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Manure fro carted out to the most distant fields in preparation for the winter Beor and his cousins were slaughtering a dozen swine to feed the war parties, caht up a big pot of hot boiled barley to catch blood for a black pudding Young Deyilo tended a flock of geese out on the stubble of a harvested field

Getsi appeared with a covered basket She had grown a hand in height since Adica had last seen her, and the shape of her face had begun to change In another year she would approach wo her across that threshold

"What do you have there?" she asked the girl, more sharply than she intended

"Myherbs and flowers for you Where shall I set thehter," she replied, a little sharound just in front of the door "YourYou’ve had a frost that loosened it"

"It’s been cold early this year," agreed Getsi "I’ll get h to do it right yet"

"You’ll soon be"

Getsi smiled, careful not to look her in the eyes, and loped off back to the village, lithe and eager

Best to keep busy, and not to think on what she had lost She co down before the basket, uncovering it A rush of scent billowed up, dust dancing as wind caught and worried at dried summer milfoil, placed at the top Beneath the flower petals or juniper berries, and beneath these butterwort, betony, and mint leaves, the bundled stalks of tansy and five-leafed silverweed, as well as lavender so fragile that it crumbled at a touch She laid the contents of one of the pouches on her knees to sort it, sheltering the light petals froe

A horn call blared: the alare, a triple blast to call every person in to the safety of the walls Shocked, she si her head to stare as children shrieked and

The horn sounded again, a single blast followed by silence, followed by another short blast She heard shouts and cries turn froates, running tofrom

Still she did not move