"Marialla"

The Jr. Queenrider had too much time on her hands.  She was worried.  Jason 
had gone out to battle the wraiths, and so many others, now.  She wished 
that she could be out helping them, but knew that was an impossibility.  She 
had done everything that Jayleigh had ask her to do and still needed 
something to keep her mind off what was going on just outside the Warren.

She noticed a group of small children playing.  She guessed the ages ranged 
from 3 to 7.  She knew that some were brothers and sisters.  Children of the 
riders off fighting off the wraiths.  Maybe they needed her as much as she 
needed them.

"Hello children."  she said with a smile that came easily watching the small 
children playing with a toy dragon, all dreaming of someday becoming riders 
like their parents.
"Would you mind if I play with you?"  she asked.

"Ma'am, don't you have important things to do?" One of the older children 
asked.

She smiled again and looked at the children.  "I think that time spent with 
all of you is important.  But please call me Mari. What's your dragon's 
name?" She asked the little girl that was obviously the owner of the toy, by 
the way she was protecting it.

"It doesn't have a name."  the girl said looking at the Jr. Queenrider 
strangely.  "My mamma said that it knows it's name and will tell me when 
it's ready."

Mari laughed.  "Your mamma is quite right, dear.  But can I give it a name 
and use it in my story.  It won't be for real.  I'm just pretending.  Would 
you like to hear my story?"  She asked and the children grouped around her 
to listen as the young girl with the toy dragon nodded and handed the toy to 
Marialla.

Mari smiled at their enthusiasm and sat quietly for a moment as she wondered 
how she'd begin this story.

"Once upon a time there was a Lord.  He owned much land and was very 
wealthy.  He had a son named Johan.  He worked very hard to make his son 
happy, but the more he did the more unhappy he became.  He tried very hard 
to find out what would make the young man happy.  He went as far as hiring a 
young man to befriend his son."

"This young man, name Daltrey, was very outgoing and energetic, but also one 
that could listen and give advice.  He knew that his son would be 
comfortable around him.  The one thing that Daltrey didn't like was having 
to report things back to the Lord.  He would tell him things that would not 
reveal any confidential information.  Johan knew that Daltrey worked for his 
father, but also learned quickly that he was loyal to him, before his 
father."

"The two men became best friends.  They did everything together and Johan 
was much happier.  Daltrey knew that something was still missing from his 
life and wasn't sure what to do about it."

"One day dragonriders came to the Lord's castle.  They were searching for 
candidates for the hatching that was soon to occur.  And to the Lord's 
surprise his son Johan was searched.  He was angry.  He refused to let Johan 
leave for what he called "nonsense."
Johan was very unhappy, not only because his father wouldn't let him go, but 
because his friend Daltrey was also been asked to go to the Warren."

"It hurt Daltrey, to see her friend so sad again."

One of the younger children laughed.  "Mari, you just called Daltrey a 
girl!"

"Oh?  Did I?  Now where was I?"  she smirked and continued her story for her 
very content audience.

"Anyway, Daltrey went to the Lord and was very forceful, knowing that he 
could be killed for his actions, but his friendship was much more important. 
  'Lord,  I know in your heart you want your son to be happy.  He is your 
eldest and you want all this for him'.  He spread his arm out showing all 
the property the Lord owned.  'But this isn't what he wants.  He wants to go 
to the Warren with me.  I will watch out for him as I've done under your 
instruction.  If he is not happy there, I will bring him back to you.  But 
if his happiness is your concern then I believe you must let him try.  He'll 
never be happy if he doesn't."

"At first the Lord was very angry, but as he thought about what was truly 
important to him, he decided to let his eldest son go with the riders to the 
warren.  After all if a Lord isn't happy in what he does, he would be a 
failure and his younger son Wilhem seemed eager to learn."

"'Take him with you, Daltrey.  But if I hear he's not being watch out for, I 
will hunt you down."

"Sir you know that my loyalty is to Jonah.  He is my best friend."  With 
that Daltrey ran to his friend and soon the two departed for the warren.  
Training went quickly and they both did very well.  The day of the hatching 
came.  All the warren and surrounding area was excited because this hatching 
meant a new queen.  Crowds came from all over and in the crowd was the Lord. 
  He wanted his son to be happy, but still secretly hoped that he wouldn't 
join with a dragon."

"Jonah was one of the first to join with a dragon.  His name was Archer.  He 
was a white dragons with red veins in his wings and a red spine and tail 
tip.  A beautiful dragon.  His father was sad when he joined, but saw a joy 
on his son's face that he'd never seen before and congratulated his son, and 
left the warren quickly, before the hatching was over."

Mari paused, but the children weren't about to let the story end there.  
"What about Daltrey?"  they all shouted in unison.

Mari giggled.  "Daltrey joined with the queen Cindersa.  She was a beautiful 
Silver with black wing tips.  When the sun hit her it was hard to look at 
her."

"'Daltrea,' the young queen called.  'You are so loyal to your friend and I 
know you will be loyal to me and the warren.'"

"Daltrea began to cry.  She loved the little queen and would alway be loyal 
to her.  But now she would have to confess to Jonah.  She had lied to her 
friend for months, because she knew she could help him, but only if he could 
convince Jonah's father to hire her.  She knew that the Lord wouldn't hire a 
woman for such a position, so she spent a very long time convincing everyone 
that she was a man."

"But sometimes men join with Queens." one of the older children said.

"Yes, that's true, but Daltrey or Daltrea was a woman.  She pulled off the 
cap she always wore, letting her long red hair fall around her shoulders.  
The crowd gasped as she threw her arms around the young queen."

"Jonah stared at what he saw, not knowing how to respond to his friend.  He 
confided things in her that he would not have confided in a woman.  But she 
had been loyal to him and never turned from him.  She was his friend, but 
how would he be the same around her.

"<Love, you need to go talk to Archer's match.  He is very confused and 
needs his friend.>

"Daltrea looked up to see her friend watching her, confused in what he saw.  
She went to the man and said,  "I'm sorry I've deceived you for so very 
long.  But I needed you as a friend.  I needed you to think of me as that, 
before you thought of me in any other way.  I knew it was the only way to 
find out what you needed to be happy."

"He was still confused, but as he looked down at Archer, he realized that he 
would not be this happy if it hadn't been for Daltrea's deception.  He was 
able to forgive his friend.  No one knows what happened to their friendship 
after that, but this was a very happy day for both of them, because their 
friendship was still strong and they were happy."

"I think they became mates." sighed one of the little girls.

"Yew...yuck! One of the boys said and started teasing the little girl.

Mari laughed.  "Well you can all have it end the way you each wish."  she 
smiled.

Marialla's mind wandered back to the story,  "Friendship is more important 
than anything in a relationship."  she whispered to herself and then said a 
quick prayer to the gods that Jason would return safely from  the battle.  
She needed him to know that.

Respectfully Submitted,
Marialla and Regenta

NRPG:  Just something for Mari to do while the battle rages.









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