eyes bright with anticipation.
If you’re willing . . . Paulin said.
I am, too,’ lantine added.
I rather thought you might be,’ said Paulin, and then rapidly issued
the details of the plan.
With the exception of S’nan, all the Weyrleaders were involved and even
young Gallian was persuaded to come.
I might as well be hanged for the sheep as the lamb,’ he said with a
fatalistic shrug.
You’ll not suffer from this day’s work, Gallian,’ Bastom assured him.
It’s a unanimous decision and our presence there will make that plain
to Chalkin. He has no allies among us,’ the Tillek Lord said, with a
reproving glance at S’nan who sat with face set in such a mournful
expression that Bastom was nearly sorry for the punctilious Weyrleader.
So we are agreed, Lords, Ladies and Leaders?” Paulin said when he was
sure everyone had grasped their roles in the deposition. Then let us
refresh ourselves and rest until it’s time to depart.
Bitra Hold and Telgar Weyr Except for the fact that the watchwher did
not succumb to the choice bits of meat brought to lure it from its duty
and M’shall had to have Craigath speak sharply to it, entry was
obtained.
Whoever should have heard the watchwher’s one bellow did not.
Issony had no trouble entering by the unlocked window and opening the
kitchen door to that contingent. Those who were assigned to watch the
various other exits from the Hold were by then in place. lantine sped
through the kitchen and up into the main reception rooms where he opened
the front entrance and the rest of the group entered.
Meanwhile, Issony had found the hidden door in the kitchen. Although
the stairway was lit by dying glows, there was enough illumination for
Paulin and the arresting’ Lords, Ladies and Leaders.
Paulin opened the access door at the top and entered Chalkin’s private
apartments first. Behind him came eight Lords and Ladies Holder and
M’shall, who insisted on representing the Weyrs. To their surprise, the
room was brightly lit, glows shining from wall sconces so that the
sleeping figures in the massive fur-covered bed were quite visible. All
three of them . . . Chalkin’s portly frame bulked the largest under
the sleeping furs, though hi head was covered by a fold of the fine
white bedsheet.
One of the girls woke first. She opened her mouth to scream, but did
not when she saw Paulin’s abrupt gesture fir silence. Instead, she
slithered across the mattress, sheet held up to her chin, to the edge of
the bed and grabbed a discarded dress from the pile on the floor.
Paulin indicated that she could clothe herself. As smoothly as she
moved, or perhaps because she had the sheet up to her chin and let in
cold air, the other girl was awakened. She did scream.
As loud as a green in season,’ M’shall said later chuckling at the
memory. At that, Chalkin didn’t rouse.
His guards had been alerted though and charged into the room, to be
flabbergasted by the sight of so many armed folk in Chalkin’s most
private apartment.
Chalkin has been impeached for failure to prepare this Hold for
Threadfall, for abuse of his privilege as Lord Holder and for denying
his holders their Charter-given rights,’ Paulin said in a loud voice,
sword drawn. Unless you wish to join him in his exile, put up your
weapons.
To a man, they did just that as the reinforcements, led by lantine,
burst in from the hall. That was what finally roused Chalkin from a
drunken sleep.
Later Paulin remarked that he’d been disappointed at such an
anti-climactic outcome of their dawn invasion.
S’nan will be reassured,’ K’vin said. I think he was certain we
intended to humiliate Chalkin.” We have,’ Tashvi said with a chuckle.
Lady Nadona, though she took a strong case of hysterics Irene took some
pleasure in applying the slaps that cut her histrionics short decided
that she could not leave her darling children to the mercies o0f
unfeeling men and women, and would sacrifice herself to remain behind
while Chalkin went into exile. She was exceedingly well acquainted with
her own rights as granted by the Charter, down to the Clause and