R'ven was bored and worried. He'd been shooed out from Tair'n's room
by Calette; fussed over by Kiree and Herin had proded and poked him
about till his shoulder ached.

<How's Amadith, Zen?> he asked his dragon as he lay back on his bed
and closed his eyes. Gossip from his dragon was better than nothing.

He felt Zenith sigh, <<No change, pictures that he sees makes no
sense. Fire, blood, pain. Faces of his mother and father. Its a
emotional kaleidoscope. It's making Amadith depressed. He can't get
Tai to answer him.>>

<I know how he feels. I guess that they will get a shrink in to see
him. I don't s'pose that will come cheap either but hopefully it will
help Tai.> Tears tumbled from behind his dark eyelashes. He couldn't
bear to loose him. First Velara and now Tai. It was all too much. 

"Why him? Why not me?" he said to the empty room.

**********

Jayleigh was hiding something from him, that he knew.

"Tai...?"
>
>"No!!" she said emphatically. "There's no change in Tai's condition. But a
>mind healer is on her way. Vesta's Callyanth just told Troy They'll be back
>early in the morning with someone who's trained in dealing with this kind of
>thing. So we should know something soon I pray."

He felt uncomfortable under her gaze, she knew he was hiding
something, but he couldn't tell her. Not yet. He'd need to speak to
the mind healer. He knew thaht he'd have to tell someone but not
Jayleigh.

He was brought back from his thoughts by the dark haired woman gently
stroking the back of his hand.

>"But there is another reason I'm needing to talk to you, and the reason
>might be kind of a shock to you, but it really can't be put off," 

He watched the frown cross her brow and wondered what was bothering
her.

R'ven listened intently to what Jayleigh was saying.

Yes he remembered  Danu. She was a cute little thing. Her dragon,
Solara,  was one of Zeniths's cuddle companions

His eyes opened wide in astonishment as Jayleigh told him of Danu's
child.

>"I have a child?"
Jayleigh nodded her head again.
>
>"And this person who came here from this other Warren...Epion? They came
>here to tell me of this child?"

When she shook her head, R'ven was confused.

>"I don't understand... if someone didn't tell you about the child then how
>did you...." his eyes opened wider as the answer finally came to him. "The
>child..."
>
>"Your daughter."
>
>"She's... here..?" he asked still finding it hard to believe. "She's the one
>who came here from the other Warren..... My daughter??"
>
>"She's waiting outside if you would like to meet her?" the woman told him.
>"And You should know that she really wants to meet you and get to know you
>better. Her name is Danika and she's a Queenrider. She's asked for a
>transfer here to give you both the time to get to know each other and to
>honor a promise she made her mother... I've excepted her transfer request...
>but if you have any problems...."

>"I have a daughter?" he gave a short laugh. "And she's a Queenrider."

<<And a very lovely queen she is too. She's already taken over as
cuddle partner to Amadith. I don't know what it is with females and
sick males? Maybe I should pretend to be ill and get some of the
attention too!>> Zenith chuckled to his life mate.
>
>"Ven...she wants to meet you."
>
>"Well by all means then bring her in... this daughter of mine."

R'ven ran his hand through his unruley black hair and tried to make
himself look half decent for this child... his child... his daughter.

Jayleigh walked to the door and opened it. Her body hiding teh girl
from him.

Where was she? He couldn't see her. Maybe she decided she didn't want
to meet him. Gods he was nervous. He hadn't been nervous since he was
a teenager. 
>
>"R'ven of Daere Warren...I want you to meet your daughter, Danika, formerly
>of Epion Warren."

>"Rider of the queen Kalindeth," the petite queenrider added.

Jayleigh stepped back and gently pulled the fresh faced girl into his
room and quietly left them to it.

R'ven watched his daughter twist a strand of her long black hair round
her fingers. A habit he remembered Danu doing.  the memories of the
woman flooding back with such a strong image of her in front of him. 
Why didn't she say she was pregnant?  So many questions ran through
his mind he didn't know where to start, so he just stared at Danika.
Taking in her features. The way she stood, the way she looked.

 Was she really his daughter? 

There was no disputing the fact that she was Danu's child; those
bright turquoise eyes were enough to convince him. But what could he
see in her that was him? The blackness of her hair was the only
feature that resembled him and maybe the chin.

He was startled when she spoke. Her voice light and good humoured.

>"I'm pleased to meet you. I've waited a long time for this," Danika said
>shyly.

<<Say something, Ven. Don't keep looking like a senile goldfish!
Otherwise she'll regret coming here. And has anyone told you it's rude
to stare!?>>

R'ven let out a laugh, "I'm sorry, kitten, Zenith has told me not to
stare. I... I... " tears again welled up in his eyes, this time it was
of joy.

Inching her way towards the man, she whispred, "Don't cry... Da."

The words felt strange on her lips and sounded even stranger to R'ven.

Looking towards the small woman, R'ven wiped his tears and held out
his arm to her.

"Welcome home... daughter," was all he could say as she rushed into
his arms, burying her head into his chest. "Welcome home."


R'ven and Zenith


nrpg:

Short and sweet I know. But I have to tidy the kids room to make way
for the new sofa. I *hate* housework! *sigh*

Morgie tag. R'ven cannot believe that he has a daughter. I think he
will be a bit over protective and a bit of a proud father :)

Barb: the shrink said that she want's someone who will be the go
between for Amadith? Well I guess that is goin to be R'ven? Well lets
put it this way, R'ven will insist that it be him. It will make him
feel useful and also means that he will have a legit reason for being
around Tai *evil grin*

Oh btw I know Lyn did a post sometime back stating that R'ven had a
hairy chest... well I really can't imagine him with hair, so can he
have a smooth chest?  Please? If not I guess I'l have to live with it
*pout*
;)