| One month later.... "Get out wench!" Moree screeched at Carlotta. The older, blonde girl literally snarled at Moree, before grabbing a velvety dress from a chair back and sliding out the door. "Mine." Carlotta growled, and was promptly out of sight. Moree screeched and threw herself across the huge bed. Would this never end? Couldn't Carlotta get it through her puny little mind that Moree wasn't a threat? Probably not. Carlotta was the jealous type. Now she should've been Hanoreel's. Moree thought angrily, and quickly pulled a clean tunic over her half--dressed body before rushing out the door for lessons. Moree was the only one of Sirien's children to participate in the Harper's lessons once they passed fourteen turns. None of the others had a strong like for learning, and Moree didn't blame them. Star Find's Harper was a senile old wherry who wouldn't know anything past the basic teaching ballads. Class was more a chance for the students to share what they knew from their own experiences than have an actual teacher give them lessons. But Moree liked class especially because of Hanie. Hanie was Moree's younger sister, and the only person besides Sirien in the entire place that didn't hold a grudge against Moree. Everyone else believed Moree had come to take over the Holding, and they rebelled against that. No one would've believed her if Moree had told them otherwise. Especially since it was common knowledge that a sevenday after her arrival, Moree had gotten a letter from the Weyr announcing that she'd been Searched. Sirien had been devestated that Moree had been Searched, and had given her several of Carlotta's old things to bribe Moree to stay. Moree would have stayed regardless, for the dragons still frightened her in that unusual way, but she accepted Carlotta's belongings willingly. Anything to get under Carlotta's skin was open game for anyone in the Hold. Moree was no exception. Of course all this bothered Carlotta tremendously. But Moree didn't mind. Carlotta wasn't exactly the type of person whom you cared about what they thought. But as Moree entered the lessons she was aggrieved to see Hanie wasn't there. She didn't know if she could make it through the morning without the little eleven-turn old's smiling face. Hanie was the only reason Moree could endure this place. Hanie dreamed of becoming Lady Holder one day, but knew that was immpossible. The child understood the world all to well, and as Sirien's youngest child, and a girl besides, she knew she'd never amount to that much. But Hanie was also very wise, intelligant enough to startle Moree sometimes, and intimidate the older girl. But as Moree scanned the room, looking for someone halfway friendly to sit by, she spotted Sirien in the corner, Carlotta crying by his side. Moree gulped, knowing that once again Carlotta was spreading hideous lies about her, and made her way over. "Sirien." Moree told her father evenly, and watched as a hurt look flitted across Sirien's face. But he nodded to her, and touched her shoulder gently. "Moree, our family needs to have a talk, and that means you too. Hanie and the twins are in my study, will you join us there?" "You didn't ask if I wanted to join you!" Carlotta said angrily, and Moree realized Carlotta hadn't been spreading rumours again afterall. "Why does she get treated special? Like she has a choice?" "Because," Sirien, ever the loving father, said to his eldest. "I said so. If you use your head a little love, I'm sure you'll see Moree isn't real family yet, as much as I'd like her to be." And Sirien smiled at Moree, who turned away. From the moment she arrived she knew Sirien placed much emphasis on family, and his intentions were always good enough. Sirien had even told her of a Gather long ago where he saw her, but Moree didn't remember. Carlotta glowered at Moree, but rested against Sirien easily. Obviously Carlotta expected Moree to be jealous of her especially close relationship with their father, but in truth Moree didn't care. She'd realized parental love was vastly over-rated. Who needed it? "Sure." Moree said, and waited patiently for Sirien and Carlotta to leave before she followed them. Already Hanie and the twins, Shirshel and Mienen, were there. Moree smiled at Hanie, who smiled back, and ignored the boys. "Everyone," Sirien began, looking sternly at all his children. "I have an announcement to make, and I know you won't like it." Moree watched as the other four looked apprehensively at one another, and wondered if they knew what Sirien was going to say. Apperantly not, for what their father had to say next shocked them all. "I'm getting married in three days. I know it's sudden, but I think.." "Sudden!" Shirshel yelled, and stood up to test wills with his father. "Why do you need to be married? You already have four...five, children here! You need no heirs, you need no wives." Shirshel was pushed back into his chair by Sirien, who smiled warily at his son. He knew the cause for his childrens' complaint, and knew he wouldn't respond to it. Sirien had been married six times, and had had several mistresses as well. Each one of his children (except for the twins), had a different mother, and each woman had been left behind as soon as she provided a child. Sirien was a loving father, but a horrible lover. "Listen." Sirien said patiently. "I think you'll like Vernala. She's kind, and she loves children." Sirien held a secret smile and looked over at Moree, who was tucked up in the corner, ignoring everything around her. He looked questioningly at her, and all the children followed his gaze to rest on their intelligant sister, to see what she had to say. This was their test for Moree of course, if she joined with them in this she'd finally be accepted into their group, into their family. But Moree didn't really want that for herself. Instead she looked apologetically at Hanie, and then turned to Sirien. "You've used our all our mothers well, Father, but I don't begrudge you for it. I suspect Vernala is that woman who came for the last Gather? With the Lord Holder? Cousins I believe they were......Despite that, I don't think I can do this any longer Sirien." Moree sighed, and turned away, to Sirien's distress. "What does that mean love? You don't want me to be married? I've told you before, none of you will decide my life for me..." "That's not it." Hanie said quietly, she too turning away from Moree. She loved her new big sister dearly, but didn't understand how the girl could be so strange. How she could turn away form her Holding home like this. "Right." Moree said, turning back towards the door, and as she did she pulled a folded and torn piece of paper from her trouser pockets. She handed it to Sirien, and left the room. Saying behind her only once, "I accept it." Sirien looked at the paper, and crumbled it into his hands, not understanding Moree at all. He loved her, gave her everything, and still she did this too him! The paper read- To the Lady Moree, daughter of Holder Sirien; You are being informed of your suitablility as a Canididate for Sr. Queen Laureth's clutch at Moon Shadow Weyr. Your Search has been official, and noted, though whether or not you accept is your decision. Send a drum message or fire-lizard to the Weyr for conveyance. Sincerely, Searchrider M'ranu (rider of blue Nenverth. Two days later.. Moree again found herself sitting on a stone cold bench in a courtyard, with Lor, waiting for M'ranu on Nenverth to show up. Something was almost singing in her soul, and she didn't avoid thinking of the dragon this time. Life in the Hold proved too difficult for Moree. She hated it, the pressures, the annoyances, the tight and controlled way everyone ran their lives. And of course, at just the moment Sirien announced his engagement, the same "voice" had come back to Moree. To us Moree! We want you, and need you, in a way these humans never could! And the voice had said so so fervantly that Moree believed it. She loved the dragons, and decided nothing, short of going to Harper Hall, could make her happier than to go to the Weyr. And as Nenverth appeared from the sky, bugling eagerly to Moree, the girl thought, In my wildest dreams I never thought I'd find something so deep and meaningful as Impressing a dragon. |