As word spread that Roland was escaping, Evelle began 
running in the direction of the cave where he'd been held.  
Checking on him had been on her schedule, but delivering 
Christalla's daughter had played havoc with that schedule.  Now it 
was too late.

	Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted that little friend of 
Brianna's -- what was her name? -- oh yes, Lori, moving speedily 
away from the activity.  Evelle frowned.  Something had seemed 
somehow wrong about Lori to her; she'd felt it when she'd met the 
girl in Sickbay.  No one else had appeared to notice, however, so 
the WarrenLady had put it out of her mind.  Now......

	But before she could give any more thought to what had 
been bothering her, Evelle screamed as she felt a dragon's claws 
encircle her waist and lift her high into the air.  Roland's triumphant 
yell was all she heard.

	"You are mine, now, you little wench!  I am going to have fun 
with you.!"

	<Evelle!>  

	Alicynth's terrified scream echoed in her rider's mind.  The 
copper queen launched herself into the air with a earsplitting roar, 
fire blazing from her throat just as Talthalar winked them away from 
Keldarra.  

	A moment later, they were hovering over an area of the 
realm that was strange to Evelle.  She landed with a thud when 
Talthalar dropped her unceremoniously onto the rocky ground from 
several feet in the air.  The  few minutes it took for Talthalar to land 
and Roland dismount gave her a chance to look over the 
topography.

	It was a mountainous region, steep and rocky with ledges 
that dropped off into a vast cavern hundreds of feet below.  Escape 
by a hurried descent down the mountains was all but impossible.  
One misstep and she'd fall into nothingness.  The only relief in the 
small clearing was a series of caves about 25 yards off to the right.

	Roland, now dismounted, walked menacingly towards her.  
Grabbing the front of her blouse, the warrenless rider yanked 
Evelle to her feet.

	"And now the fun begins," he smirked.  "Because of you and 
the bitch DragonLady, my Rhina is dead and I am warrenless.  Did 
you think I would forget?"

	"Your situation is of your own making, Roland.  Over and 
over again, you broke the most basic of rules."

	"Rules!" he spat out.  "Rules made by weak women who 
should have no right to make them.  Very soon now, it will change 
and things will be as they should be."

	Fire blazing in his eyes grew brighter as Roland leered at 
the young queenrider.

	"I will have my fun with you and when I am through, the 
DragonLady will be next."

	"Never, Roland.  The dragonriders of Keldarra will find us, 
and that will be the end of you and your plans," Evelle retorted, her 
face a mask of defiance.

	Roland slapped her face hard enough that she would have 
fallen had he not still been holding the front of her blouse.

	"Mind your manners, little girl, and speak only when you are 
told.  Your women-led dragonriders are no match for my rogues.  
When I'm finished with you and Christalla, we will ride to claim 
Keldarra and the realm will be as it was meant to be.  Men will rule 
and little girls will take their proper place."

	Licking his lips, Roland yanked on the fabric he clutched.  
The material ripped apart and he dropped the fragments to the 
ground.

	"You know what that place is, don't you, little girl?"

	Arrogance, growing stronger by the minute, gave proof of 
his belief in his infallibility.

	<Talthalar, go find my riders and bring them to this place.  
We will make new plans when I am done with this wench>

	<I am hungry, my rider.  At Keldarra they fed me only 
enough to keep me alive.  I could not leave you to hunt>

	<Very well then.  Go and forage, then bring the riders when 
you have eaten.  I shall take my pleasure while are gone>

	Evelle cringed as Roland roughly grabbed her exposed 
breasts and squeezed hard.  When she sawTalthalar take flight, 
she knew she must take advantage of the only chance she was 
lkely to get.

	"Oh, please, don't hurt me again," she whimpered, seeming 
to cower before him.

	"I thought I told you to be silent," he bellowed and slapped 
her once more and her cheek stung and reddened under the 
impact.  "I shall do as I like with you until you bow subservient 
before me and beg to do my bidding."

	Strong fingers left their imprint in Evelle's shoulders as he 
pulled her against his body and slipped one hand inside the 
waistband of her pants.  The terror Evelle let show in her eyes was 
far from being all pretense.  As Roland's cruel laughter proclaimed 
his victory, Evelle took her chance.  Her knee jerked violently 
upward between his legs."

	"BITCH!" Roland screamed as he let go of her and doubled 
over in pain, holding himself as he fell.  "One more thing you will 
pay for."  The words were expelled in vicious grunts as he 
struggled for breath.

	A cluster of small stones lay nearby.  Evelle picked them up 
and threw them one after the other at her captor until one struck his 
temple and blood began to flow from the wound.  Although he lay 
still, the bitter man would not remain unconscious long and his 
dragon would soon be back.

	She ran for the caves, stopping only once to throw her 
shoes and belt over the ledge.  The impression that she'd fallen 
wouldn't fool anyone for very long, but every extra second she 
could buy gave her that much more time to lose herself in the 
caves.

	They were dark and dank, but like so many of the caverns in 
the realm, they were a maze of interconnecting caves, some large, 
some small.  In a few minutes, Evelle's eyes grew accustomed to 
the dark.  She could see well enough to make her way through 
entrances and exits as she went deeper into the caves.  Sharp 
stones cut her bare feet, but she gave little thought to the pain.  
Roland, and probably his riders, would soon be coming after her.

	There was nothing to tell the young queenrider how much 
time had passed before she came to a cave where she thought she 
could rest for a while.  It had several openings into other caves and 
a good number of rocky formations to hide behind.  She could hear 
the sound of rushing water indicating an underground river or 
stream somewhat nearby.  Clutching the remnants of her torn 
blouse around her, Evelle examined her bleeding feet and wished 
she could bathe them in that water.  Huddled beneath a stony 
ledge, she struggled to keep up her courage and her hope.

	<Evelle.  Evelle> called Alicynth to her mind.

	<I'm here, sweet girl.  I'm all right just now>

	The sounds of anguish in her dragon's thoughts brought 
tears to Evelle's eyes.  Her heart ached for her panicked dragon

	<Send me a picture of where you are, Evelle, and I will come 
for you>

	<No, Ali.  You must keep yourself safe.  I'll try to send you 
the picture.  Call to Malekith and Jubalth and Iganeth>

	<Are you hurt?  Yes, you are.  I can feel it.  You are hurt and 
frightened.  I will destroy the one who hurt you.  Don't leave me, 
Evelle>

	Far away in Keldarra Warren, everyone could hear Alicynth 
roar her rage and fright.

	<I am all right for now, Ali.  I don't know this part of the 
realm, but I'm going to send you the picture now.  Show Malekith 
and hurry, please>

	Without knowledge of how far she was from Keldarra, Evelle 
didn't know if the mental image she sent would get to Alicynth in 
whole or in part.  She formed the vision, held it in her mind, and 
prayed it would reach her dragon.

	Her body, almost naked from the waist up, was shivering 
with cold.  Jolts of throbbing pain from her cut feet and the bruises 
Roland had inflicted were growing steadily more biting as she 
crouched alone and unmoving.

	She didn't even know if Malekith had healed enough to fly 
yet.  It was beyond doubt that Roland would find her before too 
long.  With only the stones she could find to use as a weapon, it 
would be impossible to keep her tormentor at bay for very long.

	"I won't let him do to me what he has in mind.  Oh please, 
Wynn," please find me before it's too late."

	She whispered the words to her beloved mate, but they were 
heard only by the cold, grey stone walls that would shield her not 
very much longer.

Evelle
Queenrider of Alicynth
WarrenLady of Keldarra