Descending Road - THEY DID KNOW THEIR HERBS by Dana W. Paxson

THEY DID KNOW THEIR HERBS

1563 4D

In the morning, they buried the remains of Linas in Marra‘s grave, in his blood-soaked uniform. Marra looked at his beam gun. “Can you use this thing?” she asked Deen.

“We can’t get the ID off it here, and if the corp or the militia find us with it, we’ll get buried again, this time for good.” They laid the gun and its ammunition in Deen‘s grave. The dirt-stained wraps, their only clothing, they pieced and knotted until the cloth would stay in place. They tamped the soil on the graves down as neatly and as firmly as they could manage.

As they finished, the sound of a cart approached from the rise. Marra looked at Deen. “What do we do?”

“See who it is.”

“It’s… Oh, it’s Joyann.”

“What’ll we tell her?” Deen put a hand to her mouth.

“I don’t know, I don’t know, why did she come back? Aoriver, how long were we… dead?”

Just one day. This woman helped bury you yesterday.

Joyann had seen them. As Trig barked a greeting, she came to them and said, “Who are you? What are you doing way out here?”

Deen took the initiative. “You’re Joyann, right? We’re, ah, family.”

Joyann looked closely at her, then at Marra. “But, how…" She frowned, as if suspicious, at their skimpy wraps.

“It’s Fandarinn custom,” Marra told her, improvising and wondering what would come from her own mouth next. “We came to visit, and we found them, and this is what we wear for grieving.”

Joyann hesitated, then her frown lifted. “So you know they’re—“

“Yes,” Marra said. “And we’d like you to do one thing for us. For them.” She nodded toward the graves.

“What is it?”

“Go to the claims office with your contracts. Talk only with Morriton. Place first claim as croppers to the land you worked here. With the type of contract you had with them, the law lets you assume rights in the event of death of the owner. The division of shares is stipulated in the fine print. Don’t let anyone else do the work, especially not Kentril. Only Morriton. He’s got the estate disposal directive they filed.” As Marra spoke, Deen nodded.

“Is this really what they wanted? What you want?”

“Yes,” both women said.

“You know, except that you’re so light, you both look so much like them—“

“We were very close,” Deen said. Marra bit back a smile.

“I don’t know what to say.” Joyann turned to the graves and bowed her head. She put her fist in her teeth. Then she came to Marra and Deen. “I’m so sorry,” she said, tears running down her face. “These things happen. They lived at the edges — we knew they were hiding people, and doing other things, but we never asked. They were so generous.”

“You’re very kind,” Marra said. Deen nodded. They put their arms around Joyann, feeling her shake with quiet sobs for a while.

Joyann finally raised her head and looked at them. “I came to dig them proper graves.” She gestured at a roboarm mounted and folded on the back of the cart.

“There’s no need for that,” Marra said. “Our family custom has been shallow graves. It’s saved a few of us.” Deen‘s elbow jabbed her.

Joyann looked dubious. “But the animals… don’t they… it doesn’t seem right.”

Deen, getting in the spirit of the moment, leaned close to Joyann and murmured, “Preservatives.”

“Oh. Well, they did know their herbs. Is that family knowledge too?”

Deen nodded wisely.

“Can I at least take take you into town? You’re barefoot, and it’s a long way to anywhere. Or is that your cart, just down the road? No, that’s a military one someone left here. I still can’t believe—“

“No,” Marra said firmly. “We’re going to stay here today and then go back. We’ve got transportation arranged.”

Ha. More energy demands on us. That’s your arrangement. Why don’t you just ride with her, or take the man’s cart?

Joyann hesitated, and let her questions go unasked. “All right.” She went to her cart and brought back an armload of deep-red and purple flowers. “This is from the work team. We all pitched in. These are—“

“They’re amitralias. Self-rooting. Beautiful.” Deen ran her hands down the stems. Joyann stabbed the stems deep in the soil at the graves’ edges, dusted her hands, and wiped away more tears. She embraced Deen and Marra, got in her cart, and left. The new-planted flowers waved gently in the morning breeze.

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	THEY DID KNOW THEIR HERBS 1563 4D In the morning, they buried the remains of Linas in Marra‘s grave, in his blood-soaked uniform. Marra looked at his beam gun. “Can you use this thing?” she asked Deen. “We can’t get the ID off it here, and if the corp or the militia find us with it, we’ll get buried again, this time for good.” They laid the gun and its ammunition in Deen‘s grave. The dirt-stained wraps, their only clothing, they pieced and knotted until the cloth would stay in place. They tamped the soil on the graves down as neatly and as firmly as they could manage. As they finished, the sound of a cart approached from the rise. Marra looked at Deen. “What do we do?” “See who it is.” “It’s… Oh, it’s Joyann.” “What’ll we tell her?” Deen put a hand to her mouth. “I don’t know, I don’t know, why did she come back? Aoriver, how long were we… dead?” Just one day. This woman helped bury you yesterday. Joyann had seen them. As Trig barked a greeting, she came to them and said, “Who are you? What are you doing way out here?” Deen took the initiative. “You’re Joyann, right? We’re, ah, family.” Joyann looked closely at her, then at Marra. “But, how…" She frowned, as if suspicious, at their skimpy wraps. “It’s Fandarinn custom,” Marra told her, improvising and wondering what would come from her own mouth next. “We came to visit, and we found them, and this is what we wear for grieving.” Joyann hesitated, then her frown lifted. “So you know they’re—“ “Yes,” Marra said. “And we’d like you to do one thing for us. For them.” She nodded toward the graves. “What is it?” “Go to the claims office with your contracts. Talk only with Morriton. Place first claim as croppers to the land you worked here. With the type of contract you had with them, the law lets you assume rights in the event of death of the owner. The division of shares is stipulated in the fine print. Don’t let anyone else do the work, especially not Kentril. Only Morriton. He’s got the estate disposal directive they filed.” As Marra spoke, Deen nodded. “Is this really what they wanted? What you want?” “Yes,” both women said. “You know, except that you’re so light, you both look so much like them—“ “We were very close,” Deen said. Marra bit back a smile. “I don’t know what to say.” Joyann turned to the graves and bowed her head. She put her fist in her teeth. Then she came to Marra and Deen. “I’m so sorry,” she said, tears running down her face. “These things happen. They lived at the edges — we knew they were hiding people, and doing other things, but we never asked. They were so generous.” “You’re very kind,” Marra said. Deen nodded. They put their arms around Joyann, feeling her shake with quiet sobs for a while. Joyann finally raised her head and looked at them. “I came to dig them proper graves.” She gestured at a roboarm mounted and folded on the back of the cart. “There’s no need for that,” Marra said. “Our family custom has been shallow graves. It’s saved a few of us.” Deen‘s elbow jabbed her. Joyann looked dubious. “But the animals… don’t they… it doesn’t seem right.” Deen, getting in the spirit of the moment, leaned close to Joyann and murmured, “Preservatives.” “Oh. Well, they did know their herbs. Is that family knowledge too?” Deen nodded wisely. “Can I at least take take you into town? You’re barefoot, and it’s a long way to anywhere. Or is that your cart, just down the road? No, that’s a military one someone left here. I still can’t believe—“ “No,” Marra said firmly. “We’re going to stay here today and then go back. We’ve got transportation arranged.” Ha. More energy demands on us. That’s your arrangement. Why don’t you just ride with her, or take the man’s cart? Joyann hesitated, and let her questions go unasked. “All right.” She went to her cart and brought back an armload of deep-red and purple flowers. “This is from the work team. We all pitched in. These are—“ “They’re amitralias. Self-rooting. Beautiful.” Deen ran her hands down the stems. Joyann stabbed the stems deep in the soil at the graves’ edges, dusted her hands, and wiped away more tears. She embraced Deen and Marra, got in her cart, and left. The new-planted flowers waved gently in the morning breeze.