Dragonheart

“Watch-whers will fly Thread at night,” T’mar declared hotly. “Dragons and dragonriders will owe their lives to them.”

“I’d ask that you keep that to yourselves,” Fiona said. “It won’t happen until the Fall over Southern Boll.” She smiled as T’mar reached around her to open the door. The noise of the hall outside was almost welcome after all the bitter talk.

“Wait a moment!” Veclan’s voice boomed out.

Fiona paused, then stepped through the door. Behind her she heard quick, heavy steps and muffled gasps, and suddenly Mastersmith Veclan stood before her.

“My lady, would you please come back inside?”

“The air in that room is too foul with malice; I prefer the smoke and noise out here.”

“I am an old man,” Veclan replied, “and my time is more precious to me than it ever was.”

“You are worried about a successor,” Fiona replied. “You needn’t be.”

“And why is that?” Veclan asked, frowning.

“Because the choice is obvious, once you believe what I said,” Fiona told him.

“And what is it that you’ll gain for your Weyr?” Veclan asked. “We’re not doing this for the Weyr,” Fiona replied. “We’re doing this for Zenor.”

“Zenor?”

Fiona nodded. “For him, his wife to be, and their children.”

“I don’t understand.”

“And I don’t want to tell you more than I must,” Fiona replied. “But think: with his wife riding a gold watch- wher, what better trade could he have than mining gold for her? In her honor?”

“Why not ride a watch-wher beside her?” Veclan mused.

Fiona shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“I still do not understand what the Weyr gets from all this.”

“Honor more than anything,” Fiona replied without thinking. She gestured toward Telgar Weyr. “I have heard too many stories about the Weyrleader there. Honor has been lost by him; it is up to the rest of the Weyrs to rebuild it.”

“No gold for you?” Veclan wondered, eyeing Fiona shrewdly.

“I have  a gold!” Fiona exclaimed hotly. “And not all the metal of Pern is worth one instant with her.” She started to move around him. “I’ve wasted enough time away from her.”

“Very well,” Veclan called to her back. “Go back to your Weyr, Weyrwoman. You’ll need more than one dragon to bring all our gear anyway.”

Fiona slowed and stopped, not believing her ears. Hopefully, she turned back to look into the Mastersmith’s eyes. “You mean you will help us?”

Veclan nodded, smiling.

“Why?” Fiona asked in surprise. “What changed your mind?”

“The way you spoke of your dragon,” Veclan told her. He shook his head admiringly as he added, “I wanted to believe you when you spoke of honor, but it was when you spoke of your gold that I realized you were telling the truth.”

“Of course she is,” Zenor exclaimed from behind him. “She’s the Weyrwoman of Igen Weyr!”

“She’s certainly a Weyrwoman,” Veclan agreed with a firm nod toward Fiona. “And she’s the first Weyrwoman I’ve ever met who’s willing to trade. ”

When Fiona returned to the Weyr hours later, the first thing she did was hug her beautiful Talenth. Then, even though her every nerve was still humming from the emotions of the day, she carefully searched every speck of her dragon’s hide for any slightest imperfection and oiled it thoroughly. She had never until that moment appreciated how much enjoyment she got from such a simple task.

You are the most beautiful, marvelous, amazing dragon on all Pern!  she declared stoutly.

I know,  Talenth replied, without any trace of arrogance.

“I have one more journey today, and then I’m not going anywhere,” Fiona promised as the last rays of the sun were cut off by the high stone walls of the Weyr Bowl.

It would be good to have you watch my flying,  Talenth admitted.

I’ve missed that,  Fiona agreed. I’m sure you’re getting quite good at it.

I was thinking that perhaps we could start flying just before dark,  Talenth suggested hopefully.

“I’ll want to check with T’mar,” Fiona said aloud. “I wouldn’t want you to strain yourself.”

Talenth’s eyes whirled a contented green. If you make this journey, will we get better food?

What, you don’t like sheep?  Fiona teased.

All the older dragons talk about cattle,  Talenth told her wistfully. They say that I’m big enough to eat one on my own.

Oh, I don’t know about that!  Fiona cocked her head to one side as she examined Talenth’s head critically. You’d want to chew, that’s for certain!

I  always chew,  Talenth declared, sounding hurt.

Love, you only chew when I make you,  Fiona reminded her, smiling broadly.

And you always remind me, so I always chew!

Fiona shook her head, willing to let her beautiful queen have the last word on the subject.

She turned her head as she heard a noise outside and recognized Nuella and her small watch-wher.

We’ve got company,  Fiona told Talenth. Nuella is here with her little Nuellask.

Little?  Talenth repeated in confusion. Did we meet them before?

Fiona tried to find a way to explain that they’d met the older Nuellask in the future. Dragons had poor enough memory without adding the confusion of time travel.

We met them when they were older,  she explained at last.

Older, so bigger,  Talenth mused. Smaller now?

Yes, because she’s younger,  Fiona agreed.

Am I older than her now?

Yes, you are,  Fiona replied. She’s just hatched, so be gentle.

Talenth arched her neck and blew a wisp of air from her nostrils to the small watch-wher.

She hears me!  the gold dragon exclaimed joyfully. Yes, I’m a dragon, a queen like you. No, you’re not a dragon, you’re a watch-wher.  A moment later she told Fiona, She wants to know what is the difference between a dragon and a watch- wher.

“Talenth is talking to Nuellask,” Fiona said to Nuella, who had stood silently during the exchange. “Nuellask wants to know what is the difference between a dragon and a watch-wher.”

Nuella smiled, her eyes glowing with an obvious love for her new mate. “What are you going to tell her?”

Talenth,  Fiona said, tell her that watch-whers like the night and dragons like the day.

I don’t mind the night,  Talenth said with an air of protest.

I know,  Fiona replied indulgently. But you spend more time sleeping at night than you do during the day. Nuellask spends more time awake at night than during the day.

Oh,  Talenth responded, sounding mollified. A moment later, she said, I told her.  She paused in thought for moment before continuing, I don’t know if she understood.