amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第19节

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Such　an　operation　was　known…and　successfully　performed。〃
　　Horon's　face　was　pale　as　he　nodded　his　understanding。
　　〃Healers　have　recovered　much　lost　or　imperfectly　understood　information；〃　Sebell　said。　〃Master　Oldive　has　been　training　his　most　skillful　men　and　women　to　perform　surgery　that　will　greatly　lengthen　life　and　improve　health。〃　He　gestured　disparagingly　at　the　pamphlet。　〃That　was　deliberately　produced　to　misinform　people。　To　undermine　one　of　the　most　basic　rights　of　the　Charter；　the　treatment　of　ills　and　wounds。　You　know；〃　he　said；　pointing　at　Horon；　〃that　when　Master　Oldive　offered　treatment；　that　stupid　female　rejected　him。　She's　been　well　schooled　in　the　delusion。　No　one　is　forced　to　accept　healer　help。　Certainly　no　one's　bones　are　broken　in　torture！　Not　by　Healers！〃　He　dismissed　the　pamphlet　with　contempt。
　　There　was　a　scratch　on　the　door；　which　swung　open。　The　burly　minor　holder　who'd　assisted　with　the　prisoners　peered　round　the　door。
　　〃MasterHarper；　Lord　Horon？〃　He　entered　at　Horon's　wave。　〃I　thought　you'd　like　to　know　that　they're　talking。〃
　　〃Talking？〃
　　〃The　prisoners。　Naming　each　other；　at　least。　I　thought　you　should　know。〃
　　〃Indeed　we　should；〃　Sebell　said。　〃That　could　be　most　useful。〃
　　The　half…open　door　hit　the　man　in　the　back　as　someone　else　tried　to　enter。
　　〃Master　Sebell？〃　A　man　in　proper　Healer　green　with　a　master's　knot　came　in；　breathless。
　　〃Ah；　Master　Crivellan；　just　the　person　to　explain　what　exactly　we　have　here！〃　And　Sebell　slapped　the　dirty　pamphlet　in　his　hand。　As　Crivellan　stared　down　at　it　with　some　apprehension；　Kimi　slipped　into　the　room　and　resumed　her　perch　on　Sebell's　shoulder。　〃Crivellan's　particular　skill　is　surgery。　Do　tell　us　what　these　pictures　actually　depict。〃
　　
BACK　AT　LANDING…1。2。31
　　As　soon　as　the　warm　air　of　Landing's　morning　hit　him；　F'lessan　realized　how　tired　he　was。
　　You　need　to　go　back　to　Honshu　and　sleep。　There　is　no　Fall　for　two　more　days；　Golanth　told　him　as　he　circled　above　the　panorama　of　Landing。
　　〃I　just　want　to　check　on　Tai。　They　kicked　her　around　a　lot。　Persellan　said　she'd　be　badly　bruised　but　the　gash　on　her　cheek　wouldn't　scar。〃
　　She's　not　here。　Golanth　stretched　his　head　skyward　and　stroked　his　great　wings　for　height。
　　〃Surely　she's　in　bed　in　her　weyr？〃　F'lessan　said。
　　Zaranth　is　sitting　by　the　sea。
　　〃Zaranth　is　by　the　sea？〃　F'lessan　echoed　in　amazement。
　　Tai　is　in　the　sea；　Golanth　informed　him。　Shall　we　go　there？
　　〃By　all　means。〃　Hearing　that　she　was　well　enough　to　go　swimming；　F'lessan　was　annoyed　with　himself　for　having　been　so　concerned。　So　concerned　that　he　had　left　what　would　have　been　a　fascinating　session　at　Fort。　He　wondered　if　T'gellan　had　had　better　luck　questioning　Landing's　captives。
　　Golanth　went　between　and　came　out　again；　circling；　skimming　the　brilliantly　turquoise　and　blue　sea。　Dolphins　immediately　tail…danced　to　greet　him；　squeeing　their　wele。　He　was　as　well　known　as　Ruth　was　to　the　various　pods　along　the　southern　continent。　Golanth　swung　shoreward　until　F'lessan　saw　the　swimmer：　a　black　spot　in　the　sea。
　　Swimming　is　good　for　aches；　Golanth　remarked。
　　〃Quite　likely；〃　F'lessan　replied　with　uncharacteristic　sarcasm。
　　The　swimmer　was　Tai。　She　seemed　to　be　treading　water　as　they　overflew　her。　
　　〃e　in！〃　F'lessan　yelled　through　cupped　hands。　Then　he　pointed　to　the　shore。
　　Craning　his　neck　backward；　he　saw　that　dolphins　acpanied　her。　Well；　maybe　she　wasn't　being　so　reckless；　then。
　　Yes；　she　swims　with　Natua　and　her　new　calf。
　　Were　you　listening　then；　last　night？　He　never　knew　when　Golanth　was。　Last　night　seemed　a　very　long　time　ago。
　　I　like　dolphins。　Flo　is　with　them。　And　here　e　others　from　the　pod。
　　Close　to　land　now；　F'lessan　could　see　Zaranth　sitting　upright　on　the　shore；　watching　her　rider。　Golanth　landed；　dipping　his　head　politely　to　the　big　green　and　managing　deftly　not　to　churn　sand　onto　her。　Draped　on　Zaranth's　neck　ridge　were　a　towel；　a　shirt；　and　shorts。　F'lessan　slipped　off　Golanth's　back　and　took　a　moment　to　shuck　off　his　flying　gear；　wishing　he　could　strip　and　swim。
　　You　could；　you　know。
　　Golanth！　F'lessan　should　have　grown　accustomed　to　his　dragon's　teasing。
　　Then　he　saw　Tai　limping　out　of　the　water　and；　grabbing　the　towel　from　Zaranth's　back；　he　jogged　down　to　the　edge　of　the　sea。　Only　because　he　knew　that　his　flying　boots　would　take　a　long　time　to　dry　did　he　resist　the　impulse　to　continue　into　the　water。　Her　body；　legs；　and　arms　were　covered　by　bruises。　Persellan　had　done　a　neat　repair　of　the　gash　on　her　right　cheekbone。
　　〃What's　wrong；　F'lessan？〃　she　asked　anxiously；　splashing　the　rest　of　the　way。
　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　he　demanded；　looking　but　not　looking…as　was　polite…at　her　long　lean　figure　and　her　long；　lovely　legs。
　　〃Admiring　Natua's　calf；〃　she　answered　tartly；　taking　the　towel　from　his　hand　and　wrapping　it　about　her。　〃There　he　is。〃　She　pointed　to　the　dolphin　heads；　large　and　small；　bobbing　as　they　watched　her　safely　landed。　〃Salt　water's　good　for　wounds；　you　know。〃
　　〃And　washed　off　all　the　numbweed。〃　He　reached　for　his　belt　pouch。　He　had　seen　her　wince　when　the　towel　rubbed　against　one　of　the　contusions。
　　〃I　brought　some　with　me；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　her　clothes。
　　〃And　I　suppose　Zaranth　can　apply　it？〃　He　gestured　to　the　bruises　running　down　her　back。
　　〃Why　are　you　angry　with　me？〃
　　F'lessan　let　his　breath　go　out　in　one　exasperated　sigh　and　glanced　around　him；　looking　for　a　good　answer。　Even　the　right　one。
　　〃I'm　sorry。　I　was　worried。〃
　　She　gave　him　a　little　smile。　〃Thank　you。　Zaranth　was　doing　all　the　worrying　I　needed。〃　She　shot　a　fond　glance　at　her　green　dragon；　who　had　been　joined　by　Golanth；　sitting　beside　her　in　much　the　same　pose；　an　arm's　length　taller　at　the　shoulder。　〃How　bad　was　it　at　the　Healer　Hall？〃
　　F'lessan　blinked；　time…disoriented。　Landing　was　half　a　day　ahead　of　Fort。
　　〃Give　me　your　numbweed　and　I'll　apply　it　while　I　tell　you。〃
　　He　did　tell　her…in　perhaps　more　detail　than　was　possibly　discreet；　but　she　was　a　rider；　already　involved；　and　deserved　to　know。
　　On　her　part；　Tai　was　grateful　that　he　could　spread　on　more　salve。　The　salty　water　had　stung　the　cheek　cut　and　the　scrapes；　although　it　had　been　good　for　the　bruises。　The　solicitude　of　the　dolphins　had　been　another　balm。　When　dolphins　went　to　the　aid　of　humans　in　the　sea；　they　didn't　stop　to　consider　the　consequences：　they　acted。　Everyone　else　had　lectured　her　on　how　foolish　she　had　been　to　burst　in　on　the　vandals。　She　didn't　bother　to　justify　her　actions。　Of　course；　she　hadn't　had　any　reason　to　suspect　what　she'd　found：　men　swinging　hammers　and　crowbars　with　such　fervent　expressions　of　enjoyment　on　their　faces　that　at　first　she'd　thought　they'd　gone　mad。　She　had　wrestled　a　bar　from　one　man's　grasp；　her　interference　confusing　him　enough　to　loosen　his　grip。　She　poked　him　hard　in　the　groin　and　then；　once　he'd　dropped　to　his　knees；　she　started　swinging　the　bar　indiscriminately　around　her。　She'd　been　so　furious　that　she　really　hadn't　thought　of　the　danger　to　herself。　The　very　idea　of　someone　destroying　healer　remedies…some　of　which　might　be　needed　before　the　night　was　over…had　given　her　a　strength；　and　an　agility；　she　hadn't　known　she　had。　But　what　would　have　happened　to　her　if　that　vandal　had　managed　to　plete　the　swing　of　his　hammer？　She　flinched；　remembering　how　close　it　had　e。
　　〃Didn't　mean　to　be　so　heavy…handed；〃　F'lessan　said　in　quick　apology。　〃I'm　nearly　finished。〃
　　〃Not　your　touch；　F'lessan；〃　she　replied。　〃It's　the　thought　that　there　are　still　Abominators；　causing　willful　damage　for　some　perverted　reason。　You'd　think　that　a　healer　hall　would　be　the　last　place　to　be　attacked！　For　any　reason！〃
　　He　screwed　on　the　cap　of　the　numbweed　jar　with　an　angry　twist；　and　then　stared　out　across　the　sea；　turning　his　head　northeast；　in　the　general　direction　of　the　islands　where　the　first　Abominators　had　been　exiled　after　the　abduction　of　Master　Robinton。
　　〃There's　no　chance；　is　there；〃　she　asked；　following　his　gaze　and　dreading　the　answer；　〃that　they've　been　rescued　and　are　responsible　for　these　new　attacks？〃
　　F'lessan　shook　his　head；　rolling　up　the　sleeves　of　his　rumpled　Gather　shirt。　The　sun　wasn't　up　very　high　yet；　but　even　here　by　the　sea；　the　air　was　getting　warm　with　the　new　day。
　　〃I　suspect　riders　will　investigate。　Do　you　know　if　T'gellan　learned　anything？〃
　　Tai　shook　her　head；　her　lips　twitching　in　amusement。　〃Green　riders　are　the　last　to　hear。　Besides；　Persellan　sent　me　to　my　weyr。　I　went；　but　I　couldn't　get　fortable。〃
　　〃Hmmm。　That's　understandable；　considering　the　number　of　bruises　I　just　tended。　Have　you　fellis　to　take？〃　He　had　returned　her　numbweed　jar　and　now　fumbled　in　his　pouch。
　　〃Yes；　I　do；〃　she　replied　and　rose　to　her　feet。　〃I　help　Persellan；　you　know。　I've　all　I　need。〃　She　grinned。　〃Except　my　arms　don't　bend　to　reach　the　awkward　spots。　Thanks。　I　think　I　will　be　able　to　rest　now。〃
　　〃Promise？〃
　　She　cocked　her　head　at　him　in　mild　reprimand。　〃You're　the　one　who　needs　to　rest；　bronze　rider。　Thank　you　for　your　concern。〃　She　extended　her　hand　toward　Golanth。　〃Zaranth　will　take　me　back。〃
　　And　I　will　take　you；　F'lessan；　Golanth　said；　rising　to