Anne McCaffrey - Pern 04 - Dragon Singer

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Dragon Singer

Pern Novels no. 4

Anne McCaffrey

When Menolly, daughter of Yanus Sea Holder, arrived

at the Harper Craft Hall, she came in style, aboard a

bronze dragon. She was seated on Monarth's neck be-

tween his rider, T'gellan, and the Masterharper of Pern,

Robinton. For one who had been told that girls could

not become harpers, who had run away and actually lived

holdless because she could not continue life without

music, this was something of a triumphal success.

Yet it was also frightening. To be sure, music would

not be denied her at the Harper Hall. True, she had

written some songs that the Masterharper had heard and

liked. But they were just tunings, not anything impor-

tant. And what could a girl, even one who had taught her

Hold's youngsters their Teaching Songs and Ballads, do

at a Harper Hall from which all teaching songs origi-

nated? Especially a girl who had inadvertendy Impressed

nine fire lizards when everyone else on Pem would give

a left arm to own just one? What had Master Robinton

in mind for her to do here in the Harper Hall?

She couldn't think, she was so tired. She'd had a busy,

exciting day at Benden Weyr on the opposite side of the

continent where night now was well advanced. Here in

Fort Hold, the sky was just darkening.

"Just a few minutes more," said Robinton in her ear.

She heard him laugh because just then bronze Monarth

trumpeted a greeting to the Fort Hold watch dragon.

"Hang on, Menolly. I know you must be exhausted. I'll

put you in Silvina's care the moment we land. See, there,"

and she followed the line of his pointing finger and saw

the lighted quadrangle of buildings at the foot of the

Fort Hold cliff. "That's the Harper Hall."

She shivered then, with fatigue, the cold of their pas-

sage between and apprehension. Monarth was circling

now, and figures were pouring out of the Harper Hall

into the courtyard, waving wildly to cheer the Master-

harper's return. Somehow, Menolly hadn't expected that

there'd be so many people in the Harper Craft Hall.

They kept well back, though their shouts of welcome

didn't abate, while the big bronze dragon setded in the

courtyard, giving him plenty of wingroom.

"I've got two fire lizard eggs!" shouted Master Rob-

inton. Hugging the earthen pots tightly against his body,

he slid from bronze Monarth's shoulder with the ease of

considerable practice in dismounting dragons. "Two fire

lizard eggs!" he repeated joyfully, holding the precious

egg pots above his head and striding quickly to show

off his prizes.

"My fire lizards!" Anxiously Menolly glanced up and

about her. "Did they follow us, T'gellan? They're not lost

between."

"No chance of that, Menolly," T'gellan replied, point-

ing to the slated roof behind them. "I asked Monarth to

tell them to perch there for the time being."

With infinite relief, Menolly saw the unmistakable out-

lines of her fire lizards on the rooftop against the darken-

ing sky.

"If only they don't misbehave as they did at Benden ..."

"They won't," T'gellan assured her easily. "You'll see

to that. You've done more with your fair of fire lizards

than F'nor has with his one little queen. And F'nor's a

trained dragonrider." He swung his right leg over Mo-

narth's neckridge and dropped to the ground raising his

arms to her. "Bring your leg over. I'll steady you so you

won't jar those sore feet of yours," and his hands braced

her as she slid down Monarth's shoulder. "That's the girl,

and here you are, safe and sound in the Harper Hall."

He gestured broadly as if only he could have accom-

plished this mission.

Menolly looked across the courtyard, where the Master-

harper's tall figure and presence dominated those sur-

rounding him. Was Silvina one of them? Wearily

Menolly hoped that the Harper would find her quickly.

The girl could put no reliance on Tgellan's glib assump-

tion that her fire lizards would behave. They'd only just

got used to being at Benden Weyr, among people who had

some experience with winged antics.

"Don't worry so, Menolly. Just remember," said Tgel-

lan, gripping her shoulder in awkward reassurance,

"every harper on Pem has been trying to find Petiron's

lost apprentice ..."

"Because they thought that apprentice was a boy . . ."

"That made no difference to Master Robinton when

he asked you to come here. Times are changing, Menolly,

and it'll make no difference to the others. You'll see. In a

sevenday you'll have forgotten you've ever lived any-

where else." The bronze dragonrider chuckled. "Great

shells, girl, you've lived holdless, outrun Thread, and

Impressed nine fire lizards. What's to fear from harpers?"

"Where is Silvina?" The Masterharper's voice rose

above the others. There was a momentary lull and some-

one was sent to the Hall to find the woman. "And no more

answers now. You've the bones of the news, I'll 9esh it

out for you later. Now, don't drop these egg pots, Sebell.

Right now, I've more good news! I've found Petiron's lost

apprentice!"

Amid exclamations of surprise, Robinton broke free of

the crowd and beckoned Tgellan to bring Menolly for-

ward. For a brief second, Menolly fought the urge to turn

and run, impossible as it was with her feet barely healed

from trying to outrun Thread and with T'gellan's arm

about her. His fingers squeezed on her shoulder as it he

sensed her nervousness.

"There's nothing tor you to fear from harpers," he

repeated in her ear as he escorted her across the court.

Robinton met them halfway, beaming with pleasure as

he took her right hand. He flung up his other arm to

command silence.

"This is Menolly, daughter of Yanus Sea Holder, late

of Half-Circle Sea Hold, and Petiron's lost apprentice!"

Whatever response the harpers made was covered by

an explosion of fire lizard cries from the rooftop. Fearful

that the fair might wing down on the harpers, Menolly

turned, saw that their wings were indeed spread and

sternly commanded them to stay where they were. Then

she had no excuse tor not confronting the sea of faces:

some smiling, some with mouths ajar in surprise at her

fire lizards, but too many, many people.

"Yes, and those fire lizards are Menolly's," Robinton

went on, his voice easily projecting above the murmurs.

"Just as that lovely song about the fire lizard queen is

Menolly's. Only it wasn't a man who saved the clutch

from the sea, it was Menolly. And when no one would

let her play or sing in Half-Circle Sea Hold after Petiron

died, she ran away to the fire lizard queen's cave and

Impressed nine of the eggs before she realized what she

was doing. Furthermore," and he raised his volume above

the ragged cheers of approval, "furthermore, she found

another clutch, which provided me with two eggs!"

The second cheer was more wholehearted, reverber-

ating in the courtyard and answered by shrill whistles

from the fire lizards. Under cover of good-natured laugh-

ter at that response, Tgellan muttered, "I told you so"

in her ear.

"And where is Silvina?" asked the Harper again, a

note of impatience audible.

"Here I am and you ought to be ashamed of yourself,

Robinton," said a woman, pushing through the ring of

harpers. Menolly had an impression of very white skin

and large expressive eyes set in a broad-cheeked face

framed by dark hair. Then strong but gentle hands took

her from Robinton's grasp. "Subjecting the child to such

an ordeal. No, no, you lot calm down. All this noise. And

those poor creatures up there too scared out of their wits

to come down. Haven't you any sense, Robinton? Away!

The lot of you. Into the Hall. Carry on all night if you've

the energy but I'm putting this child to bed. Tgellan, if

you'd help me ..."

As she upbraided everyone impartially, the woman was

also making her way, with Menolly and T'gellan, through

the crowd which parted respectfully but humorously

before her.

"It's too late to put her with the other girls at Dunca's,"

said Silvina to T'gellan. "We'll just bed her in one of the

guest rooms for the night."

Unable to see clearly in the shadows of the Hall,

Menolly barked her toes on the stone steps, cried out in-

voluntarily at the pain and grabbed at the supporting

hands.

"What happened, child?" asked Silvina, her voice kind

and anxious.

"My toes ... my feet!" Menolly choked back tears that

the unexpected pain had brought to her eyes. Silvina

mustn't think her a coward.

"Here! I'll carry her," said T'gellan and swung Menolly

up into his arms before she could protest. "Just lead the

way, Silvina."

"That dratted Robinton," Silvina said, "he can go on

all day and night without sleep but forgets that others—"

"No, it's not his fault. He's done so much for me . . ."

Menolly began.

"Ha! He's deeply in your debt, Menolly," said the

dragonrider with a cryptic laugh. "You'll have to have your

healer see to her feet, Silvina," Tgellan continued as he

carried Menolly up the broad flight of stairs that led from

the main entrance of the Hall. "That's how we found her.

She was trying to outrun the leading edge of Threadfall."

"She was?" Silvina stared over her shoulder at Menolly,

her green eyes wide with respectful astonishment.

"She nearly did, too. Ran her feet raw. One of my

wingmen saw her and brought her back to Benden

Weyr."

"In this room, T'gellan. The bed's on the left-hand side.

I'll just open the glow baskets ..."

"I see it," and T'gellan deposited her gently in the bed.

"I'll get the shutters, Silvina, and let those fire lizards of

hers in here before they do get into trouble."

Menolly had let herself sink into the thick mattress of

sweet rushes. Now she loosened the thong holding the

small bundle of belongings to her back but she hadn't the

energy to reach for the sleeping fur folded at the foot of

the bedstead. As soon as T'gellan had the second shutter

open, she called her friends in.

"I've heard so much about the fire lizards," Silvina was

saying, "and had only the glimpse of Lord Groghe's little

queen that. . . . Gracious goodness!"

At Silvina's startled remark, Menolly struggled out of

the thick mattress to see the fire lizards dipping and

wheeling about the woman.

"How many did you say you have, Menolly?"

"There are only nine," replied T'gellan, laughing at

Silvina's confusion. She was twisting about, trying to get

a good look at one or another of the gyrating creatures.

Menolly told them to settle down quickly and behave.

Rocky and Diver landed on the table near the wall while

the more daring Beauty took up her accustomed perch on

Menolly's shoulder. The others came to rest on the win-

dow ledges, their jeweled eyes whirling with the orange

of uncertainty and suspicion.

"Why, they're the loveliest creatures I've ever seen,"

said Silvina, peering intently at the two bronzes on the

table. Rocky chirped back, recognizing that remarks were

being made about him. He flipped his wings neatly to

his back and cocked his head at Silvina. "And a good

evening to you, young bronze fire lizard."

"That bold fellow is Rocky," said T'gellan, "if I remem-

ber correctly, and the other bronze is Diver. Right,

Menolly?" She nodded, relieved in her weariness that

T'gellan was ready to speak for her. "The greens are

Aunties One and Two," and the pair began to chatter

so like old women that Silvina laughed. "The little blue

is Uncle but I haven't got the three browns sorted out..."

and now he turned inquiringly to Menolly.

"They're Lazybones, Mimic and Brownie," Menolly

said pointing at each in turn, "and this ... is Beauty,

Silvina," Menolly spoke the woman's name shyly because

she didn't know her title or rank in the Harper Hall.

"And a Beauty she is, too. Just like a miniature queen

dragon. And just as proud, I see." Then Silvina gave

Menolly a hopeful look. "By any chance, will one of

Robinton's eggs hatch a queen?"

"I hope so, I really do," said Menolly fervently. "But

it's not easy with fire lizard eggs to tell which is the

queen."

"I'm sure he'll be just as thrilled no matter what the

color. And speaking of queens, T'gellan," and Silvina

turned to the dragonrider, "do please tell me, did Brekke

re-Impress the new queen dragon at your Hatching

today? We've been so worried about her here, since her

queen was killed."

"No, Brekke didn't re-Impress," and T'gellan smiled

quicldy to reassure Silvina. "Her fire lizard wouldn't let

her."

"No?"

"Yes. You should have seen it, Silvina. That little

bronze midget flew at the queen dragon, scolding like a

wherry hen. Wouldn't let Brekke near the new queen.

But she snapped out or that depression, and she'll be all

right now, F'nor says. And it was little Berd who pulled

the trick."

"Well, that really is interesting." Silvina regarded the

two bronzes with thoughtful respect. "So they've a full

set of wits ..."

"They seem to," Tgellan went on. "F'nor uses his little

queen. Grail, to send messages to the other Dragon

Weyrs. Of course," and Tgellan chuckled disparagingly,

"she doesn't always return as promptly as she goes . . .

Menolly's trained hers better. You'll see." The dragon-

rider had been edging toward the door and now gave a

huge yawn."Sorry . .."

"I'm the one who should apologize," replied Silvina,

"indulging my curiosity when you two are all but asleep.

Get along with you now, Tgellan, and my thanks for

your help with Menolly."

"Good luck, now, Menolly. I know you'll sleep well,"

said Tgellan with a jaunty wink of farewell. He was out

of the door, his boot heels clicking on the stone floor

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摘要：

DragonSingerPernNovelsno.4AnneMcCaffreyWhenMenolly,daughterofYanusSeaHolder,arrivedattheHarperCraftHall,shecameinstyle,aboardabronzedragon.ShewasseatedonMonarth'sneckbe-tweenhisrider,T'gellan,andtheMasterharperofPern,Robinton.Foronewhohadbeentoldthatgirlscouldnotbecomeharpers,whohadrunawayandactuall...

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Anne McCaffrey - Pern 04 - Dragon Singer

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