Dragonsinger (30 page)

‘I got nine more bubbly pies, Menolly,’ he told her gaily, ‘’cause the baker thought they were for you, me and Camo. I did share with Timiny, didn’t I, Tim? And then I won a wager on the runners. Anyone with half an eye could tell the one with the sore hoof would run faster … so he wouldn’t have to run so long.’

‘So, how many marks did you come back with?’

‘Ha!’ Piemur’s eyes flashed with his triumph. ‘More’n I went to the gather with, and I’m not saying how much that is.’

‘You’re not keeping it in the dorm, are you?’ asked Timiny, worried.

‘Haw! I gave it to Silvina to keep safe for me. I’m no fool.
And
I told the entire dorm where my marks are, so they know it’s no good putting on me to find out where I’ve hid ’em. I may be small, but my glow’s not dim!’

Briala, who was pretending to ignore them all, made a disagreeable sound. Piemur was about to take umbrage when Menolly kicked his shin to warn him to be silent.

‘You know what, Menolly,’ and now Piemur leaned across the table, exuding mystery as he glanced from
her
to Audiva and Timiny, ‘they’re posting journeymen.’

‘Are they?’ asked Menolly, mystified.

‘You ought to know. Couldn’t you hear anything in your room? I saw the windows of the Main Hall open, and you’re right over ’em.’

‘I was busy,’ Menolly said sternly to Piemur. ‘And I was brought up not to listen to other people’s private conversations.’

Piemur rolled his eyes in exasperation for such niceties. ‘You’ll never survive in a Harper Hall then, Menolly! You’ve
got
to be one jump ahead of the masters … and the Lord Holders … A harper’s supposed to learn as much as he can …’

‘Learn, yes; overhear, no,’ replied Menolly.

‘And you’re an apprentice,’ added Audiva.

‘An apprentice
learns
to be a harper by overhearing his masters, doesn’t he?’ demanded Piemur. ‘Besides, I gotta think ahead. I gotta be good at something besides singing, my voice won’t last forever. Do you realize that only one out of hundreds,’ and he waved his arms in such an expansive gesture that Timiny had to duck, ‘of boy sopranos have any voice when they hit the change? So, if I’m not lucky, but if I’m good at digging things out, maybe I’ll get posted like Sebell and have a fire lizard too take important messages from Hold to hall …’ Then Piemur froze, and cautiously turned to look at Menolly, his eyes wide with consternation.

She laughed; she couldn’t help it. Timiny, who had obviously heard Piemur’s long-range plan before, gulped so fiercely that his neck cartilage bobbed up and down his throat like a net float in a fast current.

‘I really do like the fire lizards, Menolly, I really do,’ said Piemur, trying to undo the indiscretion and reinstate himself in Menolly’s good graces.

She couldn’t resist a pretence of disdain, and ignored him, but his expression was so genuinely panic-stricken that she relented sooner than she intended.

‘Piemur, you’ve been my best and first friend in the Hall. And I really do think my fire lizards like you. Mimic, Rocky and Lazy let you feed them. I may not be able to help, but if I
do
ever have any say in the matter, you’ll get an egg from one of Beauty’s clutches.’

Piemur’s exaggerated sigh of relief attracted attention from the other girls, who were still pretending that that end of the table didn’t exist. Platters of stewed meats and vegetables were now being served, and Menolly took advantage of the general noise to ask Audiva how things were with her.

‘All right, once the furor died down. I rank the rest of them, even if rank is
not
supposed to be a consideration while we’re at the Harper Hall.’

‘You’re also the best musician of the lot,’ said Menolly, trying to cheer Audiva. She sounded very depressed, and she must have been crying a lot to have such puffy cheeks.

‘Do you really think I can play?’ asked Audiva, surprised and pleased.

‘From what I heard that morning, yes. The others are hopeless. If there’s no reason you
have
to stay at Dunca’s when you have free time, maybe you’d like to come to my room. We could practise together if that would help.’

‘Me? Practise with you? Oh, Menolly, could I please? I really do want to learn, but all the others want to do is talk about the fosterlings at the Hold, and their clothes, and who their fathers are likely to choose as husbands for them, and
I
want to learn how to play well.’

Menolly extended her hand, palm up, and Audiva
gratefully
seized it, her eyes sparkling, all traces of her unhappiness erased.

‘Just wait till I tell you what happened in the cot,’ she said in a confidential tone that reached only Menolly’s ears. She saw Piemur cocking his head to try and hear, and waved him away. ‘It was a treat! A rare treat! What Silvina said to Dunca!’ Audiva giggled.

‘But won’t there be trouble about Pona being sent back? She is the granddaughter of the Lord Holder of Boll.’

Audiva’s face clouded briefly. ‘The Harper has the right to say who stays in his own Hall,’ replied Audiva quickly. ‘He has equal rank with a Lord Holder, who can dismiss any fosterling he chooses. Besides, you’re a holder’s daughter.’

‘Holder’s, not Lord Holder’s. Only I’m an apprentice now.’ Menolly touched her shoulder badge, which meant more to her than being her father’s daughter.

‘You’re the Masterharper’s apprentice,’ said Piemur who indeed had sharp ears if he’d heard their whispers. ‘And that makes you special.’ He glanced towards Briala, who had also been trying to overhear what Menolly and Audiva were saying. ‘And you’d better remember that, Briala,’ he said, making a fierce grimace at the dark girl.

‘You may think you’re special, Menolly,’ said Briala in a haughty voice, ‘but you’re only an apprentice, after all’s said and sifted. And Pona’s her grandfather’s favourite. When she tells him all that’s been going on here, you may not be
that
any more!’ And she snapped her fingers in a derisive gesture.

‘Close your mouth, Briala! You talk nothing but nonsense,’ said Audiva, but Menolly caught the note of uncertainty in her voice.

‘Nonsense? Just wait’ll you hear what Benis plans for that Viderian of yours!’

They were all distracted by a sudden groan from Piemur.

‘Shells, Pona
has
gone! That means that I’m stuck with singing her part! What a ruddy bore!’ His dismay was comic, but it turned the talk to a discussion of the upcoming Spring Festival.

Piemur told Menolly that if she thought a gather was fun, she should just wait for the Festival. Everyone in the Hold cliff doubled up so that the entire western half of Pern could be under shelter there for the two days of the Festival. Dragonmen came from all over, and harpers and craftmasters and holders, large and small. That’s when any new craftmasters were made, and new apprentices tapped, and it was great fun, even if he would have to sing Pona’s role, and there’d be dancing all night long instead of just until sundown.

The gong sounded, and the chores were assigned: most of the sections were to clean up the gather area and rake the fields where the beasts had been tethered. Piemur made a huge grimace since his section drew the field duty. Briala smiled maliciously at his chagrin, and he would have answered in kind, but Menolly toed his shins sharply again. He rolled his eyes at her but, when she cocked her head meaningfully and tapped her shoulder, he subsided, realizing that he would have to stay in her good record to get his fire lizard.

She reported, as ordered, to Master Oldive who checked her feet and pronounced them sound enough. He suggested that she see Silvina about boots. Her hand showed improvement, but she was to be careful not to overstretch the scar tissue. Slowly but surely was the trick, and she wasn’t to neglect the healing salve.

As she crossed the courtyard for her lesson with
Master
Shonagar, the fire lizards appeared in the air. Beauty landed on her shoulder, broadcasting images of a lovely swim in the lake and how warm the sun had been on the flat rock. Merga had evidently been with them, for Beauty projected a second golden queen on the rocks. They were all in good spirits.

Master Shonagar had not moved. One thick fist upheld the heavy head on the supporting arm, his other arm was cocked, hand on thigh. At first Menolly thought he was asleep.

‘So, you return to me? After
singing
at the gather?’

‘Wasn’t I supposed to sing?’ Menolly halted so abruptly in her astonishment at the reprimand in his voice that Beauty cheeped in alarm.

‘You are never to sing without my express permission.’ The massive fist connected with the tabletop.

‘But the Masterharper himself …’

‘Is Master Robinton your voice instructor? Or am I?’ The bellowed question rocked her back on her heels.

‘You are, sir. I only thought …’

‘You thought? I do the thinking while you are my student … and you will remain my student for some time, young woman, until your voice is properly trained for your duties as a harper! Do I make myself clear?’

‘Yes, sir. I’m very sorry, sir. I didn’t know I was disobeying …’

‘Well,’ and his tone abruptly modified to one of such benevolence that Menolly again stared in disbelief, ‘I hadn’t actually mentioned that I didn’t consider you ready to sing in public yet. So I accept your apology.’

Menolly gulped, grateful for the reprieve.

‘You didn’t, all things considered, perform too badly yesterday,’ he went on.

‘You heard me?’

‘Of course I heard you!’ The fist landed again on the table, though with less force than the previous thump. ‘I hear every singing voice in this Hall. Your phrasing was atrocious. I think we’d better go over that song now so that you can correct your interpretation.’ He heaved a sigh of profound resignation. ‘You will undoubtedly be obliged to sing it again in public; that’s obvious, since you wrote it, and it is undeniably popular. So you might just as well learn to sing it
well
! Now, we shall start with breathing exercises. And we can’t,’ another crash on the sandtable, ‘do that when you’re halfway across the hall and trembling all over. I won’t eat you, girl,’ he added in the gentlest of the voices he had yet used in her presence. A slight smile parted his lips. ‘But I will,’ and his tone took on a sterner note, ‘teach you to make the most of your voice.’

Although the lesson began with a totally unexpected scolding, Menolly left Master Shonagar’s presence with a feeling of considerable accomplishment. They had gone over ‘The Fire Lizard Song’ phrase by phrase, occasionally accompanied by Beauty’s trilling. By the end of the session, Menolly stood in further awe of Master Shonagar’s musical acumen. He had drawn from her melody every possible nuance and shading of tone, heightening its total impact.

‘Tomorrow,’ Master Shonagar said as he dismissed her, ‘bring me a copy of that latest thing you wrote. The one about Brekke. At least you have wit enough to write music
you
can sing, that lies in the best part of your voice. Tell me, do you do that on purpose? No, no, that was an invidious question. Unworthy of me. Inapplicable to you. Away with you now, I’m excessively wearied!’

His fist came up to support his head, and he was snoring before Menolly could express her gratitude for his stimulating lesson.

Beauty flew to her perch on Menolly’s shoulder, chittering happily, and Menolly, beginning to feel as weary as Master Shonagar claimed to be, absently checked to see where her other friends were. As usual, they were sunning on the rooftops, where they’d undoubtedly remain until feeding time.

Menolly entered the Hall, wondering if she should ask Silvina about boots, but she could hear a lot of bustle and noise from the kitchen and decided to bide her time. She made her way to her room, saw the door ajar, and was surprised to find Audiva waiting for her.

‘I took you at your word, Menolly, but, honestly, if I had to stay one more moment in that poisonous atmosphere …’

‘I meant it.’

‘You look tired. Master Shonagar’s lessons are exhausting. We have only one in the week, and you have to go every day? Was he in one of his banging moods?’ Audiva giggled, and her eyes sparkled with merriment.

Menolly laughed, too. ‘I sang yesterday at the gather
without
his express permission.’

‘Oh! Great stars.’ Audiva was torn between giggles and concern. ‘But why would he complain? You sang so beautifully. Viderian said it was the best he’d heard that sea song done. You’ve made another good friend in Viderian, if that’s any consolation. That fist in Benis’s face. He’s wished so often that he could bang that arrogant booby.’

‘Audiva, could Lord Sangel of Boll make Master Robinton …’

‘You didn’t pay heed to that spiteful wherry, Briala. Oh, Menolly …’

‘But can an apprentice …’

‘An apprentice, an
ordinary
apprentice, yes,’ Audiva said, with a reluctant sigh for the truth,
‘because
apprentices have no rank. Journeymen do. But you are Master Robinton’s
own
special apprentice, just as Piemur said, and it’d take more than a Lord Holder to shift Master Robinton when he’s made up his mind. Besides, you weren’t at fault. Pona was. Bearing false witness. Now, you listen to me, Menolly, don’t you dare let that bunch of sly slippers worry you! They’re just jealous. That was Pona’s problem, too. Besides,’ and Audiva’s face brightened as she thought of the telling argument, ‘Lord Groghe needs you here to help him train Merga. There’s your new song. Oh, Menolly, Talmor was playing it, and it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard. “Live for my living/or else I must die.”’ Audiva had a throaty contralto voice that throbbed poignantly on the deep note. ‘I wanted to weep, and while I know I’m just a silly girl—’

‘You’re not just silly. You stood up for me against Pona …’

Audiva bit her lip guiltily, her expression contrite. ‘I
didn’t
tell you about Master Domick’s first message …’ She paused, full of self-reproach. ‘I knew about it. I heard him tell Dunca. We all did. And I knew they were trying to make trouble for you because you had the fire lizards …’