Thank you so much to ginalee and Amere Mortal for reviewing the first chapter! Reviews are so encouraging, especially when helpful and/or nice!
Again, I own nothing except the characters I created.
Mordekai opened his eyes and groaned as the sun hit them. Then they snapped open again. The sun! He sat up, and blinked. All around him, there were people looking at the stalls and bargaining with the stall-owners. He'd fallen asleep at the table last night, and now it was morning! He looked for the others, but while Dioron and Drianne were still fast asleep with their heads on the table, he could see no sign of his mother.
He was beginning to feel alarmed, when she strolled around the corner, talking to a man in weyrhide. Ilia noticed he was awake, and waved. He waved back, stood up, and went to meet them.
"Here's a thirty-second. Get yourself some breakfast, love," Ilia said, giving him the mark.
"Thank you, and see you later, Mother," he replied, then took off in search of breakfast.
Two redfruit later, he was wandering the square when he remembered that he hadn't had a look at the pipes yesterday.
"Hello Mor! Didn't see you yesterday. Thought you weren't coming!" hailed the journeyman behind the stall as Mordekai approached.
"Of course I'm coming, Mantrole!" Mordekai replied, waving to him. "You didn't think I'd miss an opportunity to buy a new pipe, did you?"
"No, I know you too well for that!" chuckled Mantrole. "Got quite a few pipes this Turn, and some that are Master-made!"
"I'm looking for a good bass pipe at the moment," Mordekai said. "I only have the one, and its tone is starting to crack."
"Well, you made that one nearly five Turns ago, didn't you? Most only last for two, three Turns. I'm not surprised that it's cracking up, especially as it was the first pipe you made. Sort of surprised you started with a bass pipe. Most people start with an alto, or a tenor."
"Well, Father was a bass, and I told him I wanted a pipe that sounded like his voice," Mordekai explained. "He was the one who taught me how to play and make pipes in the first place."
"Well, do you want to try one?" Mantrole asked, gesturing towards the rows of pipes on the right-hand side of the table.
"Doesn't look like you have any bass pipes," said Mordekai, disappointed. "But I'd like to look for a treble. I prefer the sound of freshwater reeds for a treble, but no reeds grow in the lakes near Fer, so I have to wait for Gathers to get a really clear one."
He studied the pipes for a moment, then reached for one of them. "This is a freshwater," he said, bringing the pipe to his lips. He blew through it, then put it back.
"What's wrong?" Mantrole demanded, suddenly a professional salesman.
"It's slightly sharp," answered Mordekai, with a slight wince.
Mordekai tried a few more pipes, then found one down the back that was freshwater and perfectly in tune.
"You like that one?" asked Mantrole, noticing the joyful expression on Mordekai's face.
"Oh, yes! It's made from one of those freshwater reeds you can only find in northern Ruatha, but it's been cured in the sea. Master Menolly made this one, didn't she?"
"Yes, she did," said Mantrole, astonished. "How did you know?"
"Oh, her treble pipes always have slightly smaller finger holes than most others, and she often cures freshwater reeds in the sea," Mordekai answered.
"Play me something, just to try it out, eh? It's been a while since I heard you play," Mantrole said.
Mordekai raised the pipe to his lips, and began to play. At first, he played so softly that Mantrole could barely hear him, but it gradually built in strength, until Mantrole felt he was being buffeted by a gale. It suddenly died away, and became the sound of rain on glass. Mantrole shook himself as it ended with the sound that sunshine should make and Mordekai said proudly, "I wrote that one last summer. Want to hear another one?"
"Yes, please," said Mantrole. "Play me one of your early ones."
Mordekai launched into another song, a bright, cheerful song, which had Mantrole laughing as it ended. "How much for the pipe?" Mordekai eagerly asked.
"Four marks," Mantrole laughed. "I'd have charged you four and a half, but the songs knocked down the price. But don't expect the same next time!"
"I won't," Mordekai promised. He handed over the marks, and ran back into the crowd, waving, his precious new pipe clutched to his chest.
As soon as he had gone, Sebell stepped forward from the back of the booth and said quietly to Mantrole, "That was Mordekai?"
"Yes. He's easily the best piper I've ever heard, he's pretty good on brass and his voice is superb. His gitar and harp might need a bit of work, but I haven't heard him play anything stringed for a while. He's been playing, making and composing for pipes since he was knee-high."
"And he has perfect pitch," finished Sebell, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I think Drianne may be right about him!"
When Mordekai reached the table, Drianne and Dioron had woken up and were looking around blearily, rubbing sleep from their eyes.
"Morning!" Mordekai said cheerfully.
"What time is it?" Drianne moaned.
"It's about ten of the clock," he replied, grinning, knowing what her answer would be.
"That's not morning!" she groaned, as usual, and put her head back down on the table.
Dioron, however, looked alarmed, and said, "I need to find Master Readis quickly! They announce new apprentices at noon and I have still haven't applied to the Dolphin Hall! If I'm too late, they may not accept me!"
He stood up and hurriedly straightened his clothes. "Do I look presentable?" he asked Mordekai, who assured him he did. "Let's go, then," Dioron said resolutely, and marched off. Mordekai followed him, and they soon came to the booth that represented the Dolphin Hall. Dioron took a deep breath, and walked up to the journeyman behind the bench.
"Hello. My name is Dioron, and I wish to apply for apprenticeship at the Dolphin Hall," he said, staring straight ahead.
"Can you swim?" the journeyman asked, looking up at him. "That's one of the basic requirements of the Hall, though we do help those who aren't confident."
"Yes, sir. I'm an excellent swimmer," Dioron replied nervously.
"If I were to throw you into a lake with your clothes on, what would you do?" the journeyman asked. Dioron answered, and the journeyman asked a few more questions, which Dioron obviously answered to his satisfaction, because the journeyman suddenly stood up, held out a hand, and smiled.
"Welcome to the Dolphin Hall, Dioron," he said warmly, shaking Dioron's hand. "Glad to have you with us."
Dioron sagged with relief. "You mean, I pass? I'm in?"
"From noon today, you are an apprentice of the Dolphin Hall," the journeyman replied. "You'll be given your badge and everything when your apprenticeship is announced, and you'll be joining us on the ship back to the Dolphin Hall next week. Please fill out this form, and put it here when you finish," indicating a spot on the desk. "See you at noon!" He sat down again, and began writing.
Outside the booth ten minutes later, Dioron gave a huge sigh of relief. "I'm glad that's over with," he sighed. "I've never been so nervous in my life!"
"Well, it's finished now, so don't stress about it. Let's go get Drianne and look around until noon," suggested Mordekai.
"Let me guess. You want to go to the Harper booth, right?" asked Dioron, smiling.
Mordekai grinned. "Went while you were asleep!" He produced his new pipe, then tucked it away again.
Dioron laughed, then shouted, "Race you to Drianne!" as he took to his heels, Mordekai right behind him.
The three of them wandered around for a while, then headed towards the Harper platform in the middle of the square, the place from where the new apprentices would be announced. As they reached it, Master Fandarel, the Master Smith, stood on the platform and called for everyone's attention.
"It is now noon, and by custom, this is the day when new apprentices are chosen," he boomed. "The new apprentices for this Turn at the Smith Craft Hall are…" He read out a list of names from the paper in his hand, and boys and girls came from the crowd and moved to stand behind him on the platform as the crowd cheered. And so the list went on, every Craft Master reading out a list of names and gathering their apprentices, until only the Dolphin Hall and the Harper Hall were left.
Master Readis stood on the platform, and called out a list of names, ending with "Apprentice Dioron, of Fer Hold."
"Congratulations, Di!" said Drianne excitedly, giving him a hug.
He returned it, then as he moved towards the platform and his new master he whispered, "Look, here comes your father."
Sebell stepped up onto the platform as Readis and his apprentices left it, and looked down at the crowd. "My friends, I welcome you today, at a time when some of your lives will be greatly changed. It is customary to take new apprentices at the Spring Festival, and today, twenty-five young people will be joining the ranks of the Harper Hall. Apprentice… Taranil!"
The list went on, until twenty-three boys and girls stood behind Sebell. "Apprentice Drianne!" he called. Drianne gave Mordekai a hug, then strode to the platform. As she moved to stand behind Sebell, he called out the last name. "Apprentice Mordekai!"
Mordekai just stood there, stunned. "Is there a Mordekai of Fer Hold here today?" Sebell called, glancing around at the crowd.
"He's there, sir," called Drianne, pointing at him. "He's just so shocked, he's forgotten how to use his feet!"
There was a burst of laughter from the crowd, and that spurred Mordekai to step up to the platform and take his place among the apprentices. Sebell smiled and winked at him, and Mordekai blushed.
"All apprentices have been called, so let the harpers reclaim the platform, and provide us with some music!" Sebell called.
At once, a trio of harpers moved purposefully towards the platform and Sebell ushered the new apprentices off to make room for them.
"What did you say to him?" hissed Mordekai to Drianne as they walked.
She looked at him in surprise. "What makes you think I said something to him?" she asked innocently.
"Because I didn't apply, and the only other way I could get in is if someone else sponsored me. And as I've never met anyone in the Harper Hall except for you, you must be that person!"
"Actually, Father sponsored you," she said shamefacedly, kicking at the stones beneath her feet. "I… got him to listen to you when you went to the Harper booth this morning, and he thought you were so good, he decided to sponsor you. I only made him aware of you. Besides," she said, changing tacts, "aren't you glad to be an apprentice?"
"Well, yes, but I'm too young to be one!" he hissed. "What happens if they find out?"
"Well, then we'll probably both get in trouble, though I'll be in more trouble than you, because I was the one who got you apprenticed," she admitted.
"What are you two whispering about?" asked Sebell over his shoulder.
They sprang apart and said together, "Nothing!"
He chuckled at their guilty faces, then turned back to the front. They breathed a sigh of relief together as his gaze left them, and giggled as they realised what they'd done.
"You two already know each other?" came a voice from behind them.
They jumped, and turned to see a boy taller than both of them. He had black hair, freckles, green eyes, a tan and a crooked nose, they would later learn, from his fights with his brothers.
He stuck out his hand and said, "I'm Brekkennor, but most people call me Brek."
"I'm Drianne," said Drianne, giving him a smile.
"Mor," said Mordekai, shaking his hand.
"Well, after we've got our apprentice badges, do you want to wander around the Festival together?" asked Brek, rubbing his hands together. "I looked over most of it yesterday, but I missed some of it, and I want to finish looking before everything is packed up!"
"That's sounds like fun," said Drianne. "We saw a lot of it yesterday too, but not all."
"I have to find my brother, but then I'll join you," replied Mor.
"Maybe I'll find some of my brothers, too," Brek said, grimacing. "Though I'd rather not. They always pick on me, because I'm the youngest."
The three children collected their badges from the Hall, and spent the rest of the day wandering around the Festival, joined by Dioron, who was also proudly displaying his new badge. Brek didn't find any of his brothers, but there were so many people there that he wasn't really surprised, though he was relieved.