She’d changed a great deal since she Impressed Morath. He grinned,
picked up his pad and slowly made his way to his quarters.
He wasn’t sharing with any refugee, but Leopol sprawled on a bed-pad
along one wall and didn’t even stir as lantine prepared himself for bed.
There were more refugees than originally estimated and while the
resources of the two Weyrs were stretched, the Lord Holders immediately
sent additional supplies and offered shelter. Some of those rescued
were in bad shape from the cold and could not be immediately transferred
to the sanctuaries offered by Nerat, Benden and Telgar Holds.
Zulaya had headed a rescue team of the other queens and the green
riders. She came back, seething with rage.
I knew he was a greedy fool and an idiot, but not a sadist.
There were three pregnant women at the Forest Road border and they’d
been raped because, of course, they couldn’t sue the guards later on a
paternity claim.
Are the women all right?” K’vin asked, appalled by yet another instance
of the brutality. We arrived at the North Pass just in time to spare
three lads from very unkind attentions by the guards. Where does
Chalkin find such men?” From holds which have tossed them out for
anti-social behaviour or criminal activities, of course,’ Zulaya
replied, almost spitting in anger. And that blizzard’s closed in. We
moved just in time. If we hadn’t, I fear most of these people would be
dead by morning. Absolutely nothing allowed them!
Not even the comfort of a fire!” I know, I know,’ he said, as bitter
about the sadistic behaviour as she was. We should have treated those
guards to a taste of absolute cold. Like a long wait between. Only
that would have been a clean death.
We still can,’ Zulaya said in a grating tone. K’vin regarded her in
astonishment and she glared at him, clenching her fists at her sides.
Oh, I know we can’t, but that doesn’t keep me from wanting to!
Did you take lantine with you? I thought of how useful on-the-spot
sketches might be.” In fact, he asked to come. He’s got plenty to show
Lord Paulin and the Council,’ he said. He swallowed, remembering the
stark drawings that had filled one pad. lantine’s quick hand had
captured the reality, made even more compelling by the economy of line,
depicting horrific scenes of deliberate cruelty.
The Weyrleaders introduced themselves to the first of the refugees, and
started off by interviewing an older couple.
M’grandsir’s grand sir came to Bitra with the then Holder, the man said,
his eyes nervously going from one Weyrleader to the other. He kept
wiggling his bandaged fingers, though N’ran had assured them the pain
and itch had been dulled by fell is and numb weed I’m Brookie,
m’woman’s Ferina. We farmed it since. Never no reason to complain,
though the Holder keeps asking for more tithe and there’s only so much
comes out of any acre, no matter who tills it. But he’d the right.
Not to take our sow, though, his mate added, her expression rebellious.
We needed that un to make more piggies to meet the tithe he set.” Like
her man, she laid a stress on the pronoun. Took our daughter, too, to
work in the Hold when we wanted her land grant. Said we didn’t work
what we had good enough so we couldn’t have more.” Really?” said
Zulaya, deceptively mild as she shot K’vin a meaningful glance. Now
that’s interesting, holder Ferina.
K’vin envied Zulaya’s trick of remembering names.
You could’ve asked me, Charanth said helpfully.
You’ve been listening?
The people needed dragons’ help. I listen. We all do.
When the pity of dragons has also been aroused, surely that’s enough
justification for what we’ve just done, thought K’vin, if the Cound!
should turn up stiff. I must remember to tell Zulaya.
But he says we got it wrong and we ain’t had no teacher to ask,’ the
man said. An’ thassa nut her thing – we should have a teacher for our
kids.” At least so they can read the Charter and know what rights you
all do have,’ Zulaya said firmly. I’ve a copy we can show you right