The Rider's Pride - 9. Chapter 9

“I never thought I’d see dragons actually digging!” Serece commented as those who had been working most of the morning enjoyed a picnic lunch on the ramp that led up to the great double-doors of Whitestone Hold. The doors were nearly a dragonlength wide, and large enough for Pinath to enter, as long as she lowered her head a little. From their morning work, it was clear the size of the doors made it possible to bring in herdbeasts and runners for shelter during Threadfall. Large pens and corrals to the right immediately after the entrance would hold every animal currently owned by Kapian, and then some.

“They have been growing more and more anxious as Thread nears.” Ramina said with an authoritative tone. “It does them good to sink their claws into a task that helps to defeat Thread. Pinath is determined the heights and the exterior will be free of growing things, as well as dirt by the end of tomorrow.”

“They’ll succeed at that, although I’d hate to be the one to clean them.” Kapian said with a wicked smile for his two middle sons. J’shon had been thinking the same thing when he saw the dirt-covered Liliath using her front arms to fling dirt off the top.

“Nikkoth says they have uncovered two hatch doors already.” A’toly added. They were all beyond dirty, and J’shon was already looking forward to bathing in the Weyr lake later in the evening. “I’ve heard drums twice today.”

“Yes, that was part of my agreement with Lord Bisal.” Kapian said. “Harper Hall will send a journeyman to train us up on current drum code once I’ve built a set of drums for the heights. Middle Canyon hold is close enough, but they have problems hearing drum messages from across the river. We’ll be a relay from the Igen side to the Keroon side. This way messages won’t have to go all the way to the Keroon heights before being relayed back down.”

“That’ll be good for all concerned.” B’rrel said with a nod.

“The Runner station has also asked for us to host a relay station here.” Serece said with a proud smile. “They use to have one, but it has not been used since Moreta’s time. They are sending a crew to clean and set up part of the Hold for that.”

“I wonder how everyone will adjust to not being isolated anymore.” J’shon wondered aloud and saw the frown on his father’s face. At Kapian, they had been able to isolate themselves from all the ebb and flow that happened with everyday life on Pern, but now they’d be rejoining the rest of the world. How that must grate on his father’s nerves at times.

He is actually pleased with it, if you pay attention. Liliath said in a gentle reproof. Pinath had allowed the dragons a rest while their humans ate lunch. The gold dragon had been imperious in her direction of the others in clearing the Hold’s upper regions.

“Forgive me for asking, weyrwoman, but would the dragons be averse to stacking the trees they uproot in one area?” Kapian asked quietly when the meal was almost finished. Ramina nodded before getting a blank look in her face that meant she was mentally asking her dragon. She laughed a moment later and dazzled the holder with a smile.

“Pinath says not to worry, they will stack the wood in one spot when they get more help.” Ramina said as Pinath bugled from the height of the hold. J’shon looked up to see another twenty dragons in the air above them, several with more than one person on their backs. The weyrwoman clapped her hands delightedly. “She bespoke the Weyr and suggested that anyone who wasn’t doing anything important should come here. It’s not likely their dragons would let them lounge around without anything to do after she asked for them!”

The extra hands were very helpful in clearing out the detritus of nearly two hundred turns of neglect. Piles of old broken furniture appeared on one side of the hold’s entrance while another, more somber pile appeared on the other. There were the remains of several people found on the third floor and three people set off to dig graves for the bones of the unknown people. A panic would have broken out, fueled by fears of dormant plague, except for Pinath’s urging through their dragons to remain calm. She dispatched a bronze rider to Healer Hall at Fort Hold, and he returned an hour later with a female Master Healer who assured those present that there was no fear of them catching a long-dead plague.

Lord Bisal arrived with H’mal an hour after that, and they examined the remains with the Healer, and toured what work had already been done on the hold. H’mal had a few private words with Ramina when he saw the dragons on the hillside tearing into a grove of trees that grew above the hold, but he walked away shaking his head while his own Goreth joined the dragons busily clearing away green growth from the hills around the hold. A halt was called to the work, several hours before sunset and J’shon nearly walked in on his father having words with Lord Bisal in a room on the second floor.

“Unbend your damned pride for one moment, Kapian!” Lord Bisal’s voice was almost a shout and while he felt guilty for listening, J’shon wouldn’t have moved for anything short of Liliath needing him. “I offered to help you pay for assistance in clearing this hold when I offered Whitestone to you!”

“I will not go in debt for this place.” Kapian’s voice was almost a low growl.

“By the First Egg, you fool, I would not waste good marks on a minor holder unless I knew the man would succeed!” Bisal roared. “You’ve proven that you were right and I was wrong! Your herdbeasts, especially the milk animals are some of the best on Pern! I’ve been informed that Rinald will have his mastership as soon as he claims it for the work he’s managed with you. How many marks did you bring in last turn after a winter that nearly saw half of Pern starving?”

“I made a decent profit.” Kapian allowed.

“You’ve tithed your due part, Kapian, and don’t think I can’t do the basic figures.” Bisal said in a lower, but even more emotional voice. J’shon was almost shaking at what he was feeling from the room the two men were occupying. “You’ve brought in over four hundred marks! My wife runs our hold on just six hundred a turn!”

“Much of that is needed to cover the costs I expect to incur…” Kapian began but Bisal cut him off.

“That’s not the point!” Bisal roared. “I know fardling well that you’ll need every last one of those marks to make this place succeed! That is why I am offering to hire a full team of workers to make this place clean and safe to occupy! I’ve got nearly forty workers and a damn good steward sitting around with nothing to do for the next three sevendays! The damn weather this spring has ruined more crops than you know. Half the holds in Keroon are going to struggle to grow enough and you in the middle of the fardling plains are having what will probably be your best turn! How many bushels of red-fruit are you getting ready to pick in a couple of sevendays?”

“Enough that I will be hiring at the next Gather.” Kapian admitted softly, almost too softly for J’shon to hear.

“Do you believe that you can do here what you’ve managed to do in the plains?” Bisal asked in a much calmer voice.

“It won’t be as easy.” Kapian said with a sigh. “The reason so many holders are having problems include not only that their soil is often overworked but that they either get too much runoff water from the mountains or they don’t get enough. If I put a stone cover over the roof of this place, I can build some cisterns and then use pipes to carry water to the fields. It’ll be expensive though, but then I can work fields further from the actual sides of the mountain.”

“When Thread comes though…” Bisal warned.

“I’ll flood the fields the day before Threadfall, if it comes.” Kapian said gravely, stressing the last part. Some piece of him still didn’t want to admit that Thread really was on the way. At least he wasn’t trying to ignore it though, like so many idiot holders were doing. “With good ground crews, we’ll be able to confine the damage even if the fields take a direct hit from Thread.”

“So, will you be able to produce here?” Bisal asked again.

“I won’t have a good grove of trees for several turns, more if Thread gets any of them.” Kapian said slowly and carefully. “Still, this land has lain fallow for generations, so it should grow more than just the fodder I’ve been growing. If I buy the right seeds, crops that won’t fail because I flood them every time Thread falls overhead, and as long as my current crop of fodder comes through and I transport it here to keep my herds going, then yes I’ll be able to produce. It won’t be as much as I do now, mostly because if Thread does fall I won’t be able to forage the herds as much, but I’ll make enough to support myself, at least a hundred or two holders, and to tithe generously to you and the Weyr.”

“How old are you?” Bisal asked and Kapian snorted.

“Just over forty turns.” Was the answer.

“How long do you expect to work this land before you have to turn it over to your son?” Bisal asked.

“Another twenty turns, more if I do not need to do as much physical labor as I do now.” Kapian answered. J’shon could see where this was going and he smiled to himself. His father wasn’t stupid and saw it too.

“Yes, Lord Bisal, if I work at it, in ten turns, even taking into account Thread wiping out half my crops each cycle, I’ll be able to double what I’m producing now at my hold.” Kapian said with a sigh that almost seemed to hurt. “If we fill this place up with decent workers, we’ll triple what I produce now even after taking care of the extra mouths. By the time I am ready to turn things over to Beven, you will have made back every mark you wish to provide me now.”

“Then why do you refuse?” Bisal asked in a very soft, caring tone. “Kapian, I doubted you when you married my Aunt’s granddaughter, but you convinced me to let you prove your worth out there in the middle of nowhere. You’ve done that and more. Look at you, a man who has claimed for turns Thread will not fall, but you still have the respect and support of the Weyr! You have dragons on your roof, man, doing their part to make this place livable! When holds across Pern hope they still will produce enough crops to see them through the winter, when I know my caverns and Igen’s will fill with the holdless who left their homes because they did not have enough to eat, and when Thread will fall with all the damage it does to the production of food and other commodities throughout Pern, you blithely talk about it taking longer for you to double or triple the production you achieve now! Most Lord Holders are preparing to tighten their belts because of what is coming. If you can make this place work before Thread falls, I may not have to tighten my belt! Have I so offended you over the turns that you will not do something that helps me as well as you?”

“I… I had not seen it from that perspective.” Kapian said softly.

“You and your fancy Harper words!” Bisal growled. “Listen to me Kapian! I am not offering these marks and these men to you, as well as this hold, the finest unclaimed hold on Pern, because I like you or you married a distant relative! I am offering them to you because you have proven you can hold, man! You can hold like few others, and I would be a fool to not give you the tools you need to succeed! I am not a Lord Holder because my father could farm well, I am a Lord Holder because my ancestors did exactly what I am doing now!”

“Send your men, Lord Bisal, and your marks.” Kapian growled. “I’ll take them, by Faranth I will, and by the time this Pass ends you’ll be amazed by what comes out of this hold!”

“Done!” Bisal cried out in triumph and J’shon backed up before they exited the room. When he ran into someone, he stifled a cry of alarm and turned to find H’mal looking at him with a smile. Motioning for J’shon to be quiet, he walked forward, taking J’shon’s arm and pulling him with him.

“There you two are!” H’mal called out as he entered the room where the two men were now quietly discussing details of what would happen now. “You know, I could have the entire Weyr here for a sevenday cleaning this place, and if we didn’t need to spend time training for Thread, I would! Kapian, I only wish all the other holders on Pern were like you.”

“Thank you, Weyrleader.” Kapian said with a bow of his head to hide the slight blush on his cheeks. “With the generosity of Lord Bisal, that won’t be necessary. I appreciate all the help from the Weyr. Lord Bisal, though, has kindly granted me additional help.”

“That’s right.” Bisal growled. “I’ll have Dolen put together a team of men and them and their families will be on a ship up here in a few days.”

“A fine plan.” H’mal said with approval. “Holder Kapian, you’ll need to head back and forth between Whitestone and your current hold until you’re ready to move. Just run up a flag on your pole and I’ll make sure I have a sweeprider check your current place twice a day. We’ll be happy to convey you back and forth until you’re fully settled here.”

“That…uh, thank you, Weyrleader.” Kapian started to protest but wisely stopped himself when H’mal gave him a very direct look. “I do appreciate all the assistance.”

“You’ve been fair with us, holder.” H’mal said firmly before turning to leave, taking J’shon with him.

“It’s about time your father saw sense and fully cooperated.” H’mal growled as they exited the hold back into the bright sunlight. He looked at J’shon with an appraising glance. “Don’t get me wrong, J’shon. Pride is a good thing to have, but too much will kill a person as surely as not having enough. Remember that lesson.”

“I will, H’mal.” J’shon said softly. He felt almost overwhelmed by the day’s events. He had no idea of the magnitude of what was occurring with his father. How had they become so important?

“Those raiders that hit your father’s old hold have been causing trouble all across the plains.” H’mal continued. “I’ll be sending out sweepriders in double the regular number to see if we can spot them from the air. Lord Bisal is training a force of men to deal with them when we do find them.”

“I see.” J’shon said softly.

“Well, that’s not your concern.” H’mal said. “Although you will be doing a few of those sweeprides yourself. I’ll pair you up with another green. I suggest you take tomorrow and really rest, care for Liliath as well. The day after you’ll be joining my wing for a trip to Bitra. I want to introduce Ramina to him, and you as well. He’s heard of your father and spouts off about Thread not falling and uses your father’s opinions to bolster his position. He’ll recognize your name and you can tell him how your father has changed his mind.”

“Um, H’mal…” J’shon stumbled and his cheeks blushed. He really did not want to have to tell this to the Weyrleader, but he was honor bound to do just that.

“What is it, lad?” H’mal asked in a kind tone.

“It’s Liliath, sir.” J’shon said very softly and H’mal turned to look at the hill above them where Liliath was working with Tabath to pull out a particularly tough old tree.

“I don’t…are you sure?” H’mal said. Greens usually showed when they were about to rise about a day or two before hand.

“Two days after the trip to Bitra.” J’shon told him while his cheeks flamed.

“She’ll be two days out?” H’mal asked him and J’shon nodded, embarrassed by the topic. H’mal laughed softly and then looked regretful. “The first time is always the scariest, lad, but I have no doubt you both will come through with nary a problem. If she’s going to be two days out at the time of the trip, it should be okay for you to go. Just don’t let your emotions run away with you.”

“Yes, sir.” J’shon said with a sigh.

What is the matter? Liliath asked and he sighed, clearing the concern and fear from his mind so it didn’t affect her.

Don’t worry; I’m just a little overwhelmed. He thought back to her.

“Say your farewells, lad.” H’mal told him. “You’re going to be spending the next several hours cleaning that little lady of yours. I’m afraid Goreth is much bigger and I’ll be lucky to have him clean before the sun sets, much less by dinner.”

“You’re probably right.” J’shon said, letting out a little laugh as Goreth stomped over to where the two greens were still having problems with the tree. With a mighty roar he ripped it from the ground and sent it rolling down the hillside.

“He’s having far too much fun.” H’mal said as his bronze let out another roar before shaking his body to send a dust cloud up that looked like half the dirt from the hillside had been on his hide.

Once all the dragons that had made the trip to Whitestone finished being bathed by their riders, the crystal clear Weyr Lake was rather muddy. Luckily for the weyrfolk, the water cleared up fairly rapidly. When they had first created the Weyrs, the Ancients had seeded the lake in each weyr with all kinds of plant life that helped keep the waters clean and pure. From weeds along the bottom to beautiful water lilies (whose stems tasted like chestnuts and often found their way into the meals served at the weyr) the teeming plant life of the lake kept it clean for dragons and riders.

The next morning, J’shon dressed in his best flying gear, and put on the nice belt-knife his mother had gifted to him at Turnover. As part of their training, weyrlings visited every major hold on Pern, even those that did not look to Igen for protection. They also visited every Weyr, and were introduced to every Weyrleader as well as the Lord Holders. By the time they were done with their training, they’d also have visited every minor holder that did look for their protection, and every major craft hall on Pern.

Yesterday’s events at Whitestone were just an example of why this was done. A healer had been needed to look at the bones, and so a dragonrider had been sent off to the main Healer Hall located at Fort Hold. Dragonriders needed to know all the major Holds and Halls, and their leaders.

For junior weyrwomen like Ramina, it was even more important for not only the dragonrider to know the locations and leaders of Pern, but the Lord Holders and Master Craftsmen to know her. Gold riders held a level of authority beyond that of even Lord Holders. No dragon would ever disobey a gold’s orders, and only a very foolish Lord Holder would hesitate before obeying.

I already look good. Liliath groaned as he checked her over before heading down to the Lower Caverns for breakfast. He’d spent a great deal of time last night oiling her.

“She looks fine.” B’rrel said from behind him and J’shon jumped a bit before turning around to glare at the rider who shared his weyr.

“What, is she speaking to you now as well?” J’shon demanded with a hint of anger. For some reason B’rrel’s presence irritated him this morning.

“No, but you spent so much time oiling her last night that I was dead asleep before you were finished.” B’rrel said with a yawn. “You look good as well.”

“Whatever.” J’shon said in a rather uncomfortable tone. The compliment made him flush, and if he let himself think about it, he had an idea as to why, but he steadfastly refused to think about that. “What are you doing today?”

“I’m going to Keroon.” B’rrel said softly, eyeing J’shon sympathetically. That only seemed to irritate J’shon more.

“What for?” J’shon asked as he began to loop his riding straps around Liliath.

“I thought I’d place an order for some of that really soft leather they tithed last time.” B’rrel said with a smile. “I saw the gloves S’flin made from the stuff and they’re really nice, but the stores are almost out and Delonna is using what’s left for the Weyrwomen, and for H’mal.”

“Let me get a couple of marks.” J’shon said quickly. He’d seen the gloves, and with a bit of the fur they had in stores, they’d be really nice, certainly nicer than the gloves he had now. He pulled out two of his last five marks and handed them to B’rrel who took them with a smile. While he’d been finding the marks, B’rrel had gotten Ojeth ready. Both of them flew their dragons down to the weyr bowl. The sun was up, brightening the sky, and their dragons went back to their weyr ledge and snuggled up to each other while waiting for the sun to get high enough in the sky so it would shine on them.

Breakfast this morning was mostly cold cereals with a decent amount of warm bread fresh from the oven. J’shon joined his brother who was sitting with S’flin and D’kov. Old Ki’li had finally consented to stepping down as Wingsecond and taking a post as assistant to the Weyrlingmaster. The old bronze rider was approaching his ninetieth birthing day, and had finally admitted his reflexes just weren’t fast enough for Threadfall. It was fairly common knowledge that H’mal wanted several of the oldest riders, all over seventy turns, to take up the Weyrlingmaster duties. That would free up S’lag as well as D’kov, and a few other younger riders. The younger riders had filled those positions mostly because the older riders, who had lived all their lives during Interval wanted to be in a fighting wing when Thread fell for the first time.

Dragonriders began their careers, for the most part, in the Weyrling Wing, and that was where they ended it as well. The Weyrling Wing’s primary duty was transferring sacks of firestones to riders who needed more (and flamethrower tanks to queen riders) as well as flying the middle heights of the fall, between the highest dragonriders and the lower flying Queen’s Wing. During non-Threadfall, they often ran messages or people back and forth across Pern.

“Riders assemble!” H’mal called out when the time neared for them to be heading out. J’shon had long since finished his morning meal and was sitting there listening to S’flin and D’kov talk about a new tapestry they wanted for their weyr. A journeyman weaver had approached S’flin on his last visit to Telgar Hold and wanted to trade the dragonrider the finished tapestry that would be his Masters piece for the help of using Tabath and Aliarth as models for part of his tapestry. The journeyman weaver had some strange ideas about the ‘lesser’ colors of the Weyrs and wanted to feature them in his work. S’flin had spent the better part of two days disabusing the weaver of his misconceptions regarding dragons.

J’shon was glad that he’d taken such care to wear good clothing, because H’mal looked over all his riders as they assembled in the early morning light. Bitra was two hours ahead of them, so there the sun would already have been up for at least two hours. H’mal’s plan for their flight was to actually come out of between over the northern end of the lands that looked to Bitra and fly the rest of the way to the hold along a path that would take them over most of Bitra’s populated areas.

They were showing off the newest of their queens.

Benden Weyr already had five queens, one of them hatched just the month before and another just now approaching her second turn and the beginning of her fertility cycle. High Reaches had four queens with another queen egg hardening on the sands of her hatching ground. Ista had three queens and another egg that was due to hatch any day now while Fort, the first Weyr, had four queens who had all risen at least once to mate, and a fifth that had hatched about a turn ago. Telgar Weyr had a full five queens, all having risen to mate, and was actually filled to capacity with dragons. Any day now, the Eye Rock of each Weyr would bracket the Red Star, and the countdown to the First Fall would begin.

Until then, each and every Weyr was reminding the Holds that dragons were flying in numbers not seen for the past two hundred turns.

They broke from between in a neat formation, with Pinath and Goreth flying close together and the wing’s bronze riders in close formation behind them. Browns, blues, and greens followed in staggered formation so that from the ground below they looked like the tip of an arrow pointed towards Bitra itself. This was not a formation used for fighting Thread, but it did make an impressive sight, J’shon noticed as he looked down from Liliath’s back. Below them, holders working in their fields paused to look up at the dragons until they went out of sight. Flocks of wild wherries would break from cover as they passed, and he felt Liliath twitch more than once at the sight. She’d fed recently enough, but her hunting instincts were being tickled. They even flew over a train of traders, their wagons newly outfitted with metal roofs.

There are more people here than Keroon. Liliath commented when they were about halfway to Bitra Hold.

“It’s older than the northern tip of Keroon.” He reminded her. “Remember the trip to southern Keroon where there were more people like this?”

Not really. She answered. Should I?

“No dear, it is nothing to worry about.” He said with a little laugh. Sure the wind took his words away as soon as he uttered them, but he felt most comfortable speaking them aloud, and Liliath was hearing them from his mind, not his lips.

Tabath is happy that Aliarth is back in the Wing. Liliath said after staying silent for a moment. I think he’s a fine dragon and Tabath agrees.

“She better agree!” J’shon laughed. “She’s his weyrmate!”

Ojeth is my weyrmate and we do not fly in the same wing. She retorted.

“Are you comfortable with us sharing the weyr with B’rrel and Ojeth?” J’shon asked, concerned that she may be feeling cramped.

If we do not share with Ojeth, we will have to share with Sharth. She said. I do not like to think of living in a weyr without us having company. I do like Sharth too, but he is more moody than Ojeth. Sharth does not know to leave me alone when I sleep sometimes and is always asking me questions. Ojeth knows if I sleep to leave me alone.

“It sounds like you dragons have your own world within the Weyr.” J’shon mused and she snorted.

You talk to riders all the time. She pointed out. It is just that we do not have to be as close to each other to talk together. In fact, Ojeth is just telling me that they are sweep riding now and that Melodeth got frightened when she saw her shadow flying under her. She hasn’t done that since the second day of flying!

“She’s a bit odd, that one.” J’shon laughed, having no problem imagining the small green dragon from their clutch being frightened of her own shadow. “You should tell her to be careful, you never know when wherries are hiding in the shadows.”

Wherries are food, not danger. Liliath snorted, but she must have sent the message because her sides heaved with suppressed laughter and she almost slipped out of formation until he reminded her to keep up with the Wing. Ojeth is upset with you.

“Really?” J’shon asked while he tried to hide his own laughter.

Really. Liliath was laughing now, which really sounded more like a rapid series of yelps than anything else. S’flin, who was flying near them could be seen looking over at them until Liliath got her laughter under control.

“Okay, what happened?” J’shon asked as they finally spotted Bitra Hold. Telgar was much better, as was Igen, but Bitra was certainly bigger than Whitestone. Still, in another few sevendays, Whitestone might look cleaner, more well-kept than Bitra. The greenery was kept half under control here, but the stone of the hold was nowhere near as clear as it should be by now. Half the firepits were not ready for groundcrews, and only a few shelters for groundcrews had been established.

Melodeth thought she saw movement in her shadow. Liliath was still chuckling, really a deep rumble in her chest, as they followed the Weyrleader and junior weyrwoman downward through a spiral to land in the courtyard of the hold. Several holders made hasty retreats so the space would be clear for the landing dragons. She started to flee, but remembered she was a dragon and dived at whatever it was she saw. Her rider barely got her to pull up in time.

“Is everyone okay?” J’shon was almost too scared to ask, but he was at least keeping his own laughter under control. As they landed in their spot, he could see Pinath turning her neck to look at them with the faintest hint of amusement in her rapidly spinning eyes.

Barely, but Melodeth and her rider will be spending time with the new Weyrlingmaster. Liliath said and chuckled again, causing a pair of drudges to drop the table they were hastily removing from the courtyard. Unhooking his safety straps, J’shon slid down Liliath’s neck and unfastened the top three buttons of his jacket. It wasn’t as warm up here as back at Igen, but neither was it exactly cold. M’lior, the Wingsecond for this wing had the wing riders form up before the dragons took off with a great deal of blowing dust and settled on the heights above the hold. J’shon couldn’t help but notice how Liliath settled right against Sharth, with Aliarth on the other side. For some odd reason, Tabath wasn’t on Aliarth’s other side like J’shon would have expected.

“Lord Kobair, let me introduce to you Igen Weyr’s newest junior weyrwoman, Ramina, rider of gold Pinath.” H’mal said when the Bitran Lord had approached the assembled wing riders. Kobair was a short, fat man who was wearing a rich purple doublet over an off-white tunic and dark pants. His doublet was stained in several places, and the man’s dark hair hung around his face in a limp, greasy mess. The men on either sides of him, his stewards were rather on the thin side, and barely hid their leers as they looked at Ramina. J’shon barely held in his growl of distaste and a quick glance at the riders around him showed he was not the only one who had noticed the looks of the two men. Above them several dragons bugled in distaste at what their riders saw, and around the courtyard many drudges and several men jumped.

“It is an honor to meet you, weyrwoman.” The Lord Holder said after glancing nervously at the fireheights where the dragons were watching with slightly agitated eyes. His bow to her was proper, at least.

“Lord Kobair.” Ramina said with a proper return bow of her head. She paused, looking around and specifically at the sad state of the fireheights, which should have been cleared of all plants by now. “I’ve heard, as have all of Pern, about the Bitran love for gambling. I was not aware your people were so willing to gamble with their lives when Thread falls.”

“Actually we have a book open on whether Thread will fall, weyrwoman, if you’re interested.” Lord Kobair had a sickly-sweet smile on his face with those words and Ramina frowned as the man continued. “Ever since men started going on about that ‘Kapian Theory’, many have been interested in contemplating that Thread will pass us by again. Still though, I’ve actually heard the man himself, Kapian that is, speaking about his theory. Quite a proper holder, or so I hear from Bisal. My good friend, Bisal has told me that this last Turn, the good Kapian was one of his most productive holders!”

“And what did Holder Kapian say?” H’mal asked in a neutral voice. J’shon’s hands were sweating, and he wondered if his brother was as nervous as he was right now.

He is. Liliath said with a hint of humor in her voice. She did enjoy watching obnoxious boors like Kobair being set up and shot down verbally. The fact that K’mer was also nervous helped him a little.

“Why, he said he was certain that we were due for another Long Interval.” Lord Kobair said in a voice that showed he was a little nervous. “He was raised in Harper Hall, you know, and read many of the oldest records there. If anyone would know such a thing, it would be someone who had been over those old records that man has read! He does stress that Thread will come again, so we should still do our duty to the Weyrs. Right solid thinking that man has, and he’s more than right that we should not forget our duty, and I do make sure Bitra tithes to Benden the way it should! I just hope this last winter is not repeated or even that will be difficult what with the way all the queens seem to be making new dragons to be fed.”

“How long ago was this that you met Holder Kapian?” H’mal asked without showing the slightest bit of agitation. Lord Kobair reassessed him for a moment before answering.

“About two turns.” Lord Kobair answered.

“Ah, have you heard that he has two sons who have Impressed at Igen?” H’mal asked and the Lord’s eyes widened a bit.

“No, I hadn’t heard.” The Bitran Lord sounded surprised at least.

“Yes, both are fine young men.” H’mal smiled as he spoke. “Both of them fly in my wing now.”

“Already?” Kobair asked while he quickly scanned the assembled riders.

“Wing Rider K’mer, Wing Rider J’shon, come and make your duty to the Lord Holder!” H’mal barked out and J’shon stepped forward at the same time as K’mer. They shared a long glance before moving together to stand before the Lord Holder. Each of them gave an appropriate bow to the Lord. “Lord Kobair, it is my honor to present to you K’mer, rider of brown Sharth and J’shon, rider of green Liliath. J’shon is the third son of Kapian and K’mer is the fourth.”

“They’re little more than boys!” Kapian scoffed.

“Through fire, fog, or Fall, we will protect Pern, Lord Holder, no matter our age.” K’mer said proudly and H’mal smiled tightly at that while Lord Kobair stared at him for a long moment.

“It is easy to tell that you are your father’s son.” Lord Kobair said to the brown rider, and for a second J’shon felt jealous of his younger brother.

“I remember seeing you at that Gather, Lord Kobair.” J’shon said as soon as he found his tongue and suppressed the surge of jealousy. He had the Lord’s attention at least. “I was fourteen and father sat at the Gather feast with several of the visiting Lords and Ladies. Your wife looked radiant in that green dress with the yellow embroidery. You bought three runners from our herd that turn and two herdbeasts from the milking breed.”

“I do believe I remember seeing you there as well green rider.” Lord Kobair almost sniffed and gave a less than kindly glance to J’shon. “The runners did well at Ruatha’s races this last turn. Both of the herdbeasts have given birth already and their offspring are every bit as productive as their dames. Fine beasts your father raises out there on the plains!”

“They are fine beasts.” K’mer agreed.

“It’s a pity their days on the plains are coming to an end.” J’shon added.

“Why is that?” Lord Kobair asked while showing more nervousness than he had before.

“Holder Kapian has taken up the holding of Whitestone Hold.” Ramina answered with a glowing smile. “Just yesterday we were helping him to clear the old hold in order to make it habitable again. Already he has less greenery around his new hold than there is here at Bitra.”

“Why would he take up that accursed place?” Lord Kobair asked.

“He has done it because he believes Thread will fall this turn.” J’shon said and the shining of H’mal’s eyes told him he’d done his job exactly right.

“So he has changed his mind?” Kobair demanded with a hint of anger. “He does not strike me as the type to give up so easily.”

“My father has never been a fool, Lord Holder.” K’mer said with a testy edge to his voice. “If reason is shown to him, he will give it good consideration. After the winter, the groundquakes, and the mountains spewing fire along the Eastern barrier islands, He accepted his ideas might be wrong, although he does still hold out hope there will be no Fall this pass.”

“We all dream of Thread no longer returning, but that does not prepare us to fight it any better.” H’mal added. “Holder Kapian has always done his duty by Hold, Hall, and Weyr. He accepts he might have been wrong, and takes appropriate actions instead of using them to argue the Weyr is not worthy of their support.”

“I thank your riders and yourself for coming to introduce me to Igen’s newest weyrwoman.” Kobair said with a nervous swallow. “I do believe I shall make sure my hold takes appropriate measures, Weyrleader. Thank you for introduction your newest riders to me.”

“Good day, Lord Holder.” H’mal said formally and stepped back as the Lord Holder went back into the hold and the dragon riders stood there shaking their heads.

“We’ve done what we can here.” H’mal said softly, ignoring the hopeful looks of the table operators offering various tricks and sleights of hand. Ramina walked on one side of him while K’mer and J’shon took up the other side. The dragons began landing in the courtyard near their riders. “It’s time we get out of here before our riders wager more of the weyr’s supplies on foolishness.”

“Do you think he will make the needed changes?” Ramina asked the Weyrleader. “Just because of a few words from two young riders?”

“His holders heard both boys very well, and they will spread the word.” H’mal said as he motioned for the two youngest riders of his wings to go to their dragons. “Mount up”

We head for Ruatha next Liliath told him. Their fireheights are clear at least.

“Yes, they are.” J’shon agreed as he settled on her back, just behind the part where her neck met her shoulders. With a powerful leap, they were in the air, and the wing quickly merged back into its impressive arrow formation before going between. Below them a frowning Lord Kobair contemplated all he’d just heard, and as he stood inside his hold. He began refiguring the odds of Threadfall if Kapian really was moving to a stone hold.

Yes, he’d have his gamers post the new odds in the morning, and he’d send that lazy crew of Toma’s up to the fireheights. Sometimes it was necessary to be cautious in gambling to conserve for when the odds were more in your favor.