This one's all ready to go and a couple more also prepped up[a side shoot from this one,2 weavercraft stories with Amrys of Rivanhill, Varalie's tale and most of Vorinia's Tale] but I am beavering away on WeyrArtists as requested and I will get to all of them... eventually!
Chapter 1
Tahnee never knew anyone could be so happy!
She had foster parents who were wonderful – Masterturner Gerney and Journeyman Elissa – who loved her and her sister Lianka and their other fosterlings, pale delicate Beka who had shared the ordeal of being Sandrina's apprentices; and Kispre, a strange little boy related to Gerney who took being literal to extremes. Tahnee was also allowed to progress with her craft – indeed it was encouraged – and was a part of the new technology of printing, invented by Elissa, and able to make a useful contribution by suggesting having single letters as well as whole words! And by virtue of that she had been made senior apprentice to help teach others! Once Tahnee had been unable to imagine anything better than being free of pain and fear; free from unjust and cruel punishments; and having a full belly and a sufficiency of clothes. These things were the least of her joys in her new life at the Woodcrafter Hall; and now too she even had her own firelizard!
H'llon – another relative of Gerney and a Bronze Rider no less – had brought firelizard eggs for each of Gerney's and Elissa's fosterlings, and for his own little sister Kisra, a couple of turns younger than Tahnee, and of an age with Lianka and Beka. Kisra had a little brown called Woody; the fosterlings each had a blue. Tahnee had called hers Happy, because it was how he made her feel; Lianka's was Uncle Fussy; Beka called hers Nuzzle and Kispre named his Velvet for his softness. Alaran, H'llon's cousin, too had been given a little brown that he named Wally, for he was quite a walnut brown.
The girls all rallied around to help Kispre; Tahnee and Lianka slept in the female apprentice dormitory with Kisra and the older girls, but Beka was with Elissa in her craftcot. Beka had been the most mentally damaged by Sandrina's cruel usage and thought she was fighting back to be a normal little girl it was felt by Elissa and Gerney that she was best kept close to them, the people she trusted, attached to the Woodcrafter Hall in her position as apprentice but away from the main girls' dormitory. At the beginning of the new Turn, she would head the dormitory for new female apprentices who were to be under the care of Elissa as their House Mother and to have seniority over them and some responsibility would, Elissa hoped, be good for Beka! Meantime, as Kispre also lived in the craftcot, Beka might help him to adjust, for Kispre had a strange outlook on the world that was very literal and needed strict routines. And though Tahnee and Lianka were there for him when they might be, Beka felt that he was her responsibility and a little brother to her!
Tahnee eavesdropped shamelessly to discover that there would be four new female apprentices; Master Bendarek discussed the sleeping arrangements with Elissa and Tahnee found a job that brought her within earshot! Three were very young; only one, at thirteen turns, was old enough, Bendarek felt, to go in the main girls' dormitory under Isrona.
"By rights Kisra and Lianka should dormitory with you" said the Master.
"That'll leave Tahnee, Seeta and the new one rattling round like peas in a frying pan with Sadvia" said Elissa "And would rather crowd us out. Those two have earned their seniority; let them stay as they are. The two of them get on well enough to be happy anywhere together; and Lianka's got her sister if she still has the odd nightmare. Then I've Beka to be senior and keep an eye on the three new ones and I've a little room should you need to slot in a couple more."
"Very well; that makes sense. In other words, Isrona's cot is for those who have found their feet as much as for older ones?"
"Essentially, yes. It'd be insulting to put a girl of thirteen in with babes without making her senior – she's a turn older than Beka, Lianka and Kisra. But we don't yet know any of them will make the grade and stay; they could always move into Isrona's cot if they settle in quickly, though for the sake of the older – and more serious – ones I'm minded to say not. Older girls, unless of maternal tendency, might find little girls a little…..trying. the single older girl can hopeflly be friends with either Tahnee or Seeta, she's a turn younger but that might even suit Seeta at that, being so shy and quiet as she is."
"I certainly agree with you about not having very little girls in with the older ones – mostly for Sadvia's sake" said Bendarek. "With her twin gone I'm hoping she'll pull herself together to make Journeyman; and that would be so very much harder for her if she felt she had to be responsible for a younger sister – for one of the new ones is her sister."
Elissa stared.
"I thought neither Indeela nor Ameera were in the east bit interested!" she said.
"They're not. It's Ambreen. And I KNOW she's not yet Turned ten, but Kyal begged hard; he's finding it hard being Hold Woodcrafter with his little sister plaguing the life out of him. He doesn't feel able to train her, being too young himself to feel he can discipline her adequately. I said we'd take her."
"Yes I'd heard she was a bit of an imp" said Elissa cheerfully. "H'llon wouldn't turn a hair, of course, over training Kisra; but Kisra is pretty singleminded like he is! And as you say, Kyal is still rather young and not so….phlegmatic."
Bendarek grinned; partly because Elissa was a full turn younger than Kyal, and partly in fond thoughts about H'llon.
"Nothing ever gets to H'llon – except injustice" he agreed.
"He's more or less what they had in mind when they invented Bronze Riders" shrugged Elissa. "What's the gen on the others?"
"The oldest one, Rahani, is from a minor Hold Beholden to Lemos: she's had some minimal instruction from the Hold woodcrafter. He's a sound man and a good crafter but he doesn't feel equal to teaching properly, and she's keen on a real apprenticeship. He spoke to her parents, and they're happy enough, so…."
"Excellent" approved Elissa "And the little ones?"
"Both of the others are woodcrafter bred" said Bendarek "Their parents want them to take advantage of the facilities we have here at the Hall, the wide range of skills. Sifora's a cousin of H'llon on his mother's side – with all that THAT implies!"
Elissa grinned.
"Literal, likes a solid routine, very talented, tidy to a fault, finds it hard to relate to people" she said. "We have a good routine for Kispre's and Beka's sake; she finds it comforting too. The child will have some trouble while she adapts to a different routine but when she has she should be happy enough."
"She's expecting it to be different to her parents' outhall – it's more than a craftcot, there's three families all more or less interrelated out at the loggers' base at Far Cry Hold; so she should adapt" said Bendarek. "She'll be Turned ten by Turnover; she's too talented – like Kisra – not to permit her to start young."
Elissa nodded.
Many crafts did not accept apprentices until they had Turned twelve, the same age as the Weyr accepted candidates. Exceptions were generally made for the truly talented.
"The third then?" she asked.
"As I said, also woodcraft bred" he said "Sheesha is eleven; and by all accounts very….lively. her father, as well as wanting her to have every advantage, feels she needs the discipline of an apprenticeship."
"Hmm" said Elissa "Which will either put her off woodcrafting for life, or provide grist to her mill of ingenious mischief. With her and Ambreen both I can see if so life is going to be interesting."
Bendarek grinned.
"The Turn's understatement" he said "I should think the latter is more likely from what I've heard. You'll definitely want to keep an eye on her!"
"Fortunately with firelizards I've several eyes to spare!" replied Elissa "Is she likely for dangerous mischief?"
"Not intentionally" he pulled a face "But I'm not sure she is of an age of discretion that could distinguish or think of consequences."
"Ah well, I've dealt with weyrlings" said Elissa phlegmatically.
Tahnee naturally shared this gossip with her sister and other cronies!
On due reflection they decided not to spoil the surprise for Sadvia that her littlest sister would be coming!
Before the excitement of the new intake at Turnover, the traditional time to take in new ones, however, there came to the Hall a new apprentice. He was a tall, swarthy boy with tow coloured hair and he scowled at the door of the latheshop as he passed it, and whistled a defiantly jaunty air.
Tahnee recognised the set of his shoulders.
She had carried herself similarly when pretending that she did not care about some punishment Sandrina had enacted on her.
This boy needed help.
"Hello!" said Tahnee "You're new; anyone showed you about yet?"
He scowled; then took in the tassel on her apprentice knots.
"Aren't you a little young to be a senior apprentice?" he asked.
It might have been cheek; it might have been a veiled suggestion that she was wearing knots she was not entitled to; Tahnee chose to take it as a request for information merely ungraciously expressed. In which, as it happened, she was perfectly correct.
"I've been involved in developing a new aspect of the craft" she said, firmly biting back irritation at his manner "And I've progressed past basic jointing and out of the toolcare class; I've earned my knots with honest hard work."
"No offence meant. Huh, you manage touchy AND polite with it!"
"No point being impolite; that's for the childish and certain Green Riders, but then I repeat myself."
He gave her a look of interest.
"Not grovelling to the Weyr?"
"I don't grovel to anyone, friend. I respect what dragonmen do, but Riders are people too, you know; and some – not all – Greenriders are a little hysterical."
"Yeah? And how many do you know?"
That WAS a challenge.
"Oh I've only met two Green Riders socially but one does hear stories….there's a couple from Benden who drop in here regularly to visit friends; and half the woodcrafters here are also related to Weyrwoodcrafter Bronze Rider H'llon who would never dream of pulling Rank; and his cousin Green Rider L'sya too now, whose mother is Healer here" she added. "Why? Some Rider fardled you off and it rankles?"
He shrugged.
"I'm Holdless" he said, proudly "Riders don't take much account of my kind."
"Oh, out of the Igen caverns by your tan? That's a lot softer than living Holdless up here."
"And what would you know about it?" he asked scornfully.
"Three sevendays I lived Holdless in order to get here and fetch rescue for my sister; I arrived as Fall started, full of fever and half dead. But I did it" she lifted her chin proudly.
"Well I guess I respect that, kid. I mean senior apprentice."
Tahnee shrugged.
"We're apprentices together; that's more important than background or minor titles. My name's Tahnee; and I'm wondering how Master Gerney has upset you."
"My name's Margand; and I can't work that fardling treadle."
"Master Gerney don't like quitters, you know. Those who try and persevere he respects. He took great pains with Kyal; and Kyal's a Journeyman now" said Tahnee. "You go right back in there and tell him you want to keep trying."
"I'm no quitter" Margand growled "All right; reckon I'll do just that!" and he banged into the latheshop.
Gerney caught up with his eldest fosterling at Teatime.
"Thanks, our Tahnee" he said.
"For what was that, father?"
"For sending Margand back in to me. He's a prickly creature for his standing or birth or whatever – I can appreciate that – and assumes that people are going to care and hold it against him. He'll learn to treadle if it kills him, just to please you and show you he's no quitter."
"Please ME?" Tahnee gasped.
"Said you were quite a kid!" grinned Gerney. "He's remarkably talented; Arkis went down to do some work for Lord Laudey, found some carvings on sale, carved out of driftwood, tracked down the carver and offered him an apprenticeship on the spot, and hied the lad back here before he could say no, at least the way Arkis tells it! He adores Arkis but treats the rest of us to be wary of. He's old for an apprenticeship; he's Turned fifteen already, but it would be a crime to waste all that talent."
"Oh well, I'll keep an eye on him if you like" offered Tahnee.
"Good girl; he'll be in your classes for most things. He has the natural talent to make up for missed knowledge!" Gerney told her.
He was proud of his fosterling!
Tahnee sought out Margand.
"I heard Arkis discovered you're a genius" she said cheerfully, plumping herself down beside him.
"You know Journeyman Arkis?"
"EVERYONE knows Journeyman Arkis. He's H'llon's uncle and boyhod friend and rival you know: they arm wrestle and go nut gathering together and things when H'llon visits. Well, the latter in nutting time obviously! Is he standing kind of as your foster father same as my new father did at first before I was officially adopted?"
"Dunno" Margand shrugged with careful carelessness.
"Well, I reckon most people'll look on it that way if he's sponsoring you. My foster parents are real tough on me in class; it's got to be that way, you know, so if Arkis reckons you're worth something he and Master Isimy – his brother – will push you."
"Who are your foster parents?"
"Gerney and Elissa; she's a genius at lathe but all round good enough to have earned Journeyman's knots at just fifteen. She'd been here less than a turn when she walked the tables. 'Course, she'd been prepared by H'llon – she's Weyrbred – but reckon if you're that good you could make it quick to Journeyman too."
"You've never seen my work; how can you say that?"
"I never knew Arkis effusive in praise either" she countered. "Look, father – er, Master Gerney – said you'd be in my class for now; if there's a technique or technical name you've not come across, tell me and I'll catch you up, 'cos you can't be expected to be telepathic like a dragon and it's less embarrassing to have a friend to help than have to ask out loud. I know; Elissa caught me up."
He was watching her warily; then nodded.
"All right" he said "Are you my friend? Or is it because Master's daughter was told to?"
"NOW who's touchy? I suggested it to him, if you want to know, because I've been there – I'll tell you my story and maybe you'll see why I want to pass on the good friendship I was given when I first got here."
Briefly and dispassionately Tahnee related the story of herself and her sister Lianka, Amula, now training as a healer under Saranna, and Beka; how Journeyman Sandrina, a sadistic paedophile, had kept them in subjection with punishments that had killed some of the girls in her so-called care.
He was revolted.
"That's terrible! What happened to this monster – made Holdless I suppose to terrorise kids with no rights?"
"No, actually Elissa snuck in the back window while Gerney and H'llon kept her talking - they'd not have fit through anyway – and broke her neck with a poker" said Tahnee proudly.
He whistled.
"You woodcrafters don't actually muck about, do you?" he said.
"Wll I think she meant to knock her out so Lord Asgenar could hang her; but like Elissa says, things often work out for the best" she grinned "Gerney's a cousin of Arkis and H'llon too, you know; he'd probably be a Bronze Rider himself if he'd ever stood. He's the bastard son of a dragonman; and he got a whole pile of wherryshit about his birth. So when you call me 'Master's daughter' in that way, you remember you're not the only one to be touchy about where you came from. Gerney's proud of his father; and of his mother for refusing to tell her more hidebound relatives who had sired him."
He shot her a quick look again under his pale lashes; and nodded.
"All right. I'll try not to be too touchy. I – I guess it's so marvellous having all these tools, all this wood; I'm afraid of losing it."
"You'll only get kicked out if you do something seriously stupid or dangerous. And if you find it hard adapting to us, well you can always go and train with H'llon at High Reaches Weyr instead; he's acting-Master now and one of his best friends, Bronze Rider D're was a Holdless Trader; and another best friend of his, Blue Rider T'rin lived for turns Holdless caring for his crippled sister when he was just a kid, younger than me."
"And the crippled sister? What happened to her?"
"Gold Rider Sh'rilla" said Tahnee, who knew the histories of every High Reaches Rider from Elissa! "They don't muck about at High Reaches either" she paused and glanced at him. "Is it impolite to ask how you come to be Holdless? Were you born to it?"
"I'm a murderer" he said, clenching his jaw.
"Oh? I take it you had good reason: Arkis can judge a man" said Tahnee calmly.
He gave a short bark of bitter laughter.
"You really aren't worried, are you?" he said "I killed the man who sodomised me – you and I have child rape in common – only I was just the brat of a drudge and he was one of the Hold Harpers."
Tahenee whistled.
"That would have upset the Masterharper to know one of his own was evil" said Tahnee "Like Master Bendarek was upset about Sandrina. I'm glad you killed an animal like that. Did you just run or were you convicted?"
"I ran. I was only twelve."
"Then when H'llon visits next you will make a deposition to him; in the presence of Melth who can tell that you speak truth. And H'llon will make out an affidavit to whichever Lord it was – Laudey is it? – and have the matter declared self defence. Just in case you ever want to go back there; and to protect you from official vengeance from the creep's family."
He stared.
"You make it sound simple!"
"It is. People have problema; they tell them to H'llon; H'llon wades in and sorts them out. End of" she shrugged. "He does things like that. Why do you think he's so fardling popular? He does frothingly incandescent fury over injustice; and believe me, most of the rest of his family is the same!"
Margand had much to digest!