"This is no time for diplomacy. Greta's life is at stake."

H'tor's eyes were unreadable, his features impassive. Naomi couldn't
tell what he was thinking. This was not the man with which she had spent
the afternoon. This was the man who'd best described himself over hot
cider and sandwiches.

"Very well H'tor," she said after another moment's consideration. "Do
what must be done. Get Greta back."

H'tor nodded once and turned to Meena. He studied her for a moment, his
eyes empty of anything but calm appraisal.

"Lady Meena," he said. "Do you have any objection to acting as a decoy?"

"Just as long as you don't kill anybody," she said, trying to keep her
voice light.

"I make no promises," he said.

"Then I had better go along to keep an eye on you."

He nodded, turned and walked out the door. Meena glanced at Naomi who
told her to go after him with a look. After Meena left, S'ran started to
speak.

Naomi put up one hand to stop him. "Whatever you're going to say S'ran,
this isn't the time."

"Naomi," he said anyway. "He's the wrong person to put your faith in."
He paused before continuing. "There's something seriously wrong with
that man. Did you see how quickly he started referring to L'gan as a
Rogue? He's going to kill that boy, and he'll get away with it because
he's smart, and he'll move on...looking for another opportunity to kill
a Dragonrider...and leaving us to clean up the mess he's left behind."

"You got all that from the half-dozen sentences he just spoke?"

"From that and from what people are saying about him both here and at
other Warrens." He crouched down next to her. "Naomi, he HUNTS Rouges.
Or maybe he hunts Dragonriders that he can somehow show were involved in
something they shouldn't have been and made the mistake of thinking that
they could beat him."

Naomi started to shake his head, ready to dismiss her brother's
statements as an active imagination working overtime in stressful
conditions. He pushed on before she could stop him.

"I don't know what happened at the Keldarra between you two but how can
it possibly be worth putting our shaky relationship with Lord Harkon
into further jeopardy by letting H'tor run rough-shod over Harkon's
personal guard?"

"What about Greta?" Naomi said with a frown. "Or are Lars and Alyne
expected to grow up without a mother because it suits our diplomatic
relations with an irritating Landbound lordling?"

"Greta?" S'ran said. "Ask yourself a question Naomi. Why would H'tor
care about Greta? He's never even met the woman."

"He'd never met Demee when he flew against the Wilders," she said
coldly.

"He was just going after bragging rights on that rescue Naomi, even if
he didn't have something to do with the attack..."

She laughed, there was nothing else she could do. "You're fantasies are
entering the realm of impossible," she said after a moment. "You have a
task to accomplish. Stay here, and keep the children safe. I'm going to
find T'grat, Malachite says he's at Greta's."

She stood and left without another word. S'ran carefully locked the door
behind her and joined the children and Jeyrn in the kitchen.

=====>> A Hallway to Norwall's V.I.P. Quarters <<=====

Timone strode quickly towards the suites that housed Lord Harkon's
entourage. Two more turns and he'd be there, he thought to himself as
his long stride ate up the distance.

As he made the first turn he very nearly collided with who he instantly
recognized as Harkon's daughter Meena. She certainly had filled out over
the years, he thought as she smiled and nodded at his apology. He moved
out of her way and watched her walk down the hallway letting his eyes
follow her curves until she was out of sight around another corner.

When Timone turned back to continue to Lord Harkon's quarters he found
himself face to face with the Dragonrider who had disabled one of his
friends the day before and threatened the life of another.

Timone tried to block the man's arm as it came around but wasn't even
close. Just before the impact and the darkness the guard recognized the
expression on the man's face...

Contempt...

=====>> Naomi and H'tor <<=====

"Well that certainly was vicious," Meena said as H'tor kneeled over the
fallen guard. "What did you hit him with anyway?"

H'tor checked the man's breathing, it was steady and even. He dismissed
checking for a pulse and moved on to where his weapon had connected with
Timone's temple. After a quick examination of the site and a momentary
checking of the guard's eyes he was satisfied that he would be able to
question him very shortly.

With some manuevering he lifted the big man up and threw him across his
back. He started down the hallway away from Lord Harkon's temporary
quarters. He quickly found what he was looking for and pushed the door
open of one of the unoccupied guest suites. He slid the unconscious
Timone to the floor and quickly moved towards the back rooms. Meena shut
the door behind them as quietly as she could.

H'tor re-emerged several long moments later. As he began to drag Timone
towards the rooms he'd just exited he spoke.

"I think we'll need Naomi, the little boy and S'ran will probably insist
on coming too," he said. He stopped by the doorway to the back. "I think
that the little girl should stay safe and out of sight for the time
being. While I'm questioning Timone in the farthest back room you'll get
Lord Harkon and bring him here to explain to him what we know. Then when
Timone's in a reasonable state of mind I'll signal you through Haroc and
you'll bring Lord Harkon and the others to the room just outside of
where I'm chatting with our friend." He started to pull on Timone again
but paused momentarily. "You might as well get the captain of Harkon's
guard as well," he said.

Meena studied him for a moment. She was remembering how he'd knocked
Devon with ruthless purpose. Meena felt that this was not the man to
leave a helpless prisoner with. "Don't hurt him H'tor," she said. "We
don't do that at Norwall."

"I won't leave another mark on him," he said as he began to pull him
into the back again, and from there his voice called out to her. "I'm
just going to make him believe a few things that may or may not be true,
and maybe explain a few other things to him." There was a short pause as
something scraped across the floor. "Somehow I doubt anyone's really
explained to this gentleman how these things tend to work out." Several
moments more passed and H'tor's voice spoke a last time from what was
clearly a room some distance from this one. "Gather your charges Meena,"
he called out. "I'm going to need an audience."

And with that Meena turned and left.

***************

"He who treads softly goes far" -- Chinese Proverb

Submitted by: Abe Barker < H'tor and Haroc >