put plans into operation. Still, considerable hardship would result in
transporting items from Hall to Hold to Weyr during Threadfall,
especially since dragons would be wholly involved in protecting the land
from Thread. They could not be asked to perform trivial duties.
After all, dragons were not a transportation facility; they had been
bio-engineered as a defensive force, and conveying people and goods was
only an Interval occupation.
He wondered if the traders had any paper in their great wagons.
Not that he had even a quarter mark left in his pouch, but maybe they’d
take a sketch or two in trade.
As quickly as he neatly could, he filled his last empty page with a
montage: the train entering the Weyr Bowl, people rushing out to meet
it, the goods being exhibited, deals being made, with the central
portion the scene of the trail bosses discussing shelters with the
Weyrleaders. He held the pad at arm’s length and regarded it
critically.
That’s marvellous,’ a voice said behind him, and he twisted about in
surprise. Why, you did it in a flash!” The green rider, her dragonet
lounging beside her, smiled self-consciously, her green eyes shining
with something akin to awe. Leopol had pointed this new rider out to
him the other day and related the circumstances of her precipitous
arrival at the Hatching.
Debera?” he asked, remembering the name. She gasped, slightly
recoiling from him in her startlement. Her dragon came immediately
alert, eyes twirling faster with alarm. Oh, say, I didn’t mean to .
Easy, Morath, he means me no harm,’ she said to the dragon and then
smiled reassuringly up at him. I was just surprised you’d know my name
– -, Leopol,’ and lantine pointed his pencil to where the boy stood in
earnest bargaining with a trader lad about the same age, used to tell
me everything that happened in the Weyr while I was recovering.
Oh, yes,’ and the girl seemed to relax and even managed a wider smile,
I know him. He’s into everything. But kindhearted,’ she added
hastily, glancing up at lantine. You’ve had some adventures, too, or
so Leopol told me.” Then she indicated his sketch. You did that so
well and so quickly.
Why, you can almost hear them bargaining,’ she added, pointing to the
trader with his mouth open.
lantine regarded it critically. Well, speed is not necessarily a good
thing if you want to do good work.” He deftly added a fold to the head
trader’s tunic, where he now saw there was a bulge over the belt.
Let’s see if the subject likes it. He was amazed to hear the edge in
his voice. She glanced warily up at him.
If that’s what you can do quickly,’ she said reassuringly. I’d like
to see what you do when you take your time.
He couldn’t resist and flipped over pages to where he had made a sketch
of her oiling Morath.
Oh, and I didn’t see you doing this She reached out to touch it, but
he was flipping to the page where he had sketched her and Morath
listening to T’dam at the lecture.
She’d had one arm draped over her dragon’s neck and he thought he had
captured the subtle bond that had prompted the embrace.
Oh, that’s marvellous,’ and lantine was amazed to see tears in her
eyes. In a spontaneous gesture, she clung to his arm, feasting her eyes
on the drawing and preventing him from turning the page over.
Oh, how I’d You like it?” Oh, I do,’ and she snatched her hands away
from his arm and clasped them behind her back, blushing deeply. I do
and bit her lip, swaying nervously.
What’s the matter?” She gave an embarrassed laugh. I haven’t so much
as the shaving of a mark . – He tore the sketch out of the pad and
handed it to her.
Oh, I couldn’t . . . I couldn’t,’ and she stepped back, although the
look in her eyes told lantine how much she wanted it.
Why not?” He pressed the paper against her, pushing it at her when she
continued to resist. Please, Debera? I’ve had to get my hand back in