The White Dragon - Chapter Six
Sep. 5th, 2020 10:57 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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i_read_whatSo last time, pretty much everyone was terrible to Lessa. Especially Robinton. I'll forgive Fanderal for his momentary lapse, because he's so awesome most of the time. Robinton can go fuck himself.
So we rejoin Jaxom at Ruatha Hold. Fire-lizards have been dispatched to all the smaller holds and craftcottages ordering that the fire-lizards must be appropriately marked and warned about approaching the Weyr. I still think this seems like a sensible option, and I still don't understand why it took so long to incorporate it. But better late than never.
A few days later, Thread falls, precisely according to Lytol's calculations. This makes everyone happy. Even Jaxom:
Jaxom good-naturedly took his place with the flamethrower crew, not that any Thread escaped the Fort Weyr dragons. It amused Jaxom to think that at the next Threadfall, he too might be above ground on a fire-breathing Ruth.
No. You're not. And McCaffrey made you old enough that you should fucking get that. It sucks, I agree, that you're not able to do that thing that you want to do.
But you are the fucking Lord of a kingdom. Even if Ruth COULD chew firestone, and that's not been demonstrated yet, that still doesn't make this a good idea.
Also, McCaffrey, I'm side-eyeing the word "good-naturedly" here, because it sounds more like he's resentful to me.
But anyway, about a day after that (three days after the egg was stolen), Ruth starts acting odd. He goes to hunt, but he only kills once, and gobbles the entire thing up without sharing with the fire-lizards. Jaxom wants to know why. Apparently Ruth is upset because the fire-lizards remember him doing something that he hasn't.
Basically, they've accused him of taking Ramoth's egg.
Ruth is upset because of course he didn't do that. He was at the lake with Jaxom. The fire-lizards remember that too. They just ALSO remember Ruth stealing the egg.
Ah...well...there is a way this could still work.
So Jaxom, credit where it's due, is taking a logical approach. He has Ruth show him the images from the fire lizards. He notes that fire lizards can only remember what they've seen... (...um, what about the Red Star panic?), and Jaxom asks WHEN Ruth was supposed to steal the egg.
Ruth says he can take him to that time. And somehow neither of these supposedly very intelligent characters put two and two together.
To be fair, Ruth is a bit distraught. He knows that the dragons don't like fire lizards anymore, and if they heard about this they won't like him either.
Jaxom asks another good question: if the egg is already back in Benden, why are the lizards bothering Ruth.
Answer: they don't remember him going yet.
Okay, good. Jaxom can in fact do basic math:
Jaxom felt he’d better sit down. This last statement would take a lot of thinking. No, he contradicted himself. F’lessan had been right. We think and talk things to death. He wondered briefly if Lessa and F’nor had been seized by this same sort of irrational compulsion at the moment of their decisions. He decided he’d better not think about that either.
Have I mentioned how much I hate that Lessa and F'nor are mentioned in the same breath.
So Jaxom goes for it. He assembles his gear, rope, a fur robe for the egg. It takes some persuading, but he also gets Ruth to roll in the black tidal mud of Telgar River's delta, so that he doesn't look so white.
Jaxom has also managed to guess where the Oldtimers took the egg: the most logical and fitting spot for an egg, namely the sands of the old volcano that would eventually become Southern Weyr.
Fortunately Jaxom already knows the positions of Southern's night stars, and should be able to deduce how far back they go. Ruth, for his part, knows what he's doing. Jaxom is nervous, this is the longest, farthest jump he's ever done. He does have an advantage over Lessa though: he already knows what to expect.
So:
Then they were above a darkened moist warm world that smelled of lush greenery and slightly decaying fruit. For a moment Jaxom had the hideous feeling that this was all a sun-dream of the fire-lizards. But something in the eerie way that Ruth glided as noiselessly as possible, a part of the gentle night breeze, made it real and immediate. Then he saw the egg below, a luminescent spot slightly to the right of Ruth’s searching head.
Jaxom let him glide a little farther to catch a glimpse of the Weyr’s eastern edge, the point from which he wanted to enter at all possible speed, at early dawn. Then he told Ruth to change and there seemed to be no time spent between. All at once the rising sun was warm on their backs. Ruth arrowed in, winging low and fast, over the backs of the drowsy bronzes and their napping riders. A quick deft swoop, Ruth grabbing the egg in his sturdy forearms, a lunge up and, before the startled bronzes could rise to their feet, the little white dragon had enough free air to go between again.
...that was quick. And anti-climactic.
Well, maybe not. See, the egg can't take the full flight back. They have to stop and rest. They make their first stop and check out the egg. Still good. But then alarm! A gold and bronze lizard are watching them, and these lizards don't have colored bands around their necks.
Ruth observes more details: there is firestone and a flame scar. He believes that these are the dragons here did flame the fire lizards. Gosh, you think?
They're about to go to another jump forward, and Ruth startles Jaxom by chewing firestone. He's aghast at the idea of flaming dragons, but Ruth figures they won't approach if he's already flaming. They leap forward.
In between Jaxom had time to worry if he was making the jumps too long to keep the egg warm. It hadn’t actually Hatched before he’d left. Maybe he should have waited, to find out if the egg had Hatched properly: then they’d’ve known how to judge the forward jumps. Maybe he’d even killed the little queen trying to save her. No, his mind reeled with between and paradoxes; the most important act, returning the queen egg, was in process. And dragon had not fought dragon-not yet.
Time travel is confusing.
The shimmering heat of Keroon desert warmed his failing spirit as well as his body. Ruth looked a ghastly shade under the caking black mud. Jaxom released the rope and lowered the egg to the sand. Ruth helped him cover it. It was midmorning, and not far from the hour when the egg must be back but at least six Turns in time-distance.
Does the hour matter when time traveling? Maybe it's just easier to track that way. Ruth wants to wash off the mud, but Jaxom realizes it has to stay on to avoid being identified when they return the egg.
I get that McCaffrey is trying to pull a "look how secretly heroic he is!" and show us how sad it is that he's not getting accolades, but I feel like it'd be better for the egg if he came clean. Maybe there are more things that can help it recover from the times between.
They start planning the last jump, which is trickiest. They have to get IN the hatching ground, but out of sight. Their planning session is interrupted though by SUDDEN THREAD FALL.
Seriously? Did you not think to look at the charts before this gallivanting?
But anyway, they secure the egg and vault skyward. Thankfully, Ruth had chewed that stone because he can sear a path, but they still get hurt:
A ribbon of fire sliced Jaxom’s cheek, his right shoulder through the wherhide tunic, his forearm, his thigh. He felt, rather than heard, Ruth’s bellow of pain, lost in the black of between.
Fortunately, Jaxom keeps his mind on task. They get inside. They hear Ramoth outside bellowing. Both are in a lot of pain. They put the egg down happy that dragon won't fight dragon. They go back between and end up at their little mountain lake.
Aw, poor Ruth is whimpering. They both go into the lake to help with their injuries, while Jaxom regrets the lack of numbweed, which is at Ruatha. You could...GO...to Ruatha. It's not like people aren't going to see your injuries. They do get Ruth clean of mud at least.
“Well,” he said with a self-deprecatory chuckle, “among other things, we did get to fight Thread.” And what a dismal showing they’d made of it with proof patent on their hides.
Ruth notes they weren't giving it their full attention, they'll do better next time.
No, you won't, because you have actual responsibilities, you little fucks.
I'm not really being fair. Jaxom just had an adventure where he got to be clever and determined. He figured things out, and I appreciate that. I just really wish he'd act his age and realize that there is an actual reason for these restrictions.
And god, imagine Lytol's reaction to Jaxom being hurt!
They go home, with Jaxom freaking out a little about how to explain his obvious Thread injuries to Lytol. His timing kind of sucks though because just as he gets there, he finds everyone excited. The egg hatched! Jaxom missed it.
Jaxom asks for numbweed for "sunburn". The drudge is concerned. I have to admit, despite my horror at Brand's treatment of them, this drudge doesn't seem to be mistreated? At least, she seems comfortable speaking to Jaxom and reacts with concern rather than fear.
I do wish he'd bother to tell us her name though.
Jaxom treats himself and Ruth with numbweed. Lytol knocks and comes in, immediately seeing the thread wounds.
Jaxom tries to distract Lytol, by talking about the Hatching. He finds that he doesn't want to talk about rescuing the egg. It's a private thing. And maybe even an attempt to atone for violating the Hatching Ground as a kid.
I don't know why Jaxom's obsession over that annoys me. It got you a dragon. Maybe focus on something you can do better. Like getting more involved with running the kingdom.
Lytol's reaction though...
“Oh, Lytol, would you mind taking a look at Ruth’s leg? See if I doctored it right?” Jaxom waited then, facing Lytol calmly. He noticed, with a sadness for the inevitability of this moment of reserve, that Lytol’s eyes were dark with emotion. He owed the man so much, never more than at this moment. He wondered that he had ever considered Lytol cold or hard and unfeeling.
“There’s a trick of ducking Thread,” Lytol said quietly, “that you’d better teach Ruth, Lord Jaxom.”
“If you’d be kind enough to tell me how. Lord Lytol ... ”
Oh, Lytol.
So we rejoin Jaxom at Ruatha Hold. Fire-lizards have been dispatched to all the smaller holds and craftcottages ordering that the fire-lizards must be appropriately marked and warned about approaching the Weyr. I still think this seems like a sensible option, and I still don't understand why it took so long to incorporate it. But better late than never.
A few days later, Thread falls, precisely according to Lytol's calculations. This makes everyone happy. Even Jaxom:
Jaxom good-naturedly took his place with the flamethrower crew, not that any Thread escaped the Fort Weyr dragons. It amused Jaxom to think that at the next Threadfall, he too might be above ground on a fire-breathing Ruth.
No. You're not. And McCaffrey made you old enough that you should fucking get that. It sucks, I agree, that you're not able to do that thing that you want to do.
But you are the fucking Lord of a kingdom. Even if Ruth COULD chew firestone, and that's not been demonstrated yet, that still doesn't make this a good idea.
Also, McCaffrey, I'm side-eyeing the word "good-naturedly" here, because it sounds more like he's resentful to me.
But anyway, about a day after that (three days after the egg was stolen), Ruth starts acting odd. He goes to hunt, but he only kills once, and gobbles the entire thing up without sharing with the fire-lizards. Jaxom wants to know why. Apparently Ruth is upset because the fire-lizards remember him doing something that he hasn't.
Basically, they've accused him of taking Ramoth's egg.
Ruth is upset because of course he didn't do that. He was at the lake with Jaxom. The fire-lizards remember that too. They just ALSO remember Ruth stealing the egg.
Ah...well...there is a way this could still work.
So Jaxom, credit where it's due, is taking a logical approach. He has Ruth show him the images from the fire lizards. He notes that fire lizards can only remember what they've seen... (...um, what about the Red Star panic?), and Jaxom asks WHEN Ruth was supposed to steal the egg.
Ruth says he can take him to that time. And somehow neither of these supposedly very intelligent characters put two and two together.
To be fair, Ruth is a bit distraught. He knows that the dragons don't like fire lizards anymore, and if they heard about this they won't like him either.
Jaxom asks another good question: if the egg is already back in Benden, why are the lizards bothering Ruth.
Answer: they don't remember him going yet.
Okay, good. Jaxom can in fact do basic math:
Jaxom felt he’d better sit down. This last statement would take a lot of thinking. No, he contradicted himself. F’lessan had been right. We think and talk things to death. He wondered briefly if Lessa and F’nor had been seized by this same sort of irrational compulsion at the moment of their decisions. He decided he’d better not think about that either.
Have I mentioned how much I hate that Lessa and F'nor are mentioned in the same breath.
So Jaxom goes for it. He assembles his gear, rope, a fur robe for the egg. It takes some persuading, but he also gets Ruth to roll in the black tidal mud of Telgar River's delta, so that he doesn't look so white.
Jaxom has also managed to guess where the Oldtimers took the egg: the most logical and fitting spot for an egg, namely the sands of the old volcano that would eventually become Southern Weyr.
Fortunately Jaxom already knows the positions of Southern's night stars, and should be able to deduce how far back they go. Ruth, for his part, knows what he's doing. Jaxom is nervous, this is the longest, farthest jump he's ever done. He does have an advantage over Lessa though: he already knows what to expect.
So:
Then they were above a darkened moist warm world that smelled of lush greenery and slightly decaying fruit. For a moment Jaxom had the hideous feeling that this was all a sun-dream of the fire-lizards. But something in the eerie way that Ruth glided as noiselessly as possible, a part of the gentle night breeze, made it real and immediate. Then he saw the egg below, a luminescent spot slightly to the right of Ruth’s searching head.
Jaxom let him glide a little farther to catch a glimpse of the Weyr’s eastern edge, the point from which he wanted to enter at all possible speed, at early dawn. Then he told Ruth to change and there seemed to be no time spent between. All at once the rising sun was warm on their backs. Ruth arrowed in, winging low and fast, over the backs of the drowsy bronzes and their napping riders. A quick deft swoop, Ruth grabbing the egg in his sturdy forearms, a lunge up and, before the startled bronzes could rise to their feet, the little white dragon had enough free air to go between again.
...that was quick. And anti-climactic.
Well, maybe not. See, the egg can't take the full flight back. They have to stop and rest. They make their first stop and check out the egg. Still good. But then alarm! A gold and bronze lizard are watching them, and these lizards don't have colored bands around their necks.
Ruth observes more details: there is firestone and a flame scar. He believes that these are the dragons here did flame the fire lizards. Gosh, you think?
They're about to go to another jump forward, and Ruth startles Jaxom by chewing firestone. He's aghast at the idea of flaming dragons, but Ruth figures they won't approach if he's already flaming. They leap forward.
In between Jaxom had time to worry if he was making the jumps too long to keep the egg warm. It hadn’t actually Hatched before he’d left. Maybe he should have waited, to find out if the egg had Hatched properly: then they’d’ve known how to judge the forward jumps. Maybe he’d even killed the little queen trying to save her. No, his mind reeled with between and paradoxes; the most important act, returning the queen egg, was in process. And dragon had not fought dragon-not yet.
Time travel is confusing.
The shimmering heat of Keroon desert warmed his failing spirit as well as his body. Ruth looked a ghastly shade under the caking black mud. Jaxom released the rope and lowered the egg to the sand. Ruth helped him cover it. It was midmorning, and not far from the hour when the egg must be back but at least six Turns in time-distance.
Does the hour matter when time traveling? Maybe it's just easier to track that way. Ruth wants to wash off the mud, but Jaxom realizes it has to stay on to avoid being identified when they return the egg.
I get that McCaffrey is trying to pull a "look how secretly heroic he is!" and show us how sad it is that he's not getting accolades, but I feel like it'd be better for the egg if he came clean. Maybe there are more things that can help it recover from the times between.
They start planning the last jump, which is trickiest. They have to get IN the hatching ground, but out of sight. Their planning session is interrupted though by SUDDEN THREAD FALL.
Seriously? Did you not think to look at the charts before this gallivanting?
But anyway, they secure the egg and vault skyward. Thankfully, Ruth had chewed that stone because he can sear a path, but they still get hurt:
A ribbon of fire sliced Jaxom’s cheek, his right shoulder through the wherhide tunic, his forearm, his thigh. He felt, rather than heard, Ruth’s bellow of pain, lost in the black of between.
Fortunately, Jaxom keeps his mind on task. They get inside. They hear Ramoth outside bellowing. Both are in a lot of pain. They put the egg down happy that dragon won't fight dragon. They go back between and end up at their little mountain lake.
Aw, poor Ruth is whimpering. They both go into the lake to help with their injuries, while Jaxom regrets the lack of numbweed, which is at Ruatha. You could...GO...to Ruatha. It's not like people aren't going to see your injuries. They do get Ruth clean of mud at least.
“Well,” he said with a self-deprecatory chuckle, “among other things, we did get to fight Thread.” And what a dismal showing they’d made of it with proof patent on their hides.
Ruth notes they weren't giving it their full attention, they'll do better next time.
No, you won't, because you have actual responsibilities, you little fucks.
I'm not really being fair. Jaxom just had an adventure where he got to be clever and determined. He figured things out, and I appreciate that. I just really wish he'd act his age and realize that there is an actual reason for these restrictions.
And god, imagine Lytol's reaction to Jaxom being hurt!
They go home, with Jaxom freaking out a little about how to explain his obvious Thread injuries to Lytol. His timing kind of sucks though because just as he gets there, he finds everyone excited. The egg hatched! Jaxom missed it.
Jaxom asks for numbweed for "sunburn". The drudge is concerned. I have to admit, despite my horror at Brand's treatment of them, this drudge doesn't seem to be mistreated? At least, she seems comfortable speaking to Jaxom and reacts with concern rather than fear.
I do wish he'd bother to tell us her name though.
Jaxom treats himself and Ruth with numbweed. Lytol knocks and comes in, immediately seeing the thread wounds.
Jaxom tries to distract Lytol, by talking about the Hatching. He finds that he doesn't want to talk about rescuing the egg. It's a private thing. And maybe even an attempt to atone for violating the Hatching Ground as a kid.
I don't know why Jaxom's obsession over that annoys me. It got you a dragon. Maybe focus on something you can do better. Like getting more involved with running the kingdom.
Lytol's reaction though...
“Oh, Lytol, would you mind taking a look at Ruth’s leg? See if I doctored it right?” Jaxom waited then, facing Lytol calmly. He noticed, with a sadness for the inevitability of this moment of reserve, that Lytol’s eyes were dark with emotion. He owed the man so much, never more than at this moment. He wondered that he had ever considered Lytol cold or hard and unfeeling.
“There’s a trick of ducking Thread,” Lytol said quietly, “that you’d better teach Ruth, Lord Jaxom.”
“If you’d be kind enough to tell me how. Lord Lytol ... ”
Oh, Lytol.