A/N Thanks to everyone for reviewing, my reply URL is STILL not functioning; those of you who are anonymous or who disable messaging I'm afraid I can't thank personally for each review, but be assured I do appreciate your comments and I am reading them! I've notified FanFiction of the problem ...
Chapter 3
Kislan should not have had anything to do with the younger apprentices; he taught on occasions only with extreme reluctance. But Kisra was his very much younger sister, and though he normally ignored her, he decided to presume upon the relationship.
"You're friendly with that female's fosterlings, aren't you?" he asked abruptly, with rather a forced smile.
Kisra gave him a rather fishy stare.
"Not knowing which female you mean if you don't specify, can't say" she said.
Kislan compressed his lips with irritation; she was quite as stupid as H'llon.
Kisra shared many of the family traits it was true; but in this instance she chose to exaggerate them to irritate her brother. Irritating Kislan was a habit Kisra had developed in retaliation for the unkind comments the eldest of her siblings made about her adored H'llon. She had a much better idea of how the world wagged than had H'llon at the same age and wielded the family foibles ruthlessly to annoy anyone she did not like; her brother and his wife fell into this category!
Kislan did not even notice how her manner changed towards him!
"Elissa" he answered her shortly.
"I get on very well with JOURNEYMAN Elissa's children" said Kisra firmly emphasising Elissa's title as she would not have done had Arkis or Isimy or Isrona spoken familiarly of the girl.
"Yes, good, good" said Kislan, hardly noticing the rebuke. "So tell me – Gerney's putting a brave face on it, isn't he? Kispre causes trouble in the cot, doesn't he?"
Kisra scowled.
"You ought not to forget Master Gerney's title when speaking inside the Hall" she said "And you're way off anyway. Nothing wrong with Kispre that removing a fat old tunnel snake from his ear hasn't cured."
Kisra REALLY did not like Prelaia who called her names and laughed at her.
Calling her names back was only fair, though Kisra knew that grown ups would not necessarily see it that way; but it would be worth it.
The blow Kislan gave her was hard; and Kisra could not ride all of it.
"You can punish me all you like, Journeyman; but you can't change my opinion!" said Kisra.
"Journeyman? Have you – are you so stupid that you've forgotten I'm your brother?"
Kisra's eyes narrowed at that unnecessary insult.
"We are supposed to treat relatives by their rank 'cept out of learning time and out of Hall. Are you being my brother then and not a Journeyman?"
"Of course!" said Kislan impatiently.
"Good; I can retaliate then you fork-wit!" said Kisra; and nutted him hard in the midriff.
She aimed for the midriff anyway; and caught him some inches below.
Kislan doubled up.
"THAT's for the mean blow" said Kisra "And for calling me stupid and for letting your nasty wife call me moronic and not letting me call names back. You're not a proper brother; proper brothers look out for their little sisters. I don't want you to be my brother; I want to unadopt you!"
Master Tuon emerged from his marquetry class to investigate the noise; Kislan was groaning loudly and Kisra was shouting.
"What is going on?" the Master looked from little girl to doubled up Journeyman.
"It's all right, Master Tuon" said Kisra calmly "He's not being a Journeyman, he said, he's being my brother so it's in order to retaliate."
"Ah. I see. Run along to wherever you're supposed to be now, Kisra" said Tuon.
Kisra flashed him a rare smile and ran.
Tuon was no fool; he had heard enough background to put several things – including Kisra's furious and devastatingly clear treble speech – together. And he had spoken to Kislan before, finding the man jealous of Elissa's rapid promotion and making comment that it was no doubt because of her association with H'llon. Kislan had called the girl a weyrwhore and intimated that she had slept her way into being Journeyman. Tuon had threatened Kislan with a hearing before Bendarek for that; and pointed out that such comments did more than damage the reputation of a young woman, who had shown NO such proclivities; but also insinuated that the whole craft and the integrity of its Masters was a farce; and made therefore the position of ALL Journeymen suspect. Kislan had not thought through his attempts to discredit H'llon through attacking Elissa's honour; and had shut up forthwith. But Tuon had kept an eye on him. Tuon had got over disliking Elissa for putting itchweed in her hair to discourage his flirting the moment he had found out how young she really was; he actually admired her ingenuity! And he certainly respected her ability as a crafter, even if there was no real warmth between them. He had apologised for flirting; for he knew it could be oppressive to a very young girl, explaining he had taken her for at least eighteen; and she had accepted that cordially.
One person Tuon did respect greatly was H'llon, for overcoming what was, in Tuon's eyes, calamitous social handicaps in the familial traits! And the Master despised Kislan for both his lack of real application to crafting whilst seeking to put down an undoubtedly talented man like H'llon; and his foolishness in being caught by so poisonous a piece as Prelaia! So, when Kislan's eyes had stopped watering and he had unwound himself slightly the marquetry Master said crisply, if quietly,
"And you brought that upon yourself, you idiot! You've gone too far; I AM going to take steps, you're becoming a disruption!"
Tuon laid the whole before Bendarek unofficially; and suggested that Kislan be sent a long way away.
Bendarek concurred.
"Somewhere unsuitable to take children I think" said the Woodcraftmaster. "Prelaia may go if she wishes; or she may stay to take care of the younger two and no reason for her to leave the craftcot at all."
Kislan was horrified; but dared not disobey. Prelaia, naturally, had hysterics to find that her husband had been posted to Lewis Hold, a seahold well to the north of High Reaches Hold and described by High Reaches Dragonriders as 'slightly north of human tolerance'. Prelaia did however elect to go with Kislan, as much out of fear of what people would say if she did NOT accompany her husband as for any other reason; forgetting that they might approve of a woman putting her children first.
The concept of putting anyone but herself first was an alien one to Prelaia.
Bendarek knew that to post Kislan elswhere – and gambling that Prelaia would go with him – was nothing but a shifting of responsibility; but it would at least prevent incidents that he could only too well envision, of Kislan opening his ill-considered mouth and calling Elissa a weyrwhore in front of someone like Lord Asgenar, or F'lar of Benden, even worse; or – calamity! Lessa of Benden! Besides it was unfair on the girl – young woman , he corrected himself – to have such names applied to her and so unfairly. Not to mention, as Tuon had pointed out, the man's insinuations bringing the Crafthall into disrepute. Kislan and Prelaia would not have much chance to spread gossip and poison in Lewis; they were some of the dourest fishermen on the planet, from fighting with the pitiless sea in so northerly a clime, the limit of human existence! And unlike many seaholders, the holderfolk of Lewis held respect for both Harpers and Dragonmen, the former for the tenuous link they formed with the outside world; and the latter for their turning out in all weathers and Thread.
Preslan and Kilaia, the two younger children, duly moved into Elissa's craftcot with their older brother. Preslan was a stolid and dutiful little boy of seven turns who cried a few tears for his father before he discovered the rocking dragon H'llon had made as a gift to the fosterlings. Kilaia, at five, curled up initially in a ball rockingherself; and Elissa picked her up for a cuddle.
There was no response; and Elissa knew better by now that to really expect one. She had asked Kispre if he disliked cuddles because he did not respond; and Kispre had looked puzzled and said that he did like cuddles and what was he supposed to do, then?
Elissa had told him to do what he liked; so long as being cuddled made him happy, for that made her happy. And some months on, and watching the other children, he was starting to lean into her embraces a little.
Kilaia was apparently the same; and would need gentle treatment and a firm routine. Her routines had been upset by the change. Naturally, she missed her parents; just because she could not express emotions did not mean she did not feel them! Elissa's heart went out to the babe.
It was fortunate that Kilaia did not know that the girl who would be her foster mother was the one her own mother had poured out vituperation about with no regard to whose little ears were listening; or the poor mite would doubtless have been frightened badly and less ready to be in any way responsive. Elissa however found she had to reprove the child for the things that she said.
"My mother says it" said Kilaia obstinately over a comment about weyrfolk being dirty.
"Why, your mother has never been in a weyr and so how can she know? She speaks about things she has no knowledge about and repeats silly things that others with as little experience have said!" said Elissa patiently, not wanting to denegrate the child's mother too much to her. "Don't you think it's a bit silly to say things if you don't know them for yourself? Why, I might as well say, 'Kilaia loves greens and hates bubbly pies' without even asking you!"
Kilaia considered.
Such a practical question about ridiculous assumptions appealed to her.
"S'pose so" she conceded.
"Why don't we visit High Reaches Weyr and see uncle H'llon?" suggested Elissa.
"NO! Uncle H'llon's a big stupid dummy!"
"THAT is an unforgivable thing to say about a Bronze Rider – as well as being a lie" said Elissa coldly. "H'llon is big; and Master Bendarek can tell you he's very clever. You believe the Masterwoodcrafter don't you?"
A reluctant nod.
Elissa went on.
"Some people call people like H'llon and Kisra and Kispre and you stupid because they don't understand how you think and don't understand that you find it difficult to understand how people work."
"Father says I'm stupid; so does mother."
"Well! Do YOU think you're stupid?"
Kilaia considered.
"If they think I am, I must be, mustn't I?"
"No" said Elissa, emphatically. "They don't understand you, that's all. I don't entirely; but at least I've got the balls to admit it and say that I'll try my hardest. Uncle H'llon understands. HE has learned to understand people and he can help you. Shall we, hmm? We can come away if you don't like it, or if you think that dragonmen smell – at least, other times than when they stink of firestone after fighting Thread! But they do bath you know – and I should think your mother misunderstood some comment that was made about the smell of firestone and thought they never washed it off, hmmm?" Elissa decided that tackling the concept of 'dirty' was best done on a level a five-turn-old would understand; and seethed with anger quietly over Prelaia's undermining of the respect for dragonmen in her children, just because of her and Kislan's resentment of H'llon and anyone connected with him! They would have precious little but short shrift from the fishermen of Lewis if they spoke against dragonmen; the mountain rescue team had brought in two lads whose skiff had been dismasted and who had gone into the sea, and had them back in time to save their lives at that. H'llon too had visited Lewis using Melth to carry heavy timbers for masts that would otherwise have taken weeks to ship; and had found them pleasant enough people once their initial reserve was breached; though their dialect was so far from regular Harpers as to be virtually incomprehensible! Kislan and Prelaia would be in for a poor time of it if they spoke ill of the Weyrwoodcrafter!
Sadvia agreed to move into the craftcot for two days while Elissa took all her fosterlings to visit at High Reaches; some might one day stand for Impression and it would do them no harm to know the weyrfolk!
Kispre was delighted to meet Radall, of whom he had heard a great deal; and Tahnee, Lianka and Beka were shown about by Sagarra. Preslan was taken under the wing of Marag, Sagarra's half brother, and another stolid little boy; and Elissa introduced Kilaia to her own half sister and half brother, Eliora and Nalissan, who were of an age with the visiting child. Elissa had never taken much interest in her siblings, being too young herself before going to the Woodcrafter Hall to find them interesting as infants. Now however, comparing them to her newest fosterlings she found more in common with them. Nalissan at least was starting to carve little things from offcuts, even if Eliora was quite uninterested.
The best thing about the visit was that all three of the younger children were completely captivated by dragons, even Preslan! In fact he asked,
"Oh Journeyman Elissa, may I come here when I'm old enough to Impress?"
"Certainly" said Elissa "For it is the Right of any to ask. I would strongly advise, though that you start your apprenticeship first, though when you are of age you can continue to study here under H'llon. But you have a wider variety of skills in the Hall and as you have the opportunity it would be well to learn something of them all first. Remember, you are eligible until you are twenty; you might even choose to become a Journeyman before you stood for Impression! It is always good to have a craft as well you know; in case the unthinkable happens and your dragon dies; and also when Threads stop falling you will need to have something to do!"
Preslan nodded gravely.
"That sounds sensible" he said gravely.
Preslan could have had sensible as a second name. Elissa's main concern with him was that he might turn into a bit of a prig; and resolved to do her best to divert THAT!
Still, Isrona had described Gerney as too serious and solemn a child; and he had turned out VERY nicely!
Helping cousin L'sya oil her young dragonet and cadging lifts across the Bowl with newly flying weyrlings went a long way to helping the younger two to forget that they were missing parents who, in Elissa's opinion, did not deserve to be missed; and there would be plenty to talk about back in the craftcot!
Their return found Sadvia bubbling over with indignation and horror at the iniquity of children. Not only had Ambreen and Sheesha made her an apple pie bed, they had switched salt for sugar in the bowl, Ambreen knowing that Sadvia had a good scoop of sugar on her morning porridge; and they had also rubbed onion juice in Sadvia's underwear. Sadvia, an apprentice herself, albeit senior, had no right to set punishment without being ratified by a Journeyman and as she said to Elissa,
"I don't want to mention underwear to a man!"
"Well, I think that's daft and prudish; but I suppose you can't help your upbringing" said Elissa "And I suppose Isrona IS too indolent to deal with such horrid scamps! Very well; you have reported the matter to a journeyman; I'll deal with them."
The two culprits looked not in the least bit penitent when Elissa said
"Well?"
"She rises so beautifully!" said Ambreen.
"I am truly disappointed" Elissa's voice was wintry "I trusted you to treat someone I made my proxy as you would treat me. The bed is forgivable; though to repeat a trick is the sign of a boring and unoriginal mind. The salt; I grant you I can see the humour in that. The general disrespect is NOT forgivable; for you have disrespected Master Gerney and myself by your iniquitous treatment of our proxy. And the onion juice is nothing more than a piece of as nasty bullying as I have ever heard of! THAT sort of treatment should be reserved for paying back bullies. Very well; take off your underwear; you will wear it treated the same way for the time it takes you to eat three full spoonfuls of overly salty porridge. That should give it time to warm up and provide you with the full effects and teach the pair of you what a fine brace of little bullies you are. You may bathe after than and spend the day in bed reflecting on your sins; and for the next sevenday, as you are not to be trusted, every minute you are not in lessons you will be in the cot under my eyes with the little ones; and during beaks, you will be supervised by a senior apprentice save when you are actually in the necessary."
The girls wriggled painfully through choking down their allotted spoonfuls – and salty milky porridge is quite disgusting – and fled thankfully to change and bathe when the last mouthful went down. Those three mouthfuls were more than enough; and part of the reason Elissa wanted them in bed was in case it made them sick!
Two little girls vowed they would think a lot more carefully before pulling any tricks again!
Worst of all was being under Elissa's eye while the other apprentices went out to play; the long seventh day, always a day off, went very slowly while Elissa placidly treadled on her lathe producing boxes of wood and soapstone for sale. The girls might carve; or sew; or play indoor games; but their hearts were heavy to hear the other youngsters shouting about the giant slide they were constructing while the cold held!
At the end of that long day, Elissa cleaned the lathe, oiled it and turned to them.
"Will I be able to trust you not to make a fardling nuisance of yourselves the moment my back is turned in future?" she demanded.
"Yes Journeyman" said Sheesha, almost meekly.
"You bet!" said Ambreen, fervently.
"Good. Now help me lay the table for supper; and tomorrow is another day" said Elissa.
It had been quite as trying for her as it had been for the culprits; but enough was enough. They were QUITE old enough to learn that actions had consequences. Elissa looked at them suddenly, seeing Ambreen simmering slightly.
"You might ask Tahnee about the punishments Journeyman Sandrina – a wicked woman – set her and the other three for even looking the wrong way; it might stop you feeling ill used for a legitimate punishment you brought on yourselves. Unlike Beka, Tahnee, Lianka and Amula you've never been whipped until the blood ran; or had your legs thrust out into Threadfall and hope the agenothree kills it before your legs are eaten off; not been tied for long periods unable to sit, stand or lie down. That is the sort of woman Sandrina was; one who enjoyed causing pain and fear. By enjoying causing pain and distress to Sadvia – and you know now how much pain you caused – you are heading towards being like Sandrina. I think you two are basically decent kiddies whose high spirits got out of hand because you, Ambreen, find it difficult to treat your older siblings with the respect they should have earned by their hard work. You were sent here because you cheeked Journeyman Kyal. Sadvia too hopes to be made Journeyman soon and she is a hard working senior apprentice. Any other senior apprentice would have put you over his knee and employed his slipper. Presuming on Sadvia's good nature and desire to protect her baby sister is unkind. KISRA would never dream of disrespecting H'llon! Now, I did not mean to give you a lecture after punishment was over; but if you're not understanding WHY you were punished it's wasted."
"Was – was she really so cruel?" asked Ambreen in a little voice.
"I haven't told you the half" said Elissa "It would sicken you. It sickened us grown ups. And Beka doesn't talk about it because she'd rather forget that time. Which is why I recommended you to Tahnee. And NO taking out your grievances on Beka just because she's dorm head, all right?"
"We didn't know; she never whines about it. Is – is that why she's so serious?" asked Sheesha.
Elissa nodded.
"The woman was evil; they all suffered badly" she said "And they take being REAL apprentices as a privilege they never thought they'd get! I hope you NEVER come across anything like that. And I hope that's shaken you out of feeling hard done by, because by the first egg you are not!"
It gave the young pranksters much food for thought!