Part 8 (1/2)
”We don't?” T'lion exclaimed, his eyes widening. ”But the harpers are forever saying that they've helped keep the language pure, just as it's always been spoken.”
Alemi laughed. ”Not according to Aivas. He had to make adjustments to allow for ” Alemi hesitated briefly, trying to get the next words right, ”lingual s.h.i.+fts. But let's not rub harper noses in the fact. I certainly want to keep on the good side of my sister, the Master Harper. I've only to mention her name and here she is! Good day to you, Master Menolly.”
”Good day, Master Alemi brother. T'lion. Gadareth. How good you are to fly me so patiently,' Menolly said, putting her arms through the straps of the pack she carried. ”D'you mind if we hurry on, Alemi? It's so hot in riding gear. And fish for me? Thank you, ”Lemi. I'm being spoiled rotten. Camo?”
The big man came, carrying a chortling Robse pickaback.
”Here, dear, put these in the cooler, will you? What are you to do with the fish, Camo?” she said, tweaking his sleeve arm so that he looked right in her face.
”Fish?” Camo said, his expression blank as his mind tried hard to recall what she had just told him.
”Put the fish,' and she placed the creel firmly in his hand, ”the fish in here into the cooler. Now, what are you to do with the fish?”
”Put in cooler.
”That's right,' and she turned him around and gave him a gentle push toward the door. ”In the cooler now, Camo.
Then you take Robse to ”Mina.
”Fish in cooler. Robse to ”Mina,' Camo said under his breath and he could be heard repeating his instructions as he obeyed them, Robse's happy laughter as counterpoint to his litany.
”There, now, thanks again, ”Lemi, and have a good day. Let's go, T'lion, before I sweat off my breakfast.”
As they walked to the waiting bronze dragon, Menolly asked him what he and Alemi had been talking about so earnestly.
”Oh, this and that,' T'lion said in a noncommittal tone, unwilling to mention what Alemi had said about the ”linguistic' s.h.i.+ft and harpers.
”You've conveyed Alemi a time or two?” she asked casually.
”That's what I'm good at,' T'lion said and hopped across the last few paces to Gadareth. ”You can still get up all right, Master Menolly?”
”Of course I can,' she said with a trilling laugh and proceeded to prove it. Though, in fact, it took an effort to hoist her gravid self into position between Gadareth's firm neck ridges. ”Good thing you've a bronze. I'd never fit now on a blue or a brown.
Then, just before T'lion urged his bronze into the sky, she added ruefully, ”And very soon I fear I shan't be able to fit on Gadareth. Guess I'll have to get that brother of mine to sail me around to Cove Hold.”
”Or I could bring to you the people you need to see, T'lion offered, shouting over his shoulder at her.
”That, too, if push comes to shove, she yelled back and then the difficulty of speaking against the wind of flight kept them both silent.
T'lion was just as glad because he wasn't sure if he should mention all his visits with the dolphins to anyone. Not even Master Menolly who was so nice you never thought of her as one of the most important Masters on Pern.
One of the archivists that thronged Cove Hold these days was on the porch and hurried down to them when they arrived.
”Master Menolly, Master Robinton would like you to go up to Landing today. Aivas has had time to release more music,' and the journeywoman's eyes shone with eagerness. ”I hear it's simply splendid.”
”Oh, it must be the sonatas we've been after him to copy to us,' Menolly said, s.h.i.+fting herself a bit from the long ride. ”Well, let's go, T'lion. I can see how Sharra's doing, too. She came south on the Dawn Sisters with me.”
All the way up to Landing, T'lion wondered what he'd do if she started to have the baby while he was conveying her. His mother was always having babies in the night at which times he and his brothers were shoved out of the hold. He'd never be forgiven if anything happened to Master Menolly while she was in his care. He'd ask Mirrim.
That distracted him from the fact that he would have to forego his day's idling with the dolphins. Well, he was lucky to have as much free time as he did, he told himself sternly. And the kitchens up at Landing did produce much better food than he generally got at noontime at Cove Hold where everyone usually grabbed a meat roll or cold food and continued working.
Landing was really less fun than Cove Hold. Gadareth took himself up to the heights and sunbathed, or exchanged draconic comments with whoever else had arrived from the various Weyrs.
Gadareth told him that most of the dragonriders were in some sort of conference. There were Master Smiths, too, and half the Harper Hall, trying to construct a ”printing press'.
When T'lion hopefully sidled into the kitch”n, he was immediately pounced on by the headwoman.
”Another pair of hands. T'lion. isn't it'? Yes, here, make yourself useful. Take this tray - and be careful not to spill it - to the large conference room. I've all that lot to make a nooning for and not enough hands to do it.” She added several more sweet rolls to the tray and winked at him. ”Something for you, too, lad.”
T'lion hurried off before she also thought to order him to come back so he could help her more in the kitchen.
He managed to deliver the tray, remove his rolls and himself from the conference room before anyone questioned his presence.
Hearing voices and the tread of booted feet, he ducked into the small empty room next door so he could eat his rolls in peace.
”Yes? Identify?” said a deep voice.
Struggling not to choke on the generous bite he had just taken out of a sweet roll, T'lion looked guiltily about the room. There was no-one else in it and the door was still shut. He swallowed.
”Who's speaking?”
”Aivas. I did not realize there was a meeting scheduled here.”
”Where are you?”
”Please address the screen,' T'lion was told.
”Huh?” But he turned toward the screen and saw the blinking red light in the lower right hand corner.
”Identify, please?”
”You can see me?”
”Identify! Please!'
”Oh, excuse me. I'm T'lion . ”The rider of bronze Gadareth?”
T'lion gawped. ”Yyyyyyess. How'd you know?”
”A listing of all current riders in the Weyrs, their names and the names and colors of their dragons has been input. You are welcome, T'lion. How may I help you?”
”Oh, I'm not supposed to be here. I mean, I didn't think anyone was in here and I needed a place ” T'lion trailed off, shaking his head at his own words and stupidity. He was embarra.s.sed to be caught where he had no business being, and amazed to be known by someone (something?) everyone else in his Weyr respected so highly. He didn't know what to do and felt foolish, standing there with sweet rolls in his hand. ”I certainly shouldn't take up your time, Aivas.”
”You have nothing of interest to report? All input is valuable.
”You mean about the dolphins?” T'lion could think of nothing else he'd been doing that would be of interest to the Aivas. He didn't think that Master Alemi would have mentioned his efforts but he could have.
”You have been in contact with the dolphins? Your report would be appreciated.”
”It would?”