<T'grat>

Alyne on one side of him, and Lars on the other, they sat on the shore
watching the waves foam on the tiny beach. For the first time since
Greta's death he felt at peace with himself.  There was something about
this lake that soothed the mind and soul.

*Perhaps that is why Naomi named it the Soulsease?*  Mal offered quietly. 
*She often comes here when the cares of leading need to be escaped.  It
will be long time now before she has the opportunity again.  Amethyst will
need much fuss making of her.*

*The entire warren will do that.*  T'grat answered.  *That egg will be the
most worried over and cared for in the history of the Lands! And Amethyst
will be demanding and broody more than ever she has been.*

*As it should be.  Eggs are the future of my species and require
guarding.* Mal pointed out  *If there are no eggs then there are no
dragons, just as if something were to happen to your human hatchlings then
your species will be no more.*

T'grat shivered and pulled the children closer to him.... the thought of
losing the kids as well as Greta was too terrible to even consider.

<..>

*There is trouble back at Norwall.*  Malachite said a while later. 
*Amethyst says you need to be back there now, but that you should take
time to hide your hatchlings before you return.  That MAN...  *  The
dragon's lip curled in scorn and there was a world of contempt in Mal's
tone as he sent Harkon's image to T'grat's mind.  * That man is there
demanding that the boy be brought to him.*

Thoughts whirling he surged to his feet, and gathered the children into
his embrace.  Where to hide them?  Where would they be safe... far from
the machinations of Whitbarrow's overlord.  Think, damn you, he ordered
himself. You need somewhere where no one will think to look.

*I know a place.*  Malachite said suddenly.  *A place of sadness where no
one will think to look unless they know of it.  Here.... *

"I have to leave you somewhere for a little while."  he began.  "Somewhere
you'll be safe and hidden. I'll need you to look after Alyne for me again,
Lars.  And whatever you do you musn't let anyone know you're there.  If
someone comes for you without me then hide.  Understand? "

Lars looked at him with fear in his eyes, then he pulled himself together
and nodded once.

*Take us there.*  T'grat told the dragon, as he helped the children back
onto Mal's back and climbed up behind them.

******
<Naomi>

>"A nasty piece of work, that one." S'ron commented as he and Domaia 
>approached. 

"As Norwall knows to her cost."  she answered him as she watched the Lord
leave the hatching cavern.  

*You should let me warm his feet for him a little.*  Amethyst said with a
growl, letting loose a small trickle of flame towards the retreating
rotund figure.   *It would be funny to see him dance hotfooted on the
sands.*

*I don't think that would help matters.*  Naomi admonished the queen. 
*Harkon has caused much trouble for Norwall in the past... let's not give
him more reasons for him to hate and fear us, love.* 

>"Meena's gone, Naomi." S'ron said quietly

She nodded at that, fear and relief warring in her. Meena had escaped her
father's clutches for the moment, but there would always be other
times when she would be vulnerable.  When Meena returned they'd have to
plan something to keep Harkon away from her door.

"Would you see that Harkon and his party don't delay their return to
Whitbarrow?"  she asked S'ron and Domaia.  "And please see to it that ALL
Harkon's escort returns with him.   I have no desire to find one of them
was left behind *accidently*."

S'ron and Domaia nodded, and went to do as she asked.

"You have some explaining to do."  they heard her say as they left.

*********
<T'grat>

Sighing with relief he exited the hatching cavern and started across the
green to Malachite's side.

*Why did you think that Naomi would disbelieve your explanation?*  Mal
asked him *It was the simple truth.*

*But I've no witnesses to my side of things.*  T'grat said  *Harkon's got
everything going for him and I've got nothing.*

*Except trust and respect from your fellow riders.*  Mal told him  *Naomi
has known you and trusted you since she was a child.  She knows that you
would never murder in cold blood. The man who did this was cruel and
dispossessed of any finer feelings.*

*I suppose your right old friend.*  T'grat patted the dragon's shoulder. 
*It takes a certain kind of man to be able to murder a woman and child
without conscience.  C'mon...enough speculation, let's go pick up the kids
before it gets too late.  They should have been asleep in bed long ago."

He was about to climb up onto Mal's back when a figure appeared out of the
darkening twilight.

"T'grat."  S'ron nodded to him.  "I was just on my way to the dining hall
to meet you."

"S'ron... I'm sorry.  With all that's happened today I'd forgotten that
we'd arranged to meet this evening."  T'grat apologised quickly  "I have
something that needs to be done."

"I understand."  S'ron waved away the apology.  "Perhaps another time
then?"

"I must go pick up the children."  T'grat said quickly.  "But there's no
reason why we can't eat together when I return."

"The children?  You mean the ones that lordling was after?"  S'ron asked
"Are you sure that's safe?"

"The place I left them only a temporary hiding place."  T'grat said  
"They'll be safe enough here for now.  There's one way into Norwall
remaining and that's well guarded.  I'll have plenty of warning if he
decides to return.  I need only a minute or two to get them out of here. 
Look.. if you've nothing better to do perhaps you'd like to come with me? 
It'll give you a chance to see a part of Norwall and I can use an extra
set of eyes to make sure we're not followed.  What say you?"

S'ron thought for a moment or two and then nodded agreement.   

"I'll need a moment or two..."

S'ron eyes blanked as he concentrated on calling his dragon to him, and a
few minutes later Makron came winging in to a graceful landing beside
Malachite.  The two men climbed up into their saddles and S'ron waited as
T'grat had Malachite give Makron the image of the place they were going
to.

Gracefully the two dragons took to the air, circled the bowl of the warren
once, and then blinked away.

<..>

They emerged into clear air high above the treetops of Grentham Deeps. 
The chill wind whipped words away before they could be heard, so T'grat
used hand signals to direct S'ron to the landing site.  Both dragons
landed and their riders slipped quietly to ground.

"The kids are up there."  T'grat pointed upwards towards one of the dark
cave mouths.  "I told them that I'd whistle their mother's favourite tune
when I came back for them and that they were to hide if they thought saw
or heard anyone else."

"That looks like quite an extensive cave system."  S'ron said as he
followed T'grat.  

"It is."  T'grat answered.  "And there's very few who know that the caves
are here.  The last time I was here was when we were looking for Piper....
and I fell off the cliff and broke my leg."

T'grat grinned, and then started scrambling up the slope.... whistling as
he went.

<Tag Michael>

*******
<Naomi>

*You can tell Vonn she can bring Meena and Demee back to the Warren now.* 
Naomi told Amethyst as she settled down with her back against the warmth
of the queen's side. 

*I can't. Vonn has taken her rider too far for me to be able talk to her.*
Amethyst told her after a few minutes

*What?!*  alarmed Naomi scrambled up and began pacing back and forth in
the hot sands.  *Try again for me love.  Maybe Vonn is just too scared to
answer you.  Tell her....*

*It's no use.*  Amethyst sighed  *I can't even sense Vonn's mind ...
they've gone too far for me to tell her anything.*

Naomi opened her mind wide and tried to send a thought to Meena's albino
dragon but she sensed only silence where the dragon's mind usually shone. 
Desperate to find her friend she attempted to contact the little boy who's
mind signature she knew almost as well as her own ... but as with Vonn her
questing thought to Demee went unanswered.

<later>

>Naomi was waiting just inside the cave entrance to the hatching grounds when
>Tergath landed. He could see the worried expression on her face as he took
>her by the arm and led her back inside. 
>
>He paid no mind to the Queen rising up when she saw him touching her rider,
>as Tergath moved closer to her and she seemed to settle down. 

>"You know where she is, don't you?" Naomi had kept her voice low as she asked
>the question and Farr'in nodded is head. 

"You have to tell me...please!" she begged as she clutched at his sleeve 
"I've been going crazy worrying that something had happened to her or that
Harkon might have somehow managed to get his hands on her.  Please.. where
is she?"

>He led her to the back of the cave, away from the entrance and then took a
>quick look around before turning back to her.
>
>"She's somewhere where she and Demee will be safe and well looked after," he
>told her. "I took her back to Cleft Warren where she and the boy will be
>protected by my family."

"Thank the gods!"

Her shoulders slumped in relief, and she leant against him as she fought
back the tears that threatened. His arms automatically moved to support
her and for a second she allowed herself to close her eyes and pretend
that the strong arms that encircled her belonged to another man.  

But it wasn't H'tor that held her and he never would again.  

Her moment of self  indulgence passed, and she gathered herself together
once more.  Straightening up, she stepped back from Farr'in and looked up
into his face.  There was loss reflected in his blue eyes, as if someone
had snatched something from him ... and he only now realised just how
important that something had become. 

"We'll all miss her."  Naomi said quietly  "But her and Demee's safety
come first.  I'm grateful to Cynthia for allowing her to stay, and to your
family for agreeing to protect her.  She obviously didn't have time to
take all her things with her.  I'll see to sorting the rest of her
belongings and sending them on.  Will you be visiting your family again
soon?  Will you  take a message to her for me when you do?  And take my
thanks to Cynthia too."

"Of course."  he answered.  

"Cleft's not that far really, not when there's a dragon to do the
transporting. Perhaps when the queen has hatched Amethyst and I can make
the journey to Cleft to see her. I can't thank you enough for what you've
done for her and Demee, Farr'in." she said as she laid a hand on his arm 
"Especially as I can see that you're going to miss her just as much as I
will."  

"It was the least I could do for a friend in need."  Farr'in replied.  "If
you're OK I'll go let Hered know she and the boy arrived safely?"

She nodded, and he turned and walked slowly away.  

"Farr'in."  she called just as he reached the entrance.

He turned back with a quizzical look.

"Don't make the same mistake as I did."  she said softly, regret filling
her as she thought of what she longed to say to H'tor and now no longer
could.  "Don't leave it til it's too late.  Tell her."


********
<M'lent>

Both Jasper and Ebony kept alert as they flew their patrol area.  Here and
there in the darkness of the forest beneath their wings, pinpoints of
light showed where travelers were camping for the night.... and somewhere
down there Orobos and D'gerrit were hiding from the warren's wrath. 

As they flew toward Lancers Tor they lost height, flying closer to the
treetops, their long sight searching for any signs of bandits or rogue
riders in the area.  

*There's someone down there.*  Ebony told M'lent suddenly.  *And it's
someone with a dragon.*

*Rogue?*  M'lent asked as peered downwards even though he knew he wouldn't
be able to see anything in the dark.  *What's Jasper say?*

*Jasper's rider says we should land and see what's going on.*  Ebony said 


*OK... follow him down.*

<..>

"I found him wandering on the mountainside."  the stranger told them  "He
tried to attack me when he realised I was here." He looked down at still
struggling man who was tied up and now lay between the front talons of his
dragon.  "He seemed to mistake SoulForge for another dragon.  At least
that's the impression I got when he called out to him."

"I thought he was Orobos come to take me back."  Destry muttered to
himself.  "The light was bad and I mistook the colour of him.  Fool I was
to think I could trust him to remember me."

M'lent and S'ran came alert when they heard the name of the dragon that
Destry uttered.  Orobos! They'd found another of D'gerrit's gang of
murderers.

"Our thanks for your efforts."  S'ran said  "You can safely leave him in
our hands now.  We'll take him back to Norwall and decide what to do with
him once Naomi's spoken to him."

The two Norwall riders moved forward and picked Destry up between them. 
The man struggled and cried out as they carried him towards their waiting
dragons.

"Help me."  he begged the tall, bearded rider who'd tied him up.  "They'll
kill me on the way back for what I've done.  Don't let them take me... I'd
rather take my chances with you.  For the love of all you hold sacred,
don't let them murder me."

"Wait!"  the stranger called  "I'd satisfy myself that he'll reach Norwall
alive before I let you just take him."

"You're welcome to come with us if you want."  M'lent shrugged  "But he's
safe enough in our hands, friend.  We'll not murder just for the fun of
it... not like D'gerrit and his lowlife scum.  If this man is really one
of D'gerrit's then he has the murder of one of Norwall's queens to answer
for."

"If you're coming you'd best decide quickly"  S'ran chimed in  "We're due
back soon."

The tall stranger nodded.  

"I'll accompany you and satisfy myself that he'll be dealt with fairly." 
he told the two as he walked towards his dragon.  "Will one of your
dragons give SoulForge the image for the teleport?"

"Ebony will do it."  M'lent said  

"I know the name of your dragon, but not yours."  the younger man said as
he watched the two Norwall riders bind Destry to Ebony's saddle.

"S'ran, rider to Jasper."  he said as he climbed up and seated himself
securely.  "He's M'lent.  Who are you?"

"Camlan."  was the short answer.

"OK  Camlan."  M'lent said as he settled behind the squriming Destry.  
"Let's get going shall we?" 

The three dragons took off in a flurry of debris and dust, winged upwards
and then blinked away.


submitted by

Naomi & Amethyst


-- 
Mint,  the voice and soul of

Timi Caplain  Unassigned            Caliban, Lute's human  Dragon Lands  
Lillith the Mage    Broken Lands    Minty, Kirimith's rider    Dragon Lands                  
Naomi, QueenRider to Amethyst, Norwall's WarrenLady,  Dragon Lands

ICQ #5814808
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/5902
http://www.dragonfire.net/~Mint/

PGP Public key: http://www.dragonfire.net/~Mint/Mint.asc




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