<S'ron - Late Afternoon>

.....

<Amethyst say there's trouble at the warren!>

"What?" S'ron jumped to his feet, startled out of the doze he had been 
indulging in after the morning's excitement. 

"What trouble?"

<Something to do with Lord Harkon. Amethyst says that he stormed in and
accusing T'grat of something and that Naomi could use some help.>

"Let's go." S'ron jumped on his dragon's back and Makron took off. 

They came in with a fast landing to the main entrance to the warren and
S'ron dismounted hurriedly. "Stay here and block the entrance" he told his
dragon. "I've heard enough about Harkon's dealings with Norwall to expect
trouble out of this, so I don't want him being able to make a quick exit."
S'ron paused for an instant, wishing that he had someone else with him. As
if his wish had been answered, a blue-green dragon alighted on the green
and Domaia jumped off and hurried towards him.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know myself" he told her, "but I was told Naomi needed a hand
dealing with Harkon."

"Lets go." She rushed towards the warren entrance and S'ron sprinted to
catch up with her. They slowed down once they were inside and moved
cautiously along the main passage.

>"Treaty bedamned.....this has nothing to do with the Treaty."  

They both froze as Harkon's voice carried down to them and S'ron motioned
Domaia to stop. He risked a quick glance around the corner and saw Naomi
in a standoff with Harkon, who by the look on his face was not in a good
mood.

"You go too far, Harkon."  Naomi said in an icy voice as S'ron ducked back
around the corner,

>"None of us at Norwall would offer any violence to you or 
>your wife and son. If they've been murdered then you have my deepest 
>sympathy since I too have recently lost a loved one to a murderer. 
>But you need to look elsewhere for your vengeance... I repeat... none 
>at Norwall would offer you or yours any harm." 

>"Liar!" he spat out. "I heard him with my own ears and so did half of 
>Whitbarrow. Called my poor departed lady a murderess and threatened 
>to bring her to justice... and caused a lot of damage to my garden in
>the process. Said she murdered that trollop my son married.... I've 
>witnesses if you won't take *my* word for it. Respectable and
>respected men who's word even you have to trust. Now will you bring 
>out that murdering scoundrel T'grat."  

At that, S'ron sent a questioning look at Domaia, but she seemed as in the
dark as he was. 

*Tell Amethyst that Domaia and I are here* S'ron told his dragon, trying
to decide on the best course of action.

<She knows> S'ron and Domaia positioned themselves on opposite sides of
the passage so that Naomi could see them but Harkon couldn't. Domaia had
her hand on her knife-hilt but S'ron shook his head sharply. They were
here to help if things got out of hand and Naomi seemed to be going fine
on her own. The only thing was, where was T'grat?

*Did anyone see T'grat leave?*

<He left earlier with the children. He didn't........he comes now!>

*Tell him to come through this way. Harkon's on the warpath and he's  not
the most popular man at the moment.* S'ron edged back down the passage
until he was out of site, then ran into T'grat. "You havn't done something
you regret , have you?" he asked T'grat purposefully.

"Why do you ask?"

"You don't have to play dumb with me. Harkon's here and he's after your
blood." T'grat raised an eyebrow at that.

"Nothing that I would regret." With that, T'grat strode up the passage to
where Harkon and Naomi stood. 

"'Nothing that I would regret'" S'ron thought, "now what could that mean?
I hope he hasn't........." S'ron turned abruptly and rushed back up the
passage, fearful of what else T'grat wouldn't regret doing...

<....>

"T'grat will be here shortly." Naomi was telling Harkon coldly. "Then he
can answer your unfounded accusations for himself." 

"And what might they be?" T'grat said, as he strode into the room.

"There he is!" Harkon exclaimed. "There's the bastard that murdered my
wife and heir! I want him arrested and brought to trial!"

"So someone knocked of the bitch that poisoned Greta?" T'grat told Harkon
with a sneer. "Gee, maybe everything at Whitbarrow isn't as rosy as you'd
like us to believe? If you can find out who did it, I'd gladly shake their
hand." 

"You can't deny it!" Harkon roared. "I have witnesses that will swear that
you destroyed my front garden while calling my wife a murderess and
swearing to kill her!"

"Will anyone swear that they saw him kill Megandra?" Naomi asked him
quietly. "A dragon is a bit hard to hide, surely someone would have seen
something? And why would he want to kill your heir? We all know that would
make you come for Lars and that's the last thing any of us want."

"He doesn't need you to protect him, Warrenlady! He can answer for
himself!" Harkon took a step towards T'grat and spoke in a low, harsh
voice. "Why, T'grat? Why did you kill them?"

"I didn't kill them Harkon" T'grat told him, "but you know very well my
feelings towards Megandra. I know what she did, and she deserved to die
for it. Unfortunately, someone else hated your precious wife more than I
did and they went through with it, knowing that you would accuse me. So
you can..."

"Enough of this!" Harkon turned to Naomi. "I demand that he be brought
before a landbound trial for murder. Today!" 

"Your not in a position to demand anything here Harkon, until you can come
up with solid proof that T'grat committed these murders. So until you do,
I suggest you leave. Now!" Harkon looked at Naomi, then at T'grat, then at
the riders that were approaching from a side passage.

"I'll not forget this, T'grat! I will have my revenge on you, and I will
have my heir!" Harkon turned and stormed towards the passage entrance. He
stopped and turned to Naomi. "This is not the end of this, Warrenlady! Not
by far!" He turned again and stalked out, brushing shoulders with S'ron as
he went past.

"A nasty piece of work, that one." S'ron commented as he and Domaia 
approached. "Meena's gone, Naomi."


<Tag Les>

		by Michael Davids





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