McCaffrey, Anne - Pern 20 - Dragonheart by McCaffrey Anne

Author:McCaffrey, Anne [McCaffrey, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-07-30T04:00:00+00:00

An hour later, Fiona sat exhausted by a smoky hearth, taking her turn stirring a smelly pot full of numbweed grass. The air not only was full of the noxious fumes that made her eyes water and her nose run but was also stiflingly hot. Fiona resolved to herself that in future she would boil numbweed only in the cold of the night.

A noise behind her caused her to turn her head and she saw Terin approaching.

“The weyrling barracks are all clean,” the younger girl reported. “The crew cleaning the Hatching Grounds will be done in another hour or so. I set a group to clearing out your quarters.”

“My quarters?” Fiona repeated in surprise. Then her brow furrowed. “How did you manage to get them to obey you?”

“You’re the senior Weyrwoman,” Terin replied with no hint of duplicity. “I just made it clear to them that it’s what you needed.” She smiled as she added, “You know how it is with weyrlings; the boys practically fell over themselves to help.”

“And, after all those firestone drills, they’re used to following your orders,” Fiona guessed.

“It’s not like there are any other weyrfolk around,” Terin agreed. “Shards, you and I are the only two women here!”

Fiona coughed and gestured to the exit into the Bowl. “We need to get out of here.”

“I’ll have J’keran get someone to take over,” T’mar called from the entrance. He gave Fiona a sheepish look as she neared the entrance. “I’m sure that there has to be some weyrling who’s earned it.”

“Don’t you dare!” Fiona cried, eyes widening angrily.

T’mar took a half-step back, his confusion evident.

“This numbweed is for everyone,” Fiona told him. “Everyone works on it. I will not have people taking it as a punishment. What sort of numbweed do you think you’ll get with an attitude like that?”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” T’mar confessed with a frown. “Very well—”

“Shall I set up a roster?” Terin offered.

“Yes,” Fiona said with a firm nod. “Every person who’s able will be on it—except for you.”

“Why not me?” Terin asked, looking ashamed.

“Because you’re going to be doing all the tallying around here,” Fiona told her firmly.

“You’ll be our Records keeper,” T’mar told her with a suitably grave expression.

“Headwoman,” Fiona corrected.

“Headwoman?” Terin and T’mar echoed in disbelief and surprise.

“Can you think of anyone else more qualified here?”

“I suppose not,” T’mar admitted after a moment. He turned to Terin. “Headwoman it is.”

“Me?” Terin squeaked.

“Yes, and you’d better get to that list; we don’t want the numbweed to burn,” Fiona said. With wide, serious eyes, Terin nodded and scuttled off. Fiona shouted after her, “And don’t let anyone give you trouble!”

“I won’t!” Terin called back over her shoulder, her pace increasing as she raced over to the weyrling barracks.

Talenth, Fiona called to her dragon, where are you?

I’m in the Hatching Grounds, Talenth said. I’m helping scare the tunnel snakes away.

Be careful! Fiona warned.

Of course, Talenth replied quickly, but Fiona could hear her dragon’s disappointment.

She amended her warning: If you get bit, let me know.

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