From: "Mint" <mint@saqnet.co.uk>

<Breeze>

Breeze stood outside Waylene's office after his interview and took a
deep breath of relief.  He'd been worried that the Warrenlady would ask
him to leave Marrid before he'd had a chance to find answers to some of
the questions he'd travelled so far for.  But she'd been friendly and
welcoming to him and hadn't turned a hair when he told her of the brief
encounter he'd had with Kirimith and her male companion back in
Wellcot.  

"Minty is Kirimith's rider."  Waylene told him.  "You'll likely find
her and David in the dining hall about now.... though they may not be
there if Zael is awake and hungry."

He'd briefly considered asking where he might find the couple if they
weren't in the dining hall, but decided not to push his luck too far.
So he'd said a polite thank you for the welcome and left quickly when
Waylene had nodded her dismissal.

He stopped a passing child and politely asked directions to the dining
hall, then set off at a fast walk towards the carnvial tents to wash
and change.

<..>

Too busy rehearsing what he was going to say to Kirimith he failed to
watch where he was walking and bumped into somebody.

"Sorry."  he murmured absently sidestepping around the person still
enmeshed in his own thoughts.

>"No, no it's my fault I haven't quite got to grips with this telepathy 
>and walking in the real world at the same time." smiled Tina immediately 
>noticing how attractive the youth was. "I'm Tina by the way."

"Oh..."  he looked down at the lovely young woman with a bemused
expression. 
"... I'm Breeze."

>"Here with anyone?" asked Tina.

"Nope."  Breeze smiled into her enchanting green eyes.  "But..."

>"OH good you can show me around then." said Tina immediately linking 
>arms with him and snuggling up to him.

For a moment Breeze was taken aback.  He'd heard about the promiscuous
behaviour of those who were warrenborn, but had always taken such tales
with a healthy dose of scepticism.  Were the tales based on fact after
all? She wriggled against his side and he found himself responding to
her unashamed sensuality.  What the heck!  he thought as they walked
hip to hip towards the lights of the carnival.  Live a little Breeze.

"I was going to try and find someone but it wasn't that important that
it can't wait until tomorrow"  Breeze told Tina with a smile.  "I'd be
delighted to show you around, and win you a prize or two perhaps?"

<Later - Dining hall>

He watched as she threw her head back and downed yet another glass of
wine. He'd long since given up trying to match her drink for drink,
knowing his limits from other nights spent with his father's 'business'
associates.  Where in the Lands did she put it all?  he wondered as she
refilled her glass once more.  The girls he'd known in Wellcot would
have been unconscious long before now... and Tina could give some of
the Pig & Whistle's male regulars a run for their money.

"Maybe I should get you something to eat?"  Breeze offered.   

He looked around to attract the attention of one of the serving maids
and was surprised at how empty the dining hall had become.  The lights
had been dimmed, the kitchen hatchway was closed and the staff were
clearing away the remains of supper from the long trestle table set up
against one wall.  

"Or maybe I should walk you home?"  Breeze corrected himself.  "It's
late and I think the kitchen helpers would like to close up and get to
bed."

She took a quick look round the almost deserted room then stood up and
tucked her hand into his arm once more, pressing herself close to him
as he led her through the doors. 

"It's that way." she murmured as they emerged into the coolness of the
night.  She cupped his chin in her hand, her fingers grazing the
pounding pulse at the angle of his jawline, as looked up into his eyes.
 "Maybe you'd like to come in for a nightcap?"

Breeze shivered at her touch and pulled her close to him.  He didn't
know why this woman was offering him so much on such short
accquaintance but he'd be a fool to turn the opportunity down.  And
Breeze's mother had raised no fools!

"I'd like that."  he said softly as he bent his head to kiss her full
lips.  "I'd like that very much."

[NRPG I hope I didn't misplay Tina, James.  Do what you like with them
:) :)]

****
<Next day - early afternoon>

It was a bit much to absorb all at once.  Telepathy was the reason that
he'd been able to hear the dragons talking to him then.  Him?  A
telepath?  He grinned excitedly to himself.  Nothing *this* good had
ever happened to him before! 

And he wasn't just a telepath either!  Tr'etram had said he might be
able to join with a dragon. He kicked up his heels in delight... and
then quickly looked round to make sure he hadn't been seen.  It wasn't
dignified.  

Dignity or not... he couldn't stop a grin from lighting up his face.  A
dragon rider.  Him!?  Dragons were all he'd ever dreamed of!

<..>

He'd been disappointed to find that Minty and Kirimith had left Marrid
for Keldarra warren.  He'd thought once the carnival moved on he could
persuade them to head to Keldarra, and he could continue his search for
answers there.  That wouldn't be necessary now.  He'd still be here
even after the carnival was packed up and gone so he could wait for
Kirimith's return.  

One mystery was solved but there was still the question of why the blue
female had recognised him.

<..>

He spotted the black/grey bulk of a large male winging away from two
small figures on the green and remembered Kirmith's companion.  That
had been a large grey and black beast.  If the two dragons had spent
any time together then perhaps ... Kaylin? was it... perhaps he'd be
able to fill in some of the blanks until Breeze could talk with
Kirimith.  Maybe one of the two men he could see in the distance was
Kaylin's rider and could him too.  It was worth a try, he decided as he
jogged towards the distant men.

<..>

Breeze was half way to his target when the air was split by an eerie
nerve wracking call that set his teeth on edge.  Shivering with dread
he picked up his pace...

>"Well have to talk later.  Trak want me to find out what happened..."
>Kendal said, and David nodded.
>
>"No problem.  I'll catch up with ye later." He said, "Be careful."

Breeze was just in time to hear.

>
>Kendal nodded, and David headed towards the dining hall. 

"Excuse me."  Breeze called after David's back.  "Could you answer a
question or two for me?"

David paused, waiting for Breeze to catch up to him. 

"I have t' be somewhere so ye'd best be quick."  David said politely
"How kin I help ye?"  

Breeze's response was lost in the bugling of a distressed dragon.  

*Help her.* he heard faintly  *Minty needs help.*

With a start Breeze looked upwards.  "That's Kirimith."  Breeze said
with concern.  "Minty's hurt."

David gave him a long hard stare.  "How'd ye know that?"  he asked
suspiciously.

"That doesn't matter."  Breeze yelled as he started towards the spot
where the dragon would put down.

He was brought to an abrupt halt by a strong hand, and was spun about
to face an angry David.

"How'd ye know?"  David demanded "How de ye know my mate's injured."

Breeze shrugged the hand off and turned to run once more.

"Her dragon ... Kirimith ... told everyone in earshot."  he called back
over his shoulder. 

<..>

Kirimith landed heavily, skittering sideways as she fought to stay
upright and keep her passenger in the saddle.  Her normally dark blue
hide was ashen, and her eyes were filled with exhausted pain and fear.

*Help us.* she broadcast piteously.  *Help....*

Her calls were cut off abruptly as she slumped to the green
unconscious.

"Minty!"  Breeze heard David call in anguish.

He pushed past Breeze in his eagerness to reach his mate.  Minty's
slumped figure slipped from the saddle as David unfastened the straps
and Breeze stepped forward to help him as he lowered the woman to the
ground.

"Minty."  David moaned softly as he smoothed the tangled curls from the
woman's face.

Breeze's breath caught in his chest as he got his first glimpse of her
chalk white features surrounded by russet curls.  Lord she was
beautiful even with the wet streak of red that marred the smoothness of
her cheek.

The woman groaned softly, and her eyes flickered open to gaze vacantly
up at David.

Such eyes!  Deep violet irises surrounded by the whitest of whites,
framed by lustrous lashes. Confusion and fear welled in those eyes. 
Breeze looked into their violet depths and his heart clenched in his
chest.  He seemed to have a vague memory of eyes such as these....

"Ye're hurt love."  David whispered softly as he brought his bloodied
hand away from the side of her head , her eye lobe was bloody and torn.
 "What happened t' ye?  Ye were supposed t' be en Keladrra with me
family."

"Zael?"  Minty moaned as she frantically struggled to extricate herself
from David's arms.

"T' babe." David exclaimed.  "He'll be en his harness."  He tried to
lay Minty back on the ground but she clung to him and wouldn't let him
go.

"I'll get him."  Breeze offered as he carefully scrambled up to the
saddle atop the still unconscious dragon's neck.  But the carrier that
should have held the small child was empty... it's straps ripped and
dangling loosely.

"He's not there."  Breeze said softly as he slid down Kirimith's
shoulder to the ground.

David's face turned ashen at Breeze's words.

"Zael?"  Minty cried in agitation.  "Where's Zael?"

David and Breeze just looked at each other...

submitted by

Minty & Kirmith
Breeze

<NRPG>  All -  Feel free to start a search for Zael if you'd like, but
please .... DON'T find him.  I have plans :)

-- 
Mint,  the voice and soul of

Timi Caplain  Unassigned            Caliban, Lute's human  Dragon Lands
 
Lillith the Mage    Broken Lands    Minty, Kirimith's rider    Dragon
Lands                  
Naomi, QueenRider to Amethyst, Norwall's WarrenLady,  Dragon Lands

ICQ #5814808
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/5902
http://www.dragonfire.net/~Mint/

PGP Public key: http://www.dragonfire.net/~Mint/Mint.asc





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