Then he stopped Robinton’s protest by turning to the first girl.
“Sitta, he’s shy. Spent so much time playing for dancers, he doesn’t know the steps.”
“Don’t know … of course I know how to dance,” Robinton protested, and he made haste to invite Sitta to partner him. It wasn’t that he hadn’t noticed her, with her delicately slanting eyes in a charming face, and tiny figure set off by the bright dark blue of her Gather dress. It was more that he didn’t quite know how to strike the right note with those he fancied.
“I thought you’d never ask,” Sitta said demurely, setting her tiny hand among his string-callused fingers.
“I’ve wanted to,” Robinton replied sincerely.
“It’s about time you did, Harper,” she replied pertly, and then they were on the dance floor, saluting each other as the other couples did before the music began – adagio this time, so he did not have the chance to embrace her.
Sitta was a nice child and, after two dances with him, suggested that he partner one of her friends so as not to give anyone cause for talk. Quickly Robinton agreed; as a harper, he certainly shouldn’t publicly indicate a marked preference – yet. And secondly, he
really did want to dance. It was exhilarating. He also danced with Triana and Marcine. Triana was jolly and seemed more interested in being seen to dance than in who she was partnered with; Marcine was pleasant and attentive. Then it was time for him to take up his instrument again.
Triana went off in search of another partner, though she said he was one of the best she’d had here, while Sitta and Marcine hung about the players’ platform and were quite happy to wait until he was free again.
During the next few days, he seemed to meet Sitta and Marcine accidentally, wherever he went. Then he was off on his rounds for the next four. When he returned late in the evening Sitta was somehow in the main Hall, so it was natural for her to make sure he had something warm to eat and drink. And something warm in his bed to welcome him home.
Robinton used the same sign to Mallan that the older journeyman did – tipping one of the chairs against the table to indicate that he was not to be disturbed in his room. So he and Sitta discovered each other, and he found this aspect of life very good indeed. Sitta made every effort to waylay him in the Hold until he thought her as clever as a dragon to be able to find him so easily. Marcine pouted for a week or so, but both she and Triana continued to seek him out as a dance partner. Never more than two dances at a time, however.
Sitta might fancy being a harper’s spouse but, until he had a more permanent placing, he could not entertain the thought of any serious long-term partnership. But it was very pleasant to have a loving friend. It was very different from a loving mother!
The news he had from the Harper Hall was that Merelan was in fine voice and very good health. He heard from her whenever the runners brought in letters, and he always had one ready to send back to her.
F’lon and Simanith came with the word that Carola had taken ill and MasterHealer Ginia had been sent for. The entire Weyr was upset because Feyrith was a relatively young queen. Any dragon’s death was a shock to the rest of the Weyr, but to lose the queen was disastrous.
“I’ve never cared that much for Carola as a person, I know, but she is a dragonrider …” F’lon looked glum.
“Feyrith would just go?” Robinton exclaimed. “But the Weyr has to have a queen!”
“We do,” F’lon reminded him. “From the last clutch, even if she is very young. Mind you, I could wish there’d been more choice for Nemorth than that Jora!” He exhaled in exasperation.
“Why?” Robinton asked, his mind more fixed on the enormity of the loss of a queen than what annoyed F’lon about Jora.
“Why? Because she’s afraid of heights. Can you imagine that?