The Forest at the Edge of the World (28 page)

Not one Edger said a word. All of their mouths were hanging open far too wide.

Mahrree just sighed. Perrin already shared those numbers with her, but they still sounded so awful. She couldn’t remember an attack in the past thirty years that caused so much damage in one place.

“You may be comforted to know that nine Guarders were also
killed, by the Army of Idumea,” Captain Shin continued, sounding both terrifying and consoling. “Members of that same army are now standing outside this amphitheater with torches ready. Should you feel the need to be accompanied by a couple of strong soldiers armed with swords and long knives, please feel free to take my men home with you, with my compliments.” He smiled ever so slightly.

The audience ate that up, breaking into grins far broader than they should be for such a subtle touch of humor. But they were eager for any kind of break to the instant gloom that overshadowed them.

“You will also notice that, effective immediately, the Army of Idumea will be patrolling your roads and alleys to keep you safe and the Guarders in the forests—
where they belong
.”

Mahrree didn’t expect the crowd to break out into applause, but they did, even adding a few cheers and whoops. Perhaps they didn’t know what kind of response was appropriate, Mahrree considered, so they tried a little bit of everything.

Captain Shin’s eyes wandered over the grateful crowd, stopping briefly when he met Mahrree’s. She winked at him in encouragement. He did nothing but look at her intently for just a moment longer, then turned his attention back to the villagers.

“I recommend,” he said loudly over their noise, which rapidly quieted again, “that you now gather you things, your children, and make your ways home in large groups. The army will assist you as needed. I also recommend that you remember how to work the locks on your doors. Now is not a good time to become an easy target. Good night.” He shifted his stance just a little, and suddenly the a
udience rose up as one body and made a mad—but orderly—dash for the exits.

Mahrree let the village stream past her so she could observe the captain as he watched the crowd with falcon-like alertness. It wasn’t until that evening that she realized just how duplicitous he could be, but in a good way. He was both intimidating and compassionate. Unapproachable, but concerned. A few people paused at the pla
tform to call up words of thanks to him. He’d nod curtly, then offer half of a brief smile before scanning the area again. Mahrree could tell no one was quite sure how to react to the captain, who wasn’t there tonight to be the object of their teasing, but to be the preserver of their safety. And they were glad he was.

Once Captain Shin was sure the villagers were well on their
way home, he walked down the stairs in the front and over to his great aunt and uncle. Mahrree could only catch glimpses of the three of them in conversation as Edgers hurried past her. But suddenly both Tabbit and Hogal Densal looked over at Mahrree. Not sure what Perrin had said to them, she just smiled and waved hesitantly.

That time, Perrin did wink at her, and put a hand on each of the Densals’ shoulders. She saw his lips form the words “We’ll be at your place in about ten minutes, then.”

The Densals just stared at each other as the captain gently pushed his way through the thinning crowd to Mahrree, and then he—

Well, she wasn’t sure
why
he did it. Maybe it was to appear to Edgers that he wasn’t an entirely terrifying authority figure, but also just a gentleman. Perhaps it was to give Edgers something else to think about rather than the fact that Guarders were indeed active again. Or maybe he thought Hycymum Peto wouldn’t be effective enough in the morning.

But for whatever reason it was, he smiled at Mahrree, then o
ffered her his arm.

She raised her eyebrows at him in surprise, but happily linked her hand into the crook of his elbow, and allowed him to escort her out of the amphitheater, to the astonishment of everybody.

-
--

Tuma Hifadhi, the old faded man, shuffled over to his front door and opened it.

“Hew Gleace! What can I do for you?”

The man in his fifties smiled at Tuma. “I have news that I thought you’d be interested in.”

“About our captain?”

Hew nodded. “A few mornings ago he walked into the forest!”

Tuma’s
eyebrows shot upwards.

“Then he walked right back out again,”
Hew said, disappointed.

“Ah,” Tuma smiled, “but why did he enter the forest, Hew?”

“It seemed he wanted to discover something, or prove something.”

“Interesting, interesting. And why did he leave again?”

“Pressure from his officers. They both escorted him back to the fort.”

Tuma rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “
In
to discover something,
out
because of pressure.”

He pondered for a moment.

“Hew, increase the patrols above Edge. Keep a closer eye on this one.
In
to discover something,” he muttered as he turned around and shuffled back into his office. “
In
to discover.”

---

“I think it’s safe to say the entire village knows,” Mahrree said to Perrin two nights later as they ate dinner. “I found these slipped under my door this afternoon.” She slid a few small notes across the table to him.

He picked them up, made a face at the writing where each ‘
i’ was dotted with a flower, and said, “One of your students? She has interesting ideas for debate topics, doesn’t she. Baby names? People debate about that?”

“I don’t know. Never had that experience. They were from Sareen, I’m sure. I heard giggling by the door moments before I heard the knock.”

Perrin put down the slips. “I think your evaluation is correct. I’ve been getting looks from everyone in the village and the fort. You know,
the look
?” He smirked and made his eyes large, accentuated with raised eyebrows.

Mahrree laughed. “Yes, I know that look! I received quite a bit of it at the market this morning.”

“Your mother is a most efficient . . . news-spreader,” Perrin decided.

“We call them gossips. And they all visit Edge’s Inn when my mother’s working.”

“I was trying to be diplomatic.”

“Well done,” Mahrree nodded in approval. “But I think you walking me out of the amphitheater the other night in front of nearly the entire village
may
have contributed to chatter.”

“Well, the news had to get started somehow,” he said di
smissively as if he just did her a tremendous favor but really didn’t need so much thanks.

Mahrree rolled her eyes. “So is the gossip why you snuck in the
back door today?”

Perrin shrugged. “Just a slighter faster way to get to your house.”

“So you’re not taking the back alleys just to avoid my neighbors? Because you realize they’ll soon be
your
neighbors.”

“I suppose we can be seen together in other places, too,” he said.

“Well, we can’t avoid it forever. They’ll be making faces at us for just a few days, then the novelty will wear off. Edgers are skilled at finding new targets. Everyone already knows I adore you—I’m sure my mother has made that clear.”

He grinned. “And I guess I should admit that my soldiers have been giving me subtle smiles. Guess I can’t blame that on your mother.”

Mahrree laughed. “You might! She has connections everywhere. She’s a good resource. You may have to start talking to her just to know what’s going on in the village.”

“I’ll try,” he said bravely.

“I’m going over to her home tomorrow to learn how to . . . um,
cook
,” she confessed. “You could come over after your shift. To my mother’s.”

“Is that really necessary?” he squinted, not too diplomatically.

“You want to risk eating blob? She’s going to teach me how to make bool-yon and dim-sun and jel-a-ton.”

He squinted more severely. “What
are
those?”

She shrugged. “Not sure myself. I never eat at the Inn. I can’t understand her menu. Please?”

“Of course,” he smiled when he saw her sincere worry.

“Thanks. And since I spent the morning learning more about
your family
, it’s only fitting you spend an evening getting to know mine.”

“Of course,” he repeated off-handedly, picking up a chicken leg. He stopped. “Wait.
What?
”

“I had visitors this morning for a couple of hours,” she said as she slowly buttered a slice of bread. “Does the name ‘Auntie Tabbit’ sound familiar?”

“But,” he blinked rapidly, “we told Hogal and Tabbit everything after the announcement at the amphitheater! What more could there be to discuss?”

“Oh, there’s
lots
to tell about the most—how did Auntie Tabbit phrase it?—‘the most adorable little boy with the biggest brown eyes ever to be seen.’” Mahrree batted her eyelashes at him.

“Oh no,” he whispered.

She laughed again. “It wasn’t that bad!”

He rubbed his forehead. “Understand, they never had children. I was the closest thing they had. Kind of their grandson, I guess, esp
ecially after my mother’s parents died. I only saw them a few times when I was younger and they travelled to the forts where my father was posted. Whatever they said, please realize that—”

But Mahrree was still laughing. “They just told me how sweet you were when you were little, that’s all. Goodness, you look like you’re afraid they revealed some horrible secrets about you!”

He watched her intently. “It’s just . . . you know . . . never quite sure how
others
will remember incidents from your past.”

“Maybe I need to ask them for more details?”

“That’s not necessary,” he assured. “So what else did they talk about?”

“Actually, I heard a few more interesting things about your pa
rents,” she said with a deliberate look.

He paled. “Oh no.”

“Relax, will you? I feel a bit better now. Tabbit obviously loves her niece. She went on and on about Joriana this, and Joriana that. But I must admit, it sounds as if she’s a bit more
sophisticated
than anything in Edge,” she hinted.

Perrin nodded. “I told you that. Sort of. But don’t worry, she’s great. She’ll love you.”

“Hmm,” Mahrree said, unconvinced. “Tabbit said that too, but we’ll see.”

“So, did Tabbit or Hogal say anything about my father?”

Mahrree nodded gravely. “Your father wants to be buried standing up and at attention when he dies.”

Perrin snorted.

“According to Hogal,” Mahrree clarified.

Perrin laughed. “That sounds like Hogal. He and my father . . . well, Father doesn’t read The Writings as often as Hogal thinks he should, and Hogal is too narrow-minded to give Father any really good advice. That’s pretty much how every conversation between them goes.”

She cringed. “Should be an interesting wedding ceremony.”

“Don’t worry—they’re more civil than they used to be. Now it’s just a thing the two of them go through. Neither really agrees with the other, but they respect each other, and for that I admire them both.”

Mahrree bit her lower lip.

“My parents are great, really.” Perrin nodded and took a bite of his chicken to avoid discussing the matter further.

-
--

The professor lecturing in basic command tactics stumbled over his words as he saw the door to the classroom unexpectedly open. Each of the first year command students looked over at the door and sucked in his breath.

“Don’t mind me,” the white-haired man in the red coat smiled amiably. “Just had a few minutes, was feeling nostalgic, and I deci
ded to sit in again on some of my favorite classes. See what’s changed in the few years since I’ve taught here. Please, go on.”

The professor paled, looked back down at his notes to see where he was, and began haltingly, trying to ignore that Chairman Nicko Mal was taking an empty seat on the side of the room.

Slowly the faces of his students, the future officers of the Army of Idumea, turned back to the professor and dutifully began to take notes.

Chairman Mal continued to wear his thin smile and nodded at points the professor made about planning and preparation. When the class ended, mercifully only five minutes after the Chairman arrived, the young men stood at attention, saluted their professor as he exited, then gathered their books while keeping the Chairman in their p
eripheral vision.

He was watching one new student, a young man who entered in mid-term, but had caught up to be on track with the rest of them. As the soldiers filed out of the room, Mal gestured to the remaining young man who would shape up into a useful dog, with the proper training.