The Masterharper of Pern

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Smiling over that episode, he opened the glowbasket over the new worktop which he and Kasia had had such fun finding and setting up in their room.He snagged the sonata from where his mother had left it on the music stand and, taking pen and a new square of hide, Kasia had said shewas going to make sure he always had good, fresh writing materials, he began to make a copy of the sonata for his mother to take back to the Harper Hall.Maybe Petiron would even see it and find few faults, since it was written in a classic style.He grinned ruefully even as his fingers flew across the sheet: Robinton could not really see his father approving of anything his son wrote.

He looked back over the score, to be sure he had annotated it properly, and mused over Kasia's possible reactions to it when she heard it the first time.If she was even half as pleased as his mother…

He paced back and forth, paused to pour himself a glass of wine, and then went back to the table and proceeded to copy out his Kasia songs.His mother would like them too.She might even want to sing a few as encores to recitals.He finished those, drinking as he worked, and rolled up the music with a neat ribbon tying the packet, ready to give to his mother.He had a final glass of wine and then, realizing that dawn was not far away, took himself back to bed and willed himself to sleep.

Despite his late-night activities, Robinton was up at dawn: he'd forgotten to close the curtains over the small round windows, and the sun was shining in his eyes.But he felt rested enough and sprang from his bed.The day was so clear that he fancied he could see the High Reaches shore across the wide bay…which reminded him that he hadn't heard whether Lord Faroguy had accepted Lord Melongel's invitation to come to his espousal day.Not that it was his alone, he corrected himself, for others would be taking vows at this Gather as well.As he dressed, he groaned as he thought of having to waste this morning at the Gather Court, but at least it would keep him too occupied to worry about anything else.

He joined Clostan at the table for breakfast, and the healer inspected him critically in his new clothing.

"Yes, I did you a favour, old thing," Clostan said, sniffing a little as he turned back to his bread and cheese.

"You're looking splendid yourself," Robinton replied, now able to recognize good tailoring when he saw it.

Clostan glanced down at himself, as if he couldn't remember what he had put on that morning."Oh, well enough.I may change for the dancing.That is," he added, nudging Robinton in the ribs and rolling his eyes slyly, "if I'm allowed to dance with the fair spouse Kasia."

"Since it's you and I owe you a favour, I'll let you dance with Kasia when I have to play."

"What?" Clostan affected great horror and surprise."They make you do a set on your espousal day?"

Robinton hushed him."I'm a harper.I take my turn.You wouldn't turn away a sick person today, would you?"

"Well, I'd change my clothes first," Clostan replied, flicking an errant crumb off his sleeve."I'll hold you to that dance," he said, rising."I do have rounds to make now." And he was off.

Lord Melongel, looking austere in dark brown with just a piping of gold at the neck and sleeves, entered the dining hall.An approving smile appeared on his face as he noted Robinton's new clothes.

"You are looking the part, that's certain," he said."Oh, a message was drummed in yesterday from High Reaches.Lord Faroguy regrets."

"Well, I didn't think he'd be able.Is he well?"

Melongel frowned slightly, rubbing at his chin."Now that's the oddity.I've known Faroguy a long time.Had many messages from him, and he always enquires after Juvana.She spent a Turn with Lady Evelene, you know.Odd that he didn't this time."

Robinton felt a surge of concern."If he is ill, could the message have come from someone else?"

"Farevene would have asked, too." Melongel frowned."Well, we've enough to do today without adding other problems.I see you've finished your meal, so we'd best adjourn to the Court Hall.

We've a full morning."

Robinton rose, suppressing a sigh.Unlike some of the larger Holds, Tillek used a stone building closer to the centre of the Holding for such proceedings, right in the middle of the Gather, which was already in full swing.Both official CraftHall and independent booths were doing a good business.The entire fishing fleet was moored in the harbour or alongside the wharves, and distant sails indicated that the home crowd would swell even more with the passengers coming in from up the coast.Melongel and Robinton had to slow their steps to the crowd's pace, with people either smiling a greeting or nodding courteously as Lord Holder and harper passed.

Robinton felt a tug on his sleeve and was surprised to see Pessia at his side, and, beyond her, the gaggle of Sucho, Tortole, Valrol and Klada, who peered out from behind the protective bulk of her father until Robinton's eyes fell on her, and she ducked away.

"Good Gather day to you, Lord Melongel," Pessia said with a polite jerk of her head, and then she looked right back at Robinton, a proud if shy smile on her face."You did a great deal for us, and especially Saday.This is for you and your spouse." She threw a cloth-wrapped parcel at him and, before he could prevent her, ran off, the others following like leaves blown from a tree in a high wind.

"Your wall folk?" Melongel asked.

"Yes." Robinton tried to see in which direction they had run, but there were too many people milling around and, despite his advantage of height, he couldn't find them.

At Melongel's gesture, he unwrapped the parcel as gatherers politely skirted the two stationary men.

The cloth was new, the smell of the dye acrid, and when he had removed it he gasped as he held up the wooden bowl.

"Elegant!" Melongel said."Truly elegant."

They both examined it with their fingers, feeling the thin, smooth wall and then discovering the band of tiny flowers which ringed the top, so perfectly done that they seemed to blossom from the wood rather than having been carved from it.

"A beautiful gift, Harper.And deserved."

Then Melongel touched Robinton's sleeve and indicated that they should proceed.They were not far from the Court Hall and the knots of anxious men and women looking their way.Carefully re-wrapping his gift, Robinton matched strides with the shorter-legged Lord Holder, and they were soon being smiled into the building by those they would shortly be judging.

Good fortune seemed to favour Robinton that day.They were hearing the representations and alibis of a holder who had been delinquent in managing his fields and cot when a messenger slipped in and handed Lord Melongel a message.He read it, gave a sniff and then, with a slight grin on his face, handed it over to the harper to read.

"You may leave.Other duties take precedence," Melongel murmured.

Reading the note, Robinton wasn't at all sure if he should take the excuse to leave.The message told him that F'lon had arrived with Holder Bourdon and his spouse, Brashia, who were awaiting him in Juvana's apartment.He dreaded meeting Kasia's parents far more than he dreaded being bored by the court proceedings.When he did not immediately rise, Melongel gave him a stern look.And so he pushed back his chair, nodded to Minnarden and to the faltering holder, and left.

The first thing he saw outside the Court Hall was everyone looking up at the Hold heights and pointing out the bronze dragon settling himself in the sun. Like rider, like dragon, Robinton thought as Simanith made quite a show of extending his gleaming wings before, with a smart crack of the tips, he folded them to his back and sprawled, his shorter front legs overlapping the edge.

F'lon was lounging against the front entrance to the Hold and grinned as he saw the harper hurrying towards him.

"I brought them safely here," he said, slapping Robinton on the shoulder and then holding him off to inspect the new clothing.

F'lon whistled and his amber eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Someone's taught you a thing or two.The lovely Kasia, perhaps?"

"I'm well able to choose my own clothes," Robinton said.Then he asked in a lower voice, as F'lon hurried him into the Hold, "Why did you have to bring them here so early?"

"Early?It's not early by my time, lad.Don't worry.I'll see that they don't rough you up."

When Robinton started to cross the hall to the stairs, F'lon neatly hauled him in another direction.

"This way," he said, and then pushed Robinton towards the side room which served as a private interview chamber."And here he is," F'lon announced triumphantly, pausing at the threshold to let Robinton enter on his own.

"Ah, Robinton," Juvana said, rising to greet him and bring him towards her mother and father who were seated on the high-backed couch.

Swallowing fiercely, Robinton managed a nervous smile at Holder Bourdon, a grizzled man with deeply tanned skin.His green eyes, slightly darker than Kasia's, were tilted just like hers.His spouse, a sweet-faced woman with fading brown hair, gave Robinton a lovely smile and jumped up eagerly.

"Oh, Journeyman, you cannot know how pleased we are!" she exclaimed, coming forward and seizing Robinton's free hand.

Bourdon had been about to speak, but now he closed his mouth, made a gesture of helplessness and let her go on."We've been so worried that she would mourn Merdine for ever…" Her face clouded briefly, then her marvellous smile came out again."And when she wrote to tell us? ' she turned to her spouse for confirmation and Bourdon gave a patient nod "? we were overjoyed, but never did we expect to be able to attend her espousal so far away from Mardela.And at a very busy season." Bourdon nodded again.

"My pleasure, I assure you, to assist my good friend in every way," F'lon said, bowing.

Holder Bourdon cleared his throat."Kasia says you're comfortable at sea, too?"

"Well, I don't get sea-sick," Robinton admitted.

"And not too proud to help gut and salt either, she says." "Come, sit, Robinton," Juvana said, gesturing for him to take the other double couch."I can't imagine that you'd mind leaving Court Hall today…" She gave him a sly sideways glance."Your mother has already met my parents and is upstairs, keeping Kasia from a case of nerves."

"Kasia's nervous?" Robinton only just managed to keep his voice from betraying his own nervousness.

Juvana chuckled."It's her privilege.My, but you look every bit as gorgeous as she does.Clostan?"

"Hmmm," Robinton admitted, shooting a glance at F'lon, who blinked and then rolled his eyes over his friend's prevarication.

"And what's this?" Juvana asked, touching the wrapped bowl Robinton still held."An espousal gift already?"

Eager for something to discuss, Robinton showed the bowl and explained how pleased he was that Saday had taken him at his word.

"Oh, the wall people," Brashia said, and Robinton groaned, wishing he could make a better impression on Kasia's family."Kasia told us how clever you were then."

Bourdon chuckled."Got a quick head on your shoulders.No harm in that, lad."

A kitchener arrived with a tray of refreshments, klah and wine with little cakes and biscuits.Robinton leaped to his feet to help her settle the tray.Then, as Juvana asked what her parents wished to drink at this hour, he busied himself passing cups and glasses and the plates of food, regaining some poise in that simple act.

"You're busy at this season in Mardela he asked Bourdon politely.

"Packfish are running.D'you know them?"

"We've the northern variety, the bordos," Robinton said, as if he discussed fish varieties every day.

Bourdon nodded with approval."Good eating, the bordos."

Will your mother be singing today?" Brashia asked shyly."We all know about MasterSinger Merelan in Mardela, but few of us have had a chance to hear her sing, living where we do."

"She plans to," Robinton replied, once again grateful to have such a mother, if only she were there with him now, to smooth his way.

"Special music?" Brashia asked, tilting her head in the same charming way Kasia had.

"Some of Robinton's own songs," said Juvana, ignoring Robinton's dire look."He's far too modest.Melongel's of the opinion that our Robinton is as good a composer as his mother is a singer."

"Now, that's taking it a bit far, Juvana," Robinton protested.

"I don't think so," Juvana replied, unmoved."Nor does Kasia." "She's partisan," F'lon said, leaning against the door frame and idly twirling his wineglass, his eyes dancing with mischief."But I'll allow that Rob has spawned some fine tunes."

"So we'll hear some?" Brashia twisted round on the couch to look in Robinton's direction.

"You probably won't hear anything but Rob's songs," F'lon went on."Most of today's best songs are his."

"Really?"

"Every new one and half the revised Teaching Ballads our Robinton composed."

If F'lon and Juvana thought they were helping him in this initial meeting with Kasia's parents, they were wide of their mark.

"I thought it was your father who composed so much music," Bourdon said, slightly confused.

"They both do," Juvana said, just as F'lon remarked, "You can sing Rob's stuff."

"Haven't you other Gather guests to collect?" Robinton asked as mildly as he could.

"Oh, no, I reserved the day entirely to help you," F'lon said with a flourish.

"You might like to see the Gather, then?" Robinton suggested, an edge to his voice.

Juvana laughed."We'll stop, Rob.It's not fair to tease you, today of all days."

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Lady Holder."

"Oh, now come, Rob," she said, touching his arm."I'm nearly your sister, you know."

Robinton's mind froze for a moment.

"Don't tell me that fact has escaped your clever mind?" F'lon asked, delighted by his friend's confusion."Which makes Lord Melongel your brother.Doesn't it?Well done, Harper."

He felt Juvana's hand press gently around his forearm and, feeling extremely stupid, he turned to look at her.

"It does, you know," she said gently.Then she grinned at the others."I never thought I should be able to render a harper speechless."

"But that's not why I want Kasia…"

"Of course it isn't," Juvana said.

"Such a dear boy," said Brashia, beaming at him.

"Like the cut of his sail," Bourdon put in.

"Close your mouth, Rob," F'lon suggested from the doorway.

"F'lon, stop propping up the door and go and fetch the harp Robinton made for Kasia," Juvana said, flicking her fingers at the dragonrider."You know where it is.And tell Kasia that it's gone very well indeed." As soon as F'lon left, she smiled placidly at Robinton."He can be dreadful, can't he?I do believe that dragonriders are far worse than harpers for teasing, aren't they?"

Robinton was still floundering over the idea of being related to the Lord Holder of Tillek."Honestly, I had no idea."

"Of course you didn't," Juvana said easily."Now, Clostan would be instantly suspect of such connivery, but not you."

"Kasia said you've been loaned a sloop for your espousal days,"

Bourdon said."Sail much?"

"Only from Fort Harbour to Ista, and then the seven-day fishing run with Captain Gostol.He's loaning us the ship."

"Is he?"

"Yes, had us out tacking up and down the harbour the other day." Robinton grinned."To see if Kasia knew what she was about, for he was very sure I don't."

The admission did him no harm with Bourdon, who leaned forward and began to explain the foibles of small ships.That kept the conversation going amiably until F'lon carried in Kasia's harp, handling it with the reverence he would ordinarily give only to his Simanith.As he passed it to Robinton, he murmured, "Beautiful piece." Then both Bourdon and Brashia came over to examine the carving, the inlay and the strings; then, of course, they asked him to play so that they could hear its tone.

Playing brought Robinton to complete balance.And seeing that, Juvana made her excuses and left for other duties.

Never had there been such a brilliant Gather day as this one, when Robinton took Kasia's hand in his in front of the Court Hall, where the Lord and Lady Holders stood with Master Minnarden and the other CraftMasters available for this happy duty.That they were the first of seven couples didn't impinge on his consciousness then.He had eyes only for his Kasia.Behind them were their witnesses: his mother, radiant in blue, standing between F'lon and Groghe, who had said he was here in his official capacity as a Fort Holder.

Kasia's parents stood on her side: her mother flushed and excited, and her father doing very well at looking proud and dignified.

Never had Robinton had to speak his own words in front of such a huge crowd.Singing was another matter entirely, but speaking his whole heart in words was something else again.He had to clear his throat, but then, taking a deep breath, he announced his intentions to be a loving, kind, considerate spouse, caring for Kasia all his life, nurturing their children and providing for the family.

Holding hands, he looked into Kasia's eyes, which were no longer shadowed with an old grief but radiant with joy, as she, who also had to clear her throat before she spoke, declared her intentions in a loud voice.She grinned more broadly when she got to the part about children and winked at him.

"We have heard your promises, Robinton and Kasia," Melongel said, stern in his capacity as Lord Holder.

"And have witnessed them," said Master Minnarden while the other CraftMasters murmured their traditional response.The observers cried congratulations and shouted, "Good luck!"

Melongel's face relaxed in a smile as he shook their hands before moving to the next expectant couple."Brother," he murmured slyly to Robinton.

"So kiss her!" F'lon cried.When neither Robinton nor Kasia moved, he took them by the shoulders and pushed them together.

The lightning that passed from lip to lip seemed to encompass Robinton's entire body, and hers as well, leaning so trustingly against him.He was almost annoyed when F'lon's hands pulled them apart.

"I'm so happy, my dear daughter," Merelan was saying as she embraced a bemused Kasia.There were tears in Merelan's eyes, but she had always been able to cry and remain beautiful.She changed places with Brashia, who hugged her daughter tightly, weeping so profusely that she couldn't speak at all.Bourdon was shaking Robinton's hand fit to render it useless for any playing.

F'lon was insisting that he definitely had the right to kiss Kasia, just this once, to show her what she'd missed.Then Merelan was hugging Robinton so tightly that he had to seize her arms to be released.

"Be as happy as I have been with your father," Merelan whispered for his ear alone; and when he tensed, she held him slightly away, giving him a hard, long look."For we have been happy… together." And he realized that she spoke the truth: that it had always been he who had been the problem with his father."You're the heart big enough to love an entire world," she added.Then she released him.

Groghe, rather shyly, kissed Kasia on the cheek and told her she'd be very welcome whenever she came to Fort Hold.Which he hoped would be often.

By then, three more couples had had their vows witnessed to choruses of cheers.

"I need a drink," F'lon announced and began herding them all out of the crowd and towards the Gather tables set around the dance square.There were two tables set upon platforms on either side of the players' dais.The right-hand one was for the newly espoused, and it was there that F'lon led his little group.

A beaming wineman met them halfway, his tray of glasses clinking against each other.

"I know I shouldn't, but I'm serving the Benden wine, which the dragonrider said I must give you," he said, leaning forward to murmur this treachery to them.He beamed warmly at Kasia and held the tray out to her.She couldn't seem to stop smiling, even as she sipped the deliciously cold, crisp Benden white.

They were all served and then took their places at the table as kitcheners rushed forward to serve them.

Robinton never remembered the rest of the table filling up.It was all a blur of happiness: Kasia was his and he was hers, and his mother was here.Her parents were quite nice folk, and he no longer felt uneasy with them, listening to the snippets of advice Bourdon was giving him about sailing.But if F'lon didn't stop teasing him, he'd land him one in the jaw very soon, although Kasia laughed as hard at his witticisms as her parents and his mother.

The MasterSinger led off the singing with one of the love songs Robinton had written for Kasia, though his mother kindly did not mention that.She was accompanied by Minnarden, Ifor, Mumolon and several local instrumentalists.It was received with rapturous applause and determined shouts for more.Brashia looked stunned as the truly lovely voice rose in joyous phrase and shook her head, murmuring, "She's every bit as good as they said, every bit!"

"Proud of your mother, aren't you?" Bourdon said, leaning across the table, his face flushed with pleasure and the good Benden wine."Every reason to be."

"And she of him," Kasia said proudly, clasping both hands around Robinton's arm and resting her face against it for a moment.

Their legs were twined under the table so tightly that Robinton hoped no one could see under the cloth, and that he wouldn't be asked to stand.Fortunately he wasn't.Prepared as he was for the necessity of taking a turn, he was pointedly ignored by Minnarden when the musicians changed round.

His leg went to sleep twice under the table; and when Kasia had to leave briefly to use a facility, she limped the first few steps from cramp.Brashia and Merelan went with her, reassuring Robinton, who couldn't bear her out of his sight, that she'd be fine with them.

As soon as the meal had been served to the main guests and the Lord Holders, those who wished to pay for their meal took places at the tables.Many dispersed to wander about the booths and enjoy the fine weather.

The singing continued in a less formal fashion, as background entertainment.

"Restless, love?" Kasia murmured when she caught Rob's fingers drumming the rhythm.

"Oh, no, no, just habit," he said."Nothing can make me leave your side.Not today or ever."

"We will dance later though, won't we?" she asked, making her eyes wide and innocent.

"Of course.All night…"

"Not all night," she murmured back, a sensual smile curving her lips.And then she giggled at his expression.

Dance they did, and Robinton was only going to allow Lord Melongel, her father and Groghe to partner her.He was furious with F'lon's teasing.

"Don't be annoyed with him," Kasia said, serious for a moment.

"He is so fond of you, and I suspect all that foolery of his covers a far more serious problem he can't? won't talk about." She grinned."The way he sighs, I'd say he might be in love."

"F'lon?" Robinton was surprised.The idea put a different complexion on F'lon's behaviour and Robinton regretted that he hadn't been more sympathetic.He had seen F'lon looking very thoughtful and worried between his bouts of nonsense.Today was not the day for him to enquire what bothered his friend, but he'd find time tomorrow.Then he reminded himself that he and Kasia weren't likely to encounter F'lon on the morrow.

So he permitted the bronze rider to dance with Kasia and while he watched them dance, he spoke to Simanith.

What is troubling my friend F'lon, Simanith?

There was silence for so long that Robinton wondered if the dragon had heard him at all.

I hear.I do not know.Sometimes he doesn't tell me everything.

Simanith's tone, so like his rider's, sounded wistful and anxious.

He thinks a lot about Larna and he's not happy.

Larua?The name sounded vaguely familiar, but it took Robinton most of the dance to remember: Larua had been an annoying little child, the old Weyrwoman's daughter.F'lon had got into trouble with Carola, and his Weyr, over the way he treated the little girl.

But little girls grow up.Robinton liked to think that this Larua had grown up into so pretty a girl that F'lon had lost his heart to her.

But then, lovers always wanted others to be in love, too.

Robinton sighed, and went off to claim Kasia for himself for the rest of the evening.

They managed to steal away unnoticed during one of the popular slow dances, and made it unencumbered out of the glow-lit dancing square and to the extraordinarily quiet Hold.For a Gather, even the old aunties and uncles were out enjoying themselves, and all the kitcheners and drudges with them.

"Look!" Kasia pointed to the heights, where twin globes of lightly whirling green showed them that Simanith was on watch.

She waved, and was startled when the bronze dragon blinked.

"Make no mistake, the dragon can see everything that's going on," Robinton said.He waved too, and laughed when Simanith blinked again.

"Does he know what's troubling F'lon?" Kasia asked.

"He should, if anyone does," he replied."But he doesn't."

Then they were inside the Hold, most of the glowbaskets thriftily shut, just enough half-open to show them the way to the stairs.

"You must take Clostan with you the next time you buy clothes," she told him as they hurried up the stairs to their level.

"When I've you to help me choose now?" He snorted at the very prospect of having anyone else.

They had to save their breath for the stairs and arrived, panting and gasping, at the top, Kasia giggling as Robinton handed her into their room, then firmly closed and locked the door.Not even F'lon would have the nerve to bother them here.

Dawn saw them sneaking out of the Hold, carrying their sailing gear and running, hand in hand, down to the wharf where the sloop was awaiting them.They could see bundles of sleeping folk sprawled across chairs or tables, and some under as well.Banners flapped lightly over the few booths still left in the Gather square.

As they were stowing their gear, laughing, whispering and evading any notice, Robinton glanced up at the Hold heights.No dragon was indolently sprawled there.

Robinton couldn't remember if he'd said goodbye to his mother.

He thought he must have, for he knew he had remembered to express his gratitude to Kasia's parents.

While Kasia went aft to take her place at the tiller, he untied the painter as Captain Gostol had shown him, jumped lightly to the bow and pushed the sloop away from the thick piles.Then he went to hoist the sail, which immediately began to fill.Kasia trimmed the sheet until the sail was nicely taut against the wind, and he made his way astern to sit beside her in the cockpit.

A fishman, coming up from the cabin of a larger ship, waved lazily at them as they made their way across the wide harbour and out into Tillek waters.He was the last person they saw for eight days and nights.

Their world became the sloop and the water and the sky which, for the first three days, was brilliantly blue as only autumnal skies could be in that latitude.Not that it mattered to them what the weather was like: they were with each other.Among other things, they both loved freshly caught and instantly fried fish.Sometimes Robinton caught while Kasia cooked; other times she did the fishing and he the frying.

Then the weather deteriorated and, in the teeth of a gale which came up with ferocious speed, Kasia yelled for him to lower the sail and tie it tightly and secure the boom.Finishing with that task despite the lashing rain and the mounting seas, he went below and got out their bad-weather gear, dressing quickly in his so that he could hold the tiller while she put hers on.When he came on deck again, he dropped his load and rushed to help her with the tiller.It was some time before she could release it and don her bad-weather gear, her face pinched with the cold of the rain which battered at them as they dipped and rose with the high seas.The waves broke over them time and again and at Kasia's bawled order, Robinton managed to reach a long arm for the bailing bucket.

More water poured in to take the place of what he had thrown overboard but he kept bailing with one hand while with the other

he assisted her hold on the tiller.The little sloop rode to the frothy height of immense waves and then slammed down into the troughs, shaking them to the bones.He knew his teeth were chattering with the cold and could see through the driving rain that she had her jaw clamped shut, lips pulled back, giving the appearance of snarling into the storm.She lay half across the tiller, fighting to keep the sloop's bow headed into the waves.He knew without her having to tell him that one broadside would capsize the ship and spill them into the cold, cold sea.They didn't seem to have much chance of surviving this storm; they'd certainly be better off if they could remain in the ship and afloat.

Somehow, sometime, when the lowering skies had lightened, the wind dropped and the pressure on the rudder eased.They flopped limply across each other and the tiller bar, gasping in the air.

"Quickly," she said, pointing at the mast."We're in the eye of this storm and must take advantage of that.Hoist the sail halfway up the mast.There's the coastline, and we should find somewhere to shelter for the rest of the storm.There's got to be a cove, an inlet, somewhere to anchor."

Her urgency lent him the burst of energy to do as she bid.Then he helped her hold even that little bit of sail against the force of the wind and keep the rudder headed towards the black bulk ahead of them.

They almost missed the entrance to the cove even with the prow of the ship pointed at it.Kasia let out a whoop of triumph, grinning with disbelief as the sloop passed the mouth of the inlet and left the fury of the sea behind them.Sheltered by the stony arm, the sloop rolled less wildly as the waves carried it towards the indistinct mass of cliff.

They both looked about, deafened by their hours in the storm winds, not quite certain that they had reached a safe haven.

"The anchor…Rob…drop it.We can't…run…aground," she said, gesturing to the bow."May be rocks anyway…no matter."

He dropped the anchor, saw the line run out, then the forward motion of the sloop stopped.He could hear her timbers creaking as she answered the motion of the sea and then swung about on her tether.

Kasia, at the end of her strength, was draped across the tiller bar.

He had little strength left himself, but the need to get his beloved below, to what warmth they could contrive, was foremost in his mind.And he did, half dragging her the short space from the seat to the cabin, slamming open the hatch, hoping that the waves had not seeped through and flooded their one refuge.He almost tumbled her down the stairs, but they both made it.She pulled herself into the bunk while he struggled to close the hatch.

She was shaking violently when he reached her.Somehow he got the sodden clothes off her coldly mottled body and rolled her into the furs.She groaned and tried to say something, but hadn't the strength.

"Hot, must have hot," he mumbled, trying to make his frozen fingers cope with striking a match to the charcoal-filled brazier which did duty as cooker.Sometime in the past he had filled the kettle with water for a meal which he had never had a chance to cook.Now he waited anxiously for the water to warm sufficiently for him to make klah.He'd heat the last of the fish stew they'd made, how long ago?He could hear teeth chattering, and realized that they were both doing it.He swung around to the bunk and rubbed her body as vigorously as he could to stimulate circulation.He nearly burned his finger, touching the top of the kettle to see if the water was hot enough to be useful.He had his answer and sucked at the burn while he poured water over the powdered klah, gave it a swirl, and then fumbled to open the sweetener jar.Sweetening was good to offset shock and cold.

He took the first sip, to be sure it wouldn't burn her mouth.

Then, pulling her up against his body as he leaned wearily against the bulkhead, he held the cup to her lips.

"Sip it, Kasia, you've got to get warm."

She was so cold she could barely swallow, but she did, and he coaxed sip after sip into her.When she craned her head round, making noises in her throat, her bloodshot, weary eyes pleading, he drank too.That cup drained, he made another and then put the soup kettle on to warm.He had all but fallen asleep when the steam hissing from under the lid woke him, but he caught the pot before the pressure flipped the cover off.

It couldn't have been a long rest, but it had been enough for his resilient young body, and he poured soup into two cups, then put the water kettle back on.He'd towel her down with warm water.

That might help.

He took half of his cup of soup between struggling out of his wet-weather gear and finding clean, dry, warm clothing from the cupboard.He got out the warmest things Kasia had brought with her and the heavy woollen socks.These he put on her feet, after chafing them until she moaned and tried to draw them away from him; they were pink with his ministrations.

Now he had enough warm water and soaked a towel, passing it from one hand to the other before he pulled back the fur and laid it against her chilled legs for a few moments, coaxing warmth back into them.

The blueness was leaving her skin by the time he got her to drink all her soup, but she lay limply under the fur, drained by even the slight effort required to swallow.Under them the little ship rocked gently, pulling at the anchor chain, then following the sea as it was pulled back again.He got in the bunk beside her, covering them both with the other fur, and at last allowed himself the luxury of sleep.

An urgent need to relieve himself was what brought Robinton back to consciousness.He couldn't move easily, partly because of the weight of Kasia across him and partly because of the resistance of tired muscles.It took him a few moments to remember why he had slept so deeply.Startled, he looked out of the little round porthole and saw a shadowed shore through the mist that swirled on the surface.Little waves splashed against the side of the ship, and she rode easily on the anchor.

Trying not to groan as he forced abused muscles to work, he slid out from under Kasia and all but fell off the bunk.Kasia didn't move, but her face wasn't quite so white and her lips were no longer blue-tinged.He tucked the fur about her firmly and staggered up the steps, throwing open the hatch.The air was chill and dank with fog, and the deck was littered with sea wrack.He went hand-over-hand from the cabin housing to the rail to get to the side and relieve himself, and it was indeed a relief.

Curious, he peered through the fog to see where they had fetched up, but he could see little detail on the shore, if there was a shore.

Some of the inlets were nothing but shallow pockets eroded from the cliff by the sea.Whatever!This one had saved their lives.

He went below again.

The brazier had gone out; the charcoal was all ashes.He got more and started another fire, warming his hands as the charcoal began to burn.Kasia moaned, stirred, and then coughed.Fearful of fever, he felt her forehead but it was cold.So were her cheeks.Too cold.

He filled the kettle from the cistern and put it to heat on one side of the grill over the charcoal, then set the soup kettle on the other half.Panting from even that little bit of exercise, he sat on the edge of the bunk and took deep, slow breaths.A shiver ran down his back, and he realized that he was almost as cold as Kasia.

When the klah was made and the soup warm enough to be helpful, he roused her, stuffing pillows and the cadsaks behind her for support.She turned her head restlessly, batting at him, and coughed again, a little, almost apologetic bark.

"Kasia, wake up.You need to eat, love."

She shook her head, her expression petulant even with her eyes firmly shut.

He talked her eyes open and made her drink, and she gave him a weak little smile and then went back to sleep again.

That seemed a very sensible idea, so he finished his soup and climbed back under the furs.Her arms were cold under his hands and he rubbed them, breaking off only when even that effort proved exhausting.

They slept again.

Robinton began to feel real concern when the second long sleep revived him but seemed to have little effect on Kasia's terrible lethargy.And the cold was increasing.The wooden hull offered no protection against the cold's insidious draining of their body warmth.He had dressed her in the warmest clothes and heated the kettle time and time again, wrapping it well and settling it securely near her feet which, in spite of the heavy socks, were like ice to the touch.He forced her to drink and, when she complained that her stomach was bursting with all he had made her drink, he found a way to hold her over a bucket to relieve herself.

The fog had lifted sufficiently for him to see that sheer cliffs surrounded the little cove, with no discernible track up them to find help.But he did not feel confident in himself to sail the ship out into the sea.Also, he had absolutely no idea where they were: on Tillek's coast or the bleak western end of High Reaches, or if they'd been blown further down the coast of Fort.

He gave them both another day and, when that dawn rose frostily clear and even klah gave him no warmth, he roused her to give him what instructions she could from the bunk.

"If I leave the hatch open, can you see enough to tell me if I'm doing anything wrong?" he pleaded with her when she seemed unable to grasp his concern.They had little food left, almost no charcoal, and without that small heat to warm the cabin they would surely freeze in the night.

"They'll come.Search," she murmured.

"They won't see us.We've got to stand out to sea where the sail will be visible."

"You're able for that, Rob," she said with the hint of a smile.

"You can do more than you think you can."

"Then so can you," he said bluntly, fear driving him.

She shook her head sadly and closed her eyes again.

He watched her, thinking how valiantly she had fought the storm.But now the storm was over and she looked to him, her spouse, to keep his promise to care for her.Only he hadn't thought he'd be put to such a test quite this soon.

"All right, if that's the way it's to be, I'll just have to do."

With fear making his feet heavier, he thudded up on deck.The surrounding cliffs had an ominous look about them.What had been a refuge now seemed a prison.

"We'll just have to get out into the open sea," he told himself."I can do that much." He licked his finger and held it up, but felt only the faintest touch of a breeze.Fortunately it was blowing down from the cliffs and out to sea.They had been mightily lucky to throw down the anchor when they did, for the ship would have been mashed against the cliff had it sailed much further.

He couldn't make up his mind whether to hoist the sail first, or the anchor.At last he decided that if the sail was up, the ship might move towards the open sea once the anchor let it.

He managed both, but was panting by the time he reached the cockpit and took the tiller bar in his hands.

"I've hoisted the sail, Kasia, and the anchor, though I could blow and get more use of the sail."

She murmured something that sounded encouraging and, sure enough, the little ship slowly eased forward and passed the sheltering arm of the cove.The sea was almost too calm when he saw its vast expanse.Once the ship was clear of the shelter, though, the breeze picked up and the sail filled.

"Right or left, Kasia?I've no idea where we are."

"Starboard…right, Rob.Go right." He had to ask her three times to repeat her instructions more loudly so that he could hear her weakened voice clearly.

"I'm shrieking nowwwww," she protested, and her face came into his range of vision as she lifted herself off the bunk.

That was better, he thought, than lying there like a cut of wool.

"Right," he roared back at her."I'm going right.Starboard." And almost immediately he had to correct the ship as he saw the jagged reef he had been about to sail into.Panic gripped him, and he struggled to keep his bowels from loosening.

"Stupid dimwit," he admonished himself."Watch where you're going."

When he judged they were well enough past the rocks, he changed his seat and threw the tiller over to port, he remembered that much of Captain Gostol's afternoon lesson.And then he grabbed for the sheet to keep the wind in the sail.

The speed of the sloop picked up, and he rather enjoyed the pull of sheet and tiller in his hand.At least he was doing something.

It was midday, to judge by the sun's position, and the high cliffs along which the ship sailed were totally unfamiliar to him.

"We've got nothing but cliffs, Kasia.Where could we be?" He saw her raise herself up and shake her head."Keep on."

So he did, until the pleasure left the occupation and fatigue began to run along both arms as the sun dropped slowly in the awesomely vast western sea.The cliffs continued unbroken.Had they found refuge in the one cove along this entire coast?Would they find another one for tonight?He doubted he could stand a longer watch.And he ought to eat something, and be sure that Kasia did too.

"What do I do, Kasia?What do I do?"

"Sail on," she cried back at him.

The sea was calm as night fell, and the breeze died also.So, lashing the tiller as he'd once seen Captain Gostol do for a quick moment of relief, he clattered down into the cabin, startling Kasia awake.

"There's nothing but cliff," he protested as he started the last of the charcoal.He'd have to feed her something.It had been hours since the last cup of soup and some hard crackers he'd found in the cupboard.He must have some klah to stay awake.

"It will have to give to beach soon then, Rob.I'm so sorry, love.

So very sorry." And she wept piteously.

He comforted her while the water heated."You kept us afloat all during the storm and used up all your strength, my love.Don't cry.

Please don't cry.We can't have the furs all wet on you."

His cajolery made her smile and sniff, and brash away her tears.

"But I can't do anything to help…"

"That's all right.I'm fine.I just don't know what I'm doing." He imbued the complaint with as much humour as he could.Then he left her with more soup, and took his and the klah up to the cockpit.

The night was clear and very cold.But the wind picked up, blowing almost steadily from the south, and that, he felt, was to their advantage.Surely, if they got close enough to Tillek, there'd be fishing ships out on a night like this.Or maybe even someone looking for them?

"No, you two got yourself into this.You can get yourself out of this," he told himself firmly and dragged the bad-weather gear more tightly about his body, trying to keep warm."Got yourself in, get yourself out." He turned the cadence into a chant, rocking from side to side, which eased the numbness in his buttocks.The chant went to his feet, and he stamped them in turn.And he sang and stamped and rocked and thumped the tiller bar with his hands, inventing new rhythms, and altogether enjoying the activity when he suddenly realized that something was coming out of the darkness ahead of him, large and white, and someone was yelling.

"Sloop ahoy!"

"Shards, what do I do now?Steer starboard, right, starboard!" he yelled at the white shape bearing down on him.As hard as he could, he pushed the tiller over and nearly clouted himself in the head as the boom swung past.

They were rescued by the schooner Wave Rider.Two sturdy fish-men lifted Kasia aboard to other willing hands.Robinton managed to climb the rope ladder, awkward with fatigue and stiff joints.

With the little sloop tied on behind, Wave Rider swung round and headed back to Tillek Hold, her mission complete.A glowbasket was hung from the top of the mast to let other ships know that the lost had been found.

The second mate, Lissala, who was also Captain Idarolan's wife, tended to Kasia while Idarolan did similar services for Robinton, remarking on how a mere harper had managed so well.

"Kasia told me what to do," he protested between spoonfuls of a hearty fish stew, bobbing with root vegetables which had never tasted so good, and bread which had been fresh the day before when the search parties were organized to locate the missing and long-overdue sloop.

"Aye, Harper, but it was you doing it."

"She'll be fine now," Lissala said, returning and slipping into a seat opposite Robinton."Wise of you to be sure she drank so much.

No frostbite, but…" She sharply looked at his discolored fingers.

Startled, because without his hands he was nothing, he held them both out to her and felt the pinch she gave the tips."No, they're all right, but another coupla hours out in that? ' she nodded her head to indicate the cold night "? and it might've been different.But we've got you safe and snug aboard." She reached round for a cup and poured klah, holding the pot up and looking enquiringly at Robinton, who shook his head.

"Where were we when you found us?" Robinton asked.

Idarolan chuckled, rubbing his chin."Halfway up the coast from Fort.You'd've done better to go to port.You weren't that far from a fish-hold."

Robinton groaned, but then reminded himself that they'd had no idea at all where the storm had blown them.

"Kasia told me right, starboard," he said, gesturing with the appropriate arm.

"Not to worry.We have you now." Then, as Robinton could not suppress an immense yawn, one part relief, one part being warm, and the other total fatigue, Idarolan added, "Come, man, I'll bed you down."

"Where's Kasia?" Robinton asked, looking up and down the passageway.

"In there," the captain said, indicating a door they were passing by."You're in here." He opened another door across the way and slid the little glowbasket open."Take the lower bunk.Ellic's on this watch."

Robinton wondered how long "this watch' was before he'd have to leave the bunk, but as soon as he laid himself down, he lost hold of the question and never heard the answer.