Dragonsinger (32 page)

‘No, no more now, Camo. Pretties aren’t hungry now,’ Menolly said hurriedly.

‘Have you finished with Camo yet, Menolly?’ Abuna appeared at the kitchen door, ‘Oh!’ She was startled to see the company her half-witted drudge was keeping.

‘Camo help Abuna now. Pretties fed, Camo. You help Abuna!’ Menolly gave Camo the customary turn and push towards the kitchen.

‘Now, Menolly, you sit there, on the steps,’ said T’gellan, pointing, ‘and try these boots on. Felena gave me explicit instructions that I was to see if they
fit
. Because if they don’t …’ T’gellan left the threat hanging.

‘They ought to: the Weyr tanner took my measure …’ said Menolly as she discarded the worn slippers and put on the right boot. ‘I don’t see how he could miss, even if my feet were still a bit swollen. Oh, it fits! It fits just fine. And so soft inside. Why,’ and she put her hand in the left boot, ‘he’s lined it with soft hide …’

‘You’ll need the double protection, Menolly,’ said T’gellan, and then his face took on a look of pure mischief, ‘particularly if you do any more running …’

‘I’m not running anywhere anymore,’ she said firmly. And hastily forgot about Lord Sangel and Pona. ‘Please thank Felena, and give my love to Mirrim, and thank Manora and everyone …’

‘Hey, hey, I just got here. I’m not going anywhere yet. I’ll see you before I go, but I’d better join the others now.’

‘And a dragonrider … a bronze dragonrider brings you blue harper boots …’ Piemur’s eyes were enormous with astonishment as they both watched T’gellan’s lanky figure striding towards the Hall entrance.

‘I don’t suppose they wanted to waste leathers they’d already cut to fit me when they thought I’d be staying on in the Weyr,’ Menolly said, nonetheless deeply touched by the gift. She wiggled her toes against the smooth soft hide. She wouldn’t need to bother Silvina for new footwear now. And harper blue! Why, she was harper-garbed from head to toe now.

The supper bell rang, and the curious knots of boys and journeymen blended into a throng, converging at various speeds on the steps. Along the walls opposite the dining hall as she and Piemur entered, Menolly saw backsacks and instrument cases.

‘I told you,’ Piemur nudged her in the ribs.
‘Journeymen
are being assigned tonight. There’ll be gaps at the oval tables tomorrow.’

Menolly nodded, thinking that there would be some frantic masters, too, with fewer journeymen to help.

T’gellan was at the round table, but Menolly noticed that the other dragonriders were standing on the journeymen’s side of the dining hall. She made her way to her seat beside Audiva, still that space left between Audiva and Briala. Piemur stood opposite Audiva and Menolly.

Special meat and fish rolls accompanied the customary soup, and there were sharp cheeses, bread and, afterwards, wedges of beachberry pies. Piemur grumbled because the pies should be hot, and Menolly countered that he ought to be grateful for the treat so soon after a gather!

Talk was spirited throughout the hall, although the seven girls continued their silent treatment of Audiva and Menolly. There was a current of excitement in the air, much of it from the journeymen’s tables.

‘They’re only told in advance that they’re being assigned, you know,’ Piemur told Menolly and Audiva. ‘Not where. Eight of them going, if I counted the packs right. The Masterharper really means to spread the word.’

‘Word?’ Timiny was baffled.

‘Don’t you listen to anything, Timiny.’ Piemur was disgusted. ‘Bet you not one of those journeymen is going back to his own Hold or crafthall, like they used to do. Masterharper’s set on shuffling everyone around. Cross-crafting with a vengeance. They all got copies of your songs, Menolly?’

Suddenly the moment everyone had been anticipating happened. The gong shimmered, and before the metallic tones had died away, the hall was still. Every
eye
was on the Masterharper who had risen from the table.

‘Now, my friends, without further ado and to permit those holding their breaths, to breathe, I will announce the postings.’ He paused, grinning, as he glanced around the hall. Then he looked across the apprentices’ tables to the journeymen.

‘Journeyman Farnol, Gar is your assignment, in Ista. Journeyman Sefran, please do what you can to improve understanding and extend enlightenment in Telgar at Balen Hold. Journeyman Campiol, you are also Telgar-bound, to the Minercrafthall under Facenden. See what you can do to improve the quality of metal for our pipes and brasses. Journeyman Dermently, I’d like you to assist Wansor, the Starsmith at Telgar Smithcrafthall.’ There was a murmur of surprise from Dermently’s companions. ‘You have the finest hand with drafting, and while I am sorry to rob Master Arnor of his most accurate copyist, your efforts are essential if Wansor’s studies are to progress and be properly recorded.

‘There’s a small seahold on Igen River mouth that requires a man of your tolerance and good nature, Journeyman Strud. I also want you to keep an eye open on the beaches for possible fire lizard mounds. You are, however, to report them to your Holder, not to me.’ The regret in the Masterharper’s voice caused a ripple of amusement to run through his audience. ‘Journeyman Deece is also Igen bound, to the Hold. Harper Bantur needs a young assistant. He’s a dab hand at bringing on a good harper to understand the complexity of a master harper’s job. And you’ve the new songs to give him as well. Journeyman Petillo, it’s no sinecure, but I need your patience and tact at Bitra to bolster Harper Fransman.

‘Journeyman Rammany, Lord Asgenar at Lemos
has
asked for someone from Master Jerint’s hands. You’ll work principally with Woodsmith Benelek, and I don’t think you’ll find that too onerous a task with such wood as Benelek dries for us. However, be sure you’re on hand to choose the next consignment of wood for our use, and Master Jerint will bless you.

‘Will all the journeymen please come to the Great Hall for a farewell cup of wine? Benden wine, of course. But first, I’ve one more very pleasant and unusual announcement.

‘To be a harper requires many talents, as you all ought to realize by now,’ and he frowned at the very youngest of the apprentices who giggled nervously. ‘Not all of these skills need be learned within these walls. Indeed, many of our most valuable lessons are more forcefully learned at some distance from this hallowed Hall,’ and he frowned at the journeymen, who grinned back at him. ‘However, when the fundamentals of our craft have been well and truly learned, I insist that we hold no one back from the rank they are entitled to by knowledge and ability, and in this case, rare talent. Sebell, Talmor, since neither of you will resign in the other’s favour …’

A silence emphasized by Piemur’s tiny gasp of astonishment fell over the dining hall as Sebell and Talmor rose from their table and walked up the aisle by the hearth. They stopped. Startled, Menolly looked up at Sebell’s shy grin and Talmor’s broad smile.

She couldn’t grasp the significance of their presence, though she heard Audiva’s cry of joy and saw the stunned amazement on the faces of Briala and Timiny. She glanced wildly about her, saw Master Robinton grinning, nodding, gesturing for her to rise. But it wasn’t until Piemur kicked her on the shins that she shed her paralysis.

‘You’re supposed to walk the tables, Menolly,’ Piemur said in an audible hiss. ‘Get up and walk. You’re a journeyman now. You’ve made journeyman.’

‘Menolly’s a journeyman! Menolly’s a journeyman!’ echoed the other apprentices, clapping their hands in rhythm to their chant. ‘Menolly’s made journeyman. Walk, Menolly, walk. Walk, Menolly, walk!’

Sebell and Talmor took her by the elbows and lifted her to her feet.

‘Never saw an apprentice so loath to take a walk,’ muttered Talmor under his breath to Sebell.

‘We could carry her,’ Sebell said, in a whisper, ‘because between you and me, I don’t think her legs are going to walk her.’

‘I can walk,’ said Menolly, shaking off their helping hands. ‘I’ve even got harper boots. I can walk anywhere!’

The last vestige of anxiety lifted from Menolly’s mind. As a journeyman in blue, she had rank and status enough to fear no-one and nothing. No further need to run or hide. She’d a place to fill and a craft that was unique to her. She’d come a long, long way in a sevenday. The pulse of her words suggested a tune. She’d think of that later. Now, holding her head high, while the fire lizards swept in from the windows, trilling their happy reaction, she walked between Talmor and Sebell to the oval tables of her new station in the Harper Craft Hall of Pern.

THE END

Also by Anne McCaffrey

Anne McCaffrey’s books can be read individually or as series. However, for greatest enjoyment the following sequences are recommended:

The Dragon Books

DRAGONFLIGHT

DRAGONQUEST

DRAGONSONG

DRAGONSINGER: HARPER OF PERN

THE WHITE DRAGON

DRAGONDRUMS

MORETA: DRAGONLADY OF PERN

NERILKA’S STORY & THE COELURA

DRAGONSDAWN

THE RENEGADES OF PERN

ALL THE WEYRS OF PERN

THE CHRONICLES OF PERN: FIRST FALL

THE DOLPHINS OF PERN

RED STAR RISING: THE SECOND CHRONICLES OF PERN

(published in
US
as
DRAGONSEYE
)

THE MASTERHARPER OF PERN

THE SKIES OF PERN

and with Todd McCaffrey:

DRAGON’S KIN

DRAGON’S FIRE

DRAGON HARPER

DRAGON’S TIME

SKY DRAGONS

by Todd McCaffrey:

DRAGONSBLOOD

DRAGONHEART

DRAGONGIRL

Crystal Singer Books

THE CRYSTAL SINGER

KILLASHANDRA

CRYSTAL LINE

Talent Series

TO RIDE PEGASUS

PEGASUS IN FLIGHT

PEGASUS IN SPACE

Tower and the Hive Sequence

THE ROWAN

DAMIA

DAMIA’S CHILDREN

LYON’S PRIDE

THE TOWER AND THE HIVE

Catteni Sequence

FREEDOM’S LANDING

FREEDOM’S CHOICE

FREEDOM’S CHALLENGE

FREEDOM’S RANSOM

Individual Titles

RESTOREE

DECISION AT DOONA

THE SHIP WHO SANG

GET OFF THE UNICORN

THE GIRL WHO HEARD DRAGONS

BLACK HORSES FOR THE KING

NIMISHA’S SHIP

A GIFT OF DRAGONS

The Petaybee novels
written in collaboration with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

POWERS THAT BE

POWER LINES

POWER PLAY

CHANGELINGS

MAELSTROM

DELUGE

The Acorna Series

ACORNA
(with Margaret Ball)

ACORNA’S QUEST
(with Margaret Ball)

ACORNA’S PEOPLE
(with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough)

ACORNA’S WORLD
(with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough)

ACORNA’S SEARCH
(with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough)

ACORNA’S REBELS
(with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough)

ACORNA’S TRIUMPH
(with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough)

ACORNA’S CHILDREN: FIRST WARNING
(with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough)

ACORNA’S CHILDREN: SECOND WAVE
(with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough)

ACORNA’S CHILDREN: THIRD WATCH
(with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough)

and published by Corgi Books

TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS
61–63 Uxbridge Road, London W5 5SA
A Random House Group Company
www.transworldbooks.co.uk

DRAGONSINGER: HARPER OF PERN
A CORGI BOOK : 9780552108812
Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781448127948

Originally published in Great Britain by Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd

Sidgwick & Jackson edition published 1977
Corgi edition published 1978

Copyright © Anne McCaffrey 1977
The Estate of Anne McCaffrey, Literary Trustee, Jay A. Katz

Anne McCaffrey has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.