Off Center (The Lament) Read Online Free Page A

them know we're coming so they can hide the extra.
Unless they ticked you off too much for that?" This got directed at her ,
but Pran didn't understand why that would be the case at all. Why would she be angry
at them? For making her shoot a couple of men? It wasn't like that was a new thing
for her.
    Clark
waved at her.
    "A
good point. You and Roy are headed back into town anyway. Do a full walking guard
the whole way, since it isn't far. If it comes down to it, try to get Roy back safely,
even if it means leaving the wagon. Find whoever passes as a headman or woman here
and set that inventory up for us? Call it... What do you think Mara? Just after
daybreak?" Clark looked at the woman with her short dark hair and pretty smile,
waiting for a real answer.
    When
it came, the woman actually seemed to be thinking about something.
    "I...
Yes, that will work. I need to do some laundry first, if I'm actually getting back
to work. I've been putting it off." Which made sense, given that the lady hated
to do it and they'd been moving in fairly short hops the last few days.
    Plus,
Pran, her favorite clothes washer, being that she was the only one that would do
it for free on the ship, had been mainly asleep or actually on duty, covering the
things that Mara herself was missing. Doing wash on the ground meant going outside
for it, or they'd end up sitting in a puddle of water, which had to be bad for the
airship. Doing it in the cold was going to be less than fun. Especially if
it started raining.
    Sighing,
Pran wrinkled her nose, trying to make it cute seeming, rather than annoyed by the
inconvenience.
    "I'll
do two outfits for you. But don't blame me if they won't dry right. Get them
out and I'll try to get it done after Roy and I get back." She smiled though
and shook her left fist playfully. The left hand, because that signified deviousness,
in plays and shows.
    It
was a thing that Mara got, faking an overdone wince. After all, she'd seen plays
most of her life, just like most people.
    "I'm
in for it now, aren't I? My lazy ways are finally catching up to me. Well, let's
just hope I learn my lesson then. Otherwise who knows what will happen?"
    It
was strange, but the others, except the unconscious Will, all nodded. Then, one
by one they tried to get her to wash things for them too, but she put her foot down.
Sort of. She really wanted them to rely on her after all.
    "Not
until we're in the air. This is a special onetime thing, for Mara. The rest of you
can just wait a bit." She nearly relented, and said she'd do an outfit for
each of them too, if they needed it, but Clark cleared his throat.
    Loudly.
    "That
seems more than reasonable, Bard Pran. We're taking a lot of your time as it is.
We should check your schedule with Bard Benjamin."
    That
was kind of a temporary thing. Pran was technically being sent off to Bard Clarice
for training, but as a fellow Bard, and being a whole three years older than she
was, the man was sort of being put in charge of her. It had been real, for about
two days, until things changed.
    Life
was change though. Sometimes good. Mainly bad. You dealt with it and took advantage
of every opportunity you got. At least you did if you wanted to survive, which she
still did.
    "He's
on Bard time, so I have a few hours. I do need to set up some songs however. That
and get access to a wood working shop, so I can make some new instruments. Bard
Gina will want hers back." That was a bit embarrassing, since Pran had damaged
the case on her lute, throwing it in the mud to stop some would be killers.
    Everyone
knew about that, so she just shrugged. No need pointing out how criminally stupid
that would seem to any Bard in the world.
    Roy
called from the hallway, since he'd actually gotten himself out of the way, like
a good low ranked person should have, after they managed to get the prisoner tucked
into the cot. In a lot of ways he was a good role model, Pran decided. She needed
to study him a bit more, to see if he had