Nosy Harpers

Writers: Estelle, Paula
Date Posted: 27th February 2019

Characters: Tasni, Ueltin, Zandan
Description: Tasni and Ueltin speculate about the Harper Hall fire, but they are overheard...
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 9, day 4 of Turn 9

Tasni left the Harper Hall and set off in the direction of the Hold with
a spring in her step. She'd finally got permission from the Master
Archivist to spend some time researching in the Emerald Falls archives.
Unlike those of the Hall, which had been reconstructed after the fire,
the Hold's archives went back for Turns, and she wanted to look for
records from the time of the plagues and the craft ban.

Also, she knew that if she wanted to find information about her friend
Calenta's husband, the Hold would be the best place to look. He had been
a guard at the time of the Hall fire, but she'd found very little about
him since then; not surprising, since he'd been the prime suspect for
the arson. She hoped to find his service record in the Hold's archives,
and perhaps some information about where he came from and if he had any
family to go back to.

With luck, she might even get talking to some of the guards. They might
have known him.

Tasni hadn't said anything of her plan to search for Gilbek to her
Master, though, and she felt a delightful, bubbly sense of excitement as
she walked. There was nothing more fun than a secret mission.

Ueltin was heading back at the Weavers when he spotted Tasni. Since he
had been forced to leave that Hold with only the clothes he was
wearing, he was slowly replacing his wardrobe. He might as well take
advantage of the presence of Weaver Hall and get a proper, fitting
Gather clothes. Especially since he was back to performing with
Eilomar's choir. He gave her a friendly wave.

"Hello, Ueltin," Tasni called. She'd done some exploring outside the
Hall, and visualised her mental map of Emerald Falls to work out where
he was coming from. "Have you been to the weavers?"

"Yes, getting fitted in to new gather clothes. Where are you heading
at," Ueltin replied.

"I'm going to the Hold, to do some research in the archives," Tasni
explained. "They'll have a different perspective to the Hall's records,
and it's important to get all sides of a story."

"Right," Ueltin's friendly expression grew more serious. "You might
want a male escort with you. Lord Corowal might be allowing towards
female crafters, but all his holders aren't." He had kept his ears
open for gossip.

"Oh, I'm pretty good at taking care of myself," Tasni said, with great
assurance. She almost hoped some foolish holder would try to disparage
her knots. However, she did want to get to know Ueltin better, so she
smiled teasingly. "But if you want to come with me, then I can protect
you from anyone who insults you for being in the company of a female
crafter."

Ueltin laughed, his laughter was like his singing voice: dark, melodic
baritone. "Maybe I better stick around to protect the Holder's from your
witty tongue, it might well go way past them."

"That might be wise. If I confuse too many holders, they might not let
me into the archives next time." She set off towards the Hold again.
"Also, you can reach the records on the highest shelves. That way, I
don't have to go hunting for a stepladder."

"I'm happy to be of assistance," Ueltin gave her exaggerated, sweeping bow.

"I'll make sure to credit you in my report back to the North," she said,
amused. It was lucky that she'd met him. Of course, she couldn't ask
questions about Gilbek's whereabouts while he was there, but she could
certainly research the fire. That was a legitimate topic for her to
study, since it was part of the history of the Southern craft, and if
the guard had been involved, his name might come up.

As they walked towards the Hold, she explained her plans. "I want to see
if the Hold has any first-hand accounts of what happened the night the
Hall burned. There are records in the Hall's archives, of course, but
the harpers who were there were obviously busy at the time, and I'd like
to know what the holders thought of it."

"I've had already left the Hall for my journeying when it happened,"
Ueltin remarked. "There were too many Holders who thought we deserved
it," he added darkly.

"That's what I've heard," Tasni said as they crossed the Gather square
and approached the Hold's main building. "Because the Hallmaster started
admitting female apprentices to the Craft. It's hard to understand how
anyone could do something so extreme. People could have been killed."

"I don't understand it," Ueltin admitted, "but then, my family has
always had close ties to Weyrs. Things were generally bit crazy here
back then. Lord Holder overthrown by his brother and then regaining his
power, women were treated horribly and so forth."

Tasni thought that time sounded rather exciting, but she kept that to
herself since they were approaching the Hold entrance. She explained the
reason for her visit to a guard, who gave her a long and frankly
suspicious look, but directed her to the archives without any further
comment.

As they followed the guard's instructions, Tasni thought back to the
conversation she'd heard between the two holders, when she'd been on her
way to the Hall, and about what Calenta had told her about the night the
Hall burned. She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial murmur. "I heard
a rumor that the Lord Holder ordered his guard to start the fire. Do
you think it's true?"

"I've heard that rumor too, I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out be
true," Ueltin replied with a shrug. "The Lord Holder of that time was
crazier than watch-wher in daylight."

"He must have been. No Lord in his right mind would drive out a
Crafthall from his Hold, even if he didn't agree with them. Think of
what he'd lose in trade, let alone prestige." She turned down what she
hoped was the right corridor for the archives. "But they never actually
convicted anyone of the arson?"

"No. No one was arrested or officially accused of it," Ueltin replied.

Zandan had noticed the two harpers passing by him. His mind barely
registered the female, but for the man he had to give a second look.
Unusually tall and good looking too. Overhearing the word "arson", it
made him prick up his ears.
He had his own reasons for not wanting anybody investigating any fires
too closely. Especially ones with casualties.

"Doesn't that seem strange? You'd think they'd have spared no effort to
find the culprit." Tasni's eyes sparkled. She scented a mystery here.
"Unless...the Lord Holder wanted it hushed up."

"That's always possible," Ueltin agreed. He stopped to hold a door open
for her.

She walked into the archives and breathed in the dusty aroma of paper,
hide and dried ink as if it was a fine wine. Emerald Falls was _old_ -
not like the new Hall - and who could tell what long-forgotten secrets
awaited her on these shelves. There wasn't anyone about at the moment,
they had the place to themselves.

"Look at all of this..." She turned back to the journeyman, her whole
body alive with enthusiasm. "We could investigate! Imagine if we solved
the puzzle of the fire, after so many Turns." Besides her own interest
in the case, Tasni had other purposes in mind. She might discover
something about Gilbek, and more importantly, it would distract the
Southern harpers' attention from her primary reason for being at the
Hall: to report on _them_.

Zandan watched them to disappear to the archives with a frown on his
face. He needed to keep an eye on this pair, and not just because the
man had such a gorgeous arse.

Last updated on the February 28th 2019

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Nosy Harpers