amc.masterharperofpern-第23节

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　　　Robinton　was　playing　hand…drum　for　the　early　sessions　of　the　dancing；　so　he　didn't　get　a　chance　to　speak　to　Falloner　that　evening。
　　　But　the　next　morning　in　music　class；　the　moment　he　and　his　mother　entered　the　room　Falloner　leaped　on　him；　hauling　him　by　his　shirt　to　one　side。
　　　〃Who　told　you　to　sing　that？〃　he　demanded　in　a　harsh　whisper；　his　expression　intense；　almost　accusing。
　　　〃Mother；〃　Robinton　said；　having　hoped　to　hear　something　else　from　his　best　friend：　like；　〃You　sang　that　well。〃
　　　〃Shards；　but　it　had　Carola　going！〃　Falloner　grinned。　〃S'loner　must've　been　over　the　moons　with　delight。　Our　old　harper　…　the　one　before　C'gan　…　didn't　know　it　and　couldn't　find　it　even　when　S'loner　made　him　hunt　through　the　Records　for　it。　He　only　knew　that　he'd　learned　it。　It's　possible　G'ranad；　the　Weyrleader　before　him；　struck　it　out　of　our　Teaching。〃
　　　〃It's　back　in　Harper　Hall　Records；〃　Robinton　said。　〃I　had　to　copy　it　out　several　times　for　harpers　going　off　on　assignment。〃
　　　〃Well；　one　thing　sure；　you　made　my　father　very　happy。〃　〃Why？〃
　　　〃Because　he　knows　…〃　Falloner　paused　significantly；　his　expression　oddly　intense；　〃…　that　Thread　will　e　again。　And　he's　fighting　to　get　others　to　believe　it。　That　song　is　a　warning；　as　well　as　a　question。〃　He　clapped　Robinton　on　the　back。　〃And　I'll　be　following　him；　on　a　fighting　bronze。　Just　you　see　if　I'm　not。〃
　　　〃But；　even　if　Thread　es；　it's　not　due　for　another　fifty　turns　or　more；　and　you　and　I　will　be　old。〃
　　　〃Fifty　isn't　old　when　most　dragonriders　live　to　their　tenth　decade　and　better。　Old　M'odon's　nearly　one　hundred　and　ten；　and　there's　nothing　decrepit　about　his　brown　Nigarth。〃
　　　〃Does　he　remember　Threadfall？〃
　　　〃Naw；　he's　too　young　for　that；　but　his　great…grandfather　flew　it。〃　Just　then　Merelan　called　the　class　to　order。　〃We're　going　to　learn　the　new　song　today；　the　Question　Song。　Weyrleader　S'loner　particularly　asked　me　to　teach　it。　Robinton；　if　you'll　sing　it　again　for　us　so　we　can　start　learning　the　melody；　we　will　honour　that　request；　as　we　should　honour　all　dragons　and　their　riders。〃
　　　Five　days　later　a　green　rider　came　with　an　invitation　for　the　MasterSinger　and　her　son　to　dine　at　the　Weyr　and；　if　she　would　be　so　kind；　to　bring　some　of　the　new　music　that　had　been　heard　in　Benden　Hold。
　　　Robinton　was　never　sure　if　it　was　because　he　had　sung　the　Question　Song　or　because　the　Weyrleaders　wanted　his　mother　to　sing　more　for　them。
　　　〃Of　course　it　means　I'm　to　sing；　love；〃　she　said；　grinning　at　her　son；　〃so　we'll　take　instruments　with　us。　But　I'm　glad　that　you've　been　invited；　too。　I've　wanted　you　to　see　Benden　Weyr。〃　She　paused　and　then　winked　conspiratorially　at　him。　〃Then；　when　you　have　to　spend　the　night　up　at　Fort　Weyr；　you　won't　be　the　least　bit　scared。〃
　　　〃How　did　you　know　about　that？〃　The　apprentices　did　not　tell　anyone；　certainly　not　the　girls。
　　　Merelan　chuckled。　〃There's　a　lot　that　goes　on　in　the　Hall　that　is　known　but　not　talked　about；　lovey。　Not　that；　for　a　single　moment；　I　would　think　you'd　be　frightened　of　just　an　empty　place。〃
　　　Robinton　puffed　out　his　chest。　〃But　aren't　all　the　Weyrs　different？〃
　　　Merelan　considered　this。　〃Yes；　and　in　fact　there　are　maps　of　the　interiors　lodged　in　the　Archives　。。。　or　should　be。　Another　thing　that　I　must　check　on　when　we　get　back。〃
　　　〃When　are　we　going　back；　Mother？〃　Not　that　he　really　wanted　to；　if　he　was　being　honest　with　himself。　He　really；　truly　liked　it　here　at　Benden；　and　especially　Falloner。　He　had　never　had　a　best　friend　before。
　　　He　felt　his　mother　smoothing　his　hair。　〃Do　you　miss　the　Hall？〃　she　asked。
　　　〃Not　when　I　get　my　lessons　from　you；〃　he　said；　grinning　up　at　her。　〃You're　harder　on　me　than　Master　Washell　or　Kubisa。〃
　　　〃I　am；　am　I？〃
　　　〃And　it's　great　to　have　you　to　myself；〃　he　added　and　felt　her　hand　hesitate。
　　　〃But　you　don't；　Robie；〃　she　said；　and　her　voice　sounded　so　funny　that　he　looked　up　at　her　to　see　why。　He　caught　the　hint　of　her　frown。
　　　〃You　share　me　with　Benden　Hold　and　all　its　students。〃
　　　He　thought　that　over　for　a　moment。　〃Yes；　but　it's　not　the　same。〃
　　　〃No；　it　isn't；〃　she　said　very　slowly。　〃However；　you　and　I　must　do　some　practicing　so　we'll　show　them　our　mettle。〃
　　　Later；　Robinton　told　Falloner　about　the　invitation。　〃Will　you　be　ing　up　too？〃　he　asked；　practically　dancing　in　his　delight。
　　　〃Me？　No；　why　should　I　be？〃　〃But　。。。　but。。。　but。。。〃
　　　Falloner　dismissed　the　'but'　with　an　indifferent　hand　and　a　wry　grin。　〃I'm　lucky　to　be　down　here　at　the　Hold。　I　lost　my　birth　mother　when　I　was　born；　and　my　foster…mother　died　of　a　fever　the　healer　couldn't　cool　down；　and　there's　no　one　up　there　I　want　to　see。〃
　　　〃Not　even　your　father？〃
　　　Falloner　cocked　his　head　at　his　friend。　〃No　more　than　you　want　to　see　yours。〃
　　　〃I　never　said　anything　like　that。。。〃
　　　〃But　you　never　mention　him；　do　you？　So　you　don't　miss　him；　do　you？　Besides；　I　prefer　to　stay　out　of　Carola's　way；　and　Lady　Hayara's　fairer　to　me　than　even　Stolla。。。〃　His　voice　altered　to　a　kinder　tone。　〃But　she's　nice；　even　being　headwoman　in　the　Lower　Cavern　and　all。　She　the　one　who　made　S'loner　send　me　down　here　until　it　cooled　off。。。〃　He　stopped　short；　making　a　horrible　grimace　as　if　he'd　let　his　mouth　run　away　with　him。
　　　〃What　cooled　off？〃
　　　Falloner's　expression　turned　to　bland　innocence。　〃Cooled　what　off？〃
　　　〃You　just　said。。。〃　And　then　Robinton　stopped；　shrugged　and　dropped　the　subject。
　　　It　was　Lady　Hayara's　intervention　that　saw　Falloner　going　with　Robinton。
　　　〃For　the　pany；〃　she　told　Merelan。　〃Falloner　will　show　Robinton　around　without　letting　him　go　where　he　shouldn't。〃　She　fixed　a　stern　look　on　Falloner；　but　let　it　turn　into　an　understanding　smile。　〃But　I　expect　you　not　to　tease　Lama　so　much　any　more。〃
　　　〃She　follows　me　everywhere；〃　Falloner　plained；　screwing　his　face　up。　〃Lama's　Carola's　daughter；〃　he　explained　to　Merelan；　〃and　a　real　pain。〃
　　　〃Now；　Falloner；〃　Lady　Hayara　said；　wiggling　a　warning　finger　at　him；　〃I　know　that　Rob　will　be　asked　to　sing；　but　it's　good　for　an　uping　harper　to　learn　more　about　the　Weyr　than　what　is　sung。〃
　　　The　brown　dragon　who　collected　the　invited　guests　did　not　quibble　about　adding　Falloner　to　his　back。　Nor　did　his　rider；　who　greeted　the　boy　with　a　wry　grin。
　　　〃Allowed　back；　are　you；　weyrling？〃
　　　〃It　would　seem　so；　C'vrel。　Thanks；　Falarth；〃　Falloner　added　to　the　brown　as　he　petently　mounted　and　settled　himself　behind　Robinton。
　　　Robinton　would　have　given　anything　to　know　exactly　what　that　meant；　but　he　suspected　he'd　never　be　told　by　Falloner。　Before　he　could　reflect　further；　he　felt　the　brown　launch　himself　off　the　ground　with　the　usual　neck…snapping　lunge　and　Robinton　braced　himself　for　between。　He　was　especially　grateful　when　he　felt　Falloner's　hands　grip　his　arms　and　tighten　the　moment　they　went　into　that　bone…searing　cold。　In　between　he　could　feel　nothing；　but　he　knew　that　Falloner　still　gripped　him。　It　wasn't　as　bad；　now　he　knew　what　to　expect　…　and　then；　suddenly；　he　had　the　incredible　good　fortune　to　see　a　Weyr　from　on　high。
　　　Benden　was　unusual　in　that　it　was　situated　in　an　old　double　volcanic　crater。　As　Falarth　swung　round；　almost　on　wingtip；　Robinton　saw　the　watch　dragon　and　his　rider；　just　beyond　the　massive　Star　Stones　which　would　bracket　the　Red　Star　on　its　next　return　at　Solstice。　He　saw　dragons　lying　on　the　western…facing　ledges；　asleep　in　the　sun。。。　and　then　the　several　black　maws　which　gave　into　the　Hatching　Ground　where　a　queen's　clutch　of　eggs　hardened　until　it　was　time　for　the　weyrling　dragons　to　Hatch　and　Impress　their　lifelong　partners。　As　Falarth　glided　downward；　Robinton　saw　the　great　golden　bulk　of　Feyrith　on　her　ledge；　Chendith　lying　just　above　her；　his　eyes　whirling　in　slow　circles　as　he　watched　Falarth　land　lightly　in　front　of　the　Lower　Cavern。
Chapter　SEVEN
　　　So　here　he　was。　Falloner　had　diplomatically　slid　down　the　off…side　of　Falarth；　thus　avoiding　a　meeting　with　Carola　who；　with　S'loner；　greeted　their　MasterSinger　guest　and　her　son；　thanking　them　profusely　for　accepting　the　invitation。
　　　〃e　to　Benden？〃　Merelan　laughed。　〃I've　been　dying　to。〃　Then　she　was　introduced　to　Stolla；　the　headwoman　of　the　Lower　Cavern；　a　tall　woman　of　middle　years　who　in　turn　introduced　the　MasterSinger　to　the　blue　rider；　C'gan；　who　was　Weyrsinger；　a　slight　man　whose　boyish　face　was　eager　and　earnest；　and　so　was　obviously　thrilled　to　meet　Merelan。　The　other　woman；　Miata；　handled　basic　lessons　at　the　Weyr。　Robinton　made　his　best　bow　to　them　all；　and　then　S'loner　took　him　by　the　shoulder。
　　　〃Go　off　with　Falloner；　Robinton；〃　he　said；　grinning　broadly。
　　　〃We'll　take　good　care　of　your　mother；　never　fear。〃
　　　〃I　don't　worry；　not　when　she's　in　the　Weyr；〃　Robinton　answered　boldly　and；　before　his　mother　could　reprimand　him；　he　slipped　around　behind　Falarth　to　join　his　friend。
　　　〃C'mon；　there's　a　lot　to　see；〃　Falloner　said　and　led　the　way；　running　across　the　Bowl　to　the　black　maws　of　the　Hatching　Ground。
　　　〃This　is　the　most　important　place　in　the　Weyr。　Any　Weyr。。。〃
　　　〃Is　that　son　of　yours　to　be　a　harper；　Merelan？〃　Robie　heard　S'loner　asking。
　　　He　didn't　hear　his　mother's　exac