Cora had tried to say it had been an accident. Lissie had said nothing. That was worse. But Alexander’s voice was the worst of all. Before that night, it seemed like he sang every word.
She kicked Sugarsnap into a canter. She didn’t look back. The road was very straight, the ruts had hardened in the sun. Good riding. No one yelled after her, and she kicked again. A couple more paces, and she was galloping. She rose high on the mare’s back and the gleaming tan muscles bunched beneath her.
She heard their voices behind her, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying. She stopped kicking, but she did not pull up on the reins.
They will catch up.
The road was curving, and the trees around were getting sparse. The sun broke through, hot and bright, and she leaned into the turn. She saw a figure.
The girl was small and dirty. As Riley approached, she realized she was wearing no shoes. She pulled the reins tight and Sugarsnap fell to a trot, then to a walk. The horse put her ears back, snorting, unhappy to stop galloping so soon. Riley patted her briefly, staring at the girl.
“Hail! Are you alright?” Riley shouted as she approached. The girl turned around and looked behind her, scanning the trees. She collapsed, weeping. Riley dismounted.
Riley led Sugarsnap the rest of the distance. She reached the girl and saw that she was no younger than herself. Just very small. Riley tried again, “Can I help you?”
“My da says I have to marry him but I can’t! He’s fifty! He has daughters older than me!” The broken thing wept harder. Her dirty feet twisted into the dust. She was wearing rough homespun, but her brown hair was pleated into an elaborate braid with wilted flowers woven through.
Riley reached out a hand and pulled it back. “What’s your name? My name is Riley.”
The girl caught her breath and looked up with wide, red eyes, “I’m Emma May, Lady. Don’t tell my da. Don’t make me go back.” Her eyes filled with tears again.
Riley frowned. She knelt beside her. “Don’t worry about me. I ran away from home too.”
Emma May let out a hoarse laugh. “Why do they think we are theirs to sell like dolls? Like lumber.”
“You are not lumber. You are here, doing what you can.” Riley stared into the distance. She could hear hoof beats, and saw the girl panic again. Riley held out a hand, and looked in her face, “Those are just my friends.”
“He already gave da the goats. Six goats, that’s all I’m worth.” Her voice was defeated. Lost.
Riley grabbed her shoulder, “You’re worth anything. Don’t talk like that.”
Alexander called, “Riley, who have you found?” Anvil still looked fresh. Lissie looked haggard on Peach, who had sweated into a lather.
Riley answered, “This is Emma May. She ran away from home.”
Alexander’s voice sang, “I seem to be collecting runaway girls.” Riley felt like she could breathe again.
The girl had calmed, seeing the group. She sounded resigned, “You’re going to make me go back, aren’t you?”
“Would you go back if you don’t have to marry that old man? I’ll talk to your da. I can be convincing.” Riley smiled, but she watched the girl’s eyes move to the sword on her hip.
Emma pleaded, “Please don’t hurt him. He’s a good da! He’s just poor. I’m the oldest of six, and five of us are girls.”
Cora slid off Anvil’s back and said, “Why would you marry an old man? Is he rich?”
Emma said, “He’s got his own farm. He’s got six goats to spare.”
Lissie fell off Peach, and put a hand on Cora’s shoulder, “Things work differently out here. When you’re hungry, with six mouths to feed.”
Riley stood, and offered a hand to Emma May. “Here, you can ride Sugarsnap back to town.”
Emma May sat in the saddle better than Lissie. They led the horses the rest of the way. The town appeared piecemeal. A barn set back from the road, then a cottage. A few hills later and it was all well-tended gardens and fences crawling with morning glories. She asked Emma May where her house was.
Emma said, “It’s on the north side of town, a few miles up. But it doesn’t matter, everyone is at the Church of the Six.”
Cora said, “Shouldn’t they be working? It’s not Sixthday.”
“They are there for the wedding.”
They walked past onion carts, carts filled with axes, donkeys, mules and a few horses all tied up outside. Riley held Emma May’s hand as they went in.
The church was tiny. It would have fit in her parents’ bedroom. A room full of angry faces greeted them. At the end of the aisle two men were arguing in front of the preacher. She had never heard anyone swear in church before.
“Milton! You said she was in heel!” The man speaking was gray-haired and fat. He was wearing the white wedding suit, but it was nearly the same shade as his hair.
The younger man was thin and his clothes hung off of him. “Damn it Vaughn! It’s not my fault she—,” He broke off mid-sentence when he noticed their arrival. “There! I told you she’d come back!” He started making his way down the aisle.
Riley felt the hand she was holding tighten around hers. Emma May turned and tried to get behind her but the space was too narrow. There was some laughter amongst the congregation. “I can’t do it, I thought I could but I can’t marry him.” Emma May whispered into Riley’s ear.
“Don’t worry,” Riley whispered back, and she wriggled her way in front.
“Thank you, stranger, for bringin’ my daughter back,” Riley could see that the man’s face was sunken, his cheeks hollow. His eyes were set back like they were trying to hide from the world.
“Sir, my name is Riley Llanarth, and I promised Emma May that if she came back with me, she wouldn’t have to get married.” Riley tried to keep her voice low, but the room erupted in chatter.
The priest swung the baton into the Sun Gong and everyone went silent. When the sound finally faded, Vaughn spoke, “I already gave Milton his dowry.”
Alexander broke the stillness, “If we can offer you fair trade for the dowry, will you forgive the debt?”
Milton stepped forward, “I’ve no need of Ellium trinkets or baubles, bard. Nor have I any need of a song.”
Riley unbuckled the sword belt from around her waist, “This is Llanarth steel. The finest in the kingdom.” She pushed easily past Milton and made her way to the front of the room.
She drew the sword from the scabbard and laid it on the altar of the Six like an offering. The stained glass cast red and gold fire across the blade.
“I offer a trade, to you and you,” she turned and pointed back at Milton, “this sword for the dowry already paid. Plus six more goats or its equivalent.”