[On the Green]


>      "It's all right," Trevor assured her, knowing that Trissana's
> affectionate ways could easily be misinterpreted.
>
>      "I...know this," Andorra said, turning momentarily to Trevor and then
> looking back into Trissana's great blue eyes.
>
>      [I think we are a lot alike and could be friends,] Trissana said.  [You
> have helped me, and if you are ever in need I will do the same for you if I
> can.]  Triss gazed into the Nomad's face, wondering if Andorra could or would
> reply.
>
Trevor and Andorra looked up at the sound of hurried footsteps
approaching.  Cynthia gathered Trevor in a big hug, "I was worried."

"I know, but we were fine, mostly," Trevor replied.

She released him and walked over to Andorra.  Cynthia grasped her hand,
"I can't thank you enough."

Andorra smiled, "Anavasha has used me to help this dragon.  No more, no
less."

"Then I shall thank Anavasha through you."

Andorra nodded, "We appreciate your thanks."

Cynthia turned back to Trevor, "You're going to stay here with Triss
fora while?"

"Yes," Trevor replied, "How are things going?"

"I have good news and bad news.  Triss forced one of the wraith queens
out into the open, but now she's able to better coordinate the wraiths."

"That's bad," Trevor offered with a frown.

Cynthia could tell he was working on a plan, and she had to cut it off.
"Your mother has a plan involving Tejas root."

"The stuff that paralyzes Hellspawn?"

"Yes, we're going to try to find some way to use it on the queen.  I
have to go supervise."

"Ok, I'll see you later," Trevor said.

Cynthia kissed him, and quickly walked away.

Maddy was waiting just out of sight with Cynthia's riding jacket in
hand.  She held it out for the Warrenlady and fell in beside her.

"Do I have to tell you that I think your plan is insane?" Maddy asked.

"We discussed this already," Cynthia said as she shrugged the leather
jacket on and began buttoning it up.  "We need to set a trap for the
queen and that trap needs appropriate bait."

"But you and Syren?"

"You'd prefer that I was sending you and Ayesha on this mission?"

Maddy didn't answer, and Cynthia continued, "I couldn't do that.
Besides," Cynthia smiled, "I've seen what a lousy administrator you are,
and that'll motivate me to get back in one piece."

"You'll be defenseless up there," Maddy pointed out.

"Not really," she replied turning down the corridor toward her office,
"I'll have a few dragons with me, and a surprise."

"A surprise?" Maddy asked as Cynthia opened her office door.

Cynthia nodded as she crossed her office and opened a burlap sack in the
corner of the room.

Maddy looked at the two shiny metalic cylinders inside and asked, "What
are those?"

"Something Nikol was tinkering with," Cynthia replied, "There's a pump
in the bottom of the sack that we'll use to fill them with lamp oil.  I
can attach a hose with a nozzle that will let me ignite the oil and
spray it at the same time."

"Wow," Maddy said, "It works well?"

"I don't know," Cynthia replied handing the sack with the small
equipment in it to Maddy, while she picked up the tanks, "we never quite
got around to testing it."

Cynthia swept from the room before Maddy could reply and the Junior
Queenrider had no choice but to follow.

***

The two women emerged on the upper green a few minutes later where a
large kettle was being stirred over an open fire.  The smell of Tejas
root was thick in the air.

Kellie walked over to Cynthia, "How are they?" she asked.

"They'll both be fine."

"The blanket?"

"I didn't ask," Cynthia replied.

"You didn't?"

"No, I thought that doing so would lead to more questions that I
wouldn't want to answer.  Therefore, as Warrenlady of Cleft, I'm
ordering you to use that blanket in any way necessary for defense of
this Warren."

Kellie nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

Kellie hurried off, and Cynthia turned her attention to two young girs
waiting with jars of lamp oil.  It took her and Maddy a few minutes to
get the filling aparatus hooked up, but soon both tanks were filled with
lamp oil.  They fastened them to Syren's saddle and attached the hose
and nozzle to one tank.

*Varie says the blanket is ready,* Syren informed her rider.

{Let her know we're ready, too.}

Cynthia turned to Maddy, "I've got to go."

Maddy nodded, and then asked, "How will you move the hose from one tank
to the other if you run out of oil?"

"I'll figure it out.  Take care of the Warren for me," Cynthia said as
she swung into the saddle.  She strapped herself down and Syren lept
into the air.

She could see Varie and several other dragons rise into the air with the
blanket held between them.

Verdanth and Dotarth fell in beside Syren as she winged toward the
wraiths in the distance.

*My honor guard,* Syren seemed to chuckle, *So, what's the plan?*

{We'll fly back and forth in front of the queen and try to lure her
out.}

*That's it?  That's the plan?*

{Have you got anything better?}  Cynthia's question was answered with
silence and she added, {I didn't think so.}

***
NRPG:

One crazy plan presented for your consideration.  It might just work,
however.

I'll be on vacation next week, so have a good July 4th celebration.
I'll also be at an ASME conference in Atlanta the week of July 22-28.
If anyone lives near there, let me know.  There's more percolating in my
brain, but I'm not sure when it'll make it out.  Hopefully sooner rather
than later.

Respectfully submitted,
Warrenlady Cynthia - Cleft Warren
Alton Reich

--
    Alton & Elizabeth Reich
    areich@alum.wpi.edu
"Love is born with solar flares / From two magnetic poles /
It moves toward a higher plane / Where two halves make two wholes"
-- Rush, The Speed of Love



 

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