Morning Day 4

Sharees yawned and stretched.  She couldn't remember having slept so well in
ages.  Her back and shoulder muscles for once didn't ache.  Then she
remembered... M'naten.  She looked around.  The handsome dragon rider was no
where to be seen!  She laughed, ruefully.  "I guess I fell asleep."  She
grinned as she spoke to the empty room.

She dressed quickly and mounting Chamelle she flew down to the green.  She
hurried to the dining hall to grab a quick cup of coffee before training.
She saw T'rell and Jason over at a table but when she went to say, "Hi" the
two stood up and T'rell simply said, "time for training."

When they got out onto the training field, Sharees noticed that Mari and
Regenta were not there, however, knowing that today's lesson was supposed to
be formation flying, she just figured that the queen wouldn't need to learn
those maneuvers.

Sharees noticed that T'rell, who looked like a man with too little sleep and
too much caffeine, barked more at the trainees than usual, and especially
Jason who seemed not to be able to do anything right.

She mounted up and they took to the sky.  She relished in the feeling of the
wind in her face, feeling the power of Chamelles's wingbeats as they rose.

Sharees and Chamelle landed after they finished the diamond formation.
T'rell began explaining the next pattern, which included teleporting from in
front to behind a second line.  She noticed how sad he looked.

<Chamelle, can you ask Flerrion why his rider is so.... upset?>

<*He says it has something to do with Reggie's rider... and Starfire's.*>

<Oh...>  Sharees watched as the two men obviously were uncomfortable with
each other.

T'rell called for their attention again and Sharees and the other trainees
took off to practice another formation.

****
TAG to John and the other "trainees" Joan and Mike :)

****
Training was short but intense, and the riders finally broke for an early
lunch, or late breakfast, depending on whether they had eaten before the
session.

****
In the dining hall.

Sharees piled up her tray, starving after the morning exercise as well as
only having had coffee for breakfast.  She caught site of Allora, who was
quickly wolfing down a pastry and a drink.

"Allora!  I've been meaning to talk to you..."  Sharees said, frowning at
the girl's hurry,  "Where are you heading off to in such a hurry?"

"The med center.  You know I really do enjoy helping out there, even though
I was assigned to ... only as a... punishment."

"I'm so glad!  But I hope you are still keeping up with your craft.  And
speaking of which... with our dragons getting larger they'll all need their
permanent saddles...  and to be honest, since joining with Chamelle I
haven't been able to keep up with my back orders."

"Really?"  Allora looked puzzled.  "But I've had so few requests for my
services...."

"Oh!"  Sharees looked uncomfortable at that, "I'm sorry... maybe people just
don't know you yet?  Once they've seen your beautiful work, I'm sure you'll
have more requests than you can handle!"  Sharees smiled at the other rider.

Allora nodded, though she did not look convinced.  Her eyes got a far away
look, and Sharees knew she was talking with Thornguard.  Suddenly Allora
brightened, "OK, I'll help with the saddles.  Can I make something special
for Regenta?"

"Of course!  I know how close your dragon and Regenta are..."  Sharees
smiled.

"I really need to run, though.  They are expecting me at the med center,"
Allora said.

"I certainly wouldn't want to keep you.  And, thanks, Allora."  Sharees
called to the departing girl.

****
TAG Joan

****
Sharees had noticed Jason and T'rell earlier head off over to a table by
themselves, and seemed deep in conversation.  They both bolted suddenly.
Now what was up with them?  Sharees wondered.

But before she could even think of finding out, her eyes were covered by two
large, strong hands.

"Guess who?"  the deep voice whispered in her ear.

"Hmmmm?  Can you give me a clue?"  Sharees giggled.

Warm breath brushed her cheek, as soft, warm lips nibbled at her neck.  The
hands slipped down from her eyes on to her shoulders, massaging them gently.
Sharees sighed, her eyes remaining closed, as she enjoyed the sensations.

"Let me see, is it R'jad?  No... D'tran?  No!  I know, I know! It's C'lin!"
She laughed.

"Oh, sure..."  M'naten grinned down at her, his laughing eyes met hers.  He
sat down at her table and plopped the plaster casting and fingerprint
dusting powder on the table in front of her.

She groaned, dramatically.  "No... not another foot!"  Dutifully, however,
she followed M'naten over to the main door of the dining hall.  Every man
who entered the hall was subjected to their test.  They were moving through
the list Vestra had given them rather swiftly, but not a single person
matched the print, nor did anyone refuse entry or testing.  The day wore on,
with frequent breaks to get food and drinks.

"At this rate I'll be weighing as much as a dragon before we finish this!"
M'naten complained as a girl brought them another tray of Realee's pastries.
He winked at Nuleen, and the girl blushed.

Sharees frowned, noticing this interchange of glances.  "Too bad something
else besides your ego isn't as big as a dragon's"  She said making a pointed
look at his lap.

M'naten raised an eyebrow at Sharees's mock frown.  "It grows on you," he
retorted with an outrageous grin.

Nuleen flushed almost dropping the pastries, and scurried away.

Sharees laughed, but then her eyes took on that far away look as her
dragon's mindvoice interrupted their conversation and any comeback she might
have made.

<*I'm hungry my rider, I think I'm going to go hunting... oh, and Reggie is
back.*>  Chamelle informed her rider.

<Back?  Where did she go?>

<*Some island.  Thornguard, Flerrion and Starfire's riders went to rescue
her rider.*>

<Rescue?? Where is Mari now?>  Sharees asked in concern, as a cold dread
came upon her.

<*The med center.  Can I go eat now?*>  Chamelle's mindvoice tinged with
annoyance.

<Yes,> Sharees turned to M'naten, "I need to go... Mari has been hurt and is
in the med center...."

"Look, I'll finish up here... you go ahead."  M'naten insisted, but as
Sharees rose from the seat where she'd been taking fingerprints he
commented, "But... you owe me."

"I'll look forward to paying you off, but I'm sure you can handle it.  It's
gotten rather quiet in here anyway."  Sharees grinned back.  "But I should
be back before the dinner rush."


****
Tag KK.

****
Med Center.

Sharees waited anxiously to know if she could go in and see Mari.  She'd
been told the young junior queenrider was resting when she'd arrived and the
nurse was going to go check to see if she wanted any more visitors.

The nurse came back swiftly, "Yes, Mari said she'd love to see you... right
this way."

Sharees followed the nurse down the hall.  Her heart hammered in her chest
and she felt her breath becoming harsh.  She hated the med center.  Too many
people died here.  She swallowed trying to be rational, but her fear of
medical procedures and the med center in general almost overwhelmed her.
Thankfully the nurse showed her into a rather brightly lit room where Mari
leaned against the back of a bed, a pair of crutches leaned against the
wall.

"Sharees!"  the girl greeted her. "I was just thinking of you... and
M'naten."

"Me and M'naten?"  Sharees's face flushed as she pictured herself *with*
M'naten.

"Oh, yes!  I was wondering how the investigation was going...?"  Mari looked
at her with hope shining in her eyes.

"Oh..."  Sharees grinned, relaxing a bit.  Then she sobered.  "We've been
trying to find a foot to match this plaster cast that Martyn made near the
spot where Tair'n was found..."

"And?"  Mari queried.

"I'm afraid we haven't had any luck.  Nor with the fingerprints on the
bottle."  Sharees shook her head sadly.

Mari sighed, "It doesn't look very good for Tair'n, does it... but I know he
didn't... he couldn't!"

Sharees nodded, though she tried to be impartial, she just knew in her heart
that Tair'n wouldn't have done such a thing to his own son.  "If only he'd
come back, we could prove that this plaster cast isn't his foot and that
some of those fingerprints on that bottle weren't his."

****
TAG Dianne

****
After wishing the girl a speedy recovery, Sharees left the med center and
hurried back towards the dining hall wondering if M'naten was still at his
post.

****
TAG KK

****
Respectfully submitted by
Arlene Jacobs
AKA Sharees rider of Chamelle of Daere Warren