Confronting The Past

Farr'in knew his brother wasn't all that happy with seeing the older man
standing before them. He agreed. 
The man shouldn't be here in his condition. He'd be more hindrance then
help, for all his years of fighting knowledge. The riders would be more
concerned with protecting him and his dragon, taking their minds off the
fight in front of them.

Something caught his eye, he turned to see Meena standing by Vonn talking to
a young man he didn't recognize. Knowing her fear that her father would
somehow find out where she and Demee where staying now, he moved towards
her, leaving Dan'yar to deal with J'errid. That was his job. Keeping Meena
and Demee safe was his.

"Meena?" he called out to let her know he was there. 

"Farr'in .." Meena said grateful for the interruption.

Farr'in eyed the young man standing by Meena. There was something about him
.. something familiar, yet something he didn't like. He moved to stand
protectively by his mate.

Devon's eyes widened, "Um .. Oh .." It was clear that the couple in front of
him was indeed a couple.

"This is .. umm .. Devon," Meena said raising her soft brown eyes to
Farr'in's face, wanting to gauge his feelings.

Farr'in met them and nodded, "I see .." Meena could see the hostility in her
mate growing.

Devon grinned, "Oh! This is wonderful!" 

Farr'in looked back at him about to ask just was so wonderful when the young
man spoke again. 

"I just can't wait to tell Piper. She's going to be so relieved!" he nearly
laughed, "She's been telling me that she can't be with me because of you ..
but now! Well you're with him .. and she can be with me without worrying
about you! I am so excited. I can't wait to tell her!"

"How dare you .." Farr'in barely held back the disgust in his tone. He
couldn't believe the nerve of the man. While Meena had told him about what
happened, he was remembering other things he'd heard from some of the
Norwall riders about what had happened. He held no respect in his heart for
the man standing before him. The man who had left his mate and child without
a second thought.

Devon looked at him in surprise, "What?"

"You come here and flaunt the fact that you left your family to go off
chasing some woman, right here! In front of Meena!"

"Farr'in .." Meena started to protest.

"I .. love her .."

"Oh, do  you?" Farr'in asked, sarcasm dripping from his words. "So that
gives you the right? And what about your son? What about Demee?"

"Demee?" Devon asked, looking confused.

"Your SON! Don't you even remember your son!" IF it hadn't been for the fact
that Meena was standing beside him holding on to his arm, he really thought
he could have gladly hit the man. But she didn't need that right now. Seeing
the man standing here had caused her enough problems and he knew his beating
the man to a plop wouldn't help.

".. oh .. umm .. of course .. but well .. he isn't really my son. Not
anymore. Things change. Meena raised him .. he's her son."

"You are pathetic!" Farr'in hissed.

Meena stepped between them, facing Farr'in, "Stop .. let it go."

"But after everything that he's caused you and Demee .."

"Farr'in, please .." Meena begged him.

"It's not my fault!" Devon protested. "She's different .. she changed .. and
that boy .. I don't know him .. I wasn't allowed to. It's not my fault!"

Farr'in growled and moved Meena gently out of his way, "You self-centered
little prick! The best thing you ever did was leave them. They deserve
someone a hell of a lot better then you."

Devon glared back, not cowering exactly, but definitely taking a step away
from the bigger man.

"I can't understand you man," The stocky rider's voice was filled with the
disgust he was feeling. "You had a wonderful woman who loved you and a son
that any sane man would be proud to call his own, but you threw it all away!"

Suddenly there was a fourth voice, yelling as a tiny figure pushed her way
protectively in front of Devon , "Stop! Stop!"

"Piper!" Devon said happily as he forgot all about Farr'in and Meena and
wrapped his arms around her. "I've been looking for you."

Meena grabbed Farr'in's arm and pulled him back, as she turned to look at
the young woman.

Piper squirmed out of Devon's grasp, and said, "Stop it, Devon! Stop it!"
Turning then to Meena, her gaze took in Farr'in as he stood protectively
next to the woman who looked enough to like Piper to be her older sister,
at the least.  Farr'in gazed back at her, wondering.

"Meena, please, I'm so sorry.  I never wanted to come between you and Devon,
I only wanted happiness for both of you together,"  Piper's eyes filled with
tears as the memories rushed back, from the first confused love
that had turned into disaster at Norwall to the relationship that seemed to
develop almost on its own, in Jasra, by the sea.

"Piper, don't you see?"  Devon said, stepping close to her again, laying his
hand on her arm,  "Meena has a new mate."

Her gaze fell more fully on Farr'in, then she looked at Meena and turned
then to Devon.  Her mouth opened and shut and then she turned back to look
at Meena.  The other woman's gaze was held by her mate.

Turning back to Devon, Piper said,  "It doesn't matter, it's wrong.  I..
we.. I.."  her voice quivered and she stammered. "I.. Meena, I'm sorry.  I
never meant for any of this to happen, but now, we should help and not
quarrel.  After all this is over, then there will be time to .. to.. talk, I
guess."

He saw the woman Piper turned away from Meena, and saw the hurt in the mans
eyes. Farr'in couldn't help thinking the jerk deserved it.   

"Let's get out of here and go somewhere where you don't have to see him and
be reminded of the past," Farr'in took her arm and led her away. 

"But..." she started to say and then went quiet. He allowed her the time she
needed to think things over, while he headed her over to where Dan'yar was
talking to J'errid. But that conversation seemed to be over. 

"You couldn't get him to change his mind and go on home?" Farr'in asked his
younger brother. 

"No. Stupid old fool thinks only he can lead the wing," Dan'yar growled in
anger. "Look.. I can understand his wanting to be here right now, but he's
just not fit to run the Wing. He's been done to long and the this is not the
time for him to decided to come back and take over."

"Maybe someone else could talk some sense into him?" Farr'in asked willing
to try himself if that was what it would take."

"No.. I don't think anyone short of Cynthia ordering him back right now
would do any good," the taller of the two said frowning. "We're just going
to have to keep an eye n things and pray nothing goes wrong."

"Well we've got good riders in Cleft," Meena spoke up, glancing at Farr'in
before going on. "I know they can handle what needs to be done."

"Yes. We do have good riders. Let's just hope that's enough," Dan'yar
agreed. "Now... We need to get to this meeting of Wingleaders and Flight
Leaders about to start. It's important that we have a plan and some
organization. Just so we don't all lift into the air and create more chaos
then we need."


====================  

Nrpg: Okay Cleft riders will be ready for any planning going on.... Dan'yar
is feeling a little put out that J'errid doesn't trust him to run the Wing
he's been trained to run and has been running while the man's been hurt. But
once the fighting starts he'll be all Dragonman and do what he's there to do.

****Submitted by: ******

Dan'yar & Shinner
Farr'in & Tergath
Cleft Warren

aka
Barbara

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