CHAPTER 6 A Dragonrider Witnesses

Laranth burst out of between facing the cot as Talana had visualised it, and she breathed a deep sigh of relief. She realised she had been holding her breath, and laughed out loud to reassure herself.

As Laranth landed, Talana undid the straps that secured her and slid gracelessly to the ground.

"Most people get off slower." Remarked the big dragon.

"I fell." She said, shortly. "I haven't got the hang of it yet."

oOoOo

A young girl, perhaps five turns old, was playing alone in the snow, building a snow cave for a battered rag doll. As the big Bronze dropped out of the sky she stopped and stared. Talana strode over to her. It was not hard to recognise R'gar's parentage in her, with her fluffy dark mop of curls and bright blue eyes which regarded Talana gravely.

"That looks like my father's dragon." Ventured the mite.

"Probably because he is. You are Sagarra, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm Sagarra. Who are you? Where is R'gar?" She asked. Talana said,

"I am T'lan. Your father is ill. I need to speak to Sagally."

The child led her wordlessly to the cot. A sultry young woman stirred desultorily at a pot on the fire, an infant at her feet, while a man dozed in a chair. He wakened with the sound of the door.

"I told you to stay outdoors out of the way!" he said angrily.

"Please, Margel, there's a dragonman here." The child said as T'lan entered. The man sniffed.

"Dragon boy you mean. What is it, lost your wetnurse, lad?" T'lan looked at him a long moment then ignored him. She said briskly to the woman, who was eyeing her consideringly,

"Good morning – Sagally?"

The woman gave her a look which was half contemptuous, half inviting, though that was lost on Talana. Her face was superficially lovely; but Talana felt that it was marred by the calculation in her eyes and the beginnings of discontent lines round her mouth. She said,

"I am Sagally. What is it you want?"

"R'gar has had an accident. He mentioned you and Sagarra in delirium, and he asked for her."

"So what?"

Talana felt as though a bucket of ice water had been thrown in her face and she gasped at the sheer indifference of the tone.

"Don't you care? He's been badly injured!"

The woman shrugged.

"Scarface can drop dead for all I care. He's nothing to me." T'lan resisted the urge to slap her.

"Then at least let me take Sagarra to see him. I think her voice might bring him out of the coma."

The man stood and stretched, yawning; then he joined the conversation.

"Yes, take her and welcome, so long as you don't bring her back. I don't intend to provide a dowry for some dragonman's brat. I can't think why Sagally kept her in the first place."

Sagally shrugged sulkily.

"You've met my mother. She thought I could get R'gar back – as if I'd want him any more than his bastard brat."

T'lan was cold-calm furious and as white as a sheet. She said,

"I, T'lan, dragonrider of Pern witness your relinquishment of all rights to Sagarra, daughter of Bronze rider R'gar."

She turned to the child who stood stricken, shocked beyond tears at the callous rejection of her. T'lan put an arm round the babe's shoulders. "I will take care of you little one." She whispered. "Get anything you want and I'll take you home."

"I only have Prilla that I love here," said Sagarra in a voice too harsh for one so young as she held up her doll; then she turned and walked out.

Talana paused only to say,

"I hope you're satisfied with yourselves for telling her just how much you don't love her. If you had what you deserved, you – faugh, you disgust me!" and she walked out knowing that she could not trust herself to stay an instant longer. She banged the door with unnecessary vigour.

oOoOo

Outside, the little girl stared at her, shock and loss in her eyes. Unable to tell her that they weren't worth mourning, for a child's family is the centre of its world however bad they may be, Talana dropped to one knee and held out her arms.

"I will love you, your daddy is my friend" she told her; and Sagarra buried her face against Talana. There were still no tears; and Talana feared as she carried the child to Laranth that she had inherited her father's temperament as well as looks. If she bottled it all up it could leave her soul-scarred for life. Talana stroked the mite's hair, and suddenly the little body shook with a sob, her defences broken down by unexpected, maybe unknown, gentleness. Talana cuddled her, seated on tolerant Laranth's foot, rocking the child until the worst of the torrent of sobbing had passed. Eventually Sagarra wriggled and looked up, fear lurking in her blue eyes, that she scrubbed a hand across to dry the tears. Talana pinched her cheek gently and smiled as though nothing were untoward.

"You'll like flying." She said. "It's such fun to look down and see everything all small below."

The fear began to fade and be replaced by interest.

"We're going to fly to see my father?" she whispered. Her tone held awe, and a more desperate question. T'lan, knowing R'gar's nature, realised that showing affection wasn't one of his strong points, and wondered whether the child feared rejection from him too.

"Yes we are, he asked for you." She reassured Sagarra. "He needs you."

"Will I still be able to visit my grandam? I love Lanelly so much."

"Of course, sweeting." At least the girl had someone who must show her affection. "I expect R'gar will take you when he's well. You see I can't take you because I don't know where to go and besides it's not fair on my dragon to fly around too much on Laranth. You see, she's only a little girl dragon and she doesn't know how to go between yet – and she's not even big enough to carry me!"

Sagarra frowned.

"If she's a little girl, how come you're a boy?" she asked.

"Mirrith's a Green dragon. They're girls but they don't lay eggs so boys can fly them. Only Golden Queens lay eggs, and girls fly them." Explained T'lan. Sagarra digested this.

"It sounds p'culiar to me." She said. "Why don't Greens lay eggs?"

"Because" began T'lan, then stopped short, translating the explanation into simple terms, "because they have to chew firestone to flame Thread and firestone upsets the bit in their tummies that makes eggs." She added hastily to forestall any more questions on the subject, "listen, Sagarra! When we get up high, Laranth is going to take us between to High Reaches. It's ever so ever so cold between but I want you to be ever so brave like the daughter of a dragonman should be, and count up to three slowly. Then we'll be there. Can you do that?" She had a sudden fear that Margel had considered it unnecessary for his stepdaughter to learn to count, but the child nodded and said proudly,

"I can count up to twenty."

"Good girl! Now let's get you strapped on, and hold on tight!"

Laranth leaped into the air on Talana's bidding as soon as she was sure that both she and Sagarra were secure. She visualised the seven spindles covered in white snow, a fresh fall having covered the grimy looking black Thread dust. Then they were between with a stifled squeak from Sagarra. Talana was conscious of the hollow thudding of her heart; then out of the nothingness the seven spindles appeared suddenly and the bone-aching cold was over.

oOoOo

Laranth landed in the Bowl near the infirmary. There was a reception committee; T'bor stepped forward, fury written on his face.

"What in the name of the first egg do you think you're playing at T'lan? You have no training in going between, no training even in flying"

T'lan unstrapped Sagarra and handed the apprehensive child down to Pilgra, answering with a calm she did not feel.

"Bawl me out later T'bor, don't frighten the child. Suffice it to say that R'gar needs his daughter; Laranth had the visualisation from him, I only had to make it winter for him and he knows how to go Between. I only had to be a passenger. I'd not have done it if he hadn't been very experienced." She began undoing the extra straps on the flying harness. T'bor snorted.

"At least you weren't fool enough to think you could fly without supplementary straps." He said, more calmly. "But how could you take such a crazy risk? By the time Mirrith translated visualisation you could have ended up trapped in rock or between forever.!"

"I beg your pardon T'bor but – oh thank you Laranth"- as the Bronze extended a forefoot to aid her descent – "but you have it wrong. Laranth spoke with me direct. I had to be the one to do it, Laranth trusts me. Besides a young Green rider is more expendable than any adult especially say, a bronze rider."" she added, absently taking Sagarra from Pilgra and setting her down, one arm about the child's shoulders.

"I never knew R'gar had a daughter." Said Pilgra. "Poor little scrap, she looks terrified."

"And so would you be" said T'lan tartly, "If your mother had rejected you and the moment you get to your new home people started bellowing." She gave T'bor a fulminating look. "I am very sorry Weyrleader to have worried you. I felt the risk acceptable." She added "Before you set me punishment, I wish to declare formally that I witnessed as a dragonrider that the current guardians of this child – her mother and stepfather – disowned her. Pilgra, he was glad to see her go!" her voice broke and a sob escaped her. Quickly she choked it back and hugged the little girl fiercely.

T'bor wanted to check something.

"You said Laranth spoke to you direct? Not through Mirrith?" he asked. She nodded.

"He knows I care about what happens to R'gar." T'bor cleared his throat. That was close to an implication that he did not care and was very close to impudence; but was hard to make an issue of.

"Very well." He said. "This must not happen again. I…"

He was interrupted by a green streak that made its way squawking to T'lan. Mirrith leaned against her friend, crooning happily. She laid her head on the girl's shoulder and extended her wings in a kind of protective embrace about Talana and Sagarra. Pilgra burst out laughing, earning a mystified look from T'bor as well as T'lan.

"Oh, forgive me," she chuckled " – I'm not sure who does the best impression of protective motherhood – Mirrith or you, T'lan. I'm sorry lad, but…" she broke into helpless gurgles of mirth. Talana assumed an air of injured manhood.

T'bor resumed,

"I was about to say that I have bespoken Orth who tells me that there was no real danger; and there has been no tragic ending. But in my weyr, I do not expect crazy tricks from untried striplings. You should have come to me and something could have been done." Why do I feel that I'm wasting my breath, he thought. The boy is listening politely enough but plainly feels he did the right thing. Stubborn as R'gar himself! T'bor finished a trifle lamely, "So no repetition of this you understand? And if you're that concerned for the child and for R'gar you can put yourself at Calla's disposal as a punishment duty running errands in the infirmary! do you understand?" he repeated.

"Yes T'bor" said T'lan, meekly enough to make Pilgra shoot an old fashioned look at her. T'bor muttered something to himself and strode off.

Pilgra helped Talana undo Laranth's flying straps.

"You frightened us all you know." She said, gently reproachful

"I'm sorry for that, weyrwoman" Talana said, genuinely contrite, "Not as much as I frightened myself, I wager. But it had to be done for R'gar. And, it seems, for Sagarra." She took the child by the hand and led her away to find her father.

oOoOo

Calla was with R'gar as they went in.

"This is Sagarra." Talana explained. "– R'gar's daughter. As he was calling for her I thought it might help"

Calla nodded.

"You may have caused a ruckus – it was you on Laranth, wasn't it? – I thought so – " as Talana nodded, "- but you've done the right thing; though it might have been better had you just TOLD someone" she added tartly. "Still, too late to carp now, and it's turned out for the best. People have come back to consciousness because of a loved one's presence. Between us – " she dropped her voice "- he's not fighting, and that's bad. He needs something to live for." She spoke normally again to Sagarra, "People whose wits are between can often still hear if you talk to them; I expect your father would like to hear your voice. But don't expect immediate improvement" she warned. "It might take several days."

At the sight of her father's still body, Sagarra's haunted eyes filled with tears.

"Is he going to die?" she whispered.

"Not if we can help it." Said Talana grimly. "I'm on punishment duty to help you, Calla and run errands."

"Huh, as if I'd be likely to get rid of you from hanging around anyway" said Calla then reached a hand to touch Talana's arm to show that her rough words were not meant seriously "I'll be glad of your aid watching R'gar; and diverting this poor child of his when she worries."

Sagarra was staring at her father's still body in some consternation.

"Don't die, R'gar! You're the only one who wants me!" Sagarra threw her skinny arms around his neck and sobbed.

"Stop that now!" Calla's no – nonsense voice cut through her sobs. "Do you want him to think you're a coward?"

"She's had a lot of shocks today – I'll explain later." Said Talana quietly. "Sagarra-love, if you cry, he'll not hear your voice properly. Just tell him that it's you and that you're here for him. Tell him you love him."

Sagarra hiccoughed and obediently wiped her teats on her sleeve.

"Hullo R'gar." She said timidly. "It's me, Sagarra. I've come to see you." She looked at Talana for reassurance. Talana smiled.

"That's fine sweetheart. Just tell him any old thing so long as it's your voice." she laid a comforting hand on the little girl's shoulder. Sagarra went on,

"I flew on a dragon to see you R'gar. On Laranth. We went ever so high. I met another dragon who's a baby but she's awful big. I'm not ever going away again, I'm going to stay with you for always." She turned to T'lan. "Umm, I don't know what else to say." she said.

"Just so he knows you're here sweetheart. You don't have to talk all the time or even be here all the time, just tell him from time to time that you're with him." Talana ruffled her hair." Try holding his hand." She turned to the bed as Sagarra complied and said, "R'gar, your little girl is here. Sagarra has come to see you. She wants you to get better and come back to us. Laranth wants you to get better. Dear R'gar, we all want you to get better." A sudden sob caught her by surprise, and she took a deep breath to control her voice. "Come back R'gar" she said, reaching out to touch his face. "Mirrith says you have to teach us to fight Thread and T'bor wants you to come round to call me all the things he's thinking."

oOoOo

After feeding Sagarra, Talana brought her back to her father; and after a while he started muttering again. Sagarra, sitting big eyed beside him was frightened and as he called her name she shouted, panicked,

"I'm here, I'm here!"

Talana soothed her and explained,

"Part of him knows you're here, but part of him is too ill to let him answer." The little girl was very tired, and Talana persuaded her to curl up in a blanket and go to sleep. Sagarra nestled up to Mirrith, her doll in the crook of her arm and her thumb in her mouth. Despite her distress she was soon asleep, her long dark lashes standing out against her pale, tearstained cheeks. Talana gently touched her face, and settled herself to doze beside R'gar as he muttered feverishly. She felt Laranth's vigilant mind following R'gar's disordered dreaming; and before long she too was asleep.

T'lan awoke as Calla came in with meat rolls and steaming klah.

"What, asleep?" teased the healer. "You youngsters have no stamina."

Talana yawned.

"Sorry Calla" she said. "I've had precious little sleep lately, it's all sort of caught up on me."

"I know. T'sellan came in an hour ago to take a turn at watching but you looked so peaceful we hadn't the heart to disturb you. But the child must have regular meals."

Talana nodded. Gently she shook Sagarra's shoulder.

"Sagarra." She said, "Wake up sweeting". Sagarra blinked, confused, and rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands. "It's time to eat." Said Talana.

"I don't think I'm hungry, T'lan."

"I'm sure you will be if you start eating. You must eat you know, because if I let you waste away, R'gar will have me flayed and my hide made into leather to make him gloves."

Sagarra giggled and nibbled a meat roll. Soon she was eating enthusiastically and explaining in a rather crummy way that T'lan need not worry because R'gar only pretended to be fierce and wasn't really. Talana listened and ate, more to give the child an example than from hunger; for whilst she knew that her belly was empty, she felt as though every mouthful would choke her. R'gar still lay, occasionally restless, no nearer to consciousness, and so pale! T'lan had not realised how fond she had become of this gruff, yet kindly man. She felt a little guilty of depriving T'sellan of his chance to sit with R'gar and surrendered her position to him when he returned after making his noon meal. She took Sagarra firmly away with her, feeling that it was unhealthy for the child to remain brooding in a sickroom. Calla nodded approval; she did not feel it was healthy for either of them.

oOoOo

Most of the weyrlings were hanging around in the Bowl, playing desultory games of snowballs, uncertain what to do. Talana grabbed the sleeve of one of the oldest Bronze riding weyrlings.

"Don't you think R'gar would like us to get on with something constructive?" She asked. The boy was surprised at the temerity of this youngster, and a green rider at that, but he nodded, recognising the truth in her words. She continued, "I thought perhaps if we all carried on practising what we last did it might help, if some of you big boys would help us." Artfully she put on a hero-worshipping look, and the boy, flattered, was more than willing to comply.

"I should think we can manage that, youngster." He said condescendingly.

T'lan sent word to Vorth that she needed M'kel, and went to collect her classmates and explain, Sagarra trotting willingly at her heels.

"R'gar's going to expect that we've gone soft and forgotten everything by the time he gets back to us, so let's surprise him by being really good. That'd really help him recover, and be good for us too." She said. One boy asked,

"How are we going to do that?".

"We practise what we know; and we get the older ones to show us things we don't."

"Has R'gar come round?" Asked S'gell. Talana shook her head.

"But he can't fail to do so soon." She declared stoutly. "This is his daughter, Sagarra; she's going to live with us now so he'll soon wake up with her talking to her."

A cough behind her made her turn, to see M'kel.

"All hail to the new weyrlingmaster, T'lan." He said. "Vorth tells me I was summoned. What is your bidding, oh lord of High Reaches?"

Talana smiled at his gentle mockery.

"M'kel, I thought you could help the older weyrlings." She said. "You get on well with most of them, I think. "They're going to help us, and R'gar'll wonder what's come over us model pupils when he gets up to yell at us."

M'kel nodded slowly.

"It's a grand idea." He said. "Of course I'll help."

oOoOo

Pilgra bounced into T'bor's room

"You know you were wondering what to do about the weyrlings?" she asked. T'bor looked up from the Thread chart he was studying.

"I suppose I shall have to get around to it soon."

"No need."

"What do you mean?" T'bor asked testily. Pilgra told him.

"The ubiquitous T'lan has been at it again."

"Oh." said T'bor, ominously. "What has he done now?" wearily he passed a hand over his forehead. "Isn't he working for Calla?"

"She chased him out and bid him give Sagarra fresh air and exercise. so what he's done is to get those weyrlings organised within an inch of their lives, working as hard as R'gar ever got them. Well, almost." She amended. "And Sagarra busy playing at being a weyrling."

T'bor grunted.

"He'd better not be persuading anyone to try anything beyond their ability or any foolishness like that." T'bor pushed back his chair and got up. Pilgra laid a hand on his arm.

"They are practising only what they have already done. The older boys are helping the younger which is good for them too, revising the CORRECT way to fit flying straps; and young M'kel has somehow been persuaded to help the senior lads with firestone chewing." Pilgra elucidated, "that is the dragons doing the chewing. And that Lirilly is making eyes at M'kel of course. Although" she chuckled richly "it keeps her from making eyes at you." T'bor shuddered. The young queen rider's attentions were frequently embarrassing. He said,

"I'd better have a word with M'kel. He's a good hearted lad, but just the sort to get over enthusiastic about going too far to fast." He heaved a sigh of relief. "That's one thing I shan't have to do." He said. "I wish I could make T'lan out, whether he's a disobedient brat or well meaning."

"Oh, he means well." said Pilgra. "He just doesn't take the blindest bit of notice of people or regulations he considers unnecessary." She added, "He's got enough native good sense not to get into serious trouble. Look how he worked at minimising the risk – and calculated that he was relatively expendable. In some ways he's as cold-blooded as R'gar. I wouldn't worry. Segrith doesn't."

oOoOo

T'bor inspected the weyrlings and was pleasantly surprised at their industry. He was also pleasantly surprised when T'lan came over and said,

"Sir, I apologise if I was at all insolent earlier. I can only make the excuse that I was overwrought." Her voice was clear enough to be a public apology; then she added in a lower tone, "To tell the truth sir I was so fardling scared the whole time but I didn't dare let Laranth or Sagarra realise that. And, well, I still think in the circumstances it was an acceptable risk."

T'bor cleared his throat.

"Very well boy. But please don't make a habit of scaring several turns off our lives. I see now that it was not a foolish prank, but an act of courage; I respect a man who is not afraid to confess to fear – but lad, next time you have an urge to do something crazy, check with me or someone first." He smiled wryly. "If you give me too many grey hairs, even Lirilly won't look at me." T'lan smiled at his sally, then put her head on one side and looked at him with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Why sir – wouldn't that be a service to you?" she asked, innocently, knowing the Weyrleader's detestation of being mooned over. T'bor tried to look stern.

"The sooner R'gar is back on his feet to keep you in your place the better." He said. "You'll go far – if no-one kills you first."

"Sir, he could skin me alive and send me between if he only recovers." Said Talana, earnestly.