CHAPTER 9
During the trials and tribulations of Weyr life, Segrith's last clutch of dragonets had been busy growing. D're and Sh'allen had coped the best; the former because of his maturity and life used to hardship and the latter because he had done it before. The two had become firm friends after that first shared moment of unexpected Impression; and although Sh'allen had long known that L'rilly was not for him, he understood D're's passion for her, and secretly felt that the managing ex trader would make her an excellent weyrmate – between squabbles! Sh'allen himself still found functioning around dragons difficult at times after his tragic loss; and although Warneth became a part of him, he would occasionally close off a part of his mint to the deformed little dragon as grief over the loss of Tath welled up. As the dragonet grew, he explained it.
"We are neither of us quite whole, Warneth. I know how you wish you could fly – I hear your soul cry for it. And I miss my other dragon friend. We're freaks, us; and I guess we'll just have to be extra good as ground crew to prove ourselves."
Warneth nuzzled against his beloved Sh'allen.
"We will be able to go between though." He told Sh'allen. Sh'allen knew too well to trust baby dragon wishful thinking; but he also knew enough to trust dragon instinct.
"It would surely be much harder from and to ground level," he said "If not impossible. Don't get your hopes up."
Warneth managed to look puzzled.
"But we will have to be more precise, that's all. And I can fly up a little." He demonstrated, fluttering clumsily up on his truncated wings, grunting from the effort. Sh'allen hugged his neck as he landed, panting.
"Maybe" he said, dubiously. "We'll see when the time comes – if R'gar says so."
oOoOo
When Warneth was sleeping, Sh'allen went to speak to R'gar about it. R'gar listened to him and frowned in thought.
"I've noticed" he said "That dragons rarely attempt what they can't do unless egged on by foolish riders. You're one of the steadiest I've ever known; so keep your own counsel, and go by what Warneth thinks. Besides" he added, shooting a shrewd glance at the young man "I've an idea that if the two of you don't feel useful, you'd neither of you be heartbroken at the idea of being lost between in any case. Am I right?"
Sh'allen nodded.
"I know we can do a good job with the ground crews – but the sweep is so efficient that there's not much to do. If we could go between short distances as a response to trouble spots, we'd be even more use. And you're right of course – death is a much friendlier thing when you're missing so great a part of yourself. We can take risks that would be foolish for proper fighting dragons, not that I'd down-call Warneth to anybody but you and T'lan" he finished. R'gar patted his shoulder awkwardly.
"Nor should you. He's dragonkind – and he can, if he can go between, take a turn as watch dragon too. Or you and he can both take T'lan's offer and go live with her foster father. Warneth would be a great asset – we'd not have to worry about that rather outlying region as much, and he'd be far, far more than a watch wher to protect the runners Sarel breeds in these lawless times." He grinned at the young man's look of shock at his beloved dragon being compared to a wher; and added "Face it son, it's what some people have called him, because they fail to take his intelligence into account. And his dragon senses DO make him a good watchman."
Sh'allen nodded, mollified. He knew that R'gar would not wish to cause him offence; but he also knew that the weyrlingmaster would not hide anything from him.
oOoOo
Sh'allen had found out who his friends were in the first few weeks after Impressing Warneth; and was amazed at how many he had. He also found that no matter what might be said by those in the Weyr who disapproved of Warneth's existence, they were quick to pick up on T'bor's policy and cold shoulder outsiders who made comment. Indeed, one of the stuffier Oldtimer Brown riders who had stayed at High Reaches when T'kul left came up to him and said,
"That boy should never have broken the shell – but once Warneth was hatched, someone had to Impress him. And I'm glad you're back with us." The man held out his hand as a gesture of respect; and Sh'allen was glad to take it, even if the idea of Warneth not hatching had become unthinkable!
Of course, he had a lot of moral support from most of his old friends; and he also found support from H'llon and his harper friend L'gal and their set of seabred friends – and of course T'mon and Denth. T'mon was made so welcome that he claimed to be barely conscious of the fact that Denth was undersized; this may not have been entirely true, but certainly the pair were treated like any regular weyrlings. Anyone who did not was spoken to by H'llon; the matter never had to go as far as R'gar! H'llon had also pointed out that as Oldtimer dragons were smaller than modern dragons, who was to say that dragons of the ancient period were not of Denth's size – for in every family, children were born who resembled grandsires of generations back. T'mon appreciated the kindness he was shown by all, and was particularly proud to be treated as a friend by Sh'allen, one time Bronze rider and wingleader, and popular throughout the Weyr. They tended to form a threesome with D're, another oddity, though there was no need to be defensive; and often they were also joined by Sh'allen's brother T'ral. D're teased T'ral that as second dragonhealer he was more interested in the differences in the two brown dragons than in being friendly with their riders; an accusation that T'ral laughed at and countered by suggesting that if he knew more about the ancients he'd add to D're's mobility by sewing on dragonwings.
oOoOo
L'rilly was overjoyed that Sh'allen was able to function again; and delighted too that he was such a close friend of her lover D're. T'mon she was unsure of how to deal with; he was only a little boy after all. However, he was old beyond his years and Sh'allen and D're were glad to treat him as a favoured young brother. L'rilly tried her best to do so too – though neither was entirely comfortable with the other.
oOoOo
D're and L'rilly had been discovering more about each other; it was never going to be a placid relationship, but at least they could talk to each other without constant arguing!
L'rilly leaned on D're and sighed.
"What is it, pretty?" He asked.
"This is so satisfying". She said. "D're – I don't want to lose this. I've never been able to maintain a good relationship before – but it's so important to me to stay with you."
He kissed her.
"Sure, pretty, but you've never had me as a lover before."
"Conceited, aren't you?"
He grinned lazily down at her.
"Just realistic." He asseverated. She hit him half-heartedly and snuggled contentedly.
"D're?"
"Mm?"
"You like children, don't you?"
"Mmm."
"Had you ever considered your own?"
"My own? I don't have…" he laughed. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" he stroked her face gently.
She flushed.
"Of-of course, I might be sterile by now."
D're kissed her tenderly.
"L'rilly, I couldn't think of anything nicer. I'd love to have a baby with you. And sure, if we can't, then we'll foster someone who needs us." He winked at her "Or buy a couple of good runners!"
She had been smiling tenderly; but at the last sentence she thumped his chest with her delicate hands. He caught her wrists and kissed her fingers.
"Couldn't get too soppy, could I now?" He said. "Sure, and you'd be forgetting that I'm a rogue and a rascal!"
"You're impossible!"
"That too, pretty." He agreed equably. She heaved a deep sigh and settled back against his chest, apparently content with his defects.
oOoOo
Despite her experiences, Jenara noticed that there was little real bullying amongst the Impressed weyrlings; R'gar and T'lana kept a tight rein on any hazing, not letting it get out of hand. Besides, those chosen by dragons were supposed to be young men – and women – of exceptional honour; and if that honour slipped at times, R'gar could be guaranteed to mention its absence with scathing scorn. Any poor behaviour tended to be amongst the candidates, some of whom had been selected for their incipient power rather than their attitudes. R'gar, however, was quick to nip in the bud any bad behaviour that he saw, after giving the victims a chance to sort things out for themselves. He had been extremely pleased with the way that Bellova and Jenara had handled Dealla and Merella, and had said so. The girls had been surprised and a little indignant, to find out that he had noticed the tricks the unpleasant pair had been pulling; but he said,
"And if I had intervened straight away, would you have truly defeated them? They'd have been sure you had run to me because you needed looking after. You hope to Impress; that means you will be protectors of the people of Pern. So you need to learn to find solutions to protect yourselves first. I'm here as backup if things go too far. I was already on my way to the lower caverns because I misliked the look of that young snot when Mirrith and Laranth reported that he was hurting you. THAT was beyond what you can be expected to deal with yourself."
The girls were struck by the fact that R'gar had such a long speech to make as much as by what he said, and Bellova said,
"Thank you for explaining it to us sir. We all think about the perils and responsibilities of fighting Thread – but I certainly hadn't thought about the idea that being self-sufficient leads to being better at protecting others. And it's our job to protect people against all perils, not just Thread, isn't it?"
R'gar smile approvingly.
"Yes, Bellova, it is. I'm glad you've grasped that." He said.
"Thanks for not adding 'finally'" she said, wryly. He patted her shoulder, rather awkwardly.
"Bellova, if you can maintain a sense objectivity about you virtues and faults, you'll be a fine dragonrider." He told her; and Bellova flushed with pleasure to receive praise from the crusty weyrlingmaster.
Bellova and Jenara discussed what R'gar had told them; and Jenara suggested that the very act of being a candidate led to the decision by the dragons of who was suitable and who was not.
"R'gar introduces us to exercises that stretch our imaginations as much as our bodies" she said, "And how we react to them, and to each other, shows how we're going to get on. The leaders are starting to emerge already. Those who can keep their heads in a crisis – I guess that's something you need – are already apparent, but we are learning who can make themselves come to terms with coping."
Bellova nodded thoughtfully.
"I think you've got it." She said. "You had less to learn than I did – you already were the right material. I had to find myself underneath the rather spoilt little girl."
Jenara squeezed her friend's arm.
"You're far more likely to Impress than me" she said; and Bellova read her a lecture on foolishness, leaving Jenara grinning to herself that the girl was still QUITE capable of being opinionated at times!
oOoOo
R'gar may have enacted a policy of limited interference, but H'llon as Weyrlingsecond had no such inhibitions about wading in where he felt he saw injustice. On catching a group of three candidates trying to stuff the head of a fourth child's head down the necessary, he hauled them all outside, and said,
"Since you three are obviously bored from under-activity, you must need something to do. So you can move that pile of blackrock from there" he gestured to the pile "to THERE." He pointed to an area about a Length away. The lads, a rough bunch of seabred boys stared open-mouthed. One spoke up,
"But Bronze rider – that's make-work! Why move it at all?"
"Because I told you to." Said H'llon. "Besides, as things are at the moment it means that the direct path to the weyrling barracks is blocked; logistically it makes sense. Someone was going to have to do it; by your behaviour, I take it that YOU lucky people have volunteered."
There was a brief, injured silence; then with a deep sigh, the lad who had spoken started work. The lad they had been bullying went to join them. H'llon was about to shout to him to stop; but a feeling made him call the boy over. He was a well-dressed lad, even richly clad.
"You weren't included, you know" H'llon told him quietly. The boy shook his head.
"I know sir." He said. "But I WILL prove to them that I'm not effete. I'd as soon take part in the punishment, sir."
"You've got guts, lad" said H'llon, approvingly. "Very well, but let me know if they take things too far. Now, what's your name?"
The boy grimaced.
"Marsell, sir. Sounds a bit sissy, doesn't it?"
"I've heard worse. Besides, it'll change if you Impress, won't it?" H'llon nodded to Marsell and turned to leave them to it.
The lad brightened; and ran back to help his fellow candidates quite happily; and as H'llon watched covertly he saw that the jostling that occurred became swiftly fairly good-natured.
oOoOo
When the humming started, Bellova and Jenara were busy bagging blackrock in preparation for the next Threadfall, as part of their weyrling duties. They looked at each other in dismay as they were both rather grubby. Bellova pulled a wry face.
"Oh well, we can wash quickly!" She said, and with one accord they ran in to rinse off their grime and struggle, still wet, into their white tunics. Quickly they embraced, for luck, before scrambling – with, it is to be said, more speed than grace – onto the dragons that lifted them across the bowl to the Hatching Cavern.
Other dragons swept in, bringing guests to view the hatching. Bellova caught a glimpse of her parents and waved to them; Jenara had no expectation of seeing any of her kin. They had strongly opposed her decision to come to work at the Weyr as a drudge, on grounds that she would become the dragonmen's plaything; and the arguments had been bitter. Moreover there had been what they considered a suitable suitor to the girl's hand, a man with a small holding of his own. Jenara had liked him well enough; but he could be insufferably tedious, besides failing to understand her adoration of the dragons. He had laughed patronisingly and said that she would soon forget 'that nonsense' as the hardworking wife of a farmer; and Jenara had been horribly afraid that she might at that, especially living under the eye of his mother, a stiff-necked old woman who disapproved of frivolity. All in all, Jenara had been happier cleaning for the Weyr than she would have been as the theoretical mistress of her own establishment, under the iron thumb of such a mother-in-law; and here she was, a candidate, thought worthy by the Weyrwomen of standing on the Hatching Grounds! She could hardly believe her good fortune!
Jenara was, therefore, surprised when a figure she recognised leaned over from the tiers and gave her a 'thumbs-up' sign. It was her next oldest brother, Tobari, with whom she had quarrelled more, perhaps, than with her parents; and over whose estrangement she was the most upset since he had been her favourite sibling. However, there was little enough time for speculation, for the eggs were beginning to crack.
oOoOo
The first egg to crack was a Brown, and was soon partnered with a young weyrbred lad; then eggs started breaking all around. It seemed as though there was a disproportionate number of blues in the clutch, as indeed D're had predicted; and K'len wore a slightly sour look as his book on the outcome lost profit to D're's bets! However, this could never truly spoil K'len's enjoyment of a hatching, and he watched in emotional wonder as did all the dragonriders. He sat with T'lana and most of the old gang, egging on T'lana's fosterling Tyrin who had turned up to watch and whom they had cozened into assuming a white tunic at the last minute. Tyrin's sister Sh'rilla beamed at him from her place next to Daenilth, and he moved forward with the other lads, more reluctantly than nervously. Tyrin had had his trials and tribulations in the Harpercraft Hall, but had sorted out his problems, and wondered whether he was in the wrong place doing the wrong thing. Sh'rilla had told him that if he was, he'd not Impress; but if there was a dragonet waiting for him, nothing would stop it finding him, and begged him not to cause any more Impressions in the tiers.
The egg to Tyrin's right broke with such a loud SNICK! he started and turned towards it. In an instant he was lost in the rainbow gaze of love. Renpeth was the most beautiful dragon in the world! Bemused, like all newly Impressed, Tyrin led his new friend out of the Cavern, going to find food, scarcely hearing his foster father's traditional greeting. T'lan ran down to hug him; and he grinned all over his face.
"And he's even Harper Blue!" he exclaimed.
T'lana laughed happily. This dragonet was the bluest she had ever seen, positively glowing; and it looked as though he'd be at the higher end of the size range too, so he'd be strong. Tyrin hadn't realised yet, but that would be of great value to him as a Harper in carrying messages after the Pass as well as in fighting Thread in the meantime, T'lana reflected.
Meanwhile a little Green had hatched and was looking about her frantically. Jenara hung back diffidently.
"C'mon!" Cried Bellova, pulling Jenara forward. The little Green bellowed in distress, mistaking Bellova's intentions and charged unsteadily towards the girls. Bellova was tossed aside, bleeding, and Jenara gasped. She was about to run to her friend's aid when the dragonet tripped at her feet and looked up pleadingly into her eyes.
"Oh Rillith, what have you done?" she asked the little creature.
"What is wrong? I have found you!" Rillith declared.
"Yes, darling, you have!" Lost in her partner's regard, Jenara could scarcely think of anything else but how utterly right and important is was that Rillith had found her. She hugged the little creature protectively. However, she knew that she had to find out how Bellova was before she could see to her darling's need for food. No one could possibly blame Rillith for hurting Bellova, but Jenara did not want the little Green to feel any regret if they did not do all they could. She turned around to see Bellova lying on the ground, blood soaking into the sand, her little blue fire lizard peeping his distress. Calla was already on her way down the tiers, consternation writ across her face. Accidents were so uncommon these days that for a dragonet to hurt someone was virtually unknown. Up on the tiers, Bellova's mother was screaming, her father white faced with fear as they followed the Weyrhealer down.
Bellova lay still, trying to catch her breath. Rillith's claw had raked across her chest as the small dragon had thrust her aside. Bellova found time to reflect that at least she had not been a Queen – or the results might have been fatal! As it was, Bellova was in pain and winded but she did not think it was mortally. Firmly the girl bit the inside of her mouth to stop herself crying out with the pain, not wanting to upset her friend in her moment of joy. She did gasp, however, when she was butted in the back, causing a fresh flow of blood to spurt from her damaged breast as she was knocked forward. She turned her head to face whatever new threat this might be – and found herself lost in joy as Linith asked,
"B'lova, are you all right?"
"Oh yes, I am, sweet one!" Bellova – B'lova – assured the worried Green, unaware that tears of pain and joy both coursed down her cheeks. Blue Trel, her firelizard, was humming, happily now. At that moment Calla reached her.
"Right, Bel – er, B'lova, let's be seeing that" her tone was matter of fact.
"I'll be fine" B'lova sounded irritable. Calla laughed.
"Typical sharding dragonrider." She said. "Yes, it looks worse than it really is – nothing vital, but there's a largish artery that's been opened. I need to staunch the blood before it does get serious." Expertly she bound pads from her pack to the injured girl and helped her to her feet. At that moment, B'lova's parents arrived.
"That's it!" exclaimed the girl's mother. "You're coming back home RIGHT NOW!"
B'lova looked at her mother in amazement.
"Don't be ridiculous, mother." She said.
"Ridiculous? RIDICULOUS? I never wanted you to come to this dreadful place in the first place, and now I ORDER you to come home!"
B'lova looked for a moment at her mother; and realised that only by shocking her would she get her to listen.
"Madam, commons do not order dragonriders to do anything. A dragonrider and his or her dragon belongs in a Weyr. You cannot do anything about it anymore."
"What are you talking about? You're coming home! I forbid you to keep this creature! They're dangerous! And I want that other one put down!"
B'lova gasped, and Trel hissed threateningly from Linith's head.
"Father – take her away and try to explain to her what she's saying!" She managed. "I will not be held responsible if she continues in this way!"
B'lova's father was looking almost as horrified as his daughter, and he nodded. Taking his wife's arm he led her off, not without some difficulty, in the hopes of getting her out of earshot before she mortally offended the dragonfolk! For the first time in his henpecked marriage he took the remedy for hysteria of striking his lady across the face, and shook her gently until she started to cry. He knew he had a lot of work to do to calm her down; but he desperately hoped to make peace between her and the daughter they both loved.
oOoOo
When Calla had finished with B'lova, she led Linith towards J'nara and Rillith. Gingerly J'nara embraced B'lova, apologising for Rillith's mistake. B'lova shrugged, then winced.
"She loves you. What should she care about me? We all know that hatchlings can be a danger to others. It's Life!"
J'nara beamed at her friend, rather mistily. Rillith truly did love her, as no one else could love her; she would never be lonely and would always have a champion in her dear friend!
