Harping On the Subject

Writers: Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 8th March 2015

Characters: Eionen
Description: Whatever happened to the red-haired harper who couldn't play instruments?
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 12, day 10 of Turn 7

There were few things Eionn loved as much as a rollicking party, and when it came to those, weddings were a great excuse to have one. His senses would be assaulted at celebrations, and he had no trouble with that whatsoever. He loved the sights, the smells, the sounds, the colors, the textures, the motions, the tastes. Sure, it was a small, minor Hold, but the Holder and his new Lady were highly respected by the people they led, so they had pulled out every single stop possible to make the wedding a fantastic one. The arrival of the trader caravan Eionn was currently traveling with helped make that possible.

While the Hold had its own Harper who could marry the deliriously joyful couple, Eionn had been invited to sing at the following feast out of professional courtesy, and he accepted with delight. He never did pass up a chance to show off, and the few other harpers at the hold knew exactly what they were doing when it came to playing their finely tuned instruments. Nothing beat singing with people who knew what they were doing. They performed several songs, but the crowning achievement had to be the traditional love song that had moved several people in the audience to tears. The other harpers had done a truly beautiful job backing him up, and Eionn had sung with all his passion and expertise.

Now he was being rewarded with a goblet of a silky red wine that had an aftertaste of berries, and a plateful of wonderful food: juicy roast beef so tender it only needed a fork to be cut, herbed baked tubers in olive oil with dill, steamed wild rivergrains, a creamy soup with barley and tomatoes and many other vegetables, fruits wrapped in thin pastries, and of course fresh bread, so soon out of the oven that the rich butter was still melting on its golden-brown crust. Eionn was so pleased with the repast that he ate with his eyes closed in order to truly savor all those marvelous flavors.

When he was stuffed to the gills, Eionn sat back in his chair and sipped the last of his wine. A female drudge came around with a wineskin and asked if he would like a refill. Eionn gave her a sultry smile and held out the goblet. "I would indeed, so I can drink to you and your gorgeous eyes," he said in his low, smooth tenor.

The drudge blushed profusely, but she poured him the wine, and before she departed, she winked at him. Oh yes, he was going to have to seek her out before the caravan went trundling off. Eionn liked the look of her; not only were her eyes an attractive shade of gray, she was very cute and curvy, with red-gold hair.

Huh. Normally one didn't see that shade of red. It reminded him of another woman who had possessed tresses like that. What had her name been? Chasta? Hastia? Something like that. He found himself wishing he could remember; she had been so pretty, but her speaking voice had been even more so. Funny how he could recall her voice after- what, nearly eighteen years? Then again, her voice and open interest in him had been the reason he invited her to bed.

Normally women weren't so bold as to approach him; he pursued them. But that woman had come to him under the cover of night, offering a skin of decent wine and asking about his travels, asking about him, asking if he would be gentle with her when she accepted his invitation. She had responded to him so ardently, it was hard to believe she was the same woman who watched him sing and dance without reacting. But then, the stern-looking man built like a brick outhouse sitting beside her was probably a relative around whom she had to pretend to be docile.

In fact, Eionn had been so enamored with her, he had asked her to run away with him, but she had turned him down, which wasn't an uncommon response. He had been disappointed, of course, yet he found himself holding his tongue when he saw the sheer amount of regret shining from her deep blue eyes. Asking why would have probably hurt her.

Briefly, he wondered how she had fared in her tiny hold when the caravan he'd ridden with at the time went on its way. No doubt her family had found her a husband in due course, young and attractive as she was. He hoped that husband appreciated what he had. Shaysta, or whatever her name was, had been one fardling good lay.

Ah, well. This day was not one for regrets, or thinking of the past. Eionn drank more wine and waited until his food had settled enough to find a lady to dance with. He never passed up an opportunity to dance, either. The Lady's maid of honor was a good-looking woman, too; he should ask her for a turn on the floor.

Last updated on the March 18th 2015

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Harping On the Subject