Hed check, double check, as soon as he returned to the Weyr. In the meantime, hed better make sure they had cleared the Fall from Edge to Edge. He directed Mnementh to find Asgenar, Lord Holder of Lemos.
Mnementh obediently turned out of the leisurely glide and dropped swiftly. Flar could thank good fortune that it was Lord Asgenar of Lemos to whom he must explain rather than Lord Sifer of Bitra Hold or Lord Raid of Benden Hold. The former would rant against the injustice and the latter would contrive to make a premature arrival of Thread a personal insult to him by dragonmen. Sometimes the Lords Raid and Sifer tried Flars patience. True, those three Holds, Benden, Bitra and Lemos, had conscientiously tithed to support Benden Weyr when it was the sole dragonweyr of Pern. But Lord Raid and Lord Sifer had an unpleasant habit of reminding Benden Weyr riders of their loyalty at every opportunity. Gratitude is an ill-fitting tunic that can chafe and smell if worn too long.
Lord Asgenar of Lemos Hold, on the other hand, was young and had been confirmed in his honors by the Lord Holders Conclave only five Turns ago. His attitude toward the Weyr which protected his Holdlands from Thread was refreshingly untainted by invidious reminders of past services.
Mnementh glided toward the expanse of the Great Lake which separated Lemos Hold from upper Telgar Hold. The Threads advance edge had just missed the verdant softwoods that surrounded the northern shores. Mnementh circled down, causing Flar to lean into the great neck, grasping the fighting straps firmly. Despite his weariness and worry, he felt the sharp surge of elation which always gripped him when he flew the huge bronze dragon; that curious merging of himself with the beast, against air and wind, so that he was not only Flar, Weyrleader of Benden, but somehow Mnementh. immensely powerful, magnificently free.
On a rise overlooking the broad meadow that swept down to the Great Lake, Flar spotted the green dragon. Lemos Lord Holder, Asgenar, would be near her. Flar smiled sardonically at the sight. Let the Oldtimers disapprove, let them mutter uneasily when Flar put non-weyrfolk on dragonback, but if Flar had not, Thread would have fallen unseen over those hardwoods.
Trees! Another bone of contention between Weyr and Hold, with Flar staunchly upholding the Lords position. Four hundred Turns ago, such timber stands had not existed, were not permitted to grow. Too much living green to protect. Well, the Oldtimers were eager enough to own products of wood, overloading Fandarels woodcraftsman, Bendarek, with their demands. On the other hand, they wouldnt permit the formation of a new Crafthall under Bendarek. Probably because, Flar thought bitterly, Bendarek wanted to stay near the hardwoods of Lemos, and that would give Benden Weyr a Crafthall in its jurisdiction. By the Egg, the Oldtimers were almost more trouble than they were worth!
Mnementh landed with sweeping backstrokes that flattened the thick meadow grass. Flar slid down the bronzes neck to join Lord Asgenar while Mnementh trumpeted approval to the green dragon and Frad, his rider.
Frad wants to warn you that Asgenar …
Not much gets through Bendens wings, Asgenar was saying by way of greeting so that Mnementh didnt finish his thought. The young man was wiping soot and sweat from his face for he was one Lord who directed his ground crews personally instead of staying comfortably in his main Hold. Even if Threads have begun to deviate. How do you account for all these recent variations?
Variations? Flar repeated the word, feeling stupid because he somehow realized that Asgenar was not referring just to this days unusual occurrence.
Yes! And here we thought your timetables were the last word. To be relied on forever, especially since they were checked and approved by the Oldtimers. Asgenar gave Flar a sly look. Oh, Im not faulting you, Flar. Youve always been open in our dealings. I count myself lucky to be weyrbound to you. A man knows where he stands with Benden Weyr. My brother-in-law elect? Lord Larad, has had problems with Tkul of the High Reaches Weyr, you know. And since those premature falls at Tillek and Upper Crom, hes got a thorough watch system set up. Asgenar paused, suddenly aware of Flars tense silence. I do not presume to criticize weyrfolk, Flar, he said in a more formal tone, but rumor can outfly a dragon and naturally I heard about the others. I can appreciate the Weyrs not wishing to alarm commoners but well a little forewarning would be only courteous.