Gonna try this again.. someone told me I sent it to the Daere list the first
time.....

Barb

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

"Oh that looks wonderful Demee," Danki smiled warmly after her grandson had
finished *setting* the tale for her. She was rewarded by one of his lovely
smiles and then she listened as he began to repeat the words of welcome he
was to say when he went to bring the nice lady home for dinner. 

As he worked, he practiced quietly, "Will you come with me, your ladyship ..
will you come with me, your ladyship .."

"'Please', Demee .." Danki corrected gently, "Don't forget the 'please'.
'Will you *please* come with me, your ladyship."

Demee nodded, "Will you *please* come with me .." he continued to lay the
silver and practice, "Will you please come with me, your ladyship .. will
you .."

When he finished he looked up at Danki with wide eyes, "How's it look, Gramma?"

"You did a great job, Demee!" she grinned, "Now why don't you get Arly and
Leyean and tell Lady Amberylle that dinner is nearly ready."

She waited just long enough for him to leave the room before she made a few
changes. But then he'd been so excited by the duty she'd given him, she knew
he'd never notice.

.........

The evening meal was going well, Danki thought as she past the meat platter
to her mate. Though at first she wondered as the young man who'd accompanied
the Lady had taken a little more time to relax then the good Lady herself.

But in the end food had seem the key to his relaxing of his watch and he
joined in the chatter with the rest of them.

Danki had been more then pleased when Lady Amberylle had taken a good size
helping of the food offered, and really seemed to be enjoying it with a
favor Danki didn't remember the Lady's of the courts has having.

While Amberylle seemed every bit a graceful as the Lords Lady's she
remembered from the few times they'd come to Telnor, she didn't appear
nearly a stuffy as the other had by being in a Warren with dragonriders
around ever corner.

"I have a question." Amberylle decided she could ask her. Something about
the woman's nature made her feel at ease. "Is it true the Warrenlady can,"
she pause wondering how to phrase this, "have any man in the warren she
wants? And that relations can be more loose in the commitment?" She blushed
deep red and she knew it from the heat she was feeling on her face.

Danki shot a quick look down at the other end of the table where the
children were seated to make sure they hadn't heard the question and caught
sight of the twinkle in her granddaughter's eyes. 

Which one she wasn't sure, (she hated to admit) as both girls were dressed
identical in the outfits their Aunt Thina had made for them.

It was shameful she knew that she couldn't always tell them apart, but was
comforted by the fact that she wasn't the only one. Though she still didn't
know how Demee could do so. She made herself a note to ask him sometime.

Arly... Ley.. whichever, chuckled softly and raised her brow to see how her
grandmother would answer the question.

Then seconds later the smile on the young girls face disappeared, and Danki
took note of the fact that the same thing was happening to all three of the
children so assumed correctly that dragons were involved.

"They're back!!" the two girls shouted and got up quickly from their chairs,
followed by Demee, intending to race out side to greet the returning riders. 

Yarik cleared his throat stopping them in the act.
"Lady's and gentlemen .. this is no time to forget your manners," he chided
them kindly. "We do have guests."

"Please excuse us, Gramma, Granda, and M'lady and Sir... but please may we
be excused ."

"Yea.. can we be 'cused," Demee copied the old girls actions.

"You may," their grandfather told them and the three kids walked slowly out
of the room and then started to run as soon as they were out of sight. 

Danki turned back to her guest as soon as the children were gone. "I'm
sorry... Maybe we could continue this another night.. but ..."

"But your dragonrider sons and daughter have returned and like the children,
you wish to see for yourself that they have come to no harm. I understand
and look forward to doing this again soon." Amberylle did understand.

........................

[when the Wing returns..... ]

>"Are you guys gonna come too?" Leyean asked. "You know how Gram's is
whenever you go out an fight on your dragons."

>Farr'in turned to look at Meena to see what she wanted to do....

Meena nodded, "We should."

He nodded, and flashed her a smile, "I think you're getting good at this
extended family thing."

"I'm getting a lot of practice."

"Yes you are," he teased and looked from mother to son. It was then he
noticed the somber look on the young boys face where a smile had graced not
to long ago.

He threw a quick glance at Meena wondering if she had any idea what had
happen to change Demee's happiness at seeing them to sadness. Then he looked
back at the boy when his mother didn't seem to be able to help.

"Hey sport, why the frown." And was surprised and more then a little
concerned when Demee shook his head and buried his face in his mother's chest.

"Demee?" Meena asked.

"What?" the muffled voice asked.

"What's the matter? A minute ago you were glad to see us. Why so sad now?"

He shook his head but didn't look up.

Farr'in and Meena gave each other confused looks and then Farr'in held out
his hands and took Demee from Meena, "Demee, what's wrong?"

Demee looked up at Farr'in and suddenly burst into tears, "I thought you
loved me! I thought you were my daddy!"

The boy collapsed sobbing against Farr'in's chest.

Farr'in was momentarily at a lose for words. He didn't have any idea when
the boy had come up with the idea that Farr'in had changed his mind about
wanting to be his father.

"Demee!" Meena exclaimed, at a complete loss for words, having no idea where
this was coming from.

He knelt down on the ground and stood Demee in front of him. Knowing that
this needed to be settled as quickly as it could. Before Demee actually
started to believe it.

"Demee, I do love you. And I am your Daddy now. You know that. I told you
that. So did your mother. So why don't you believe us now, son?"

"I .." the boy sobbed, "I want you to be my daddy .."

"I am your daddy, Demee. And I love you." his own heart was breaking as he
witnessed the little boys tears. But his assurances only seemed to make the
boy cry harder. Until finally he picked him up and turned back to his mate
thinking maybe there might be one person who could shed some light on what
had taken place while they were gone to cause this reaction in the boy.

"I think perhaps we should go talk to mother."

Meena nodded, something had obviously happened there that had upset the boy
and now they needed to find out what it was.

***

It was several hours later when they'd finally gotten Demee calmed down and
then entire story from Danki. Both Farr'in and Meena had heard from their
dragons about the missing Lenna and Farr'in had been torn. But in the end
he'd stayed to comfort his new son. Demee needed him, and Lenna wasn't being
neglected by any means.

Both had little doubt there were more then enough riders to try and locate
the young woman. While it didn't ease their worry any, it did give them the
chance to deal with the hurt that was eating at young Demee.

"I'm going to have to have a talk with Sasha .." Farr'in said, hardly
believing the mean-spirit his nephew had shown toward Demee.

He couldn't understand what had gotten into the boy. Sasha had always been
the kinder of his two nephews, so Farr'in was really having a hard time
trying to understand why he'd done what he had. 

"Later, Farr'in," she said quietly. "I think tonight all your attentions
need to go to our son."

Farr'in nodded. He was torn but knew she was right. A talk with Sasha would
have to wait until the morning. Right now Demee needed to be reassured that
he was loved and wanted.  "Com'on, son." He said gathering Demee into his
arms, "Let's go home."

"With you?" the boy asked.

"Yes with me. To our home. Yours, mine and your mother's." he met the boys
eyes so he would know Farr'in was sincere with his words. "We're a family
now Demee and I want you to always believe that son."

The boy nodded and wrapped his arms around Farr'in's neck as they headed out
of Danki and Yarick's apartment.

Meena turned to Danki, "Thank you for watching him."

She nodded, "Anytime, I just wish there'd been something I could do to
prevent what happened with Sasha."

She wished she knew what was eating her grandson, and just prayed his uncle
would know how to stop anymore of the same before it got out of hand.

Meena nodded, "I know. But Farr'in will make it better. He's so good with
Demee."

Danki nodded, a gleam in her eye, "Yes, my son makes a great father .." she
winked at Meena, "And the two of you are still young .."

Meena nodded, "Yes .. we are."

"So when are you going to do something about it?" the older woman grinned
knowingly. "I'm not getting any younger and a few more grandchildren will
always be welcome. Besides, I think Demee would really like a little brother
or sister of his own."

"So he's let us know," Meena chuckled and followed her mate and son on out
into the setting evening while Danki chuckled softly after her. 

"Boy I'm sure glad you're not being overly pushy about this," Yarik
commented as his mate closed the door behind Meena. 

"Well a little help in the right ear...." Danki said then her voice caught,
and she looked pleadingly up into her mate's eyes. "Do you think they'll
find her?"

[insert the part of my last post with Yarik and Danki talking]

Farr'in
********

I'm not excusing Sasha for what he did," Farr'in was saying as he was towel
drying his hair when he came out of the bathing room. "But I can't help but
to feel that part of the blame should be mine."

"You didn't tell him to be mean to Demee, or say the things that he did to
him, so how can you blame yourself?" Meena asked as she drew back the covers
on the bed and slipped under them while waiting for him to join her.

"No I didn't," he frowned slightly, folding the towel and putting it away in
the dirty close hamper, before sliding onto the bed and opening his arms for
her to slip into.

"But I can see how this must look from Sasha's point of view also. I mean I
was always around them when they were growing up. Always taking them out and
doing things with them. But then My'kel joined with Voger and seemed to need
more of my time while they were getting to know eachother, and I can see
where Sasha must have been feeling a little left out.

His arms tightened around her pulling her closer as his chin moved to rest
on the top of her head. 

"Then after My'kel... after he and Voger were killed... I took off for
Norwall and Sasha must have felt like I was deserting him."

Meena raising her head up to look at him, understanding seeping into her
eyes.  "And then when you came back you had this ready made family complete
with a son and Sasha took it to mean...."

"That I didn't love him anymore," Farr'in finished for her. "Then instead of
coming to me, he took it out on Demee because he saw him as a threat. As the
reason I never came to see him anymore. Something I have to correct tomorrow
when I have a talk with him. I just hope I'm not to late."

"I'm sure you won't be love," Meena whispered softly and gently kissed the
underside of is chin, then his lips. "How did you get to be so smart?"

"My mother," he grinned and fitted his fingers up under her hair before
drawling her lips back up to his. "She made sure she didn't raise any dumb
sons."

The kiss lingered for a few minutes. Both were slightly breathless when he
ended it. "Vonn?"

"Asleep," she murmured grinning.

"Then you won't be needing this," he grinned back. His eyes questioning as
his hands moved to slip under her night gown and began to slip it up her body. 

"Gonna prove to me how young you still are?" she giggle when she felt his
hands begin to move over her.

"Uh huh?"

.....................

[next morning]


"Are you going to go talk to him now?" Meena asked as she began to clear the
breakfast dishes from the table.

Farr'in shot a quick look down the hall where Demee had disappeared a few
minutes earlier to get dressed for school then turned back and nodded his head.

"Thought I would take him out to a spot we used to go fishing with My'kel
and see if he'll open up to me."

"Well I hope it works," she told him. "I'd sure hate to have Demee upset again."

"You and me both," the stocky rider agreed, getting up to hand her his
coffee cup. "Nearly torn my heart out last night when he started to cry. I
don't know if I can handle him hurting that way again."

He waited long enough for her to set it down on the sink, then wrapped his
arms around her and pulled her unresisting body up next to his for a
good-bye kiss.

"Why is that all mommies and daddy's do?" they heard a little voice asked,
and Farr'in release her lips long enough to grin over his shoulder. 

"Ask me that question in another 10-15 years if you don't figure it out by
then son."

"Farr'in!!" Meena chuckled and looked at him with amusement twinkling in her
eyes just before she slipped from his arms and went to her son.

"Are you already to go to school?" she asked him, and bent down to straiten
the lapel of his shirt.

"All set... Arly and Lea are gonna tell the teacher I read two pages last
night!" he told her proudly. "An I got most of the words right too."

"That's wonderful Demee," Meena beamed. "Why you'll just have to read a
story to your Daddy and me when we come home tonight. Now how about kissing
your Daddy good-bye and I'll walk you over to the school."

.......

It was Thina, his sister who opened the door a bit later when Farr'in
finally arrived to ask if he could talk with his nephew.

"Is Sasha still here?" he asked her when she showed him in.

"He's just getting ready for school."

"Thought maybe if you didn't mind, he could skip school today and we could
go somewhere and have a talk."

Thina sighed. "Ma told you what happened?"

Farr'in nodded his head. "Thought maybe we better have a talk to find out
what's happening and make sure it stops. I don't want Sasha upset but I will
not have him upsetting Demee either. So I thought a short trip with just the
two of us might get things out into the open."

"Farr'in he really didn't mean..."

"Thina.. I'm not going to yell at him," her brother promised. "I know part
of this is my own fault for not recognizing what was happening. I just want
to make things right for all of us before it gets out of hand."

"What are you doing here?" a voice said from the doorway leading into the
bedroom hall.

Farr'in turned. "Thought you and I could go fishing?"

"Got school this morning," the boy said and started past him but Farr'in
caught a hold of his arm.

"You're mom said you could skip school today and I do believe that you and I
need to have a talk."

"Why so you can yell at me about you're new son?" his tone held the anger he
couldn't hide.

"Among other things," Farr'in told him. "But I wanted to talk to you about
us. I wanted to apologize to you for making it seem that I'd forgotten you
every since I came back to the Cleft. Think you could give this old man a
break and listen to him try and explain?"

"What about the kid... he going too?" Sasha eyed him warily.

"Nope.. just the two of us."

"Okay."

"Good Tergath is waiting for us outside with the fishing pools."

.......

"I still can't believe you dare to call that a fish Unc," Sasha chortled
after seeing the tiny little fish on the end of his uncle's line. The
squiggling little thing was not much bigger then the bait he had used to
catch it.

"Well I haven't seen you doing much better!" Farr'in threw back at him with
a frowned. "At lease I caught something."

"I don't know if you want to brag about that back in the Warren Unc... It
might ruin your reputation."

Farr'in grinned back at the boy and though how nice it felt to be out here
with him. It seemed like old times, and he hated to put a damper on it but
he knew they had to talk about what happened.

He just hated to break the bond that had sprung up between them.

"You know.. I was a little upset last night when I got home and had to deal
with Demee's tears," he started slowly and watched as his nephew's shoulders
started to tense up. "But I realized that it was partly my fault."

Sasha glared at him out of the corner of his eyes but didn't say anything,
just kept playing with his fishing pole.

"I know I haven't really been fair to you since I came back to Cleft.. and I
hadn't realized how badly I've handled things until now."

"Well you seemed to be handling that kid brought back here all right," the
boy sneered. "I don't even know why you brought me out here when it's him
you want to be with. Not me!"

"That's not true Sash..." Farr'in told him. "I haven't forgotten about you
at all. Even if it may seem like it to you. I've just been trying to get
things in my own life on track and I'm sorry if you felt left out. I should
have seen it before now but I didn't."

"Yea right," he muttered and threw out his line again as if it didn't matter.

"I know things have been crazy since.. well since My'kel died... and I know
I may have handled things wrong. But you have to understand how I was
feeling at the time. It didn't have anything to do with you, but now I see
that I could have tried to remember you were hurting too when he died. I
know how close you two always were.. But my mind just wouldn't let me think
of anything back then."

Sasha's sneer left his face and was replaced by a look that gave Farr'in
some hope. At least it wasn't hostile. 

"I was lost in a world of hurt back then where no one or nothing could reach
me," Farr'in explained. "Not even my mother. All I knew was I had to leave
the Cleft to try and deal with it. That's when I met Meena and Demee in
Norwall and they showed me things about myself that I thought I had lost
forever. Things that helped me to heal and start letting love back into my
life."

He went on in detail, not wanting to leave anything out, and told the boy of
how he had felt the day he learned of My'kel's death. How his mind seemed to
close in on itself and not allow him to deal with life in the way he had before.

Sasha listened, though he tried to pretend none of it mattered to him, but
Farr'in hoped that by being totally honest with him, he might begin to ease
his anger some.

He told him everything. Except for the visits he'd received from My'kel's
Ghost.. something's were just to unbelievable.

"My leaving here didn't have anything to do with you.. or mean that I
stopped loving you. I was just hurting so bad back then that I wasn't any
good to anyone. Not even myself. I had lost a part of me and I had to go to
Norwall before I figured out what it was and found it again. Only then was I
able to come back here to live."

Then he told him of how he had meet Meena and a little of her past.

"That's how she came to be here in Cleft," Farr'in explained. "I didn't know
then how deeply I cared for her or her son until they were safely here and I
was in Norwall feeling lonely. Just like you might feel if your parents were
to move back to Telnor....."

"Like they would." The boy snorted.

"Anything is possible. But that's neither here nor there. What matters is
that I've accepted Demee as my son and his mother as my mate for as long as
we have and I would really like for you and Demee to get along like you and
your brother did."

"He's not my brother! He's not even close!" Sasha shot back heatedly. 

"I know that Sasha.. I'm not asking you to forget My'kel and replace him
with Demee!" Farr'in had to fight to keep his own anger out of his tone.
"All I'm asking is that you give the kid a chance. He looks up to you in the
same way you used to look up to My'kel and I don't remember My'kel ever
trying to pretend like you weren't there? Instead he took you everywhere he
went and always made sure you were included in games and what not. I'm just
asking you to try and see how Demee feels."

"That's right it's all about him isn't it?"

"No Sasha it's not," Farr'in sighed, wondering how he was going to get
through to the boy. "But is it so wrong for me to want the two of you to get
along? Are you trying to force me to make a choice between the two of you?
Because that is something I will not do. I love both of you and just want us
all to get along and be a family. Demee has been through a lot over the last
few years and I just want him to feel like he can count on someone besides
his mother to see to his needs.... someone like you who could help him by
befriending him."

"Are you really gonna be his Da?" 

"Yes I am Sasha. In every way he'll let me," the rider spoke the words from
his heart. "His mother and he are very important to me, but then so are you
and I don't want you to feel like I love you any less just because Demee has
come into my life. Or any other children Meena and I might have. I would
hope that you will be a big part of our family and love my children just as
I have always loved you and My'kel. What do you say? Do you think we can
work this out?"

"And we'd still do things together sometimes.. maybe? Just you and me even
if we have to do things with him at other times?" the boy asked slowly.

"I promise you Sasha.. I won't ever get so far lost in my head again that
I'll forget that you might need someone too."

He sat there silent, and watched the emotions flashing across his nephews
face. A face that looked more like his deceased brothers every day. 

"Okay... I'll give it a try," he agreed after a time. "The kids not really
all that bad anyway. And it's kinda cool to have someone look up to me for a
change. Besides.. he'll need me to save him when Arly and Lea decide to
dress him up like a girl again."

"When did they do *that*" Farr'in asked a little concerned. 

"While you were gone..." the boy giggled. "It was kind of funny but then he
told them off real good when he figured out what they were doing... you had
to be there."

"Well I'll leave it up to you to make sure they remember Demee is a boy..."

"So.. do you think he'll like to fish?"

Farr'in's face relaxed into the first real smile he'd felt since coming out
to the fishing hole.

"One way to find out... what do you say we ask him to come along the next
time we go?"

"Cool.. but!" the boy turned to face his uncle looking real serious. "He'll
have to learn to bait his own hook just like you made me and My'kel do. Deal?"

"Deal."

They didn't stay much longer. Sasha said it was because he was feeling a
little guilty about missing school, but Farr'in thought he had another
reason on his mind.

When they got back to the Warren and the rider let his nephew off, he stood
back, pretending to look to Tergath as Sasha walked towards the school.

He was still there a little while later when the kids were let go for a
short break and smiled to himself when he saw Sasha come out of the building
with a smiling Demee trotting along behind him carrying a ball.

"Catch Sasha!!" the little boy cried out and threw the ball to the bigger
boy who caught it and threw it back. Right into the open arms of the boy who
couldn't have looked any happier then if the Warren was made out of ice-cream.

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

Farr'in & Tergath
Thina
Yarik
Danki
Cleft Warren

aka
Barb