"More coming in all the time," Chochol told Robinton in a lugubrious voice, shaking his head at the terror which drove them from their holds."Someone ought to do something about that man.
They say he's got six, seven spouses, all of "em pregnant." Then he chuckled and his droll face lit up."Can't seem to get himself a son." Robinton laughed too."We don't need more of his ilk!"
So he was there when Lobira and Lotricia managed to make good their escape, escorted by a small, thin man whom Robinton thought he recognized from his Hall days.But he couldn't be sure.
The man had no distinguishing features, being quiet and capable but self-effacing.
"Don't I recognize you from the Hall?" Robinton asked him much later when he found the man by himself, stuffing food into his carisak.By then, Robinton had heard Lobira's account of the last Turn and a half.
"You may, and again you may not, Robinton.Just forget you've ever seen me.That's the safest thing.I'm going back, as you see."
"Why?You've brought Lobira and Lotricia safely out."
"I'm going to try for Mallan next.I think I know where I might find him."
"Why?What happened to him?"
Lobira and Lotricia had had enough warning to be able to escape the Hold before Fax could arrest them.Mallan had not been so lucky.
"Fax doesn't waste anything.Even a loathsome harper can work for his living.If you call that work…or living."
"What?" Robinton was insistent.
"The mines.The mines always need live bodies."
Robinton felt a shiver of fear shoot up his spine.Mallan's hands would be ruined, digging in rock.
"I'll find him, never fear, Robinton," the man said, pressing the harper's hand firmly, and then he was off down the hills on the High Reaches side, disappearing into the falling dusk.
Robinton and two men escorted the thin, weary Master and his spouse to the next hold, where he stayed to teach while they went forward as fast as they could travel comfortably.Robinton thought of Lotricia, a shadow of her once plump and generous self, and the plates of food she had brought him and Mallan, and hated Fax more than ever, if that was possible.
Returning to Tillek Hold was almost more than he could bear.He hadn't minded the long journeys between holds, the teaching, even the focus of his thoughts, Kasia's beautiful sea-green eyes, her laugh, her body, the peace she had given him.But seeing the Hold again in the bright afternoon light, remembering with what hopes he had come back the previous Turn, he almost turned his runner aside.
When he came to give Melongel his formal report, the Lord Holder put it to one side.
"I saw your face when you came back…brother," he said, "and it decided me.Just being here in Tillek is making it worse, not helping.
I'm releasing you from our contract.Master Gennell agrees that you should return to the Harper Hall where you won't always be reminded…of Kasia."
Numbed by the suddenness of that decision and yet grateful that it had been made for him, Robinton nodded.Melongel rose; so did Robinton.
"There is always room for…our brother…here at Tillek Hold, any time you care to claim it," the Lord Holder said formally and held out his hand."I think Master Gennell wants you to bring that good Ruathan runner back with you." He gave a little smile."Young Groghe's to go home too.You can keep each other company.He'll make a good Lord Holder when he inherits."
"He'll be wary of Fax, too."
Melongel's eyebrows rose and his eyes caught Robinton's."Yes, he will, and that's all to the good."
Two mornings later, having allowed his runner a good rest, Robinton rode south with Groghe, retracing their original route and spending two days with Sucho, Tortole and their family.He had Saday's bowl with him, and showed her how much he treasured it.
The wall was up, and many of the capping slabs were athwart its expanse rather than on one side or the other.To Robinton this meant that at least the two holders had resolved their differences.A small satisfaction to take back with him.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It was easier to be in the Harper Hall again, surrounded by the hopes of the new young apprentices, immersed in his studies for his Mastery, which was what Master Gennell suggested he apply himself to for the rest of the summer.
But it was still a shock when Robinton heard the unmistakable music of his sonata pouring out of the open windows of the rehearsal hall.
How dared they?How had they got the music?He had kept his copy, but he had never…Then he remembered that he had given his mother a copy when she'd come for their espousal.But surely she wouldn't…
He tore out of his room, pounding down the stairs to the rehearsal hall, trying with the noise of his boots to drown out the music he had so lovingly created for his Kasia.He flung open the door, startling the instrumentalists, his mother and Petiron.
"How dare you play that?" And he advanced on his mother as if he would rip the harp from her lap.
"How dare you?" Petiron demanded, infuriated by the interruption.
"It's my music.No one plays it without my permission."
"Robie…" his mother began, rising to her feet and starting to come towards him.She stopped abruptly when he recoiled, holding his hands out in protest as much against the sympathy and pity in her face as against any contact.He almost hated her.How could she have let Petiron see his music, the sonata he had composed for Kasia, only for her?"I loved Kasia, too, Robinton.I'm playing it for her.Every time the Kasia Sonata is played, her memory will be invoked.She lives on in this beautiful music; she will be remembered with it.You must allow her that!You need to allow yourself that."
He just looked at her, feeling the anger drain away under her stern gaze.The other players remained so motionless that he scarcely noted their presence.
Then his father cleared his throat."The sonata is the best thing you've ever written," Petiron said, without a trace of condescension in his voice.
Robinton turned slowly to look at the MasterComposer.
"It is," he said, and, turning on his heel, he left the room.
He put wadding in his ears when he went back to his room so that he wouldn't have to hear the music.But some of it penetrated and towards the end of the rehearsal, which was almost a straight run-through, given the quality of the musicians performing - he took the wadding out.Listening to the rondo and the finale, he let the tears run unheeded down his face.
Yes, it was the best piece of music he had written.And listening to it, somehow he found he could think of Kasia without the terrible sense of loss and the constriction around his heart.As the final chords died away, he sighed and went back to his studying.
He tried to absent himself from the Hall whenever he knew they were practising the sonata, even if its chords sometimes seemed to follow him no matter how far away he took himself.
When it was performed at the Autumn Gather, he did not go to the performance.Instead, he saddled his Ruathan runner and took a long ride, camping out overnight.But his dreams were laden with memories of Kasia and he woke sweating, to lie awake until dawn, still remembering what he had loved about her: her laugh, the crinkling of her eyes, the lilt in her voice, the way she would swing her hips, deliberately enticing him.
Winter was just settling over Fort Hold with an early snow shower when Master Gennell came looking for him.
"Ah, Rob," he said, coming towards him.Placing a fatherly arm across Robinton's shoulders, he guided the younger harper into his office."We've an emergency.Recall Karenchok, thin, dark-skinned journeyman in the same group as Shonagar?"
"Oh, yes, I do."
"Well, he's broken his leg badly and will be unable to complete his rounds.Would you be willing to take over for him down in South Boll?Until he's able to travel again?"