There was a long silence which Lytol broke with a snort. “Harpers! Harpers are supposed to instruct the young.”
“And first and foremost, to preserve our heritage!”
CHAPTER VIII
Ruatha Hold, Fort Weyr, Fidello’s Hold, 15.6.3-15.6.17
JAXOM WAS DISAPPOINTED that all Lytol’s coaxing could not draw more facts from the Harper about his explorations in the South. At the point where Jaxom’s fatigue made it difficult for him to keep his eyes open, it occurred to him that Robinton had indeed succeeded in rousing Lytol to support his and N’ton’s desire to keep interest in the South to a minimum.
Jaxom’s last waking thought was one of admiration for the Harper’s devious methods. No wonder he had not objected to Jaxom training with N’ton when he saw Lytol was in favor of it. The Harper needed the older man as the Lord Holder at Ruatha. Training Ruth to chew firestone kept the young Lord from wanting to take Hold in Lytol’s place.
The next morning Jaxom was positive that he couldn’t have moved during the night. He was bindingly stiff, his face and shoulder stung with the Threadscore and that reminded him of Ruth’s injury. With no regard for his own discomfort, he whipped aside the furs and, grabbing the numbweed pot as he went, burst into Ruth’s weyr.
The faintest rumble told him that the white dragon was still sound asleep. He also seemed not to have moved for his leg was propped in the same position.
That made it easier for Jaxom to work and he smeared a new coating of numbweed along the line of the score. Only then did it occur to Jaxom that he and Ruth might have to wait until they’d healed before they could join the weyrlings at Fort Weyr.
Lytol did not share his thought. The reason Jaxom was going to Fort Weyr was to avoid scoring, to learn how to take care of his dragon and himself during Threadfall. If he got teased because he hadn’t ducked fast enough, he deserved it. So, after breaking his fast, Jaxom flew Ruth to the Weyr.
Fortunately two of those in training were near his own age of eighteen Turns-not that being older would have bothered Jaxom as long as he could train Ruth properly. He did have to suppress the insidious urge to excuse Ruth’s scoring with the real reason for the supposed clumsiness. He took refuge in knowing that he had achieved more than they’d ever guess-a small consolation.
His first problem in the weyrling class was to relieve Ruth of the embarrassment of the endless firelizards that settled on him. No sooner was one group dislodged and sent off than another appeared, to the disgust and exasperation of K’nebel, the weyrlingmaster.
“Does this go on all day wherever you are?” the man asked Jaxom irritably.
“More or less. They just … come. Especially since … what happened at Benden Weyr.”
K’nebel snorted his aggravation even as he nodded his understanding. “I don’t like to put truth to these notions that dragons flamed firelizards, but you’ll never get Ruth going if the firelizards don’t leave him alone. And if they don’t leave him alone, one of ‘em will get flamed!”
So Jaxom had Ruth shoo the firelizards away as quickly as they arrived. It took time before Ruth remained unencumbered for any appreciable period. Then, either all the firelizards in the vicinity had looked in, or Ruth had been sufficiently firm and the rest of the morning’s class was undisrupted.
Despite all the interruptions, K’nebel kept the weyrlings working until the noonday meal was called. Jaxom was invited to stay and, as a mark of his rank, was shown to the large table reserved for senior dragonriders.
The conversation was dominated by continued speculation about the return of the egg and which one of the queen riders had returned it. The discussions served to reinforce Jaxom’s decision to remain silent. He cautioned Ruth, needlessly, it appeared since the white dragon was more interested in chewing firestone and dodging Thread than in past events.
The firelizards about him had lost all their previous agitation. Their primary concern now was eating, the secondary one was their hides. With the advent of the warmer weather, they had begun shedding and were plagued by itching. The images they projected to Ruth no longer had alarming content.