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"Uncle you must bring out people into stone village to safety" Reain begged.
"They will have no chance out here when water covers ground.

Though she bowed her head submissively to her elder she knew she had to get
her point across. She'd thought she'd lost him once and now that he was in
her life again she didn't want to chance losing him for a second time.

Rainen noticed her posture, but also the sudden strength behind her words. A
strength he had never heard coming from the girl before. Had becoming a
dragonrider done this to her? If so he approved of he being one more and more.

"Uncle I only look to save what people we still have in tribe." She told him.

"And what do we do when water leaves us and ground is dry again?"

"Do what tribe has always done," she shrugged her shoulders as if it didn't
matter to her. She wasn't one who made decisions so did not want to offend
by offering any. "If one brings tribe inside stone walls, does not mean lost
of honor, nor lost of freedom. Will show that we have great leader who cares
for his people and will see them well."

"What of offer made by woman who thinks to lead the human tribe?"

"Decision is for you to make Uncle," this time she bowed from the waist
showing great respect for his wisdom. "Tribe will follow where you lead
them. But time is short Uncle. Tribe needs to be moved if they are to live."

Rainen could see that with his own eyes. His first thoughts were for his own
beloved mate. He would see her to safety first as he couldn't bare to lose her. 

"You will personally take my mate and daughter on your dragon and see that
she is safe," he ordered.

Reain looked up, daring to meet his eyes.. Something she would never have
done before without permission. "You honor me Uncle with your trust. I will
see to my Aunts safety before returning to help move rest of tribe."

Moments later Reain was escorting Liesha and her daughter, three year old,
Tiya to her dragon and once mounted she turned back to her Uncle. "I will be
back when they are safe."

She honored her promise until the female rose to mate. 

She had seen Andahar several times during the transfers, once even met his
eyes, but was heart broken when he had turned away as if he couldn't stand
to lay eyes on her.

Reain had just delivered the last of her people into the safety of the
Warren when she heard the female issue her challenge. Not understanding
about mating flights all that well, since Sylois had yet to rise, she was
numb with shock when she saw Andahar down on the green with the other males
who were hanging around the new Queenrider. 

When she caught sight of his again later, It was when she saw him in the
crowd hanging around the new Queenrider.  Then her heart died when she stood
there and watched as he reached for the woman and pull her into his arms for
a very lusty kiss. 

Her hopes and dreams died when she saw him pull the woman into his arms and
lift her up, then walk off into a building. Alone. Just the two of them.

She punished herself by standing there and watching his hands move over the
woman's body until they were out of sight.

He didn't want her. She knew that now. He had never wanted her the way a man
might want a women he cared for. the way she had wanted him. The proof was
there before her very eyes. 

She didn't understand that Andahar had had very little choice in the matter
as soon as his dragon had taken it into his mind to go after the Queen. She
was nomad... she didn't really understand how deeply ones emotions were
involved in the flights even though they had been explained to her. 

She only knew that the man she loved was with another woman doing to her
what he would not even consider doing with *her*.

How unkind the Gods had been to have made her fall in love with a man who
would never love her in return. She was nothing to him. Not even worthy
enough for him to use her body to ease his own.

"Well, she certainly is lucky" Reain heard someone saying off to her left
and turned to see the daughter of a rival tribal Chief standing there
discussing the flight with someone else. Her next words cut Reain to the
quick "... Andahar really knows how to please a woman." Saleh remarked to no
one in particular, but she had seen Reain standing there.

"You speak of Andahar as if you know for sure," she said, showing little
respect for the woman's rank.

Saleh turned to give her a look, her eyes raking over Reain for a second
then turned away as if she was of no importance.

Reain wasn't having any of it, and reached out to grab the woman's arm
pulling her back around until their eyes met. 

"I asked you a question."

"I do not answer questions from slaves," the girl sneered then pulled her
arm out of Reain's grasp.

"I am niece of Reain and dragonrider," Reain shot back and lifter her head
proudly. "Not a slave."

"Not a slave... you forget your place!" the girl smiled as her sneer
returned. "Te Reain chunor Andahar ba." She reminded the girl..

You are Reain, concubine of Andahar. The words stung. For they were true in
fact if not in deed.

"You were slave when dragonriders bought you.. for one horse," she shook her
head as if thinking the buy price had been very low. "And now you are slave
to Andahar who will beat you for taking to me, a daughter of a Chief in this
way."

She turned away from Reain a second time as if the conversation bored her,
but Reain wasn't finished with her yet.

"You say you know Andahar can please a women. How do you know?" she demanded
even if she feared she would not like the answer.

"Because *slave*... I have had honor to share a mat with him," she told the
girl and delighted in the pain she saw flash across the other woman's face.
"I have known the pleasure of his hands sliding across my skin and the feel
of his manhood inside my body. He is very much male and knows how to please
she who pleases him as I did."

"You lie!" Reain's voice was shaken with emotion. She barely held herself
back from attacking the woman, but managed it somehow.

"How dare you a slave tell me the daughter of a chief that I lie!" Saleh
yelled at her in rage. "Ask Andahar if it is not the truth if you dare!"

Slap!!

Reain stared in horror at the red marks beginning to show on the cheek of
the other woman. The sound of it echoing along with the woman's cry of pain. 

"I will see you are beaten for that!" Saleh promised, before she turned and
stormed away. 

Reain didn't care. There was nothing anyone could do to her now that would
hurt worse then finding out how little Andahar truly felt for her. 

She stood there on the peak to numb to move even after the others had moved
away. That was where Andorra found her some time later.

"What has happened? Are you injured in some way?" the girl asked when Reain
didn't acknowledge her presence. 

Injured.. that was one word for how she was feeling. The pain in her heart
kept her from feeling anything else. 

No answer.

"I will find Andahar and tell him to come..."

"NO!" Reain snapped. "You will say nothing to him about this. Nothing!! He
has chosen to be with another and I am nothing to him. NOTHING !!!"

"How can you say that? He honored you when chose you to be his chunor.
Doesn't that prove he care for you?"

"No.. Andahar cares nothing for me," Reain bit out, anger and hurt sounding
her words. "Even now with water rising he is with new Queenrider stating his
lush. I saw them go together with his lips and hands on her body. I saw them
go into room and have not come back out! She is who he wants. Not me."

"Is not true. He loves you."

"No.. this Queenrider not the first women Andahar has shared pleasure with
since taking me as chunor," she cried softly though refusing to let her
tears fall. 

"He shares pleasure with other women but not me who loves him. Me he treats
like a slave who is only worthy enough to cook his meals and wash his
clothes. To him I am nobody. Only slave to look after his home... But I *am*
somebody! I am dragonrider and niece of Tribal Chieftain. Women chief who
runs Dragonriders say I am free to be no slave if I chose."

"You are unwell my friend," Andorra decided that could be the only excuse
for her out break. "You speak crazy words. Andahar does care for you. Other
women mean nothing to him."

"NO! I," and she pointed her figure hard against her chest. "Mean nothing to
him. Me he ignores as if I am nothing but ground to walk on. Even my
daughter gets more attention from him then I do. At night I sleep in
daughters room while he go out to sleep with other women. 
I can not do it no more! I am Dragonrider. I am free to chose as he has done."

"You will bring dishonor to your family and Andahar if you do this thing."

Reain bowed her head to hide her tears. 

"I have no honor left that he has not already taken from me, and no hearts
love left to give except for love to my daughter."

"But you are Te Reain chunor Andahar ba. He has shown you honor by naming
you as such. He could have beaten you."

"Another word for slave.. no matter how you look at it," Reain said
bitterly. "I wish now he had beaten me.. for then it would be over and my
heart would not hurt so."

She walked away then so that she didn't have to talk any more about it. She
had something to do and wanted it done quickly before anyone could stop her.
She'd reached a decision. 

She was free. She would leave the place where she was not wanted and begin
her life over with just her daughter to love. 

That would be easier then to deal with the pain of knowing she wasn't wanted
by the man she loved. 

It didn't take her long to pack. She didn't have that many things. She knew
her daughter would be upset to leave her new Daddy, but she was young she
would get over it a lot sooner then Reain did. 

The move was completed and she was settled into her new place before heading
back out to help where she was needed. She was jittery. Kept looking around
thinking someone was watching her, but she knew this wasn't the case. 

The sand bags they had used to block off places the water could come in were
doing their trick so far but even Reain knew in the end the bags would not
be enough to hold back the water. 

She saw the Smith, Turner arrive and speak with those there, then saw his
hand come up a point towards something just out line of her sight. There
were dragon bodies pressing up against the wall of sand bags and for now it
looked like they were the only thing giving them the extra time they needed
to clear out the lower levels. 

She worked hard enough to keep her mind off of how deeply she was hurting.
Of Andahar she saw nothing. She wondered how he would react when he came
home and found all of her things gone. Then word was finally given for her
crew to take a break, she went home and curled up on her couch and had a
good cry. 

Her tears refused to be held back any longer. So in the quiet of the room,
for she had left her daughter with Thina, Reain finally broke down and let
her emotions run free. 

She didn't hear the knocking at the door. Didn't know anyone was outside
until the sound of splintering wood finally broke through the haze of her mind. 

Before she could move she found herself being hauled to her feet and the
angry face of Andahar looking down at her. His hand raised as if to strike
her. She flinched but did not look away while waiting for the blow to come.

"Te Reain chunor Andahar ba," he said slowly though gritted teeth as he
looked down on her. "How dare you bring dishonor yet again to my home."

"I am dragonrider!" she challenged him, though her flesh tingled where he
was touching her. "I am no one slave! Women Chief said so!" 

"You belong to me!" he ignored her words as foolishness.  "I have claimed you!"

"WHY!" she asked, her voice soft and full of the hurt she was feeling now.
"Why did you claim me when you do not find me worthy enough to even talk to
me! Would have been better if you had just beaten me and ended it there!
Then my heart would not now be hurting so. Was that why you did it? To hurt
me because I dishonored you?"

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

[[Well Arle.. what's he gonna think when he gets home and finds her gone...
and what will he say when he hears her questions......


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

Reain & Sylois
Chief Rainen
Cleft Warren

aka 
Barbara