K’vin pretended wide-eyed shock at such a notion. M’shall glanced
around. I didn’t hear that, Paulin,’ the Benden Weyrleader said with
stiff dignity.
As if we would . . . K’vin remarked to M’shall as they strode out of
Fort Hold.
I’d like to,’ said M’shall, in a taut voice, that’s the problem.
But then, I’ve known Chalkin longer than you.
Craigath and Charanth were already on the court, awaiting their riders.
You’ll take the western and northern crossings, K’vin?” M’shall asked
as they separated to reach their bronzes. Have you been checking on
numbers for transport?” Yes, and had sweep riders checking in ever
since Chalkin closed the borders. Zulaya will warn Tashvi and Salda
that we’re proceeding. We’ll take all to the Weyr first. The entire
Weyr is organized to help.
You’re a good man, K’vin,’ and M’shall grinned at his colleague.
So let’s do it!” The Benden Weyrleader launched himself up his dragon’s
shoulder and swung neatly between the end ridges.
We go to help? Charanth asked K’vin.
In deed we do. Tell Meranath to have Zulaya put our pThn into
operation. I’ll meet my wing at the Falls road. And I think we’d
better ask Jantine to come along.
When K’vin returned to Telgar, the first rescue wave was ready to take
off at his signal. He paused long enough to haul lantine behind him on
Charanth.
Get as much down in black and white as you can, lantine.
I want Chalkin nailed by the evidence.
lantine was all too happy to comply with the request. It would be one
way of paying back the arrogant Lord Holder for his snaking ways and
meanness. But, no sooner had lantine dropped to the hard-packed snow of
the border point than his attitude changed to horrified disgust. Using
an economy of line, he sketched the pen’ – ropes looped around trees
and the shivering knots of people forced to stand for there was not
enough room to sit down – in the churned mud of an inadequate space. He
drew the haggard faces, the chilled bodies bent inward from cold, or
those clumped together to share what warmth they had. Some had been
stripped of all but what covered private parts, and they had been
surrounded by their fellows in an attempt to keep them from freezing.
Some were standing barefoot on the rough rags and boots of their
neighbours, feet blue and dangerously white from frostbite. Children
wandered weeping with hunger and fatigue, or slumped in unconscious
bundles in the mud at the feet of the adults. Three elder lies were
stiff in death. Bloodied faces and bruised eyes were more common than
the unmarked.
The guards, however, were warm with many layers of clothing, good fires
with cooking spits turning to roast the meat of such animals as the
refugees had brought with them.
Others were tied or penned up for future use. Such belongings as the
refugees had brought with them were now piled at the side of the guard
house or in the barrows or carts lined up behind. lantine faithfully
recorded rings and bracelets, even earrings, inappropriately adorning
the guards.
They had been alarmed at the arrival of the dragon riders as many as
could retreating into the shelter of the stone border facility.
That had made it considerably easier to move the refugees. Of course,
many of them were in such a state of shock and fear that they were as
frightened of the dragons and the riders as of the brutal guards.
Zulaya had brought weyrfolk with her, and their presence reassured many.
So did the blankets and the warm jackets.
And the soup: the first sustenance many had had since they had left
their holds.
What lantine couldn’t put down on paper were the sounds and the smells
of that scene. And yet he did . . . in the open mouths of the
terrified folk, their haunted eyes, the contortions of their abused
bodies, their ragged coverings, and the piles of human ordure because
the guards had made no provision for that human requirement, and the
abandoned belongings and carts.
Now that he had seen real privation, Ian tine realized how lucky he had