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.
____________________________________________________________________________
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.
______________________________________________________________________
"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.

Chap. 150 The White Dragon

Chap. 150 The White Dragon

K'ndar wondered if he'd ever seen a more beautiful dragon.

They'd come out from between on the other side of the valley where Ruatha's Gather was being held.

The first thing he saw was the large meadow full of dragons and their riders. In the same manner of horsemen, the crowd of riders were examining other's dragons from all over the planet. 

In the middle of a large crowed was the famous Ruth. Even from height, he was unmistakable.

They landed on the edge of the large group of dragons.

"Thank you for the ride, K'ndar, and I insist on repaying you for the favor," Terilyn said, after dismounting.

K'ndar grinned. "You'll have to work hard, then, because it was my pleasure," he said. 

"Well, I will, because otherwise I would have been stuck for transportation. I probably would have been able to find another dragon, but my rental agreement says I have about an hour to set up before the official opening of the Gather, and I wouldn't have made it without you…and Raventh." She patted Raventh's leg.

"How are you going to manage without a canopy?"

"I rented one. I contracted to rent one several months ago, when I decided I was going to come here for the Gather. Ruatha's gotten so big they decided to go in all the way, so they rent canopies, chairs, that sort of thing.  Someone has supposedly set it up and I HOPE my crates were delivered," she said. "It's fairly expensive to do it this way, but cheaper than sending my canopy  by ship. If it works out as agreed,  all I need do is set my wares out," she said.

He fought hard to keep his attention focused on her. He was itching to talk dragons with the many riders swirling around the meadow.

She could see it.

"Why don't I leave you, then, so I can set up in time?" she offered.

K'ndar was relieved. Then, in a big brother tone of voice, said, "Glyena, why don't you go help her. I'll catch up with you in a little while."

Glyena looked a bit disappointed, but the look in her brother's eye suggested she obey.

"I could use the help, Glyena, and once it's done, then you can have fun in the Gather, besides, nothing will really start, until the opening ceremony," Terylin said.

"Okay," Glyena said, resigned to her fate. K'ndar looked her in the eye.

"This is just another task, a little one, sis.  You will have plenty of time to run without heel ropes. Now go. I'll be there in a little while."

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Glyena helped Terilyn set up her booth.  She'd shipped two large crates, one held personal items along with a stool, a disassembled table and easels from which to hang the tapestries her partner had made. 

"No wheel?" Glyena said, "I remember the game Putzu played with it, the last time I was at a Gather, remember?"

Terilyn grinned. "That was fun, wasn't it?"

"It was! So why didn't you bring it this time?"

"Too heavy! It's one thing to cadge room on a wagon going to a Gather on Southern, but sending it by ship costs more than I can hope to make. That, and I didn't trust seamen to handle it with the care it demands. It's almost two hundred years old, they don't make them like that anymore. Instead," she said, opening the other crate, "I brought my pots, of course-they always sell, and I'm trying to make a go of these." 

Packed gently as eggs, the crate had dozens of courier bells nestled in amongst a rainbow of  pots. There were also harnesses for fire lizards, with badges, a few select ones already painted with the colors of the major Holds, Weyrs and Crafthalls. 

"Why are most of them unpainted?" Glyena asked, gently touching one of the bells.

"So that someone can order his or her particular pattern, or color scheme, a name, or as your weyr has done, numbers for each fire lizard," she said, a little worried about Glyena handling the bell. She'd packed plenty enough, taking into account the possibility of some breaking, but still…

Once someone pays for a bell, I'll paint it up for them."

"Maybe I shouldn't touch them,"Glyena said, withdrawing her hand, "Mum used to say I could be clumsy." 

Her words soothed Terilyn's worries. "Perhaps, and thank you for not touching them, but if you can braid leather like you did on the bridle, I wouldn't call you clumsy-just young."

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Siskin, perched on his shoulder, made whimpering noises.

It's Ruth. He wants to meet Ruth. I don't know how he does it, but Ruth attracts fire lizards.

How about you? Do you want to meet Ruth?

Maybe. Right now he's got a bunch of humans around him. As it is, he's got a dozen dragons already trying to chat with him. I see Motanith, she is here  Raventh said. 

I'm not surprised. In fact, I bet we'll see a lot of dragons we already know.

 Francie is here! he thought, I bet that she has going to have her fire lizard show. It will be a hit with the kids.

He joined the crowd of riders grouped around Ruth. Most were in deep conversation. He saw badges on several riders, indicating their weyrs. Most of them were from North, but a few, like him, were from the Southern Continent. 

The conversations swirled about him as thickly as the fire lizards. He began to eavesdrop, mostly because he didn't know a soul. Dragonriders were like any other specialty, a gathering within a Gathering.  He'd heard a lot of 'There-I-Was" gossip in his short career as a rider, but had never really done any himself. He was too introverted to boast. 

"Then he swooped almost straight down, me hangin' on for dear life, busted buckle flapping around fit to break my goggles."

"We came out between and for a minute I thought, what? But right there, it was right underneath us."

"She said what? That's insane!"

"He makes the best ale, my man, the best on Pern."

"Big. BIG. Biggest wherry I ever saw."

"Yeah, Benden is good wine, but…I still think Tillek's has more substance, you know?"

"She said I'll always have a scar, but scars show that you've lived, man, lived."

"Don't know about that, but white? I know, I know, he's more than proven himself, but I dunno. There's just something odd, about a white dragon."

"This is the tenth or twelfth time I've seen him."

"Too small for me, but…"

K'ndar moved gently through the crowd.  He just wanted to SEE the famous white dragon, Ruth, up close.

Then he was there.

Ruth. The white dragon. Festooned with adoring fire lizards, his eyes whirled a contented blue, which only accentuated his unusual color.

"Okay, Siskin, but don't be a nuisance," he said, and the blue whirred away to join the other fire lizards.

 The first thing that surprised K'ndar was how small Ruth was. 

Not much bigger than a good sized draft horse, he thought. But his color!

Ruth wasn't white, as in a piebald horse, nor was he albino. Ruth, as he'd matured, had changed to a deep ivory, with subtle undertones of all the dragon colors. They gave the ivory color a depth that looked almost iridescent.

"By the egg, he's beautiful," K'ndar said, aloud.

"You think so?" said the man next to him.

"I do. I know, there's some that think he's a freak, a mutation, but I don't care, to me, he's gorgeous," he sighed. 

"You're right about that, he garners a lot of comments, most of them unkind ones."

"To this day? That's strange. I don't understand some people, I'd heard that there were some that doubted he'd ever amount to anything, now the whole planet knows who he is and what he can do. Nasty comments about one's dragon? That's just bad manners, especially if they're coming from riders."

"You don't hear them very often, anymore, not after Aivas. You are…okay with Aivas?"

"Okay? I think it was the best thing that ever happened to Pern. No more Thread! 

Technology coming to us, making life better? I mean, come on! paper instead of hides! Solar panels providing electricity!  I have books, now, books! What's wrong with that? But-I know what you mean. Abominators would still have us walking around on our knuckles," he said, heated.

"Yes. Abominators, some are even dragonriders. Most who feel that way don't come here," the man said. 

"That's fine with me. If nothing else, Ruth, Aivas, Lord Jaxom, the weyrs-kicking the Red Star into a different orbit has meant I no longer have to fight Thread. I can have a LIFE, now. And it's been nothing but good for my dragon. Since he quit eating firestone, his memory, cognition, even his personality, has improved a thousand fold. He makes jokes, now. He wants to know more, more. Every day, he's 'why' 'how' 'what'. It's like his mind has opened and he works every day to stuff more in," he said. 

"I've found the very same thing! All that noise, about a dragon having only a three day long memory? That's nonsense, it was always nonsense. Fire lizards have memories generations long, dragons should have them, too," the man said.

"By the egg, he's well put together," K'ndar said, shaking his head in admiration, "'ll bet he's fun to ride." 

"He is that. Is this the first time you've ever seen him?"

"Yes. Now I wish I'd seen him earlier, but this just adds to my enjoyment of the Gather."

"Where are you from?"

"Kahrain Steppe Weyr, Southern," K'ndar said, appreciating Ruth's fine lines. Small and a mutation he might be, but in all other aspects he was virtually perfectly conformed.

"That's the newest one, on Southern's East coast?"

"Yes. Hurricane Weyr, as we sometimes call it," K'ndar laughed.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh, I heard about your hurricane. I've been down there, by the way. Nice, nice place."

K'ndar tore his eyes from Ruth and extended his hand.

"I'm K'ndar, rider of brown Raventh," he said.

"Pleased to meet you," the other man said, returning the hand shake, "I'm Jaxom, rider of white Ruth. Some call me Lord Jaxom-but I'm still a rider, first and foremost."

Chap. 149 Messages, messages

Chap. 149  Messages, messages

K'ndar, with Glyena's help, finished harnessing Raventh.

Siskin chirped, hearing the ringing of a courier bell. 

A green fire lizard flew to perch atop the brown dragon, next to Siskin.  Siskin warbled a warm greeting, and reached over to nibble her neck. She hissed and spat at him, backing him off in bewilderment. 

"Hullo, who're you?" K'ndar said, then recognized the bell on the lizard's harness.

"Hello, Putzu, where's your mum?" he asked the lizard.

Her eyes whirled an uncertain green. Then she cheeped and hopped onto his shoulder, shoving her chest out in a mute appeal to have him check the pouch.

"Good girl, Putzu. Let me get the pouch," he said. He wasn't used to handling other people's fire lizards, sometimes they were agreeable, sometimes aggressive. Putzu, however, knew K'ndar.  

He pulled out a message from Terilyn. Two marks were wrapped in the message.

Hello, K'ndar, I know this is short notice, but I am requesting transport to Ruatha's gather. I shipped a crateful of goods to sell earlier, but the dragon I was supposed to ride on is suddenly 'unavailable'! Would you be willing to give me a ride? If not, please let me know, and I'll try for other transport. Thank you, Terilyn

His thoughts scrambled for several seconds. Well, duh? Terilyn wasn't just an acquaintance, she was his friend.

Respond, K'ndar!

He dug through his backpack for a pencil. There was none—oh, yeah, he'd left it on his shelf in the weyr.

"Putzu. Wait. I will send a message back. Do you understand?" 

The green hmmphed. Of course she understood.

"Siskin! Would you please go to our weyr and bring me the pencil?"

Siskin brightened, glad at the opportunity to ease the ache of Putzu's rejection. I'll show you, girl! He whirred away.

"What's that? Who's it from?"

"Glyena, it's not polite to ask what's in a message that was sent to someone else. It's the same as if I asked you what you wrote to Mum. But, just this once, it's from my potter friend, Terilyn. She's asking for a lift to the Gather, and we're going to do it."

"I wouldn't mind if you wanted to read my letters to Mum! Will there be room on Raventh? 

Will we be too heavy?"

Raventh snorted derisively.

"Not to worry. You'll have to sit close up to Terilyn, but Raventh can carry three of us," he assured her.

"Let's hurry, I want to go there and do EVERYTHING. And I have a lot of money, I can buy just about anything."

K'ndar shook his head, aghast. "Glyena. As much fun as we're going to have, you still have to be careful in crowds, like we'll see at Ruatha. There are vendors who will try to cheat you, trick you into paying more money than their things are worth. And there are thieves called picks, they can brush up against you, steal your pouch just as quick as can be, you don't even feel it. So don't go telling the world you have money. As far as anyone knows, you don't have a penny. Where is your pouch?"

"In my backpack," she said, and shrugging it off her shoulder, began to pull things out.

"See?" she held it out for him, shaking it so he could hear the coins.  

"Now hang it around your neck and just be quiet about it," he warned. 

"There are picks even at Ruatha?" she asked, as she tucked the pouch under her shirt. 

 Ruatha and Benden Weyr, combined, was the de facto capital of Pern. The concept of criminals being there was difficult to believe.

"They can be anywhere, Glyena," he said, "so if you take money out of the pouch, be discreet. Or let me handle the money."

She frowned. "But..will I have to be with you all the time? Because that might not be so fun," she asked.

He'd not thought that far.  He'd never been responsible for anyone save himself at a gather, or any sort of public gathering. 

He felt a large weight suddenly settle on his heart. Two years ago, he wouldn't have even considered the possibility that a person would cheat or harm a child. Now he knew better.

Still, he'd seen hordes of kids in the crowds, kids enjoying being with other kids without adults. There really was nothing to fear, letting children run without supervision. That was part of the fun, being able to mingle with other children, or wander the aisles of the bazaar, just looking, without fear. There were too many people at any Gather more than happy to tear a kidnapper to pieces, should one be so foolish as to try. Still, he was responsible for her. 

What would Mum do?

"What do you think Mum would say? Or Shirae?" he asked her.

She grinned. "She already has said it! Shirae said, girl, don't go away from the crowd with someone you don't know. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be polite but distant. If someone scares you, run away!  If someone grabs you, fight! Scream! But I'll be okay, K'ndar,I won't be stupid, promise," she said. 

He was still doubtful. He'd have to thank Shirae, for having more foresight than him. Still, he knew his sister. She was a smart kid, having learned how to deal with people who weren't trustworthy or kind.

"Remember, there are going to be people who will try to take advantage of you. So…this is what I ask of you. If you see something you want to buy, you find me first. Okay? You don't own up to having any money. You just pretend to be a dumb kid without a penny to her name.  If the person selling it says that you have to buy it now or it's gone, well, it wasn't meant for you in the first place. If you promise to not do something stupid, then I think, if you want, you can go off on your own. If you have questions and can't find me, go to Terilyn's booth. And you can always run to Raventh, he will protect you, and he will call me if you need help," he said.

She is your dam's egg. I will keep her safe. 

K'ndar laughed.

She is my sister from a later clutch, but I know what you mean. And thank you.

Glyena looked with a ? on her face.

"Raventh said, you are to run to him if anything happens, you are one of Mum's 'eggs'  and he will  keep you safe."

"I'm an egg! I'm an egg!" she laughed, twirling around with her arms arcing over her head. 

 Then she turned serious.

"I promise," she said. Then she went to Raventh's head. "Lower your head, please, Raventh?"

Ravent contemplated her for a moment, his eyes whirling a puzzled green. Then he lowered his head to her level. K'ndar was amazed, as always, at how big it was in comparison to a human child, and still, how gentle he could be.

She kissed Raventh on the nose.

"I love you, Raventh," she said, "You are the bestest dragon ever."

His response was the goofiest noise K'ndar had ever heard.

After several moments, K'ndar saw something else in Glyena's backpack.

"What do you have in there?"

She pulled out a bridle and handed it to him.

"By the egg, this is beautiful," he said, turning it, amazed at the workmanship and quality.

"You made this?"

Glyena nodded. "I did. I want to sell it at the Gather."

He turned it in the light, inhaling the scent of good leather. It was top grade stuff, he realized,  gleaming in the morning sun. She'd braided keepers out of a lighter colored leather to make the entire bridle two toned, and the browband bore an intricate knotted pattern of the same color. The buckles were polished to a high luster.

"I didn't have enough leather to make the reins, though," she said. 

"This is beautiful work, Glyena. I am amazed, you have a true talent. It's gorgeous!  I have to warn you, though, I really am not sure if it's advisable for a kid to sell something at a Gather. I've only done it once, and almost got cheated."

"That's okay, I'll manage. You know how it is with us horsefolk, we'll always find a way," she said, with a confidence he didn't share.

Siskin arrived with the pencil, showing off to a patiently waiting Putzu.

"Thank you, Siskin, clever lad!"

He wrote on the back side of the message. 

Terilyn: I'll be there within minutes of Putzu's return. I will NOT accept this money. No. But I have a favor to ask of you-my sister is coming with me, and will discuss it in depth when we meet.

He tucked the message and the marks into Putzu's pouch.

"Good girl, Putzu, you're the best green lizard ever. Return to your Mum," he said. 

She wheeped, took wing, and vanished.

Siskin looked dejected. He reached up and coaxed the lizard down from his perch.

He remembered mating her. But she isn't in heat today Raventh said.

Rubbing the lizard's neck, he said, "It's okay, little one. She was on duty, you understand? Like when you wear a bell, it means you're On Duty. It was nothing personal. She had a job to do. She was busy. Okay?"

Siskin brightened, then returned to his perch on Raventh's neck.

"Does he really understand all that?" Glyena asked. 

"Enough, I think. Much of it comes from the emotions I put into the words. The concepts, I am not so sure of…but he's smart. He's like Raventh, always wanting to learn more," he said. 

He heard courier bells. Putzu? Coming back so quickly?

A pair of fire lizards, a bronze and a gold, appeared. 

They were Lizard's. The gold landed on Raventh near Siskin. The bronze hovered in front of K'ndar, his eyes whirling. He chipped and indicated his pouch had a message, then settled on his left arm.  

Siskin sidled up to the gold, flirting. The gold hissed and snapped at him. She was a Mated Gold, thank you very much, and didn't have time for a blue.

Siskin's head dropped. Rejected TWICE in one morning!

"Do you get messages all the time?" Glyena asked.

He shook his head, ruefully. "No, this is the first time I've ever had this happen, two almost at once."

The message was on a tiny scrap of paper. 

Hello, K,  Hope this finds you well. If you're going to Ruatha's Gather, my caravan will be near the racecourse. I have some goods to deliver to you. If I'm not there, remember, Crunch will be on watch. L

"What…." Glyena started, then stopped.

"A knee, Raventh? Climb up, Glyena, we're on our way. And if you're willing, I know someone who will sell your bridle," he said.

Chap. 144 Life Lesson

Chap. 144 Life Lesson

"Hi, K'ndar. Some klah? Hungry?" Shirae, his sister's foster mother, asked.

He nodded, only half paying attention. She poured two mugs and had him sit at the ancient wooden table in her kitchen. He told her about Greta leaving without notice.

"I'm pissed, if you can imagine," he said. The girls..his sister and two others, were in school, so he could speak without worrying about being overheard. "Greta just…taking off like that without so much as a 'bye'. Now I have to explain something I don't get myself to Glyena."

Shirae nodded.

"I feel the same way, K'ndar. Glyena is a good kid. She works hard, she's honest. She's not perfect, mind you: she can be opinionated and a bit mouthy, and the other girls say she can be bossy. But in general, she's a good kid. Does her chores, does her schoolwork, stays out of trouble for the most part. If she's not here, she's at the barn, riding Jordan. Did you know Jordan is the smartest, fastest, prettiest, best horse in the Whole World?"

He laughed. "Aye, I do, he was, after all, my horse at first," he said.

"He's a very important part of her life, K'ndar. And so are you. She's proud of you, she thinks the world of you." 

She put a platter of meat rolls in front of him and sat down at the table. K'ndar noticed it was covered in carved names and dates. He idly traced them with his fingers.

"What upsets me," he said, "is that Greta took advantage of her, and me. How can you run out of honoring a promise? Never mind paying for a harness. She just takes off, never to return?"

Shirae held up a cautionary finger.

"We don't know that yet, K'ndar. Ruatha's Gather is next weekend. Do you know for a fact that Greta is gone for good?"

He shook his head. "No. I don't. I guess I'm jumping to conclusions."

"I agree. She could come back, at the last moment, which is rude, I guess, but if it satisfies the promise, it satisfies the commitment. Rather than upset your sister for an entire week, let's just see what Greta does. We'll have plenty of time to help Glyena with the disappointment after the fact, if Greta doesn't show up."

He nodded his head, then shook it. 

"Okay. That's fair, I suppose. But still, how is it going to look to Glyena? That's what keeps digging into me, how it makes her feel."

"I know. You want to protect her from hurt. Well, K'ndar, you can't. If Greta does, indeed, renege on her promise, it's says that Greta is not an honorable person.  It by no means reflects anything on you. People make promises, all the time, then turn right around and break them. You want to keep Glyena from feeling pain, but she, like all of us had to, is going to have to learn to deal with disappointments. I'm not saying it's right, but, you know as well as I do, there are dishonest people out there, people who hurt others, who are too evil, too thick, or too selfish, to think of what their actions do to others. 

Glyena's a tough kid. Your father was hard on her, as I'm sure he was on you. So she's got a tough outer layer, just like you. She's done a LOT of healing, a lot of balancing and coming to terms with the abuse Hanliss handed her, and that will stand her in good stead. Still, we …you and I, my weyrmate, and my other two fosters, even her Mum at home, we'll be here to help her. And, I have to add, she's a lot stronger than you give her credit for. Or at least, more than my other girls. Those two never had to deal with an abusive father," she said.

K'ndar took a meat roll. 

"This is very good, ma'am, thank you," he said. He took a few moments to savor it. 

"Should I-well, let's say Greta doesn't return. Or, the thought just hit me, maybe she lied to Glyena about the family member at Ruatha wanting her to ride. It does sound farfetched. How do we deal with that? I mean, I'm willing to pay her for the dragon harness, make Glyena whole, but I don't know if I should pretend that it came from Greta and she just couldn't do the horse race thing, or…what?" 

"Don't lie for Greta. Never, ever. If you want to pay Glyena for the harness, she needs to know it's from YOU BECAUSE of Greta's actions. That is a good lesson in and of itself, but she can't be led to believe that Greta took an alternate solution-that of paying rather than a horse to ride at Ruatha's races-to a problem she caused, IF she doesn't actually pay or follow through. Don't make excuses for Greta. And, let's just wait and see."

K'ndar stood up. Then sat back down.

"The other part of it is, what her leaving like this, what it portrays ME as."

"Meaning?"

"I want to think that the reason Glyena was so willing to build a harness for Greta is because of ME. She trusted my judgement. In this case, I might be proven wrong. That hurts me, because it hurts her," he said, getting riled again.

"I can see that. And understand it. You were, okay, let's say Greta IS gone for good. It means you misjudged her, nothing more. You vouched for her character based on what you knew of her at the time. You had no idea she was capable of something like this. For that matter, maybe she didn't, either. Maybe she truly expected to honor her promise.

Her leaving has hurt a girl who trusted her because of her brother's trust. Her brother-you-were working on knowledge of Greta that you had gained while working with her in a situation different than what we have here.  In other words, you had just a limited amount of experience with Greta to go on. 

You didn't, and still don't, have enough information based on….welllllll, let's put it this way. Both you and Glyena are horsemen. Let's say you have a horse, you've had him for years. For you, he's been the ultimately trustworthy horse. You've both learned what to expect from the other. You're able to deal with reactions he will demonstrate in a new environment or a novel situation because of your experience with him. 

Now you give that horse to a little girl, who isn't old enough, or experienced enough with horses to know what one will do in a novel situation or a new environment.  The little girl, with less experience, and with a new horse, won't have that empirical knowledge, and the horse might spook and throw her off.

You will probably feel guilty because a little girl was hurt, unintentionally and indirectly, by an action of yours. You assumed that the girl could handle the horse like you did. You will feel responsible for the horse's actions, even though you can't possibly be held responsible, because the horse has a brain and a will, just like you. Will the girl, though, think you're responsible? Or that you misled her? 

"That's it. That's what I don't want…I don't want Glyena thinking the less of me because of what Greta did..or will have done."

"Right. I'm not saying that Greta should be given the benefit of the doubt that we give to a horse…but that's what happened here. Of COURSE you feel responsible. I'd think less of you if you didn't. But, the old saying goes, we're putting the dragon ahead of the thread.  Let us wait and see, for now. And, let's say, Greta doesn't show up to honor her promise. You still can take your sister to the races at Ruatha. She doesn't need Greta, and I can promise you, Glyena will be thrilled to go on a date to the races! with her Big Brother."

"A date! I like that idea! Of course I'll take her, it will be fun, even if she doesn't ride."

 He stood up. "Thank you. Thank you, for helping, and for …well, for being a second mum to my sister. And…maybe me."

Shirae smiled.  

__________________________________________________________________________

He had just passed the first level administration offices when a drudge came up to him.

"Sir, you're K'ndar, yes?" the man said.

"Yes, I am."

"Sir, Hariko asked us to keep an eye out for you, she wants to see you."

"Oh, okay," he said, wondering.

"I'll show you in to her office," he said. 

Hariko was, as always, on her feet in front of an array of slate boards. Her Boards, as everyone knew, were the nexus of the intricate workings of the weyr. No one had permission to alter a thing on them unless she gave direct orders. Even the Weyrleaders didn't have the courage to mess with Hariko's boards. Nor did they want to. They were the visible signs of Hariko's mind, a a reflection of how she ran her ship, the Weyr. It ran well. 

"Hariko, ma'am, K'ndar reporting as requested," he said, coming to attention. 

The headwoman turned and smiled.

"Oh, go on, you daft wherry, what's with the formality?" she said.

K'ndar smiled. "Ma'am, I hold you in utmost respect. Without you, this weyr would collapse into ruin. That, and I'd lose weight. I did at Tillek Sea Hold. I almost starved to death. I am SO glad to be back here where the weyrs are warm and clean, and the food is the best."

"Aye, that's so," a voice said behind them.

He turned to see Siena, the Weyrwoman.

Hariko dropped her eyes. "Nay, you're just saying that to be kind," she said.

"Don't be so humble, my lady," Siena said, "you are the keystone of Kahrain Steppe Weyr."

"Thank you," Hariko said.

They all looked happily at each other for a moment. Then the drudge said, "I'll be getting on my way, then, sir," and left. 

"Hariko, I need to get with you about a situation in the western weyr complex," Siena began.

"Just one moment, my lady, I have something for K'ndar."

Hariko moved to her desk.

"K'ndar, when my staff cleaned up the guest weyr, we found that Greta? Yes, Greta, she had something of yours, she left it in the weyr, with this note."

"Something of mine? I don't remember…."

She handed the bundle to K'ndar. He felt the heft of it. He knew immediately what it was,

and in a flash, why.

The note was on a scrap of hide.

It said, "Give to K'ndar".

Both women looked at him in curiosity.

He opened the bundle up, just enough to see another note, again on a scrap of hide.

Pulling it out, he read it.

And sighed in resignation.

The women's faces were a mix of wanting to know what it said, and knowing it wasn't polite to pry.

He looked at them. Somehow he had the words to satisfy their curiosity.

"Greta's not coming back. This is just something I'd forgotten I'd lent her."

They nodded. 

"Thank you, Hariko," he said, and then, paying his respects to her and his Weyrwoman, left.

He waited until he was in the privacy of his weyr to re-read the whole note.

It was brief.

"K'ndar. Tell Glyena, sorry. Can't take her to the races. This is for the harness. Greta"

He opened the bag completely.

It held a large rough opal.

_______________________________________________________________________

After hugging K'ndar and telling him all about her day in school and how Jordan was so wonderful, Shirae and K'ndar had Glyena sit down at the table.

She popped a meat roll in her mouth.

K'ndar looked at Shirae, who nodded imperceptibly. He took a deep breath.

"Glyena, I have some bad news for you, and some good news. Which do you want first?"

She chewed thoughtfully for a moment, then said, "The bad news."

"Okay. The bad news is, Greta left the weyr. Remember, she promised to take you to ride at the Ruatha gather's horse races in payment for the harness."

"Uh huh," Glyena said, still chewing.

"Well, she's gone. She left without telling anyone other than Flight Ops, and I have a note from her saying that she's 'sorry, but she's not going to take you to the races," he said, hoping it didn't sound like he was rushing it, "It means, no horse racing at Ruatha," he said.

"Uh huh," she said.

Her calmness perplexed the adults.

"Just…uh huh? Do you understand?" K'ndar said, puzzled at her reaction.

"She just left. With B'rost," Glyena said, matter of factly.

"Yes. She broke a promise to you," he said.

"I know."

"You…know? And you're not angry?" K'ndar said, floundering.

"I was mad at first. I knew she broke her promise when I heard she'd left the weyr. After I gave her the harness," Glyena said.

"Wha…what...how did you know?"

Glyena reached for another meat roll.

"Nyala tol' me. I was digging through the used tack bin for leather to use and Nyala asked me what for and I told her what Greta promised and Nyala said she knows all the staff at Ruatha because we're horse people and horse people talk to each other. She said no one never came from Ruatha to look at horses here or at the Hold."

"No one 'ever'," Shirae corrected, out of habit. 

"No one ever from Ruatha. But she said let me find out from my friends at Ruatha before I say such things I might be wrong about her because she said she's been wrong before and let her check, but go ahead and make the harness because I made a promise to Greta on good faith and dragonriders  are honest. 

So later on she tol' me she sent a message with my friends fire lizard to Ruatha because now we can do that after the kids got their lizards trained and her friends at  Ruatha said no one has a sister there named Greta who rides a green dragon. So that's how we knew Greta had lied. But I'd given her the harness by then, I'd made it and didn't want my work go to waste, 'specially after cutting the leather to fit her dragon," she said, "and Nyala said, don't let this turn you angry, this is her to blame not no one else."

"Anyone else," Shirae said, then forced herself to keep from laughing at her efforts to correct grammar. Oh, Nyala, what a  wise woman you are.

"And….and you're not upset? After the work you did on the harness?"

"That's okay. First it was a horse harness that Nyala found for me, it was good leather for used, but not what I'd use for, say you. And then Nyala said not to worry, she would pay for the harness, because …well because. She was mad at Greta and said, don't never, I mean don't ever, trust that girl again."

Gratefulness and relief swelled K'ndar's and Shirae's hearts.

"So, did Nyala pay for the harness?" Shirae asked.

"Uh huh," Glyena said through a mouthful of meatroll. She covered her mouth at a stern look from Shirae, who didn't have to say 'don't talk while chewing your food'. 

Nyala, you love, I will reimburse you whatever it is you paid. Tonight. I have the money, K'ndar thought.

Shirae felt the same as K'ndar did about the weyr's masterherder. I will go and pay Nyala, she thought, today. What a darling, what a grand soul she is.

"How much?" she asked.

They waited til Glyena had swallowed her mouthful.

"Two marks," she said. She turned and dug around in her backpack. "See, it's right here," she said, pulling out the mark coins. Shirae was shocked. 

"Glyena, you don't have to carry it around! We have a lockbox for you, you can keep it in there," she said, "You know we have a box for everyone in the family and only you have the key for yours. You needn't carry it around in your backpack."

"It's okay, ma'am, no one knows I have it 'cept Nyala and now you and 'sides, no one is going to steal it, 'specially here in my home," the girl said. 

K'ndar laughed, and gave her a hug.

"Still, sis, you should probably lock it up, okay?"

"Okay." 

K'ndar stood up, relieved, then remembered the rough opal. He didn't know how much the opal would bring, but he did have two marks, and if the opal brought more than that, well, it would go to Glyena.

"I do have to tell you this, though-Greta DID pay. She left payment with me. She left it with Hariko who gave it to me about an hour ago. So, after I leave here, I am going to go and reimburse Nyala," he said. 

Shirae felt relief, too. Two marks was a lot of money. "So, Glyena, Greta, while she broke her promise to you, she still did pay for your work. That's a little better…but do like Nyala said. Don't let this be about you. It's Greta's character flaw." 

"I know. I won't. I didn't never, I mean ever, think it was my fault," she said, confidently. Then she asked, "Is that all the bad news?" 

"Yes," K'ndar said.

"So what's the good news?"

He put an arm around her, and with the other, pointed skyward with a dramatic flourish.

"The good news, little lady, is that a brown dragon rider would like to take his best girl on a date. To Ruatha, to see the horse races and go through the Gather. Can you guess who that dragonrider might be?"

Glyena grinned and bear hugged him. "My Big Brother!"

"Aye, that lucky man!"

"On Raventh?"

"On Raventh. With Siskin. And ME-so what do you say, pretty lady, is it a date?"

"Yes yes yes! Maybe I can find something to buy there!" Glyena said.

She began to dance in the kitchen.

Shirae looked at K'ndar with a 'told you so' look and winked. "Tough kid," she said.