CHAPTER XIX
Morning at the Cove Hold, Star-gazing in Late Evening, Next Morning, Discovery at the Mountain, 15.10.15-15.10.16
BY THE TIME Jaxom and Piemur had reluctantly struggled from their furs the next morning, Sharra told them that the Harper had risen at the first light of day, taken a bracing swim, made himself a breakfast and been long in his study, muttering over the charts and making copious notes. He now wished to have a few words with Jaxom and Piemur, if they didn’t mind.
Master Robinton acknowledged their entry with a sympathetic grin for their deliberate and slow movements, the aftereffects of a very convivial evening. He then began asking for explanations of their latest additions to the main chart. When he had satisfied himself on that point, he asked how they had arrived at their conclusions. When they’d told him, he leaned back from the desk, fiddling with his drawing stick with such an unreadable expression on his face that Jaxom began to worry about what the Harper might be planning.
“Have either of you happened to notice the trio of stars we have been calling-erroneously, I might add -the Dawn Sisters?”
Jaxom and Piemur exchanged glances.
“Do you have a far-viewer with you, sir?” Jaxom asked.
The Harper nodded. “Master Idarolan has one aboard his ship. I construe that question to mean that you’ve noticed that they also appear at dusk?”
“And whenever there’s enough moonlight …” Piemur added.
“And always in the same place!”
“I see you did profit by your classes,” the Harper said, beaming at both of them. “Now, I’ve asked Master Fandarel if we could prevail on Master Wansor to visit here for a few days. Why, might I ask, are you two grinning as if you’d eaten all the bubbly pies at a gather?”
Piemur’s grin deepened at this reference to his apprentice pastime.
“I don’t think anyone on Pern would refuse to come here, given the whisper of an invitation,” he said.
“Does Master Wansor have his new far-viewer finished?” Jaxom asked.
“I certainly hope that he does …”
“Master Robinton …” Brekke stood in the doorway, a curious expression on her face.
“Brekke,” the Harper held up a warning hand, “if you have come to tell me that I have to rest, or drink a potion of your making, I beg you, don’t! I have far too much to do.”
“All I have is a message which Kimi has just brought from Sebell,” she said, handing him the small tube.
“Oh!”
“As to your resting, I’ve only to watch Zair to know when that’s necessary!” Her glance, as she turned to leave the study, fell on Jaxom and Piemur. There was no doubt in Jaxom’s mind that he and Piemur were under tacit orders not to overstrain the Harper’s strength.
Master Robinton raised his eyebrows in surprise as he read the message “Oh, dear. Toric was invaded by a shipload of holders’ sons last evening. Sebell feels he should wait till they’ve settled into temporary quarters.” He chuckled and, when he saw the expressions of Jaxom and Piemur, then added, “I infer that all did not progress as smoothly as the holder boys could wish!”
Piemur snorted, with the contempt born of his Turns’ exploring and his knowledge of Toric and his Hold’s accommodations.
“Once you can go between, Jaxom,” Robinton continued, “our investigation can proceed more rapidly. I’ve in mind to set you and the girls out as teams.”
“Harper and Holder?” Jaxom asked, seizing the opportunity he’d been waiting for.
“Harper and holder? Oh, yes, of course. Piemur, you and Menolly have worked well together, I know. So Sharra can go with Jaxom. Now …” Oblivious to the sharp look Piemur gave Jaxom, the man went on. “One sees things from the air in a perspective not always possible at ground level. The reverse, of course, applies. So any exploration should involve both methods. Jaxom, Piemur knows what I’m looking for …”
“Sir?”
“Traces of the original habitation of this continent. I can’t for the life of me imagine why our long-dead ancestors left this fruitful and beautiful continent for the colder, duller North, but I assume that they had good reasons. The oldest of our Records states: When man came to Pern, he established a good Hold in the South. We used to think,” the Harper smiled apologetically for that error, “that Fort Hold was meant, since it is south in the Northern Continent. But that particular document goes on to state ambiguously: but found it necessary to move north to shield. That never made any sense, but so many of the old Records have deteriorated past deciphering, much less coherence.