Kalewyn
***
<<Day 22 - Evening>>

"I want to go home now, Kay ..Please. Please take me home."

*But ..*

"Don't tell me 'no', Kay. I'll be better at home I promise. I just need to
be home .."

"Danielle," Sarrine said in a firm voice, "I'm sorry dear, but I need you
to stay over night."

Danielle burst into tears, "I don't want to be alone .."

Kay grabbed her hand and squeezed, drawing her attention, *I can stay ..*

He looked up at Sarrine who frowned at him slightly, but seeing that it
instantly calmed the young woman, she grudgingly nodded, then grabbing
Kay's eyes with her own she motioned him out the door. "I'll bring Kay
right back," She assured Danielle, "He'll just need a pillow and blanket .."

"Hurry .." Danielle whimpered.

Kay nodded and followed Sarrine out. She pulled him away from the door and
spoke to him sharply, as a mother reprimanding her child. "What do you
think you are doing?"

Kay looked at her questioningly, *Danielle ..*

"Is NOT your mate! Shouldn't it be Trap here with her. Shouldn't it be Trap
she is asking for?"

Kay shrugged, *He scared her. She doesn't remember and she's so fragile
right now. I'm trying to help.*

"I don't like lying to her. And I don't want to see you taking advantage of
this situation."

*I'm not!* Kay insisted, determination and concern on his face. *I just
want to help her through this. She is still my friend.*

Sarrine nodded, "She could use a friend.. not a love-sick puppy .."

Kay frowned and turned away, not wanting to listen to anymore of this.
Sarrine pulled his attention back to her. "Look Kay, I just don't want to
see anyone hurt. Not Danielle and not you or Kattibrie either. I'm sure
she's not real happy about this arrangement .."

Kay shook his head, *She's not .. but she knows I have to do this. Danielle
has done a lot for me. I owe her this.*

Sarrine nodded, "Very well, I'll go along with it for now .. but as soon as
she's strong enough, you've got to tell her the truth."

Kay nodded, and hugged the older woman, then dashed back into Danielle's
room to sit with her for the night.

***
<<Day 23 - Morning>>

Kay  had not slept well, and dark circles were beginning to form under his
eyes when dawn began to light the morning. The chair he'd been in had not
been that comfortable and he'd had to rest cocked-eyed anyway in order to
keep a hand in Danielle's so he'd know if she needed him .. And it had been
a good thing. He'd been woken several times during the night, when she
slashed around in nightmare's pulling her hand for his.

Thankfully she'd calmed down everytime when he'd stood and grabbed her
hand, signing calming words into it. He could barely see her lips whisper,
'I love you ..' as she'd drift back to a calmer state.

Guilt assailed him each time he'd see it, knowing that she was just confused ..

Now as morning broke and  staffers came into the room to check on Danielle,
he was able to take a quick break to the restroom to relieve himself and
throw cold water on his tired face.

When he came back out, Danielle was all smiles. "I can go home now, Kay!
They are releasing me."

*That's great!* he nodded, smiling back at her.

*Take me home, Kay .. * she signed, *I miss our apartment ..*

He nodded and took a deep breath. As much as he was dreading this .. he
couldn't help but feel glad that she was well enough to get out of the med
center. Soon maybe another night or so she'd be well enough to learn the
truth. Maybe she'd even remember it on her own. That thought made him feel
a little melancholy. He chided himself for such thoughts. After all, he
wanted her to get better, so that he could stop lying to her.

***
<<Day 23 - a while later>>

"It's good to be home!" Danielle said as she stepped into the apartment.
She paused as she looked at the mural of Sabbith that Kay had finished
several months ago. "Oh .. you finished it .. I didn't remember that .."

Kay nodded, *Yes ..* He realized that the last time Danielle was here, it
had not been done ..

Danielle shrugged, "It's beautiful .."

*Are you hungry? .. Or thirsty?* he asked.

She smiled at him and shook her head, "No, silly, I ate before I left,
remember." She moved into his arms and pressed her body close to his,
whispering something in his ear.

The gentle sensations of her breath against his ear sent shivers through
him, and goosebumps rose on his arms. Danielle ran her hand down his body
and he jumped as she squeezed his backside, grinding her hips against his.
He pushed her away from him.

She looked at him questioningly, "What's wrong?"

*I .. * he began then stopped, *We just got home ..*

She grinned, "I know and I've been thinking about it all night, Kay. I want
you to take me to bed .. I need you." She moved toward him again, and he
quickly grabbed her hands, which were reaching to fondle him in a place
that was already growing embarrassingly stiff. He certainly hadn't expected
this! She just had a horrifying experience .. she'd been raped! And gods
knew what else. He hadn't even thought that she'd be wanting .. well THAT!

She frowned at him and her face began to crumble, "You .. You don't want
me, do you!"

She began to sob, turning away from him and throwing herself on the couch.

He was torn .. he didn't know what to do.  Finally he moved to lay a hand
on her shoulder. She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. *You've just
been through a horrible experience,* he tried to explain, *I .. I think I
.. well you .. need time to recover.*

"You think I'm ugly! Oh gods! I am ugly!" Her hand gripped at her shirt
front that covered the bandages from the cut wounds on her chest. "I'm
scarred .. and now you don't want me."

Kay watched her, his mouth agape. She thought she was ugly! How could she
think such a thing. Those scars didn't change that! *I do want you,
Danielle. You are so beautiful. I have always thought so. And I will not
matter what.*

"You do?"

He nodded, *But you only just got home .. You need rest.*

*No, I don't, I'm fine .. I'm ready."

*But I .. I have a few things to do today .. I .. I have to find out what
happened in Geode, and I need to see H'nry.* Kay quickly told her. *And
Tera .. she needs to know that you're okay. Please Danielle, let me do
things errands I need to do, and then we'll talk more this afternoon.*

Kay didn't think she was going to let him go, but she did. Kay tried not to
see that she looked on the verge of tears as he climbed on Sabbith. *I'll
be soon, Danielle. I love you.* he signed before the great crimson beast
took off.

***
<<Day 23 - Lunch time>>

>Kay looked down and pushed the food on his plate around for a moment, *I'm
>not sure if I can yet.*

>*The longer you wait, the harder it will be for Kitty.*

*That's the last thing I want, H'nry.* Kay told him, *But if you'd seen
what that monster had done to Danielle. H'nry, it was horrible, and she
doesn't remember Trap. She's terrified of him. I seem to be the only one
that can calm her ..*

*Kitty's your mate. Not Danielle, Kay. By rights you should be choosing
Kitty over her. Doesn't your commitment to Kitty mean anything to you?*

*It does! I love her, but Danielle .. H'nry, I owe her so much ..*

*Danielle is the one who broke your heart, Kay. Don't do to Kitty, what
Danielle did to you ..*

Kay stared at the man, a frown on his lips. Didn't H'nry see? Didn't he
understand. It wasn't like that. He just wanted to help. Gods! No one
understood ..

*Look, Kay,* H'nry said, his eyes softening a bit, *Just think about what
I've said. In the end you have to follow your heart.*

Kay nodded, *I'll think about it ..*

Kashya & Timari
***

Timari was leading Kashya back to the small apartment they'd taken within
Telnor warren after dinner. She's sorta rushed the woman though the meal,
and Kashya was protesting a little in her passive aggressive way. But
Timari figured it was the best thing for everyone. There was something
going on in the Warren, and tension was in the air. Even she, who knew
little about dragons and their riders could feel it. And it was sure to set
Kashya off if she wasn't careful. Better to have her a little grumpy then
cowering and screaming because she'd been scared.

Unfortunately things were not going Timari's way on this day, and as she
and Kashya walked across the green a loud roar was heard nearly directly
over them. Kashya cringed, and dove to the ground, clutching at the ever
present doll in her frail grasp.

Things got even worse as the woman peeked out from behind her arm, which
was flung up covering her face and saw one of the dragon shoot flame
directly into the air with it's sorrowful roar.

Timari knew there would be trouble as she also saw the flame. And she was
proved right as Kashya screeched in terror .. repeating over and over the
one and only word Timari had ever heard her say. "Fire! Fire! Fire!"

As quickly as she could, the older woman pull the frantic Kashya away from
the green, and to a shelter spot where she could feel safe. It took at the
strength she had .. plus some! And in then end, before Timari had her at
least controllable, she had a long and painful scratch across her cheek and
Kashya had scrapes and bruises covering her arms.

Restraining the terrified woman had never been easy, but it was something
that had to be done to protect both Kashya and those around her. She'd
never forget the time that she was nearly shoved into a flaming fire pit ..
or the time Kashya nearly succeeded in drowning herself ..

"Shh .. shh .." Timari soothed once Kashya was calm enough to listen to her.

Kashya was breathing heavily and her eyes darted around them.  Still she
clung to her dark-headed doll. Even as she rested her head against Timari's
chest and listened to her soothing sounds.

Timari began to feel the sting of the scratch on her cheek and touch the
spot, pulling her hand away, and finding her fingertips tinged with a
little bit of blood. She knew she would need to get it attended to  She
knew it likely that Kashya would have some scrapes herself, and while she
could easily take care of small cuts and bruises it was always a good idea
to get her looked over by a healer as well. So they began the long trek to
the med center.

***

"What happened?" Abby asked as she moved to look at the woman's scratched
cheek.

"Kashya, just got a little panicked at the dragon on the green." Timari
told her. "I'm more worried about her right now .."

Abby moved toward Kay's mother, but Kashya pulled back behind Timari.

"It's all right, Kashya. You remember Abby. She's our friend. A healer like
our Koda."

Kashya looked at her for a moment, then signed, *Wanna go home.*

"I know, dear. But Abby needs to check you over first."

*I won't hurt you,* Abby signed back, smiling gently.

With a glance at Timari for reassurance first, Kashya held out her arm, and
showed a couple of scraps. One on the elbow and one a bit lower, on the
soft underside of her arm. *That hurts.* she signed.

"I'm sure," Abby said gently, as one would talk to a small child. She
gently cleaned Kashya's arm up.

She was just finishing up when Eleanora joined them, *I finished, Abby.*
The young girls signed.

Kashya watched them for a moment with interest. Both Abby and Timari took
note of the woman's interest and Abby grinned. "I've got something else you
can do for me, Eleanora."

*Whatever I can,* the girl nodded.

"This is Kashya," Abby told her motioning to the woman watching them.
Eleanora smiled at the burn scarred woman whose dark hair was riddled with
gray strands. "She signs fluently and I think she would like some company
while I tend to her companion."

*Okay, I can do that,* Eleanora signed and turned to smile at Kashya, *My
name is Eleanora.*

*Do you sing?* the woman asked.

*Sing?* Eleanora asked.

Timari moved to look over Kashya shoulder at the girl. "She has a favorite
song she likes to sign. Why don't you sing it for her, Kashya?"

Kashya nodded, not taking her eyes of the tawny haired young girl in front
of her. Her hand began to move in a rhythmic sway, and her body joined the
beat.

*Away and away we're bound for the mountain,
Bound for the mountain, bound for the mountain.
Over the mountain, the hills and the fountains ..
Away to the chase .. away .. away ..*

She grinned and began repeating the words.

*Away and away we're bound for the mountain,
Bound for the mountain, bound for the mountain.
Over the mountain, the hills and the fountains ..
Away to the chase .. away .. away ..*

Regards,
Kalewyn & Sabbith
Kashya
***
NRPG: Well Kat .. have fun with Kay <G> I think I've set him up pretty well!

Katrina, Feel free to chat with Kashya. She does have pretty lucid periods.
The only things she doesn't talk about are the fire that scarred her and
her son, Kay. She does talk about her doll, which amazingly is named, 'K'
<G>

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