breakfast. “There are only twelve of them with hatchlings from Hinirth’s last clutch, and they’re almost old enough to join the fighting wings.”
“The two leaders are J’gerd and J’keran,” T’mar added. “J’gerd’s a wiry-haired lad, smiles a lot but he’s thoughtful.”
“J’keran is blond-haired and low-built,” Tajen continued, glancing at T’mar for agreement.
“He’s strong, just not tall,” T’mar said. “They’re both — ” He glanced at Tajen. “ — steady, wouldn’t you say?”
“Steady’s a good word,” Tajen agreed. “Given time they’ll make passable riders.”
“They’ll know what to do; you just keep on top of ’em,” T’mar told her as he tipped back his mug for the last bit of
And with that, they left.
Fortunately, Cisca took pity on her. It must have been the look in her eyes, Fiona thought ruefully as the Weyrwoman guided her toward the weyrling tables.
With well-honed good manners, all the young riders rose as soon as they spotted the Weyrwomen. Fiona knew some of them already, but she still felt that she was being confronted with a sea of faces.
Cisca gestured to one of the older weyrlings at the end of table. “This is J’gerd.”
The lad smiled, and immediately Fiona recognized it as the telltale sign, along with his curly black hair, that had been given her by T’mar.
“You must be J’keran, then,” Fiona said to a smaller, blond-haired boy standing beside J’gerd.
J’gerd’s smile grew wider and he poked the other lad, saying jokingly, “Examine your conscience and tell the Weyrwomen whatever sins you’ve committed.” While J’keran was still looking at him bemusedly, J’gerd added, “Quickly now, before it’s too late!”
“You’d best be mindful of your own errors,” J’keran replied steadily. Then he jerked his head toward one of the younger riders. “Either you or F’jian there would be my guess for any pranks.”
“Sit, sit all of you,” Cisca commanded. Obediently the riders sat back down, still looking at the Weyrwoman half-expectantly, half-fearfully.
“Fiona will be responsible for firestone drill this morning,” Cisca said.
“Weyrwoman,” J’gerd said with a polite nod toward Fiona.
“We worked together on the first-aid drill,” F’jian piped up from his place at the tables. “If you’d like,” he offered Fiona, “I could guide you around.”
“So you can eat with the Weyrleader?” J’gerd replied with a shake of his head. “No, the Weyrwoman will need an experienced hand to help her, not some young . . .” But he trailed off as he realized that Fiona’s queen was from the same clutch and any insult to F’jian’s bronze might also be applicable to her queen.
“You have to forgive J’gerd,” J’keran spoke up in the silence. “His lips often move a full minute before his brain.”
That brought sniggers from the rest of the group and red-faced shame to J’gerd’s face.
A subtle move from Cisca made it clear to Fiona that she was on her own to handle the situation. On her own and being tested.
“We need to make allowances all around,” Fiona said after a moment, choosing her words carefully. “Some who speak too quickly should learn caution — ” She saw J’keran glance victoriously at J’gerd. “ — while others who do not speak at all risk never being heard.” She was pleased to see J’keran and J’gerd exchange expressions as her meaning sank in.
“As such,” she continued, “I think it best if the two of you came with me to the Weyrleader’s table, while F’jian stays here and keeps order.”
The young bronze rider sat suddenly bolt upright as he absorbed the meaning of her words.
“Come on, quickly,” Fiona called, as she turned toward the Weyrleader’s table, seeing K’lior rising. Cisca merely smiled and waved her on. If K’lior moved too quickly, she’d never be able to talk with him, Fiona realized with a rush of fear. She couldn’t shout, it would be unseemly and almost certainly unheard in the noise of the Cavern so —
In front, she saw K’lior halt and turn slowly around, scanning for her. She picked up her pace and was soon beside him, J’keran and J’gerd a step behind her.
“K’lior, thanks for waiting!” Fiona said a little breathlessly. “I wanted to introduce the firestone crew to you.”
“J’gerd, J’keran,” K’lior said, nodding to each. He looked back to Fiona, saying, “Good choices.”
He frowned for a moment before continuing. “Thread will fall over Ruatha and then on to the Weyr.” He glanced at the three of them to make sure they understood. To the two lads, he said, “We’ll use the usual recognition points and full load.”
“Full load?” Fiona repeated, bewildered.
“Sometimes when we practice we don’t fill the firestone sacks full,” K’lior explained kindly. “But as we’ve a Fall coming and we’re flying wing-light, we need all the experience we can get.”
“Full load, it is,” J’keran replied, sounding somewhat gleeful.
K’lior looked back at Fiona. “Is there anything else, Weyrwoman?”
“No, thank you, Weyrleader,” Fiona replied formally, remembering at the last moment to bow rather than curtsy. Weyrwomen, as Xhinna was constantly reminding her, need not curtsy to anyone.
“Good Fall, Weyrleader!” J’gerd and J’keran called in unison as K’lior departed.
“We need to get ready, too, don’t we?” Fiona asked, turning back to the older riders. “Won’t they need firestone to take with them?”
“Of course, Weyrwoman,” J’gerd replied, trying not to sound as if that weren’t obvious. “J’keran, go and send the others to the barracks.” He turned back to Fiona. “Do you have the key?”
“Key?” Fiona repeated blankly. It turned out that the firestone was kept in a locked room, a leftover precaution from the days not so many Turns before when firestone had been dangerously explosive — mere contact with water would set the “old” firestone burning.
The newer firestone, as Fiona knew from her time with Kindan, Kelsa, and the other harpers, had been discovered by C’tov of High Reaches Weyr and was, as far as any could tell, the real firestone that had been first discovered in ancient times when it was used by fire-lizards.
Fiona spun around looking for Ellor. She quickly spotted her.
“Here’s yours,” Ellor said, handing a simple key and length of chain over to Fiona. “Mind you don’t lose it.”
“Mine?” Fiona repeated in surprise.
“Certainly,” Ellor said with a raised eyebrow. “You’re a Weyrwoman: this is your Weyr.”
With a nod, Fiona placed the chain over her neck and the key against her chest, pretending that she completely understood Ellor’s meaning. She was certain that she was missing some deep importance in the headwoman’s words, but she didn’t have the time to think on it more. J’gerd and J’keran were right behind her.
“Let’s go,” J’keran urged, all pretense now dropped. “We don’t want to be late.”
“Especially not for H’nez,” J’gerd agreed with a grimace.
Fiona said nothing but quickened her pace, breaking into a trot as she exited into the Weyr Bowl. She was about to slow down, uncertain of her direction, when J’keran sped past her. “This way!”
A knot of weyrlings were gathered outside the first-level door that housed the Weyr’s supply of firestone.
“You’ll need someone to count,” a voice beside her chimed up unexpectedly. Fiona turned to see Xhinna, who gave her a reassuring smile and said, “You’ve got to keep a tally of all the firestone leaving the room.”
“Could you do it?” Fiona asked. Xhinna’s expression dimmed slightly, letting Fiona guess that her friend wanted a more challenging role. She leaned in closer. “What do you want to do?”
“I’d like to fill the sacks,” Xhinna told her.
“That’s hard work,” a deeper voice spoke up. Xhinna and Fiona turned to see J’keran standing close by. “Usually we have the younger ones switch off.”
“We’ve what — twelve weyrlings to fly firestone?” Fiona asked out loud.
