as there are acceptable sons. Both of them are, in my estimation. But I don’t think they realize just how ambitious – and greedy – Fax is.”
Lobira gave another curt nod of his head. “At that, we harpers have the respect our Hall deserves here in High Reaches, though I’ve heard’ – his expression turned gloomy “- there’re getting to be more and more places where harpers are barely tolerated.” Mallan and Robinton both stared at him.
“One of the northern traders mentioned something …” Mallan began.
“Let’s not borrow trouble until it comes our way,” Lobira said firmly and he went back to scheduling Robinton’s assignments.
That discussion weighed heavily on Robinton’s mind. He had been taught his Charter, and had even seen the original, carefully preserved between glass panes, its ink and precise lettering a marvel even after all the turns since it had been written. The Charter was taught, first as a Teaching Ballad to the youngest children, and then with more detail as the students grew old enough to memorize its provisions and to understand the meaning of each clause. A holder was not doing his duty by his people to deny them this information.
On the other hand, there was no provision made to punish holders who did not disseminate the information contained in the Charter. This was one of the shortcomings of the document. When Robinton had queried that in class, Master Washell had responded with a snort and then the notion that it must never have occurred to the writers of the Charter that anyone would be denied such basic human rights.
Robinton hoped that those who had learned their figures and letters under the previous holder would pass them on – however illicitly – to their children. Knowledge had a way of permeating any barriers set to exclude it. He could only hope that held true in Fax’s hold.
CHAPTER TEN
The three turns that Robinton spent at High Reaches seemed to go by very quickly, punctuated by the rigours of the seasons. But he learned a great deal more than harpering, and considerably more about how a Hold controlling a population of many thousands was managed. At the head table in the evenings, Lord Faroguy seemed mild, gracious and inoffensive. But in his office, directing his sons and stewards in Hold management, he was incisive and efficient. There wasn’t much the man didn’t know about what went on in his Hold – except for the “blind spot’, as Lobira put it, about his nephew Fax.
“Oh, Fax is clever,” Lobira had told Robinton. “He did his time with Faroguy, same as the sons are doing, but you’d almost think Fax was a pure Blood relative.”
“Maybe he is,” Mallan put in, raising a critical eyebrow. “They do resemble each other.”
Lobira dismissed that notion. “Faroguy has always adored Evelene. It’s only a family resemblance.”
Mallan lifted one shoulder. “Fax’s mother died at birth, so we’ll never know, will we? There’s always the possibility that, with Evelene pregnant so often, he might well have taken his ease elsewhere.”
“Strike that,” Lobira said roughly. “And keep such notions to yourself.”
“I have, but Faroguy’s preference for Fax makes me wonder. He was born when Evelene had all those miscarriages: before Farevene was finally born.” But Mallan had let the subject drop.
The disturbing conduct of Fax ended up being the only unpleasantness Robinton experienced during his Turns at the big Hold. He even enjoyed a woman for the first time, thanks to Mallan’s conniving. Robinton had never thought much about his appearance, looking into a mirror only to be sure his hair was neat; he wore his dark brown hair long and braided, as many young men were currently doing. But he was putting flesh on his long bones, filling out, thanks to Lotricia’s generosity with her “treats’ and striding up and down the hills had added muscle to his lean shanks and chest.
As harper, he usually played for the dances rather than taking part in them. Then one day when Mallan noticed him chatting with three of the young holder girls between dances, he nudged Robinton.
“I’ll take the next set for you. Time you picked out a partner.” Another nudge to Robinton’s ribs was accompanied by a wink.