Harper Lessons

Writers: Sia
Date Posted: 3rd June 2025

Characters: Dannen, Kevia, Brissa, Lenni, Kels
Description: Kevia makes new friends in harper lessons
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 9 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: E'kavas, Ellenico

Kevia swung her legs under the bench, barely able to sit still. The classroom smelled of chalk dust and stale air. Deep in the lower caverns with only the hum of electric lights, there wasn't much by way of natural light or air circulation. She was used to it, of course, but she wasn't sure if the new holdless kids were. Dad had said they were rescued from flooding caves, but at the time he didn't know if they had lived there a while or just getting out of Threadfall. Maybe both. She didn't think they'd be used to the caves like everyone else, though.

Still, they looked wary and out of place, with their rough spun clothes and how they awkwardly sat in a group like they were unused to the entire thing. They probably were, really. Holdless kids probably didn't get harper lessons unless there was a holdless harper, right? And why would a harper become holdless?

Master Kels, the stern-faced harper overseeing lessons today, caught Kevia's eye and gestured for her to get back to her work. She'd already been told to keep her eyes from wandering, and that staring was rude, but she'd already finished her work. The older kids were tasked with listing all the Weyrs of Pern and the major holds beholden to them, and that was really easy when one wall had a faded but mostly-accurate map. She tapped her tablet with the stylus, still sneaking glances at the other kids.

Finally, when Master Kels' back was turned, she slipped off her bench and scurried to the next table and slid into place with them. "Psst. Whatcha working on?"

The nearest boy-- skinny, probably about her age, with a mop of brown hair that desperately needed a haircut-- glared at her. "I don't need your help."

"Wow, okay. I'm not trying to be a know-it-all, though Master Kels says I gotta try harder. I'm Kevia. I dunno if you've had lessons like this before and if you haven't, it must be really hard to get used to. That's why all the teaching ballads are songs."

One of the younger girls across the table nodded. "I know the songs." She agreed.

"If it was warmer weather, we could practice with chalk out in the weyrbowl." Kevia said. "Or play hopscotch. Or both, probably. But it'd be a lot more fun than scratching on wax. But practice makes perfect! And then you'll have to write practice letters with the rest of us."

The boy didn’t look convinced. His scowl deepened, and he hunched over his slate protectively. “We’re not babies. We know things.” His tone was sharp, but there was a flicker of something uncertain behind his words, like he wasn’t quite sure if he did or not.

Kevia tilted her head and rested her chin on her hand, letting her stylus twirl lazily between her fingers. “I didn’t say you didn’t,” she replied, careful not to sound like she was mocking. “Just that the lessons are kind of different here, right?"

"Right." Another girl added. She looked kind of similar to the boy, enough to probably be related. "Don't be stupid, Dannen. Ma says we might be able to stay and be weyrfolk, too." She added, almost defensive. "We gotta learn to read with everyone else."

Dannen muttered something under his breath and scratched a jagged line across his slate, but he didn’t argue further.

"That's great, that you're gonna stay." Kevia said brightly. "There's always something to do. And if you study hard now, maybe you can get an apprenticeship with a weyrcrafter. Or you can ask to Stand! Weyrfolk have a right to it, you know. What's your name?"

"Brissa," she replied. "Dannen's my brother. That's Lenni." She pointed to the younger girl, who had her hair in two messy braids and was watching the whole conversation with wide eyes.

"Nice to meet you." Kevia answered automatically. "You’ll get used to it here. I did, and it was a big change for me too.”

Brissa gave her a curious look. “Where’d you come from?”

“River Bluff Weyr,” Kevia said, voice going a little quieter. “Before the earthquake. I live here now with my dad. It's not exactly the same, but I remember not having a home, too. I'm lucky Dad got placed here.”

Brissa didn’t say anything right away, but her eyes got kind of wide, and even Dannen looked up from his slate again. Lenni leaned across the table and whispered, “Did it fall down? Did you see it?”

“No,” Kevia said softly. “But I heard it.” She didn’t say the rest. She'd been only five, and she only remembered bits and pieces. She didn't think she'd ever forget the sound of it, though. She still heard it at night sometimes, when the only sounds were the muted noises of dragons sleeping. "I do like it here, though. A lot of River Bluff riders transferred here too, so it wasn't like we were the only new kids. My brothers and I, I mean. My brother 'Nico is over there with the smaller kids. My older brother is a candidate."

"Oh." Lenni whispered. "So your parents are riders?"

"My Dad is. He's the Wingsecond for the Weyrleader's Wing." Kevia said proudly. "Papa was too. A rider, I mean. He was a bluerider. He and Mama died in the earthquake."

Brissa’s eyes widened again, and even Dannen sat up a little straighter. They glanced at each other-- Kevia was used to that, too, when people aren't sure what to say about the loss or about her family. She'd learned early that they were special, even at the Weyr where family ties were more complicated.

They didn't say anything about it, though, because Lenni added, "I lost my Da in the flooding."

"I'm sorry." Kevia said. "That's awful. When I feel bad, my Dad says that my parents would be happy to know that we were safe. It doesn't make me feel _better_, but it helps."

Lenni gave a little nod, then scrubbed at her nose with the sleeve of her tunic. Dannen’s hand hovered awkwardly before settling on her shoulder, and Brissa looked away, blinking fast.

Kevia didn't push. She knew what it was like. A lot of them knew what it was like. If anything, the Weyr was the best place to feel grief. They sat with that a moment, quiet except for the occasional scrape of styluses and the drone of Master Kels’ voice as he corrected someone across the room.

Then Brissa cleared her throat. “I like your braids,” she said, a little stiffly, like she wasn’t used to complimenting people.

Kevia grinned. “Thanks! I did them myself. I can show you how, if you want.”

Lenni’s face lit up at that. “Can you do mine, too?”

A flicker of a smile crossed Dannen’s face before he caught himself and scowled again for good measure. But he didn’t look away.

Before Kevia could say more, Master Kels clapped his hands sharply from the front of the room. "Kevia. Seat. Now."

“Yes, Master Kels,” she chirped, and gave a little salute before sliding off the bench and scampering back to her table.

Behind her, she could hear Brissa whispering to Dannen again, and Lenni softly humming the Harper learning scales.

Kevia smiled to herself and tapped her stylus to the tablet again. Maybe the new kids would be okay here, after all.

Last updated on the June 10th 2025

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Harper Lessons