Lori lay in her bed in the med center listening to the music and the
laughter of the partygoers. Michel was in that crowd somehwere having a
good time, while she was stuck here under guard. She looked at the guard
near her door. They stepped in everytime one of the healers came in to
check on her.

"Leave me alone!" she growled at the woman who had entered the room.

"I have to check you over" she explained patiently.

"Not if I refuse, now leave me alone" Lori practically screamed at her.

The healer shrugged and both the guard and the healer stepped out, leaving
her to her own thoughts.

She hoped that the trial would end quickly. Now that Michel had told her
they don't kill joined riders she knew her worst fate would be to be
banished. She just wanted to leave and get on with her life, set things up
for when their...no, HER, she corrected herself, baby would be born.
Michel did not want to be with her or her baby so they would disappear
from his life, like he seemed to want.

She wondered how Feldrik was doing in prison. She smiled. She had never
agreed with his aims but he offered good money, and the money she had been
given to even try was well stashed away...as well as her other set of
knives. She would need those when she left.

(Lori?) Wyndalie's voice was hesitant in her mind.

(Yes, Wyndy?)

(Are you mad at me?)

Lori sighed. How to explain this to her dragon. (I was at first, Wyndy.
Because of the things you have said they will make us leave here.)

(Oh) Wyndalie sounded sad.

(We will be alright Wyndy) Lori tried to sound sure, but she knew she
would miss the life she had found here...the fairytale life, she thought
bitterly.

(Wyndy...you need to not tell anyone anything about us anymore, unless I
say so, ok? Or we may be facing more quixk exits from places again.)

(Oh, I wouldn't want that!) Wyndy vowed in her own mind to make sure she
was never the cause of such turmoil again.

Lori's hand strayed to her rounded belly. How would she raise a child
moving from place to place? And could she settle in a city with a
dragon...for sure, no warren would accept her. Maybe she could find
someone to trust to leave her baby with and come to see her regularly.
But, living without her baby....could she stand it?

Lori sighed. These were things she would think about after the trial was
over with. She again heard strains of music. She bitterly pulled the
pillow over her head and tried to shut it out. Let them have their fun,
she thought bitterly, she didn't care!

But a part of her cried....because of her lost chance for happiness, her
lost chance for love.

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NRPG: I didn't want you to forget about Lori :) 


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                      Kat Robertson: catwoman@indy.net

                       http://www.indy.net/~catwoman