amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第14部分

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　　Lessa　shrugged。　〃Jaxom　says　she's　as　organized　as　Sharra　is。　He'd　be　glad　to　step　down　from　the　position　of　youngest　Lord　Holder。〃
　　F'lar　stretched　out　his　right　leg；　grimacing　as　the　tendon　resisted　full　extension。　He　gave　a　sigh。
　　He's　all　right；　Mnementh　told　Lessa　privately；　waking　from　his　nap。
　　All　that　dancing　he　tried　to　tell　me　he　didn't　enjoy；　Lessa　replied。
　　〃We　need　younger　minds　dealing　with　all　the　changes；〃　she　said　aloud。
　　He　turned　his　amber　eyes　on　her；　amused　and　slightly　condescending。　〃Young　heads　can　be　as　certain　that　they　are　right　as　the　old　ones。　And　no　experience　to　draw　on。〃　He　ate　another　pastry；　licking　his　fingers　as　the　juice　within　leaked。　〃Idarolan's　been　studying　astronomy　with　that　journeyman　of　Wansor's。　He　got　Morilton　to　make　him　some　special　mirrors　for　a　telescope　to　set　up　on　that　bridge　of　his　down　at　Nerat's　Ankle。〃
　　〃For　all　that　I　like　Curran　as　Masterfishman；　I'll　miss　Idarolan's　sly　wit　in　the　Council。〃　She　took　another　tidbit　and　then　a　sigh　escaped　her　lips　after　she　swallowed。　〃I　shall　miss　them。　I'll　miss　them　all。〃
　　F'lar　reached　over　the　table　to　cover　her　thin；　small；　but　remarkably　capable　hand；　squeezing　her　fingers。
　　〃We　both　shall；　love。〃　He　picked　up　his　glass。　〃To　absent　friends。〃
　　She　raised　hers；　the　glasses　touched；　and　they　finished　off　their　wine。
　　Simultaneously　they　rose。　F'lar　slipped　his　arm　about　her　slender　shoulders；　drawing　her　against　his　body　as　they　walked　in　step　to　the　sleeping　room。
　　Lessa　didn't　think　she'd　gotten　to　sleep　before　they　were　both　roused　by　angry　dragon　trumpeting。
　　
SOUTHERN　HOLD…1。1。31
　　Toric　was　recovering　from　too　much　wine　consumed　the　night　before。　The　red　had　definitely　been　too　young　to　be　potable；　even　if　it　had　e　from　his　own　vineyard　and　therefore　was　handy　and　cost　him　nothing。　Except　this　morning's　headache。　Well；　it　took　time　to　establish　vines　and；　considering　the　cost　of　the　starts　from　Benden；　he　had　been　eager　to　see　some　return　on　the　investment。　MasterVintner　Welliner's　estimate　of　how　much　wine　he　would　be　bottling　from　the　hillsides　under　cultivation　was　inaccurate；　too。　If　this　year's　press　was　not　up　to　what　he'd　been　led　to　believe　he　could　expect；　he'd　have　a　long　chat　with　Welliner。　Toric　slowly　opened　dry　eyes　in　his　aching　skull。
　　〃You're　getting　old；　Father；〃　Besic　said。　He　handed　Toric　a　steaming　mug。　〃Mother's　pliments。〃
　　Toric　stifled　a　groan　as　he　took　the　mug。　Though　he　knew　from　experience　that　Ramala's　morning…after　cure　was　efficacious；　the　steam　was　slightly　nauseating　and　he　averted　his　head　before　attempting　the　first　gulp。
　　Besic　settled　himself　in　the　sling　chair；　stretching　his　legs　out　and　crossing　his　ankles；　thumbs　hooked　in　his　belt　as　he　regarded　his　father　with　a　bland　expression。
　　〃Hosbon's　here。　Sailed　in　from　Largo　last　night。　Got　here　at　dawn。〃
　　Toric　nearly　dribbled　the　potion　down　his　chin　at　the　unwele　news。　Had　Besic　timed　that　remark　until　he　had　the　cup　to　his　lips？　The　two　men　tolerated　each　other　warily；　not　because　of　Blood　ties　but　out　of　begrudged　respect。　Toric　grunted　and　drank　as　fast　as　the　heat；　and　the　taste；　allowed。　〃I　told　him　that　you　were　busy。〃
　　〃I　am；〃　Toric　said。　The　liquid　made　him　belch　and　left　a　vile　taste　in　his　mouth。　He　stood；　balancing　himself　on　his　bare　feet；　to　prove　that　he　was　capable　of　overing　the　previous　night's　excesses　as　easily　as　ever。　He　strode　to　where　Ramala　had　laid　out　fresh　clothes　and　stepped　into　the　new　short　trousers　and　matching　loose　shirt　that　would　be　fortable　during　the　heat　of　the　day。　He　growled　as　he　had　to　sort　the　rank　cords　against　his　right　shoulder。　Nuisancy　things。　As　if　everyone　didn't　recognize　the　Lord　Holder　of　Southern。　That　caused　him　to　snort；　as　any　reminder　did　of　how　he　had　been　gulled　by　the　Weyrleaders。　From　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　saw　the　smirk　on　Besic's　face；　as　if　he　read　his　sire's　thought。
　　〃Didn't　you　think　to　bring　in…〃
　　Besic　interrupted　him　by　pointing　to　the　breakfast　tray　on　the　table。
　　Despite　the　fact　that　the　pounding　in　his　head　was　easing；　Toric　was　still　in　a　foul　humor。　〃What's　on　Hosbon's　mind？　He's　always　at　me　for　some　concession　or　other。〃
　　〃He's　a　good　holder；〃　Besic　said；　knowing　not　only　that　his　approval　counted　for　nothing　in　Toric's　opinion　but　also　that；　by　being　scrupulously　fair；　he　could　sometimes　irritate　his　sire。
　　Toric　waved　his　hands　dramatically。　〃Is　the　man　never　satisfied？　First　it　was　a　drum　tower；　then　a　pier；　and　a　sloop　and　a　crew。〃
　　〃He　gets　results。〃
　　〃So…what　does　he　want　this　time？　A　hold　dragonrider？〃　Though　there　was　always　a　dragonrider　available　to　Lord　Toric；　the　relocation　of　Southern　Weyr　still　rankled。　It　was　irksome；　too；　that　the　Weyrleader；　K'van…the　impertinent　scut…so　punctiliously　performed　his　duties　to　the　Hold　that　Toric　never　had　grounds　to　fault　him。　He　had　managed　to　swallow　that　mortification；　since　he　really　did　prefer　not　to　have　the　constant　traffic　of　dragons　overflying　the　harbor；　but　perhaps　he　should　not　have　taken　issue　with　K'van　over　the　matter　of　Weyr　support　to　subdue　the　rebels　and　that　sharding　Denol　on　Terne　Island。
　　〃Why；　he　wants　to　celebrate　the　end　of　Turnover　with　his　Lord　Holder；〃　Besic　said；　getting　to　his　feet。　〃Dutifully　listen　to　whatever　harper　reads　the　Report。　And；　quite　likely；　to　see　what　other　craftsfolk　he　can　lure　to　his　hold。〃
　　〃Hasn't　he　got　enough？〃　Toric　demanded；　seething。
　　〃Some　can't　get　enough；〃　Besic　murmured；　reaching　the　door　as　he　delivered　that　parting　shot。
　　〃Get　out！　Get　out！〃　And　Toric　lunged；　aiming　a　kick　at　his　son。　Besic　didn't　so　much　as　look　back　over　his　shoulder。　So　Toric　kicked　again　at　the　heavy　yellow　wood　door；　which　slammed　satisfactorily；　echoing　down　the　stone　hall。　Besic　knew　his　father　too　well！
　　Limping　because　he'd　caught　his　bare　toes　on　the　wooden　edge；　Toric　wheeled　and　attacked　the　food　on　his　tray。　The　tonic　had　cleared　his　head　and　now　his　stomach　grumbled；　as　much　with　hunger　as　with　irritation。
　　Where　would　Hosbon　put　more　craftsfolk？　He'd　already　enticed　some　of　the　best…trained　people　from　Landing　once　the　Great　Bang　had　been　acplished；　supposedly　ridding　the　planet　of　Threadfall　forever。　Toric　was　not　at　all　convinced　that　Aivas　had　known　what　it　was　doing：　imagine　blowing　a　whole　planet　off　its　course　with　the　stuff　left　in　long…dead　engines！　Still；　in　sixteen　Turns…or　was　it　seventeen　in　this　Pass？…the　end　of　Thread　meant　he　could　proceed　with　his　plans　to　develop　the　small　portion　of　the　southern　continent　that　he　had　been　able　to　wrest　from　the　sharding　Benden　Weyrleaders。　That　inequity　would　always　infuriate　him。
　　He　made　an　effort　to　calm　himself。　Ramala　was　certain　his　indigestion　came　from　stress。　He　should　take　his　meals　calmly　and　eat　slowly。　He　was；　after　all；　Lord　of　an　important　Hold；　no　matter　how　much　larger　it　should　have　been。
　　His　Lady　Ramala　was　already　chatting　with　Hosbon；　seated　in　the　main　hall。　She　rose　when　Toric　entered。　〃Perhaps　you　would　both　like　more　klah。　There's　still　time　before　Harper　Sintary　makes　his　report。　Is　your　wife　here？〃
　　Hosbon　gave　an　almost　imperceptible　wince。　She　was　here；　and　if　they'd　arrived　by　dawn；　she'd　have　had　plenty　of　time　to　spread　marks　about；　Toric　thought；　his　humor　revived　by　Hosbon's　disfort。
　　〃Yes；　join　us　for　klah；　Hosbon。　e　outside。　It's　a　fine　day　for　our　first　one　of　this　Turn！〃
　　Tone　clapped　the　man　heartily　on　the　shoulder。
　　〃I'll　just　bring　fresh　klah；〃　Ramala　called　after　them。
　　Toric　indicated　the　way　to　the　smaller　of　the　two　tables　that　were　situated　on　either　side　of　the　Hold's　entrance。　A　small　awning　shaded　it　from　the　bright　sunlight。　He　took　his　usual　chair；　arranged　so　that　anyone　sitting　opposite　him　had　the　sun　glaring　into　his　face。　〃Now；　what's　on　your　mind；　Hosbon？〃
　　The　man　was　no　fool；　but　he　settled　himself；　elbows　on　the　table；　and　leaned　forward。　There　was　little　danger　of　being　overheard；　slightly　above　and　well　back　from　the　entrance　to　the　Hold。
　　〃I　am　wondering　if　you　know　what　the　subjects　of　today's　Report　will　be？〃
　　〃Of　course　I　know；　and　what's　to　be　voted　on；〃　Toric　replied　with　some　heat。　〃I