>    T'rell knelt down behind her, putting his arms around her and holding her tightly.  He had to grit his teeth and hold himself tightly in check to keep from stalking out right now and killing Alexis before he could be spirited out of the warren tomorrow.  But that wouldn't undo the harm he'd done, or help Marialla.

>    "I can't change what's happened," he said softly.  "I can only say that...that I'm here for you now, as I should have been when...when that happened.  Tell me...what are you feeling?"

     "I'm feeling so many emotions that I don't know how to even start to comprehend them.  I don't think there is anyway for you to understand them."  she said softly, with a lot of tension in her voice.  "I wish I could feel normal again.  But it's not your fault that you weren't in the warren when it happened.  You can't spend your life waiting around to make sure nothing bad happens to me.  And I believe that if it wasn't that day, there would of been another.  He was out to punish us, and was looking for any opportunity."

     "But I should of been here for you. You just said as much as it wouldn't of happened if I'd been here."

     "T'rell, what if the wing had been called out.  Would you have stayed here instead of going with your wing?  He would of just waited for another opportunity.  You know that.  It was no ones fault but Alexis' that this happen and we can't blame anyone but him.  So stop it!"  she said with tears forming in her eyes.

     T'rell again put his arms around her and this time she didn't pull away.  She melted into his arms and tenderly kissed him.

     He looked into her eyes and she started. "T'rell, you can't blame yourself for something you had no control over.  I love you and it hurts me to see you blaming yourself for this.  You had no power to change what happened."

     "I guess you're right." he said as he searched her eyes wondering how she had gotten so strong in the past few hours.  She seemed to be a different woman from the meak one that had prepared the meal. He returned the kiss from before, not sure if she'd respond to his kiss in the same way as her previous kiss was given, but she did.

      "You are amazing," T'rell began,"How you can take so much punishment and come back stronger.  Why I should be surprized.  Most queens rarely choose wrong and I see that Reggie is no different from most."

      "Oh, she different." Mari said with a giggle.

      "Well, I guess you're right.  There is no other Reggie, just like their's not another Flerrion...thank the gods."

      The couple was, at that moment, unable to stop laughing.  Mari leaned into T'rell and whispered.  "Stay with me."

      "But...." T'rell started.

      "Shhh....I just want to have you here...to be in your arms.  I'm not saying that I'm ready for anything more.  But I need to have you here,"  she said,  "and I'm hoping you need to be here with me."

      "Mari, don't rush things." he said really concerned about her motives.

       "I'm not saying that I'm ready to be at the same place we were before this happened.  But I want you with me....to spend a night in your arms.  I think it would be good for both of us and maybe it will help me heal.  Do you understand what I'm saying?"

(Tag John)

     T'rell sighed, but knew that the queen was right and that he was stuck with attending.  He told the trainees to keep practicing, and hurried over to where Mari stood watching Regenta practice her landings.

>    "I heard," she said.  "Do we have to?  I don't know if I'm ready forthis."

>    "Being a junior queenrider...or a wingleader...has its downside, I suppose," he told her.  "Hey, you'll do fine.  In fact, I imagine Jayleigh will want you to be part of these negotiations."

     "Me?" she asked, alarmed.

>    "I don't know of anyone who could do it better," he assured her.

     "I'm sure there are a lot of others that could do a much better job. I hope she only expects me to observe."  she said sounding almost paniced.

     "I'm sure Jayleigh won't have you doing the actual negotiations, but she'll want you to sit in and I'm sure she'll ask your opinions."
He replied.  "I'm sure she'll want to know opinions and ideas of her new Junior Queenrider."

     Mari wasn't at all sure that she was ready to face any important visitors to Daere.  She was strangely terrified of the upcoming dinner.  She never felt quite this way before.  She had turned rather ashen.

     "Mari?  Are you alright?"  T'rell asked.

     "I'll be okay.  Just a little nervouse." she replied.

     T'rell leaned down and kissed her.  "Don't worry, you'll be fine and anyway, I'll be with you for the dinner and once you get to know the Lord Naiad's party you'll be as comfortable with the as talking with me."

     "That's not possible."  she said.  "I'm not as comfortable with anyone as I am with you."

     Marialla sighed.

    "What's wrong?" T'rell queried.

    "Who's going to eat all the leftovers from last night?" she said with a sheepish grin.

*******************

     Allora stopped Mari on her way from practice and the two walked together to the Dining Hall for lunch.

     "I was wondering is you could stop over this afternoon for a few minutes.  I'm sure that Jayleigh has plenty for you to do, but it shouldn't take more than 15 minutes." Allora said.

     "Well that shouldn't be a problem.  Is there something wrong?" she asked.

     "No not at all.  I'm sure with everything that's happened you've forgotten." Allora said, "But, I've got your gown finished for my project and I just want to do one last fitting to make sure it's perfect."

     "Oh Allora, that's wonderful. Is T'rell's finished yet?" Mari asked.

     "It's been finished for some time now, didn't T'rell tell you? He's had his last fitting and it turned out absolutely perfectly." she said with pride in her eyes.  "And I was you're to turn out as perfectly.  So if you can stop over, any adjustments should be made by tonight."

     "Can I come right now?  I'm very anxious about seeing it.... wearing it." She asked.

     "Alright, I guess lunch will wait for a few moments." Allora said with a smile, happy to see Mari excited about something.

     The two women went directly to Allora's apartment.  Mari quickly tried on the gown.  Mari thought it was a perfect fit, but Allora found a few places to make adjustments.

     "If you could wait 5 minutes I can make these adjustments quickly and we can go and have some lunch before you have to finish out your day with Jayleigh." Allora said.

     "Of course I can wait.  I believe that Jayleigh will be busy with Lord Naiad's group today.  So I'll only have things to do that Jayleigh previously prepared and left notes for me to  do." Mari commented and then had a thought.  "Allora?  I have an idea.  If T'rell and I could wear the these tonight, maybe members of the Lord's contigent will see them and want to order some leather goods from you.  It's just a thought.  But I think that it would really be good to get the word out that this warren has such a skilled leather worker."

     "That is a good idea.  But I don't want anything happening to them before the final review of them."  Allora said.  "But I suppose if you promise to be careful with them, it would be a very good idea."

     "Of course we'll be careful." Mari said as Allora finished her adjustments and put the needle away.

     Allora helped Mari carry the two outfits to her quarters and the two girls went to have a leasurely lunch.

************************

     As soon as Mari got back to her apartment after the day was finished she went into her bedroom and slipped into the gown.  The adjustments that Allora had done had definately made an improvement in the gown.

     The bodice of the gown fit tightly and laced up from the waistline to the top of the low cut neckline.  The skirt was full, which made it very heavy.  Mari thought that by the time the night was over she would be tired from carrying the dress with her.

     She was standing in front of a mirror as T'rell walked in.

     "You're beautiful," he said.  "The Lord's party won't be able to think of negotiations tonight.  They won't be able to keep their eyes off you."

     "So maybe I'll make enough of a distraction that the evening can be enjoyable without talk of business and tomorrow Jayleigh will be able to get an upper hand.  Anyway, I told Allora that we'd wear these tonight so she might get some business from the Lord's people."  she said with a smile.  "Your's is in the bedroom.  Go and change and I'll be waiting."  she smiled at this man that she loved so dearly.

     "Well you're a distraction to me." he said as he entered the bedroom and began to change.

     T'rell was changed in moments and the two blond riders headed to the Dining Hall.  This couple always looked like they belonged together but tonight there was no question.

     As they entered the hall, people turn to look and many gasps were heard.  Mari at first felt a little uncomfortable to have so many eyes on her and wondered if many were staring do to the recent happenings.  She clasped T'rell's hand and he bent down and whispered to her.

     "Of course they're staring.  They're all looking at the most beautiful woman in the warren and all the surrounding area."  he said and then leaned down and kissed her. "I want to make sure that they all know that we are together."

     "I don't see how there can be any doubt." she said with a smile that seem to brighten the room.

     "Well, it gives me an excuse to kiss you." he smiled back.

     "Since when did you need an excuse?" she said teasingly.

     Jayleigh approached the couple.  "Come," she said, "You both need to meet Lord Naiad.

     They were lead to a man that hadn't taken his eyes off Marialla since she entered the room.

     "Lord Naiad, I'd like you to meet my Jr. Queenrider, Marialla and the Gamma Wing Leader, T'rell.

     "My pleasure," Lord Naiad said taking Mari's hand and kissing it.  "This lovely young woman makes these negotiations more pleasant already."

     T'rell shifted his weigh and cleared his throat.

     "Sir, it's a pleasure to meet you.  You must be the luckiest man in the warren to have such a lovely woman on your arm tonight."

     "Lord Naiad, Daere Warren has many lovely ladies which I'm sure you've noticed."  T'rell stated as a fact.  "Take our Warrenlady."

     "Yes, that's true, Sir...very true." he said as he again took Mari's hand a kissed it and looked at T'rell with a grin that said appeared more as a threat to T'rell than a pleasantry.

     "Where is your lovely Lady tonight, Lord Naiad?" Mari asked, trying to be a diplomat and not feeling that she was doing a very good job of it.

     "Ah...my lovely Lady was taken with a headache and chose not to join me tonight." he replied to Mari's question.

     "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Mari commented.

     "I am too," added T'rell.  "Lord, I hope you don't mind, but the Warrenlady has arranged for some wonderful musicians to be here for the occassion and I don't get much of a chance to dance with *my lady* so I'm going to steal Marialla away from your conversation for a few moments."

     "Well I can't say that I blame you for wanting this chance to dance with this beautiful woman, but I won't say that I will enjoy the time you have her away from the conversation." said Lord Naiad. "Marialla, I'll allow you to depart my company if you save a dance for me tonight."

     "Of course, m'Lord." Mari replied as she was wisk away by T'rell.

     T'rell held her tightly as they dance.  Mari could feel the tension in his body as he held her.

     "T'rell, what's wrong with you?" she queried.

     "He's a cad!  He's not to be trusted for one moment.  Watch out for him." T'rell stated as he gritted his teeth.

     "T'rell, don't be redicules, he only being charming." she replied.

     "Don't trust him, Mari.  Believe me." he warned.

     Mari kissed T'rell to say 'Don't worry'. But it didn't change his mood.

     When the dance was over they again joined the group of people around Lord Naiad.

     "Ah, I see that my dance partner has returned." he said smiling at Marialla.  "Are you ready for our dance that you've promised?"

     "Lord, if I can have a moment to recover from the last dance.  Let's talk for a moment and we'll dance at the next dance." she said with a smile.

     "Of course, my dear." the Lord replied and the conversation soon turned to talk of what the two factions could do for each other.

     Marialla contently listened to some of the playful Banter that went on between Jayleigh and Lord Naiad.  This was only play, the real negotiations had been and would continue to go on in a more private setting, and not at a public occassion.

     But even with the conversation going on the Lord hadn't forgotten that Marialla had promised her the next dance and when the song finished he took Mari's hand and said,

     "This is my dance, I do believe." as he lead Mari onto the dance floor.

     He pulled Mari closer to him than was comfortable for the girl.  He leaned into her and whispered in her ear. "I could do great things for you, Marialla of Daere Warren."

     "Sir, I really have nothing to do with the negotiations at this time.  You know that I've only recently become the Jr. Queenrider and am still in training." she replied.

     "I wasn't talking about Warren negotiations, my dear." he leaned into her and roughly kissed her.

     She pulled away and fled in tears, as three dragonriders grabbed T'rell, to keep him from doing bodily damage to  Lord Naiad.

     As the riders held T'rell, Jayleigh spoke to him.  "T'rell, I'll handle Lord Naiad, you need to see if Marialla's alright.  Ja'ks, get T'rell out of here.  I'm afraid this might be a big enough problem with out T'rell beating up our dear Lord Naiad."

**********************************

Marialla and Regenta

NRPG:  I thought maybe a headache wasn't what was keeping the Lady from the party....I thought maybe the Lady is used to these kind of antics from her husband and found another diversion...such as maybe M'naten. ;)

John, is Ja'ks going to be able to keep T'rell off of Lord Naiad?

Joan, the outfits are finished.

Dianne










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