> 	"You're not going anywhere, Lori.  I hereby place you under arrest for the
> murder of Al'dairan and the attempted assassination of the DragonLady."
> 
> 	A grim-faced Evelle ignored the look of panic that flashed over Lori's
> face.  Wynn stood with fists clenched struggling to control his inner rage.
> 
> 	"You are also charged with aiding and abetting the escape of Roland and as
> an accessory before the fact to the kidnapping of Evelle, WarrenLady of
> Keldarra."

Michel glanced around, noticing all int he room.  THey seemed focused on 
Lori...his instincts screamed out, yet he quelled them, and kept a cool 
head.  Fighting would not resolve this,...if anything, it would make it 
more nuts.

> 
> 	Lori's eyes darted around the room.  Her mind was frantically processing
> information as it searched desperately and in vain for an avenue of escape.
> 
> 	"Don't even think about it, Lori," Wynn ordered in a voice low with fury. 
> "Just give me an excuse."
> 
> 	Michel moved protectively closer to the woman lying in the hospital bed. 
> 
Michel's hands unnoticeably slipped to the comforting spot where he kept 
his Whip, realizing he had disarmed himself completely before going to 
the Dragonlady.


Outside the med center, Wyndelie keened in reaction to her rider's terror. 
> Michelle Blademistress also moved towards the prisoner, hand resting
> lightly on her sword.
> 
> 	"Don't kill me!" Lori pled.
> 
> 	"WE do not kill dragonriders," Evelle replied with no attempt to conceal
> the contempt she felt.  "That is YOUR province.  You will stand trial and
> accept the punishment deemed appropriate.  I shall preside."
> 
> 	"YOU?!"  Lori's dread grew as she remembered what Evelle had suffered at
> the hands of Roland.  "You can't be impartial.  It's not fair!" she
> protested.
> 
> 	"It was fair for you to come here and accept the hospitality of Keldarra,
> then commit murder?  Why did you do it, Lori?  For money?" Evelle asked. 
> Lori's guilty look told everyone in the room that the WarrenLady's
> intuitive leap had been on the mark.
> 
> 	"I'm not like that anymore.  Wyndelie and Michel they changed me.  Wynn?"
>  She looked pleadingly at the WingLeader but found no ally there.

Michel could see just how torn the Wingleader was...in the brief time 
Michel had been here, he had known the wingleader to be fair, but also 
knew that he would do anything for Evelle.  Michel admired such resolve, 
especially in light of his own conflicting emotions concerning Lori.

> 
> 	"Perhaps you have changed, maybe you haven't," he said tightly.  "It
> hardly matters.  Al'dairan lies dead and little Mista might not have had
> the chance to take her first breath while you lie here carrying a child of
> your own."
> 
> 	Lori's hand moved without thought to her abdomen and Mila quickly checked
> her vital signs.
> 
> 	"Go easy," the healer requested.  Mila was as appalled at Lori's actions
> as any of them, but her natural instinct to care for a patient overrode her
> distaste.  "Her labor has been stopped, but we must take care that it does
> not start again."
> 
> 	Evelle turned toward the healer.  "She will remain here, under guard,
> until you determine she can be safely released.  At that time, she'll be
> escorted to a prison cell where she will remain until her trial.  It will
> be a speedy one, I assure you."
> 
> 	Michel spoke up.  "I should also be placed under arrest as an accessory
> after the fact."
> 
> 	Evelle looked him square in the eye.  "Were you aware of Lori's intent
> prior to her actions?"
> 
> 	"Of course not!"
> 
> 	She believed him.  Michel's life before coming to Keldarra and joining
> with his dragon had not been the most savory, but he had been both loyal
> and trustworthy ever since.
> 
> 	"Did you become aware of her intent and fail to report it?"
> 
> 	"No, WarrenLady."
> 
> 	"Did you learn about any of her actions after the fact and fail to report
> it?"
> 
> 	"I did not," he admitted.  "As soon as Lori told me what she had done, I
> went to the DragonLady and asked her to put me under arrest.  But, I
> -should- have known.  There were signs.." His voice trailed off in misery.
>  He could not condone what Lori had done, but it did not stop him from
> loving her.
> 
> 	Evelle's voice softened.  "Then you were perhaps blinded to things you
> should have seen by your feelings.  That's not a treasonable offense,
> Michel.  You are free to go or to remain here, but you  -will- be expected
> to give testimony at her trial."

Michel didn't see how he could give testimony...he just knew scales 
needed balancing.  He again remembered being at Al'Dairan's funeral...the 
looks thrown at him.  He glanced at Lori, trying to think of how to 
comfort her...he gave her one of his smiles, to reassure her.

> 
> 	"She will appear," Michelle Blademistress said with assurance.  "I will
> stand guard."
> 
> 	"And I will schedule some dragonriders to assist you," Wynn added.
> 
> 	The swordswoman nodded.  They all knew that Michelle needed no help, but
> what they didn't know was what Wyndelie might try to do to help her rider.
> Of course, the other dragons would be alert for trouble.  Kaeryth would see
> to that. But, a dragonrider on guard would be prudent.
> 

Michelle stayed, keeping an eye on both of them.

Michel moved over to Lori, kissed her on the forehead,a dn hugged her.

"I can't do much good here, and need to split...I have to figure out just 
what I knew when, if Evelle expects me to give testimony.  I still don't 
know just what I can tell and what I can't...it's...crazy."

[NRPG:  Kat, I don't know where else to take this, so, any ideaas?  *G*]

******************************************************************************

Michel mounted Paranth outside the Med Center.

*Where to, Michel?*

"To the woods...to Al'dairan's spot..."

*Okay...are you ok?*

"I honestly don't know..this is all happening so quickly, and I need 
someplace to think for a bit..."


Flying out, Paranth landed a short ways away from the spot where 
Al'Dairan's funeral pyre had burned.  Walking over, he sat on the ground, 
letting the cold wind whip thru his hair, and body, noticing the 
gooseflesh and outstanding nipples on his body.

He'd been there for over an hour, when he heard someone behind him say 

"Why am I not surprised to find YOU out here as well?"


Michel and Paranth
  AKA Chris Canary

NRPG:  Just a short post to say I'm still alive out here...things are 
gonna be fun..got a new job, and will be moving in May..so, things in 
April may be crazy....

Also, I have no clue who else would be out at the Pyre spot...who else, 
that won't think of crucifying Michel (I dunno..D'neor might want to 
shoot him) would be out in that area...*G*