Pern is not mine. Just some of the characters I'm using.
Meanwhile, on the ship Seeker, bound for the Southern Continent, one very miserable boy clung to the rail and wished that the journey would end.
Keteral came up behind Dioron and slapped him on the back. "How you going, boy?" he boomed.
Keteral was one of the deckhands, and a cheerful, fun-loving man. He had tried to make the new Dolphin Hall apprentices comfortable, but unfortunately, he was rather overenthusiastic at times, and his hearty slap nearly knocked Dioron overboard.
"I'll survive," he said hoarsely. Dioron had been throwing up nearly non-stop since the ship had sailed that evening, and as a result was feeling wretched.
"Don't worry, boy. Lots of people get seasick first time they sail. Why, even I did. But eventually, it just stops. You'll see. One morning, you're just going to wake up, and find out you aren't sick any more. All it takes is a little time for your body to adjust," Keteral said, casually leaning on the rail.
Dioron looked at him wide-eyed. "Really?" he asked in astonishment.
"On my hope of getting my captaincy," he said, smiling.
Dioron smiled too. "Thank you, Keteral," he said with a quiet dignity. "Thank you very much."
He then descended the ladder to the lower deck, eyes firmly fixed on the rungs rather than the swaying lantern above his head. He walked down the hall to the cabin he was sharing with five of the other eleven apprentices, and climbed into the bottom bunk and closed his eyes. Within minutes he was fast asleep.
Back up on deck, Keteral gazed over the rail. Nice kid, he thought to himself. Funny, but nice. There's something a bit strange about him… Glancing up, he realised the sail was too loose, so with the ease of long practise, he shimmied up the mast and set about righting it, all thoughts of Dioron put aside.
The next morning, when Dioron woke up, he found the other apprentices still asleep, and two of them snoring louder than a watch-wher. He shook his head, then quietly left the cabin, silently closing the door behind him. He climbed the ladder to the top deck, and was halfway across it before he realised he didn't feel ill. Keteral was right, then, he thought to himself.
Looking eastward, Dioron saw the sun creeping over the horizon. An early riser by nature, the sunrise wasn't a new sight for Dioron, but the sheer beauty and majesty of a sunrise over the sea took his breath away, and it was several long minutes before he realised someone else was standing with him, taking in the sight.
He turned slightly, and his eyes widened as he realised the man standing next to him with his hand held to shade his eyes was Master Readis, senior and founding member of the Dolphin Hall. Readis noticed his glance, and turned to face him. "Sorry to disturb you, sir," Dioron said hastily. "I didn't mean to."
Readis turned to look at the sun again. "You didn't disturb me. If anything, I should apologise for disturbing you, for you were here before me."
Dioron opened his mouth to protest, then thought better of it and shut it again. "Maybe we should both apologise to each other, then forget about it," he suggested, moving forward to lean on the rail.
He risked a quick glance back towards Readis, and found him shaking with silent laughter. "That's one of the wisest suggestions I've heard in a long time," he said finally, wiping tears of mirth from the corner of his eyes. "And out of the mouths of babes… But never let the other masters catch you speaking like that to me, or you'll get into trouble for being cheeky."
Dioron immediately flushed bright red. "I'm dreadfully sorry, sir. I didn't mean to be cheeky."
Readis regarded him for a moment, the smile never leaving his face. "I don't mind. I'm just warning you for the future. What's your name, lad?"
"I'm Dioron, sir, of Fer Hold," Dioron replied.
Readis snapped his fingers. "I thought you looked familiar!" he exclaimed. "You're Ilia's son, aren't you?"
"Yes, sir. Do you know her?" asked Dioron, curious.
"I met her during AIVAS' Great Scheme. I was only a boy, but I remember her well. She and my mother helped get Cove Hold ready for Master Robinton to live in." Readis smiled sadly as he thought of the cheerful Master Harper, now dead twelve Turns.
"I heard she got espoused, and went to live at Fer Hold, but that was the last I heard of her. How many children does she have now, and how is your family?"
"She has two children, sir; me and my brother Mordekai," Dioron began. "We're all well, but my father Master Trassin, who was the Hold Harper, died three Turns ago. His death has made life harder, but we're surviving."
"I'm sorry to hear of your father's death. I never knew him, but I can imagine what sort of man Ilia would have chosen," said Readis sadly.
"Sir, what's the Dolphin Hall like?" Dioron asked curiously. Readis immediately began to describe it to him, glad to get onto a less painful topic.
And that was how Keteral found them two hours later, still chatting away like old friends rather than master and apprentice. He smiled. It had been a long time since he'd heard Master Readis talking and laughing like this.
"Breakfast is ready, sir," he said, respectfully edging his way into the conversation.
"Thank you, Keteral," Readis replied. "We'll be down in a minute." He turned to Dioron. "Think you can stomach food today, youngster?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"Yes, sir!" said Dioron fervently. Now that he no longer felt ill, he was starving!
Back at the Harper Hall, Mor was listening to Master Seth as he assigned special classes to the apprentices over breakfast. "Brek, you will be spending some of your time every day in the drumheights with Master Dirzan, where you will improve your understanding of both rhythms and drum codes. Drianne, you will receive harp lessons from Master Elimona every afternoon. Mor," and here he paused briefly, "you will not be required to attend theory lessons with me in the mornings as your classmates will be. Instead, you will report to Master Domick each day for lessons in composition, advanced theory and for instrumental tuition." There was a gasp of astonishment, quickly silenced.
"Ensemble lists and times have been posted in the hall, and you are expected to check them to see if you are in any ensembles."
As the class was dismissed, Drianne caught up to Mor, who was walking silently ahead, wrapped in his thoughts. "Mor?" said Drianne tentatively. "Are you OK?"
"Hmm? Oh, yes, I'm fine," he replied absently.
"Are you going to come check the lists with me?" she asked.
"Sure," he replied.
Brek was already out in the hall, looking at the lists. "Well, it looks like I'm supposed to go to the intermediate apprentice ensemble, and that's held at the fifteenth hour," he said, satisfied. "How about you two?"
"Senior apprentice orchestra, twentieth hour," Drianne sighed.
"Same," Mor said, glancing at the lists.
"Look, there's a note for all instrumentalists. 'Check the timetable to see when your instrumental lessons are. Lessons will start tomorrow'," Drianne added.
They checked the instrumental timetable, and found Brek's lessons were at the ninth hour, Drianne's at the ninth and eleventh, and Mor's at the eighth and tenth. "Lucky I'm an early riser," he said dryly, looking at the times.
"Ready for the auditions today?" came a voice behind them. They all jumped, and turned round to find a wickedly grinning Piemur standing there with a cup of klah in his hand.
"What auditions, sir?" asked Brek, puzzled.
"All new apprentices have to sing for me today!" he said, his grin widening even further.
"When, sir?" Mor asked, his stomach doing flips. He hated auditions.
"This afternoon, at the seventeenth hour. See you all there!" He wandered off, whistling merrily.
"Sometimes, he is just insufferably cheerful," said Drianne, putting her hands on her hips. The boys laughed at her expression, which was a sort of fond exasperation, and would probably suit her in fifteen Turns' time.
"What are you two laughing at?" she asked, a frown appearing on her face.
Mor hurriedly wiped his smile off, though it kept creeping back, and took her arm. "Let's go practise for orchestra!" he said brightly, hurrying her off. Brek stayed where he was and kept roaring with laughter.
Next chapter should be posted tomorrow, when I don't have to worry about studying for my genetics exam anymore!