**Do These Come In Wash And Dry?**

"M'naten? Are you all right?" Leigh's concerned face was just inches from
his. "You look like you're about to faint on me."

M'naten struggled almost to his feet and half-crawled to the couch where he
collapsed again. "Do you blame me?" She shrugged. "I never expected this. A
son. I have a son." He took a deep breath. Right. A son. He had a job here.
He could do this. Really. "Ok, hand him here."

Leigh frowned. "Are you sure? I mean..." she faltered.

"I gotta learn sometime, right?"

With a wry grin of assent, Leigh laid the bundle in M'naten's arms. He
looked down just as the boy opened his eyes. Staring into those dark eyes,
M'naten was sunk. 

"Welcome to Daere, Kelten."

Kelten regarded his father gravely and burped. M'naten looked up at Leigh
with panic-filled eyes.

"Dear gods, Leigh, what do I do now?"

"You learn the ABC's of being a parent," she commented dryly. 

"And those are?" he looked up at her almost as if expecting her to have all
the answers. 

"You learn as you go M'naten," she told him coming to sit beside him on the
couch. "There really is no set guide line for raising a child. Each one is
different in their own way and you just have to figure out what will be best
for the one you have here. No one is born a parent. It's just something you
have to learn about as you go and pray you make the right decisions."

"Right... Learn as we go... Oh gods I don't know if I can!" his eyes lifted
up from his son to look at her. "what if I make a mistake? What if I..."

"You already did the first thing right," she smiled warmly.  Fully
understanding how he must be feeling at the moment. She had felt that way
the first time they had laid Jadain in her arms. "You accepted that it is
your son, and the responsibilities that go with him. I think you're on the
right track my dear."

"But what do I do with him when I'm on patrol? I can't just stop being a
rider because I'm a father now!"

"No one would expect you too. That's why we have minders in the Warren.
People who are trained to help raise the babies rider's sometimes have," she
told him. "I use one myself. A wonderful woman name Tania looks after my
daughter while I'm working and she looked after Jadain when I had him. I
could talk to her and ask if she would mind taking on a second child during
the day while you're working if you'd like me too?"

"Really? Do you think she would?" 

"She should be here soon with Vena, my daughter and you can ask her then,"
Leigh told him, pretty sure that once the older minder took one look at the
sweet little boy falling asleep in the rider's arms, she wouldn't be able to
say no.

He nodded. Closed his eyes and was quiet for a few minutes. Then he opened
them and met her eyes. "But what am I going to do? I don't know anything
about being a father! I've never had anyone but Graimor depend on me before.
What if I make a mistake?"

"Then you learn from it and don't make the same mistake twice," she mused
with a wiry grin. "And don't be afraid to ask questions. I'm sure the ladies
around here would only be to happy to give you advice."

The last brought back memories of all the advice she had received after
Jadain was born, on how best to raise him. She was being a little cruel
subjecting M'naten to the *Ladies* but he might benefit from it. Who knew?

A knock sounded at the door and Tania entered with a bundle in her arms.
"One sweet little girl being returned to her mother1" the woman said in her
sing-song tone of voice. "She was ever so good today..... why who is this
little one?" the minder asked when she finally caught sight of the baby in
M'naten's arms. 

"My... son... Kelten," he answered as if testing out his new title for the
first time. "He just arrived tonight from his mothers family."

"And his mother?" the older woman asked, handing Vena to her mother and then
moving closer to peer down at the new baby.

"She's dead," he said sadly. "They say she died while giving birth to him
and her family didn't want him around to remind them of her loss. So they
had him brought to me. I didn't even know she was expecting... she never
told me."

"Poor dear. It's okay sweetling," she cooed softly, looking at M'naten for
permission, before lifting the child out of his fathers hands. "So have you
thought about what you're going to do with him while you are out performing
your duty to this Warren?"

Leigh hid her smile behind her daughters blanket when she saw the look of
relief come across the male rider's face.

"Ah no... Warrenlady Jayleigh and I were just talking about that before you
arrived....."

Tonia's gray eyes slanted a look in Leigh's direction, frowning because she
knew what was about to be asked, and who had put him up to asking. The look
of wide eyed innocence Leigh wore didn't fool her one bit. Not that she
couldn't look after two babies as well as she could just the one. Because
she could, but it had always been her rule to play minder to just one child
at a time.

"And you were wanting to know if I could possibly help you by looking after
this sweet little boy while you were off playing dragonrider and protecting
the lands...?"

"Well..... If it wouldn't be too much for you..." he saw her frown, and
wondered if she would be the right person to look after the boy after all,
but then her expression changed when she looked back at Kelten and the
gentleness of her touch did not go un-noticed. "I mean... I'm still new at
all of this and well to tell you the truth... I need help!"

"Okay."

"Okay?" M'naten took a quick look at Leigh who smiled as she nodded for him
to go on. "You mean you'll do it? You'll help me with him and keep him while
I'm working?"

"But only while you're doing your duty to this Warren young man.... I'll not
keep him so you can go out catting around.. hear me?

"Yes, ma'am," M'naten answered shakily.   

"Okay now that we have that part dealt with, I suppose you would like me to
come home with you and your son to show you what to do tonight to take care
of him.... Humm?"  Tonia commented then turned back to Jayleigh before the
new father could answer. "With your permission Warrenlady I'll see the young
man and his son home and make sure they have enough of what they need before
I go on home."

"That's fine with me Tonia... I'm about to go home myself so I'll just take
Vena with me."

The older woman turned back towards the rider who was still staring down at
the small bundle in his hands and reached out to take the babe from him. Her
face had soften as she looked down at the sweet little boy and cooed for a
moment to still the cries that were about to erupt. 

"Hush little one... Tonia will have you dry and warm in a minute," she said
in the soft tone she found worked well with babies. "M'naten come here and
watch how I do this, because you'll have to do it later on your own. No time
like now to start learning."

M'naten leaned nervously over Tonia's shoulder.  He'd have to do this
later...oh gods, what HAD he done to deserve this? 

<I TOLD you to leave the girl alone and you ignored me, that's what you did
to deserve this.> 

"You know," Tania turned to him and grinned. "I think it would be better if
I talk you through it the first time. So come on... the sooner he's dry the
sooner we can go."

[Tag KK... how will he do his first time??]]

Leigh finally let out the laugh she had worked hard to hide after M'naten
and Tonia left her office. The look on M'naten's face had been priceless and
it had taken everything in her not to burst out laughing when he'd been
baptized by his son. 

Still chuckling, she reach down into Vena's office bassinets and picked up
her daughter who had fallen back asleep during the fun and pulled her
blanket around her before leaving her office for the night. 

"Leigh! Wait up!!" she turned at the sound of her brother's voice and waited
for him to catch up to her.

"You've got to come... Tair'n... He's been hurt," Ja'ks told her and saw the
blood drain from her face. Her hands clutched her daughter to her.

"How bad?" she asked, fearing the worse. "And why didn't anybody tell me
earlier when you arrived back here!?!"

"I'm not sure but that Nomad kid was going in to see him when I took off to
come get you," he said falling into step beside her. "You want me to take Vena?"

"NO," she said a bit to quickly. "I'm find Ja'ks really. I just need to know
how he is. Did you get the person responsible for it?"

They came to the med center then before he could answer and she went up to
the duty nurse behind the desk and asked where they had taken Tair'n.

"Down the hall third door to the right M'lady and he's fine so don't worry."

"Don't worry," she muttered to herself as she forced herself to slow down.
She didn't have any right to go charging in the room acting like a worried
lover any longer. 

"It's only as he is Vena's father that I'm concerned now," she told herself
and it was getting easier to believe. To much time and water had crossed
under old bridges and there was no going back.

Ja'ks caught up with her before she could push the door open, and grabbed
her arm to stop her. "Before you go in there I have to warn you... Gerald is
in there with him." He said and watched the play of emotions cross over her
face before she pulled herself together. 

"I'll be fine," she told him finally, when she felt she could speak again.
"I'm only go to see Tair'n. To check on him as rider of this Warren and
Vena's father. What Gerald I had has been over for a long..... long time. I
have to see Tair'n. It would seem like I was cold and uncaring if I just
stayed away."

"People will understand if you do Jays," her brother told her. 

"I know. But I would never be able to forgive myself. He is Vena's father
and I won't deny her his presence in her life."

"What about Gerald?"

"The Gerald I knew is dead," she said flatly, though the thought of what
could have been still had the power to hurt her deeply. "The man inside this
room is a stranger that I don't know anymore."

She pushed the door open then before Ja'ks could think of some other
argument for her not to and stepped into the room. 

R'ven saw her first and came to give her a friendly kiss on the cheek. "He's
back with us Leigh."

"I can see that," she said turning her eyes to the still handsome man on the
bed. Gerald seated on the other side of the bed she ignored. "Vena missed
her father," she said lamely, not knowing what else to say." 

[[does he want to see her Lyn?]]

"We've been talking about what's going to happen," R'ven told her sensing
the tension in the room. "Gerald wants to talk to Martyn and go over the
evidence that he collected. I was going to ask you to send a rider to Marrid
after him so he could be here in the morning."

"Fine. I'll talk to T'rell and see who he suggests to go. He can give the
rider the picture of the new location for Marrid Warren." She commented, her
tone emotionless as she directed her words to R'ven. "Then we can begin the
trial the day after. I've asked T'rell to officiate as I don't think it
would be right to do so myself. He's agreed."

"Do you think that'll be enough time to prepare for trial?" Gerald asked softly.

"I think by now we have enough evidence to decide weather or not Tair'n is
guilty or innocent," she answered to the room and saw Tair'n flinch. R'ven
frowned at her words and she felt slightly guilty for saying them the way
she had, but being in the same room with the two men she had once loved was
beginning to get to her. "Once Martyn has had a chance to present the
evidence he found with the help of M'naten and Sharees I'm sure there will
be no doubt in anyone's mind that Tair'n could never have done such a vile
thing to his son."

"So you believe he is innocent of the charges?" Gerald asked her, not
knowing... or maybe he did what she was going through by being there.

"I do." She was looking right at Tair'n when she spoke the two words. No
matter the problems they shared. She wanted him to be in no doubt when it
came to her feelings and beliefs of his innocence in the crime. 

They talked a while longer and then she left, taking her sleeping daughter
with her and on the way back to her apartment she asked Troy to have T'rell
meet her there. 

"I need for you to send someone to Marrid to request Martyn's return for a
few days," she told him and partly explained what had been discuss in
Tair'n's room, while she handed him the glass of the Marrid Red she'd
decided to treat herself to.

Revena was asleep in her crib in the other room and Jadain had been staying
with her parents, helping them to look after his friend Cal'an. Tair'n's
son. So she didn't worry about having a glass or two of the wine... To help
her relax after her stressful day.

T'rell's eyes opened wide at the unexpected treat, and nodded his thanks. 

"Martyn will have to testify to what he found when he investigated the area
around where... it happened, and I want him to go over it with ... With
Gerald tomorrow."

T'rell's face went blank for a moment as he past on the order for Flerrion,
his dragon, and the dragon of the rider he had chosen. Then he looked back
at Leigh. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine why do you ask?" she was surprised that he had.

"With *him* being back in the Warren."

"It's his home. He has a right to be here as much as the next guy," she
shrugged taking the seat beside him. "If you're asking if I'm going to chase
after him and beg him to come back... relax..."

Jayleigh I would never ask..." T'rell started but she cut him off before he
could utter the lie.

"Yes you would and we both know it!" she grinned knowingly, and laid her
head against the back cushion of the couch. "We're friends after all T'rell
and since when can't a friend say or ask what they want without hemming and
hawing around what they mean?"

"Okay *friend* how do you feel about him being back?"

"It'll take some getting used to seeing him pop in and out of here, but what
Gerald and I had is over. I know that now and can finally go on without
feeling like I want to just end it all."

"You mean it does get easier?" he asked dryly, and she could sense some
sadness about him she hadn't noticed before. 

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, turning her head slightly to look at him.

"Mari and I have decided to go our separate ways," he said. "Actually she
chose Jason over me so ... but it's a long story."

"I'll lend you a shoulder if you care to talk about it," she offered. "I
mean after all... what are friends for?"

[[Tag John... does he need a shoulder?]]

Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was that she trusted T'rell in a way she
didn't trust many others, but she didn't even feel strange when she laid her
head down on his shoulder and sighed. 

"Maybe neither of us was meant to be happy in love," she commented, her eyes
focused on the level of the wine in her glass. 

Without asking her if she wanted more, T'rell filled both of their glasses
and set the bottle aside.

"Maybe. I thought I was in love once before you know," he told her.

"That healer in Marrid you went to see?"

He nodded. 

"She most be a pretty special woman if you still think of her so fondly."

"She is. Very special. We found out that we were to different to be lovers
but made great friends. So we decided to just be fiends before we ruined
everything."

"I'd like to meet this healer some day."

"Maybe you will," he grinned, his head tilting to the side to lay on top of
hers. 

It was strange, Leigh thought to herself. That she could be sitting here on
the couch drinking wine and leaning against T'rell and not feel strange
about it. He was her friend, and she felt as comfortable with him as she
would have felt with Ja'ks.

"Oh well... I guess if I'm to act as judge during the trial then I'd better
get some rest tonight and figure out what I'm going to do when it starts,"
he sighed sometime later. "Thanks for the Red... and the shoulder."

"Any time my friend."

After he had left she still didn't feel like going to bed. She was tired,
but knew sleep would allude her if she tried, so she took her bottle and
went to sit on the dragon ledge outside. Troy her Queen was sleep in her
hollow so even she wouldn't be company tonight.

She'd been sitting there for sometime thinking about the path her life had
taken when she saw someone walking by. A man by the set of his shoulders,
and as he started to pass by under the ledge she recognized the new rider,
D'Altar.

"Settling in okay?" she called out and saw his body tense slightly before he
looked up and saw her sitting there with her legs hanging over the caves edge.

She raised a glass to him in apology for startling him. "Care to join me for
a glass?" she asked. "It's a Marrid Red... Definitely not a wine to refuse
when offered." 

"A man would be crazy to turn down a Marrid Red," he smiled sheepishly and
bowed slightly from the waist. "Or the company of his Warrenlady."

"Ahh... but you see the deal tonight is... I'm just Jayleigh... not the
Warrenlady. I just want to be a normal person for a little while and forget
I'm suppose to be running this place."

"M'lady you could never be just a normal person, but for tonight I will try
to ... forget that," he said with some amusement in his voice as he joined
her and accepted the wine she offered.

"So how have you been getting on with settling in?" she asked.
"If you need anything be sure to ask. We'd like to see you happy here in Daere."

"I'm afraid there is one person who may not be to happy to have me here," he
said, and she could tell it bothered him greatly.

"Kayla?"

He nodded. 

"I'm afraid that I bring back sad memories for her and tonight I pulled
something I might not should have?"

"Oh?"

"She's a nice girl and all, but I can't be who she wants me to be," he told
her. "I can't be the man she was in love with."

"Did you let her down gently?" thinking she knew what he had done.

"As gently as I could," he nodded. "We came to an understanding of kind."

"But you didn't like having to hurt her?"

"No.... But I felt I couldn't let it go on any longer and hurt her worse later."

"I wouldn't worry about it," Leigh told him placing her hand on his arm.
"Kayla is a stronger woman then she knows. It'll just take her sometime, but
I don't think she'll hold it against you for long."

"I hope not." 

They were both silent for a few moments, each enjoying the darkness of the
night and the taste of the wine. 

"This is good," he told her and held up his glass when she offered to refill
it. Hers, she left alone thinking she'd already had enough. 

"So tell me about yourself D'Altar?" she asked. "The good stuff... Not the
stuff you would tell the Warrenlady. But the stuff that makes you who you
are....."

"What would you like to know?" he asked slightly pleased by this side of her
he hadn't know existed. 

"Everything." Anything to keep me from feeling lonely for a while longer,
she thought but didn't say aloud. 

[Tag Peter..... care to get to know her better?]

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

Jayleigh & Viktroy, Warrenlady
Ja'ks & Sprarroe, Beta Wingleader
Tonia, child minder
Daere Warren

Aka
Barbara