Chapter 56

Peddler, peddler, pack on your back,

Do you have something I know that I lack?

I want a whistle, I want a ring,

I want a doll that can cry and sing,

I want some candies tied in a sack,

Peddler, peddler, pack on your back.

Traditional children’s song, collected by Meaves Goldstone of the Alder Branches, published in Songs of the Sunlit Lands

There was a small crowd gathering on the edge of the King’s Highway where it cut through Cullin’s Forest, about a mile from where it started next to the farm at Pixie Hollow where Gan and her Pixies lived. The people were gathered by a big boulder of pink and white granite, almost twice the height of Cullin. It was a massive piece of stone, with many little ledges and hollows worn into it over the years. The locals called Kepi’s Milestone. Nobody remembered why it was called after Kepi, or even who Kepi was, except everybody was sure Kepi was a powerful magic user who lived before the Sundering War. Nobody remembered whether Kepi was male or female, or even what race the person was, but local legend was sure about Kepi’s skill in magic. The boulder, after all this time, was proof positive.

It had a magical property, this boulder did. If a person left a token of some sort, a message, a drawing, a leaf, even another stone, with the hope that a certain person would find it, when that certain person picked the token up off the boulder, a bell would ring throughout the forest, letting the person know his token had been found and someone would be waiting at the Milestone.

Of course, that was useless for private messages, just between two people. It was too random, expecting the person you wanted to contact would come by the boulder. Besides the general call to everybody in earshot encouraged curiosity that might not be wanted. But there was one thing it was excellent for. When one of the few peddlers who dared Cullin’s forest made his rounds, if he picked up a token from someone wanting something that he sold, or who wanted to sell him something, everybody knew he was there, and multiple customers usually would flood to the trading site. This way, nobody would get mudded by the Tree Shepherd for being in the forest without permission, and people got their goods without having to go to Goblin Market or Meridae. Considering that some of the people who wanted to trade were bound to the forest and couldn’t travel, it was a happy solution.

Cullin, sitting in a large maple tree that grew near the boulder, watched as the little crowd grew. So far, there were two dryads, carrying baskets with things they had gathered, one of the Moss Men who had a heavy bag, a faun, Fanke the Woodwose woman, hairy from head to foot, with ribbons braided into her head’s hair that matched her sleeveless tunic, and arms bedecked with row after row of seed bead and bone bracelets, a classic Woodwose wild woman look. As he watched, the Birch woman, carrying a pair of dancing shoes, got into line. She glanced at the faun, and almost headed back into the forest, but took a deep sigh, and decided to stay in place, swaying a little as if she were ready to dance to a tune only she could hear.

“Look at them gather,” Morvran said, as he landed on a branch near Cullin. “Pouring out of the forest like ants after you poke their nest.”

“You’re still mad at Piter?” Cullin asked.

The raven cawed, the poked at a leaf. “He did try to pull my tail feathers.”

“After you scattered a whole tray of his stuff,” Cullin reminded him. “Stuff that Leila and Auld Annie and Uldra the Huldra were looking at.”

Morvran cawed again. “I was just trying to save them from themselves. Why would Uldra need bows for her fox tail? Or Auld Annie need a comb? She never combs her hair anyway. Or Leila need a silver bell?”

“Maybe to put around your neck, Raven. So she can hear you when you come snooping.”

“Hey,” Morvran said. “I don’t snoop.” He fluffed up his neck feathers, as if insulted at the thought. “I investigate.”

“Same difference.” Cullin slipped down from the tree.

As he dropped down, Leila and the three woodwives, all carrying baskets, came out of the forest near to where he was standing.

“Greetings, Lord,” Su said, curtseying. Her sisters joined in.

“A fine day for trading,” said Du.

“As long as it doesn’t rain,” said Lu.

“Oh hello, Cullin,” Leila said. “I didn’t expect to find you here. Is Piter ready yet?”

“Almost,” he said. “Look for yourself.”

The group of women turned to the boulder where the short, squat little man had opened his pack and somehow, perhaps magically turned it into a series of tables and display cases.

The peddlar was built like a Dwarf, but had the ears of a Bauchan and white, curly hair, close cropped and half hidden by a skullcap. He wore a dingy white tunic over brown leather breeches and a worn green long waistcoat with large pockets above and below the waist, but not on his back. In fact the waistcoat had extra padding on his back, as protection when he carried his pack.

“That whole pack must be a box of holding,” Leila said, looking at the display Piter was finalizing. “So many goods! Nobody could carry all that otherwise.”

The peddler had managed to set up four tables and racks spreading out in a u shape from the open expanse of his wooded travel pack. There were ribbons and threads and lace and cloth in dress-length cuts. There was a hat rack bearing ten types of head wear, both for men and women. A display of trinkets and charms, some magical – necklaces, rings, bracelets and brooches. A selection of baskets. Perfumes and unguents, lotions and potions, boxes of herbs. Distilled spirits. The herbs for flavoring ales. Fine teas, and cheap teas. Boots and shoes that would self-size to fit any foot. Incense and rare potent oils. Paper, journals, ink and sealing wax. Candies and cookies. A box of toys. A rack of cloaks. Buckets and knives and pliers and saws. An amazing selection, considering it all fit into the one wooden travel pack.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“Magic, indeed,” Cullin said.

Piter adjusted one last item on his display, and turned around. “Let’s do some business!”

One by one, the denizens of the forest that had something to trade stepped up to the counter, and waited while Piter weighed, tested, measured, and counted the forest things and crafts people brought up. Rusty the Faun traded a basket of nuts for a piece of red ribbon to tie into his rather unkempt but long beard. As he turned to go, he leared at the women and began to braid it before he got back into the trees. The Birch Woman traded some finely made and embroidered dancing slippers for some tea. The Moss man traded his bag of bog iron for tools.

The trades went smoothly until Maunzi brought up a large basket of herbs and potions to trade. Uldra the Huldra, getting impatient over the time it was taken, moved up to the counter, and asked,“Do you have any of Rachman’s Unguent?”

Fanke the Woodwose for some reason got enraged. “Get back in line, you hussy,” she said, pulling on the Huldra’s sleeve. Her many bracelets rattled as she moved. “Wait your turn before you start buying things you hope can draw other women’s men into your circle.”

“Why you -” Uldra said, turning to face the Woodwose. “At least I don’t bore my man to death, like some women I know,” she replied, crossing her arms.

“Stop it, you two,” Maunzi said. “Take your fight elsewhere if you need to, but I was here first.” She began to glow a little, a warning sign to those who knew her. “Let the peddler work.”

“Ladies, I have plenty of everything,” Piter said, barely stopping in his measuring of herbs on his scale. “Don’t worry about it.”

Fanke and Uldra ignored them all. “At least I know where my man is at night,” Fanke said, balling her fist. Her long hair began rising around her, almost dancing. “At least I have a man at my hearth at night.”

Uldra’s fox tail began to twitch back and forth, and her fingernails began to grow, lengthening as they started to form claws.

“Oh dear,” Leila said.

Su shook her head. “So tacky, those two.”

Du nodded. “Here, of all places.”

Lu sighed.

Cullin adjusted his hat and walked over to the line. “Enough!” He grabbed both of the women by the arms. Suddenly they froze, and their aggression magic faded as he held onto them – Fanke’s hair settled down and Uldra’s claws retracted.

“You both know that the trade area is a no-fight zone,” he said. His tone was both stern, but somehow soothing.

“But she broke in line, Lord Tree Shepherd,” Fanke said, whining.

“Was it your role to oversee the line?” he asked.

Fanke dropped her head. “No, Lord. But she cheats all the time.”

“And what did I tell you to do if you discover her doing that?”

“To talk to you or Leila,” she said, in a tiny voice.

“Go give your trade goods to Leila and tell her what you want, and she’ll get it for you. Then go home and wait.”

Fanke took a deep breath, then nodded. “Yes, Lord.”

He released her, and she headed to where Leila was standing in line. Leila patted it on her arm, and was evidently saying something that the Woodwose found comforting, so he turned his attention to the woman he was still holding onto.

“Now what shall I do with you, Uldra?”

She looked up at him and released her most alluring glamour, one that made a Moss Man standing near by sigh with regret, but Cullin was immune to that type of Fey magic. “Let me go?” she cooed.

“Hardly. You had already had three other warnings. You were told there would be consequences.”

Uldra dropped her head down. “Yes, Lord. What happens now?”

Cullin’s tone went gentle and he dropped his hand off her arm. “Do you like living in my forest, Uldra?”

She looked back up at him, confused. “Yes, Lord. I was so grateful you let me stay here after they chased me out of Goblin Market. This is the first place in a long time that felt like home.”

“I let you stay here because Leila told me you had a good heart even though you had a tendency to cause trouble, and not all the news we had heard was your fault. People had also used you badly.”

Uldra nodded.

“We let you stay, and for awhile, I had high hopes of you fitting in here. But since you’ve arrived, you have had run-ins with Maunzie, got the Fauns to get into fights over which one of them got to talk to you, caused the Moss Men to stop their work in the wood, and most lately, had Salvange, Fanke’s husband following you around like a puppy. Wherever you go it seems you use your glamour in ways that disturb the peace of the forest.” He pulled his hat down a bit. “What am I going to do with you?”

Auld Annie walked up to the Tree Shepherd. “Give her to me, young one. I can teach her the way to control her glamour. That’s part of her problem. When she’s nervous or frightened, it shoots up far beyond what a normal Fay would have.”

Uldra’s eyes lit up at the idea. “Yes, Lord. Please?”

“Hah,” said Maunzi, walking up to Uldra and staring into her face, then turning to Auld Annie. “You’re just looking for more ways to gather forest herbs.” She turned to Cullin. “And knowing Annie, she’ll cause more trouble once she learns more about the ways of glamour. I wouldn’t trust her if she could turn it on full strength at will.”

Someone in the group said, “Send her to Pixie Hollow! Let the Pixies teach her about the ways of glamour.” Cullin looked around to see who said that, but couldn’t figure out who it was.

“That wouldn’t be fair to Mistress Gan. She and the Pixies get along fine, and she doesn’t need someone like this,” Leila said.

Uldra bent over, feeling defeated. “Why did today happen? I just wanted to buy some unguent.”

A tall, thin, and rather ugly Woodwose stepped up. He had patchy, balding hair, a large nose, and huge ears and a scraggly, thin beard. His clothing was ragged and patched, and didn’t fit well. His trousers and sleeves were too short for the length of his legs, and his footwear was handmade sandals.

“Lord Tree Shepherd,” he said. He scruffed the ground with his toe. His voice was hesitant and soft.

“Yes, Urisk?”

“Lord Tree Shepherd, if Mistress Uldra needs someone to keep her, I’ll do it. She’s always been nice to me. And I know what it’s like to be unwanted and homeless.”

Uldra looked at the ugly Woodwose with amazed eyes. “You? You think I’ve been nice to you?”

“Oh, I’ve heard the talk, about what they say you’ve said when I wasn’t around, Mistress Uldra. But you’ve never said it to my face. And I know what it’s like when everyone turns their backs on you.”

Uldra put her hands over her face, not trusting her emotion. “I...I…”

Leila went up to Cullin, and whispered something in his ear. He nodded. “This is what I think we’ll do, if it is all right with Uldra and Urisk. I will place a boundary around Urisk’s territory. Urisk will be able to cross it, but Uldra will not. Nor will anybody who wishes harm to Uldra. This boundary will last one moon cycle. Auld Annie, if you’d like, you may come and start working with Uldra to master her glamour reflex.”

Maunzie began to say something, but Cullin held up his hand to quiet her. “The harmony of the forest matters more than a squabble about herb gathering. Uldra has a weakness that we can help. After a moon cycle, we will evaluate.” He turned to Uldra. “Can you live with this?”

Uldra looked at Urisk, who was looking uncomfortable and awkward, and at Auld Annie, who gave her a small smile and a nod of encouragement. She turned back to Cullin, and nodded. “I think so, Lord.”

“Good. Give Leila what you were going to trade for your unguent.”

Uldra handed over a basket. Urisk handed Leila some coins. “I was coming for tea.”

Leila nodded.

Cullin took both Uldra’s and Urisk’s hands, and then invoking his magic, all three were gone.

Piter, during all this time ignored the drama in front of him, had been processing Maunzie’s trade. As Cullin worked out what to do with Uldra, he laid three lengths of cloth, a big box of tea, some scented oils in brown bottles, and a box of candles on the counter.

“Thank you for your business, Mistress Maunzie. Always good doing business with you,” he said. “Next in line!”

A Moss Man moved up to the counter, even as Maunzie packed her basket. He almost withered under her gaze, but the Bush Grandmother really had no words for him, and he did his trade in peace after a shaky start.

Instead, Maunzie stopped next to Leila. “I hope you like being the Tree Shepherd’s handy tool, girl.”

“Tool?” Leila asked. She kept her face neutral.

“We all know how you feel about him, and how he sees you. If you ask me, you deserve better. Anyway,” she said, reaching into her basket and taking out a letter, “Here I am, adding to your work. I’ve heard so much about Gan Thistleberry. I’d like to invite you and her to tea. Do you think you could give her this invitation?”

Leila took a deep breath, and stifled what she wanted to say. Somehow, she managed to dredge up a smile. “I’d be happy to.” She took the letter and put it away in her own basket.

Maunzie left.

“A tea party, eh?” Auld Annie smiled. It was a rather wicked looking smile. “Wonder what she’d do if I crashed that party?”

Up ahead, Piter yelled, “Next in line!”