[DL] Meena

Meena watched the boy and his sister as they played together quietly. At
every turn she would notice something about him that would remind her of
Stont. She and Stont had never been close, especially since he loved to
torment her. And once Stont became old enough to go out and do things on his
own, he always left her behind. Of course she had followed him a short
distance a few times.

It was on one of those times where she had run into Devon. She had only been
13 at the time and Stont had been 18. Now that she thought about it she was
sure that Stont had to have been running off to meet Greta by that time as
Lars was five already. She'd never followed her brother very far because she
didn't like being to far from home.

She had seen the young boy working in a garden, planting flowers, on one
particular trip. She remembered how intrigued she had been by him. She found
herself walking toward him. And when he finally noticed her and looked up,
she was entranced in his dark brown eyes. He grinned at her, "And who might
you be?"

"I am Carameen Harkon."

The boy chuckled, "Ahh, the spoiled daughter of Lord Harkon."

Meena had been outraged, "I am not spoiled." She stamped her feet.

"No?" he grinned at her slyly. She had been spoiled back then

"No." She said, settling down on the grass next to him. "What are you doing?"

"Planting flowers... can't you tell?" He looked at her, still smiling. She
decided that she liked his smile.

"Are you a gardener?"

 "No, I'm doing it for my father. This is his shop. He's a cobbler."

"A cobbler... what's that?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Don't you know anything?"

She stood up indignitly, "You don't have to make fun of me."

"I'm sorry Meena, forgive me?"

"Why did you call me Meena?"

"You don't like it?"

She thought for a moment and shook hr head, "I do like it. You may call me
Meena."

He chuckled again and she sat back down to watch him. She spent almost a
full hour watching him, while the chatted. She asked if she could come and
watch him plant flowers the next day. He had laughed again and told her that
yes she could come back, but that perhaps they could find something else to do. 

They had spent many afternoons walking and chatting and getting to know one
another.

Greta's voice brought her out of her musings, "What is your son like?"

Meena smiled, "Very much like his father. He likes to laugh and is pretty
easy-going."

"Stont spoke of you. He was sad to see you run off. But he also understood."
She looked toward her son, "I know how difficult you father can be. I do
worry about what he might to do my son. I mean, should he ever accept Lars
as his heir. At first I told Stont there was no way I would let that man get
his hands on my child. But Stont told me that I shouldn't deny Lars the
chance to be who he deserves to be as his son. He's right, you know. Lar's
is the rightful heir. I can't deny that the money doesn't help. Because it
does. I've been poor all my life. I would love for my children to not have
to worry about money as I did growing up."

"Greta, what did happen Stont. I tried to ask my father, but he didn't want
to talk about it."

"I don't doubt it," Greta said bitterly. "Stont was killed in bar brawl at
the Floating Dragon. There was no reason for it. Stont was minding his own
business, when this man came in and picked a fight. Stont even tried to
leave, but the man wouldn't let him. Most of the bar patrons fell the man
came in with the clear intention of killing Stont."

"Who was he?"

Greta looked at Meena closely. "We don't know for sure, but there is a rumor
that he was one of Harkon's personal body guards."

Meena gasped, "He wouldn't..."

"I told you that Stont was pressuring you father to accept Lars as Stont's
son. Harkon wouldn't hear of it. Stont told him that he would simply wait
for the old man to die and then make Lars his heir. I think he pushed the
old man too far."

"This is much worse then I expected. I thought the guards were simply to
find Lars and prevent him from being heir.... But to order the death of his
own son..." Meena looked woefully at Greta, "I'm so sorry, Greta."

The older woman shrugged, "I've gotten used to loss in my life. And evil men
such as your father is nothing new."

She stood up and walked away. Meena knew that her hard exterior hid a
grieving interior.

--Meena & Vonn
****
NRPG: Just passing the daylight hours until it's time to head out to meet
our rescuers.
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Kristen and Scott Gant
http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/gant.htm
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