Day 1
The Reception.

Eth'n had showered and dressed in his "best" for the party that evening.  It
looked like he might need to make a good impression on this new
queenrider -- after all it looked like he'd just been promoted from
Assistant Trainer to the real thing and he might have to work closely with
her.

He wandered about the extremely crowded dining hall, missing the smaller
warrens where he'd gotten to know everyone rather quickly.  Here he was just
another face in the crowd.  But the face he was searching for, Maedralyn's,
was nowhere to be seen.

He passed the punch table, and helped himself to two glasses.  He downed
them and hurried on his quest.

Finally he spotted her... all the way in the back of the dining hall!  He
wound his way through the pressing masses to reach her.  Just as he was
nearing the dais where she was standing chatting with a young woman, Elisa,
he caught her eye.  The sparks that snapped from her blue-green eyes to his
baby blues left him a touch breathless.

"Hi..."  He stood their mutely just staring lost in the depths of her eyes.

"Uh, hi?  Are you okay?"

He shook himself out of the daze that the cascades of her auburn hair and
sea-green eyes had left him in, "Oh, umm... yes fine.  I'm Eth'n rider of
Wharton... the new Head Trainer... well, new since the incident with Thomas
this morning, right after you crash landed..."  He gulped.  Now why had he
brought that up?

Mae winced and then grinned, "Impressive entrance, huh?"  she giggled.

It was a delicious sound and Eth'n laughed along with her.  "Would you care
for some food?"

"Why, yes.  It all looks so good!"  She smiled warmly and took his proffered
arm as they wound their way over to the banquet tables.

He found himself enjoying her company as they munched and chatted about the
other warrens that he'd been at... and her past experiences as well.

The bards had started playing some danceable songs and Eth'n noticed
Maedralyn's beautiful eyes turn to wistfully follow the dancers.  "Would you
care to?"  Eth'n nodded indicating the swirling partners.

Mae's eyes lit up and she smiled in return, "Of course!"

****
<SNIP from Dana's Post>

"Thank you.  I enjoyed the dance."

"I did, too.  Can I interest you in a glass of punch?"  At Mae's nod,
Eth'n threaded his way through the crowd to the tables loaded down with
refreshments.  A bowl that put Mae in mind of a small lake held the icy
punch, slices of orange and lemon floating on the surface like miniature
islands.

As the two lingered beside the table, enjoying their cool drinks, Thomas
hobbled over on his crutches.  Eth'n got the trainer a glass of punch,
while Mae offered to fill a plate for him, since he was encumbered by
the crutches.

"I don't know how I'm going to stand it with these damn things," Thomas
groused.  "They tell me it'll be weeks."  He sighed.  "Well, bring the
food along, then, Maedralyn, while I try to find an empty seat."  He
swung himself forward on the crutches, brandishing the right to clear a
path between the clusters of chattering merrymakers until he eventually
found a place to sit.  Eth'n placed the brimming glass of punch in front


of him, while Mae handed him the plate of food once he was settled
gingerly in the chair.  He immediately set the plate on the table and
picked up the glass, taking a large swallow of the fruity beverage.  Mae
and Eth'n exchanged amused glances.

"Is there anything else we can do for you, Thomas?" Mae wondered.

"Ask those silly bards to play something less sappy," he suggested
before returning to his punch.

"Shall we?" Eth'n extended his arm to Mae.

<End Snip>

Eth'n thoroughly enjoyed dancing with the new junior queenrider.  She was
light on her feet, and felt exquisite in his arms.

But it wasn't fair of him to monopolize all of her time.  And just as that
thought crossed his mind another rider tapped him on the shoulder requesting
to cut in.

Graciously, Eth'n relinquished the charming queenrider to the waiting rider.

****
TAG.. anyone want to dance with Mae?

****

Eth'n wandered over to the food again.  He wished he knew more of the
riders, but in a crowd this large it was easy to get lost.  He smiled at
several passing riders and one finally stopped to chat.

****
TAG: Anyone want to chat with a friendly trainer?

****

Eth'n watched as Maedralyn finally left the dance floor and went to refill
her glass with punch.  Suddenly he noticed one of the tables begin to rock.

<SNIP from Dana's Post>

A plate of stuffed mushrooms shattered on the ground, sending shards of
china flying amidst the delicate champignons as they spattered butter and
filling on the nearby partiers.  A collective gasp and assorted curses
accompanied the mishap.  Before anyone could figure out what was
happening, the table rocked more violently, dashing more hors d'oeuvres
and crockery onto the floor and scattering everyone standing in the
way.  A small tousled head peeped out from beneath the table just before
it overturned with a tremendous crash.

Mae stood looking down at Pekin with her jaw hanging slack.  Had that
little boy just managed all that destruction?  She stepped forward to
help extricate him from the broken dishware at the same time as she
realized that the falling table had taken with it a couple of lamps that
were now igniting a wall hanging and the wooden table.  She leapt
forward to grasp the youngster in her arms, drawing him away from the
spreading fire.

<END Snip>

"Fire!"  Eth'n found his voice and leapt into action.  It needed to be
doused at once!  He glanced around frantically, searching for something
liquid... The Punch!

<SNIP from Dana's Post>
In the meantime, someone else had lifted the huge bowl of punch and was
heaving it in an arc, spilling the liquid onto the blaze.
Unfortunately, Mae and Pekin weren't spared a dousing as the cascade
went by.  Eyes stinging, Mae clasped the boy close to her as she moved
off as quickly as she could, fighting panic now that their clothing was
alcohol-soaked and more susceptible to the flames.

Smoke was beginning to billow in blinding clouds, burning eyes and
throats as everyone scurried about, trying to locate friends and loved
ones on their way out the door.

<END Snip>

"Dear Gods! What have I done?"  Eth'n cried as he tried to smother the
flames that had burst forth from fuel provided by the alcoholic punch.  His
heard his hair sizzle and he could smell the reek.  Yet he danced around the
flames flapping at them with a table cloth that he'd yanked from the nearby
table.  However, his efforts were beginning to look futile as the flames
crept from that table to others.

<*You need to get out of there, my rider!*>  came the frantic mind-voice of
Wharton.

Eth'n coughed and gasped.  His eyes were watering.  Which was the way out?
The air was too thick.  He couldn't see!  He struggled to find an exit, but
the smoke and heat became too much ... he collapsed only yards from the
nearest exit.

****
TAG:  Someone rescue him!!!

Respectfully submitted by
Arlene Jacobs
AKA Eth'n rider of Wharton of Telnor
Warren.