Confidential Matters

Writers: Estelle
Date Posted: 7th April 2024
Series: White Hollow Hold, The Hunt for Gil

Characters: Tasni, Jayala
Description: Tasni tells Jayala about her search for Gilbek
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 9, day 16 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: N'vanik

Jayala

"Journeywoman. Walk with me, please."

Jayala had spent a good deal of time thinking since N'vanik's visit the
previous day, and studying the hides he'd left with her. The next
morning, she'd set a few investigations in motion, dispatching one
trusted journeyman to the Hold to make enquiries about a particular
individual on the Steward's staff, and some coded messages by firelizard
to her people in the area of the holds mentioned. White Hollow she
considered too risky for the moment - that could be left to the Hold
guards - but she did want to speak to the last harper who'd been there.

"Yes, Hallsecond." Tasni caught the older woman's serious tone at once,
and grasped that something must have happened. She followed Jayala out
of the dining hall where the drudges had just begun clearing up after
the noon meal.

Rather than heading for the masters' quarters or the practice rooms,
Jayala headed outdoors and along the path that led past the Printer
Hall. Tasni appreciated her choice. Out there in the open, with the
noise of the presses to cover their conversation, it would be next to
impossible for them to be overheard.

"I expect you've heard that the Weyrleader of Dolphin Cove was here
yesterday," Jayala began. "He came to discuss the Turnover entertainment
at the Weyr. I've heard you're making good progress with your chamber
group, and I know you're weyrbred, so I thought you'd be a good addition
to the group that goes to the Weyr."

"Thank you, Master." Tasni kept her expression politely respectful. As
pleased as she was by the request, though - Turnover was always fun at
the Weyr, and she'd get to catch up with some old friends - she'd take
any wager that wasn't all there was to it. She wondered briefly how the
Hallsecond had discovered that she was weyrbred. "I'd be honoured to
represent the Harper Hall."

"I'll be visiting the Weyr in a few days to make arrangements, and I'd
like you to come with me. You can draft the programme. Well known
ballads and dance music would be best." Jayala glanced behind her and
judged that they were far enough away from the Hall now. "I have a
second purpose in going to the Weyr, but I'd like this to go no further,
at least in the Southern Hall. I can't stop you informing the North, but
if you'll make them aware that it's confidential..."

"Of course." That was a surprise, that the Hallsecond would confide in
her. She felt oddly proud that she'd proved herself, if not entirely
trustworthy, then discreet. Whatever it was Jayala wanted to share must
be of great importance for her to take the risk.

Jayala nodded once, sharply, and then spoke without further hesitation.
"The Weyrleader told me that they've found that man they were seeking.
Gil. He made it out of White Hollow alive and hid in a cothold until
someone informed the dragonriders. More than that, he's been talking.
Given them names, which show that the plot against the Weyr goes well
beyond that hold." She fixed a stern look on Tasni. "I expect you
understand why I don't want this getting out."

"You don't want them warned." Tasni considered that, waiting until the
noise of the printing press grew louder before she spoke again. "Did he
mention anything about the family connection between White Hollow and
Emerald Falls?"

"Only a brief mention that the Holder's wife and her brother have a
blood tie. That's something I'd like to talk to him about." If the
conspiracy threatened Lord Corowal and his family as well as the Weyr,
then he'd need to know. Jayala studied the younger woman's face. "I'd
also like to ask him about another connection. The Harper Hall fire. You
mentioned it in your report."

Tasni looked up sharply. "Yes, Hallsecond. At White Hollow, I heard that
Gil was trained at Emerald Falls and served the former Lord Holder. He
sounded very much like the man who was accused of setting the fire; he
was a guard with a similar name, and he arrived at the hold about the
right time."

"Do you think he could have been motivated by anger against the Hall?"
Jayala asked. "Or the Hold, for turning him out on account of the crime,
even if he didn't commit it?"

"Well, I've never met him..."

"Perhaps not." Jayala fixed her with a level stare. "But you have been
showing a considerable interest in him, and that fire. Maybe you
discovered something in your research."

Of course she'd found out - Tasni supposed she'd asked the master
archivist. She considered playing innocent, since it was a legitimate
topic of study...but being more forthcoming might, at last, give her the
chance to fulfil the promise she'd made before she'd left the North.

Or she might be handing Jayala just the leverage she needed over Gil,
but - they were all harpers, their craft to serve Pern. And over the
months, she realised, she'd come to trust the Hallsecond.

"I know his wife," she said. "Calenta. She's a journeywoman Singer at
the Northern Hall now. Did you ever meet her?"

"No, she left for the North before I came to the Weyr. It was difficult
for her there, they said." The suspicion had been that it was her
apprenticeship that had motivated the arsonist. Jayala could well
imagine some of the crustier Masters, who'd never supported female
apprentices, would have made it hard for her despite the Hallmaster's
support. "And then the Master Singer in the North snapped her up. She
had a rare talent, from what I've heard."

"She does." Tasni remembered the purity of her friend's voice and her
devotion to her craft, and felt a moment's regret for having been so
long away from the Hall. "When she heard I was going South, she asked me
to try and trace her husband. She gave me a letter for him."

"Hmm." Jayala thought about that for a moment, as they left the
printers' building behind them and turned onto a wooded track that
curved around back to the Hall. "Do you know what was in it?"

"Well, I haven't read it, of course, but - there's another journeyman at
the Northern Hall. A composer. They've been together for a while, were
going to be married. I suppose they might be, by now, if the divorce was
arranged." She stared down at the gravel path. "I expect the letter is
to tell him."

"That could complicate matters." Jayala wondered if they wouldn't be
better off making sure this news never reached Gil, if he was indeed
Calenta's husband. "Did she say anything about what he was like, as a
person?"

"She didn't think he started the fire. She said it wasn't in his
character, even though they'd quarrelled, and that he wouldn't have
risked innocent lives."

"Do you think she was right?"

"I wasn't sure," Tasni admitted. "He was a guard at Emerald Falls, and
that wasn't a job for the faint-hearted, not in those days. I expect you
know that better than I do. But Calenta's not stupid, and she'd have
told me if she suspected he was dangerous. So - I tried to look at the
evidence again, but neutrally, as if it was a dispute between two
cotholders, trying to forget that it was an attack on my Craft."

"And?"

"It's _possible_ it was him," Tasni said slowly. "But the timing is odd.
He left the Hall after being heard arguing with Calenta, and was later
found running back there, after the smoke and flames were seen and the
alarm raised. If it was him, he'd have had to leave the Hall, find
kindling, flame and oil - and a jug of liquor, they found it in the
wreckage - return and set the fire, then walk back to the Hold before
returning. And why come back? Also, the fires broke out in more than one
place: the instrument makers' workshop, one of the apprentice
classrooms, and the laundry. It looked to me as if there was more than
one arsonist."

"He could have had an accomplice."

"Yes, but if this was all done in anger, after a heated argument with
his wife - it doesn't fit. The crime required preparation. Also, whoever
started it wasn't familiar with the layout of the Hall. If they were,
they'd have set fire to the archives first. It's on the ground floor and
with all the paper and hides, it would have taken hold best there - but
we know that's not where it started. The archivists were able to get
some material out, though it was damaged, but the workshop was
completely destroyed."

"He did have a motive," Jayala said, though she was pushing now, probing
the journeywoman's argument for weaknesses.

"Yes, but so did a great many people. It's not so easy to imagine now,
but back then, Calenta's apprenticeship caused an enormous scandal. The
first female apprentice since the Plagues... There's grumbling about it
even now. And - everyone I've talked to, here and at White Hollow,
agrees that Gilbek loved his wife. If so, he would have been the _last_
person in the Hold to want to put her in danger."

"Maybe." Jayala had seen some cases in her time where love had turned
sour - but she had not talked to Calenta, and Tasni had. They walked in
silence for a while. "I'll concede that he's no more likely the
perpetrator than any other disgruntled holder. More than that I wouldn't
like to say, until I talk to him."

"The Weyrleader will let you see him?" Now was her chance, but she'd
have to be careful. "Master Jayala, I promised Calenta I would do my
best to put her letter into his hands."

The Hallsecond gave her a long look, as if examining that statement from
all sides and judging its truthfulness. "Well, as I said, you can come
with me to the Weyr, to make arrangements for Turnover. I will _ask_ the
Weyrleader if you can accompany me to see this man Gil. If he says no,
then I will deliver this man's letter to him, on my word as a Harper."

"Oh - thank you, Master..."

"And if he says yes," Jayala went on, her voice as severe as Tasni had
ever heard it, "you will be quiet, and keep this letter to yourself,
until I give you leave to speak. I want to make sure I've got what I
want out of him first - and naturally, I want to be sure it _is_ him
before any letters are handed over."

"Yes, Master Jayala."

"Good." They were approaching the Hall again now, the sounds of running
scales and vocal exercises growing louder. "Come to my office on the
morning of the eighteenth, with your selections for the Turnover
concert, and make sure your classes are covered for the day."

"Yes, Master." Tasni repeated. Dismissed, she parted from Jayala, hardly
aware of her steps carrying her to the archives to look up dance music
for weyrfolk. After all this time of searching, and thinking him dead,
she could hardly believe that in a matter of days she would be face to
face with Gilbek.

Last updated on the May 4th 2024

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