Chap. 86 The hunters and the hunted

Chap. 86 The hunters and the hunted

Siskin warbled a welcome. K'ndar looked up from his breakfast (he was eating in his weyr, this morning,) to see Lizard's bronze fire lizard appear. 

By now, K'ndar had learned to always keep a little bit of food for the fire lizards. He offered some to the bronze, but the fire lizard wasn't interested. Instead, the bronze chirped and landing on the bookshelf, thrust his chest out. He was wearing a harness with a message pouch.

"Aye, there, little man, did you bring me something from your master?"

The bronze's eyes whirled an affirmative green. K'ndar opened the pouch and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper and five marks. This was propitious-he was going to go to Southern Hold's Gather in just a few moments, and the money, while he had no plans on spending it, would still come in handy. His horsehair necklace 'business' was going well.

"Thank you, my friend. Sure you don't want something to eat?"

The bronze twisted his head, then leaped into the air and vanished.

Siskin indicated that he WAS interested in something to eat. 

"Who's up for a game?" K'ndar asked him. The blue, catching the cue, crouched. K'ndar threw the bit of meat in a straight line away from him and the blue darted out and caught it. 

"Well done! So clever!" 

He unrolled the paper.

Hello, K'ndar. I'm assuming you'll be attending Southern's Gather. If so, I suggest you go without weyr heraldry, or even dragonrider braids. Create a cover story should someone peg you as a rider. Have your fire lizard stay with your dragon, I'll tell mine to stay with Raventh until I finish my business.  Lord Toric has some unsavory men asking for you BY NAME. Don't know the reasons yet, but anytime Toric shows an interest in someone, it usually isn't for anyone's benefit save his own.

I've left my wagon and draft horses at Honshu Weyr. I'll be at the Gather but in disguise. When we meet, don't indicate you know me. I'll fill you in later. I'll be at the livestock area, selling a black bay gelding. If I sell him, if you would, please, give me a ride back to the Weyr. 

Your last pair of necklaces sold very quickly. You may even see the one with the blue stones on the neck of a very wealthy woman from the North. L

Hmmm. Why in the world would Lord Toric be looking for HIM? He almost changed his mind about going to the Gather, but a very large contingent of his fellow Steppe residents were  going.

He was still in his weyr when D'mitran came up to him. The brown rider was already dressed in riding gear. 

"K'ndar, not going to the Gather?"

"Oh, no, sir, I am going."

"Just wondering. You're looking plain. Most of the time, we go dressed up in our finest. Attracts the ladies, you know."

He looked at D'mitran, trusting him. "A friend of mine sent me a message via fire lizard. Said Lord Toric has some men out looking for me, asking for me by name. I'm not sure I want to risk a confrontation with him OR his roughs."

"Hmmmmmmm," D'mitran said. Being older and more experienced, he'd heard of such activities before. 

"Bet I know why. The artifacts. News got around very quickly that you'd found the capsule and turned them over to Landing."

"So?"

"So, despite the fact that they were on the steppe, which are part of the lands designated and set aside for dragonriders, Toric considers all of Southern Continent his property. He's got men who keep their eyes open for ancient artifacts and their mouths closed. Who knows how many artifacts Toric has accumulated, and hasn't shared a single one. Not a one."

"I'd heard that, but I found it hard to believe that anyone could be that…that ..selfish?"

"It's true, K'ndar. He is. So I'm certain he's got you on his list of People Who Need to be Dealt with, and I'm betting it won't be nice. But, on the other hand, it may be he will want to make a deal with you. Beware, he's devious and more treacherous than a tunnel snake. At least a tunnel snake is honest and lets you know he's coming. Toric isn't and won't."

K'ndar shook his head. 

"Maybe I should just stay home."

"Nay, lad, don't let evil people run your life. Go. We'll…we'll watch your back. You come with us, I know you don't drink, but, knowing that most of our men will be in the beer tents, at least we'll know where you are."

"Shard's, D, must I hang about with drunks?"

"Ummmmmmmmmmm, no That's understandable. They can be obnoxious," D'mitran said. 

"I'll be okay. I would much rather wander around the Gather than sit down with drinkers."

D'mitran nodded. "I understand. For that matter, I will probably do the same. I'm not a big drinker, either, although I do appreciate a good ale. Tell you what, wander at will but with the understanding that someone is looking for you. I'd tell the others, but some of them release their tongues as well as their common sense when they've been drinking. F'mart, for instance…"

K'ndar laughed. 

"You're laconic to begin with and have a good head. I think you're wise to not get all dressed up. Just keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. If Toric's men accost you, play the stupid drunk. If need be, call me via Raventh and Careth, and I'll be there in a flash."

"My friend told me to come up with a cover story." 

"Whatever it is, I'll make sure the others play along. And let's not let it keep you from enjoying the Gather. It may be nothing at all." 

He'd never been to either Honshu Weyr, or Southern Hold. Both were enormous. 

He was torn. Honshu held all sorts of wonders: colorful murals that had been painted over two millennia before and were still said to be bright and clear. There was a 'sled', a machine, he'd learned that the colonists had used to move around the planet before there were dragons. He wanted to see it, but the Gather wouldn't last forever. 

He decided to go with the dragon riders, for a while, until he got the lay of the Gather, and then go wander. He made sure his money was safe in a pouch around his neck. 

They left their dragons in a paddock set a long ways from the Gather. Many horses and other livestock were afraid of dragons…as were people!

"Siskin. Stay with Raventh. Lizard's bronze and gold will be here soon. Stay here. If I need you, I will have Raventh send you."

The blue's eyes whirled an uncertain orange.

Is something wrong?

I don't know. Lizard told me some bad men are looking for me. He told me to tell you to keep his lizards and Siskin with you. 

Will these men hurt you?

If they do, send the lizards.

I will come myself. Maybe I'll bring the rest of the dragons

K'ndar laughed at that, imaging the havoc and mayhem a cohort of full grown, protective dragons and a trio of  excited and angry fire lizards could wreak in the close confines of a Gather.

I don't doubt that. I will call you if I need you, my brother

The noise of the beer tent was overwhelming. How had so many men gotten so drunk so quickly?

He couldn't stand it. "I'm going to go wandering," he shouted at D'mitran. 

"Aye. Have fun. Remember to call me if you need help."

He was astounded by the number of people at the Gather. It was by far the biggest gathering he'd ever seen. There were people from all over the planet-dragonriders from every major weyr, North and South, and plenty from smaller ones. Holders, Crafters, and ordinary people were there in droves. Children were everywhere. He wondered if Francie was holding a lizard show. Her green was there, but as she lived with her husband at Landing now, he seldom saw her.

He found his way to the crafts lane, hoping to find Terylin. 

A green fire lizard arrowed towards him. Ah, it was hers. "Take me to your master, little lady," he said. She chirped, remembering him as a friend, and led the way.

Terylin was there, showing a large woven tapestry to a woman, who, judging by her clothing was more than able to afford it. 

Terylin looked up, seeing him, and the look in her eyes said something was troubling her. He backed off, allowing her to conduct her business with the woman. 

"These stones…I've never seen anything like them. It is amazing how you've incorporated them into the tapestry. Oh, look here! It's a dragon, and you've put the stone for its eye. Clever! Where DID you get these stones, I wonder how they'd look in a ring," she said.

"They're called "turquoise". A very good friend of mine supplies me with them."

"I should like to meet this friend, I'm certain I'd make it worth his or her while to sell some." 

"I'm not certain where they're from. They ARE lovely, aren't they?" Terylin said.

"You're not going to tell me the supplier's name?"

Terylin laughed, "then I wouldn't sell the tapestry, would I?"

"Oh, you've sold it, you have," she said pulling several marks out of her pouch and handing them to Terylin. "I should know better than to ask a crafter her secrets. But let this 'friend' of yours know that it's worth money if they sell to me. As well…" the woman laughed.  She turned to a man who'd been waiting, patiently, at the edge of the crowd. "Take this tapestry to our coach, won't you?"

"Yes'm" the man said, and obeyed. 

K'ndar waited until the woman and her servant had left.  People crowded through the narrow lane, formed by tents and booths on both sides. So many people, he thought, sometimes makes me nervous.

"Hello, young man, are you looking for pottery?" Terylin said, hoping K'ndar would play as if he were a stranger.

He would.

"Good morning, ma'am, I see your lovely pots and that tapestry was beautiful, but I'm sorry to say, I can't even come close to affording your work. How did you get that color? That blue? I've never seen it before."

She picked up one and held it low. "It's an amazing one, isn't it? It's called azurite. Look closely, and you can see, it looks deep…but it isn't!"

He bent down to look and she put her head close to his.

"Toric's men are looking for you, by name. They don't know what weyr, though. Be careful, they mean trouble." she whispered, just loud enough for him to hear over the noise of the passers by.

"How DID you do this?" K'ndar said, loudly, but worried now.

"See this? You can see where the glaze didn't heat up. That's the way azurite works." She turned the pot over. He looked closer and said, "I've heard that. I"ll be careful."

They both straightened up. 

A man came by, and interrupted them. "I see the Lady Werald purchased a tapestry from you. It had some beautiful stones in it, where on Pern did you get them?"

"Then the Lady didn't tell you that a crafter doesn't share her secrets?" The man laughed. 

"Thank you for your time, ma'am," K'ndar said. He wanted to talk to her more in depth but if the man was another customer, he shouldn't keep her from doing business.

He fell into the stream of people and walked away.

The man at Terylin's tent followed him with his eyes. Not looking at Terylin, he said, "Did you catch that man's name?"

"Nay," Terylin said, now frightened for K'ndar. "Why do you ask?" She tried to draw his attention back to her, realizing the man was watching where K'ndar went. 

"Ah, no reason. Just looking for a dragonrider, y'know."

"He was a dragonrider?" She coughed suddenly, drawing his attention. "How could you tell?"

"I think so, though he weren't wearing any heraldry or braid. But he had the boots."

"Perhaps he's merely a wannabe. Some men do that, you know, dress up like a dragonrider without ever actually being a rider. Even so, there's a lot of them here, I can't imagine why one specific dragonrider could be the subject of a search," she said, trying to deflect the man long enough for K'ndar to get far away.

The man looked left and right, then said in a lower tone, "Lord Toric wants to 'talk' to one of them. Man's name is K'ndar. If you meet with this man, let me know. I'll make it worth your time."

"I don't want any involvement in this. This isn't right, " Terylin said, a little louder than necessary.  "I'm too busy to be asking the name of every person who passes by. It's not polite, and drives away the customers."

"Suit yourself, then. Easy money for someone other than you," he said.

"Any money I make is honest money. I suggest you do the same," she said.  The man scoffed, and left. 

She called her fire lizard to her. 

"Follow that man. Remember his face. Show it to Raventh, you remember Raventh? You do, there's a good girl. Show the face to Raventh," she said.

The green chirped, loving a good game. She flew after the man, hovering high over the crowd to keep him from seeing her, then flew to Raventh.

K'ndar was heading for the livestock area when Raventh touched his mind.

Terylin's green fire lizard shows me the face of a man asking about you. He is behind you, he is following you 

He sent a picture of the man into K'ndar's head.

I see it. Tell her green thank you and well done

Your friend is worried about you. So am I

K'ndar slowed, allowing the crowd to swirl about him and move him like a straw on the river to the side, where he slipped between two tents into their shadow. The man came up soon, looking ahead, looking worriedly for K'ndar. He passed by, not seeing K'ndar.

That is him

I see him. He doesn't see me. I am going to go to the livestock area. Have the green follow him and tell you if he follows me

Lizard is there. His two fire lizards are here with me. Shall I send Siskin?

No. If these men looking for me know my name, they might know about Siskin. Only send Siskin if I need help

The livestock area was in the direction he'd come from. He waited until his follower had moved far ahead, then headed for the animal enclosures.

Now that he was aware he was being hunted, something changed in his mind. Something…thrilling.

I have friends looking out for me. I have fire lizards and a dragon watching over me. Best of all, I know I am being hunted, like I were a wherry. 

He wasn't insulted. Despite the word "wherry" being synonymous with 'stupid', he knew from hunting them that wherries were anything but. Until humans had changed fire lizards into dragons, wherries had been the apex land predator and other than dragons, still were. He remembered being chased by a flock that had ambushed him while hunting them horseback. One didn't hunt wherries without knowing that they could turn the tables on you in a split second. 

The difference being, wherries didn't have humans, dragons and fire lizards serving as scouts and air cover.

This is fun, he thought, as long as I remember who is the hunter and who is the prey. 

Chap. 80 The price war

Chap. 80 The price war

The Weyr was busy today. Most of the wings were out on Search. Mirth, the Weyrwoman's gold dragon, had laid an unusually large clutch, of which everyone was proud and reassured. Some said that there were at least three queen eggs.

But the pool of eligible candidates seemed to have shrunk. Now the wings were out doing more Searches for possible candidates.

K'ndar and Francie, however, were not. They had been assigned sweep duty, that of patrolling a sector for message banners from cotholds, or the evidence of raiders, and this time, checking on the status of fruit trees. When the fruits came ripe, much of the Weyr would be out, harvesting.

A 'transport requested" banner was flying at a small crafthold.

Siskin began to warble.

K'ndar touched his mind and saw a picture of a green fire lizard perched on a woman's shoulder. Ah, it was Terylin's crafthall!

Knowing he was going to be in the vicinity, he'd brought the blue stones and the larger blue rock. 

They landed and Francie, being the senior rider, approached the hall.

"Hello, the hall! Dragonriders here!" 

But it was unnecessary. Some of the hall's children had seen them land and alerted the adults.

"Do I have time to go see a friend of mine?" K'ndar asked.

"Of course," Francie said. Her three fire lizards suddenly took wing, joined by Siskin.

"Someone here has a fire lizard!" she said, as they arrowed away.

"Aye, my friend, Terilyn has a green. Almost as talented as your lizards!"

A man,strutting with self importance, came out of the Hall. 

Francie introduced herself. "You, sir, are the one requesting transport?"

"I am," he said, "that, and I have an order for a cask of vinegar for Hariko, your headwoman. I'll have that rolled out here in just a moment." They went into the foyer of the crafthall.

K'ndar 'called' Siskin, where are you?

The blue came back, chittering happily, and led him to Terylin's home.

It was nicely situated in amongst the trees. Outside were several ovens, all of them in use at the moment.

Terylin came out, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Hello, K'ndar! What a nice surprise! What brings you here?"

"We're on sweep, ma'am, we have business here, but..since I'm so junior, I'm merely the..the dragon holder," he laughed. He dug around in his jacket. "I brought you some interesting stones and a rock," he continued.

He handed her the large blue one first.

"Oh, my. This is a beauty. Do you know what it is?"

"No ma'am, but the minute I saw it, I thought of you."

"That's coincidental, because I've been wanting this specific rock for a long time and was just wondering if it even existed on Southern. It's called 'azurite'. WHERE did you get it?"

"A long, long way out on the steppe. We've been surveying it. I can get more of this, if you want."

She twisted it, examining it, already thinking of how to use it. "If I recall correctly, it doesn't stay dark blue like this when it's heated….but I can still use it as a glaze. May I buy this?"

"No, ma'am. I'm giving it to you. There's plenty more of it out there. And these…" he pulled the pretty, blue green rocks out of his pocket.

She looked at them for some time. "I think…I think this is what is called turquoise. I don't think I can use them as a glaze or in pottery at all, but…I can think of some interesting uses."

"I'm going to try to weave them into a necklace, but again, I know where to get more, so here."

He poured the rest into her hands.

She handed half of them back.

"No, you keep some. Okay? Let's both work with them and see what we come up with! There's a market in a few weeks at Singing Waters. Will you be able to come to that?"

"Ma'am, yes. Yes! You cannot believe how wonderful life has become, now that I don't have to fly thread every few days. It's even made a difference in my dragon. Now that he no longer has to eat firestone, it seems as if his mind has, well, sharpened. He's more able to retain things, he's just smarter, and most especially, his memory is much better."

And handsome. Don't forget handsome. Me and Motanith are covered with fire lizards right now. Siskin knows just where to scratch…oh, that feels good.

K'ndar laughed. "Raventh wants you to know that he's handsome. Too. And, as is usual, I'm learning, fire lizards just adore dragons."

Francie wants you. There is a…disagreement

?

"Sorry, ma'am, but apparently something is going on at the main hall."

"I'd bet it's Torn. If you're here on business, he's probably going to try something. He can be arrogant-and greedy," she warned.

It was. Francie was outside of the Hall, talking to Torn. Behind him was a cask, all roped for transport.

"This," Francie was saying, "is new to me. Let me get this straight. You've been supplying my Weyr with vinegar for ages, and now you want money? Do you think I HAVE money?"

"Not my problem, girlie. It's a new world, now." Torn was saying, smugly.

K'ndar spoke up. "You address her as Dragonrider, sir. Not "girlie"." 

Torn looked at him. "You, you're just a lad."

"And a dragonrider."

"Aye, but what use are you to us now? There's no more thread! Now, you're merely…"

"Merely?"

"Oh, I guess merely isn't the word. You're just dragonriders now. You must learn that up til now, we crafters have coddled you, like babies, because of a service that only you provided. Everyone else..Holders and fishermen, crafters, miners, we've had to pay for things like this vinegar here. Now that you're like us, it's only fair you pay for the things we crafters do for you."

"I see. Despite the fact that our headwoman has contracted with you for years for your, I must admit, most excellent vinegar, without question of money."

"It IS the best vinegar, that it is," Torn said, folding his hands. 

Raventh, contact Mirth. Tell her to tell Siena that we are having problems with a crafter, Torn. He wants money for vinegar.

Motanith has already done so. Siena is on her way. What is vinegar?

Uh…I'll tell you later. It is something humans eat.

Mirth appeared in the sky. She landed beside Raventh and Motanith. 

She is unhappy,having to leave her eggs. 

How soon before they hatch?

A while, I think…but not very much longer. A couple days, I think.

THREE. The Queen has spoken

The dragons respectfully moved aside for Mirth, giving their queen plenty of room. She needed it…she had grown very large. Her eyes were orange.

Siena approached the crafter. Mirth had filled her in on most of the situation.

"Weyrwoman Siena, rider of gold Mirth of Kahrain Steppe Weyr. You, sir?"

Torn looked up at her. "Torn. Crafthall Master."

"What crafts?"

"No special one. We have a potter, a cheesecrafter, farmers, woodworkers. Oh, and I make cider and vinegar."

"The problem is?" she asked, in her silky smooth voice. K'ndar and Francie had learned, early on, that when she spoke in that specific tone of voice, one had better be wary. Siena was no pushover. It was a voice that said, tread warily, fool.

"Am I to understand that now you are wanting money for the things you've provided freely in the past?"

Torn folded his arms.

"Aye. Like I told this girl, here, it's a new world now. Time you dragonriders started paying for things like the rest of us."

"I see." Siena pursed her lips, looking at him.

"How much, may I ask, do you charge Lord Dorn, your Lord Holder?"

"Ahhhhhhhh, " he said, quibbling.

"Nothing, correct?"

"Well, he IS my Lord Holder, I'm here on his…I'm on his.."

"His land."

"Yes."

"How much, then, for a person who's not your landlord?"

"I charge a mark for this size cask."

"I see. I would guess there's no chance we can barter?"

"Nay. I have to make a living, gir…ma'am."

Siena sighed. Part of her mind had been dreading this, but she knew it was inevitable, now. She'd come prepared.

"Alright then, a mark it is."

Francie and K'ndar were aghast. She was giving up! She looked at them with a quick glance that said, shut up, I know what I'm doing. 

She opened her pouch and removing a mark, handed it to Torn.

Looking triumphant, he pocketed it.

He had the manners to say, "Thank you."

"Have one of your men take it to the brown dragon over there," she said, and turned to walk off.

He called one of his men, who trundled the cask towards Raventh. 

Torn said, "By the way, Ma'am, I could use some transport to Singing Waters. I need to meet with Lord Dorn, you know? I won't be but about half an hour, maybe an hour. Which dragon do I ride?"

Siena turned back. K'ndar and Francie rejoiced. She'd baited the trap, and the man had taken it, without hesitation.

"Which dragon? Don't you have one of your own?"

"Of course not. I'm a crafter, not a dragon rider." 

"I see. You're much too old to impress one, so, I'm sorry, there is no dragon available for your transport."

Torn scowled. "What do you mean? There's three dragons right there. I've an appointment with Lord Dorn today. He's not a man I want to keep waiting." 

"Well, then," Siena said,almost hissing, "I suggest you get on your fastest horse and gallop, because you aren't riding any dragon of MY weyr. Not now, not ever."

"But…but..you've always provided transport!"

"FREE  transport. FREE of charge, Torn."

Siena turned, gathering up a smirking Francie and K'ndar with her glance. They followed her.

Torn followed, aghast.

"Ma'am, I'm serious, I need transport to Lord Dorn's hold immediately."

Siena kept walking, K'ndar and Francie just behind her.

"Ma'am!"

She and the others turned as one.

"You're serious, are you?"

"Yes!"

"So am I. You charge my weyr for vinegar, something never before done and without any sort of negotiation, now you have the audacity to expect my riders to freely provide you transport? You're wasting my time, Torn. That horse isn't going to get you there any faster with you standing here. Good day," and she continued walking, smiling.

Torn looked torn. And defeated. While greedy, he wasn't stupid.

"How…how much for transport to and from Singing Waters hold?"

Siena stopped, looking at the sky, making it a dramatic show. She'd already composed what she was about to say. She turned around. 

"My queen dragon is busy with eggs. Having to come here to settle this matter has already unsettled her. Raventh, the brown, is already burdened. That leaves only the green. Greens are seldom used for transport as they're small. She, by the way, is NOT my dragon. 

My dragonriders, as you note, are no longer confined to fighting Thread at the cost of inability to pursue other means of making money. You crafters never paid money for our protection of your halls, your homes, your lands. You never complained when they were in the sky, getting scored, sometimes dying, so that you didn't lose everything to thread. Now that we are no longer constrained by having to fight Thread all our lives, all dragonriders have the choice-as YOU have always had-to live as they choose.

So transport remains solely up to the rider to choose whether or not to provide." 

She looked at Francie. There was a wickedly happy glint in her eye. She was enjoying this.

"Are you willing to transport this man to and from Singing Waters?"

Francie made a show of pondering the question. She'd already decided.

"Please, dragonrider, I need transport."

"Oh, now it's 'dragonrider', not "girlie"?"

Torn actually flushed. Maybe he did have a decent bone inside his head.

"I…I apologize."

Francie,  said,  "I charge two marks for transport."

"TWO MARKS?" Torn shouted.

"One mark to the Hold, one mark back here. Got to make a living, you know," she said, in her best Siena tone as possible.

Siena smiled. Good girl, she thought,quick as her green.

Torn began to swell up…then deflated.

"Aye. Tis fair."

He pulled two marks from his pocket and handed them to Francie.

"Nay, sir. It goes to my Weyrwoman. She paid for the vinegar out of her own pocket. And she provides room and board for me and my dragon."

He reluctantly handed them to Siena.

"Don't keep my dragon rider waiting too long, Torn. She's got other transports to do," Siena said, icily, and resumed her walk to her dragon.

Francie looked at K'ndar. They both smirked.

Chap. 40 Family decisions

Chap. 40  Family decisions

"If I hadn't lived through it, I wouldn't have believed so many things could happen in one short week," Daryat said.

The family was sitting around a small fire on the beach in front of K'ndar's weyr. Raventh's eyes reflected the flames, making them appear to glow like hot coals. Sandriss's two fire lizards were curled up between his wings, sound asleep. The sea was quiet and gentle, and the stars were out in force.

"It is so good to have you back, Sandriss," she said, "and I can't tell you often enough, Liana, welcome to the family."

"What 'bout me?" the toddler in her lap piped up. Everyone laughed.

"Most ESPECIALLY you, Nattana!" Daryat said.

A log popped and rolled over. Fland took a rod and pushed it back up onto the flames.

K'ndar reflected on how nice it felt to have virtually the entire family here. It wouldn't be for long, of course, and Mardriss wasn't here…but neither was Hanliss. This, he thought, was how it feels to have a Happy family.

Daryat ran her hands over the pot K'ndar had given her. Its texture begged to be caressed. 

"You must introduce me to the woman who made this, K'ndar. It is so lovely, so cunningly made."

"Her name is Terylin, Mum, a gentlewoman if ever there was one. She tried to teach me to ''throw a pot" and the only thing I did was make a bunch of people laugh at me."

"Did you say "Terylin"?, Sandriss said, sitting bolt upright.

"Yes, she was at the market a couple weeks ago. She was going to gift it to me, but I couldn't, I just couldn't, so we bartered. I just today finished making a horse hair necklace for it. I hope to see her at the Gather tomorrow, I owe it to her, and haven't had time to call her fire lizard."

"She GAVE it to you? That's amazing. Did you know she is the best potter on Pern?" Sand said, awed.

"I hadn't until Nyala told me. She said she's famous."

Sand whistled. "That's an understatement. Her pots are..well, let's just say that the wealthy folk on Pern all want her work. I'd bet my boots there's one of her pots on Lessa's table.  On the few occasions I've been lucky enough to see hers, IF they're for sale, they bring in a lot of money. Most people want them just for their beauty. "

"Here, take a look at mine," Daryat said, handing it to Sandriss.

He examined it with his trader's eye. "Yes, yes. This is definitely her work. It's very clever, very well done. If there wasn't a knob on the lid you wouldn't know how to open it."

He handed it back.

Daryat suddenly felt odd to have something so valuable in her hands. She'd never had such a valuable item in her life. Except for her children.

"So, how do you feel about staying here at the weyr now, Glyena? Now that Dad is dead? Do you want to go back?" She asked.

The 7 year old shook her head. "No, Mum, I mean, Mum, I love you, so much. But here, I'll have two sisters! And a room to myself, it's BIG. Alisa is so nice, she knows all about plants, and her partner is a harper. He's already told me what level I'll be in, for school. I want to go to school and learn. I want to …I want to stay here. Jordan is here, and K'ndar, and his dragon. If I want to go home, I can just ask K'ndar to take me, to visit, right? Right?"

K'ndar looked at her with a mix of fondness and trepidation. "Glyena, you have to remember, I'm a dragon rider now. I will be doing a lot of things, flying against Thread, doing sweeps-I'll be gone. Often. It's not as if I'll have a lot of time on my hands."

He wondered if she really understood that.

Glyena nodded.  Daryat said, "Maybe, Glyena, you should live here with the idea that Kandar I mean K'ndar does NOT."

"Okay. If it means that, I still want to stay here."

They fell silent for a few moments. Then K'ndar asked,"And you, Mum? You've made up your mind."

"K'ndar, with Hanliss dead, there is nothing to keep me here. Hariko was disappointed, to say the least, but she understands. I want to be there when Arlita has her baby. Isn't it funny, a few days ago I had no grandchildren and here, very soon, I'll have TWO!"

"Me first," Nattana said. They laughed. Daryat said, "Yes, you little darling, you're first. But you won't be there, at the cothold."

"She will, you know." Sandriss said, his arm around Liana.

"WHAT?"

"Mum, I've enjoyed the trader life. I've seen a lot, been so many places. Pern is so big! One could wander for a lifetime and still not see it all. I've made some very good friends. I've done things I never thought I'd be able to do. I met Liana on the road and we both love the freedom. We love to see what's over the next hill. But…" and he looked down fondly at Nattana in her mother's lap, "Comes a time when a family needs to settle down for a while, give a child stability in her life. Maybe someday, when Natty is old enough, maybe we'll light out for the nomad trader life again. But for now, we plan on settling down."

"Oh!" Daryat, and everyone else said, "Where will you go?"

"Well, I have enough money that I can probably afford to lease a small cothold, raise some livestock, you know, what you and Dad did. But,..well, I told my partner, Lizard, that I intended to be at the Gather…we couldn't make it for the graduation. I made him swear to not tell you, K'ndar," he said.

"Huh. Well, he kept his word," K'ndar said.

"He always does. Anyway, there was some three way communication between Lizard, me and Mard. Lizard can get word to anyone. I think he knows every Runner on the planet. He sent Mardriss a message saying I was here, and  Mardriss sent one back, telling me Dad had died and that you all had already left for the Weyr.

His last words on my message were: 'don't bother leasing. You have a home here anytime you want one'. So….we're going  to build a house. At Home. At our cothold."

Cheers arose all round. Nattana clapped in joy although she hadn't a clue why.

This makes things so much easier, Fland thought. Now I won't have to face taking three horses back to the cothold by myself. Not that I'm afraid, mind you, but…there are bandits out there.

Hanliss, he thought, the only decent thing you ever did in your life was die.

As if hearing them, Sandriss said, "This way, Fland and Mum needn't take the horses back all by themselves. We'll be with you, with our wagon and draft horses. AND fire lizards, who are more protective than you might expect."  His bronze warbled in agreement.

"And,now that there's a dragon in the family, maybe transportation between here and there will be a lot easier." He said, looking at K'ndar.  "Of course, that being when he's available."

"In a year," K'ndar said, "That point will be moot. I'm not sure what I intend on doing once we no longer have to fly against Thread. I'd like to explore, but I also want to learn more. I want to read as many books as I can. I want to map the steppes. I want to see how the wild creatures live. I would like…well, I thought I'd try my hand at being a trader, but I discovered at the Market that I just don't have the..the.."

""Distrust of the common man?"" Sandriss finished, chuckling.  "But still, I know a good man to be on the road with," Sandriss said. "Lizard. You don't have to do the trading. You can still wander. He's a good man to have at your back, knows every hall, hold and weyr between here and the Northern Reaches, and he's honest."

"Oh, by the way, Lizard told me I owed you this."

He took out a pouch he'd tucked under his shirt. Getting up, he walked around the fire to hand it to K'ndar.

K'ndar knew what it was.

He reached in, felt a warm ovoid. He took it out.

A fire lizard egg. It was warm, and heavy.

"It's almost ready to hatch. I'd say three days from now.   I'm assuming you know how to care for a freshly hatched fire lizard?" Sandriss asked, his expression impish.

WHAT IS THAT?  Raventh asked, suddenly completely alert.

It's a fire lizard egg, Raventh! he said.

"Thank you, Sandriss, thank you so very much. And I would like to thank Lizard, too, for being so helpful to me."

"I don't need to tell you to keep it warm?"

"Nay," K'ndar said, hastily wrapping the egg up in his shirt, next to his belly.

"It's the last of my gold's clutch. They know you, now, they know Raventh, and when your fire lizard is old enough, we can use them to communicate between here and there. No more having to wait on a sweep rider or a Runner," he said. "Don't forget Lizard's, either. They were very effusive about Raventh."

It's about time you got a fire lizard. Now I will have a friend

You mean I'm not your friend?  he teased.

Raventh's anwer was unintelligible but the feeling was unmistakeable: Don't be a fool.

"We're going to stay for the Gather, then, I think, Fland, if you're willing, we'll head for the cothold. Mum, are you riding with us? Or…"

"Originally, I'd planned on it. While I don't think he'd have any troubles, still, it wouldn't be fair to Fland for him to head by himself. Although,..well, I guess you did it for years, Sandriss."

"Aye, at first, Mum, but back then it was safer. You could go days without seeing another soul. But in the last couple of years, there's been many people moving here from the North. Most of them are decent folks, but there are the few that should be in a cell rather than walking about free. For some reason those type seem to mostly be hill folk from Bitra. Strange folk, Bitrans. Seem to have a grudge against just about everyone, and I can't understand why.

About a year after I left the cothold, a couple of Bitrans stole my horse. They had stolen several, had a small herd already.  I was lucky, if they'd seen me they probably would have hurt me.  I thought, you shardin…" he stopped, not wanting to cuss in front of his toddler, "you're not going to take my only horse. So I followed their tracks. Wasn't hard, I'd recognize the track anywhere, the mare had an odd shaped hoof. While tracking them,  I found Lizard, almost dead from bleeding out. The same...people… had jumped him, cut him up, stole everything he had. I tracked them down.  Let's just say I made sure they won't do that again, at least not to me and Lizard.

I have to admit, though, that was the only time I had problems. And it gave me the best business partner ever."

"How did you know they were Bitrans?" Glyena asked.

"They have an odd accent.  Once you hear it, you'll never forget it. That, and they're terrified of Aivas.  I can't for the life figure out why, but they're afraid of it, even though it's dead. They won't touch a thing Aivas introduced."

K'ndar thought of his library books, the concept and existence of them made possible by Aivas.  What a treasure they were, and for people to fear knowledge made no sense to him. Given a choice, he'd take a book before he'd take a mark, even were both free.

"I have to admit, we had an uneventful trip here," Fland said.

"Actually, it was enjoyable. It's a lovely ride, there's plenty of wildlife to see, we didn't have a bit of trouble, or even bad weather."

"I can take you back on Raventh whenever, Mum. I have sweep riding duty for the week after the Gather, but I can still take you home, and bring back whatever Glyena might want," K'ndar said.

"I think I'd like that, K'ndar. It will give me time to get the house ready for Sand and Liana."

"An' ME!" Nattana cried.

"Yes, of course, Natty, you too."

"Mum, well, maybe, I should ask you, Aunt Liana," Glyena said, "I'm going to be here, now. There's my pony at home. She's called Goldie, she's a palomino. I used to ride her until I grew too big. No one's riding her now. Me and K'ndar, we trained her. Would it be okay if I were to give Goldie to Nattana?"

"WANT PONY!" Nattana cried. She wasn't quite sure what a pony was, but she knew she wanted it.

They all roared. Liana, giggling, said, "Well, I guess THAT decision was taken out of my hands."

"So, can we say it's settled?" Fland asked. "K'ndar takes Daryat home and we head out the same time?"

"Works for me," Sandriss said.