A Small Price to Pay

Writers: Aaron, Heather
Date Posted: 30th April 2024

Characters: Suynie, Wirnan, Lucyien, Cuyrian
Description: It's Turn's End at Sunstone Seahold (and also everywhere else), and Cuyrian is ready to hear Lucyien sing.
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 13, day 29 of Turn 11

Suynie

Wirnan

When: M13 TE t10
Where: SSH
Notes: Featuring "The Duty Song" from the Master Harper of Pern CD

**********

The lively dance ended at last, and the crowd laughed, applauded, and
scattered a bit, most ready for a drink and a breather.

"Beautiful! You're all lovely." Cuyrian took a long draw of his own
drink before continuing. "Let's have all the kiddos come down to the
front and we'll have a little sing along, give the grownups a chance
to catch their breathâ€" who knows this one, hm?"

He started one of the most upbeat teaching songs, one anyone would
know and simple and easy enough for anyone who knew it to sing along.

"Come on, now, I can't hear you!"

~~"Oh, we must give honor to those dragons heed
In thought and in favor, in word and in deed
For our world will be lost or our world will be saved
From those dangers that are by the dragons braved."~~

Lucyien sang in a bright clear voice, one that was hauntingly
beautiful, and a voice which he sometimes had a hard time blending
with the other children.

Cuyrian almost froze just to listen to the boy. Wirnan had not been
exaggerating. He really was perfect for his project. When it was over,
he excused himself for a break of his own and then sought out the
boy's mother.

"Do I have it right that boy with the beautiful voice is yours?" he
asked Suynie.

Suynie's guarded expression thawed when the visiting harper mentioned
Lucyien. "Yes, he's mine." She, of course, thought his voice was
special but was equally sure that most mothers probably felt that way.

"I have never heard anyone quite like him. Who taught him?" asked the Harper.

"Oh, no one, sir. He's just always had a voice. He and I sing a lot
together when we're out playing or cleaning up. His father was a
seacrafter with a beautiful voice," Suynie explained.

"I hope you won't think me too forward for asking, but I'm nearly
finished with my masterwork composition, and I would like to train
your son to perform it when I submit it to the Hall for review. What's
his name?"

Suynie blushed with pride. "His name is Lucyien. I would be honored,
sir, if you worked with him. He's a good boy. Very obedient."

"Lucyien. Would you be so kind as to come with me to tell him the good
news?" asked the Harper. He chuckled. "And perhaps put a good word in
for me with Lord Bryvin about staying here for a while?"

The little boy looked to his mother first for permission.

"Yes, my dear, may go with the harper," she said with a smile.

"You're welcome to come, too, of course." Cuyrian offered his arm to Suynie.

"Oh, thank you," Suynie said demurely as she put a hand on the
harper's arm. She wanted only the best for her son and perhaps this
was the pathway forward for him. She had no rank and no real craft to
speak of. As the foster mother of the Lord Holder's children she had
some security for the moment, but if Lucyien was to succeed, she
needed him to secure a place in a craft. To earn special favor by
being a prodigy? It was more than she could have ever hoped for.

Lucyien happily took his mother's free hand. He, of course, didn't
understand the true importance of his gifted voice, but he did
understand that his singing made his mother happy, and her happiness
was what he wanted more than anything. He had noticed that she was sad
often and cried when she thought he wasn't looking. Maybe this would
wipe all of her tears away. **I can do this for you, Mama,** he vowed.

Wirnan sipped his wine as he watched the three leave together, he
presumed, to find Bryvin. By all appearances and the smile on Suynie's
face, the ploy had so far been a resounding success for all involved.
He only wished he did not feel a stab of envy at seeing Suynie on
someone else's arm. It was a small price to pay if it could make up
for even a small fraction of the hurt he had caused her.

A small price to pay.

Last updated on the April 30th 2024

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A Small Price to Pay