Free Dragon Harper by Anne McCaffrey

them,” Kindan replied.
    “Why?” Mikal pressed.
    This is getting harder, Kindan thought as he grappled with the question.
    “Because they’re my friends,” he said out loud.
    “You could get other friends—that doesn’t sound like a reason,” Mikal replied dismissively. “Find another.”
    “Because I love them!” Kindan blurted out, surprised at his words and the heat of his reaction. All his half-formed dreams of kissing Kelsa, of dancing through the night with her, maybe even of partnering with her, vanished as he absorbed that. He loved them both, equally, and neither of them as a mate. Kelsa and Nonala were special to him because he knew they loved and trusted him; he would do nothing to alter that—he loved them too much.
    Mikal stared at him for a long, tense moment, then nodded and held up two more fingers. “What else?”
    “For M’tal,” Kindan said.
    “The Weyrleader?” Mikal repeated. “You want to live for the Weyrleader?”
    Kindan frowned. “No, I want to go to Benden, become the Weyr harper.”
    Mikal held up a fourth finger.
    And now Kindan faltered, groping for a fifth reason. What if he couldn’t find five reasons to live? What did that say about his life, he wondered.
    “I want to live for my father and my brothers,” he said after a moment. “To honor their memory.”
    Mikal held up his fifth finger and waved the other clenched fist in the air. Kindan took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
    “I want to live for you,” he said. “I want to live so that you’ll know that your training helped and that you are needed and—” He faltered, nibbling his lip for a moment before he added, “—loved.”
    Mikal’s eyes glistened as he held up the first finger on his left hand.
    “I want to live for all that I can learn,” Kindan said. Another finger. “For all that I can give.” Another finger. “For all that I have yet to see.” Another finger—he was up to nine. “I want to live for me and what I can offer.”
    Mikal put up his hands, fingers spread wide. “Now, do you know what you have discovered?” the old man asked slowly.
    Kindan nodded slowly. “I’ve discovered my strength.”
    “How many reasons does Vaxoram have to live?”
    Kindan shook his head. “Maybe one.”
    “That’s right,” Mikal agreed. “You have at least nine more reasons to live than he does.” He stood up slowly, stretching, and gestured for Kindan to lead the way back to the wherhold. “Are you ready to fight now?”
    “Yes,” Kindan replied.
    “And do you know what you’ll do?”
    “I’ll win.”

CHAPTER 4

    Fight only in direst need
Not for lust or petty greed
Honor those that do give birth
Respect them well for their full worth.
    H ARPER H ALL
    I t was only as Kindan felt the last of the cold of
between
seep out of his bones as the great bronze dragon, Gaminth, spiraled on down to the landing meadow outside the Harper Hall that he finally realized how he could win the upcoming fight on his own terms. A fierce smile animated his lips and remained there all the way back through the archway and into the courtyard of the Harper Hall.
    “Are you ready, Kindan?” Master Murenny asked as he approached.
    “Could I have some time to practice?” Kindan asked. The courtyard was full of harpers except for the large center expanse that was reserved for the upcoming duel. He saw no sign of Vaxoram but he wasn’t looking for him. Winning was no longer an issue in Kindan’s mind. All he wanted was to win without bloodshed.
    “How long do you need?”
    “Ten minutes will be enough,” Kindan replied. “And can I get some green tomatoes? Maybe half a dozen?”
    “I’ll see if Selora can provide them,” Murenny replied, his eyes dancing in anticipation. Selora was happy to provide eight green tomatoes.
    “What are you going to do?” Kelsa asked as she brought him the tomatoes.
    “Practice,” Kindan replied enigmatically. He stepped into the vacant center of the courtyard,