amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第9节

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　　〃White？　Red？〃　F'lessan　asked　her　before　turning　to　the　wineman。　〃D'you　have　any　Benden　there；　Geger？〃
　　〃Well；　seeing　as　it's　you；　F'lessan；　yes；　I　can　get　one。〃　The　wineman　put　his　fingers　to　his　lips　and　his　shrill　whistle　pierced　the　happy　noise　of　the　crowd。　Across　the　square；　where　skins　of　wine　were　hung　in　display；　another　wineman　looked　toward　them。　Geger　flagged　his　arms　in　a　private　code　and　the　man　waved　in　reply。　〃That'll　be　three　marks；　bronze　rider。〃
　　〃What？〃　F'lessan　demanded。
　　〃I'll　pay　my　share；〃　Tai　said　quickly；　reaching　for　her　belt　pouch。
　　〃That's　robbery；　Geger。　I　could　have　bought　from　the　source　for　one　and　a　half。〃
　　Tai　was　amused　by　the　outrage　in　his　voice。
　　〃Then　you　shoulda　done　before　you　got　here；　F'lessan。　And　you　know　three　marks　isn't　high　for　cold　white　Benden。〃　The　last　three　words　were　delivered　in　a　slow　cajoling　drawl。
　　〃But　three？〃
　　〃I'll　give…〃　Tai　began；　but　F'lessan　flapped　his　hand　sharply　at　her。
　　〃Geger　and　I　are　old　friends；〃　he　said；　his　eyes　sparkling。　There　was　a　firm　edge　to　his　voice。　〃Aren't　we；　old　friend？〃
　　〃Even　for　old　friends；　three　marks　for　a　'30　vintage　cold　white　Benden　is　a　good　price　at　Turnover。〃　Geger　was　not　to　be　moved　by　any　consideration　of　friendship。
　　〃Benden　marks；〃　F'lessan　said；　sticking　his　jaw　out。
　　〃Benden　marks　are；　to　be　sure；　the　best。　Almost　as　good　as　Harper　Hall。〃
　　F'lessan　passed　over　the　three　marks　just　as　the　other　wineman　arrived　with　the　skin；　a　large　one。
　　〃Good　Turnover；〃　Geger　said；　tipping　a　salute　to　F'lessan　and　a　wink　at　Tai。
　　〃Well；〃　F'lessan　mented；　feeling　the　skin；　〃it's　properly　cold。〃　He　unplugged　the　small　end；　gesturing　for　Tai　to　supply　glasses　from　those　on　the　table。　He　filled　both　deftly；　restored　the　plug；　and　laid　the　skin　under　the　table。　〃Safe　skies！〃　he　said　in　the　traditional　toast。　Quickly　she　touched　her　glass　to　his。
　　〃I　think　it　is　a　'30；〃　he　added　after　a　judicious　sip。　He　grinned　broadly。　〃You　know；　three　marks　isn't　that　bad　for　a　vintage　Benden　white。〃
　　His　remark　caught　her　taking　her　first　sip　and　she　nearly　choked　on　it。　Three　marks　would　have　been　out　of　her　reach　even　at　a　Turnover　celebration　when　everyone　tended　to　spend　freely。　She　hadn't　brought　much　with　her；　once　she'd　pleted　the　declinations　that　Erragon　wanted；　she　hadn't　expected　to　do　more　than　get　a　quick　meal　here…and　maybe　listen　to　the　harpers　awhile…before　returning　with　Zaranth　to　her　weyr　down　by　Monaco　Bay。　She　didn't　have　a　great　many　marks　in　any　event；　though　like　many　other　green　riders　she　could　be　hired　to　deliver　small　packages　and　letters　almost　anywhere　in　Southern；　when　she　wasn't　involved　in　Weyr　duties　or　researching　for　Master　Wansor　at　Cove　Hold。
　　〃Thank　you；　bronze　rider；〃　she　said。
　　〃I'm　F'lessan；　Tai；〃　he　replied　with　gentle　chiding　and　a　smile　lurking　in　his　eyes。
　　She　wasn't　sure　how　to　respond　to　that。
　　〃Let's　eat；〃　he　suggested；　taking　his　belt　knife　from　its　sheath。　〃I　think　from　the　smell　of　it　the　Landing　cooks　have　used　their　special　sauce。　What　more　can　one　ask　for　on　a　Turnover　night？〃
　　Tai　wouldn't　have　asked　for　this　much；　she　mused　as　she　picked　up　a　clean　fork　and　started　on　the　roast　tubers；　her　favorite。
　　The　wine　was　the　best　she'd　ever　tasted　and　so　was　the　food。
　　〃How's　the　hand？〃　F'lessan　asked　after　they'd　eaten　in　hungry　silence　for　a　few　minutes。
　　〃My　hand？〃　Tai　looked　down　at　it。　〃Oh；　truly　nothing　now。　My　thanks　again。　And　I　usually　do　keep　numbweed　handy。　I　just　didn't。。。　today。〃　In　truth　she　had　a　big　jar　among　the　supplies　in　her　weyr；　but　she　did　not　have　one　small　enough　to　fit　in　her　belt　pouch。
　　〃How'd　you　do　it？〃
　　〃Oh；　probably　when　I　was　scrubbing　Zaranth　this　afternoon。　She　hunted　today　and　needed　a　good　wash。〃　Hunting　and　bathing　Zaranth　had　taken　longer　than　Tai　had　planned。　Knowing　that　the　Archives　were　more　likely　to　be　unoccupied　on　Turnover　days；　she'd　been　anxious　to　get　there…and　not　careful　enough　to　avoid　barnacle…covered　rocks　when　rinsing　the　stiff　brush　she　used　on　Zaranth's　hide。
　　〃That　can　happen；〃　he　said　with　rueful　agreement。　〃Are　you　weyred　along　the　coast　or　inland？〃
　　Tai　tried　not　to　freeze　at　the　question：　bronze　riders　with　an　eye　to　mating　with　Zaranth　the　next　time　she　was　〃ripe〃　always　wanted　to　know　where　she　could　be　found。　Zaranth　wasn't　even　close　to　her　cycle。　〃Coast；〃　she　replied　quickly。　Almost　too　quickly。　〃Do　you　spend　a　lot　of　time　at　Honshu？〃
　　〃Coast；　huh？　See　much　of　the　Monaco　dolphins？〃
　　She　made　herself　relax。　She　was　being　overly　suspicious。　〃Yes；　I　do。〃　She　smiled。　Thinking　of　her　dolphin　friends　always　made　her　smile。　It　seemed　to　have　a　similar　effect　on　F'lessan；　who　grinned　back　at　her。　He　had　such　a　merry　smile。　Just　as　Mirrim　said　he　had。
　　〃Natua　has　a　new　calf。　She　showed　him　off　to　Zaranth　and　me；〃　she　said；　quite　willing　to　talk　about　dolphins。
　　〃She　did？〃　F'lessan　was　really　interested。　It　showed　in　the　way　his　eyes　sparkled　and　his　whole　face　lit　up。　〃Golanth　and　I　must　take　the　time　to　admire　him。〃
　　〃She'll　show　him　off　to　anyone；　she's　so　proud。〃
　　〃I'm　better　acquainted　with　the　Cove　Hold　and　Readis's　pods；　you　see；〃　he　confided　in　her。
　　〃I　know；〃　she　replied。
　　〃Quite　likely；〃　he　said；　shooting　her　a　teasing　glance。　〃Dolphins　like　nothing　better　than　to　gossip。　They　can　spread　news　faster　than　Runners。　We　have　too　many　animals　on　this　planet　who　can　talk　back　to　us　humans。〃
　　She　gave　him　a　startled　look　and　then　let　herself　chuckle。　〃I　suppose　we　should　be　grateful　that　fire…lizards　can't　talk。〃
　　〃A　large　mercy；〃　he　agreed。　〃It's　bad　enough　they　sing！〃
　　〃But　they　add　such　beautiful　descants。〃
　　〃I　suppose　so；〃　he　replied　amiably。
　　She　knew　that　Lessa；　his　mother；　had　a　prejudice　against　fire…lizards。　Mirrim　had　said　it　was　because　no　one　had　known　how　to　control　the　creatures　when　they　were　first　brought　to　Benden。　Did　F'lessan　share　her　bias？　She　didn't　know　what　to　say　to　change　the　subject。　He　spared　her　by　speaking　first。
　　〃What　has　you　so　interested　in　Rukbat　system　charts？〃
　　〃Ah！〃　She　was　grateful　for　the　change　in　topic。　〃Well；　I'm　close　enough；　being　at　Monaco　Bay；　and　I　was　an　apprentice。。。　〃　She　floundered　a　moment。
　　〃So　you　said。。。　〃
　　〃So　I'm　often　asked　to　check　out　figures　on　the　original　charts；　which　are　much　too　valuable　to　be　anywhere　else。〃
　　〃Good　Master　Esselin。〃　F'lessan's　tone　was　facetious。
　　She　flushed。　〃He　doesn't　really　approve　of　me；　even　if　Master　Stinar　entrusts　me　to　take　Yoko　updates　to　Cove　Hold；　because　I'm　only　a　green　rider。〃
　　〃There's　no　such　thing　as　'only　a　green　rider；'　Tai。　A　wing　never　has　enough　green　riders；〃　he　replied　so　staunchly　that　she　was　startled　enough　to　catch　his　eyes。　〃That's　the　Wingleader　in　me　talking。　Besides　which；　Master　Esselin　is　a　pompous　old　hairsplitter！　Ignore　him。〃
　　〃I　can't。　And　weren't　you　hoping　to　avoid　him；　too？〃
　　〃Whenever　I　can。　He；〃　he　told　her；　dropping　his　tone　to　a　whisper　as　he　leaned　across　the　table　to　her；　〃doesn't　approve　of　me　being　in　Honshu。〃
　　〃But　you　found　it；〃　she　said；　surprised。
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　nodding　with　an　air　of　mischievous　satisfaction。　〃And　I　take　great　care　of　its　treasures。〃
　　〃So　I've　heard。〃
　　〃So　you　have　heard　some　good　of　me？〃
　　She　knew　he　was　teasing　her；　she　knew　she　was　often　too　solemn。　Even　Mirrim　said　she　shouldn't　be　quite　so　conscientious；　but　that　was　just　how　she　was。　She　just　didn't　know　how　to　respond　to　levity。　As　if　he　hadn't　noticed　her　uncertainty；　he　reached　for　the　skin。
　　〃More　wine；〃　he　said　briskly。
　　She　hadn't　realized　her　glass　was　empty　and　obediently　held　it　out。
　　〃Does　Erragon　let　you　stand　any　night　watches　with　him　at　Cove　Hold？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Yes。　I'm　a　good　timekeeper。〃　Conscientious　was　what　Erragon　called　her；　just　like　Mirrim。
　　〃Time　is　a　critical　factor　in　astronomy；〃　he　replied。
　　She　was　surprised　that　he　knew　that。
　　〃Did　you　study　much　astronomy？〃
　　〃Not　as　much　as　I　should　have；　but　I'll　catch　up。〃　He　wasn't　teasing　now。　He　was　quite　serious。　〃And　to　good　advantage；　since　we　must　look　beyond　our　traditional　duties。　I　like　people　who　think　ahead。〃
　　〃You　certainly　are；　with　Honshu。〃
　　His　expression　altered　again；　as　if　he；　too；　had　considered　his　future…which　put　another　dimension　to　the　outwardly　lighthearted　dragonrider。　He　grinned；　impulsively　covering　her　hand　with　a　reassuring　pressure。
　　〃Yes；　I've　plans　for　Honshu。〃　Then；　in　another　abrupt　change；　he　added；　〃I'll　just　get　us　second　servings　before　the　roasts　are　all　gone。〃
　　She　wouldn't　have　had　the　nerve　to　go　back　for　more　to　eat；　but　F'lessan　took　her　plate　before　she　could　protest。　Slightly　awed；　she　watched　as　he　chatted　with　the　cook　while　the　man　carved　generous　slices　from　the　roast。
　　All　the　tables　around　them　were　filled　now　with　boisterous　diners；　enjoying　the　excellent　Turnover　meal。　Though　several　called　cheerfully　to　F'lessan　as　he　made　his　way　back；　he　returned　the　greetings　without　stopping　to　chat。　He　wasn't　at　all　what　she'd　expected　based　on　Mirrim's　tales　of　some　of　his　pranks　at　Benden　Weyr。　Well；　that　had　been　Turns　ago；　before　he'd　Impressed。　He　did　have