In The Beginning by Gail Daley (top 100 books of all time checklist .TXT) 📕

Andre told Rebecca as he kissed her goodbye. "We want to be in place before dawn."

Dawn was just breaking over the horizon when Rebecca and Selene brought the baskets of dirty clothes over to the Trade Stations Communal washroom. Rebecca worked the handle over a large tub to see if the water was hot, nodding approvingly when it came out warm.

"Good," she told Selene, "we are the first one's here. We won't have to pay extra for clean water for our clothes."

The younger girl looked at her curiously. "I've never used one of these places. How does this work?"

"Time you learned," Rebecca said cheerfully. "Start putting the clothes into the tub while I shave some soap into the water. We'll take turns pumping the handle until the tub is full."

Once they had the clothes in the tub of water, Rebecca sealed the lid, and showed Selene how to use the foot pedals to make the tub rock back and forth to wash the clothes.

Anja joined them, Robern again attached to her with a lead.

"You beat me here," she said. "I thought I would be first."

"They have several tubs," Rebecca said. "This must be a busy station."

The other woman nodded, dumping her basket into an empty tub. Rebecca noticed she had only a small sliver of soap to wash with and offered, "Here, we have extra soap. I know how hard it is to make it when you are traveling."

Anja hesitated before she took the bar and the shaving knife, smiling her thanks.

The women ran the clothes through a rinse tub. The next step required putting the clothes through the Stations hand-cranked wringer to get rid of the excess water, before taking them out to the communal drying lines.

Selene had volunteered to keep Robern occupied, and at Rebecca's smiling nod, Anja had agreed. Because they were enjoying their talk, Rebecca and Anja were facing each other across the lines of wet clothes. They had almost finished the chore when Rebecca noticed the alarmed look on Anja's face as she looked into the Station center circle. Hastily, Anja finished hanging up her load to dry and grabbed her basket.

"We should go back to the wagons," she said urgently.

Frowning, Rebecca turned to look behind her. A small troop of Mercs had ridden in. They stopped at the Station House, and one of them dismounted and went inside.

"Do you know them?" she asked.

Anja shook her head. "Not them specifically, but I know what they are. We had Merc troops stationed in our village several times before our home was burned in the fighting. The ones associated with the keep weren't too bad—they lived in the village too and they had an interest in keeping the peace so they mostly behaved properly. The free Mercs—well let's just say a woman didn't want to be caught out alone with them around."

Rebecca nodded. "Selene!" she called the girl who was entertaining Robern with a game of small sticks and pebbles, "We should return to the wagons."

She picked up her empty baskets and started back through the washhouse to gather up her supplies. She still had more than two thirds of a bar of soap she had left to dry on the sink, and soap was, as she had told Anja earlier, hard to come by on the road. Anja didn't bother, but hurried back toward the wagons, dragging a reluctant Robern.

Rebecca had just dropped the used soap bar into the empty baskets when a man entered the washroom. He was tall and wide, with sandy hair and a scruffy beard needing the attention of a razor. He smiled when he spotted the two girls.

"Well, what have we here?" he asked.

Rebecca put an arm around Selene and moved toward the door. He moved to block their exit.

"Don't run away pretty girl," he said. "My name's Jokan, what's yours?"

Rebecca looked him up and down with no expression on her face. "I am Draconi Rebecca Kathlea Mabinogion, and this is my sister Draya Selene," she told him haughtily. She didn't often use her title, but she hoped it might make him wary of offending her.

Instead he laughed. "My, aren't you the high and mighty one. I'm going to enjoy getting acquainted with you."

"We have not been introduced, Sorson," she said coldly. "Kindly move out of our way."

When he didn't move and Selene gave a frightened whimper, Rebecca readied herself to use her Magi abilities. If she pushed past him and encouraged her shove with a telekinetic heave, it would make him step out of the way. He might not realize she had used magi talents and they could get out the door. Just as she was about to make her move, Andre stepped into the room; Rebecca a wave of relief ran through her and she let her breath out with a gasp. She relaxed, smiling reassuringly down at Selene. Taking in the situation at a glance, Andre shifted his body between the girls and the Merc.

"Is he bothering you, love?" he asked Rebecca, not taking his eyes off the other man, who was staring at him in astonishment.

"Hammer Smith?" he said incredously. "Where did you spring from?"

When Andre didn't answer him, he apparently realized he had overstepped a line. "Is she with you? Sorry man, I didn't know you were working for them."

"I'm not," Andre said. "Rebecca, take Selene and go to the wagons. Stay there, and keep Catrin there as well."

He moved with them toward the door, and the Merc stepped aside so the girls could exit the building.

Once outside the door, Rebecca handed Selene the baskets. "Run to the wagons and tell Grandpa and Owen about this. Tell Catrin to stay with you at the wagons."

"Andre told both of us to go," Selene protested.

"I know, but he isn't alone. Andre may need help."

Rebecca leaned back against the wall, listening to the men inside as she watched her sister run to their wagons. She looked around, checking for any of the other Merc's heading toward the washhouse.

"If you're