Meena
***

>"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......"

Meena frowned. If S'ran didn't kill L'gan, and she did believe him for he
was not a violent man, then who did. Obviously it had been someone who had
been tipped off about Timone .. She froze for a moment. H'tor? She'd seen
him be quite violent with Timone ..

"S'ran, you don't think that H'tor .." she began.

"Of course not!" Naomi spit out.

S'ran just shrugged, "I can't say for sure. Maybe Haroc warned Sparks
sending his rider to a place where he could kill him."

Naomi frowned at her brother, "He didn't do it!"

"Well, it does make sense, Naomi." Meena said tentatively.

"H'tor!" Harkon roared. "Isn't that the fellow I told you attacked me.. and
*you* refused to believe me! Now maybe you'll see sense!"

"H'tor did not attack you, Lord Harkon," Meena said before Naomi had a
chance to retort. "We know that for a fact."

Harkon turned to his daughter, "Do you really hate me so much that you want
to see my attacker go free. He deserves to die for such an atrocity!"

Meena's eyes filled with tears, "He *is* dying!" She turned to Naomi and
S'ran, "I .. I think it's time my father faced his attacker."

"No, Meena .." Naomi said.

But Meena nodded, "It's only fair that he know. For in the end he brought
it on himself." She looked back at her father wiping away an offending tear
that trickled down her cheek. "The man who attacked you had nothing to do
with Greta's disappearance. Of that I can assure you."

Harkon looked ready to bluster some more, but Naomi spoke first, "And I can
assure you Lord Harkon, that we will find the people who did this," she
threw a quick glance at Megandra as she turned to look at her brother, "And
we will prove that H'tor had nothing to do with this."

"You'd better find my Grandson, young lady! I don't care what happens to
his mother .. but the boy had best be safe and unharmed!" Turning to Meena,
he said, "I'll fetch my guards and then we'll go get this attacker."

Meena shook her head. "No. Just you, and you will not arrest him. I just
want you to him. And see what you caused."

Harkon frowned, "Me?"

"It's your choice, Lord Harkon. Do you want to see him or not?"

Harkon grumbled a bit before nodding, "Fine, no guards."

***

Meena led her father into the medical center and stopped in front of
Devon's door. "Wait here while I make sure you won't be disturbing anyone."
She slowly opened the door and  peeked in. 

A very thin and pale, Hered sat beside the young man's bedside. He looked
up at the sound of the door opening, "Meena, come on in. You can sit here
for a bit, if you'd like," he said standing and offering her the chair.

"Actually I've brought my father to see his attacker."

Hered frowned, "Meena, I don't think ..'

"I know. But I want him to face what he's done."

"What I've done!" Harkon said from the doorway. 

Meena looked quickly at Devon watching as the young man flinched in his
sleep. She spun around to face him, "You will be quiet. Do not wake him!"

"Why? I'm glad to see you people have sense enough to tie him down!"

Meena looked sorrowfully at the bonds which still held her love. "It's for
his own safety." She said while tears threatened to course down her face
yet again.

 Harkon stepped into the room and up to Devon's bedside. "*This* is the man
who attacked me? You must be joking. He's merely a boy .. and a very sick
one by the look of it"

"Don't you recognize him, father."

Harkon looked at his daughter for a moment, then back at the young man. His
eyes narrowed as he tired to remember. Yes the boy did look familiar .. but
he couldn't place the face. "I'm not sure .."

"Look carefully, Lord Harkon. This is a young man you threatened to kill on
more then one occasion."

Harkon looked at the face. Then his eyes widened .. "No .."

"Yes." Meena said simply. Both father and daughter flashed back to the last
meeting Harkon had ever had with young Devon.

***
"YOU!" Harkon roared as he stormed down the corridor. 

Devon and Meena paused at the sound of his voice. Both turned to face him,
side by side.

"I told you *NEVER* to come here!" Harkon raved. "Carameen step back while
I kill this bastard!"

"No!" Meena cried stepping in front of him.

Harkon stopped and his eyes narrowed, "You will marry the Baron's son,
Carameen .. and *You*," he growled pointing a finger at Devon, "You will die!"

Meena turned to look at Devon, "Run .." she hissed. Devon did as she asked
and hurried away.

"I love you, Meena," he called as he ran.

Meena turned to her father. "Please, father, please, I just had to see him
one last time before .." She found herself unable to say it.

"Listen to me, young lady. You are very lucky that he will have you! You
will not ruin this by flaunting your lowborn lover in *my* house." He
looked at her in contempt, "As it is we're going to have to hide your
figure under large robes, lest he find out your condition!"

Harkon grabbed her arm and pulled her to her room. "You will stay here
until the wedding party arrives in the morning!" Then he slammed and locked
the door.

Meena sighed heavily as she moved to a small dressing table and picked up a
small box. Carefully opening the box, she took out a key and held it to her
breast. It would all be over tonight!
***

That had been the night the young couple had run away to Norwall. "Don't
you know, father?" Meena said.

"I .. I thought he was dead!"

"He was .." she said softly. "And he will be again. Whatever happened to
him .. it's killing him." Tears streamed from her eyes, unheeding of her
attempts to stop them, "He's like a crazed animal. And he knows from whom
he seeks revenge. It's not a conspiracy to kill you and take your position.
It's for what you've already done to him .. and to his family."

***

Meena had gone home much later that night and spent some much needed time
with her son. She'd not had the heart to tell the boy anything. After all
he wouldn't understand. And Devon .. well .. he still wasn't himself and
likely never would be again. Lilliana promised she was doing all she could.
But the healer had told her that it wouldn't be enough.

She fell asleep, her thoughts and dreams clouded by the unbelievable events
of the last few days.

***

Morning came and as she sat in her kitchen drinking a cup of coffee, while
young Demee attempted to make his bed. He didn't do a very good job of it,
but he did insist on doing it on his own. He was struggling with the
bedspread when she heard her name being called, "Meena?"

She stepped out into the main room in her robe, "What is it, Jahn?" she
asked, spying the blonde man as he walked in.

"We have patrol this morning." He said cheerfully

Meena shook her head. "I'm really not up to it today," then she collapsed
into a soft chair. "I'm sure someone can take our place today."

Jahn moved toward her, "Come on, Meena. It'll do you some good to get away
from the Warren."

Demee, hearing the man's voice came running out, "Jah!" he cried running to
the tall man.

"Good morning, young Demee." Jahn said picking the boy up, "How are you
this morning?"

"Good!" the boy replied. "Goin' school soon."

"You are? Well, that sounds like a lot of fun. I wish I could go to school
with you."

Demee laughed hysterically, as though Jahn had said the funniest thing he'd
ever heard, "You can't go school!" he laughed, "Too big!"

"You are probably right. How about I take you to school, while your mommy
gets dressed for our patrol, this morning."

"Yeah!" the boy said.

Jahn smiled and turned to Meena, "You heard your son, Meena."

Meena looked at him for a moment before smiling. "All right, I'll get
ready. You're probably right. It'll do me some good to patrol this morning."

***

Meena and Jahn had been flying for almost an hour when a red-tailed hawk
began flying around the dragon's snout's. Werenth snapped his jaws at the
bird. A tiny hawk wasn't much of a meal for a large dragon, but this one
seemed to be particularly annoying and the light grey dragon decided it
needed to be taught a permanent lesson.

<Stop that!> Vonn admonished him, <Leave the tiny thing alone.>

Werenth looked at the smaller albino dragon and snorted, <It's annoying me!>

<I think it's cute.>

Meena watched the hawk for a moment and trying to figure out what it was
trying to do. Most creatures, particularly those as small as the hawk
stayed well away from dragons. She watched it's red tail as it dove back
toward the ground.

<Where is it going, Vonn,> she asked.

Vonn's pink eyes looked down after the bird. <There's a human down there.
Maybe it's his pet. Some birds have been known to keep pets, you know.>

Meena chuckled. <Tell Werenth and his rider that I think we should go and
see this bird's 'pet'. Obviously the hawk was trying to get your attention.>

Regards,
Meena & Vonn
***
NRPG: Hey Paul! Did you think we forgot you :} Here comes help!!

Les, I thought I'd leave the new enemy for you to deal with as I wasn't
sure how to get Meena involved. She's got an awful lot on her mind as it
is. :} Hope you don't mind.

Kristen
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  |\  /^~~^\  /|
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       \oo/     Kristen Gant
        ~~      (AKA: Darlea & Makayla, Keldarra Warren, Courier
                      Waylene & Aura, Marrid Warren, Warrenlady
                      Meena & Vonn, Norwall Warren, Dragonrider
                      Kalewyn & Sabbith, Telnor Warren, Dragonrider
                      Saul & Fayloth, Whiteriver Warren, Searcher
                      Merybelle Barmen, City of Ralengarde, Innkeeper
                http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/Kris/kris.htm
 --d----------b-------------------------------------------------------
        ()
       \()/
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