The White Dragon

"See, this spur of land, where the Dragon Stones are now?" Menolly cried. "My great-grandsire remembers the land falling into the sea!"

"No matter that there have been minor changes," Fandarel said, dismissing these casually, "the maps are superb discoveries." He frowned again at the one with the anomalous shadings. "That shade of brown designates our first settlements in the North. See, Fort Hold, then Ruatha, Benden, Telgar," he looked at F'lar and Lessa, "and the Weyrs. They all are placed in this same coloration. Is that what it means, perhaps? Places where people could settle?"

"But they settled the Plateau first of all, and it's not that same brown," Piemur said, disgruntled. "We must seek Master Wansor's opinion. And Master Nicat's."

"I'd like to see Benelek look over the controls by the doors and perhaps investigate the rear of the ship," F'nor said.

"My dear brown rider," the Smith said, "Benelek is very clever with mechanical things but these…" His broad gesture indicated that the highly advanced technology on the ship was well beyond his apprentice's skill.

"Perhaps one day, we will know enough to fathom all the ships' mysteries," F'lar said, smiling with intense pleasure as he tapped the maps. "But these… are current and exceedingly valuable to us, and Pern." He paused to grin at Master Robinton, who nodded his head in comprehension, and Lessa, who continued to smile, her eyes dancing with a mischief only the three seemed to share. "And, for the time being, no mention is to be made of them!" He was stern now, and held up his hand when Fandarel began to protest. "A short time only, Fandarel. I have very good reason. Wansor must certainly see these equations and drawings. And Benelek can puzzle what he may. As he talks only to inanimate objects, he's no risk to the necessary secrecy I feel we must impose on these ships. Menolly and Piemur are harperbound, and you've already proved your discretion and abilities, Jaxom." F'lar's glance, direct and intense, caused Jaxom an i

"Yes, and N'ton was to collect me," Fandarel said, "but not for an hour yet or more. I was dragged from my couch by F'nor…"

"And Southern is in Telgar's time area. Good! However, I want a copy of this map. Which of you three can we best spare today?" he asked.

"Jaxom!" the Harper said quickly. "He copies neatly and when the rider came for Sharra last evening, Jaxom had gone to Ruatha. Besides, it is wise to keep Ruth apart. The local fire-lizards will bear him company here and not chatter to Toric's trio."

The matter was quickly decided and Jaxom left with copying materials and all the glows. A screen of branches was contrived to hide the opening from any chance observer. Ruth was asked to entice the local fire-lizards to him and hopefully get them to nap. Because the morning's exertions had tired Ruth, he was quite willing to curl up in the sun and sleep. The others departed to Cove Hold and Jaxom began to copy this peculiarly significant map.

As he worked, he tried to figure out why it had so pleased the Weyrleaders and Master Robinton. To be sure, it was a gift to know the extent of Southern without having to walk it all.

Was that it? Of course. Toric didn't know how large the Southern Continent was! And now the Weyrleaders did. Jaxom regarded the Hold peninsula, estimating how much Toric and his holdless men had managed to explore. Never could Toric, even with his Hold swollen by younger sons from every Hold and cothold in Northern Pern, explore this vast continent. Why, even if he tried to Hold as far as the Western Range in the south, to the Great Bay in the west… Jaxom smiled, so pleased with his deduction that he nearly smeared the line he was drawing. Should he mark in the Great Bay as they now knew it, or copy the old map faithfully? Yes, it was this one that mattered. And when Toric finally saw it… Jaxom chuckled, imagining with intense pleasure the chagrin which Toric would feel at first sight.

CHAPTER XXI

Next Day at the Mountain, Cove Hold, and the Southern Hatching Ground, 15.10.21

"I KNOW WHAT was originally conceded to Toric,' Robinton was saying to the Benden Weyrleaders as they sat drinking klah at Cove Hold.

"To Hold what he had acquired when the Oldtimers left the Southern Weyr," F'lar amended. "The purist would argue that, as the Oldtimers have not indeed all passed between, Toric may continue to extend his Holding."

"Or secure the loyalty of others in Holding?" Robinton remarked.

Lessa stared at him, absorbing his meaning. "Was that why he was amenable to settling so many holdless men?" She looked indignant for a moment and then laughed. "Toric is a man we shall have to watch these next Turns. I'd no idea he'd prove so ambitious."

"Farsighted, too," Robinton said in a dry tone. "He achieves as much by gratitude as by possession."

"Gratitude has a tendency to sour," F'lar said.

"He's not fool enough to rely on that alone," Lessa said with a rueful expression then looked about her, puzzled. "Did I see Sharra at all this morning?"

"No, a rider collected her last evening. There's illness at-oh!" The Harper's eyes widened to emphasize his surprised dismay. "Now there's no fool like an old one. It never occurred to me to doubt that message. Yes, he'd use Sharra, and his other sisters. He has several daughters as well to bind men to him. Jaxom will react to this situation, I think."

"I hope so," Lessa said with some asperity. "I rather approve of Sharra as a match. If this is not a simple case of his being grateful for her nursing…" She clucked her tongue at the mention of gratitude.

Robinton laughed. "Brekke feels, and so does Menolly, that the attachment is sincere on both sides. I'm delighted you agree. I've been daily hoping he would ask me to officiate. Especially in view of today's reflections. By the way, only it isn't exactly by the way but to our point, Jaxom went back to Ruatha Hold last evening. He approached Lytol on the subject of his confirmation as Lord Holder."

"Did he?" F'lar was as pleased as his weyrmate. "Prompted by Sharra? Or by Toric's not-too-subtle jibing yesterday?"

"I missed far too much not being permitted to go to the Plateau yesterday," the Harper said irritably. "What jibing?"

The bugling of Ramoth and Mnementh outside effectively prevented further discussion.

"N'ton's here, with Master Nicat and Wansor," F'lar said. He turned to Robinton and Lessa as he rose. "Shall we just let matters proceed naturally?"

"That's usually best," Robinton said.

Lessa smiled cryptically as she strode toward the door.

N'ton had brought three journeymen miners as well as their Master. F'nor arrived immediately thereafter with Wansor, Benelek and two young apprentices apparently chosen for their generous size. Without waiting for Toric to appear with D'ram, they all went between to the Plateau, landing as close to Nicat's little mound as possible. Daylight provided the answer to its function-numerals and letters paraded as design across the far end, and rather fascinating animals, large and small and bearing no resemblance to anything walking Pern's surface, marched across the two long walls.

"A harper's room, for the very young learning first Teaching Songs and Ballads," the Harper said, not nearly as disappointed as the others since the building applied to his Craft.