Chapter 11
Steward Gallran wondered what the two dragonriders wanted with him, and why his prospective daughter-in-law – poor child! was with them. He looked some disapproval on T'arla's delicate features; for with her short black curls and slender figure concealed within a loose, comfortable tunic he took her for a boy, and evidently One of Those to boot. T'arla met the look coolly; and with an inward struggle resisted the urge to stick out her tongue.
L'gal held out his hands.
"Father! Has it been so long that you do not recognise me?"
Gallran stared.
"Lugal! L'gal, I mean! My Boy!"
L'gal embraced the man, and the others in the room clustered around him, his mother hugging and kissing him as though he were just a child and no blooded Bronze rider: and his brothers slapping him on the back with cries of genuine congratulation.
Gallran stepped back, sudden awful thoughts running through his head; L'gal had said he had met someone special.
"L'gal, you'd better introduce us to your – companion" he sad, telling himself firmly not to show distaste; for Weyrfolk saw such things differently, and objectively one could see why they must have to do so. It was harder to be objective about one's own son.
L'gal grinned.
"Father – Mother – this is T'arla" he said proudly. "She has done me the honour of accepting me as a weyrmate – here, that would be the same as if she was my wife – and she is also my apprentice in our little Harper Hall at the Reaches!"
Conflicting emotions chased across Gallran's face; relief won.
"Hi, T'arla!" grinned Galuin, L'gal's younger brother and very much like him in looks. "You won't want family to be all formal and call you Weyrwoman will you? Hey, I though you were a lad at first in that get up and wondered what m'brother was up to!"
Gallran gasped. Galuin had spoken the thoughts of all of them and the steward blenched inwardly at his outspoken youngest son. He relaxed perceptibly as T'arla gave a wicked little grin.
"Fortunately for me" she said "Your brother is a little more perceptive. I do have a gown with me" she turned her head slightly to speak to L'gal's mother, a small, neat woman with smooth chestnut hair arranged in wings over her small neat ears "But skirts are inconvenient for flight dragonback you know."
"My dear, we are delighted to meet you at last!" T'arla was wrapped in an effusive hug by Luina. "L'gal is such an inadequate letter writer for all that he seems to be able to get hold of this new paper! You'd never think he was a Harper and trained to be eloquent!"
T'arla extricated herself and winked at the woman.
"He's not all that good with verbal eloquence either when he feels deeply you know" she confided.
The reunion was interrupted by Siselly, who – white faced, but determined – cleared her throat.
They all looked at her.
"Gallin" she said, bit her lip and began again. "Gallin, I know you don't really WANT to marry me."
"I'm happy to offer you my hand and my protection, Siselly" said Gallin.
It sounded a little pompous.
"But you don't WANT to. I mean, you don't love me or – or desire me, at least I hope not because I don't love you and I don't know what desire feels like so I guess I don't desire you either."
"Love can grow within an affectionate union" Gallin persisted.
"And you know full well I don't WANT to marry you!" Siselly's voice was getting lower and lower. She cast an agonised look at T'arla.
"Shards, new brother of mine, you don't make it easy for the kid, do you?" said the young Greenrider "Persisting in forestalling her attempts to escape marrying you! So far as I can gather, young Siselly has been forced to marry someone – anyone – because My Lady Selfish doesn't want a pretty stepdaughter in her own chambers. And you, my goodbrother, gallantly suggested your protection to her and Holder Revelin gratefully accepted. But there is an alternative that could please everyone."
"There is?" said Gallin, hopefully.
"It's the girl's right to try for Impression at the Weyr. As is evidenced by myself, we let girls try for Greens as well as Queens."
There was a moment's shocked silence.
"What will people SAY?" wailed Luina, full of visions of her son being so bad a potential husband that his bride fled to the Weyr on the eve of their wedding.
"That those blasted Weyrfolk always take the best kids on Search" said L'gal, prosaically. "Come, mother, it was kind of Gallin: but having married for love yourself, you'd surely not want him, or this child Siselly forced into a loveless marriage? Surely you want him to marry for love?"
Luina snorted.
"Not if it's to Feletta" she said shortly.
"Feletta? But she married Keet!"
Luina shook her head.
"Keet and his father were killed in an avalanche over a turn ago. She's a widow."
"A wealthy one" said L'gal dryly. "She needs not pursue Gallin."
His mother snorted again.
"Haven't you realised she'll chase anything in trews?" she asked bitterly. "Revelin himself only escaped because Siselly is Feletta's half-sister and even Feletta wasn't that lost to propriety!"
"Huh, don't remind me!" put in Siselly.
Gallin was looking faintly woebegone.
"You're all very unkind" he said, sounding hurt. "Feletta has suffered a great deal, she needs comfort, not hard words."
L'gal looked at him.
"And you think that she loves you?"
"Certainly. She just doesn't want to marry again."
"And yet it was all right to carry on with the husband of her sister if we HAD got wed!" said Siselly indignantly "I love my ex-husband-to-be's propriety!"
Gallin had the grace to look uncomfortable.
"Feletta can look much higher than you with her wealth" said Luina sardonically. "You just watch. When she hears that our L'gal is a Bronze Rider it'll be him she's all over, trying to rekindle any feelings he may once have had for the manipulative little tunnel snake!"
L'gal flushed.
"Embarrassing" he murmured "But I dare say you're right, mother. It's a bad habit you have."
"Not for long" put in T'arla, grimly. "He's mine and so she shall learn."
Siselly squealed with delight.
"Oh I do wish YOU were my sister!" she cried.
T'arla regarded her steadily.
"No, my dear, I don't think you do. For I was born Holdless; and I'm not sure you'd enjoy that. I wager you've never even seen Thread, let alone could imagine growing up and watching it fall a few short feet away outside such shelter as one might find."
"I could try" Siselly was shocked; but determined.
T'arla regarded her.
"Aye, maybe you would at that" she conceded. "You'll be out in Threadfall walking sweep with the rest of the weyrlings. So, then, if you like you can adopt me. Or I you. Whatever."
Siselly squealed again and hugged T'arla. T'arla sighed; rolled her eyes and accepted it.
The encounter with Feletta was not long delayed. The woman had heard there was a visiting Bronze Rider – the drudge who had served him klah had been full of how courteous he had been to acknowledge her presence and nod thanks – and that the said Bronze Rider had gone to visit the Steward's family. Feletta had put two and two together; Gallin had been inordinately proud when his brother had Impressed, and Green Rider had been sent out of High Reaches as a courtesy to bring L'gal's family to watch the hatching, though he had had but brief conversation with them at that time, for Solpeth's needs had been pressing! Feletta, thinking of the once despised Lugal as a Bronze Rider rather than just as himself as his family did had quickly made the connection. It was easy for her fertile brain to manufacture an errand to the Steward's quarters.
She knocked and entered, speaking as she came.
"Luina, I've an inventory from the cook – you know how bad her legs are. Why" – she simulated a start of surprise " – why, it's dear Lugal!" she covered her mouth with a hand and gave a pretty little laugh. "But of course, I should say, L'gal! how nice to see you! You've not, I'm sure, grown too fancy to greet an old friend!" swiftly she put her arms around his shoulders and kissed him on each cheek.
L'gal tried to disentangle himself.
T'arla gave a broad wink to all in the room and assumed the petulant tone of one of the more histrionic male Green Riders.
"L'gal, who is this – woman?" she demanded, striking a boyish pose, her hips thrust forward aggressively.
Feletta swung round.
"And who might YOU be to interrupt a reunion?"
T'arla frowned.
"I would ask the question more civilly if I were you, woman. We do not take insolence from you commons. I am Green Rider T'arl" she swallowed the final 'a' "And Bronze Rider L'gal is my weyrmate."
The gamut of emotions that ran across Feletta's face was priceless. With a final gasp of horror and disgust she swung around and almost ran out. Gallin made to follow her; and L'gal caught his arm.
"She'll hurt you – as once she hurt me" he said. "Don't let her. My brother is worth more than that."
Gallin shook off the arm; but stayed, hunching himself down into a chair. L'gal added,
"If she loved you as she professes, she'd wed you. NOT encourage you to wed her half sister to give her the excuse to visit and yet still leaves her free for any games on the side."
"You made your point" said Gallin, sullenly. "Just by existing the point was demonstrated very ably. I don't have to like what I've learned, brother mine."
L'gal laid a hand on his brother's arm; and after a moment's hesitation, Gallin laid his own hand over it to acknowledge the brotherly bond that was stronger than Feletta's games.
Siselly was doubled up with laughter over T'arla's act; and Galuin was in little better state.
"What a naughty girl you are!" said Luina indulgently to T'arla. "Oh – I'm sorry, Green Rider!" she added hastily, remembering the girl's status – and the way she had used it to depress Feletta's pretensions.
T'arla went over to her lover's mother; and though she disliked displays of gratuitous affection gave her a hug.
"I'm not as arrogant as I made like to her" she said "And I would hope I'm too much family for formality, Mother Luina"
"Ah, my dear child!" she was enfolded in Luina's bosom again; and endured it.
"You do formality and arrogance very well" chuckled Galuin "And outraged petulance!"
T'arla shrugged.
"I'm a Harper. We're trained to observe – and if necessary, reproduce – behaviour. It helps for telling tales to act out the parts as you tell them" she added hastily as L'gal gave her a little frown. She had almost given away craft secrets that Harpers observed for far more reason than that and acted out parts often enough to observe from under the cover of disguise!
As there was to be no wedding after all, the dragonriders did not stay long; and took only a brief leave of Holder Revelin, making the need for T'arla to return to Frith the excuse. T'arla had helped Siselly pack all she thought the girl needed. Their views did NOT coincide in this matter; but T'arla had shrugged and permitted some more baggage than she had thought strictly necessary. Solpeth was large enough to manage a good load anyway.
"I am glad to have met your kin" T'arla said softly to L'gal as they loaded the several bags Siselly thought essential. "They seem, pleasant people. If rather conventional" she twinkled at him.
"They took this flutterbudget's defection to the Weyr better than I thought" he said. T'arla shrugged.
"Your mother might have been concerned about a scandal over Gallin being effectively jilted, but she's not stupid. She knew Siselly would make him miserable; and that he'd carry on with Feletta regardless."
"Yes. They are sensible, and shrewd. But you're right dear – it is a strain amongst Holderfolk and I shall be glad to get home!" said L'gal in heartfelt tone.
T'arla laughed and kissed him: and after helping a mightily apprehensive Siselly to climb onto Solpeth's back, they left gladly!
There were no formal candidates at that time, save Prisca and Carlinna, who most of the weyr would say hardly counted; and no clutch was yet anticipated. But there were other girls of around Siselly's age. T'arla passed the girl onto the practical Serehana, a turn or so younger in age but turns older in experience. Zaira would also be a candidate for the next clutch, and was friendly enough with Serehana though she was older than either of the girls. Older too were other would-be candidates, Mirielle, D're's sister, and a young widow called Sibealle, some twenty three turns old, who had trudged to the Weyr with no thought of being a candidate for a better life for herself and her two young sons aged seven and four turns respectively. Abreall and Sibran had settled in well enough and Sibealle had settled down to work as she was needed. T'arla like her; the woman had seemed at first glance to be downtrodden, but she had a good turn of phrase and had mastered the art of the pithy comment. Currently she had attached herself to L'rilly as her personal drudge and nurse, for the Queenrider was not fully fit and was, besides, fostering her infant niece and nephew. Sibealle succeeded in keeping L'rilly cheerful and making her laugh, making her, as T'lana said, a real asset, and earning the gratitude of all L'rilly's friends since the Queenrider had been inclined to be lachrymose since her illness.
Abreall had found a friend in M'kel's son Mikas, a turn or so older; his brother played mostly with A'ira's sons, Clom and Aram, and with the boy Dortol who fostered at the Weyr while his sister Ramina struggled to Hold their cothold after their father's murder.
Serehana, if truth be known, found Siselly a little young for her age; but was kind to her in an offhand way. Carefully she introduced her to Mayana, one of Keerana's nieces and deemed too young by her kin to stand for Impression. Serehana, the same age as Mayana, agreed wholeheartedly. The seabred girl also introduced Siselly to Kelia, K'len's second sister, another girl utterly uninterested in Impression. Serehana privately wondered if Siselly was that interested in Impression herself; and felt that as the girl was Kelia's age, she'd either follow the weyrbred girl in her decision or decide to be a bit more positive in her attitude. It mattered little; either way, new blood was good. Serehana missed her frien Elissa, two turns older than herself, and proving herself so well in the Woodcrafter Hall. Finding as good a friend with as sensible an outlook on life was proving hard, for Zaira was too involved with H'llon to be considered a good companion!
L'gal and T'arla were glad to be back to their little Harper Hall and with the other harpers, official and unofficial. Horgey had been introduced soon after his arrival to logicating, and he was able to take an interest in something that required brainwork rather than muscle, and that he could take part in from his bed. As a result of various matters that had arisen in discussion by the logicators they had reaffirmed that dragonriders were honour bound to help or care for any who needed them. Horgey was himself grateful for this attitude; and when the suggestion was made of a Weyr craftstall at gathers to help with what others called the 'High Reaches cranks and cripples' he worked hard to produce several instruments for sale on it. as did the other apprentices.
L'gal flew with all the apprentice pieces to have them stamped by Master Jerint; who smiled over the little instruments produced by the selection of young harpers.
"I detect the hand of T'rin in the teaching here" he said.
"He's always been a better instrument crafter than me" shrugged L'gal.
Jerint examined a few of the items.
"Who made these? There's a familiarity to the style but…."
L'gal swallowed. Would the master refuse to stamp them?
"Horgey" he said.
"Horgey? That was expelled? He never worked so hard for me" Jerint stamped them without quibbling further. L'gal laughed softly.
"Maybe it's because T'rin's greatest talent he learned before he came to us" he said. "He learned from his foster parents to play skilfully upon the human heart to make it excel."
"Hmm" said Jerint. "You could be right at that. Why, look at Fel – F'lim, I should say. Well, well, you or T'rin is going to put in enough work to make master, I suppose."
L'gal chuckled.
"Oh, soon as we hit the Interval" he said cheerfully.
L'gal did stop by to speak to the Masterharper. Robinton looked tired; and the Journeyman Bronze Rider bit his lip.
Robinton raised an enquiring eyebrow.
"I – it's nothing really, sir" apologised L'gal. "I never realised…..I mean, I don't need to intrude minor matters on you and cause you extra trouble."
"L'gal" the beautiful mellifluous voice was stern and gentle both at once. "I ALWAYS have time for the troubles of my people. It's the troubles of all outside the Harper Hall" he made a comical face "That are so wearing."
L'gal grinned.
"Technically, sir, I'm one of those outsiders myself now."
Robinton snorted.
"Domick may have got his yolk a little addled about the unusually perceptive intelligence of your exquisite and gamine little weyrwoman, but High Reaches are not, nowadays, a worry to the Harper Hall. Now tell me what's on your mind."
"Horgey" L'gal came right to the point.
A delicate arched eyebrow was raised to prompt him to continue; and
"Assess" said Robinton.
L'gal moistened his lips.
"His attitude is – well, so different, you'd not think him the same boy. He – he's actually enthusiastic, especially about our current project."
"Which is?"
"Which is to raise funds in our spare time to keep those that get foisted onto us – I don't quite mean that the way it came out. That is, foisting is the intention of those with, well, embarrassing children with disabilities; but we take the view that everyone has value. But budgets get tight. We tithe for the needs of the Weyr; not for cripple kids no-one else wants. So hence extra craft activities."
Robinton nodded. Rumours, often worded less than kindly, had come his way, that High Reaches would take any useless brat; and Oldive had given him fuller information on those he had himself seen.
"His skills?" asked the Masterharper.
"Passable, Master. He's not the best, but he's not the worst either, especially now he's working hard. I, um, hope you don't mind, I showed some of his instruments to Master Jerint. He, um, stamped them. And Horgey also offered to teach some of the Weyr children."
"Don't shuffle like a naughty apprentice" said Robinton, testily. "Do you think that Jerint would have stamped instruments if he felt I had been opposed to it?"
"No sir."
"Do you feel he should be reinstated?"
"Yes sir."
"Very well. I have been thinking about it. He shall have another chance. After all, I have often seen great misfortune can break OR make a man. I will post it with the next lot of postings."
L'gal smiled gratitude.
"Thank you, Master."
"One more thing, L'gal."
"Masterharper?"
"It seems foolish for you to have to keep running back and forth for confirmation of passing work and instruments. I have spoken with the other masters; and although you are young, we have decided to rank you 'acting-master' of the High Reaches Harper Hall. With rights to confirm suitability of work. However" the Masterharper held up a finger as L'gal stammered confused denials and thanks in the same phrase "However, when you feel a student is ready to be made journeyman, we should like them to spend a period here in confirmation – only a week or two, so as not to disrupt the Impressed too much. I trust that is acceptable?"
"Sir, eminently – but I am not yet worthy!"
"Of a full mastership? No, not yet, it will take a turn or two. That is why you are acting-master only. But you are quite capable of assessing your own pupils!"
"I – I don't know what to say!"
The ghost of a smile touched Robinton's lips.
"Then fall back on training, say 'Yessir' and do your job!" he suggested.
"Yessir!" said L'gal, obediently!