Thanks Geowyn! A few strong ladies in this story - in their different ways. And this one is a decent length too, 26 chapters.

Chapter 2

The girl Jerissa who had laughed at Varalie's put down of Sifella volunteered to help the newcomer to unpack. They were 'helped' by the little blue firelizard that looked to Jerissa; the other blue looked to the unpleasant Sifella, and Jerissa though it a shame.

"Poor little creature" the girl said "Uses him to send love letters to boys I bet. Likes boys does Sifella."

"Can't see why they might like her" grimaced Varalie "She has a nasty disposition."

Jerissa shrugged.

"Oh, you know boys. What do they care about disposition? You can't snog disposition."

"I guess. Well if she's prepared to act the loving wench, that's her business. You seem pretty nice, will you be friends with Lavanni and me?"

Jerissa looked wary.

"Look, I'm sorry for the kid, but I really don't know what to say to her. I mean, she can't DO anything!"

"I saw her embroidery beside her; it's exquisite. I'd say she did that pretty well" defended Varalie.

Jerissa pulled a face.

"Oh – sewing. Hate it myself, I like a more active life. I guess I've nothing in common with her; I like to walk and to climb about after herbs, at least that's a good excuse for scrambling places."

"Don't you think Lavanni might like to hear about the things you've seen on your walks? And at least enjoy them second hand? And your firelizard could send visualisations via hers too, couldn't he?"

Jerissa shrugged.

"I guess…well, I'll ask her if she'd like that. Guess it'd make me jealous if I was her; not to be doing myself. I escape whenever I can – I sort of hoped you'd come with me, you don't look prosy! I mean, Rulene's not bad, but she cares too much about her status and she worries about getting her clothes torn or dirty, which she can manage to do anyway without even trying hard; but when I say why not at least have fun when getting mussed, she moans and squeaks."

Varalie grinned. There was logic in Jerissa's suggestion of at least enjoying getting torn and dirty, but perhaps Rulene was afraid her mother might have something to say about it!

"What about her little sister? How old IS she?"

"Only twelve….she's old enough to want to be included and young enough to be a bit of a nuisance. She's a nice kid though is Mallitta, ready for trouble and good at getting out of it too!" grinned Jerissa. "I do let the kid tag along sometimes; would you mind if she came with us?"

"No, I'm used to apprentices her age at the Harper Hall. Some of them are pretty smart."

There was a flurry behind her and a young girl bounced in.

"I say! Thanks! I'm pretty smart too, and I do try not to be a nuisance" said the small person, holding out her hand. "Mallitta. Will you be my friend too?"

"Varalie" said Varalie, taking it seriously. "I will if you'll help me help Lavanni."

"Poor Lavanni, it must be tough" said Mallitta "But is there anything we CAN do? That fierce giant of hers does everything for her."

"I'll contact High Reaches Weyr" said Varalie, hoping fervently that H'gey would remember her kindly enough and would be prepared and able to help! "They make wheeled chairs for people who are injured or otherwise crippled."

"Whoh!" said Mallitta "That's a good idea. How are you going to let them know? You don't have a firelizard, do you?"

Varalie shook her head.

"I wondered if Lavanni's Bris could take a visualisation from me" she said "Or I guess I could ask J'frey."

"Who's that?" asked Mallitta.

Varalie stared.

"Tell me that you're fooling that you don't know the name of your resident Blue Rider" she said.

Mallitta shrugged.

"We don't have much to do with him, you know; I'd not be allowed to talk to him, father discourages hobnobbing with dragonfolk. And I don't get to go places dragonback at my age."

"But Mardith's so friendly! Haven't you ever wanted to talk to him?"

Mallitta stared.

"I guess I never thought of it" she said huffily "We don't all have Weyr connections you know."

"Shards, I don't have real Weyr connections. Only that my Journeyman Tutor Impressed and he was already Weyrbred, I think" said Varalie crossly. "Don't look at me like I have two heads."

"Sorry" said Mallitta "I guess I was a bit jealous; and cross too, 'cos it never crossed my mind to hobnob with our dragon, and nobody's ever forbidden that, only talking to weyrfolk if they don't address you first."

This was the second intimation that getting round parental strictures by deceit was considered normal; for Rulene had suggested making up gowns without Varalie's grandfather's knowledge. Varalie argued with her grandfather, and sailed as close to the wind as she dared, but it did not speak well for the relations between the generations here either. Still, the girl Mallitta had a good sense of self appraisal!

"You're a remarkably honest kiddy" said Varalie appreciatively "Able to admit jealousy. I like that. C'mon, let's fo talk to J'frey; nobody has ever forbidden me to talk to him and he's a friend now so they'd better not."

J'frey listened carefully as Varalie outlined the problems of Lavanni's mobility with input from Jerissa.

"Yes, I didn't bring her in myself" said the Blue Rider. "She came up river and then by litter. I saw her brought in and I'd say the journey cost her a lot in pain. I wondered at her parents putting her through it; but I can see they thought the moral effect might outweigh the physical to foster like any other girl of Rank. A wheeled chair like Sh'rilla's would help out, but I'm chary of getting T'bor involved in what might be seen as interfering in Holds."

Varalie sighed in exasperation.

"POLITICS!" she said. "How grown men can be so fatuously childish as to play politics about improving people's lives I cannot understand! It's not like the Weyr wanting to snatch her away whether she wills it or no; I don't know if her parents can pay for the work but I guess they would and could because they bought her a firelizard egg to help her and they seem to want her to join in as much as she can."

"Tell you what, young Varalie" said J'frey, taking no offence at her outburst for recognising it was not he being accused of being fatuously childish, "You ask your new friend to send her firelizard to her parents asking for a letter to her giving her permission to request Weyr aid; and then we're all covered and Holder Bitrul can't hold anything against T'bor."

"All right, I shall; but why should Holder Bitrul hold anything against the Weyrleader when the Weyrleader is only helping?" asked Varalie.

J'frey coughed into his hand; and there was a word in the cough.

"Meronspawn!"

"I still don't understand!"

"Look, shortstuff, some people don't like to owe favours to anyone" said J'frey "And they get all anxious and cross in case one day they're expected to pay back in spades."

"But it's not him getting the favour; it's Lavanni who is. Will be. I hope" Varalie was perplexed.

J'frey sighed and ran a hand through his short, grizzled locks.

"But she's under his care and it might look as though the Weyr thinks she's not getting the care she needs and reproaches Bitrul for not providing it himself."

"But that's wherry teeth! It's a Weyr invention, how could he provide it himself?"

J'frey shrugged.

"But that's the way it is, Varalie. You're too honest and kind-hearted to have to come into contact with politics; but I'd not do you OR your friend any favours if I didn't tell it like it is."

Varalie pulled a face.

"I guess not. Oh well, we'll just have to write to her parents then. Your father isn't half weird, Mallitta."

"You noticed?" said Mallitta sarcastically. "He doesn't like the Weyr or weyrfolk. I don't ask why. It doesn't make sense to me either but I've learned to keep my mouth shut and not ask questions."

J'frey swallowed hard; he had not recognised the youngest child of the Holder, for he had had no contact with her and had but heard that she was popular enough with the holderfolk. Well, she seemed to have no illusions about her father; it was to be hoped that she would not spread that he had spoken rather too freely about the Holder!

Lavanni was as mystified as Varalie and her two new friends over the peculiar nature of politics and the remarkable childishness of grown-ups. However, between them they composed a note that was not TOO confused; and Lavanni sent Bris off to her parents with it, for Lavanni also had stores of paper to communicate with her parents.

A reply came in about an hour, with Bris hiccoughing happily on a full stomach. Her parents had used bribery to keep him there until they had composed a reply! The note he brought read,

"Holder Lavaris is willing for his daughter to seek such help and advice as she needs from the Weyr; and would be extremely grateful for any such help as well as being willing to pay such expenses as are incurred on his daughter's behalf. Holder Lavaris, Bluefleeces Hold, Ruatha."

"Whoh!" said Varalie "Your family produce Harper Blue?"

Lavanni nodded.

"We run ovines mostly, and there's a small dyercraft hall there. Well, it's Weavercraft of course, but the dyers form the greater part. We grow a lot of blue weed that they turn into blue dye. It's weird stuff; I've seen them lifting it from the dyeing vat and the wool is yellow, then as it dries it becomes a deep rich blue!"

"Now that is weird!" agreed Varalie. "Some craft secrets are pretty bizarre! Alright, now I can run with this letter to show J'frey and he can ask Mardith to bespeak Brieth so H'gey knows" she spoke with more confidence than she felt; but surely H'gey would be glad to help someone else who was crippled?

J'frey read the note and grinned.

"All right shortstuff" he said "But you're not dressed for flying."

She blinked.

"Flying? I – I thought Mardith would talk to Brieth. I didn't think I'd be putting you to the inconvenience of GOING there…"

J'frey laughed.

"It's better put personally. And I thought you'd like to talk to H'gey yourself. On second thoughts, though, your current foster parents might get justifiably upset at you just swanning off to the Weyr as it suited you. I'll take the message and see if anyone can come and talk to you, that do?"

"More than!" gasped Varalie. He grinned and ruffled her hair, and sprang onto Mardith's back.

Varalie met several boys as she left the watch heights; by their dress they were Ranking and presumably the sons or fosterlings of the Hold. They looked as though they had been at some sporting event or class, for they were dishevelled and sweaty.

The oldest of the five laughed unpleasantly.

"Trying to chat up a dragonrider, girlie? He's past it, I'm afraid. If you want a good kissing you could do worse than me!"

Varalie fought the sick feeling in her stomach.

"What do I want kissing for?" she said scornfully "That's for flighty pieces who don't think boys are a waste of space. I was just asking J'frey to convey a message for me to my friends in High Reaches Weyr."

"You've friends in the Weyr? And claim not to like kissing? That's hard to put together!" sneered the boy, starting to move towards her.

"Leave the kid alone" said boy a little younger "You can see she's too young for flirting."

"Yes, or I'll report you for bullying" said the youngest.

Varalie gave them both a grateful look.

"Not that it's any of your business, but a friend from the Harper Hall Impressed while I was there, and his girlfriend has gone for an egg too" she said "I get on well with Lady Kitiara; she's nice. So too is Greenrider T'arla. And I don't think I'll ever want to kiss girls you know."

"If any weyrwhore can be described as 'nice'" said another boy with distaste. He looked much like the youngest; and both resembled Holder Bitrul.

"You have no idea" said Varalie scornfully "All the Riders I know are essentially married."

The boy raised a doubting eyebrow and sneered disbelief.

"She's right, Matrul" said the one who had suggested leaving her alone. "Nothing wrong with the women of High Reaches these days; it was only the ones your grandsire corrupted."

Matrul turned on him.

"You'll pay for that Sebet!" he hissed. "Then I'll teach this –whatever she is – a thing or two!"

Varalie was really scared. It looked as though a fight was going to break out; and she likely to be dragged into it at the pleasure of this little snot!

Sebet grinned.

"Pay? For your grandsire's indiscretions? I don't somehow think so" he said lazily. "Bend a tail, wherry brain! You'd never fight me, I lick you in practice, wrestling or with a sword and you don't like pain!" he grinned reassuringly at Varalie. "My name's Sebet, lady, and I apologise for my companions!"

Where the first two had looked at her plain gown and taken her for a relative menial, Sebet could obviously see by her bearing and manner she considered herself their equal.

"APOLOGISE? That's out of line to some serving wench!" said the first, oldest speaker.

"You bend a tail too, Ketse" said Sebet. "The female fosterlings are none of your business and you can't throw your weight around at them; whatever you do with your weight on Sifella. You're the new girl, aren't you? Have you met Sifella?" he addressed the question to Varalie. She nodded.

"I'm Varalie from Pook's Pass Hold" she said "And yes, I've met Sifella. She's prettier than I am and richer, but I'm cleverer and with nicer manners, so I win on points."

Sebet grinned and so did the younger of Bitrul's sons. The fifth boy of the group still seemed to trying to work out what was going on. He grinned rather fatuously and held out a hand.

"Reckon you're lucky to know some dragonriders!" he said. "Name's Avor. Handy for getting lifts, huh?"

"Oh I don't think…" started Varalie

"Heh, kid's too polite to treat dragons as drudges" said Sebet. "right Biron?"

The youngest boy grinned.

"Not naming any names but didn't Ketse's family demand lots of dragon flights until the resident Rider withdrew his services?" he said blandly.

The oldest made a move towards him.

Sebet held up a finger and tutted.

"Not while I'm the toughest, laddie-buck" he said. "Lady Varalie, shall I escort you back to the other girls?"

"I'd like that" she said. "And perhaps, uh, Biron might come too as I've met Mallitta and made friends with her and it'd be nice to meet her next brother too."

Ketse made a disgusted noise.

"Thought she was older than that" he muttered.

Varalie was glad for him to think her nearer Mallitta in age than the others! The way he had looked at her was frankly terrifying; and she was glad too that she had Rank to avoid his attentions!

"She's a good kid" Biron assured Varalie of his sister. "Should have been a boy."

Varalie chuckled.

"Perhaps she should go to the Weyr when she's a bit older and try for a Green!" she suggested.

Biron rolled his eyes.

"Don't suggest it! She's quite capable of going as soon as she could cadge a lift from old J'frey or stow away in a tithe bin!" he said. "Have you met our oldest brother yet as well as the girls and us two younger ones? He does a man's work does Bimall, so I guess you won't have."

Varalie shook her head.

"I've not had the honour" she said, recalling that J'frey had made favourable comments on the oldest son.

"He'll appreciate a fosterling with a clever tongue!" said Biron. "He lets me help him sometimes, he's busy looking into ways of improving the Hold without getting father too apoplectic over change."

That said a lot about both father and son!

A/N woad, Isatis tinctoria, does indeed come out of the dye bath yellow and turns blue in the presence of air. I'm assuming woad, which produces a bright permanent blue, would be what would be used for Harper Blue as every description I have read of it is in keeping with the use of woad. Ruatha's limestone uplands are perfect for its growth.