Down in the private lagoon where Wynn had first touched her, 
Evelle was bathing with Alicynth. The water was chilly in the early 
morning air, a shock to Evelle's system when she first splashed in.  But it 
woke her and her body adjusted quickly as it's own heat merged with the 
water to equalize the temperature.  She floated on her back contemplating 
that even getting up in the morning wasn't so very bad when it was 
Wynn's kisses on her stomach awakening her.  She wished he were here 
with her now, but he'd been right.  If he'd joined her, it was a certainty 
they'd both be late.

	*You are very happy, Evelle.  You feel very good.  This makes me 
happy, too*

	*Oh yes, I'm very happy, my beautiful, wonderful dragon.  Everyone 
should feel so good as I this morning*

	Alicynth paddled around in the water, enjoying her morning bath 
with Evelle, and considered.

	*I like what you feel, Evelle.  And what you felt last night.  I would 
like to feel this myself*

	Evelle laughed gaily, kicking her legs hard enough to send a 
shower of spray into Alicynth's face.  She had to kick very hard to send 
the spray high enough.  The dragon had grown so large.

	*Oh, you will feel it for yourself, beautiful Queen, and not very long 
from now I'd be willing to wager.

	*And when I do, you will share my feelings as I did yours.  How 
wonderfully marvelous, Evelle*

	Alicynth showed her pleasure by sending a wall of water 
descending on her rider.  Evelle came up sputtering.

	*Naughty, naughty dragon*

	*You don't like it?  Yes, you do.  I can tell*

	*Of course you can tell.  Yes, I love to play with you, my sweet.  But 
now we must get out and dry off.  There's work to be done today*

	Dragon and rider emerged from the lagoon.  Evelle dried and oiled 
Alicynth while the air dried her.  Then Alicynth flew her back to the 
apartment.  Wynn had kept his word.  He had put together a light 
breakfast for them though they'd stop by the Dining Hall before going 
about the day's work.

	Evelle dressed carefully for the day.  It would be her first council 
meeting as Warrenlady.  She chose a dress of a muted gold cloth and 
clasped around her waist the wide leather belt she'd gotten from Almiron.  
She brushed her now dry copper hair until it toppled in restless waves 
down her shoulders and back.

	"You look lovely," Wynn greeted her as she came back into the 
living quarters of their suite.  "Much too tempting a morsel you are."

	"Well, we could be just a *little* late," she invited, stepping into his 
arms for a kiss that grew heated in an instant.

	"No, no," he moaned, reluctantly pushing her away.  We can't be 
even a little late."  He frowned at her attempting to look very forbidding 
and commanding.  "So unhand me, woman."

	"As you command, Sir," she said, dropping a curtsy and then 
sticking out her tongue.  "Spoilsport!"

	"Just wait until tonight, my sassy girl, and I'll show you who's a 
spoilsport," he laughed.

	*Wynn, it's time to go* called Malekith.

	"There, you see.  Our dragons will see that we behave," he 
laughed.

	Evelle slung her new leather bag over her shoulder and they went 
out to the dragons.  Soon they landed in front of the Dining Hall.

	"Ah, here's our lovely young Queenrider now," M'ressan said as 
they approached the table.  "Good morning, Wynn and Evelle.  I trust you 
slept well."  He had a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

	"May all my nights pass so -restfully-," she said with a tinkle of 
laughter."

	"And mine," added Wynn, smiling down at her.

	Christalla greeted both of them, then rose and came over to Evelle.  
"We need to get ready," she said.  "The Council Meeting starts in less 
than an hour, and we'll be receiving the Warren leaders very soon."

	Evelle sobered quickly and nodded.  "Just let me grab a little 
something to eat."

	"I didn't feed you enough this morning," Wynn teased.

	"You stimulate a girl's appetite," she retorted.  "You should eat 
more, too.  I'm sure M'ressan has a hard day's training planned for you."

	"Probably as strenuous as his night, but surely not quite as 
pleasant," the wing leader quipped.

	"I hope not," she laughed, "but likely as stimulating."

	"Close, Evelle, just close.  "Don't underestimate yourself."

	They stopped briefly to eat; then Wynn kissed her and wished her 
good luck with the Council.  "You'll do fine," he encouraged her.

	"I'll try," she told him, determined that her nervousness not show 
through.  "Good luck with your training, love.  You're going to be one of 
the best."

	Wynn left with M'ressan while Evelle stopped for a moment where 
Almiron had just lost the first game of tehdahkh to M'tan.

	"Almiron, I'd like to talk to you sometime after the Council Meeting, 
if you would, about a little idea I have in mind."

	"I am pleased to speak with you, Queenrider.  My ware look fine on 
you.  You honor me to wear."

	"I'm proud to wear such fine goods.  But I must hurry now.  We'll 
speak later.  Enjoy your game."

	"What was that about?" Christalla asked as they hurried to greet 
the arriving warren leaders and their seconds.  "What idea?"

	"You said you'd like him to stay at Keldarra, Christalla.  I've been 
thinking about it and I had a little idea that might help, if you approve."

	"You won't have to come to me for approval of everything you do, 
Evelle, but I'm curious.  What do you have in mind?"

	"Our own leatherworkers are pretty good, but their stuff can't 
compare with his, right?"

	"Right.  He does wonderful work."

	"Well then, how about we ask him to teach our workers in 
exchange for providing him with tools and leather?  That should keep him 
busy for a while, if he agrees."

	Christalla smiled.  "I had a feeling about you.  You're going to make 
a fine queenrider, Evelle.  It's a great idea.  We don't know if he'll go for it, 
but go on and give it a try."

	Evelle took a deep breath.  "I just hope I don't let you down this 
morning."

	Christalla gave her a quick, "You won't," as the warrenladies and 
their seconds began to arrive.  Aleta was to stand second to Evelle at this 
first meeting.  The guests were welcomed, their dragons cared for, and all 
proceeded into the Great Hall, where Christalla called the meeting to 
order and addressed the Council.  They seemed ready to get down to the 
serious business of the wraith attacks and the refused tithe, but the 
meeting took on a different tone after Hedda made her charges against 
Rhina and Roland of Falagand Warren.

	Evelle had been hoping they weren't true, though she certainly had 
no reason to doubt Hedda.  But Roland's outburst had  removed any 
lingering doubt as to the validity of the charges from Evelle's mind.  
Judging from the expressions she saw on the other warren leader's faces, 
they had none either.

	But the proceedings were interrupted by the keening of dragons.   
Christalla staggered under the impact.  Evelle's heart was racing.

	*Alicynth?*

	The copper dragon sent her word of what had happened.  Both 
rider and dragon were distressed, each trying to soothe the other.

	Christalla recessed the meeting and went to check that things were 
being readied for the rescue.  Evelle rushed outside but remained in 
contact with her dragon.  She knew it was Michel and his Paranth in 
trouble and was scared for them.  Brand new riders with only a couple of 
days training... yes, she was scared for them.  And for....

	*Wynn?*

	*Malekith says Wynn will not ride to battle today.  Wynn wants to 
go, so does Malekith, but Wynn says they are not ready, either of them.  
They want to go, but Malekith is proud.  Wynn made a wise decision.  
David, too, and his Kaylin'sha.  They know they need more training*

	*Thank you, Alicynth, my little one*

	Evelle was grateful that Wynn was safe, and proud of him for 
making such a hard choice.  She knew he wished he and Malekith *were* 
ready, but she was proud he recognized that they weren't and had 
enough confidence in himself to acknowledge it..  She was even more 
sure of her feeling earlier that he would be a leader.  David, too.   The 
young swordsman had the same strength and good head on his shoulders 
that she saw in Wynn.  Evelle hoped that M'ressan saw what she did.  But 
she doubted that Christalla's mate missed much of anything.

	*Are you all right, Alicynth?*  Evelle knew her dragon was sharing 
in the distress of the others.  *Please stay calm, little one*

	*I am all right.  I will go up to our home and wait there until you call 
me.  * will know from the others how the rescue is going*

  	*Yes, good.  You are a queen, and you must take care.  I'll come 
see you as soon as I can*

	A short time later, Christalla reconvened the meeting.  She was 
outwardly calm and in full control, but Evelle noticed the tension in the 
stiffness of her body.  Christalla needed some play time; she'd had little or 
none since before the hatching.

	"I would prefer to wait until our trainee has been rescued, but we 
just don't have that luxury.  There is trouble in the Realm that we have to 
deal with, and I'm afraid it's clear there's trouble in Falagand Warren as 
well."

	At that moment, the door to the Great Hall opened and Wynn came 
in.

	"Pardon the interruption, Dragonlady, but with Aleta off to help our 
trainee, I ask permission to stand as Evelle's second."

	Christalla looked at Evelle, who nodded.  She sighed 
imperceptibly.  Now, both Warrenlady and her second were 
inexperienced, thrown into the fire at their first meeting, but Evelle had the 
right to choose her own second.

	"You are accepted, Wynn.  Please sit beside Keldarra's 
Warrenlady."

	Evelle felt her confidence soar as Wynn took his place beside her.  
Roland had used the recess to regroup.  He was prodding Rhina beneath 
the table.  Fearfully, she rose.

	"I ask the Council's forgiveness for my mate's outburst.  The false 
accusations of the warrenless rider caused him to act not like himself."

	She started to say more, but Roland pulled her back down.  This 
was all he had told her to say.

	"DragonLady, may I speak?"

	"You are recognized, Evelle, as Senior Queenrider of Keldarra 
Warren."

	"Warrenladies, I speak before the council for the first time.  I do not 
know you, nor you, me.  It's my hope that when business is concluded, we 
may change that.  As the DragonLady pointed out, the warrens face great 
trouble once again, trouble we must prepare for.  I suggest that the mate 
of the Warrenlady from Falagand was very much himself in his outburst.  
The dragonrider, Hedda, is no longer warrenless.  She has been 
accepted into Keldarra Warren, has proven herself in battle, has been 
made wingsecond, and is held in high regard.  I'm sure some of you may 
have some questions for her when she returns, but I ask that her charges 
be accepted.  Thank you."

	Roland had been growing steadily more agitated as Evelle spoke.  
She'd been trying to provoke him to another display of temper and 
prejudice without directly attacking him.  Apparently her tactics were 
successful as he now jumped up, his face red with rage.

	"Are we to listen to this infant female, only two days joined, yet 
representing her warren by virtue only of joining with a queen.  What does 
the child know?  She should be given a sound spanking and taught 
respect for her elders and betters."

	Wynn's eyes narrowed and Evelle could feel his body tensing.

	"DragonLady," he said, "as second to Evelle, I respectfully request 
she be addressed with the same respect due all Warrenladies at this 
Council."

	"She will be," Christalla replied, looking directly at Roland.  Her 
expression said that she would tolerate no queenrider being talked to in 
such a manner.  She didn't speak, however, preferring to see how Evelle 
would handle it.  

	"Must we now also charge Falagand Warren with age bias as well 
as gender prejudice?" Evelle asked.  "I grant you I am new to this and still 
have much to learn, but with the wraiths back and the tithe refused, I must 
learn quickly, and I shall.  What I do know is that all dragonriders must be 
charged on their ability alone, not their age or their gender.  That is the 
way it's done at Keldarra, and I'm sure at your warrens, too.  With one 
regrettable exception."

	"Oh you know this, do you?"  Roland's voice was sarcastic and 
bitter.  "Well then, look at this Council which should be headed by men, of 
course.  Yet not one man sits as representative of his warren."

	"We represent the warrens because we are joined with the queens, 
not by virtue of being female," Evelle replied evenly.  Should a male join 
with a queen, and become Senior Queenrider of his warren, he would 
receive his due place on this Council."  She turned to the others.  "Would 
he not?"

	"Indeed."  "He would."  "Of course."  All expressed their agreement 
with her point.

	"Ridiculous," Roland sputtered.  "Easy to say when everyone 
knows it's impossible."

	"I beg to disagree.  Extremely rare, but not impossible.  When I 
joined with Alicynth, I began reading some history and still have a lot 
more to go.  But I've seen reference to times when a queen bonded with a 
male.  It's something we may never see in our lifetimes, but the precedent 
is there to support my point.  I thank the Warrenladies and their seconds 
for listening."

	Evelle sat down and her hand sought Wynn's beneath the table.  
She was quivering inside with stagefright, but had tried not to show it.  He 
squeezed her hand.  His eyes told her he thought she'd done well.  Evelle 
hoped that Christalla thought so, too.  She had been very outspoken, she 
knew, for her first meeting.  But Hedda was one of their own now, and as 
such, deserved the Senior Queenrider's support.  So did Wynn, who'd 
ventured bravely forth to support her.  If he should want to address the 
Council, Evelle would ask that he be heard.

Evelle
Queenrider of Alicynth