Dragondrums Quotes
"Perhaps, if the drums beat every dawn, or in the same sequence, he’d get accustomed enough to sleep through it."
"A small fellow like himself had to keep ahead of everyone else, and listening often showed him how."
"The facility had often been to his advantage since the other apprentices in his dormitory couldn’t sneak up on him with vengeance in mind."
"And he was often awakened by discreet, dragon-borne visitors coming to see the Masterharper of Pern."
"One day, though, he’d have his fire lizard. A queen, or, at least, a bronze."
"You make the most of your opportunities, young Piemur—but kindly explain your cryptic measures before I burst with curiosity!"
"You’ve kept such notions to yourself, young man?"
"The only other time he was in the court was to help Menolly feed the fire lizards."
"What a harper hears is for the Harper’s ears, sir?"
"You will keep that to yourself as well, young man!"
"C’mon, Piemur. We mustn’t keep them waiting."
"Dragons hear what they choose to," she said, grinning.
"You won’t feel once we’re between," Sebell continued.
"It is scary to look down," Menolly’s voice said in his ear.
"Don’t forget to breathe!" Menolly was shouting.
"Lord Laudey, according to Harper Hall gossip, was not a very outgoing man."
"She’s very good-hearted. Don’t let her ways put you off."
"I don’t know how you do it, Master Robinton," said Oharan.
"He’s had a lot of practice," said Menolly at her driest.
"The dragon’s never wrong! Come! Be quick about it, girl."
"I just don’t want Piemur jumping to the wrong conclusion."
"I think she’d make a good fighting rider," said Piemur.
"He’s faking to get out of duty," Dirzan said.
"He’s not faking, Dirzan. And another thing, he’s done too much of the running."
"I’d say Piemur knows more than he admits," said Rokayas.
"I don’t say it was them, but since they’ve gone south, we’ve had no more unexpected demands," said the smith.
"Meron gets more than his share; we go without. Girls Impress fighting dragons, and our lad stands on the Ground. Ridiculous!"
"He could have been killed. You know how Piemur climbs steps," she said, scowling fiercely at Dirzan.
"I’m not faking, Dirzan. And take him from the other side. I want to carry him as flat as possible."
"Rest and quiet is what he needs, and I’ll look in on him every little while."
"That’ll occupy them for a while," said Menolly, then she turned to Piemur.
"Dragons are scary even when you know what to expect."
"No, you won’t hurt Lioth with your boots! But he thanks you for worrying."
"One thing Sebell hadn’t mentioned was how cold and how dark it would be when N’ton collected him before dawn."
"He could sense Menolly’s amusement as the two of them, guided by the encouraging chirrups of the fire lizards, stumbled across the dark courtyard."
"D’you want the fighting strap about you, Piemur? Night flying unnerves a lot of people."
"He choked off the noise as he felt the change from intense cold and blackness to frosty chill and the faint lightening in what must be the eastern sky."
"They were above the rim of Fort Hold’s fireheights before Piemur caught his breath."
"You forget," whispered N’ton, "Sebell can bring Kimi because fire lizards are so common here in Nabol."
"He let his knees take the shock of his landing and patted Lioth’s shoulder, wondering as he did so if that were bold of him."
"He stepped back, turning his head against the shower of dust and sand as the huge bronze launched himself skyward."
"Piemur sighed, depressed that he wasn’t going to be singing the role of Lessa."
"What’s the matter with them?" a gruff male voice called over the creaking of cartwheels and the shuffling sound of the burden beasts."
"The cold dawn wind rose, and Piemur wished that Sebell would put in his promised appearance."
"Sebell chuckled to himself and then sent Kimi flying with the other agitated fire lizards to see if she could discover where Piemur was hiding."
"Don’t try that one on me again, guttingman!" called the guard as the force of his push sent Piemur stumbling across the cobbles, trying not to fall and damage the egg.
"Who’d a thought he’d walk t’Gather?" the woman was saying as they trudged up the steep steps from the main hall to Meron’s apartment.
"And if Meron’s ignored my order for fabric this time . . ." The woman’s sharp alto left the threat unspoken.
"Had to. And then someone stole a fire lizard queen egg from the hearth of his bedroom . . ."
"His yellowtail was considerably mangled by the time he had paddled, jumped and splashed ashore."
"He scooped up the overripe fruit and swallowed it down, grimacing at the slightly rancid taste."
"Piemur propelled himself up out of the water, flailing his arms to keep water about his body in the notion that water might protect him from Thread, and he gulped air into his lungs."
"If he could find it, if it were sufficiently above the surface of the lagoon at this time of the tide, there was an overhanging rock..."
"The terrified core of his soul, however, was slower to acknowledge that danger was over..."
"Abruptly he hoped it wouldn’t happen just now."
"He gazed northward across the heat-hazy sea in the general direction of Fort Hold and the Harper Hall."
"Farli burst into view just above him, chittering with relief and anxiety."
"Holding the struggling queen against his chest, Piemur hunched his shoulders and concentrated on reaching the forest as fast as he could."
"He looked up and saw that the wherries had boldly circled down and were just above him, talons poised to grab."
"She gave a scream, opened her still wet wings and dove on the small mound of fish pieces."
"He scrambled to his feet, felt her cling to his hair, her tail tightly wound about his neck, continuing her stream of defiant cries."
"He saw the shadow of another wherry dive at them and swerved to the left, grinning with satisfaction at its shrill call of anger when it was balked of its prey."
"Sebell might not have learned that Lord Meron was dealing with the Southerners, or that there had been a collection that night."
"She leaned against his finger as he stroked her neck, murmuring sweetly for him to continue."
"He sighed deeply, because the intruders would be here for days and days."
"It was while he was fitting the thorn hook into the end of the vine that the impact of the day started to hit him."
"You and I were at Meron’s Gather," said Sebell."
""He’s wasted as just a harper," said Sharra."
""It’s not her fault," said the girl with a wide smile, easing her weight to one leg as she enjoyed Piemur’s discomfiture."
""I wish I had a drum big enough to tell the whole world how happy I am!""