T'rend - At the surgery
***

During the surgery T'rend had to keep his mind focused on the Hellspawn,
watching for signs that the wraith inside him was still active. But his
gaze continued to fall on the beautiful A'Rillia. Their eyes met on several
occasions and a smile crossed their lips. 

The more he looked at her, the more he fervently wished the surgery would
be over. He was longing to take the exhausted woman in his arms. She was
definitely working too hard. He would have to do something about that.

With a new healer, perhaps her grueling schedule in the med center would
let up. Perhaps they could actually get sometime alone to talk.

He watched in disappointment as Arri left to help C'tain make more of the
sedative. He chided himself slightly for the feelings of jealousy that came
over him. 

***

When finally he and Mukale were able to lock the cage door with the still
'sleeping' wraith inside it, T'rend breathed more easily. D'ssarian was
once again paying the price of working with hellspawn, but at least this
time the injury seemed relatively minor compared to the last time.

"Get this-- thing.. out of here," the new healer shuddered, "And *please*
be quick about it."

T'rend nodded, understanding how she felt. He looked quickly at Arri, who
met his eyes. He wanted to ask her to meet him later, but there was no
time. He had to get the wraith out of the med center and somewhere they
could more easily control it.

"To the 'lab'," he teased young Mukale as they stepped out of the med center.

Mukale smiled weakly, and nodded. The 'lab' was a reference to a room
buried deep within the Warren, where they had decided would be the study
area once they actually caught a wraith. Neither knew what condition the
room would be in considering neither had been there since Waylene had shut
down the project after Shard had been hurt, last summer. 

Waylene
***

Waylene sat in her office trying to work, though her mind was not on what
she was doing. It was on what was going on in the medical center at that
very moment. She found her eyes straying out the window watching for
someone to bring word of the surgery.

Suddenly Z'lec burst into her office. "'Lene! It's over! They've got the
wraith caged!"

She breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at him, "How did you know? They
haven't sent anyone .."

"Raynod heard from Ribbon."

"Ribbon?"

"The new healer's dragon." Z'lec explained.

Waylene nodded absently, her mind now turned to the fact that they had a
caged wraith in their possession. It was not a comforting fact. Z'lec could
see the discomfort in her eyes. "Don't worry, T'rend and M'kale have
already moved the thing to a  far room, deep within the warren. It's
completely surrounded by stone."

"It just worries me."

Z'lec wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be all right, but he
respected her distance, simply saying, "It seems they have a way to keep
the thing at least partially sedated."

Waylene nodded, turning her eyes back to the paperwork on her desk. She'd
been staring at it for the past couple of hours and not gotten anything
done. "I suppose I should go and tell Lord Godred."

"Would you like me to go with you?" he asked hopefully, though knowing
quite well what her response would be. Over the years, he had come to know
her quite well.

"Yes, please," she said quietly. She had been ready to decline his offer,
but the words came out accepting. 

"'Lene, you .. what did you say?" he said ready to protest that she
shouldn't go alone. Instead he did a double take. 

Waylene was slightly surprised herself, but she shrugged it away. She
really didn't like meeting alone with her father. "I said, 'Yes, please'.
I'd like you to go with me." she repeated.

He grinned, "Good." He held out his arm to escort her, but she brushed by
it heading out the door in search of her father. He sighed and followed
her. In any case the fact that she wanted him along, made him feel much
better.

***

"Do you know how he's going to be?" Godred asked. "Will he be normal again?"

Waylene looked around the waiting room of the medical center where she now
sat with Z'lec, her father, and Neland. She shook her head. "They don't
know yet. They've never done this before. But D'ssarian will do everything
in his power to make sure he's okay." 

"I know." Godred said with a slight smile, "But I don't know how much
longer I can wait here. I do have a city to run."

"I understand. Don't feel like you have to stay. I'll give you frequent
updates and we will send him back to you as soon as we can." Waylene
assured him. "And if his family would like to come and visit, I'm sure we
can find them a place to stay for as long as they like."

"That is very generous, m'lady."

"You have been very generous to us and to Cleft."

Godred smiled, "I do it because I feel like I owe it. Marrid has always
been there for us in Lendenval. I only give you our due." He turned to
Neland, his aide, "Get the wagons ready. We leave first thing in the morning."

"Yes, sir." Said Neland casting a quick glance at the Warrenlady. The n he
scuttled out of the room.

"Will you do me the honor of having dinner with me, Lady Waylene?" Godred
asked. "Z'lec, you are welcome to join us as well."

Z'lec looked at Waylene. She looked deep in thought before finally looking
up at the Lord of Lendenval, "Of course, that will be wonderful."

Suddenly a trumpeting sounded on the Warren grounds. Just out side the
medical center. Waylene spun to look at Z'lec who was in deep thought with
his large white dragon already.

"Diana's gone into labor." He said quietly, having gotten the story from
Raynod.

"No, it's too early." Waylene said. She headed quickly to the door, then
stopped and turned to her father. "I don't know how long this will be, but
go on to the dining hall and if I can get away, I will join you there.
Z'lec, please go with him, so he doesn't have to eat alone."

Z'lec nodded, as that was all he had time to do before she dashed out the
door.

****

Waylene spotted the new healer, Lakoda and stepped up to her. "Where's
D'ssarian?"

"He's in with the young pregnant woman. They are trying to slow the birth
down."

Waylene nodded, it was too early for those babies. She looked at the woman
for a moment, "I want to thank you for your help with the young guard."

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity."

Waylene smiled. "I want you to know that I wouldn't turn you away. Even if
D'ssarian said you were the worst healer he'd ever known, I'd have found a
way to keep you from having to go back to B'nair."

Lakoda let out a slight chuckle, "I appreciate it."

***

A short time later D'ssarian stepped out of a room and Waylene called to
him, "How is she?"

"All right, for now. We seemed to have slowed things down a bit." He smiled
at Lakoda. "Did you hear what a marvelous job this young lady did for us
this afternoon, Lady Waylene."

"Indeed, I did, D'ssarian. So you think we should allow her to stay."
Waylene teased the older man.

"Absolutely."

***

As there wasn't anything Waylene could do for Diana, she headed out to the
dining hall to have dinner with Z'lec and her father. As she walked in, she
saw the two of them laughing and having what looked to be a very enjoyable
time. She could see how much Z'lec like the older man. And even she had to
admit he had seemed to have softened over the years.

She pushed those thoughts aside and steeled herself as she moved over to
take a seat with the two men. "There's nothing we can do but wait," she as
an explanation of Diana's condition.

Z'lec nodded and began filling Waylene in on what the two had been talking
about. Waylene smiled politely, but her mind was elsewhere as she watched
the two men before her. Both of whom at one time she had loved very
desperately. And yet in some way each had failed her. 

Could she forgive them?

T'rend
***

"Now what?" asked Mukale, once they had set up the cage and cleaned up the
lab at bit. He watched as the creature began to come awake again.

T'rend shrugged. Shard had been the one with the knowledge .. he'd read the
books. "I guess we just have to find another to help us. Perhaps that new
healer?"

"She didn't look to pleased to be dealing with it?"

T'rend nodded, "Very true."

Just then there was a knock on the door causing both men to jump. The door
opened slowly, and Arri stepped in with a basket in her arms. "Hi." She
said with a smile at T'rend.

He grinned, "Hi."

Mukale watched the two of them, and suddenly missed Sky desperately all
over again.

Arri handed the basket to T'rend. "This is the root Lakoda used to sedate
the wraith. I'll show you how to make the preparation .. if you'd like."

"I would," said T'rend.

"Perhaps I should leave," said Mukale.

"No, M'kale," said T'rend turning to the young man. "You'll need to know as
much as I will. So Lady A'Rillia, will you teach us?"

<<NRPG: Well, this was Shard's idea originally, I'm not sure if Mukale and
T'rend actually have the knowledge to do this alone. Bets, would Arri be
interested in helping? It would give her more time with T'rend and less
time with actual patients? Of course considering how little we know of
wraiths we can come up with a bunch of fun stuff :}>>

Waylene - the next day after Diana's babies are born
****

Waylene stepped out of her room at Aura's cave. Aura was beginning to look
pale and dull as the time of sitting watching over her eggs was beginning
to wear on her. It seemed to worse this time then ever before. 

Waylene knew it was hard for her queen, being relegated to a cave so far
from the Warren. Then the loss of Sarathain and his little blue-eyed rider.
Raynod did as much as he could, but he was busy running Waylene and Z'lec
back and forth from the warren.

This was going to be a very long wait for these eggs to hatch. Waylene
moved over and began to oil hr queen's sadly neglected hide. They still had
a short time before Waylene had to be back at the warren to see Godred off.

***

When Z'lec finally arrived, midmorning, he brought news of Diana's babies.
Two adorable identical twin girls. Waylene felt a pang as she always did
when she heard of the birth of a babe, but smiled at Diana's good fortune
none the less.

Z'lec understood and ached to comfort her, but knew she wouldn't let him.
He had suffered just as much each time their hopes of a child had been
shattered.  

"I'm so happy for Diana," she said finally.

"Me too." Their eyes met and for a moment the shared the pain, but Waylene
soon broke the contact.

"We need to get back so I can wish Lord Godred a good-bye."

Z'lec nodded and motioned her toward Raynod who was listening patiently to
Aura as she listed her never-ending list of complaints for the morning.

<I'll be back soon, Aura. And then I will find you the juiciest beast I can.>

<Don't make me wait too long, Raynod. I am starving. I fear I shall waste
away before my children hatch.> the queen moaned dramatically.

Raynod smiled draconically, and simply nodded, <I will hurry.>

****

It was late afternoon and Waylene had done her duty of thanking the Lord of
Lendenval for his visit and his help for Cleft Warren. And she had also
stopped to see Diana and Trey and their gorgeous babies. She was truly
happy for them.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her office door. "Come in."

Z'lec entered, "'Lene, are you going to Velara's funeral?"

She looked up at him. The news of the death of the elderly Warrenlady of
Daere had been a shock considering she'd just seen her at the Council of
Warrens and the 70 year old woman had been as frisky as a newborn colt. "I
should, but with Aura being stuck in that cave, I .."

"I'll take you."

She groaned, "I don't think that's a good idea. There are enough rumors
flying around about us as it is."

Z'lec frowned. "You shouldn't worry about rumor's. And Velara deserves to
be remembered by Marrid."

Waylene sighed, "I know." She sat pondering for a few moments before
finally agreeing that he was right. Velara deserved to be remembered. Very
well, we'll go .. at least to the funeral."

***

Waylene and Z'lec arrived at Daere shortly after the Dragonlady of
Keldarra. Waylene was conscious of stares from the crowd, but Z'lec assured
her it was simply her imagination.

They offered their condolences to Velara's mates, R'ven and the young
Tair'n. Soon enough it was time.

The mourners in their dark colors walked quietly across the green, their
forms blending in to the lengthening shadows.  The wind whipped the light
dusting of snow from the recent cold snap into their faces.

They gathered at the edge of the woods, around the pyre built there.

A deep dragon voice rose in a mournful trumpeting.  Jayleigh, the new
Warrenlady of Daere, stepped through the crowd, which parted before her,
and stood by the pyre.  Tair'n and R'ven stepped through the crowd,
carrying the light burden of Velara's body, wrapped in white and laying on
a wood plank.  They gently laid her atop the pyre.

Their shadows lengthened toward the pyre as one of the junior queenriders
stepped through the crowd with a torch.  She handed it to Jayleigh.
 
She took the torch and touched a corner of the pyre.  The flame caught.
Jayleigh spoke above the quiet crackling.  "For my predecessor, our
warrenlady, who brought this warren to new heights."

She turned and handed the torch to R'ven, disappearing into the crowd. 

The tears streamed down R'ven's face, glimmering like jewels in the light
of the torch.  "For my mate, who brought me great joy."  The torch touched
another part of the pyre, a second flame joining the first.

Tair'n.  His face was haunted, and it was obvious he was fighting tears.
His voice echoed strangely in his ears as he spoke.  "For my mate, who
enjoyed life to the fullest."  A third flame.

Others stepped forward, speaking their tributes and adding their lights.
When each person who was to speak had spoken, Tair'n and R'ven stepped
forward again, Tair'n taking the torch.  "Velara, fly on bronze
Jennaladar's wings, out of this life to the next," R'ven spoke.  "And when
you and your dragon stand before the gods, let them know that, in this
life, you were loved.  Tell them, 'I died in my lover's arms, making love.'"

Most in the crowd didn't react to that statement.  Jayleigh's face was in
shadow.  Tair'n couldn't see if it had angered her to know that Velara
would, indeed, be remembered as a randy old lady who liked to mess around
with a boy young enough to be her grandson.  A small smile crossed Tair'n's
face as he cast the torch to the top of the pyre.

As they stood and watched the flames engulf her white-shrouded form, the
strains of 'Lover's Moon' began to play.

        Lover's moon frames us,
        Shining and bright.
        Embraces revealed by
        Its argent light.

As the flames began to die down, and one by one, the mourners began to move
away from the pyre and toward the dining hall where they would begin to
celebrate the life Velara had lived, Waylene moved away, toward the green.

"We should go and wish Jayleigh well on her new position." Z'lec called
after her.

"I'm not in the mood for a party."

He grabbed her arm and stopped her, "'Lene, just relax for a bit. Many of
these people I haven't seen in a long time, since I missed the Council
recently. I'd just like to stop in and say 'hello'."

With a sigh, Waylene nodded and turned around to head toward Daere's dining
hall. She did hope to see Ophelia to ask about the records for Tr'etram's
medication.

Regards,
Waylene & Aura
***
NRPG: Barb, could you please send me any relavent posts from Daere to the
party as they come in or have already come in. I have yours and I have
Lyn's. Waylene will be going and she will have a good time, if Z'lec has
anything to say about it. I was going to post her to the party already, but
this is getting pretty long, so that will be my next Waylene post. Not to
mention my fingers are getting sore :}

Bets, T'rend would love to give Arri a hug or two :}

Kristen
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Kristen Gant
(AKA: Darlea & Makayla,  Waylene & Aura, Meena & Vonn, 
Kalewyn & Sabbith, Saul & Fayloth)
http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/Kris/kris.htm