amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第92节

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ght　up　to　Honshu　to　help　out。　Suddenly　F'lessan　had　his　weyrhold　to　himself。　Taking　a　cup　of　klah　out　to　the　terrace；　he　sat；　watching　Golanth　snoring；　head　on　his　forepaws。
　　His　color's　good；　F'lessan　thought　and　firmly　turned　his　mind　to　wondering　when　Erragon　would　bring　that　new　console　so　he　could　start　working　for　his　living。　Which　brought　him　right　back　to　what　he　didn't　want　to　think　about！　The　facts　that　he　would　never　lead　a　wing　again　and　that　Golanth　might　never　fly　Zaranth。　That　he　didn't　like…especially　since　Zaranth　was　a　young　dragon　and　would　need　a　good　male　to　keep　her　content。　He；　F'lessan；　certainly　didn't　wish　to　share　Tai　with　another　rider…any　other　male。　She　enjoyed　being　with　him　now；　relaxed；　eager；　and　he　wasn't　going　to　have　her　response　to　him　destroyed　by　some　heavy…handed　rider　with　no　sensitivity　for　her　marvelous；　intricate　personality。　He　felt　himself　getting　quite　roused　by　the　very　thought。　And　they　had　work　to　do；　both　of　them；　on　the　prints：　they　weren't　half　through　that　job。　That　was　the　channel　he　should　concentrate　on。　The　stars！　The　stars　were　important。　Sky…watching　was　important　work。　He　didn't　need　to　fly　to　do　that。　He　did　need　Tai　to　do　that　job　properly。　Truth　be　told；　she　knew　a　lot　more　about　astronomy　than　he　did；　though　he　was　catching　up。　They'd　need　more　people　in　Honshu　to　help　with　that　project。　He　couldn't　keep　up　with　Erragon's　four　hours　of　sleep　a　night。　The　daytime　work；　listing　all　the　positions；　seeing　if　there　were　other　traces　of　the　orbit　from　wherever　Master　Idarolan　was　working。　Weren't　there　good　men　in　Crom　and　Southern　Boll　already　involved？　He　should　meet　with　them。　He　should　organize　his　life　on　a　new　basis…shouldn't　he？
　　Abruptly　another　revelation　occurred　to　him。　Lytol；　with　his　scarred　and　seamed　face！　He　had　been　dragonless　for　Turns；　ever　since　his　brown　Larth　had　died　in　a　routine　training　flight　at　Benden：　a　training　flight　during　which　R'gul　had　allowed　his　dragon　a　chance　to　chew　firestone　and　flame。　Only　Larth　had　caught　flame　in　the　face　and　so　had　Lytol。　The　dragon　had　managed　to　land　his　gravely　wounded　rider　with　the　last　breath　in　him。　That　should　have　been　the　end　of　the　rider；　as　a　person…a　dragonless　man。
　　Tradition　said　dragonless　riders　suicided　rather　than　live　without　their　dragon。　But　Lytol　had　defied　that　convention　and　had　bee　far　more　than　a　dragonrider。　He　had　been　a　Lord　Holder　for　Jaxom's　minority；　he　had　then　turned　his　hand　to　help　Master　Robinton　and　D'ram　to　manage　Landing　as　a　major　Hold　to　the　satisfaction　of　everyone　involved。　Now；　Lytol　and　D'ram；　in　addition　to　bearing　blind　Wansor　pany；　had　accepted　yet　another　role　for　which　they　were　unusually　qualified：　as　wise　consultants　for　the　plex　society　of　the　planet。　Briefly　F'lessan　wondered；　even　as　his　soul　cringed　at　the　thought：　would　he　have　had　the　courage　to　build　a　new　life…lives；　in　fact…as　Lytol　had　done；　if　Golanth　had　succumbed　to　his　injuries？
　　F'lessan　gave　a　snort　of　disgust　for　his　self…absorption。　The　time　he　had　wasted。　As　Tai　had　said；　there　would　be　a　way。　Lytol　had　made　several；　and　the　example　of　the　man's　quiet　heroism　rebuked　him。
　　Halfway　through　a　snore；　Golanth　woke；　alert；　looking　northward。　When　was　the　Nine　Fall　due？　Close　enough　for　Golanth　to　know　it　was　near。
　　Five　riders　appeared　in　the　sky；　and　a　sixth　came　swooping　up　out　of　the　jungle。　It　was　Zaranth　who　reached　Honshu　first；　hovering　to　let　her　rider　dismount　on　the　terrace　before　she　turned　on　her　wing　tip；　as　if　challenging　the　newers。　F'lessan　rose；　wondering　at　her　almost　defensive　attitude。　Then　the　dragons　were　close　enough　for　him　to　recognize　them：　Monarth；　Gadareth；　Path；　Galuth；　and　Arwith；　but　they　made　no　move　to　land。
　　They　e　to　practice；　Zaranth　said。　Tai；　I　will　get　his　jacket。
　　〃What　do　they　mean　'practice'？〃　F'lessan　wanted　to　know。　His　jacket　smacked　into　his　chest　and　the　reflex　action　of　his　hand　kept　it　there。
　　〃They　mean　to　practice　what　they　learned　from　Zaranth；　Ramoth；　and　Mnementh；〃　Tai　said；　as　if　reminding　him　of　something　he'd　forgotten。
　　Lessa　had　said　something　about　practice　the　other　evening。　〃Practice　what？　Who　on？〃
　　What　happened　next　was　as　astonishing　to　Tai　as　F'lessan。　As　she　watched…F'lessan　went　white　and　staggered　in　shock…Golanth　rose　vertically　from　the　stone　of　the　terrace；　hissing　in　surprise。　Instinctively；　the　bronze　spread　his　wings；　though　he　could　not　extend　the　left　far　or　raise　it　to　match　the　other。　But　he　was　being　lifted　into　the　air。
　　〃WHAT　ARE　YOU　DOING　TO　GOLANTH！〃　cried　F'lessan；　limping　frantically　to　where　Golanth　dangled　out　of　reach。
　　I'm　all　right；　F'lessan。　I'm　all　right。
　　〃PRACTICE！〃　T'lion　called。
　　〃PRACTICE！〃　shouted　T'gellan；　Persellan　behind　him。
　　That　was　what　C'reel　and　Mirrim　were　shouting；　too。
　　〃You　have　to　practice；　as　well；　F'lessan。　All　he　needs　is　height；〃　cried　Mirrim　gaily　from　Path's　back。　Her　dragon　was　staring　at　Zaranth；　indulging　in　some　munication　that　neither　rider　heard。
　　〃You　knew　about　this？〃　he　demanded　of　Tai；　recalling　her　whispered　reassurance　under　the　ramp。
　　〃Me？〃　she　was　affronted。　〃I'm　certainly　the　last　one　they'd　tell。　Zaranth　can't　keep　secrets　from　Golanth　or　you。〃
　　〃PUT　MY　DRAGON　DOWN！〃
　　It　doesn't　hurt；　Golanth　replied；　peering　down　at　his　rider；　as　he　was　supported　in　midair　by　the　other　dragons。　I'm　high　enough　to　go　between。
　　You　can't　go　between　without　your　rider；　Monarth　said　and　Golanth　began　to　descend。
　　Stop！　Golanth　cried　to　reduce　the　pressure　that　was　putting　him　back　down　on　the　terrace　stones。　That's　better。　Be　careful　of　me！　I'm　not　a　feline　to　be　tossed　about　any　old　way。　Shaking　his　head；　he　righted　himself　and　looked　around　for　F'lessan。　Why　can't　I　do　it　to　myself？
　　We　don't　know…yet！　Arwith　replied；　blinking　her　lids　with　puzzled　embarrassment。　Queens　were　supposed　to　know　everything。
　　〃We're　lucky　we've　got　this　far；〃　T'lion　shouted。　〃Get　aboard！〃
　　As　Golanth　crouched　to　allow　him　to　mount；　F'lessan　hesitated。
　　〃I'll　try　it　from　the　left；〃　he　said　and；　trying　to　disguise　his　limp；　hauled　himself　up　to　the　neck　ridge；　though　his　left　leg　hung　down　stiffly　straight。
　　Are　you　ready；　F'lessan？　Monarth　said。　This　time　we'll　lift　Golanth　high　enough　for　safe　passage　between。
　　Where？
　　Swimming。　We're　to　get　Golanth　in　the　water；　too；　Tai　said。
　　You're　expected　at　Cove　Hold　today；　Path　told　Golanth。　I　mean　swim　at　Cove　Hold；　too；　you　know；　he　replied。
　　And　Erragon　has　something　for　you　to　bring　back。　I　don't　think　he　needs　all　of　us；　you　know；　Path　added　in　an　aside　to　the　other　dragons。
　　Ramoth　says　we　are　not　to　take　chances　with　them；　Arwith　remarked。　Lift！
　　F'lessan；　once　again　in　the　air　astride　his　dragon；　felt　Golanth's　unmistakable　elation。　Within　that　joy　was　a　core　of　deep　fear　that　told　F'lessan　something　else：　as　he　had　been　hiding　his　fears　from　his　dragon；　Golanth　had　been　concealing　his　from　his　rider…clowning　up　and　down　the　ramp；　exhausting　them　both　so　they　could　neither　grieve　nor　think。　Then　he　was　aware　of　Zaranth　on　Golanth's　left　side。　Poised　to　lend　him　her　wing　if　needed？　Well；　he　would　certainly　choose　Zaranth　and　Tai　as　wing　riders。　Honshu　Hold　receded　behind　them　until　they　were　well　clear　of　it。　He　could　see　as　far　as　the　clump　of　holder　cots；　the　fields　they　had　cleared　for　crops；　the　river…and　the　terraces。
　　It　is　good；　and　Golanth　gave　a　sigh　of　relief；　craning　his　head　hard　left　to　make　up　for　his　impaired　vision。
　　Let's　go　to　Cove　Hold；　Golanth。　Bright　in　his　mind　were　the　blue　waters；　streaked　with　green　over　shallower　bits：　the　observatory　on　the　right。　Unconsciously　raising　his　arm　in　the　Wingleader's　mand；　he　brought　it　down　and　told　Golanth　to　go　between。
　　
BENDEN　WEYR…3。27。31
　　They　did　it！　Ramoth　jubilantly　told　her　rider。　Then　she　added　in　a　slightly　critical　tone；　Not　as　neat　a　landing　as　could　be　but；　under　the　circumstances；　it　was　well　done。　I　don't　think　that　five　dragons　were　needed　to　lift　Golanth。　Just　Mnementh　and　I　could　have　done　it。
　　Most　certainly；　Lessa　agreed　but　she　herself　was　smiling　with　relief。　But　the　Monacan　riders　needed　the　practice　and　so　many　offered；　that　it　might　well　require　five　to　control　each　other。
　　She　had　never　seen　the　ebullient　F'lessan　so　despairing　as　the　moment　he　finally　realized　that　Golanth　would　never　again　be　able　to　fly　Thread。　And；　by　that　disability；　he　could　no　longer　be　Wingleader。
　　She　thought　back　to　the　day　when　she　and　F'lar　had　been　overjoyed；　the　magical　moment　when　F'lessan　had　Impressed　Golanth　at　the　first　Hatching　he'd　been　old　enough　to　stand　as　candidate。　The　pair　had　been　unusually　well　matched　and　had；　almost　without　visible　effort；　succeeded　in　all　the　training　and　tests。　At　sixteen；　he'd　impudently　encouraged　Golanth　to　fly　a　female　when　the　mating　flight　of　a　junior　queen　had　been　opened　to　all　bronze　dragons。　The　same　Turn　had　seen　the　birth　of　his　first　child。　Two　Turns　later　he　had　been　made　Wingleader　of　a　newly　formed　wing…Benden　was　at　near　capacity　as　a　Weyr；　so　F'lar　could　take　a　chance　on　a　new　young　rider　assuming　a　full　wing。
　　The　Honshu　attack　had　been　a　near　thing；　even　though　both　F'lessan　a