<M'lent>


"Lacey?  Wait...."  M'lent called, and hurried to catch up with the petite
form of the Junior Queen's rider.  "I'm off to Traveller's Rest later this
evening if you want to come with me."


"Oh!  I can't."  Lacey's face fell as she answered  "I promised Naomi I'd
take some of her things to her in the Hatching grounds, and then I have to
look after Lord Harkon and his entourage.  And somewhere in all that I have
to try and find time to see Darrkon too....."


"Never mind lass.  There'll be other times for us to go Searching."  he
grinned at her look of anticipation  "Are you practicing blocking the
'sight' the way I taught you?  Is it getting easier to control?"


"Oh yes.  It's much easier now... I just have to concentrate for a second
and I can see the aura around someone, the rest of the time I don't notice
it any more.  Thanks for your help with that, M'lent."


"My pleasure." he told her  "Well I'll leave you to get on.  I think I'll
get going now if you can't come with me.  Get some peace from our broody
Amethyst's roars anyway.  I've never known her to get so worked up about her
eggs as she has this time....."


"I had the same problem with Garnet's last clutch."  Lacey answered him
thoughtfully "It's the thing with the wild dragons stealing the eggs that
time I'm sure.  Even though Garnet wasn't hatched then she's picked up on it
from all the other dragons."


"Hmmmm.  Makes sense because Amethyst was shelled before that... so it would
affect her much more.  I suppose things will be easier when she realises
that nobody is threatening -her- eggs."  M'lent chuckled  "I wouldn't want
to see what she'd do to someone who had the temerity to try and steal from
her clutch." 


"It wouldn't be a pretty sight."  Lacey shuddered  "Ugh!  I have to run now
M'lent.  Good Searching!"


M'lent waved as she hurried back to her tasks, and he went to where Ebony
was patiently waiting for him.


*Well?  You ready for an evening playing hide-and-go-seek with the kids?*
he asked the dragon as he climbed up into his harness.  *I'll only be a hour
or two this evening.*


*Whatever and whenever.*  Ebony said placidly  *The young humans are my
friends and they're very good at scratching my itches.  If you leave the oil
bottle with them they will oil me too.*


*You've trained them well friend Ebony.*  M'lent thumped the dragons
shoulder as a signal to take off  *Ah well... it's saves me the time I
suppose.  But no showing them how you flame this time!  I've still not lived
down you burning the farmer's kitchen garden.*


*It was a mistake M'lent.  The child ran out suddenly.... *  Ebony's
embarrassment was almost funny


*I know... it was either the plants or the boy.  But it cost me a pretty
fortune to placate the 'outraged' farmer, even though the crops you burnt
were half dead from neglect. So.... go easy on your showing off!  Now if
you're ready?....."


They 'ported.....


<..>


Scene:  Traveller's Rest.


He pushed his way through the crowd at the bar and called for a tankard of
ale to quench his thirst.


"And make sure it's full to overflowing, Morgan.  I've a deal of catching up
to do by the looks of this lot."  He laid a coin on the bartop and it was
replaced by a tankard of foaming ale  "You've a lot of folk in tonight.
What's the occasion?"


"We've a troupe of entertainers visiting the area." he pointed toward a
gaudy poster adorning the rough wall behind the bar.  "They've been here
since this morning and people have been trickling in to see them ever since.
It's good for business mostly, though we've had a few incidents with
pickpockets and the like."


"Well the more people there are here the better chance I have of finding
some likely candidates for Search.  Thanks..... hey watch yourself lad!"
M'lent exclaimed as a young man jogged his elbow, spilling half the contents
of his tankard over his dark blue shirt.


"My apologies to you."  the lad said shortly.   He glanced quickly at
M'lent, but obviously found him unworthy of further attention so turned his
attention to Morgan  "Barkeeper, I find myself fallen on hard times but I'm
sure my father will reimburse you for any charges I might incur."  The young
man mentioned the name of a minor noble lord from Voldora.


"Let me Morgan.  Give the lad whatever he wants and put it on my bill.  Just
not the entire tavern!"  M'lent said quietly  "What's your name, son?"


"My name is Corrin, and that's very generous of you Sir."  the lad said,
glancing quickly at M'lent again  "My father -will- reimburse you."


"That's alright Corrin.  My name is M'lent and I have a proposition to put
to you if you'll hear me out?"


The lad looked at M'lent warily, eyes narrowed slightly  "I warn you... I'm
not inclined towards men Sir.  So if that's your thinking then you're
wasting your breath."


M'lent looked astonished, and then burst into laughter.  "By the gods that's
the first time I've been accused of soliciting!  Morgan... did you ever hear
such a thing?  No no lad.... it's something different I had in mind."


"Oh that's good.... not heard anything so funny in a long while."  Morgan
too was laughing heartily  "Oh just wait until I tell Mira about this!"  He
walked away still laughing


"Then what did you have in mind?"  Corrin asked hurriedly  "I assumed...."


"It's alright lad... gave us a laugh!"  M'lent wiped tears from his eyes,
and attempted to put on a serious face.  "Let me introduce myself to you
properly.  I'm M'lent... Searcher for Norwall Warren.  I was about to ask
you your ambitions with regards to becoming a rider."


"A dragon rider?"  Corrin asked excitedly  "It's what I've always wanted to be."


"Then you're in luck lad.  We've a hatching in the next few days and the
affinity is very strong in you.  Would you be interested?"


"Yes please.  When do we leave?" his tone was boyishly eager, and M'lent
revised his estimate of the boy's age downwards a little.


"Now if you want."  M'lent drained what was left of his ale and wiped his
mouth with the back of his hand.  "Do you have any possessions that you need
to collect?  No... then follow me and I'll take you back to the Warren.
Ebony is waiting for me on the edge of town..... Bye Morgan!"  he called out
as he left


"Ebony?"


"My dragon.  Won't take us long to get back."  he said as he led Corrin to
where Ebony was patiently waiting.


*********

Scene:  Norwall, following morning


Amethyst's loud bugling woke M'lent from sound sleep and he leapt out of bed
hurriedly


*What's wrong with her this time?*  he asked Ebony as he threw his clothes
on haphazardly  *Egg stealers, Wraiths, Wilders?*


*The eggs are hatching.*  Ebony answered calmly


*Why didn't you say so.*  M'lent scolded  *I'll meet you in the Hatching
cavern.  I've got to go get Corrin and show him the way....*


<..>


"This way lad... come on!"  M'lent chided  "Hurry there or you'll miss your
chance."


He towed the sleepy-eyed boy onwards, following the mass of people making
their way into the Hatching cavern.


Inside the grounds the crowd thinned as people made their way to seats in
the stands provided for these occasions.


"What do I do now?"  Corrin asked confused by the sea of faces  


"The eggs are just now beginning to hatch lad.  Just go stand over there
with the others.  If 'your' dragon is in this clutch then he'll find you."


"And if he isn't?  Then what?"


"Then you try again next time.  But if you don't get over there with the
others....."  M'lent pushed Corrin onto the hot sands, and then stood back
quietly to watch the Hatching.


Submitted by


Naomi & Amethyst
M'lent & Ebony


NRPG

Steve... Post the Joining between Corrin and his dragon.  If you want to
give his impressions of the Warren's inhabitants then feel free.  Make use
of the biofiles I sent you, and we're all ready to help you out if needs be.
Have fun!

-- 
Les

the voice and soul of

Timi Caplain  CMO    USS Javelin        T'beth  Counsellor     USS Magellan 
Lillith the Mage         Broken Lands      Minty, Kirimith's rider  Dragon Lands
                          Caliban, Lute's human,  Dragon Lands
Naomi, QueenRider to Amethyst, Norwall's WarrenLady,  Dragon Lands

Come and visit me at  http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/5902