Free The Great Bazaar and Other Stories by Peter V. Brett

cause of Brianne's pain.
    "Aaah!"
Brianne cried as Leesha pressed at her ribs.
    "Take off
your blouse," Leesha said.
    "Is that
really necessary?" Brianne asked.
    "You were
never shy about being naked back when we were friends," Leesha said.
    "I was pretty
then," Brianne shot back.
    "Off with
it," Leesha ordered. "Mairy, help me."
    Brianne did not
resist as the two pulled the blouse over her head. Mairy gasped at the yellowed
bruises that covered Brianne's arms and back, and the black one, about as big
as a palm-sized stone, on her ribs.
    "It's just as
I thought," Leesha said. "Two of your ribs are broken. You're lucky
you didn't pop your lung."
    "Can ya fix
them?" Brianne asked.
    Leesha shook her
head. "There's not much to do for ribs but let them heal. I'll bind them
so they heal straight and don't grind when you move, but you'll have to limit
yourself for some time. Best altogether if you stay abed."
    "Some
time?" Brianne asked.
    "Weeks,"
Leesha said, and she caught Brianne's look. "No arguing," she
snapped. "We'll send someone to help you with Callen and around the house.
You're lucky it's not worse."
    "Creator!"
Mairy said. "What happened, Bri?"
    "I was
standing on the woodpile, holding the paint can while Evin touched up the wards
on the roof," Brianne said. "I slipped, and half the pile came down
on me."
    "Night!"
Mairy exclaimed. "Why didn't you say something?"
    "I thought I
was fine," Brianne said.
    "Look, I've
got things here, Mair," Leesha said. "Why don't you get on home
before the little ones get themselves into trouble?"
    Mairy glanced at
Brianne, who nodded her assent, and left.
    "Demonshit,"
Leesha said when they were alone. "That son of a coreling beat you, and
don't you think me stupid enough to believe any other tampweed tale you pull
from your arse."
    Brianne looked at
her in shock. "Living with Bruna taught ya to curse," she said with a
pained laugh. "Proper li'l Leesha I knew wun't have known what them words
meant."
    "Don't try to
change the subject, either," Leesha said.
    Brianne looked at
her in fear. "What're ya gonna do?"
    "Bind these
ribs, to start," Leesha said. She took a roll of white cloth from her
basket, and began wrapping it around Brianne's midsection, just below her
breasts.
    "Ahhh! Night,
that stings!" Brianne gasped.
    "Not half so
much as the breaking itself, I'll wager," Leesha said. "Brianne, you
have to tell someone. This can't go on."
    "It was just
the once," Brianne said.
    Leesha snorted.
"I don't believe that anymore than the woodpile tale," she said.
"A man who'll hit a pregnant woman isn't new to the deed. Does Darsy
know?"
    Brianne shook her
head. "No one knows. I never needed a Gatherer before."
    "We have to
put a stop to this before you need a Tender and a gravedigger," Leesha
said.
    "What would
ya have me do?" Brianne demanded. "Tell my da? He and my brothers
would kill Evin for this. They'd kill him for real, and be put out of the
village at night for it. Callen would lose every man in his life over it, and
where would I be?"
    "Then tell
Smitt," Leesha said. "Let the council handle it."
    Brianne shook her
head. "Da would still find out," she said, "and that would be
that."
    "So
what?" Leesha demanded. "You let this go on until he does permanent
harm to you or your unborn? Or Callen?"
    "It won't
happen again, Leesh," Brianne said, squeezing her hand, "he promised.
Ya have to swear not to tell."
    "Brianne..."
Leesha began.
    "Swear!"
Brianne demanded, cutting her off. "Remember yur oath!"
    Leesha's eyes
narrowed, but she was trapped, and she knew it. Images flashed in her mind of
Elona's belt, and how the pain had always seemed less than the shame of
telling. "I swear," she said at last, grinding her teeth as she did.
    She finished
binding Brianne's ribs, and selected a handful of roots, holding them out.
"Chew these for the pain," she said. "Only one a day, and no
more, or the little one," she stroked Brianne's belly, "will make you
regret it."
    "Will the
baby be all right?"