The Way of Sacrifice, page 30
On Eight-day, Bess visited the book shop early and made her way to the cafe before midday. She’d just ordered her meal when both Taren and Grub arrived and sat opposite her. Grub said, “Can I have another pie?”
“Of course, if that’s what you want. Anything except mead or ale.”
Taren said, “Does that go for me as well?”
“Yes, including the prohibition against mead and ale.”
Once everyone had been served, Taren said, “OK, we came back. Where is the ten gold?”
“In my coin pouch. Instead, I have a proposition.”
“You’ll buy Grub, is that it? Take her off my hands. I’m sorry, but she’s not for sale; none of us are.”
“Why would I want to buy Grub? She’s a child.”
“Then what do you want? Everyone wants something.”
Bess shook her head and said, “Nothing. I want nothing, Taren. Here are the ten gold. Eat your meal and go.”
Grub said, “Don’t be mad, Mistress. He’s just trying to help; he doesn’t trust people very much.”
“He’s rude.”
“He is worried about us.”
Bess could see Grub meant what she said, so she waved to the man she knew had been sent from Master Earnest. He came over and stood beside her. He said, “Yes, Mistress Bess, How may I serve?”
“Was your master able to organise things as we’d discussed?”
“Yes, Mistress. Everything is ready.”
“When they’ve finished eating, then take this lout and Grub here to have a look. Please explain the concept to them. If they agree, then collect the other nine as well. If not, drop these back in the gutter and then apologise to your master for me and tell him I shall make amends for his good favour and help.”
“As you wish. Mistress. Here is that other thing you requested.”
After taking the pouch of gold, Bess stood and walked off. She knew she was acting out of anger and realised she’d let her guard down. If she was going to survive, she needed the control she’d had at the academy. Forcing herself to adopt one of her most complex patterns of breathing, she headed back to Faulty Town to read her new books.”
The following month and a half passed without anything out of the ordinary. Bess had heard that Taren had accepted the offer, and the children were safely in the house. Taren was currently looking for ten more children to work with. The new Heptatic ambassador had presented his credentials just after Quarter-Year. Still, nothing except his name, Fidelity, had filtered down to Faulty Town. When Bess arrived at Master Kent’s on One-day, he was waiting for her at the door.
He said, “Bess, you’ve been through every stage of the process, and the last few months have been helping the other apprentices. I think you are ready to use the small loom. The truth is, I suspect you could step in and take the role of a journeyman, but that isn’t how things work around here. Like all apprentices, you will start with a basic plain weave and from there move up in complexity, and after eight months or so, you’ll be able to try something of your own design. For now, I’ll set the design for you.”
By the time Jaycend and Leoden arrived, Bess was setting up the loom. The two apprentices grinned at her then went to work. Just after the tenth hour of the morning, the noise on the street began to build up, but none of the apprentices moved. Instead, Master Kent made his way out to ask what the commotion was all about. Several minutes later, he came in shaking his head.
Looking up, he saw everyone looking at him. He said, “Those two girls from Faulty Town who’ve been missing the last few eightdays were found in one of the city’s night-soil piles. No one knows how they got there, and the rats had taken most of the flesh. The boarding house mistress of one recognised a locket when they were brought up by the emperor’s hounds. Another body was found in the same spot, another girl or young woman.”
Bess was as shocked as the others, but none of that showed as she turned back to her loom. Jaycend looked over and said, “Bess, no reaction?”
Leoden said, “She’s just as disturbed, but she’s changed her breathing to keep her emotions in check. I’ve only worked it out since Quarter-Year. Most of us stop doing what we’d been taught and lose the self-control we’d picked up. I had. I’ve been watching, and I’ve been practising. I haven’t done it here at work because it would be noticeable. Still, if I want to be a weaver, I need to learn that it is OK to be worried about what’s happening around me but not to let it cause me to lose my focus.”
Bess nodded and said, “I’m horrified, but if I dwell on it, I won’t be prepared if it’s something that might hurt me or the people I care about.”
Jaycend didn’t respond, but Bess could hear the difference as the older apprentice changed her pattern of breathing as well.
Chapter 11
The next morning Bess was up early, but instead of heading straight to the Tavern, she spent half an hour doing stretches and a short workout in her room. She’d realised she’d also let herself become unfocused. Without the constant challenges of the academy, she’d become blasé about the dangers around her and had stopped forcing herself to keep improving her skills. After a quick wash, she headed to the Tavern.
Wesley came over as soon as he saw her and said, “You’re later than usual, and I was a bit worried after yesterday’s news.”
“I’m sorry, I realised I hadn’t been keeping the skills up and spent some time exercising.”
“Good. Um, I’m not sure how to say this, but we’ve a small group of business owners in the area who meet to discuss things. It’s sort of like an unofficial Council because the official one doesn’t do much of anything. We met last night, and the description of all three victims was shared with the group. Be careful, Bess; they could have been describing you.”
Bess didn’t know how to respond, and Wesley understood as he said, “I’ll let you think on that while I get your breakfast. I think you can have meat and eggs today.”
Without waiting for her agreement Wesley turned and headed to the kitchen to pass on the order. After the meal, she headed to Master Kent’s. He was waiting and said, “Did they finally get to you?”
“No, I’m sorry I’m later than usual. I did a quick workout. I’ll need to find a better time and place, but I’ve let myself become complacent to danger.”
“That’s a relief. I suspect Wesley mentioned that all three looked like you. We’re both hoping it’s just a coincidence.”
“Is there anywhere in the area where people spar?”
“Not really. There is a place that holds the occasional boxing match, but it’s not set up for training. Some of the gangs have areas, but they’re not open to everyone.”
“I suppose I may have to find somewhere up towards the city.”
Master Kent just nodded, and Bess made her way into the front area to work on the simple piece Master Kent had asked her to do. As her breathing changed to the pattern she’d decided fit the piece of work, her hands began gliding from side to side, matching the rhythm of her breath. Unknown to her, Kent had paused in the doorway and watched the speed, dexterity and flawless accuracy of Bess’ work. As each of the other apprentices arrived, he asked them to wait and made them watch what Bess was doing.
When they’d seen what he wanted them to, he motioned them to come into the warehouse. He said, “Jaycend, Leoden, Tyrone, after she’s finished this piece, I’m going to move her along faster than I did any of you. She’s a natural, and I’m not doing her, or myself, any favours by keeping her to the normal pace that we push apprentices. If she continues to impress, I might have to give her journeyman status before any of you. I wanted you to know before I said anything to her, so you know it has nothing to do with your standard of work. You will all make excellent weavers in time, and your all progressing above the average rate. Bess, however, is exceptional. I hope you understand.”
All three nodded their understanding and general acceptance of what Master Kent said. He thanked them then let them make their way to begin work. Bess finished the piece before lunch, and Master Kent took her to one side and explained the next piece of work he wanted her to do. It was a simple pattern that one of his regular customers, a carpenter, had asked for to cover cushions for some dining furniture he was making. After lunch, Bess started setting up the loom.
When the bell rang to tell the workers the workday was finished, Bess was halfway through the first piece of cloth. Kent came and watched for a minute, then again shook his head at the accuracy Bess achieved and her speed. When she’d finished the section and placed things so she knew where to start the next morning, he said, “Excellent work, Bess. I’ve been thinking about what you said this morning, and I think it is important to prepare yourself just in case you are attacked. I want your permission to use your name when I talk with some friends of mine. I think we could find a place for people to train and help some of the younger women who could be targeted. If they agree, then I thought you might have an hour less here each day and be one of the teachers. Would you be prepared to do that?”
Bess nodded and said, “I would. I’d be excited to help in that way.”
“Thank you. I’ll let you know what we come up with in the next few days.”
Master Kent didn’t get back to Bess until Five-day. When she arrived, he said he wanted her to finish at lunch then come look at what he and several other local business people were considering. After lunch, he led her back in the direction of Faulty Town then turned down a small alley. He said, “There’s a warehouse down here which runs down the back of the stores on the main thoroughfare. Two of the shops are owned by the same family, and they’ve agreed to use only half of their space. The other half they’ll let us use as a training centre. We still have to find a few more interested people to help with funding for mats and weapons.”
“How much do you need?”
“Another twenty gold straight up and then probably a gold an eightday to hire people like you.”
“Um, Master Kent, I’ll add forty to start things as soon as we can.”
“You have forty gold?”
“Yes, sir.”
Master Kent looked at Bess for a moment, searching her face. Finally, he said, “Thank you. With that, I believe we’ll be ready to start on One-day. We don’t want to make money, but several of those I discussed the idea with thought asking people to give something would help find people who are going to put the effort in to improve themselves.”
“How many people will fit in the space?”
Master Kent took a key from his pocket and walked to the nearest door, and unlocked it. The inside area was about ten paces by twenty paces. Bess said, “We could have classes for self-defence with maybe twenty students in one half and in the other some equipment. Is a copper a lesson, or a copper a day too much? If we knew someone was struggling, there could be a way of helping. If it is for the day, then some might come twice.”
They discussed the options for almost an hour. Master Kent said, “I’ll go talk with the scrivener and Wesley, who you know. They’re involved in this with me. You head back to the weavery and keep working on those cushions.”
Bess reached into her coin purse, took out eight Five-Gold coins, and handed them to Master Kent. As he looked at the gold in his hand, she left and hurried back to do her work.
On Eight-day, Bess joined the various Masters who’d helped finance the gym to get things set up for the following day. After lunch, several prospective teachers arrived to look at the facilities. One of them was a woman in her twenties who looked Bess over and said, “You’re one of the teachers?”
“That’s the plan. I’m Bess.”
“What do you teach?”
“The plan is to start with self-defence, mainly for the women and girls.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t look like someone who knows what they’re doing.”
“That’s fine. Most of the women we’ll be training will look like that.”
“Do you want to show me what you’ve got? Maybe a small sparring session?”
“Not really. But the others want me to check all of you out, and I can’t think of any other way.”
“They want you to check me out?”
“That’s what they said. If you want, you can go first.”
“That suits me. If I win, then I can check the others out.”
“That’s not the deal, but I’ve got no real problems with that. First to three, tap out, push out or knock out?”
“Sounds about right.”
Bess made her way onto the mat and stood opposite the woman. One of the other potential instructors stepped between them and said, “OK, this is sparring, not a fight.”
As he stepped back, the woman charged Bess, who dropped low under the outthrust arms, and as the woman tried to slow, Bess grabbed the arm and twisting as she came upright, she threw the woman out of the ring. The following two bouts were longer, but the result was the same. Bess pulled the woman to her feet after she’d pulled a hit to the woman’s neck to win the third bout. The woman shook her head and said, “Sorry for the attitude. My name’s Helena.”
“No problem, and it’s nice to meet you.”
Bess headed back to Faulty Town after agreeing to be at the gym at six the following day for the first class.
Only four older girls and younger women were there the first morning. Still, by the end of the first month, Bess usually had a full class each morning, and on Eight-day, she taught four classes throughout the day. In the beginning, Bess only had the women who’d been at the academy work on their breathing, but after a few eightdays, she’d begun having all the women start learning a few patterns.
Two more women from Faulty Town disappeared during the first month of classes, and though the bodies weren’t found, the general consensus was that it was due to foul play. Even the emperor’s hounds were confident the girls were dead. Despite this, the feeling of the women who’d been doing the course was very positive. Several had shared stories of defending themselves at work, in the street, and even one who shut down her abusive husband by literally throwing him out of the home. Regardless of their increasing skills, most women moved during the night only in groups of three or four.
Two eightdays before Year-end, Kent moved Bess to a larger loom and showed her how to weave brocade. She finished the first reel on the last Seven-day of the year. Everything was shut at Year-end as people waited for the beginning of the following year. Bess had cancelled all the classes on Eight-Day, so with one day for Year-end and two for New Year, Bess had four days off before she had to weave or take a class. This time she’d planned ahead, and first thing on Eight-day, she made her way down to the cliff overlooking Jagged Isle.
She’d learn the habits of those Earnest had watching her, or she hoped it was Earnest. Before she’d even reached the weavers, she’d lost the three she knew about, and even then, she was careful not to show herself along the trail but moved through the bush. It took her a lot longer, but she’d planned ahead and not only had the clothes to blend in but also gloves and a sharp knife in case she needed to make a path through dense foliage.
She’d left early because of the changing tide and reached the cliff, about a quarter of an hour before it turned, which was later than she’d planned but still inside the window she’d calculated as safe-ish. With the total recall the aether gave her, she made it to the base of the cliff without difficulty, having lowered a full duffle style bag to the bottom first. Bess slipped a waterproof jacket and trousers over her clothes. She’d made these after finding the material in one of the markets. It matched the dark almost-black blue of the causeway rocks and had splashes of silver to match the foam of the waves.
Again her memory helped, and even though it took an hour to cross, she’d not felt terrified as she had the previous two crossings. It was still mid-morning when she reached the house, and after double-checking that nothing had been moved, she ate some of the pastries she’d bought several days before. After the late breakfast, Bess checked the map she’d made then, being careful not to let herself be seen, looked for where the end of the underground tunnel came out.
It took her three hours to find the exit and another three to clear enough of the debris that had fallen into the tunnel to make her way inside. Not only had she found an almost totally decayed door but several sets of bones, two of which were children. From what she could piece together, the tunnel had collapsed when the door was opened. She wondered if it was meant to do that or something had gone wrong. Once the exit was cleared, she took some time covering it with the sparse vegetation, so it wasn’t obvious. Anyone searching for it would find it easily enough, and she already had plans for how to hide it.
When she’d finished, she sat for a moment to rest and just look out at the ocean which stretched away in front of her. She was glad she’d taken care to hide as she could see a dozen ships heading into or out of the bay. Not only did she see one that she knew belonged to the Seafarers, but two Heptatic ones were heading for shore. After the short rest, she crept to the edge near the exit to see if anything indicated why they’d planned to exit the house where they did.
It took her ten minutes to find the spot. Small recesses had been chiselled out of the rock to use as both foot and handholds. Slipping on the waterproof jacket and trousers, she slowly lowered herself over the side after checking no ships were close. The path didn’t go straight down but zigzagged back and forth before ending only a couple of paces above the full tide mark. Even then, Bess found the area was wet from the waves and spray.
