A/N: Finally rewrote this. I have no idea how you people could read the older version! 20/05/10
Toast for Menolly,
spoken by T'gellan.
"Good evening ladies, Masters, Harpers, Masterharpers and renowned Weyrleaders. Many of you know me as T'gellan, rider of bronze Monarth, weyrbound to Benden. For those who don't, now you have no excuse! I am a good friend to Menolly," he paused, and then added "or at least I would like to think so, and I am here today to give my congratulations to her." The end of that sentence was accompanied by an extravagant gesture aimed vaguely at the head table where a blushing Menolly sat.
"As you all should know… I mean, I sure hope you know why we're here. Otherwise it'd look like I'm standing here talking about nothing and I'd feel like an even greater idiot than my brute of a dragon." Monarth grumbled audibly from his place outside the hall.
"Anyway, as you all know we are all here tonight on this fine evening in the Harper Hall to celebrate the way Menolly has overcome many hardships and has now been promoted to Journeyman Harper! Kinda soon though y'know? I mean, she's has only been at the Harper Hall for one sevenday, and she's already promoted. I guess that just means she knows her stuff… or she's cleverly manipulated everyone." T'gellan paused to glare suspiciously at Menolly. "You wouldn't do that, would you? Menolly?" The Masterharper buried his face into his hands, shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth. T'gellan noticed this and flushed. "Sorry, sorry! Oh dear, I'm rambling. I blame you, evil cursed wine, why do you make me drink you before speeches?" A huff from outside drew his attention briefly. "Shut up Monarth, I'm speeching!"
T'gellan turned back to face the hall, who were staring at him, dumbfounded. This was one of the famous Benden dragonriders? "Now, Menolly is rather shy, so I'm sure this must be killing her. It's also the reason I volunteered to do it in fact. She normally prefers to stay in the background of everything. That is, until she gets a chance to sing. Our little Menolly has such a lovely voice; as you'll probably hear later in the celebrations, and when she gets her flock of fire lizards to sing as well, well let's just say you don't get to hear something like that every day. Especially with my dragon always bugling in my ear; which is enough to make a man tone-deaf, I swear."
He seemed to suddenly sober slightly. "Menolly always seems to be trying to prove her worth, even though she's already done it a thousand times over. In fact, if she hadn't found and impressed nine fire-lizards I doubt she would feel secure in herself even now. I admire the way that she values friendship and will do anything for those that she calls friends. Her positive attitude towards life and her belief that Thread always has a silver lining has always made her a great person to get along with and a really sweet child to know. No, don't blush, it's true." The person beside Menolly grinned at him and patted Menolly on the back. She ignored it and stared at T'gellan, mortified.
"When I first met Menolly she had been missing for over a month already after running away from her Hold. I'm not that certain why she did that but, I've been told she was heartbroken after being told by her father, Yanus or something, that she was not to play or write music any more. I wish he could see you now Menolly, I can just imagine the look on his face. Y'know, I almost sent Monarth over to Half-Circle Sea Hold to go and sit on him, but F'nor convinced me not too. Well, he pulled rank on us anyway. But at least I put up a good fight, eh Menolly?" He gave her an exaggerated wink and then downed the rest of his wine.
"Anyway, we had been fighting Thread when Monarth spotted a figure racing along the sand. And Shells can she run! So we did what any sensible, sexy, gorgeous, loyal, brave dragonrider and dragon duo would have done and landed in front of her to take her back to Benden. After all, we wouldn't wish the fate of being sliced apart by Thread on anyone. Well, maybe Yanus. Of course silly Menolly thought we were attacking her and dived headfirst into the sand until I yelled at her." A funny expression came over his face. "'scuse me a sec…" Everyone watched with trepidation as he stuck his head out of the open window to where his bronze was located. "Monarth would you stop suggesting things to me! I've got this whole speech all worked out and you're going to wreck…NO I AM NOT DRUNK ENOUGH TO WRECK IT MYSELF!" Had he been sober enough to work the shutters T'gellan would no doubt have slammed them in his poor dragon's face. Instead he just turned back to his bemused audience, grabbing a refill as he went.
"So, I managed to get her onto Monarth and we went Between to Benden. We arrived and I tried to take her off him, when I was informed by my bronze that she had run her feet to ribbons. No surprise there. You people should really see her run. I have to admit that at that point I thought she was a lad, scruffy as she was." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Hehe, sorry Menolly, but you really should have seen you."
"Of course, during that time everyone was searching for Petiron's lost apprentice, never thinking that 'he' might be a 'she'. Even though 'she' kinda looked like a 'he'. We all grew to love you at Benden. Shells, Felena even wanted you as her Fosterling!"
"Things really started to heat up after the Hatching though. I remembered later that I was supposed to pick you up from the Hatching Grounds, but it's kinda a good thing I forgot, right? Otherwise, the Master Harper would never have found out who you were. And Menolly's expression when she found out who he was was priceless!" He shuffled awkwardly. "It got me off the hook too."
"As soon as he realised that Menolly was Petiron's Apprentice he nipped her out of the Weyr as soon as he could. With us forced to follow. He couldn't exactly get home without a dragon now could he? I was pretty much still sober at that point too." And wasn't Robinton glad for that. T'gellan continued to speak, lost in thought. "Menolly started to fret as soon as we reached the Harper Hall. I remember those words I said to her that day; probably the most sensible words I have ever spoken. Probably the only sensible words I have ever spoken." A few members of the audience gave an appreciative laugh at that. "I told you that there was nothing to fear from Harpers. And now look at you! You get to boss a bunch of 'em around now."
"It is an honour to have met someone as kind and honest as you, Menolly, and you deserve everything that you receive. Unless it's a bad thing you receive, 'cause then you wouldn't deserve that. I hope." T'gellan took the opportunity to grab another refill and turned to his audience, cup raised.
"So, can everyone please put that beautiful Benden wine to use. To Menolly, ward of the nine fire lizards and Journeyman Harper. May she always have music, and nothing to fear from Harpers."