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"I asked him about that," D'ram said, "for I thought it odd that he'd want only the largest and the smallest. He says the operation requires them, but he won't elaborate beyond stating that he must have enough candidates to allow him to pick the most likely to succeed in the venture and to have sufficient trained backup perso
"I wish," Lessa said, "that occasionally he would be specific. Then we would have something to tell those we must disappoint. I don't want any resentful dragonriders. Though, in general, I'd say that morale has improved in all the Weyrs. And," she added, making a face, "all the Weyrs want to participate."
"Aivas did remark that it was easier to teach the younger dragonriders," D'ram went on, "since there were fewer set mental patterns. Of course, there are naturally some few exceptions," he added smugly, rather pleased that he was one of them.
"Is that all right now?" Jaxom asked. "I'd better get back to Ruatha." His grin was abashed. "I'll bring in Paradise River sands tomorrow, but I'd better spend some time at home."
"In danger of being disowned?" Piemur asked with an impudent grin.
Jaxom disdained to reply, while Jancis elbowed the young journeyman harper in the ribs.
"Go on, then," F'lar said, with a bland sideways glance at Lessa.
"I'll just ask Aivas to print out the location of the sandpit," D'ram said, rising to leave with the young Lord Holder.
There was a slight frown on Lytol's face as the two left.
"Don't fret, Lytol," Lessa said reassuringly. "Sharra's got every right to be a
"Especially when I'm sure she's dying to take the healer lessons," Jancis said. "But Piemur, have you noticed it, too? That whenever Jaxom misses a day, Aivas particularly asks why?"
"Hmm, yes, I had at that," Piemur replied, momentarily thoughtful. Then he assumed a careless pose. "But Aivas sure works Jaxom harder than any of the rest of us, bar Mirrim and S'len."
"S'len?" F'lar asked. "Isn't he that young green rider from Fort?"
"That's the one. And Aivas insisted on drilling Mirrim to bring her up to a level with the rest of us," Piemur added.
"Why would the green dragons be so important to Aivas?" Lessa asked.
"They're small, that's why," Piemur said.
"Small? "
"Well, that's my hunch, and Ruth's the smallest of them all," Piemur went on. "There's no doubt in my mind that those two will play a special part in Aivas's Great Scheme."
Lessa and Lytol both looked concerned.
"Oh, don't worry about Jaxom," Piemur said airily. "He's the best of us all. Has a real grasp of all that navigational mathematics Aivas throws at us, and the spatial relationships."
"Has he suggested anything yet?" Lessa asked Robinton and Lytol. Both men shook their heads.
Then Robinton gri
"Literary quotations?" F'lar asked, surprised. His lessons with Aivas tended to the practical: tactics, mathematical projections of Threadfall, and draconic healing-though he practiced none of the latter, he kept himself informed of Aivas's i
"Oh, yes. And though Aivas admits he is choosing what he thinks might appeal to my tastes, our ancestors had fascinating and complex literatures from ever so many cultures that put ours to shame. Some of our epic sagas he has identified as paraphrases of Terran originals. Fascinating."
"Indeed, my studies have been equally absorbing," Lytol said, leaning forward on the table, his face lighting with his own enthusiasm. "I don't think any of us realized that our present political structure was handed down from the very Charter our ancestors brought with them. That is historically very unusual, Aivas told me."
"Why should it be?" F'lar asked, mildly surprised. "It allows Weyr, Hold, and Hall to function without interference."
"Ah, but interference was a major factor in Terran politics," Lytol replied. "Spurred by territorial imperatives and, all too often, sheer greed."
Adroitly interrupting another of Lytol's historical perorations, Lessa rose, nodding to Robinton and the two young journeymen. "We must get back to the Weyr now. Aivas gave me another healing compound to try on Lisath's wing. It simply isn't mending as it should."
I told Aramina that we're coming, Ruth said as Jaxom mounted him. She likes to know, you know, he added in a confidential tone.
Jaxom rather wished that Ruth hadn't committed them to paying a call on Aramina and Jayge. He really ought to get right back to Ruatha, and go to Paradise River in the morning, as he had said he would.
"Well, we won't stay long, mind," Jaxorn said, giving Ruth an indulgent slap.
The white dragon was very fond of the young woman who, as a girl, had heard dragons so easily-and so incessantly-that she had inveigled Jayge of the Lilcamp Traders to take her as far away from dragons as he could to preserve her sanity. Shipwrecked on their way to the Southern Continent, they had been rescued by shipfish and set ashore. There they had discovered and restored ancient buildings, not realizing the significance of their find. Located by Piemur on his coastline survey, they had been officially named as Holders of Paradise River and had increased their numbers to a sizable Hold, including a Fisher Hall. The former trader had been immensely surprised when Piemur and Jancis told him that a paternal ancestor named Lilienkamp had been instrumental in saving so much useful material in the Catherine Caves.
Following Aivas's directions, Jaxorn and Ruth emerged over rather anonymous grassland. It wasn't until they had overflown the alleged site several times that Jaxorn noticed the declivity well overgrown with grass and shrubs, with the suspicion of white glinting through the vegetation. They landed, and by kicking and gouging, Jaxom peeled back the obscuring greenery and lifted a handful of sand so fine it was nearly powder. Working up quite a sweat, he filled the large sacks he had brought with him. Finally, hot and tired, he remounted his dragon.
He had cooled off by the time Ruth glided to a gentle, faultless halt in front of the gracious ancient residence of the Paradise River Hold.
"And a good day to you, Lord Jaxorn and Ruth!" Jayge said, coming down the stairs from the wide porch. "Ara started squeezing fresh juice the moment Ruth told her you were coming. And I'm glad you did, because something's come up!"
I'm going swimming. The fire-lizards said they'll scrub my back, Ruth told Jaxom, his eyes whirling with green delight. At Jaxom's approval, the white dragon hop-glided right into the river, several full fairs of fire-lizards, both wild and banded, circling ecstatically above him.
"Off for a scrub, is he?" Jayge asked. He was of medium height, his bare chest burned a fine deep brown, his legs not quite as dark. His oddly flecked green eyes stood out in a ta
"Stealing sand."
"Indeed?" Jayge regarded him thoughtfully. "Now what would you need Paradise River sand for? As I'm sure you're going to tell me anyway." He gestured for Jaxom to take the hammock while he leaned against the porch banister, arms folded across his chest.
"The settlers had a sandpit back in that scrubland of yours. They thought highly of Paradise River sands-for glass making."