The characters of Piemur, Jancis, their son (who I didn't name here but will later on), and Farli, as well as certain locations, are the property of Anne McCaffrey. Other stuff is mine.

I hope you guys enjoy this chapter; getting the right tone for intrigue is tough!

Thanks for reading:)

B'nick came, and that was all Yarrow would have hoped for. He looked very handsome in his Gather jacket and pants, that were edged in gold with black-and-red leaves embroidered on them. Visigoth's very excited for you.

Petia and Hannin, on the other hand, were not pleased. They seemed to consider the lack of Riders from the Weyr -- especially the Weyrleaders -- insulting. They greeted the Greenrider coolly. Even Mink, who usually liked the man, seemed a little distant.

"Too few," he signed, shaking his head. Yarrow looked at the people of the Holding filing in, wearing their Gather best with fake-happy smiles, and she felt like there were too many, in fact. They filled the Great Hall; servants had had to move tables to the sides. She only recognized a few of them: The man over there had to be Piemur, who she had never seen but had seen described once when she looked back in the log and saw an acidic entry by Lord Toric about "the boy"...

But, this was no longer a boy. The dark head tinged with grey nodded to her, and headed over.

Yarrow was startled when he began signing to her. She blinked.

But the Harper/Explorer seemed unperturbed by Yarrow's confusion, and he simply repeated his statement: "Congratulations on your happy day," he signed with a wink. "I understand from B'nick that nobody here took the trouble to learn your tongue?"

She nodded, still a little dumbfounded. "Pardon me -- Harper Piemur? -- but I'm wondering how you know it," she signed, cocking her head to emphasize.

He grinned and pointed toward the drumtower. "I was once apprentice drummer," he signed, "and well, now -- I need to find out what I can and convey it in as much secret as possible sometimes. Harper's discretion," he signed.

Oh, that's it. He's like my parents, she thought and heard a chuckle from Visigoth. She took a deep breath. "You got my message, then?" she signed.

Piemur nodded emphatically.

Yarrow felt a thrill. Did you know my parents then, she wondered. Please tell me about them... She'd been getting antsy ever since she sent out that message, and the fact that Petia and Hannin had been watching her like a wild feline stalking prey didn't help matters at all. And all they wanted to talk about was this stupid wedding -- she didn't want any part in it!

"Listen," Piemur signed intently, "I know this isn't likely what you wanted -- I got the report from Undebran via the Masterharper. I heard what had to happen. If it's at all possible, I'll help you with that part, because I know about unwanted marriages..." He looked briefly over to where a lovely lady stood talking with a dark-haired youngster that could only be Piemur's. They didn't seem unhappy; she wasn't sure at all what he meant. At least this Harper seemed to be looser in practice than Undebran had been, or even her parents.

Just as it seemed like he was going to tell Yarrow something important, though, Hannin suddenly appeared, placing a thick hand on her shoulder. The Lord Holder didn't squeeze or anything, it was just there. He bowed to Piemur and seemed to say something, but she couldn't read his lips. It's impolite to speak without signing, when you know someone deaf is around, Yarrow recalled her father saying once, but the Southerners seemed to not know this -- or care.

Then he turned to Yarrow and the pressure on her shoulder increased ever so slightly. "YOU -- NEED -- TO -- GET -- READY," he said slowly, and she felt a flash of annoyance. "DO -- YOU -- UN-DER-STAND?"

Yarrow nodded curtly. She wrenched herself back to Piemur to say a polite farewell, but he was gone. So maybe he isn't as friendly as I thought... then again, if I could get away from Hannin as fast as possible I would.

* * *

She was stalling as best she could. The fact that the Harper Hall -- the Masterharper himself! -- had gotten her message was thrilling. Yarrow felt very jumpy, and she wished she could have had more time to talk with Piemur, friendly or no -- he actually knew sign language. She'd missed being able to talk with Undebran.

The ladies were as Mink called it "twittering." They ran about, seeming to be doing something very important all the time, but really Yarrow could tell they weren't doing a thing.

Petia, on the other hand, was irritable. "We've been snubbed by the Weyrs!" she was shouting. Yarrow could feel the vibration of her anger, it was so intense. "Imagine, they sent that Greenrider here -- as what, an emissary?"

"Well, he did mention that Zarath was close to Flight and that half the Weyr was ill," one of the maids said and received a cuff.

"That's such a lie, and you know it!" the Lady Holder stormed.

Petia had been determined that she was going to wait till the -- well, the important people -- came. B'nick had told her, though, that wasn't going to happen. "They'll send the bare minimum, just to be polite," he'd signed earlier, "and that's it. K'van isn't coming any more than F'lar!" Yarrow couldn't blame him.

Suddenly the door opened and in walked the dark-haired, pretty lady Piemur had seemingly come with. She curtsied politely to Petia, and -- making sure to sign -- she said aloud, "I've yet to pay my respects to the bride-to-be." Petia sniffed a bit but she backed off, nodding, with narrowed eyes at Yarrow.

Yarrow curtsied to the lady.

"My name is Jancis," she signed. "I'm a Master Smith."

"Yarrow, and I'm nothing."

At this point, Jancis took both Yarrow's hands in hers and Yarrow saw a look of understanding in her eyes. "You are not a nothing," she said quietly but emphatically to Yarrow, and squeezed her hands. "I have a message from Piemur, my husband. He says to look for people with the simplest jobs at the Hold, and study them," she signed. "You see? You're important... you can get us information..."

Yarrow made a chopping downward sign. "...Lord Toric's death, right?" she signed and the other woman nodded. "I just want to leave here..."

Jancis nodded again. "Don't you want to avenge your father's death?" she signed. "Piemur and I will be watching. Your firelizards have met his Farli by now; send them to us at Cove Hold if you have trouble." With that, she turned and left the room.

"What did she want?" Petia said as soon as the Craftswoman was gone. Yarrow simply shrugged.