Vorbis wondered about the mapmaker as he walked with him from the dragon to the camp. He had invited him to the tent. He would have to feel this one out, see what was going on at the warren to know if he should return. To go back to hastily may make him appear nervous. But to let Amberylle run around untethered too long may mean disaster. 

He was walking a fine line and he could see that. This would require tact. "I would love to think your offer over, perhaps over my breakfast. Would you join me in my tent?" He slipped into the tent, the dragon rider followed.

"Well, I suppose it would not hurt to wait for just a short while." He sat in the chair that was offered by a servant as Vorbis sat at the table. "Do you have any idea what you are looking for in a place to settle?"

Vorbis smiled, all business. "I want to hone in on the trade out of the Nomadlands. So I was hoping for a place just at the mouth of the river." He watched him as the serving girl put down the breakfast. He didn'tāt bat an eye, either he had no interest in the girlās exposed cleavage, or he was to wrapped up in his thinking to notice. At any rate he would not be trapped by a woman.

"You will have to deal with seasonal flooding·" Trevor spoke as a meal was set in front of him. "But I am sure that would make for good farming land."

"I do have plenty of farmers with me here. They would be happy to hear that." He took a bite of eggs and smiled. "What is it like in the warren? How do you run things?"

He looked up at Vorbis who was eating. "The warren. Well, what do you want to know? There are a lot of things to cover."

Then Vorbis saw his weak spot, he was helpful. "When do you go to war?"

"We donāt go to war, not like you do anyway. We fight wraiths."

"Have you ever fought a wraith?"

Trevor paused. "No."

"Why is that?"

"Because of my position at the Warren, I do not go into combat." He shifted in his seat and stirred his breakfast some.

"Do you ever use your dragons to kill landbound?"

"NO." Trevor looked at him a bit upset. "We try to protect your kind."

"I am sorry, I meant no insult. Just wondering. You have to forgive me, I have had little to no contact with the riders of dragons." Vorbis pondered over the phrase "your kind". 

"What makes them breath fire?" He moved on.

"That is quite complex really. I will try to explain." Trevor started. 

Vorbis kept asking questions, everything from the duties of the warrenlady, to the man who digs the coal. He tried to understand the culture, the fact that they rarely mated for life he knew. It was tempting for him to give it up to become a dragon rider. 

He was surprised that the warren would turn over anyone who had broken a landbound law to the Lord of the area for judgement. He filed this fact away. 

They stepped out of the tent when he was finished. The sun was half way up the sky, the day was half done. "I am sorry to have kept you. I must have bored you with my questions."

Trevor looked up a bit forlorn at the time he spent here. "No, it is quite alright."

"My answer is yes. I will have that ride you suggested. I would very much like to see this warren, and meet the warrenlady. Who is she again."

"Cynthia." There it was again in Trevorās voice. He thought he was wrong, but he could tell. Trevor savored the name, there was more than just follower in the way he talked about Cynthia. He had feelings for this woman, and this could be used later, if needed to be.

"Yes, Cynthia. I would like to meet her." He had a heavy cloak brought to him and he walked with Trevor to his dragon called Triss. 

Vorbis made a point to befriend Trevor. Find out his likes and dislikes. Talk with him like he was kin. It never hurt to have kin.

(Tag- John, hope this isnāt what you expected, thought I would make things a little exciting)

Darren Hunter
korzad@lgcy.com


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