This was as marvelously exciting as she had hoped it would be, Lessa confided to Ramoth. Ramoth replied: yes, it was certainly preferable to the time-consuming methods others had to use, but she didn’t think it was exciting at all to jump between from Benden Weyr to Benden Hold and back to Benden Weyr again. It was dull. They had met with Mnementh above the Star Stone again. The bronze dragon sent Lessa the message that this was a very satisfying initial session. They would practice some distant jumping tomorrow.
Tomorrow, thought Lessa glumly, some emergency will occur or our hard-working Weyrleader will decide today’s session constitutes keeping his promise and that will be that.
There was one jump she could make between, from anywhere on Pern, and not miss her mark. She visualized Ruatha for Ramoth as seen from the heights above the Hold … to satisfy that requirement. To be scrupulously clear, Lessa projected the pattern of the firepits. Before Fax, invaded and she had had to manipulate its decline, Ruatha had been such a lovely, prosperous valley. She told Ramoth to jump between.
The cold was intense and seemed to last for many heartbeats. Just as Lessa began to fear that she had somehow lost them between, they exploded into the air above the Hold.
Elation filled her. That for F’lar and his excessive caution! With Ramoth she could jump anywhere! For there was the distinctive pattern of Ruatha’s fire-guttered heights. It was just before dawn, the Breast Pass between Crom and Ruatha, black cones against the lightening gray sky. Fleetingly she noticed the absence of the Red Star that now blazed in the dawn sky. And fleetingly she noticed a difference in the air.
Chill, yes, but not wintry … the air held that moist coolness of early spring.
Startled, she glanced downward, wondering if she could have, for all her assurance, erred in some fashion. But no, this was Ruath Hold. The Tower, the inner Court, the aspect of the broad avenue leading down to the crafthold were just as they should be. Wisps of smoke from distant chimneys indicated people were making ready for the day.
Ramoth caught the tenor of her insecurity and began to press for an explanation.
This is Ruatha, Lessa replied stoutly. It can be no other.
Circle the heights. See, there are the firepit lines I gave you….
Lessa gasped, the coldness in her stomach freezing her muscles.
Below her in the slowly lifting predawn gloom, she saw the figures of many men foiling over the breast of the cliff from the hills beyond Ruatha, men moving with quiet stealth like criminals.
She ordered Ramoth to keep as still as possible in the air so as not to direct their attention upward. The dragon was curious but obedient.
Who would be attacking Ruatha? It seemed incredible. Lytol was, after all, a former dragonman and had savagely repelled one attack already. Could there possibly be a thought of aggression among the Holds NOW that F’lar was Weyrleader? And what H6ld Lord would be foolish enough to mount a territorial war in the winter? No, not winter. The air was definitely springlike.
The men crept on, over the firepits to the edge of the heights. Suddenly Lessa realized they were lowering rope ladders over the face of the cliff, down toward the open shutters of the Inner Hold.
Wildly she clutched at Ramoth’s neck, certain of what she saw. This was the invader Fax, now dead nearly three Turns Fax and his men as they began their attack on Ruatha nearly thirteen Turns ago.
Yes, there was the Tower guard, his face a white blot turned toward the Cliff itself, watching. He had been paid his bribe to stand silent this morning.
But the watchwher, trained to give alarm for any intrusion why was it not trumpeting its warning? Why was it silent?
Because, Ramoth informed her rider with calm logic, it senses your presence as well as mine, so how could the Hold be in danger?
No, No! Lessa moaned. What can I do now? How can I wake them? Where is the girl I was? I was asleep, and then I woke. I remember. I dashed from my room. I was so scared. I went down the steps and nearly fell. I knew I had to get to the watchwher’s kennel… . I knew… .