[DL] Meena

"Greta?" asked Meena of the female figure that approached them, "I am Meena,
Stont's sister, I want to help."

"And why would that be?"  the woman sneered  "What have I got that you want?"

"I don't, my son does. Lord Harkon wants to make him heir."

The woman didn't flinch. "So, what do you want from me? Congratulation?"

"My son shouldn't be heir when Stont has a son."

The woman laughed, "What makes you think that Harkon would give up the
chance to make a dragonrider's son his heir just for the son of a whore."

Meena grimaced. "Your son is Stont's son. Which makes him Harkon's oldest
grandson and therefore rightful heir. That's all that should matter."

"I don't get it. Why wouldn't you want your son to be his heir?" she asked
suspiciously

"In order for Demee to be his heir, he'd have to live with him. Which means
that he wouldn't be with me. I'm a Dragonrider. I have to live at the Warren
with my dragon." She dropped her head, "I've already lost his father. I
can't to lose him too."

Greta seemed to soften a bit. She looked from Meena to T'grat and back
again. "I know about loss. Why do you think I'm hiding out here. Harkon
threatened to kill my son. What makes you think I'm willing to put him in
danger now."

"We could protect him. I know we could."

"There's no place safe, not with Harkon's connections." Greta said bitterly.

"Norwall."  T'grat said aloud, startling both women.  "We'll take them to
Norwall.  They'll be safe there under Naomi's protection and it will give us
time to think."

"But Harkon...." Greta started

"Are you going to tell him where you're going?  If we take you in under
cover of darkness then no-one need know about it.  Just you, me and Meena.
Oh, and Naomi of course.  What do you think Meena?"

Meena smiled, "That's it T'grat." She turned back to Greta, "You'll all be
safe at Norwall. I was safe there. And Devon..." She didn't finish her
thought. Instead she begged the woman, "Please, please let us help. Your son
deserves what Stont should have had."

"What about me? Do you really think he'd ever accept me." Greta laughed,
"Stont intended much as you do. To have Lars accepted as his son. Harkon
said there was no way, because of how I made my living. So I stopped ...
working. Allowed Stont to provide everything we needed. Not that he hadn't
done that before, but until about 6 months ago, he kept us hidden. I'm not
sure he thought Lars was really his son at first." 

She chuckled, "Can't say as I blame him, being what I did and all. But as
Lars got older... it was obvious to everyone, including your father. I think
he still hoped that Stont would eventually come to his sense and marry one
of those sniveling little heiresses he constantly brought around."

"You would have the backing of the WarrenLady of Norwall Warren. She would
help you to claim your son's rightful place. Harkon wouldn't dare stand
against the Warren." Meena said, forcing herself to believe it, knowing that
in any case, Harkon would still be a difficult one to convince.

Greta thought for a short time, then called, "Lars." 

Meena saw some movement off to her right. She saw a small boy, about 5 step
out of the shadows. A tiny girl just slightly younger stepped out with him,
clutching tightly to his hand. Greta spoke again, "Lars, I'd like you to
meet your Aunt Meena."

Hered had been right, the boy was definitely her brother's son. There was no
mistaking the resemblance. He didn't say anything, simply looked at her, his
eyes full of fear. The little girl, looked even more scared. Meena looked at
Greta, "The girl?"

"Alyne. My daughter." She whispered to Meena, "I don't think she's Stont's,
but he loved her none the less. I know people thought of your brother as a
lazy ne'r-do-well. But he wasn't." Her face was solemn

Meena nodded, it was plain that this woman had loved her brother and was
grieved by his death. She turned to T'grat, "T'grat, why don't you go back
and tell Hered that we're safe. He'll be worried sick. Then go back to
Norwall. I think between Malachite and Vonn, we can get everyone back to the
Warren. If you meet us out by the bridge just outside of town after dark. We
will be there."

Meena realized that the bridge was the most logical place to meet. It was
far enough out of town to not draw noticed when two dragons landed there. It
was also the place she had met Devon when they began their trip to Norwall.

--Meena & Vonn
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Kristen and Scott Gant
http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/gant.htm
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