Chap. 373 The Offer

Chap. 373 The Offer

Johan brushed K’ndar’s back off. The crowd had thinned out, many following the bailiffs to recover their stolen pouches.

Siskin hovered over them, uttering distressed wheeks. “I’m alright, Sis. Come on, land on my shoulder, there’s a good lad.”

The blue took up his place on K’ndar’s shoulder and folded his wings. He muttered imprecations about the humans who’d so rudely knocked his master off his feet.

By the stars, look at it, Johan thought, it’s affectionate.

“Well, mate, that was interesting, what? I’m sorry to say, the arster I gave you is inedible,” he said.

The remains of the arster were mangled in the dirt. Insects were already heading for it.

“So I see. No matter. Well, I hope this is the end of interesting occurrences here at Western Hold’s Gather. Thank you, I think I’ll move on, now.”

“Can I get you another arster?” Johan asked.

“Um, no thank you, anyway. I want to get to the horse auction, it’s about to start.”

“Before you go, K’ndar…is your fire lizard for sale?”

K’ndar couldn’t believe his ears. Siskin tilted his head, his eyes roiling an uncertain green at the stranger’s interest.

“I beg your pardon, what?” he said, gobsmacked.

What did he mean, for sale? Raventh asked.

He wants to buy Siskin. Like I bought a new harness for you. With money.

Raventh was struck speechless. Siskin hissed, not really sure why, but reacting to both K’ndar’s shock and Raventh’s dismay.

“You know, for sale. I’d like to buy it.” He unconsciously reached for his pouch.

K’ndar shook his head. “Even if I were interested, which I am most definitely not, you can’t just take a full grown fire lizard and expect it to be like mine. They’re little dragons, Johan. They impress at hatching and stay with that person for the rest of their lives. If they don’t impress on a human, they immediately go wild after hatching.”

Johan’s face fell. “Oh. That’s a shame, yours is so talented, I could use a beast like that.”

“They’re easily trained, Johan, and if you treat them right, they’ll do anything within their power for you. Although I have heard of fire lizards abandoning their owner if they’re abused.” He didn’t say that sometimes they chose another owner, like Kelso had attached himself to B’rost after the brown’s original owner had died.

“How do you get one?”

“If you want a fire lizard, you have to buy an egg or find a wild clutch. I’ve not seen anything on this coast that lizards would live in. It’s not their habitat. So most people will just buy an egg from someone who has a breeding pair. When the egg hatches, you stuff the hatchling with raw meat until it passes out. For the next few weeks all they want to do is eat, eat, eat. Once they’ve improved their flying skills, they’ll hunt for themselves, just like a full sized dragon.”

“Eggs are expensive?”

“I don’t know what they cost, my brother gave me Siskin’s egg. I know a trader who sells them, but you have to understand, they are only available when a queen lays a clutch. Like dragons, only they know when they’re going to mate. If you get one, I’d advise you to talk to a dragonrider about how to treat a dragon, or listen to the trader’s advice.”

“Hmmm. You said you know a trader who sells them?”

“I do. His name is Fire Lizard Man.”

Johan laughed. “I guess that’s as descriptive a name as you can get. Any idea where I can find this trader?”

“The last time I saw him was at Coastal Seahold, but he moves around. A LOT.”

The trader is here. His fire lizards were here earlier, I saw them at the blue dragon racing but didn’t know it was them. Shall I call them? Raventh asked

That’s great!! I was wondering if he’d be here. Yes, please ping them.

“Oh. Well, I suppose I could find someone else to sell one.”

“Well, wait a moment, please? I’m going to find out where he might be.”

Oh, this was going to be good, K’ndar thought, excited at the idea of seeing Lizard after a couple months. I can show off, maybe.

“Siskin, call Batu and Machli, please?”

Siskin, knowing he was being given the limelight yet again, whickered-and Lizard’s bronze and gold fire lizard’s swooped in, circling over his head. Siskin chortled. The pair swirled around, then flew back to their caravan.

“No doubt, Fire Lizard Man is here.”

“He called them? With that little sound he made?”

“No, they’re telepathic, just like dragons. And my dragon told me the trader is here.”

“By the stars, that was quick,” Johan said. I could so easily use such an amazing animal, he thought. I suddenly realize I want one so much, this is crazy.

“Did he tell you where to find your trader friend?”

“Siskin? Where is the trader?”

Siskin transmitted an image of Lizard’s caravan, tucked into the lee of a group of enormous volcanic outcrops, most of them forming caverns. He could see a small fire in one of the them.

“I do. Fire Lizard Man is here, his caravan is next to a group of caverns, there’s a fire in one of them. Closer to shore, there’s a large group of people around what might be a rock wall. I take it that’s the auction ring?”

“K’ndar, there’s caverns everywhere, but I do know the one he’s next to. Yes, that would be the auction ring. It’s fairly windy there, we use that cavern all the time to dry the trawling horses off. I still find it hard to believe you can see through its eyes.”

“Believe it. They don’t talk to us, like our dragons do, but they still are very communicative.”

“Amazing. Simply amazing. Does the trader have eggs for sale?”

The queen clutched two weeks ago. Now I know what you mean by selling and buying. The trader has selled a few eggs. The bronze says there are several left.

“Mind you, I haven’t seen him yet, but my dragon says yes, the queen clutched two weeks ago, so I’m sure he’s got eggs for sale.”

Johan felt the urge to shut the arster operation down and go look. I want one of those lizards badly, he thought. But responsibility re-asserted itself. “I’d love to go talk with the trader, but I still have my arsters, and no one to help while I go look.”

Our son is harvesting more arsters, and my wife is in the Gather, spending her race winnings, he thought, resignedly.

“Can they, um, carry messages?”

K’ndar grinned. “Of course. He’s not wearing it right now, but I have a harness with a pouch that I can stuff messages, marks, etc. Once he knows a person, he’ll carry it to him.”

I could use that service right now, Johan thought. I wish I could message my wife to hold the booth down while I talk to the trader. But she said she’s spending her race winnings right now. I haven’t wanted something like this so badly since I was a kid.

“I’m heading for the auction now, I’ll find him, sure as sunrise. I’ll let him know you’re interested in buying an egg. He’ll probably be busy at the horse auction, but he has a journeyman who might be able to help. He’s a good lad, his name is K…Porter.”

“Kaporter?”

“Sorry, I misspoke. Porter.”

“Right. Fire Lizard Man and Porter. I want a bronze, I think,” Johan said.

Everyone wants a bronze, K’ndar thought.

I don’t know why. They’re always so serious. Like the golds Raventh snarked.

K’ndar let his mind snicker.

“There’s no way to tell, all the eggs look alike. In that way, they’re not like dragons, you can tell a gold dragon’s egg because it’s enormous in comparison to the others. But honestly, it doesn’t matter what color it is, they’re all devoted, intelligent, and an awful lot of fun.”

“So, it’s a gamble, what you get?”

“Aye. My blue, Siskin, was a surprise, I didn’t know I wanted a blue but now I wouldn’t change him for the world. Besides, as my dragon said, bronzes are too serious. Blues are like happy cats.”

“You can only have one?”

K’ndar laughed. “Oh, no. There’s a Harper named Menolly, I’ve heard she has at least a dozen.”

“A dozen?”

“Aye, and think of fire lizards as being a bunch of precocious puppies that can fly and teleport. In fact, you NEED to train them, otherwise, you get a bunch of miscreants who can get into all sorts of mischief! I promise you, twelve is far too many, in my opinion. One is just fine.”

Johan saw a customer approaching.

“Try some fresh arsters?” he called out. I really would rather find that trader and barter for an egg, but business is business.

“That’s my intent,” the man said, “I know your arsters, Johan.”

“Sorry, K’ndar, but I have to take care of my business,” Johan said, wishing he didn’t have to stay.

“No problem, Johan. I hope you get an egg, and thank you for the arster lesson.”

“And thank YOU for catching the thieves, and introducing me to fire lizards.”

———————————————————————————————-

The auction had started, but K’ndar could see they started with ox teams and breeding sheep. Behind the arena he saw several horses, awaiting their turn. Virtually all of them appeared to be draft horses. In a way, I am so glad, he thought. I can easily afford a well bred horse, but what would I do with him?

Somehow he felt he was betraying part of his soul, denying himself a horse. Until he’d Impressed, horses had been the very essence of his being.

You don’t need one, Raventh said, I can take you anywhere, and they can’t talk. Can they.

No, not like us. But I still can understand them and will always love them, he replied, shoving the guilt back into its little cave. He made his way down hill, moving at the pace of the growing throngs. He recognized Lizard’s team, grazing on the lee side of the cavern.

I wonder what they taste like Raventh teased.

BAD dragon. BAD! You don’t eat horses. Horses taste horrible, you notice we humans don’t eat them?he chided, enjoying Raventh’s oldest joke.

Raventh laughed.

The path to the arena led downhill. It was lined with volcanic outcrops, and when he reached the end of them, a cold wind hit him.

The areas where the Gather and the dragon races were held were in a valley, out of the wind. Why did they put the horse auction down here?

People trudged up the hill, some of them burdened. Several children dodged around them, racing to the top. All of them seemed unfazed by the cold.

The wind was sharp and smelled of salt spray. And this is just off the lagoon? he wondered, what must it be like on unprotected coastline? I’ve been at Landing too long, it’s warm there, even in winter.

Like Cove Hold. The water is warm there. Falconth says they don’t swim in the ocean here, it is too rough.

It is. It’s much closer to the equator than here.

What is the equator?

He pushed an image of Pern with a band around the middle. That line is the middle of the planet.

Why? I don’t see a line on the ocean. It goes on the water?

How to explain something as esoteric as geography to a dragon?

I will try to figure out a reason why.

The wind died as he reached the bottom of the hill, but no warmth was to be found despite the bright afternoon sunlight. I should have brought my jacket, he thought, remembering he’d left it with his harness. The valley behind me at least kept the wind at bay.

Siskin launched and vanished.

I must be further south than I thought. He could see white capped waves outside the peninsula smashing into the rock wall, sending up plumes of spray.

The lagoon itself was crosshatched with arster nets, the water much quieter.

I don’t think I’d want to live with this wind for long, he thought, despite having grown up on a windswept steppe.

But that wind was different than this. This wind has salt spray in it, it’s making my eyes water.

He saw a broad hulled ship tied up to a dock, its yards and spars tightly wrapped. The wind carried the slight smell of animals from it. That must be a livestock ship, he thought. Despite being moored to the stone dock, the ship rose up and down on the swell.

Once again I realize I am the lubberest of landsmen. I could get seasick just seeing it moving.

Siskin reappeared-with K’ndar’s riding jacket. Chipping, he hovered in front of K’ndar and then dropped it. He caught it, tickled that he hadn’t asked Siskin to bring it, and amazed that Siskin could carry it.

“For the love of Pern, thank you, Siskin,” he said, reaching down to pick it up. “You are the smartest, the best of all fire lizards anywhere.”

The blue’s eyes rolled a happy cerulean.

He didn’t know he could carry that heavy a load. I told him it wasn’t that heavy.

Thank you. He put the jacket on and appreciated its sudden relief from the wind.

“Excuse me, dragonrider, but did that fire lizard just drop a jacket on you?” a woman asked as she passed him on her way uphill. She was carrying several bundles.

“You did, ma’am, he heard me think I was cold and retrieved it from my dragon.”

“Isn’t that amazing! I’ve heard tales of their intelligence, but I didn’t expect to see it demonstrated! May I pet him?”

K’ndar laughed. “Unless you have three hands, ma’am, I don’t see how. And sorry to say, unlike most fire lizards, mine isn’t all that partial to strangers touching him. Some are fine with it, mine isn’t.”

The woman laughed. “I DO have an armload, don’t I? A leather jacket for my husband, a stuffed toy for my grand-baby, and a bracelet for myself. And I can thank YOU, brown rider. I bet on you and your dragon came through for me!”

He nodded his head. “Thank you, but it was my dragon who did all the work. I was just a passenger.”

“Nonsense, sir. I’m Weyr Bred. I may not have Impressed, but I’ve been around dragons and dragonriders all my life, long enough to know they’re a team. Yours is a beauty, sir, he’s very refined. I had no doubt he’d beat the rest.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” He heard his mouth say, “Can I help you with your burden?” even though he really didn’t want to.

“Ah, thank you, sir, but no. I’ve not far to go before I can drop them off at our booth. My weyrmate is just the other side of this hill, he’s manning the arster booth, and I’m certain he’d appreciate a break from roasting them.”

“Ah, Johan?”

“Yes, you’ve met him?”

“I have, he taught me how delicious arster likker is,” he said.

“That’s my mate, he is. He can come off as a crank to some, he doesn’t suffer fools lightly. But there’s not a finer man on Pern,” she said, her love for him suffusing her face. And wait until he sees the surprise I have for him, she thought, reassured by its presence next to her belly to keep it warm. It’s all he’s talked about since seeing the blue dragon race.

“Enjoy our Gather, dragonrider!”

“Thank you ma’am, I shall.”

He saw Lizard’s caravan. He looked for the dog as he approached. Crunch was sitting next to Lizard’s team. He watched as K’ndar approached, his eyes holding no malice-but no friendliness, either.

“Hello, Crunch! Who’s a good dog?” he called.

The eyes changed to joy. Crunch burst into big doggy grin and came running. When he reached K’ndar, he flopped onto his back, tail pounding the ground as he begged for a belly rub.

Siskin launched, a bit disgusted at the display of uninhibited joy. K’ndar scrubbed the dog’s belly, wondering how hard he should do so.

“When are you going to stop growing, woofer? You’re the size of a small horse by now.”

Crunch laughed.

“K’ndar!” he heard a voice, and looking up, saw Kim approaching.

“Hello…Porter!” he said, loud enough for any passers-by to hear. But most folks were streaming towards the auction arena, discussing livestock.

The teen bumped his fist. Crunch jumped to his feet. A trio of men were approaching, engrossed in conversation. The dog rumbled, softly.

“Hello, sir,” Kim said. He waved a hand towards the team. “Crunch. Caravan.”

The dog sighed and loped back to the caravan.

He looked apologetically at K’ndar. “He’s so protective, K’ndar, this is his first Gather. We’re having to remind him that strangers approaching the caravan like now, are okay.”

“I’m just happy to see that he listens to you.”

“Aye, he’s a grand beast. He’s the first pet I’ve ever had. He took right to me. It’s as if I’d been with Lizard his whole life.”

“Animals can tell when your heart is a good one, Kim,” K’ndar said. “It’s the same with any animal, horse, cow, cat, dog. Even fire lizards.”

Siskin chipped in agreement.

“He’s smart! I’ve never seen a dog as smart as he is. Lizard said he’ll catch any concept you can name within a day.”

“Like doing math?”

Kim stopped, then laughed. “Well, I don’t think he can do math. But I can’t either, even though Lizard pushes math class into my head every day. It just don’t stick.”

“I know THAT feeling, Kim. You’re not alone. If I didn’t have fingers, I’d never be able to count.”

“That makes me feel better. I count on my fingers, too. Lizard says it’s okay to do so for now but I have to learn to do it in my head.”

Kim shook his head in fake dismay. “When I was little, on the few times we had a Harper, he was only in our area for a week. Now I’m being tutored every day. Sometimes it makes my head hurt.”

He looked up at K’ndar. “Does that mean I’m disloyal?” he said,dismayed.

“No, of course not. You just have to work hard to catch up with your peers, and I dare say, you shouldn’t have any problems. You’re a smart lad.”

“Thanks. I do like learning. Just not math.”

K’ndar grinned and changed the subject.

“How are you? Where’s Lizard? Are you here to buy or sell?”

“Uh, one at a time? I’m fine.”

“I can see that.” The teen had put on badly needed weight. “You look healthy and happy.”

A wistful expression flashed on the boy’s face.

“I am, K’ndar. I never thought I’d ever have family again, not after my own was killed. I got used to living on my own, the only thing that made me happy was drawing. But now I’m happy all over.”

K’ndar glanced at the caravan.

“Oh, sorry. Lizard is sleeping in the caravan at the moment. We had a long, long pull from Stony Wastes, I think it took us a month to get here. We parked this morning. I’ll be waking him in a few minutes, we’re selling a few horses we picked up on the way, and Lizard wants to buy one or two to take back. He says these Western Holders raise fabulous horses.”

“They do, lad, they do.”

“I worry about him, K’ndar.”

“About Lizard?”

The teen nodded his head. “He’s taught me so much, ‘specially about trading, but he wants me to read, read, read. I have my chores, of course, but he doesn’t care if I draw, and thank you so much for the notebook and the pencils. He told me you gave them to him for people like me. Thank you. What worries me is sometimes, he works so hard, he doesn’t know that I can tell when he’s tired. Even Crunch knows and his fire lizards, they don’t want to leave him when he’s that way. Sometimes I try to tell him, let me do that, and he just shakes his head and says, “Got to keep it moving, lad.”

The boy looked aggrieved. “Does he?”

“I’m not a healer, but yes. He needs to keep using that arm. He’s right, Kim, but so are you. I don’t even have to talk to him yet to know you’ve been a wonderful help to him. But you’ll learn, Kim, that when we grow up, us men, sometimes we can’t admit to weakness, or pain, or fear. Some men think if they do, their bollocks will fall off.”

Kim felt a swell of pride, unused to being referred to as ‘us men’. Then he laughed. “Well, I’ve been afraid and I still have mine!”

K’ndar roared.

Lizard’s two fire lizards swooped overhead, Siskin with them. His blue perched on his shoulder, chittering.

“Raventh tells me Machli clutched. You’re selling eggs?”

“Yes.”

“There’s a man on the other side of the hill who’s wanting to buy an egg.”

“We’ve sold a lot of them, and Lizard says it’s all your fault.”

“Mine?”

“Aye. All morning long it’s been ‘did you see that blue fire lizard race?” Then “That fire lizard chased down a pair of thieves.” Then they buy one without even dickering. I say the price and it’s “done”.

“By the egg, Kim, that happened not a half hour ago!”

“Word travels fast at Gathers, K’ndar. Everyone wants one, it seems, I think the whole Western Hold and Weyr saw your blue. We’ve sold four within the last twenty minutes. Lizard could triple the price and they’d not kick. But he didn’t. At this rate, they’ll be gone by dinner time.”

He’s gained so much self confidence, K’ndar thought, happy that it all worked out.

“How’s the riding going?”

That inspired the lad. “Oh, it’s wonderful, K’ndar, I just love it. My horse, you know I have a horse, yes?”

“I do. A bay that Lizard had? Fadjur, you named him?”

“I did, you remembered! Fadjur. He’s such a good teacher, now that you and Lizard taught me about saddling. For the first two weeks, maybe three? Lizard made me ride bareback with my eyes closed and my hands behind my back, that’s so I can learn balance. I fell off, I must of fell off a dozen times. Fadjur just stands there and looks at me with a face that says, you dumbskull, what are you doing down there?”

K’ndar nodded, laughing. “That’s a good horse, then, to not run off. And the person who tells you he’s never fallen off a horse is a liar.”

“That’s what Lizard says, he says there’s no shame in falling off. And that dapple grey mare, we caught her, she came wandering back to the meadow a week after Lizard was stabbed. The packhorse she was with, he never came back. Lizard’s not sure if he wants to sell her or keep her. He likes her a lot. But he says he’s too old for a green horse. She’s only five.”

“How’s his shoulder?”

“Um…”

“K’ndar!!” he heard a familiar voice call. It was Lizard, waving from the caravan. With his left arm.

He heard running steps behind him. He turned to see Johan, puffing as he ran. He skidded to a stop. “K’ndar, wait! Is that your friend, Fire Lizard Man?”

K’ndar stopped, smiling, knowing he’d made a sale for his friend. Kim looked at him with glee. “It is.”

“My wife is spelling me at our booth. I’m going to buy an egg.”