[DL] Waylene - Keldarra

The four women sat in Christalla's office discussing the next strategy for
Marrid.  The young Carie did not seem interested in the discussion at all.
Waylene wasn't sure she understood that. It was such an honor to be a
queenrider. And such a responsibility. She had always taken her position
very seriously even when she had first joined with Aura and all during her
years she had been a junior queen.

Things had run smoothly at Marrid since Waylene had taken over as WarrenLady
just over a year ago. And then she had been blessed with dear Keanne, who
joined with Larith, Aura's very first queen. So much like Waylene, herself,
they could have been almost one in the same. Her thoughts made the tears
start to run down her cheeks again. But she did not break down. She did not
even utter a sob. Now was the time to plan for Marrid's future not look back
on what had been.

"Would you like to stop for a while, Waylene," asked gentle Evelle.

Waylene shook her head, "No, we must get this decided as soon as possible. I
will not have Marrid fall apart because of me."

Then there was knock on the door. "Come in." said Christalla. Wynn entered
with news of the wings from Telnor and Norwall having arrived at Marrid.

"How do things look there?" asked Waylene quietly. Wynn looked at her, not
really wanting to be the one to break the news of the devastation. "I want a
straight answer." she told him.

"Well... It's bad. A lot dragons died before Keldarra even got there. The
Warren will require some rebuilding. There is a lot of damage."

Waylene nodded, taking the news in stride. She knew when she left, things
had not been going well. She turned to the DragonLady. "How soon before you
think we can convene a counsel?"

"I would say the day after tomorrow," began Christalla.

"Excuse me..." said Wynn, not wanting to interrupt, but not yet down with
what he had come for. The four women looked at him, "I need to see Evelle
out here for a moment. It's about  S'brogh..." The color drained from her
face and she stood quickly. Christalla nodded and the two left.

"Day after tomorrow would be excellent. I will need that time to assess the
total damage to Marrid both in repairs needed and in ... deaths." Waylene
said standing, "Now if you don't mind, I think I would like to spend some
time with Aura. I don't want her neglected with so much to do. I will stay
at Keldarra until Z'lec.... or someone... comes to tell me it's safe to return."

"That'll be fine, Waylene."  She stood and walked out the door, a completely
different appearing woman from the one who had barged in earlier this
morning. She had controlled her grief and once again she was the WarrenLady
she needed to be in order to restore her Warren to it's former state.

****
[DL] Darlea - Keldarra

Landing on the green, Darlea slipped off Makayla and headed for the dining
hall. Both she and her dragon were hungry from all the flying and
teleporting. She was sure the combat dragons would be starving as well. 

She was correct. The dining hall was now filled with somber dragonriders
trying to regain their strength after their part in the battle. As far as
she could tell there were no casualties from her wing. Though she wasn't
sure she could call them her wing, since she hadn't gone with them ...
again. She looked, but did not see Almiron. She had seen him teleport back
and wondered where he was.

<Darshan says he's helping out in the medical building.> came Makayla's voice.

<Tell Darshan to have him be careful,>  she said. He had told her of his
healing abilities. But she wasn't sure she understood it all very well. Only
that it sometimes hurt him when he used them. She knew that was why he had
been in the coma for those 3 days, a couple of months ago.

She saw Sheltie looking extremely pale as she ran around the kitchen
preparing and serving the meal.  "Mama," she said walking up to her.

"Oh, Darlea, I'm glad to see you. Did you get the other warrens to go to
Marrid to help?"

"Yes, I got help from Telnor and Norwall. Those are really the only two I
felt comfortable enough to teleport to..." she paused. "Mama, Makayla spoke
to Porthios, and daddy's fine. You can stop worrying."

Sheltie looked at her daughter. "He's here?" Her heart still fluttered at
the thought of seeing him. As much as she had tried to put him out of her
mind and her heart, it just had never been effective.

"No, she spoke to him when we were at Marrid."

"What were you doing at Marrid? I thought that...." started the woman.
Startled from her musings by the thought of Darlea being in the middle of a
wraith attack.

"Mama, please, let's not start that again." Darlea said, and Sheltie quickly
bit her tongue. It was definitely something they did not see eye to eye on.
But Sheltie had discovered a new side to her daughter. A side which was very
adult... one she felt was too adult for the 15 year old girl.

"I am glad that your father's alright.  I was thinking about him." she said
quietly.

"I know, that's why I wanted to tell you he was okay. I didn't get to see
him because Porthios said there was too much going on and I would only be in
the way right then." sighed Darlea. 

"Have you eaten yet?"

"No, that's why I'm here. I had thought maybe Almiron was in here."  Darlea
said looking out over the hall.

Sheltie cringed visibly at the name, but quickly composed herself before
Darlea turned back and noticed. "I ... I have not seen him." she said.

"I know. He's in the medical building. I should always ask Makayla before I
bother looking, I suppose. But I am hungry, and I see Salinda, so I'll go
sit with her." Darlea picked up a plate and headed to the table to fill it
with food.

Sheltie watched her take her plate and sit next to the other young
dragonrider. She still thought the two of them looked like they should be
out playing with the other children rather then sitting there discussing the
most recent wraith attack.

She thought of the other young girl, Sky. She was younger then Darlea, and
now joined to her own dragon. She quickly went back to her duties to put it
out of her mind. At least she knew for the moment that her family was safe.

****
[DL] Waylene

Waylene was rubbing Aura hide with oil. She had wanted to be alone so had
flown a short distance to a small lake just south of the Warren to escape
the returning dragonriders. Together she and Aura finally had some quiet
time to mourn their recent loss. Z'lec appeared over the lake.

"I'm here, m'lady, to escort you home."  He said sliding off the sleek white
hide of Raynod. Waylene ran into his arms. 

"I've been so worried about you," she said allowing tears to flow again. She
hardly believed she had any left to shed after today.

"All that mattered is that you were safe, 'Lene." He wrapped her in his
embrace. She allowed herself to melt into his warm chest for a short time.
Even WarrenLady's needed that once in a while, she thought.

"'Lene," said Z'lec finally, "I don't have very good news."

She looked up at him, then laid her head back down on his chest. Hugging him
tightly for a few moments, before releasing him, she sighed and  moved to
sit on the grass. "Alright I'm ready to hear it." She said setting her face
in her best WarrenLady expression.

"We lost a lot of dragons. Forty-eight altogether." He paused letting the
number sink in.  Forty-eight was over half of all of the dragons in the Warren. 

Waylene felt her world spin again, "Oh, Z'lec..." she moaned, putting her
hand over her mouth.

"It would have been the end of us, if it hadn't been for Keldarra. Telnor
and Norwall also sent wings to help. We shall forever be in thier debt."
Looking in her eyes, he said, "There's more."

Waylene just looked at him. There were no words she could bring herself to
say. Only her eyes showed the horror she was feeling.

"There was a rogue dragonrider leading the army of wraiths. I don't know
how... but he was leading them. ...and he got away. D'nar is sure he's the
one that killed the two rider earlier this week and the one who ... killed
Keanne."

Waylene nodded, "Yes, I saw him.... just as I was teleporting."

"He will most likely attack again. We will not be safe with the riders we
have left. Either we must close down Marrid and let him win... or we need to
get riders to join us.  Even the 90 we had may not be enough." 

"The DragonLady has called a Counsel meeting for the day after tomorrow,
we'll ask for volunteers then." Waylene told him.

"I want you to stay at Keldarra." Waylene was about to protest, but Z'lec
stopped her, "Now, listen to me. Marrid is not safe right now. Not even with
the wing from Telnor which is going to stay over night to help with the
wounded and  keeping watch."

"Z'lec, I don't want to stay here..." she began.

"I know, 'Lene, but I think it would be best. I've already talked to the
DragonLady about it and she will set up an apartment for you to stay in.
Just until we are sure you will be safe."

"And how long do you think that will be?"

"Just a few day. Maybe just until after the Counsel of Warrens. Please... do
it for me."

Waylene nodded, though it wasn't what she wanted. She knew he was right, and
she had to do what was best for Marrid.

--Darlea & Makayla
--Waylene & Aura

****
NRPG: I realized when I sent my post this am, I forgot to put in anything
about Waylene, so here is Waylene's post... along with somemore for
Darlea... cause I just couldn't resist:)

Kristen
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Kristen and Scott Gant
http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/gant.htm
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