Anne McCaffrey - Dragonsinger

“She couldn’t give ’em away if she wanted to,” Piemur was saying in a strident tone as Menolly approached his group. Someone must have jabbed him in the ribs because he glanced over his shoulder and, while he looked in no way abashed, it was obvious from the expression of the others that Menolly had been the “she” he’d meant. “Can you?” he asked bluntly.

“Can I what?”

“Give anyone else one of your fire lizards?”

“No.”

“I told you!” Piemur pointed an accusing finger at Ranly. “So Sebell couldn’t have given Robinton the queen. Could he, Menolly?”

“But the Masterharper should have had the queen,” said Ranly, rebellious and unconvinced.

“Sebell did offer the queen to Master Robinton when she hatched,” Menolly said quickly, “but it was too late. Impression had occurred, and that can’t be altered.”

“Well, just how did Sebell get his hands on the queen egg?” Now Ranly’s eyes hotly accused her of complicity.

“Completely by accident,” she said, mastering her irritation at such an outrageous suggestion. “First, there really isn’t any positive way of knowing which is the queen egg in a fire lizard clutch. Second, it isn’t anyone’s business but Master Robinton’s and Sebell’s.” She’d just lay this divisive rumor into an early grave and repay a little of her great debt to both men. ‘“Third, I picked the two biggest eggs in the clutch for Master Robinton,” and the boys nodded with approval, “but they could both have been bronzes.” Then she laughed. “It all happened so fast when the eggs started to hatch, no one bothered to see which pot was whose. Master Robinton and Sebell just grabbed because both pots were rocking fit to fall. The little bronze hatched first, right into Master Robinton’s hands, and that was that, right then. He caught it just before it could fall from the hearthstone.” The boys snatched in breath for that near catastrophe. “And. then there was Sebell with a queen in his hands. Then, he tried to give her to the Harper, but Zair had Impressed so had little Kimi. There’s no way to change that. And I don’t want to hear another word from any of you as to who got what and who shouldn’t have. There’s enough gossip flying about this Hall.” She wished she could forget her worries about what those girls had told the Lord Holder.

“I kept trying to tell them,” said Piemur, throwing his hands out, his eyes bright with injured innocence because Menolly was now glaring at him. Then he clutched dramatically at his throat because his voice had squeaked on the last word. “I’ve gone hoarse talking…”

“Can’t have the golden throat hoarse, can we?” said Ranly sarcastically.

Piemur was testing klah pots on the table to see if there were any that was still warm. Finding one he poured two mugs, offering one to Menolly. He gurgled as he downed half a mug, rubbed his hand across his mouth and then told her that she’d better eat quickly because they’d be clearing any minute.

“Now, let’s get back to the mark problem. This will be only the second gather of the Turn, so I figure that they’ll be sending an older journeyman from the Smithcraft Hall, to keep an eye on the younger fellows and supervise the bargaining. And that journeyman is just likely to be my father’s friend, Pergamol; and if it’s Pergamol, then I can guarantee that you’ll get top marks for your work. And…” he held up a silencing hand as Ranly opened his mouth to comment, “if it isn’t Pergamol, it’ll be someone who knows him.”

“And if it’s just a young journeyman who’s on to you, Piemur?” Ranly asked in a caustic tone.

“Then I blubber!” Piemur dismissed this problem with all the disdain of the practiced dissembler. “I’m just a li’l feller, and I never have much and I…” Great tears welled up in his eyes, and his face was a mask of trusting and anxious innocence.

“If I may disturb this tactical meeting,” said a different voice, and all the boys looked guiltily around to see Sebell, fire lizard cradled in his arm, “for a few words with Menolly…”

She rose and followed the journeyman to the window. He pressed her rolled-up belt in her hand, as he thanked her for saving his dignity that morning.

“Now, can I keep Kimi with me all the time?” he asked, lightly stroking the fire lizard’s folded wings. Even in her sleep she responded to his touch with a sigh.

“The more she’s with you the stronger the bond will grow. If not on you, near you.”

“Is she too young to be taught to sit on my shoulder like your Beauty does? I’ve got to have both hands for a while today.”

“When she wakes, put her on your shoulder!” Menolly grinned. “And get used to having your neck throttled.”

“How often does she eat?”

“She’ll let you know.” Menolly laughed at Sebell’s consternation. “At least you don’t have to go catch it. Keep a few meatrolls in your belt pouch, although I’m sure Camo will always be ready to chop-chop for you any time.” Sebell chuckled, too. “One thing you’ll need to do daily is oil her skin.”

“Does it have to stink like the stuff you use?” Sebell was dismayed.

Menolly suppressed a giggle. “Master Oldive had that oil on hand. He said he makes it for the ladies of the Hold to use on their faces…”

“Oh, no.”

“But I’m sure he’d make you something more suitable for your…” She paused, not certain just how much she could tease Sebell.

“My male dignity and rank?” Sebell grinned at her. “I’ll just have a word with him now,” and he strolled off with a lilt in his step.

Menolly was very pleased that she’d suppressed the boys’ misapprehension over the fire lizards’ hatching. Sebell was so nice. And, it wasn’t as if Master Robinton had been upset at Impressing the bronze. He genuinely hadn’t cared a whit once Zair had Impressed and was his very own. And if Master Robinton was content, the rest of the Hall shouldn’t quarrel!

Then she worried about the girl’s gossip: if the apprentices could take a simple switch like the Hatching and derive deep insult from it, what had the girls done with her reputation at the Hold?

“Look, Menolly,” Piemur said, popping up beside her, “I gotta couple of things to do now, but after dinner, you want me to take you round the gather? Seeing as how you haven’t been to one…here, that is.”

She readily agreed, curious to see just how his plans would affect his bargaining. He darted out of the Hall then, the others boys hard on his heels.

A few journeymen still lounged at the oval table, drinking klah, but most of the apprentices had dispersed. At the round table, Master Morshal now glowered darkly at her as he ate in solitary dignity. Menolly left the dining hall for the sanctuary of her room.

Her fire lizards were curled up on the deep window ledge, their wings glinting brilliantly in the sun but their jeweled eyes closed behind their several lids. Beauty stirred, raised her head, parted the outer lid, squeaked softly and, when Menolly stroked her reassuringly, sighed and resumed her interrupted nap.

From the vantage point of the second level, Menolly could see the square beyond the Harper Hall and the broad roadway. There was already considerable activity: burdenbeasts moving up the river road, their slow long stride one of indolence, rather than labor under heavy weight. Stalls were being assembled, forming a loose square about an open space. Tables and benches were already in place, facing the dance square. For dancing there would surely be, with a hundred or more harpers to do the playing. There’d be more dancing than she’d ever seen. And probably different dances from the ones popular in her Sea Hold. Oh, this would be a grand gather. Her first here, and her first since Thread started falling.