[NRPG Marrid:]
T'rell of Daere is an old friend of Koda's... he's coming for a short visit
to see her..]

*Letter From A Friend*

[from Lakoda, Head of Marrid Medical Center to T'rell]

Dear T'rell,

It's been a long time my friend since I've seen or talked to you. Where has
the time gone. 

I guess by now you have heard the stories about what has happened here in
Marrid. It's been a sad fight for us all to try and rebuild what we have
lost through the magical shift. But we are doing it slowly a little at a time. 

I knew you would be worried about me and if I had come through it all right,
so I thought I would take a moment to write to you and ease your mind a bit.
I am fine... I'm happy here now. Happier then I ever could have been had I
stayed in Falagand. 

I do have some news you may not have heard... I have a daughter now.  Yes it
finally happened even thought everyone tried to talk me out of it because of
the dangers it might have caused for me. But my daughter Talera is healthy
and her mother came through with flying colors. 

I've also met someone resently who I'm beginning to care a lot for. He's a
rider who came to us from your own Warren. His name is Martyn and I believe
he might care for me also. I pray he does for I find that he's in my
thoughts even when he's not here in Marrid with us. Even my daughter seems
to know him from others, so that is a good sign. They say a child knows who
is good and kind, so..... 

Well my imposed break is coming to and end now. They're about to allow me to
go back to work...  It can be annoying sometimes having people always
looking after me... but they mean well I suppose, so I shouldn't complain.

Maybe one day soon when things have calmed down here I can make the trip to
Daere to show you my daughter and have a long talk with you. I do miss you
my friend. You have always been there when I've needed you and you don't
know how much that has meant to me over the years... 

Well good bye for now. Take care,

Koda

Jayleigh
**********

The apartment was quiet now that everyone had left. Jayleigh wondered down
the hall to check on her daughter and then after finding Vena was fast
asleep she went back down the hall and entered the kitchen. 

Maybe a cup of coffee would make her feel a little less... What? She
couldn't describe the feeling, but she just wasn't feeling .....right. 

'I'm lonely,' she decided as she poured the water over the filter holding
the ground up beans. 'That's what I am... A Warren full of people and I'm
sitting here feeling sorry for myself because I'm lonely.'

A knocking at the door stopped her before she could continue talking to
herself, and she raced through the living area quickly so whoever it was
wouldn't leave. 

Right then anyone would have been nice to talk too.

She opened the door and was a little surprised to see T'rell standing there.
As she looked past him she wasn't surprised to see that Flerrion was already
twining necks with Troy. 

"I hope I'm not disturbing you coming by this late," he said. "I can come
back later if I am..."

"No... Now's a good time," she said quickly, needing whatever problem he
seemed to have right now to keep away the loneliness. "Come in, come in."

"I guess this could have waited until morning... but I wanted to clear it
with you before I left...After the discussion we had earlier."

She led him inside and offered him a seat. "Maybe it can wait until we have
some coffee. I was just making some if you want a cup."

T'rell's head titled and his lips formed into a smile. 

"When have you ever known me to turn down a cup of coffee?" he asked, a
twinkle in his eyes.

Leigh smacked her head then rolled her eyes. 

"Dumb question huh?"

"Yup..." he agreed and then the smile on his lips seem to fade. 

"Hang on just a second while I get us a cup then you can tell about what's
bothering you."

She turned and entered the kitchen and moved to open the cabinet to pull
down a second cup. Then turned to reach for the pot and poured out two cups
while wondering if he was here to tell her he'd reconsidered her request to
act as the judge in Tair'n 's trial. 

Arguments she could use to get him to change his mind back flowed through
her head. He just couldn't turn her down now. There was no one else who
could do the duty without having to send for someone in another Warren. 

Picking up the cups she walked back into the living room, words already
forming as she entered the room. 

"Look T'rell if you've come here to tell me you can't act as Judge....."

"Huh?" he looked up at her as if his mind had been elsewhere. "Oh no...
that's not it..." he assured her as he accepted the cup she held out to him. 

"Then what is it?"

He took a sip and awed... "You know for someone who can't cook... you do
make a good cup of coffee... My thanks."

"Well it's nice to know I can do something right... but now what is it you
came here to talk to me about?"

"I got a letter from a friend..."

"A good friend?"

T'rell nodded. "Someone I care a great deal about. She's a healer in Marrid
Warren now..."

"The Warren that's having problem with the Magical shifts Martyn told us about?"

Again T'rell nodded. 

"Are they then asking for our help?" Leigh wanted to know and began trying
to figure out who and what help they could send.

"They may at a later date. I'm sure Martyn will inform us if they do.....But
no she didn't ask for help in her letter," he told her. "She just wanted to
let me know that she is fine and that I'm not to worry about her."

"Which has made you worry?"

"Yes... and I was wondering if you would mind if I made a brief visit to
Marrid just to make sure she really is okay and see for myself how the
Warren is getting on."

She really wished the healer's letter had come at a different time, but she
could see that the man really was worried. To keep him here, would only
increase his worries and she needed him to be clear headed when the time for
the trial came around. 

"How long to you think you would be gone?"

"Just long enough to see for myself how things are going and to make sure
she's okay. A day no more should do it." he offered. 

"Fine... While you're there you can also talk to the Warrenlady... Waylene
and offer her whatever help we can give the Warren in their time of need."

T'rell stood. "Thank you Jayleigh. I'll be leaving early in the morning, and
should be back by evening if all goes well."

"Have a safe flight T'rell. I hope things turn out for the best."

He nodded, and she could tell his mind was already on the trip he would be
taking as he left her apartment.

It wasn't until a few minutes later when she went to clean up that she
noticed... He had taken the cup of coffee with him.......

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

Warrenlady Jayleigh & Viktroy
Daere Warren

Aka
Barbara