Chapter 4
"Hey! Wherry face!"
"Yah – you've a wherry face!"
Kamar stopped.
"Are you two cheeky brats addressing me?" he said.
"Yeah we are – wherry face" said the one Kamar knew by description as Banessan.
"Dear me. How singularly unimaginative you are" said Kamar "Must be why you're not senior apprentices at your age like I am. Tell me, as you have obviously got wherry brains, how do you stink – er, think?"
"Get him" said Banessan.
He and Horslas rushed in.
Kamar had been accused at times of fighting like a girl; and when outnumbered two to one by bigger boys than him he was glad that he could.
Horslas howled when Kamar clamped his teeth round his wrist; and Banessan let out a thin falsetto scream as a hand strengthened by sawing crushed into his testicles.
Kamar let go of Horslas long enough to smash the back of his head up into the other boy's face; and went, whistling, on his way, leaving Horslas groggy and Banessan clutching himself and retching.
Life was sweet.
wWwWw
Hagel's daughter Haella was a skinny child of about thirteen with an open, friendly face and eyes bright with curiosity and eagerness to learn.
Hagel was a trifle less eager.
"Delicate looking child" rumbled Isimy "I'd say, Hagel, she should be excused saw work if you didn't mind. She can catch up with that when she's far enough on to transfer to Lemos, hmm?"
Hagel's expression brightened.
"THANK you Master!" he said.
"Can't have my journeymen worrying about the health of their offspring and upsetting their work" said Isimy without batting an eyelid.
"Is that because the saw Journeyman is an unmitigated bully an' a creep sir?" asked Haella.
Hagel burned.
"Careless talk is more forgivable when you did not expect her to be an apprentice" said Isimy "Young lady, I suggest that you learn that a wise man once said that he has often regretted having spoken but never regretted staying silent!"
She beamed at him silently.
"You should not repeat anything I have said" said Hagel "I would not have spoken so in front of you had I expected you to be an apprentice."
"I'll assign Senior Apprentice Sarney to sit by her and bring her on" said Isimy "If she is accidentally indiscreet in her talk with him he'll tell her so and won't spread anything. She'll be with the youngest for now because of having missed a turn or two but she'll soon catch up" he smiled at the girl "You'll probably be amazed at how much of the craft you've just absorbed watching your father work, apprentice."
"I hope so sir" said Haella.
"I would also" said Isimy "Think that it would be well if she continued to live, Hagel, under your roof with your wife as we have no girls' dorm yet; and it's no fun on your own anyway. If we get more girls on the Turnover Intake that's a different matter; and she will then be head of dormitory for her seniority."
"Thank you Master" said Hagel seriously. He knew well enough that if she had a room on her own anywhere near where the other apprentices slept it would only be a matter of time before Banessan and Horslas found it and started bullying her, even if she was too young for them to force sexual attentions on.
"Very well, apprentice; wait outside my room; Sarney will be along shortly to take you around" said Isimy.
wWwWw
The tall, well made blonde boy with senior tassels smiled at the little girl.
"Haella? I'm Sarney. Master Isimy asked me to catch you up with work and to show you about."
"Won't – won't you lose out on your own lessons sir?" asked Haella.
"Now for starters, I don't rank a 'sir' yet! I have no expectation of being made Journeyman for at least another turn! As to my lessons, I've seen nothing that the biggest boys are doing here that I haven't covered long since; you'll know from your father, I'm sure, though it's not done to talk about it, that this place has something of a blight upon it – and your brother not properly prepared for Lemos if he hoped for Journeyman's knots. He's well behind me I'm afraid!"
She nodded.
"Father was very upset" she said "He – he thought that there was no more that Birgel could learn here."
"Huh, that's Faranth's own truth" said Sarney "But the Journeymen here will buck up with proper backing from a strong master, you know! Bullies are aw'f'ly soul destroying, and where there's a bully, all it takes is for good men to stay silent for them to get the upper hand you know!"
"But sir – uh, Sarney, Master Isimy said a wise man doesn't regret staying silent but does regret speaking out!" said Haella "I'm confused now."
"What he meant was about hasty speech" said Sarney "If you open your mouth and swallow foot up to knee, it's kind of bad. If you have considered and think that a matter must be raised, like bullying of smaller ones, then you must raise it – with your peer group. Unless someone is actually being put in danger, telling tales is not on, but you can talk with other apprentices – and for that matter one of us three seniors – and try to work out strategies. You see, the Harpers tried to give warning; if more people had listened to Master Robinton about Fax instead of vacillating like overripe red-fruit, putting their heads into gontermorrer holes pretending to hibernate their brains because they didn't like to believe ill of the Blood, he'd never have been such a problem. And if Journeymen don't stand up to bullying Journeymen or Masters to bullying Masters or apprentices to bullying apprentices, then the bully wins. And the more often he wins, the more he bullies and the more people think he's unbeatable. ALL bullies can be beaten you know" said Sarney, earnestly "If only people work together."
"You know about…."
"No names" said Sarney "Are you excused saw work to protect your father?"
"Yes. I thought it was to protect me."
"It comes to the same thing. But it's easier to suffer for yourself simmering in resentment than to watch someone you love suffering, you know! YOU'd stick it out for stubborn grit I bet, if you had to – I like the cut of your chin, it has determination – but your father would be torn between love of you and duty. And it ain't fair to do that to a man, you know!"
"I s'pose not" she nodded. "I think I like Master Isimy; he's big and loud and a bit scary but he has kind eyes."
"He's one of the best" said Sarney "I started late, like you, and my mother prepared me – she's a journeyman – and I had trouble from a bullying master; and Isimy caught me crying and he told me NEVER to let the bully see I cared; and helped me deal with it for myself."
"There are bullying masters at Lemos?"
"Not any more. He was hard to get rid of you see, like certain other people, for being the only one so skilled in a particular craft; but he went beyond sarcasm and slightly heavy punishments and got demoted to Journeyman; not teaching either. But he was still….causing problems, so he was subsequently sent to a Minehold in the middle of nowhere" he grinned "It's harder to get rid of Masters or Journeymen who have a craft you need and no replacement; but we'll survive. And even as Master Gerney beat seven sirens out of – that other master – for picking on Gerney's fosterling, reckon one of our two new Journeymen could whop sawdust out of anyone who got nasty. And I never told you that! Here's Journeyman Manon's wheelwrighting class" he added, knocking and going in to the craftshop. "Journeyman, excuse me, I'm showing a new apprentice around; I'm afraid I can't tell her much about wood bending, for I've no experience. I'm looking forward to squeezing extra classes of yours in between tutoring her on" he looked around with interest.
Manon shot him a look; and decided the boy was genuine. The obvious fascination on his face was no simulation.
The boys in here were those who had come, Sarney thought, the previous turn; and there were only four of them.
"The boys here are undertaking their own projects with bent wood at the moment" said Manon "The class is called wheelwrighting but I teach wood bending for various purposes; rocking chairs for example, as you can see Tavald engaged upon."
"It's for an old Auntie at my Hold; she says nothing ever eases her bones so I thought a rocker might help."
"That's good thinking, lad" said Sarney "And you might want to think about a rush woven seat too for ease; if you don't know how, you could ask if any of the Journeymen's wives know how. H'llon used steamed bent wood for the spring in them to make wheeled chairs – his friend L'gani taught him, I've been told as he never did the wood bending course at Lemos – so it's a very useful skill. I REALLY look forward to learning."
"You're free with dragonrider names, apprentice" said Manon.
Sarney looked surprised.
"Oh, but H'llon is weyrwoodcrafter and comes often to Lemos; he's master Isimy's nephew, you know. And my second cousin about forty times removed if you care to dig it out of the precise lineage but it's distant enough I don't bother" he beamed.
The Master's relations in the Weyr would soon spread; trust thirteen-turn-old boys for THAT! And it would do Isimy's reputation no harm either!
"Is he the Bronze Rider Journeyman who came and shouted a lot at the previous Master for not caring for a Journeyman's widow and child?" demanded Tavald.
"H'llon's blunt so I'd not be surprised" said Sarney "And I wonder what Journeyman Manon has to say to you, you repellent scrub, for eavesdropping on a Master's business and then reporting it in the hearing of a Journeyman so cheekily?"
Manon looked surprised.
These new seniors obviously had orders to back the authority of ANY Master then, even an idiot like Barlis.
"I was going to save him the embarrassment of being bawled out in front of a little girl until you had gone on" he said hastily "Tavald, after class in your free time you will write 'I will show respect to Masters' twenty times in the sand tray."
"And serve you right for being indiscreet" said Sarney gravely; but with a smile.
If Tavald had any brains – and he looked a bright boy – he'd soon pick up that it was not the eavesdropping but the way of repeating what he had heard with no regard to who was listening that was the fault.
Tavald grinned unrepentantly.
He had the message.
wWwWw
Next Sarney and Haella visited Journeyman Caim, making paper with the senior apprentices; and Sarney was as respectful, introducing a new apprentice he was showing around.
Journeyman Caim smiled vaguely.
"It'll be nice to have a few female apprentices" he said "Nimble fingers; quieter too."
One of the seniors eyed Haella up; decided she was just a little girl; and lost interest. Kamar and Bierel had joined this class and were busy showing up the others by the speed with which they worked and the even fineness of their sheets.
"We were talking to Journeyman Caim about using the river's power to agitate the pulp" said Bierel. "There's more apprentices back in Lemos, more hand power that's then sufficient; but it's harder to pulp with fewer!"
"It's good to learn new er, innovation" said Caim "I must say, taking the water from the cooked river grains we had at lunch to add is an idea I'd not come across."
"It gives a good surface and a nice crackle" said Sarney, as though explaining to Haella "Paper making is fun; you'll enjoy it. Some of the girls at Lemos have been putting lace or leaves on couching cloths to leave a pattern so they can charge frivolous Holdergirls more for it, for no extra effort really."
Haella giggled.
"Won't it make it harder to write on?"
"And that's why you're a crafter, not a makeweight" said Sarney.
The older boys might not much like being shown up by Kamar and Bierel: but Journeyman Caim was positively bubbling at having new ideas for his craft!
wWwWw
The mid afternoon break was called; and Sarney showed Haella where the necessaries were.
"No girls' ones as yet; you'll have to live with that I'm afraid" he said "Find a friend to watch the door; I'll do it this time but it would be more proper if it were a little boy."
Haella was glad of the opportunity – and Sarney's practicality. She had been uncomfortable for a while!
wWwWw
After the break Sarney took the little girl to the cot at a distance from the main hall, filled with often noxious fumes, being the workshop of Journeyman Finisher Jaybez. He had three boys working there; for the older middles were split in two for classes. Two of them seemed to be getting down to their work, the other staring into the middle distance. As Jaybez turned to see the new arrivals, one of the more industrious apprentices, a cheerful looking lad, took advantage of his distraction to lean quickly over and deftly pin something to the back of the idling one. Haella, looking at him, opened her mouth to ask a question; and Sarney stood on her foot.
"Oh Journeyman Jaybez, Haella will be a new apprentice" he said hastily before she could ask questions "I'm to show her around, and help her to catch up to save the Journeymen trouble. I'm not so great at finishes and varnishing though – Bierel's our top man – so I may have to ask advice sometimes; will that be all right?"
"So long as you have sensible questions to ask, boy, I'll always be glad to answer" said Kaybez. "Zaygan, whatever you pinned on Agenden's back, take it off and bring it here."
The cheerful looking boy pulled a rueful face, but did as he was told. Kaybez read it.
"'I'm lazy, poke me!' a just comment on Agenden, Zaygan, but not really yours to make. As you have time to waste writing messages, you may return after classes to help me mix varnish."
"Yes Journeyman" said Zaygan.
The Journeyman turned his attention back to the visitors to his class.
"What have you covered, senior apprentice?" he asked.
"Waxes, colouring waxes, making polish, three types of varnish for different uses including skybroom resin varnish for Thread resistance, basic dyes, not yet permitted to run loose with blue" said Sarney glibly "Also veneer cutting, and curing of wood; if you cover that. Master Tirris does in Lemos but I wondered if that had been the province of Master Barlis?"
"It was, but I'm covering the doing of it now" said Kaybez "I learned from Master Tirris after all. It's not in any case a taught subject at the moment and was only ever theory before, under timbercraft theory."
"No problem" said Sarney "If you need a hand I can help you; Bierel and Kamar will too, I'm sure sir."
Kaybez nodded.
"Thank you; it is a necessary part of our craft" he said "Meanwhile you may start the new apprentice on the components of waxes and on making carnauba wax. I'll revise the first turners when they have their next class; she can hear it for the first time."
"Thank you sir" said Haella.
wWwWw
The youngest were currently with Journeyman Veller, the free carver; and they were tending to run amok rather. They seemed to be enjoying themselves; but they were doing so at the top of their young lungs and consequently rather lacking in application.
Sarney started to introduce himself and Haella, winced, and said,
"Do you mind if I shut them up, sir?"
"Be my guest – if you can" said Veller, gloomily.
Sarney picked up the chalk and squeaked it horribly on the large slate board for drawing out patterns.
There was a collective wince and a moment's shocked silence.
"Fine lot you are" said Sarney "Were you born without manners or did it take all your short lives to lose them? How the fardling shards do you expect your Journeyman to have a conversation with visitors when you lot are making like green firelizards on heat? Your prospective new classmate here is going to wonder if she's not joining a class but being herded into a sty with eight squealing porcines! Now keep it down!"
They lapsed into silence, a mixture of hurt, subdued and interest.
Sarney duly introduced Haella and explained how he would be bringing her on.
"As this bunch seems to give more time to chattering like fishwives than to applying themselves she'll easily soon catch up in all classes" he added pointedly "For they look like a lazy bunch and quite backward. Well, if they choose, Journeyman, to fritter your and the other Journeymen's words of wisdom it's their loss and no skin off your nose, sir to earn your marks without having to do a stoke of work for it" hearat he winked at Veller who looked startled, then gave a shy grin. Sarney went on, " It'll be easy, Haella; take you six sevendays to catch up their nine months."
The silence was decidedly injured; he had called them green firelizards, porcines, fishwives and useless not to mention irrelevant to the Journeyman , all within the space of five minutes. They had not been privy to the wink Sarney had given Veller!
The carving journeyman was working not to actually laugh; keeping order was a serious problem for him, even with relatively harmless boys like these and any help was gratefully received, especially from a youth who was making his respect for the Journeyman's rank obvious!
wWwWw
The final class contained the two main bullies, working under Journeyman Hagel.
Sarney introduced Haella in exactly the same way as he had in other classes; catching Hagel's eye as the man opened his mouth to claim knowledge of her. Hagel shut his mouth.
Haella had her other foot stood on as she was about to greet him.
There were four boys here; one of them cutting dovetails happily wrapped in a world of his own; one decidedly depressed looking, and the two bullies who were sulking and refusing to do any work. Banessan still looked pale and Horslas favoured his wrist and had a black eye.
Sarney looked at them; and grinned. He could guess what had happened!
"I shall be helping Haella to catch up" said Sarney "You won't find she has to join a class of slow learners such as these boys here."
"Here!" said Horslas "We ain't slow learners!"
Sarney looked at the badly made joint in front of the boy and slowly raised an eyebrow.
"Dim too that they not even recognise their incompetence that a first year in Lemos would be ashamed of!" he said "Your patience is remarkable, Journeyman Hagel; I am impressed!" he bowed and hastened Haella out, largely so he could let out the chuckle over the look on the faces of Banessan and Horslas over his assessment of their work!