Page 100 of Circle of Days

The door opened.

The farmers hurried away.

There was a burst of laughter and conversation among the young herders as the tension was released. Ani said: “Thank you, everyone. I hope we’ve put a stop to their nonsense.”

She felt relieved. Only now did she realize how anxious the performance had made her. She stepped out of the building and walked slowly back toward the Monument. She was still worried about Han, but she thought she had stymied Troon’s investigation.

When she reached the Monument, she again ran into Zad, who said he had been looking for her. “Something I forgot to tell you,” he said. “Pia is expecting a baby. Han’s going to be a father.”

Ani was thrilled. She would have another grandchild. “How wonderful! When?”

“Next spring, my Biddy says. It will be born in the Northwest Hills.”

Ani looked around, but no one was within hearing distance. “Please don’t mention their destination to anyone else.”

“No, of course not,” said Zad, but Ani noticed a slight frown.

She said: “You haven’t told anyone, have you?”

“No. Well, only someone who is a real friend of his.”

Ani’s heart sank.

Zad went on: “This friend was very worried about Han, andasked me if he was all right, and would he be murdered by the farmers for stealing one of their women. He was so concerned and distressed that I thought it would do no harm to tell him that Han and Pia were fine and safe, and heading for the Northwest Hills.”

“The friend who was so worried,” Ani said fearfully. “Did he tell you his name?”

“Yes,” said Zad. “He’s called Shen.”

By the third day, Han and Pia were in the hills. Their progress was not fast, mainly because they had to stop and let the cow graze. Meanwhile they foraged for nuts and crab apples. Thunder caught a squirrel, but they let him eat it all.

They were searching all the time for a place where they could build a shelter. They needed to be hidden from pathways in case the farmers came after them. They also hoped to find a place where they could hunt and gather food. The cow would not last forever. They would be living like woodlanders, going out in the morning to find the evening’s supper.

The path led alongside a river. At a place where the river broadened, they came to a derelict house close to a short muddy beach. There was a small stone circle halfway up a hill. Pia thought it might be some kind of holy place, though now it was clearly deserted.

They could not use the house as their shelter, because it was too visible, right on the path. However, there was a small island in the middle of the river. Han said: “Shall we cross the river and take a look?”

Pia said: “Yes, definitely.”

It took a little organizing. Both Han and Pia had been raised near rivers, so they could swim. Cows and dogs could swim, too, but the challenge would be keeping the party together. Han untied the rope from the cow’s neck and retied it firmly. “I’ll keep hold of the cow, you watch Thunder,” he said.

They folded their coats on the riverbank. They would have to come back for those.

They stepped into the water. The river was not fast-flowing. The cow was happy to be led in, but Thunder was reluctant. However, he did not want to be left behind so, after a few moments of dithering, he plunged in and swam vigorously.

The cow was inclined to go with the current, so Han had to keep pulling it back at the same time as keeping his own head above water. Pia saw that Thunder was all right and went to help Han. When they both pulled on the rope, the cow came their way.

Soon they reached the island and scrambled ashore.

Pia saw that the vegetation was lush. There had been a drought here too, of course, but the roots must be watered by the river. She stood up, looked around, and immediately sensed a feeling of peace.

Thunder shook himself, sending a shower like rain over Pia and Han, making them laugh. The cow saw green grass and immediately started to graze.

Han swam back to the mainland and returned with both their coats held above his head. They shrugged the coats on, then Han said: “We should explore.”

Pia looked at the cow and the nearby river.

“She won’t swim back,” Han said. “The grazing is better here.”