It was the morning after the performance by the Four Corners of the Wind. 
Evelle and Wynn were having breakfast with her parents and Wynn's father,
Traven.   It was only Traven's second day at the warren, but Kelara and
V'redan had already made him feel welcome.  The three were looking forward
to the birth of their first grandchild though Kelara was also expecting.

Warren life would be a tremendous change for Traven.  Evelle admired the
adventurous spirit that would accept such a change at his time of life. 
But, already there was a sparkle in his eye and a spring to his step that
hadn't been there when she had surreptitiously left Jasra to persuade him
to return with her.  His years of solitude and loneliness were beginning to
fade from memory.  A farmer all his life, he was discussing with V'redan
what work he might do at Jasra.

"I'll not be sitting around idle," he insisted.  "I'm an outdoorsman, but
I've a fair hand at carving.  Made all of our furniture back at the old
house and proud of it I am.  It stood the test of time and my wife thought
it was as fine as if bought and paid for."  His eyes twinkled with pride.

"Then why not build furniture here, Traven?" V'redan asked.  "With a
hatching coming, there will be fifteen to twenty new riders taking
apartments.  Enough to keep you busy for sure."

"I'll do it!  Fell my own timber, too.  Hire a couple of young lads to help
with the chopping and hauling.  And the first thing I'll fashion will be a
cradle.  Or two," he added with a smile at Kelara.

"It sounds great, Dad," Wynn said with a smile.  "All except the tree
chopping.  Don't you think that's a little rough for you?"

"At my age?" Traven finished for him.  "Don't sass me, lad," he said
fondly.  "I'm not ready for the rocking chair yet, and I'll wager I can
give you a good fight in an arm wrestle if you care to accept the
challenge."

"'All right, all right," Wynn capitulated.  "No arm wrestling now though. 
I've got to get morning practice started."

He drank the last of his coffee and stood up, Evelle rising with him.

"I've go to go, too.  The troupe that presented to us last night are
supposed to be in my office in ten minutes."

"Weren't they wonderful?" Kelara asked rhetorically.  "I do hope they stay
for a while."

"I'm planning to ask them to do just that," her daughter answered.  "And
for more reasons than just their talent."

"Dragon affinity?"  Kelara rarely had trouble knowing what her daughter was
thinking.

"Very much so.  Mother, you're grounded for the time being just as I am. 
Would you mind checking on the youngsters?"

"I was planning to, dear."

Evelle kissed her parents and her father-in-law, then let Wynn take her arm
and escort her to her office.  Her arms snaked around his neck and her kiss
was a promise.

"Have a good practice, love.  See you later."  

"Don't work too hard," he cautioned.  Wynn had gotten a little used to his
mate's pregnancy, but he still worried about her.

"I'll be good," she promised.  I'll see the troupe and I've got to do the
paperwork on this month's tithes from the cities, but I promise to take my
rest breaks.  

Wynn kissed her again and hurried off to his morning practice.  With
hatching coming soon, he knew he would have to have his wing in top shape
so he could devote time to the newly joined.  Evelle had asked him if he
had anyone in mind to help with teaching the new riders all they had to
learn or to lead some of the combat training, but he hadn't yet made a
decision.

The four entertainers arrived on time for their appointment.  They took
seats at Evelle's invitation and waited for the WarrenLady to speak first.

"I'd like to officially welcome you all to Jasra Warren and to thank you
for the wonderful entertainment you presented last night.  We have a
surprisingly large number of bards and even talented dragonriders for such
a small warren, but your show was a treat for everyone.  A much needed
treat to my way of thinking.  I am Evelle.  May I know your names?"

	The dark-haired young woman spoke first.  "I am Hyana.  This is my
brother, Corin, and our adopted sister and brother, Shalyn and Kyle.  We
thank the WarrenLady for her reception."

"I'm pleased to meet you.  Have you had breakfast?"  

Evelle thought perhaps they hadn't.  Performers were often late risers,
much as she would have been if not for Wynn's special wake-up calls.  Corin
confirmed her guess.

"Well then, please go to the Dining Hall when you leave here.  I can
promise you won't go hungry in Jasra.  While we can't pay you in coin,
you're welcome to share our food and any other supplies you may need.  And
now, I'd really like to know a little about you all."

They were a sociable group who talked easily and openly of themselves,
Corin being more reserved at first than Hyana and the irrepressible Kyle. 
All except Shalyn who said not a word but made signs with her hands. 
Evelle gave them her full attention; the aura of dragon affinity was very
strong.

"I'm afraid I can't understand your signs," she said to Shalyn.

"She is mute," Hyana explained, "but she says she's so happy that our
presentation gave pleasure."

"It certainly did.  So much so that I wonder if you would like to stay at
Jasra for a while.  We'll have a hatching soon and that's quite something
to see.  Your lodgings, of course, will be provided in return for a
performance from time to time."

They looked surprised, but interested, Evelle thought.  Hyana asked if they
could have a little time to talk it over among themselves.

"Of course you may.  Take as much time as you need.  We all hope your
answer will be yes."

"I don't need any time," Kyle piped up.  "I've already seen a girl or two
I'd like some time to get to know."

"Well, the offer will stay open," Evelle laughed.  "Look around as much as
you like, visit with the warrenfolk, and let me know your decision."

She did not tell them she believed one of more of them would join at the
hatching.  They weren't yet ready to know that, but Evelle believed the
strength of the dragon affinity would influence their decision to stay. 
They left with the promise of a quick decision.

Two hours later Evelle was still hard at work with warren business when her
other half called to her.

{Evelle.  I could use some company.}

{Of course you could, sweet girl.  I'll be right there.}

Glad of the break, Evelle hurried down to the hatching cavern.  Alicynth
had laid her eggs shortly after the romp in the ocean with Wynn, Piper and
S'brogh.  Evelle had loved swimming in the salty ocean waters as much as
she had anticipated.  The rolling waves were so different from the calm
lake where she and Wynn had first found their love.  So had Wynn, Piper,
S'brogh and all their dragons.

A little surprised to find her brother there with Piper, Evelle was
nevertheless rather pleased by it.  She had questioned S'brogh later but
had found him unusually reticent.  He said only that he thought her lovely
and enjoyed her company.  Evelle hadn't pressed the issue, nor even asked
Wynn if S'brogh had confided anything to him.  Her brother seemed happier
than he had in some time, more the old, fun-loving S'brogh she loved.  When
he had something to tell, he would.

She stepped onto the hot sand of the hatching cavern and hurried over to
put her arms around Alicynth.  Her eggs were just beginning to show their
colors.  There didn't seem to be a metallic one in this clutch although it
was really too early to tell.

{How are you, Ali?}

{I'm all right, but it took you long enough to come down here} Alicynth
complained.  {Malekith visited early but then had to go off with his rider
to practice.  I was lonesome.}

{I know.  I do have work to do, you know, but I'm here now and I'll stay
until lunch.  I can't miss meals these days, sweet girl.}

{Your hatchling.  Why does it have to take so long for human hatchlings to
be born?  I couldn't imagine waiting as long as you have to, Evelle.}

{It just does, Ali.  Human babies can't live on their own as soon as baby
dragons.}

{I suppose. It just shows that dragons are ever so much superior as
everyone knows.  I just hope there are riders who will be worthy of my
children.}

Evelle couldn't help laughing.  Dragon pride was a never-ending source of
entertainment.

{I'm sure there will be good riders for them all.  Are you sure you're
feeling all right?  Not all grumpy like Kaeryth is when she's hatching?}

{No, I'm much better suited to it than my mother, Evelle.  You know that. 
It's just not fun that I can't go in the ocean again until they hatch.  It
was so wonderful and I only got to go once.  Promise you won't go again
until I can?}

{Oh, Ali.  Please don't make me promise that.  I'm grounded too, you know,
and I've got to have some fun.  Besides the water is good for my baby.}

{Well, if it's good for the hatchling, I guess it's okay.  But you have to
visit me here every day, no matter what.  Deal?}

{Deal.  As if I could stay away from you, you copper beauty!}

Evelle smiled happily and spread out a towel on the hot sand where she lay
in comfort beneath Alicynth's spread wing and began to tell her dragon of
the new arrivals in Jasra.

Evelle, WarrenLady of Jasra
&  Alicynth, dragon queen  

NRPG:  Welcome to Jasra, Bel.  Your first post was wonderful.  I'm sure the
denizens of Jasra will want to
meet Shalyn and her troupe. :) 
A couple of points.  First, Evelle is the WarrenLady, not the DragonLady. 
Vignette, an NPC, is the
DragonLady of this realm of the DragonLands.  Vignette lives in Ismene
Warren.

Second, when Alicynth's eggs hatch, feel free to have Shalyn and any other
of your NPC's join if you like.
Bear in mind that when Shalyn does join, her dragon will know all there is
to know about her, including 
the secret that she can speak.  And, dragons do love to gossip, but it's up
to you how much your dragon
will tell the others. :)

-- 
Judi Marko
lexia@earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~lexia


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