Darrkon looked at himself in the mirror, and was
satisfied with his appearance.  Marina had chosen dark
gray pants and a jacket for him, to match his eyes she
said.  She also picked out a burgundy shirt that she
thought was perfect for him, it had to do with his skin
tone or something.

She had fashioned yet another mask for him.  According to
Marina "a man needs at least one good dress uniform". 
Since all of his outfits included a mask, she believed he
needed a dress mask.  In he months since her accident
they had grown close, and he didn't object to her help
any longer.

Darrkon tied his dredded hair with a ribbon matching his
shirt and walked to the ledge where the freshly cleaned
and oiled Calindeth waited.  There was no use in getting
dressed up if he was just going to get dusty and dirty
again.  With a thought his dragon descended to the ground
below.

Darrkon dismounted his dragon and headed toward the
apartment where his companion waited.  He knocked on the
door three times, it was answered by Maykor who ushered
him in.Marina's father gave him a once over, "Well now don't you
look handsome."  During the enire time the jeweler had
been here he'd treated Darrkon somewhat like a child. 
"But you're going to have to wait a minute, she's just
finishing up."

Looking at the old man Darrkon noticed he wasn't dressed
for a wedding, "Aren't you going to attend?" he asked.

Maykor stooped and picked a trinket off of the table, "Oh
no, no,no.  I can't come.  I have too many things to
pack.  Maybe I can make it to the reception though."

This answer came as a surprise, "Pack?  Why are you
packing?"

"Those works aren't going to take themselves to market
are they?"  He motioned toward the two chests by the
door.  "This will be Agniom's first showing.  His
creations will be displayed with mine.  But the
differences will be obvious.  He has the touch Karellen,
he will make all my years of study worthwhile."

Darrkon felt a tinge of jealousy hearing his old mentor
going on about another apprentice.  Maykor was like a
grandfather o him, and he regretted the way things ended
between them.  The aging jeweler presented the trinket to
him, it was a pin. 

Maykor held out his hand so Darrkon could see it but kept
it back so Darrkon knkew not to take it, "It's a
starburst.  Remember?"  Darrkon rubbed his forearm  where
he burned himself while nosing through Mayor's formulas. 
It was shaped like a starburst.  "Tiger's eye and white
gold, body and soul, you see.  The tiger's eye, brown, of
course, and strong.  It makes a statement, and very few
ignore it when they see it.  Just like you.

"The white gold, clean and pure.  It may have some
impurities in it's when found, but with a little work its
beauty shines clear.  That is the inner you.  The
starburst is warm, and far reaching.  Its affects linger
long after its presence had faded.  That's the entire
you.  I've never forgotten you, neither has Marina.  And
I've heard that silly name Darrkon on more than one
occasion.  But I still don't believe everything I've
heard."  His exmentor reached out and fastened the
pendant to his jacket, "There, a perfect match."

Darrkon was about to thank the old craftsman when he
heard someone walking down the hall.  Marina came around
the corner and the dragonrider's heart jumped into his
throat.  He still couldn't believe the stunning woman in
front of him is the girl he once knew.  She walked toward
him barely depending on the cane she used. Marina had
progressed much further than Darrkon thought.

Darrkon realized he was staring and caught himself,
"Youuu...you're amazing." he stammered.  Darrkon saw
the corners of her mouth curve up.  She was trying to
hold her smile back, but couldn't.  He took her hand and
led her to the door, "You should smile more often." he
whispered.

<..>

Wedding Reception

It was the first wedding Darrkon had attended, and he
hoped the last.  Unless of course he ever got married. 
But remembering the trouble he had in his relationship
wih Lacey he thought that highly unlikely.  As he and
Marina walked through the recection hall he decided not
to stay long.  What purpose would his continued presence
serve?  He didn't know the bride, and didn't like the
groom.

He spotted all of the regular faces.  The happy couple
was easy to find of course.  Then there was Naomi, ever
on duty, making her way through the crowd.  Stopping to
talk now and again.  H'tor stood out as well, the man
looked about as happy o be there as Darrkon was.  M'lent,
S'ran, yep all the regulars.  He also spotted a few people he had become
acquaintances with.  Not truely friends, but friendly enough to speak to for
the bit of time he would spend here.

While speaking to his "friends", Darrkon noticed they all
seemed to know Marina.  Either personally of through
rumor.  They were in such good moods Darrkon quickly
tired of their company.

He turned to Marina, "Are you ready to go?" he whispered
in her ear.

"One dance first." she pleaded.  Darrkon knew he wasn't
the greatest dancer, but he consented to her request. 
His decision came just in time for a slow dance.  He knew
Marina could handle it.  Despite her fragile state,
Marina was more graceful on her feet than Darrkon was. 
She would be in need of a serious foot rub after this
dance.

Halfway through the song Darrkon saw Lacey and his heart
nearly burst from his chest.  He had never seen any woman
more beauiful than she was.  Even dancing with Marina,
his thoughts turned to the times they had shared.  She
would always be his love.  She was alone, and he thought
to approach her, just to see...if.  But before he could
decide the man he had sparred with, Talesin, approached
her with a glass of wine.  He should have known she
wouldn't show alone.

The music wound down and the dance ended.  Darrkon's mind
was filled with what if and regrets.  While escorting
Marina from the reception hall he realized something. 
Sometimes the decisions you make, are not your own.  His
father said that to him once, but he didn't grasp its
meaning until now.

<..>

Darrkon and Marina sat benaeth the old oak in the green. 
He hadn't said much since the wedding, and she didn't
push him.  He decided to just lay in the grass, and maybe
the wind would take some of his sorrows with it.  But as
he felt his body temperaure suddenly rise, he knew
another decision was being made for him.

<Calindeth, who?>  he called.

<Amethyst rises.  She will be mine.>  his lustful dragon
answered.

Darrkon rose from the grass and began heading oward the
reception hall again.  Then he felt a tug at his jacket.

"Karellen, what's going on?"  Marina asked.

"A mating flight." he answered plainly, "Calindeth means
to win Amethyst.  I must go."  and he began walking off
again.

He crossed the distance between the oak and the hall as
quickly as possible and entered the room.  He pushed his
way through the crowd of onlookers, but as he found a
place in the circle of men, someone walked forward
triumphantly.

<Calindeth?>

<A newcomer.  His name is Tergath.>  Darrkon could hear
the disappointment in his dragon reply.  He felt for his
companion.  Dragons didn't have any convenient ways of
relieving their unspent lusts, unlike humans.

Darrkon chuckled to himself at the thought, then realized
he left his guest unattended.  He raced back to the oak,
but found no one waiting for him.  A wonderful evening
had been ruined by yet another event out of his control. 
To make matters worse  Calindeth's lust for Amehyst had
awakened the feelings Darrkon kept buried deep.

He told Calindeth to meet him in the green in twenty
minutes.  Maybe a walk would cool things off.  Darrkon
walked, jogged, and ran as far as he could in ten
minutes, then turned around and repeated it.  When he
returned to the green Calindeth was waiting for him.  A
woman lay against him.

Darrkon walked up and immediately started apologizing,
"I'm sorry Marina, it's something that's hard to control. 
Some people can resist, but they're few and far between. 
Let me make it up to you."

"OK love.  Make it up to me." the voice that answered
didn't belong to Marina.  As the woman sat up Darrkon
realzed this was the first person he'd want to see, but
the last person he'd need to.  She was blond, beautiful,
sexy, seductive, a living fantasy.  All of which could be
summed up in one word...Kaitlin.

Submtted by

Darrkon & Calindeth
aKa
Ismail AbdurRahman