<Naomi>

>"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. "Your 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 place and I can imagine how
he's feeling right now....."


"You're defending him far too readily Naomi."  S'ran warned her  "Can you
be sure he isn't just going after bragging rights on you little sister...."


"That's disgusting."  she was shocked and hurt at the suggestion  "He
wouldn't....."


"Are you sure?  Really sure?"  he asked her softly  "I don't want to see
you get hurt, and none of us really know that much about him....."


She turned quickly, moving through the doorway before she could say
something she'd regret later.  She closed the door quietly behind her,
though she ached to vent some of her frustration by slamming it.  


Her anger boiled over as she walked swiftly across the Green towards
Greta's place.....  "How dare he?"  she muttered fiercely, hands clenched
into small fists  "How dare he interfere that way?....."


<..>

<L'gan>


He was jolted from his light doze by Greta's soft moan of pain.  Swiftly he
moved to crouch by her side, trying to make her more comfortable and
checking that she was still securely tied.  He couldn't afford for anything
else to go wrong now... not if he wanted his sister to be safe and well
again.  He looked down at Greta's face and was startled to find her
watching him quietly.  


"Lars?  Alyne?"  she whispered, licking dry lips  "Please?  Are they alright?"


He tied to ignore her, as he paced like a caged animal in the confines of
the small room, but the fear and confusion in her eyes touched him, and he
had to steel himself against the flood of pity he felt for her.


"Please?"  she begged, her voice catching on a sob   "What harm can it do
if I know?"


"We couldn't find them."  L'gan said harshly, angry at himself and her.
"Now shut up or you'll be sorry...."  He began pacing once more, his steps
nervous and frantic.


She sighed softly with relief as she drooped back onto the cold stone of
the floor.  Her eyes flickered round the room, searching for anything that
would tell her where she was and how long she'd been unconscious for.
Would T'grat have found her missing yet?  Was he already searching for her?
 She prayed it wouldn't be long......

<..>

The soft tapping on the door froze L'gan in his tracks.  His breath caught
in his chest as his eyes flickered this way and that, seeking an escape
route.  The tapping came again, followed by a familiar voice...


"L'gan?  Are you in there?"


He sighed with relief and opened the door to allow the tall, young man who
stood outside to enter.


"How did you know where we were?"  L'gan asked nervously, checking the
corridor in both directions to make sure they weren't seen.  "Did Timone
tell you where we were?"


The other man shook his head.  "I had my dragon ask Sparks where you were,
I haven't haven't seen Timone... and probably won't again.  He got himself
caught!"


"What!?......"  L'gan's mouth dropped open in shock  "But... but.. that
means they'll know where she is... and... I've got to get out of here...."


L'gan made a frantic dash for the door but the taller man stepped in front
of him, pushing him away from the only way out of the room.


"Easy!"  he said  "They're not onto us yet.  That's why I'm here... we have
to move her out of the Warren now, before they have a chance to get Timone
to talk."


"But how?"  L'gan buried his face in his hands.  "If we try to leave by
dragon they'll send one of the others after her... or Naomi will get
Amethyst to forbid Sparks from leaving.  And we can't carry her out!"


"That's easy."  the other man said with confidence  "I've had people hiding
in the surrounding countryside ever since Megandra told us what she had in
mind.  It's a shame we couldn't get hold of the kids too...." he shrugged
carelessly  "... but that's the way it goes.  Come on... let's get started."


"How are we going to keep her from drawing attention to us?"  L'gan asked
nervously  "One scream and they'll be after us....."


"That's easy!  A little tap on the head...."  


<..>


"How much further?"  L'gan whispered  "We've been walking for hours."


"It's not far now.  One more turn I think...."   The tunnel twisted and
they could suddenly feel a cool breeze on their faces.   "See I told
you..... Now we'll have help.  Ho there!  Come and give us a hand...."


Suddenly the two were surrounded by shadowy figures, and strong hands
relieved them of the burden they carried.  Panting, exhausted, L'gan sank
to the cold, damp ground and leant his back against the wall of the tunnel.
 He listened as the other man gave orders on where to take Greta, glad that
his part in this mess was almost over.  


"Can you manage on your own now?"  L'gan looked up wearily as the other
came back to his resting place.  "Did Megandra say when I would get the
rest of the money she promised me?"


"Oh yes!  I can manage."  Metal clinked against metal as the other came
nearer  "And as for your reward....."


Moonlight glinting of steel was the last thing that L'gan ever saw......


<..>

<Naomi>


She found T'grat sitting amidst the debris in Greta's living room.  He
looked at her, his face and eyes filled with guilt and self-hatred.....


"They took her."  he said dully as she sat besdie him and tried to comfort
him  "After all the promises I made her, after all my boasts that they
would have to go through me to get to her and the kids!  If only I'd been
here....."


"You did everything you could T'grat."  Naomi told him softly  "You
protected her as best you could.  But you couldn't be on guard 24 hours a
day.  Don't blame yourself...."


"Who else can I blame?"  He stood up and started trying to put the room
back into some sort of order.  "If Mal hadn't won that flight I would have
been here instead of with Lacey when Greta needed me.  I should have
stopped him from flying Garnet..."


"You're not thinking straight!"  Naomi chided  "You had no control over
what happened....."


<*Naomi.  Meena and Haroc's rider have found the other human.*>  Vonn's
thought insinuated itself into Naomi's mind   <*Meena says to come and to
bring the small human boy-child.*>


<*Where is she Vonn?*>  Naomi asked, eyes unfocused as she concentrated on
Vonn's thoughts  <*Did she say why she needed Lars there too?*>


<*She's with her father's mate.*>  Vonn said   <*Haroc's rider has a
plan.... *>


<*Thank you Vonn.  Tell her I'll be there as soon as I can.*>


She looked at T'grat apologetically.   "Meena wants me to meet her at
Harkon's rooms."


"I'll come with you."  T'grat said quickly  "It's better than sitting here
thinking, and I might be able to help."


"I think it's better if you don't."  Naomi started,  her voice full of pity
 "Why don't you take over from S'ran watching the children.  A friendly
familiar face would eb good for them right now....


<..>


Ten minutes after Vonn's message Naomi, S'ran and Lacey were knocking on
Harkon's door.  Meena opened the door, and she slipped into the corridor to
talk with them for a second


"My father isn't here at the moment."  she whispered   "Where's Lars,
Naomi?  Didn't Vonn ask you to bring him with you?"


"I thought it was better to keep him out of this, and I want to see
Megandra and Harkon's reaction to being told that Lars is missing along
with his mother.  Have you told Megandra anything?"


Meena shook her head.  "I wasn't sure how much to tell her so I haven't
said anything at all."


"Good!"  Naomi smiled  "Let's see if we can surprise them into making a slip."


Meena ushered them into the rooms, and they made polite small talk for a
few minutes until Harkon returned.  As Naomi explained why they were there,
being very careful not to let her suspicions show, she kept a sharp eye on
the pair.  She caught the gleam of satisfaction in Megandra's eye when she
mentioned that Lars was missing along with his mother......


"What?  What's that you're saying?"  Harkon's face was ashen, and he sank
down onto the couch   "Lars missing?  Well what are you doing to find him?
Close the Warren off.... search everyone going in or out... find my
grandson Miss or they'll be hell to pay!"


"We think we know who's responsible for this...."  Naomi began

"Think!  Why don't you KNOW!  Who is it?"  Harkon jumped up.  "If you
suspect who took him why aren't you out there looking for them.  It's that
rogue rider that you wouldn't let me in to see isn't it?    I knew there
was something strange about that.....You'd think an entire warren could
take care of one small boy!  If that child is hurt I'll... I'll....."


"I think we're needed elsewhere."  Naomi put in quietly.  She looke at
S'ran and Meena to make sure they'd received the same message as she had.
"Meena, since you know where to go perhaps you lead.  S'ran... would you
escort Lady Megandra?  We wouldn't want her to get lost along the way.
Lord Harkon?"


"What's all this about girl?"  Harkon asked, puzzled  "Where are we going?"


"Ah yes!"  Naomi replied  "We caught one of the kidnappers, we were just
waiting until he was ready to tell us who else was involved."


"HA!  That rogue is it?"  Harkon said as he opened the door  "He'll regret
it."


"Why no Lord Harkon."  Naomi said  "It was actually one of your guards.
Timone I believe he's called...... Is something wrong Lady Megandra?
You've gone quite pale...."


"No oh no!"  Megandra assured her with a sickly smile  "Just the baby you
know... it makes me quite nauseous at times....."


<..>



>"One girl?" he said finally. "I've heard it said she's attractive but
what's the big deal? You need to bring a little more to the table if you
want me, and therefore yourself, to keep playing...let's start with who
is really behind all this effort, surely not either of you two
geniuses."

>That's when Timone began to tell H'tor of Lady Magandra, their plans,
and their hold on L'gan. Finally, he told H'tor where L'gan was holed up
with Greta...

>When he finished H'tor stood up. "Very well Timone," he said. "I'll go
'question' L'gan, take him out and check on the girl." He swept up the
baton. "You stay here, this won't take long."

>"You're just going to leave me like this?"

>H'tor paused, thought it over, then drew his serrated knife and cut the
rope around the man's neck.

>"That should put your mind a little more at ease," he said. "Don't
struggle to much though or the one's around your wrist'll turn your
hands blue." With that he walked out through the open door, shutting it
behind him.

>"I've got all I need to find the Rogue," he said to Naomi. H'tor ignored
Lord Harkon and the man's stone-faced guard captain. "You might have
some more questions for him though."

>"I know I do," Lord Harkon growled and started for the door. He was
quickly followed by his man, Naomi and Meena. H'tor was left alone with
Naomi's brother.


<..>


The keening of grieving dragons filled the air, vibrating through the very
stone of the walls.  Naomi felt an overwhelming grief from Amethyst.....


*Who is it love?*  Naomi asked, a deep sadness washing through her  


*Sparks follows his rider into nothingness.*  Amethyst returned morosely   


"What on earth is that infernal racket?"  Harkon demanded, interrupting her
thoughts  "I'm trying to find out what's been going on in my own guards.  I
can't hear myself think with that squawking.  Make 'em stop!"


"I can't and I wouldn't if I could."  Naomi told him  "It's a mark of
respect for a dead friend.  Sparks and L'gan are dead...."


"So they found the one that did it then?  Good!"  Harkon said gleefully
"Serves him right for trying to harm my grandson......"


S'ran entered the room then, and Harkon clapped him on the back.


"Good to see that some of you lot are decent people."  He said  "Made sure
that rogue L'gan paid for his audacity did you?  So where's my grandson and
his mother?  "


"I didn't kill L'gan."  S'ran said looking at Naomi, ignoring Harkon.  "I
sent H'tor about his business and went to look for L'gan and Greta myself.
But they were already gone when I got there......"


Submitted by

Naomi & Amethyst
And friends


NRPG Tag Kris!  Will Meena tell her father that Lars is safe?




-- 
Mint,  the voice and soul of

Timi Caplain  FO   USS Javelin       T'Beth  CMO/Coun  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

http://www.netkonect.co.uk/l/lovers/mint/norwall.html
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/5902/
http://www.dragonfire.net/~Mint/