The White Dragon

CHAPTER IX

THE FIRST HINT Robinton had was from Zair, who woke abruptly from a sound morning's sleep in the sun on the window ledge and flew to Robinton's shoulder, wrapping his tail firmly about the Harper's neck. Robinton, not having the heart to rebuke his friend, tried to ease the tension of the tail so that he didn't have the sensation of choking to death. Zair rubbed his cheek against the Harper's, crooning.

«Whatever is the matter with you?»

Just then the watchdragon on the fire heights rose to his haunches and bugled. A dragon appeared in midair, answered the summons smartly before beginning a circle to land.

A knock on the door was followed so closely by its opening that the courtesy was hardly observed. Robinton was forming a reprimand as he slewed round in his chair and saw Menolly, with Beauty clinging tightly to her shoulder. Rocky, Diver and Poll doing an aerial dance about her.

«It's F'lar and Mnementh,» she cried.

«So I had just perceived, my dear. Why the panic?»

«Panic? I'm not in a panic. I'm excited. This is the first time since the egg was taken that Benden has come to you.»

«Then be a polite child and see if Silvina has any sweetbreads to eat with our klah. It is,» he sighed wistfully, «a shade too early in the morning to offer wine.»

«It's not too early in Benden's morning,» Menolly said as she left the room.

Robinton sighed again, sadly, as he looked at the empty doorway. She had grieved over the estrangement of the Harper Hall and Benden Weyr. So, in his own way, had he. He brought his thoughts sharply away from that. There'd been no hint of distress in Mnementh's acknowledgement of the watchdragon's challenge. What had brought F'lar to Benden? And, more important, did the Weyrleader come with Lessa's knowledge? And consent?

Mnementh had landed now. F'lar would be striding across the meadow. Robinton began to twitch with more impatience for that final walk than he had felt during the four sevendays of coolness between Weyr and Hall.

Robinton rose and paced to the window just as F'lar entered the inner courtyard of the Crafthall. He was walking with long strides, but F'lar always did, so there did not seem to be any baste in his errand. Then why was he coming to the Hall?

F'lar spoke to a journeyman, who was packing a runner for a trip. Fire lizards congregated on the roof. Robinton saw F'lar raise his head and notice them. The Harper briefly considered whether he ought to ask Zair to leave while F'lar was present. No sense filing resentment of any consequence right now.

F'lar had entered the Hall. Through the open window, Robinton could hear the Weyrleader's voice and the pause for an answer. Silvina? More likely his journeyman, he thought, smiling to himself, lying in wait for the Weyrleader. Yes, he was right. He could hear Menolly's voice and F'lar's as they came up the stairs. The sounds of the voices were unmarked by emotion. Good girl! Easy does it.

«Ah, Robinton, Menolly informs me that her fire lizards refer to Mnementh as 'the biggest one,' «F'lar said with a slight smile on his face as he entered the room.

«They're chary of awarding accolades, F'lar,» Robinton replied, taking the tray from Menolly, who withdrew, closing the door. Not that her absence precluded her knowing what would happen, not with Beauty attuned to Zair.

«There's no trouble at Benden, is there?» Robinton asked the Weyrleader as he handed him a cup of klah.

«No, no trouble.» Robinton waited. «But there is a puzzle that I thought you might be able to answer for us.»

«If I can, I will,» the Harper said, gesturing to F'lar to seat himself.

«We can't find D'ram.»

«D'ram?» Robinton almost laughed in surprise. «Why can't you find D'ram?»

«He's alive. We know that much. We don't know where.»

«Surely Ramoth could touch Tiroth?»

F'lar shook his head. «Perhaps I should have said when.»

«When? D'ram's timed it somewhere? I mean, somewhen?»

«That's the only explanation. And we can't see how he could possibly have gone back to his own Time. We don't believe that Tiroth has that much strength in him. Timing it, as you know, is very draining on both dragon and rider. But D'ram has gone.»

«That's not unexpected surely,» Robinton said slowly, his mind turning rapidly over the possibilities of when.

«No, not unexpected.»

«He wouldn't have gone to the Southern Weyr?»

«No, because Ramoth would have no trouble locating him there. And G'dened went back quite a distance, before Threadfall, at Ista itself, thinking D'ram would stay where his memories are.»

«Lord Warbret offered D'ram. any one of those caves on the south side of Ista Island. He seemed agreeable.» Then as F'lar's shrug negated that suggestion, the Harper added, «Yes, he was too agreeable.»

F'lar rose, striding restlessly about, turning back to the Harper. «Have you any ideas where the man could have gone? You were with him a great deal. Can you remember anything?»

«He wasn't talking very much toward the end, just sat there holding Fanna's hand.» Robinton found that he needed to swallow. As accustomed as he was to mortality, D'ram's devotion to his Weyrwoman and his silent grief at her death had the power to bring tears to the Harper's eyes. «I tendered offers of hospitality to him from Groghe and Sangel. In fact, I gather he could have gone anywhere on Pern and been welcome. Obviously he prefers the company of his memories. Might I ask if there is any reason to know where he is?»

«No reason other than our concern for him.»

«Oldive said that he was completely in possession of his reason, F'lar, if that's your worry.»

F'lar made a grimace and impatiently stroked back a forelock which invariably fell into his eyes when he was agitated. «Frankly, Robinton, it's Lessa. Ramoth can't find Tiroth. Lessa's certain he's gone far enough back in time to suicide without giving us distress. It's in D'ram's nature to do so.»

«It is also his option,» Robinton said gently.

«I know. I know. And no one would fault him but Lessa is very worried. D'ram may have stepped down, Robinton, but his knowledge, his opinions are valuable and valued. Right now more than ever. Bluntly we need him… need him available to us.»

Robinton thought briefly about the possibility that D'ram had realized this and deliberately removed himself and Tiroth from easy access. But D'ram would serve Pern, and dragonfolk at any time.

«He perhaps needs time to recover from his grief, F'lar.»

«He was worn out with tending Fanna. You know that. He could also be sick and who would be there to help? We're both worried.»

«I hesitate to suggest this, but has Brekke tried with the fire lizards? Hers as well as those at Ista Weyr.»

A grin tugged at the worried line of F'lar's mouth. «Oh, yes. She insisted. No luck. The fire lizards need a direction to go between time just like dragons.»

«I didn't exactly mean sending them. I mean, asking them to remember a lone bronze dragon.»

«Asking those creatures to remember?» F'lar laughed with incredulity.

«I'm serious, F'lar. They have good memories which can be triggered. For instance, how could the fire lizards have known that the Red Star…» He was interrupted by a squeal of protest from Zair, who launched himself so quickly from Robinton's shoulder that he scratched the Harper's neck. «I will mention it in his presence!» Robinton said, ruefully patting the scratch. «My point is, F'lar, that the fire lizards all knew that the Red Star was dangerous and could not be reached before F'nor and Canth tried to go there. If you can get a fire lizard to make any sense when you mention the Red Star, they say they remember being afraid of it. They? Or their ancestors when our ancestors first attempted to go to it?»

F'lar gave the Masterharper a long searching stare.

«That isn't the first memory of theirs that has proved to be accurate,» Robinton went on. «Master Andemon believes that it's entirely possible that these creatures can remember unusual events that one of their number has witnessed or felt. Instinct plays a part with all animals why not in their memories, too?»

«I'm not sure I see how you intend to get this this fire lizard memory to work in helping to find D'ram, whenever he's got to.»

«Simple. Ask them to remember seeing a lone dragon. That would be unusual enough to be noted.. and remembered.»

F'lar was not convinced it would work.

«Oh, I think so if we ask Ruth to ask them.»

«Ruth?»

«When every fire lizard was scared to death of the other dragons, they beleaguered Ruth. Jaxom's told me that they talk with his white wherever they are. With so many, there's bound to be one that might remember what we want to know.»

«If I could relieve Lessa's fears, I'd even forget my antipathy to those nuisances.»

«I trust you'll remember that statement.» Robinton grinned to soften the remark.

«Will you come with me to Ruatha Hold?»

In that moment, Robinton remembered Jaxom's Threadscoring. Of course, it would be long healed. But he couldn't remember if N'ton had ever discussed Jaxom's training with Benden Weyr.

«Shouldn't we find out if Jaxom's at the Hold?»

«Why wouldn't he be?» F'lar asked, frowning.

«Because he's often about the Hold, learning the land, or at Fandarel's with the other young people.»

«A point.» F'lar looked away from the Harper, out the window, his eyes unfocused. «No, Mnementh says Ruth's at the Hold. See, I have my own message sender,» F'lar added with a grin.

Robinton hoped that Ruth would think to tell Jaxom that Mnementh had bespoken him. He wished that he'd had time to send Zair with a message to Ruatha but he had no excuse and certainly no wish to jeopardize this gesture of F'lar's.

«More reliable than mine and farther reaching than Fandarel's little wire.» Robinton donned the thick wherhide jacket and helmet he used when flying. «Speaking of Fandarel, he's got his lines as far as Crom's mines, you know.» He gestured F'lar to precede him out of the room.

«Yes, I know. That's another reason to locate D'ram.»

«It is?»

F'lar laughed at the Harper's bland question, a laugh that held no constraint so that Robinton sincerely hoped that this visit mended their relationship.

«Hasn't Nicat been at you, too, Robinton? To go south to those mines?»

«The ones Toric's been trading from?»

«I thought you'd know.»

«Yes, I know that Nicat's worried about mining. The ores are getting very poor. Fandarel's a good sight more worried than Nicat. He needs the better quality metals.»

«Once we allow the Crafts into the South, the Lord Holders will press for entry…» F'lar instinctively lowered his voice though the courtyard they were crossing was empty.

«The Southern Continent is large enough to take all of Northern Pern and rattle it. Why, we've only touched the fringes of it, F'lar. Great Shells and Shards!» Robinton slapped his forehead. «Talk about fire lizards and associative memories. That's it! That's where D'ram has gone.»

«Where?»

«At least I think that's where he might have gone.»

«Speak, man. Where?»

«The problem is still when, I fancy. And Ruth is still our key.»

They had only several dragonlengths to go before they reached Mnementh in the meadow. Zair fluttered above Robinton's head, chittering anxiously well away from the bronze dragon. He refused to alight on Robinton's shoulder, though the Harper gestured for him to land.

«I'm going to Ruatha to the white dragon, to Ruth. Join us there, then, you silly creature, if you won't ride on my shoulder.»

«Mnementh doesn't mind Zair,» F'lar said.

«It's still the other way round, I'm afraid,» Robinton said.

A hint of anger danced in the bronze rider's eyes. «No dragon flamed a fire lizard.»

«Not here, Weyrleader, not here. But all of them remember seeing it happen. And fire lizards can only tell what they or one of them have actually seen.»

«Then let's get to Ruatha and see if one of them has seen D'ram.»

So the fire lizards were still tender subjects, thought Robinton sadly as he climbed up Mnementh's shoulder to sit behind F'lar. He wished that Zair had not been so wary of Mnementh.

Jaxom and Lytol stood on the Hold steps as Mnementh bugled his name to the watchdragon and circled to land in the huge courtyard. As the two visitors were being greeted, Robinton scanned Jaxom's face to see if the Threadscore was obvious. He couldn't see a trace of it and wondered if he was examining the right cheek. He could only hope that Ruth had healed as well. Of course, F'lar was so involved with this business of D'ram he wouldn't be looking for scoring on Ruth or Jaxom.

«Ruth said Mnementh inquired for him, F'lar,» Jaxom said. «I trust nothing is wrong?»

«Ruth may be able to help us find D'ram.»

«Find D'ram? He hasn't…» Jaxom paused, looking anxiously at Lytol, who was frowning and shaking his head.

«No, but he has timed it somewhen,» Robinton said. «I thought perhaps if Ruth asked the fire lizards, they might tell him.»

Jaxom stared at the Harper, who wondered why the lad looked so stunned and, curiously, scared. Robinton did not miss the quick flick of Jaxom's eyes toward F'lar nor the convulsive swallowing.

«I remembered hearing you comment that fire lizards often tell Ruth things,» Robinton went on in a casual manner, giving Jaxom time to recover his composure. Whatever was bothering the boy?

«Where? Possibly. But when. Master Robinton?»

«I've a hunch I know where D'ram went. Would that help?»

«I'm not sure I understand,» Lytol said, looking from one to the other. «What's this all about?» Lytol had been guiding the visitors into the Hold and toward the small private room. Wine and cups had been set on the table, together with cheese, bread and fruits.

«Well,» Robinton said, eyeing the wineskin, «I'll explain…»

«And you'll be dry, I'm sure,» Jaxom said, as he strode to the table to pour. «It's Benden wine, Master Robinton. Only the best for our distinguished visitors.»

«The lad's growing up, Lytol,» F'lar said, taking the cup and raising it approvingly toward Lytol.

«The lad has grown up,» Lytol said in a half growl. «Now, about those fire lizards…»

Zair appeared midair, squealed and swooped to Robinton's shoulder, wrapping his tail tightly about the Harper's neck and cluttering in a nervous tone as he reassured himself that Robinton had taken no harm riding the biggest one.

«Pardon me,» Robinton said, and soothed Zair to silence. Then he explained to Lytol his theory that fire lizards shared a vast pool of common knowledge which would explain their fear of he cleared his throat and pointed east to spare them all his bronze's antics. Fire lizards were able to communicate strong emotions as evidenced by Brekke's call to Canth that fateful night. They had had this fright about the queen's egg and all had been in a high state of turmoil until the egg had Hatched properly. They seemed to remember seeing it near a black nothingness, and they seemed to remember being flamed. Jaxom had told him on several occasions that the fire lizards regaled Ruth with incredible things they said they'd remembered seeing. If this curious talent of theirs was not the sun dreams of silly creatures he had to placate an outraged Zair then here was a case in which it could be proved, with Ruth's cooperation. D'ram had apparently gone off on his own, to a time when Ramoth could not reach the mind of his dragon. It was upsetting Ramoth and Lessa, who were worried that D'ram might be in physical distress. Despite his resignation as Weyrleader, Pern still had a need of and a place for D'ram and certainly did not wish to lose contact with him.

«Now,» Robinton went on, «there have been occasions in recent Turns…» He cleared his throat, glanced toward F'lar for permission and received the nod. «…occasions when I have ventured South. On one such instance, Menolly and I were blown off course, far to the east where we came to rest in a beautiful cove, white sanded, with red fruit trees abounding; the waters of the cove teemed with yellowtail and white fingerfish. The sun was warm and the waters of a stream just inland was sweet as wine.» He looked into his cup wistfully. With a laugh, Jaxom refilled it. «I told D'ram of it, I've forgotten why now. I'm reasonably certain I described it well enough for a dragon of Tiroth's abilities to find his way there.»

«D'ram would not wish to cause complications here,» Lytol said slowly. «He'd have gone to a time when the Oldtimers were not in the South. A jump back of ten twelve Turns wouldn't overtax Tiroth.»

«A point, Robinton, that might complicate matters,» F'lar said. «If these creatures can remember significant events that happened to their predecessors» and F'lar was patently skeptical «then none of the fire lizards here could possibly have any recollections for our purpose. No ancestors from the area.» He indicated Zair. «He's from that clutch Menolly brought up from below Half Circle Sea Hold, isn't he?»

«Fire lizards from all over converge on Ruth,» Robinton said, looking to the young Lord for corroboration.

«F'lar has made a good point,» Jaxom said.

«Not if you go to that cove, Jaxom. I'm sure the fatal fascination fire lizards all have for Ruth will operate even there.»

«You want me to go to the Southern Continent?»

Robinton noted the incredulity and sudden start of intense interest in Jaxom's eyes. So, the boy had discovered that flying a fire breathing dragon was not enough to keep him content with his life.

«I don't want anyone to go South,» F'lar replied, «since that… is a breach of our agreement, but I can't see any other way of locating D'ram.»

«The cove is a long way from the Southern Weyr,» Robinton said gently, «and we know the Oldtimers don't venture far from it.»

«They ventured far enough from it a little while ago, didn't they?» F'lar asked with considerable heat in his voice and an angry shine in his amber eyes.

Wearily Robinton saw that the breach between Harper Hall and Benden Weyr was only thinly healed.

«Lord Lytol,» the Benden Weyrleader continued, «I am remiss. May we have your permission to recruit Jaxom to this search?»

Lytol shook his head and gestured toward Jaxom. «It is entirely up to Lord Jaxom.»

Robinton could see F'lar digesting the implications of that referral, and he gave Jaxom a long keen look. Then he smiled. «And your answer. Lord Jaxom?»

With commendable poise, Robinton thought, the young man inclined his head. «I'm flattered to be asked to assist, Weyrleader.»

«You don't happen to have any maps of the Southern Continent in this Hold, do you?» asked F'lar.

«As a matter of fact, I do.» Then Jaxom added a hasty explanation. «Fandarel gave us several sessions of chartmaking at his Hall.»

The charts were, however, incomplete. F'lar recognized them as copies of F'nor's original explorations of the Southern Continent when the Benden wingsecond had taken Ramoth's first clutch back ten Turns to mature before Thread would fall again an undertaking marked by partial success.

«I have more comprehensive maps of the coastline,» Robinton said casually and scribbled a note to Menolly which he attached to the clasp on Zair's collar. He sent the little bronze back to the Harper Hold with an entreaty not to forget his errand.

«And he'll bring the charts back directly?» F'lar asked, skeptical and somewhat contemptuous. «Brekke and F'nor keep trying to convince me of their usefulness, too.»

«I suspect with something as important as the charts, Menolly will wheedle the watchdragon into bringing her.» Robinton sighed, wishing he'd thought to insist she return the charts by fire lizard. No opportunity should be wasted.

«How much timing it have you done, Jaxom?» F'lar asked suddenly.

A flush suffused Jaxom's face. With a start, Robinton saw the thin line of scar white against the reddened cheek. Luckily that side of Jaxom's face was turned away from the Weyrleader.

«Well, sir…»

«Come, lad, I don't know any young dragonrider who hasn't used the trick to be on time. What I want to establish is how accurate Ruth's time sense is. Some dragons don't have any at all.»

«Ruth always knows when he is,» Jaxom replied with quick pride. «I'd say he has the best time memory on Pern.»

F'lar considered that for a long moment. «Have you ever tried any long jumps?»

Jaxom nodded slowly, his eyes flicking to Lytol whose face remained impassive.

«No wavering of the leap? No unduly long stay between?»

«No, sir. It's easy to be accurate anyhow if you jump at night.»

«I'm not sure I follow that reasoning.»

«Those star equations that Wansor worked out. I think you were at that session in the Smithcrafthall…» The young man's voice trailed off uncertainly until F'lar caught his drift and looked his surprise. «If you work out the position of the dominant stars in the skies, you can position yourself most accurately.»

«If you jump at night,» the Masterharper added, never having thought to put that use to Wansor's equations.

«Never occurred to me to do that,» F'lar said.

«There is a precedent,» Robinton remarked, grinning, «in your own Weyr, F'lar.»

«Lessa used the stars from the tapestry to go back for the Oldtimers, didn't she?» Jaxom had clearly forgotten that, and also, to judge by the sudden comic dismay on his face, forgotten that his reference to the Oldtimers was not adroit.

«We can't ignore them, can we?» the Weyrleader said with more tolerance than Robinton had anticipated. «Well, they exist and can't be ignored. To the present problem, Robinton. How long is it likely to take your fire lizard?»

Just outside the Hold window a multivoiced squabbling arose, so obviously that of fire lizards that they all hurried to the window.

«Menolly did it,» Robinton said in an undertone to Jaxom. «They're here, F'lar.»

«Who? Menolly with the watchdragon?»

«No, sir,» Jaxom said, his voice triumphant, «Zair, and Menolly's queen and her three bronzes. They've all got charts strapped to their backs.»

Zair flew in, cluttering in a combination of anger concern and confusion. Menolly's four followed. The little queen. Beauty, started scolding all of them as she circled about the room. Robinton easily lured Zair to his arm. But Beauty kept her bronzes in circulation, out of reach, while F'lar, grinning sardonically, and Lytol, expressionless, watched the attempts of Robinton and Jaxom to land the other four fire lizards.

«Ruth, would you tell Beauty to behave and come to my arm?» Jaxom cried as his futile attempts to coax the little queen began to assume ludicrous proportions in front of someone he was trying to impress.

Beauty let out a startled squawk but immediately came to rest on the table. She scolded Jaxom furiously as he undid the chart. She kept up her monologue as the bronzes timidly landed, not quite furling their wings, to have their burdens removed. Once free of their encumbrances, the bronzes retreated out the window. Beauty gave everyone in the room one final raucous harangue and then, with a flick of her tail, disappeared from sight. Zair let out one sort of apologetic cheep and hid his face in Robinton's hair.

«Well,» Robinton said as welcome silence settled on the room, «they did return promptly, didn't they?»

F'lar burst out laughing. «Return, yes. Delivery was another problem. I'd hate to have to argue for every message brought me.»

«That was just because Menolly wasn't here,» Jaxom said. «Beauty wasn't certain whom she could trust, you know. Meaning no offense, F'lar,» he added hastily.

«Here's the one I need,» Robinton said, unwinding it fully. He gestured for the others to unroll the segments they held. Shortly the maps were placed in sequence across the table, the curling ends weighted down with pieces of fruit and wine cups.

«It would appear,» Lytol said mildly, «that you have been blown off course in every direction, Master Robinton.»

«Oh, not me, sir,» the Harper replied ingenuously. «SeaHolders have been very helpful here, here and here,» and he pointed to the western portions where an intricate coastline was carefully delineated. «This is the work of Idarolan and the captains reporting to him.» He paused, toying with the notion of mentioning just how much of Idarolan's explorations had been assisted by the various fire lizards of the crews. «Toric and his holders, of course,» he went on, deciding against gilding the matter now, «have a perfect right to discover their land. They've detailed this portion…» His hand swept across the peninsular thumb that was the Southern Hold and Weyr and substantial portions of the territory on either side.

«Where're those mines located that Toric's trading from?»

«Here.» Robinton's finger dropped to the foothill shading, slightly to the west of the settlement and well inland.

F'lar considered the location, walking his fingers back across the well stretched hide to the Weyr's location. «And where's this cove of yours?»

Robinton pointed to a spot which was as far distant from the Southern Weyr as Ruatha was from Benden. «In this area. There're quite a few small coves in the coastline. I couldn't say exactly which one it was, but in this general location.»

F'lar mumbled about his recollection being all too general and how would a dragon take the specific direction he'd need to go between.

«Dead center in the cove is the cone of an old mountain, perfectly symmetrical.» Robinton gestured appropriately. «Zair was with me and could give Ruth the proper image.» Robinton turned his head slightly and gave Jaxom a private wink.

«Could Ruth take a direction from a fire lizard?» F'lar asked Jaxom, frowning at the unreliability of the source.

«He has,» Jaxom remarked, and Robinton caught the glint of amusement in the lad's eyes. He began to wonder where fire lizards had already led the white dragon. Would Menolly know?

«What is this?» F'lar demanded suddenly. «A conspiracy to restore fire lizards to good odor?»

«I thought we were forming a cooperative venture to locate D'ram,» Robinton replied in mild rebuke.

F'lar snorted and bent to study the maps.

The cooperation, Robinton realized, would be all on Ruth's part. The outcome would finally depend on whether or not the Southern fire lizards were attracted to the white dragon. Otherwise, Jaxom had agreed to try judicious time jumps backward in the cove… if, F'lar amended, Jaxom was able to find the proper one.

The subject of fire lizard memory was discussed again; F'lar unwilling to concede that, unlike the dragons they otherwise resembled, the little creatures were capable of recall. Their tales might all be imaginary, the results of sun dreams and insubstantial. To that Robinton replied that imagination relied on memory without one, the other was impossible. The afternoon drew to a close, emphasized by the return of the fosterlings to the Hold after a day's field tour with Brand. F'lar noted that he'd been gone far longer than he had intended when he set out from Benden. He cautioned Jaxom to be careful timing it advice which Robinton suspected F'lar had best take to heart himself and to take no risks with himself or his dragon. If he didn't locate the cove, he was not to waste time and energy but return. If he did find D'ram, preferably he was to mark the time and place and return immediately to Benden with the coordinate for F'lar. F'lar did not want to intrude on D'ram's grief unnecessarily, and if Jaxom could avoid being seen, so much the better.

«I think you could trust Jaxom to handle the situation diplomatically,» Robinton said, watching the young man through the side of his eyes. «He's already proved to be discreet.» Now why would Jaxom react so to a simple compliment, Robinton wondered and smoothly made a fuss of rolling up the charts to divert attention from the discomposed young rider.

Robinton told Jaxom to get a good night's sleep, a good morning's breakfast, and to report to the Harpercrafthall immediately thereafter to acquire his guide. Then Robinton and F'lar left the Hold. As the Weyrleader and Mnementh brought the Harper back to his Hall, Robinton forebore to go beyond offering ordinary courtesies. The needs of Pern had brought the Benden Weyrleader back to the Hall. One step at a time!

As Robinton watched F'lar and bronze Mnementh climb above the fire heights and wink out. Beauty appeared, scolding at Zair, who resumed his customary perch on the Harper's shoulder. Zair did not respond to her crackling, causing Robinton to grin. Menolly must be agitating for an account of the afternoon's doings. She wasn't presumptuous enough to nag at him, but that didn't keep Beauty from badgering his bronze. A good child, Menolly, and worth her weight in marks. He hoped she'd approve of a trip with young Jaxom. He hadn't mentioned her participating in front of Lytol since F'lar had long ago enjoined him to the strictest secrecy about his Southern trips. Zair would not have been enough for Jaxom to find the right cove, but with Menolly, who had been with him on that stormy trip, and her fire lizards to act as reinforcement, they'd have no trouble at all. But the fewer people who knew about it the better.

The next day when the Harper informed Jaxom of this added insurance for success, Jaxom looked relieved and surprised.

«Mind you, young Jaxom, it's not to be discussed that Menolly and I have been exploring so far south. In point of fact, we hadn't planned that trip…»

Menolly chuckled. «I told you there'd be a storm.»

«Thank you. I've heeded your weather wisdom since, as you well know.» He grimaced as he recalled three days of storm sickness and a desperate Menolly clinging to the tiller of their light craft.

He saddled them with no further advice, urged them to take a supply of food from the kitchens and said he hoped they'd have a favorable report.

«Of D'ram's whereabouts?» Menolly asked, her eyes dancing at him, «or the performance of the fire lizards?»

«Both, of course, saucy girl. Away with you.»

He had decided not to query Jaxom about his strong reactions to timing it and discretion. When he had told Menolly of his intention to send her and her fire lizards to accompany Jaxom, she, too, had reacted in an unexpected fashion. He had casually asked her what was so amusing and she had merely shaken her head, convulsed in laughter. He couldn't imagine what the two of them had been up to together. Now, as he watched Ruth circle into the skies above the Hold, he reviewed their interactions. Good natured chaffing, certainly a dollop of contention for leadership but nothing beyond the exchanges of old friends. Not, he hastily told himself, that Menolly would not make an excellent Lady Holder for Jaxom if the two were sincerely attached. It was just that… the Harper chided himself for interfering and turned to dull matters of Craft management which he had been delaying far too long.