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ueen dragon had slept。 As he moved cautiously into the room； he could smell the odd spicy odour that was so 'dragony'。
Where had the weyrfolk gone to？ There were so many notions about that： including the one which had all the dragonriders and weyrfolk returning to where the Ancients had e from。 If they had； then why had no one else e to Pern？ Surely there would be interest in the dragons of Pern！
He barked his shin on the dragon's couch and let out an exclamation； rubbing his leg。 In the ensuing silence he heard the faint rustle of tunnel snakes making their way out （he hoped） of the weyr。 He decided he'd gone far enough into the darkness； and sat down on the raised stone。 Unexpectedly； he sat in a shallow declivity and felt around in it。 Obviously； large and heavy dragon bodies had formed depressions in the stone； and he ran daring fingers in the dust； as if he could conjure the creatures which had made the hollows。 That； more than anything else； reassured him。 He grinned and rearranged his body； swinging his legs round so that he was facing the faint light ing down the hall； the wallow acmodating his still slight frame while he could pillow his head on his arms on the outer edge。 He must remember to thank Falloner for taking him around Benden Weyr。 Fort might be empty of its people and creatures； but it was still a Weyr and one of the safest places on his world。 He could smell dragon； and dust； but mostly dragon。 He went to sleep listening to the faint rustlings of tunnel snakes； but he doubted they would dare venture where dragons had lain。
It did him no harm with all the other apprentices that he had to be wakened in the dusk preceding dawn by some loud shouting。 When Robinton emerged on the weyr ledge； Shonagar urgently waved him down。
〃Where have you been； Rob？ We gotta get back to the Hall before they know we've borrowed the runners。 We've been all over the place looking for you。〃
〃It's warm in a weyr；〃 Robinton said； yawning。
〃Sorry to disturb your slumbers。 Mount up。 We're going to have to move！〃 Shonagar had a respectful scowl on his face as he handed the initiate the reins。 〃And remember； not a word to the others。 They must do it themselves； too。〃
〃Oh； it's not so bad；〃 Rob said； grinning。
〃Just don't let me hear you've warned 'em about anything； Robinton！〃 Shonagar repeated； bailing his hand into a fist。
〃No。 I'll obey。〃
Of course； Robinton realized he wouldn't actually tell them anything； but he'd show them the matches and tinder he'd put in their pockets。
As they cantered towards the tunnel； Robinton looked up at the Star Stones； immense black dolmens against a lightening eastern sky。 He caught a flick of something and wondered if the ghosts of departed dragons still kept a watch on the heights。 Looking again； he saw a wherry wheeling down； probably from its nest in one of the upper weyrs。
Robinton really liked being an apprentice。 In this he astonished his room…mates and the other twenty in his class。 They would e to him for his advice and； often； fort； and he'd help the slow ones with their lessons。
〃Going to take over from me； Rob？〃 Shonagar asked him once。
〃Me？〃 Rob grinned back。 〃You can keep the responsibility … for now。 And I'm just one of them； so it's easier for them to ask me because I'm handy and know the place； that's all。〃
〃To all of that； you've not had it that easy；〃 Shonagar said with a wry smile。 They'd just finished a long rehearsal for the Turn's End concert： Rob； as usual； was singing the solo treble parts。
Halanna and Maizella were also soloists； but though Petiron remarked favourably on their performances； he had not so much as a nod for his son。 The apprentices； being as astute as they were； did not fail to notice this。 But if any plained； he'd shrug and remark that his father expected him to be note…perfect。
His mother kept up his vocal training； and he had now graduated to apprentice classes。 He particularly enjoyed his stint in the Drum Tower； because at last he got to learn the meaning of the codes he had been hearing all his life。 Like everyone else； he knew that the initial beats indicated the final destination of the message and who had sent it； but it took time to get the sense of the actual message。
In fact； he was on duty the day Feyrith； Carola's queen； produced her final clutch … though no one knew at the time that it would be her last。 The best news was that there was a queen egg； and the drum message added the extra beats for excitement and major news。 A large clutch； too； with nine bronzes。
Robinton spent a few seven…days hoping that there would be a Search and he'd be found acceptable； and bee a harper…dragonrider。
But no dragons came on Search to Fort Hold or the Harper Hall； and no other Hold reported the arrival of dragons looking for candidates。 Robinton was bitterly disappointed。 He had been so sure that the dragons liked him。 Didn't they like him enough to e and find him？
For fear of being ridiculed； he didn't tell anyone about his thwarted desire。 He did ask a few questions of his Masters； in case they knew how Searches were conducted； but the answers he got did nothing to assuage his anxiety or hopes。 〃That's always up to the Weyr； lad；〃 or 〃Who knows what's in dragon minds？〃 〃Sometimes the dragons don't Search。 Don't need to。 Didn't you tell me there were lots of lads your age at Benden Weyr？〃 Which was true enough； but it still didn't keep him from searching the skies for a dragon； in case he could get one to speak to him。 His distraction was noticed in class； and he was given extra duties to encourage him to 'pay proper attention to your lessons and stop daydreaming'。 He had time； while sweeping down the main court； to see the folly of his disappointment。
He was on Drum Tower duty again when the news of the Hatching came in。 Swallowing the final vestige of his own disappointment； Robinton just had to find out if Falloner had been Impressed。 After all； Falloner had a real right to be Impressed。
Greatly daring； he asked permission of the journeyman in charge of the tower to find out。
〃You see； I met a couple of the possible candidates。 Falloner； he's the weyrling who was at the Hold for Mother to teach。〃 Robinton was not above using what he needed to get to do something as important as this； and he knew that the journeyman liked his mother。 〃I know she'd like to know if Falloner Impressed。。。〃 He let his voice trail off。
〃Oh； go ahead；〃 the journeyman said with a smile。 〃Only keep it short。〃
Robinton worked out the message and the non…urgent coding； got approval； and beat it out himself。 He hoped he'd hear back before his duty ended。 But he didn't。
That evening； however； the journeyman sought him out at dinner and gave him a slip of hide and a wink。
Robinton could barely restrain his hurrah！ Falloner had Impressed a bronze。 So had Rangul and Sellel … though that draconic choice surprised Robinton … and six others whose names he recognized from his visits to the Weyr。 The WeaverCraftHall lad from High Reaches； Lytonal； was now L'tol and rode brown Larth。
He caught his mother on her way to evening rehearsal and told her。
〃I suspected that young rascal would make bronze；〃 she said。
〃And Rangul。 Nine bronzes is a good clutch。 A queen egg is even better。 It may well be that S'loner is right； after all。〃 She hurried away then without explaining her last cryptic remark。
Robinton wondered if Falloner； now F'lon； would remember his promise to him … that he'd e to the Harper Hall on his bronze so that Robinton could meet him。 Wouldn't his dorm…mates be amazed！ It was a fun thing to think about； but Robinton rather thought that F'lon now being above a mere Harper Hall apprentice； might not consider he had to honour that promise。 Anyway； it took a while for a dragonet to learn to fly。
He did his lessons in the Archives with everyone else； but mostly he copied special files for Master Ogolly； since he was the fastest and most accurate of them all。 He had already made some instruments that had received the Harper mark； which allowed his work to be sold at Gathers。 Now he learned how to repair broken frets and stems； and drum frames； and to string harps and guitars and do fine marquetry。 He was content in a way he had never known before； away from the tension which had bee so stressful in his parents' rooms。 His mother； too； smiled more frequently at the head tables or during her lessons with him。 So his departure had indeed made life easier for her。
His treble voice lasted until the growth spurt in his thirteenth summer when his body； as well as his throat and speaking equipment； altered dramatically。 He and his mother were rehearsing a Solstice duet when suddenly his voice made a dramatic octave drop。
〃Well now； that's that； I guess； dear；〃 she said； resting her arm on the crook of her guitar。 〃Now； love； it isn't really the end of the world； though I daresay your father will be annoyed to have to make changes in the soloist so close to Solstice。 Your voice won't last until then。〃
〃But who'll …〃 and in his dismay； Robie's voice broke again 〃… sing it with you？〃
〃Recall that delicate…looking blond lad from Tillek who auditioned last week？〃 Merelan raised her eyebrows in a droll fashion。
〃He's not the musician you are； and I'll have to work him hard； but he has the range； if not your skill and experience。〃
〃What's father going to say？〃 Robinton asked fretfully。 He really didn't want to be around to hear。
Merelan chuckled。 〃He'll consider that you did this on purpose； of course； to disarrange his concert。 He'll rant a bit about you letting him down at a critical time； and then require me to take the lad on for special sessions。〃 She regarded her son with a tilt to her head and an affectionate smile。 〃You'll probably end up a baritone； you know。 You've the right facial structure。 And your father's a baritone。〃
〃I've never heard him sing；〃 Robie protested。
Merelan chuckled。 〃Oh； he can。 He just doesn't feel he sings well enough。〃 She gave a little chuckle。 〃But； if you listen closely； you'll hear him joining the baritone line in the choral parts。 He had a very good natural voice when he first came to the Hall。 He just didn't think it was solo quality。〃 She made a little grimace； followed by a light sigh。 〃He has to be perfect in anything he does。〃
〃Mother；〃 Robie began； because the problem was being more and more pressing； 〃what will I do when father takes me for position as a journeyman？〃 His unreliable voice cracked on the second syllable。
〃Walk the tables first； love； and don't worry。 Though I must be truthful and say that I wonder how we're going to keep from upsetting him over that。 You already know as much as he does about theory； position； and even orchestration。 Fortunately； I think your particular forte is with vocal rather than instrumental music； so you won't be in direct petition with him。 He may not see it in the same light； but neither of us can help that； can we？ Let's go and have some klah； shall we？〃 She put her guitar carefully back in the case and reached up to caress his cheek。 〃I still can't get accustomed to the sudden height of you。 I wonder how tall you'll be。 All the men in my family are certainly tall。〃
〃I remember Rantou。〃 Robie grinned； because he would never forget how upset his father had been at Rantou's preference for working as a lumberman； when he had the voice and musicality to be a harper。 At least Robinton was not the only one whom his father expected to be perfect。
When his voice finally settled into the baritone range； he was nearly the tallest of the second…Turn apprentices。 His father relegated him to the back row of the chorus； where Robinton was quite happy to be。 His mother； however； beginning to instruct him in his new voice； was delighted with its flexibility and depth。
〃It's a lovely voice； Robie。〃 She flicked her fingers in an excess of delight； smiling at him。 〃Velvety and rich。 Now； we won't force it but I think it's solo quality。〃
〃Even if my father's isn't？〃
Merelan made a face。 〃Yours has a totally different timbre； and