contracts into his pack shrugged into his coat, rolled up his
sleeping-furs, looped both packs in one hand and was half-way down the
stairs again when he met Chalkin ascending.
You cannot leave now,’ Chalkin protested, grabbing his arm. You have
to wait until my wife has seen and approved my portrait.
Oh, no, I don’t, said lantine, wrenching free of the restraining hand.
He was out of the main door before Chalkin could say another word, and
ran down the roadway between the soiled snow banks. If he was benighted
on the road in the middle of a snowstorm, he would still be safer than
staying one more hour at Bitra Hold.
Luckily for him, he found shelter during that next storm in a woodsman’s
holding some klicks away from the main Hold.
Telgar Weyr, Fort Hold Guess what I found?” P’tero cried, ushering his
guest into the kitchen cavern. Tisha, he’s half frozen and starving of
the hunger,’ the young green rider added, hauling the tall fur wrapped
figure towards the nearest hearth and pushing him into a chair. He
deposited the packs he was carrying on to the table.
Klah, for the love of little dragons, please .
Two women came running, one with klah and the other with a hastily
filled bowl of soup. Tisha came striding across the cavern, demanding
to know what the problem was, who -had P’tero rescued and from where.
No-one should be out in weather like this,’ she said as she reached the
table and grabbed the victim’s wrist to get a pulse.
All but froze, he is.” – — Tisha pulled aside the furs wrapped about
his neck and – then let him take the cup. He cradled the klah in
reddened – fingers, blowing before he took his first cautious sip. He
was also shivering uncontrollably.
I spotted an SOS on the snow – lucky for him that the sun made shadows
or I’d never have seen it,’ P’tero was saying, thornughly pleased with
himself. Found him below Bitra Hold…
Poor man,’ Tisha interjected.
Oh, you’re so right there,’ P’tero said with ironic fervour, and he’ll
never return. Not that he’s told me all . . . and P’tero flopped to
a chair when someone brought him a cup of klah. Got out of Chalkin’s
clutches intact . . . and P’tero grinned impishly, and then survived
three nights in a Bitran woodsman’s hold — with only a half cup of old
oats to sustain him – – Through his explanation, Tisha ordered hot
water-bottles, warmed blankets and, taking a good look at the man’s
fingers, numb weed and frostbite salve.
Don’t think they’re more than cold,’ she said, removing one of his
hands from its fevered grip on the hot cup and spreading the fingers
out, lightly pinching the tips. No, cold enough but not harmed. Thank
you, thank you,” the man said, returning his fingers to the warm cup. I
got so cold stamping out that emergency code And out of doors in such
weather with no gloves,’ Tisha chided him.
When I left Domaize Hall for Bitra Hold, it was only autumn,’ he said
in a grating voice.
Autumn?” Tisha echoed, widening her fine eyes in surprise.
How long were you at Bitra Hold then?” Seven damned weeks,’ the man
replied, spitting out the words in a disgusted tone of voice. I had
thought a week at the most Tisha laughed, her belly heaving under her
broad apron.
What under the stars took you to Bitra in the first place?
Painter, are you?” she added.
How’d you know?” The man regarded her with surprise.
Still have paint under your nails Iantine inspected them and his
cold-reddened face flushed a deeper red.
I didn’t even stop to wash,’ he said.
As well you didn’t, considering the price Chalkin charges for such
luxuries as soap,’ she said, chuckling again.
The women returned with the things Tisha had ordered.
While they ministered to the warming of him, he clung with one hand or
the other to the klah. And then to the soup cup.
ijis furs, which had kept him from freezing to death, were taken to dry
at one fire; his boots were removed and his toes checked for frostbite