[NRPG: Okay, this is the third time I've sent this.  The first time was at 
5:33 PM.  I still haven't gotten it, or the later one I sent.  So, now I'm 
trying to send via my io.com account.  Barb, it's a good thing yours didn't 
crosspost mine, as I'd sent mine some 20 minutes before yours went out.]

There had been few moments of clarity during the mating passion-- the fear 
just before B'rand took her, putting a name to the overpowering pulse of 
pleasure after it swept through her the first time, the realisation of what 
was happening as she felt the throbbing of his manhood within her, the 
knowledge that it had been pleasurable beyond words as their bodies parted, 
the strange and fierce joy the second time he took her.

She lay now, trying to sort out those feelings and thoughts-- the ones that 
had been her own in the midst of their passion.  Her mind kept coming back 
to one thought.  It hadn't hurt.  It hadn't even been uncomfortable.

She had been so afraid.

But now...

"Gods, Brisse. I'm sorry. It was the dragons, the instinct..."

"It... didn't hurt."

"Of course it didn't hurt!  What the hell kind of monster did you take me 
for?  I don't go around forcing girls--"

Brisse flinched from his wrath.  "No, it's not that... I thought it would 
hurt.  I didn't think... I would enjoy it."

B'rand's face softened.  "You're right.  Please forgive me.  I... well, 
dammit, I don't know what to say!  Tymor was ready to mate, and she 
wouldn't have done so if she thought you weren't ready to handle it.  Ah... 
I enjoyed it, too."

"You're bleeding."  Brisse reached up touched his neck.  B'rand winced; she
had bit him deep.  Brisse's eyes grew wide.  "Did I do that?  Oh, B'rand, 
I'm sorry."

"It's okay," B'rand said.  "I think Lenna has something...  Lenna.  Gods!  
I wonder how she took it."

And then she thought of Dan'yar.  Would he be okay with what had happened?  
He would, wouldn't he?  "It's... not uncommon, is it?  For someone you're 
not in love with to win?  Their dragon, I mean.  Is it?  He won't 
think...?"

"I'm sure he won't," B'rand reassured her.  "It was a mating flight.  Come 
on.  Let's get dressed."

She blushed slightly as she realised they were still laying naked, lightly 
holding each other.  He stood then, and handed her clothes to her, avoiding 
looking at her.  She looked away from his naked backside as he pulled his 
underclothes on, concentrating on her own clothes.  She pulled them on 
quickly.  She would have to wash at her apartment-- there was nowhere here 
to do it.

"There," she said when she was dressed.  "My hair's a wreck."

He turned and nodded.  "You look like you just had way too much fun."

She laughed and blushed at the same time.

They fell silent.

"Is it always this awkward?" she asked.

He shrugged.  "Mates and couples who've been together through a lot of 
mating flights probably aren't awkward, but I wouldn't know.  Come on.  
I'll walk you to your apartment."

They walked mostly in silence.  There were a few knowing smiles and 
concerned looks from passerbys, but for the most part, no one took notice 
of them.  It was just another mating flight.

She stopped at the steps to her second-level apartment and turned to him.  
She stood on tiptoe and gave his cheek a peck.

"What was that for?" he asked, worry and confusion in his eyes.

"Just because," she answered, and headed up the steps.

******

She drew her bath quickly and stepped inside, letting the heat soak into 
her skin.

It hadn't hurt.

She didn't have to be afraid.

She closed her eyes and thought of Dan'yar-- thought of making love to him.

Matteen's face never appeared.

And it didn't hurt.

<They said your dragon knows when you're ready,> she thought.

<You were ready,> Tymor answered sleepily.  <I knew you just needed to have 
a happier experience.>

<Hmm.  But why Rook and not Shinner?>

<Because Rook was worthy.  Shinner's rider may be worthy of you, but that 
doesn't make Shinner worthy of *me*.  Oh, but Rook...>

<Just happened to win this time,> Brisse stated.  She hoped that was all it 
was.  But her dragon sounded so...

In love.

She decided not to think about it, and washed and dressed quickly.  She had 
to see Dan'yar.

******

She paused outside his Medical Center room, her stomach doing flipflops.  
B'rand had said it was just a mating flight, but...

She opened the door and stepped in.  He looked up, his eyes searching her face.

Neither one said a thing.  She stepped to his bed, sat on the edge, then 
changed her mind and instead stretched out alongside him, gently wrapping 
her arms around him.

His startlement lasted only a second before he slipped his arms around her 
as well.

"Are you all right?" he asked, finally.

"I'm fine," she answered.  "It didn't hurt."

He seemed to understand the depth of meaning in that phrase.  "I'm glad," 
he sighed.

"I... I still want to wait a couple weeks before we..."  She couldn't finish 
the thought, though she felt him tremble at the very notion.  "I 
want to be sure I'm not pregnant first.  And I still want my own apartment. 
Is that okay?"

Respectfully submitted,
 Lynette R. F. Cowper
  Brisse and Tymor

---
|   Lynette R. F. Cowper  *  Official INWO Rules NetRep & Goddess    |
| http://www.io.com/~lcowper  *  lcowper@io.com  *  lcowper@indy.net |
|  "If people never did silly things, nothing intelligent would ever |
|                   get done."  -- L. Wittgenstein                   |