Isara let the cool morning air float over her.  She has seen Khazeen and 
Shamir leave late last evening.  It would not be long before they 
returned.  She turned her gaze from the cool light of the predawn to the 
warm light that drifted out from the hatching cavern.  She had checked 
on Zelandreth earlier.  Whatever it was that Khazeen had told Isara to 
give the dragon had taken effect.  Zelandreth was sluggish.  She stopped 
glowering at Isara and for once slowly, lathargicly obeyed the girls 
suggestions.  She seemed confused, muddled.  Isara wondered if Khazeen 
had enough of the drug to keep the dragon permanently under.  It would 
make her life easier.

There was one thing that bothered her.  Why did her Khazeen want the 
dragon drugged?  She had never thought of gods as the sort who would 
resort to such... such physical means.  There were alot of things about 
Khazeen that had begun to nag at the girl.  Little things, 
inconsistancies in his behavior.  Things that went unnoticed by the 
others.  Inconsistancies she notice because of the amount of time she 
spent working with him.  She wasn't sure what to think.  

Nor did she have time to think...

The dark form, silloetted against the early morning sky glided down to 
the large clearing in front of the hatching cavern.  Zelandreth let out 
a meek challange.  Isara could make out the form of Shamir.  He was 
covered with cuts.  Blood flowed freely from his scrapes and gashes.  
Strapped to his back, bulging from their sacks, were several eggs.  So 
that was Zelandreth's gift, in her current state it shouldn't be hard to 
convince her to accept the eggs.  

Khazeen seethed as he ordered the nomads to deal with the stolen eggs.  
Something must have gone wrong.  Isara was starting to get a feel for 
her Lord's moods, and what set him off.   Moving quickly she helped the 
men cut the straps that held the eggs to the dragon.  Once that was done 
and the eggs were being moved into their places in the hatching cavern, 
Khazeen called Isara over to him.  His mood had settled somewhat, but he 
was still disturbed.

He motioned for her to follow him out of the hatching cavern.  They 
passed a few nomads carrying sacks of beach sand for the new eggs.  
"Isara, Zelandreth may be somewhat upset when she is more aware.  I need 
you to..."  He was cut off as they rounded the corner and were 
confronted by a disturbing scene.  Scattered through the hall were the 
bodies of numerous nomads.   In the midst of this carnage several men 
battled.

>"STOP."  The voice boomed through the hallway.  C'aranth turned from 
the
>fray to look at a man walking to him.  He had the whole nomad 
procession
>bowing and parting to make way for him.  "I am Kahzeen.  Who are you?"  
He
>looked to Renata and then to C'aranth.

>"I am C'aranth, and if you let me be I will not have to kill you.  I 
have
>other business her then you."  C'aranth was tightening, ready to 
spring.  >"He is the dragon killer Kahzeen."  Renata said with a sigh.

>Kahzeen looked at the dead bodies then to C'aranth.  "I told you to 
bring
>his head to me, and you have.  But I thought you would have detached it
>first Renata.  It is no matter, we have won.  And I am sure Zelandreth
>wouldn't mind the pleasure of killing him herself."

Isara watched Khazeen make an almost imperceptible signal.  The 
remaining nomads started to relieved the intruder of his weapons.  The 
man who called himself C'aranth tensed, not ready to give up yet.  The 
irritation on Khazeen's face increased.  "Isara,"  He glanced at her.  
"This fool needs proof that he has lost."  

"Yes, Milord"  She focused her thoughts.  The hilts of the intruders 
sword and dagger her target.  The man held out longer than she expected, 
but under the stress of the increasing heat he soon caved.  Opening his 
hands he dropped the blades.  Even weaponless the man still looked like 
he was willing to fight, but a pleading look from Renata held him back.  
Isara shifted her gaze from the blades to Khazeen.  Searching for signs 
of approval.  She found only more anger in his face.  Anger, irritation, 
and that far off distant look that he got when he 'spoke' to the 
dragons.

"As much as it would please me to watch Zelandreth complete the task my 
loyal servant failed to preform, I have other guests to greet.  Isara, I 
shall leave him to your capable hands."  

With those last words he strode from the hall.  In the interviening time 
they had been joined by several other nomads, who had been drawn by the 
sound of battle.  Those warriors now formed a semi-circle around the 
prisoner.  Isara stood facing them for a few brief moments.  She was not 
comfortable with the role Khazeen he thrust upon her.  She had little 
choice, but to obey.  Then she spoke, haultingly, in the dragonlands 
tounge.  Khazeen had insisted she learn the language.  He prefered it to 
the nomad language.  

"I do not know what you are up to, but I would not wish to be in your 
place.  My Lord is not tollerant of intruders, and my dragon does not 
like to be disturbed."  She switched back to the Nomad tounge and 
ordered the surrounding nomads to take the prisonor to the holding caves 
below.  He could wait there until Khazeen had time to deal with him.

The gaurds were kept from fufilling there task immediately by the 
approach of several people struggling with a large object, an egg.  The 
egg was creamy white and flecked with gold.  Isara felt a faint chill 
ripple through her as the egg neared.  She had no time to consider the 
feeling for the sight of the egg set C'aranth off.  He lunged forwards, 
only to be roughly restrained by the upset gaurds.  

"What is going on here!"  He demanded.  "That egg is Syren's!  How did 
it get here?  What has your Lord and Master done!"  He spit the last 
sentance at her.

Startled, Isara stammered a response.  "I... I ddo not know."  She was 
shocked by the sudden attack.

"I do."  Renata whispered.  "There was an egg raid.  It's the only 
explination."

Isara regained her composer and cut Renata off.  "It does not matter, 
and it does not concern you."  She waved her hand, dismissing the gaurds 
and the prisonor.  She was more upset by the situation than she let on.  
Something was not right.

She moved off towards the hatching cavern, intending to check on 
Zelandreth.  Renata fell into step beside her.  Isara tensed as Renata 
continued to walk with her.  The woman looked like she had something she 
wanted to say, but could not find the right words.  Isara stopped at the 
edge of the hatching cavern, and watched the men work around the muddled 
queen.  She could see Renata out of the corner of her eye.  There was an 
awkward tension between them.  Isara was the first to break the silence.  
She was not in the mood for games.

"A blind woman could see that there is something you want to tell me, 
Renata.  Speak, I haven't time for you to gather your courage."  The 
stress was making her snappish.

Renata's lips tightened.  "I don't think we should talk about it here 
Isara."

Isara turned her head to gaze at the other woman.  She had a feeling she 
knew what Renata wanted to discuss.  Against her better judgment, she 
decided to hear the womans words.  "I brewed some tea for my morning 
meal, I believe there is still some left."

Relief flickered across Renata's face.  "I would like that Isara."

Isara turned and led the way to her small apartment near the hatching 
cavern.  It was really nothing more than a large hole in the rock wall, 
but Isara had made due.  It was the largest, and most solid thing she 
had ever called home.  Renata settled herself on the thick rug, while 
Isara put a pot of water on for tea.  

Renata was the first to speak.  "Isara, how did you come to be 
Zelandreth's rider?"  

Her question was not the one Isara had expected.  She pondered the 
question while she took a seat across from Renata.  "Khazeen told me 
that Zelandreth would be mine, the way Vega is yours."  

"Khazeen made you Zelandreth's rider?  How?"

Isara frowned, she didn't understand what Renata was trying to get at.  
She wondered briefly if it was her limited knowledge of the laungage 
that was at fault.  "He just did.  Shamir caught Zelandreth and they... 
coupled... and when they returned Khazeen gave her to me."

Renata nodded.  "Can you speak to Zelandreth?"

"Yes, I can speak to her.  She does not listen, but I can speak to her."  
Isara was begining to wonder if Renata was sick in the head.  

But Renata continued undaunted.  "That's not what I ment, Isara.  I mean 
can you speak mentally to her.  Can you speak to her without speaking?  
The way Khazeen does?"

Isara's eyebrows shot up at the idea of her speaking to Zelandreth using 
the silent communication that Khazeen used.  "I know only one way to 
speak, Renata."

Renata seemed to find this information ammusing, for she laughed softly 
and shhok her head.  "I shouldn't be surprised.  This whole place is 
built of lies.  You're not really 'joined' to Zelandreth, Isara.  If you 
were you would not need your voice to speak to her.  Khazeen lied to 
you!  The man has lied to everyone."

Isara's jaw dropped open.  "How can you say these things about him!  
Khazeen would not lie, he does not need to.  He is a god!"  But her 
voice lacked conviction, for she knew that Khazeen would not hesitate to 
say whatever he pleased.  

Renata swallowed hard.  Her gaze was hard and entrapping.  "Khazeen may 
be a god, but the man who rules this *warren* is not Khazeen.  You can 
not tell me you haven't notice his... humanity, Isara.  The way he 
speaks, the way he acts.  He is no god!  He *has* lied to you, and not 
just about the dragon, about everything.  Everything you believe about 
him is nothing but a lie.  He used your belief against you.  He twisted 
it, and you, to suit his needs.  Do any of your histories speak of a god 
walking the earth as a man?  Do any of them say anythink kind about 
Khazeen, or Shamir?  These two gods have always sought to destroy your 
people, so why would they want to unite them?"  The woman spoke in a 
harsh, almost desperate whisper.

The color drained from Isara's face as she listened to Renata's speech.  
She struggle to find the words that would disprove all that the woman 
accused her lord of.  "He has not lied, his gift is proof that he speaks 
the truth.  Only a god can *touch* people." A nagging voice told her 
that Renata was not the one she was trying to convince.

Renata leaned closer to the girl. "Isara, surely there are other people 
in your clans who have the same ability that you.  You can not be the 
only nomad who has..."

"Gamal."  Isara interupted, her voice soft.  "There are those who have 
been touched by Gamel.  They too... do things with fire.  But I was 
touched by Khazeen.  Before he came I was nothing."  Her resolve was 
weakening as Renata's words found the cracks in her faith.

"Among my people, Isara, there are those who have talents much the same 
as yours.  Often these talents remain hidden, deep within the person 
until some time when there arises a need for these abilities.  Perhaps 
Gamal hasn't shown you your abilities before this time because you had 
no need of them.  Think about it Isara.  Has there ever been a time in 
your life when you needed Gamal's blessing more?"

Isara dropped her eyes.  "I...  I do not know what to think."  A war 
raged within her mind.  It was her duty to go to Khazeen and tell him of 
the blasphemous things that Renata spoke.  She remained in the small 
apartment, because the words Renata spoke gave voice to her own doubts, 
her own uncertanties.  

Renata sighed, the strength draining from her face. "I don't know what 
else I can say to convince you of the truth.  Maybe there is nothing I 
can say to help you see.  I think you have a long day ahead of you."  
She rose and walked slowly to the cloth entrance.  "Good luck, Isara.  
May they gods go with you."

"May the gods go with you, Renata."  

~*~*~*~*~

Respectfully Submitted by...
Katherine Heath,
Isara 

NRPG:  It's been a long time since I've been happy with a post, but I 
really like this one.  I was going to continue it but decided that Isara 
needed some time to think.  

  
There was a little conflict about certain portions of Isara's bio.  In 
order to make things easier I'm changing Isara's tribe to Nareem, at 
least I think that's the other healing god?  :/

One last thing, please let me know if the mailing lkist I'm using is 
correct.  I just established it and I want to double check it!  
Thanks!!!

Kate





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