[Trey]
[Medical Center, Gransol's room]

He stepped into the room.  The man in the bed looked up from the book he
was reading and their eyes met for the first time in twenty-two years. 
The first thing Trey noticed was the glow of affinity around his brother. 
The second was how much of himself he could see in the face. 

"Gransol?" he asked.

The man sat, staring at his unmatched eyes.  "T-Tannet?"

Trey sighed at the recognition.  "Yes.  It's me."

Gransol's eyes studied his face, then travelled down his leather riding
gear.  "You're a dragonrider."  It was a statement, not a question, and it
was tinged with horror and disappointment.

"Yes," Trey answered.  "I've been a rider now for twenty years."

"I see..."  Gransol's voice was turning colder.

"You would have rather learned I was still a potter's slave?"

Gransol's head jerked up in surprise.  "S-slave?  What?"

"Didn't you know?"

"Mother said you ran away."

Trey stepped over to the chair next to the bed and looked at his brother.
After all these years, the hurt of that supposed abandonment still shone
in his brother's eyes.  He shook his head.  "Graniel sold me to a potter.
One of Telnor Warren's searcher's spotted me about six months later and
Searched me to Telnor, where I eventually joined to Koroth."

"Mother would never...  Why would she lie to me?"

"She never liked me.  I was a threat to your inheritance.  And I wasn't
her son."

Gransol shook his head.  "I can't believe that."

"You think I'd abandon you?"

Gransol studied him.  "I... I don't know...  Gods... a dragonrider..."

Trey shrugged.  "I'd not have it any other way now.  And, at the time, it 
seemed far preferable to being a slave."

"So... you didn't run away to join the warren?"

Trey shook his head.  "I fully intended to be a knight under the Chevane
family banner.  But Graniel wouldn't stand for that."

"But you were his son... my brother..."

"And a threat to your inheritance."

Gransol's eyes were full of confusion and anger.  "Then why did you never
contact me?"

Trey was taken aback.  "I... I don't know...  I guess I just figured she'd
never let a message from me through to you.  I'm sorry, Solly."

His half-brother was shaking by now.  "She took you away from me...  How
could she do that?"

"She was trying to protect your interests, Solly.  She didn't want you
sharing the inheritance with me.  It wasn't much inheritance."  Trey hated
to defend the woman who had done everything in her power to ruin his life.
Gransol flinched at the last statement.  Trey noted it.  "What?" 

"You're right," Gransol said softly, "it wasn't much inheritance."

Trey considered his brother.  "Tell me," he said.  "Tell me what's
happened to you since I was taken away."

Gransol closed his eyes and thought for a moment.  "Well... everything was
fine for a while.  I grew up, trained under various swordmasters,
horsemasters, lancemen, and so on.  Then... when I was... fourteen or so,
mother got sick."

"Oh, no..." Trey said, knowing where this was going.

"Oh, yes.  She was sick for a year before she finally died.  The healers
got everything.  I was left with father's arms and armour, one horse, and
the family name and honour.  Larguad took me in and I've been serving him
ever since."

Trey wanted to tell him that his loyalty was misplaced, but given what
Larguad had done for him, there was no way the knight would believe it.
"Unmarried, then?"

Gransol shook his head.  "I married six years ago to Larguad's niece,
Anlariel.  We had two children-- a son named Larsol who would be five, and
a daughter named Larisel, who's three.  My wife and son were visiting
Margate when the wraith attack came.  He died when a building that had
been set afire caved in.  She... lingered longer."

"I'm sorry," Trey said quietly.  "And Larisel?"

"She's at Larguad's estate.  She looks more like her mother every day."

"And you've been here all this time without her?  Why didn't you say
anything?"

Gransol looked at him in confusion.  "Well... I'm... a prisoner, aren't
I?"

"No!  You're not.  Not that you'd believe Waylene when she told you that.
The battle with Larguad is over."

"And his daughter?"

"Returned to help with the running of the town while he was recovering
from his injury.  She was rescued from rogue riders and remained here of
her own free will, despite Larguad's beliefs otherwise."

Gransol was quiet for a moment.  "So... I can go back anytime?"

"As soon as you're recovered, yes.  I guess Ranon hit you pretty hard."

The knight smiled wryly.  "I still can't believe I was suckered like
that."

"Happens to the best of us," Trey answered, smiling.  "I did... however...
want to talk to you about your leaving."

Gransol looked at him suspiciously.  "What?"

"Solly, have you ever considered being a dragonrider?"

"Me?  No way in hell.  Dragonriders have no morals at all.  They'll sleep
with anybody, including members of their own sex, and they don't even have
the common decency to *marry* the person they love.  No commitments, no
nothing.  No morals."

Trey's eyebrows shot up in surprise.  "Including me?"

Gransol reddened.  "Well... I suppose there could be a few exceptions..."

Trey shook his head.  "It's nothing like that here.  Graniel's fed you a
bunch of lies and horror stories because she was afraid you'd be
Searched."

"Me?  Why would I be Searched?"

"Because you have the affinity.  Of course, she wouldn't have known that,
but given your grandfather... and if she'd heard about me...  I don't
expect the potter was happy to have his slave Searched out from under him
after a mere six months' service."

Gransol's eyes reflected a great deal of fear.  "It runs through
families?"

"It can, yes."

"And Larisel?"

Trey shrugged.  "She might have the affinity.  I'd have to see her to
know."

"You can see someone and know?"

Trey nodded.  "I'm the Searcher for Marrid Warren.  I'm trained to see the
affinity.  And, there's going to be a hatching shortly."

Gransol looked panicked at that.  "I have to leave, then.  I can't stay
here..."

"Whoa, whoa!  Look, very few dragons ever join with someone your age.
You're safe, even if your affinity is strong.  I'd like you to stay and
see what a warren's really like.  And I'd like to meet my niece, if we
could bring her here."

Gransol considered him.  "I'll think about it."

******

[Dinner with Talitha]

They had discussed flight books and the methods that might be used to
indicate moves, from airspeed to altitude and location of the Wraith in
question.  They had discussed the way of life at the warren she came from.
He was sure she hadn't told him the half of it and the precariousness of
that existence left him thoughtful.

"That's how... that's how Maelwith died.  It was...  I don't know what it
was, not really.  Something large came over the eastern mountains and
destroyed Breydona and most of the garrison there.  One of the survivors
said it was like a dragon, kind of, in form, but it was strangely like a
Wraith in attributes.  Physical weapons did little or nothing to it... but
flame did.  He and Kalanath were the first dragon and rider on the scene,
and they engaged it.  Flame worked wonders, but they hadn't loaded up on
coal, they had gone to give a message to the garrison commander.  They
killed it-- whatever it was.  But not before being so hurt that
Kalanath...  They think Kalanath was trying to come to the Warren.  They
didn't reappear."

As she had spoken and her voice had grown more pained, he had 
automatically stood and walked around the table to her.  "I'm sorry." 

"So am I."  He touched her hand, and slowly she began to cry.

He knelt down and slipped his arms around her and just stayed there,
rocking her while she cried.  He had no words for her, for he knew the
pain, magnified somehow by the lack of a body.  Diana's body had only been
an unrecognisable skull and one hand.  Still at night, he sometimes awoke
and felt sure that she was still alive out there somewhere and the body
belonged to someone else.  How much more not to have even that.  It would
be difficult to move on.

******

Gransol had decided to stay for a while.  He and Trey had gone to
Larguad's to get Larisel.  She and the twins had hit it off quite well.

Trey and Gransol-- Tannet and Solly to each other-- spent considerable
time together.  Gransol soon knew Trey's story.  Well, almost all of his
story...  Some of the more sordid details, Trey had left out.  And, he had
hesitantly decided to address the matter of Koda's pregnancy later. 

Gransol was slowly losing his fear of warrenfolk, though whenever stories
of faithlessness came up-- including Waylene's abandoning Z'lec for Trak--
Solly would give his brother an 'I told you so' look. 

When he wasn't playing host to Gransol or Searching, Trey was working on
writing his own book of tactics with Talitha's advice.  Some of his own at
Telnor had become famous. Trey had never quite gotten over the regard his
warren-raised trainees gave him. 

It was a couple of weeks later as he and Talitha were leaning over his
writing when two things happened at once.  Talitha's head jerked up and
nearly bumped his nose and a wave of sadness ran through Koroth.  <Rainy
and his rider are dead.>

"Sorry, Trey," she said a bit distractedly.

<What happened?> he asked.

<We don't know.  Grall and Porthios and their riders found them dead.  We
don't know why Rainy died.  His rider killed himself.>

Talitha blinked, eyes suddenly unfocusing.  "Why would he do that?"

He could tell she was speaking to her dragon.

<Do they need my help?> he asked.

<They are going to send Ribbon and her rider, and Grall, Ainu, Colchis
and... Prisma.>

He heard the woman across from him snort, then sigh and stand up.  "Sorry. 
Duty calls.  Escorts for Koda to see the body."

Trey looked at her, noting the involuntary tension that embraced her. 
"You have a theory?"

Talitha shook her head.  "Not exactly.  If I were... in Xylian, I'd have a
guess, but...  Here, I don't know what would cause this." 

He watched her walk out, then considered what to do now.  Without a clear
idea of anything else to do, he decided just to finish working on the
chapter on pair tactics.

It wasn't too much longer when Koroth spoke to him again.  <My rider,
Ribbon's rider is having her hatch-- baby, and Ribbon is sick.>

Trey stood.  <Where are they?>

<Ribbon is outside the Medical Center.  Her rider is inside.>

He stood and headed out.  <Roth, come get me.>

When the dragon and rider arrived at the Med Center, the knot of healers
had already gotten Lakoda inside.  A young staffer was seeing to Ribbon as
best she could.  Trey recognised her as a new dragonhealer that was being
trained.  Other staffers flitted around her as well.  But none had much
experience.

Trey walked over to the purple dragon.  "What's wrong with her?" he asked.

The staffer shook her head.  "I don't know."

"And Lakoda?"

"T'rend just left to get her parents.  That's all I know."

"Thank you," he said, then turned to head into the Medical Center.

"Tannet!"  He turned to see Gransol striding toward him.  "What's going
on?  People are talking about a dragon dying?"

Trey nodded.  "We don't know what happened.  But our head healer just had
some sort of episode while she was out investigating.  It looks like it
may have brought on labour early."

"Oh, dear.  I hope she's okay."

"It's hard to say.  This pregnancy has had some serious problems."  Trey
continued heading into the Medical Center.

"I've noticed you two seem to be friends.  What--"

He was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a knot of dragons, all of
which landed badly.  Trey made out Prisma among them and saw Talitha
half-fall off the dragon.  Prisma curled around her protectively, snarling
at the people who were coming to investigate.

"Excuse me," he said to his brother and headed off toward her.

He could see she was crying, curled almost fetal into the curve of
Prisma's neck.  Prisma glared and let out a low growl as he approached.

"It's me, Prisma.  You know me.  Let me make sure she's not hurt.
Please."

He took one slow step forward.  Prisma growled deep in her throat.

"Please, Prisma, let me to her."

He took another slow step.  Prisma growled again, but it was quieter.  He
continued approaching.  Slowly, Prisma relaxed and he was able to kneel
down next to Talitha.

"Lith, are you okay?"

"Almost lost her..." she muttered, shaking uncontrollably.

"Can you walk?" he asked.

"So close... so close..."

"Come on.  Can you stand up?  Let me take you to the Med Cen--"

"No!!" she jerked back away from him.  "Don't wanna go there..."

"Okay, okay.  No Med Center," he reassured her.  <Roth, tell whoever the
dragon doing Med Center duty today is to tell his rider to get a healer to
my office.>

He led her to his office and tried to get her sat down, but she clung to
him, so he remained standing, rocking her instead.

The door flew open and C'tain walked in.  "What happened?" he asked.

"Something gave her a scare out there," Trey said.  "I don't think she's
hurt, but..."

C'tain nodded.  "I'll check.  Talitha, it's C'tain.  Can you tell me, are
you hurt?"

She shook her head.

"Can you look at me a minute?"

She looked at him and he studied her eyes, then nodded.  He got into his
bag and pulled out a bottle and shook out two pills and handed them to
Trey.  "I'm giving Tr'etram something for you to take, okay?  Just
something to calm you down."  He met Trey's eyes.  "No alcohol with these,
okay?"  Trey nodded.

"Thanks, C'tain.  What are you doing here instead of with Lakoda?"

C'tain shrugged.  "Someone had to see to her.  Sina's looking at Colchis,
so that left me."

"Who's with Lakoda then?"

"Her parents.  I've got to get back."

Trey nodded.  "Tell her I'll be there when I can, okay?  Until then, I
expect you can handle her." 

C'tain smiled.  "I will."

Trey finally got Talitha sat down and with the pills taken.  "Now, tell me
what happened."

******

"And you think that's what's happening here?" he asked when she had
finished her story.

She nodded.  "I do."

He stood and paced, scratching absently at the scars on his wrists, which
still chafed once in a while.

<My rider, Ribbon's rider has had the... the baby.>

He froze.  <Is everything okay?>

There was a pause.  Koroth was obviously having to go through several
steps to get information.  That meant Ribbon was still down.  <Mother and
baby are doing fine,> Koroth told him, obviously quoting.  <It's a girl.
I'm told to tell you congratulations from C'tain and Sina.>

Talitha was watching him, obviously noting the conversation.  He turned to
her and smiled.  "It appears I'm a father again."

"Congratulations," she answered.  "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Is what a boy or a girl?"

They birth whirled to see Gransol standing in the door to his office.

Talitha looked confused.  "Trey and Lakoda's child, of course.  You hadn't
heard she was in labour?"

Gransol's eyes met his in shock.  "You're the father of Lakoda's child?"

Trey swallowed.  "Yes.  It was a mating flight.  Solly--"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I... I was afraid you'd take it wrong and I never found the right way to
tell you."

Gransol stepped back, looking hurt.  "I'm not that bad, am I?"

"Solly..."

"Am I?!"

"Sometimes," Trey answered honestly.

"I'm sorry."  Gransol started to turn away.

Trey grabbed him.  "Solly, I'm sorry, okay.  I just couldn't tell you.
You've been... very judgemental."

"Sorry.  I'll just leave..."

"No!  No.  Come with me.  Come with me to see my new daughter... and...
we'll talk."

The knight stood with his head dropped.

"Please," Trey pleaded.

"Okay," Gransol said.

"Good.  Come on."  Trey turned to Talitha.  "Will you be okay now?"

She nodded.  "Thanks, Trey."

******

It took a moment for Koroth to land in front of his office.

<What took you so long?> Trey asked.

<There was a human that was looking at me funny.>

<Funny how?> Trey asked as he climbed onto Roth's neck.

There was a bit of humour in Koroth's answer.  <He was obviously checking
to see what sex I was.>

<I see...  Strange.>

<It gets stranger.  When I started to move away from him, he apologised.>

Trey helped Gransol up behind him.  <What's so strange about that?>

<I heard him in my head when he did so.  He's a telepath.>

Trey froze.  <Where is he now?  Do you know?>

<Still on the green, near where those tents are being set up.>

Trey hadn't liked the tents.  Having something so flimsy and easily preyed
on by wraiths didn't strike him as a good idea.  <Take me there.>

They landed on the green and Gransol looked confused as Trey slid off
Koroth.  "What are you doing?"

"Roth says he was talking, telepathically, to some kid with the carnival.
I want to set up a meeting real quick."

Gransol regarded him.  "You're going to Search him?" he asked
uncomfortably.

"Damned straight I am.  Telepaths are few and far between and way too
valuable to a warren."  Trey turned and scanned the crowd.

<That one there,> Roth said, sending an image of a blond teen.

Trey spotted the young man and approached, smiling.  "Excuse me?"

The boy turned and Trey was taken with the glow of affinity around the boy
as he smiled.  "Yes?"

"My dragon says you were talking to him earlier."

The boy glanced behind Trey and saw Koroth.  "Yeah, I thought he might be
this female dragon I met a couple weeks ago.  She was dark blue, though I
didn't remember her having the cream and yellow streaks.  But obviously,
he isn't her."

"A female dragon you met?  Met how?"

The boy shuffled uncomfortably.  "She was outside a tavern is all."

"Did you talk to her?"

"Well..."

Trey pointed to his head.  "You heard her in here, didn't you?"

The boy blanched.  "I'm not crazy.  I don't hear voices in my head that
aren't there."

Trey smiled.  "I never said you did, son.  It's just that my dragon heard
*you* inside his head.  I think you're a telepath."

"A tele-what?"

"Telepath.  Someone who can hear and speak to dragons, all dragons, not
just their own."

"Is that possible?" the boy asked warily.

"Yes.  It's rare, but possible."  Trey extended his hand.  "I'm Tr'etram,
the Searcher here at Marrid.  I'd like to meet with you later tonight,
maybe at dinner, to discuss you standing at our upcoming hatching.  Would
you like that?"

"Join to a dragon?"  There was a light in the boy's eyes.  "Gods, would
I!"

"Good.  I'd like to stay and talk to you now, but I've got to visit a
friend in the Med Center.  So, can we get together in the Dining Hall
tonight?"

"I'll be there," the boy promised.

"Great.  Oh, can I have your name so I can find you if I need to before
then?"

"Oh.  Sorry.  I was just so excited...  It's Breeze."

"Breeze.  Got it.  I'll see you tonight."

As he remounted Koroth, Gransol gave him an odd look.  "He's excited about
it, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is.  Some people consider joining a dragon to be a great honour,
you know, Solly."

Gransol shrugged.  "I suppose it would be, if..."  He didn't have to
finish.  Trey knew the thought.  If the warren society weren't so immoral.
He shrugged.  They'd been through this before.  He wanted to break down
his brother's barriers on the issue.  Because, in a few years, he fully
intended to Search his niece.  Already she showed the glow of affinity.

******

He knocked gently.  C'tain opened the door and smiled.  "We were wondering
when you were going to get here."

"Sorry I'm late, but I figured Koda would have a roomfull with you and
Sina and her parents here."

"You were right..." Koda said sleepily.

Trey walked in and smiled down at her.  "How are you feeling?" he asked as
he sat.

"Exhausted and exhilirated.  Wanna see her?"

"Of course.  Here... lay still, I'll get her."  Tenderly, he picked the
tiny baby girl up and looked into the perfect blue eyes that only newborns
ever have.  "What did you name her?" 

"Talera."

He nodded.  "That's a pretty name."  He turned to his brother.  "Solly,
aren't you going to take a peek?"

Gransol, who'd been hanging back, shyly stepped forward and looked over
his brother's shoulder at the child in his arms.  He smiled.  "She makes
me think of Larisel when she was born..."  A cloud of sadness seemed to
pass over his face, then he smiled again.  "Congratulations, Lakoda."

He glanced at the dark-haired healer who had returned to Lakoda's side and
was holding her hand and wondered how this child could possibly be raised
in such circumstances.  But his brother was happy and it was not the time
or place to ask. 

Respectfully submitted,
 Lynette R. F. Cowper
  Tr'etram and Koroth
  (and a bit of Gransol ap Chevane)

---

 Lynette R. F. Cowper <lcowper@indy.net>, INWO Line Editor