| Eleven turns later�. Moree sighed, chewing lightly on the end of her pen before pressing it into the ink and scribbling something hastily down on the paper/hide. It didn�t take long; she finished ahead of everyone else, and set her pen down and closed the inkbottle. Coughing lightly, she looked up to indicate to the old Harper that she had finished. He nodded at her, but didn�t move. Moree narrowed her eyebrows at him, and slumped back into her chair. Shouldn�t he come pick the essay up? What if someone else wanted to look of her�s and copy? It�s not like she could just turn the wet ink over. The dark girl looked about the room, seeing if anyone was trying to look at her work. Several hunched figures, seated around several roundish tables, spaced throughout the room, were writing quickly and not one of them was looking up from his or her own paper. Moree relented a little, realizing everyone else wanted to be accepted on their own work, like she did, and not someone else�s. Besides, the old Harper would probably know if one of these tailor children were cheating. And she had been done first, and Harper Tolvran had seen it, so she wouldn�t get in trouble for anything anyways. Moree saw the figure of her best friend, Lanata, and smiled. Lanata was so engrossed in her own work, crossing out, re-writing, and polishing. Moree grinned; Lanata would definitely make it to the Harper Hall if anyone did. The blonde girl was so dedicated to her work, and she was an excellent songwriter. She�d have no trouble passing today�s test on music composition. Moree herself had found it incredibly easy, and assumed she had had no trouble with it either. �Time�s up.� Tolvran barked, and quickly began traveling around the room, grabbing papers from underneath his students� busy hands. Anyone who could was trying to get in some last minute thoughts and lyrics, Lanata included. She almost didn�t want to give the Harper her piece. When Tolvran came around to Moree, Moree handed him her work gingerly and noted that the ink was already dry. She was pleased, but Tolvran looked at her sternly. �I�d like to see you after I dismiss everyone else.� Some lads in the back snickered, but Moree was confused. �Sir?� She asked, her voice lilting gracefully. Moree had trained her voice to function in a half singsong way whenever she spoke to Harpers. Male Harpers in particular liked it in her, and she was desperate to get to the Harper Hall by any means necessary. �After I dismiss everyone.� He repeated forcefully, and Moree glowered at him as he walked away. Why did he have to be so cruel? Was this about her not finishing her tailor work yesterday to study for this test instead? How could he know about that though�and why did he care? He should be pleased I did that. Moree thought. Instead he�s angry. Well, if he wants half-brained Harper�s instead of hard working ones, that�s his problem isn�t it? Moree brooded for a while as everyone else chatted nervously about the exam. A tap on the shoulder brought her back, and Moree looked up to see Lanata�s brown eye�s searching happily. �I think I can get in with that Moree.� Lanata said shyly, for Lanata was a very shy girl. Moree didn�t know how she would manage in a place where your voice mattered so much, but Moree also knew it wasn�t her job to judge. �That�s wonderful. But why does this exam make the difference? Why not the others?� Moree wrinkled her nose slightly, thinking about all the other tests that this select group of tailor students had to pass just to be considered eligible for the Harper Hall. Most of them were either Craftbred or orphaned, and none of them had any �official� musical background. Once a turn a Harper or two would come here, test the students on what they knew, and would take the gifted ones off to Harper Hall for training. These tests, of course, were rigorous and exhausting. But more than anything Moree wanted to become a Harper. Anything was better than a life of weaving. �The song I put on it.� Lanata said, and Moree lifted an eyebrow in surprise. �You copied a song on it? Part of a ballad, for the question about diction? I didn�t think Master Tolvran wanted us to do that.� Moree was worried now, if Lanata, who was always simple but efficient in her work, had but ballad lyrics on her paper, what had everyone else done? Was Moree�s simple answering of the questions adequate? Moree didn�t want to think about that now. �No.� Lanata said slowly, and avoided making eye contact with her friend. �No, I wrote my own song, and put it there. This is the only part of our evaluations going to the Harper Hall, and I wanted to make sure mine stuck out.� Lanata blushed and turned her pretty head to away, blonde curls swinging. Moree was instantly jealous of her friend�s beauty. How did some people get to be so pretty? Moree looked more like a young boy than a girl. �Well, that�ll get their attention.� Moree said quietly, realizing again that she and Lanata were competing against each other for this apprenticeship to the Harper Hall, not working together. The Harper could only take so many people, and it was a talented group this year. No one could afford to leave room for anyone else, even their friends. �What�s the matter?� Lanata asked, seeing a change in her friend. Moree forced a smile and shrugged. �I�m just wondering what Tolvran wants to see me about.� And Moree worded this in just a way that would make it seem like the request was more of a good thing than a bad one. Lanata cocked her head and grinned. Moree was about to say something when the Harper Tolvran�s voice boomed across the room. �Well, that�s everyone I think. You�ve all been wonderful students, and Harper Hall would be lucky to have any one of you.� Tolvran flashed a toothless grin at Granger, an older lad who was infamous for causing trouble, and said, �Well, almost any one of you.� Granger shrugged nonchalantly, and most of the youngest children giggled. �But unfortunately this turn I am restricted to only taking three prot�g�s for the Harper Hall. The place is becoming over crowded, and only the best of the best are allowed in for training.� �Or the rich.� Moree said, looking the Harper in the eye. Anyone with the marks to spend could put their children in the Harper Hall for classes. Tolvran visibly winced, and then looked gently at Moree. �Yes, well, one of our main faults is the fact we do need money to operate. We need marks for food, clothing, and supplies. How do you think we can turn out so many copies of songs? It takes money for the hides and ink.� Tolvran looked affectionately at his students then, and was obviously going to give them a speech of encouragement. Moree recognized this look in him, and was doubly shocked when he didn�t. �I�ll be traveling to the Harper Hall tomorrow, and will return in a sevenday after discussing each of you with the other Masters. We will admit those three of you we find exceptionally talented, and for the rest, there�s always next turn.� With that Tolvran nodded and waved to dismiss them, and all but Moree darted quickly out of the large workroom to get on with their chores. Moree stayed seated as Tolvran pulled out a chair next to hers and slumped in. He regarded her steadily for a moment, and Moree regarded him steadily back. His brown eyes weren�t very deep, and Moree, who �judged� people on their eyes alone, found herself knowing what he was going to tell her. She didn�t match up; she wasn�t going to the Harper Hall. She could have left then, disappointed but not angry. Listening to Tolvran tell her this though, would frustrate her for days. �Moree. You finished your test quickly today. How come?� Tolvran�s voice was patient but demanding, and Moree sighed. She didn�t want to play chasing games; she was always one to get directly to the point. She looked past Tolvran and out the window at the shining fields below. �I was finished.� She said finally, and shrugged. �I didn�t have any extra things to put on mine. It was simple, but accurate. I�m sorry if that�s not right.� �That�s the problem Moree.� The Harper said gently to her. �You care so much about what we consider 'right', that you don�t realize we don�t have standards on that account. We take the most gifted, the most creative, people into our Hall. I know you�re talented Moree, your singing voice is amazing, and your ability to learn how to play is astonishing. But Moree, that does you no good if you can�t think about what you�re doing. Harpers are more than singers and writers; we are the eyes and ears of this planet. We are present in every Hold, every Hall, every Weyr, and we react instantly to the problems we face to help turn the future towards a better end. We can�t waste time asking each other, �Do you think this is right?�. We must act instinctively Moree. You don�t have that Harper�s instinct, child, as much as I�d like you too. No, let me finish.� Tolvran held up his hand to the girl who was trying to interrupt him. �You have something there, some instinct that I can�t recognize. It�s not a Harper�s mind, but I see something else there. You may want to try going to the Weyr.� Moree didn�t know whether to be upset or just plain sad about what Tolvran was telling her. But the mention of the Weyr sent shivers down her spine. The thought of being near dragons always did that to her, and she felt their power pressing in around her, just like that first night she had seen them, so many turns ago. Of course dragons were always present, and people grew used to them after a time, but Moree never did. She could still feel shock whenever a blue passed on sweeps, and still feel fear and anticipation knotting in her stomach when a brown stopped at the Hall so his rider could deliver a message. Even Moree�s mother, who ignored her so completely, was aware of her daughter�s passionate responses to the flying beasts. If Moree had been born into a Weyr, her life would be just as close to perfect as one person could wish. In her wildest dreams Moree never imagined going to a Weyr. -Moree�s Journal- Lanata got taken. I knew she would, Tolvran sent back a message by flit announcing which three were going. He says he�ll be by tomorrow to get them, on dragonback no less! I didn�t see the green that came to pick the Harper up, but I heard that it was dishonorable to a Master Harper to have to ride a green. I don�t understand why, even I felt her presence in the courtyard; although I didn�t know what it was until she�d left again, and Shrane came in telling us all what had happened. In addition to Lanata, Vereela and Orjac got taken to the Hall. Vereela was lucky to be taken; she was about to make Journeyman here. And Orjac is crafty, but couldn�t sing if his very life depended on it. Ah well, I�m glad for them. They got out while they�re still young, I�ll be lucky if I�m out of this hateful Hall before I�m fifty. Even then, I�d have no where to go. Mother�s gone again, off drinking no doubt, mourning over the loss of her love so many turns ago. People have said he�s the reason Mother came to this Hall, with me, because he abandoned her. I�ve asked her about it, but she just says it�s none of my business. As if I don�t have a right to know who my father is! Well, I must go take Lor out for the night, otherwise she�ll be scratching on the door at the crack of dawn. Poor girl, canines get no respect anymore, people only seem to want to bother with fire-lizards. continue..... |