"Lyon!  Get back in here!  You have more potatoes to peel!"
     "But you said I could go out after I had finished with the ones you had
given me!"
     "Don't put any words into my mouth, young lady," her mother told her in
scolding tone.  "I remember EXACTLY what I told you."  Her mother's face
appeared in the doorway, a scowling expression on her tired face.  "Now, get
back to the kitchen and help me and your father."

     Lyonnia sighed, frustrated at being cooped up for so long.  When she
saw her mother's glare, though, she resignedly nodded and got up from her
bed.  Her mother hurumphed and disappeared again, heading back for the
kitchen.  For an instant, Lyonnia considered sneaking out to do a little
exploring, but, remembering the last time she had done such a thing, she
killed the thought and put her supplies back under her cot.  She always had
such things handy, for any spare time she might have to go out and explore
the Warren.
 
    She heard her mother's voice again and jumped, racing out her bedroom
door towards the kitchen.  She didn't want her parents angry at her; last
time that had happened, they had forbidden her to leave the kitchen area for
a whole day.  She had cleaned dishes, emptied trashes, peeled potatoes and
onions up to her elbows that day, and didn't feel like repeating the experience.

                                    * * * * * * * * * * 


     "Can I go now, mother?  Please?"
 
    Her mother look at Lyonnia's face, seeming to relent, then looked at
Lyonnia's father.  A minute shake of the head dashed all Lyonnia's hopes;
her mother never went against her father.  She sure is weak, she thought
bitterly; I would at least put up something of a fight.  Her mother looked
back again, but Lyonnia wasn't paying any more attention, already knowing
the outcome.  She continued washing the dishes in the sink, silently cursing
her situation.  Once again, she wished that she could be something else in
this life, something other than a kitchen maid.  She always dreamed of the
dragonriders, and the adventurous life they led.  She sometimes imagined
herself on the back of a great dragon, soaring over the landscape, the wind
whipping her hair, she and her dragon twirling about the clouds in big---
 
     "Lyonnia...." her father growled.  Lyonnia cut her daydream short as
she realized she had stopped cleaning and, taking one look at her father,
started scrubbing the pans for all it was worth.  She placed the soapy dish
into the rinse water and reached for another, only to find the sink empty.

     She turned to her father, triumph showing clearly on her face.  "Okay,
sir," she said, as respectfully as she could.  "I finished all the chores
you gave to me.  May I now please go?"  As she said this last, she looked
down at the floor, trying to look meek.  She was suprised, then, to hear her
father chuckle, and she quickly glanced up to see him smiling at her.  Her
suprised must have shown on her face, because her father started to laugh
harder, his face starting to turn red.  Lyonnia tried to get a handle on her
puzzlement, but couldn't manage to quash it all down.  

     "Okay Lyon," her father said, his laughter slowly subsiding, but his
eyes still twinkling, "you may go exploring now."

     Lyonnia didn't take any time asking questions; he might change his
mind, she thought.  And no amount of puzzlement would make her endanger her
free time.  She rushed past her father, only to be brought up short by his
telling her "Your apron?"

     Blushing slightly, she hurriedly untied the food-stained cloth and,
tossing it onto the counter, rushed out the door as quickly as she could.
All down the corridor to her room, she could hear her father's laughter.
Wonder what was so funny, she thought belatedly.

     After she had changed her clothes and combed her unruly hair as best
she could, she got her supplies and headed out to explore.  She had been
exploring this warren almost all her life, and she knew just about every
nook and cranny there was to know about the warren.  All, except one.  She
had never before been in the hatching grounds.  The way up was too
treacherous, unless you were a dragon or a dragonrider, which she was not.
She still aspired, though, to someday see it, maybe when the dragons were
hatching.  She had always heard that it was a wonderful occassion to behold
a dragon and a young man or woman joining.

     Today, though, she was just going to go down to the weapons-practice
area and work on her archery skills.  She also wanted to try something else
out today, something new: knives.  She had heard of a dragonrider in the
warren who was a pro with knives, and could throw them accurately at anyone
or anything and never miss the mark.  She doubted she would ever be that
good, but she definately decided to give it a go.

     She headed out to the green, getting her makeshift bow from her bag.
She had a sudden thought and grinned.  She wondered what her parents would
say if they knew that their daughter, their sweet, innocent daughter, was
teaching herself how to throw a knife like a common criminal.  She giggled,
thinking of what their faces would look like if they ever found out, then
immediately sobered.  She knew they wouldn't be pleased, not in the least.
But after all, she thought, shrugging, what they didn't know couldn't hurt
them.  Or me, she thought, grinning.

     As she neared the green, she noticed something different.  Gasping in
surprise, she saw a huge dragon sitting off to the side of the field.  She
had never seen a dragon up close before, and, creeping cautiously closer,
she took in her fill of this one.

     It was utterly beautiful.  It was serpentine, she noticed, but unlike
any lizard or snake she had ever seen.  It looked more graceful, not rugged
like some lizards she had seen.  And it was huge!  She estimated its height
to be over 40 feet, although she wasn't too good with measurements; she
never could get those quite right.  But it was huge.

     Finally working up the courage, she stepped boldly onto the green and,
pretending to not noticed the dragon, walked to the place where she usually
practiced.

     (Well, finally, someone decided to join me.)

     Lyonnia gasped and whirled around, looking the dragon face on.  It's
even bigger up close, she thought stupidly, and began to back up slowly.

     (Well, of course I'm big.  I'm a dragon.)

     Lyonnia gulped, still not believing that a dragon was talking to her.
She realized that she was still retreating backwards and stopped her feet
from moving, somewhat against their will.  She forced herself to stand
straight and look somewhat dignified, but her knees were knocking almost
audibly.  "Hello, Mr. Dragon."

     She could have sworn, she heard laughter in her head!  She looked at
the dragon, fear starting to melt away as dignity took its place.  Her knees
stopped knocking and she stood straighter.  "Why are you laughing at me,
sir?" she asked, partly forgetting that it was not a human who stood here
but a huge dragon.

     (Well, it's just that this is the first time anyone has called me
Mister.)  Lyonnia heard a chuckle in her head.  (It just struck me as kind
of funny.)

     "Um, okay, so what do I call you then?" she asked, moving a little closer.




[NRPG]

Hello everyone!  This is my intro, and I hope it meets with your approval.
As you noticed, I didn't put down any colors or names down, except for me.
I'm new, and I need to get a feel of the people here.  So, whoever, feel
free to have your dragon notice me in the weapons practice area.  (Sorry if
I didn't name some things correctly; I'm still learning.)

Well, as you guys (and gals) always say:  TAG!!

Lyonnia Geldred
DragnQueen