«Is the Ista Gather over so soon?» she asked him, surprised.
«A bit disappointing, really, once they'd taken the animal away. No racing.» S'peren gave her a tolerant smile. «Nowhere near as many people as Ruatha …» He nodded with satisfaction at the crowded dance square. «People weren't in such a festive mood, either. There's illness in Igen, Keroon, and Telgar.
«Runners?» The memory of the beast's unexpected fall flashed across her mind.
«Runners? No. People. A fever, I heard. Master Capiam was someplace about, I heard, though I didn't see him.»
«Ista's Weyrleaders are well?» F'gal and Wimmia had been good friends during her Turns at Ista Weyr.
«And sent you their good wishes, as usual. Oh, by the way, I bear greetings for you from an animal healer named Talpan. Said he knew you from your father's hold.»
Strange, Moreta thought, moving on after exchanging pleasantries with the High Reaches riders chatting with S'peren. Until that day she hadn't been reminded of Talpan in Turns, and now she even had greetings from him.
The dance ended and she tried to locate Alessan for another with him. He was such a good partner. Then she saw him in the square, partnering a girl whose long black hair made Moreta think at first he was dancing with Oklina. The girl turned slightly, and Moreta realized that he was doing his duty by yet another marriageable woman. She felt great sympathy for Alessan, remembering how bronze riders had besieged her before Orlith rose to mate two Turns ago.
Moreta drained her goblet, then went in search of more wine or a partner. She very much wanted to dance again but paused by the nearest wine keg first. The barman quickly filled her cup and she thanked him. At the first sip, she realized her mistake. This wine had an acid aftertaste: Tillek, not the rich full mouth of the Benden. She nearly spat it out.
This dance was a short wild hop, as much fun to watch for the people losing balance as to dance. When the harpers finished with a swirl, they added the chords that announced an intermission. It was the time for harper songs. Moreta half expected Tirone to stride in, for he should be leading singer of a Ruathan Gather, but the young Masterharper of Ruatha Hold and an older journeyman moved to the fore in his stead.
When Moreta looked toward the head table, she saw Alessan flanked by a pair of pretty girls, one of them a redhead. Lady Oma was certainly wasting no time at this Gather. Disinclined to return to the head table, Moreta found an unoccupied stool.
She enjoyed the first song, a rousing ballad, and joined in the chorus with as much verve as those around her. Fine voices near helped her find the harmony for she didn't have a high enough voice to stay with the soprano line. Halfway through the second chorus, Moreta was conscious of Orlith's mind.
«You do like the singing, too, don't you?» she sent to the queen.
«Singing is a pleasant occupation. It lightens the mind and all minds are together.»
Moreta's voice faltered into a laugh, which she quickly suppressed for it wouldn't do, even if she were the Weyrwoman, to laugh through a serious song.
The harpers led the Gather in four traditional songs, each one sung with increasing zest as the dancers recovered their breaths. The young Ruathan harper, an excellent tenor, sang an unfamiliar song that he announced he'd found while going through old Records. The melody was haunting and the interval between the notes unexpected. A very old song, Moreta decided, but a good choice for the tenor's voice. Orlith liked it, too.
«Our tastes generally coincide,» Moreta said.
«Not always.»
«What do you mean by that?»
«The harpers sing,» Orlith replied, evading, and Moreta knew that she'd get no direct answer.
Then the harpers asked for favorites from the audience. Moreta would have liked to request one of the plains songs from her own Keroon, but it was a mournful tune unsuited to the mood of the evening. Talpan had often hummed it. Coincidence again!
After the serenading, Alessan went up on the platform, thanking the harpers and offering compliments for their music and their presence. He enjoined them to make as free of Ruatha's wine as necessary to keep them playing until the last dancer surrendered the square. Everyone applauded loudly, cheering and thumping the tables and kegs to signify their appreciation of a Lord Holder who would not stint on his first Gather. The cheering went on long past what was a courteous spate and followed Alessan back to his table.
The harpers began the next session with a circle dance that permitted Alessan to accompany both of the girls. B'lerion was on his feet with Oklina again. Lady Oma seemed not to notice, so concentrated was her attention on Alessan's partners.
Her throat dry from singing and cheering, Moreta was determined to find more of Alessan's Benden white. As she made her way to the head table, she was stopped by holders asking after Leri and Holth and expressing sincere regret that the Weyrwoman had not attended.
«Pass the greetings on, Orlith. They'll like to know they were missed.»
After a pause, Orlith replied that Holth was just as glad that she didn't have to sit through a long night on a cold cliff.
«You're not feeling the chill, are you?» Moreta asked anxiously.
«The fire-heights hold the sun heat, and Nabeth and Tamianth keep me warm. You should eat. You're always telling me to eat. Now I you.»
The smugness in Orlith's tone Moreta found amusing. And merited, for the rough Tillek wine was making her a trifle lightheaded. She was aware of a belly rumbling, and she'd best get to the food before the circle dance ended. She detoured to acquire a full platter of spiced roast wherry, tubers, and other tempting morsels. As she was making her way to the head table and more of the Benden wine, the circle dance ended. Alessan had no sooner bowed to his two partners when Lady Oma was introducing him to yet another girl. Then Moreta caught sight of Lord Tolocamp bearing down on her and she moved off quickly at a tangent, as if she hadn't seen him. His expression was grim and she was not going to endure one of his lectures at a Gather. She wended her way through the crowds, briefly considered stopping at the harpers' table for they would have the best wine, but she decided she was no safer from Tolocamp in the harpers' company. Besides, they'd probably had enough of him since the Harper Hall was situated so close to Fort Hold. So, instead, she ducked behind the harpers' platform, standing a moment to accustom her eyes to the welcome darkness.
As it was, she nearly fell over the pack saddles stacked behind the dais. She upended one to make an informal seat and was quite delighted with her solitude and escaping Tolocamp. Come the end of Pass, that man was going to be high-flying irritant, and she didn't think that Sh'gall was going to be able to handle him as well as he handled Fall.
«This is good, you are eating!» Orlith said.
Moreta neatly folded a slice of the roast wherry and took a huge bite. The meat was as tender and succulent as its roasting odor had advertised.
«It's beautiful!» she told her queen.
She ate eagerly, licking her fingers, not wishing to miss a drop of the juices. Someone stumbled around the corner of the platform and Moreta, balancing her plate and cursing the interruption, slipped into the deeper shadow. Could Tolocamp have followed her? Or was this someone answering natural needs?
«Alessan,» Orlith told her, which surprised Moreta for Orlith wasn't all that good on remembering people names.
«Moreta?» Alessan sounded uncertain. «Ah, you are here,» he added as she stepped forward. «I thought I saw you slip away to elude Tolocamp. I come laden with food and drink. Am I intruding on your privacy?»