>Yasmine shook her head, "I am Lady Elora's daughter, Lord Utha raised me
>ashis own."
>
>"I'm not sure I understand." Serraphine said, and toyed with the food on
>her plate for a bit.  She then looked up and nodded to G'vriel.  "It is
>nice to meet you dragonrider G'vriel."

Yasmine blanched pale at the request for more information. She'd explained
herself plainly enough. Was this Serraphine dense or playing games to cause
her embarrassment?

>The older rider smiled lightly, and nodded in return.  "A pleasure,
>m'lady." He said, and looked at S'an.  The younger rider shrugged and
>smiled.  He was enjoying this way too much for his own good.  Anything
>that took Serraphine's attention from himself.
>
>Yasmine shook her head.  This was not going to be easy, espessially in
>front of S'an.  "My mother.... eh...."
>
>"Stories can wait." S'an broke in, and winked at Yasmine.  "Our food is
>growing cold, and I still have the rest of the warren to show to
>Serraphine."

Yasmine took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, relieved that S'an had the
tact to distract Lady Serraphine from inquiring about Lady Elora's
indiscretion.

>Serraphine nodded, "That would be wonderful.  This is a very interesting
>place."
>
>The rest of the meal went on without interruption.
>
>**************
>
>S'an andYasmine found themselves standing outside the searchling's
>barracks, waiting for Serraphine to finish her inquisition of one of the
>trainers on the proper care of dragons.
>
>S'an yawned and held his side gingerly.  "You would think that after
>someone was almost killed they would be just a little more tired.  I'm
>exhausted." He said to Yasmine, "First the flight formations, then the
>shops and craftmen, now the barracks.  Next she'll be wanting to see
>where I live!"

"Well, actually..." Serraphine replied, a glint in her eye.

Yasmine looked a S'an and could see how tired he was. "I would be happy to
show you where I live, if you'd like."

"Why I'd be thrilled!" the baronet replied.

***

"Won't it be a little hard to get up there without your dragon?" Serraphine
asked as they were about halfway across the green."

"No, not really. Unless you are tired." Yasmine replied.

"Tired? You mean to climb..." Serraphine asked her eyes wide in amazement.
Mountain climbing was not what she had in mind.

"The stairs." Yasmine said with a giggle.

"Stairs? But I thought you had no need for stairs with dragons."

"I live in one of the family apartments. All family apartments have stairs,
for those that aren't joined. But we are about halfway there. If you
prefer, I can call Starlin and have her take us."

"If you wouldn't mind," her ladyship replied.

<Starlin, dear heart, Lady Serraphine would like a lift to see our home.>

Seconds later the amber hatchling landed in front of them. Yasmine mounted
and then held her hand down to assist Serraphine in mounting up behind her.

"Hang on to me!" Yasmine told her just before giving Starlin the command to
take off."

***

"So, you are fortunate to have the Utha name here," Serraphine said,
looking at the larger apartment that was made for families.

"How do you mean?" Yasmine shook her head She was treated no differently
than any other dragonrider, and she liked it that way.

"Well they gave you this large apartment, all to yourself."

At that moment Lakoda stepped out of one of the rooms,

"Lady Serraphine, I would like you to meet my roommate, Healer Lakoda."

"Pleased to meet you... Roommate? Does everyone have to share quarters?"

"No, I kind of took Yasmine under my wing. Most people here have their own
apartments." Lakoda said.

"Oh, I see..." Serraphine replied, looking around at the place, which was
surprisingly cozy for being built into the side of a mountain. It was far
from being as dank and grim as she imagined.

***

"This is the kitchen," Yasmine said, finishing the tour. "We don't always
eat in the dining hall. Would you like something to eat?"

Yasmine set to making them a snack as Serraphine sat at the kitchen table
and started asking some questions that she'd been dying to ask.

"So, tell me, Does everyone sleep with whomever they want whenever?"

Yasmine about dropped the knife at the unexpected question. She turned
around, curious look on her face. "I'm not sure I understand..."

"Well, I've heard how it is at warrens, everyone mating with each other as
they call it."

Yasmine frowned and shook her head. "I don't know what you heard or where
you heard it, but we are just normal people who ride dragons. People tend
to stay with their mates for the most part."

"But these matings I heard of.."

"Mating flights," Yasmine blushed, still uncomfortable with the subject,
"The female dragon, when she gets the urge to mate... like going in heat
for a cat or dog..."

<I'm not a pet!> Starlin interjected, miffed at the comparison.

<I know dear heart, bear with me>

"Anyhow, the female dragon takes flight, and all the male dragons chase her
trying to win her."

"Yes..." Serraphine said.

"Well, the dragon-rider bond is such that when the mating urge affects the
dragon, it affects the riders as well."

"And everyone falls into bed together, like a mass orgy?" Serraphine asked.

Yasmine giggled, "No... The human joined to the male who wins... and the
human joined to the female who is won,.. they mate with each other."

"What are you talking about?" Lakoda asked, looking into the kitchen to
check on the girls.

"Mating flights," Serraphine responded with a gleam in her eye.

Lakoda took a seat at the table in case Yasmine needed any help. She knew
that this was still a touchy subject for her young friend.

"And the losers?" Serraphine asked.

"Um... they go away frustrated, I guess." Yasmine responded.

"And what happens to the couple after the mating flight?" Serraphine
queried.

"Um... I don't know... I've not had a mating flight yet. Lakoda???" Yasmine
asked, glad to pass the buck.

********

NRPG: Tag Barb and Justin. Justin, hope I did Serraphine right.



                \=/,         _-===-_-====-_-===-_-==========-_-====-_
                |  @___oo   (    Submitted by:                        )
      /\  /\   / (___,,,}_--=    Jacqueline "Morgan" Allgood          )
     ) /^\) ^\/ _)        =__                                          )
     )   /^\/   _)          (_                                         )
     )   _ /  / _)            (      Danika/Kalindeth of Daere        )
 /\  )/\/ ||  | )_)            (_    Xanthia/Maxima of Whiteriver     )
<  >      |(,,) )__)             (   Kattibrie/Calishandra of Telnor )
 ||      /    \)___)\             (_ Yasmine/Starlin of Marrid       )
 | \____(      )___) )___           -==-_____-=====-_____-=====-___==
  \______(_______;;; __;;;