Chap. 154 The Gatha at Ruatha-the Fix

Chap. 154 The Gatha at Ruatha-the Fix

The weight of the books he'd purchased made K'ndar's backpack sag. He felt an odd mix of feelings. He'd spent a lot of money, but the books! What was worth more? Glyena had purchased one, as well.

Siskin appeared, chirping, and landed on his shoulder.

He is going on and on about Ruth. Like he's the only dragon on Pern Raventh groused.

Don't be jealous. Siskin's a fire lizard, not as smart as you. And he's a blue…. Trust me, he'll be all over you tonight, giving you scritches

Okay Raventh said, only slightly mollified.

"I never realized how heavy books can get," he said, adding, "Siskin, you're making it worse."

Siskin wheedled proudly.

"Gly, I think I'll drop my backpack at Lizard's caravan," he said, "then we can continue on through the Gather."

"Me, too. Can I…can I go by myself after that?" she asked.

K'ndar, realizing it would eventually have come to this, looked at her for several moments.

"Ummmm, okay. But remember Shirae's advice…and mine," he said.

"Shirae said to "keep my ears open and my mouth shut. And to look but not touch," she said.

"That's good advice. I learn a lot by not saying anything," K'ndar said.

Lizard had just returned from a trading transaction when they approached.

At his whistle, Crunch burst from under the caravan and ran happy circles around the three of them.

"Well, miss Glyena, I was wrong about your bridle," he said, somberly.

She gaped. "What…was something wrong?"

"I seem to have misjudged the time it would take to sell your bridle," he said. K'ndar could see a smile fighting desperately to break through.

Glyena slumped. "Oh. Well, it's okay, I guess. I didn't 'spect it to sell right away," she said, glumly.

"Oh, on the contrary, little lass," Lizard pulled a mark and a half from his pocket, "It sold almost immediately. I hardly got a chance to give it a good look myself," he said, laughing.

She shrieked with joy, sending Siskin flying. He swirled over their heads, joined by Lizard's pair.

Lizard formally handed over the money. "You might see it on the favorite in today's main race. Nice big liver chestnut gelding, running for Ruatha!"

"Lord Jaxom bought it?"

"Nay, little miss, one of his staff bought it. Took one look and didn't bother to dicker. He asks, can you make another?"

"Of course!!"

"May I make a suggestion?"

She looked at him, and nodded.

"I know you made Raventh's collar, the one with his name on it. Can you make a bridle with the horse's name on it?"

She stared off into space for several moments, thinking, braiding in her mind. Then she nodded.

"Yes. I would have to know the horse's name."

"That's a given. This chestnut, you can't miss him. Not a bit of white on him, and a flaxen mane and tail. He's a beauty, he is, his name is Swiftsure."

Glyena laughed, then sobered. "Do I…do I um..contract with him?"

"You can, but it's probably easier to deal through me. How do you feel about that?"

Glyena shrugged, then tried to act as grown up as possible. "I trust you, sir. So I want you to be my …my um.."

"Agent," Lizard smiled.
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Glyena moved through the throng, appreciating that she was free of adult supervision. Being a child in the midst of so many people gave her an anonymity that she'd was only now able to appreciate. She was Just Another Kid at the Gather. But being smaller than the adults, she found herself being buffeted and, sometimes, shoved aside. Maybe, maybe she should have stayed with K'ndar.

It's like I'm glass, they look right through me, she thought, I hardly exist.

Despite that, there was something intoxicating in anonymity, the feeling of being a nobody.

Being a kid enabled her to look at the wares without being pressured by the vendors. No one expected her to have money, and no one was around to correct her grammar. As long as she didn't touch anything, vendors ignored her. She learned quickly that they got testy when kids played with their wares.

A pack of boys in their early teens demonstrated that quite clearly. They'd formed a rowdy group at a knifemaker's table, snatching up several and assumed knife fighting stances with each other. The vendor jumped to his feet and cuffed the closest one, shouting at them. They dropped the knives and scattered, hooting derisively. Then, as Glyena approached, he snapped, "you there, off w' you, too!" as he bent to pick up the knives.

Rather than protest her innocence, she backed into the flow of people.

She wandered aimlessly, enjoying her solitude amidst the crush of people.

Then she heard the unmistakable sound of hoofbeats just under the noise of the crowd.

Turning, she made her way through a warren of booths and tents until she emerged into a small meadow, lined with people. She was immediately captivated.

A group of horsemen milled about at the near end of a straight course. Parallel to the straight course was a trio of large archery targets. The riders all carried bows and had filled quivers on their hips.

A girl, mounted on a skittish skewbald pony, was at the obvious start point. A man on a bay horse had just finished the course. Glyena saw three people pulling arrows from the targets, handing them to a boy who then raced to return them to the bay's rider.

The skewbald pony danced, impatient for her run.

"Ready?" an official called.

"Ready!" the girl called.

"Go!"

The girl dropped her reins and her pony leaped into a gallop.

Rocking in perfect time with her pony, the girl shot at the targets as she passed.

Her first two arrows thunked into the targets. But her third arrow somersaulted in midair and fell to the ground as she thundered past the target.

Several people in the crowd wailed in dismay.

The pony pulled up and spun around at the end of the course, trying to shake the braids out of her mane as she trotted back to the starting point.

One of the target attendants darted out into the lane to retrieve the dropped arrow. He handed it to the girl as she passed.

"Nice try, lassie!"

"Missed the nock!" the girl laughed, not at all upset. She gathered up her reins, quite unnecessarily, and took her place at the end of the line of competitors.

THAT LOOKS LIKE FUN! Glyena's mind shouted. Was there anything more fun than a flat out gallop? And this had a purpose! Even better! But I've never drawn a bow in my life. K'ndar knows how to draw a bow, she thought, I can learn how to do that!

She wanted a better view, one closer to the targets. Ah, there was one, much closer to the action. She began to weave her way through the crowd. Being shorter than the adults, it wasn’t easy. Two men were huddled in a spot, separated from the crowd but situated so that she had to detour around a small copse of tall shrubs to pass them.

She heard one say something that made her slow down and listen.

"You got it all the way in?"

The other nodded. "He didn't care for it none, not that you were of any help! Couldn't you'd have distracted her any longer?"

"It's weren't that easy, twit! She were wary as a new mum and twice as watchful. Knows her business, she did."

He looked left and right, his glance going right over Glyena.

"But you're certain, it's in, in the liver, aye? T'others didn't interfere?" he asked, wanting reassurance.

"Beasts crowded in, but…aye."

"The bet's good, then."

"Should think so," the other said, and then turned and walked off.

This was odd, she thought, what could it mean? Given the snatches of conversations she'd heard all morning, it probably meant nothing. But something in their manner spoke of something devious, something-ominous.

She watched the mounted archery contest for several more runs. Jordan could easily do that, she thought, I can ride without reins as easily as with, all I have to do is twist sideways and shoot. Oh, now I understand the reason for the braids! It's to keep the manes from tangling with the bows. Smart!

Still, the men's words kept coming back. Something, as her mum used to say, isn't right here.

Time to go talk to an adult.

K'ndar was off somewhere, and Terilyn on the other side of the Gather.

Lizard.
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"You're certain of what you heard, Glyena," the trader asked.

"Yes,sir. Word for word. It didn't….it didn't feel right, I can't explain it. I don't know why it bothers me, it's grown up talk," she said, defensively.

Lizard looked at the girl with admiration. She makes three, now, three good, honest folks from the same family. Sandriss, K'ndar and now their little sister, Glyena. Honest and dependable as the sun. One family-probably through the strength and integrity of their mother, that turned them from the evil wrought by their tyrannical father.

"You are a smart lass, Glyena. You make your mum and brothers proud. What you're listening to is your 'gut'. Never doubt that inner voice. Your gut, it never lies to you. Its job is to protect you. It knows when something isn't right. The mistake we so often make is when we don't listen to it. Don't ever second guess it. And thank you for telling me."

Glyena felt humble. "I'm just a kid. Most folks don't listen to us. Most don't believe us. I knew you would, and you were closest. What…what does it mean?"

He crouched down to be closer to her eye level.

Crunch thought it an excellent opportunity to give him kisses.

"Get by, you daft beast," he laughed. Then, seriously, he said,

"Glyena, there are evil people in this world, people who cheat in order to win or to make money or to gain power. Remember your history, about Fax? The bad things he did, to the people here at Ruatha, like Lessa?"

"Like Jenmay, who poisoned our Weyrwoman," Glyena said.

"Yes. It's why K'ndar and your foster mum were so insistent on you being aware of what's going on around you, here. And me. What you overheard was two evil men, who, it sounds to me, as if they've done something to Swiftsure, something to the horse."

Glyena scowled. "Why?"

"Lassie, evil people do things to horses to influence the outcome of a race. Swiftsure is the only liver chestnut on today's race card, and he's the favorite in the main race, the Ruatha Stakes. People are betting money on the horses, and most people bet on the favorite. But the smart thing to do is bet against the favorite, because they stand to win a lot of money if he loses.
Those men, they must have bets placed on a different horse, and it sounds to me as if they did something to Swiftsure so that he can't run or runs slowly, so poorly that he loses. They stand a good chance of their horse winning, especially if they did something to THAT one, too. They'll make big money on bets," he said.

"That's CHEATING! And hurting a horse?" she cried, angry.

"It IS cheating. And the horse can't complain. Horses, to most people, aren't what they are to you, or K'ndar, or me. Some people just don't care who they hurt, or what, as long as they gain what they want…money, or power, or whatever. You've done the right thing, coming to me."

"What…what do we do?"

"You and I are going to go talk to the Ruathans, and I want you to tell them word for word what you heard. Do you think you could recognize the men again?"

She thought, then shook her head. "I didn't want them to know I was listening, so I kept my head down and made myself little, like a kid," she said. "I don't think they knew I was there, so I didn't get a good look at them. But, I can recognize their voices," she said, "they sounded different, with an accent I've never heard before. They were talking soft, too, like they didn't want anyone else to hear," she said.

"Good enough. If you're right, and I think you are, it won't matter, because we'll see to it that Ruatha checks the horse, and those men will lose a lot of money. Even if they're not caught, we, at least, did the right thing."

"What if…what if I'm wrong?" Glyena said, "Will I get in trouble?"

Lizard patted her shoulder.

"You're not going to get in trouble, and you're not wrong. Worst case scenario, they were talking about something completely different. Maybe they were talking about EATING liver, which I doubt. But even if you're wrong, what harm have you done? None. The Ruathans will check the horse, and if he's okay, he'll probably win the race," he said, standing up. His fire lizards landed on his shoulders.

"Now, would you like to go talk to Swiftsure's people, with me? Or do you want to continue on with your Gather?"

She thought about it for a minute.

"I want to go meet Swiftsure," she said.