Rise of the Storm

6 Janna

People and wagons clogged the east-bound streets leaving Kaleva. Janna wondered if she would ever reach the gate. Her cart at last passed under the first arch when she heard several great cannon blasts followed by popping noises that might be musket fire. She heard more screaming and shouting coming from inside the city and shuddered at the thought of Dimir in the middle of that.

The noise prompted the crowd to move faster and finally Janna and her little wagon reached the outskirts of the city. That did nothing to slow the pounding of her heart. If soldiers decided to give chase, no one could stop them. She had to believe they'd be distracted by the wealth of the city and not bother with those trying to flee, or she'd be unable to hide her terror from the children.

Outside the city, the road was wider and the going somewhat faster. There were many wagons, most of them much larger and heavier-laden than Janna's. A few people rode horses but most were on foot, carrying what they could.

"Look, Mama." Anyezka tugged at her sleeve and pointed at an old woman bent double, pushing an even older man in a wheelbarrow. Janna wondered if she should stop and pick them up, but there was no room in the cart. Janna normally used it to pick up vegetables and hams in the Kaleva market; it was too small to carry three people and their belongings. It only worked now because the children were small. Besides, it was impossible to stop and help everyone who needed it. Janna forced herself to look away and distracted Anyezka by pointing out a girl her age sitting on the back of a cart that was passing them.

Once they'd been on the road for an hour, the children's excitement melted with the afternoon warmth. "Why didn't we wait for Papa?" Anyezka wondered.

Anton asked, "If Papa and his friends are winning the battle, why is everyone leaving the city?"

"The empress's soldiers were better than they expected and got all the way to the gates," Janna admitted. "Papa wanted us to be safe in case they broke through."

"But if they get in, what will they do to Papa and the other patriots?" Like his father, Anton considered himself a Moraltan patriot, not a rebel.

Janna didn't want to tell them they'd never see their father again even though she couldn't imagine how it would be otherwise. "I don't know," she confessed in answer to most of their questions.

As the sun sank beyond the low hills, the children complained of hunger, and Janna saw many people stopping by the side of the road. They'd been traveling for hours now with no sign of pursuit, so it might be safe to stop. As Janna drove the cart off the road, she noticed they were near a stream. That was doubtless why others had stopped. She and Anton struggled to unhitch the donkey, so Janna could take him to get a drink.

"Anton, can you guard the wagon?" she asked. "I'll be back in a moment."

He nodded and took up a position next to the cart, looking fierce. Janna hid her smile and took Anyezka's hand as they walked to the stream. The donkey drank for a long time and Janna felt bad. She should have stopped for water sooner. At least there was plenty of good grass around them.

Back at the cart, she saw that Anton had made a friend. He and another boy had found sticks and were playing at war.

"This is Franz," Anton said. "He's a Moraltan patriot too. We're practicing so we can fight the empress when we're bigger."

"I'm so glad." Janna forced a smile, though she hated to think of Anton going to war, ever. "Can you stop and help me hitch the donkey up again?" She wanted to be able to leave at once if there was danger.

Anton took over the job. By now he considered himself an expert in donkeys and carts and Janna saw he enjoyed explaining the details to Franz, whose family had stopped nearby.

They were on foot, pulling a barrow and carrying baskets. Franz was the oldest, and his four small sisters sprawled exhausted on the grass. Their father filled a pipe while the mother rummaged in bags. With that many children whatever food they had would go fast.

Janna walked toward them, her heart in her mouth. She was afraid of strangers, and of men in particular. So she looked at the woman. "Good evening," she said, "It seems our boys have made friends. Would you like to share supper with us? It will be cold, but there's plenty."

The woman looked as frightened as Janna, but her face became friendly soon enough. Perhaps because her efforts had yielded just one small sausage. She waved to the man, who tucked his pipe in the corner of his mouth, sprang up, and offered to help.

Janna dug for food and handed it to the man, who'd in the meantime introduced himself as Ivor Kalina and his wife as Greta. Janna got out plenty of bread, cheese and sausage and found a knife.

Ivor looked at it with approval. "You might need that, where you're going."

"It's meant for cheese." She didn't want to imagine why she would have to use it to defend herself.

"Hmph," Ivor said. "Still, keep it close."

"I don't even know how to use it. I'd never hurt anyone."

"You can't think that way. If it comes to someone trying to hurt you or the children, what will you do? You do what you have to."

Janna nodded, feeling she'd lost her appetite, but did her best to eat anyway. "Where are you headed?" she asked Greta.

"Not too far," she said. "If the weather stays fine, we'll walk a few more leagues tomorrow and then start back."

"Back to Kaleva? Isn't it still dangerous?"

"Shouldn't be," Ivor said. "Word is General Ensden is strict with his troops and lets them loot for just a few hours. There should be order in the city by now. In a few days, we'll be back and see what they've left us. I suppose that's what most folks are doing. They're not as well-supplied as you." He nodded toward the cart. "In fact, I'd be careful if I was you. There'll be folks trying to take what you have."

"Soldiers?" Janna shuddered.

"No, just regular folk, like us. Me and Greta and the little ones, we'll be all right. But others who left the city with nothing are hungry tonight. By this time tomorrow, they'll be desperate."

"I'm happy to share," Janna said.

"It's one thing to share with another family," Ivor said, "But there might be dozens, even hundreds. That's why you need your knife handy."

Janna nodded, wishing she didn't still have so far to go. They couldn't have gone more than a few leagues today. She doubted they'd reach the Sanova crossroads tomorrow.

Supper over, she made the children a bed in the back of the cart. Ivor had built a fire, which was welcome in the cool spring air. Everyone else huddled around it, wrapped in blankets that Janna got out of the cart. She wondered if she'd be able to sleep since she couldn't stop worrying about Dimir or how they would safely reach the farm. So she lay quietly, watching the fire and listening to the chirping of crickets and the murmur of other voices around other fires.