Dragonsinger

She held up a well-filled waist pouch.

“She’s got two marks,” Piemur said, turning to challenge Pona, his eyes flashing with anger.

“If she does, she stole it,” replied Pona, abandoning her indolent ma

“Stolen?” Menolly felt herself tensing with fury at the totally unexpected accusation.

“Stolen, nothing!” Piemur replied hotly. “Master Robinton gave it to her this morning!”

“I claim insult from you, Pona,” cried Menolly, her hand on her belt knife.

“Benis, she’s threatening me!” Pona cried, clinging to her escort’s arm.

“Now, see here, apprentice girl. You can’t insult a lady of the Holders. You just hand over that mark piece,” said Benis, gesturing peremptorily to Menolly.

“Menolly, don’t take insult,” Audiva pushed her way past the others and grabbed her arm, restraining her. “It’s what she wants.”

“Pona’s given me too many insults, Audiva.”

“Menolly, you mustn’t—”

“Get the mark, Benis,” Pona said in a hiss. “Make her pay for threatening me!”

“Out of the way, Benis, whoever you are,” said Menolly. “Pona has to answer for the insults she gives, lady holder or not.” Menolly moved sideways, countering Pona’s attempt to evade her.

“Benis, she can be dangerous! I told you so!” Pona’s voice went up in a frightened, breathless squeak.

“You mustn’t, Menolly,” Audiva said, catching Menolly’s sleeve. “She wants you to…Piemur, help me!”

“Don’t you dare, Audiva!” Pona’s voice was now edged with angry malice. “Or I’ll settle you good as well.”

“Come, girl, the money. Hand it over and we’ll say no more about attempted insult…” said Benis in a patronizing tone.

“Pona’s insulted Menolly!” cried Piemur indignantly. “Just because you’re a—”

“Close your mouth!” Benis wasted no courtesies on Piemur. He took a stride to close the distance between himself and Menolly, his jaw set in a disagreeable grin as he disdainfully measured the three slight and defiant adversaries.

Pona gave a little squeal as Benis left her standing on her own. Then, another as Menolly, stepping away from Benis, made a lunge at her, trying to catch her long plaited hair.

“Hey, now just a minute, you,” said the ta

Benis was quick on his feet, too, and he grabbed Menolly by the shoulder, spi

“I settle Pona!” She shouted to Piemur, beckoning him away.

“Benis, save me!” Pona screamed, rushing to the young Holder, but Piemur was still hanging onto her plait.

Benis let fly a kick at Piemur, tripping him up and added another one to the ribs as the boy measured his length in the dust.

“Leave him alone!” Forgetting her quarrel with Pona, Menolly launched herself at Benis. Putting shoulder and body behind her fist, she drove it right into Benis’s face. He staggered back, roaring in outrage and pain. One of the other fosterlings came charging forward, fist cocked to slam Menolly, but Audiva hung onto his arm.

“Viderian! Menolly’s a seaholder! Help us!”

Startled, her escort bounded in to help Audiva, just as Menolly ducked under Benis’s swing and tried to protect Piemur, who was struggling to get on his feet, blood streaming from his nose.

The next moment, the air was full of shrieking, clawing, fighting fire lizards. Piemur was screaming that Benis better not hit the Harper’s apprentice, or there’d be real trouble; Camo was howling that his pretty ones were afraid, and he waded in, thick arms flailing, hitting indiscriminately at friend and foe. Menolly got a clout across the ear as she tried to restrain the misguided Camo. “Shells! It’s the Hall’s dummy!” “Scatter!” “Get her!” “Knock him down!” “Got her, Menolly!”

The fire lizards were not hampered by Camo’s inability to distinguish friend and foe. They went for Pona, Briala, Amania, Benis and the other lads. Menolly, trying to catch her breath, realized that things were completely out of hand and desperately tried to call off the fire lizards. The girls were scattering, screaming, vainly trying to cover their heads, hair and eyes. Attacked from above, so did the fosterlings.

“Be still! Everyone!” The bellow was stentorian enough to penetrate shriek, howl and battle cries, and stern enough to command instant obedience. “You there, hang on to Camo! Douse him with that skin of water! You, ta

The Harper strode into the midst of the melee, yanking a fosterling to his feet, spi

“Now,” said the Harper, his voice controlled although his eyes were flashing with anger, “just what has been going on here?”

“It was her!” Pona staggered a step toward Master Robinton, jabbing her finger at Menolly and struggling to control her sobs. Long scratches marred her cheeks, her head scarf was torn and her hair pulled from its plaits. “She’s always causing trouble—”

“Sir, we were minding our own business,” said Piemur indignantly, “which was buying a belt that you said Menolly ought to have, when Pona here—”

“That little sneak tripped me as we were passing, and then her hideous beasts attacked all of us. They’ve done it before. I have witnesses!”

She stopped mid-gulp, arrested by the look on the Harper’s face.

“Lady Pona,” he said in an all too gentle voice, “you are overwrought. Briala, take the child back to Dunca. The excitement of a gather appears to be too much for such a fragile spirit. Amania, I think you ought to help Briala.” Though his voice expressed concern for their well-being, it was obvious that the Harper was disciplining the three girls who bore evidence of the unfriendly attentions of the fire lizards.

Now he turned to the Hold fosterlings. Benis, his left eye already bruising, his lip cut, his hair tousled and forehead bearing fire lizard marks, was straightening his tunic and brushing dust from his sleeve and trousers. The other youths who had been escorting the now banished girls maintained the rigid stance they had adopted as soon as they recognized the Masterharper.

“Lord Benis?”

“Masterharper?” Benis continued to adjust his garments, awarding the briefest of glances to the Harper.

“I’m glad you know my rank,” said Robinton, smiling slightly.

Menolly had been soothing Beauty and Rocky who had refused to leave when she sent the others away. At his tone, she looked at the Harper, amazed that he could express so profound a reprimand with a brief phrase and a smile.

One of the other fosterlings jabbed Benis in the ribs, and the young man looked angrily about.

“I expect you have business elsewhere…now!” said the Masterharper.

“Business? This is a gather day…sir.”

“For others, indeed, it is, but not, I think, for you,” and the Masterharper indicated with his hand that Benis had better retire. “Or you, and you, and you,” he added, indicating the other fosterlings who displayed claw marks. “Will you occupy yourselves quietly in your quarters or will I have to mention this to Lord Groghe?” He accepted the frantic shakings of their heads.