As if in answer to his prayers, Amadith spoke a moment later.  <Tair'n, 
Jer'lin wishes to speak with you.>

<Great.  Tell him to come up.>

<I already have.>

Of course Amadith had...

He wondered whether the man was wanting to talk about Jayleigh.  Would he 
be disapproving.  Tair'n knew he had a well-deserved repuation as a 
manipulative, self-serving bastard.  There were, he supposed, worse things 
to be, but it made people doubt his sincerity.

"Hello?" Jer'lin voice called.

"In here," Tair'n called back.

Tair'n saw Jer'lin's disapproval turn to shock as he took in Tair'n laying 
in the bed.

"How you feeling?" the older man asked, clearing his throat as he pointed 
towards the bindings with one hand as he took a seat.

"Like I want to be back with my wing," Tair'n said.  He studied Jayleigh's 
father.  "Look, Jer'lin, if you've come to talk to me about Jayleigh and I 
getting together--"

Jer'lin's mouth dropped open.

Oh.  That apparently hadn't been it.

"So she finally owned up to her feelings, did she?"  He grinned.  "I was 
wondering how long it would take her.  That wasn't why I came here to talk 
to you.  But as long as you brought it up, I would like to know what your 
feelings are for my daughter?"

Tair'n considered the question.  Everything was so up in the air with her 
right now.

"I care a lot for her and I want to see her happy," he answered honestly.  
"We haven't really worked out what we want with each other-- what our 
future is."

"Do you love her?" Jer'lin asked.

Tair'n's stomach twisted at the question.  He shrugged.  "I care about her. 
Let's leave it at that."

The older man shifted uncomfortably.  It hadn't been what he wanted to 
hear.

"What did you come here about?" Tair'n asked.

"Ah, well... I came to talk to you about the girl, Dyanisa.  She showed up 
late for training today and just shrugged it off.  I wondered if you had 
any ideas on that."

Tair'n considered.  "Hmmm...  Well, she's probably not used to the whole 
concept of keeping time or having to be at a specific place at a specific 
time.  Maybe I can talk to her, let her know that people may be depending 
on her.  Or you could."

The trainer nodded.  "I'm afraid I got rather angry with her."

Tair'n shrugged.  "She's an alien to this culture.  She needs things 
explained to her.  So, explain them."

Jer'lin sighed.  "All right.  I've got to go.  Do you need anything?"

"No.  R'ven should be back--"  He was interrupted by the flash of heat 
through his body.

<Salanth flies!> Amadith said.

<Think, dear,> Tair'n instructed.  <If you win I'd rip my stitches during 
the passion afterward.>

Amadith sighed, but didn't pursue.

Both men sat silent a moment.  Jer'lin relaxed after a minute.

<Who won?> Tair'n asked, curious.

<Zenith.>

Tair'n chuckled.  "Ah, well, looks like R'ven may not be back tonight."

"Do you need anything then?" Jer'lin asked.

Tair'n shook his head.  "There's food and I've got all my pills right here. 
I'll be fine."

The older man nodded.  "I'll see you later, then.  Get well, you hear?"

******

"Knock knock."

"Come in!"

Gerald was smiling rather aritificially as he stepped into the bedroom.

"Gerald!  Haven't seen you in a while.  Come to pay a visit?"

"I, um, wanted to see what a stabbed person looked like."  He shook his 
head and clucked.  "Not good."

"Oh, I'll be up and around soon enough, trust me.  I'll be back to beating 
you in footraces in no time."  They both chuckled.  "So, wanted to see the 
invalid?"

"No, I um...well..."

"...wanted to talk about Jayleigh."

"Um, yeah. I have to tell you something, and I'm not sure how you're going 
to take it."

"Go ahead.  If it kills me, make sure to sing a nice one at my funeral."

"That's not funny."

"Must be losing my touch.  What is it?"

"Well, I, um, sort of, um, slept with Jayleigh."

"I know you did.  I also know you know about she and I."

"I mean, this afternoon."

"This afternoon?"  There was a moment of panic.  Jayleigh was so... 
monogamous.  What would this mean?  Then, he thought of her, insisting she 
wasn't like Lara...

"Please don't be mad.  I hadn't planned it, it just happened," Gerald was 
saying.  He paused as he realised Tair'n was chuckling.  "You're not mad?"

"Ah, Gerald, hah.  Why should I be?  That's funny-- our esteemed 
Warrenlady, denying every moment that she's anything like Velara...and 
doing this..."  He chuckled harder, until a spasm of pain crossed his face. 

"I'm sorry."  Gerald seemed to be looking for something to help.

"Don't worry, it comes and goes."  Tair'n stared at him.  This had 
possibilities.  He wondered...  "So what are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know very well.  It sounds like Jayleigh likes you.  She's already 
told me she enjoys making love to you.  She loves me."

"And..."

"And, what are you going to do?  I'm not put off by this.  You don't sound 
like you're going to try and take her, so what are you suggesting?  That we
share her?"  He pictured watching the two of them together.  "I'm not 
against that.  I happen to *like* the thought of us sharing."  Or the three 
of them...

Gerald, as if reading his thoughts, blushed.  "I don't know what to do.  I 
don't think Jayleigh would do that, but I'm not sure.  I need to know 
something.  Are you two... mates?"

That stopped Tair'n.  "I don't know yet."  He looked at Gerald.  "Does that
make you feel better?"

"As well as I can with this mess.  I swear, Tair'n, I wasn't looking for 
this.  I really don't know what to do.  I... she... we... enjoy it," he 
finished lamely.

Of course they enjoyed it.  "We'll talk."

"Thanks."  Gerald turned to go, then hesitated at the doorway.  "I really 
don't want to hurt her, whatever happens.  I don't want *anyone* to hurt 
her," he added as he looked back at Tair'n.

"Me neither," Tair'n assured him.

Gerald nodded and left.

******

<Viktroy's rider is here,> Amadith informed him a bit after Gerald left and 
Tair'n had gotten a bite to eat and returned to bed.

"Come in, Leigh!" he called.

He watched her step through the half-open door and close it behind her.  
Immediately, she began removing her clothes as she advanced towards the 
bed.

Tair'n felt the first stirrings of desire at the sight of her.

"I don't want to be alone tonight," she told him as she climbed naked into 
the bed beside him.  "I want to be here with you, but first I have to tell 
you what I did earlier.  I don't want any secrets between us."

He turned carefully, slipping his arms around her and pulling her to him.  
"You mean that you and Gerald made love this afternoon?"

He felt her stiffen slightly in surprise.  "How did you know?  Did 'Troy--"

"No, love.  The dragons have been quite mum about it."  He kissed her 
lightly.  "Gerald came by earlier to talk."

"Gerald?  Came to talk to you?"

"Yes, love.  It's not like we don't know each other."

She pulled back enough to look into his eyes.  "And it doesn't bother you?"

He grinned evilly.  "Actually, it bothers me very much.  The thought of you 
and Gerald making love gets me very, very hot and bothered."  As he pulled 
her up against him, she could feel the evidence of just how bothered it got 
him.  If she had any comments on the matter, they were smothered in the 
deep kiss he gave her.

It was several minutes later before their lips parted.

"Turn over, love," he said quietly.

"Why?" she asked, even as she complied.  He spooned his body up behind her, 
gasped as she realised his reasons.  "You're too hurt," she whispered, even 
as she arched back against him.

"Ah, no, love.  This is a very gentle, lazy position.  Though, you might 
want to do a lot of the movement."

Their bodies carefully moved together, both of them moaning together as he 
slid into her.  As they moved, he thought of Gerald and her.  He thought of 
the fact that Gerald's seed still lay within her and would mix with his 
own.  While Tair'n knew that most men would find such thoughts disturbing, 
he found them extremely enticing.

He began whispering these thoughts to her as they made love.  She responded 
with a greater passion.  Soon, they peaked together and lay, letting their 
breathing return to normal, basking in the warmth of the other's body.

They drifted into and out of sleep together.

In the middle of the night, he awoke, fully.  He had slept half the day 
away and now was awake.  Thoughts and questions filled his mind.

She turned over, and sensed the unyielding body of a person who was awake.  
She sat up and looked at him in the soft glow of the low-burning lantern.  
"What is it, Tair'n?"

"Jayleigh, what are we becoming?  Do you want to be mates or just lovers?  
Either way, are you expecting to have more children?"

"It's the middle of the night, love.  Do we need to discuss it now?"

"I'm awake, and so are you.  Why not discuss it now?"

Respectfully submitted,
 Lynette R. F. Cowper
  Tair'n and Amadith

NRPG: Well, I just couldn't fit in Dyanisa's visit with Tair'n napping till 
R'ven got home from Gossimor's and all the other visitors.  Perhaps he'll 
actually get down to his office and talk to her tomorrow.

---
|   Lynette R. F. Cowper  *  Official INWO Rules NetRep & Goddess    |
| http://www.io.com/~lcowper  *  lcowper@io.com  *  lcowper@indy.net |
|  "If people never did silly things, nothing intelligent would ever |
|                   get done."  -- L. Wittgenstein                   |