<Jahanna>

Jahanna deferred to the wingleader as he opened the door for her, 
proving that dragonriders weren't nearly as barbaric as her parents had 
claimed they were.

Two impressive draconic forms stood out in the moonlight, one being pure 
white, the other, blending with the deep blue-black sky in navy with 
cream.
  
"This is Raynod and Koroth," Z'lec told her.  Jahanna smiled at her 
first encounter close-up with dragons.  They were majestic, beautiful, 
undescribeably perfect.  She went a little closer, gazing up between the 
two of them.  Raynod, the white one, glowed subtly under the moonlight, 
turning some of his white silver.  Her own eyes shone bright, as though 
she was seeing something out of legend.

"They are both very handsome," she said, not knowing what else to say, 
but remembering that all dragons were at least a little vain.  "What 
incredible beasts."

Tr'etram and Z'lec shared a grin Jahanna missed, and she didn't realize 
the impression she had made on them.  

"Let me help you up," Tr'etram offered, giving her his arm up to the 
navy blue Koroth.  Jahanna found a place to sit on the dragon easily.  
She wasn't sure what to expect from a teleport, and tried to stay 
relaxed.  When Tr'etram swung up behind her, she felt the dragon ready 
himself beneath her.

Suddenly, before she could even blink, they were high in the air over 
some mountains that had been in the distance before.  Signal fires 
burned brightly for the dragons, calling them home.

Jahanna saw a wide expanse of flat ground below them, which would be the 
warren green, she knew.  The dragons circled and landed, and Tr'etram 
dismounted to help her down.

She heard Z'lec chuckling with his dragon.  Gossipy creatures, she 
thought ruefully.  

"This is the searchling barracks," Tr'etram was telling her. "You are 
welcome to stay here until you join."

"Judging by the darkness, I'd say Fiona's probably asleep," Z'lec 
commented.  Jahanna guessed Fiona was another searchling.

Trey nodded. "We'll get you situated in a room here and you can meet her 
in the morning. She'll help you out with anything you need in the 
morning. And she'll make sure you get an audience with the Warrenlady as 
well."

"Thank you for your help," Jahanna told the two men sincerely.  She did 
appreciate it.  For all of her confidence, and her adaptability, it 
would be easy to lose her way here.

They found her a room where Jahanna dropped her pack of clothing and 
other minor personal items, and then left a note for Fiona telling her 
of Jahanna's presence in the barracks.  

A pleasant night to the both of them, and the two men left.  She 
explored her room, found the bathroom, and washed her face and hands and 
neck as best she could before braiding up her hair again and changing 
into sleep clothing.

A soft knock on her door woke her in the morning.  Fiona, the girl 
introduced herself.

"So you're the searchling Trey and Z'lec found last night," she said.  
"Welcome to the barracks.  Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you," Jahanna replied.  "Tr'etram said you could get me in 
to see the Warrenlady."

"I can do that," Fiona nodded, smiling.  "She's usually busy in the 
morning, but I bet if we catch her around lunch time she can see you.  
Before then, would you like a tour of the warren?"

"Yes, please," Jahanna accepted.  "Let me get changed first.  I'm afraid 
I'm not at my best just after waking up," she said, smiling down at her 
rumpled night clothes.  Fiona smiled.  "I'll meet you on the warren 
green in half an hour, how's that?" she said.

"That's fine.  Thanks again!"

Jahanna shut the door softly behind Fiona and quickly made her bed.  She 
emptied the contents of her back pack and discovered that in all the 
practicality of packing travel clothing, she had forgotten the simple 
fare of day-to-day attire.

She showered quickly, and discovered that she'd have to acquire a supply 
of softer soap and shampoo.  She had a little with her, which she used.

Appearance-conscious as she was, she put together something reminiscent 
of what the few riders she had seen last night wearing.  Slim-fitting, 
belted leather trousers, soft calf-high boots, and a shirt and 
shortvest.  She tucked a pair of gloves in one pocket and put her hair 
up in a braided bun.

Fiona, true to her word, was waiting outside on the green, talking to a 
rider.  Fiona waved and moved towards Jahanna, and the dragon and rider 
pair took off.

Marrid was a small warren, but Fiona was thorough, and the tour ended 
with the pair outside Waylene's door.  Fiona knocked.

Waylene opened the door, obviously already on her way to lunch.

"Good afternoon, m'lady," Fiona said quickly.  "This is Jahanna val 
Raize.  A new searchling Z'lec and Tr'etram brought in last night."

Waylene smiled at her.  "Welcome Jahanna. I was just about to head over 
to the dining hall for lunch. Would you care to join me? We can talk 
about your new home over one of Cook's wonderful sandwiches."

"That would be nice, Lady," Jahanna said, natural respect in her voice.

"Would you care to join us, too, Fiona?" Waylene offered.

"I have a few things to do," Fiona declined.  "I'll grab a late lunch 
later."

"Thanks, Fiona," Jahanna said before the girl disappeared.

"No problem, any time," Fiona smiled.

Jahanna walked beside the Warrenlady as the two of them made their way 
to the dining hall.  Waylene introduced Jahanna to Hannah 'Cook', a 
kind-looking woman who looked at home wielding a rolling pin and a 
wooden spoon as much as a dragonrider looked on dragonback.

Seated before a yummy-looking sandwich stuffed full of greens and other 
tasty things, Jahanna found herself in the company of a very nice lady 
who definitely knew what she was doing.

"I think Z'lec mentioned you," Waylene said.  "With the business of this 
dragon plague, a few things slip past me."

"I guess he might have," Jahanna nodded.  "He and Tr'etram found me at 
the inn along Marrid River Road.  They were just leaving as I was going 
in.  I was going to spend the night there.  Yesterday was a long day of 
travel for me."

"Ah?  A long way from where?" the Warrenlady inquired.

"I rode from Ralengarde to Margit, and sold my horse there," Jahanna 
supplied.

"Ralengarde?  What brought you to Marrid, then?  Keldarra is much 
closer," Waylene said.

"True, it is closer, and I'm sure my body would forgive me sooner had I 
stopped there," Jahanna sighed.  "I'm afraid Keldarra's a larger public 
figure than your lovely warren is here, which suits me fine."

"And that's because..?" Waylene prompted.

"I'm a bit of a runaway," Jahanna said with a soft smile.  "My parents 
weren't too agreeable on the idea of me becoming a dragonrider.  A 
Searcher whom I spoke with last year in Ralengarde highly recommended me 
to seek out a warren if I ever had a chance.  Through a friend of mine, 
that opportunity presented myself."

"So your parents would be?"

"Sir Hawthorn val Raize, and his honourable lady wife, Nichelle val 
Raize.  Noble class, upper Ralengarde," Jahanna shrugged.

"So how are you settling in here?  I understand it's a lot different 
than landbound life, especially in Ralengarde."

"I'm doing all right," Jahanna smiled.  "I was prepared.  I have some 
very good friends who helped me get ready before I ran away."

"Your parents don't know where you are?" Waylene  deduced, slightly 
worried.

"Ah, yes, that's the gist of it," Jahanna nodded.  "If they had known, 
they would have stopped me from coming here.  Even if that had meant 
tying me down.  Our last conflict was over my betrothal to a young man 
also of noble blood."

"Oh, my," Waylene murmured.  "Well, you must know that if you do become 
a dragonrider, that your parents won't have any hold on you."

"Yes, Lady, I do know that," Jahanna replied quietly.  "I would prefer 
not to have any contact with my family, if that's possible."

"Well, they must know that you're here," Waylene said.  "You're a 
searchling now, anyway."

Jahanna smiled.  "Thank you, Lady."

"We'll get this all straightened out, don't worry," Waylene said.  "Now, 
tell me a bit about yourself.  How old are you, Jahanna?"

"I'll be eighteen this Midsummer," she told the Lady.

"That's a good age to join a dragon," Waylene noted.  "And something 
tells me you weren't the kind to spend your youth learning to speak 
right," she smiled.

"Well, Lady, that certainly was part of it," Jahanna said.  "I ride, and 
hunt with a hawk, or bow and arrow.  I've made a hobby of missile 
weapons," she added.  "Some of my rebellious younger years were spent in 
illicit practices," she smiled.  "I took to climbing walls and such.  
Just about everything I do, actually, causes strife with my parents."

"Oh?" Waylene raised her eyebrows.

"Well," Jahanna paused, caught slightly off-guard.  "I was a bit of a 
tomboy, nor too respectful for parental authority.  I used to borrow the 
plain tunics and trews the household helpers wore, and sneak out to the 
market on an 'errand'.  I had some rough friends, whom my parents 
weren't too fond of, and I..."  

Jahanna recounted one or two events of her youth that displeased her 
parents for Waylene, but found more holes in her memory as time went on.  
She found the soreness of her bruise had faded somewhat, but Waylene 
sent her off to the healers to get the bump checked out.  They could 
continue their conversation later, Waylene said.

The med center was busy, exceptionally so, what with the dragon plague 
and all.  She eventually caught hold of a woman named Sina, who turned 
out to be an an assistant healer.  With a moment to spare, Sina found 
C'tain, one of the full healers.

He spoke with her briefly, and told her that when the bump went away, 
her memories would return.  Probably the remnants of a very mild 
concussion.  She was a strong girl for handling it like this.  And so 
on, and so forth.  So with a slight headache from C'tain's diagnostic 
prodding, she left the med hall.

The best place to go, she decided, was outside.  She returned to the 
barracks and changed briefly into more body-conforming clothing, and a 
small, dangling sack of chalk powder.

She climbed to a good height on the mountains, and found a small plateau 
to sit on and watch the dragons exercised.  There were patrols 
teleporting in and out, and she waved cheerfully to a few who came close 
enough to see her.

Jahanna spent the lazy afternoon in the lower ranges of the mountains 
around Marrid warren, watching the dragons and day dreaming of her own 
joining.

*   *   *   *

NRPG:  So what's a searchling got to do around here?  :)  Jahanna's 
friendly, she'll talk to anyone.  Dragons, too!

Oh, and does anyone know when the hatching will be?  And whose eggs they 
are?  I think I missed that part in the archives... :)

Sian

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com