Chap. 71 Homecoming

Chap. 71 Homecoming

It felt so strange to be 'home', K'ndar reflected. He felt out of place.

Having spent the last two years in the weyr, he'd not thought that things would change at the  cothold. He felt an odd feeling of separation. Parts of the ranch had not changed: the barns, the small cottage he'd grown up in-yet when he walked in, there was a feeling of newness, of change, that he could not pin down. It was if things had gone missing but his memory couldn't tell him what. 

Then there was the change in the people who lived there. The atmosphere without his father's glowering and abusive presence was one of cheerfulness. Some of the hands were new, but for the most part, the ones working there were still the one's he'd known. They greeted him with smiles and open arms, happy to see him, wanting to know all about being a dragonrider. Yet he felt as if they were doing it out of civility rather than honesty. He'd become a visitor, a guest.

The new things were many: Sandriss and Mardriss both had built houses of rock and lightwood, knowing that Thread would never fall there again. They'd also built a small cottage for his mother…and Fland. They were weyrmates now, and he'd never seen his mother happier. She looked as if she'd dropped twenty years from her face. Fland had the air of contentment that only those happily involved with someone else showed. 

The home he'd grown up in was now the barracks for the hands. Mardriss and Sandriss had torn down the hovels their father had forced the hands to live in. 

His sister, Glyena's absence resounded. 

"Is she happy, K'ndar?" his mother asked, worried.

"Mum, yes. She's-bloomed, I have to use the word. She's completely lost that attitude that shocked us when you were at the weyr. She's happy, she loves school, she loves her ''sisters' and she's staying busy and out of trouble."

Daryat felt so odd. Her daughter, but yet not here. 

"I feel so strange about her being fostered out. As if I'd given up on her."

"Mum. SHE chose. If I'd thought for a moment she was unhappy, or worse, being abused, I'd have brought her back in a moment. But she is happy. She misses you, of course, she told me to tell…well, let me give you this," he said. He handed her a card Glyena had made…one made of paper.

On the front, Glyena had drawn herself in school with a book in her hand. Inside, the note said, Mum don't worry, I am fine. I am in school, I am learning a lot and I like to read and do math. I have two sisters and we do crafts. You are still my mum and I love you forever. Glyena.

Daryat pressed it against her chest, tears in her eyes. Yet she was smiling. "I knew she'd adapt. She's so courageous."

K'ndar put his arm around her. "She's happy, Mum. And, it looks to me, that you are, too."

She looked up at him. He'd grown so tall, she thought. 

"I am, Kandar, I am."

Just then, Fland entered the house. He took one look at K'ndar and shook his hand.

"Sir, you look good," K'ndar said.

"Aye, I am, and so do you. So, you're on 'expedition'?"

"Yes, sir. D'nis thought it would be best for us to base out of here when we do 'surveying' on the steppe. So I'll be here every night for, oh, I think a week? I want to thank you, and Mardriss, and you, mum, for putting us up..or putting up with us, for a week."

"My pleasure. It's good to see you, son."

"If I'm going to have a big feed tonight, " Daryat said, "I'd better start cooking. Not everyone will fit at the dinner table. I think we will have to put up some trestles out in the yard, under the big tree, Fland, there's not going to be enough room in this house!"

"Right. I'll set up tables. K'ndar, Sandriss wants a private chat with you," Fland said.

K'ndar found his brother Sandriss in the barn. After greeting each other, Sandriss took him out of earshot of the hands.

"Lizard sent me a message via fire lizard," he said. His pair were with Siskin, playing with the dragons.

"Yes?"

"He said something about being at Singing Waters Hold in a few weeks to testify at a trial. Know what's going on?"

K'ndar felt a bit odd. Sandriss, the help, his uncle Fland…were all treating him like an equal, a grown man, rather than the kid he'd been when he lived there. It felt almost unearned. 

"Yes, I know, he sent me the same one. I think…well, let me tell you about the bandits who raided a holdless camp a couple weeks ago.

 We were on sweep when they called us down. Three raiders jumped a couple kids who were out working, tried to kidnap a little girl. A ten year old boy, along with a couple sharp toothed dogs, ran them off. Two of them sounded like the ones who slashed Lizard and stole your horse, so long ago."

Sandriss's face clouded up. "I'd give a lot to be in on that trial. I don't want Lizard going in on his lone. He's got a history I don't want to catch up with him."

"I don't think you have to worry, too much. Mardriss can tell you, Lord Dorn's a fair man. From what I know, he's going by the Charter with this trial. He could just as easily have beheaded them and no one would have kicked. You're one of his Holders. You can ask for a meeting with your Lord Holder at any time. You have the right to face your attackers, to see justice done, just like they have the right to have a chance to explain themselves. But I don't think I'd worry too much about Lizard. He doesn't have a reputation for being a bad man. He's been honest and straight with everyone he's dealt with."

Sandriss nodded. "He is that. With everyone."

"I can come and get you, take you to the Hold for the trial. From what I know of the Lord Dorn, he doesn't take kindly to raiders attacking his people. Especially little girls."

"I'd like that. If you can, find out what the details are, and send me a message. I won't need but a few minutes to get ready. I want those bandits taken care of, once and for all."

Sandriss looked at K'ndar with a new eye. How was it this kid, this kid brother of his, was suddenly a man? Fighting Thread had changed his younger brother. He liked him.

"How do you know all this stuff?" he asked.

"They teach us protocol in Weyrling school. Now mind you, we had a real sow for parts of it, but even she was able to teach us protocol, especially the historical parts of it. I learned a lot of history from that one. But our Weyrleaders were good teachers. I learned how to deal with all sorts of people: Lord Holders, Crafters, you name it. Even brothers."