Waylene
***

Waylene waited patiently for word that Taria had returned with Lord Utha.
She had warned the young woman that the Lord of Tressa would not be pleased
to be dragged out of his home, but she knew it would be necessary. She'd
sent along a note with her seal signifying the importance of his coming.
She was sure he would not refuse the Warrenlady's seal.

When word arrived that he had headed straight for the medical center rather
then coming to see her she groaned. Though realistically, that would seem
the fatherly thing to do, and therefore out of character for Utha. Perhaps
she had misjudged him. She hurried to the medical center, hoping beyond
hope that she had.

***

>"But Papa, I did nothing wrong," Yasmine protested.

Waylene moved to the doorway in time to hear the young woman speak. She
frowned.

>"That's what I expected you'd say!" the old man blustered, "You are just
like your mother, acting like a slut!" He raised his hand, preparing to
slap Yasmine across the face when he was interrupted by a voice from behind.

"Lord Utha, If I may have a word with you," Waylene said sternly from the
doorway. She would not stand and let even a Lord of her domain slap around
an already beaten and bruised child.

>Utha, hand still raised, looked at his daughter who had shrank down even
farther and was sobbing in terror, and back at the Warrenlady, and slowly
lowered his hand.

>"Now," Waylene prompted. "A'rillia, take care of Yasmine, please." With
that Waylene and Lord Utha stepped out of the room.

"Lady Waylene, thank you for your prompt attention to finding my daughter."
Utha said.

"It might have been faster had I known she was missing .. Lord Utha."
Waylene said pointedly.

"I had barely found out myself. You must understand, Yasmine has always
been a willful child, and insists on roaming beyond the city walls without
an escort. This despite the fact that I have warned her of what could
happen." Utha snorted, "And now it has. Perhaps now she will have learned!"

Waylene smiled diplomatically, "I'm sure she'd have learned something from
your raised hand .. though I'm not sure it would be what you would have
liked."

"I told you m'lady, she is a willful child and needs discipline."

"I'm sure, Utha, but the child has been through a horrible trial herself
already. Does the name Wilek ring a bell."

"Wilek!" Utha roared, "That scoundral! He was a servant of mine for a
while. He was caught stealing from my treasury. I would have had the knave
executed had he not escaped to parts unknown."

"Well, they are are not so unknown now. It seems somewhere along the line
he joined with a dragon, and has joined Roland's band of rogues."

"Roland? I thought he was dead."

"As did most of us. But it seems not. Your daughters recollections have
been most helpful. It seem Wilek was the one who kidnapped Yasmine. Perhaps
as a way of getting back at you." Waylene explained, "In any case, shall we
say he was not a gentlemen and your daughter has been roughly handled."

Utha's eyes narrowed. "He raped her? That would be just like Wilek. Out to
ruin any change that girl has of a good marriage. Now listen to me,
Waylene, I do not want this news out. If I work things right, I can have
her married before anyone finds out."

Waylene frowned, "That will have to wait for a bit, Utha. You see Yasmine
has asked to remain here, in the Warren."

"What?" he roared.

"I've already said yes. Besides she has the affinity, Utha. She could make
a good dragonrider. And we will have new eggs on the hatching grounds soon."

He nodded slowly. "I'd heard the blue queen had flown again. Guess rumors
of the Falagand queen being barren were true." He snorted, "Leave it to
Falagand to send us useless mouths to feed."

Waylene ignored the man's jabs at A'Rillia and Daetyn, "Perhaps even a
queen egg."

Utha's eyes shot up. "You think my Yasmine could join to a queen?"

"Anything is possible," Waylene said. She certainly wasn't lying ..
anything was possible, though a queen egg was unlikely, considering Marrid
did have three fertile queens already. Nature seemed to keep the warrens
balanced pretty nicely. And though Daetyn had not yet flown, Waylene had
not doubt that she was not barren. It was only a matter of time before the
small purple queen felt her rider ready to handle it.

But now the idea had been planted .. she knew Utha would not take Yasmine
.. at least not unless she failed to join.

T'rend
***

Grall circled down toward where three female riders were bent over an
injured rider. Porthios landed mere seconds before he did and D'nar hurried
over with a stretcher. T'rend recognized Baeta and hung back a ways. He
didn't know why he was avoiding the rider .. actually he did, but he didn't
want to admit it. He'd finally gotten things smoothed over with Arri. He
didn't want to blow that now.

He watched as D'nar and Lakoda shuttled the injured man on to the stretcher
and then tied him to Porthios.  Then he heard a quiet voice behind him.
"Just going to stand there."

He was startled to find Baeta next to him. He'd been working so hard not to
notice her, she'd been able to sneak up behind him. "I .. I was .. just
staying out of the way."

Baeta nodded, "And avoiding me."

"No." T'rend said.

The young woman smiled, "Don't think I don't know the signs, T'rend .. I do."

"You still think about me .. don't you."

T'rend looked at her sharply, "No."

"I think about you .." she began. 

He turned away. "Aren't there eggs or something we need to be moving." He
moved quickly away from her to where Minty was carefully examining the eggs
for the best way to move them. Baeta followed and soon several other riders
also landed and T'rend was thrown into his job of helping move the eggs and
he didn't have to think about Baeta anymore.

D'nar
***

D'nar nodded at Z'lec who ordered him to stay with Lakoda and the injured
rogue. He looked around to see where his partner had gone off too, and
spotted him talking to Baeta. He didn't have time to worry about T'rend,
he'd have to fend for himself .. he seemed distracted enough as it was.

<Porthios, tell Grall where we're going. And find out about that rogue
dragon.>

There was a slight chuckle from Porthios, <Grall says he'll have Jindalie's
rider watch out of his.>

<Porthios ..>

<Okay, sorry, I know that's gossip,> the large brown dragon grumbled. <His
name is Colchis. His rider is Ranon. He's actually too worried about his
rider to be of any danger.>

<Just keep in contact with him. He's a rogue .. we can't be too careful.>

<I will.>

Regards,
Waylene & Aura
***
NRPG: Okay I figure that Fiera has probably been making the hatching
grounds ready for her own eggs, which should be laid any time now. So while
she may not be happy. The job of guarding and brooding the wild eggs goes
to Fiera .. have fun Chris.

Hopefully I haven't forgotten anything .. let me know if I have :}

Kristen
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       \oo/     Kristen Gant
        ~~      (AKA: Darlea & Makayla, Keldarra Warren, Courier
                      Waylene & Aura, Marrid Warren, Warrenlady
                      Meena & Vonn, Norwall Warren, Dragonrider
                      Kalewyn & Sabbith, Telnor Warren, Dragonrider
                      Saul & Fayloth, Whiteriver Warren, Searcher
                      Merybelle Barmen, City of Ralengarde, Innkeeper
                http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/Kris/kris.htm
 --d----------b-------------------------------------------------------
        ()
       \()/
        \/