(Jayleigh's apartment just before lunch)

"Jadain let's go, your grandmother is waiting for us," Jayleigh 
called out to her nine year old son. "If we're late again for 
lunch, we're in for bread and water for the rest of the week. 
Unless you want to sample my cooking again?" she added knowing 
what her son's response would be.

"Please mom, anything but that!!" came the plea from the dark 
brown head peaking around the door frame. "I'll gladly eat bread 
and water, anything but your cooking." 

Gray blue eyes smiled impishly as they shared the inside joke. 
Jayleigh was a fair cook, but to her mother Realee's disappointment, 
she would never be head cook material. Thank the gods she'd been 
saved from trying when she had joined with the bluish green 
metallic Queen, Viktroy. 

"Come on Scamp," Jayleigh laughed at the comical expression on 
Jadain's face. "Your grandmother's making your favorite stew for 
lunch, and if you're really good, maybe she'll let you help make 
the cakes for after dinner."

At the mention of the cakes, Jadain frowned. He really did like 
helping grandmother when she made them. She let him help put the 
icing on them and lick the sweet stuff out of the bowls when they 
were finished. The problem was that his father Da'ntray didn't 
want him doing what he called 'woman's work'.

His father was so silly sometimes. Grandmother had even reminded 
him that there were male head cooks at some of the warrens. Still 
his father had complained to Jayleigh about it, hoping she would 
see his side. He couldn't have been more wrong. Not only had 
Jayleigh told him, Jadain was welcome to work in the kitchen with 
his grandmother anytime he wanted, she also told Da'ntray that she 
thought it was a good idea if the boy learned to cook for himself. Something
she herself could barely get away with. 

Jayleigh saw the look that crossed over her son's face, and knew 
why it was there. Damn the man anyway. It was only recently 
Da'ntray had started showing any interest in his son. The first 
eight and a half years of his life, the contact had been sporadic 
at best. Not until the boy openly showed the signs of being a 
telepath, one of those special few who where able to talk to all 
dragons, did his father start acting like he even had a son. 

Jayleigh could not forgive him for that. 

She held her arms open, and Jadain came to her. At nine he still 
wasn't afraid to be seen getting a hug from his mother or 
grandmother. She prayed the day would never come. 

"Jadain everything you do in life is like a lesson. The more things 
you do, the more you learn. It's the knowledge you gain from them 
that important," Jayleigh tried to explain, wondering if her son 
would understand. "From Amber, you're learning to read and write, 
and I know how much you enjoy reading. From Your grandfather, Uncle 
Ja'ks, myself and other riders, you're learning how to get along 
with and care for our dragon friends. And we ALL know how much you 
love spending time with the dragon's. As for working in the kitchen 
with your grandmother...." 

Jadain smiled and rolled his eyes, "His mom would bring that up," he thought. 

".....Not only are you learning how to cook...but you're also using 
what you've learned from Amber." Jayleigh continued.

The smile on the young boy's face turned to a look of confusion. His 
head tilted to one side as he considered her words.  "I don't 
understand, how can what I learn from Ambie help me in grandmother's
kitchen?" he asked as mother and son moved out onto the ledge, where
Jayleigh's Queen, Viktroy was patiently waiting to take them down 
to the dining hall.

"Think about it," Jayleigh replied with a smile, "And later you can 
tell me what you come up with."

"Good afternoon Troy," Jadain greeted the bluish-green Queen, bowing 
to her, as he remembered his manors. *< "It's so kind of you to fly 
us down to the dining hall for lunch. *>

< Good afternoon to you also little one,> Viktroy returned the 
greeting, sweeping her leg out just a little bit farther to help the 
boy mount. < It's not out of kindness that I fly you.....I know you 
already had to suffer your mother's cooking at breakfast. Once a day 
is enough. >

<< Hey!! I heard that,>> Jayleigh said with a mock scowl as her arm 
came around the boy, steadying him as Viktroy glided downward.
 
Jadain giggled as the Queen joined in on the joke.
*********

(The dining hall-lunch time)

Jayleigh and Jadain were just sitting down to eat, when her father, 
Jer'lin joined them. He'd already filled his plate from the food 
table before finding them.

"Hey grandpa, how's Banta?" Jadain asked as the older man took his 
seat.

Jer'lin turned to his daughter, the hurt expression he wore on his 
face didn't quite hide the twinkle in his black eyes. "It's a fine 
thing when a grandson asks about an old mans dragon, before finding 
out how the old man is."

"Ah grandpa, I already knew you were fine," the boy smiled 
sheepishly, "Banta already told me, when I talked to him this 
morning."

"We can't keep no secrets from this brat of yours," Jer'lin turned 
and winked at his daughter, then shook his head in wonder. "I still 
don't know where he gets it."

"Who knows father?" she murmured absently, her attention on the tall 
brown headed man who had just entered the hall. Da'ntray! 

"Oh please, please don't let him come over here," Jayleigh prayed. 
He was the last person she wanted or needed to see, after their last
argument over their son, Jayleigh didn't want to hear anymore. The 
man had some nerve, thinking he could just walk right back into 
their lives after missing the first eight and a half years of 
Jadain's life, and start dictating to her about how he wanted *his* 
son to be raised.

That had been bad enough, but when the man told her *he* had 
decided that the two of them should become *mates* for the sake 
of *their* son, Jayleigh had lost the slim hold she had had on her 
temper, and told the man in words even he could understand just 
what she thought about that idea.

Something to do with the wastelands freezing over!

Da'ntray had expected her to just agree and fall in with his plans.
 He was none to pleased when she told him no deal. He was up to 
something. It was the only reason she could think of for his sudden 
show of concern, over the son he never had time for before. But what, 
she had no idea, nor did she want herself or her son to be apart of 
it.

Her wishes were answered, as she watched him join another rider 
across the hall.

"Mother can I?" Jadain was asking, when she turned away from 
looking at the man across the hall.

"Can you what Scamp?" Jayleigh asked, bring her attentions back 
to her son. She was wondering what she had missed.

"See grandpa, I told you she was daydreaming again," Jadain gave 
an exaggerated sigh. It must be getting close to the time for 
Troy to mate."

"Jadain!!" his mother exclaimed shocked, her cheeks turning red 
from embarrassment.

Jer'lin broke out in a deep belly laugh, "He's my grandson all 
right."

Jayleigh shot him a stern look, "Father don't encourage him. As 
for you young man....."

She never got the chance to finish her scolding. As Jayleigh 
turned to her son, she saw the smile leave his face to be replaced 
with a look of pain and terror. His hands came up to grip the sides 
of his head, as all color drained from his tan little cheeks.

"Jadain!!" she cried, coming around to his side of the table.  
Pulling him into her arms, her eyes sought those of her father's 
seeking any help the man could give.

All movement in the hall stopped as the sorrowful sounds of a 
dragon's anguished roar filled the air.

<< Who, Troy? >> Jayleigh sent the out urgent thought.

< Jenalader is no more,> came the answer before Viktroy joined 
the other dragons keening for the loss of a dragon queen. 

She could tell other's around her had already heard the news from 
their dragon's. Tears could be plainly seen falling unchecked for 
sad faces as the news was absorbed.  

"Father...." her eyes met his, she really needed to go to check 
out what happened, but she didn't want to leave her son, who laid 
limp in her arms, unconscious. He had a steady heart beat, but his breathing
was a little ragged. 

"You have to go," Jer'lin understood as he reached over and took 
his grandson form his mother. "Jadain wound expect nothing less 
from you. I'll see that he gets to the med center, and have Banta 
let Viktroy know if anything changes. Now go, hurry, they'll have 
need of you there."

Seconds later, after sneaking out the back door of the dining hall, 
to avoid the questions she knew the other's would have, questions 
she had no answers to, Jayleigh ran in the direction of Velara's 
office. The door was shut tight but she could hear the sounds of 
someone sobbing inside. She didn't even bother to knock, just 
pushed the door open and stepped inside. 

It took a second for her mind to understand what her eyes were 
seeing, Tair'n, Velara's boy toy mate, naked and bending over the 
still body of the Warrenlady. As Jayleigh drew closer to the pair 
she was slightly shocked to see state of dress, or rather undressed 
state of the older woman. She didn't have to let her mind wonder to 
know what had been  happening here.

 "Tair'n, what happened here? What's happened to Velara?" she asked
There were tears in Tair'n's amber eyes as he turned to face her. 
She could tell he was trying to tell her something but the only 
sounds he seemed capable of making , were tiny sobs of anguish. He 
was less than useless in his sorrow. Jayleigh had to do something 
to snap him out of it, if she wanted any answers out of him.

"Have the decency to cover yourself up," Jayleigh snapped at the 
man, as she hurried forward, picking up articles of Velara's clothes 
as she advanced toward them. "Other's will be coming along any minute 
and I'd prefer they not see the Warrenlady this way." 

***********************************
(Nrpg: Well all!! We're off and running *grin*
Good posting to you all!!!! Most of all remember..
have fun........




*****Submitted by:*********************
Barbara
Voices of:
Warrenlady Jayleigh & Queen Viktory (Daere)
Tera & Sundellath (Telnor), Ga'brin & Preston (Telnor)
Dan'yar & Shinner (Cleft)
"The Shadow" (Parts about to be known :)
Dragonlands
(Barbara's Pern Question page)
> <http://pubpages.unh.edu/~bscott/pern/questions.html>
Fatala of Kindis Weyr