Anne McCaffrey - Dragonsinger (The Harper Hall Triology)

Dragon Singer

By Anne McCaffrey

When Menolly, daughter of Yanus Sea Holder, arrived at the Harper Craft Hall, she came in style, aboard a bronze dragon. She was seated on Monarth's neck between his rider, T'gellan, and the Masterharper of Pern, Robinton. For one who had been told that girls could not become harpers, who had run away and actually lived holdless because she could not continue life without music, this was something of a triumphal success.
Yet it was also frightening. To be sure, music would not be denied her at the Harper Hall. True, she had written some songs that the Masterharper had heard and liked. But they were just tunings, not anything important. And what could a girl, even one who had taught her Hold's youngsters their Teaching Songs and Ballads, do at a Harper Hall from which all teaching songs originated? Especially a girl who had inadvertendy Impressed nine fire lizards when everyone else on Pem would give a left arm to own just one? What had Master Robinton in mind for her to do here in the Harper Hall?
She couldn't think, she was so tired. She'd had a busy, exciting day at Benden Weyr on the opposite side of the continent where night now was well advanced. Here in Fort Hold, the sky was just darkening.
"Just a few minutes more," said Robinton in her ear. She heard him laugh because just then bronze Monarth trumpeted a greeting to the Fort Hold watch dragon. "Hang on, Menolly. I know you must be exhausted. I'll put you in Silvina's care the moment we land. See, there," and she followed the line of his pointing finger and saw the lighted quadrangle of buildings at the foot of the Fort Hold cliff. "That's the Harper Hall."
She shivered then, with fatigue, the cold of their passage between and apprehension. Monarth was circling now, and figures were pouring out of the Harper Hall into the courtyard, waving wildly to cheer the Master harper's return. Somehow, Menolly hadn't expected that there'd be so many people in the Harper Craft Hall.
They kept well back, though their shouts of welcome didn't abate, while the big bronze dragon setded in the courtyard, giving him plenty of wingroom.
"I've got two fire lizard eggs!" shouted Master Robinton. Hugging the earthen pots tightly against his body, he slid from bronze Monarth's shoulder with the ease of considerable practice in dismounting dragons. "Two fire lizard eggs!" he repeated joyfully, holding the precious egg pots above his head and striding quickly to show off his prizes.
"My fire lizards!" Anxiously Menolly glanced up and about her. "Did they follow us, T'gellan? They're not lost
between."
"No chance of that, Menolly," T'gellan replied, pointing to the slated roof behind them. "I asked Monarth to tell them to perch there for the time being."
With infinite relief, Menolly saw the unmistakable outlines of her fire lizards on the rooftop against the darkening sky.
"If only they don't misbehave as they did at Benden ..."
"They won't," T'gellan assured her easily. "You'll see to that. You've done more with your fair of fire lizards than F'nor has with his one little queen. And F'nor's a trained dragonrider." He swung his right leg over Monarth's neckridge and dropped to the ground raising his arms to her. "Bring your leg over. I'll steady you so you won't jar those sore feet of yours," and his hands braced her as she slid down Monarth's shoulder. "That's the girl, and here you are, safe and sound in the Harper Hall." He gestured broadly as if only he could have accomplished this mission.
Menolly looked across the courtyard, where the Masterharper's tall figure and presence dominated those surrounding him. Was Silvina one of them? Wearily Menolly hoped that the Harper would find her quickly. The girl could put no reliance on Tgellan's glib assumption that her fire lizards would behave. They'd only just got used to being at Benden Weyr, among people who had some experience with winged antics.
"Don't worry so, Menolly. Just remember," said Tgellan, gripping her shoulder in awkward reassurance, "every harper on Pem has been trying to find Petiron's lost apprentice ..."
"Because they thought that apprentice was a boy..."
"That made no difference to Master Robinton when he asked you to come here. Times are changing, Menolly, and it'll make no difference to the others. You'll see. In a sevenday you'll have forgotten you've ever lived anywhere else." The bronze dragonrider chuckled. "Great shells, girl, you've lived holdless, outrun Thread, and Impressed nine fire lizards. What's to fear from harpers?"
"Where is Silvina?" The Masterharper's voice rose above the others. There was a momentary lull and someone was sent to the Hall to find the woman. "And no more answers now. You've the bones of the news, I'll 9esh it out for you later. Now, don't drop these egg pots, Sebell. Right now, I've more good news! I've found Petiron's lost apprentice!"
Amid exclamations of surprise, Robinton broke free of the crowd and beckoned Tgellan to bring Menolly forward. For a brief second, Menolly fought the urge to turn and run, impossible as it was with her feet barely healed from trying to outrun Thread and with T'gellan's arm about her. His fingers squeezed on her shoulder as it he sensed her nervousness.
"There's nothing tor you to fear from harpers," he repeated in her ear as he escorted her across the court.
Robinton met them halfway, beaming with pleasure as he took her right hand. He flung up his other arm to command silence.
"This is Menolly, daughter of Yanus Sea Holder, late of Half-Circle Sea Hold, and Petiron's lost apprentice!"
Whatever response the harpers made was covered by an explosion of fire lizard cries from the rooftop. Fearful that the fair might wing down on the harpers, Menolly turned, saw that their wings were indeed spread and sternly commanded them to stay where they were. Then she had no excuse tor not confronting the sea of faces:
some smiling, some with mouths ajar in surprise at her fire lizards, but too many, many people.
"Yes, and those fire lizards are Menolly's," Robinton went on, his voice easily projecting above the murmurs. "Just as that lovely song about the fire lizard queen is
Menolly's. Only it wasn't a man who saved the clutch from the sea, it was Menolly. And when no one would let her play or sing in Half-Circle Sea Hold after Petiron died, she ran away to the fire lizard queen's cave and Impressed nine of the eggs before she realized what she was doing. Furthermore," and he raised his volume above the ragged cheers of approval, "furthermore, she found another clutch, which provided me with two eggs!"
The second cheer was more wholehearted, reverberating in the courtyard and answered by shrill whistles from the fire lizards. Under cover of good-natured laughter at that response, Tgellan muttered, "I told you so" in her ear.
"And where is Silvina?" asked the Harper again, a note of impatience audible.
"Here I am and you ought to be ashamed of yourself, Robinton," said a woman, pushing through the ring of harpers. Menolly had an impression of very white skin and large expressive eyes set in a broad-cheeked face framed by dark hair. Then strong but gentle hands took her from Robinton's grasp. "Subjecting the child to such an ordeal. No, no, you lot calm down. All this noise. And those poor creatures up there too scared out of their wits to come down. Haven't you any sense, Robinton? Away! The lot of you. Into the Hall. Carry on all night if you've the energy but I'm putting this child to bed. Tgellan, if you'd help me ..."
As she upbraided everyone impartially, the woman was also making her way, with Menolly and T'gellan, through the crowd which parted respectfully but humorously before her.
"It's too late to put her with the other girls at Dunca's," said Silvina to T'gellan. "We'll just bed her in one of the guest rooms for the night."
Unable to see clearly in the shadows of the Hall, Menolly barked her toes on the stone steps, cried out involuntarily at the pain and grabbed at the supporting hands.