[ The following text is in the "ISO-8859-1" character set. ]

    [ Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set.  ]

    [ Some characters may be displayed incorrectly. ]

Day 1


Madyllin trudged toward the MedCenter, swearing silently to herself. 
Mystarria had already arranged herself at one of the windows and was
making a futile attempt to climb in through it.  By the time Madyllin
had reached the frosty-grey dragon, she had given up trying to fit
through and had merely thrust her head inside.  Gently pushing the
enormous head to one side, Madyllin peered inside.  On the bed within, a
young Nomad girl was writhing in obvious pain.  Her distended belly
tightened, almost seeming to move on its own.  With a start, Madyllin
realized the girl was in labor - and then remembered who she was.  This
was the girl that was to marry Andahar - because she bore his child. 
What was her name? Sarah? No, some outlandish Nomad name - Saleh, that
was it.

Maddy watched as the girl struggled in pain to bring Andahar's child
into the world.  Her own stomach clenched in mingled sympathy and
horror.  Dear gods, was this what awaited her?

<snip>
Straining to lift herself up enough to look out the window once more,
the Nomad girl's deep brown eyes locked with the equally dark gaze of
the Lady Madyllin.

"Saleh?  Mystarria has joined with you?"

The only response was a deep, guttural groan that rose and fell in pitch
in correspondence to the tensing and releasing of her womb.

"Well, *this* is just lovely," Maddy snapped.   "I suppose now I'm going
to have to see that the hatchling gets fed."

"Yes," Saleh panted.  "You feed her."  Another moan rasped in her
throat.  Then suddenly a different, entirely unfamiliar feeling replaced
the misery she had been enduring - one that made her catch her breath
and tighten her abdominal muscles in response.

The midwife, who had been occupied fetching more clean linens, broke in.
 "Lady Madyllin, this woman is having a baby and doesn't need to be
bothered by conversation through the window.  Please come back later.
I'm sure everything can be sorted out then."  Bustling back to her
tasks, the woman indicated the matter closed.

Madyllin started to protest then realized the effort would likely be
futile.  <Ayesha, please tell Mystarria to come with me to the hatchling
barracks.  I'll get her fed and settled in there.>

<She won't leave her rider.  She says you have to bring food to her.>
Almost out of earshot of their mindbond she muttered, <I knew this one
was stubborn.  She must get it from her sire's line.>

Gaze fixed on the hatchling, Maddy took in the firm set of the little
dragon's jaw and her fierce look.  With another deep sigh, she took off
to retrieve a large bucket of meat - or several, more likely.  She would
have to enlist some help.
<end snip>

Maddy hurried toward the hatching cavern, her mind whirling. 
Fortunately, the cavern was still a mass of people as the stragglers
slowly filtered out.  She grabbed the nearest person - a long time rider
she thought might be named T'ran - and asked him to follow her.

"Get a couple of buckets of meat, too.  Mystarria won't leave her rider
- and her rider CAN'T leave the Med Center. Hurry up."

T'ran quickly hastened to do her bidding.  In just a few moments, they
had buckets in front of Mystarria and T'ran was chuckling as he handed
her the gobbets of meat. 

Maddy peered hesitantly in the window.  Saleh was now cradling a rather
red and slimy bundle - no, make that TWO bundles.  Twins?! Her heart
slammed into her ribcage and she spun away from the window to lean
against the wall.  Twins? Oh dear gods, Andahar bred twins? She tried to
draw in breath through a painfully constricted throat.  

"Madyllin? Are you all right?"

She looked up into T'ran's worried face and managed to force a smile. 
"Yes, fine, thank you.   Just a bit overwhelmed,"  She drew a single
shaky breath.  "I doubt Saleh will be leaving her tonight.  Can you see
that a nest of sorts is arranged for Mystarria here tonight? We'll work
something better out tomorrow."

T'ran nodded and headed off with the now empty buckets.  Maddy gave one
glance to the sleepy and sated hatchling who was still poking her head
through the window and sighed.  One thing was certain, she was NOT going
to get stuck babysitting the dragon. She took a few minutes to try and
compose herself.  Obviously she had to go explain to this new rider what
had happened.  She certainly hoped Saleh spoke a civilized tongue - her
Nomad just wasn't good enough to explain THIS.  With her stomach still
doing queasy flip-flops, Maddy headed inside the Med Center to talk to Saleh.

The girl was laying quietly, looking very tired but very happy.  The
babies had been washed and wrapped in blankets before being settled back
in their mother's arms.  Saleh was making silly noises at one and then
the other.

"Saleh?"  The girl looked up, startled and wary.  "Congratulations on
your babies^ and on joining.  I think we need to have a little talk."

{Tag Dana!}

******
Maddy headed toward her own apartment.  Having seen the bloodied linens
from Saleh's room, she felt an urgent need to wash away ^everything. 
Besides, it was her first hatching party as the "hatcher" and she wanted
to make it something special. Crossing the green, her mind occupied with
what she should wear, she ran into someone.  Warm hands wrapped around
her arms, keeping her on her feet and she looked into the golden eyes
she least wanted to see.

"Madyllin," Andahar greeted her in his smooth accented voice.  His lips
turned up in a faint smile as he watched her.

Maddy snatched her arms away with a muffled oath and glared at him.  The
nerve of the man, smiling at her as though she were yet another one of
his conquests!  After all, he was one of those savages - women were
nothing but chattel.  "Saleh is in the Med Center," she told him icily. 
"I don't know how your people handle these things, but I think you owe
her a visit."  

She had the satisfaction of seeing the golden eyes widen with surprise
before Andahar nodded abruptly as she moved away. At least he looked
happy, she thought.

<Think how happy he will be when he finds you carry another hatchling
for him.>

<Ayesha! Have you said anything about that to anyone?>  Maddy's heart
pounded in her chest.  

<No.  I've been eating.  Hatching isn't as easy as it looks you know. 
Well, you will know.>

<Well, don't tell anyone - and especially not Bohoc. Not one word.>

<Oh, is this one of those human things? You have to be the one to tell him?>

<Something like that,> Maddy replied grimly.  Not that I'm telling him
anything, she thought to herself.  

*****
Maddy sat quietly with Lonnie at a fairly central table. Despite the
brilliant smile and charming laughter Maddy had provided all evening,
her mind was spinning. She could keep Andahar from knowing it was his
child, but dare she deceive Lonnie into thinking it was his?  What was
she going to do?  Concentrate on the party, let tomorrow settle itself,
she commanded herself firmly.

 <snip>
Cynthia and Trevor approached Maddy, who was sitting at a table with
Lonnie.  "May we join you?" she asked.

Maddy waved to the two empty chairs at the table, and smiled, "Please."

"It was a good clutch," Cynthia said.

"Ayesha was very proud," Maddy said, "Well, she was when she wasn't
complaining about the inconsistancy of humans."

"Interesting," Trevor said with a smile, "K'aben was complaining about
the inconsistancies of dragons earlier."

Lonnie and Maddy looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"He was pointing out that half the hatchling joined with people who were
not even candidates," Cynthia clarified.

"You heard about Mystarria?" Maddy asked.

"Only that she went all the way to the Med Center to join," Cynthia replied.

"Then you'll find this interesting," Maddy said with a sly smile.  "She
joined with Saleh."

"We really need to stabilize the situation with her, Reain and Andahar.
He'd be an excellent rider without distractions," Cynthia said.  For
some reason, Trevor seemed to have an awkward expression on his face.
<end snip>

"Oh, that's not all that needs to be stabilized," Maddy replied with a
grin.  "Saleh was in labor when she joined.  She's going to need help
with newborn twins AND a hatchling dragon.  I thought I'd let you sort
that out."

Cynthia blinked a moment in surprise and then chuckled.  "How very kind
of you.  Is Mystarria set for tonight?"

"Yes, she's been fed and a nest has been made for her outside Saleh's window."

"Good.  I'll come up with something tomorrow then."

{Tag, Alton. The warrenlady's work is never done.}

******
Day 2 morning

Maddy stepped into the bright morning sunshine and smiled.  Amazing what
a beautiful morning could do for one's spirits.  She'd go see Thina
about that new dress, that would cheer her up even more.  Deliberately,
she avoided thinking about the adjustments her clothes would need in
just a few short months.  She was not going to think about that today. 
She wasn't. And after Thina's, she could stop by and see how Lenna was
doing.  From what she'd heard, from Lonnie and the rest of his family,
Lenna was definitely her kind of gal.  And perhaps she could think of
some tricks^ Lonnie was starting to look a little smug.  Smiling
happily, Maddy set off.

****

<snip>
Lenna stood to walk the young woman to the door thinking she liked this
one. "One day we'll have to sit down and you can fill me in on just what
my brother *has* told you about me!"

"I'd like that," Maddy offered and held out her hand.....

Finally! 

Amar crowed as the transfer was made.

Now I can really have some fun, he thought as the Queenrider remounted
the Queen she had left out on the ledge some time ago and the two of
them took off.....
<end snip>

Maddy/Amar headed straight for the JQ's office.  She had been there more
than an hour when Isara burst in, in tears.

"You.  I know is you make me go away.  Why?"

"In such harsh country as this," Maddy/Amar replied coldly, "there is no
room for dead weight.  Since you cannot speak properly, nor read, nor
attend to any of the other duties of a queenrider, you have been sent
elsewhere.  Somewhere they can afford to let you lie in idleness.  Geode
is a lovely warren and in need of queens.  Go."

Isara spun about and left, sobbing harshly.  Amar smiled to himself. 
That was quite entertaining - but really hardly forwarding his mission. 
The queens didn't even fight. He glowered through Madyllin's eyes.  This
one had seemed so promising, but what useful things could she truly do?
Lost tithe reports might hurt the warren, but slowly.  His hive-queen
needed better speed.  The tithe list atop the papers caught his
attention and Maddy's lips curved into a singularly repellant grin.  Now
actually destroying the tithes^.  A cackle emerged from her lips. 
Taking the paper with her, Maddy/Amar rose smoothly to her feet and left
the office.  

She had nearly reached the destination when a young boy darted into her
path.  He turned an eager, cheerful face her way.

"Lady Madyllin! Good morning. Is there any way I can serve you today?"

Was this importunate stripling to prevent reaching the goal? Maddy/Amar
shoved the boy aside.  "Don't pester me, brat."

{Um^tag, Kris B.  Have fun!}

***

It was the work of a few moments to set the slow, smoldering fire under
the coal bins.  The tithe list pertaining to coal supplies was ready in
her hand to back up a story of checking the amount of coal on hand - in
case anyone caught the host or questioned her.  But no one did.  

Maddy/Amar sauntered cheerfully across the green.  This had been truly a
most productive host-session.  Amar reminded himself to make sure to
reuse this host again - she was delightful.  Now, however, his time was
running short - he needed to find a good new host and soon.  This one
had frequent access to the Warrenlady - perhaps it was time to use her again.

"YOU, Queenrider!"

Maddy/Amar turned in shock at being so rudely addressed. The speaker was
another one of those savages - flanked by Isara. Maddy peered at the
little man. Ah, Feysal, that was his name - another one of Khazeen's
lost. "Were you addressing me?"

"Yes. You make Isara cry.  She is queenrider.  You bitch.  You need say sorry."

"How DARE you, you ignorant savage? You cannot speak to me that way!" 
With all the force her right arm could muster - and despite Amar's
belated attempt to stop the action - Maddy slapped Feysal across the
face.  

They both reeled and Amar swore.

{Tag John!}


____________

Submitted by:

Katrina aka Madyllin and Ayesha

OK folks, we got us a little fire in the coal bins.  Someone REALLY
should do something about that.  <G>

--------------------------------------------------------------------<e|-
Failed tests, classes skipped, forgotten locker combinations. 
Remember the good 'ol days
http://click.egroups.com/1/8012/12/_/150597/_/966482098/
--------------------------------------------------------------------|e>-