Merybelle
***

>Toral selected a lure from his box and tied it to the string at the end of
>the pole. He selected a small weight as well, and tied it on just above
>the hook. He checked to see that Merry was out of the way and cast his
>line into the water. "Now comes the hard part," he commented while
>settling onto the grass next to Merry, "the waiting."

"Waiting?" she asked.

He nodded staring intently at the line in the water.

She sighed, "Toral, we can't just sit here .."

"Shh.."

"What?"

"Shh .. you'll scare the fish."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "So we're really just gonna sit here?"

He nodded and dug a hold in the bank, sticking the end of pole in it
carefully, until it was set firmly. Then he turned to her, lightly brushing
her cheek with his fingertips, "For a bit."

She grinned, "Why Mr. Smith .. I think you do have more then fishing on
your mind."

He nodded, "Well a little bit. You know being out here .. in the quiet of
the woods .. no one around .." She smiled at her, "Well it does give a man
ideas."

She smiled and leaned toward him, their lips meeting. Mmm, she did love
kissing him. She still at times, couldn't believe she deserved him. But
there were times, like this, that she didn't care. All she cared about that
was that he loved her.

Suddenly there was a shuffling in the bushes and she jumped. She hadn't
spent much time living in wooded area. Her childhood had been spent on wide
open prairies and farmland, and then of course she'd lived in Ralengarde
since then. "What was that?"

"Probably a bear," Toral teased her.

"What!" She said in alarm.

He chuckled, "It's probably *not* a bear .."

"But it could be?" She asked.

He shrugged. The bushed rustled again, "But a bear would make a lot more
noise."

Suddenly a small furry mammal, about the size of a house cat darted out a
mere couple of yards from where Mery and Toral were sitting. Mery shrieked
in surprise, jumping and nearly ending up in Toral's lap. He tried to
suppress his chuckles as he wrapped his arms around her, but soon the
chuckles began to escape bubbling over into laughter.

Mery glared at him  .. or tried to, but his laughter was contagious and
soon she was laughing with him. When their merriment and relief over the
small size of the animal was beginning to die down, Mery hugged him, "I'm
sorry, my love. But I don't think I much care for fishing .."

"It's not so bad," He said kissing her, "After all look where you ended up .."

***

Toral and Mery enjoyed the morning together, but both were beginning to
worry as so far there had been no sign of Linaya.

"I was really hoping she'd find us." Toral said.

Mery nodded, "I know. Me too. Considering the chances of us finding her are
far less likely."

"Are you sure you can't remember anything else she might have said?"

"I can't," Mery sighed, "She talked about the forest, and hunting along the
river banks, but rarely was it any more specific then that. There's a cabin
in here somewhere.. but she did say it was well hidden. She hid in here for
almost a year after Feldric attacked."

He nodded. The rumors of the witch in the woods had been investigated
numerous times. "I know, but we have to find her before the kings men do."

"Course if we can't find her, what's to say they can."

"Do you want her living in the forests again. Hiding herself away?"

"No .." Mery frowned, "I want her to come home!"

"So we have to find her."

Once again a noise startled them. Only this time it wasn't the rustling of
bushes. It was the whine of an animal.

>Getting up quickly and turning around, they saw a huge black wolf slowly
>coming towards them.

"Toral," Mery whispered, "Linaya's wolf .."

He nodded.

>Mery crouched down and gently crooned to it, signaling with her hand for
>it to come. The wolf took two steps, then seemed to stumble.

>"Mery," Toral stated with a frown, noticing something on the wolf's side,
>"is that a..."

>The wolf took one more steps, then seemed to do a somersault, rolling head
>first down the embankment and landing on it's back. It was then Mery
>noticed the arrow.

>"Oh gods," she stated softly, rushing over and kneeling beside the wolf.
>Wetness glistened on the dark fur, invisible on the blackness of the fur
>but clearly red when Mery pulled her hand off the wolf's shoulder. It's
>breaths were coming in wet shallow gasps, and it didn't seem to be able to
>move. Mery moved a hand to caress its head and her hand passed over a
>piece of string. Grasping it, she pulled it gingerly over the wolf's head
>and noticed the piece of paper wrapped around it. She opened up the note
>and began to read, then realized that she no longer heard the gurgling
>sound. Narissa had passed on.

Mery's hands shook as she opened the parchment. If Narissa was dead .. what
might have happened to Linaya?

"What does it say, Mery?" Toral asked.

Reading it, she shook her head, "Oh Toral .. She's leaving .."

He took the note from her, gently wrapping an arm around her, as he read
for himself Linaya's childish hand, scrawling out her heart-felt good-byes.

"I'm sorry Mery." He said hugging her tightly.

"It's not fair, Toral! She never did anything to hurt anyone!"

***

They headed back to the gates, practically empty handed. No fish .. No
Linaya. Their hearts were heavy as they trudged along.

They spotted a few guards milling around and Mery's eyes narrowed. "They
should be shot! Chasing her away like that! She's only a girl and they've
scared her enough to make her run away!"

"Mery, they are the law .. and our protection."

"What good did their protection do to Margaret and Eric.. and now Linaya!"

Toral could see the anger in her face and he shrugged, "Maybe we should
tell them that."

Mery looked at him, seeing the glint in his eyes. "I love you," she said
softly. He knew she needed to vent her frustration .. and here was a
perfect opportunity. He would be there to back her up.

He grinned, "I know .." Then both their faces hardened as they marched over
to where the men were standing.

One was set apart by his uniform and Mery was sure he had to be a commander
or captain or something important. So she aimed herself at him. "You!"

He looked at her in surprise, "Excuse me."

"It's your fault! You scared her off! Now she's gone!"

"Pardon me."

"I am Merybelle Barman and I own the Traveler's Rest!"

"Ahh," he said. "I frequent your establishment from time to time. Excellent
food!"

"Don't try and change the subject. What did she ever do to any of you!
Nothing except help fight off Feldric's armys!"

The man sighed, "I assume you mean the young woman who attacked the Weavers."

"She didn't do it." Toral said.

"Mr. Weaver said she did."

"And you took his word over hers! He's the one that beat them. He's been
doing it for a long time now, and none of you care!"

"Do you have proof?" the man asked. "Will his wife agree with what you just
said."

Mery frowned. So far Margaret had been completely cowed by Luther. Every
time anything happened, she blamed it on a fall. "No .. But you're the
soldiers! You should be able to find the truth, rather then chasing an
innocent girl away from her home!"

Regards,
Merybelle Barman
***
NRPG: Taylor this is a tag for you. I'm guess she's found Jaewyn .. Mery
just wants justice for Luther and for Linaya to come home :)

Kristen
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       \oo/     Kristen Gant
        ~~      (AKA: Darlea & Makayla, Keldarra Warren, Courier
                      Waylene & Aura, Marrid Warren, Warrenlady
                      Meena & Vonn, Norwall Warren, Wingleader
                      Kalewyn & Sabbith, Telnor Warren, Dragonrider
                      Saul & Fayloth, Whiteriver Warren, Searcher
                      Merybelle Barmen, City of Ralengarde, Innkeeper
                      Ce'lot & Britche, Xylain Warren, Wingleader
                http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/Kris/kris.htm
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