[Kitchen - Floor to be exact]

> "I earned that week. I worked my tail off for it. If I hadn't worked
> so hard, I'd be dumping pies on your head right now. I can't
> use a sword that well, and two weeks ago I couldn't use one at
> all. I'll tell you about it as we go home..." 
 
"What in blazes is going on here!" a woman yelled.

B'rand looked up past Lenna and saw Sarina standing over them tapping a
large wooden spoon against her thigh, "Um, we were just leaving," he
stammered.

"I'll bet you were," Sarina said and she thumped Lenna on the rear with
the spoon, "My kitchen is not where you should be fooling around.  Now
clean up the mess you made."

***
[Dreamscape]

The barren landscape reminded her of the high plateaus above Telnor 
in winter.  The wind drove dust in swirling clouds all around her.  
It was dark, like a moonless night.

"Hello!  Is anyone out there!" she called out.

She waited, and no response came.  She slowly turned around hoping to 
see something.  Each direction looked the same as the others, 
swirling dust and darkness.

Cynthia set her shoulders and began walking in the direction she was 
facing.  Something was out there and she intended to find it.  
Gradually, she did.  She became aware of a light growing out of the 
darkness.  It was a camp fire and a solitary person was sitting 
beside it, bent over a bowl.

Cynthia approached, wishing that she'd brought her quarterstaff.  Her 
foot bumped something.  The oddness of it made her pause.  to that 
point the ground had been absolutely flat.  She looked down and 
gasped.  Her quarterstaff lay on the ground at her feet.  She bent 
over and picked it up.  "What is this place," she said feeling the 
wood in her hands.

 The figure by the fire heard her and looked up, "This is your mind, 
Cynthia."

"Mother," Cynthia breathed, she shook her head "I must be dreaming,
you've been dead for 15 years."

"Dreaming is not exactly the correct term, but it is close enough.  
Come over to the fire, the light is better and it will keep you 
warm."

"I don't understand," Cynthia said walking over.

"Of course you do," Vanessa said, "since you and I are really one and
the same.  You were attacked by, well I'm not really sure.  He tried to
kill you, but you were too strong, or maybe he was too weak.  Instead 
he had to imprison you here, while he controls your body.  It will be
alright, since we'll be going back to Cleft soon.  The healers will
discover the problem and find some way to drive him out."

"How do you know we'll be going ack to Cleft soon?  Does anyone even
know where we are?" Cynthia asked.

Vanessa gestured toward the bowl on the ground in front of her, it was 
half full with water, "With this.  It allows me to see with your 
eyes.  Syren must have called for help, since Katrina, Lenna and 
S'lomon are all here."

"I thought you said 'here' was in my mind," Cynthia said suspiciously.

"It is.  I mean here in the broader sense.  Your mind travels with 
your body, after all."

"So what's going on now?"

"Let's see," Vanessa said looking back at the bowl.

Cynthia squatted down next to the representation of her mother, and 
they both looked at the bowl.  The perspective was odd without 
motion.  It seemed as if she were being lifted up and strapped to the
back of one of the dragons.  She almost fell over.

Her mother reached out a hand to steady her, "Are you all right?"

"I'm ok," Cynthia nodded, "the perspective made me dizzy."

"It's odd, but you'll get used to it."

"Well, what do I do now?"

"I'm not sure, but you're still alive, and this is your mind.  You'll 
think of something."

***
[Cleft]

Two dragons appeared in the sky over Cleft.  They flew in a lazy circle
before landing on the grassy plain  bordering the river.  Two men
dismounted, and immediately shed their riding jackets.

"I didn't expect it to be this hot," the blond said.

"M'yer, how far south is it from Keldarra to Cleft?" the dark haired one
asked.

"I don't know P'ker.  You have the fondness for cartography," M'yer
snapped.

"Neither do I exactly, but it's far enough to be very hot."

Both men laughed at each other.  Then they removed their packs from
their saddles and walked toward the warren.

A woman was walking along the front of the warren, perpendicualr to
their path.  They hurried up the grassy slope and M'yer called out to
her, "Excuse us, Miss, we're in need of assistance."

She paused and waited for them to catch up, "How can I help you."

"I'm M'yer..."

"And I'm P'ker," he said before taking her hand and pressing his lips to
the back of it.

"That's not the kind of assistance we need," M'yer said swatting P'ker
on the arm.

"Oh, yes.  We're here from Keldarra and we're looking for Brisse.  Do
you happen to know where she is?" P'ker asked.

The woman communicated with her dragon for a moment before speaking,
"Brisse's in the Med Center.  It's over there," she said pointing.

"Thank you," M'yer said, and he led the way toward the Med Center.

NRPG:

Kris/Barb: If you'd like, please fill in the details of the trip back. 
Cynthia's gotta end up in the Med Center somehow.

Barb/Allen: Got the cook fired up.  Bad idea.

All: Who's the mysterious woman?

Lyn: Tymor needs measuring, and these guys are here to do it.  They
happen to be based on two room mates of mine from WPI.  I'm figuring
that one will do some sketching while the other does the measuring. 
Also, when defining big, is it based on length or weight?  What happens
if Tymor is shorter than Beryth, but heavier?  Food for thought.
-- 
			Alton & Elizabeth Reich
			  alton.reich@snet.net
"Ani l'dodi, v'dodi li - I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine"
--The Song of Songs