Chapter Seventeen
S'bald and G'lenan carried their mugs and plates to their usual table for the noon meal. The two green riders made the best of an open spot knowing that Mirrim wouldn't sit with them this day.
"Is she's still angry at the Weyrleader?" S'bald asked as they sat.
"Probably," G'lenan replied before biting into a roll. F'lar had forced lots on Path's next rising after hearing about their maiden flight. "He said he would relent if she or Path chose a partner." To be fair, G'lenan's Boath was subjected to the same judgment as he, too, hadn't declared for any other rider or member of the weyr. G'lenan had suggested to Mirrim that they share his weyr but she had declined him, gently, for all that it had distressed him. "Arwith rose this afternoon at Eastern and Monarth caught her."
"Hmm," S'bald took a quick sip of klah to clear his mouth. "Mirrim predicted that."
"Aye, she did; doesn't mean she's happy about it. Probably best she be alone with her temper."
They ate quietly as they listened to the other riders discuss the new leadership at the recently-named weyr. S'bald nudged G'lenan and gestured to the cavern opening where Goren had walked through carrying a tray. He deposited it at the pass-through to the kitchen then picked up a plate and mug.
"Guess he's escaping her temper as well," S'bald quipped. They watched Goren seat himself at the end of a table of women who were at first startled at his presence then continued their meal.
The two green riders looked at each other and shrugged. Later, as G'lenan conveyed the cleaning drudges to the upper weyrs as part of his afternoon duties, he mulled over his friend's predicament. Although Mirrim was a green rider, she was a woman too. He could understand her reticence to act like the other green riders. The two of them had spoken often over the last few turns about their difficulties. Unlike S'bald and other green and several blue riders, G'lenan preferred the opposite sex.
Impressing Boath had been the most profound experience of his life and he knew he'd die like his father if he lost her. D'namal had been the love of Willa's life. Day after heartbreaking day she had sat at his side watching him fade, powerless to keep him after his dragon went between. After the inevitable she had told G'lenan she had always known she had been nothing to D'namal compared to Brown Plinenth. When Plinenth died of his threadscore injuries at the beginning of this pass, D'namal quit trying to live. His mother never really could love after D'namal.
For Boath, G'lenan knew he'd take thread for her. He would forsake his mother, mate or children for her. He would rather die with her then breath a moment without her. He also accepted that Boath reveled in her mating flights and he wouldn't deny her.
Boath was looking across the bowl, her eyes spinning a slow green flecked with yellow. G'lenan crossed from where he had been leaning against the wall of the current weyr to her. He laid his cheek against her warm, musky hide and spread his arms against her side. She turned to him, eyes glowing a powdery blue. "I love you more than flying in the sunlight," she spoke into his mind.
He chuckled in response, "I love you more than iced spice cakes."
Boath warbled, "I'd love you best if you would scratch just behind my wings." G'lenan complied by sliding his hand under the strap holding the laundry bags. Languorously he caressed his dragon down her back to just above her tail, straddling it. He was in the midst of long, sensual stroke along her lower spine when he heard one of the drudges shuffle to his side. He opened his eyes and looked at her.
"You can't be done already, Teema"
The short round woman with streaks of grey through her raven hair bobbed then beckoned for him to follow. Stepping away from Boath, G'lenan complied. Upon entering the sleeping chamber, he laughed for a moment then nodded. Stepping over to the cot he shook the sleeping form not at all surprised to find a young woman. She gasped after she opened her eyes, sliding up to the backboard, holding the fur up to her neck.
"Be easy," G'lenan said gently. "I am G'lenan, green Boath's rider. This is Teema and in the bathing chamber is Rhogo. We're a weyr cleaning detail. Usually guests have departed the weyrs by afternoon.
"Afternoon!" she groaned. "I was supposed to be back home by sunrise. When my brother and sister-in-law find out I will be whipped."
"Shhh, be easy," he repeated. "Do you remember the name of your rider?"
"He rides a brown dragon, a big man with dark hair. T'gran, maybe?" She covered her face in shame, a small sob escaped from between her fingers."
"Ah, and where is your home?" G'lenan asked as he patted her bare shoulder before covering it with the fur.
"Fortingall Hold, south of Nabol". There was a Gather yesterday. The brown rider said he'd take me back by sunrise."
G'lenan sat on the edge of the cot and patted her shoulder through the fur. "You are in Benden Weyr, dear, on the eastern side of Pern where it is just after noon. In Nabol it is still morning. We will make certain that you are home in time. Now, please tell me your name and I will ask my Boath to bespeak T'gran's Branth."
"Soromiah," she sniffed. G'lenan's eyes were unfocused for a moment but then he looked directly into her eyes.
"T'gran and Branth's duties are sweep rides over the southeast coast this afternoon. He said you were sleeping so soundly he didn't want wake you. He would like you to stay until he returns this afternoon and then he'll return you."
She shook her head vigorously.
"Would you like to wash up? Are you hungry?"
She continued to stare at him blankly.
"Soromiah?"
"I, uh, I need my clothes," she replied.
G'lenan turned to Teema not at all surprised to see that Rhogo was beside her, gawking. "Teema, pull this lady's clothes out of the laundry bag and give 'em a shake before you hand them to her. Rhogo, I will take you to the next weyr if you're done in the bathing room. Get your cleaning gear."
"Aye G'lenan," they replied in unison and immediately executed their dragonman's commands. When he turned back to Soromiah, she was watching him cautiously.
"I'd wager you could use a dunk in the bathing room before you dress. I'm going to take Rhogo to the next weyr while Teema tends to you. When I return I will take you to the lower caverns for a bit of food and klah before I take you to, Foringol? Was that your hold?
She nodded. "Fortingall Hold."
"C'mon Rhogo, lets leave the ladies." The little man trudged behind the dragonman to Boath and scrambled up her.
G'lenan took Rhogo to three more weyrs before returning to T'gran and Branth's weyr for the lovely Soromiah. All the while, Branth bespoke Boath to be sure her rider treated Soromiah with the respect owed to a lady and to please, please smooth over her annoyance at her abandonment. G'lenan figured that T'gran had forgotten that he had left a girl in his bed.
Soromiah was standing back from the lip and scurried further back as Boath landed. Teema stood perhaps a foot from the dragon and expertly pulled up behind her mate. G'lenan extended his hand to Soromiah who tentatively stepped forward. "Can your dragon carry so many?"
"Don't worry about Boath's strength, m'lady," he smiled as she took his hand. "I'll seat you in front of me so I can hold onto you. We usually don't strap up in the Weyr. I'm going to take the drudges to the next weyr then set you at the lower caverns for a bite before I take you to your hold."
Boath flew the quartet to the weyr below depositing the drudges then dropped to the floor of the bowl. G'lenan dismounted his dragon then reached for the girl who slid into his arms. Taking her by the elbow he escorted her into the lower caverns. As he expected, Willa was immediately upon them with cups of klah.
"Oh, you poor girl, you're hair is still damp. G'lenan, take her to the night hearth and I'll bring her some bread and stew. Mirrim is there," Willa said with a significant nod.
He escorted her to the table where Mirrim sat, absently poking at her stew with her spoon. "Mirrim, this is Lady Soromiah of Fortingall Hold. Soromiah, greet Mirrim, rider of green Path."
Mirrim looked at Soromiah and nodded, "I greet you lady, please sit." Mirrim sat up straighter but still seemed preoccupied.
"I am pleased to meet you, rider of Path," Soromiah gushed while seating herself opposite Mirrim, somewhat awestruck. She sipped her klah, brightening when she had sampled its superior flavor. "I never thought I would meet the first woman rider of a green dragon. There's a song the harpers sing of your impression. I heard it again last night at the Nabol Gather."
Mirrim grinned. G'lenan sat beside Soromiah grinning too. Soromiah seemed to be bursting with questions but was too timid to start.
"Mirrim also has three fire lizards; where are they?" G'lenan asked while looking behind him to the mantle above the hearth.
"Probably swimming in the lake," she responded. For a moment Mirrim lost focus which Soromiah had begun to recognize as a rider's expression when talking to his dragon, however that happened. A green fire lizard zipped into the cavern followed by a brown. "Ah, this green is Lok," Mirrim said as the little green perched on her shoulder. The brown landed directly in front of the untouched bowl of stew looking inquiringly at his mistress. "This little glutton is Tolly," she said as she affectionately caressed his head. "No, you may not have my lunch," but she popped a morsel of stew meat into his mouth before he slipped under the table to snuggle in her lap. Lok accepted a tidbit too.
"Where is the third one?" Soromiah asked, thoroughly impressed with her first real close up view of fire lizards. "What color is he?"
"She," Mirrim emphasized, "is green. Reppa is her name and she has been sulking today. Not good company."
G'lenan reached across the table to squeeze Mirrim's hand in compassion before saying, "I need to take the drudges to the rest of the weyrs before they can start laundry. Will you keep company with Soromiah, until I return?"
Mirrim nodded her assent as he stood to leave. Willa was walking towards them, laden with a tray with more food than three people could eat. He smiled at his mother as he left to finish his task. He needed to run over to the map room to review the coordinates for Nabol and see if there was one for Fortingall Hold. Also, he wanted to check the time zones. He hadn't done much timing but F'lessan had explained the mechanics enough that he felt he could bring the girl to her hold safely. Best of all, Boath was excited for the jump.
When he returned, all three women were in lively conversation, laughing merrily. Lok was being thoroughly cuddled by Soromiah. He couldn't help smiling as he stepped up beside her. "Are you ready?" he asked.
She looked up at him cheerfully then rose, sliding her arm into his. "I thank you, Willa and Mirrim, for your hospitality. Perhaps we will meet again." Her shoulders rose in a childlike shrug at the other two women beamed. Mirrim prodded Willa with her elbow.
"Yes, I am ready, G'lenan."
As they turned to leave, Mirrim warned, "Don't meet yourself going."
He turned to smirk at her.
"What does that mean?" Soromiah asked the man as they walked into the bowl.
"It's a dragonrider saying." He replied, shaking his head.
Boath wore her conveyance straps. G'lenan guided Soromiah behind him then warned her that they would lift. As they rose he called back to her, "we're going between." In the next instant they were above Nabol, evidence of the Gather the day before strewn about the square. Dawn had come moments before. G'lenan congratulated himself for a successfully timed jump.
"Do we fly the river or head true south of here?" He called back to her. Soromiah had clung to his waist when they started the jump and it took her a moment to open her eyes. She looked over his shoulder in surprise. "Soromiah?"
"It's not long past dawn. I could swear I left here not four hours ago. What time is it at the Benden Weyr?"
G'lenan hesitated, "I didn't want you to be whipped so I'm bringing you home on time. T'gran would have done the same. Now, which way do we fly to get you there?"
"Uh, follow the south road." She leaned forward to yell into his ear. G'lenan guided Boath above a wagon upon the road, working its way through the switchback to the pass. They soon were ahead onto a plateau of field patches and stone buildings. Soon they were to the next pass above the road. "I've never seen my home from so far up," she remarked. "Turn toward the sun at the top of that pass." Below them were several tents and wagons next to a stream. Runners were drinking from it and a few human figures moved about them. "That's my family. They got pretty far before the moons set last night. They're not going to know," she added, relief coloring her tone. "Follow the trail along this stream, it empties into a river. There will be a bridge above that. That's where we'll turn and follow it to Fortingall."
G'lenan wondered what "They" weren't going to know. He wondered, too, if asking to see her again would be too forward or would she prefer T'gran. Branth didn't think so, according to Boath but then dragons rarely cared about people beyond riders. T'gran would have to have known that the drudges were going to be in the weyrs the day after restday. What an appalling way to treat a guest. She was tapping him on his shoulder and pointing to a series of structures against a cliff before a spread of orderly fields. There was a pen of runners that began to stampede in terrified circles as Boath spiraled down. She adjusted her descent to put them before the largest hold. G'lenan asked her to put them down further back on the road as people were emerging from various openings. Soromiah gave him a squeeze in response.
They landed. He dropped to the ground then reached for Soromiah who slid into his arms. She hugged him and kissed his cheek before turning to Boath and petting the dragon's neck. "Thank you Boath, for the ride home." Boath turned her bejeweled eyes toward the pair. They glittered an aqua hue. "And thank you, G'lenan, for being so kind to me. I wish that, I wish…"
He hadn't completely let her go yet and held her as she started to step away. He pressed his lips to hers then kissed deeply as she responded. "If it'd be no bother to T'gran, I'd like to visit you, Soromiah."
"Him?! The rider who left me in the side of a cliff?" She had pulled back to look into his eyes but still held her body close to his. "He made a promise to my brother that he'd bring me home so I could stay for the dancing. We got too drunk last night. I'm certain he couldn't pick me out of a crowd, let alone remember my name. But you! You took care of me from the moment you found me. You've already said my name more times than he did."
"Don't be too hard on T'gran. He is a Wingsecond and probably forgot his duties until he woke. Our dragons have to come first and a Wingsecond has to think of the other 34 lives he commands. Do I see you again or did you have an understanding with T'gran?"
"What do you mean, understanding?" Her forehead furrowed as she waited for his answer.
G'lenan chose careful words, "It's an agreement of sorts between, well, if T'gran asked to see you again or said that he'd like you to think about living at Benden, he may think he has an understanding with you."
"No, no understanding."
"Good, next restday, I'll come a little later than this time in the morning. I've not much occasion to be in this part of Pern. You can show me your brother's holdings or we can go to the river or walk through Nabol."
Soromiah merely nodded then smiled as she stepped back. G'lenan tucked her hand into his arm as he escorted her toward the people gathering before the hold. Later, as he and Boath spiraled over Soromiah's home, he concentrated on the structures to be certain that he could return easily. What people at Fortingall who had not gone to the Gather had greeted him with respect and tried to offer him refreshments and make him stay once they heard that the Holder was still several hours from home. He noticed the looks of significance that Soromiah received from the older women and hoped that he'd be greeted with as much esteem when he returned in a sevenday.
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Following F'lessan's advice and Mirrim's admonishment, he directed Boath to an alpine lake west of Benden Weyr to be sure he didn't return too soon. He had only timed it by six hours. After dinner he directed Boath to Mirrim and Path's weyr. Path looked morose but her eyes swirled a pale blue as they landed on the lip. Boath crawled over to her hatchmate as they briefly twined necks the snuggled next to each other. G'lenan walked past the pair into Mirrim's sleeping quarters. She was sitting on her cot staring at the opposite wall. He sat beside her and she leaned into him.
"You predicted to within a sevenday," G'lenan said gently.
"I hate being right all the time," she replied dully.
G'lenan put his arm about her shoulder pressing her face into his neck.
She heaved a sigh. "Will you see Soromiah again?"
G'lenan grunted an assent. "I am invited to breakfast next restday at Fortingall Hold. Nice spread. Land looks fertile and unthreaded. Lots of runners too."
With another sigh Mirrim stated, "Bring her brother a fire lizard egg as a gift. I know where to get one." Mirrim shifted to lay atop the furs curling into a fetal position. He nestled into her back and held her while sobs wracked her body. After a while she fell asleep. G'lenan's mind wouldn't allow him such rest.
T'gellan's wing and Arwith's rider had left three months previously. Mirrim's conduct had been tolerable but he knew her heart to be aching for the bronze rider. She used to bespeak Boath directly and he thought that she probably could bespeak Monarth. He knew that Willa had spoken to Plinenth and several other dragons, including Boath. It must have something to do with being a woman. As far as he knew, Mirrim had quit speaking to any dragon except through Path. At times he thought the change had happened after Path rose on her first mating flight and other times, he was sure it was the sudden departure of T'gellan. No amount of assurance from him could convince her that T'gellan would ever come back to her and yet. And yet.
He moved his arm from under Mirrim's shoulder. It was numb. She mumbled T'gellan's name and sighed. And yet, she hadn't let her bronze rider go, not even in slumber. The only person he could think to tell his eagerness for Soromiah was too distraught to appreciate his joy. T'gran had thanked him at dinner for his discretion with the girl and bringing her home on Time. He showed no surprise or regret when G'lenan said he was going to visit her next rest day.