Day 3

Madyllin allowed the Nomad to lead her into the crowd.  Wrapped in the
colorful blanket and with her dark hair and skin, she could easily pass for
one of the Nomads escaping into the Warren.  She tried to work up a sense of
outrage that she could so easily be taken for a savage, but her mind was too
busy to respond.  Thoughts tumbled over and over through her mind, each
replacing the next with such rapidity that she couldnât get a handle on any
one of them.  

The warren is flooding...I never knew a mating flight was so strong...I just
mated with a Nomad!...I have to save the warren...Where are Cynthia and
Trevor?...Heâs so kind.   This last thought finally achieved some kind of
precedence and she dwelt for a moment on the contradiction of a savage showing
such courtesy.  A flicker of memory and she was seeing Derek throw on his
clothes and hiss at her to hurry and dress before someone caught them.  And he
had been a friend.  

She glanced up at the Nomad, desperately wishing she could remember his name,
and wondered.  Another of the Nomads stopped and uttered a rapid spate of
their outlandish tongue.  Madyllin caught little but Andahar - that was the
Nomadâs name!  She sighed with relief.  The Nomad man then looked her over,
his eyes lingering.  She shuddered at his open appraisal and the leer he
offered to Andahar along with another burst of Nomad. She pulled the blanket
tighter around her and instinctively leaned closer into Andahar for
protection.  He spoke sharply to the other Nomad and pulled her within the
circle of his arms.  He led her gently, unerringly to her quarters and stopped
at the door.  She unwrapped the blanket from around her and handed it back to him.

ãReturn this to its owner.ä  Her voice drifted upwards, turning the command
into a question.  He nodded and turned to leave.  ãThank you.ä

He smiled and murmured something in the Nomad tongue and left.  Madyllin swore
softly.  If only she had been listening when Isara tried to teach her, she
might have known what he said.  Flushed and feeling foolish, she waded across
her semi-flooded apartment.  The water level had risen just during the flight.
 Her mind brought back abruptly to the here and now, she threw off the
shattered remnants of her dress and grabbed the nearest to hand.  No matter
now that she had worn this last night.  The warren was counting on her,
flooding while she preened.  She quickly bound her hair into a bun and tried
to stifle the regret at losing her things.  Her heart filled with dismay at
all that she had no time to save and her resolution wavered.  It was then she
heard her fatherâs voice.

Nobility is a privilege, to be sure, Madyllin, but it is also a
responsibility.  Our lives and our honor are pledged to protect and nourish
New Brittany and that must be the primary task - no matter how uncomfortable
it may seem.

How disappointed he had been and she had only squirmed a bit during the Kingâs
speech.  How much greater the disppointment if she failed now?  Closing her
mind to her inner wails of protest at losing all her clothes, she hurried back
to the warren offices.

She sloshed into Cynthiaâs office and was surprised to find it empty - both of
people and of papers.  She half-smiled at the sight of one task completed and
headed over to Trevorâs office.  Kellie was packing up a box in the nearly
empty office.  She was also alone.  Madyllin frowned.  Where was everyone?  

ãWhereâs Lonnie?  Wasnât he helping you?ä

ãHe had an idea and took off with the maps.  He said he might know where they went.ä

Kellieâs voice was rich with concern and Madyllinâs heart went out to her. 
Just like Lonnie to leave a worried woman alone to do all the work.  They
didnât need his crazy ideas, they needed him here working to save the warren! 
She bit down on her anger and tried to smile at Kellie.

ãOk, how much more needs to be done in here?ä

Kellie smiled.  ãJust this last box and then we can go help Danâyar with his
office.ä  She suited action to words and closed up the flaps on the last box,
hauling it out to strap it to Varieâs saddle.  Madyllin followed her, slightly
mollified by the fact that the job hadnât suffered from Lonnieâs absence, but
still resolved to give him a piece of her mind when he got back.

Once in Danâyarâs office, Madyllin grabbed a box and started packing.  The
office was roughly half-way packed.  Danâyar grinned at her.  

ãWelcome back.ä

Madyllin flushed, thankful once again that it wouldnât show with her dark
skin.  Danâyar began filling her in on what had been done while she
was...occupied, she noticed his grin growing bigger.  With a sudden, sinking
feeling she realized that the short sleeves and low neckline of the dress left
the marks from earlier open to view.   This was really not turning out to be a
good day, she thought.

Packing mindlessly, she tried to subdue her thoughts.  The realization that
the ãsavageä had been more thoughtful and kind than any previous lover - even
those who had supposedly cared for her - disturbed and confused her. 
Deliberately, she focused on the papers in front of her until thoughts of
Andahar vanished from her mind.  Once this office was done, what was left? 
They would need to arrange for places to stay until the lower levels dried
out.  She turned to ask someone to begin arranging the empty upper levels when
Kellie gasped and sped out of the room.

<I am to tell you that the dike is beginning to fail.>  Ayeshaâs voice was
sleepy and reluctant, but filled with satisfaction.

<I am going to need you back.>

<Eventually.  We rest now.>

Madyllin glowered mentally at her queen and turned to Danâyar, who had clearly
gotten the message from his dragon.

ãDone in here?ä

He nodded and Madyllin handed him her filled box.  ãRound up all available
riders and start hurrying everyone off the lower level.  Iâm going to go see
how bad the dike is.ä

Madyllin headed out into the rain, which seemed to be slacking off - or was
that only wishful thinking? - and noticed a blonde rider striding toward her. 
Her mind did not fully register the dragons behind him, but focused only on an
available and seemingly rational target for her anger.

ãHow dare you leave the warren without my permission?ä  Her voice rang out
loud and strident in the humid air.

ãI went to find Cynthia and Trevor.ä  Lonnie protested.

ãYou were needed here at the warren, not running off on some hare-brained
scheme.  We cannot afford to lose any riders we donât have to!ä

ãAw, I didnât think you cared,ä Lonnie retorted mockingly.  ãBut my
hare-brained scheme worked! I brought them back!ä

Madyllin gaped at Lonnie for half a second, then looked beyond him at the
platinum dragon resting beside Meritanth and the dark-haired woman slipping
down from her.  With a squeal of unmistakable delight, Madyllin threw her arms
around Lonnie in an exhuberant hug and kissed him soundly before composing
herself and walking over to Cynthia.

ãWelcome back, Warrenlady.ä 

__________________________________________________________________
Katrina

Phew! How nice to hand the warren back over to its rightful owner! :)