| So I went back to the forest, without Champ this time, although I noticed he was getting restless at his place in the pen where I had him. He knew we should have left by now, and already the sun was getting low enough that I was getting hungry. I hadn�t eaten more than a meat roll all day. But I was used to going a long time without food, so it didn�t bother me like it did other people when I couldn�t eat three square meals a day. I took a swim in the lake, and put on a fresh tunic and trous. But I walked, farther and farther, getting more and more anxious about nothing in particular. I�d been feeling all day like something was up, like I should be doing something else other than what I was doing. Although what else there was, I didn�t know. Maybe I should have gone to try and find Dov. Too late now. I thought, and sank low by a tree. I�d stayed there, half dozing in a fit of restlessness (much like me runner), and half thinking of all the things in my life I didn�t care about, before I noticed the sky was changing colours, and my stomach was rumbling. But before I could do anything, I heard someone walking up behind me. I figured it must be Huda, come looking for me on Dov�s orders, or someone else on Dov�s orders. Despite the fact he�d been missing near all day, he would expect Huda and me to stay around for him. But when I stood up and turned around I was surprised to see Huda, or a raggedy looking drudge boy, but rather a dragonrider. But my eyes immediately noticed that this dragonrider wasn�t dressed properly. His clothes looked somehow odd, differently made. Almost a weaker fabric if you asked me; but he didn�t so I didn�t say anything. His shoulder knots were tiny and barely visible, and they were like no shoulder knots I�d ever seen. Only the traditional emblem on his tunic gave him away as a Sidra Weyr rider. Had Sidra changed their uniform? If so, the other Weyrs hadn�t been notified, and that would lead for trouble. Weyr�s had to stick together, in all things. Celsya told me that, and it was a fact even Huda backed up, although I suspected Huda didn�t know why she backed it up, other than she was half in love with the Weyr. �Hello there.� The rider said, and I had a hard time understanding him. His accent was strange, and most mimicked the heavy accent of the Islander�s farther south, although it was nothing like how most Sidra riders spoke. Ah well, if he Impressed at Sidra, than he wouldn�t have adapted an accent yet if he were still new enough. I nodded to him, and dipped my head in dragonrider courtesy. I didn�t much care for the traditional respect of the dragonriders. Protection for food, it was a fair deal. No party should be respected higher than the other, but I wasn�t the type to profess my ideals to everyone and anyone who would listen, so I watched the dragoner curiously. He seemed pale to me, and faint. I asked if he needed the assistance of a Healer, and he just shook his head. �No, that won�t be necessary.� He said, and rested his hand against a tree. I watched him warily, wondering if I should run and get help, but when I was about to go off he held up his hand and shook his head. �No, wait. Please don�t bring anyone, they�wouldn�t understand.� He heaved a sigh, and looked me squarely in the eye. I didn�t flinch like most people would at such an intense gaze, and I smiled to myself over that. �Sir, one of the mining Halls is just a league to the east, are you sure you wouldn�t like me to help you there?� I said this as politely as I could, and watched as he seemed to be thinking intently on something. �One of the mining halls?� He asked curiously, and I detected something wrong almost immediately. �There�s more than one?� I had half a mind to play with him, because he honestly didn�t� seem to know how obvious it was that he didn�t have wits about him. But I wasn�t so cruel as that, to trick a grown man-when he was obviously as ill as this dragonrider was. �Yes.� I told him flatly, and took a step back as his eyes lit up in wonder. �Tell me then, what else is there?� But then he seemed to realize how akward his question was, and shook his head. �No, no, I understand. Don�t bother child, please, can you tell me how the courtyard of the nearest Weyr looks? Or don�t you know?� He shook his head again, and then muttered to himself. �Just a child, why am I asking her?� I flared up at him. �I�m not a child.� I near screamed, and it took him by surprise. �I�m near seventeen, and hardly a drudge to not know what you�re getting at! You dragoners have no respect for girls anymore, all queenriders or greenriders to you!� I spat at him, and he look shocked and even more confused. �What�s a drudge?� He asked suddenly, and I laughed at him. �If you won�t let me take you to a Healer, what makes you think I�ll help you turn more crazy than you already are? As I said, if you�re not respectful of me, I won�t be respectful of you. Simple as that. Now let�s start over. I�m Elfie, the mining hall is a short distance off, would you like some help there?� The man smiled to himself, and shook his head. �No chil�.girl, but I would like something else.� He smiled wildly. I put my hand on my belt knife in readiness. Dragonriders could be a randy lot, and if this man was as crazy as he seemed� Not crazy. I heard someone say, but the voice echoed, and I was sure I imagined it. Just like that time when I was young, and I prayed to Faranth (wherever she was), that she might send me a real family. I was too young to know better than, and I swore at that time I heard her answering me as the breeze picked up. I shook the memory away. I was as stark mad as this rider. Maybe he wasn�t even a rider� �Don�t get me wrong!� He said, and grinned. �You�re young by our standards, but I suppose if time had advanced so far�.how would you like to come to Sidra Weyr with me?� �What for?� I asked him, startled. �Why, to be a queen egg candidate of course. You could come back to your time if you Impress�� �My time?� I raised my eyebrows at him, slowly taking steps away from him. This was a grand joke on his part, I�d have to use it on Huda some time. Didn�t mean I wasn�t still afraid of him though. �Well yes, you see, I wasn�t really supposed to take anyone but from the Weyrs, but Kraiteth insists your perfect as a queen candidate back in my time. The first pass. Will you go?� �To the first pass? I�m supposed to believe you came from the first pass? Timing it here? Why?� �For candidates. We�re only just developing Threadfighting techniques, and most of our riders still fear it because they don�t know it. Our Weyrwoman has tested it, and sent Searchrider ahead to different times to pick out new candidates to help people overcome their fear of the Threads, and maybe learn new strategies as well. Of course this was intended to take already experienced Thread fighters back, but we�re finding taking candidates is working out well too. Will you come?� His voice was anxious, and without knowing why I believed him. Dov wouldn�t care I was gone, not after the first couple of days. Huda was fine�But to get away, to do something new with my own life would be wonderful for me. I shrugged at the rider. �Show me your dragon, prove what you say it true. I warn you, I know how to fight with knives, and you�re unarmed. I can take you down by force if necessary. But I�ve got a runner, I�ll need to find somewhere to leave him.� Suddenly I thought of that handsome lad by the doorway, and it struck me as right he should have Champ to keep for a time until I returned, if what the rider said was true. �Runner?� His brows furrowed in puzzlement, and he shrugged. �I�ll ask later. I�m R�es by the way. Take care of your business, I�d rather not let anyone know I�m here. Come to this place before tomorrow morning, and I�ll take you back in time to Sidra Weyr.� He seemed to expect some sort of grand finale reaction from me at those words, but I just shrugged. �I�ll be back tonight, before it�s dark.� But privately I thought it was pointless for me to go. I was excited, sure, but I knew I�d never Impress. I should give Huda this chance, she loved dragons, and surely could Impress a queen. But I didn�t give the chance to Huda, I returned to the dragoner when the stars were first appearing in the sky. I�d given temporary care of Champ to the young lad called Denesi. He was glad for it, he said he needed a good racer. I told him if he hurt Champ in any way, he�d be sorry for it, and I rubbed my belt knife. I saw him shudder, and that went good. I wrote a note for Huda and Dov, and asked Denesi to deliver it the next morning. I didn�t even bother grabbing my packed bags before I went off to meet R�es and his brown dragon. I�d get what I needed at the Weyr. I had my knives, my aim wasn�t going anywhere, and my trick cards. Hopefully these ancient timers knew how to play poker at least. I smiled. |