<snip>

		"Well either would be fine, although you might feel better  talking in a 
more comfortable environment than your office."    "You're right," Marialla 
replied with a smile. "I don't think  Jason would mind if we^�" Marialla 
looked around, for the first time  noticing that Jason wasn't at the table 
with them any more. "That's  strange, he was just here."    Aislyn studied 
Marialla closely, but said nothing.

<end snip>


"How about your apartment? We could go to mine but everything is still 
pretty much packed." Aislyn piped in after a moment. Thinking that Mari 
would be most comfortable at her own apartment. She wondered about Mari and 
Jason, and how fast Jason's temper had flared. They didn't seem to be 
communicating all that well with each other.

"My apartment is fine." Mari replied uncertain, still looking at the empty 
space where Jason had sat earlier.

After a few moments of silence, Aislyn decides to try small talk and hopes 
not to hit any sore points for Mari.

"How long have you been living in the warren and when was it you join with 
your dragon?"

"We joined last summer.  She's nearly full grown now."

"But she's so large.  I would have guessed her older." Aislyn replied.

"She's a queen, they are always larger.  She is the most beautiful dragon in 
Daere." she said with a giggle.  "But I'm sure every rider would say the 
same thing about their dragons."

"I'm sure you're right." the new mind healer replied.


**********

At Mari's apartment

"You have a very nice place. " Aislyn commented as she looked around the 
living room.

"Yes, but it seems rather large lately." she said as a wave of loneliness 
swept over her.

"But what about Jason?"  she asked, knowing she may not want to talk about 
it, but knowing that was what was troubling the Jr. Queenrider at this 
moment.

"I've done something.  I'm not even sure what.  But he hasn't been around 
much lately." she said with sadness in her voice.  "Things have been such a 
mess."

"A mess...what do you mean?" Aislyn queried.

"I was so happy last summer.  I joined with a queen.  She was beautiful and 
it was like I had family again.  I had a dream relationship with T'rell.  
He's now Gamma Wingleader.  Then I was raped.  I kind of lost it for awhile. 
  Since then nothing with my life has gone right.  I only seem to drive 
people out of my life, and I don't know how or why." the tears streamed down 
her cheeks.  "I seem to have lost everything....except Reggie.  I've lost 
the respect of Jayleigh.  She doesn't trust me to do my job.  I've lost a 
love that I never thought I'd know.  In the process I've hurt him...it's 
something I've never wanted to do.  I miss his friendship.  My best friend 
left Daere and went to Norwall. And now it seems as if Jason is going to 
leave me too."

By this time she was sobbing.  "Maybe I don't belong here.  Kalena went to 
Norwall.  She's become so brave.  They've been having so much trouble there. 
  They're Warren Lady has been taken over by hellspawn.  They've been 
fighting for what sounds like a very long time.  She managed to get this 
note to me.  I wish I could be there to help her.  At least I'd feel as if I 
were doing something."

"You've kept that bottle up for along time."  Aislyn said, "But I really 
can't see that you going to help another warren is what you need now.  You 
need to concentrate on helping yourself."

"But maybe it would help me to help others.  I don't know.  I do know I need 
something to do."

"I just think there are other things for you to do other than risking your 
life." said the mind healer.

"I'm sure there are, but Jayleigh hasn't allowed me to do anything more than 
simple paperwork in weeks.


"Well paperwork can be a lot of help to someone that's busy. Though it can 
get boring for the person doing it." Aissy remarks remembering her share of 
paperwork for the head healer. "I'm not all the familiar with want a queen 
rider does. But I think you should talk to her again and see if she'll let 
you start taking on an other tasks one by one, but slowly. Throwing yourself 
in your work can help keep your mind off things, but usually doesn't help if 
you haven't came to terms with them yourself." She warned.

"I know that but I think it would really help me."

"Okay then, why don't you think of a task that you can pick up that's a 
little bit more challenging then paperwork but one you'll feel that your 
accomplishing something, and tomorrow ask her if you can add that along with 
your paperwork, okay?"

"Okay, I'll try, I just don't know if she'll let me or not."

"Trying is half the battle." Aislyn replied with an encouraging smile. After 
a moment, "Is there anything else you'd like to talk about or would you like 
to get working whatever you need to?"

"Well..." Mari hesitated.  She wasn't sure how this might be taken.  "I'd 
really like to be able to talk to T'rell.  We never talked, I made a choice 
that I was forced into.  I know he didn't expect the choice I made.  I'm not 
sure I did.  But he'd hurt me, and Jason was there to support me.  I'm not 
sure that a choice should have been made at all.  But T'rell won't even look 
at me and we need to talk to settle things.  I know I should have talked 
before I made my decision.  Oh I made so many mistakes...."

"I agree."  Aislyn said.  "But me agreeing isn't going to solve your 
problems.  It's T'rell that's going to have to agree to a conversation.  I 
will be talking to him.  But probably not until the trial is over.  But you 
do need to talk.  I do have to find out where T'rell is on the idea of 
talking with you.  But I'll try to arrange something, as soon as I have the 
opportunity to talk with him.  This will give you the chance to talk with 
Jayleigh.  Anything else?"

Aislyn could see the worry in Mari's face.  She knew that Mari was concerned 
about the way Jason had just disappeared.  She would have just asked her if 
she was worried about Jason, but she was trying to get the young Jr. 
Queenrider to admit her feelings.

Mari could tell that Aislyn knew exactly what she wanted.  She want to go 
out and find Jason.  But she had a feeling that he didn't want to see her.

"Aislyn," she said softly, "Could you see if you can find Jason.  Just make 
sure he's alright.  I don't expect him to come back here.  He's been 
politely avoiding me lately.  But I care so much for him, and I worry."

"Of course, Mari."  she said, thinking how this would give her the chance to 
find out what this man had to say.

**********************
Respectfully Submitted,
Marialla and Regenta
aka
Dianne

and
Aislyn
aka
Cozette

NRPG:  This of course took place before Michael's last post.

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