Chapter 10
L'gal was scarcely an innocent; lovers he had had before T'arla. Though she was different. It was not merely the shared delight of both having dragons and the possibility of uniting in dragonlust.
He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
He wanted to share all his life with her, making music together, debating points and making up if debates got a little hot.
"I'd like to take you to meet my family, my family outside the Weyr" he told her, rather tentatively.
T'arla chuckled.
"How terribly Holdbred!" she teased; but it was noticeable that there was not the sneering note to her voice that such a comment might have had before she settled down. Nevertheless, L'gal coloured; and then flushed deeper in embarrassment for having flushed in the first place.
"I am Holdbred" he said. "My family are Runner Traders and have been for generations; but my father wanted to settle down and marry a Holdbred girl. I see – saw – a lot of my runner trader uncle, but yes, I also grew up with Holdbred attitudes."
"I thought I sensed a strong streak of the conventional, Harper-man" she grinned at him.
He shrugged.
"We are what we are. COVENTIONALLY" he picked the word deliberately "YOUR people despise Holder-folk as hidebound weaklings. MY people despise the Holdless as losers and thieves. Neither view is accurate; and as Harpers, I would hope that we both see through it."
"I stand reproved" she said in a small voice; then shot him a wicked look under her lashes. "Shall I instead sit reproved – on your knee?"
L'gal smiled ruefully and held out his arms to her to ensconce herself on his lap.
"What are your folks like?" she asked; and he knew that she had capitulated and would come with him; and that half her disparaging remarks at least were to cover her fear that her lover's family would reject his choice of weyrmate. He considered how best to describe his family, trying to see them objectively.
"My parents, I should say, are very ordinary people" he began. "My father, Gallran, sufficiently impressed the Holder when he married into the Hold that he made him Steward when the previous Steward, my mother's grandfather, died. There are those who might call my father stuffy and pompous: and about his work, I'd say that yes, he is. He did not want to betray the trust placed in him, a man of slightly dubious – to the eyes of most Holderfolk – antecedents and is conscientious to a fault. Though those antecedents came in handy, for he's also in charge of buying runnerbeasts for the Hold and it's shrewd he is at so doing. But however busy he may have been, he always made time to play with us three boys and take us riding and fishing and so on. Mother too always found time for us and never shunted us off onto drudges, though as chief housekeeper having three lively lads 'helping' must at times have been trying" he grinned at the memories of a happy childhood. "My parents married for love, which is always nice to find, and their love deepened with time even if it's not very demonstrative. And, being sensible folk, my mother used herbs that she has three healthy children and has good health herself by limiting her pregnancies. Gallin is my oldest brother; he's two turns my senior. And it's why I thought we might go visiting: for I've just received word from him that he's to be wed, and I thought it would be nice to be there for the wedding."
T'arla raised an eyebrow.
"So he can exercise Holdbred smugness over his married state as compared to your weyrslut?" she asked a trifle bitterly.
L'gal flushed angrily.
"If he says any such thing, he'll wed wearing bruises!" he growled. "Do NOT assume, though, T'arla! I have written to my parents that I have met someone special – and father wrote back for both of them that they are very pleased for me and asked if we Weyrfolk were too grand to attend a country wedding. There!" he said.
T'arla blinked at the idea that she could readily extrapolate from such phrasing that the Steward – a grand title by her Holdless reckoning – was nervous of his own son's Impressed state and any weyrwoman he should be fond of!
"And your brother?" she asked. "Will he welcome you?"
It was not unknown for siblings of the Impressed to be jealous and to exhibit hostility because of that; and T'arla had heard of such in wistful tales from other weyrlings.
L'gal grinned.
"Gallin? He's easy going and looks upon life with cheerful acceptance" he said. "Galuin, my younger brother, is the one who plays for cheap laughs. But never about kin. We three always hung together – over everything." A shadow crossed his face, briefly.
"What is it?" T'arla asked.
"There were six of us, all about the same age, over a four turn spread or thereabouts. There were my brothers and I, two other brothers, Keet and Keernek, a turn each way about my age, and – Feletta" he grimaced. "Feletta had a way of winding us round her pretty and devious little finger from an early age" he explained. "We got into trouble for her willingly – stealing bubbly pies and the like. And it never occurred to us to rat on her because she was a girl" he grinned deprecatingly "Holdbred attitudes: protect girls. And encouraged by Feletta herself, I assure you! Anyway, we all grew up and the difference in her gender became more…..marked."
"I'll bet" muttered T'arla, trying not to curl her fingers into lizard claws.
"I fell for her. It's no point hiding it. It was calf love, but quite violent. And I proposed marriage. She – she laughed at me because I was a second son."
T'arla said a short, expressive and ugly word.
L'gal laughed.
"Truly. And she married Keet, or so I have heard, whose father is a wealthy marksman. I left to enter apprenticeship at the Harper Hall."
"How old were you?"
"Fourteen."
She whistled.
"You did well to make Journeyman while still in Impressionable age" she was impressed.
L'gal grinned.
"At first I worked hard to forget. Then I worked because it was fun and I'd forgotten what it was I wanted to forget."
She laughed.
"You recovered quite quickly then?"
"Oh yes. As soon as I realised how superficial she really was; and how unimportant compared to music. But we should be aware….." he tailed off.
"That she's a manipulative little tunnel snake who might try to make trouble because she can't bear it that all the personable men around might not be in love with her? Don't worry, I shan't let her upset my man."
"Say that again."
"What word for word? I don't have Mi'a's knack for total recall."
"No – just the last bit – 'my man'. I rather like the sound of it."
"Idiot! Of course you're my man. And I'm not losing you to some wherry-headed holderbitch who has the soul of a loving wench and that's because she stole it from the poor girl!"
HHH
T'arla and Frith had been learning to fly together now R'gar deemed the greens of the clutch large enough; but there was no question that the little dragon would be able to fly Straight as far as L'gal's old home: and obviously the pair were nowhere near ready to go Between. T'arla asked Frith if she minded dreadfully being left for two days.
"I will miss you" said the little Green, disconsolately.
"And I you!" T'arla flung her arms around Frith's neck. "I will not go with L'gal if it makes you unhappy!"
"But you do want to go. You like L'gal. I like Solpeth" Frith added "I will stay with Rillith and Linith" she named J'nara's and B'lova's dragons. T'arla hugged her fiercely.
"I will be back soon!" she assured her beloved dragonet.
Holder Revelin of Mynd Hold wondered why his Hold should be honoured by a visit from a Bronze Rider; and he hurried his new, lovely and rather petulant bride to join him in greeting the unexpected visitor.
As the big Bronze dragon neatly backwinged to land on the fireheights of the long razorbacked mountain spur where the Hold was situated, it became apparent that the Bronze Rider also carried a passenger. Revelin fervently hoped that it would not be any of his lady's relatives paying a visit. He had had enough of being patronised by them at the wedding, for Taletts's family outranked his and held a larger, richer Hold: and he was beginning to realise why a woman as beautiful as his bride was still unwed in her mid twenties! Still, Revelin told himself, surely even his shrewish wife's family could not command a favour from so high ranking a fellow as a Bronze Rider!
L'gal helped T'arla down and pulled a private face to see the reception committee.
"Ah, our glorious Holder" he murmured sardonically to his love. "Pompous and self important. Means well by his people, however, but fails to manage to convey that impression."
Taletta gave a fashionable little shriek of terror as Solpeth extended a curious neck; and she took a step back.
Holder Revelin held out a greeting hand; then belatedly wondered if that were too familiar a gesture. But by then, L'gal had politely grasped his wrist.
"My Lord Bronze Rider!" the Holder almost squeaked. "We are terribly honoured! How may I be of assistance?"
"Holder Revelin! It's been a number of turns, hasn't it?" L'gal managed to sound friendly.
Revelin's eyes darted to his lady, staying at a safe distance and displaying an artistic amount of fragile terror, and said in an undertone,
"B-bronze Ride, I – I think I'd remember if I had so exalted an acquaintance!"
"Name's L'gal. The last time you saw me I was a stripling named Lugal, off to the Harper Hall. I'm Gallron's son. Been a lot of water under the bridge since then!" said L'gal laconically. His quick eyes missed nothing – the slightly harried look of the middle aged bridegroom, the overdressed wife with the unmistakeable features of the Ranking family that held sway in te region, related by marriage to Lord Nessel of Crom. He held the Holder's wrist longer than was required by convention and slapped him in a friendly way on the shoulder: and contrived a wink out of sight of the Lady Holder. "Of course as a one time member of your Hold I'd be prepared to give the occasional lift to you to visit….relatives" he murmured, well aware of how that would go down with the Lady's family!
It took a moment to sink in; then Revelin broke into a delighted grin!
"Why how splendid! Come L'gal, and meet my new wife, Taletta, and introduce your friend. Then klah? Or something stronger?"
"Klah is fine. And it seems we are similarly situate – this is my weyrmate T'arla, Greenrider" he held an arm to indicate and draw forward his weyrmate. T'arla came forward, resisting the urge to bob an awkward curtsey that her previous rank would have demanded; and inclined an imperious head instead.
"Weyrwoman" said Revelin, respectfully. "Excuse me, did the Bronze Rider say 'Green Rider'?"
"He did" said T'arla, crisply. "We put women to Greens at High Reaches. It avoids some problems."
"Er, oh, qhite" said the Holder.
"And of course, my dear" put in the Lady Taletta, speaking for the first time now they had progressed a safe distance from the huge Bronze dragon "It must give you SO much freedom." She managed to make the comment seem offensive.
"Freedom" T'arla considered the word. L'gal winced inwardly; he knew his beloved's acid tongue! "Freedom. Yes, we choose freely to go for Impression and choose freely to fight Thread and risk our lives for the likes of you, My Lady."
It was a rebuke; and Taletta flushed. L'gal relaxed; it could have been a LOT more forcibly put. Holder Revelin choked on a laugh and managed,
"We are all grateful for the dedication of all dragonriders." He sounded like he meant it.
T'arla regarded him gravely.
"We all appreciate the partnership we share in making life flow as smoothly as possible for all people" she said.
Shards, thought L'gal, she's been talking to H'llon and picked up a sack full of tact into the bargain!
Revelin turned to his Lady.
"A celebration is called for to honour our Hold's one and only dragonrider – and a Bronze Rider at that! And I am therefore doubly honoured, L'gal, that my Blood is to be joined with yours soon!"
"Indeed?" L'gal asked warily.
"Why, yes! You don't I suppose, remember little Siselly – an indiscretion of my younger days. But it is she who is to marry your brother!"
Taletta gave a tinkle of spiteful laughter.
"Why, is then our illustrious Bronze Rider the STEWARD's son?" scorn crept into her voice.
L'gal turned and gazed at her, eyebrows raised, mild surprise at her rudeness displayed in his own harper-trained features. He kept a couple of fingers on T'arla's wrist, drumming with one of them
DDDDlet me handle thisDDDD
Taletta's insolent gaze dropped before L'gal's.
Revelin spoke hurriedly.
"Yes, we are honoured" he said firmly. "That one of our own should be so successful and so exalted. And after qualifying so young too as Journeyman Harper and to be honoured in that right too" he added, noting L'gal's proudly displayed knots. "Why I might then dare hope that one day grandchildren of mine might Impress also – for such things often run in families!"
"I had thought that Siselly was almost a decade my junior" frowned L'gal. "I must have been wrong."
"She is fourteen turns old" said Revelin defensively. "Old enough to be wed. As my dear wife pointed out!"
L'gal looked at him; switched his gaze to Taletta and raised an eyebrow.
"I see" he murmured, accepting a mug of klah from a drudge, with a nod of thanks.
Taletta flushed angrily. She rather thought that he did see! It was bad enough that Revelin had held out against sending the chit well away to be wed; but to be looked at like this by a snotty, jumped-up commoner as though she was dirt made her want to burst with indignation!
"It's so nice" said T'arla with a suspiciously saccharine tone "That your daughter knows her mind so young to choose someone like L'gal's….older….brother."
Revelin shuffled.
"She did not object" he muttered, almost inaudibly.
"What a shame we did not know about High Reaches policy of letting girls Impress Green dragons!" said Taletta with false brightness "or we could have let her come to you! Such a spirited girl!"
T'arla gave the woman a studied look; and the Holder Woman's eyes fell. T'arla had no doubt that the woman would indeed have been pleased to get rid of an embarrassing stepdaughter to the Weyr, without considering the consequences to her own standing if the girl should Impress! The young Green Rider smiled brightly and L'gal swallowed a seering mouthful of klah to hide an inward groan.
"Why, Lady Taletta, it's not too late for Siselly to come to the Weyr if she so wishes; it is the Right for any to do so. And how generous that you do not mind that she would then socially outrank you if she became a Green Rider!"
T'arla was determined to get that dig in – and push home her own rank, not perhaps yet fully earned since she had yet to fight Thread; but earned at least in the view of the dragons!
Taletta's face was a study.
There was a flurry and a dark-haired, coltish girl looking younger than her fourteen turns came flying into the room, all legs.
"Revelin, may I? Instead of being wed? SHE'll be pleased because I'll be gone and I'll not have to marry!"
Revelin cleared his throat; and Taletta said sharply,
"Siselly, you rude, naughty child! How dare you eavesdrop! Go to your room!"
Siselly drew herself up. L'gal noticed that the child was trembling, and her fingernails dug into the palms of her hands, clenched in the folds of her gown. She spoke and managed her voice with scarcely a tremor.
"Madam, you cannot have it both ways. Either I am a woman old enough to be wed and old enough to take decisions for myself, or I am a child you can reprove and therefore not old enough to leave my father's household to begin a household of my own."
Taletta gaped, outraged at this piece of undeniable logic; and T'arla laughed.
"Nicely reasoned, my child!" said the Green Dragonrider. "And you do NOT require permission to seek the protection of the Weyr once you are of age. And in the Weyr, fourteen turns is the age of choice – when you are considered old enough to make your own decisions."
"I will come then" said the girl, firmly.
L'gal caught and held her eye.
"Then you should explain your decision to Gallin, my brother" he said, sternly "For he has a right to know why his intended bride would leave him so close to the wedding."
Siselly tossed her head and grinned at him.
"Gallin will understand" she said. "He's only marrying me out of kindness anyway. He's not in love with me or anything soppy like that; I'd just have to be complacent. And I'm a goodish match for him. I like Gallin" she added thoughtfully. "He's kind."
"I see" said L'gal. "Then let us go and find him. Revelin, I shall see you later after I have untangled this mess" he nodded to the flabbergasted Holder and swept out, manoeuvring the faintly protesting Siselly and followed by T'arla.
"A pretty pickle this is" L'gal growled to T'arla as they went out of earshot.
The girl shrugged.
"A marriage arranged by that she-snake and like to be interfered in by her? It would make your brother as miserable as it would this Siselly we appear to have acquired. And at least the kid do't put on airs and coy flirtings for the Magnificent Bronze Rider."
"Why should I?" put in Siselly. "I don't want to flirt with anyone."
"Pert brat, aren't you?" commented T'arla, amiably. "Aye, you'll do at High Reaches – so long as you learn when is the time to be outspoken and when is the time to shut the crackdust up and do as you're bid."
L'gal hid a smile. His lover was on the receiving end of her own brand of rebellion.