A Free Trader

Author: Sam

Story: Trader's Bargain: 2 of 2

Series: Islinne Weyr

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Bradiana frowned, standing on the small porch of Paradise Forest Cothold. That sound was familiar and doubly unwelcome. Traders were coming. She recognized the shouted commands and the jingling harnesses. Turning to enter the cot, the young woman was brought up short by the sight of her husband's father standing there.

Arms crossed, a glare plastered to his face, the cotholder looked on the young woman with disapproval. "That brat's going with them, girl. No arguments. We ain't keeping it."

Bradiana nodded. "Of course, Father. Why'd I want to keep a dirty trader brat what's been deserted by its own dam is beyond all reason. I'll hand it over and be glad to do it."

She hadn't told the rest of her family that the infant they'd rescued was a boy. They wouldn't welcome such knowledge. After all, a crafter journeying through was the one who saved the newborn infant from a forest wherry. Crafters weren't to be trusted, so the child wasn't to be tolerated. Bradiana knew that; she just found it hard to accept... now.

It hadn't always been that way. She'd been able to hate right along with the rest of her family. For turns the young cot girl was certain crafters... especially traders... were the scum of Pern. But those beliefs had started unraveling once she'd held the abandoned child close to her breast.

It hadn't been a sudden change. No, it had taken the infant several days to worm his way through old prejudices. Now, Bradiana was finding it hard to even think of giving up the much despised, yet so wanted, child. If she'd been given a sevenday more...

Shaking her head, Bradiana pushed such traitorous thoughts from her mind. Instead, she went inside and started bundling up the child in the outfit she'd made for him. He didn't have a name; she'd simply called the boy 'Waif'. Her barely suppressed feelings made the woman rougher than necessary. The baby protested loudly.

"What in the red star's name are you doing in there, girl?!? Just get it clothed and bring it out. The traders are all but at the door now, and they'll be movin' on quick like, hear me?"

Bradiana didn't bother to respond to her husband. She merely picked up the child and brought him outside, bouncing him to quiet the screams. The trick worked, and the baby fell silent just as the first trader wagon pulled up. They wouldn't have much time, as traders only stopped at the cot to water their beasts. it was the Southland Runner Train and they would find no sale at Paradise Forest Cot.

Bradiana stepped forward and thrust the silent bundle at the nearest trader woman. "Here. This is your's. It was left out in the forest, and we ain't got no place for it. You can have it, free of charge."

Blinking in surprise, the woman looked down at the bundle. Before she could pull back the cloth to find out what it was, the train leader stepped forward. He smiled indulgently at the pair of women.

"What's this? Offering us goods? What'd you want in return?" Caiony was a strict but fair man.

Bradiana shook her head. "Nothing. It's your's for the taking. We can't have it here. No room." She turned and ran into the cot, not glancing back for fear she'd change her mind.

Caiony frowned, watching the girl. He looked at the bundle in his sister's arms, then back towards the cotholder's family. Frowning more, he noted that not a single crofter was left outside. They'd all gone into the cot and closed the door.

"Caiony, it's an infant," the gentle voice of his sister brought his attention back to the strange gift.

"Infant! Why... now I wonder. Them crafters are funny folk. Wanting to give us a babe. It won't replace the wife and unborn babe what's gone missing, but I'll take her in. Cotters are odd ones." Caiony signaled his people to hurry up with the watering. They had a long way to go.

"But, Caiony, how could they just give her up like that?" Confusion was the chief emotion on the trader woman's face.

Shaking his head, Caiony shrugged. "Don't likely know, do I? Maybe they wanted a boy and got a girl. Them cotters are hard up for room, living cramped up in those little cots. The open roads the way to live, mark my words. Come on, Tainna. We've got another trader to raise, free of charge like the girl said. Not a bad day's wages, eh?"

Caiony signaled his people to start up the wagons once more. Instead of going to the front to take a turn as point, however, he stayed next to his sister. They walked in companionable silence for some distance before the baby started making mewling noises from its blanket.

"Babe's hungry, sister. Feed her now. Can't let the poor mite starve." He smiled indulgently at the woman and headed towards the front of the train. The sound of his sibling's astonished gasp stopped him short. He turned and quirked an eyebrow in question.

She blinked, looking up from the now unwrapped baby in her arms. "Caiony, it's a boy! Oh, they gave us a boy."

The train leader rocked back on his heels. That was unexpected. After all, who'd give up a healthy baby boy? The obvious answer was the cotholders they'd just left behind.

Shaking his head in wonder, Caiony headed back to his sister's side. "Well, so they did. Now we've got another reason to rejoice, Tainna. Not only did we get a free trader but a boy at that. What'll you name him?"

"Taiony," she hugged her new child to her, smiling.

Caiony grinned in response and headed once more towards the front of his train.

FIN