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Leesha turned to Rojer "Find Arlen," she murmured "Have him come in secret and meet us in the back room of Smitt’s Tavern Go now" Rojer nodded and vanished

"Darsy Vika," Leesha said "Have the apprentices triage the wounded and bring them to the hospit in order of severity"

The two Herb Gatherers nodded and hurried off

"Jona," Leesha said "Have your acolytes fetch stretchers from the hospit and help the apprentices" Jona bowed and left

Seeing Leesha giving direction, others drifted over Even Smitt, the Town Speaker and innkeep, waited on her word

"We can hold on food a moment," Leesha told him, "but these people need water and war pavilions and any tents you can find, and have every spare hand you can find hauling water If the wells and streah, put cauldrons on a fire and fill them with snow"

"I’ll see to it," Smitt said

"Since when does the whole Hollow hop to your corin

Leesha looked at him "I need to see to the wounded now, Master Marick, but I’ll have h"

"I’ll be at your disposal," Marick said, bowing

"Thank you," Leesha said "It would help if you could gather the other leaders of your group whoto add to your story"

"Of course," Marick said

"I’ll settle them in the inn," Stefny, Smitt’s wife, said "Surely you could use a cold ale and a bite," she told the Messenger

"More than you could iine," Marick said

There were broken bones to set and infections to treat, many from blistered feet that had burst and been left untreated as folk spentthat to fall behind the roup meant almost certain death More than a few of the travelers had coreling wounds, as well, froether circles It was a wonder any had made it to Deliverer’s Hollow at all She knew from their tales thatskill aees, and after a quick check of their own state, Leesha put them to work None of the women complained; it was ever the lot of the Herb Gatherer to put aside her own needs for those of her charges

"We would never have er Marick," one woman said as Leesha treated her frostbitten toes "He rode ahead each day and warded cas caht without him He even felled deer with his bow and left them on the road for us to find"

By the time Rojer reappeared, the worst of the wounds had been treated She left control of the hospit to Darsy and Vika and ith him to her office

When the door closed behind the her exhaustion to show It was late in the afternoon, and she had been working for hours without a break, treating patients and fielding questions from apprentices and town elders alike It would be dark in a few short hours

"You need to rest," Rojer said, but Leesha shook her head, filling a basin ater and splashing it on her face

"No time for it now," she said "Have we found shelter for everyone?"

"Barely," Rojer said "All told, there’s ees than the entire population of Deliverer’s Holloice over, and I’ve no doubt there will be more tomorrow Folk have opened their ho up in his pews, just to keep a roof over thereatill be covered in makeshift tents by week’s end"

Leesha nodded "We’ll worry over that co at Smitt’s?"

"The Painted Man is there," Rojer said "Don’t call him Arlen in front of those people"