Chap. 170 Change of Plans

Chap. 170 Change of plans

Risal was waiting for him outside the Council's 'chamber'.

He'd been sweating.

"Are you okay?" the girl asked, noting how odd he looked.

"Yes, I'm fine," he said.

"They didn't give you a hard time, did they?"

K'ndar shook his head as they walked out of the main building.

"No, in fact they were very interested in what I had to report. It's just, well, they're the COUNCIL, you know? They are the leaders of the planet, as far as I'm concerned. I'm just a brown dragon rider, and not a very experienced one at that. But I have to say, I was just so honored to meet them, they treated me well. Lytol-well, he looks so old, so…tired. He's like Robinton, to me, someone so 'high' up that I felt like a Weyrling all over again," he said.

"I know the feeling. Lytol has all the right in the world to retire, he's earned it. He's been through so much, but he just keeps on voluntarily coming in. The sea voyages take a lot out of him, but he won't go dragonback," she said.

"I know why, too. My uncle Fland lost his dragon, too. I can't imagine losing Raventh and continuing to live. I'm not that brave. It must feel like having your heart shredded into little bits," he said, and the idea of losing his brown dragon chilled him, despite the warm day.

I would immediately go between if you died first Raventh said,his tone worried.

I'd find a way to go with you K'ndar responded.


She could see the fear in his eyes at the thought, though she had no idea he'd been talking to Raventh.

"I understand, I think I do. It makes me glad, sort of, that I never was Searched. I mean, I'd love to have the freedom that you do, but I don't think I could deal with losing someone like that," she said.

They both sat down in the shade of a klah tree. The scent of its bark brought back memories of his help with harvest. Funny, it feels like years ago, rather than a couple months, he thought.

"I can't leave just yet, they want to discuss what they want to do, if anything, and then call me back in," he said.

"Sounds like they have something in mind. We have several permanent dragon riders here, but they're all tasked out, at the moment," she said.

The sunlight was broken up by the leaves of the tree, dappling the ground with shifting, bright spheres of light as the leaves moved with the breeze. The sight and sound were almost soporific. Or is I'm just tired? he thought.

He looked up at underside of the tree, grateful for the shade.

"This is something I can really appreciate, now that Thread is gone," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"Look at this tree, it's only been a few years and now it's getting big. When we had Threadfall, this tree would never have been allowed to stand."

"Yes, but…Landing has the grubs everywhere here, thread never stood a chance. It was so interesting seeing the grubs come up from the ground eating the Thread," she said. "There's nothing about that in DeeArr's book about that. And Landing folks have been planting trees and flowers, a lot," she said.

"They didn't do much exploring of Southern," K'ndar explained, "remember, they all packed up and moved North after just a few years."

She pulled her copy out of her backpack and leafed through it, idly. She didn't want to read, she wanted to talk to K'ndar.

"Well, now what? Are you going back home to your weyr, after the Council calls you back in?" she asked, hoping he'd say no.

He shook off his reverie.

"I don't think so. It's been an awfully long day for me, and I think I'd just as soon check on Raventh and Siskin, get some dinner and then find something to do with myself until it's time to go to bed," he said, "I know where the bunkroom for traveling dragonriders is, I'll stay there," he said. He considered looking up Francie for a nice chat about horses and fire lizards, but he WAS tired…and yet he wanted to talk to Risal.

"Who is Siskin, and would you, um, like to sit and just talk? I mean, about books, or what you've done, that sort of thing?"

He stopped, realizing that that was exactly what he wanted to do.

"I'd like that, I would. As for who is Siskin, he's been so very patient with me today," he said, and in he called the blue fire lizard in his mind.

Siskin arrived, wheedling and chipping, scolding him for abandoning him while he was inside Landing.

"Oh, he's beautiful! Can I pet him?" she asked, enchanted.

"Um, don't take this the wrong way, but…no. Not because of me, because fire lizards are even more bound to their owner, than any dragon. He won't hurt you, because you've never attempted to hurt me, but like most fire lizards, he's very possessive of me and isn't friendly, not like a dog or a cat."

She nodded. "It's okay, I understand. There's several people who have them here, one is named Francie, she trains her THREE fire lizards to do tricks," she said.

He smiled. "I know her very well, she was originally signed into my weyr, her husband works here," he said.

"I know," she said, "I've met him, too, of course. Can I meet your dragon?"

"Of course," he said, "but only after the Council calls me back in."

A young woman chose that moment to come out of the building. "K'ndar?"

"Yes?"

"Council would like to speak to you. Hi, Risal, how are you?" the girl said.

"I'm great!"

They immediately began to chat with each other.

"Excuse me," K'ndar said, and re-entered the building.

He wasn't so scared, this time.

The two women were still catching up when he came back out.

"Well?"

"They want me to take a team of dragonriders back to the island. Tomorrow, first thing. I get to pick the team, like I was a wingleader or something!"

"Oh, who will that be?"

"Um………" It would have to be riders who could handle a crazy man. The first man to come to mind was F'mart. And D'mitran. Maybe B'rost?

Suddenly he realized he WOULD have to go back to his Weyr. Disappointment flooded him…duty call AGAIN? He wanted to talk to her…well, for hours, but apparently that would have to wait.

So take her with you. She said she's never been anywhere Raventh said.

Wow.

You are a smart dragon, you know that?

Siskin chipped and Raventh chuckled.

"Um…I would love to sit and talk for hours, but duty calls. But-would you like a dragon ride to MY Weyr? Hariko always has plenty of room for visitors. I will bring you back here tomorrow morning."

Surprise lit up her face.

"Oh, YES! I'll have to tell my parents, but yes, I'd like that. I won't be twenty minutes, okay? I'll just throw some things in my backpack and I'll meet you in the dragon meadow?"

"That will work," K'ndar said, "I'll have Raventh harnessed and waiting."

Risal hugged her friend and ran off.

The friend's eyebrows shot off her forehead, and she smirked.

"Fast off the mark, aren't you?" she snarked.

"That's what SHE said," K'ndar laughed.