Ever the Twain

That reminded Nian — again — all too forcefully that there were changes in the air for all the youngsters in their age group. She didn't like her father's talk of marrying her to a farmer on the north coast of Ista. She had met the man at Gathers, and she was not overjoyed by the thought of closer ties. Nothing had been said about Neru, though she knew that her parents had decided a long time ago that he was to be trained at something other than fishing. There were quite enough in that profession already at Lado Hold, and Neru had shown no aptitude for a life at sea. Their mother wanted the Harper, Ruart, to recommend Neru for harper training, since he performed very well on the flute and the horn. His voice had changed into a good enough tenor range that he was always asked to sing at Gathers.

The children had reached the lean-to porch of the Harper's so-called Hall and were all busy scraping mud off their boots. They would not bring any mud into the Hall and have to clean it up later. Ruart insisted on high standards of tidiness. The porch, which was broad enough to accommodate the Hold's children during fair weather, was their favorite place for lessons, but as today was raw and cold, with a clammy mist in the air, they'd have to remain inside.

Inside, the "Hall" had been enlarged from the original limestone cave. A ledge against one wall provided a bench, all too often as cold as the rock behind it, for the smaller children to sit on. Another alcove was Harper Ruart's private quarters, screened from the main room by one of Orla's beautiful screens, its panels woven of fragrant reeds and grasses, which still faintly scented the stone room. The screen also doubled as a wall on which to hang the drawings of Ruart's students. Everyone in Lado Hold was certain that Orla was going to be a fine artist — probably the only one ever to go forward from Lado to an Artist's Hall. Her skillful drawings stood out vividly, compared to the scrawls and scenes by the other students.

The youngest children sat on their ledge; niches had been carved out below the seating to shelve their books and slates. Two fine wooden tables allowed the older students a proper surface for writing and figuring. Ruart had a splendid desk made of the local woods, with a series of drawers on each side in which he kept records and texts that were rare, and thus too valuable to be left out. Behind him, a slab of black slate had been cleverly attached to the smoothest part of the limestone wall. On this he could write and display whatever the day's lessons might be.

At sixteen Turns old and soon to be apprenticed to learn a trade, Neru, Nian, Orla, Flamel, and Chaum were the oldest, if not the most advanced, students. Journeyman Ruart had high hopes for the twins and Orla, but the other two boys would undoubtedly perfect adult skills in the plantations and fields that surrounded Lado Hold.

The journeyman harper was about to take the roll call when wild shrieks and yells interrupted.

"Dragons, dragons!"

Journeyman Ruart was as startled as his class. Someone pounded up the steps and rapped on his door, shouting urgently.

"The dragons come on Search!"

The room erupted with noise as the children jostled for the door and a closer look at the magnificent dragons. Almost every child on Pern, at one time or another, dreamed of flying a-dragonback.

Ruart clapped his hands together and shouted at the children. "Settle! Settle now, children! You'll all be allowed out to see the dragons on Search, but not a one of you will do so in an unfitting manner!" He lowered his voice when this threat had the desired effect.

"Of course, you all know that there is an age requirement for being Searched," he continuted slowly and deliberately. "You little ones will have to stay at the back." His hands made a shooing gesture. "Now let us all proceed outside in a quiet and orderly fashion. No pushing."

Two green dragons and one beautifully sea-blue dragon had fitted themselves on Lado's little Gather clearing in front of the main Hold. Lord Lado and his lady, Cirine, hastily smoothing her apron, were already outside to greet the arrivals. Ruart skillfully motioned his class to form ranks across the roadway.

"We come on Search," the blue rider said formally, dismounting with an athletic grace that Neru admired. Nian glanced nervously at her twin. Would his dream come true today? Would he be Searched by the dragons? Was this the last she'd see of her "other half" until who knew when?

"I am R'dik, blue Shalanth's rider, and here are Sarty, green Ledith's rider and Conna, who rides Oswith."

Beside her Ru shuffled his feet, swung his arms, and all but nominated himself out of hand as a candidate. She pinched his sleeve to remind him of his manners. Giving her a cross look, he nevertheless subsided. Just as he protected her against physical danger, she protected him from making social errors.