriving at their first town during first market day had been bad luck, but hopefully not a coincidence that would be repeated. There were some things markets were good for, though, and an idea struck Izzy. "Do you like sweets?"
Lady Siofra blinked. "Yes, very much?"
There were bound to be good ones in Bitham today. Izzy leaned out of the wagon to whistle for Lee, and Lee whistled back—three short bursts for 'a minute'. When Lee's head poked inside, Izzy let go of one of Siofra's hands, pulled a silver coin from her purse, and tossed it to Lee.
"Bring Lady Siofra the best sweet pastry in the square. And some tea?" Izzy looked to Lady Siofra for confirmation.
"Mint. If you can find it," she replied.
Izzy nodded, turning back to Lee. "And get yourself a treat with what's leftover."
"Yes, ser!" Lee saluted sharply, grinning, and disappeared. She reappeared moments later, grabbed a tin mug from the hooks along the wall, nodded, and disappeared again.
Izzy and Siofra just breathed for a while. Then two men started arguing outside, and Lady Siofra flinched again. Her empty hand reached halfway toward Izzy, long fine-boned fingers twitching. Izzy quickly took it.
Siofra squeezed tight. "This helps."
"Mhm." They made their own bubble of space, isolated from the chaos despite being at its center. Soon the arguing men moved on, and Lady Siofra relaxed more. There were still shouts and bangs, and cheers from the players' audience, but it was just background noise. Maybe Lady Siofra was starting to be able to hear it that way too.
Lee came back with a napkin full of pastries, the tin mug filled with tea, and a huge smile. "Tea, rosehip and mint with honey," she said, climbing in and handing it over. Lady Siofra let go of Izzy's hands to take the tea, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply. A little smile curved her lips.
It had often helped Izzy's brother too, something pleasant to drink to settle him after an attack.
"And I couldn't decide which tart looked best." Lee opened the napkin. "Apple and sour cream, or cherry hazelnut? And I got a savory cheese tart for you, Izzy."
Izzy gave Lee's shoulder a light shove, but she did take the pastry. She hadn't asked for anything, but Lee never could resist spending every penny and sharing.
"I'll take the cherry," Lady Siofra decided.
"Oh good," Lee said, handing it over. "The apple tart has been calling out to my poor nose, and I might have cried if you wanted it more." She shoved it almost whole into her mouth, made a muffled moan of approval, and brandished the napkin. If she was trying to say something specific, her mouth was far too full for Izzy's comprehension. Lee bounded back outside.
Lady Siofra made a noise that, were she not a noblewoman, could have been described as her snorting a laugh into her tea.
"That child." Izzy sighed, taking a reasonably sized bite of her own tart. Lee did know how to choose a good tart, even if she hadn't learned how to eat one properly yet.
"She's... enthusiastic," Lady Siofra said.
Izzy nodded. That she was, and it was Izzy's unenviable job to get her to balance that with some common sense before Lee took her knight's vows and was on her own.
Lady Siofra made a happy noise over her own tart and sipped her tea as delicately as though she drank from fine china instead of tin. Izzy didn't eat like Lee, but Lady Siofra still had half of hers when Izzy's was done. "You all right if I go?" Izzy asked.
"Yes, I should be fine," Lady Siofra said, and Izzy climbed out of the wagon. Martel was checking their yokes while the oxen drank buckets of water.
"We've got to go," Izzy said. "She can't take the crowds. We're better spending the night on the road."
"I doubt there's an empty room in the whole town anyway," Martel said with a small sigh. "Even if there were, people will be shouting and singing in the streets at all hours. There's no rest for us here."
"Buy any supplies you need quickly. We should leave as soon as possible," Izzy decided.
"The next town's two days away," Martel mused. "We'll make it easily. Can you imagine trying to get into the shops in this crowd? We can go as soon as the animals are watered."
"Good." Izzy stepped out of the way as Tom came up with a pair of full buckets to replace the ones the oxen had drained. Lady Siofra was sitting stiffly, carefully sipping the last of her tea, when Izzy climbed back into the wagon.
"We're leaving soon," Izzy told her. "We'll be in the countryside in a few hours."
Lady Siofra sighed in relief, her tense pose deflating. "Oh good," she breathed. "Thank you so much, Izzy." She reached for Izzy's hand, and Izzy took it and sat down again. Lady Siofra's skin wasn't clammy anymore. She had calmed down well, and knowing that there was an end in sight must help too.
Soon Lee popped her head back into the wagon, wiping her sweating brow. "We're ready to go!" she said, putting her helmet back on without even being told.
"Mount up," Izzy told her, and turned to Lady Siofra. "I'd prefer to ride."
"Of course." Lady Siofra let go of Izzy's hand and waved her off only a little stiffly. "I can manage on my own now. Thank you."
"I'll be right here if you need anything, dear," Martel offered, taking her seat to drive the oxen. "And Tom will ride on the wagon's tail."
Izzy mounted, glad to have her mare under her again, and they headed out of Bitham. Someone must have asked the locals about the streets, because it only took an hour for them to reach the main road out. Streams of people were still coming in, but the crowd thinned as they got further away. After another hour, Izzy noticed that Lady Siofra had climbed out to sit by Martel.
When evening neared and the road was theirs alone, Lady Siofra came down from the wagon to walk. She stretched her long arms, spinning so the skirt of her simple brown shift flared out. She laughed, wildflowers already in her braids again and wildflowers blooming to life around her feet.
Izzy could not help smiling at her simple joy. She'd already come to learn Lady Siofra was sweet, making flowers bloom because she was happy and she could. Pretty girl with her pretty flowers. How her mother could have sent her away for so long, Izzy could not imagine.
It did not sit right with her.
They camped on the edge of a farmer's field, letting the animals graze the borders and drink from the ditch. They saw nothing of the farmer—they were likely back in Bitham. They had a quiet night, interrupted only when Lee woke Izzy in the gray twilight of morning, cursing about her monthlies come early.
Izzy was lucky hers had always been regular, light, and painless. Izzy made sure Lee had enough clean rags and rubbed her lower back to ease the cramps. Lee was a little better
by breakfast time, and better still once she had eaten. Izzy saddled horses for both of them, though that was a squire's responsibility; Lee needed the rest.
"You're good to ride?" Izzy asked quietly, while Lee helped her with her riding armor.
"I'll be fine," Lee promised, her smile only a little subdued. Izzy squeezed her shoulder, took the standards, and led the way.
Lee was quiet at the rear. Izzy rarely heard her voice joining in the others' conversations and songs. Near noon, Lee whistled the two rising notes of Izzy's name. She was leaning far forward in her saddle, clearly in pain again.
"I can't ride today." There were tears in Lee's voice, pain lines around her eyes. "I really can't. I'm sorry."
"Stop the wagon!" Izzy called out. She dismounted and took Thunder's reins, gesturing Lee into the wagon; and Lee went limping. Izzy unsaddled Thunder and tethered him alongside Blaze. He'd likely appreciate the day off. Lee was out of her armor and lying in a hammock when Izzy came in with the saddle.
Lee had put her armor away properly. Good, there was never an excuse to abuse equipment. Lee was sniffling quietly, curled in on herself like a hedgehog. She'd probably be all spikes too if she could.
Izzy leaned over. "That bad?"
"I used up all my water elder and willow extract last month. I thought I had another week to find an apothecary—I feel so stupid." Lee dug her knuckles into her forehead, sniffling harder.
"Shh." Izzy hushed, rubbing her back. Martel peered back into the wagon, worried. "Do you have any willowbark? Anything for pain?" Izzy asked. She didn't carry anything herself except tincture of poppy, which was too strong and too pricey for anything but serious injury.
"I don't," Martel said. "Poor dear. It'll pass."
"Be strong," Izzy told Lee, briefly tousling her sweat-dampened curls, and returned to Boots. There was nothing else they could give Lee but rest and privacy.
Lady Siofra was twisting her hands together outside the wagon, brow furrowed. "Is Lee hurt?"
"It's just her monthlies, you know how it is," Martel soothed. "Thank the Goddess I'm all done with those."
Lady Siofra nodded, brow smoothing in understanding. "We are all bound to the moon, one way or another."
Izzy hung back beside the wagon instead of riding ahead. Better to be close at hand without her squire as backup, even if the day was quiet. Lady Siofra seemed distracted, looking away from the road and the company as she walked. She paused to gather leaves from a briar they passed, shoving them into her pocket. Why, Izzy couldn't guess.
"Willow!" Siofra exclaimed, jumping a short stone wall and dashing across a field to a stand of shrubs at its far end.
"Lady Siofra!" Izzy called. She could not let her charge get so far away alone! Boots would jump the wall if Izzy asked, but the soft ground could hide rabbit-holes to break a horse's leg, and the farmer would not appreciate their mangels being trampled.
The shrub reached its branches towards Lady Siofra. She broke off a handful of thin twigs and came running back—long legs eating up the ground. Her smile was huge, and the mangels in the field flushed a darker green in her wake.
"Raspberry leaf and willow should help," she said, leaping back over the wall. She ducked past Izzy and climbed inside the wagon.
"Making willow tea?" Martel asked, looking back. "There's a bottle you can put in the sun while we... oh, I see." She nodded at an answer Izzy couldn't hear and turned back to the oxen.
Izzy could hear Lady Siofra's voice and Lee's, but could not make out their words. The skin prickled on the back of Izzy's neck and she rubbed at it, but that faded quickly. Soon Lady Siofra emerged from the wagon, still smiling, her braids full of yellow flowers. She had an empty cloth satchel over her shoulder.
"You did something for Lee?" Izzy asked.
"Healing magic has never been my strength," Lady Siofra answered. "I can't do anything directly, but I made her a charm. I made them for my sisters sometimes, back in the forest."
"That's kind of you, dear," Martel said. "I hope it helps."
"Anything's better than nothing," Izzy agreed. She picked idly at the buckthorn 'charm' Lady Siofra had stuck on her chainmail, but it was still very firmly attached. She wouldn't have expected Lady Siofra's magic to last, but its green was bright and unfaded.
"I might not be much of a healer, but I am a Forestyne," Lady Siofra said again. She patted her satchel. "I ought to have a full set of healing herbs with me—I'm not in the forest where everything is always at hand! I'll gather what I can as I walk."
"Just as long as you don't get too far from us," Izzy agreed. "Don't put yourself in danger."
"I promise to be careful, Ser Knight," Lady Siofra said, so solemnly Izzy suspected her of making fun. Before Izzy could decide if she was or not, Lady Siofra danced off the path to pull up a dandelion. It released the soil as soon as she put her hand on it, thick twisted roots pulling up as easily as a carrot from soft plowed ground. Lady Siofra flicked it once, as if to shake the dirt off, and a light spray of water pattered down from it. She nodded to herself and carefully tucked the perfectly dehydrated plant into her satchel.
Izzy had never seen green magic used like that before, and shared a surprised look with Martel. Maybe the Forestyne were teaching new methods these days. Or maybe it was flashy magic only young girls would spend energy on; Lady Siofra was the kind who thought making flowers in her hair was a good use of power.
Whatever the reason, it wasn't hurting anyone. If Lady Siofra tired herself out, she could always ride in the wagon. She seemed to be enjoying herself, running here and there to forage, but never strayed too far from the group.
When they stopped briefly for Martel to distribute lunch, she emerged from the wagon still holding Lee's portion. "Sleeping now, poor dear," she said. "I don't want to disturb her."
"Best let her sleep the worst of it off," Izzy agreed.
It was mid-afternoon before Lee emerged from the belly of the wagon to sit beside Martel and eat her late lunch. She was flushed from sleep, the side of her face creased from the hammock's fabric, but she was smiling. She had what looked like two willow twigs woven into a circle, with a raspberry leaf suspended in the middle of it, tucked into her belt against her belly. It must be Lady Siofra's charm.
"Feeling better now?" Izzy asked.
"So much better," Lee said, touching the charm and turning her smile toward Lady Siofra. "This thing really helps, better than tea. Thank you."
"Water elder and lady's mantle would have been better." Lady Siofra shrugged. "We use what's at hand. I'm glad it works."
Lee nodded, sleepily laying her head on Martel's shoulder as she ate. It lifted a weight from Izzy's mind to see her out of pain, even if she was still exhausted. Blood loss would do that. Lee was strong, though. She always bounced back in a few days.
Their early departure from Bitham put them at the wayfarers' point hours before sunset. Tom accompanied Lady Siofra on a brief foray among trees—she searching for herbs, he firewood. The animals grazed, and Izzy took the time to go over her horses and equipment. No amount of prying, even with a knifepoint, affected the charm Lady Siofra had placed on Izzy's chainmail. She resigned herself to having a leaf at the front of her left shoulder and let it be.
The fire was warm and the atmosphere companionable as they ate supper. Lee leaned against Izzy, and Izzy rubbed her back to ease any pains the charm hadn't fixed. Lady Siofra smiled, hands between her knees and tiny pink blossoms in her hair. They slept in the wagon that night because Tom sensed rain. Quiet breaths and snores in a row like a barracks, and Izzy slept deep.
They reached Delving the next day, an old mining town grown with trade. It was a quieter place than Bitham, and it was also not market day. Izzy reined Blaze back beside the wagon and Lady Siofra as they approached.
"Will you ride up with Martel?" Izzy asked. She'd rather Lady Siofra head off any panic before it started. She'd learn to handle being around people better if she wasn't pushed into another attack.
She wanted to ride with Izzy? Martel was right there, a much more kind and comforting individual than Izzy was. Still, there was no reason she couldn't. Blaze wouldn't mind, and there was space behind Izzy's saddle.
"If you're sure," Izzy said. Lady Siofra obviously hadn't ridden in a long time.
Siofra nodded, glancing toward the approaching town. "I doubt I've forgotten how, and I would... I would feel more comfortable. Please."
Izzy stopped Blaze and reached down to Lady Siofra. "Put your foot on mine, I'll pull you up."
Lady Siofra obeyed instantly, swinging herself up to sit sidesaddle behind Izzy. Blaze sidestepped, but a firm hand settled her quickly.
"Comfortable enough?" Izzy asked, waiting for Lady Siofra's confirmation before she asked Blaze to walk on. Lady Siofra's hand rested on Izzy's waist to steady herself, and her body moved easily along with the mare's gait.
Izzy glanced back occasionally to check on her, but Lady Siofra did not seem nervous. Height and a little distance from people obviously helped. Izzy noticed she had no flowers in her hair, but no thorns either.
Lady Siofra waited inside the wagon as they resupplied and rode with Izzy again afterward. They had all the food they would need, and Lee found an apothecary who sold the water elder and willow extract she preferred for her monthlies.
Izzy found the constable and got a hunting writ, permission to take fish and small game as they continued past the faeryfens. Tom would be happy; he chafed when he wasn't allowed to hunt for their suppers. Izzy suspected Tom would have hunted anyway, if he weren't traveling with a Knight who disapproved of lawbreaking. Eating what he hunted would help keep the rest of them happy too. The last thing Izzy bought was a piece of honeycomb to split five ways, so they each had a bite of sweet wax to chew.
The days took on an easy cadence. Rain or shine, they traveled. The horses and oxen were sturdy and reliable, and Martel and Tom were proficient at making a camp comfortable. Lady Siofra continued her collection of herbs, resolutely walking barefoot beside the wagon. When it rained, she put on a sensible oilskin cloak and continued walking. She did not tire, and her spirits were light. She never complained of the simple food or of washing with cold stream water. Accompanying her was far from Izzy's worst task. Izzy might not rate flowers and magic for the sake of fashion highly, but Siofra had a kind heart and a good disposition. That was what mattered.
Heart of Steel Page 15