-----------------------
[Fairlight]

"I'm hungry, 'Maia!" Arron whined from his pallet on the floor of the
thieves' base. "When're we going to get some vittles?"

"Yeah, 'Maia... We're starving! We haven't eaten since this morning! Cruen
wouldn't have done this to --"

Jis' remark was stopped short by a throwing knife that whizzed a
fingerbreadth from his face. He had officially done it this time. Domaia was
not pleased. "That's because Cruen knew better than to go huntin' for food at
a time like now," she explained, her inflection silencing the whines.
"There're dragonriders all over the place. If you want food, fine, but I hope
you're planning on eating it while you're running away from one of those
beasts."

"He didn't know better! That's why he got caught," Deni crowed from her
shadowed corner. 

Much as Domaia hated to admit it, she had a point. She had always wanted to
catch the monster that caught her mentor. Domaia scowled.

"All right, you pack of idiots. I'll go to the Traveller's Rest. Alone." She
sighed. She knew full well just how close she may very well be coming to
being caught by someone. "If I don't come back, the rescue sheets are under
my pallet. Got that?" Emphatic nods of assent animated the room. Domaia
pulled on her cloak, pulled her throwing knife away from the wall it had
struck instead of Jis' nose, and stalked out of the hovel.

She soon approached the lighted windows of Traveller's Rest. She found one of
the more naive busboys, put on her "poor girl" act, and hoped for the best.
"Umm... Sir... are you busy here tonight?" 

The lad looked up at her. "Why, yes. Would you like to help? We could
definitely use it." 

"Yes." Now, to make that innocent smile seem real... "I've been told that I'm
a very good cook."

"Good. We need someone else back there in the kitchens. Go ahead back." 

Domaia crept into the kitchen just as the cook rushed out to help someone.
She had thought that she had seen someone unconscious on the floor out there.
(Well, if it's the food, it won't matter to my crew, just so long as those
tubs they call stomachs are full...) she thought. She had her chance. She
rushed into the pantry and pulled out a small sack that she had hidden under
her cloak. Quickly she filled it with various foods. Nuts... bread...
vegetables... a fruit or two... some cured meat... She heard a stirring in
the kitchen and stopped short. This would have to be enough. She ducked
behind a barrel and hid. 

"Where's that cook girl you told me about??" the cook boomed. Domaia ducked
down further. The cook left the kitchen to search for the new recruit. Noting
that she would probably not find a better chance to escape, Domaia began her
flight. She made it only so far to the table where the unconscious man had
lain, and she was held back by an iron hand. She was too busy putting up a
fight to hear the man speaking to her.

"Easy, girl. Calm down. What's this you've got here?" The stranger tugged on
the drawstring of her sack. Now Domaia looked up. She stifled a groan when
she noticed the insignia on her captor's shirt. She had been caught by a
dragonrider! Regaining some of her wits, she decided that it was too late for
her to lie.

"Food for my band!" She tried to make herself look a hundred times bolder
than she felt. She was doomed. 

He looked at her closely, almost as though he saw some sort of aura around
her. Domaia didn't like that look so she glared back. Then she heard the
dragonrider speak again. His voice seemed to be colored with... pity?  "Go
take this to your band," the rider said. "You're getting away with this only
because I'm going to come with you." He fastened a tight grip around her
shoulder. "Lead the way. Edbert, wait here for me." 

She stalked out of the tavern, more sullen than she had ever been before. Had
she been careless? Foolhardy? Stupid? In any case, she knew what she was now.
'Terrified' didn't begin to describe her state.

Soon the silent procession reached the base. She slowly opened the door and
was greeted by a chorus of terrified gasps. Her steely glare silenced them
all. She shrugged her pack from her shoulder and threw it to Arron's feet.
"Here's your food, you fools. Jacus, get your tail over here."

Her minion scurried into view. She gently laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Jacus, lad, you're in charge now. I've been captured. I mentioned you in my
rescue sheets, but I'm telling you now what's going on." She leaned to
whisper in the new leader's ear. "And don't ever go on a food raid!" Domaia
felt a light tug on her shoulder and took her cue. With that, she stalked out
of the shack, dragonrider in tow. He managed to steer her back to the tavern.
She groaned aloud. 

"Oh, don't worry, young lady. You're in no trouble. Folk found on Search can
be delivered from the law. You know what Search is, don't you?"

Domaia snorted. "Yeah. You're on search when the law's after your hide." She
didn't even look up. Her fate was sealed, and she didn't like the color of
it. Fear gnawed at her. She felt another squeeze on her shoulder, this time
gentler, more reassuring. The rider looked her in the eyes and opened the
tavern door. He led her back to that fateful table. He stopped for a moment,
and gave a slight bow. "M'lady, I believe I have forgotten my manners. I
didn't get your name."

Domaia glanced up at this unexpected show of courtesy. "Domaia."

"Domaia, my name is M'lent, and his name," he pointed to a lad sitting at the
table, "is Edbert."

------------------------------
NRPG: Les -- How's this for an intro? :)

Clear Skies and Seas,
Paula
voice of:
Noni & Amethyst (Ammie) [DAERE]
Domaia [NORWALL]