Anne Mccaffrey_ Dragonriders of Pern 20

by Dragon Harper

  Kindan cut off his reply as the sound of footsteps could be heard coming up the corridor. Both turned to the entrance expectantly.

  “What are you three doing up?” Lenner asked them, carrying a glow basket in one hand.

  “Still working,” Kindan said, pointing at the stack of Records.

  Lenner came in and glanced down at the Record in front of Kindan.

  “It’s hard to read these old Records in this light,” Lenner murmured, bringing his glow closer, “especially at night.”

  “See?” Vaxoram said triumphantly.

  “That’s the only free time I have,” Kindan said.

  “Hmmph,” Lenner grunted. “We’ll have to see about that.” He wagged a finger at the two boys. “In the meantime, go to sleep, I’ll get this sorted out in the morning.”

  “But it’s important!” Conar objected.

  “Yes,” Lenner agreed, “it is. Very important, which is why I don’t want to leave the job to sleepy eyes.”

  Reluctantly, with Conar still grumbling, the three apprentices went to the dorm.

  But things didn’t go as they’d hoped when they got there. Kindan had rolled his glow over so that it provided only the barest bit of light and, as they navigated their way to their beds, Conar stubbed his toe on a bunk and tripped loudly.

  “Quiet!” a voice shouted irritably from the darkness.

  “Sorry,” Conar whispered, hopping around and grabbing his toe in both hands.

  “Shut up!” another voice shouted in response.

  “What’s going on?” a third voice added. “Who’s making that noise?”

  “The new lad,” a voice grumbled from the dark.

  “He stubbed his toe,” Kindan said in explanation. “We were working in the Archives.”

  Kindan was surprised to be shoved awake the next morning, for he usually woke up at the crack of dawn.

  “Kindan! Kindan, get up!” Kelsa shouted in his ear.

  “What?” Kindan asked groggily.

  “We’re going to be late!” Nonala urged him.

  “Get Conar,” Kindan said as he rose from his bunk. Hastily, he pulled on his morning clothes.

  Nearby, Conar was roused by Nonala. “What is it?” Conar asked as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

  “It’s time to get up,” Nonala told him calmly. “We start our day with a morning exercise and a run.”

  “A run?”

  “Yes, every day,” Nonala answered, with a stern glance toward Kindan. “I suppose he’s been letting you sleep in this past sevenday!”

  Kindan frowned, worried that Conar with his shortness of breath might have a difficult time completing the run from the Harper Hall up to Fort Hold and back. He opened his mouth to make the comment but Kelsa shushed him.

  “Don’t talk, just move!” Kelsa urged, dragging Kindan by the arm.

  As Kindan got out of his bunk, he realized that the rest of the apprentice dormitory was already empty.

  As they stumbled out of the apprentice dormitory into the courtyard, Kindan explained to Conar, “We do exercises every morning. At the end of our exercises, we run up to Fort Hold and back again. After that, we get ready for the start of the day and breakfast.”

  “We usually eat before we do anything,” Conar replied.

  Kindan could not help but notice Vaxoram eyeing him as he exited the apprentice dormitory.

  “We’ll start with stretching exercises,” Vaxoram called to the massed apprentices.

  Kindan always found the stretching exercises relaxing. He glanced around and noticed that Conar was following along with some difficulty. Kindan recalled how difficult it had been for him at first to learn the stretching exercises. He smiled encouragingly at the young holder boy. Conar caught his grin and smiled in return.

  As they started their regular calisthenics, Kindan flashed a look at Kelsa, who grinned back at him. Kelsa and Kindan had often joked that girls did stretching exercises better than boys but boys did calisthenics better than girls. It had become something of a competition between the two of them to see who could outdo the other at their “best” ability.

  After the calisthenics, they began their morning run up to the main gates of Fort Hold and back to the Harper Hall. Conar fell out of the run just as they were turning back from Fort Hold.

  “He has trouble breathing,” called Vaxoram who had fallen out beside him, his own sides heaving from exertion.

  “Bend over, Conar, get the blood back in your head,” Kindan told the youngster.

  “You go on,” Conar said between gasps, waving feebly after the formation.

  “No, I’ll stay with you,” Kindan told him. “Harpers stick together.”

  “I’m not a harper,” Conar replied, still slowly recovering his breath. “I doubt I’ll ever be.”

  “Don’t say that,” Vaxoram told him fiercely. “It’s just your first day’s run. You’ll get used to it.”

  “Sure you will, Conar,” Nonala added in agreement, glancing toward Vaxoram quizzically, surprised that he had been so vehement with the young boy. Kindan looked up and saw that not only Nonala but also Kelsa, and Verilan, had stayed behind.

  “You should catch up,” Kindan told the others, waving them on.

  “Harpers stick together,” Kelsa repeated to him, putting her hands on her hips and daring him to contradict her.

  Nonala knelt down beside Conar and rubbed his back soothingly.

  “I could carry you,” Vaxoram offered.

  “Are you all right now, Conar?” Kindan asked. “We can start walking back.”

  “We should run,” Conar protested.

  “Not your first day,” Nonala told him, shaking her head. “Vaxoram should have allowed for that.”

  “Why do harpers run, anyway?” Conar asked as he stood up and started to walk slowly back toward the Harper Hall.

  “Because they can,” Nonala said, grinning.

  “To keep in shape,” Vaxoram said.

  “I think it’s because harpers have to be ready for anything,” Kindan said thoughtfully. “One minute a harper’s strumming on a guitar, the next he’s—”

  A chittering sound burst from the air abruptly above them. Kindan laughed as he looked up and spotted two fire-lizards cavorting.

  “The next minute he’s paying respects to the Lord Holder’s eldest daughter,” Kindan finished, turning around and looking expectantly back toward Fort Hold. He saw a group of people approaching them and his throat tightened.

  “It looks like Lord Holder Bemin,” Kelsa remarked, straightening up quickly and brushing the dirt off her knees.

  “Oh, no,” Verilan muttered. “He’s going to ask about those Records!”

  “What Records?” Nonala asked but Kindan waved a hand peremptorily at the others, commanding silence. The others obeyed, glad to have someone take charge.

  The group approaching quickly resolved itself into four: Lord Bemin, his lady, Sannora, their eldest daughter, Koriana, and a toddler whom Lady Sannora scooped up just before they met the harpers. Kindan saw that the toddler was the Lord Holder’s youngest and last child, Fiona.

  “My lord, good day,” Kindan said as they drew near. He bowed low.

  “Kindan, good to see you,” Koriana called out in surprise. “I see that your Valla and my Koriss have already made their greetings.”

  “My apologies, my lord,” Kindan said obsequiously to the Lord Holder, remembering Kelsa’s comments about why the Lord Holder never visited the Harper Hall. The last thing he wanted to do was give the Lord Holder a reason to chide the Masterharper and yet, here they were, halfway up to Fort Hold. “My friends and I stopped to rest during our run.”

  Bemin regarded Kindan silently for a long moment before replying, “So we saw.”

  “Father!” Koriana whispered chidingly.

  “I’m sorry, my lord, I’m not used to the exercise,” Conar said on his own, his words punctuated by another long bout of coughing.

  “This is Conar’s fir
st day with us,” Kindan explained. “His father sent him here from Benden Hold.”

  “Your father?” Bemin repeated, scrutinizing Conar carefully. “Are you a son of Ibraton?”

  “I am, my lord,” Conar replied, sketching a shorter bow than Kindan had, as was proper from a Lord Holder’s child to a Lord Holder.

  “Well, Conar, what skills bring you to the Harper Hall?” Lady Sannora asked kindly, moving her squirming toddler from one hip to the other.

  “I’m not certain I have any, my lady,” Conar replied, flushing.

  “He draws,” Kindan declared stolidly in his defense.

  “And is drawing valued at the Harper Hall?” Lord Bemin asked, glancing first at Conar and then at Kindan.

  “I can’t say for certain, my lord,” Kindan replied after an agonizingly long silence, “but Master Murenny was pleased enough to take him on.”

  “But that was because Father asked him,” Conar murmured to Kindan.

  “Well,” Lord Bemin said, “I agree that a Lord Holder’s request is good enough for a harper.” He cast a sideways glance at Kindan and there was no warmth in his eyes.

  “As you say, my lord,” Kindan replied nonchalantly. He ignored the curious looks that Nonala and Kelsa sent his way. “We were just returning to the Harper Hall, my lord.”

  “Well, then, we can walk together, can’t we, Father?” Koriana said quickly, closing the distance between her and Kindan. “Father has some questions for Master Murenny and I have some questions for you.”

  “I’ll be pleased to help in any way I can,” Kindan said. Bemin shot him a measuring look. “Would it have anything to do with fire-lizards?”

  “Yes, it does,” Koriana said, looking surprised.

  “I would be happy to answer your questions—but later, if that would be acceptable,” Kindan told her, trying to hide his pleasure. “My friends and I should be hurrying back; we’ve got chores to do before the start of the day.” He turned to Lord Bemin. “Would you mind if we left you, my lord?”

  “I wouldn’t want you to get into any trouble,” Lord Bemin replied with a wave of his hand. “I’m sure that Koriana will be able to find you later.”

  “Thank you, my lord,” Kindan replied with a half-nod. To the others he said, “We’d best hurry back as quick as we can.” He looked at Conar. “Are you all right or would it be better if you escorted the Lord Holder?”

  “I’m all right,” Conar declared stoutly. “As long as we don’t run.”

  Kindan snorted. “Don’t be so sure, just see the way Kelsa’s long legs eat up the distance!”

  Kindan’s warning was prophetic; soon Conar was huffing and puffing to keep up with the longer-legged girl.

  “Slow down, Kelsa, or you’ll leave Conar behind,” Kindan cautioned her.

  “I just want to get back in time to do the chores and get a shower, that’s all,” Kelsa grumbled.

  “I hope you like cold water,” Nonala muttered.

  “Oh, Shards!” Kelsa exclaimed, stamping her foot. “You’re right, all the warm water will be gone!”

  “You could go ahead and we’ll catch up,” Kindan said in an echo of his earlier suggestion. Kelsa and Nonala merely glared at him. Kindan glanced at Vaxoram, who, as senior apprentice, was responsible for assigning the apprentices’ chores. Then he said, “You’d best run ahead and catch up with the others.”

  Vaxoram looked torn between his duty and his desire to stick with Conar and the others. In the end, he nodded at Kindan’s order and raced away.

  As they finally passed under the archway into the courtyard, Kindan saw the last of the apprentices dispersing. Vaxoram was waiting for them.

  “Finally,” he called. “I’ve got your assignments.”

  “Lord Bemin is on his way,” Kindan reminded him. “The Masterharper will want to know.”

  “I’ll tell him,” Vaxoram said. “You and the others are to replace the glows.”

  “Now?” Kelsa groaned.

  “While the sun is shining, yes,” Vaxoram returned tartly.

  “But we won’t have time to eat!” Verilan objected.

  “Or at least get a shower,” Kelsa cried.

  “I can’t play favorites,” Vaxoram muttered, his eyes looking troubled. “And I must go tell the Masterharper.”

  “It’s his job, as senior apprentice,” Kindan agreed, waving Vaxoram away.

  “Shards!” Nonala groaned as Vaxoram ran out of sight. “We’ll never get it done.”

  “Here’s what we do,” Kindan said. “Kelsa, you get your shower—but hurry. When you’re done, grab some rolls and butter from the dining hall.”

  Kelsa nodded and sped off.

  “Nonala, you get the glows out of the east side, and take Conar with you. Verilan, you and I will get the west.” Verilan and Nonala nodded in agreement. “Meet back here and we’ll take turns setting out the glows while the others shower and get dressed.” He grabbed Verilan’s arm and started to move off, calling over his shoulder, “And hurry!”

  Kindan’s plan almost worked. He, Verilan, and Conar had just gotten in the shower when Kindan heard the Masterharper shout, “Kindan!”

  With a groan, Kindan jumped out of the shower and hastily pulled on his clothes, rushing out of the dormitory just as the Masterharper shouted once again. “Kin—Oh, there you are!”

  “Sorry, Master,” Kindan called up to the Masterharper who was peering out of the upstairs window.

  “Can you join us?”

  “Immediately,” Kindan replied, rushing toward the stairs that led up to the Masterharper’s quarters. At the door he knocked.

  “Come in,” the Masterharper called back. Kindan opened the door carefully, not entirely sure of his reception. Murenny beamed at him as he entered, and Kindan hid a sigh of relief.

  “I hear that young Conar has a problem with his breath,” the Masterharper said.

  “Yes, sir,” Kindan replied.

  “Make sure that he sees Lenner later on today, if you would,” the Masterharper said. Kindan nodded. “I should have thought of it yesterday and warned Vaxoram.”

  Kindan caught sight of Vaxoram standing off to one side of the room, looking chagrined.

  “I couldn’t imagine that Ibraton would want his youngest dead from overexertion,” Lord Bemin remarked. “Let alone on his first run.”

  Kindan wondered if Fort’s Lord Holder was upset that Ibraton hadn’t asked him to foster Conar. That was usually what was done with Holders’ sons and daughters. Lord Bemin’s tone reminded Kindan of someone, and it took him a moment to recall: Tarik, C’tov’s father. Kindan gave himself a quick mental shake. Lord Bemin was not at all like Tarik, who had turned out to be a murderer and was ultimately given the worst punishment ever handed out on Pern, being Shunned by all, including his wife and son. No, Lord Bemin merely sounded like Tarik had when he’d been particularly pompous or patronizing. Kindan glanced at the Masterharper, wondering if Master Murenny felt as nettled by Lord Bemin as Kindan had on occasion by Tarik.

  Master Murenny turned to Kindan. “Lord Bemin was wondering what you knew about fire-lizards.”

  “I can’t say that I know all that much about fire-lizards,” Kindan replied. “However, I will be glad to share what knowledge I have. And I may be able to find more in the Archives.”

  Master Murenny blinked at him. “I’m not sure that you will find all that much in the Archives, actually.”

  “Anything you can discover will help a lot,” Koriana added, giving Kindan a smile.

  Kindan felt his cheeks grow hot. Vaxoram glowered.

  “I was particularly anxious to know when we might expect my queen to rise to mate,” Koriana said, her cheeks also glowing.

  “Koriana, really!” Fort’s Lady Holder scolded.

  There was an awkward silence.

  “Is there anything else we can help you with, my Lord Holder?” Master Murenny asked to fill the gap.

  Lord Bemin turned his attention from scolding his daughter towa
rd the Masterharper of Pern, but his features remained set. It was a moment before he replied.

  “We were also wondering if perhaps Koriana here could learn your drum codes,” Lord Bemin said. “It would be useful to have another pair of ears at the Hold to listen to the drum conversations.”

  Kindan wondered whether the Lord Bemin was being deliberately insulting to the harpers or merely did not trust Fort’s aging harper. A glance at Masterharper Murenny showed him that the same thoughts had crossed his mind, as well.

  “We would be glad of her company,” Master Murenny said, smiling at the young holder girl. “When would be convenient for you, Lady Koriana?”

  Koriana ducked her head in acknowledgment of the Master’s question and replied demurely, “I would like to start as soon as I could.”

  “Kindan’s actually very good with drums,” Master Murenny said, nodding toward the young apprentice. “We could perhaps combine the two tasks into one.”

  Lord Bemin glanced sharply at the Masterharper before turning an inquiring look to his own lady. Lady Sannora locked eyes with him for a moment before nodding in acquiescence.

  “Well, I’m glad that’s settled,” said Master Murenny. He looked politely toward Fort’s Lord Holder. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

  “Well, actually,” Fort’s Lady Holder said, “if there’s any way you could help Koriana improve her writing…”

  “Mother!” Koriana protested.

  “Well, dear, you really should work on it some more,” Sannora replied.

  Koriana’s cheeks dimpled in embarrassment. Kindan smiled reassuringly at her.

  “Actually, there is one other issue I would like to discuss with you,” Lord Bemin said to Murenny.

  The Masterharper made a motion for him to continue.

  “I was rather curious as to why Lord Ibraton thought to send his youngest son to the Harper Hall.”

  “I’m not entirely certain myself,” Master Murenny replied. “I have not heard from him directly. However, Weyrleader M’tal led me to believe that perhaps Lord Holder Ibraton had hopes that his son, Conar, might one day become a healer.”

  “I see,” Lord Bemin replied. His eyes darted over to his wife, who made no response. The Lord Holder turned his gaze back to Master Murenny. “Well…”