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 The aged man M'rdith continued his practicing , his sword cutting the air
in intricate patterns that only he could see.  The movements were slow, but
they were carried out with a precision that belied the apparent age of the
wielder.

 **The trial is going to begin soon..**

 **Fingerprints?  We know the man is...**

 **Human justice is so interesting..silly..**

"Hi, are you going to hit somebody with that sword?  Why are you waving a
sword around if you aren't going to fight anybody with it?  That's just
silly if you ask me.  You talk to yourself a lot, why do you do that?  I
talk to myself a lot too, but mostly my dragon talks me to tears..she loves
to chatter, you see, and well, we sort of fit together because I love to
chatter too.  Who do you talk to if you are by yourself?  Do you hear voices
in your head like I do with my dragon?  Do you like to chatter a lot? People
say I talk too much, but I don't think I do, do you?"

M'rdith paused for a moment as he realized the voices in his head were all
of a sudden audible.  Opening his eyes he saw the woman taking a breath,
preparing to let loose another torrent of questions.  He held up his hand,
"Please, I have enough voices to deal with.  Slow down.  My name is M'rdith.
I take it you are..."

"Darla.  M'rdith is kind of a funny name.  Are you a dragonrider?  If you
are, where's your dragon?  If you aren't, are you a weaponmaster, because
you're waving those swords about..."

M'rdith held up his hand, stopping the flow of conversation, "Darla, I am a
worker here at the warren, nothing more."

"Then why were you waving it about?  Were you fighting somebody only you
could see?  People say you hear things, so why wouldn't you see things?"

M'rdith concentrated briefly, <Corragh, please ask this dragon's rider to
please just listen.>

**Can do..oh my, this one is rather talkative.  The dragon's name is
Vylith.>

<Please, get the message through.>

Within a couple moments the girl's eyes widened, "You do have a dragon.
Where is he?"

M'rdith smiled, "He's in my head, like yours is.  However, your dragon is
hungry right now, isn't she."

Darla nodded, "Yes, how did you know?  Did she.."

M'rdith tapped his head, "My dragon let me know.  Now move along and go take
care of your dragon."

[..]

 M'rdith's muscles complained at the treatment they were being given, having
been out of practice for many years.  But the aches were a good price to pay
for the quieting of the voices in his head.  They never went away but if he
worked hard at a task, they faded more into the background.  Keeping himself
busy was very important, especially now being inside a warren.  Closing his
eyes, he continued focusing on the movements, feeling the motions he went
through

 "M'rdith!"

 "M'rdith!!

 "M'RDITH!!!"

 M'rdith swung around, the sword whistling through the air in a deadly arc,
stopping just a hairsbreadth away from Otho.  M'ridth opened his eyes,
realizing who had been shouting his name.  He dropped the sword down to his
side, walking over and placing it back on the practice stand, "I'm sorry
Otho."

 Otho glared at him, "You trying to become unemployed or something?!  If the
sword had been sharp.."

 M'rdith nodded, "Nothing would have happened Otho.  I take it we have
customers?"

 "Damn right we have customers.  Landbound nobles and the like.  I'm going
to need you back in there, being attentive, not out here playing with wooden
swords," Otho grumbled.

 "Very well, Otho, but I'd prefer that you keep what you saw to yourself," M
'rdith said.

 "Hell, as long as you keep the customers happy, you're just a waiter, now
get moving!"

[..]

 M'rdith cleaned up quickly and came into the hall proper, getting a glare
from Otho as he stepped up to the bar, "Bout time you got out here.  Take
this tray out to them, quick!"

 M'rdith sighed, taking the tray with the mugs on it.  He walked over to the
group, "Pardon mine extended absence, gentlefolk.  I was otherwise engaged.
I can only entreat that thou wouldst forgive my transgression.  Might I
provide anything additional to increase thine comfort?"

 There was a startled silence that made M'rdith wince inwardly.  He realized
that he had unintentionally lapsed into a "high" dialect.  One of the ladies
looked at him, "Thank thee for thine explanation, good sir.  Might I inquire
how thou hast come by such an articulate tongue?"

 "In my distant youth I served such as thyself, milady.  I learned the
language through attentive listening," M'rdith smoothly lied.

 "And to whom were you in service to, good sir?" the lady inquired further.

 M'rdith thought quickly, considering the names of lords that would have
been in power during his youth, "I was in service to the noble Lord Helton,
milady.  A fine man."  And one that he had become friends with during his
time as a rider.

**Yes, he was a nice man.  One of the more accepting landbound I've known.**

 Sarilyn nodded thoughtfully and he thought he saw a hint of something in
her eyes.  Bowing, he returned back to the bar, where Otho looked at him,
"What the hell was that namby-pamby stuff comin' out of your mouth?!"

 M'rdith waved him off, "It's called charm, Otho.  I may not have curves,
but I know how to talk to people.  I'll be in the back."

[..]

Day 14 late evening

The day at the bar had been rough and M'rdith made it back to his apartment
and began to fall asleep.  The voice he managed to quiet to a murmur and was
just about to slip into blissful unconsciousness when the voices began
shouting and blurred visions began flashing across his mind.  He woke up
with a start and he struggled to make sense of it, clutching his head.

<Corragh!  What the hell is this!>

**I don't know, but I believe it's coming from the one called Sarilyn.**

 <Well, let's wake her up!>

 Stumbling outside, he remembered where she had her apartment and made his
way there.

[..]

 The mand went into Sarilyn's apartment, only to be greeted by the large
form of Luna, who looked at him <Corragh, you take care of this one.>

 **Right**

 Luna looked at him oddly, then let him pass.

 <What did you say to her?>

 **Nothing really, but how many dragon do you know that are stuck inside
their human's head?**

 He approached the form of Sarilyn, who was thrashing about.  He grabbed her
and gently shook her, "Sarilyn, wake up.  Your having a bad dream!"

<Tag!>


Submitted by

M'rdith
AKA Chris Weeda

NRPG:  Just picking up a couple tags.  I'll get to day 15 soon. <G>

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