> "It's Saul, Terau. I've brought a friend to meet you and your son. This is
Shawnee, she has only just arrived in Whiteriver less then hour ago."
>
> Saul helped Shawnee into a seat across from the blind man and took the
seat next to her.

"Only an hour?  And already you're being dragged about the Warren.  Saul
must like you, m'dear--the lad and I had to wait a while." Terau grinned.
"Please, sit down.  I believe that Telaran left some papers scattered 
about here and there--I'll take them."

At the man's words, Shawnee stole a quick glance at the good looking man 
on her right, a silly smile crossed over her face at the thought of him
liking her. Why he hardly knew her, but the fluttering in her heart that
would start up everytime those brown eyes would smile at her, was going full
tilt right now.  'It's just a case of hero worship' she told herself, after
all he did get you away from *that* town. 

The touch of his hand on her's brought her out of her dreams, just in 
time to hear the older man go on talking. 

"I'm sorry about this mess, here.  Wasn't expecting anyone, you see."  
He chuckled.  "Now, have you seen my son?  He was supposed to be coming back
with dinner sometime soon--"

"--I'm right here, Da.  Plate?" Telaran broke in, placing a plate in his
father's hands.

"Yes, please.  What is it?  Smells like a roast." Terau put the plate
carefully onto the table.

Telaran pressed a fork into Terau's palm. "There's some slices of roast," he
said, guiding his father's fork to the plate, "Some corn, and a whole baked
potato.  There's also water, here, and a pastry for dessert."

"There may be a pastry now, but if I don't finish quickly, it'll be gone,
won't it?"

Telaran grinned, and took his seat.  "Indeed.  The Baroness spoiled me
rotten."  Leaning over, he quickly whispered, "18" in his father's ear.

Terau laughed.  "Well then.  Telaran, this is lady Shawnee, also new to 
the Warren.  M'dear, this is my son, Telaran, and I am Terau, as you 
have already heard.  We are honored to make your acquaintance.

"So, m'dear.  What, other than the obvious, brings you to the Warren?"

What did he mean by the obvious, she wondered. He couldn't know of her past.
She hesitated before answering, the gesture didn't go unnoticed by the
handsome dragonrider sitting beside her, who squeezed her are gently 
in support.

"Remember Sweetheart," he said kindly. "A new start. Don't be afraid to 
let the people here get to know the real you."

His smile reassured her and gave her the courage to try. What could it hurt.
"I sort of bummed, into the rider earlier this evening and when he helped me
up we started to talk." When she would have left it at that, 
Saul picked up the story.

"She was out trying to get a healer to come look at her younger sister 
and brother who are both suffering from a bad fever, and being the
wonderfully helpful man that I am," a wide smile covered his face. "I
offered to bring the small ones here where I knew they'd get the best of care."

"I guess it didn't have anything to do then with the young lady being
pretty." Terau asked, and knew when he heard his son's laugh, that he'd 
hit the spot.

Shawnee raised her eyes to look shyly up at the brown-headed man. Part 
of her wanting to hear his answer, but the other half scared. Did he 
think she was pretty. Without conceit, she knew there were many of men 
from the town who did. That had been a big part of the trouble she faced
from the women. Shawnee looked to much like her mother.

It had never bothered her all that much what other's thought of the way 
she looked, but for some strange reason it did matter to her what Saul
thought. Even though she knew he was just being nice to her and felt
somewhat responsible towards her and the kids. Shawnee was sure that a 
man as good looking as the one sitting next to her must surely have a 
mate waiting for him to come home. Not that she really cared if he did,
 she told herself.

"I'm sure the dragonrider would be gallant enough to say any woman was
pretty if the woman in question was sitting right beside him." Shawnee 
cut in before Saul could say anything. "And you're a terrible tease 
Terau for putting him on the spot like that." 

"Well said m'dear," the older man chuckled. "Well said." 

"Scared to find out how I would have answered that question?" Saul whispered
in her eye as he leaned closer to her. His brown eyes twinkled with the
light of mischief.

"I'm not afraid of anything," she lied in a quiet tone of voice and saw 
a odd glint appear in his eyes, a smile spread very slowly a crossed his
face as if accepting her challenge. 

"We'll see," he said, his voice smooth and silky.

"Actually Saul my father and I are glad we ran into you," Telaran's 
words brought the two of them back to the present. "I was wondering 
if you know where we could get my father something decent to wear? 
Theses rags he's wearing now are almost indecent." 

"As a matter of fact," the rider sat up a little straighter, his left 
arm moving to drop about Shawnee's shoulders. "You don't have to look 
any further than this pretty blonde headed beauty right here. Why I'm 
sure she'd be more that happy to set you up with a new set of clothes Terau."

"Ah, so you're a seamstress my lovely girl," the father.

"And a wonderfully talented one at that," Saul assured him. "Telaran 
just bring you father by the tailor's shop tomorrow morning and Shawnee will
see to the makings herself."

When she would have protested his underhanded ways, Shawnee felt his 
warm fingers cover her lips, preventing her from denying his words. 
"For now I think I'll show the young lady where she'll be staying for 
the night. I know she's had a long day, what with minding two sick 
children and all. But I'll bet my lucky bag of gold-- " Shawnee's 
cheeks turned red at his reminder of how they met.  "She'll be there waiting
at the tailors shop for you tomorrow morning ready to do you proud."  

"Well bless you m'dear," Terau. "We'll try not to make it too early. 
Give you time to check up on them young'uns." 

"And you to sleep in a little bit longer father," Telaran quipped and 
the others laughed. 

"Well it was nice to meet you both," Shawnee remembered her manners 
before she was pulled away from the table by Saul.

"How could you tell them that?" she rounded on the man as soon as they 
were outside the hall. "What ever will they think when he shows up to 
have the clothes made and the tailor tells them he's never heard of me?" 

"Don't let it worry you tonight, Shawnee," he insisted as he took her 
arm and began to lead her towards the guest apartments where she would 
be staying the night. "I'll come by in the morning and take you over to meet
the man. I know for a fact that he's looking for someone to help 
him with all the extra work he's had lately."

"Well," she sighed, to tired to fight about it any more. "If you really
think so, I'll have to trust you. After all I promised Ojean I would." 

"Saul through back his main of brown hair and let out a laugh. 
"You make it sound as if trusting me, is on par with being made to eat
veggies that you don't like." he chucked as they drew up outside the 
door to the room he'd picked out for her.

" Don't take it so bad handsome," she couldn't help but smile back at 
his teasing. "I'll have you know that I just love all kinds of veggies."
With that said she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek before turning
and quickly entering the room and shutting the door behind her. 

What had she done? Kissing him on the cheek like that. What must he 
think of her, Shawnee groaned as she walked over to the bed by the far 
wall and sat down. 

That was the last thing she remembered until the sound of someone 
knocking on her door the next morning woke her up..
-------------------------------------------------------------------


nrpg: Kris, if Saul can't make it to show her to the tailor shop, 
could he just send someone else instead. She's going to want to check 
on the kids before she does anything though.

Anyone else in need of new clothes, Shawnee does good work :}
Just wait until you see how well dressed Terau will look when
she's finished with him.


*******Submitted by:************
         Barbara
     Shawnee (and tba:)
    Whiteriver Warren

*****Submitted by:*********************
Barbara
Voices of:
Warrenlady Jayleigh & Queen Viktroy (Daere)
Tera & Sundellath (Telnor), 
Dan'yar & Shinner (Cleft) 
Shawnee (Whiteriver)

Daere Warren Web Page
(http://mail.reallink.com/~carolyn/index.html
(Barbara's Pern Question page)
<http://pubpages.unh.edu/~bscott/pern/questions.html>