<<NRPG: This can take place any time after our last story line .. from a
couple of days to a week to a couple of months .. I'm flexible! But I
thought it was about time we did some celebrating in Ralengarde!>>

Merybelle
***

It wasn't until the New Year that things had settled down in Ralengarde
enough so that Merybelle and Toral were finally able to set the date for
their wedding. Linaya was back and living in a room in the Rest. The
assassin who'd tried to kill her, was gone .. hopefully perished .. but it
was clear Renfield didn't trust the fact that a body was never found. The
Chief Guard, Jaewyn, had struck up a friendship with Linaya which pleased
Mery to no end, as she had seen the man to be honorable and only trying to
do his job. After all he had been key in getting all of Luther's charges
against Linaya dropped. For that she would be ever grateful. Byrin was
still in school, despite wanting to quit. He was however allowed to help
Toral in the smithy afterwards.  And life had settled back to an even keel.

The day before the wedding, Toral and Mery took the wagon to pick up Mery's
mother and her older brother, Pat. They were riding in on a caravan, much
as Mery herself had done more then 15 years ago. Mery's mother had promised
her she would not miss this wedding. She'd missed Mery and Gorge's wedding
because Pat was going though a rough time and needed her home.

As a young boy and teenager, Pat had been quite a handful, and while he'd
mellowed out with age, he would occasionally have bouts of anger and rage
that were hard to control. Pat, older then Mery by several years, but still
had the mind of a 4 or 5 year old. Izzy called her son a bit 'touched'.
Still for the most part he was a sweet, gentle simpleton who mellowed
further with age.

Merybelle's father had died several years earlier and left the farm to her
younger brother, Wally and his wife Keri. Pat and their mother still lived
with them on the farm. So while Wally couldn't get away, and Keri was to
near her due date with their fourth child, to make the journey, Mery's
mother and older brother made the journey alone.

Mery was excited to see her mother again and chattered happily as they road
to gates of town to meet the caravan.

"You'll love my mother, Toral, I just know you will. She has this way about
her .."

"Of course I'll love her, but what will she think of me?"

Mery chuckled, and gently rubbed his back, "How could she not love you, my
handsome, Mr. Smith?"

"Oh I'm sure there are many things she might not like about me."

"She'll love you," Mery smiled. "Just as I do .."

He smiled, "I hope so. I do promise to be on my best behavior."

Mery laughed as she brought the horse and wagon to a halt, locking the
brake in place. "Besides, there's very few people that Izzy Steade doesn't
like." She scanned the horizon. "I guess we're early .."

Toral nodded with a smile, and squeezed her hand gently, "Just a bit."

***

They didn't have to wait long as soon the dust cloud of the approaching
caravan could be seen.  And Toral helped Mery down off the wagon to watch
as they pulled up to the gate to let off their passengers.

Mery began waving wildly as a plump woman with tightly wrapped white hair
climbed out of one of the near-by wagons, followed by a large man with
thinning dark hair. "It's them!" she told Toral, though by her reaction he
couldn't have missed that fact. He waiting patiently by her side, a
pleasant smile on his lips.

"Mama!" Mery called and ran the short distance to hug her mother. Her large
brother threw his arms around both of them and hugged them with great
enthusiasm.

"I'm glad to see you too, Pat." Mery laughed, planting a quick kiss on his
stubbly cheek.

"It was a good trip, Mery," the man smiled, his deep voice rumbling.

"Good," she grinned, "Now both of you come and meet Toral, my husband to be."

Toral held out his hand, "I'm honored to meet you, ma'am."

Mery's mother grinned, "Oh now .. don't ya be so formal, lad. I've heard
many a good word about ya from my Mery."  She threw her arms around him,
"Now give your new mama a hug!"

"Me too!" Pat said excitedly and now threw his arms around his mother and
Toral.

Mery stood back laughing a moment before she pulled at Pat's arm, "Come
now, Pat, don't crush him before I get him in front of the alter."

"I like 'im, Mery," Pat smiled.

"Me too, big brother," she said affectionately.

"Now where might my grandson be?" Izzy turned to ask her daughter.

"He's still in school, mama, but he'll be home straight away once it lets out."

"Oh good," Mery's mother nodded as Toral led her to the wagon and helped
her up. "I can't wait to see how the boy has grown."

"He's grown a lot, mama," Mery nodded, "Why he's as tall as me .. and still
growing."

***

Toral sat in the back of the wagon with Pat, allowing Mery and her mother
to sit in the front. Pat thought it was great as the wagon bounced along.
"Woop!" Pat shouted at one particularly large bump, a smiled spreading
across his face. He looked at Toral, "I like your wagon, Toral."

"Thanks, Pat. But actually it's Mery's .. she uses it for business for the
Rest."

Pat nodded dumbly, then smiled, "I like it!"

Toral chuckled nodding at the child-like man beside him.

"Hey Toral .." Pat asked a moment later.

"What?" Toral asked.

"Do you play cards?"

Toral shrugged, "Now and again. Do you like to play cards, Pat?"

"Oh yes!" Pat nodded, "I do like to play. But mama doesn't let me go play
much, cause the guys ain't always so nice. But sometimes I play with Wally.
He's pretty busy though .. but he likes to play when he can."

"Wally's your brother right?"

Pat nodded, "Yes .. my brother! He's Mery's brother too .."

***

A short while later when Byrin returned home from school, he took his
grandmother and uncle over to the Smithy to show him where he worked after
school, leaving Mery and Toral some time to themselves.

"You're right .. I do like them." he grinned.

"I knew you would. Pat sometimes takes a little getting used to .. but you
did great."

Toral shrugged, "He's a good man. Though it sounds like your mother might
be a little over protective of him."

Mery nodded, "He was a handful growing up though, Toral. And Papa was
always busy so mama and I watched over him. And Wally too until he got old
enough to start helping papa."

Toral nodded, "I'm glad they were able to come."

"Me too," Mery grinned. Then she sighed, "Oh .. I was talking to Byrin
yesterday, and he told me, he invited his other grandmother to come to the
wedding."

"Mrs. Durrall?" Toral asked with a grimace.

Mery nodded. "Yes."  The Durrall's were a wealthy family and Gilliard
Durrall was a pompous ass who was one of the key figures keeping Mery as
far removed from Ralengarde's business community as a person could be. Oh
those types would frequent the Rest from time to time, but to allow a woman
among them was another story. Let along a woman with a tarnished past. It
was those types, who never forgot that Byrin was NOT Gorge Barman's son.

The only saving grace, was that Gilliard refused to mention Byrin's real
father at all .. being that he was married to Saul's mother .. something he
did not want advertised. Especially considering his low opinion of
dragonriders at the moment .. He made a point of blaming them for stealing
away his only child, Elissa, who rumor had it, had joined to her own dragon
at Whiteriver.

"I don't think we need to worry about it." Mery told him, trying to assure
herself more then him. "I doubt she'll come. From what Byrin says, her
husband isn't even happy that she allows him to visit. In fact, Byrin only
goes when he's sure Durrall won't be around"

"It doesn't surprise me. Durrall is an ass .."

Mery nodded. The man had even tried to give Toral's father and uncle
trouble over their relationship with Mery. But the Smith men rarely took
flack and Durrall had backed down.

"Well it'll be just as well she doesn't come since it's likely that Saul of
Whiteriver will come."

Mery nodded with a frown, "I guess I couldn't object to that either .."

Toral smiled comfortingly. "Now, Saul's been a big help to us here."

"I know he has .." Mery nodded, "I just .. well I wish Byrin had been
Gorge's son .."

"He is .. in more ways then he'll probably realize right now. However, it's
very exciting for a boy his age to be the son of a Dragonrider, and you
have to admit Saul has taken an interest in him, and seems to have a
genuine affection and concern for him."

"I know .." she sighed, "Which makes me feel guilty for having kept them
apart all these years .. but .."

"But you were hurt and you did the best you could. Believe me, Mery, you
did nothing wrong by your son. He's a good boy .. almost a man."

She smiled at him, "You always know the right thing to say .."

***

Mery and Toral spent most of the rest of the afternoon decorating the Rest.
Lots of flowers and candles and ribbon. The Rest had been closed to the
public, and only friends were being admitted this evening for a pre-wedding
celebration. Any one who came, got to lend a hand in the decoration as well
as free beer and some of Bet's best club sandwiches.

Byrin spent a great deal of time with his uncle playing cards .. even
teaching him tricks he'd learned from Saul of Whiteriver. Pat was delighted
by the attention and was in good spirits the entire night as he and Byrin
played and shared Root Beer.

A couple of bards also stopped by and lent a hand to the festivities with a
little working music for the decorators and the socializers.

***

Much later, when most everyone had left or been settled into rooms above
the rest, or in Mery's home behind the Rest, Mery and Toral stood in the
main hall and surveyed the transformed room.

"It's wonderful!" Tables had been moved to make room for more chairs.
Lovely stands of green leafy plants lined the walls. Mery turned to Toral
and threw her arms around him. "I almost can't believe this is going to
happen."

He kissed her gently, "Believe it .."

"Tomorrow .."

He nodded and squeezed her tightly, "I can't wait for tomorrow." He nipped
lightly at her neck and ran his hands down her back and over her backside.

She breathed deeply and moaned happily.

"Hey, hey!" a cheery voice interrupted them. They turned sheepishly to look
at Issic who was returning from the kitchen.

Mery blushed, "I thought you'd left already."

"Almost, had a few things to finish up for tomorrow." Issic told her, "And
I'm here to be sure Toral makes it home tonight."

Mery blushed deeper at Issic's grin.

"I didn't drink that much beer, "Toral protested.

"Of course not, but look, soon it'll be midnight, and you can't see the
bride before the wedding."

"But .." Toral tried to protest again.

Issic grabbed his arm, "Nope .. nope .. Mery's mother made me promise to
see you home. Dear woman that she is. You know Toral Smith, you are getting
yourself a wonderful mother-in-law .."

Mery chuckled as Issic pulled Toral toward the door.

Toral shrugged and waved back at her blowing her a kiss and mouthing,
'tomorrow'. Mery smiled happily and blew him a kiss back as the door slow
shut behind them. She took one more look around the room before heading
through the kitchen and to the Barman home .. and her own room.

Regards,
Merybelle Barman
***
NRPG: Okay guys, please feel free to have fun at the decorating party (no
it's not all work <G>) and also you are all invited to the wedding which
will take place at Noon the next day, followed by a lunch reception ..
probably on into dinner and evening as well! Umm, I take that back Sabian
is NOT invited! <G> However, if you get the urge to have him crash the
reception after the wedding, I would probably allow that <EG>.

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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