Chapter 6
T'arla came visiting to the Harper Hall shortly after Horgey had written to her, a passenger on her weyrmate's big Bronze dragon.
L'gal wanted to purchase some drum clips and metal harp strings from Master Jerint in any case, so combined the errands; and he also used his instrument crafting requirements to discuss T'arla's cousin Meeri with Master Domick, for the girl was a natural tunecrafter.
T'arla went in search of Horgey, and found him wrapping up a lesson on timing notation with his Ranking girls, having been introducing more complex pieces for them and finding that they had no idea how to translate the time-honoured words used to indicate slower or faster passages.
T'arla propped herself up against the wall and listened cynically to Asrina whining that the notes all have their proper length and it wasn't fair that some Harpers should change their minds about what that meant.
Horgey counted to ten.
"It's not changing that much" he said, with obvious patience. "The values of the notes in relationship with each other remain the same. And the number in each bar must remain the same. But some passages need to be taken a little slower – or a little faster. Not enough to half the values of the notes by changing from crotchets to quavers or vice-versa; just a little."
"It's quite simple, you silly chit" drawled T'arla as Asrina stared blankly. "Think of the notation as walking steps. A Holder girl walks out of the Hold at normal speed; on her way to the Gather ground she passes a lewd fellow who eyes her up in a way that makes her feel uncomfortable and she walks a little faster to pass him quickly but hopes he won't notice that she's speeded up a bit; she won't run because she'd lose her dignity. Later on she passes a handsome Brown Rider and dawdles a little in the hopes he'll notice her; but she doesn't slow down too much in case he thinks she's, er, fast, if you'll excuse the mixed metaphor."
Horgey blinked.
"Why, thank you apprentice Harper Green Rider T'arla!" he said. "I like that description, though I'm glad it was a woman put it that way, not me!"
T'arla grinned.
"You're welcome, Journeyman" she said. "And my apologies for interrupting your class; it's chill out there."
"Under the circumstances, more than accepted" said Horgey. "Girls, does that help you any?"
Asrina was not going to admit to it, nor Lesara; but the other two nodded thoughtfully.
"Very well, let's sing that piece through again, and watch my conducting for your timing. T'arla, will you join us?"
"Thanks, I'd love to" said T'arla. "What are we singing? Oh, it's that new piece by Journeyman Menolly isn't it? I've not seen it in its entirety yet, only the couple of phrases of the chorus L'gal jotted down on his cuff last time he was over."
"Take a copy back and welcome" suggested Horgey. "I've plenty, thanks to Woodcrafter Elissa churning out pages and pages ready printed with lines to take notation on, it fascinates my apprentices enough that they almost enjoy being set copying for punishment."
"That printing is fardling useful" agreed T'arla. "Oh yes, it's easy enough."
She never realised how she was glared at by those Ranking girls who never found sight reading 'easy' and found this piece a challenge to read even having heard it played!
After class was dismissed, Horgey sent Danel to look for the boy Braid while he filled T'arla in on what had been the problem. She laughed ruefully.
"You sorted that out quicker than T'rin and L'gal managed to with me" she said.
Horgey shrugged.
"But then I had the advantage of having your case to cite: the admiration for a Holdless-born dragonrider drove most of the defiance out of the boy's head. And if it was good enough for a dragonrider, it was certainly good enough for him!"
She laughed.
"Devious little creep you are, Horgey! Well done – I bet he's happier now!"
Horgey nodded.
"He's managed to make friends with some of the others too; and I'm hoping they can do a T'rin on a bully, for it's better from the lad's peers than from a member of the faculty."
T'arla nodded.
"Though as you are still studying yourself that makes you closer than a Master. And you've experience…"
He nodded.
"If it comes to that, I'll use it. Ah, Braid" as there was a knock at the door and the boy came in "This is Green Rider Harper Apprentice T'arla; perhaps you'd care to escort her to the dining hall and introduce her to your friends" he smiled encouragingly at the boy who gulped, and stammered a greeting to so exalted a being.
T'arla grinned at him.
"Lad, I sit on the necessary to shit like anyone else" she said bluntly. "Let's get rid of too much of this formality, huh? We share a craft; I'm a little more experienced in it than you."
T'arla had not yet earned the tassel of a senior apprentice, but she and Mi'a were hoping to do so soon!
The Ranking girls had expected to have an important person like a female dragonrider sitting with them; that Bronze Rider L'gal sat with the masters was quite understandable, but if both dragonriders were not to sit with the Masters, the rank of a Rider surely meant that she would sit with others of Rank! And some at least of them were vociferously disgruntled when T'arla went to sit with the younger apprentices! It was just the outside of enough that she also seemed to be on excellent terms with Dorasha and Kitiara and their friends by the end of the meal!
Lesara made a skilful outflanking manoeuvre to attempt to buttonhole T'arla, with the opening gambit – following a giggle –
"Oh Green Rider! Please, do tell me how it came about that you've Impressed a Green Dragon like the famous Mirrim of Benden!"
T'arla laughed carelessly.
"Because I've the guts to be ready to fight Thread I guess" she said. "Excuse me, uh…oh, paying student" – it was almost insultingly said – "I was speaking with my friends" and T'arla turned away.
The spots of colour appeared on Lesara's cheeks and the mean look came into her face again. The look she threw at Kitiara and Dorasha plainly showed that she blamed them for the snub!
Vaek's audible comment infuriated the girl more:
"Cuh, don't the old hag look like she incubated a firelizard egg and hatched a poisonous tunnel snake, it being related to her!"
Vaek went off, unknowing – and it is to be said, uncaring – how angry he had made Lesara. When she turned her gaze upon his retreating and unconcerned back and started to follow him, warning bells rang in Horgey's head: and he followed as quickly as he might, wheeling himself rather than lose time locating Danel, who was chatting to Camo right across the Hall. It was slow; and by the time he caught up with Lesara she had both of Vaek's arms twisted up behind him in the empty choir room.
"You little tunnel snake" she was hissing "You'll apologise to me for your rudeness, and on your bended knees!"
"Not even if you twist my arms off!" gasped the boy.
"I can break your fingers one by one so badly you'll never play again!" she taunted.
That hurt Vaek more than the physical pain; but he was too stubborn to give in though tears of pain ran down his face and sweat beaded his brow.
"Lesara!" Horgey spoke sharply "Let him go immediately and go to my room!"
Lesara was too angry to be rational or sensible.
"What are you going to do to make me, useless lowborn cripple?" she sneered, giving Vaek's arm another vicious twist. The little boy gave an involuntary cry.
Horgey wheeled up to her; and with painful effort pushed himself into a standing position. He felt the sweat start to bead on his own brow with the effort and ignored it and the pain.
"Get your hands off him or I'll take them off" he said, hoping that he would not be forced to lay hands on a Ranking woman. Lesara turned, sneering, and let go with one hand – to push Horgey!
The crippled youth fell heavily and painfully as Vaek cried out in sheer indignation that Lesara should dare attack a Journeyman too! Cadenza flew shrieking in rage at Lesara, who swiped viciously at her; and Horgey felt hot pain in his own face as Cadenza winked Between only to reappear again almost immediately by his shoulder, hissing angrily at the girl. Horgey was busy fighting waves of nausea from the pain and realised thankfully that the worst of it was in his funnybone, on which he had landed, not his back – or at least, the pain was not enough to be a rebreak! Cadenza's pain troubled him to, and he was furious on his little green firelizard's behalf! He had to get up!
As Horgey struggled to rise, trying not to vomit, T'arla ran into the room, assessed the situation at a glance, slapped Lesara hard and grabbed her by the upper arms. After giving the girl a good shaking with arms strengthened by shifting firestone sacks, T'arla sat on a stool and bent the girl over her lap, took off her belt, and proceeded to apply it scientifically to the rear end of the now screeching Lesara, to the delighted whoops of Vaek!
Kit was scarcely behind T'arla and wend directly to Horgey, Flute scolding on her shoulder as much as Cadenza!
"Horgey – are you all right?" she asked, slipping an arm under his shoulders to support him. Horgey nodded.
"I think so….am I glad you two happened on the scene!"
"I saw you go out…you looked worried so I grabbed T'arla to follow you. We tracked you down by the raised voices. Whoh, she's got a good strong wrist action, hasn't she?"
Horgey grinned.
"I've been wanting to do that any time the last five sevendays….Kit, you'd better get the Masterharper he'll have to know about this."
"The Masterharper" said Robinton's melodious voice "Followed the dragonrider following the journeyman following that girl following the apprentice. I think that sums it up."
Horgey nodded.
T'arla ceased punishment in deference to the Masterharper the moment she heard his voice; though Lesara's strident yells did not abate immediately!
"Sorry, Masterharper, to pre-empt your discipline in your own Hall" said T'arla formally. She did not sound sorry in the least.
Lesara had become aware that her ischial tuberosities were no longer under assault and had paused for breath long enough to hear T'arla address the Masterharper.
"Oh Masterharper!" she wailed "I was attacked without provocation!"
"Why, you lying tunnel snake!" Vaek's voice was a treble squeal of indignation "After you pushed the journeyman over of all things!"
"He was going to put his HANDS on me, Masterharper!" wept Lesara, trying to turn her face up to look appealingly at Master Robinton. As her behind was what was principally facing him it was difficult. "You'd not expect me not to defend myself against a lewd attack, would you?"
Robinton's eyes narrowed.
"Horgey, tell me what happened in your own words; and Lesara, keep your mouth shut until he finishes; you will have your say in due course."
Horgey nodded. His mouth felt dry from reaction, but he no longer wanted to be sick. Cadenza buried her face against him and he stroked her back.
"I saw the girl Lesara follow apprentice Vaek; and I didn't like the look on her face. I believe her to have already bullied another girl in Dunca's cot, on whom I saw bruises that looked uncommonly like a Bitran Burn. I believe others of this girl's age group helped HER out" he said. "When I caught up with Lesara she was twisting both of Vaek's arms behind his back and threatening to break his fingers to maim him so he could never play again if he did not apologise abjectly – not that she would have so complex a word in her vocabulary – for an insolent, but not entirely inexcusable remark about her in the dining room. It was the sort of comment that a child might make that any reasonable person retains their dignity best by ignoring. I believe that she was also taking out on him the anger that she felt by being snubbed by the Green Rider who did not like Lesara's pushy and contumelious attempts to engage her in conversation. I called upon her to stop and let go of the boy and to go to my room where I intended to give her a good ticking off. She refused."
"She called him a lowborn cripple and said he couldn't make her!" piped up Vaek when Horgey paused for breath. The child subsided when the Masterharper held up an admonitory finger and looked at Horgey.
"Essentially, yes, that's what she said" agreed Horgey. "I managed to stand and threatened to take her hands off if she did not let go; I don't actually know if I could have. And then she pushed me and I fell. She knocked Cadenza aside when she tried to defend me – and look, that wretched brat's ring has cut her!" he added indignantly as Cadenza emerged from his neck at the sound of her name and he caught sight of the small crescent shaped cut on the little creature's smooth head. "My poor little brave one! Vaek, run to Silvina for numbweed – and let her slather you first!"
Vaek grinned.
"I'M all right, Journeyman!" he boasted. "Tough as boots, me! I'll get some for Cadenza though!" and he ran off.
"See? He says he's all right, I wasn't really hurting him!" said Lesara.
Robinton regarded her with disfavour, signalling to T'arla to let her up. T'arla helped her rise with more roughness than courtesy.
The Masterharper spoke very quietly; but everyone listened.
"Attacking a small child just ten turns old…..and then attacking a Journeyman after refusing to obey his orders. And incidentally, the penalties for attacking an accredited Harper can be quite harsh. I believe you have overstepped yourself this time, Lesara of Fairpastures."
"What do you mean? It's all them! Horgey has it in for me! He's been cruel to me from the first!" she declared. Horgey felt his heart sink. With his previous record, would the Masterharper believe the girl's lies? She went on, "That – that BRAT runs at his beck and call, insulting me at his command and that of his slut Kitiara!" she spat the words out.
"I've told you about slandering people before" warned Kitiara. "Slandering a Journeyman is only slightly less worser than wounding one!"
Robinton winced.
"Less worser?" he mused. "Alas for the cold blooded murder of the language! Lesara, if Journeyman Horgey had been harsh with you, then you might have had just cause for complaint – but not for violence! And he has not. I have kept a very close eye on all his doings for he is under assessment here. You are a liar; and I shall be reporting your behaviour not merely to your father but also to your overlord, Lord Larad."
Horgey nodded, pleased and relieved. The Masterharper was a fair man indeed! And Larad was cited by the High Reaches people as a good man, fair and competent both. Telgar Hold was respected by T'bor's people, even if their views of Telgar Weyr were a little less complimentary!
Lesara set up another shriek.
"It isn't FAIR! I've done nothing wrong but to chastise some low-borns who insulted me! As for that weyrslut…."
T'arla advanced on her again, starting to take off the belt she had just resumed and the girl fell back towards the Masterharper with a whinny of terror.
"I would ask you to please desist, Green Rider" said Master Robinton.
T'arla shrugged and rebuckled her belt.
"At your command, Masterharper" she said. "But I do ask you to witness her words and repeat them to Lord Larad; who respects the Weyr. That, I am sure, is preferable to you than my weyrmate duelling and slicing open the chit's idiot father."
"Infinitely" said Robinton dryly. "L'gal might damage his hands in a duel which would be detrimental to his harping and that would be a tragedy. Ah, Vaek, there's a good lad."
"May I put it on her while you soothe her, journeyman?" asked Vaek with breathless hope in his voice.
Horgey smiled.
"Thank you lad, I'd be glad if you would."
With numbweed on the little cut, Cadenza's eyes stopped whirling so fast; and she gave a little chirp of thanks to Vaek and butted against him for caresses.
"She's so soft!" he said "She's lovely!"
"She's the loveliest" agreed Horgey, soppily.
Faylina, and Silvina, both arrived at this moment, puffing slightly; Vaek had run ahead. Faylina exclaimed, seeing Horgey still on the ground.
"Now then, young Horgey, let's check you over before we try to get you back in that chair" she said fussily.
"I'm fine, Faylina" he said "I was just….letting things settle. And giving testimony to Master Robinton."
She tutted.
"I can tell YOU've been long enough in the Weyr, you're even starting to sound like a dragonrider! I'LL be the judge of if you're fine or no!" quickly she ran her fingers up his back. "Where does it hurt?" she asked.
Horgey gave her a lopsided grin.
"My left elbow actually" he said. "It's where I landed. It took all the force of the fall; my back's jarred a little but fine."
"Hmmph" said Faylina. "Did any of that numbweed see your elbow?"
Horgey looked surprised.
"No of course not! Cadenza needed it first, where that…..girl…..hit her!"
"Hmmph. Let's do that elbow then – and check it's not chipped or broken. And then we'll get you sat down."
" I suppose SHE'LL be isolated in a ward in the infirmary, Masterharper?" said Silvina
Robinton nodded.
Lesara turned on the tears.
"Oh for shells' sake!" said, Silvina irritably "That sort of thing doesn't impress me. Don't think I haven't noticed all your mean tricks, my girl, for I have; and believe me, you'll be a greater asset to the Hall in your absence! You're a waste of space!"
Lesara glowered.
"Well at least I've never birthed a defective!" she hissed malevolently.
Silvina recoiled as though she had been struck; and Robinton paled beneath his tan. Little bronze Zair swore and hissed on the Masterharper's shoulder.
"SURE you don't want me to whop her some more, Masterharper?" growled T'arla.
"Quite, thank you" said Robinton, tightly. "I'm sure Lord Larad will be equal to the task of discipline himself. He has plenty of mines that are always crying out for enforced labour that he usually sentences violent criminals to work. You may, however" he spoke up slightly over Lesara's fresh tirade over that suggestion "Help Silvina and Faylina to see that she gets to secure quarters in the infirmary until I have a chance to write to her overlord."
"Gladly" said T'arla, grimly, seizing Lesara by the arm. "C'mon you!"
Horgey eased himself back into his chair with Kitiara's help; and he looked up at the Masterharper.
"An unpleasant incident, Master Robinton….I'm sorry I did not manage to succeed with her. I cannot think that her cruelty stems from being hurt herself; she showed no FEAR of being sent home, only anger."
"Violence breeding violence is only one of the causes" said the Masterharper "Though it is a major, indeed probably THE major one. But cruelty may spring also from two other sources; from a person spoiled so badly that they have never been brooked and so have no idea of consequences and no concern for how their actions affect other people, since in their selfish view, no other people matter: and in rare cases it may stem from a quirk of personality that is like an illness of the mind, the desire to cause pain; indeed even a stimulation of desire by the causing of pain; or sometimes a total failure to understand the consequences of their actions."
Horgey nodded.
"The inability to understand consequences I've come across through the logicators; a man who lived only for what was happening at the time" he said. "Young Vaek, this was not really for your ears. You'll be discreet I hope?"
Vaek nodded enthusiastically.
"I can help logicate too!" he said cheerfully. "Ferry told me about it!"
Robinton laughed.
"Well, young Vaek, try not to get into too much trouble with it!" he said. "We already had a Mastertroublefinder in Journeyman Blue Rider T'rin!"
Vaek looked injured! he was not however displeased to be in any way compared to the legendary T'rin!
Robinton had no doubt that the girl would receive short shrift from her overlord, though she thought Lord Larad would stop short of having a girl dig at a mine face. She might end up drudging for miners, however! Lord Holder Larad had had quite enough crackdust from spoiled girls in the person of his sister Thella, the self-styled Lady Holdless; and his sister Kylara had caused plenty of trouble too with her scandalous affair with the late Lord Holder Meron that ultimately caused the deaths of two Golden Queen dragons. No, Larad would NOT be impressed by any spoiled brat!