Day??

Mânaten stared around his apartment.  Many of the candles had burnt out, 
though some still dripped wax on the table.  He sighed heavily and started 
cleaning up. He wandered into the bedroom, aimlessly tidying.  The bed was 
still rumpled and he smiled in remembrance.  She was something, wasnât she?

His smile faded as his edginess returned.  She hadnât asked anything unusual, 
really - and he hadnât told her any secrets, so why did he feel like heâd 
done something wrong? 

<Maybe because messing with nobles gets us kicked out of warrens?>

<Lighten up, Grai.  We are not in trouble over that, trust me.>

Graimorâs response was an ungentle snort.  Mânaten chuckled briefly.  Why was 
he upset?  He shrugged.  He hadnât been the one in control this time - was 
that it?  He shrugged.  Whatever it was, it could wait until morning, he was 
sure.

......

Mânaten woke early - unusual for him.  Somehow, there was still a lingering 
uneasiness over last night.  He sighed.  He hated to have to disturb the 
warrenlady - especially when all he really had to go on was a lady asking 
questions about trade, but....  He dressed carefully.  If he was gonna bother 
her, heâd better at least make it look good.

<Grai? Ask Troy where we can find Jayleigh.>

There was a pause and then <She is at home.>

Mânaten peered at his dragon - there had been something in his tone.  Mânaten 
chuckled suddenly.  The beast must still be mad at Troy for setting him up 
with Flerrion!  He made a mental note to do something about Graimorâs ego 
when he had the time.

<There is nothing wrong with MY ego.>  Graimor muttered.

A quick leap and they glided down to the green.  Graimor wandered off to find 
a sunny spot and Mânaten headed  toward Jayleighâs apartment.

....
M'naten stood nervously in front of the Warrenlady's apartments.  He
probably should speak to someone else if she wasn't up to this, but who?
Young Mari didn't seem well either and there were no other Queenriders.

Tentatively, he knocked on the door.  "Jayleigh?  Can I come in?  It's 
M'naten."

Leigh opened the door, looking as if she had just woken up. She was wearing
a royal blue robe, and her hair was a bit messy. 

"Come to see the baby M'naten?" one side of her lips curved upwards in a
half smile. "I know you're new here.. But I would have given you until
tomorrow before I thought you didn't care about your new Warrenlady?" 

M'naten looked startled, but recovered fairly quickly.  He grinned broadly.
"Actually, I hadn't realized the child was born.  And I always care about my
Warrenlady."

She opened the door and invited him in, then left him to follow her back
inside to the living area. "Well the *child* is a girl and my daughters name
is Revena. But since you didn't come here to congratulate me for her
birth...." She held her hand up and barely kept from chuckling when she saw
the quick changing of his facial features as he was about to deny it.

"It's okay really. I won't hold it against you this time," she went on, and
this time did chuckle. "But you must have thought something was important
enough to seek me out in my home... So what is it?"

She motioned him to a seat, and waited while he got his thoughts together. 

M'naten sat down, trying to decide how to say his piece without losing
discretion.

'It may be unimportant," he began, "but I thought someone might want to know
that some of the Naiads were after information. I would have gone to someone
else and not disturbed you, but I didn't know who."

He cleared his throat. "Lady Sondra Naiad was looking for information on
what the people in the warren want.  I told her what I knew - and it may
only be information for trading, but I felt I owed it to the warren to
inform someone."

Leigh looked at him, her expression carefully shielding the concern his
words had brought to her. She'd a feeling something wasn't what it was
suppose to be with the Lords family, but she couldn't quite put her figure
on why?

"No.. you were right to bring this to me if you were that worried about it."
she told him. "What kind of information did she ask you about?"

"Well, really, she just wanted to know what people wanted.  She wasn't
obviously looking for any secrets or scandal."  He paused to gather his
thoughts. "But then, she knows I haven't been here long and don't know much,
so..."

"Humm... Well it could be nothing... Maybe just her way of being a good
trader... Always know what your customers are wanting," Leigh tried to make
light of it, but inside she was even more worried and wasn't sure why.

"Just on the off chance there was more to her wanting to know... Why don't
you tell T'rell or Tair'n. They'll both know what to watch out for if
anything is going on. Maybe R'ven too so he'll be prepared when he starts
the talks with them later this morning. Your dragon can tell you who they
are if you haven't met them yet... Except for T'rell who I've ... heard..
you have met."

"Yes, ma'am, I consider it important to know your Wingleader."  He grinned
at her. "I also consider important to fawn over lovely ladies, so do I get
to meet Revena?"

"Well she's sleeping right now..." Leigh sighed as she got up and motioned
him to follow her. "And that's about all she'll be doing for the next few
weeks... But you may have a look at her and then tell me just how beautiful
she is." This last said with a wide devilish smile.

He got up and followed her down the hall to her bed room, on the way they
past by Jadain's room and Leigh stopped to tell him they had a guest.

"Come to see my sister?" the boy asked and moved around so that he was now
sitting up on his bed. 

Leigh shot him a look. She didn't want Jadain to know what they had been
talking about, but she shouldn't have worried. M'naten fell in with the lie
like a pro.

"Naturally. I rather like pretty girls, you know."  He grinned outrageously.
"Besides, its always good to play nice to the Warrenlady."

Jadain rolled his eyes... "You can have them.. I ain't got any use for
girls. They're no fun most of the time anyway."

Mânaten chuckled and went to pay his respects.

....
Mânaten stepped into the office when bidden and smiled at the two men sitting 
around the desk.  He held out his hand and shook with both of them, smiling 
friendly.

ăIâm Mânaten, Graimorâs rider, the new transfer from Geode.   Jayleigh asked 
me to pass on to you two some information I mentioned to her earlier.ä  When 
they indicated he should continue, he did.  ăLady Sondra Naiad asked me for 
information on what the people in the warren wanted.  She didnât ask for 
anything unusual - all apparently trade knowledge, but it made me uneasy.  
And when I mentioned it to Jayleigh, she seemed downright spooked, so....ä

{Tag, Lyn and Barb....reactions?}

.....
Mânaten strolled out of the office and ambled in the general direction of the 
Dining Hall.  The sun was shining and warm and he was in no hurry.  The 
thought that he still hadnât been assigned a patrol flickered through his 
mind and back out.  He stopped and stretched, closing his eyes to savor the 
warmth of the sun on his face.  And was promptly run into.  

Reflexively, he caught at the person who barrelled into him and held her 
upright.  He opened his eyes to see - egad, another Naiad?  He smiled 
broadly, noticing her distress as he shrugged aside her proffered apology.

ăWhoa.  Careful now.  Are you all right, my Lady?ä

Someynara peered up at this tall rider with unreadable eyes.

"I'm no Lady," she stated firmly, just as her stomach rumbled loudly.

Mânaten bit down hard on a laugh, but failed to restrain a grin.  ăPerhaps, 
then my, not a Lady, you would care for breakfast?ä  He offered his arm.

Someynara held back, but her stomach rumbled a second time.  She surrendered 
to the inevitable and joined Mânaten.

ăSo, may I ask whatâs troubling you?ä

ăItâs none of your business.ä

Mânaten raised an eyebrow, but decided to leave that topic for the time 
being.  ăSo, my nameâs Mânaten, rider of Graimor - and you are?ä

ăSomeynara, rider of Ravindra.ä

Mânaten noticed the omission of a last name she was clearly entitled to and 
decided he had found the cause of her distress.  ăNow, a pretty woman like 
you should not be wearing such a frown.  How about a smile?ä

She simply glared at him and turned her attention to her breakfast.

Mânaten grinned and picked up his fork.  ăNo, no, that wasnât a smile.ä  He 
stopped to take a bite of something fantastic.  ăOh!  Try that,ä he gestured 
with his fork, ăits great stuff.ä  

Someynara peered at Mânaten as though he were crazy.  He caught her eye and 
grinned foolishly.  She felt the amusement begin to grow.

ăPerhaps your troubles are making you frown.  Talk them out.ä  

She glared at him, but he appeared not to notice.  ăTell Uncle Mânaten your 
troubles.ä  He made such a goofy face that she had no choice but let a small 
smile escape her, along with a smothered snort of laughter.

ăUncle Mânaten?ä

He chuckled.  ăWell, Papa Mânaten just didnât sound right.ä  He shuddered.  
ăGranddad Mânaten?ä  Her smile grew as she shook her head. ăThere now, I knew 
youâd have a lovely smile - and it looks so much better than that frown.ä  He 
pursed his lips in mock thought.  ăNow, you dont want to talk about your 
troubles - that rather cuts down on conversation.  Flat out kills the ăSo, 
where are you from?ä line ...and not too good on ăSo, how about those 
visitors to the warrenä either...ä  He paused as Someynara tensed up.  Hmm, 
he thought, very prickly on that end.  ăSo, nice weather weâre having.ä

Someynara shook her head.  ăYou are a buffoon.ä

Mânaten reared back, placing a hand over his heart.  ăYou wound me.ä  His 
eyes were twinkling.

ăI think an ego like yours can take it.ä

ăOuch.ä  He grinned.  ăProbably right, though.ä

Someynara finished the last of her meal and stood up.  ăWell, I do have 
things to do.  Thanks.ä

Mânaten stood with her.  ăIt was a pleasure and an honor to meet you, 
not-a-lady Someynara.ä  He grinned and kissed her hand.  ăI look forward to 
seeing you again.ä

.....
Mânaten ambled toward the training ground.  It was probably past time he got 
some duties from his Wingleader.  The trainees were saddling their dragons in 
preparation for their first riding flights.  He grinned and stood to watch. 
Pleasant memories of his own first ride, so long ago, came back to him.  

He grinned over at Târell.  ăWell, they donât look too pathetic.ä

Târell grinned back.  ăItâs all in the training.ä

They watched the trainees for a while before Târell signalled an end to the 
training for the day.  While the new riders landed and unsaddled their 
dragons, flushed with pride, Mânaten turned to Târell.  

ăSo, does my WIngleader have a job for me?ä

{Tag, John...}

__________________________________________________________________
Katrina