Her research had started off simply enough: neural disorders.  Then there
had been allusions to unfamiliar concepts that had her pulling a few books
from the shelves, and countless cross references to this text or that, all
of which she would stop to pull and take back to the table.  Before long she
was entrenched, the books in stacks around her, most open to this page or
that, colorful markers sticking out from between pages.

	She was absorbed in a theoretical essay about nerve induction when she
heard the main door open, and the footsteps as they slowly moved around.
They approached her and stopped, but she still didn't acknowledge him right
away.  He coughed, and her eyes finished the current sentence, slowly
looking up.

	>"Excuse me, I'm R'ven, rider of Zenith.

	>"Nefiri, rider of Danavin.  What can I do for you, R'ven?" she smiled.

	><He is the sire of Kalindeth's rider.>

	**Really?  Then let's see if we can get the heart of the matter so I can
get back to my research.**

	>"Ahh, I see.  You've come here to do your `protective father' bit."  She
stated, injecting humor into her tone.

	>"Not at all.  You had several valid points.  I wouldn't agree on the way
it was handled though."  He shrugged.

	<Told you that you were too harsh with her!>

	**Hush!  I wonder what else he could want?**

	>Leaning forward, placing her elbows on the open pages of the book, Nefiri
rested her chin on her entwined fingers.

	>"Then what can I do for you?"

	>"I have one question I'd like to ask you."

	>She nodded consent.

	>If Danika's inquiries with Fae'Rhee are going to upset her relationship
with Zert," he paused briefly, nonchalantly looking at the various books
piled around the redhead.

	>"Interesting subject," he said, picking up a small leatherbound book on
poisons.

	>"You were saying, R'ven?"

	>"What?  Oh, sorry.  Yes, my question.  What, do you think, would be the
repercussions on the relationship between Zert and Fae'Rhee when she finds
out that you seduced her mate?!"

	Nefiri's smile brightened as she sat back in the high-backed chair, her
elbows on the armrests, her hands folded across her stomach.

	"That's certainly an interesting hypothetical.  I imagine the answer would
depend heavily upon what type of relationship Zert and Fae'Rhee had."  She
motioned to the chair next to her, and R'ven moved to sit down.

	"I think we're past hypotheticals, Nefiri."

	<Zenith's explanations lead me to believe they've reached this conclusion
through analysis of the circumstantial evidence.  I told you the dragons
here were nosy!>

	Nefiri laughed lightly, pausing to think of a good way to rephrase her
dragon's assertion.

	"Danavin has expressed concerns about privacy issues since our arrival
here.  With good reason, it would seem."  Her eyes glinted with humor as she
leveled her gaze to meet his.

	"Ahhh, yes...well.  I have already discussed the situation with Danika, and
she understands where she erred on that score.  But what I find interesting
is that you went on to risk one of the same issues you took up with her,
about how all these things will affect Zert and Fae'Rhee's relationship."

	"All these things?  My point was how questionable rumors and gossip would
impact their situation.  Surely you can understand that."  Her eyebrows
arched as she watched a collage of emotions play across R'ven's face, and
then just as quickly disappear.

	"Yes, that I can understand.  But your seduction of Zert is hardly
questionable.  It happened."

	**He's a cool one.  Why don't you spend some time being nosy and see what
you can learn from Zenith about his rider?**

	<Zenith and I have been talking pleasantly, same as the two of you.  Don't
let him burn you with semantics, my human.> Nefiri looked at her hands a
moment, then back to R'ven.

	"To use the word seduction implies planning and intent.  Let's get this
straight, so as to avoid any questionable rumors and gossip: I did not
seduce Zert."

	"Call it what you will.  But you're avoiding my question," he shook his
finger at her playfully.

	"Your question isn't to be answered by me, it's to be answered by Zert, if
he chooses to address it.  He could have turned me away, but he didn't.  His
reasons for that are his own, but don't come down on me for his actions.  I,
for one, have never made any promises of monogamy to anyone.  But I can't
speak for him.  R'ven," she leaned forward, passion imbibing her voice,
"what happened between me and Zert is between us, and Fae'Rhee if _he_
chooses to tell her.  The point I was trying to make with Danika is the
involvement of people who aren't an intimate part of their lives, the gossip
that would generate, and tension and distrust that could result from it.
It's one thing to keep personal issues personal; it's something else
entirely to involve the whole warren.  Am I making sense to you?"

	R'ven's face blanked as he and Zenith spoke, and Nefiri waited patiently.

	**Dee?**

	<You made sense to me.>

	**Oh!  No, silly, what are they talking about!**

	<You, I would presume.>

	"I understand."  R'ven said, his gaze refocusing.  "There's just one more
thing, though."

	"Yes?"

	"The way you handled Danika was inappropriate.  She is a queenrider, and as
such demands a certain level of respect."

	"Her queen demands a certain level of respect in the draconic social order,
R'ven.  Her rider is human, and is therefore subject to the human social
order of earning respect."  He looked surprised.

	"That's certainly not a take I've heard before.  It's not warren-thinking."

	"I'm not warrenborn."

	"Even among the landbound, the nobles are accorded a certain level of
respect due to their station."

	Nefiri smiled, her voice low and smooth.

	"True, to a certain extent.  But that is imbued by generations of selective
breeding among the nobles, and even then it doesn't guarantee a well-managed
lordship.  Queenriders just happen, without rhyme or reason within the
social order.  There isn't an assurance of breeding, education, or training
in the appointment, and thereby nothing to warrant accordance of due
respect.  The landbound grant it to the nobility as part of the lordship's
obligatory duty to them, and expect a certain level of personage to be
developed by the time they assume the station.  Queenriders work that system
backwards."

	"So," R'ven began slowly, "that gives you the right to be harsh with the
Jr. Queenriders?"

	"Certainly not.  But I don't want this issue to be confused, either.  My
error was not in a lack of respect for Danika for accordance of her station,
but a lack of respect that is due from one rider to another, even from one
human to another.  For that, I do apologize."  She sighed, leaning back in
her chair as R'ven sat silent a moment digesting all that she'd said.

	<She's very concise.> Zenith remarked to his rider.

	**Yes, she is.  It's easy to see why Danika was overwhelmed.  Ghods, but
this woman would have made a formidable queenrider!**

	<Sounds as if she would have been prepared for the station.>

	R'ven grinned, returning to his conversation with Nefiri.

	"Were you nobleborn?  You talk like somebody who'd had this stuff pounded
into them from an early age!"  Nefiri laughed lightly, resting her chin on
one fisted hand.

	"No, I was a slave.  But my guild training later was very thorough!"

	"What guild?"

	"Bard."

	"You, uh," he motioned at her clothing, "don't seem to be wearing any guild
colors."

	"You, uh, don't seem to be wearing any warren colors!" she countered
playfully, mimicking his hand movement.

	"So then...what's all this?"  He shifted her attention to the books piled
around her, picking up the small leatherbound one he'd noticed earlier.
"This doesn't seem to have much to do with music theory."

	"That is my attempt to help Noni.  We still don't know what poison it was
the felled her and her dragon.  This," she spread her arms dramatically
wide, anticipating his next question, "is my attempt to help Zert who has
been spending long hours in the lab trying to help Dyanisa."

	"What a humanitarian you are..."

	"Uh, I believe that the humanitarian section is over _there_," she
interjected, pointing to another section of the library.  She stood up, and
began picking up books, walking away from the table a bit to return them to
their shelves.

	"I didn't mean for you to stop your research..."  R'ven started, rising
from his seat.

	"No, it's alright.  I was starting to ache for a bathe and a fresh change
of clothes anyway.  Morning after scents are fine, but they start to wax
unpleasant after so long."  Her eyebrows arched as she watched to see if
R'ven would catch her meaning, knew by his grin that he did.

	"Well, if you must go."

	She smiled brightly, putting away the last of the books, and angling
herself toward the door.

	"Were you leaving, too?"  She asked.

	"No, not quite yet." he replied, looking around amiably.  "Enjoy your bath."

	"Mmmmm...a hot soapy bath..." she said wistfully.  "I think I will enjoy
it.  I'll see you around later, R'ven."  A final smile, and she turned,
leaving the library without looking back at him.  She made her way out and
down, emerging from an alcove to a very bright day, Danavin waiting for her.
She mounted the dragon, eager to get to their apartment.

	**Let's go home, Dee.**

	<Zert and Fae'Rhee are on the green.  I spotted them on the way down to you.>

	**Really?  This will be interesting.  Have you talked to Zert yet this
morning?**

	<No.  Do you want me to take you out there?>

	**Ghods no!  I want a bath.  Let Zert come to us.**

****************************
Ok, Lea...your turn!

;->
n.



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