[Mila and K'wen]

K'wen walked into the Medical Center.  His mother turned and smiled.  
"K'wen, what are you doing here?"

"Paranth asked me to get Almiron's game board from his apartment, so Michel 
and Almiron could play."

"That was nice of you, dear," Mila said to her son.

He shrugged.  "Not much else to do.  You heard they found the assassin?"

Mila shook her head.  "You dragonriders get news a whole lot faster than I 
do out here at the Medical Center."

"Sorry.  Well, they did.  He's been murdered.  No idea by whom.  He was a 
landbound.  Been here... well, since before Kaeryth's last hatching."  K'wen 
shook his head.  "Damned landbounds.  We shouldn't let them into the warren."

"K'wen!"

"Sorry, Mom, but it's the way I feel."

"You haven't been talking to that V'rdeen boy, have you?" she asked 
suspiciously.

K'wen snorted.  "V'rdeen's an idiot.  No, I've felt this way for a long 
time.  This latest just proves my point."

Mila shook her head.  "I don't have time right now, but I want to talk to 
you about this some time."

He shrugged.  "Sure, Mom, whatever."  He glanced around.  "So, where's 
Almiron and Michel's room?"

Mila gave him directions and sadly headed back to work as he went to deliver 
the game to the two wounded riders.

[Almiron]

"If Darshan hasn't told you, a few people found a body not far from here.  
The body had vials that looked like the description of some common and 
uncommon poisons.  Your assassin may have been found.  I also asked a few of 
the dragons to bring the board from your apartment over, if you do not mind."

Almiron thought for a moment.  "Do you suppose he was only assassin here?"

Michel shrugged.  "I don't know.  He's certainly been busy, if so.  But this 
could all have been done by only one, I suppose."

Almiron nodded.  "But who killed assassin?"

"That's a good question.  And why?"  Michel thought.  "Of course, the real 
assassin could have been setting this guy up to take a fall so we'd drop our 
guard.  This may be an innocent with evidence planted on him after he was 
killed."

Almiron shivered.  "That is certainly something assassin would think of."

"Hmmmm... maybe we'd better warn Chri-... Evelle."  Michel's eyes went blank 
for a moment.  "Done.  Had Paranth tell Alicynth to tell Evelle.  Damn, I 
wish I weren't in here!  There's just so much out there to do."

Almiron nodded.  "I know your frustration."

The two fell silent for a moment.

"There," Almiron said, suddenly, "is my left foot moving?"

Michel pulled the covers off Almiron's feet and watched for a long time.  
"Sorry, pal, no."

Almiron sighed.  "I thought maybe I felt something."

"Give it time," Michel said.  "This isn't even an injury most people recover 
from.  It may take Hehran a while to fix it."

Almiron nodded.  "I... I am just... afraid that it won't heal at all.  I 
feel so... helpless."

"Hey, just stay positive about it, okay?  Don't give up just yet."

Almiron smiled.  "I won't."

They fell silent again.

"If you... really want out of here early," Almiron finally said, "I could 
heal you."

Michel started to speak when a knock came at the door and then K'wen walked 
in.  "Hey, guys, I got Almiron's game for you."

"Thank you, umm..." Michel began, looking questioningly at the man.

"K'wen," the rider answered.  "Trendal wasn't back from Ralengarde and 
Starleana's got an upset rider right now, so Paranth gabbed around and 
finally got me.  I just transferred to Gamma from Alpha."  He shook Michel's 
hand.

"I'm Michel," Michel introduced himself, "and this is--"

"Almiron," K'wen finished for him.  "We've met already, at the celebration 
for the joining of my lover's sister."

Almiron nodded.  "How is D'neor?"

K'wen sighed.  "I don't know.  I haven't seen him since Gamma left for 
Ralengarde.  I'm assuming he's with his family.  I... didn't want to intrude."

"I don't think it would be intrusion for you to be there for him."

K'wen shrugged, his glance going to Michel.  Almiron seemed okay with his 
orientation, but Michel was an unknown quantity, and landborn.  "I've got to 
go.  You two enjoy yourselves, okay?"

"Thank you for bringing it," Michel said.

"No problem.  See you."

K'wen turned and left.

Almiron looked at Michel.  "Well?"

"Well what?" Michel asked.

"Do you want me to try and heal you?"

******

Almiron slept deeply that night, feeling more secure with Michel there and a 
guard at the door.  His body burned with the healing energies and he slept 
the sleep of the dead.

He drifted into dreams towards morning, and the dreams turned to nightmare. 
Rumalin lay dead and the infant Darshan couldn't flee fast enough to keep 
Almiron from hearing as Rumalin's body was devoured.

Almiron woke with a sob.

"You okay?" Michel asked, standing beside the bed.

Almiron forced himself to breathe slowly.  "I'm fine."

Michel nodded.  "I was worried you'd hurt yourself."

The door opened and a staffer came in with a tray with their breakfasts.  
"Here you are.  They've been prepared under supervision.  No poison.  Just 
in case."  The staffer smiled grimly.  "Mila will be in shortly to check on 
you both."

"How are the others?" Michel asked.

"You'll have to ask Mila when she gets here.  I just deliver meals, empty 
bedpans and all those other exciting things."

She arranged Almiron so he could reach his food, arranged the food on table 
and left.

Michel sighed.  "Real communicative."

Almiron smiled and took a sip of the hot tea and immediately pulled back.  
"Tea is too hot yet."

"Hopefully everything else is hot, too."

They fell to eating.  Almiron found he was famished.

After a few minutes, Michel said, "Almiron, what or who is 'rumalin'?"

Almiron paused.  "What?"

"When you were having your nightmare, you kept saying 'rumalin.'  I was just 
wondering.  You don't have to..."

"No, no, that's okay," Almiron assured him.  He studied the other man.  They 
had been through a lot together in the last few of days, and he was 
beginning to feel very close the red-haired rider.  He decided to take a 
risk.  "He was my first lover."

Michel absorbed the information.  "He?"

Almiron nodded.  Nervously, he picked up the teacup.

<Pet!> Darshan screamed.

Almiron reflexively jerked and the hot beverage flew out of his hand, 
landing in his lap.  He screamed in pain and Michel jumped across the room, 
grabbing towels to soak up the hot liquid.  The guard flung the door open.

"Almiron spilled hot tea in his lap," Michel informed him.  The guard turned 
to fetch a staffer.

"I'm okay," Almiron assured Michel, even as he said, <Darshan, don't do 
that!> to his dragon.

<Sorry, pet, but Malekith is in trouble.>

<Well, you can't help,> Almiron shot back and then realised Michel was 
looking at him funny.  "What is wrong?"

"Almiron, your legs, they jerked when you spilled the tea... and you 
screamed in pain."

Almiron sat in shock for a second.  "I did feel pain."  He reached down and 
ran his hand over his legs.  There was no feeling.  He tried to move his 
toes, his feet, his legs.  Nothing happened.  "It's gone now."

Michel grinned.  "I'd still say it's a good sign, wouldn't you?"  Then his 
eyes went blank as Paranth talked to him.

Respectfully submitted,
 Lynette R. F. Cowper
  Almiron and Darshan

NRPG: Chris C, tag!  I figured even if Michel did take him up on his offer 
of healing, he'd still be in the Medical Center till morning.

All, Almiron will be regaining sensation in his legs and lower torso.

 **********************************************************************
 * Lynette R. F. Cowper       *     Official INWO NetRep & Goddess    *
 * lcowper@io.com             *        Circle of Janus Secretary      *
 * lcowper@indy.net           *   VP of P.U.R.P.L.E. (People United   *
 * http://www.io.com/~lcowper/*   Respecting Purple Legal Equality)   *
 **********************************************************************
 *     The INWO rulings I make are official.  All other opinions,     *
 *  discussions, deck ideas, card ideas, political beliefs, etc. are  *
 *  my own and not those of Steve Jackson Games, the Circle of Janus, *
 *                        or P.U.R.P.L.E.  Fnord.                     *
 **********************************************************************