High Reaches, set on its bluffs like the broadside of a fishing ship, had weathered many storms, and its thick walls kept all but the most shrieking winds from being heard. But living in this Hold was quite different from living in the Hall or even in Benden Hold. As every Hold should be, it was self-contained, with journeymen in all skills and a MasterMiner, Furlo, as well as his gangers who mainly worked for copper, which was always in demand. Master Furlo had a double quartet among his miners who sang most evenings – at the drop of a hat, as Mallan put it, grinning. Furlo was good on the gitar, having had to accompany his chorus since he was familiar with their repertoire, but Robinton offered to take over and Furlo was only too happy to accede. High Reaches Hold had enough instrumentalists, thanks to Master Lobira’s efforts, to mount a considerable orchestra. The worst of the winter evenings would go by quite happily, with Lord Holder Faroguy and his Lady, Evelene, joining in from the head table. Three of their twelve children either played or sang creditably.
The evenings were not restricted to musical activities, but also featured wrestling and other such physical exercises. Robinton joined in the Hall and Step runs with enthusiasm. His long legs and
the lung capacity singing had developed in him gave him an advantage.
He hadn’t ever heard of Hall running – at Fort, even in the worst winters, one could get outside for exercise. But here, where the holders were confined by weather and terrain, the long Halls were put to use as sprinting alleys or for long-distance running. The stairs were also utilized to see who could get to the top and back fastest – preferably without breaking a leg. Sprained ankles were common, as were strained shoulders from grabbing banisters in the effort to prevent more serious falls.
Robinton did well enough in the running, but he eschewed the physical duels. Harpers tended to be pacifists – with a few notable exceptions: Shonagar had been champion wrestler in his home hold and at the Harper Hall, besting the holder of the mediumweight title at Fort Hold on three occasions. But harpers usually would not risk injuring their hands, and Robinton used that as a legitimate -and, to most, acceptable – excuse. That did not keep him from the censure of the acknowledged wrestling and duelling champion, a young man in his mid-twenties named Fax.
Even on his first encounter with the young holder – a question of who took the steps first at a landing where several Halls met -Robinton felt uneasy in the man’s presence. Fax was aggressive, impatient and condescending. A nephew of Lord Faroguy, he had recently taken Hold of one of the Valley properties which he ran with a heavy hand, demanding perfection of all beholden to him.
Some craftsmen had asked for transfers to other holdings.
Robinton heard unsettling rumours about Fax’s methods, but it wasn’t for a harper to criticize – nor to take precedence over a holder – so he had courteously allowed Fax to go first. All he got for his deference was a sneer, and he noted that Fax, who had been striding with urgency to get somewhere, now slowed his pace deliberately. What that proved escaped Robinton completely, but it did give some of the rumours more credibility than he had originally thought.
One evening Fax went out of his way to get Robinton on the wrestling mats: not with himself but with one of his younger holders.
“An even match, I’d say, pound for pound and inch for inch,” Fax said, his expression bland but his eyes challenging.
“I fear I’d be no match at all,” Robinton said. “As a harper, I’ve only the usual training in body sports. Now, if your holder sings, then I’ll accept a contest.”
Fax regarded him a long moment and then, with a sneer, swung towards Lobira. “One phase of training that is so often ignored, Master Lobira.”
Lobira was able to give back as well as take, and he did so with a matching contempt. “Many a man has rued the day he tried to best a harper, young Fax, for song and story last longer than mere physical prowess,” he replied. “Or is your lad still complaining that my long-legged lad has bested him in the Hall runs every time they’ve competed?”