Shawnee worked most of the morning on the first of Pa'gan's 
three new outfits. Thankfully there had been few interruptions, so 
by  the time lunch had come long, she had it just about finished. 
All that was needed was for the tall rider to try it on for Shawnee 
to make sure the fit was true.

After making sure it was all right with Barry, the girl left the shop 
and headed down the familiar path to the med center to have lunch with 
her siblings. Both of whom were wide awake and excited about a visit 
they had had for their new friend and hero. 

Shawnee was really surprised and pleased by Fawna's reaction to him. 
The little girl was usually shy around people she didn't know and 
tended to hide behind Ojean or herself.  

"Saul said his dragon was just waiting for us to get better, cause he wanted
to give us a ride," Fawna's little angelic face lit up with pleasure.

"Oh he did, did he?" the older girl grinned as she picked up her 
sister for a hug. "And when did you two see Saul?"

"This morning right after you left," Ojean replied, a sly little 
glint appearing in the young boys blue eyes. "He sure was 
disappointed that he missed seeing you!" he teased.

"And what makes you think he didn't come by to see you two little 
imps?" She hated pumping the boy for information... but why would 
the dragonrider come by the center so early.

"Because he was happy until healer Thorin told him you had already 
left. He likes you Shawnee. A lot."

"I'm sure he does Ojean," Shawnee tried to keep her voice calm, so 
the children wouldn't know how much the boys simple words had 
affected her. All she needed was for one of them to say something 
to Saul if they ever guessed at her feelings for the handsome man. 
"Saul's our friend, so of course he likes 'us'."

"Yeah but he doesn't get all dopey eyed when he looks at us, like 
he does whenever you're around. I've seen the way he looks at you." 
her brother smiled.

"And he told us that he thinks you're beautiful." Fawna giggled.

"Would you two quit," Shawnee knew she was blushing. 

"I'll bet he's kissed her already," Ojean told Fawna, who giggled 
that much louder.

"Ojean!!" his sister gasped. "That will be enough of that kind of 
talk."
---------------

After their lunch time was over, Shawnee made her way back to the 
shop. As she walked she let her mind drift back to the events of 
this morning. A question kept going around in her mind. Why?
Why was she even spending the time on doubting Saul and his 
motives. After all, his quick action's that first night was the 
only reason her beloved little angel was alive and breathing in 
the med center today. 

When they had met, his mind hadn't been on weather or not she 
would join with a dragon. Or even that she had stolen his lucky 
bag from him. When he had seen for himself just how sick the little 
girl was, his first thoughts were of getting her help. Upon learning 
no help would be forthcoming from the towns healers, Saul's thoughts 
were of getting the feverish child to a place where he knew they 
could find help.

His concern at the time had been Fawna's life.

The longer Shawnee thought about this strange twist of events, the 
more she was starting to see, it had it's advantages. For one thing, 
if she did join with a dragon just like Saul and Trinale thought she 
would, (was the man ever wrong?) then there would be no chance of them being
sent back to that hateful town. If she did join with a dragon, 
Ojean and Fawna would be assured of a place where they could grow up 
and be safe. They would also be allowed to stay here, in the Warren 
with people they were coming to care about, if anything should happen 
to her. They would never have to be alone again. 

And then there was the fact that she would be seeing Saul almost 
every day.

 Those deep blue eyes that invaded her mind at the oddest time's, 
were smiling now. Telling her she had made the right choice. Well 
only time would tell.

Feeling in a somewhat happier mood when she got back to the tailors 
shop, Shawnee came up with an idea. If Barry would allow her to draw 
a credit against her wages, she would have just enough time before 
dinner to complete what she had in mind. That was if it continued to 
be slow.

"Go right ahead and use what ever you find," the older man told her. "You've
already helped me to catch up on what work we had and Pa'gan's first outfit
is finished."

"It's all finished except for the final fitting which he's suppost to 
come by later for," She assured the man.

"While you're at it..." Barry paused with a smile. "Why don't you go 
ahead and pick out a few dresses and things for yourself. If you're anything
like most women I know... you'll like to look your best, and besides which,
you'll want to look nice for customer's who come in 
here... as well as that handsome rider of yours," the old man winked.

"Barry!," Shawnee laughed, "Saul is not 'my' rider. He's only a 
friend." 

Barry laughed out loud. "Sure! And that package on your cutting table 
in the back wasn't made for him?"

"It's only my way of saying thank you for all that he's done," Shawnee 
said hastily, then went back to work.

Pa'gan didn't make it back by the shop before closing time, but 
Shawnee didn't think anything about it, knowing how things seemed to 
come up around here and Pa'gan after all was a dragonrider. Maybe his duties
just kept him away longer. Well, his clothes would be waiting 
for him in the morning.

Saying goodnight to Barry, Shawnee left the shop with the for 
mentioned package tucked under her arm. But not before she heard 
Barry tell her to say hi to Saul for him. The cool air of the 
evening felt good against her heated face as she took the short 
walk home. Would she never be able to hear Saul's name spoken by 
another without blushing. 


After making a quick trip by the medical center to see her brother 
and sister, Shawnee raced back to the apartment she was using. She 
had just enough time to bathe and get into one of the new dresses 
Barry had insisted on her taking, saying it brought out the color 
of her eyes, before there was a knock at her door. 

Even before she opened it her heart started fluttering in that way 
it did whenever the dragon rider was near. When she opened the door 
to see him standing there, she couldn't help but smile. She had 
known he would be by tonight. He had said he wanted to talk to her.

"Hello Shawnee. Would you care to have dinner with me?"

She grinned and nodded. Thinking that the usually confident rider 
looked somewhat nervous. 

"I want to apologize for not telling you about the hatching. Will 
you let me explain?"

"Of course." She needed to hear his answer. Not that it really 
mattered, because she had already decide to try. If only for her 
siblings well being. She had to know for herself if the hatching 
was the only reason Saul was being so kind. If it was, then Shawnee 
would thank him very kindly, bury the feelings she had for this man 
and try to go on without him in her life.  No matter how hard it 
might be. Maybe they could be friends. Though the mere thought hurt.

"Your dragon affinity is really simply icing on the cake. Whether 
you had it or not, I'd have brought you here. I would not of left 
your brother and sister to die in that town. You know that, don't 
you?"

"I know," she smiled warmly. "Ojean is never wrong about a person 
and he thinks the world of you. You and that dragon of yours can do 
no wrong where my little brother is concern."

"And what about where you're concerned, Sweet Shawnee?" he asked, 
his hand warm on her cheek as he tilted her face up to look into 
her eyes as he waited for her answer.

"I think you're a good man Saul of Whiteriver. Trusting and honest, 
with a big heart." her voice sounding breathless to her own ears.

"Do you trust me Shawnee?"

"Yes," and she did. Trusted him as she had never given her trust to 
a person before.

"We need to talk about the hatching and what comes afterwards," he 
told her. "There are things you must know about that come with 
being a dragonrider. I need to tell you about them before you make 
up your mind."

"But I already have," she said quickly and saw him frown.

"Look, I missed lunch today, so could we go to the dining hall and 
talk this over," he asked running his fingers through his locks of 
brown hair.

"If that's what you want to do," Shawnee replied, watching his hand 
and wishing it was her fingers running through his hair. Wishing she 
was brave enough to try.  Turning away from him to clear her muddled 
mind, she didn't see the wicket smile that crossed over his tanned 
face. 

"It's not quite what I want," she heard him half laugh. "But it'll 
have to do for now."

It was then that she spied the balky package she had placed on the 
table and went to pick it up before coming back to stand before Saul. 

"I-I made something...for you, and I hope you like it," she stammered trying
to get the words out as she thrust the package towards the 
rider. Saw his eye brows raise up in question as he took it from her 
and began to unwrap it, revealing a brown and beige leather rider's 
jacket inside.

"It's beautiful," he said quietly, holding the jacket up in front of 
him. "Did you make this?" he asked, his blue eyes lit with warmth.

She swallowed hard and nodded her head unable to answer him aloud.

"For me?" 

Again she nodded, but finding her voice, she told him. "You've done so 
much for us. I just wanted to do something nice for you in return."

Any doubts she had had about him liking the gift were quickly washed 
away as she stood there watching the rider carefully laid the new 
jacket on the back of her couch and removed the one he had on. Then 
picking up her gift, he slipped it on and she could see it was a 
perfect fit. 

"I'll wear it proudly," 
-------------------------
 (dining hall: 

(nrpg: Kris: I'm going to let you tell her about the perks and what 
not's about being a dragonrider...i.e.: mating flights :)....she's 
not going to like that part because of her mother's rep...
------------------------------- 

It was late by the time Saul walked Shawnee home. With her hand 
resting on his arm. He had answered all of her questions and put 
most of her fears to rest; except for the mating flights. How would 
she be able to handle those, she wondered. She hadn't ever been with 
a man before. Never been kissed except that once by Saul. Something 
he had never repeated, but she had relived countless times in her 
dreams. Maybe she hadn't done it  right. Was that the reason he never 
tried to kiss her a second time.

All to soon they arrived at her door. Saul turned to her and pulled 
her into his arms for a quick hug. "I wanted to thank you again for 
your lovely gift." he told her and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll
think of you and your sweetness everytime I put it on." Then he 
was gone.

Shawnee sighed as she shut the door behind her. Well so much for 
hoping a new look would make the man want to kiss you girl, she told
herself, Then gave a short bitter laugh. Saul hadn't even noticed her 
new dress. So much for looking nice for 'her' rider, as Barry had said.
Right!  She was really starting to hate those little kisses Saul kept
dropping on her forehead. They drew to mind a picture of a little girl
receiving a fatherly kiss, and what she felt for the man had little to 
do with fatherly love.

As she started to get undressed for the night Shawnee suddenly noticed 
that the wrap she had worn to the dining hall earlier was missing. 
Could she have left it in the hall? It was the last place she 
remembered having it. 

She knew she could probably wait until morning to go looking for it, 
but it was something new, and she had never had something so nice 
before. It wouldn't take her long to walk back and see if it was there 
she thought moving towards the door. It was safe enough to walk around 
by herself here in the Warren so she had no fears for her safety as she 
let herself out the door.

It was there. Right on the seat where she and Saul had been sitting 
a little while ago. Shawnee was so relieved. She would have hated to 
admit to Barry that she had forgotten it because her mind had been 
focused on the handsome man sitting next to her. And that damned 
beard of his. 

On the way back, Shawn decided to take a different route. One that 
would take her by the med center so she could take a quick peak 
inside to check on her siblings before she went to sleep.

The sounds of dragons trumping in the night air caused her to turn 
and look up as one landed not to far away. As she watched, a group 
of people on foot went to greet the new arrival. Shawnee recognized 
Saul right off, he was at the head of the group. It was his voice 
she heard speak a name. 

        "Titania?"

She watched unable to tear herself away as the tall woman walked 
up to Saul, who was gaping at her.  She grinned at him, and nodded.  Arching
an eyebrow, she asked, tartly, "Want to welcome me the same 
way you did last time?"

        He laughed and seemed about to say something and Shawnee 
couldn't handle it any more. She couldn't face seeing Saul with 
the other woman. There had been something in the tone of his voice 
that told her, these two knew each other very well. This was no 
place for her. In as much as she wanted to deny what her eyes had 
just seen, Shawnee knew she couldn't. No wonder Saul all ways acted 
like a gentlemen around her. She understood now.

He already had a woman he cared about.

Turning, so as not to bring herself to anyone's noticed, Shawnee 
slipped quietly into the shadows and somehow found her way home. 

Left behind forgotten, on the ground where she had stood, was a 
pale yellow wrap. 

--------------------------

She had only been fooling herself, believing what she wanted to 
believe where the handsome rider was concerned. She should have 
known better. In as much as she wanted it to be, Saul would never 
be her's. His heart all ready belonged to another. She had seen it 
tonight with her own eyes. 

Foolish little girl, with your foolish little dreams, she chided 
herself and for the first time, in as long as Shawnee could 
remember or care, her tears fell as she cried herself to sleep.

******Submitted by:********

Barbara (a.k.a.
Broken hearted  Shawnee & her Siblings
 Ojean & Fawna