Belarade
***

Belarade looked around her small apartment that had been recently assigned
to her.  B'Lin and Lecia had managed a much larger space.. but that was due,
to Lecia's status as a junior queenrider.  Belarade hoped that things would
go much smoother for her brother and his wife here in Jasra.
 
Meanwhile, she was faced with life alone.. or, not really so much alone, she
reminded herself as she ran a hand over her stomach.
 
<Bel..> she heard her dragon Menia interrupt her thoughts softly.  <Are you
sad again?>
 
The fiery red beast had tried to console her since their rapid departure
from Xylian, but Belarade had still felt the emptiness at her side.. Ce'Lot
was not there... and neither was Britche..
 
<I am.. okay..> Bel said slowly.  <I think I'm just feeling very tired..>
 
<You should lie down. Nineve said that you would not have all of your
energy...>
 
Belarade settled onto the new bed, towards the back of the apartment and
began to cry.  She had Menia.. that was true.. but other than that.. who
else would share this with her?

Ce'lot
***

<The air smells wrong here,> Britche grumbled, as the teleported over
Xylian's skies. 

<Wrong? Like something bad?> the rider asked, as he silently thanked the
gods nothing had gone wrong in their port through the pockets. It wasn't
something he liked to do, and was surely something to be avoided whenever
possible.

Britche sniffed again, <No, I don't think so .. just different I guess.>

<Well, see if you can find Menia and tell her to collect Bel, I don't intend
to stay long.>

<I've found her,> Britche told him. <But do you think she'll come along
willingly?>

Ce'lot was silent, because of course he wasn't sure. He could only hope
she'd listen to his plea.

The ivory and off-white dragon, circled down and settled on a ledge after
giving his greetings to the watch dragons. He was met by the brilliant red
Menia, who rubbed her head with his. Ce'lot slipped off Britche's back and
headed deeper into the apartment to find Belarade.

He met her coming out of the bathroom as she patted her face dry. The
evidence was clear .. her red eyes gave it away .. she had been crying.

"Bel," he said gently and moved to pull her to him. She stepped back and his
arms dropped, "Bel, I'm sorry if I upset you. I didn't know what I was
saying. But .. but I talked to Nineve and .. well I know you were right
about .. Lady Coneta."

"You do?"

He nodded and shrugged, "I guess I could never believe it before, because I
thought in the end she really loved me. But the fact is, she probably didn't
.. at least not like a person needs to be loved. Not like I love you."

"Really .." she breathed.

"Really." He repeated. "I've come all this way to tell you, and to ask you
to please please come home with me. Be my mate, and let's raise our child
together."

Belarade
***

"Ce'lot.. I will be your mate... but... I do not want to return to Xylian...
And I don't think you should either..." she whispered as she took his hand
and led him to sit down on her bed.  "I think we need a new start.. here in
Jasra.. this warren could give that to us..."

"But... Bel.. I'm wingleader-" Ce'lot started but then stopped as he saw her
eyes.

"I know.. I am asking a lot but -" Belarade stopped and frowned a little
before something dawned on her. "Wait a minute... how did you know?" she
asked referring to his knowledge of the baby.

Ce'lot shrugged a little and smiled some as Belarade turned her gaze towards
the two dragons....

<Britche says that they can have their things here quickly... and he wants
to know about the little Nuns...>

<It may not be a little Nu-> Belarade stopped herself.  <Menia..>

She sighed and looked at Ce'lot.

"I think we both need a change.. A clean slate.  Move to Jasra with me.."

Ce'lot
***

"I don't know, Bel .. Xylian is our home."

"Xylian is your home, Ce'lot," She reminded him. "Menia and I joined here."

"What about your family?"

"They're coming. B'Lin's already talked to them. It'll be a long trek, but
he's hired men to help. I imagine they'll be here in a week or so."

"Bel, this is crazy .."  Ce'lot sputtered, at a complete loss.

"I can understand if you don't want to move here," Belarade told him,
dropping her head and turning away. "After all, there's a lot to keep you
there .. your job .. your mother .. Lady Coneta .."

"Belarade, this is not about her." Ce'lot warned.

"No, you're right. It's about me. I can't live there under her shadow.
She'll always be there. She'll always haunt me there .. haunt us." Belarade
turned to face him, setting her chin against the inevitable. "I'm staying,
Ce'lot. I would give anything to have you stay here with me as well. But I
can't go back. I have to be firm on this. You can stay here with me, which I
pray you will. Or you can go back to her."

"It's not fair of you to ask me to leave my life .."

"I know." She nodded. "I know it's not fair. It's probably not right. But I
have to .. for my own sanity."

Now it was Ce'lot's turn to walk away as he considered what she was asking.
He knew the choice wasn't really between Belarade and Lady Coneta so much as
his old life versus a new one. An old life without Bel .. or a new one with
her and their child. Gods! He didn't know if he'd make a good father .. but
he knew that walking away wasn't an answer.

Finally he turned back to her, "I don't want to leave Xylian. You know
that?"

She nodded, and her chin began to quiver, as tears welled up in her eyes.

"But even more I don't want to be without you." His eyes started to water as
well, "If I have to give up everything else for you, I will, because you are
the only thing that really makes my life worth living."

Lecia
***

Lecia twitched nervously in front of Jasra's warrenlady, "We .. umm .. thank
you for letting us move here."

"It's quite alright. We're glad to have you, though I'm a bit surprised that
Xylian's letting you go .. with a queen .."

"B'Lin, my husband, didn't get along with the warrenlady." Lecia dropped her
eyes, hoping Tara wouldn't see what truly an understatement that was.

"Husband? You're married? Or mated?"

For this Lecia beamed, "We're married, not just mated. We have a paper all
the way from Eos!" Now this was a comfortable topic of conversation ..
unlike the relationship between B'Lin and Rhia.

Tara hid her amusement. Clearly Lecia was landborne, her husband must be as
well. "Well you are both welcome here. I understand from Varaenna that there
were three dragons?"

"Yes my sister-in-law. She left my rotten brother to come with us." Lecia
said smugly. Her distaste for this 'rotten' brother plainly evident.

"She was .. married to your brother?" Tara asked.

"Oh by the gold, no!" Lecia chuckled, becoming more comfortable with this
friendly warrenlady. "He's lived in the warren so long, he had few morals
anymore," she paused grimacing at the warrenlady, "Umm.. I just mean, he .."
Lecia faltered, then decided to just continue on and forget she'd just said
something that might have offended her new warrenlady. "Actually Bel is
B'Lin sister."

"I see," Tara nodded slowly, "Well .. you're all welcome here."

Lecia grinned, "Thank you. I'm sure we'll be very happy here.  And I promise
you, we'll be no trouble at all!"

**B'Lin**
 
Putting the last bit of R'har's toys up, B'Lin surveyed the apartment with a
smug bit of satisfaction.  It looked very good, although this was really
Lecia's job.. 
 
Where was she anyway?
 
She had left quite awhile ago, and was still gone... Well, he'd see to that
soon enough.  R'har was almost seven months old, and it was about time to
start on another.
 
"R'Har you want a little brother don't you?" he asked the tyke who sat
propped up among some pillows on top of a bed.
 
Lecia
***

"I'm home!" Lecia called happily, as she entered the apartment, not really
paying attention to all the work B'Lin had put into cleaning it up. She
smiled when she saw him carrying their son. She'd finally begun to at least
get used to R'Har, and he wasn't such a bad thing after all. As long as she
didn't have to spend every minute of the day with him. "Tara is so nice,
B'Lin. You will make an effort to get along with her won't you?"

"Don't I always?" B'Lin asked.

Lecia cocked her head at him warningly, "I think I'm going to like it here,
and you will to. Just don't get off on Tara's bad side .. please."

"Of course not," he smiled, as he put the baby down on his stomach on a soft
blanket with a few of his favorite toys. R'Har gurgled happily as he reached
for the colorful offerings. B'Lin followed his sons example, purring with
pleasure as he pulled Lecia toward him. "This is a perfect place .." he
started, kissing her.

Lecia wrapped her arms around his neck and accepted his kisses with at nod,
"Umm .hmm .."

".. to raise our family .." he moved to nibble on her neck.

".. yes .." Lecia purred.

"And now .." he continued, beginning to release the buttons at her collar,
".. is the perfect time .."

".. yes, B'Lin .." Lecia loved it when B'Lin took his time when they made
love .. as was clearly his intention now. He could be the gentlest of lovers
when he wanted to.

".. to conceive the next one." B'Lin finished his thought as his lips found
the Lecia's still firm breast.

The jolt of both passion and surprise made her head spin. "Wh .. what .."
she breathed, as he continued to send flames through her body.

He raised his head to peer into her blue-gray eyes, "I think it's time R'Har
had a brother." He once again covered her lips with his.

However, this time Lecia didn't melt quite so fast, "A .. another .." She
pushed him back a bit, "But .. B'Lin .. I .. I don't want another."

B'Lin
***

"Lish..." B'Lin pulled back and frowned at her.  "Of course you want
another.. Now come on..."

He busied himself with trying to push her shirt off the rest of the way
before Lecia stepped back.

"No.. B'Lin... R'har is more than enough..."

He looked at her incredulously for a moment before shaking his head,
deciding to play his cards slowly.  "Lecia.. you know... I would hate to
think that something like this *might* come in between us... or that... it
would be something we *might* separate over..."

Lecia
***

Lecia's eyes filled with horror. Separate?? That was unthinkable. Her mind
raced trying to come up with a solution both to keeping B'Lin happy, and not
having another squalling baby around. "I .. I don't think we should think
about that .."

"Lecia, you know how much I love you, darling. But R'har can not be an only
child. It's not healthy."  He smiled and kissed her just as he knew she
loved to be kissed, sending tingles throughout her entire body. "I want
another child," he spoke softly into her lips. Then tilting his head, "I
want you to be his mother .. though if you refuse .." He left the rest
unsaid, but Lecia had no trouble at all thinking of all the women who would
probably rush to spend time in B'Lin's bed.

She couldn't help but think of the other woman in Xylian who was even now
pregnant with B'Lin's child. Or perhaps she's had it already .. who knew,
since she'd disappeared not to long after her queen dragon had died. B'Lin
had been furious. Perhaps that was what this was about? "B'Lin I'm .. just
worried .. that's all."

B'Lin smiled, having won a victory by her change in response already, "There
is no reason to worry."

"But .. but .."

"No more buts," he had succeeded in removing the majority of her clothes ..
definitely the necessary ones for reaching the parts of her he wanted to
reach, and soon had her moaning with passion. She was breathless and aching
for him by the time he finally undid his trousers and took her there on the
couch with R'har happily gnawing on a toy, having managed to reach the one
that attracted his eye the most.

Reagards,
Belarade & Menia
Ce'lot & Britche
***
NRPG: John fit this into the timeline whenever is best for Tara.

Taylor & Kris

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  |\  /^~~^\  /| 
--qqQ-\O||O/-Qpp-------------------------------------------------
       \oo/     Kristen Gant
        ~~      (AKA: Meena & Vonn, Norwall Warren, Wingleader
                      Th'rin & Areena,Whiteriver Warren, Head Healer
                      Ce'lot & Britche, Xylain Warren, Wingleader
                      Saul & Fayloth, Jasra Warren, Searcher
                      Darlea & Makayla, Courier
                      Kalewyn & Sabbith, Dragonrider
                      Devon & Xanith, Dragonrider
                http://members.home.net/sgant/kristen/kris.htm
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