Part one.....

Vesta 
*******

[morning. I'm putting this on the day after the party. Hope you don't mind,
but I wanted to avoid back posting if I could help it...]

"Hello?" a voice called.

"In here," she heard someone call out and pushed the door open to enter. 

"I am Vesta," the woman said, her eyes narrow and curious. "You wanted to
see me?"

She didn't know this woman, even though she was a rider. They had never met,
though she'd seen her around. 

Vesta couldn't help but feel a little put out at having her morning
interrupted, but as her lover had left their bed...

"Yes, thank you for coming. I'm Nefiri, and I'm with the
understanding that you are Jayleigh's courier?"

"Jayleigh's, yes," she emphasized, wanting to make sure the girl knew that
her first loyalties and time were reserved for the Warrenlady.  

"I have a proposition for you, Vesta. I need a message
delivered to an innkeeper in Triylar, but I'm flight restricted right now
because of an inner ear injury.  This can't wait."

Vesta didn't say a word, just waited for the rider to go on. 

"I know that you are not obligated to me, and we've no
favors between us.  I am willing to pay you for you service."  Nefiri turned
back to the table and opened a small, wooden container filled with coins.
She picked out six gold and closed the lid, extending her hand palm up for
Vesta to see what she offered.

"I'll pay you six gold pieces to see this note safely delivered to an
innkeeper named Gennerin.  There will be no response for you to wait on, and
Danavin can provide Callyanth with the imagery you need.  What do you say?"

Well why not, she didn't have anything else to do this morning, and a quick
check with Cally, told her she didn't have any messages from Jayleigh. She
shrugged then waved aside the offer of the coins. "You don't need to pay me
for doing my job."

"Sure?" Nefiri asked and waved her hand a little when she'd seen the girl
looking at them. "Think of the nice things you could buy yourself in town
with a little extra spending money."

It was tempting... but she knew if Jayleigh found out she had taken the
money, it would look bad for her.

"No.. I get everything I need from the Warren stores," she told her. "You
don't need to pay me for a simple trip. Besides... I have a little extra
time this morning before I have to go into work, so taking your message
shouldn't be any problem. Just give Cally the picture of where we're to go,
and of the man we have to give it to if you can."

Her morning had ended when her lover had taken off. She'd asked to come in a
little late hoping they'd spend a little more time doing what they had been
doing. She still couldn't believe he had picked *her*. But she also knew
nothing would ever come of it. He just wasn't the settling down type.

But he did know how to make a woman feel special when his attentions were
focused on them. And last night his had been... on her.

"Well if you're sure you don't mind..." Nefiri handed her the folded
envelope and walked her towards the door. "Thanks. I owe you one."

Vesta left, with a feeling of something she didn't understand. She mounted
Callyanth and together they took to the skies.

Sometime later she was back with a second message. the man she had gone to
see had asked her to wait. This one in reply to Nefiri's message and after
dismounting from her dragon she went in search of the girl.


Jayleigh 
**********

[The night before and next morning]

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to know...  Leigh, are you expecting me to leave
R'ven if we have children together?"

She reached out and took his hand. "No, love. I wouldn't ask you to give him
up."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure." She knew she could never ask that of him. Never ask him to make
the choice between the two of them. If she wanted Tair'n in her life, she
would have to accept him the way he was... and that meant sharing him with
another.

Her love for him was so deep that she would handle it.

He sighed. "The last several days have been hell, worrying about Cal'an and
the hearing and all.  And yet, for all the heartache, he's been... a light
in the darkness for me."  He paused, formulating his thoughts.  "I talked to
Shaidin about it today and spent all afternoon thinking about it."

"I'm not asking you to decide right away.  I--" she started to say... not
wanting him to feel pressured into making such an important decision.

"Shh."  He put his finger to her lips.  "I know you're not.  But I have
decided."

She met his eyes, emotions warring on her face, but said nothing. "I don't
know if I'll make a very good father, Leigh, but... I want to... give you
children."

"You'll make a wonderful father love," she said softly, her eyes filling
with tears of happiness as her hand came up to caress the side of his face.
"Anyone can see how you've been there for Cal'an and you've always been good
to Jadain. Who loves you too."

"I guess time will tell," he smiled warmly, pressing his cheek into her
caressing hand, then turned his lips so the touched the inside palm. 

"I've missed you," she said laying back and saw the look that came into his
eyes when the sheet stayed around her waist. 

She reveled in the heat that filled his eyes as they traveled over her
curves, and then couldn't stop the whimper that escaped when his hand
reached out slowly to draw the sheet from her, exposing the rest of her
nakedness to his feasting eyes. 

Then memories of the last time they had tried to make love came flooding
back. Was it to soon for him?

"Tai... you don't have to..." she started to say, even though it cost her.
She wanted him with an intensity that nearly frightened her, but would bank
the flood of desires growing inside if she had to.

"Shh..." his lips curved up into a warm smile, but his eyes never met hers.
They were to busy following the hand that had reached out and was now
relearning the feel of her satin like skin.

With the fingers of one hand, he traced a path from her neck, down one arm
and back up then across her body to the other arm, leaving goose-bumps to
raise up as he moved on.

Her breath caught as his touch moved over the flatness of her stomach and
over her hip. On down the side of one leg and back up the inside coming
close to her heat... but moving on down the inside of her other leg without
even the slightest of touch. 

His smile grew when he heard/felt her whimper. But still he continued with
his slow exploration.

"Tai ...please...." she moaned and reached for him, but he caught her wrist
in his and placed her arms back on the bed. 

"Let me love... It's been so long."

She laid there fighting hard not to move as sweat began to bead on her upper
lip, and her body cried out for more.

He seemed in no hurry to reawaken the memories of how it had felt being with
her. Slowly his fingers first, next his lips, covered every place they could
reach, then he stood up and began to remove his clothing. Slowly... piece by
piece until he stood naked. His eyes holding hers every second, until
finally he moved on to the bed to join her. 

Her arms opened and he needed no second invitation this time. He moved over
her... slowly.. so slowly that she nearly cried from the sweetness, he
entered her, and his arms moved around her pulling her body thigh against his.

"Now love... we do it together...."

And they did...

He woke her several times during the night, and each time she was ready for
him. She got her revenge on him at one point during the night. And made sure
he had felt the same way he had made her feel before moving over him, and
lowering herself down to take in his heat. After all their time apart she
just couldn't seem to get enough of the love he offered... or of him.

Gods how she had missed him!

And ... knowing he wanted to give her a baby ... well it just added to their
love making. 

When the mornings light crept in though her open bedroom door, she wanted to
roll over and ignore it, but knew she couldn't.

Tair'n heart might be divided between herself and R'ven, but her heart was
divided between him and the Warren she had the duty to run. 

Then there was Alpha Wing in need of it's leader back at the reins. Rayrem
had been doing a wonderful job as the Acting Wingleader and Jayleigh had a
feeling she wouldn't be to happy to be asked to step back down when Tai came
back... but Jayleigh wanted him back at work.

And felt he was ready. 

She turned her head slightly to the left to look at him, wanting to make
sure the night before hadn't been a dream. 

It hadn't... he was still there beside her. 

And he wanted them to have a baby. 

Her hand moved downward, stopping to lay on her flat stomach. 

"Thinking about it already love?" Tair'n's sleep hazed voice asked beside
her as his hand covered hers. 

She smiled as her eyes met his. "You know me so well my love."

"After last night... I would hope so," he chuckled, then his face turned
thoughtful. "Do you think it could have happened already?"

Jayleigh shook her head. "As much as I could wish it, I don't think there
could be any chance at all. I've been taking my birth control every morning,
and it'll take a few days once I stop taking it for it to work it's way out
of my system."

"Well then I guess we'll just have to keep practicing until we get it right,"  

"I guess so..." she grinned wickedly and reached for him.... "Practice does
make perfect they say."

It was sometime later before they got up and went their separate ways.
Jayleigh wanting to have a talk with the mind healer to find out if it was
to soon to get Tair'n back to work, before she brought it up to him. 

Shaidin was in her office at the med center when she arrived and invited
Jayleigh in to talk.

"I need to know what you think about Tair'n going back to work?" she got
right to the point. "I know he's come a long way since you've been here, and
I will forever be in your debt for what you have done, but I need him back
running Alpha Wing, but don't want to rush him if you don't think he's ready."

She waited for the woman's answer.

Kayla 
*******

She was already up fixing breakfast when Ar'Aman came out of their bedroom
to join her. Kayla tilted her head to the side when she felt his arms slip
around her waist and his lips moved to kiss her skin.

"Careful love," she cautioned him. "You keep that up and then you'll have to
finish what you started and we'll both be late for training."

Ari laughed. "I guess it wouldn't look to good to be late for my first day
assisting T'rell, now would it?"

"Nope...and somehow I don't think he'll agree that...
*Sorry we're late but I just couldn't keep my hands off her,* would be an
acceptable excuse..." she sighed, then moaned when he turned her in his arms
and kissed her full and deep.

"No I don't think so," he grinned when he finally drew his lips away from hers. 

She couldn't help but notice how playful he was being this morning and was
about to comment on it when they both heard the loud challenge of a female
dragon raising to mate.

As she watched, the look in his eyes changed... he looked... just like he
did before they...

"I'm sorry love...It's Darar... please... understand..." his eyes were now
pleading as he slowly turned and left their apartment.

She stood then with a shocked expression on her face, not understanding how
he could just leave her the way he was doing. Didn't their love count for
anything?

How could he?

Tear fell from her eyes now as she began to feel like she had lost him. The
rooms around her began to close in on her so she left, needing to be
somewhere else.

She ran from their home and didn't stop running until she came to an area of
woods some distance way where she finally fell to the ground and gave way to
the emotions consuming her. 

She didn't hear her name being called out. Didn't know anyone else was near
until she felt a hand touch her shoulder and turned to find a young pregnant
woman standing there beside her. 

"Your Kayla right? Ar'Aman's mate."

She nodded her head.

"I'm Kiree. I saw you crying and wondered if you wanted to talk?" 

"He left me," she sobbed quietly. "Just walked out and went...."

"Let me guess," the girl smiled warmly and moved with some trouble to sit
down beside the girl. "He left just after the female rose to mate right?"

Again Kayla nodded her head.

"Didn't anyone explain mating flights to you?"

"I know they happen when you have a dragon," the young blond woman sobbed.
"But he... he..."

"He couldn't help himself because of his dragon's needs. But it doesn't mean
he loves you any less because of it. It's just the way things are around
here and no one thinks anything about it when some one wins. It's the
dragon's that matter."

"But what if... he wins and wants to stay with the other rider... I'm
unjoined..."

"For now maybe. But I know you're in the training class for new searchlings.
You wouldn't be there if they didn't think you had any chance of not
joining. Look...who is your mentor?"

"My mentor?" Kayla looked at her quizzically. 

"Uh huh, mentor," the girl repeated. "All new searchlings are suppose to
have someone they can go to, to help explain what all happens when you join,
and answer any questions you might have. Especially to tell you about mating
flights. R'ven was mine, but I don't know if he's doing it with this bunch
or not."

"I don't know...."

"Find out who yours is... and ask them about mating flights if you don't
want to bring it up with your mate. But I'm sure he'll understand how you're
feeling. It happens to a lot of us when we first join. Just remember even if
Ar'Aman's Darar wins the flight, it won't mean he loves you any less."

Kayla wanted to believe the girl Kiree spoke the truth. 
She just didn't want to think about what would happen if she lost Ari now. 

Maybe she could talk to R'ven... no.. he had to much going on right now and
she knew he was gone from the Warren at the moment. besides which after last
night... he might of be in all that good a mood.

T'rell... 

"Feeling a little better?" 

How could she answer that, when she didn't really know herself. The girl had
been so kind to her that Kayla didn't want to return the favor by saying no,
so she just nodded her head.

"Take to your trainer and ask him who your mentor is," Kerri advised her.
"You'll feel better once you talk things over with them."

Talk to T'rell... would he be able to understand what she was feeling? Would
he think her silly for feeling the way she did?

She heard a groan coming from the other woman and looked up to notice the
look of pain on her face.

"Are *you* okay? It's not the baby is it?"

"No.." Kiree grinned slightly. "I still have a little time... but the baby
is letting me know he's there. I will be glad when decides to be born."

What would it be like, she wondered.. to have Ari's baby? Not that she was
ready just yet to think about having one... but would they be together long
enough to try...?

"Well I've got to be getting back," Kiree told her and moved with some
trouble to get to her feet. Kayla moved to help her. "I've got some work to
do and you have to get to training. I've heard the new trainer can be a bear
if you're late."

"That's putting it mildly," Kayla groaned, thinking of the extra laps he'd
made one of the girls run the day before when she had showed up half and
hour late. 

Kayla herself, didn't really care for the girl. She was just to...
self-centered might be a good word to use to describe her. As well as a few
others. The girl was constantly questioning T'rell's orders and his lessons.
Others in the class were getting real tired of her. 

She was glad she didn't have to live in the barracks with the rest of them,
so didn't see to much of the girl outside of training. 

"Talk to him Kayla... I'm sure you can work thought this."

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

T'rell noticed something was on her mind when she arrived and pulled her
aside before the class got started. 

"Something on your mind you want to talk about?" he asked.

She nodded her head. It wasn't as easy as she had thought to bring it up to
him, but she knew she would have to.

"Ari left me this morning when some female rose to mate... I think I might
be losing him," her tears that had dried up a little while ago while talking
to Kiree started to fall again. "I don't know what to do."

[Tag John.... :]
--------------------------  

I only got to a few people here... will get to the rest in my next post
which I'm starting now.... 

Peter... :) I don't know if Darar won or not... up to you to decide... but I
know Kayla hasn't been told what happens when dragons rise to mate.... so
she's a little upset when Ari leaves her...Some one needs to reassure her.... :)

Allen: Hope you don't mind me using Kiree, but I couldn't think of any other
female riders who wouldn't be busy at the moment....

Lea: need to know when R'ven will get back from his run... got something
waiting on his being there....

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

Barbara (a.k.a.

Warrenlady Jayleigh & Viktroy
Kayla 
Vesta and Callyanth
Daere Warren