“It is also his option,” Robinton said gently.
“I know. I know. And no one would fault him but Lessa is very worried. D’ram may have stepped down, Robinton, but his knowledge, his opinions are valuable and valued. Right now more than ever. Bluntly we need him … need him available to us.”
Robinton thought briefly about the possibility that D’ram had realized this and deliberately removed himself and Tiroth from easy access. But D’ram would serve Pern, and dragonfolk at any time.
“He perhaps needs time to recover from his grief, F’lar.”
“He was worn out with tending Fanna. You know that. He could also be sick and who would be there to help? We’re both worried.”
“I hesitate to suggest this, but has Brekke tried with the firelizards? Hers as well as those at Ista Weyr.”
A grin tugged at the worried line of F’lar’s mouth. “Oh, yes. She insisted. No luck. The firelizards need a direction to go between time just like dragons.”
“I didn’t exactly mean sending them. I mean, asking them to remember a lone bronze dragon.”
“Asking those creatures to remember?” F’lar laughed with incredulity.
“I’m serious, F’lar. They have good memories which can be triggered. For instance, how could the firelizards have known that the Red Star …” He was interrupted by a squeal of protest from Zair, who launched himself so quickly from Robinton’s shoulder that he scratched the Harper’s neck. “I will mention it in his presence!” Robinton said, ruefully patting the scratch. “My point is, F’lar, that the firelizards all knew that the Red Star was dangerous and could not be reached before F’nor and Canth tried to go there. If you can get a firelizard to make any sense when you mention the Red Star, they say they remember being afraid of it. They? Or their ancestors when our ancestors first attempted to go to it?”
F’lar gave the Masterharper a long searching stare.
“That isn’t the first memory of theirs that has proved to be accurate,” Robinton went on. “Master Andemon believes that it’s entirely possible that these creatures can remember unusual events that one of their number has witnessed or felt. Instinct plays a part with all animals-why not in their memories, too?”
“I’m not sure I see how you intend to get this-this firelizard memory to work in helping to find D’ram, whenever he’s got to.”
“Simple. Ask them to remember seeing a lone dragon. That would be unusual enough to be noted .. . and remembered.”
F’lar was not convinced it would work.
“Oh, I think so if we ask Ruth to ask them.”
“Ruth?”
“When every firelizard was scared to death of the other dragons, they beleaguered Ruth. Jaxom’s told me that they talk with his white wherever they are. With so many, there’s bound to be one that might remember what we want to know.”
“If I could relieve Lessa’s fears, I’d even forget my antipathy to those nuisances.”
“I trust you’ll remember that statement.” Robinton grinned to soften the remark.
“Will you come with me to Ruatha Hold?”
In that moment, Robinton remembered Jaxom’s Threadscoring. Of course, it would be long healed. But he couldn’t remember if N’ton had ever discussed Jaxom’s training with Benden Weyr.
“Shouldn’t we find out if Jaxom’s at the Hold?”
“Why wouldn’t he be?” F’lar asked, frowning.
“Because he’s often about the Hold, learning the land, or at Fandarel’s with the other young people.”
“A point.” F’lar looked away from the Harper, out the window, his eyes unfocused. “No, Mnementh says Ruth’s at the Hold. See, I have my own message sender,” F’lar added with a grin.
Robinton hoped that Ruth would think to tell Jaxom that Mnementh had bespoken him. He wished that he’d had time to send Zair with a message to Ruatha but he had no excuse and certainly no wish to jeopardize this gesture of F’lar’s.
“More reliable than mine and farther reaching than Fandarel’s little wire.” Robinton donned the thick wherhide jacket and helmet he used when flying. “Speaking of Fandarel, he’s got his lines as far as Crom’s mines, you know.” He gestured F’lar to precede him out of the room.
“Yes, I know. That’s another reason to locate D’ram.”