Late Autumn 2521 to 12-22-2522
Chapter 1
Thin autumnal sunshine warmed the side of the lake where weyrlings scrubbed young dragonets. The baby dragons were making the most of the wan heat and were generally being uncooperative in attempts to stretch out and bask as much as possible. Little blue Trel, B'lova's firelizard, did his enthusiastic best to help B'lova with Linith, and her friend J'nara with Rillith; the dragonets, like the girls, were best of friends. It was an unlikely seeming friendship for the girls; B'lova the once spoiled daughter of a wealthy Holder and J'nara, sometime drudge and daughter of a poor cotholder. Yet it worked; shared experience had brought the unlikely two together in a firm bond.
Bronze rider M'gol strolled over to watch the weyrlings at work; he liked to take an interest as best friend of the Weyrlingmaster R'gar – next of course to Bronze Laranth and R'gar's weyrmate T'lana! M'gol and R'gar had grown up together, though they were like chalk and cheese. Where R'gar was gruff and uncommunicative, M'gol always had a ready quip and cheerful smile. R'gar was definitely cast in the monogamous role; M'gol had a horror of settling down. Not that his still boyish good looks prevented plenty of girls and women from trying to be the lucky one; his laughing eyes set in a freckled face bespoke his good humour, and the one lock of his soft brown hair that refused to conform and lie flat had countless women trying to smooth it out nicely.
M'gol propped himself up on a rocky projection to look the youngsters over. Not that all of them were so young – he waved to Harper Journeyman T'rin, and was rewarded with a grin and a wave back. The antagonism younger Tyrin had held for M'gol had evaporated with the lad's greater life experience and understanding for M'gol's concern over R'gar's association with the dynamic little T'lana. T'rin was not, in fact, the oldest of the newly Impressed weyrlings; but as a Journeyman, most deferred to him, quite rightly in M'gol's opinion. It was a rank earned, not one born into like the one-time Lady Bellova. M'gol reflected that all in all, the girl had sorted herself out quite well – and her friendship with the older girl J'nara did her no harm. J'nara probably was the oldest of the young riders in her mid twenties; but then, that was a proper sort of age to be putting a girl to a Queen egg, so why not with a Green likewise? Young Rillith certainly was delighted to choose the once diffident young woman for whom Impression had done wonders, drawing her out and visibly increasing her confidence to think that she was considered trustworthy by one of the magnificent creatures she adored! M'gol was amused by the way J'nara had so blossomed from the shy diffident girl who had drudged for T'lana and R'gar into a vocal if still sometimes hesitant member of the group of young female Green Riders. The undisputed leader of the group was, of course, Y'lara, whose Seabred straightforwardness was half feared, half admired by the others, even those like J'nara several turns her senior!
J'nara was rather equivocal in her feelings towards M'gol. He might be the milk-brother of the crusty, but as she well knew, kindly Weyrlingmaster, and a lifelong friend; but sometimes his free and easy ways and the way he never took anything seriously shocked and irritated her a little. Moreover, M'gol had the habit of flirting gently with every pretty girl who crossed his path. He was doing it again! She ground her teeth as M'gol called across to her and B'lova,
"And how are my pretty weyrwomen today?"
Irritated beyond usual, J'nara found the temerity to answer even as B'lova sighed and cast her eyes upward in distain.
"It might be your opinion, Bronze Rider, that I am pretty" said J'nara tartly "To which opinion you are, of course, entitled. But I am not YOUR pretty weyrwoman and nor is B'lova. If we belong to anyone it is to our dragons."
She hugged the neck of green Rillith, concentrating hard on not letting her voice soften as she thought of her dear, dear beloved friend.
"NICE one!" murmured B'lova, approvingly.
M'gol blinked; and he put out a conciliatory hand to lightly touch J'nara'a arm. She stared at it coldly as if it were a tunnel snake until he removed it.
"I apologise for causing offence, J'nara" he said contritely; and meant it. J'nara felt a pang of guilt; but someone had to point it out! He continued, "It was not intentional to be impolite. Just a bad habit, huh?" he grinned at her, the boyish grin that had so many silly women swooning after him, J'nara reflected. She nodded curtly.
"It would be appreciated if you could break the habit, Bronze Rider" she said, formally.
M'gol had never thought that much about J'nara save in passing – beyond approving her personal development and noting that she was a pretty little thing. J'nara had a mass of honey gold hair that she was as yet loathe to cut away for riding, since it was her crowning glory; her face was pale and her green eyes sometimes seemed over large in it. What M'gol had perhaps noticed most was the full and voluptuous figure the young woman had, for he was a great admirer of the shapely. However, it was less her figure than the sparks in her green eyes that intruded off and on into his thoughts! Or maybe, he told himself ruefully, it was the scorched pride from the very firm rejection of even the lightest of flirtation! Could he be getting old? He wondered! For B'lova had backed her friend and had also looked scorn upon him!
B'lova had not perhaps represented all she felt; and she asked J'nara
"Are you hoping to get M'gol?"
J'nara stared in horror.
"Certainly not! What would I want that self opinionated honey bait for?"
B'lova laughed.
"I wondered if you were doing the same as Y'lara did to M'kel – running away until you caught him. Mind, if you don't want him, I might try the same tactics myself – he's kind and considerate by all accounts, and I guess we could do worse, either of us, when Rillith and Linith rise for the first time."
J'nara stared, aghast.
"But that won't be for ages!" she cried. "Isn't it rather early to think of…. Besides, you know several riders quite well!"
B'lova managed a blush at her friend's tactless reminder of her earlier promiscuity.
"There might be worse weyrmates than a nice man like M'gol" she said, blushing again. "And he is handsome."
J'nara snorted.
"You say 'nice' and 'considerate' but he's thoughtless too" she asseverated. "Look at the way he chucks lower cavern women under the chin – he's done it to me! Without even thinking of the consequences, or the feelings of the girls. Besides, how can you think of weyring with him? He is so untidy! Before he moved here for good and was staying with R'gar and T'lan I was always picking up things after him, and all he'd do was toss a careless 'thank you' and pat me on the cheek – one end or the other!" she was seething with indignation. B'lova quirked an eyebrow.
"I see." She said, thoughtfully. J'nara burned.
"You can stop thinking that RIGHT NOW B'lova!" she yelped. The younger girl laughed.
"Of course, dearest J'nara" she agreed; and hugged her friend, reflecting that M'gol had really addled the yolk of her normally placid friend! "And perhaps" she added slyly "You ought to explain to him how much offence he causes without meaning to – he is probably quite unaware!"
J'nara digested this; and nodded. B'lova smiled a managing little smile to herself. Her gentle companion need never fear if she could be fixed up as weyrmate to a good hearted bronze rider!
J'nara decided that M'gol should be tackled; and intercepted him as he left a couple of giggling girls.
"A word, Bronze Rider?" she asked, quaking inwardly at her temerity in calling so senior a person to task. He looked quizzically at her, wondering whether to smile in a friendly manner; but seeing her serious, set face decided to match formality with formality. He recognised the look; it was not unlike that T'lana had worn when she had come to beg him to make up the quarrel he had had with R'gar so many years before. The girl was obviously very serious about something that mattered to her.
"Yes, Green Rider?" he nodded politely as he spoke.
"I am going to be blunt." Her chin went up as she said it.
"Now why am I not surprised?" M'gol murmured to himself, raising an eyebrow. "The influence of T'lan shows, young J'nara" he added dryly.
She flushed and swallowed; but continued.
"Sir, you must know that I have been a menial. And whilst I am sure that some silly girls are flattered by the attentions of a Bronze Rider, as those two obviously are, the way you treat all girls as though they'd welcome your casual caresses is frankly offensive; and reminiscent of the way T'kul's people behaved" she gulped as he stared at her in outrage, but pressed gamely on. "Sir, I know you'd never meaningly hurt anyone because if you were that type, R'gar and T'lana would never call you friend – and you respect the wishes of Green Riders. But even with the high degree of equality we enjoy here at High Reaches, few drudges would dare tell a Bronze Rider that his flirting scares them. But one thing we do have here is autonomy over our own bodies – whatever attitudes may prevail at Benden."
It was a long speech for J'nara, but she was carried away by her feelings. M'gol was left with the feeling of having the wind taken out of his sails; he had been indignant that she seemed to be accusing him of being like T'kul; but it had never occurred to him to question the idea that unwilling girls might not tell him so purely because of his position. Seeing J'nara shaking with nervousness at her own – some would call it damned cheek, he thought – daring in speaking out even after her Impression started to bring home to him the difficulty of communication over social disparity. He took refuge as always in flippancy.
"So have you appointed yourself as guardian of my morals, Green Rider?" he asked, his tone light. J'nara looked at him, biting her lip. His tone was light, but he had brought forward her title, much inferior to his, even though the size of dragons was made less of in High Reaches than in many places. Yet even so, she was not sure he was taking this seriously! She scowled, infuriated that he could do nothing but make joking comments, even if they might contain veiled put downs!
"Sir, no sir" she answered him. "But I've sworn an oath now that I am Impressed to be a Guardian of Pern. Sir, I am sure you never force your body onto anyone, but please will you just stop and consider how oppressive it is for a young girl to attract the attentions of anyone of senior status – whether a Bronze Rider or a member of the Blood? Especially if her family push her to urge him on to enhance their own status. It does happen you know" she added accusingly.
M'gol stopped and considered.
"It had not occurred to me that I might be oppressing anyone" he said shortly.
"Then please think hard, Bronze Rider" she told him sharply. "Try to put yourself in the shoes of those at the lower end of the system. Being too self centered is what leads to people like the Oldtimers – and it lets the dragons down" she finished sincerely before turning on her heel and stalking away. M'gol was left open mouthed at her effrontery; and with a lot to ponder!
Y'lara, witnessing the back end of this exchange, later described M'gol's expression as resembling that of a dying fish. Y'lara approved J'nara'a increased assertiveness, and told her so. J'nara shrugged.
"He has no idea" she said. "He's Weyrbred, son of a dragonrider, always expected to Impress. He has no concept of the uncertainties of life farm labourers and drudges live with. Surely he's a kind man; and he'd never knowingly go with an unwilling girl, and I guess he's clever and experienced enough to know that; but high-ups just don't realise the pressures they put on those below them just by existing!"
B'lova looked thoughtful, reflecting on her earlier life as a self willed little rich girl. It did not make memories of which she was proud.
"You're right" she admitted. "It never occurred to me to ask how chores got done. I only noticed if things were left undone – and I'm afraid I would not have wondered if that was because of illness or problems suffered by the drudges."
"Yes, but B'lova, dear, you were a repellently spoiled brat of a Holder Wench" Y'lara's uncompromisingly tactless comment cut in. B'lova blushed and grinned ruefully.
"True, Y'lara – but even so, it is not encouraged for a Lady to question such things" she pointed out. "And a Bronze Rider is due a lot of respect – rightly, because they bear the brunt of Threadfall. But I guess it's kind of easy to start expecting it, expecting a degree of deference that goes beyond respect for their position and the job they do. I think that's what J'nara was saying."
J'nara nodded.
"I think it's probably easy for any dragonrider to get a bit bumptious" – here she was cried down with derisive comments over the very concept of J'nara being associated with bumptiousness – "but it's worse for the weybred of long lineage. Like for B'lova as one of the Blood. Or L'rilly for that matter. And before you start teasing me about it. Y'lara, I know I've been presumptuous in raising this subject at all" - Y'lara made an indelicate noise concerning presumption – "But I think M'gol has a right to know how his behaviour could be perceived, as much as lower cavern women have a right to avoid his dubious attentions."
M'gol, who had come in search of J'nara to ask further clarification of her comments found that he had got them; and found that eavesdroppers rarely hear good of themselves; or at least rarely hear anything comfortable. He reflected that serious J'nara was probably one of the few women around who could tick someone off with their own good in mind as well as to make a point!
M'gol made a point of sitting next to J'nara at lunch next day.
"So it appears I am in some respects quite ignorant" he began bluntly. "Perhaps, then, you should enlighten me, J'nara."
J'nara flushed, choked, and lost herself in several half sentencrs before managing,
"Bronze Rider, I did not mean it like that. But you have only had one viewpoint. That is all."
He smiled a little grimly and ran a hand through his brown hair, making the unruly lock on the top stand up even straighter. J'nara looked at it irritably and busied her hands elsewhere with food. He was not a little boy and he did NOT need neatening. M'gol said,
"But surely if I only have one viewpoint, it is your duty to enlighten me as to others?" he quirked an eyebrow. J'nara's expression froze in severity. Sometimes, she thought, M'gol relied too heavily on his repertoire of lost little boy expressions!
"Bronze rider, I thought I did enlighten you" she said, sounding surprised.
He sighed.
"But it was only a basic introduction. It seems that there is a whole world out there that I am missing."
She looked up from the meat roll she had just broken into.
"You truly want to know?" she asked.
He nodded.
"Then leave Luruth in R'gar's care next time there is a decent interval – or, like now, Thread is freezing out of the sky. Then hire on as a labourer. You will not see all the abuses, though you will hear plenty when people talk more freely in front of you as they discuss their so-called betters amongst themselves. But you'll have to learn to lose the arrogant stride and cast your eyes down or you'll earn a few beatings for sure."
He stared.
This girl never ceased to take him aback!
"That's it?" he asked
"That's it. Only I suggest that you should take with you someone who knows what it's like. To help stop you taking too many beatings for insolence."
He blinked.
"But I'm not insolent."
She laughed; and laugh had just a bit of an edge to it.
"You answer with your eyes to those who question you. You do not look at your feet. Will you always remember to say 'sir' to some inadequate who happens to be the gang master? Can you take being called a lazy oaf as a matter of course? Will you refrain from quarrelling with your – betters – when you know them to be wrong? Would you look too admiringly at the wrong woman? There are countless ways the commons can be insolent, Bronze rider" she told him quietly. "Even by being in the wrong place at the wrong time can earn a beating. Remember, most higher ups do not even SEE drudges – it's what T'lana relied on at Nabol Hold when she was escaping from Meron – but be out of place and they'll notice soon enough and put you back in it with shoe leather."
M'gol was shocked.
"I knew there were always those who abused the system…" he said.
J'nara shrugged.
"That's not abuse, M'gol, that's normal" she laughed, almost scornfully. "Why do you think so many people want to drudge here at the Weyr? Since the new regime came, even being pulled over by heavy handed bronze riders is preferable to continual beatings and not infrequent rape. And in addition to a husband, there might be the fine attentions of an overlord."
M'gol blinked again.
"Husbands beat and rape?" he gasped incredulously. "But if they love their wife…"
"What has love to do with marriage?" asked J'nara. "I often wonder if the myth that Weyrs are terrible immoral places is promulgated to stop a steady stream of girls leaving their holds! Love is for Harper Hall tales for many – and the wealthy. Except that it isn't much for them either." She added ungrammatically. "Marriage is a means to consolidate position; or a means to get rid of daughters who aren't strong enough to work so hard on a cothold as a son. It's difficult to feed mouths that can't add as much to the family economy. Wives breed – it's what they're there for. Daughters eat. However fond you may be of them, they drain the family cookpot for no gain if they have no craft. And wives are chosen to be good carers in the home with good hips. If affection grows between a couple, that's nice. But love matches would not be the subject of Harper tales if they were the norm."
M'gol was horrified.
"So they prefer heavy handed bronze riders – if that was me you meant?" he asked, unsure what else to say. J'nara recognised this descent into flippancy as a cover for his consternation and she grinned involuntarily at his comically injured look. It made her whole face look quite impish as she reflected that she was not immune to ALL his repertoire of boyish looks.
"I may have exaggerated somewhat about the attentions of such." She admitted. "But I've told you how I feel about your stale chat up lines."
M'gol had never thought of his technique as stale and was taken aback.
"Was the rest exaggeration?" he asked.
She was serious.
"No, M'gol" she said. "I never got married – I ran away to the Weyr before I could be wed to a worthy man, well thought of, who was sure he'd be able to rid me of the sort of dragon loving nonsense a farmer's wife has no need of. Doubtless he would have meant any punishment for my own good – but I doubt that would have made me like it the better" she finished dryly.
M'gol ground his teeth audibly. J'nara flushed, not displeased, and went on.
"If you want to know about husbands, ask A'ira. Her Clom only beat her when he was drunk: and she reckoned him a good husband and provider until he killed himself. There are plenty of husbands who are kind in an offhand way; but it's not strange, Bronze Rider."
M'gol was very disturbed in his mind; and he spent several days asking questions of lower cavern staff of recent origin, as well as of A'ira. Fortunately, most of the women he questioned had settled in sufficiently to the relaxed attitude of High Reaches Weyr and were more flattered than worried by questions from a Bronze Rider. Even so, Keerana did speak sharply to M'gol for upsetting some of her staff over memories best discarded. He took the rebuke well; and seemed very thoughtful.
A'ira was a little more forthright in her gentle way.
"You have to understand, Bronze Rider" she told him "that women outside the weyr are at the mercy of their menfolk – fathers, brothers, husbands or the kin of their husbansds. All to protect us helpless creatures." She shuddered, briefly, remembering how scared she had briefly been when she ran into her dead husband's brother scant days before. Briefly she explained to M'gol how Coram had assumed the right of effective ownership of her and her children, threatening them with harsh discipline and promising to make her drudge for him as she had been 'devalued' by having been to the weyr.
M'gol was horrified. He asked,
"Could this Coram do that? If you had not been Impressed?"
A'ira shrugged.
"Maybe not, in law. I don't know. But by common practice, yes. Women are brood mares and drudges to many. I think that in this harsh climate it might be harder for women than where survival is easier" she admitted. "no one can afford free loaders; but women are supposed to be both modest and in need of protection. Is it then surprising that the culture institutionalises an attitude despising women?" she went on, "male children are an asset. Female ones are, only if they make a good marriage. I think too that Craftbred girls are better off" she added objectively, her smmoth chestnut head on one side as she considered. "Especially those permitted a craft of their own. Even so there is little equality of status."
M'gol had much food for thought; and, he reflected that the attitude towards women extended, though more covertly nowadays, towards weyrwomen. The insolence towards Lessa at the beginning of the Pass still made him wince Still, there was much to learn – and he determined that he would learn it. No flaxen haired chit would then be able to call him ignorant – not that that had any bearing on his decision. Evidently he was failing in his duty as a protector if he did not know what things people needed protection against. That was why he had to find out!
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