Mareen used her crook to keep the sheep moving as a group. “Come on, stay with your sisters. Quit trying to run off on your own.”

A young ram looked back at her, as if it were offended by the suggestion. “Do not give me that look.”

You still have family here. She left the last unsaid as they passed the back of the blacksmith’s shop. The usual sound of hammering was absent. Must be too hot.

She patiently eased the flock through the space between the blacksmith’s shop and the inn. At the edge of the plaza another gate stopped the flock from passing between the buildings. While they paused in front of the gate, she pulled another closed behind them.

Moving through the sheep she felt fluffy bodies push against her legs, as the sheep milled about in the small space. Nearing the other side, she felt a neck press against her shin, nearly tripping her. Her hands landed on the gate and she glared back at the small ram who wanted to play. Mutton, I am going to call you mutton, you little brat.

Steadying herself against the wall she ignored the knee level nuisance and checked that the plaza was clear. Empty, thank the goddesses.

The gate swung open, as she lifted the rope off the post, and let the flock run into the empty square. Once they were all in the square, she reset the gates and she forced herself to look ahead. She focused on the well in the center of the plaza as she passed the table in front of the inn. Do not look. I cannot look like I am trying to run away.

She walked to the well in the center and dropped the bucket in. The square was silent except the creaking of the wooden crank, lifting the bucket back up. When the bucket was near the top she poured it out into the empty trough for the flock. Repeating the process, she heard voices rolling out of the public house near the inn. She almost flinched as she recognized them. Of course, they are here. It is not as if they have anything better to do.

Finally! The trough filled enough for even the lambs to drink, and Mareen could let them rest for a bit. Most of the sheep rushed to shove their heads into the trough. She started walking away when she nearly tripped over one of them. “You again, huh?”

The young ram was under foot, rubbing his neck against the back of her calf. She pushed him away and he hopped around a bit snorting before running off around the square. “Little brat,” she muttered, but his antics made her chuckle. Feeling slightly less tense, she walked over to the covered awning in front of the inn.

A bearded middle-aged man in a uniform was sitting on a short stool leaning lazily against the building. Surprisingly he was alone under the awning. How did he manage that? I would have expected everyone to be swarming around him.

She nodded to him as she approached the awning. She unslung her water skin as she sat at the table. Taking a drink, she tried to calm down. He is right there I can do this? Summoning her courage, she cleared her throat.

“I have to give it to you. You have more self-control than any one else in this village.” He smiled at her. “Yes, the king is looking for a few good herder paths, and you taking care of them before running here speaks well of you.”

“Thank you.” She felt some of the tension ease. I can do this.

He chuckled at something happening behind her. She turned to see the little ram being chased by the other lambs. His voice made her turn back to look at him. “They seem healthy. They yours?”

“They think they are, especially the one. But, no.” She shook her head. “They are a friend’s, I just help look after some of her herd. These are a few of the ones I care for.”

The man nodded, “Thank the goddesses, an honest herder. You would not believe the number of idiots who try to pass their employer’s herds off as their own.”

Mareen thought of Burrach and his friends. I bet I would.

The man must have understood the unspoken words because he laughed again. “So what kind of contract do you have with your friend? A year to year, season to season?”

Why would that? Oh he needs to know if I would have to pay to break the contract. She shook her head. “Nothing like that. She is just paying me as she needs help. She was the one that told me you were here.”

The man considered her words with a serious face. “Not sure what to say about that, if your employer wants you gone.”

Mareen felt the breath catch in her chest until she saw his eyes lighting up. She let out the breath she was holding, and the man laughed again. “Relax, your red headed friend told me you would be stopping by. If half of what she said was believable you are a darn good herder. You also took care of your animals first and clearly have more self-control than most.” He leaned forward and placed his crossed arms on the table. “So the real question is why leave?”

Mareen swallowed, might as well just say it. “There is no future for me here.”

His eyebrows lifted, “Oh? You have a friend, and a job. A lot of people have less. The king’s service is a good calling, but it can be a hard one. Campaigns can be dangerous, even for herders, moving flocks to feed he army. The enemy can get behind the lines very quick if things go wrong. Why are you so set on leaving?”

She considered what she wanted to say when the crowd inside the public house roared with laughter. Mareen almost flinched at the sound, she had been the butt of enough of their “jokes.”

The man across from her glanced over her shoulder then nodded knowingly. “If you are looking for better I have bad news, the world is full of idiots and horses rear ends. The army seems to get more than its fair share as well. It is not much of an escape.”

Mareen met the man’s gaze, “But are they all worthless idiots?”

The man shrugged, “I cannot say. But can you really say that about here? The innkeeper’s son is a good lad for one.”

She nodded, “I know. But remember my friend?”

The man smiled instantly understanding, “She has a thing for him.”

“He has a thing for her too. It is actually painful to watch.” As the man laughed again, she continued. “But as for the rest of them, yes. Varying shades of worthless, the whole lot.”

“Fair enough. Need to tell anyone you are going?” the man asked pulling out a roll of papers from the bag beside him. “Family or what not?”

Mareen shook her head. “No family. I will just need to get my things and get the lambs to Jenny’s father.” Why did he stop moving? Mareen panicked and waved her hands in front of her. “If that is a problem, I can have Burke send her word and leave the stuff there. There is nothing important there anyway.”

The man cleared his throat, his face serious. “You do not have to leave anything behind. I was just surprised. You are a bit young to have lost both parents.”

“The fevers last year. The apothecary took too long getting here.” She glared down at the table. “Still charged me, for me wasting his time.”

“This is a day’s ride from the capital at worst. How much did he charge you?”

Mareen felt her hands ball into fists. “A handful of coins. Had to sell nearly everything to pay him. Sold most of the rest, for a priest to come out and bury them.”

“Then he cheated you.” The anger in the man’s voice caused her to look up. “These are the king’s lands. If an apothecary, and a priest it sounds like, cheated you they will regret it. Now sign here, then you can get your things.” The man held out a battered pencil. “I will have the matter investigated when we pass through the capital.”

Mareen took the pencil numbly. She looked at the paper and found a free space to put her name, when the voice she did not want to hear called out from behind her.

“Hey, look who it is!” Laughter echoed the statement.

“I told you lot to get scarce.” The soldier called back at the group.

“I thought you were looking for soldiers, not mothers!” Burrach replied.

NO, NO, NO, NO! Mareen felt the blood rush from her face.

[In the wagon]

He snatched his hand back from the madwoman’s arm. He had just tried to check on her when she started muttering “no” repeatedly.

He glanced to the guard in the corner who was watching him predatorily. “I was just trying to help her. I do not know what is going on in her head. See, she does not want me to heal her.”

The Guard placed his hand on his sword hilt. “Figure it out or I will let the next healer will.”

WHY?! Why did she have to come in while I was on duty? He looked quickly around there has to be something I can do.