Ursula goes to the market the following day and encounters several dranakhs on the way back. A restless nap leads her to reconsider the dangerous decision she has made. A personal talk with Eriana adjusts their plans. The following day, unexpected allies are revealed.

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

59 - Second Thoughts

Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2022 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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"Tsuft?" The stall-holder eyed Ursula dubiously. "I know of it, of course, but it is of specialized interest. Which part were you interested in, Mistress? Root? Leaf? Flower? Nut? Or perhaps powdered bark?"

"The Old Woman in the Woods at Bakhzorum told me to ask for dried, powdered root, Mistress."

The woman nodded at the reference. "It is very powerful, Mistress. If I may ask, did she give instructions for use?"

"Oh, yes, she was very careful with her instructions and I know that I must be very careful when I prepare it. My problem, as you may appreciate, is that I am on a vessel which is traveling upriver. Since I do not know when I may be able to find any tsuft root along the way I have to lay in some kind of supply."

"Then I may be able to help you, Mistress, though not today. Will your barge be staying in Wadek many days?"

Ursula did not correct the assumption. "That depends on how many days it would take to provide the root. We will be here at least three or four, I would guess. My captain may stay longer if I ask him to but there are limits, of course."

"Of course, Mistress. Ah, were you one of those on that odd ship which caused the fuss yesterday morning, is that not so?"

"I am forced to admit that I was, Mistress. Is this typical of Pakmal behavior?"

The stall-holder rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes, Mistress! Why, I could tell you stories that would make you weep with frustration, except that you probably have already had similar experiences. Wadek will be so relieved once these nuisances have gone back home that the town will probably order a party."

"Mistress, I cannot disagree."

"So, to the roots, then. I may be able to bring some tomorrow, if not then it will be the following day. I should warn you that the cost may be significant."

"I knew that would likely be the case, Mistress. How much?"

"Somewhere around a Kroter a silverweight, Mistress." She watched Ursula intently.

"That tells me something but does not tell me what a silverweight of dried tsuft root looks like. Can you give me some idea, say, by using another of these herbs or spices?"

The stall-holder pursed her lips. "Mistress, I am not very familiar with tsuft root, it is, as we both know, a rarely-used remedy. However, perhaps it will look something like this."

She searched around the small sacks, jars and bottles which covered the front of the stall, finally selecting a sack of reddish spice. She poured a little of this into one of the pans of her scales, eyed the resulting heap and then added a little more.

"There. I think that would be about what a silverweight would look like, Mistress."

Ursula studied the small heap, attempting to translate it into the measures she had been told to use, finally nodding.

"I estimate that amount would last me about twelve to fourteen days. A Kroter for that much? Surely not."

The stallholder spread her hands. "It is a herb rarely used these days, Mistress, because of the damage it can do to those unfamiliar with it. This means that not much is produced... of the root, that is. The powdered bark is also used, as you may know, but is not so dangerous. Because the root is rarely used the amounts available may be small and I must needs pay the producers. Um, I could perhaps go down to ten sols but no more. As I said, the root is rare."

"Eight Sols. I have to justify this to my captain."

The woman sighed. "Nine. I dare not ask any less, Mistress."

"Done, Mistress. I will take whatever you can find up to... let us say, five silverweights." She smiled. "Our captain has agreed to fund the procedure but we all know that to own a ship is to throw money directly into the river. He will not pay for more than five silverweights, I would guess."

"Done, Mistress. I will see how much is available and bring what I can tomorrow morning."

"Ah, I will be busy most of tomorrow, Mistress. The following morning would be more convenient for both of us."

"As you say, Mistress. I will expect you then."

"Until then."

Ursula turned away from the stall and considered what to do next. With her this morning were Tyra and Kaldara and the latter asked, "Mistress, if I may ask, I thought that you were coming here tomorrow, to collect Mistress Semma's boots. That should not take so long."

Aware now that ears had been listening that she should have taken note of, she replied, "Tyra and I have an errand to run tomorrow, Kaldara. It begins here in the market and the boots will be collected on our way through. I am sorry but you will not be able to come with us tomorrow. Didn't you have something arranged to do down at the ship?"

"I do, Mistress. I was just curious, that is all." The girl-boy blushed. "I am not used to asking so many questions! Papa did not like it as he said that was not something that women do."

Ursula snorted. "If you stay with us long enough you will discover that Tyra asks many questions, some of which even I cannot answer! Whether you are boy or girl you should ask questions because it is the only way you can find out more about the world and everything that is in it. It is just... that you should take a note of when and where to ask, Kaldara. Sometimes people have things they need to keep private and sometimes they have a need to concentrate on whatever they are doing."

"I understand, Mistress. Like the Captain when we set out from Joth... I disturbed her when she needed to look at the river and decide which path to take."

"Exactly. Now, we are at the market, what else can we do while we are here?"

"I do not know, Mistress. Papa would not let us go to the market often, he said that was for servants to do."

"That may be true but we are pretending to be servants today, are we not? We will just do as every other woman does, Kaldara, we will wander around the stalls and just look at what is available. It is possible that any one of us will find something of interest or even worth purchasing today."

"As you say, Mistress."

They began drifting along the rows of stalls. Some were of little interest and some might have been to Kaldar but which Kaldara was forced to ignore. Girl servants were not supposed to be interested in swords, knives and other instruments of mayhem. Ursula did stop at a fabric stall and finger some of the bolts of cloth displayed there, wondering if it might be a good idea to find some material that would suit Kaldar. The existing single set of tee-shirt and cargo shorts would probably suffice for the present but once the herbs began to take effect they would be outgrown very rapidly.

"Tyra, remind me to mention cloth to the Captain when we return to the mansion. I know that the material we have on board has run down and we could do with a supply, even if it is a different color or weight."

"Mistress, I thought that the other day. I heard Captain Baros speak to Captain Tor about the clothes his men wore and wondered if his own could have the same."

"That is true. If the weather keeps this warm then we should make sure that nobody is going to overheat, and that includes Nethra, Banest, Larys, Matta and Vellana."

Her eyes slid to indicate Kaldara and Tyra nodded. "Of course, Mistress."

Two stalls later Ursula's attention was taken by a bleat from a dranakh. It was behind the stall and loose, having been munching on fodder provided by the stall-holder. When Ursula came into visual range it had stopped eating and focused its attention on her.

The stall-holder turned. "Zamok! What is it?"

It shuffled forward and tried to push between two adjacent stalls but they were positioned too closely together. It bleated at Ursula again.

"Master," she said, "I think it wants to say hello to me." She gave him a reassuring smile. "For some odd reason they seem to take an interest in me. May I?"

He swiveled back to stare at Ursula, taking in her appearance, her basket and her two companions.

"What is it you do, woman?"

The man's attitude annoyed her but she hid her reaction. Yodans were just that way. "Master, I am a healer, come to the market to top up my remedies. We also wander the market looking for anything that might interest my Mistress."

He grunted. "Huh. I doubt you will find anything on my stall. You may touch the dranakh."

She went between the two stalls and put her hand on the dranakh's snout, finding it warm and dry as usual.

"Hello, Zamok. I am Ursula. It is nice to meet you."

The eyes were intelligent as they gazed at her own. The snout briefly raised and then dipped, breaking the contact. Zamok withdrew a step and then bleated a complex message at her.

The man was surprised. "What did you do, woman? He has never done that before! Can you understand them? What did he say to you?"

"Master, they often make noises at me but I have no idea what they are saying." She shrugged. "I have no idea why they take an interest in me either, but I think it would be unwise if I ignored them."

He looked at her doubtfully. "Dranakh are great beasts and it is difficult to ignore them when they desire something. Though I do not understand what just happened I am forced to agree that you may be right."

And that is as close to an agreement that I am likely to get. Good enough.

"Thank you, Master, for letting me greet Zamok. Good day to you. Come on girls, we have things to do."

On the way back to the mansion Ursula was greeted by two other dranakhs but those were both pulling wagons. She could only wave at them as they passed by.

Back in the mansion only the five rescued women appeared to be around. "Where is Her Highness?"

Nethra answered, "She is aboard one of our vessels, Mistress, but she will return for lunch. Did you fare well at the market today?"

"I think so, but I will not know for a day or two. The roots I wanted are hard to find, it would appear."

Kaldara mentioned, "Do not forget the dranakhs, Mistress."

"What's this?"

Ursula tried to dismiss it with a wave. "Oh, I have had a number of dranakhs show interest in me since I began this journey on the river," she explained. "For some reason they seem to recognize me but I have no idea why."

Larys asked, "What about before then, Mistress?"

Ursula turned to her. "There were no dranakhs where I was before. This is all new to me." As the barge woman opened her mouth she added, "I come from a very long way away. There are no dranakhs there at all."

Larys closed her mouth. Nethra asked, "Do they threaten you, Mistress? I hear that they can detect when someone does not like them."

"Not threaten, no. It seems to be curiosity." For some reason she did not mention the dreams or what she had done in Tserikon when the Wardens had grabbed her and Tyra. "I wish I knew what they were curious about."

* * *

Ursula jerked awake, breathing heavily. The afternoon was warm but not uncomfortably so. Around her both Tyra and Kaldara were still asleep, their breathing steady. The disturbing images were still clearly present in her mind.

How does that work? How can I possibly be seeing something I could not have seen? I'm seeing Eriana, on the Visund, from the water. Low down in the water, too. Now I'm moving away from the ship, going around the pontoons... wait, wait. Pontoons? There's a slipway coming, I'm moving up it to a cart piled high with reeds.

Suddenly she recognized the place.

This is Tserikon! But how can I... this must be what Fenn saw! How is this possible?

Her confused brain gave up and she fell asleep again. When she woke again it felt as though she had not slept at all.

"Mistress? You look terrible!"

Ursula gave a wan smile. "Thank you, Tyra, that is just what I needed. I do feel somewhat rough. Um, I have had some very strange dreams."

"Last time you had strange dreams, Mistress, was after that meeting with the dranakh, oh, when was it? Oh, that place that decided it did not want to be part of Yod."

"Tobeligo, you mean." She looked around. "Where's Kaldara?"

"She woke some time ago, Mistress. You always seem to sleep longer after you have talked to the dranakhs."

"Oh. That had not occurred to me but you are right." She stretched and then climbed from the bed. "The toilet first, I think, and then I have to speak to Her Highness. I think I may have done something very stupid."

"Mistress?"

Ursula waved a hand. "This time you will have to wait, Tyra. I need to have a personal conversation with her before I can say anything to you."

Tyra looked upset. "Does that mean that you do not trust me to keep secrets, Mistress?"

"Not at all, Tyra! My mind is... not clear enough yet to know what to tell anyone, including her or you. I would probably confuse both of us if I talked it over with you first. I need her advice on this."

"As you say, Mistress. Ah, there are other things I can do while you are with Her Highness."

Ursula smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Tyra. I don't want to do it this way but today I do not think I have any choice."

"As you wish, Mistress."

Downstairs Ursula found Eriana talking with the other women in one of the mansion's sitting rooms. She turned and smiled as Ursula and Tyra entered.

"You have awakened at last! Is there some problem, Ursula?"

"Maybe, Highness, but not directly related to oversleeping." She paused, considering her words. "I apologize for disturbing your conversation but I would like to have a word with you in private, if I may. I do not want to interrupt but this concerns tomorrow."

Eriana's eyebrows rose. "Indeed? Then, ladies, if you would excuse us."

With a wave of her hands for everyone else to remain seated she stood and gestured at a doorway as she spoke to Ursula. "I have discovered that there are small chambers through there we may use to speak privately." She frowned as Tyra curtseyed and then walked back towards the stairs. "Tyra will not attend you? Mysterious indeed!"

"Highness, I could point out that you will also be unattended. Let me explain that my thoughts are muddled and I did not wish to confuse Tyra before I spoke to you."

Eriana smiled. "So you decided to confuse me first, then? Let us find seats."

The chamber had probably been used as some kind of office as there was a big desk and the walls were lined with shelves heaped with books and papers. However there were also four comfy armchairs surrounding a small circular table. Eriana chose one and Ursula sat opposite. She put her hands in her lap and composed herself.

"If this concerns your adventure tomorrow, Ursula, does this mean that you have changed your mind?"

"In a way, Highness, but it is more complicated than that. First, I need to apologize to you for my recent actions. Planning to go off after an old man is perhaps the most stupid thing I have ever done and you were right to object. I have now thought about what I had planned and, in the light of fresh information, I need to speak to you about what should happen tomorrow."

Eriana waved a hand. "We have spoken before, Ursula. I know that you move by the designs of Beings I barely understand and that it is not my part to obstruct you. What you intend is certainly dangerous but I decided that you knew best what the risks to you might be. You have not failed in the past, have you?"

"No, Highness, but that does not mean that it is impossible for me to fail in the future. I was told that the Beings dealt always in probabilities and that means that there is always, always, a chance that things can go wrong."

"As you say." Eriana grinned. "Every Einnlander knows that battle may result in the death of those taking part so I understand this. In this world, as it must be on Earth, I imagine, the possibility of death is always present." The grin turned into a frown. "But you do not speak of probabilities, I deem."

"No, Highness." Ursula stopped and thought.

This is very hard for me to do. To break the habit of a lifetime is so difficult, but I am a different person now and I cannot be bound by the past.

"When we were in Joth," she began slowly, "you heard the story of my life on Earth."

Eriana nodded. "I did not understand much of it since Earth is so much more complicated than this tiny portion of Anmar."

"While I was on Earth, as you know, I was essentially a woman in the body of a man. When I came here and eventually accepted what had happened I felt an immense relief, I thought that I could now continue my life as a proper woman with the body I should have had from the start. However, I had overlooked that, on Earth, I had twenty-five years," she shrugged, "maybe twenty-one Anmar years or so, of forcing myself to hide my real personality. What I learned today is that it can be very hard to break those habits."

"I know what you mean, I really do, Ursula. Before I left Einnland to sail north I was a wild child who made rash decisions, annoyed everyone and probably gotten many of my loyal retainers killed. It was only when I arrived at Palarand and met Garia that I finally began to grow up. Even now, though, my impulsive nature sometimes breaks through and I must needs restrain myself. Is this what you mean?"

"In a way." Ursula paused, gathering her strength. "You do not know the real me, Highness. Nobody does. I have been keeping it hidden down inside because that is the way that I survived on Earth. To a certain extent it is the way I have survived so far on Anmar. You probably think of me as a stubborn emotionless person who can face any danger, like that assassin, without a problem but all I was doing was pushing the problem deep inside.

"Today I finally understood that. Today I finally realized that I had pushed myself into doing something that even I would not have survived. In my time on Earth, working as a... healer, the patients came constantly one after the other and there was no time to think about anything else. On Anmar, since we left Joth, my life has been similar. One thing after another has happened and I have not had time to think about any of it. Today, for the first time, I have understood the likely consequences of my own actions. I have been stupid. I have calmly arranged for my own death and worse, that of Tyra."

"Surely it cannot be that bad? You had assurances from that man!"

Ursula spread her hands. "Highness, the Commissioner is from a former ruling faction who your men were fighting to the death not many days ago. He and his associates want every foreigner out of Yod, one way or another. I doubt that any of them can be trusted to keep their word. He knows that I am from Earth. If he does not hold me prisoner and attempt to obtain information from me then he will certainly kill me."

"But how can you be so certain? Oh, you mentioned new information. How? I do not recall any messages arriving since you returned from the market. Did you learn something there, perhaps?"

"In a way. I met a dranakh and was greeted by several more on the way back to the mansion. When I went for my nap, I had strange dreams, and I begin to wonder if they were dreams at all. Remember the incident in Tserikon, when those Wardens grabbed us? Today I saw the whole of that incident through the eyes of the dranakh Fenn, Highness."

"You did?"

"I did. I saw myself and Tyra being accosted by that group of Wardens, then the road as Fenn went down it to the port, then what he saw as he swam out to find the Visund, then when the men presented themselves and were rejected. You arrived and I felt the satisfaction, Highness, as Fenn knew that he had found the right person. He then led you all the way back up through Tserikon to the very spot when he had last seen me, and then right through until he tried to get into that shed by barging the door, before you called him off."

Eriana's mouth was hanging open by now. "That's..." She stopped herself and gave a small smile. "By now, after knowing Garia and yourself for so long, I should know better than to claim something is impossible. Now Garia did once mention that she thought that the dranakhs could read each other's thoughts. I do not know what that would mean."

"The idea of a whole species that can communicate by thought is something people on Earth have wondered for a long time but without any examples to study the idea remains just that. In this case I think that they can transfer images from one to another. Now, I would guess that Fenn is still doing what he usually does in Tserikon and yet his account of what happened has followed me all the way to Wadek. That has serious implications, Highness. Can they project over that entire distance or has the message been passed from... head to head, let us say, all that way from dranakh to dranakh?"

Eriana stared at Ursula then shook her head. "I cannot understand such ideas, Ursula. I leave such matters up to those who may discover more, such as yourself. But the mere account of what happened in Tserikon should not cause you disquiet, Ursula. There is more, I deem."

"Oh, yes, Highness! Now, all that I have described so far is as if I was there myself. I could see it all in sharp detail and full color. Oh, I also had sound and smell, Highness, the full picture. But after that, I had some further dreams. Some of these were just as sharp and colorful but others were..." How do I explain TV pictures to someone on Anmar? Particularly badly tuned black-and-white ones? "...strange, misty, muddy, lacking most color. I believe these are what dranakhs usually see from inside our heads. I was being shown the thoughts of men who were preparing for what they thought would happen tomorrow."

Eriana's face lit up. "Ah? Then we have advance warning, it seems!"

Ursula's expression was grim. "We do. The images showed myself and Tyra being knifed to death in the yard of a farmstead."

The Princess's eyes bored into hers. "Then you cannot go. I will not permit it."

"If that was all there was to it, Highness, I would agree, but it is not. Remember, I said all this was governed by probabilities. The future is always uncertain. I have also asked myself why I was so determined to go and find this man and I am wondering if it was one of the reasons why I was sent to Anmar at all. Those Beings have made a great effort to get me here and there has to be a reason, just as there was a reason to bring Princess Garia here. I cannot imagine that my time here would be so brief."

"You think that was your destiny?"

A shrug. "I doubt that it was all of my destiny, Highness. But, remember, I have been given the ability to understand languages that I have never heard before and I did not have that on Earth. The Beings gave that to me, along with an improved memory. I wonder if they also gave me some hidden instructions to do certain things along the way."

Eriana briefly smiled. "In our sagas there are many heroes who are obliged by the Gods to do certain things, or to suffer curses which restrict or direct their actions. What you describe is very similar, Ursula." The smile died. "But Garia told me that the Beings did not do this. They moved people like yourself to Anmar and then stood back, letting them decide their own fate. Do you tell me that it is not so?"

"I cannot possibly answer that, Highness. I doubt if I will ever be able to. I have to act as if I can decide my own actions until I learn otherwise."

"As you say. But this does not answer the question. It is too dangerous for you to go yet you believe that there is some way that you can make this journey and yet survive."

"The dranakhs, Highness. They are the key to all this. The reason that Fenn went down to the Visund and sought you out was because I asked him to."

"What?"

"Highness, when those men grabbed us I did not know what to think. Then Fenn came out of a side street and he was obviously concerned. I needed to let you know what had happened and I could think of no way to do it, but seeing the dranakh gave me an idea. I could not just give him a picture of you since the village is full of women and I was not sure if he would know that you were a visitor, so I first gave him a picture of the Visund and after that one of you standing in it with your sword over your shoulder. That seemed to be enough and off he went. There was no time to do anything else."

Eriana considered. "Aye. The old man told us that his dranakh came immediately to the dock gate and waited until it was opened. He then went to the slipway and insisted that he be released from the cart. Once he had been released he went into the water and then searched out the ship." She nodded. "Ursula, it seems that you can speak with these beasts. Do you think that they can save your life, and that of Tyra?"

"That I do not know, Highness. Everybody just thinks of them as beasts of burden who sometimes know in advance what their owners want. If Fenn's memories can be sent from beast to beast all the way here for me to see then there has to be something more. And, it also seems that something about me interests them enough to want to look after my welfare. If that were not so, then I do not think they would have shown me those images of us being killed. Highness, they were giving me a warning."

"That you should not go. Then, I deem, that dranakhs can make sensible decisions. But you have some other idea."

"Highness, I believe that, with the assistance of the dranakhs we can go to visit this farmstead - which, I may add, they have not told me about - and return safely. Tomorrow we are supposed to meet someone in a side street next to the market place. Since they will not be able to blindfold us in public we will be put into a closed wagon - which will be drawn by a dranakh, of course. The wagon would then take us, in theory, to meet the Old Führer and afterwards to bring us back. I think that the dranakh community is willing to help us make those journeys safely."

"I doubt that those men will believe that you can do this."

Ursula grinned. "Then the dranakh pulling the wagon will just stand there until they do, Highness. I will ask it to."

"And later? What happens when you arrive at this farmstead and step down from the wagon?"

"It is a working farmstead, Highness. There are ten men there, including the Old Führer. There are no women there but four dranakhs. What do you think would happen if I were to be harmed?"

Eriana nodded. "I understand. Now, I do not know if you have been told this, but Garia spoke to the beasts after her final battle. She sent one off to obtain help since there were too few men left to risk sending one. Before that, however, something happened which makes me agree with your idea. You see, in the caravan bringing Garia and Keren back to the palace were six wagons, each pulled by a dranakh. When they were attacked one wagon went into a ditch and was stuck there. The other five dranakhs were released and would not let the enemy pass. One of the dranakhs was shot by a Yodan gun -"

"Shot! Boje!"

"Just so. It was killed. The other four went wild and hunted down and killed many of those who attacked. Apparently their rage was so murderous that even Garia's men were frightened. If dranakhs have such a regard for you then I have no doubt the local herd will respond in a like manner." She nodded thoughtfully. "It is a risk but with what I know and with my own experiences I believe that it is enough. Ursula, you and Tyra may go but plans must needs be made before you attend the wagon tomorrow."

"Highness, I agree completely."

"There is one other matter. Tomorrow you must present to these men the face of Ursula from Earth. Once this business is done then I desire to see the true Ursula from time to time."

Ursula's face was an expressionless mask. "Highness, I will try to do this but it will be so hard. It would be the same as walking the streets naked. I have hidden the woman inside for so long now, I am not sure that I know how to let her see the light of day."

"I will be there to help you," Eriana said softly. "It need not be a sudden change but a gentle unfolding, I deem. I understand now why you did not want Tyra to join this meeting."

"Even saying this is hard, Highness. I did not want to embarrass Tyra."

"She will understand, Ursula, just as I do. Women must oft-times present a face to the world that shows something they are not. For us, too, it can be hard. We will find a way."

"Thank you, Highness."

~o~O~o~

Tyra was understandably nervous as she and Ursula entered the market the next morning, both attired as modest Yodan women. Beside them walked Bennett and Semma, who were both dressed in palace uniforms and with weapons obviously to hand.

"Are you sure that this will work, Mistress?"

"We have talked this over several times already, Tyra. Nothing is ever certain as you know, but Her Highness is satisfied that the risks are sufficiently low that we can go. Are you worried about my safety or your own?"

"Both, Mistress. I am just concerned that we may not carry anything with which to defend ourselves."

"I do have one or two items in the toolkit which could have been useful, but they are wrapped up and hidden away so will be of little use. Look, there is the cobbler, watching us."

"And with him is the Commissioner! He is dressed differently but I would know that face anywhere."

"Good morning, Mistress," the cobbler greeted her as they reached his stall.

The two men were distinctly unsettled by the appearance of the two guardswomen. The Commissioner's eyes scanned the market area nervously, looking for other people who might not have his best interests at heart.

"Good morning. This is Guardswoman Bennett and this is Guardswoman Semma. It is Semma who owns the boots I asked you to look at."

"They will accompany you?" the Commissioner growled. "This was not what we agreed."

Ursula rolled her eyes. "Of course not! Semma has come to try on the boots, which your man here said would be ready this morning. She would of course not be walking around Wadek on her own."

He flushed. "My apologies, Mistress. You must understand that... unexpected changes... make me nervous." He frowned. "Guardswomen? Of what land?"

Bennet replied, "Palarand, Master. We serve King Robanar."

He grimaced. "That is not a name I desire to hear this morning!" He turned to Ursula. "However, Mistress, I cannot fault your logic. If you would conclude your business with the boots."

The cobbler produced the boots and gingerly handed them to Semma. There was a stool outside the stall for patrons to try on footwear after repairs and so Semma did just that. She stood and walked some steps to get a feel for the adjustment.

"Master, this is good work. It feels much more comfortable now. Thank you."

The two boots were handed back and the cobbler returned them to the bag they came in, which was handed to Semma. Ursula asked him, "How much?"

He shrugged. "Mistress it did not involve so much attention. I will only ask two Benis."

"As you will."

Tyra fished in her coin purse and handed over two coins. The cobbler took them and nodded.

"Thank you, Mistress." He looked at the Commissioner.

"What are your intentions, Mistress?" the Commissioner asked Ursula. "Shall these depart, that we might be about our own business?"

"Maybe. I think that I want these two to come with us as far as the next corner, where they can observe what is happening but without hearing anything we say or interfering."

He thought about this for a while and then reluctantly nodded agreement. "As you wish, Mistress. But no further! If you would all follow me, then."

They walked in a loose group through the market, the Commissioner belatedly realizing that the presence of the two guardswomen in their uniforms made the group a subject of interest for all who were there. They passed through the livestock market and turned along a road leading off, where the Commissioner halted after a few steps.

"Here will do! We are all out of sight of those in the market now. Is this acceptable to you, Mistress?"

Ursula nodded. "It will do well, Commissioner -"

"Do not use that name here!"

"My apologies, ah, Master. I had forgotten your status here." She gestured. "Is that the wagon?"

"It is. Have you any more surprises for me?"

Ursula stared at him long enough that he flushed again. "I would point out, Master, that you have not told me of any of your surprises yet."

He looked offended. "Mistress, I may be a Yodan, I may wish that matters were not as they are, but I am considered an honorable man. What will happen is what we agreed, nothing more."

She stared at him thoughtfully. Maybe those at the farmstead have not told him what is going to happen. Maybe he is just a good actor. Either way we are prepared.

"We will see. Let us go," she said. "The sooner this is done, the sooner we will be back here."

With a nod to Bennett and Semma, who remained watching, Ursula, Tyra and the Commissioner walked the thirty or so strides to the wagon. Waiting for them were four men, all of whom looked like they had once been trained soldiers. Rough, hardened, suspicious men. Two stood on the sidewalk while the other two watched from the driver's bench.

"Who are those two? Are those uniforms? Why are they watching us?"

"Those two are trained guardswomen, boys, those are indeed uniforms and they probably know how to use those swords. They are just keeping an eye on these two, that is all."

"Swords won't help them against crossbows!"

The Commissioner sighed with exasperation. "Do I have to tell you everything? If you raise a weapon then they'll just fade around that corner before you even load a bolt. If you get that far, the meeting will be off."

"As you say. Don't have to like it, though."

Ursula ignored this byplay and walked straight past the two men waiting for them on the sidewalk, heading for the dranakh. Resting her hand on its head she said, "Good morning, Tosk. Are you ready to take me to the farmstead?"

She got a friendly bleat in reply as Tosk raised his head to look at her. The reaction from the four men was completely different, though. The two on the bench jumped to the ground and approached, but stopped when they saw the dranakh turn its head towards them. The two already down put their hands on the hilts of their swords.

"What's this? How do you know its name?"

Another asked, "Better still, how did you find out where we were going? What are you, a spy?"

"I know many things," she said evenly. "For example, I know that there are ten men at the farmstead, no women and four dranakhs besides this one. I also know that when we reach the farmstead I will be killed in the courtyard by you," she pointed, "using the knife you have down the inside of your left boot, and you," she pointed again. "will kill my assistant with the knife at your belt."

To say that the four men were shocked would be an understatement. They stood, speechless for a while, trying to work out how their plan had been completely blown. The first one indicated involuntarily glanced down at his left boot, confirming Ursula's words.

The Commissioner's eyes were hard. "Is this true? You intended to kill this pair? That was not what was agreed!"

The first one turned to him. "We do not answer to you, traitor. The orders were that no-one not of the Ascendancy should learn where He was kept! Secrecy must be absolute in these difficult times."

Ursula briefly closed her eyes and then said to the Commissioner, "They were not going to tell you what was to happen, since one of the men at the farmstead intended to knife you in the back when you saw what they were doing to us."

"What?" His face paled. "How could you possibly know that? Can you see into the future?"

Ursula smiled, despite the situation. "I cannot see any further than you can, Commissioner." One of the men spat on hearing that name. She returned her hand to the dranakh's head. "However, my friend here and his friends have seen the thoughts running through these men's heads and yesterday they warned me what was planned."

The four men were shocked again. The Commissioner blurted, "You can talk to the dranakhs?"

"Not exactly. It is more that they can communicate with me in their own fashion. How did you think that these creatures could know what their owners intended before they asked? They can sense the intent in their owner's minds. In the same way, if someone nearby thinks about doing something in the near future, for example something violent, then they can sense that as well." She shrugged. "For some reason I can be sent these messages easier than other people can and they treat me differently because of that."

She stepped back. "Now here is what will happen, so all of you had better listen carefully. You will take us and the Commissioner to the farmstead where we will speak with the Old Führer. When we have finished we will be returned here - today. If we have not returned to this spot, safe and well, before the eighth bell today a company of Pakmali soldiers will be sent to the farmstead to pick up your bodies."

The men stared at her. What was happening was completely beyond their experience.

One asked, "Our bodies?"

"If either of us - any of us three - are killed or even harmed, the dranakhs at the farm will hunt all of you down and kill you. They will probably destroy the farm buildings as they do so. Do not think that you could finish us off on the way back, either. The dranakhs will know if you attempt anything."

"But we might not take you where you want to go. What happens then?"

She smiled again. "That will not happen. Tosk has never been to the farmstead but his friends have given him exact directions. Whatever you tell him to do, he will ignore you and head directly there."

Another asked, "And what if we kill you three now? It will just be another regrettable robbery in Wadek."

Ursula jerked a thumb. "Did you forget our watchers? Have a look at them now."

They switched their attention to Bennett and Semma, noticing that Bennett had something in her mouth, something on a white cord.

"There are a number of men in the streets surrounding this one. If that whistle is blown those men will run here and capture you. Escape will be impossible. If you did manage to find a way out then, remember, every dranakh will be watching for you. If one sees any of you, it will be known immediately."

Although we will be dead by then, of course. It will be for others to administer justice.

"Balth!" One of the men exclaimed. "She's got us all ways, boys." He addressed Ursula. "What happens now, woman? You turn us over to the invaders?"

Ursula shook her head. "Of course not! Unlike some of those here I am honorable. We make the journey as originally planned. Provided that we are returned to this spot before the eighth bell today no word will be said to anybody. Do I make myself clear?"

He was incredulous. "You would let us go?"

"I am not your jailer. I am merely someone traveling the river. Yodans need to decide their own future and it is not my place to interfere. I want to speak to the Old Führer since we share some past history, that is all. He has been away from his homeland a long time, now. Then I will leave and you can all resume your game of murdering everyone who disagrees with you."

He had the grace to flush. "Woman, you wrong me. I do not - No. You are a foreigner, as you said. Our disagreements do not concern you." He turned to the others. "Boys, do we go along with this?"

There were "ayes" and mutterings and two of them looked uncomfortable but no-one objected openly.

The man turned and gestured with a hand. "Then we had better be moving. Go and climb in the back, all three of you."

Ursula shrugged. "As you wish. But there will be no lacing of the covers." She smiled. "After all, I already know the way there. And back. We might as well see something of the countryside."