ãHello, Evelle.ä Wade said, relief creeping into her voice.
        Lucky stuck his hand out to Evelle who shook hands without a
second thought.
        ãIâm Lucky.ä He said. ãAnd, this is Râlen.ä Gesturing towards
the white dragon.
        ãHeâs very young.ä Evelle said.
        Lucky nodded agreement. ãJust hatched.ä
        ãRecruit?ä Lucky asked, in reference to Evelleâs earlier
comment. ãDoes that 
mean that we can stay here?ä
        ãOf course.ä Evelle said, smiling a warm smile. ãIf you want
to.ä
        <What do you think about that?> Lucky thought silently to Râlen.
        *They never run out of food.* The dragon thought back.

*Jasra welcomes all* Wade smiled. It was a smile tinged with a sad irony
though as some of the newest members of Jasra were children, orphaned by
the recent atrocities perpetrated by man. Wade sighed and wondered how
she could ever learn to cope with being around humans. 

~I know, my rider, you have had a difficult life. You fear getting close
for fear of rejection, or worse, fear that those you love will be taken
from you. You must let go of those fears though, or you will live
forever alone.~ Jismin knew the inner turmoil that plagued her rider.

~But I am not alone, I have you.~ Wade began to protest.

~That is not enough, and you know that I speak true,~ Jismin continued,
~Your heart tells you what to do now and yet you do not want to listen.
Your fears stop you from doing what is right.~

~What if I can not take care of the Babe? I wonât take on the
responsibility knowing I can fail.~ 

~You must listen to your heart and not to old fears. The lessons you
learned in the past are not always relevant today,~ Jismin knew that
enough was said and left Wade to think things through. 

ãWade, are you all right?ä Evelle asked, snapping Wade from deep
thought.

ãYes, thank you, I just have a lot on my mind,ä she answered, smiling
softly.

ãIt has been a trying time for all of us,ä Evelle said understandingly.
Not wanting to pry, Lucky remained silent and did not ask what had been
trying for them. 

ãI have much to look, please excuse me,ä Evelle continued, then looking
to Lucky, ãWelcome to Jasra, if you need anything there are many people
to help, do not hesitate to ask.ä Smiling to both of them she made her
way to the side door. 

ãWill you be all right here for a few minutes?ä Wade asked, coming to
the conclusion that her heart had been telling her, that she and the
baby belonged together. ãI have something to take care of myself.ä

ãSure, by the look of things we will be here for some time,ä Lucky said,
laughing as Râlen looked up long enough to swallow and smile past a face
covered in food.

Wade made her way to the side door, was not far from it when she heard a
large crash that came from the other side of the door. Carefully opening
the door, she saw a pile of wood blocking most of the walk way and the
door that opened to the ground hanging skewed on its hinges. Sounds of
things still falling emanated from the hole. A moaning sound followed
that Wade knew right away to be Evelle. 

Looking past the settling dust Wade negotiated her way down the steps.
At the bottom she found Evelle, half buried in a pile of fist sized
oblong brown things that looked and smelled of dirt. She had taken quite
a tumble, and despite the darkness, Wade could see she was bleeding from
a deep cut to her forehead. Wade ignored the approaching voices of
concern and after taking a deep breath, reached out to touch the woman. 

Pain flashed white sparks in her mind, and she felt blood begin to
trickle down her own forehead. It was difficult to maintain
consciousness, but Wade sensed something else, something besides her
injury to her head. 

The realization almost through her off balance, but she could not stop
what she was doing. Evelle was with child, and it had been injured in
the fall. If Wade did not do something quick it would not live. She bit
her lip, fighting back a wave of nausea, it became impossible to see
with the blood flowing into her eyes so she shut them tightly and
concentrated on healing the infant.

She felt the pain course through her body. She heard voices behind her,
Lucky was there, and Zach. 

ãZach...ä she whispered and gave into the darkness knowing the child
would survive.


______________________________
NRPG
Respectfully Submitted
Renee Lewis-Grothe
a.k.a. 
Renelle Amandine/CSciO, USS Discovery
Jismin & Wade/Jasra, Dragon Lands


~Who is behind all of this? Was Evelles fall an accident?~
~Sorry about the delay in this post John.~


Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting form you now,
This much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;

Poe


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