Well serve ourselves, Fnor assured her, picking up two mugs.
Oh, I ought to do that, sir …
You ought to watch your kettles, Mirrim. Well manage, Flar told her kindly, mentally contrasting the state of domestic affairs at the Crafthall to the order and the cooking of good rich food at this hall.
He motioned the brown rider to take the table furthest from the kitchen hearth.
Can you hear anything from the lizards? he asked in a low voice.
From hers, you mean? No, but I can easily see what they must be thinking from their reactions. Why?
Idle question. But shes not from a Search, is she?
No, of course not. Shes Brekkes fosterling.
Hmmm. Then shes not exactly proof, is she?
Proof of what, Flar? Ive suffered no head injury but I cant follow your thought.
Flar gave his brother an absent smile and then exhaled wearily.
Were going to have trouble with the Lord Holders theyre disillusioned and dissatisfied with the Oldtime Weyrs and are going to balk at any more expeditious measures against Thread.
Raid and Sifer give you a hard time?
I wish it were only that, Fnor. Theyd come round. Flar gave his half-brother a terse account of what hed learned from Lytol, Robinton and Fandarel the day before.
Brekke was right when she said something really important had come up, Fnor said afterward. But …
Yes, that newss a hard roll to eat, all right, but our ever efficient Craftsmiths got what might be an answer, not only to the watch on Thread but to establishing decent communications with every Hold and Hall on Pern. Especially since we cant get the Oldtimers to assign riders outside the Weyrs. I saw a demonstration of the device today and were going to rig one for the Lord Holders at Telgars wedding …
And the Threads will wait for that?
Flar snorted. They may be the lesser evil, frankly. The Threads prove to be more flexible in their ways than the Oldtimers and less trouble than the Lord Holders.
One of the basic troubles between Lord Holders and Weyrmen are dragons, Flar, and those fire lizards might just ease matters.
Thats what I was thinking earlier, considering that young Mirrim had Impressed three. Thats really astonishing, even if she is weyrbred.
Brekke would like to see her Impress a fighting dragon, Fnor said in a casual way, watching his half-brothers face closely.
Flar gave him a startled stare and then threw back his head and laughed.
Can you … imagine … Trons reaction? … he managed to say.
Well enough to spare myself your version, but the fire lizard may do the trick! And, have the added talent of keeping Hold in contact with Weyr if these creatures prove amenable to training.
If if! Just how similar to dragons are fire lizards?
Fnor shrugged. As I told you, they are Impressionable if rather undiscriminating, he pointed to Mirrim at the Hearth and then grinned maliciously, although they detested Kylara on sight. Theyre slaves to their stomachs, though after Hatching thats very definitely draconic. They respond to affection and flattery. The dragons themselves admit the relationship, seem totally free of jealousy of the creatures. I can detect basic emotions in the thoughts of mine and they generally inspire affection in those who handle them.
And they can go between?
Grall my little queen did. About chewing firestone I couldnt hazard a guess. Well have to wait and see.
And we dont have time, Flar said, clenching his fists, his eyes restless with the current of his thoughts.
If we could find a hardened clutch, all set to Hatch, in time for that wedding that, combined with Fandarels gadget Fnor let his sentence trail off.
Flar got up in a single decisive movement. Id like to see your queen. You named her Grall?
Youre solid dragonman, Flar, Fnor chuckled, remembering what Brekke had said. You had no trouble remembering the lizards name but the girls ? Never mind, Flar. Gralls with Canth.
Any chance you could call her here?
Fnor considered the intriguing possibility but shook his head.