amc.masterharperofpern-第41部分

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would　after　Impression。〃
　　　That　did　not　explain　why　Maidir　had　acpanied　S'loner　on　what　was　his　last　flight；　although　Lady　Hayara　said　that　her　spouse　was　very　tired　and　might　have　requested　either　a　place　to　rest　here　at　the　Weyr　or　the　courtesy　of　a　return　to　Benden　Hold。
　　　〃Oh；　please　will　someone　take　me　back　to　the　Hold　immediately？〃　Lady　Hayara　asked　piteously。　〃Maidir　may　be　there　and　have　some　explanation　for　us。〃
　　　R'gul　promptly　volunteered；　and　Manora；　the　quiet　weyr　girl　who　had　spoken　to　C'gan　earlier；　had　the　good　sense　to　bring　Lady　Hayara's　riding　jacket。　Together　they　escorted　her　into　the　darkness　of　the　Bowl　where　Nemorth；　still　keening；　waited。
　　　C'rob；　M'ridin　and　C'vrel；　the　oldest　of　the　wingleaders；　were　holding　a　conference；　which　F'lon　joined　as　if　he　had　the　right。
　　　Plainly　the　other　riders　did　not　think　so。
　　　〃The　next　mating　flight　will　decide　that；　F'lon；　so　let's　not　jump　to　any　premature　assumptions。　And　with　Jora　the　way　she　is；　that's　likely　to　take　a　few　Turns；〃　M'ridin　said　in　a　low　but　angry　voice。
　　　〃I　suggest　we　clear　the　Weyr　of　all　visitors；〃　C'rob　said。　〃This　Impression　is　over。〃
　　　〃And　marred　by　a　death；　which　is　not　good；　not　good　at　all；〃　C'vrel　added；　shaking　his　head。
　　　〃Keeping　the　dragons　busy　is　the　best　thing　for　them；〃　M'ridin　went　on。　〃Only　be　bloody　sure　to　remind　riders　to　give　the　clearest　coordinates　they　ever　had　in　their　minds。〃
　　　〃Wouldn't　it　be　better　to　let　people　stay。。。〃　C'vrel　suggested。
　　　〃No；　the　Weyr　must　mourn　its　own；〃　C'rob　said。　〃I'll　ask　only　the　older　riders　to　convey　passengers。〃　He　ignored　F'lon　and　went　to　choose　those　whom　he　considered　responsible　enough。
　　　S'lel　and　another　stalwart　weyr　man　were　now　carrying　Jora　up　the　steps　to　her　quarters；　having　failed　to　rouse　her。　On　the　ledge；　Nemorth　was　still　keening　loudly　for　her　mate；　swaying　her　head　and　neck　back　and　forth；　her　eyes　whirling　with　the　muddy　purples　shot　with　orangey　yellows　of　extreme　distress。　It　was　then　that　Robinton　realized　the　sides　of　the　Weyr　were　punctuated　by　many　pairs　of　whirling；　distressed　dragon　eyes；　like　coloured　glow…baskets　of　unusual　size。　He　remembered　that　long　after　other　details　of　the　terrible　evening　faded：　the　whirling　eyes　and　the　sad；　bone…shaking　keening　from　several　hundred　dragon　throats　echoing　back　and　forth　across　the　Bowl；　all　night　long。
　　　A　drum　message　brought　the　information　that　Lady　Hayara　had　not　found　Maidir　at　Benden　Hold。　The　fatal　accident　had　taken　all　three　in　that　brief　instant　between。　Robinton　asked　C'gan　to　convey　himself　and　Raid；　who　was　probably　now　the　Lord　Holder　of　Benden；　back　to　the　Hold。　His　stepmother　would　need　his　support　and　what　fort　could　be　given　her。　Robinton　was　packing　up　his　music　and　instrument　when　F'lon　came　up　to　him。
　　　〃You'll　want　to　go　back；〃　the　young　bronze　rider　said　in　a　weary　voice。
　　　〃I've　asked　C'gan。。。〃
　　　〃Why　him？〃　F'lon　was　angry。
　　　〃You've　just　lost　your　father；　man；〃　Robinton　said；　gripping　the　rider　tightly　on　the　arm。　〃I　could　scarcely　impose　on　you。。。〃
　　　F'lon　brushed　hair　back　from　his　forehead　in　an　irritable　gesture　and　swung　this　way　and　that。　〃It's　not　as　if　we　were　close　…　weyrbred　not　taking　that　much　store　in　relationships　…　and　shards！　But　he's　messed　things　up　dying　like　this！〃
　　　Whether　or　not　that　outburst　was　F'lon's　way　of　expressing　his　grief；　Robinton　was　never　sure；　but　the　dragonrider　was　certainly　furious。　Robinton　knew　that　the　young　bronze　rider　had　been　proud　of　being　the　Weyrleader's　son。　He'd　always　affected　an　attitude　of　disdain　for　the　relationship；　but　at　least　he　had　had　one　with　his　father。　Robinton　envied　him　that。
　　　〃The　others　are　too　nervous　as　it　is；〃　F'lon　went　on　savagely；　looking　every　way　but　at　the　harper。　He　kicked　at　the　dirt　of　the　Bowl　and　kept　shaking　his　head。　〃I　told　him　he　was　chancing　it　with　those　chest　pains。　Listen　to　his　son？　Oh；　no；　he　knew　it　all。〃
　　　In　the　glowbaskets；　Robinton　now　noticed　the　wet　streaks　on　F'lon's　cheeks　and　he　wished　he　could　find　something　to　say　that　would　ease　his　loss。　There　was　nothing。
　　　〃Oh；　go　on；　Rob。　You're　safer　with　C'gan　anyway。　At　least　right　now。　〃
　　　〃Keep　me　posted　how　things　are　here；　will　you；　F'lon？　I　know　you　can　drum。〃
　　　He　gripped　the　bronze　rider's　arm　in　what　he　hoped　expressed　his　sympathy　and　regret　and　then；　picking　up　his　carisaks；　made　his　way　out　of　the　brightly　lit　area　to　the　blackness　of　the　Bowl　…　the　silhouetted　shape　of　C'gan's　blue　Tagath；　and　the　glimmering　shine　of　sad　dragon　eyes；　dotting　the　wall　of　the　Weyr。
Chapter　ELEVEN
　　　His　first　act　on　returning　to　Benden　was　to　search　for　Maizella　and　find　out　how　Lady　Hayara　was　doing。　The　girl　looked　almost　as　haggard　as　her　stepmother　had。
　　　〃She's　had　a　healer's　draught　and　will　sleep　her　grief　out；〃　she　said。　〃And　I'm　about　to　take　one　myself。　I　still　can't　believe　what's　happened。　Couldn't　there　still　be　a　chance　they'll　emerge　from　between？〃
　　　Robinton　shook　his　head。　〃The　dragons　would　know。　And　they　know　that　Chendith　is　no　more。　I'm　so　sorry；　Maizelie。〃
　　　〃I　know　you　are；　Rob；〃　she　said；　touching　his　arm。　〃And　Raid's　taking　charge；〃　she　added　with　a　touch　of　bitterness。　〃Could　he　not　have　waited　until　morning？　Oh；　he　wants　you　on　the　Drum　Tower。。。〃
　　　That　was　Robinton's　second　act；　sending　out　the　sad　report　of　the　double　tragedy。　Raid　had　already　posed　the　message　and　thrust　it　abruptly　at　Robinton　the　moment　the　harper　reached　the　top　of　the　Tower。　As　he　got　his　wind　back；　Robinton　read　it。
　　　Different　temperaments　responded　to　tragedy　in　different　ways；　he　reflected。　He　did　not；　as　Maizella　evidently　did；　think　that　Raid　was　heartless　and　unaffected。　Rather　he　was　proceeding　with　what　he　had　been　trained　to　do：　take　over　the　Hold　and　do　whatever　that　new　responsibility　required　of　him。
　　　The　Lord　Holders　of　Fort；　South　Boll；　Tillek　and　High　Reaches；　where　it　was　only　early　evening；　immediately　drummed　requests　for　dragons。　There　were　messages　later　that　long　night　from　Telgar；　Ista；　Igen　and　Nerat　as　men　were　roused　with　the　tragic　news。
　　　By　morning；　all　the　major　Holds　knew　and　had　responded。　And　by　morning；　a　stream　of　Benden　holders　started　arriving；　some　with　wine　or　food。　The　women　went　either　to　the　kitchens　to　help　or　upstairs　to　the　family；　to　express　their　grief。　The　harpers　from　the　outlying　holds　arrived　to　relieve　Robinton　at　the　drums：　his　hands　were　swollen　from　constant　use　of　the　sticks　and　he　could　barely　concentrate　on　ining　messages；　much　less　reply　confidently。
　　　With　the　Tower　manned；　he　collapsed　for　a　few　hours'　needed　sleep　and　was　roused　when　F'lon；　looking　pale　and　exhausted；　woke　him　with　klah　and　slabs　of　bread。
　　　〃I　brought　Faroguy　in；　with　two　of　his　family；〃　the　bronze　rider　said。　〃They　didn't　know　I　was　S'loner's　son。〃　He　gave　a　snort　as　he　collapsed　on　the　foot　of　the　bed；　slumping　against　the　wall　and　nursing　the　hot　klah　on　his　chest。　〃You　learn　a　lot　more　that　way。〃
　　　〃What　more？〃　Robinton　struggled　to　a　sitting　position。　〃Who　came　with　Faroguy？〃　he　asked；　the　mere　fumes　of　the　strong　klah　sparking　his　instincts。
　　　〃Oh；　that　nephew　and　the　son。〃
　　　〃Fax？〃
　　　F'lon　frowned。　〃I　think　that　was　the　name　he　said。〃
　　　Robinton　swore　under　his　breath。　〃Watch　that　one。〃
　　　〃Oh；　I　intend　to；〃　F'lon　said；　cocking　his　head；　his　expression　fierce。　〃He　doesn't　think　much　of　dragonriders；　and　he　doesn't　think　much　of　harpers；　for　that　matter。〃
　　　〃I　know。　I　would　have　thought　he'd　abstain。〃
　　　〃Shards　no！　He　was　grinning　from　ear　to　ear。　Although。。。〃　And　now　F'lon　paused；　knotting　his　brows。　〃I　think　that　his　ing　was　a　last…minute　addition。　There　were　just　Faroguy　and　his　oldest　waiting　for　me。　Then　Fax　came　rushing　out。　He　was　up　on　to　Simanith　before　I　could　speak。〃
　　　Robinton　continued　to　swear　under　his　breath。　He　had　no　desire　to　confront　Fax。　He　wondered　how　…　and　why　…　Fax　had　inserted　himself　into　the　group　from　High　Reaches。　He　wasn't　a　member　of　the　Council　of　Lord　Holders　and　Masters。　He　couldn't　vote　on　the　matter　of　Raid's　suitability。
　　　〃Oh；　I　also　picked　up　MasterHarper　Gennell　and　Lord　Grogellan　from　Fort。　Gennell's　asking　for　you。〃
　　　〃Yes；　he　would　be。〃　Robinton　drew　his　knees　up　so　that　he　could　throw　the　covers　off　his　legs。　He　had　not　bothered　to　strip　off　his　clothing；　and　now　he　could　scarcely　appear　in　such　wrinkled　garments。
　　　〃Take　your　time。　Have　a　quick　bath。　You　need　it。〃　F'lon's　ever　whimsical　sense　of　humour　prompted　him　to　hold　his　nose　in　demonstration。
　　　〃Yes；　I　do；　don't　I？〃　Robinton　was　aware　of　the　reek　of　wine　and　sweat　about　his　person。
　　　〃Gennell　didn't　seem　in　a　hurry。　Just　asked　where　you　were。　Hayon　said　you　were　catching　some　rest。〃
　　　〃How's　Hayon　taking　his　father's　death？〃
　　　〃He's　been　marvellous　with　Lady　Hayara　and　the　others；　but　I　can't　think　he　likes　having　Raid　in　charge　now。　Don't　think　I　would　either；〃　F'lon　said　bluntly　and　left　the　room。
　　　Robinton　stripped　off　the　dirty　clothing；　grabbed　clean　garments　from　his　chest　and　strode　to　the　bath；　grateful　that　he　didn't　have　to　vie　with　others　to　use　the　mon　one　down　the　hall。　The　hot　water　was　stimulating；　and　he　felt　much　better　as　he　pulled　on　trousers　and　wriggled　his　arms　into　the　clean　shirt。　He　took　his　shoulder　cords　from　the　old　shirt　and　attached　them；　making　certain　they　were　properly　hung。　Then　he　rough…dried　his　hair　before　he　gathered　it　back　with　a　thong。　He　really　should　have　it　trimmed。　Later。。。
　　　F'lon　wandered　in　just　then；　having　filled　Robinton's　klah　mug。
　　　〃Now　you　look　respectable；　as　befits　the　Hold　harper。〃
　　　〃Why　don't　you　get　some　sleep？〃　Robinton　suggested；　pointing　to　his　empty　bed。
　　　F'lon　looked　in　that　direction　and　sighed。　〃That's　the　best　idea　you've　had　so　far。　Call　me　if　you　need　me；〃　he　said；　gulping　down　the　last　of　his　klah　and　beginning　to　roll　down　the　tops　of　his　flying　boots。
　　　Robinton　heard　the　thud　of　the　first　one　as　he　was　closing　his　door。
　　　The　Hold　was　teeming　with　quiet　people；　talking　in　the　corridors　or　in　small　groups　in　the　hall　as　Robinton　descended　the　front　stairs。
　　　Trestle　ta