Sheepfarmers Daughter Read Online Free PDF

hand reached below and lifted; the reed rose, keeping the same steep slant. When his left hand reached his right, he shifted the right quickly to the lower grip.
    "That's the position you want," said Stammel. "Now, show 'em how to move with it."
    Bosk strode forward, the reed steady on his shoulder, not waving or dipping with his stride. When he turned, they could hear the whirr as the end of the reed sliced the air. He made a square, then returned the reed to an upright position and handed it back to Paks.
    "Ready — " said Stammel. "Ground the butts — " Paksenarrion felt the length of reed quivering as she tried to let it slide slowly through her hands, aiming the butt somewhat ahead of her right foot. It bumped the ground.
    "It's too close to you," said Bosk. "Slide it out further." Paks slid the butt along the ground until Bosk nodded.
    "Now tilt 'em back along your shoulders," said Stammel. Paks let the top of the reed fall back slowly. The butt came off the ground, but she pushed it back before anyone said anything. Some were not so lucky. Stammel and the corporals were yelling at those who let the reeds get out of control. At last all were in the correct position.
    "Left hands down," said Stammel. "And lift, but keep it under control. NO!" he roared. Paks heard a smack and a yelp of pain as someone's reed landed on someone's head. Her own wavered as she tried to shift the grip of her left hand. "Steady!" Paks let her eyes slide sideways to see how others in the front rank were doing. Everyone seemed to be in the right position. "Now — bring them back vertical again. That's right. Now slope 'em back — no — No! Control it, don't let it get away from you."
    They repeated this exercise again and again until the whole unit could shift the reeds from vertical to sloped position without getting out of position. Paksenarrion's arms ached, and her palms tingled unpleasantly where the reed slid back and forth.
    "We're going to march back with them at slope," said Stammel. "And you'd best not look as foolish as the other units, either. Anyone who drops a reed — " he scowled at them.
    They managed to make it back to the courtyard before the others, without dropping anything but sweat. By the time the other units were in and halted, their own reeds were safely on the ground.
    Gradually their weapons skills improved. They took fewer — but never no — thumps from Siger, and the spears seemed more manageable. After Paks took the skin off the inside of her left arm during archery practice, she learned to keep her elbow braced correctly. They all suffered a variety of lumps, cuts and scrapes, but the only serious injury in Paks's unit was Mikel Falsson, who fell from the wall while working on repairs and broke both legs. He recovered, but with a bad limp, and eventually went to work in the armory.
    "He was lucky not to lose either leg," said Devlin. "That was as nasty a break as I've seen." Paks shuddered, remembering the white ends of bone sticking out.
    "If there'd been a Marshal here — " began Effa. Devlin interrupted.
    "No. Don't say that. Not here. Not in this Company."
    Effa looked puzzled. "But I thought Phelan's Company recruited mostly Girdsmen — doesn't it?"
    "Once it did, but not now."
    "But when I joined, and said I was a yeoman, Stammel said it was good."
    "Sergeant Stammel, to you. Oh yes, we're glad to get Girdsmen—the more the better. But there'll be no Marshals here, and no grange or barton."
    "But why — ?"
    "Effa, leave be." Arñe tapped her arm. "It's not our concern."
    It was not in Effa's nature to leave be. She worried the question any time the corporals and Stammel were not around, wondering why and why not, and trying to convert those (such as Paksenarrion, Saben and Arñe) who seemed to her virtuous but unenlightened. Paks found these attempts at conversion annoying.
    "I've got my own gods," she said finally. "And that's enough for me. My family has followed the same gods for generations,