Getting Settled In

It didn't take the three long to arrive back in the Warren. As soon as they
touched down on the green, Jayleigh assured the girl, Marialla that she
would be happy there and that if she needed anything, her door would always
be open. 

"Thank you M'lady Jayleigh," the girl smiled sweetly. "I'm sure I'll be fine
here once I learn my way around. But may I ask you one thing before you go?"

"What is it my dear?" Jayleigh asked.

"Well I'm used to working for my keep," the girl told her. "I've never been
the type who could just sit around and I was wondering if maybe there was
something here I could do before I take a chance with trying to join?"

T'rell laughed softly at their sides. "Oh don't worry Marialla, I'm sure we
can find something for you to do when you're not in your training classes.
Everyone helps out here in one way or another."

"So finding a job to earn my keep won't be all that hard?"

"You won't have to work if you don't want to child," Jayleigh assured her.
"You're a searchling now and have the same rights as the others here. But if
you want to I'm sure something could be found for you. My own mother Realee
is the head cook here and I'm sure she wouldn't say no to some help in the
kitchens from one who cooks as well as you do."

"Oh that would be nice," the girl smiled and then yawned. 

"T'rell why don't you take Marialla on over to the hatchling barracks and
get her settled in for the night."
Jayleigh turned to the man beside her. "I think I'll take Troy on home to
keep her out of anymore trouble tonight."

Marialla saw the man's cheeks turn a slight shade of red and tilt his head
away from them, but he said nothing. She was wondering if the Warrenlady's
words had been meant for him, or referred to something else.

"Sounds like a good idea to me Jayleigh," he said still not looking at her.
"I think I'll have Flerrion contact Darar and have him ask his rider if
maybe he could have Kayla come over and help."

"I'm sure she'll be happy to," she grinned knowing how uncomfortable the man
was after her reminder. Then she turned back to Marialla. "Kayla is another
of the female searchlings. I'm sure you both will become good friends. She's
a very nice girl."

Kayla
******

"Oh T'rell's not really that hard on us," Kayla was telling her mate as the
two were sitting on the rug in front of the fire talking about their days.
"I mean sure it may seem like it now, but he only wants what's best for us."


"So he's not giving you a hard time like the others are claiming?" Ar'Aman
asked as he picked up the bottle of wine and refilled both of their glasses.

"No.. and he's not all that hard on them either," she frowned. "They have
just had it far to easy in their lives and are now having to pay the price.
Why you should have seen the look on Mallen's face when he found out there
were no maids here to clean up after him, or that he'd have to work out a
deal with one of the tailor's helpers to do his wash for him."

"Has he been told yet that he's going to have to learn to make his own
flying leathers?" Ari chucked.

"No.. but I'm sure T'rell will be letting them know soon enough," she
grinned back at his humor.

"Well I guess not everyone is as lucky as I am to have a mate who loves to
sew like you do." 

She turned in his arms and saw *the look* come over his face so held off on
what she had been about to say and waited.

"Umm... Darar said Flerrion just contacted him and asked to have you meet
him and another new female searchling he and Jayleigh brought back tonight,"
he told her and helped her up. "Why don't you get our coats and I'll get
Darar ready."

"you don't mind me going?" she asked, just a little excited and happy there
would be another women to train with. She just hoped this one would be
different from some of the other females who were more concerned with the
male riders then the training it's self.

Why she'd already seen two of the females try to come on to T'rell, thinking
he'd go it easier on them if they offered him what they thought he wanted...
but the trainer had either ignored them outright, or in Chasiera's place.
Told her out right he wasn't interested. 

He had tried to do so in a nice way at first, but the girl just won't take
the hint. He'd finally had to come out and tell her that unless she stopped,
he may have to ask threat she be removed from the searchling list.

She'd stopped. But made nasty comments about him each time she thought she
could get away with it. He for his part ignored her and went on with the class.

They arrived at the hatchling barracks just as T'rell and the new girl were
walking towards the front door. 

"Oh good Kayla you made it," T'rell smiled and held out his hand to Ar'Aman.
"This is Marialla who we found tonight cooking in that Inn in Triylar
Jayleigh has such a fondness of. Marialla, this young woman is Kayla...
another searchling here to train to be a dragonrider and ..." he leaned
closer to the girl. "... One of my best students.. but don't tell her I said
so. Wouldn't want her to get a big head and think she could slide by form
here on out!... And this is her mate Ar'Aman, Darar's rider. Kayla would you
please show Marialla inside and get her set up in a room for her stay with us?"

"Sure," the blond smiled warmly at the other girl. "Do you have anything to
bring with you?"

Marialla looked a little shocked.

"I... I didn't even think to get my things before we left," she turned back
to face T'rell. "Is there some way we could..."

"Just go with Kayla for tonight and we'll worry about that in the morning,"
he told her. "I'm sure there will be something in the closets inside that
you can wear for the night."

Marialla nodded and finally followed Kayla inside while the two men stayed
outside talking.

"Look for one of the doors with no name on the door plate," Kayla told her
as they walked down the hall. "Those are the one's that no one has claimed
and you can have you're pick of the best one left."

"Do you live here?" Marialla asked as they found a room with no name listed
and opened the door to check it out, only to find it way to small for the
girl. "I mean... well T'rell said Ar'Aman was your mate?"

"No I don't live here with the others," Kayla shook her head as she spotted
another room. "I've been allowed to stay with Ari, while in training.
"Jayleigh was kind enough to allow it since Ari and I just became mates."

What Kayla didn't tell  her was the other reason behind her being allowed to
stay with her mate and not have to move in with the others was because
Jayleigh had felt she needed some way to repay the woman after saving her
son's life, and if Kayla being allowed to stay with her mate would make her
happy.... 

But she was made to understand that she still had to show up and go through
the training the same as everyone else. In this Jayleigh had been adamant.

The second room proved to be acceptable to the both of them and Kayla next
showed her where to find extra pillows and blankets to use on the bed. Then
after making sure the girl knew where everything was, bid her good-night and
told her she'd see her in the morning before classes started, and would show
her to the dining hall for breakfast.

"Do you know Realee?" the girl asked as Kayla was leaving. "I'm to talk to
her about working in the kitchen."

"I'll see that you meet her then. She's a nice lady, you'll like her. See
you in the morning."

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

nrpg: Just a short one to welcome Marialla  to the Warren and get her
settled in. 

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

Barbara (a.k.a.

Daere Warrenlady, Jayleigh & her Queen, Viktroy
Kayla, rider hopeful trainee
Daere Warren