[[Keldarra: this happens after K'tan gets back from the fight with the
wraiths and before the Years End Party.]]

[[Jasra: this happens the day after the wriath battle at sea.. in the
evening while there's a lull in the storm....]]

+===============================================+

Shae
*****

She was tired. Worn out and in bad need of a bath, though she didn't want to
go home. The sun was out and it was beginning to be a nice day even after
the storm of yesterday. 

<<We could go down to our beach,> Kaaren sighed wishfully and Shae was quick
to agree. Being at their beach somehow made her feel closer to K'tan and
right now she wished he was here with her.

<<Sounds good to me Fireball.. Let's go.>> They took just long enough to get
a clean set of clothes then after telling Makayla where they were going,
took off.

She almost sent them back when she saw the state of the place, but decided
that she really did need the time alone. The battle had taken a lot out of
her and she was tired. 

Tired and lonely and didn't want to have to be around others just then who
might wonder if she suddenly burst into tears. 

Kaaren let her off then moved out into the surf. The Fireball wanted to go
out and make sure her Dolphin friends had weathered the storm all right. 

Shae watched her go then began to undress. She waded out into the surf
herself and took a quick bath, the water easing tired muscles, but not her
heart. 

Though she was beginning to love it in Jasra, it just wasn't her home and
she dearly wanted to go back. The very thought made the tears that had been
threatening to fall... Fall. 

She barely made it back to the blanket she'd laid on the sands before her
sobs over came her. She just let them go, unable to stop them had she wanted
to. 

She cursed the fates that had brought her to this place. Cursed them for
taking her away from everyone she knew and loved. Her family and friends...
K'tan and even from the trouble that she knew she had to one day go back and
face. 

K'tan and Knial burst out into the skies outside of Jasra, and the rider let
out a sigh of relief. Teleporting to Jasra took a lot out of him. It was
difficult doing this through pockets of non-magic and seemed to strain him
more then a normal telport. But to see Shae it was worth it, and right now
he needed more than anything to see her.

Still he had to be careful. He had promised not to give her away, and that
meant never going too close to the warren, <Knial, call for Kaaren.>

Kaaren heard the summons and sent back a quick reply. She was worried about
her rider, but didn't know how she could help her. The man would know. He
was good for her rider. 

<Hurry Knial. My rider is upset right now and needs your rider to help her.
There's been a battle here... and she's all worn out and missing our home.>

His dragon did as instructed and soon gave word to his rider, <She's upset,
K'tan .. they've been fighting wraiths ..>

K'tan understood how that could wear on a person and tried to cover his own
emotions so he could give strength to her. <Take me to her ..>

It didn't take long to fly to the stretch of beach where they had met before
and his heart cried even as he watched her sob. He moved quickly behind her,
calling her name, "Shae?"

She didn't hear them land.. Thought she was only dreaming that she'd heard
his voice. How could he know to come to her now when she needed him the most.

But when she lifted her head and turned, he was there taking her into his
arms and hugging her close. She wrapped her arms around him tightly as if
never wanting to let him go. He was here.. He was comfort. And she needed to
feel him with her more now then at any other time in their relationship.

"Oh K'tan... how did you know?" she sobbed against his jacket. "How did you
know I needed you...?"

He wrapped his arms around her, gently caressing the soft, clean skin of her
back. He refrained from letting them wander anywhere else because she was
upset, but he had a difficult time keeping his mind off of her nakedness.
"Knial said there'd been a battle? Are you hurt?"

"No... We're fine.. but .." she bowed her head and inhaled his scent, still
not believing he was really there with her. Her head lifted and her lips
sought his... "I need you love.. make me feel alive again please.."

His body tingled at her kiss and he returned it, releasing his hands from
their earlier restraint, as they ran up and down her body. "Me too .." he
groaned as his shoulders shrugged to remove his jacket.

Their joining was swift. Lacking the tender care they both had enjoyed in
the past. But tenderness wasn't what they both needed, and by the time they
reached their peak, Shae had her emotions under better control. 

"I thought I knew how it felt to fight," she told him. "But it wasn't how I
thought it would be. Though Kaaren seemed to know what she was doing and I'm
sure saved us from harm. You should have seen her out there. She was so...
Well she was wonderful!"

"Sometimes I think it's what Dragon's do best," he nodded slowly. "Shae ..
can I tell you something .. without you getting to upset with me?" he said
abruptly changing the subject ..

She looked up at him, suddenly afraid that he was going to tell her that his
coming here had been a mistake... That he didn't love her as much as she
loved him. She steered herself for the worse and nodded, telling herself she
wouldn't fall apart again in front of him. That would come later when she
was alone again. 

"What is it?"

"I had to see you today too .. but not because of wraiths .." he rolled up
on one elbow and looked down at her.

"Then why?" she asked. 

"A friend of mine .. is dead." he mummured quietly ..

"Oh no... Someone I know? From the Warren?" she asked, almost afraid to hear
the answer.

He nodded, "Darlea .." his voice barely covered the pain he was feeling. "I
know that you think there was something going on between her and I .. but
that was over long ago .. and I love you, but .. " his voice faded away.

Shae froze at the sound of the girls name. If he thought she was dead...
then... She had to tell him. She could see the pain in his eyes but she held
back. She'd made a promise to Makayla not to tell anyone the girl was here. 

And she meant to keep that promise.. But why did it have to be K'tan.. She
didn't like keeping promises from him. But then he hadn't seen the way the
girl had looked when Shae had first seen her in Jasra. Something had
happened and until she knew what it was she would honor her promise to Makayla. 

"I'm sorry K'tan.. Do they know what happened?" If he mistook her hesitancy
for jealousy then that would work in her favor.

"Almiron," he nearly spat. "He took her off into that blasted desert and ..
and .." he growled, "He didn't bring her back."

Almiron. 

She remembered him. Remember to that he had scared her the one time they had
met. But what did K'tan mean about him taking Dar away and not bring her back. 

"Then he's in Keldarra?" she asked, looking at him with confusion in her
eyes. Why was he there and why had he left Darlea to suffer... unless.. Had
be been the one to do those terrible things to her.. and then leave her for
dead?

"What excuse did he give for showing up without her..?" There was some heat
in Shae's voice now as she remembered the beating someone had given Darlea. 

"Excuse .." K'tan shook his head, "What does it matter. She's gone and he's
got some nomad woman up in their apartment .."

"He already has a new woman?" she looked at him stunned. 

K'tan nodded, "Oh yes, he certainly does .. and she makes no bones about
what she *does* for Almiron .. even being unable to speak anything but that
infernal nomad tongue!"  He sighed, "He did manage to bring back her child
however. He has that slut of his caring for the baby."

"But..." her mind was turning. She was remembering the one time she had been
with him, and the kiss he'd subjected her to ... all in the name of healing
her injuries.. And had made Darlea stand there and watch as he did it.

How many other times had he forced her to witness acts like that and how far
had he gone at the times... 

Something had happened to the girl. Something so bad her dragon refused to
discuss it with anyone. Had Almiron been responsible for it? Had he been the
one to beat her because she'd suddenly wised up to his game and told him she
wasn't going to take it any longer. 

And why had he taken her away from her family and friends.. So no one could
know what he was planing? 

Then there was this new woman. How could the man have brought someone new
home to bed with his mate... The woman he'd professed to love.. dead only
for a short time.. Maybe Makayla had the right of it... she would have to
get Kaaren to ask her.

"How is her mother taking it? She knows doesn't she?"

K'tan shrugged, "I .. I don't know." he reddened as he realized he should
have been seeing Darlea's poor mother .. "My first thought was of you .. and
how much I *needed* to see you .>

Shae felt bad. "I wish I could say something to her mother. The woman was
kind to me.. But I'm a bit selfish right now.. I'm glad you thought to come
see me love..." she raised her arm up to touch the soft skin of his face.
"I.. I'm sorry about Darlea.. I know how much you cared for her.. and how
much you love me.. I do know that K'tan," she grinned weakly at him. "But
I.. I'm so glad you're here... I was missing you and home and until you
arrived I thought I was going to go crazy. I want to come home! I want this
all to go away and ..." she began to cry again. "I just want to come home."

"I .. I just needed to see you. I mean losing Darlea is one thing .. but if
anything ever happened to you .."

His words were like a balm that calmed her over strung emotions. She reached
out and pulled him down to her. Reviling in his closeness. It was what she
needed at the moment. Then she release him and looked up at him... 

"So tell me what else is going on.. Are they any closer to finding out who
is really responsible for the thefts.. and how is Jono?" She wanted to hear
everything.

"Jono!" he slapped his forehead, "I can't believe I haven't told you about
your brother yet!"

"What?" she asked. "Has that brother of mine done now?"

"He joined himself to a dragon!"

"WHAT!!" She lifted herself up, knocking K'tan to the side then stared down
at him. "You're kidding me right?"

"No," he said shaking his head, "I am absolutely NOT kidding you. It's a
beautiful ..." He went on to tell her of the Jono and his dragon along with
the details of their joining.

Shae was happy for Jono, but then groaned. 

"What? Why the groan, I would have thought you'd be happy for him."

"Oh I am. I am," she assured him, then chuckled. "I was thinking about
Kende's reaction when he learned that he was losing another one of his
family to the Warren. Now he's going to have to hire someone outside the
family to help him run the Inn."

K'tan laughed, "Well it could be worse!"

"Yes it could," all amusement left her. "He could be blamed for crimes he
didn't commit and be forced to leave his home too." She said and turned away
from him to stare out at the two dragons cuddling on the warn sands where
they had found a clear spot.

"I want this to be over K'tan. I want to come home."

"Shae .." he said pulling her back, "You know we're doing everything we can
.. things have just been crazy. What with a hatching and wraiths .."

"It's my top priority too." he assured her.

"I know love," she leaned back against him. "It's just... Just that I miss
being able to do this with you without feeling like I'm stealing a moment in
time. I want to be able to wake up with you every morning and go to bed with
you every night..."

At the mention of the word bed.. she felt his body jump and smiled. "I guess
I have my answer to how you feel about that too huh?" 

".. oh yeah.." he murmured burying his face in her hair.

This time they took more care in their love making. Slow explorations that
raised their pleasure to a higher point then Shaw could ever remember
before. When he entered her this time, she truly felt that they were of one
mind. One body and the climax, when it hit her was sweeter then anything she
could ever remember feeling before. 

"Hurry and find who ever is doing this to me. I need to come home. I don't
belong here," she told him and then knowing she was making him sad, smiled.
"And watch out for that brother of mine. He thinks he's a real ladies man
you know. Now that he has his own dragon... He'll need looking after."

"I will," K'tan promised planting a tender kiss on her forehead.

"You'd better get back now," she hated herself for saying. "Before we're
both missed... I think I can handle it now that I've seen you.. And I'm
really sorry about Darlea..."

He nodded, "Thanks. I love you .." Then he quickly turned and mounted his
dragon for home.

"I love you too," she whispered as she stood there and watched them until
the blink out of sight. Then she took another quick bath, dressed and called
Kaaren to take them back to their apartment. (She refused to call it home
because it wasn't.) And to check on Darlea. 

She wondered how much if anything she should have Kaaren tell Makayla, and
then decide it would be best for her to know. The dragon could decide what
to do with the information once she knew... 

But if she told Darlea.. that might mean the truth that Shae had known all
along who she was would come out and Darlea could very well end up hating
her for lying to her. 

<That won't happen.> Kaaren told her softly as they landed.

<<I hope so my friend. I hope so.>>

****Submitted by: ******

Shaelesta & Kaaren
(aka Lesta & Fiery.. currently hiding out in Jasra Warren)

aka Barbara

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