M'tan sat watching D'neor sleeping.  His face was flushed, but he 
looked better than he had before.  Aylin had held vigil over her son, and 
had insisted that M'tan stay there when she couldn't be.  The minutes 
passed slowly with only a snoring lout and an unsociable hatchling for 
company.

	To answer his thought, the tarnish-colored Dragon peered out from 
behind D'neor's bed, her eyes glinting with malice.  <I could really get 
to dislike that Dragon,> he thought to himself.

	<She's a strange one,> Zareth agreed.  <She won't think *thoughts*
at me.  Just pictures.  But I'm gathering she's not real fond of you.>

	M'tan sighed.  <I got that general impression,> he retorted.

	"You know, if you were awake, you could call that thing off," he
said absently to D'neor's insensible figure.  He sighed again.  "Look,
you're my brother.  Only one I've got now.  I was probably just a *tiny*
bit out of line to treat you the way I did over what you said to Aleta.  
Then again, you didn't have to be such an ass about it.

	"You *could* have come to me, you know, before you went to her. I 
could have let you know you were dead wrong.  It would have saved 
everyone a lot of embarrassment, and maybe I wouldn't have a black eye 
from an irate defensive brother of Aleta's."  He fingered the fading 
bruise ruefully.

	"At any rate, I want you to know I forgive you."  He reached over 
and pulled at D'neor's arm.  "Come on, kiddo, wake up.  You can't sleep 
it off forever."  He leaned forward.  "You've got a Dragon now..."

	He was interrupted by the protective hiss of said Dragon.  <I'm 
not sure, but I think she wants you to stop touching him,> Zareth 
provided helpfully.

". . . and so that's all I have to say."  M'tan finished quickly, leaning
back in the chair.  That Dragon was becoming a real menace.  Well, there 
wasn't much else to do.  He leaned back in the chair to catch a bit of 
rest.... keeping half an eye open on that Dragon.

**********

	<Zareth tells me that my new Queen's Human is awake,> Kaeryth 
told Christalla.

	Christalla looked up from feeding Mista.  <Can't you talk to your 
daughter yourself?>

	<Somewhat,> Kaeryth admitted, <but she's not easy to understand.>

	<Very odd,> Christalla thought to herself.  <Love, could you tell 
Alicynth that I'd like to meet Evelle at the Medical Center?  I think we 
should do this together.>

	"Can you take the baby?," she asked M'ressan aloud.  "I need to say
hello to Keldarra's new Junior." 

	M'ressan groaned, half-teasingly.  "I wish you and Evelle luck 
with that one.  No accounting for Dragons' tastes."

	"He must have some merit," Christalla replied firmly, trying to 
sound more sure than she was.  "Dragons don't pick Humans frivolously, 
especially Queens."

	"You just keep telling yourself that," M'ressan retorted, picking
up Mista and resting her on his shoulders, "and maybe you can make D'neor
into something worthwhile.  I'll take Mista with me to training.  I'm
expecting a long day today.  We still haven't made up for the time we
missed." 

	"Go ahead," Christalla replied tartly.  Sometimes M'ressan could 
be so aggravating.  "I'll see you at lunch if possible, and evening at 
the worst case."  She pulled a riding coat from where she'd draped it 
over a chair and headed toward the Dragon den.  Mista waved at her, 
grinning silently.

	<The hatchling says goodbye to Mommy,> Kaeryth crooned.  
Christalla forced away a chill.  She needed her Dragon to translate for 
her own daughter??

	They flew together down to the Medical Center.  Christalla found, 
to her surprise, that Evelle was already there.  Perhaps, for once, 
Christalla's message hadn't interrupted anything.  "Well, here we go," 
she said to the young Warrenlady.  "Considering D'neor was in the middle 
of a Hatching brawl when he joined, I expect we're going to have an 
interesting time."  Evelle grimaced artfully.  

	They walked together into the Medical Center and found Mila, who 
indicated which room D'neor was using.  "I hadn't realized he was awake," 
she said.  "He couldn't have have been awake for long."

	"Our Dragons tell us he just woke up," Evelle soothed.  "I'm sure 
you'll have plenty of time to check him out once we've welcomed him into 
the fold."  They headed off together to D'neor's room.

	There was some sort of commotion going on behind the door.  
Christalla could hear M'tan and D'neor's voices raised.  She sighed.  
She'd heard that they were at odds.  

	"Dragon," M'tan was saying.  "Queen, to be exact.  Congratulations,
little brother--you've become the first male queenrider in about a hundred
years.  Now try and live up to it." 

	Christalla thought that was a good note to enter.  She smiled
opened the door, thinking of the best way to welcome a *male* Queenrider. 
She found herself face to face with D'neor-- stark naked. 

	<It might have been a good idea, to knock,> she realized.

	<Silly Humans,> Kaeryth inserted with a snort.

	"Ah, I seem to have picked the wrong moment," she said artfully.  
Evelle suppressed a giggle.  "Perhaps I should give you a few minutes to 
properly attire--"  Her eyes strayed to the back of the room, where a 
tarnish-colored Dragonet glared at her with glittering eyes.

	"There's a DRAGON in here!" she cried.

	"Uh, yes," M'tan interjected.  "I can explain..."

	"I don't *Care* what your explanation is," Christalla said 
firmly, composing herself.  "She needs to be out of here right now.  If 
she stays any longer, she's going to grow so big that we'll have to knock 
down walls to get her out.  I'm hoping she'll fit into the hallway now."

	"I've *Tried*!" M'tan exclaimed in frustration.  "She doesn't 
listen to any of the Dragons."

	Christalla turned her eyes to D'neor.  "Now that you're awake," 
she said, "we can handle this right now.  D'neor, would you please 
explain the problem to your Dragon, so we can get her safely outside 
before she's hurt?"

	She watched him intently, eyes focussed on his face rather than 
anyplace else.


Respectfully Submitted,

Susan Rati
Administrator, DragonLands

NRPG: I figure there's SOME modesty among dragonriders, with those they 
don't know well.  Mia, it's entirely up to you how D'neor reacts to a 
bunch of women walking in on him.

Judi: I didn't write you much at all.  Feel free to insert any reactions 
of Evelle's.

It's true that we write the Dragons growing VERY unnaturally quickly.  
That lets us get past the awkward stage where nobody can fly.  SO it's 
true.  The Queen should be almost too large to fit in the hallway by now.


|echo@indy.net : Interactive-Writing Roleplay Masochist, Babylon 5 Fanatic|
| Administrator, DragonLands RPG <http://www.indy.net/~echo/dlands.html>  |
|Asst Director, XFiles RPG <http://www.linux.sfasu.edu/xfiles/xfrpg.html> |
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                must walk."  - Old Egyptian Blessing