Read Online The Great Bazaar and Other Stories by Peter V. Brett - Free Book Online
Authors: Peter V. Brett
Tags: Fantasy
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Arlen asked his father once.
"They're
looking for flaws in the net," his father replied, joining him by the
window. "Every warding has them. Every one. Corelings aren't smart enough to
study the wards and reason out the weak spots, but they can attack them and
look for holes that way. You'll never see a coreling attack the same spot twice
in a night." He tapped his temple. "They remember. And they know that
time weakens even the strongest wards."
The night would
light up over and over as the corelings tested the wards, magic flaring like
tiny lightning flashes to momentarily illuminate the features of the yard as
the demons tried to crush the wellhouse, or reach the meat in the curing shed.
They attacked the
barn as well, but the wards there were just as strong. Arlen could hear the
livestock bleating in fear. The animals never got used to the demons. They
knew, instinctively, what would happen if the corelings ever got through.
Arlen knew, too.
When he was seven, he had watched helplessly as the demons tore apart one of
their sheepdogs, spreading its guts all over the yard.
Corelings took
great pleasure in killing.
It was said there
had been a time when the demons were not so bold. A time when the greatest
wards had not yet been forgotten; when the demons feared the power of mankind
and stayed within the Core. But those days, if they ever truly existed, were
long forgotten by the great-great-grandfathers of the oldest men alive. Now, those
wards were nothing more than a Jongleur's tale.
As he watched the
creatures that had stolen his world for another night, Arlen dreamed of
bringing those wards back. He dreamed of traveling beyond Tibbet's Brook, and
resolved that he would leave one day, even if it meant spending a night
outside.
With the demons.
Brianne Beaten
INTRODUCTION
This is far and away
my favorite cut scene, my poor deleted darling. It takes place in Chapter 13 of The Warded Man ("There Must Be More"), and happens directly after
the confrontation between Gared and Marick in the Cutter's Hollow marketplace.
The purpose of the scene was to force Leesha to confront Brianne, who had been
one of her best friends until the events of Leesha's first story arc destroyed
their friendship. It was also meant to illustrate how confident and powerful
Leesha had become during her Herb Gathering tutelage under Bruna.
WHY IT WAS CUT
i take full responsibility for cutting this scene. No editor or agent or test reader
suggested it. I needed to reduce the overall word count of the book, and much
as I loved this scene, it was over 3,000 words, and lifted out so cleanly that
no one would ever miss it but me. That Leesha had grown too big for Cutter's
Hollow was already apparent, and nothing else happened that affected the rest
of the story at all.
I don't regret the
decision. The final draft of the book is lean and mean and every scene moves
the story forward. This scene doesn't; it's just a tangent. Removing it also
helped balance out the Leesha/Rojer air time, which I had intended to be equal,
but which was (and still is) skewed in Leesha's favor.
Still, I love this
little side-story, and am really happy I finally get to share it with people
who might enjoy reading it.
SCENE
"There's need for your skills," Mairy said.
"You feel
unwell?" Leesha asked, concerned. She laid the back of her hand against
Mairy's forehead, but Mairy shook her head, pulling away. "No, it's not
for me," she said.
"One of the
children?" Leesha asked, her eyes quickly scanning each for a sign of ill
health. "Or Benn?"
Mairy shook her
head again. "It's Brianne," she said. "She's been having stomach
pains. She tries to hide it, but I see her wincing. Something is wrong. We
hoped you might take the request for aid better from me."
"Why
me?" Leesha asked. "Darsy is her Herb Gatherer."
"You've said
yourself that Darsy guesses at her cures more oft than not," Mairy said.
"And she lost Dug and Merrem's child last winter."
"I never
"They're
looking for flaws in the net," his father replied, joining him by the
window. "Every warding has them. Every one. Corelings aren't smart enough to
study the wards and reason out the weak spots, but they can attack them and
look for holes that way. You'll never see a coreling attack the same spot twice
in a night." He tapped his temple. "They remember. And they know that
time weakens even the strongest wards."
The night would
light up over and over as the corelings tested the wards, magic flaring like
tiny lightning flashes to momentarily illuminate the features of the yard as
the demons tried to crush the wellhouse, or reach the meat in the curing shed.
They attacked the
barn as well, but the wards there were just as strong. Arlen could hear the
livestock bleating in fear. The animals never got used to the demons. They
knew, instinctively, what would happen if the corelings ever got through.
Arlen knew, too.
When he was seven, he had watched helplessly as the demons tore apart one of
their sheepdogs, spreading its guts all over the yard.
Corelings took
great pleasure in killing.
It was said there
had been a time when the demons were not so bold. A time when the greatest
wards had not yet been forgotten; when the demons feared the power of mankind
and stayed within the Core. But those days, if they ever truly existed, were
long forgotten by the great-great-grandfathers of the oldest men alive. Now, those
wards were nothing more than a Jongleur's tale.
As he watched the
creatures that had stolen his world for another night, Arlen dreamed of
bringing those wards back. He dreamed of traveling beyond Tibbet's Brook, and
resolved that he would leave one day, even if it meant spending a night
outside.
With the demons.
Brianne Beaten
INTRODUCTION
This is far and away
my favorite cut scene, my poor deleted darling. It takes place in Chapter 13 of The Warded Man ("There Must Be More"), and happens directly after
the confrontation between Gared and Marick in the Cutter's Hollow marketplace.
The purpose of the scene was to force Leesha to confront Brianne, who had been
one of her best friends until the events of Leesha's first story arc destroyed
their friendship. It was also meant to illustrate how confident and powerful
Leesha had become during her Herb Gathering tutelage under Bruna.
WHY IT WAS CUT
i take full responsibility for cutting this scene. No editor or agent or test reader
suggested it. I needed to reduce the overall word count of the book, and much
as I loved this scene, it was over 3,000 words, and lifted out so cleanly that
no one would ever miss it but me. That Leesha had grown too big for Cutter's
Hollow was already apparent, and nothing else happened that affected the rest
of the story at all.
I don't regret the
decision. The final draft of the book is lean and mean and every scene moves
the story forward. This scene doesn't; it's just a tangent. Removing it also
helped balance out the Leesha/Rojer air time, which I had intended to be equal,
but which was (and still is) skewed in Leesha's favor.
Still, I love this
little side-story, and am really happy I finally get to share it with people
who might enjoy reading it.
SCENE
"There's need for your skills," Mairy said.
"You feel
unwell?" Leesha asked, concerned. She laid the back of her hand against
Mairy's forehead, but Mairy shook her head, pulling away. "No, it's not
for me," she said.
"One of the
children?" Leesha asked, her eyes quickly scanning each for a sign of ill
health. "Or Benn?"
Mairy shook her
head again. "It's Brianne," she said. "She's been having stomach
pains. She tries to hide it, but I see her wincing. Something is wrong. We
hoped you might take the request for aid better from me."
"Why
me?" Leesha asked. "Darsy is her Herb Gatherer."
"You've said
yourself that Darsy guesses at her cures more oft than not," Mairy said.
"And she lost Dug and Merrem's child last winter."
"I never
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