Dragon Art

"Troy you *must* hold still!!" Jayleigh told her Queen for the forth time in
the last ten minutes. "If you don't want your eyes looking crossed, then
please dear heart, stay still long enough for me to finish them properly!!"

<But we've been at it for hours!!> the Queen complained, pouting as her
rider hurumpt in her mind.

<<Have not dear.... and if you remember you *were* the one who wanted me to
paint your picture!> Jayleigh reminded her. 

<Well my picture should be up on the wall in the meeting hall along with all
the other Queens who'd been in charge here!> Troy snorted, then made her
face go back the way she thought made her look pretty. 

Her hand came up to push aside bangs that were getting a little to long.
She'd have to remember to make an appointment to get her hair cut soon, she
thought or she wouldn't be able to see though the black vale her bangs became.

Unaware that she had left a bluish-green streak of paint on her cheek,
Jayleigh sighed at her Queen's restlessness, and then reached inside the box
where she kept her colors and searched around until she found the lavender
color to add to the blue to match Tory's eyes.

Once that was mixed to her satisfaction, she picked up a smaller brush and
dabbed it into the violet-blue color on her pallet and began on the dragon's
inner eyes. 

The mid-day sun felt good as it heated her back through the short sleeved
blouse she was wearing. It wasn't often this time a year, the weather was
nice enough to spend outside this way, but today it was cooperating with her
mood. 

She'd had Troy contact the new Queen earlier and tell her she'd be late
getting into her office this morning, wanting to spend a little time with
her son to make sure he'd gotten over the events of the day before... but
when Jadain had continued to sleep on and not wake at his normal time... she
had grown concerned and had had Troy contact T'rell.

After the telepath had assured her Jadain was just warn out from what had
happened and likely stayed up to late last night at Noni's party.

<T'rell said his mind feels find and you should just let him go on sleeping
until he wakes on his own,> the Queen had repeated Flerrion's rider's message. 

So Jayleigh had let him sleep, and then needing something to do, remembered
her promise to Troy to one day paint her picture.

Now she was almost regretting her decision. 

The eyes were coming along slowly. Jayleigh was bent over the canvas,
working intently on one area when she heard her dragon speak.

Troy was trying to be good. It just wasn't easy for her to sit in one spot
for more than a few minutes when she was wondering where Flerrion was at the
moment. 

She refused to call out and see if he was around for fear he would think she
liked him, but she was becoming used to his company and missed him... not
that she'd ever admit to it...but maybe just a little... when he wasn't
there bugging her.

As if her thoughts conjured him up, the male dragon landed a bit away from
her, and was soon trying to cuddle  up next to her.

*Did you miss me?* he asked, rubbing his snout against hers as he settle
down next to her.

<Oh were you gone somewhere?> she asked, pretending indifference.

Flerrion came around in front of Troy, peering intently at her. Evidently
the cool, stern look on her face puzzled him...as did the fact that her eyes
did not move to follow him as he moved.  *This is very odd, Troy,* he
commented as much to himself as to her.

<Go away!>

<<I would dear but I'm not finished with this one spot yet.>> Jayleigh said
absentmindedly. <<Maybe when I'm through.>>

*Why... you'd only miss me if I did,* he said with smug self confidence. 

<Why should I have missed you?> she asked and he could tell by the changing
tone of her thoughts that he was in for it now. <Or did you really think I
couldn't get along without you like you've been telling everyone who will
listen?>

<Not you!! *HIM*!!> the queen replied hotly, though Jayleigh knew her anger
wasn't meant to be directed at herself. <Tell him to go away and quit
bugging me!!>

The Warrenlady looked up from the painting just then and noticed for the
first time that Tory's mud wrestling partner had joined her.

<<What's he doing?>> She asked.

<Interrupting my posing,> Troy frowning, but Jayleigh felt a little snugness
coming from her life mate. <Must not have learned manners in the place he
came from.>

Her rider chuckled and picked up a carbon pencil and began to add the bulk
of the second dragon next to the Queen's on the canvas. 

The contras between the two was something else. Jayleigh couldn't help but
want to get it down on canvas.

As she sat there drawing in the outline of the male, she couldn't help but
smile as she listened to Troy's side of the dragon's conversation, and
thought her Queen was protesting her dislike of Flerrion's company just a
little to much.

*Did you miss me?* Flerrion asked a second time. *You know you did.*

<Right,> Troy snorted in a very un-Quenn like way. <About as much as I'd
miss having itchy scales!>

*Oh your rider would never let your beautiful scales get itchy,* he commented.  

<And your rider never taught you when not to over stay your welcome!> she
snapped primly. <To think you've been talking about me and telling everyone
how you saved me yesterday when I was so worried about Jadain.... Made me
sound like a sissy!>

*Umm... where'd you hear that,* he asked, hoping to sound casual. 

<From every dragon around here who you told !!> she snapped and then turned
her head away from his.

*Now Troy....*

<Don't now Troy me you... you... oh go away!>

Flerrion sighed, and seemed to notice for the first time that the queen
hadn't moved a muscle, but continued to stare straight ahead with a regal
look on her face.  *Are you all right?* he asked.  *You're acting very strange.*

<I'm being painted... now leave so you don't ruin the picture...>

Flerrion blinked.  *Painted? What's wrong with the color you are now? I
think it's very pretty!*

But the queen refused to answer.  Flerrion noticed for the first time that
Troy's rider stood nearby, doing...something.  He had no idea what, and
found the whole thing very puzzling.  Then his eyes widened.

*Hmmm...say, you aren't getting proddy, are you? That would be wonderful,
since it would mean you'd be having your mating flight very soon...I will
win you, of course!*

Troy snorted, but made no other move except to move away from him a bit.

He stood behind the queen, and began to describe in great detail for Troy
how the mating flight would go.  

*And after it is all over, you will be *so* pleased and honored that you
were won by me!  You will tell me that 
you have never mated with a finer dragon...I will be very humble about it,
of course...* He sighed dreamily, and looked back down at Troy.  <So, how
soon will it be? Today, perhaps?>

Neither dragon had noticed the Troy's rider had left them alone and gone
back inside her apartment. All the Queen noticed was how angry she was at
this egotistical (but sometimes charming) dragon by her side. Her tail came
out quickly to wop him across the back and then she tried to moved further
away from him... but she was off balance and...

But she was off balance and rolled over onto her side. As her tail whipped
around, it tripped Flerrion and he landed squarely across the queen's hind legs.

As the two struggled to disentangle themselves, Flerrion remembered
Zenith's advice to him last night.

*Oho, I'll bet I know what would bring you out of this bad mood of yours!*
he told her.

He moved himself around so that he had her legs pinned beneath him.  *Get
ready for a real treat,* he told her.  *I happen to *know* that you're going
to love this!* He leaned down and began to lick her toes.

<What are you doing?> Troy asked trying to get away from him. What he was
doing was tickling her.

*I'm trying to get you out of your little mood,* he explained, then went to
work in earnest, nibbling her toes and darting his raspy tongue in and out
between them. Troy's bucking and struggling increased at the same 
time.

Zenith had said she loved this, and from the way she was acting, she really
must!

<Oh...oh... stop.... oh.... that....tickles... stop.....oh...> Troy groaned,
and kept tried hard to get him to quit, but the more she tried to get away
the more 
his tongue attacked her. She just couldn't stand it any more.....he had to
stop!!! 

It was all he could manage to keep on top of the squirming and writhing
queen.  She was roaring at him at the top of her lungs, and he hoped it
didn't bring her rider...riders didn't seem to understand about 
draconic concepts of fun!

Flerrion was having the time of his life, and of course, thought Troy was
too.  *So, are you feeling better now?* he asked, as he kept working on her?

Between fits of laughing, the Queen was coming up with ways and ways to get
him back. A good wing clipping was at the top of her list!!!!

<Oh stop!!!!> she cried, and increased her struggles to get away.

Flerrion chuckled.  *Oh, you really *are* having a good time!  He said you
would...*

Suddenly, the queen gave a mighty exertion and both of them were rolling
across the ground.  They both felt it when they rolled right over the top of
Jayleigh's painting, flattening it on the ground.  Then they 
rolled across the paint pots she had been using, and very quickly both of
them were painted in every color of the rainbow.

Meanwhile, Troy's tail was slapping against the ground repeatedly as she
tried to escape him. Suddenly, her tail tip connected with the bucket of
whitewash Jayleigh had used to prepare her canvas, sending it flying up 
into the air.

Neither dragon heard it strike it's target, but they both heard the
telepathic roar that followed it.

*WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING??!!* Flerrion stopped, and swiveled his
head over to see what had 
happened. Troy, as soon as she had calmed down a bit, did likewise.

There stood T'rell, lifting the whitewash bucket off of his head. The rider
was completely covered in it, all except for his eyes...which were blazing.

*All right!  You two had better have a DARNED good explanation for all of
this!!*

<It's his fault!> Troy told T'rell. <He started it!>

*I was only trying to get you in a good mood!* he said trying to defend
himself. *And it was working too until you crashed into the paints!!*

<I didn't do that... you made me!>

**Would you two *stop* this arguing and just tell me what in the hell
happened here?** T'rell bellowed, stopping both dragon's in mid accusation. 

Jayleigh had come out of her apartment just then, after checking on Jadain
to find her painting laying on the ground in a mixed mess of paint and mud
caused by the clearer spilling. She leaned down and picked up the picture
she'd been so carefully working on and looked from it to the two paint
covered dragon's horse playing on the green.  She couldn't help but notice
how much the two resembled the two in the picture now.

<I think we're in more trouble now,> Troy told Flerrion as she saw her rider
standing there looking down at the thing in her hands.

*Does this mean she'll cook dinner for us and actually make us eat it this
time?* 

<If she does, It'll be all your fault!>

Jayleigh couldn't believe that all the hard work she had put into the
painting all morning was now ruined. She stood there not moving a muscle as
her eyes laid witness to the destruction around her. 

There next to her Queen, and somehow she knew she should have excepted him
to be, was the crimson dragon of the new trainers. 

She turned then and spied T'rell standing there covered in white paint and
groaned....then had to stifle a giggle at the sight of him. White wash paint
this time instead of mud... but the man was covered in it again.

"Damn!" T'rell swore, trying to wipe the paint off himself.  "Oh...h'llo,
Warrenlady..."

Not again? Was he always going to be showing up covered in some sort of muck
when ever she saw him?

"I'm sure you know the drill by now T'rell.... and I expect you to have her
cleaned up and back in two hours. I have need of her to fly me somewhere then." 

She started to turn away and remembered the painting in her hand. A wicked
thought came to mind.

The dragonrider sighed and nodded.  *All right, you two! To the lake...MARCH!* 

"Oh T'rell?" she called out stopping the other rider as he turned away.

"Yes M'lady?"

"I've a present for you," she smiled sweetly and presented him with the
paint smeared painting. "I expect you to find a real good place to hang this
in your apartment so that when I come by to see you I'll be able 
to see it hanging there. And will know how much you treasure it."

T'rell examined the painting, which now looked like a pair of mud and
paint-spattered dragons. "Well, it does look like 'em," he admitted.  "I
think I'll put it in Flen's room..."

Jayleigh's lips curved up into knowingly sweet smile as she shook her head.

"I said in a spot where you will be sure to see it *everyday*..." Jayleigh
reminded him, letting him know the dragon's cave just wasn't going to cut it
with her. "And I'll be by soon to see where you picked out to 
hang it."

T'rell looked glumly at the painting, but had an idea that might just
satisfy the letter...if not the spirit...of her order.  Still, he glared at
the two dragons.

"Two hours!!" Jayleigh reminded them, and turned back towards her apartment.
"Oh and by the way! I will be needing an escort in to Triylar. You just got
the job!"

"Oh great!" T'rell muttered and waved his acknowledgment to her, then turned
back towards the two dragons. **Let's go you two!** 

Herded by the outraged rider, the two dragons walked the familiar path down
to the lake.  *I, um hope you had fun...* Flerrion began.

<Hey it's not my fault...you started it!> the Queen reminded him. <Whatever
were you doing!?!>

*Well, I was just doing what Zenith said you liked...and you certainly
seemed to be having fun...I know you always mean the opposite of what you
say, like he said you would act like you were mad, and tell me to quit, but
that you didn't really mean it...*

<Zenith said that!!!> the Queen turned to look at him with shock in her
violet-blue eyes... <Are you telling me he TOLD you to do that to me!!!>

Flerrion averted his eyes from the queen's, suspecting he was in trouble
again.  *Well, yes...*

<WHY THAT SCUFFY NO GOOD BAG OF WRAITH BAIT!!!> She screamed and even T'rell
couldn't help but hear her.

**NOW what's wrong?** T'rell demanded, looking back at the two dragons.

<I'll have his insides to wipe my feet with!!!> She continued with her threats.

**Now Troy, he's not so bad,** T'rell said, feeling obligated to stick up
for his dragon.  **He's got his faults, but...**

<Oh I'm not talking about Flerrion, T'rell so don't worry ...this time!>
Troy added as an after thought.

*Oh...well, that's good...I guess,* Flerrion said, lifting his head a bit.
*Who did you mean?*

<I'll give you two guesses and the first one doesn't count!> Troy muttered
as her mind was already trying to come up with a way she could get back at
the black dragon.

*I really don't understand,* Flerrion said, shaking his head.  *it seems
like you're mad at me, and I was only trying to help you have fun...like
Zenith said I should!*

<Oh did he now?> asked said a little to sweetly.

*Zen is my friend,* Flerrion protested.  *He's the one who told me you liked
to have really messy fun, too...*

T'rell, listening in, began to get a suspicious look on his face. But for
now, he said nothing.

<Oh he did, did he!?! And if he told you I'd like you better if you took a
flight leap off the tallest mountain around and kept your wings closed after
doing so.... would you!?!> Her tone now biting.

Flerrion blinked as he thought about that for a moment.  *Um, well...no, I
suppose not...*

<Then there might be some hope for you left!>

-------------  

She was seated behind her desk waiting in her office almost exactly two
hours later waiting for T'rell to show up for his escort duties.

In front of her on the smooth wood surface was the ceramic jewelry box
Jadain had made for her years ago. 
The lid was open and she was going though it to try and pick out the pieces
she thought would bring her the most money.

Though she really dreaded parting with any of the fine pieces she had, she
knew it was the only way to come up with the Mind-healers fee for the work
she had done so far with Tair'n.

Jayleigh meant to honor the deal.

Today she meant to go into Triylar and meet with Lord Gossimor's eldest son,
Matory, and see if the young man could make any suggestions to her about how
to go about finding a buyer who would give her top credits for her jewels.

Surely he'd be able to tell her something helpful!

There was knock at her door just as she was wrapping up the pieces she had
chosen to take with her, and after placing the jewelry box inside the top
right hand drawer of her desk, she called out for whoever it was to enter.

"I'm ready whenever you are M'lady," T'rell stuck his head inside the door. 

"I'll just be a few minutes longer," she told him, saw him nod his head.

"I'll wait outside with Troy and Flerrion." He informed her then closed the
door behind him as he left.

-------------  

"On the black market you might be able to get close to what they are worth,
if a buyer could be found who wouldn't mind spending a few extra dollars for
this kind of workmanship," Matory was telling her a short time later when
they were sitting in his office and she had told him why she had come.

"And there are a few out there who would too..."

"But?" she asked suddenly knowing she wasn't going to like his answer.

"But I have no contacts with that sort of... tradesmen and I'm afraid I
really couldn't help you there," he apologized. "I do know of a few
reputable dealers who might be interested in buying what you have, but you
wouldn't get nearly as good of a price as you would hope."

She began collecting the pieces she had placed before him on the desk top
and returned them to the bag she brought them in.

"Well I think I'll try another option first, but if that doesn't pan out, I
may be back here asking you for those names," she told him, more than a
little depressed the meeting hadn't gone the way she had hoped it would.

"Well I wish you luck," he said truthfully and helped her into her flying
jacket. "Oh I hear there are soon to be new eggs on the hatching sands of
Daere soon!"

"Yes and we're all looking forward it," she grinned. "You'll be coming with
your father again this time won't you?"

Matory chuckled for it was well known of his liking of hatching days feasts.
"You couldn't keep me away."

"Well be sure to bring your mate and new babe with you," she reminded him as
he walked her towards the door. "She was missed during the last hatching."

-------------  

Did your meeting go well?" T'rell asked as soon as Jayleigh had rejoined him
and the two waiting dragons... then wished he hadn't when he saw the sad
expression come over her face.

"Not nearly as well as I had hoped," she sighed deeply. "Ah look... why
don't we head on over to the Nikkas inn for dinner before we go back?

"Ah sure.. if you want to?"

"Yea.. I think I do. I'm not quite ready to go back just yet and they always
have a good spread going there."

--------------  

They were just being severed their food by the owner, when Jayleigh saw her.
The girl had come out of the kitchen and was laughing at something Kalo had
said to her when the Warrenlady saw the unmistakable shine that seemed to
shimmer around the girl's being.

"Do you see that T'rell?" she asked turning to the man beside her. 

"See what Jayleigh?" he asked turning his head around to have a look over
the room and try to figure out what she was talking about.

"That girl talking to Kalo," she pointed her out to the rider. "You can't
see it?"

"All I see is the two of them standing there talking. So?," he commented,
giving her a serious look and then had to hide his smile behind his hand so
she wouldn't see it.

"It's so bright around her that I'm really surprised that you can't see
it...." just then she turned towards him...and knew he'd been conning her.
"Oh you...rogue... You're as bad as that dragon of yours sometimes!!"

"Hey!" his features changed to take on a woe-be-gone expression. "He can't
help it if that Queen of yours keeps leading him astray!"

"Leaning *HIM* astray!!" she nearly choked on the coffee she'd been sipping.
"I'll have you know that that Queen of mine *Never* got into as much trouble
in all the years we've been joined as she has in the two weeks since you and
that...that..."

"Sweet ...lovable... friendly dragon," he supplied when she was at a lost
for the right word. 

"I can think of a few other words I might be tempted to use to describe
him," she chuckled. 

"Anything else Warrenlady Jayleigh?" Kalo asked coming to stand beside them.
The girl she'd been talking to was no where to be seen.

"We're fine," she said eyeing T'rell who agreed. "But I was wondering who
the young lady you were talking to a moment ago was?"

The woman's eyes narrowed as she met the Warrenlady's eyes. 

"You're going to be stealing another cook from me aren't you? She asked
frowning slightly. "It took me four months to replace the last one!"

"I'll lay ya four to one odds she will," T'rell quipped when Jayleigh didn't
deny the woman's moans.

"I'll go get her..." Kalo gave in with a sigh... As much as she loved having
the Warrenlady of Daere visit the Inn.... sometimes she wished she go pick
on one of the other inns near by.

A few minutes later they were joined by the young girl in question.

"You asked to see me M'lady?" the girl asked when she saw she had the
woman's attentions. 

Jayleigh looked up to see a young woman quite a bit smaller than her own
inches, smiling nervously back at her. 

"Do you know who I am," she asked in a kind voice.

"Yes M'lady," the dusty blonde nodded her head. "Kalo told me you come from
the Warren."

"She runs the Warren," T'rell quipped and then smiled charmingly when
Jayleigh threw him a look.

"What's your name my dear?"

"Marialla, M'lady."

"Well Marialla have you ever though about becoming a dragonrider?" Jayleigh
asked and saw the shocked expression that settled over the girls face.

"ME... a.. dragonrider!?!?"

"Anything is possible my dear. And it just so happens we will soon have eggs
on the hatching sands in Daere, and you show you have the affinity to maybe
join. How would you like to come to back to live with us in the Warren take
a chance that you just might join with a dragon of your own?"

[Tag Dianne ;) and welcome to Daere... ]

She made it home that night and like the last few before now, she wondered
down the hall to check on her son before moving on to her own lonely
bedroom, and found herself wishing once again that Tair'n was here with her.
Holding her, sharing the days events with her. 

She had seen him only a few times over the last few days, while visiting the
med center where he had been spending most of his time looking after his
son, who was still on the critical list.

And not at all since his dragon had won the Queen's mating flight. While she
knew she had to give him time to deal with the things going on in his life
right now, it still didn't keep her from getting lonely for his touch... or
the sound of his voice. The longer things went on the way they were now, the
more she was scared
she would lose him.

She undressed and slipped into her big lonely bed, then felt the comforting
touch of her dragon in her mind as she fell into a dreamless sleep.

****Submitted by: ******

Barbara (a.k.a.

Warrenlady Jayleigh & her Queen, Viktroy
Daere Warren