This is a cross post with Marrid... where Jer'lin has been spending some
time trying to find out information on his family and who Nefiri really is.

====================================================

Jer'lin
********

"So you really can't remember much about what happened back then or you want
something before your memory returns?" Jer'lin asked the man on the other
side of the cell door.

He'd come to this place after learning the man he was looking for had been
arrested for petty theft and was being held. 

Now he was wishing they were off somewhere alone where he could ask
questions the man would *have* to answer and not be put off with these lame
remarks.

"It's not that rider.." the man told him. "I do remember your family.. I
really do.. Her ladyship was a kind woman who never saw anyone go hungry.
Why she put food in my belly several times. I just don't know anything about
the kids I could tell you...."

He stopped then as if something had come to him.

"What? What is it you're remembering now?" Jer'lin asked knowing it had to
be something.

"Well... seems I do remember that about that time... a few kids came up
missing over in Martini Villa...just a couple of young lovers, but everyone
thought they'd just run off together cause'n her daddy didn't like the boy
none and told her to stop seeing him. It was weird thought that the girl
never sent any messages to her mama cause they were real close...."

"That's all you can remember?" the rider asked, a little down hearted at not
learning anything new. He had such hopes that the man would know something.
He always knew what was going on, but most times kept it to himself unless
approached.

"That's it... sorry rider, but I can ask around on the quiet if you want...
once I get outta here that it<" he asked hopefully. 

"I'll see what I can do," Jer'lin told him then a commotion down the hallway
caught his attentions. 

He could hear the guards yelling obscene things and making lewd gestures
towards the inhabitant inside the cell, and as he approached and looked
inside the tiny area, he could see why. The young girl inside was causing
the men to act the way they were... but not by her own choice. He picked up
on that right away. something was strange about her behavior and he'd been
involved in enough mating flights to recognize the signs.

He was applaud when he saw two guards outside a cell calling out cat calls
and it was then he noticed the 
girl inside acting like a female rider during a mating flight..... 

<<Banta?>> he sent the question to his dragon to confirm his fears.   

<She flies.... I can win her!!> the red shouted, and Jer'lin could feel his
dragons lust seeping into his body.

He moved forward then saw the girls looks were more fear then the lust he
would have expected. something came over him. He pictured his own daughter
in his mind, and suddenly knew he had to help the girl inside the cell. 

He grabbed the keys form one of the guards and yelled at the men to leave. 

"Now see here!!" One of them shouted back but Jer'lin was insistent and told
them he would report them to both the land bound Lords and the Warren and
have them brought up on charges for their actions if they interfered any longer.

He waited a moment more until they had left then opened the cell door and
stepped inside. The girl moved away from him, the look on her face that of a
caged animal. His voice was soft and quiet as he approached her. 
  
"It's okay sweetie. I'm here to help you. I promise.. that's all. You have
nothing to fear from me. I'm only here to help you through this..."

She turned to look at him and he could read the fear in her eyes. Fear where
there should be lustful glee because of the event about to happen. Not fear.... 

Something was wrong. He knew this place and time wasn't the best place for a
mating flight to happen.. but surely the girl.... understood... 

"Please... I don't want... I can't... not ready... please...don't hurt
me..." the girl stammered as she tried to find a way past him but he was
blocking her path and refused to move.

"It's all right sweetie.." he murmured again and moved slowly towards her,
arms out stretched to show her he meant no harm. He could see her looking
from his arms then past him so he was ready when she tried to bolt past him
towards the door. 

Jer'lin's hands caught her by the arms and pulled her struggling body into
the circle of his own arms. He had to be careful as he held onto her so as
not to hurt her.

He kept up a steady steam of softly worded promises to her until his words
seemed to seep into her mind and she finally began to calm down.  

"I can't..." she kept crying over and over as he picked her up and carried
her back to the bed and sat them both down. 

"Shush... you don't have to do anything you don't want to do," he promised
as he hugged her closer, one hand moving to caress her soft hair as he had
his daughters when she had been a child. 

It was difficult enough sitting there with a warm beautiful young woman in
his arms while his dragons lust was coursing through his body, but this was
not the time to start acting like a young untried rider on his first mating
flight. 

Jer'lin had been involved in enough of them to know the difference between
his partners consent and willing participation. This girl in his arms was
defiantly not will... the whole event was scaring the hell out of her, and
being in this place alone without her friends wasn't helping her any. 

"Why don't you tell me who you are.." he said calmly trying to get her to
talk, thinking it might take her mind off of what their dragon's were doing.
For without any other males around, Banta had had little trouble winning the
female when she rose. 

In the back of his mind... where he'd had to work to push it... he could
feel his dragons excitement and knew he couldn't give in and feel the same
excitement and pleasure in this girls arms. 

It wouldn't be a mating. It would be a rape.

He got her to start talking, and the more she grew to trust his restraint
the more she told him about her reason's for being here. 

The thought of that man... no that Scum... trying to do what he did to the
girl, angered him. He thought of his own daughter, Jayleigh... And of what
he might have done if anyone had ever tried that on her... then knew she
would have taken care of the man all by herself... she was a very strong
woman. She'd have to be to run Daere Warren. 

Being a Warrenlady was not for the weak at heart.

He in turn told her stories of his daughter, though never mentioned who she
was, and his son Ja'ks... He invited her to come to visit him in Daere some
day when this thing she was involved in was settled.

Most of the time he regaled her with stories about his grandson... telling
her all about his being able to hear all dragons and how he was bond to be a
rider himself one day. 

"Maybe even Alpha Wingleader!" Jer'lin bragged and got the girl to crack a
smile.

Well it was a start, he thought.

As her face was turned away from the open end of the cell, she hadn't
noticed when the guards boss came in to check up on them. But Jer'lin had
and had given the man such an angry look that he had removed himself without
saying one word.

The guard had recognized him when he had come in asking to see the sneak
thief and knew who his family had been. The guard also knew Jer'lin still
had connections and was not a man to anger. 

Sometime later they were interrupted by the mans apologetic hummm....  and
Jer'lin looked up to see the man was not alone. A woman was with him. a
woman he knew.

"Hello Waylene," he said softly and felt the girl in his arms stir and then
turn her head to look at who had arrived. "so she's one of yours huh?"

"Yes she is," the Warrenlady of Marrid stated as she eyes the two of them
trying to decide what had happened here. "And she's very special to me."

"I can see why," Jer'lin replied, grinning as the young girl jumped out of
his arms and went quickly to the woman's side and into her arms. 

"Oh M'lady... I was so scared..." Yasi cried softly as she was held by this
person she knew and trusted. "But he... he...he held me and talked to me and
made me think of other things... he was so kind to me."

The girl turned slowly to look at him. "I don't even know your name," she
said softly. "I mean how can I thank you when I know your whole family by
name but I don't know yours?"

He grinned as he stood up and moved across the cell floor to the door. "It's
Jer'lin. Banta's rider and you do not need to thank me. I was glad I was
here to help you though it."

"But I do..." Yasi turned and watched as he continued out of the cell. 

"Waylene."

"Jer'lin."

He left them there with eachother knowing his job was done. No other words
were needed between the two. They knew eachother to well for that. 

It was time to go home... Realee, his mate, should be in the kitchen working
right now, but he didn't think he'd have much trouble getting her to leave
and go on home for and afternoon *nap*. His steps picked up as he thought
about it, and soon mounted his red for the short teleport home to Daere.

He'd learned all he could here today.

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

Jer'lin & Banta
(on loan from Daere Warren)

aka 
Barbara