Chapter 7
Vorinia was quickly in Tranora's good books, and those of her niece, Norana, the laundress, when she demonstrated how to deal with delicate fibres like brocade, removing a stain from Kaili's wedding gown, that was to be made over for Kirissa to wear when she wed Morill in the Spring, for it was a crying shame to waste good brocade! Kirissa's aunt Marilly had come to an accommodation with Tranora, for the headwoman was the better seamstress; they had put aside their largely friendly rivalry over the upcoming wedding and Tranora had hoped to make the gown smaller for the diminutive cook Kirissa without cutting into it, that it might be let out again for the next person to use it! However, this would have meant, without Vorinia's intervention, sewing a grease stain into a seam, and that would have asked for mildew!
Vorinia however knew and was able to demonstrate that as well as lifting the worst of the grease out into a rag with a hot iron – which Tranora had managed already – the last part of the stain might be rubbed with a mix of fuller's earth and lye and soaked overnight in warm white wine vinegar before washing out in warm water. Tranora was delighted!
"Silly fools have no care at a nuptial feast" she sighed "However careful the bride may be, some fool always spills grease or wine into fine cloth!"
oOoOo
Josis meanwhile settled happily in with Journeyman Pettar; the man was working towards Mastery and his senior apprentice, his nephew Redlan, a lad of sixteen turns, was heading for the status of Journeyman. Redlan found himself tongue-tied around a pretty girl, tough he did manage some conversation about his craft!
Pettar had married a craftbred girl, and Redlan was her sister's boy, fostered since his own mother had died birthing him. Pettar had taken on fosterage of the boy when he married Redissa, and Redlan almost looked on Pettar as his father. Pettar was a cheerful and patient man, with an understated sense of humour; and Josis found him very easy to work for.
That she had an aptitude helped! She had learned some crafting from her father, and though she had not thought of it as much, being only a preparation for apprenticeship, much came back to her that she had heard her father say and watched him do in addition to her own basic tool training and she was perhaps more able to apply that than she would have been able to at thirteen.
Josis loved her work! It was all very exciting and she put in all the hours that Pettar would permit!
"If you work hard, reckon you can catch up and make journeyman in a couple of turns" he said "And if you go to the Weyr you'll have a good Master there in Journeyman Acting-Master H'llon."
Josis blessed her luck; and was shrewd enough to realise that part of it came from her willingness to forgive Vorinia and stand her friend!
H'llon had come to renew acquaintance with an almost forgotten cousin and hear her story at first hand. He was incandescent with fury at Holder Vorn's treatment of the craftbred girl!
Being Josis' cousin as well as being who he was in terms of being both Woodcrafter and Bronze Rider, H'llon asked D're to come and witness her deposition, as well as the Northfork Hold Harper and her new Journeyman master; and Holder Tragen.
Armed with so many impressive signatories to the document the Harper drew up of the deposition he went first to see Master Bendarek; then took the Masterwoodcrafter to see Lord Bargen as Holder Vorn's overlord.
oOoOo
H'llon came back to Northfork a few days after first visiting and asked to speak to both girls.
Being H'llon he came to the point when they were called into Tragen's office to speak to him.
"Vorinia" he said "I have news of your father that may shock you."
Vorinia gasped.
"He didn't try to attack a Bronze Rider surely?" she said "He – he'd be capable if he was enraged, I know, but….."
H'llon shook his head quickly.
"No dragonman was involved; my Craftmaster complained, with my word too, and the document you, Josis, signed, on behalf of my cousin Josis, to Lord Bargen. Vorinia, your father became enraged and attempted to attack Lord Bargen."
"He – he's dead then? My father?" Vorinia looked stunned; she was not sure what to feel about that.
"Oh no! Lord Bargen's men restrained him; and as he was obviously insane, he is under confinement at the Healer Hall in Fort" said H'llon. He did NOT say that he strongly suspected Lord Bargen of having engineered Vorn's loss of control through carefully chosen words in order to be able to thus declare him insane.
Vorinia sat down heavily.
"You know I think he has always been insane" she said candidly "It – it explains a lot. Am – am I supposed to go and take charge?"
H'llon shook his head.
"Lord Bargen does not expect it of you; you have never received the proper training, He's put your steward Olban in charge; you can go back if you don't Impress of course if you want to; and I rather suspect that Lord Bargen would hint strongly that you then marry Olban. He has his prejudices about females Holding, though he's a good, fair man generally."
"Not hardly would I marry Olban! I can bully him!" said Vorinia horrified "Besides he's old – almost forty!"
"Well if you Impress you won't have to choose" said H'llon cheerfully "But if I were you, I'd learn all you can here first."
"I will" said Vorinia "Thank you H'llon. Do I pay Josis her award for damages?"
"No; it will come from your father's personal monies – Bargen awarded three turns worth of apprentice training and three turns journeyman's wages as she'd be expected to earn; three times three hundred and three times seven hundred marks – plus an additional thousand marks for her misery. So four thousand marks in total. It'll get there when it gets there I'm afraid; Olban has better things to do than investigating Vorn's goods while you're safe and well, little cousin."
"No hurry" said Josis. "That much? Really?"
"It's what's due" said H'llon grimly "He'd have awarded more than the additional thousand but he did not want to beggar the Hold – or Vorinia."
"Me he could forget" said Vorinia "So long as the fosterage fees are paid. I can work for my living now if need be; and Josis is owed."
"Well, it's sorted anyhow" said H'llon "I'll come by and see you again, little cousin" and he ruffled Josis' hair before striding off to return to the Weyr.
oOoOo
As Vorinia said, having H'llon for a relative also settled the hash of any other fosterlings who might turn up their noses at having the daughter of a Journeyman fostering with them.
They could scarcely, after all, complain about sharing with the relative of a Bronze Rider.
She then roared with laughter and had to explain to Josis that the joke was at her own expense; for the younger Vorinia had found that what had really rankled about Kaili was the Rank that derived from her brother D're's Impression of Bronze Esruth.
"After having had a good telling off by Tragen for expecting people to drudge for me; and discovering what I took to be a a scruffy rankless boy was a VERY Ranking fosterling girl! I'm glad Kaili's put it behind her – I was such a little idiot!"
"You didn't get given much chance to be anything else" said Josis "At least Davinda gave you some rules when you were little – or you'd have been as insane as Vorn!"
Vorinia looked sober.
"Or if I'd not had the sharp shock in the Weyr" she said. "D're told me if I didn't learn self control I'd do something really terrible; and my father managed to! At least it wasn't a Rider he attacked; he'll have to be restrained in the Healer Hall but at least it'll be warm and he'll be fed and protected – not like being banished to the Eastern Isles!" she shuddered.
oOoOo
Vorinia had little time to brood on her father's fate, for it was time for the other girls who would be fostering to begin arriving and she must help them settle in.
The first to arrive was a tall, elegant girl of about Vorinia's own age. She introduced herself as Tirreysa of Reedmere Hold, which meant nothing to Vorinia save a vague knowledge of its position.
"Of course" said Tirreysa loftily "I have had fosterlings before at home; but they were only children, and besides they were no REAL fosterlings being only Meronspawn. Mother made them drudge for us, naturally, to teach them their place, until one of the ungrateful creatures ran away to the Weyr and somehow persuaded them to take the other. I don't know what the Weyr would want with them as CANDIDATES as they said they were to be; I would be a better candidate myself, naturally."
Josis and Vorinia exchanged looks.
"Maybe the WEYR" said Josis "Felt them better able to be judged on their own merits than a matter of who their father was."
Tirreysa swept her with a look and turned to Vorinia.
"Really one does not wish to listen to the opinion of an apprentice brat with no appreciation of Rank" she said.
"You poor fool" said Vorinia "Josis is far more qualified to discuss the Weyr than you since she has a better idea; her cousin's a Bronze Rider Flightleader. That outRanks you, sweetie, like it outranks me since we're only daughters of Minor Holds."
Tirreysa plainly did not like that; but shrugged.
"Well sorry I'm sure; you should wear weyrknots if you don't want to be assumed just to be an apprentice."
"I prefer to show my craft that I share with my cousin thank you" said Josis "And prove that I know how to do an honest day's work already; even if you do not. Unless you're here to learn runnerbeast care in which case I take it back."
Tirreysa curled her lip.
"What, stink of the stables? You must be joking! I hate the creatures. They have their uses but if I never come closer to one than driving in a buggy I'll be well pleased" she drawled.
"Why are you fostering at a Runnerhold then?" asked Vorinia bluntly.
"Because Tragen is rich and influential, obviously!" Tirreysa opened her eyes in surprised scorn "I'll make good contacts, I hope, with others he knows, including Weyr ones. Those brats and their outsize words and impudent manner will soon get thrown out and the Weyr will see its mistake."
Josis and Vorinia exchanged another look.
Kaili had entertained them with tales of the Weyr – and for Josis' sake, especially those involving H'llon and his apprentices – and they had heard of the two wordy daughters of Meron, but had hitherto failed to connect them with Tirreysa'a description.
"You mean Green Rider Harper I'linne and Woodcrafter Ipominea I suppose" said Josis "The latter is my cousin's apprentice being too young to stand for Impression yet. Well I definitely think you have an odd view of life, Tirreysa."
"Oh is she one of the stupid creatures they played word games with? How tedious for the rest of us" Vorinia yawned deliberately. "Ah well; if you pull your weight we'll do our best to be civil to you sweetie"
There was something quite offensive in the way she used the word 'sweetie'.
Tirreysa ground her teeth; but not being clever could not think of a suitable retort!
Vorinia knew that there was no point even trying to help someone to overcome the disadvantages of being spoilt unless they could be brought to realise – and care – that it made them unpopular; and made no effort to conceal her contempt.
oOoOo
Next to arrive was a girl called Miresa. Her hold was called Flaxmeadow, somewhere between a large extended family cotholding and a small Hold; and though nominally independent it was more or less beHolden to Northfork, and maintained close ties.
Miresa inspected the dormitory and bathing arrangements and found them suitable, as she put it. She looked quite grown up; and Vorinia realised she was older even than nineteen-turn old Josis, and wondered that she should be fostering so old.
Miresa gave an answer to that.
"I'm looking forward to learning more about different kinds of runnerbeast here, and the breeding and training of them" she confided "My brother-in-law hopes to expand his stables and I shall hope to help him in that."
"Well it's backbreaking and dirty work but if you're fond of runners I suppose it'll be worth it" said Vorinia.
Miresa stared.
"Backbreaking and dirty? What do you mean?"
"Well, mucking out, all the care runners need to keep them healthy – I don't enjoy it much myself, I can tell you! But it's necessary to know how."
"Oh I shan't be doing anything like THAT" said Miresa airily "I intend to direct others to the more menial tasks."
Vorinia laughed.
"Tragen doesn't PERMIT anyone to direct until they've done a stint as stable boy, jockeys included!" she said "Not even his own wife! Kaili did the dirty work too at first you know!"
Miresa looked horrified.
"But – but I've Rank now my sister is married to a Holder! Surely I can't be expected to DRUDGE?"
"Tragen says no Holder is in his rights to ask any man to do what he cannot do himself" said Vorinia "It's different to the way I was raised; but I like the idea and I approve."
"How were you raised?" asked Miresa.
"Oh to be a lazy brat who never did a hand's turn and relied on drudges. And let me tell you for free – and this goes for you, Tirreysa too – I'm a lot happier now knowing that I'm capable of turning a good day's work than I was bored and useless. Oh and Tirreaysa, if you DO plan to go to the Weyr, you should know that candidates work fardling hard; it's worth preparing. That's what I'm doing; hoping to be fit enough not to be tired with the work."
"Nonsense!" snapped Tirreysa "Besides I'm waiting for a Golden Queen."
"Queenriders work hard too – harder because they have a bigger dragon to care for. And all candidates are treated as equals – unless they are crafters who are given more respect" said Vorinia "Just a word to the wise."
Tirreysa pulled a sneer; and Vorinia, fighting her temper clenched her fists and walked away. The girl really wasn't receptive to be told!
"Well I don't want to go to the Weyr" said Miresa "I'll leave that to my idiot niece Mireela who's dragon mad and is talking of apprenticing as a weaver of all things if she doesn't Impress!"
"No reason she shouldn't apprentice anyway" said Josis "As Vorinia mentioned they like candidates to be crafters or at least to have other skills, you know."
Miresa shrugged.
"Whatever" she said disinterested.
Josis and Vorinia exchanged a look of dismay.
Neither of the two fosterlings so far were particularly prepossessing!
oOoOo
Glenayse arrived while they were still sharing the look, coming on dragonback which made the two old hands hurry to greet a newcomer. Having quickly thanked the dragon and rider, Glenayse was busy staring about with delight at all the runners. She looked to be about Vorinia's own age.
"I'm Glenayse" said she "Grandniece of Holder Priarish of Three Rivers hold; happy to be his stablehead after training here."
"You know that Tragen expects all his people to get down and dirty with mucking out and such if they hope to learn runnerbeast care?" asked Vorinia, watching in resignation for a look of horror.
To her pleasant surprise it did not come. Indeed Glenayse laughed!
"Oh of course! I already muck out at home, of course, and curry the beasts; and I can walk a colic; but there's so much more to learn. Ah" she dropped her voice "I see two rather precious ornaments do I?"
She flicked her eyes to Tirreysa and Miresa who had also come to see the dragon, if less interested in the passenger once it became apparent she was not dressed in the most extravagant finery.
Vorinia grinned.
"You have the situation perfectly" she said "Still I guess they might learn; I have."
"You muck out?" Glenayse asked.
"If I have to. I prefer laundry and sewing duties personally but I know how to care for the beasts now, at least in broad. Though I'd not want to have to deal with a colic without expert help I must say" she added honestly.
"Well I'll know there's a couple who can hustle – Josis wasn't it? – obviously has a craft and looks pretty capable. My great uncle has no time for space wasters and fools."
"Well maybe you'll help us to help them to learn" said Vorinia "I had to learn that I needed to learn; and I'm happier for it, I can tell you!"
"Well I'll agree to help you give it a try" said Glenayse, dubiously. "But if you ask me, they have to realise that they're miserable before you can teach them that to be useful will make them happy."
"Well it worked for me; so I have to try to pass it on" said Vorinia earnestly, rewarded by a hug from Josis.
Glenayse shrugged.
"You can lead a runnerbeast to water but you can't make it drink" she repeated the old saw philosophically.