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"Not tomorrow. D'ram's as eager to see and hear more of Aivas as you are, you know," F'lar said just before Mnementh launched himself upward.
I've told Tiroth to take you tomorrow only if you're well rested, the dragon said. Zair, bronze tail wrapped about the Harper's neck and talons lightly clasping his right ear, chirruped agreement.
"Oh, you!" Robinton was torn between irritation at their overprotectiveness and pleasure that Mnementh had a word for him. He could never forget how much he personally owed the dragons who had kept him alive when his labored heart had faltered that terrible day at Ista Weyr two Turns earlier.
When he arrived at Cove Hold, Robinton was forced to admit to himself that he was tired. Just walking the short distance to the steps of his lovely residence winded him. There were lights on in the main hall: Dram and, doubtless, Lytol waiting up for him.
Zair chirped again, confirming his guess. Well, they would not tax him, and certainly they both deserved a brief report of the day's activities. Only how to be brief, considering all that had occurred since he had awakened early that morning? Only that morning? It was Turns away in knowledge and understanding.
But when he walked into the pleasant, well-lit room, Dram, the venerable retired Weydeader, and Lytol, former dragonrider and Jaxom's mentor, would listen to no explanations; they ushered him to his room with instructions that he was to rest first.
"Whatever momentous events occurred after I left can wait until morning," Dram said.
"Drink your wine," Lytol added, holding out the Harper's beautiful blue glass goblet. "And yes, I've added something to make you sleep tonight, because just one look at your face tells me you need rest above all else."
Robinton closed his hand about the goblet. Norist might be a closed-minded Craftmaster, but he blew elegant glass when he had a mind to, and in the exact shade of harper blue. "But I've so much to tell you," the Harper objected after a sip of the wine.
"All the better told when you've had a good night's sleep," Lytol said. When he would have bent to undo Robinton's boots, the Harper became indignant and pushed him away.
"I'm not quite that tired, thank you, Lytol," he said with great dignity.
Laughing, Dram and Lytol left. Robinton took another sip of wine before loosening the fastenings of his boots. The third before he hauled his tunic over his head. And another as he loosened his belt with his free hand. That's enough, he told himself and, draining the cup, lay back. He had only sufficient energy to pull the light blanket over him against the possible chill of a morning sea breeze. He felt Zair nestle down on the next pillow-and that was all.
The next morning he awoke slowly, aware that the dream he had had during the night had been both satisfying and confusing, but its ephemeral details eluded a conscious effort at recall. He lay for a moment, orienting himself. Sometimes, of a morning, he had difficulty remembering what day it was, or the tasks he had mentally assigned himself to accomplish.
Today he experienced no such disorientation. He remembered everything that had happened the day before with amazing clarity. Ah, that was good. A challenge to stimulate his flagging faculties. Corman and his accusation of gullibility! Indeed! Zair rumbled reassuringly on the pillow and stroked his head against Robinton's cheek.
"Will you pass the word along that I'm now completely refreshed?" he asked the bronze fire-lizard.
Zair regarded him, tilting his head sideways, his eyes whirling ever so slightly with the green of contentment, and gave a chirp. Then he rose and stretched, his transparent wings arching over his head before he shook and folded them tightly along his spine.
"So, are Tiroth and Dram awake to take me?"
Zair ignored him and began to groom his left hind claws.
"I gather that means I must bathe and eat first?" As he rose, Robinton realized that he had slept in his trousers-for the second night in a row. He shucked them off, snagged a large towel, and, opening the door from his corner room to the wide porch that sheltered Cove Hold from the intense sunlight, strode out. Descending the flight of steps with more vigor than he had climbed them the previous night, he jogged down the sandy track to the sea. Zair swirled overhead, crooning approval as Robinton dropped the towel on the white sand of the Cove and continued on into the pleasant waters. With Zair plunging into the next wave right beside him, Robinton emerged, propelling himself forward with a strong overarm stroke. A group of wild fire-lizards joined him and Zair, zipping just above the water alongside him or plunging in just in front of his face, missing body contact by inches. As often as they had seen humans bathing in the sea, they never ceased to be fascinated by swimmers.
Robinton turned back to shore, allowing the waves to carry his body forward. The sea was gentle this morning, but the exercise was still a fine toner. He dried himself off, then knotted the towel about his waist and strode off toward the house, where Dram and Lytol were waiting on the porch. "Tell them, Zair, that I'm completely refreshed and in vigorous health."
"You're awake, are you?" D'ram called. "About time. It's well past noon."
"Past noon?" Robinton stopped in his tracks, appalled at having wasted so much time sleeping. Who knew what he had missed of Aivas's disclosures that morning? "You should have wakened me!" He did not attempt to keep the irritation out of his voice.
"Your body has more sense than you do," Lytol added, rising from the hammock hanging in the corner of the porch. "You got only the sleep you needed, Robinton. Pour him some klah, Dram, while I finish preparing his breakfast-our lunch."
As Robinton came up the steps, the aroma of the klah that Dram was pouring was enough to remind him that hunger was a need, too. He settled himself down, and between bites of the substantial breakfast that Lytol served him he brought them up to date.
"And so, the miracle begins," he said, finishing his account.
"You've no doubt in your mind, Robinton," Lytol said with his usual skepticism, "that this Aivas can effect the a
"By the first Egg, Lytol, one ca
"Aye, but why didn't the ancients rid us of Thread then, with all their incredible crafts and their full knowledge of the technology lost to us?" Lytol asked.
"You're not the only one to query that, Lytol," Robinton said. "But Aivas explained that the volcanic eruptions came at a crucial time and the settlers went north to establish a safe base. So their plans to defeat Thread were interrupted."
"Why didn't they come back when Threadfall ceased?"
"That Aivas didn't know." Robinton had to recognize that there were gaps in Aivas's account. "And yet... a musical instrument can only do what it is constructed to do, or one of Fandarel's machines. Therefore, a machine, even as sophisticated as Aivas, could do only what it/he was designed to do. It/ he"-I really must make up my mind how I consider the thing, Robinton thought-"is unlikely to tell lies. Though I suspect he," Robinton said, making up his mind, "does not reveal the whole truth. We've had enough trouble absorbing and understanding what he's already told us."
Lytol gave a snort, a cynical expression on his face which, Robinton was relieved to notice, was not mirrored by Dram.
"I would like to believe that we can!" Robinton added.
"Who wouldn't?" Lytol said, relenting slightly.
"I believe Aivas," Dram said. "He speaks with such authority. He explained that the time will be right in four years that is, Turns-ten months and twenty-seven days. Twenty-six today. The time factor has to be correct to succeed."