Ramoth's clutch hatched the fifteenth day of the first month before nearly full stands, despite frigid temperatures and bone-chilling winds at Benden Weyr. Only a few minor injuries marred the otherwise joyful event, and all the dragonets found their riders with relative ease. Of the thirty-two hatchlings, only two were bronze and four were brown, but F'lar and Lessa informed anyone who asked that attrition among the larger dragons had been low for the last couple of Turns. The distribution of colors was exactly as needed at this time in the Pass.
Melvar, Felesia and Dalgarn were all flown to Landing at the first sign of the impending hatching. Lessa did not wish to risk two such young people impressing so early – or Dalgarn. Candidates were searched based on their natural telepathic and empathic abilities, at least in part, but very few people of any age had the strong abilities of these three and Lessa did not want that strength to unintentionally draw the interest of a hatchling. At least not yet.
The children were both rather hurt at missing the Hatching, but quite understood Lessa's concern. Melvar later quipped rather sarcastically that they just weren't old enough or wise enough yet.
Hard feelings were soon forgotten when, shortly after arriving at Landing, G'regg suggested they all try locating other Skilled people. The children's success was almost immediate – they found themselves in mental conversation with two other children of similar ages. The friendly and excited talk was interrupted rather abruptly though, by a frightened woman demanding to know who her children were talking to.
Dalgarn joined the conversation and explained that they were visitors from Benden Weyr, where other similarly Skilled people also lived.
There are others like us? The woman sounded both desperate and frightened.
There are six of us that I know of living at Benden Weyr, answered Dalgarn.
Nine that I'm aware of, added G'regg. Not everyone wishes to be known yet, and our weyrleaders respect their anonymity.
Are you dragonriders then?
G'regg laughed, out loud and in his thoughts. I am, and five others. The two youngsters with us this day may be someday as well, if they wish to stand.
I don't want my children to be dragonriders! Again, the woman sounded extremely frightened.
G'regg schooled his thoughts into a more serious mood; this young woman – he wondered at how he'd decided her approximate age – was in such a defensive state, she might be as dangerous as a clutching Ramoth. That, of course, is your choice, My Lady. Not everyone who resides in a Weyr is a dragonrider.
Even a Weyr needs drudges, I suppose.
G'regg laughed lightly. And in Weyrwoman Lessa's Weyr, we all share in the drudge work from time to time.
And, we enjoy it, added Dalgarn.
"There you are!" squealed Felesia as two children appeared from between two buildings, each holding a woman's hand.
The children broke free of their mother's grasp and ran toward their new friends.
"Del! Lori! Get back here! Now!" The woman ran after them, frantic with worry.
Felesia and Melvar ran to meet their new friends. Felesia and the older girl, Lori, hugged while Melvar and the much younger boy merely clasped arms and spun in a circle.
Dalgarn, always protective of his charge, moved closer, but G'regg stayed back, seeing and hearing the woman's fear of him more than of the others.
"Children will be children, My Lady," said G'regg, "and aren't we all excited to meet someone who might understand us?"
The young woman looked quite suspiciously at the bronze rider, and then turned to Dalgarn. "I thought I was crazy, until . . ." she motioned toward her children.
Dalgarn smiled at the pretty woman. "As did I, My Lady, until someone at Benden Weyr contacted me." One finger touched his temple.
G'regg had tried to keep his thoughts friendly and harmless, but, being who and what he was, could not avoid thinking how pretty and young she was. And obviously she was picking up his thoughts. Dalgarn on the other hand, had also noticed her youth and simple beauty, but had focused on her thoughts, which had been mostly memories of how she and her children had been mistreated due to their unusual and sometimes hard-to-hide abilities.
"We're not alone?" One blink would release the dam of tears building in her lovely eyes.
"No, My Lady." Dalgarn held his arms out slightly, inviting an innocent hug. "We are definitely not alone anymore."
The young woman, with arms folded across her slight chest, walked as if hypnotized into the man's arms, and melted in a flood of tears as he carefully put his hands on her shoulder blades.
Lori smiled as she watched her mother's release. When G'regg walked closer to the children, the girl spoke softly. "We tried to tell her there were others like us, but she wouldn't listen any further than she had to."
"How many others have you talked to?" asked G'regg.
"Lots!" declared young Del.
Lori laughed. "We've talked to people in Tillek, where Mother is from, and High Reaches, and Keroon – that's where Brendeen is from – and Benden and Southern, and Ista, and Fort, even one boy at Harper Hall, and Nerat and Nabol, and someplace called Half Circle Sea Hold, and several from here in Landing, and . . ." She broke off laughing as the bronze rider's jaw dropped lower and lower. "We're all over Pern!"
"And I thought I was one of a kind." G'regg affected a not quite believable pout.
"I don't know any who say they're dragonriders," offered Del.
"But, Brendeen's 'life-mate' – that's what she calls her – doesn't sound quite like the rest of us."
"Saraneth speaks to you? Oh, what an honor!" The bronze rider's envy was no act.
"Saraneth is Brendeen's life-mate?" asked Lori.
"Who is she?" asked Del.
"Saraneth is a beautiful half-Turn old golden dragon." G'regg's honest awe caused all the children to giggle. "Well, she is!"
The mother had run out of tears and calmed down in Dalgarn's kind embrace. She and Dalgarn had been listening to her children go on about all their long-distance friends. "I didn't know there were so many like us."
Del piped up. "You didn't want to know, Mama."
"So, we didn't tell you," added Lori with downcast eyes.
G'regg guffawed. "Well, you know now, Lady . . ." he waited for her name.
"Elleria, and I'm not a Lady, just a drudge."
The bronze rider grinned mischievously. "I dare you to say that to our Weyrwoman Lessa. Please, let me be there if you do. I love to see that little woman riled."
Melvar couldn't resist teasing his uncle. "Not at you, I wager!"
G'regg's sheepish shrug of one shoulder – and likely his memories of just such incidents – caused even Elleria to laugh at the man.
The group adjourned to a local eating establishment. After orders were taken, they talked aloud about Elleria's work – she cleaned the Admin building in the evenings and helped clean the several Libraries in the mornings – and what Del and Lori were learning from the Harpers at Landing. While the children continued comparing lessons, G'regg asked Elleria how they had come to be at Landing.
Sadness and a hint of shame swept through Elleria's eyes as she began explaining. She had been born a minor Holder's daughter near Tillek Hold. As her Skill became apparent, both parents had grown increasingly suspicious and uncomfortable with her. As soon as she had been deemed a woman, at the age of thirteen Turns, she had been married off to another minor holder further east in Tillek. Having learned to hide her abilities, the man had treated her well, until young Belloria began displaying her Skill. Her holder husband, fearful of such an 'abomination', had then sent them to a friend in Southern Boll by way of trader caravan to be put on an old leaky ship sailing to Southern Hold. At Southern, Toric had been furious to find a single woman and child unaccompanied by any 'productive' male, but Ramala talked him into shipping them to Landing. In Landing, they were at least treated with some respect, and far too much pity in Elleria's opinion. They were housed in a dormitory for young mothers and Elleria found occupation cleaning the college rooms while other mothers cared for Lori, finding the child charming if quite odd. She grew attached to a young journeyman farm crafter, but he left to find a hold when she became pregnant with Delargan and still hadn't returned.
G'regg heard her thoughts of hearing the young man was doing well in his little hold just south of Landing, and growled at the irresponsibility of leaving this little family behind.
As the meal ended, Arlith informed his rider that the Hatching had concluded, which of course G'regg passed on to the others. Kind thoughts from the men had convinced Elleria that perhaps a visit to Benden Weyr wouldn't be so bad. The children would certainly enjoy leaving Landing for awhile, and she would very much like to meet others like them if they were anything like these visitors.
As the adults discussed the weather in Benden Weyr, the children talked to two of Lori and Del's other friends. On overhearing there was a dragonrider like them, they had run to the shopping block to see for themselves. They had listened as the group ate, and now wondered if they might visit Benden Weyr as well.
"Uncle G'regg?" Melvar waited for the man's full attention. "How many people can Arlith carry?"
The bronze rider's chest puffed out with pride. "As many as he needs to. Why?"
"We found two more who'd like to come with us."
"Where?" G'regg turned to Felesia. "They're not fat, are they?"
The girl giggled, but answered truthfully. "I don't know." She turned, scanning the passersby, and finally waved at a pair of youngsters.
A boy and a girl, of similar height, and with such similar facial features, they had to be brother and sister, walked hand in hand toward the group, amber eyes wide with fear and hope.
As they approached, G'regg dropped to one knee, putting his head lower than theirs. "How old are you?" he asked the girl.
"Fourteen."
"And you?" he asked the boy.
"Fourteen."
"Where are your parents?"
The girl's eyes dropped to the ground as the boy laid an arm across her shoulders protectively. "We don't know," he said as he rested his head against the girl's.
G'regg, and everyone else in the group, heard the youngsters' angry and hurt thoughts about how their parents had moved away from their hold in the north without telling anyone where they were going after procuring a place for their children in the Landing school.
"Who takes care of you here?" asked G'regg, trying to be gentle but finding it hard to hide his own anger.
"We take care of ourselves," said the boy defensively.
Literal minded, thought G'regg to himself. "Who needs to know if you leave Landing for a while?"
The youngsters looked at each other and discussed between themselves the best answer. "Harper Venderman," answered the boy.
It took a few more questions to determine the Harper's whereabouts – the Library, where these children should be right then; they'd told the man they needed to use the head – and the children's names – Veria and Viron. The Harper was located and easily persuaded to allow the twins an afternoon away from Landing.
As G'regg and Arlith, with Melvar's and Felesia's not so helpful assistance, puzzled how to strap three adults, two very young adults who would not be separated, and four children onto the big bronze's back, a blue rider wearing the shoulder knots of Monaco Bay left a group of weyrlings and approached.
"Where are you headed, Wingleader?"
G'regg winked at Felesia before turning to the smaller man. "Benden Weyr." At his look of shock, the bronze rider grinned and added, "After we find more suitable clothing for these Southerners." The last word sounded almost derogatory.
The blue rider also grinned. "Monaco Bay has a large storeroom full of just such clothing. And these weyrlings need more practice transporting people."
After considerable appeasing of Elleria, the children were each loaded onto young dragons with help from their riders, their weyrlingmaster's assistant and G'regg. The twins refused to be separated so were placed together on a fairly large brown. Safety straps were checked and double checked and everyone was warned about the cold – momentary as it would be – before all launched into the air headed east. They went between only after Arlith and the blue double-checked all the weyrlings' visualizations, and after three short breaths were again in warm air, now over Monaco Bay Weyr.
The headwoman of the Weyr was most gracious in providing not only riding gear, but also warm clothing for underneath, "so no one will be forced to wear heavy riding gear in Benden's wickedly cold caverns".
Everyone was loaded again on different slightly older weyrling dragons, straps were checked, weather in Benden Weyr was checked, and finally all were airborne again.
Blinking out of between was a shock to everyone after the moist warmth of Monaco Bay. The fierce, bitter wind leached any warmth or moisture from exposed faces and tore away Elleria's scream. An added shock to G'regg was the fact that the rims were clear of any dragons with the exception of the lone watch dragon and his rider who sat huddled in protective forelegs high on the fire heights.
The watch dragon welcomed Arlith and the visitors without disturbing his rider, who did at least wave, and strongly recommended the weyrlings land one at a time with older Benden dragons leading them through the whirlwind within the bowl. There were no mishaps, but several of the weyrlings were shaking fiercely as they helped their passengers to the stable ground.
All were quickly ushered into the Living Cavern while weyrling dragons were invited to share low level – to avoid too much wind - weyrs with resident dragons.
Lessa, having heard the watch dragon's instructions to the weyrlings, met them at the door and immediately began helping, along with other weyrfolk, to divest the visitors of their heavy riding gear. G'regg, hearing his weyrwoman's slightly harried thoughts, quickly identified the visitors as highly Skilled people from Landing. So informed, Lessa schooled her thoughts, relegating her natural suspicious nature to the back of her mind; it wouldn't do to frighten these people. She immediately called for Mara and Brendeen who were helping at the Weyrling Barracks. After greeting the blue rider weyrlingmaster's assistant and inviting him and his charges to partake of the refreshments before their return to Monaco Bay, Lessa was properly introduced to each of the visitors as she escorted them to a free table near the hearths where she ordered food, wine and mild, hot cider for them all.
Mara and Brendeen arrived at the Living Cavern in time to hear G'regg explain to the newcomers that jealousy was not uncommon after hatchings. Most parents believed their children to be far better suited to dragons than anyone else's children. He also pointed out those who were actually relieved their children had not impressed; they were wanted back in their holds. He even managed to make Del and Lori, and Elleria to a slighter extent, laugh at some people's attempt at hiding either disappointment or relief. Veria and Viron merely watched and listened to all that was happening.
As G'regg introduced each of the visitors to Mara and Brendeen, Brendeen hugged each of the children – she had talked to each of them in the past – and Veria actually smiled for the first time since meeting the others. Lessa ordered the Skilled weyrlings to find some food, and apologetically left to attend other duties. Brendeen found some hot cider, but Mara found considerably more; helping the new weyrlings was energy consuming work, and they still had to go back. G'regg teased Mara about her full plate as she approached, and Mara explained for all at the table that lots of food was necessary to maintain the strength needed to deal with certain bronze riders.
Verbal conversation covered all the usual topics: how each of the southerners had come to be at Landing, and what they were now doing there. Non-verbal conversation though, covered far more of what the visitors wanted to know about the Skilled people at Benden Weyr and why the weyrleaders wanted them here. When verbal conversation lulled, Brendeen suggested they all go to her weyr – Tianna would be busy with the new weyrlings for some time more.
As the group passed Ayrieth's weyr, the junior queen stretched her neck down from her ledge as if contesting their passage. Brendeen curtsied low and greeted the gold, G'regg bowed low and offered sincere greetings, and Mara half bowed-half curtsied with polite greetings. The visitors each followed the riders' examples with their own variations. Veria held her free hand up toward the gold and was rewarded with a gentle lick of a long tongue, causing the girl to gasp and smile with surprise and joy. Viron smiled as well, equally thrilled with his sister's experience.
Once inside the most junior queens' weyr, they were each met in a different manner by young Saraneth while Brendeen stood near her massive shoulder. She nuzzled the bellies of Del, Lori, Melvar and Felesia, nodded at Elleria, Veria, Viron, and Dalgarn, growled at G'regg though with calmly swirling eyes, and touched her nose to Mara's arm before stretching out to lay her head on her forepaws. She was unhappy about being forced to rest inside with no sunlight to warm her hide, but knew from personal experience this very day that the wind in the bowl stripped away any warmth the sun might provide. Brendeen soothed her with promises of windless sunny days very soon, and then the whole group moved to the inner weyr.
Temporary walls had been constructed to separate the two beds in this queen's weyr and to separate them from the main living area. This area contained seating for all; some on a long padded bench and some on chairs set around a small table or against the walls. Two kitchen drudges entered shortly; one with a tray of snacks and another with pitchers of cold water, klah, warm cider and a skin of wine, and mugs enough for all.
G'regg added black rock to the fire in the hearth while Mara helped Brendeen serve drinks to everyone else. Rainy, with Brendeen and Saraneth's approval, burst into the room and quickly landed on Mara's shoulder, eyeing each of the visitors while tipping his head side to side as if changing his perspective might add more information. After his inspection, the little blue flitted from child to child, introducing himself as he had been taught, and carrying on a brief fire lizard style conversation with each. Even Veria and Viron grinned when Rainy spoke to them. When everyone was seated again, Brendeen began the conversation.
"I was born telepathic like most of you, but I was born to a mother who accepted my . . ." she shrugged. "Shall we say 'difference'? She accepted my Skill – as we call it here – and was determined to help me learn to live with it without alarming others or endangering myself. Dalgarn, I believe you received some early help with your Skill, and Mara and Melvar, I know that you did as well. But what about the rest of you? Did any of you receive any understanding or assistance in dealing with this," she touched a finger to her temple, "when you were young?"
Most everyone shook their head, except Lori. "Mama understood." She looked at her mother, who finished the incomplete thought.
"But I had no idea how to help other than learning to hide it."
G'regg spoke more gently than Mara had ever heard. "I think most of us have learned to hide this ability. It frightens others to a point they simply want us gone." He put an arm over Melvar's shoulders. The boy's loss was still new enough to hurt.
Brendeen continued. "Weyrleaders F'lar and Lessa became aware of telepathy when Mara came to this Weyr under . . . difficult circumstances. Mara, who has always heard dragons, was able to teach both F'lar and Lessa how to communicate telepathically, though, as far as I know, neither can hear non-projected thoughts the way we do. The importance of that ability was soon shared with others, including Sebell, the MasterHarper of Pern, who immediately saw the value of such communication techniques.
"Lessa and F'lar have confided in me that the temptation to use Mara's, and now my, telepathic Skill is almost too strong to avoid. The knowledge any of us could gain simply by listening to the right people could smooth negotiations, determine a person's guilt, and quite likely prevent considerable problems. Mara, I'm told, has resisted using her Skill for what she saw as questionable gains on more than one occasion. As have I."
"And I," added G'regg to everyone's surprise.
Brendeen nodded understanding even though she was unaware of that situation. "In light of how many people are turning up with these Skills, and other Skills, Lessa, F'lar, and MasterHarper Sebell are all concerned that some of us might not be as resistant should rich and powerful people offer to pay lavishly for such services, and possibly for less than honorable reasons. As a result, Mara and I, and now G'regg, Dalgarn, Melvar and Felesia, have been meeting regularly to discuss the ethics of our Skills. When and where and for whom is it acceptable to use our Skills?"
G'regg took over. "We've already decided that not using them is like not walking on healthy legs." When Elleria's chin dropped to her chest, the bronze rider chuckled. "We've all tried it, Lady Elleria, with varying degrees of success, trying to fit in with the people around us. But, it's there, just like those legs, so it's really hard to ignore."
"We, and quite a few others have this Skill and we can't just turn it off," said Brendeen as she looked at each person in the weyr. "It is an extremely useful Skill, but also has the potential of being extremely dangerous."
"And that's why we need rules?" asked young Del.
"That's right, Del! Very good," said Brendeen with a smile.
The boy turned to his sister and grumbled. "Rules are boring."
G'regg's howl of laughter drew everyone's attention. "Isn't that the truth!" He leaned toward the young boy and pretended to whisper, though loud enough for everyone to hear. "The secret to making rules fun is to learn which ones can be broken." A gasp from Elleria provoked more. "But we need to learn the 'whys' before we can do that safely. And that takes time."
"Age and wisdom," grumbled Melvar. "And it takes forever!"
Brendeen chuckled at Melvar and then turned a smile to Del. "I'm sure your mother has told you why following rules is so important." She raised her delicate eyebrows prompting a reply.
Five Turn old Del shrugged and wriggled his nose as he repeated what he considered to be a rather lame explanation. "To keep me safe."
"Not just you," added Brendeen. "Others too!"
Now Del was indignant. "How does staying away from the ocean and the dolphins keep other people safe?"
Elleria closed her eyes and laid a hand on her chest. "You can't swim, Del."
"The dolphins were teaching me!"
"You scared your mother, boy?" G'regg sounded quite disgusted. He held out a beefy hand as he stood to his most impressive height. "Come with me, boy. We need to talk."
Elleria jumped up to protect her son, but Brendeen caught her arm and smiled while Melvar chuckled, Felesia giggled and Mara sent a soothing, G'regg is harmless, Elleria, but he is a good teacher. Rainy's soft chirping from the big woman's shoulder calmed her as much as any of the comforting thoughts surrounding her. She looked at her son and nodded, causing his lower lip to quiver pitifully.
"Come along, boy," growled G'regg as he pushed him slightly ahead with his hand covering nearly half of Del's back. The bronze rider grinned and winked back at the others as he and the boy slipped past the heavy curtain to the outer weyr.
When Elleria looked forlornly to Dalgarn for reassurance, he smiled. "Wingleader G'regg has the utmost respect for women, and even more for mothers. All children should learn such respect – especially boys."
Veria and Viron looked at each other and wondered how they could respect a parent who abandoned them in Landing.
"At least they didn't leave you out for Thread!" blustered Felesia with righteous anger.
"And your grandfather didn't have you thrown over a water fall," added Melvar.
To Elleria's surprise, Brendeen giggled and Dalgarn chuckled. Brendeen smiled at Felesia and asked, "Did you respond to words? Or thoughts?"
The girl was indignant, but did blush. "Thoughts, but it needed to be said. They're angry about being left in a safe place."
"And it does need to be talked about, but if they are unwilling to speak aloud about it, we should wait until they're ready."
Felesia bowed her head in acquiescence, and then stood and moved to stand before the twins. "I'm sorry."
Veria put her free hand on the little girl's shoulder. "Did they really leave you out for Thread?"
"They sent me out to find a herdbeast, but we butchered it the day before, so I walked a little way in case they meant a different beast, and then heard everything go quiet. All the life on the plains had hidden. So I turned back to the camp, but Thread was closer than I was, so I ran away, and ran, and called Brendeen, and ran some more, and I could hear the sand snakes eating Thread right behind me and then something grabbed me and everything went black and cold – I thought Thread got me and I was dead. But then we were flying over the desert and we landed and dragonriders surrounded me and I thought they were going to take me back home and I didn't want to go home, but I didn't know where else to go. And then a really nice man brought me here on his dragon. And now I have lots of friends, like Brendeen and Mara, and Dalgarn who loves me more than my father did, and," she wriggled her nose. "Even Melvar, and the dragons talk to me sometimes when they're not busy, and F'lar and Lessa are better grandparents than mine ever were . . ."
Veria had felt the girl's remembered fear, and surprise and shock, and now smiled beautifully at her listing of friends. "You were very lucky."
Viron had placed his hand on Felesia's other shoulder partway through her recitation and now smiled at his sister. "And so were we." To Felesia, he said simply, "Thank you."
G'regg and uninjured Del returned as Felesia bounced with excitement over having even more friends now, and telling them all about the girl's rooms – she had never seen the boy's rooms, but was sure Melvar would tell Viron all about them – and how they got to help in the kitchen and with the dragons.
Del, with only a slight push from G'regg, walked over to his mother. Looking her square in the face, he said, "I'm sorry I scared you, Mama. I really didn't mean to."
Elleria caressed her young son's face before drawing him into a loving embrace. G'regg's chuckle a few seconds later ended the hug. Elleria cleared her throat and patted her son's tunic smooth before asking Brendeen, "Why did you ask if she responded to words or thoughts?"
Brendeen nodded to Dalgarn to provide the answer. With a slight blush, and a nod to Felesia, he said, "Some of us have trouble differentiating between the two when we're young. I did, and Felesia still does sometimes."
G'regg added, "And we all need to learn how to respond when we hear thoughts that might bother us in some way." He turned toward Veria and directed a thought to her.
Veria blushed, bowed her head and tried to hide behind her brother.
G'regg laughed. "Were I not Skilled, I might grow rather curious and even suspicious at that response." When the girl peeked around her brother with a hint of anger, he continued. "After what I saw on the way up here, you had better get used to that thought, young lady, and as pretty as you are, you had better learn to ignore more vulgar thoughts from other men." He grinned mischievously at Brendeen. "Brendeen should be able to help you with that."
The group spent close to a candle-mark discussing how to respond to uncomfortable thoughts, and G'regg pointed out that he would continue to test each of them when they were together. Practice makes closer-to-perfect he reminded the children and Elleria.
Weyr Harper Selikar visited the weyr to discuss the children's training thus far and assured Elleria that Benden Weyr was not lacking in support from Harper Hall. With the progression of the three Printer Halls all across Pern, anything that was available at Landing could be provided to the Weyr, short of Aivas of course. And children were often flown to Landing – just one of the many advantages of living among dragons – to learn about using Aivas' terminals. Benden Weyr would eventually have its own terminal, but F'lar and Lessa were loath to being accused of preferential treatment in that regard.
By the time Del and Melvar started talking about all of Benden Weyr's wonderful food, Elleria, Veria and Viron had all decided they would like to return to the Weyr. Elleria though, needed to give proper notice to Lord Lytol and Bronze Rider D'ram so they could find someone else to clean the Admin building, and the twins also needed to make arrangements with Harper Venderman.
Selikar pulled a small pad of paper from his belt pouch and penned a note to the Landing Harper requesting specifics as to the twins' training. At Elleria's request, he penned nearly duplicate notes to each of her children's Harpers.
Brendeen and Mara excused themselves to return to their duties while Selikar escorted all back to the Living Cavern and introduced the soon to be new arrivals to Manora. The headwoman was pleased to meet them and informed them that the Weyr did indeed have plenty of room for newcomers – there were still quite a few rooms available in the original excavations. She also found time to show them around the Inner Cavern and to introduce them to other weyrfolk while she explained that they would each be asked to help where ever needed until the time came that their particular interests and talents were revealed.
Elleria, seeing and hearing so many truly happy people of all stations at Benden Weyr, was a bit surprised to find herself rather excited about moving here. Surely, she reasoned, the cold would be no worse than at Tillek, and she sincerely hoped Lessa had been correct about the highly unusual ferocity of this day's horrific wind.
Mara and Brendeen did not witness their new friends leaving Benden Weyr on soon-to-graduate weyrling dragons. They were both helping new weyrlings with their fresh hatchlings. But they did hear their departure, and the anticipation of a quick return.
The bitter cold wind prevented bathing in the lake, so the bathing pools were being used to wash little dragons. Older dragons and flying weyrlings flew south to their favorite beaches if bathing could not wait for a calmer day. Non-flying weyrlings whose dragons were too large for the bathing pools were forced to lug buckets of water to their weyrs for spot cleaning.
By the time class number 2553-2 was called together for evening assignments, Mara's skin from toes to waist was water wrinkled; she, and B'roghe and a few other hefty weyrlings in her class, had helped the smaller new weyrlings lift their precious new life-mates into and out of the pools while others helped with feeding, chopping meat, and anything else needed to help the newest residents of the Weyr. She and B'roghe stood near the back wall chuckling over their shared discomfort; sitting was not a preferred position for either weyrling this evening, at least not for awhile.
L'ret called the class to order and commended them for their assistance this day. He then admonished them to continue helping the younger weyrlings; they would all be flying Thread together in the not too distant future. After yet another speech on dragonrider teamwork, he grinned momentarily.
"This evening you are free to do as you choose." His eyes sparkled at the reception to this unexpected free time. "However," he growled over the excitement, "I highly recommend that each of you check and double check your riding straps this evening. Tomorrow, some of you will be flying . . . on your dragons."
Without exception, each of the weyrlings expressed their excitement in their own ways. Some merely smiled, others talked excitedly, a few bounced like wherries on hot sand, and a few let out severely restrained yips – they had only just gotten most of the weyrlings to sleep after all.
With class dismissed, Mara asked Normond if he and G'raden were available to take her to their weyr. The short flight to their shared weyr was bittersweet for Mara; this, and tomorrow morning, might be the last time she would fly on Normond behind her loving weyrmate. She held on tighter than normal as they climbed around the now windless and dark bowl; the wind had died when Rukbat had set and neither moon had yet risen.
Klamath greeted her deep in the weyr, sharing her excitement and more than willing to endure yet another fitting of their riding straps, even though he had worn them earlier this very day.
I grew a lot this day, said the brown to his rider as she fastened the straps behind his forelegs.
You sure have, Klamath! This strap was a little loose this morning. We'll need the next hole tomorrow. Mara moved to fasten the neck strap with an eager grin. And look! We're already into a new hole on this strap. I'm glad we have lots of extras.
I'm almost as big as the bronzes.
Yes, you are my love. But remember that size isn't as important as skills.
We're as skilled as any of the bronze weyrlings – at least on the ground.
And tomorrow, we'll learn new skills in the air!
We'll be the best dragon/rider pair on all of Pern!
Mara chuckled. We'll be the very best we can possibly be, Klamath!
Rainy, perched on Klamath's last neck ridge, chirruped in agreement and sprang into the air for a joyful display of acrobatics.
"What's all that about?" asked G'raden from Normond's shoulder.
"He's showing us all the moves we need to learn to fight Thread," explained Mara while shaking her head.
"Ho, ho! Slow down, Rainy! They won't be learning all that tomorrow, little one."
The little blue fire lizard landed on Normond's back and, with his head cocked, chirped a query at the big man.
"Klamath's not even full grown yet, Rainy. He needs to wait a while longer before doing any of those extravagant maneuvers."
"And we need to wait for Weyrlingmaster L'ret's permission, too," added Mara as she began removing the straps.
I can do everything our little weyrmate did.
"I'm sure you can, Klamath, when you are full grown. Until then, we need to follow all the rules or we may not get to fly together until you are full grown."
When will I be full grown? asked Klamath yet again. He asked the same question, or a variation thereof, every time Mara was forced to slow him down. He, like so many of the other young dragons, was anxious to perform the duty he had been bred for – fighting Thread.
"Not tomorrow, my anxious brown, and not the next day either. The healers will let us know when you are full grown. Until then, we'll do everything the weyrlingmaster tells us to when he tells us to do it, and we'll practice everything we learn so we'll be the best dragon/rider pair ever. Alright?"
With straps removed and itchy spots tended to, Mara and G'raden retired to the riders' weyr. Mara oiled her riding straps while questioning G'raden on his first flight on Normond. Were G'raden a different man, he might have grown irritated with her quest for the most minute of details. But, he truly enjoyed sharing her excitement, and when the straps were sufficiently oiled and properly stowed, he diverted her attention with a far more physical activity until both were too tired to talk or even think about the next day.