Anne McCaffrey Pern 16 The Master Harper of Pern

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soon as I've a bronze dragon, I'll come and visit. Promise."
"I'll expect you," Robinton told him, grinning broadly to keep the tears back.
"Up you get," C'rob said and flung him up the bronze's side.
Robinton knew the trick of grabbing a neck ridge and scrambling into place.
Then his mother, more gracefully, seated herself behind him and waved to those
on the ground who were seeing them off. When he heard her sniffing, Robie
knew he wasn't the only one sorry to leave Benden. He did wish they could
have stayed longer.
It took a little longer to get Maizella up on Cortath, since she had so much
baggage to bring with her for her Turn of training at the
Harper Hall. Tears were streaming down her face - tears of joy, he knew.
Well, he thought with little charity, she'll find the Hall quite different
from living in Benden Hold. And that thought kept him from sniffling.
Then they were off, Spakinth once more nearly shaking his skull from his neck
with his skyward jump. Robinton was becoming inured to the fright of between
by now and felt only the cold, not the fear. He was rather proud of himself.
Spakinth was showing off: he emerged right over the Harper
Hall courtyard, low enough to be on a level with the rooftops as he backwinged
and delicately landed.
"Well done, Spakinth," Merelan said, clapping her hands.
"I'll kill him later," C'rob said almost grimly. "Pulling a stunt like that
without permission."
"Oh, don't, C'rob," Merelan said, her eyes dancing. "What an entrance! And
here comes Cortath with M'ridin and Maizella, rather more circumspectly."
Grinning, she waved at those gathered on the steps. Then she began to clap
again as a chorus from the second-storey assembly room sang a loud musical
welcome:
We're glad you're home
We're glad you've come
We welcome you
With heart and voice
And hope you'll never leave.
Someone even provided a trumpet flourish and a roll of drums as a finale,
which delighted Merelan even more. Only Robinton saw her sweeping gaze
looking, just as he was, for his father.
Petiron was not among those standing on the Harper Hall steps, but maybe he
was leading the singers. Master Gennell was there, waving enthusiastically
along with Betrice, Ginia, Lorra, with her youngest daughter on her hip,
Master Bosler, and Master Ogolly who had an arm about Lexey and Libby. Barba
stood on the step below them.
"Don't mention your father's melody, Rob, love. Not unless he does' his
mother hurriedly whispered in his ear, and then helped him dismount from
Spakinth's high withers as Gennell and Betrice rushed forward to assist.
"My, you've grown," Betrice cried, giving him a big hug before
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Lexey and Libby could reach him. "And is that young Maizella?"
she asked as Master Bosler and Ginia went to help the Benden
Hold girl. "Another of Halanna's stripe? No, there's not that much luggage,
is there?"
"Maizella's all right, and she listens to my mother." Robie grinned as he
opened the heavy jacket he'd worn for between and resettled his shirt.
"Didja miss us?" Lexey wanted to know, dancing about: his expression suggested
that he had missed his patient friend very much indeed.
"Course I did, Lexey," and Rob gave him a mock punch. "I
learned some great new games, too, Libby," he added, turning to the girl.
His mother began to introduce her new student to the
MasterHarper, his spouse and the other adults, letting Betrice take charge.
"Robinton ..." and his mother prompted him to thank Spakinth and C' rob for
returning them home.
"Glad to do it, MasterSinger. Any chance of your coming back to sing at the
Autumn Gather? I was asked to ask you," C'rob said, grinning from ear to ear.
"I'll see if it's possible, C'rob. I'd certainly like to." At her words,
Robinton nodded vigorously, which made her laugh. "I can see that I'll be
nagged to death until I do," she added, tousling her son's hair. "Can you not
stop for some klah?"
C'rob shook his head with real regret. "Not today. But thanks!"
They stood there courteously while both riders remounted; then the dragons
launched themselves into the air and turned eastward before disappearing.
Robinton caught the sad little sigh from his mother before she turned back and
smiled at those who had welcomed her.
"Come now," Lorra was saying, taking Merelan by the arm, "I've put on a little
something to take away the chill of between ... And you lot be careful with
the MasterSinger's things," she added, scowling at the apprentices who were
halfway up the stairs, burdened with carisaks.
"We weren't between long enough to get cold," Robinton said.
"And who's the seasoned traveller, then?" Lorra asked, amused.
"Mother and I got to the Weyr several times a-dragonback, you know," he went
on.
"Can we come in too?" Libby asked, hovering in the doorway with Lexey and
Barba.
"When were you ever refused food in this Hall?" Lorra demanded. As she
resettled young Silvina on her hip, she waved [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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