[Day 11]

Elvynia
****

[morning]

Elly woke up with a queasy sensation in her belly.  It wasn't from drinking 
too much at last night's party or some kind of illness, it was the kind of 
anxious feeling that comes of doubt and confusion and fear - fear that she 
would make a terrible mistake, one way or the other.  

Fear wasn't an emotion she felt all that often; she was strong enough to 
approach most things head-on, resolutely facing whatever lay ahead.  But 
suddenly she was experiencing it more than she cared to.  At least after 
today she shouldn't have any further trouble from Rufus and his cohorts.  It 
was the other fear, the dread deep in her heart, that had kept her awake long 
into the night and was now gripping her gut.

She thought back to the previous night...and the way she had fled from Corwin 
on the beach.  It really had been cowardly, but she was just so confused.  
The more she thought about it, though, the more it seemed that she was 
letting the fear get the better of her - and she didn't want to let it 
jeopardize her future happiness...not without a better idea if the fear were 
even justified in the first place.  What she needed was more courage - and 
more faith.

With that resolve, she leapt out of bed, showered quickly, and hurried off 
for a quick bite to eat before training.  At least she wouldn't have to face 
Corwin again first thing this morning, now that he had been released to work 
with Syngnath and Khamorray - and Ansel - on his own.  And by the time she 
did see him again, she planned to have her emotions firmly back in tow.

The bright morning sunlight perked up her spirits.  Maybe she'd go for a swim 
later, after training.  She whistled cheerfully, trailing off on a reedy note 
as she suddenly realized what she was whistling.  She shrugged.  Corwin's sea 
chanty certainly was catchy.

****


Dalaine
****

Lainie's head was throbbing, and the bright morning sunlight didn't help any. 
 Was there ever a time you could really have fun without somehow paying a 
price?  It didn't seem like it.

The others were already gathered on the training field when she gingerly made 
her way there - a noticeably smaller group without the presence of Corwin and 
Gus.   And just where *was* Gus anyway?  Figures her new partner - she made a 
face - would find a way to skip out.


Selene, meanwhile, was having an entirely different reaction - her snout 
drooping down near the ground.

{{Don't act so glum, }} Lainie scolded.  {{Those two will be back.  They're 
like a bad infestation of chokeweed in the flower bed.}}

It still wasn't the same, Selene thought to herself.  That dimwit just made 
training so much more fun....  The large yellow dragon perked up 
significantly when she caught sight of some dark, irregular objects piled 
nearby.  A snack? she wondered.  Probably a reward for after training.  
Still, there were an awful lot of them.  Surely it couldn't hurt if she just 
sampled one or two....

Hmm, crunchy with an odd earthy kind of a taste, she thought.  Not as 
appetizing as molasses, but infinitely better than fish, she decided.

"Selene!" Lainie cried out, catching sight of the dragon's blackened snout, 
then winced from the echo of her raised voice inside her aching head.  {{What 
do you think you're doing??}}

{Um, just having a teensy taste of this...whatever it is....} Selene replied 
meekly.

{{Of that coal?  Yuck!  You're not supposed to *eat* it!}}

{Why not?  It's really not bad, rider.  Why don't you try some?}

Lainie's already queasy stomach turned over a couple more times.  {{No,...I 
don't want...to do that,}} she gulped out between deep, steadying breaths.  
{{ Now get away from there and pay attention.}}


[Tag - anyone else want to comment on this?]


****

With training concluded, Lainie headed to find an apartment suitable for her 
and Selene - not too close to her family...but then not too far away either.  
Preferably with an ocean view...but where the crashing of the waves was not 
quite as loud.  Not too cramped...but cozy - with plenty of room for her 
sizable dragon.  It shouldn't be difficult to meet those simple requirements.

An hour later she was still looking.  Nothing was quite right.  For every 
asset there was a drawback.  She was getting tired and frustrated and her 
head still ached.

"Rider's poop!" she cursed, using Selene's preferred expletive.  

{Rider, you can stop looking now.  I've found the perfect place.  Right next 
to another empty one.  We can have one, and Loki and his rider can have the 
other.}


{{I'm sorry, Selene, but that won't work out.}}  Lainie sighed.  {{I just 
can't live next door to Gus.}}

Selene sighed, too.  She wished her rider and Loki's got along better.  Loki 
was a dimwit, but he was still her best friend.

At long last Lainie settled on an apartment.  It was far from her ideal, but 
it was the best she could do.  {{Come on up here, Selene.  I've finally found 
it.}}

Moments later Selene appeared on the ledge...well, most of her was on the 
ledge - her tail and part of her back end hung over the side.  

{{Check this out Selene,}} Lainie called from inside.  {{What do you think?}}

{I think I don't fit, rider,} Selene retorted plaintively, her hindquarters 
neatly wedged in the doorway.

{{Oh, Selene, this is ridiculous!}} Lainie complained.  {{I've been searching 
forever.  I'm tired, I'm hungry, and I'm not looking any more.  This is the 
best I can do, and you're just going to manage.  Once your diet and exercise 
program starts working, it won't be a problem anymore.}}

{But rider,} Selene wailed.  {I thought you liked me as I am.}

{{I do, Selene,}} Lainie sighed, {{but I'll like you even more when there's 
just a bit less of you.  Now come on, let's go get something to eat.}}

There was nothing like the mention of food to raise Selene's spirits, so she 
quickly wrenched herself back out of the opening, mouth watering in 
anticipation.

****


Ed'wen
****

[late morning]

Ed'wen watched the petite young woman walk away from him.  It had been some 
time since Hesperus had won a flight, and Ed'wen was almost loath to accept 
that it was over.  Still, Ghost had overcome her distress about her mate 
enough to repeat the experience, so he would have to be grateful for that.

He put on his pants; then as he was pulling his shirt over his head, he felt 
a sharp jab right below the ribs.

[snip of Bridget's post]

He jumped into the air, yelping like a monkey that just got its tail stepped 
on, and spent several moments trying to untangle himself from his shirt.

Aitzan fell into the sand, giggling gleefully, in a good mood for the first 
time in days.

He finally straightened himself out and turned to look at her, anger turning 
to stunned surprise as he spluttered, "Aitzan!"

"Hello, Ed'wen," she said, grinning widely.  She rose to her knees and patted 
her bottom, then pointed to him and said in a very suggestive tone, "Nice, 
nice."

The vivid red his face managed to achieve was enough to start her giggling 
again.  Perhaps language wasn't all that necessary for the important things 
after all.

[end snip]

Fighting the fierce blush that rose all too easily with his coloring, Ed'wen 
let a slow grin break out over his face.  "I'm glad you enjoyed the view."

Gingerly rubbing his side, he wondered briefly what it was with this woman.  
Whenever she got too close to him, it seemed to result in pain to some part 
of his body - usually his ribs.

"It's been some time since I've seen you.  What have you been doing?" he 
wondered.

She struggled to catch his meaning and put together a reply.  "Bakke trouble, 
trouble."  She frowned.  "Talk Corwin.  He talk my...talk.  It help," she 
explained. 

"I'm sure it does.  I'm sorry I don't know any of it."

"I teach...you want?"  She looked up at him hopefully.

"I'd like that."  He smiled, then sat down on one of the rocks, patting the 
space beside him.

That was clearly a universal gesture as Aitzan quickly sat down next to him.

"Shan," she began.

"Shan?  What is that?" he inquired.

In answer she leaned forward and enfolded him in her embrace.

"Shan?" he repeated, pressing his lips briefly against hers.

Without replying, she kissed him again...a lingering kiss.  If he hadn't just 
left Ghost, he might have followed it up, but under the circumstances...he 
suggested lunch instead.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.  "Do you want to go eat lunch?"  He pantomimed 
eating.  "Eat."

"Eat," she repeated.  "Nie."  She nodded and rose to her feet.

Ed'wen took her hand and led her toward the dining hall.


[Tag, Bridget.  Would you like to continue the language lessons over lunch?]


****


Elvynia
****

[afternoon]

[snip of Arlene's post]

"Ask away!"  Corwin's loud voice boomed between bites, "And if I don't know 
the answer... I'll just make something up."  He winked.

"Oh, really?"  Came another female voice, and Tanami and Corwin looked up to 
see the petite form of Elly standing by their table.

"Elvynia!"  Corwin exclaimed, rising.  Then he made introductions.  "Please, 
join us for lunch?"  He suggested.

Elly noticed Tanami's wide-eyed innocence and Corwin's obvious intrigue with 
her, and decided to join them.

"So... you just happened upon Jasra?"  Elly probed, as she eyed the woman's 
form-fitting apparel.

"Yes, Kethriss found it... when she saw Syngnath and Khamorray playing with 
the large, wooden ship."

Ellly frowned.  "So, Kethriss, that's your dragon?  Is she a seadragon?"

"Of course!"  Corwin said and frowned at Elly, a bit surprised and confused 
by her tone of voice, which, however, Tanami did not pick up.

"Kethriss?  Yes, she is.  When we joined it was so amazing!"  Her obvious 
delight in the experience evident on her face.

"Tell us!"  Corwin chimed in.

"I was collecting medicinal seaweeds for my mother, who is a healer, when I 
came upon a hatching clutch of seadragon eggs.  Before I knew what had 
happened, I had joined to Kethriss,"  She told them.  "But my people aren't 
really... open... to having a seadragon around, and Kethriss had to sleep 
outside -- so we left.  We've been alone for a long time..."  Her eyes looked 
so sad.

"But you found us -- Jasra -- and I'm glad that you are staying, Tanami," 
Corwin stated emphatically, as he reached over and held her hand in one of 
his big, powerful hands.

Elly's eyes shot daggers at Corwin as she saw the gesture.  But then when she 
looked over at Tanami, her heart melted.

"I can't go back to my people... at least not to live.  And we can't be alone 
for ever.  Kethriss is so happy to have found other joined seadragons!  
And... I am, too.  I'm glad I'm staying!"  Tanami smiled warmly, meeting both 
Corwin's and Elly's eyes.

[end snip]

Despite the morning's resolve, Elly found herself beset by fear again.  Here 
was a woman with a seadragon like Syngnath - a beautiful woman, and a lonely 
one, who would probably wind up working closely with Corwin.  Elly gritted 
her teeth at the thought.   

It took a real effort, but Elly forced herself to relax.  She reminded 
herself that Tanami was also brand new, and it wasn't fair to jump to any 
conclusions before she even got to know the woman. 

"Welcome to Jasra."  Elly managed a cordial smile.  "I hope you and Kethriss 
feel at home here."

"Oh, I'm sure we will," Tanami replied.  "It's a lovely place.  And such 
friendly people."  Her quick grin encompassed both Corwin and Elly.

"I could take you to find an available apartment," Elly offered.

"Oh, that's kind of you, but I've already found one.  Corwin here," Tanami 
gestured toward the sailor, "was good enough to show me around and help me 
select an apartment.  It has a beautiful view of the ocean.  And it's quite 
spacious.  Didn't you think so, Corwin?"  

"Yes, I do, it's a very nice one.  I'm glad I could help."

Elly watched as the other two exchanged warm glances.  "Well, it's getting 
late, so I should be going now," Elly stated as she got to her feet.  "It was 
nice to meet you, Tanami.  I'll see you around, Corwin."  And she was out the 
door.

****


Ed'wen
****

[early afternoon - med center]

After lunch, Ed'wen went to see Balagon at the med center to find out from 
him if there were some sort of herb or other remedy that could lessen a 
person's craving for alcohol.  

"There is a mixture of herbs that is moderately effective in certain people," 
Balagon told him, "but it has some rather unwelcome side-effects."

"Such as...?" Ed'wen probed.

"They include nausea and sometimes vomiting, severe itching, stomach cramps, 
and a diminished or absent sex-drive."

"Hmm," Ed'wen mused, "that makes the cure sound almost as bad as the problem."

"It can be," Balagon agreed.  "But over time the person may be weaned away 
from the herbal mixture without the alcohol cravings returning - at least in 
most cases.  Occasionally there isn't anything anyone can do."

"I see," Ed'wen replied.  "Well, I'll give this information to Tara.  It will 
be up to her whether she wants to have you prescribe it or not."

Balagon nodded and then returned to his patients while Ed'wen left to make 
his report.

****


Elvynia
****

[late afternoon]

Elly had finally decided that she'd stewed about the situation long enough.  
It was time to take some action.  {{Iris, where is Syngnath's rider?}}

{In the barracks, my rider.}

In no time at all, Elly had made her way there and was now standing just 
outside the door of the showers...admiring.

"Would you like me to scrub your back?" she eventually asked.

At the sound of her voice, Corwin startled, grazing his head on the shower 
head as he spun around.  "Elly?"

She pinkened slightly but met his gaze steadily.  "So, would you?" she 
persisted.

"Would I what?"

"Like me to scrub your back for you?" she repeated.

He handed her the soap.  

She slipped out of her shoes then stepped right behind Corwin.  Wetting her 
hands in the spray, she lathered the soap on her palms then ran them firmly 
over the broad expanse of his back.  The crisscrossing of scars under her 
fingertips ranged from deep to shallow, and she found herself lingering on 
the ones she thought must have been the most painful, almost as if she could 
ease the echoes of the hurt....  The repeated stroking motion of her slippery 
hands, combined with the gentle pattering of the water, was almost hypnotic.  

At long last, Corwin turned under the spray to rinse off, looking down into 
Elly's upturned face, flushed and damp from the steam.  As he bent his head, 
Elly took a step back.

"I could wash your hair, too, if you like," she offered.

"Ok," he replied hoarsely.

"You're too tall for me to reach that far.  You'll have to kneel," she 
instructed.

When Corwin got to his knees in front of her, Elly lathered her hands again, 
gliding them through the strands of his hair.  As she leaned over to reach 
the back of his head, he drew a sudden intake of breath at her proximity - in 
particular the nicely rounded orbs brought within inches of his face.  The 
temptation was suddenly too great to resist, and through the cloth he 
tenderly brushed a peak with his tongue.

Elly jerked away as if she'd been bitten.  "You can rinse out your hair now," 
she stammered.


[Tag, Arle.  How is Corwin going to react to this latest frustration?] 


****


Ed'wen
****

[late afternoon - the trial]
 
Ed'wen looked up as he heard his name.

"Over here.  We've saved a chair for you," Shawnee called out to him, a 
rather mischievous smile on her face, if he didn't miss his guess.  He'd 
planned to sit with his family, but he was willing to accept Shawnee's offer.

[snip of Barb's post]

"I thought you might like to know what has been happening around the Warren 
today while you were *otherwise involved*," she told him as he was sitting 
down.

Ed'win grinned rakishly back at her. "I'm sure it can't have been anything 
you couldn't handle while I was out doing my duty as a dragonrider."  He 
winked dramatically.

"Your *duty* as a... Yea right," she grinned, accepting that he wouldn't rise 
to her bait. "I hope you were kind to the poor girl at lease."

"Oh, more than kind," he replied with a leer, nothing she said able to put a 
damper on his good humor.

"Well then good," she smiled sweetly. "I'm sure she'll remember you fondly.  
But tomorrow don't think you're going to get out of your fair share of the 
paper work."

[end snip]

Before Ed'wen could respond, Saul and Shawnee had bent their heads together.  
He could imagine what they were whispering - but it really didn't faze him.  

When they raised their heads again, Ed'wen turned back to Shawnee.  "I'll be 
more than happy to do my fair share of the paperwork," he responded in a low 
voice.  "In fact, I'd be happy to do your share as well...if you need more 
time to be *otherwise involved*."

Shawnee glared at him.  "I am more than capable of handling all of my affairs 
without extra help from you," she retorted.

"I can just imagine how you handle your *affairs*," he stressed the word, his 
eyebrows quirking suggestively.  "All fire and intensity."

At that bit of effrontery, Shawnee nearly rose to her feet before Saul put a 
hand on her arm and guided her back into her chair.

"You will refrain from harassing my mate," Saul ground out, "or we'll have a 
repeat of what happened in the med center," he warned Ed'wen pointedly.

Ed'wen tested his jaw in a reflexive reaction to the reminder of the impact 
of Saul's fist against his chin.  He frowned, realizing he had crossed the 
line.  Shawnee just seemed to bring out the worst in him.  He really would 
have to make more of an effort to curb it, though.  Not just because of Saul, 
or because he had to work effectively with the woman, but because it was the 
right thing to do.

"I'm sorry, Shawnee."  It wasn't easy, but Ed'wen managed the apology with 
good grace.  "That was uncalled for.  I hope you'll forgive me.  You, too, 
Saul."  He looked the other man squarely in the eye.


[Tag, Barb and Kris.  So, will they accept his apology?] 


****


Submitted by:

Dana Zuhlke                             

Elvynia (Elly) and Iris

Ro'gen and Apollo
Evlan and Athena
Ed'wen (Eddy) and Hesperus
Dalaine (Lainie) and Selene

Jasra Warren