A/N: I do not own the Dragonriders of Pern, though I wish I had a dragon, or even a firelizard. I do own all the original characters, and if you want to play with them, just ask.
KENDRAKendra Ulric shifted uncomfortably under the glare of the blistering sun and stifling breeze that sent more humidity her way and compounded her discomfort. Her shirt clung annoyingly to the small of her back and her rear-end ached from sitting in a bouncing wagon for hours.
Ahead of her and the runner-beasts pulling one of the many wagons was Kendra's older brother, Gavin, riding point. Right now he had reigned in his runner, Prancer, and dismounted, studying the ground.
"Whoa, easy boys," Kendra soothed the team and pulled the heavy draft animals to a stop, an action which halted the rest of the wagon train. Kendra never took her eyes off her brother's back, waiting for a signal.
"What's going on?" Nikkos Ulric, all six feet four inches and two hundred twenty pounds of him asked as he came riding up on his own mount.
"Gavin found something," she spoke calmly, not in the least fazed by her father's irritation, pointing toward her brother. She knew better than to go forward when the point had paused. It had saved the merchant caravan many times from robbers and bandits, and Kendra was not about to break merchant protocol now when they were almost safely to their Hold. Nikkos' only reply was a grunt, echoed by his mount as he heeled it forward to Gavin and Prancer.
"What is it Gavin?" he demanded of his eldest child. Gavin lifted a sun-tanned face and dark eyes to his father.
"These are runner droppings, very recent. All mounted," Gavin remarked, his hand gesturing to indicate the numerous droppings on the trace. "Someone was here as recent as yesterday or day before."
"Unsavory sort?" Nikkos asked gravely. Numerous mounted runners could indicate outlaws and thieves, or another caravan. One never knew the danger in the merchant business until it was almost upon you.
"Mako hasn't sensed anything hostile," Gavin commented thoughtfully, stroking the little bronze firelizard who had just returned from scouting to land on his master's shoulder.
"Keep on the lookout anyway," Nikkos cautioned. "Come straight back if there's any sign of danger. I'll have Torgan and your brother keep an eye on the side and rear. We should reach the Hold soon. Though with us this close to Hold and Weyr I don't see how anyone in their right mind would try and jump an armed caravan."
With a nod, both men mounted and took off in opposite directions. Kendra watched as her father drew up near her wagon.
"Keep a lookout Endy. There might be trouble."
"Yes, Daddy." Kendra brushed a lock of raven colored hair plastered to her forehead behind her ear. Dark blue eyes peered at the rocky outcroppings surrounding the small valley. She sighed. The sooner they reached Sonnette's Dawn Hold, the sooner she could soak her aching muscles in a nice, hot bath.
"C'mon Kyp, c'mon Baby," she called to the runner beasts, slapping the reigns to wake them up. With identical grunts of dismay, they strained against their yokes to heave the heavy merchant's wagon.
Kendra glanced over her shoulder and her sharp eyes easily picked out the five wagons that belonged to her merchant family. Farther back she could see the wagons of the other merchant family who had joined up with theirs to form the protective caravan. She turned her attention back to the front of her wagon and scanned the outlying rocks. Of their own violation, her gaze turned skyward and she wished for a moment that she could take a ride on one of the great dragons that protected Pern from Thread. It would be nice if she were allowed to have a fire-lizard, a real friend for once.
"Kendra, snap out of it."
Kendra was jerked out of her musings to see Gavin looking at her, concern and a great deal of amusement warring for dominance on his wonderfully tanned face.
"Why'd you sneak?" Kendra was both irritated and embarrassed, never mind she should have been paying attention to her surroundings.
"I didn't. You were so off in the Hatching Sands and I decided to bring you back down to Pern before you let these buggers run the wagon off the trace."
Stung by the soft reprimand, Kendra faced forward and brought her team in line, which were very much disappointed to miss the chance to graze on the tender foliage on the side. Riding on the wagon's side, Gavin took pity on her.
"I'm sorry Kendra. Everyone as a kid dreams of Impressing a dragon or a firelizard at some point."
Seeing she was not responsive to his accurate assessment, he went on.
"You're only fourteen Turns old. In another few months you'll be fifteen. Maybe you'll be Searched."
"Or married off. As if Dad would let any of us be Searched." But there was no bitterness in her voice, only a small resignation. The prospect of being married held no appeal to Kendra at the moment; especially not to the holder boy her father had his eye on for her possible spouse. Prefan was more irritating than ingratiating, and much too full of himself in Kendra's opinion.
Gavin smiled in sympathy for her. Out of two sisters and one brother, Kendra was his favorite sibling. He knew that only because she was lonely did she long so much for a close companion, and every child dreamed of possibly having that close bond between dragon and rider.
Even the bond between a person and his or her firelizard was preferable to being alone. Gavin couldn't understand how Kendra could feel so alone in a family as large and close as theirs was, but he didn't criticize her for it. He blamed himself for that. He had always been closest to Kendra, and she had been shattered when he had left five Turns ago as a soldier. He should have encouraged her to seek out more friends, but a small part of him admitted he had reveled in the realization he was the sole person whom his sister looked up to.
Kendra had been left with no one really close to talk to she was so shy. It made Gavin's heart ache that she was so afraid of doing the wrong things and ruining friendships. He sighed, and let Prancer keep pace with Kendra's wagon. He could protect her from many things, but he couldn't protect her from her own fears and inhibitions.
As if sensing his thoughts, Kendra turned toward him and smiled. Yes, Kendra knew her fears kept her back. By the First Egg, bless her heart, she was making an effort to be more friendly and sociable. But Gavin suspected no one else in the family knew how much of an effort that cost Kendra. She'd never be the social flutter their younger sister Mia was.
Ah, well. Soon they should reach Sonnette's Dawn Hold and then they would be home for a good long stretch. Time enough to worry later.
The sun was low on the horizon as the weary band of travelers reached the Hold. It was completely dark by the time the Ulric Clan and their wagons reached their home, put the animals down for the night, stored the merchandise, and crawled into bed.
Kendra groaned as she was shaken awake all too soon by her mother.
"Five more minutes," she mumbled sleepily, feebly batting at the hands rudely awakening her.
"I would if I could, but you have to work and go to school," Latonya's amused voice came to Kendra's sleep-fuddled mind. "There's klah on the table and food in the kitchen. Time to get up Kendra Ulric." Then Latonya was out of the room, leaving Kendra to rise out of bed on reflex.
Best to listen when Mother uses the full name, she thought groggily, grabbing the steaming cup of klah off the nightstand and taking a careful sip. A few more sips and she was awake enough to take the sweetsand in one hand her mother had left conveniently in plain view, her klah in the other, and headed toward the bathing room.
A nice warm bath woke her up sufficiently for her to not completely wander around in a daze, and managed to get in a decent breakfast before seeking her chores. Her muscles protested, but at least she wasn't sitting, a small blessing to be grateful for. She mucked out the stalls for the runners and dray beasts that had been put out to pasture, put fresh hay and fodder down, and topped off the water troughs with water from the spring the barn was built on top of. She took down the harnesses from the pegs on the wall and quickly checked for broken or blighted strips of leather or worn down buckles, placing the ruined pieces in the special place for them, and the whole pieces in the section to be oiled. A task she did not envy for her sister.
Milking the cattle came next, and Kendra did have to sit for this particular chore. Today seemed to be a good day, for each of the four milkers provided plenty of milk for the family. Kendra looked forward to when they could make butter and cream and cheese. Perhaps they'd have enough cream and milk left over to make ice cream if the dragonriders would be so kind to go to the cold mountains of High Reaches in the North and get some ice. Now that would be a treat. Kendra's mouth watered at the thought of such a delicacy, and hurried to the special storage place for the milk and where her mother stored the cheeses and slabs of butter.
She was just coming out of the dairy storage to wash her bucket when her eleven-Turn sister came running down the path, brunette hair flowing in a stream behind her like one gigantic tan ribbon.
"Hey Kendra! Momma says hurry with the chores or we'll be late for the Harper's instruction!" And social bee Mia went buzzing back up the path to find her father. Kendra nearly groaned and stood rooted to the spot. The Harper! She nearly grumbled as she went to clean the milk pails. She knew every Teaching Song and Ballad by rote, as if Nikkos and Latonya would shirk in their duty! She knew them even better than Journeywoman Harper Ryssa, having to have memorized them on the open trail or on sea when her parents took them on their merchant runs.
She even knew some songs that the Hold's Harper didn't, and didn't look forward to being interrogated by the journeywoman Harper about any new songs she might have heard, as she was sure to do so when they arrived for the instruction of the Hold children. Kendra strongly suspected that the young Harper was setting her sights on having Kendra apprentice to the Harper Hall, but as much as she enjoyed music, it just wasn't her passion. Then again, it could be an acceptable alternative to marrying Prefan.
After washing the buckets and leaving them to dry on their pegs, Kendra all but ran to the outside well to freshly scrub herself clean and take off the heavy work boots she used when cleaning the barn. Making sure no muck entered Latonya Ulric's domain was a high priority if you wanted to stay under her roof. Kendra slipped on her regular boots and was ready when her father came around on his mount leading a fresh mare with a calm personality wearing only a bridle. Normally Kendra didn't mind bareback, but she stifled the groan at the strain her sore muscles would have to go through.
"Mount up, Endy," Nikkos used his pet nickname for his eldest daughter, smiling slightly. With an ease of practice, Kendra mounted Day Star, accomplishing this fairly quickly since she was in trousers. She didn't have time enough for a proper skirt as befitting a lady her age, but she'd be able to let it slide this once. Maybe.
Her sister was coming out of the house with their mother, and though she didn't say anything, Kendra knew her mother was disapproving of her trousers. But she was already mounted and they'd be late if they didn't get going. Mia and her skirts were boosted up behind Kendra, who spurred Star into a ground-eating trot after the niceties were finished.
Nikkos tagged along for a ways before taking a turn off before they reached the Inner Hold where the instruction of the Hold children would take place. A few more blocks and then Kendra stopped Star before the stable. She set Mia down carefully before dismounting herself and giving Star over to the groom who had watched her grow up. He gave the Ulric girls a wink and then the two sisters hurried toward class.
"It wouldn't hurt you to wear a skirt or dress sometime Kendra," Mia commented as they took their seats in the Hold room.
"I do wear them, just not the mornings after we get in and up late," Kendra whispered back to her sister before falling silent when the Journeywoman came in.
"Take your seats class, and we'll pick up where we left yesterday. Mia, Kendra, how nice of you to join us this season." Ryssa smiled as she took in the merchant's daughters, allowing the class to laugh a bit before calling them to order again. Mia just took it in stride, but Kendra was more than a little bit embarrassed. She didn't know why the Harper took such great joy in tormenting her, but she shrugged it off. The stares of Prefan however, were not so easily shrugged off. She didn't know for certain, but it seemed as if he was more than a little cockier this morning than usual.
Kendra forced herself to listen to the Harper, and paid attention when the Harper woman brought out some new material fresh from the Harper Hall. That proved to be the distraction she needed, though her backside made it painfully known that it still had not forgiven her the taxing ride yesterday.
Things settled down over the next few seven-days, and Kendra was in a much better mood, though Prefran's gloating stares toward her were beginning to get on her nerves and make her wonder if her father had planned something with Prefran's that she should know about. She did her best to ignore him, but he seemed to invade her space when they went to school, and it was all she could do not to haul off and deck him like Gavin had taught her how. Somehow, she thought punching the Holder's cousin, even one distantly related, without apparent provocation would not be favorably looked upon.
One day during quiet time, Kendra was busy copying down a particularly catchy tune so she could practice it at home. It was quite upbeat, and Kendra thought it would be excellent to add to the repertoire of songs to sing around the fire when her parents went on their next merchant run. Kendra looked up from her copying when a shadow blocked her light and she could see Prefan with his smirk.
"Could you please step out of my light Prefan?" Kendra asked politely, trying to keep her temper and voice mild. But it was exceedingly difficult. Prefan was being more annoying than usual and it was increasingly difficult to be nice.
"Sure," he shrugged and sat almost right on top of her! Kendra bit back a surprised yelp and scooted down the bench. But Prefan kept on pressing closer, and it was very uncomfortable when she was backed all the way at the end and couldn't go any farther due to the wall behind her.
"What are you doing Prefan?" Kendra asked, leaning as far back into the wall as possible. Prefan was close, he was on top of the trailing edge of the skirt she had finally worn. She couldn't tug it away; he was too heavy and there was no room.
"I'm just trying to get to know my future wife, what's wrong with that?" Kendra didn't like the glint in his eye and took a quick breath. His gaze focused on her heaving chest and it made her feel dirty.
"Prefan…" Kendra warned, now very much afraid. Prefan had never looked at her like that, and it didn't make her feel good or desirous at all. She looked around desperately, but found the others were too far away and busy at their own work to pay attention.
Shards! What am I going to do?
"C'mon Kendra, give me a kiss."
"What!"
"We're going to be married anyway, what's a little kiss? C'mon." Prefan leaned in closer and it made Kendra feel claustrophobic. She started to try and wiggle away but the table and two walls and Prefan trapped her.
"Prefan!" Kendra hated how her voice trembled and wouldn't reach higher than a squeak.
Help! her inner mind screamed. She wanted to yell for help but she couldn't seem to get enough volume or air. Prefan leaned ever closer and reached to grab her. She gasped and suddenly there was a shriek and the flapping of wings, and then Prefan was yelping, trying to get away. A rough hand grabbed him by the shoulder and jerked him away from Kendra.
"Don't ever come near my sister again!" Gavin roared in anger, still gripping the boy in his unforgiving grasp. A little bronze blur dived toward Prefan, and Mako took another swipe at the now terrified boy before coming to rest on his master's shoulder, hissing, eyes whirling an angry red and yellow.
"What? Let me go!"
Prefan's panicked cries fell on deaf ears as Gavin hauled him bodily through the door. Journeywoman Ryssa was frozen in shock. Gavin Ulric was notorious for his ability to keep his temper in check, and many came to him often for mediation. He could be counted on to give neutral opinions, and he was fair and honest. But he had a reputation for being just as fierce during battle to defend something precious, and nothing was more precious than his family.
Ryssa couldn't believe what she was seeing. She finally came to her senses and started after the two. The rest of the class was right behind, and Kendra after them. She was still in a state of shock, having envisioned all sorts of terrible things that could have happened then and later. She was also so relieved.
Kendra found the others easily by the shouts of both Prefan and the gathering crowd. She caught up to them in the courtyard and watched a little helplessly as Gavin brought Prefan right up to the Holder and dropped him.
"What is the meaning of this?" Sonnette's Dawn's Holder asked Gavin. He was pointedly not looking at his cousin.
"Prefan tried to force himself upon my sister Kendra," Gavin answered, never taking his eyes off his Holder. Much of the past five years was spent serving this lord; now he was going to see how far his service was appreciated.
"That's a lie!" Prefan screeched helpless. He winced as Gavin placed a foot upon him to keep him down in the dirt.
"I saw him with my own eyes. My firelizard was very distressed and took off for the Harper's school. I followed and saw Prefan cornering my sister." Gavin's eyes turned deadly and the glare directed downward was full of contempt and fury. "Kendra's back was pressed against the wall and she had nowhere to go. Prefan was trying to kiss her."
"Where is Kendra now?"
"I'm here my Lord," Kendra spoke up, having to try a couple of times before the words would come out. Even then, her words sounded shaky and uncertain. She found her legs were starting to shake again and she was feeling a tad lightheaded.
What timing for a delayed reaction, she thought vaguely.
The crowd parted to give her room and an aisle formed so she could walk towards the Lord Holder but Kendra couldn't seem to make her feet move.
"Well, look at this. She's so scared she can hardly move. My Meeth says she can't stop shaking. Move aside," an authoritive voice announced as a lovely woman dressed in wherhide trousers and a form-fitting jacket and boots stalked down the aisle and came to stop by Kendra.
She reached out and took Kendra gently by the arm, and started to lead her to the front. It took a few moments for it to register in Kendra's brain that this woman was wearing riding gear, and that the woman was a dragonrider. Kendra quickly glanced up on the courtyards fireheights and to her amazement and dismay saw three dragons, two blues and a green, peering down into the yard.
Before she could say anything, they were in front of the Lord Holder, her brother, Prefan, and two men dressed in riding gear just like the woman's. Kendra gulped down the lump in her throat and saw that all the men were looking at her seriously.
The two male dragonriders seemed to be sympathetic and kind on top of their seriousness, while the Lord Holder looked grave. Obviously, since it was his own Blood which committed the alleged offense.
"Kendra," her Lord spoke gravely.
"My Lord Holder." She started to tremble all over again and couldn't seem to stop. She vaguely heard a soft chirrup and her eyes flicked to her brother's little bronze that was giving her encouragement.
"Kendra…" her Lord spoke again, paused, and then continued. "Kendra, your brother has spoken a serious charge against Prefan today. Is what he says true?"
"It is my Lord." Kendra tried to keep her voice steady but it kept trembling as much as her legs, and only the dragonrider's hands on her arm kept her upright and off the ground.
"That's a lie!" Prefan shouted, then her groaned as Gavin increased the pressure and Mako hissed in agitation, eyes starting to whirl faster in shades of yellow, red, and orange.
"You will be silent until you are spoken to!" Lord Gram thundered suddenly, and there was a sudden silence that split the air. Lord Holder Gram looked as if he'd been hit with a heavy beam that his cousin could do something like this, but he also knew that he had to get to the bottom of this. And he'd been hearing some disturbing reports about this cousin concerning the past few seven-days.
"Now, Kendra, please tell us what happened. If you can."
"Well, Journeywoman Ryssa had ordered quiet time, and I was copying a tune down. I wasn't paying attention to anything else when my light was blocked. I looked up and it was Prefan standing in my way. I asked him to move, and he told me sure, and then sat almost right on top of me. Prefan's been acting strange lately, staring at me differently, and it hasn't been a good thing."
" I looked around but everyone else was too far away and busy with their assignments. He kept scooting closer to me until I was backed against the wall." Kendra had to look down.
She was so embarrassed and scared, remembering her terror. The hand on her arm squeezed gently and Kendra's eyes flew upwards to look into those of the female dragonrider. She smiled in encouragement and Kendra took a deep breath.
"It's okay, go on," the dragonrider encouraged in her lovely voice.
"I asked him what he was doing. He said he was just trying to get to know his future wife better." And here Kendra couldn't keep the puzzlement out of her voice. " I knew my father had been considering a union between us, but I was not aware if he had acted upon that or if he was just musing. The way Prefan was acting, it sounded as if it is a sure thing."
"It's not," Gavin intervened, his soft tone very firm and decided. He gave a soft downward pressing on Prefan just to remind him that he knew he was still down there and hadn't forgotten.
"Continue, Kendra," Lord Gram urged, giving Gavin a look to stay out until it was over.
"Then he looked at me kinda funny. I've never had anyone look at me quite that way. It made me feel…dirty." Kendra's voice grew soft and her eyes focused on the ground to keep her pain out of her eyes.
"He's never looked at me like that and I was afraid. I couldn't move anywhere and he was almost on top of me. He moved closer and I couldn't breathe he was so close. He said he wanted a kiss, and that since we were to be espoused there was no reason not to. He tried to kiss me." There was a soft growling sound, and Kendra was slightly shocked to realize it was Gavin and Mako, and a deeper echo from the dragons on the heights.
"What happened then?" Lord Gram prompted gently. He could tell this girl was not lying, she was too scared and hurt, and the way the dragons and dragonriders were acting it was obviously the truth.
"I couldn't scream, though I wanted to. I couldn't seem to get enough air to do so," Kendra admitted.
"I was so scared. I just cried for help in my mind, and wished it was over with. Then I heard a shriek, and there was a little bronze blur in the way. And then I heard my brother Gavin yank Prefan away and tell him never to come near me again."
There was silence except for Prefan's muffled protests. Gavin just increased his pressure and then suddenly moved off to the side. Prefan shook himself and got shakily to his feet, glaring at Gavin. He looked toward his cousin and his heart sank at what he saw.
"Prefan, the charges against you are serious. And I am inclined to believe them. Do not speak!" Gram thundered when his cousin would open his mouth. "I have been hearing many things about your activities lately, cousin. I am not pleased. Three months ago you took advantage of a young holder girl in one of the neighboring holds. She is now in the family way, and in need of espousal. There are also other reports of young girls you've taken advantage of. And now this. Prefan, I cannot condone this any longer. The Ulric's can press charges against you and I will not help you."
"Cousin!"
"Do not cousin me! You have abused your Blood right and claim to my protection, and more dreadful, you deliberately tried to take advantage of a girl when there was a Search taking place. You have disgraced the Blood and the Hold today."
The crowd murmured and the dragons trumpeted over the noise of the crowd and Prefan's exclamations of disbelief. Gavin was silent, but he was a threatening presence that Prefan shrank away from. He looked out in the crowd for some solace, and was met with angry stares and the furious gazes of Nikkos and Latonya Ulric. He swallowed hard.
Lord Gram followed his cousin's gaze and found Kendra's parents. He cleared his throat.
"Merchant Holder Ulric, my lady," he greeted them. "As the offense is against your daughter, I give you full authority to deal with Prefan any way you choose, even unto death and castration."
"What?" Panic overtook Prefan and he tried to run.
"Guards, constrain him." Prefan struggled with the guards who came and took hold of him, cursing everyone he could think of.
"Lord Gram, as angry as we are with Prefan for taking liberties with our daughter," Nikkos spoke up, coming forward and ignoring the struggling Prefan, "My wife and I are not harsh. We do not wish the boy dead or castrated." Prefan visibly slumped in relief.
"However," and Nikkos' eyes glittered in malice, "We feel he should still pay for his crimes not just against my daughter, but also to the holder girls he's taken advantage of. So I suggest this: one, that Prefan espouse the holder girl he made with child and provide for her and the child; two that he work with his new spouse's family; and thirdly, that he and any offspring he bears be disinherited from ever taking Hold should this Hold come into contention."
"That's not fair!" Prefan shouted. Nikkos paid no heed, his attention on his Lord Holder.
"And lastly, he should provide for any other children that may have been produced due to his dalliances with the other holder girls not his spouse."
Gram had to suppress his smile of pleasure. He had known Nikkos Ulric would not have put his cousin to death or castration. But having the threat of those two terrible fates had put his wayward cousin in enough of a panic that the harsh punishment Ulric meted out would be an acceptable alternative. He quite agreed with Ulric and nodded toward the man.
"It shall be as you say, Merchant Ulric. Prefan, you are to be espoused to the dray holder Sorrel's daughter by the end of this month. You are to work with Sorrel, provide for any children inside and outside your espousal you sired, and from henceforth you are no longer part of the Blood, and you and any children you sire are not to be taken in account should this Hold come into contention. So let it be heard and witnessed today. Guards, take this man away."
"Cousin, wait, no cousin, I'm sorry. Cousin!" The burly guards took the screaming Prefan away, who was begging his cousin to reconsider. The crowd was murmuring and Gram knew that this would be upon everyone's lips for seven-days to come. He sighed; it couldn't be helped and he had been needing to take Prefan to task for a while now. He just wished it hadn't been so publicly. But perhaps that is what it would take in order for him to get his life straight. Some people just needed to do things the hard way.
Gram looked over at Nikkos and caught the other man's eye. They nodded at each other in complete understanding. Latonya Ulric pushed her way through the crowd to get to her eldest daughter, still in the grip of the female dragonrider.
"Kendra," her mother got out before wrapping her arms around her daughter. The rider discreetly let go of the girl's arm and stepped back toward her two male counterparts.
"Mom," Kendra hugged her mother back, burying her face in her mother's neck. Gavin moved to flank the two, and Journeywoman Ryssa managed to get to the rest of her class to move along the wall.
"Lord Gram, should I leave the eldest here for the Search?" the wily Harper girl asked aloud, and the distraction worked. People suddenly remembered the dragonriders and as one, looked toward the heights where the two blues and the green were resting.
"A Search…" was spoken by more than one incredulous and awed voice.
"Well, that worked well didn't it?" the female dragonrider asked wryly, sending the Harper a partly amused look. The bigger of her two male companions laughed aloud.
"Enough, A' son," he casually ordered. He turned to the Lord Holder. "I believe we had been discussing Searching your Hold before we were interrupted? Perhaps we should come at a. …less dramatic time?"
"No, no S'ner, it's quite all right. The Weyr is free to Search the Hold," Lord Gram was quick to assure the rider. "Please, continue with your Search." Lord Gram moved out of the way.
"Everyone not old enough or too old to be Searched needs to get out of the courtyard so the dragonriders can go home. We've already taken enough of their time."