Kellie 
(Day 4) 
/snip from Barb's post/ 
"You know the look I mean woman," he chuckled again, pulled her around into 
his arms then leaned forward until their foreheads touched. "Okay you can 
sleep on the couch as well as in our bed I guess, but you will stay there 
and if you need anything then *I* will get it for you." 

She snuggled against him. "Ooh... I could get to like having someone wait on 
my hand and foot." 

"Would every day for the rest of our lives be long enough to get used to 
it?" he asked, his tone serious now as he pulled her back against the hard 
lines of his wide chest. "I never prayed so hard for anything before in my 
life... But when I thought I was going to lose you..." he paused, bowing his 
head until his face was buried in the curve of her neck. "I prayed day and 
night for the Gods to bring you back to me... You've become my life 
Kellie... My reason for going on. Without you I would only be half a man... 
You my love are my Dragon...The second half of my soul." 
/end snip/ 

Kellie had never been much for sentimentality, but she couldn't help but be 
moved by Turner's words. She threw her arms around his neck and drew him to 
her, their lips fastening together passionately. 

"Whoa," said Turner, after their lips parted. "S'lomon said I wasn't allowed 
to tire you out!" 

Kellie let out a deep breath. "And I guess that'll tire a person out faster 
than anything," she said ruefully. "Then again, I wouldn't mind being a bit 
tired..." 

"You behave yourself, now!" he said sternly, shaking a finger at her. 

She nodded, turning serious. "Turner...everything you just said...I...well, 
you know, I feel the same. I love you...more than I can ever tell you in 
words. When I saw...when I saw you go under the water, I had the most 
horrible thought...what it would be like without you! I didn't want to live 
either, when I thought you were gone!"  Tears spilled out of her eyes as she 
spoke. "And when I saw that rock coming, I thought that at least we'd soon be 
together, you and I..." 

Turner enfolded her in his arms, and felt her shaking. "Hey, now, none of 
that!" he told her. "You're not going anywhere, and neither am I.  Especially 
not now, that we've got someone coming..." He laid a gentle hand on her 
stomach, to where the new life burgeouned within her. 

"You're pretty special, you know that?" she asked him, using a sleeve to 
wipe a tear off her cheek. 

"So are you, my love, so are you," he answered. 

* * * * * * * * 
Renata 
(next morning, day 5) 

/snip from Darren's post/ 
"Yes, when I first came here." C'aranth sat next to her and handed her some 
duck. "I like the sound of the water, loud and roaring, yet you could be 
lulled to sleep by it. I think that is some sort of magic." He poured them 
some wine. "I want to apologize before I say anything more. I acted like a 
fool last night, I have been pushing Jeratko hard. You were right." 

Renata smiled. "it is not your fault, you're a man, and acting the fool 
comes naturally to you." She sipped her wine with a wicked smile. "I 
forgave you long ago, but thank you for the apology." 

"Renata, we have a special thing between us. I do not want to lose that." 
He took her hand. "I did not know how I would say this, but I guess I will 
have to be blunt." He breathed in deeply. "I love you, I am not good at 
showing it, but I do. And I have to move from my room I have now to riders' 
quarters. I would like to share quarters with you." He looked up at her. 
/end snip/ 

Renata's jaw dropped, and she stared back at C'aranth with what she was 
sure must have been a stupid-looking expression on her face. She replayed 
his words back in her mind, to make sure she'd heard them right. It didn't 
seem possible... 

From back in the days when they'd both been at Epion, C'aranth had been 
almost an idol of hers. When he'd first joined there, he'd seemed to her 
like the very epitome of what a dragonrider should be...handsome, dashing, 
utterly fearless in battle...and, unlike so many others, possessed of a rigid 
code of honor that would have been worthy of a landbound knight. In those 
days she'd been able to do no more than admire him from afar...for she'd been 
a tall, ungainly adolescent at the time, and had been sure that a great rider 
like C'aranth could never notice a...well, a *nobody* like her. Her father 
had told her just to wait, that things would always turn out as they were 
meant to in the end. 

She could never have guessed back then, that she might hear C'aranth ask 
her such a thing. So many things had happened since then, most of them not 
good...the death C'aranth's dragon, and of her own father...her banishment 
from Epion, and the horrors of Jhezrael. But she'd also come to know 
C'aranth...and in some ways, to know herself better. In any case, she knew 
the answer without thinking of it. 

"I would be honored to share quarters with you," she said in a formal 
tone...because she knew how solemn an occasion this was for C'aranth, any 
other sort of answer would have seemed less than fitting. 

He nodded, and suddenly his formality vanished as he took her in his 
arms. Their lips met in a warm, lingering kiss. 

* * * * * * * * 
(evening, the green) 
/snip from Darren's post/ At his side was a nothing, a no body. A banished 
rider with out the right to be called anything. She moved like lightning her 
fist landing squarely 
on the girl to knock her clear of her love. 

Her love. He was to be hers, C'aranth was whole again, and she had not 
traveled all this way to see him tarnished with her touch. "Get away from 
him, Filth." Her hand latched the hilt of her sword but was held there by 
C'aranth. 

"Els'beth, I have seen enough blood today." His face was hard, firm, what 
she remembered. "how?" His voice was not much more than a whisper. 

"The green queen. She left one man alive to tell about it, but killed and 
consumed all others." She looked at the wrapped bundles on her dragon. 

C'aranth picked up the bundles; together they would not have made the whole 
weight of a person. "I will start on a funeral pyre tomorrow. The bodies 
will be in the med center. I will stay there as well, I will not speak now 
until the sun rises." He moved away from them slowly. 
/end snip/ 

No sooner had C'aranth started to walk away than Renata's sword was out of 
its sheath, its point pressed to Els'beth's throat. The other woman glared at 
her, as her dragon roared in protest at the threat to her safety. 

"I don't know who you are," Renata lied, "but you need to remember your 
manners when you come into someone else's warren!"

"Since when do you not know me, murderer?" Els'beth sneered. 

"I believe you have confused me with someone else," Renata said, matching the 
other woman's sneer. "My name is Rita...Rita of Cleft Warren!"

"It is not!!" Els'beth, cried. "You think that by coming here, to the ends of 
the world, you can escape your banishment! When I go back to Epion and bring 
news of this..." 

She stopped when the point of Renata's blade pressed harder against her 
throat, just short of the point where it would have drawn blood. Renata 
glared coldly at her. "You know I won't kill you," she said, "because of your 
dragon. But unless you be quiet and listen, I might just give you a mark on 
your pretty throat to remember me by every time you look into a mirror from 
this day forward...understand?" 

Els'beth nodded, betraying no emotion. 

"Good," said Renata. "Now listen to me...I didn't respond in kind, just now, 
out of respect for C'aranth...and the terrible news you have brought him. We 
*both* 
thank you for your trouble in doing so." She took the swordpoint away from 
Els'beth's throat. "And now, I don't wish to detain you any longer. I know 
you are anxious to get back to...Epion, was it?" 

She knew that her simple denial wasn't going to fool anyone as intelligent as 
Els'beth. But she wasn't about to admit to being Renata of Epion in her 
presence. She'd also told Vega to exercise the same caution in dealing with 
Els'beth's dragon...and if possible, to avoid any contact with her at all. 

She also knew that the Warrenlady Gwyneth of Epion had proclaimed Renata's 
banishment only because she'd had to...and was certain that Gwyneth wouldn't 
pursue the matter now unless she was forced to by circumstances. 
Circumstances such as Els'beth being able to bring clear proof that she was 
alive at Cleft. Even then, she wasn't sure what would happen, since Cleft and 
Epion were of 
totally separate warren nations. Still, it would be easier not to have to 
find out. 

     "He will never be yours," Els'beth said coldly, as Renata turned her 
back on her.

     "By the way, I suggest you report in to the warrenlady," Renata said, 
turning to look at Els'beth over her shoulder.  "She expects riders from 
foreign warrens to report in to *her* upon landing.  A simple matter of 
courteousy...I'm sure you simply forgot in your haste to deliver the news to 
C'aranth." 

    Before Els'beth could answer further, Renata stalked off to find 
C'aranth.  She found him just coming out of the med center, having left the 
sad remains of his parents with S'lomon.  "I know you said you wouldn't speak 
until morning," she told him hesitantly.  "But...I would like to keep vigil 
as well tonight.  I knew and respected your parents also."

(Tag Darren - a simple nod or shake of the head will be sufficient for an 
answer.  And what will Els'beth do...? :)

* * * * * * * 
Kellie 
(early evening) 

/snip from Arlene's post/ 
She smiled and nodded towards a chair, "Make yourself comfortable, Andahar." 
After he had perched himself on the edge of the chair, Kellie continued, 
"Varie told me that you wanted to talk with me... about Trevor?" 

Andahar glanced up sharply. Dragons certainly did gossip! He cleared his 
throat, trying to formulate the question he wanted most to ask. He had 
rehearsed what he would say to her many times, but here, in her own 
apartment, nothing was coming to me. Finally he just said, "He told me 
about... M'del." 

He saw her eyes fly open wide, and her breath was sucked in with a hiss. "Oh, 
I see...." 

Did she really see? Andahar just nodded. "But I don't understand. Could 
you... would you please explain to me, why he is so afraid... of...," he 
swallowed hard, his face pinking slightly under his natural tan, "coming to 
me?" 
/end snip/ 

Kellie felt her throat tightening. She opened her mouth to speak, but 
for the moment could not. Then she felt Turner's hand on her shoulder. 

"Andahar, there's a good reason for it," he said. "Don't blame Trevor...but 
it's not something that can be talked about." 

"I do not understand," Andahar said. "There is reason that he denies 
and hurts himself, but this cannot be talked about?" 

Turner was about to answer him again, but Kellie put her hand on top of 
his. "No, love," she said. "After all that's happened, I think...that he's 
got as much right to know as we do." 

Turner sighed and nodded, but wasn't about to let his mate worsen her 
own condition by taking the burden onto herself. He squeezed her hand, and 
looked to Andahar again. "M'del is...was...Kellie's step-son, and Trevor's 
half-brother." 

Andahar's eyes narrowed. "When he spoke this name, it was as though he 
was uttering a curse. I do not understand this." 

"Maybe it would make more sense if I used the name he went by last," 
said Turner sadly. "Khazeen." 

Andahar's eyes went wide at the mention of that name. "Khazeen the 
false god?? Khazeen the rider of foul Rashevon? This is Trevor's...brother??" 

"Do you understand now?" Turner asked. 

Andahar shook his head. "No," he admitted. "I know the terrible things 
that Khazeen did. But this does not explain why Trevor fears to be with me." 

Kellie squeezed Turner's hand for support. "Andahar...you remember when 
Bohoc won Trissana's mating flight. You remember how frightened she 
was....and why?" 

"She was frightened of males because of foul thing Rashevon tried to do 
to her," said Andahar. "She feared that others would do same to her when she 
was caught." 

Kellie nodded sadly. "And what I am about to tell you must never be 
repeated, to anyone," she said. "But Khazeen...M'del...did the same thing to 
Trevor, when he was just a child." 

Andahar dropped his gaze a moment, thinking. "I begin to understand...but 
yet...this was long ago. How can he still dwell on it after so many years?" 

"He blamed himself," she said. "Oh, Andahar, it's very complicated...I don't 
know if you could even understand..." 

"I was slave," he said simply. "I understand doing things against own will. I 
do not understand letting past rule entire life." 

Kellie and Turner exchanged helpless glances. "I don't think...that he could 
ever...well, that he could ever be...intimate...with another man," Kellie 
said, unable to meet Andahar's eyes. "I know he's cross-joined, and I know 
that your Bohoc and Trissana are very close...but..." 

Andahar crossed his arms. "Then why did he come to me last night, at 
Aloniqua village?" 

Kellie nearly fell off the couch. "He... he *came* to you?" She shook her 
head. "Andahar, that's impossible...unless he was drunk." 

"The Trevor *I* know wouldn't have done that even if he *was* drunk," 
said Turner, mystified. 

"He was not drunk," Andahar declared. "And he did come to me...but then 
pulled back, as though not realizing what he had done. I do not understand 
this." 

"I don't understand it, either," said Kellie, looking uncertainly at 
Turner. Both of them knew that the last thing Trevor would ever have done 
was to make any sort of sexual advance to another man...it was for fear of 
that that he'd almost rejected his dragon when they'd joined! 

Kellie beckoned for Andahar to come closer, since she wasn't up to 
getting off the couch at the moment. The young Nomad came over, and Kellie 
took his hand. "Andahar, I don't understand any of this," she said. "I know 
Trevor thinks a great deal of both you and Bohoc...I think he'd do most 
anything for either of you, as would Trissana. But I *know* how strongly he 
feels about such things." She bit her lip and continued. "I don't want to 
see you get hurt.?"  She dropped her gaze to the floor for a moment.  
"Andahar, how strongly do *you* really feel about such a relationship?  
Because I will tell you right now...unless you are sufficiently committed to 
take the risk of being really hurt...then don't even pursue it!" 

(Tag Arlene)
 * * * * * * * *
Kellie
(late night)

     Kellie couldn't sleep, despite Turner's strong, protective arm around 
her.  He apparently sensed this too, for at length he spoke to her.

     "What's bothering you, love?" he asked.  "The business with Andahar?"

     "Partly, I guess," she said.  "I think that there's going to be trouble 
over this.  And I'm wondering if it could have been prevented."

     Turner sighed.  "Prevented by you, you mean.  The answer is no...just 
like it was before when you saw fit to blame yourself for eveything M'del or 
his dragon did"

     "I didn't say that...well, not exactly," she replied.

     "That's what you were thinking, though," he said.  "I know how you 
think."

     She propped her head up on her forearm to look at her mate.  "This 
wouldn't have happened to your mother...it *didn't* happen to any of her 
children.  They all turned out...well, like you.  Mine turned out like..."  
She just shook her head.

     "And so, to your quirky way of thinking, that makes you a bad mother," 
he said.

     "It certainly doesn't argue that I'm a very good mother, does it?" she 
asked.  "Gods, Turner...what does that mean for *our* child?"

(Barb?)


NRPG: Sorry I'm sooo late with picking up the tags for Kellie and 
Renata...will try to be a bit more prompt with Trevor's tags, which will be 
in my next post.


Submitted by:

John

Trevor & Trissana
Kellie & Varie
Renata & Vega

Cleft Warren



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