Dragonsinger

“Tomorrow,” Master Shonagar said as he dismissed her, “bring me a copy of that latest thing you wrote. The one about Brekke. At least you have wit enough to write music you can sing, that lies in the best part of your voice. Tell me, do you do that on purpose? No, no, that was an invidious question. Unworthy of me. Inapplicable to you. Away with you now, I’m excessively wearied!” His fist came up to support his head, and he was snoring before Menolly could express her gratitude for his stimulating lesson.

Beauty flew to her perch on Menolly’s shoulder, chittering happily, and Menolly, begi

Menolly entered the Hall, wondering if she should ask Silvina about boots, but she could hear a lot of bustle and noise from the kitchen and decided to bide her time. She made her way to her room, saw the door ajar, and was surprised to find Audiva waiting for her.

“I took you at your word, Menolly, but, honestly, if I had to stay one more moment in that poisonous atmosphere…”

“I meant it.”

“You look tired. Master Shonagar’s lessons are exhausting. We have only one in the week, and you have to go every day? Was he in one of his banging moods?” Audiva giggled, and her eyes sparkled with merriment.

Menolly laughed, too. “I sang yesterday at the gather without his express permission.”

“Oh! Great stars.” Audiva was torn between giggles and concern. “But why would he complain? You sang so beautifully. Viderian said it was the best he’d heard that sea song done. You’ve made another good friend in Viderian, if that’s any consolation. That fist in Benis’s face. He’s wished so often that he could bang that arrogant booby.”

“Audiva, could Lord Sangel of Boll make Master Robinton…”

“You didn’t heed to that spiteful wherry, Briala? Oh, Menolly…”

“But can an apprentice…”

“An apprentice, an ordinary apprentice, yes," Audiva said with a reluctant sigh for the truth, “because apprentices have no rank. Journeymen do. But you are Master Robinton’s own special apprentice, just as Piemur said, and it’d take more than a Lord Holder to shift Master Robinton when he’s made up his mind. Besides, you weren’t at fault. Pona was. Bearing false witness. Now, you listen to me, Menolly, don’t you dare let that bunch of sly slippers worry you! They’re just jealous. That was Pona’s problem, too. Besides,” and Audiva’s face brightened as she thought of the telling argument, “Lord Groghe needs you here to help him train Merga. There’s your new song. Oh, Menolly, Talmor was playing it, and it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard. ‘Live for my living/or else I must die.’ ” Audiva had a throaty contralto voice that throbbed poignantly on the deep note. “I wanted to weep, and while I know I’m just a silly girl—”

“You’re not just silly. You stood up for me against Pona…”

Audiva bit her lip guiltily, her expression contrite. “I didn’t tell you about Master Domick’s first message…” She paused, full of self-reproach. “I knew about it. I heard him tell Dunca. We all did. And I knew they were trying to make trouble for you because you had the fire lizards…”

“But you told Master Domick that I hadn’t been told.”

“Fair’s fair.”

‘Well, then, if fair’s fair, you did stand up with me against Pona and all those fosterlings when it really mattered. Let’s forget everything else…and just be friends.” I’ve never had a girl friend before,” Menolly added shyly.

“You haven’t?” Audiva was shocked, “Weren’t you fostered out?”

“No, being the youngest and Half-Circle being so isolated and with Thread falling, and that’s what the Harper usually does, and Petiron never…”

“Just as well old Petiron kept you by him, the way things turned out, isn’t it?” Audiva gri

And they sealed the bargain with a handshake.

“Are they really practicing my song?” asked Menolly, a little apprehensive.

“Yes, and hating every minute of it because you wrote it.” Audiva was delighted. “I’d be obliged if you’d teach me some simpler chords than the ones you’ve written. I ca

“They are simple.”

“For you, maybe, but not for me!” Audiva groaned over her inadequacy.

“Here,” and Menolly thrust her gitar at Audiva. “You can start with a simple E chord…go on, strum it… Now, modulate to an A Minor…”

Menolly soon realized that she didn’t have as much patience as she ought to with Audiva, especially since Audiva was her best friend now, and she certainly did try to follow Menolly’s instructions; but both girls were relieved when Beauty’s creeling interrupted the practice. Audiva declared that she’d have to fly to change before supper. She wouldn’t have the time after, or she’d be late to rehearsal. She gave Menolly a quick and grateful embrace, and dashed down the steps ahead of her.

Camo and Piemur were waiting for Menolly at the kitchen level. It seemed incredible to Menolly as she fed her hungry friends that she’d only been at Harper Hall a sevenday. So much had happened. And yet the fire lizards had settled in as if they’d never lived anywhere else. She had established a routine in her sessions with Domick and the journeymen in the mornings, with Shonagar in the afternoon. Above all, she had the right, the exquisitely sweet right—no, an injunction from the Masterharper—to write the songs that had once been totally forbidden her. Seven days ago, standing in this very courtyard, she’d been scared to tears. What had T’gellan said? Yes, he’d given her the sevenday to get adjusted. And he’d been right in that, though she’d doubted him at the time. He’d also said that she didn’t have anything to fear from harpers. True enough, but she had experienced envy and to some extent overcome it: she’d made staunch friends and good impressions on those in Hall and Hold who mattered to her future. She’d made not one, but several places for herself in the Craft Hall: with her songs, her fire lizards and, unexpectedly, her knowledge of seacraft.

Only one small worry nagged at her: what if the vengeful Pona could prejudice her grandfather, Lord Sangel, against a lowly apprentice in the Craft Hall? Not all Lord Holders were tolerant men like Lord Groghe. Not all of them had fire lizards. Menolly had had too much stripped from her before in her home Hold to calm that anxiety.

Chapter 11

O Tongue, give sound to joy and sing

Of hope and promise on dragonwing!

Domick caught her before she left the dining hall the next morning.

“That sea song you sang at the gather? Would it take you long to note it down? I never heard it before.” Menolly wasn’t sure from his frown if he blamed her for that oversight or not. “Master Robinton wants sea songs inland and land songs on the seaside…” Domick looked a

“I could make several copies as easily as one,” she said.

Domick blinked as if he’d forgotten. “Of course, you could. And a mighty neat hand you’ve got. Even old Arnor had to admit that!” For some obscure reason this amused Domick. He continued in a much better humor. “All right then, to save a lot of useless talk and wasted time, would you please copy that sea song? And do a couple of “The Fire Lizard Song!’ I’m not certain how many Arnor has completed, and you got a taste of his attitude yesterday…” Menolly gri