> "So," she said, propping herself on the tree with her elbow, 
>next to him, "if you don't mind my asking, what's your problem?"
>
>"Were that easily solved," he sighed. "I would be only to glad to 
>share them with you...but alas... it's a fools thing that I did 
>without stopping to think. And as a fool... I shall have to learn 
>myself how to fix the wrong I have done."
>
>"You're not making any sense at all Ja'ks," Rezsia grinned in 
>confusion.
>
>"Well if I ever do, I'm sure you'll be one of the first to know 
>about it," he dipped low in a self mocking bow. "My lady Tiger, 
>Your humble escort a waits his duty to see you back to the 
>Warren Fair."

"Hmm, your *Lady Tiger*," she teased, accepting his arm.  "I like it," she
purred.

He just smiled as they each mounted their respective dragons and turned back
around to the warren. They chatted somewhat on the way back, mostly about
inain things; however, Rezsia had the strange feeling Ja'ks was keeping
something from her. She couldn't tell what it was though, and decided not to
pry. She knew he'd tell her in his own time.

nrpg: this part comes after Ja'ks's visit with Zert. 

***At the hospital; Zert's room***

Rezsia was walking the hospital halls toward Zert's room when she passed
Ja'ks.  She just smiled at him, and he smiled back, then turned back to the
woman next to him, whom Rezsia thought was named Noni.  She watched as the
two walked off, jealousy rising, then dying.  He had two women to worry
about, she thought dryly; he wouldn't be stupid enough to get another.
Would he?

Shaking her head, she went the rest of the way to Zert's room, wanting to
see how the inquisitive man was doing. She hadn't seen him much since he'd
asked her all those questions; she just hoped she'd been right. She didn't
know much on the subject of wraiths; hopefully, he'd gone to someone else.

But now, here he was, wraithburned and frostbitten. Or at least, that's what
Jezebel had said.  After she and Ja'ks had parted ways, she hadn't had much
to do, and Jezebel said the warrenlady was gone, so she had been pretty much
aimless.  So she'd asked about the newcomer to the warren, Zert, and had
found out what'd happened to him.

She came to the door and opened it slowly, glad that the hinges were well
oiled.  Zert seemed to be sleeping, so she slipped in quietly and went over
to his bedside, just looking at him.  She couldn't understand why she was so
drawn to the man.  He wasn't unattractive, she'd give him that; yet, it
wasn't a physical attraction that made her come to him. Earlier, when she'd
talked to him, she'd sensed that he was a lot like her: lonely, with not too
many friends.  His curiousity about the warren had been perplexing, but he
must have been from far away; that probably explained that. Almost everyone
knew about wraiths and warrens, unless they were from the wastes or farther
away.

"Hi again," she said softly, looking at him.  He was clearly asleep, or
something close; he didn't even alknowledge her presence. She felt stupid
talking to a sleeping man, but she felt the need to unburden herself.  So,
she just began talking, like he was really there. But she was glad he was
asleep; he wouldn't remember this embarassing scene.  She told him of her
life, from when she'd left her clan and travelled to the warren, to when she
realized she loved Ja'ks, to when she'd found out about Maeve's interest.
She felt her eyes pool with tears as she talked about Ja'ks and Maeve, and
shared her personal thoughts, how they would be perfect together; why would
he love her? She was just a tall, dark woman who had an aversion to physical
male contact, while Maeve was a beautiful, good natured girl who didn't have
a mean bone in her body.

Then she felt a movement from the bed, and felt his hand take hers. The
simple gesture, a clearly comforting one, caused her to crack a little, and
a tear slid down her cheek and onto his hand.  She used her other hand and
hastily wiped it away, angry at herself.

She just stared out the window beside the bed for a moment, then into the
man's face. He seemed to be waking up now; his eyes were fluttering.
Gently, she extracted her hand out of his and, laying it beside his body,
stood up and exitted the room.

Sarah

Submitted by

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~ Sarah Pearson (isolinde@cwnet.com)            ~
* Lyonnia/Dianthus *TELNOR*; Rezsia/Jezebel     *
~ *DAERE*; Tanya/Poldera *WHITERIVER*;          ~
* Cynedra/Jakob*the dog*/Louie*the ferret*      *
~ *MYSTERRA*; Leanna Vere *USS MAGELLAN*;       ~
* Marcail/Gossamer *GEODE*; Linaya *RALENGARDE  *
~ http://www.linux.sfasu.edu/xfiles/xfrpg.html  ~
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Reality is the only obstacle to happiness."  -Anonymous-