J'red was tired.  He had finished his duty on "watch" and was heading
towards the dining hall for dinner.

His original partner, Tucker, had taken off shortly after their dragons
had become airborne, and though J'red hoped that Tucker would one day
return, he was beginning to feel lonely.

Being an unpaired dragon and rider meant that he got a lot of the more
boring jobs, never being sent on patrols, as only pairs were ever sent.

<It is time to find another partner> Firefly broke into his thoughts.
<Ash is not coming back, I do not feel him anywhere nearby.>  Firefly's
hunger started to abate, as he feasted on a young goat.

J'red noticed that his own hunger was still knawing at his insides, and he
entered the dining hall.

The dining hall was already full, and J'red wandered over to get his tray.
The newly joined group were coming in, mostly laughing and joking.  J'red
felt even more alone.  He remembered the early training sessions, and the
easy comraderie between the newly joined riders.  Kalyth, Hugh,
Tanya, Merissa, ... Tucker....only Merissa remained, but she was way too
busy with her responsibilities as Junior Queenrider to spend time with him
-- and her affair with Th'rin, which J'red could not understand.

J'red was completely unaware when Derric aproached him, but suddenly
Derric was standing there, looking down at him, with a warm smile on his
face.  J'red had always admired Derric, and his charisma, something that
J'red had always felt lacking.  As young boys, they had often attended the
same festivals and tournaments, and while J'red had always been awkward
and shy, Derric had made friends easily, and excelled in many of the
social graces.

"J'red, what luck!"  Derry beamed warmly.  "I was just talking about your
sister today..."

"Jennifer?"  J'red looked surprised, and a bit suspicious.  Everyone knew
that Derric only had eyes for Trinaly, and Jennifer was a bit young to
turn anyone's head.

"Yes, I was visiting Faith at the medcenter.  I made some carvings, and I
thought that I'd give each of those brave little girls one."  Derric
smiled, warmly.

"I'm sure she'd love it," J'red felt relieved, as Derric had referred to
Jennifer as one of the "little girls".

"You know her tastes better than I would.  Would you mind looking them
over and picking out something for her?"  Derry asked.

J'red looked pleased, "Yes, why don't you stop by my apartment later?  I
need to see to oiling Firefly, but you could come by after you see to your
dragon, ... I have some cards and some wine..."  J'red looked at Derric
expectantly....

*****
Tag:  Jill
NRPG:  If Derry doesn't have a partner in mind....J'red is available!

*****

Merissa's morning had started out so grandly.  But by lunch she'd had
about as much as she could stand!  There was an envoy from Lord Grock, who
was complaining of renewed wraith sitings in his area, demanding expanded
patrols and protection.  Merissa was trying to be as diplomatic as
possible, but they were already stretched thin as it were.  She would be
glad when the new batch of riders could take up some patrol duty.

Lunch with Th'rin was the only thing she looked forward to all morning.
She was going through the recommendations of new patrol flights to give to
Trinale, when Chrysthal reminded her that Th'rin was waiting on her.

She jumped up and practically ran to the dining hall.  The quiet,
uneventful lunch conversation was just what she needed.

It was great having Th'rin in the med center to update her on all the
"sickies" that Merissa could then go and visit.

"Terau was in, yesterday,"  Thorin remarked.

"Terau?"  Concern for her old instructor showed clearly in her eyes.

"Apparently he had a run in with your mother and then his wardrobe, I'm
not sure which did the damage, but he is fine, now."

At the mention of her mother, Merissa's lovely features clouded.  That
woman was becoming a continual pest!  Yet, Merissa knew how much better
the children's music was already sounding.  If nothing else, Analise was a
wonderful, diligent instructor.

"And Katla was in, suffering from overdoing it during the rescue."  Thorin
continued.

Merissa found herself tuning out the others.  Katla.  That girl had some
spunk!  She would need to go by and see how she was doing.

"Shawnee was in with another faint, this morning."  But B'ril handled her
case.

"Shawnee?  Must be all the stress.  I'll go talk to her later..."  Merissa
murmured.  Her heart ached for Shawnee and all her troubles, first her
mother, then the mating flight, losing Saul, then {shudder} K'leev....

Thorin looked up perplexed, as he saw the darkening of Merissa's
countenance.  "Was it something I said?"  Thorin asked.  He couldn't
imagine how being out of Talot Roots could upset her, as that was what he
had been discussing as that look came upon her.

"What?  Oh, I'm sorry, Th'rin, love, I was just thinking about
Shawnee...."

"And K'leev?"  Thorin finished.

"and... K'leev...."  Merissa whispered.

"Th'rin I.."  "Merissa, you don't ..."  They both began speaking, then
laughed, but it was an uneasy laugh.

"You first"  Thorin said.

"Th'rin, I know that K'leev is your father, but he disgusts me!  What he
did to Shawnee, what he is doing to her...  Th'rin, I just can't
understand how you can suport him..."

Thorin explained to Merissa, as he had to Trinale, about needing to prove
himself a dragonrider in truth to his father -- to prove that he wasn't
all the horrible, useless things that K'leev thought him to be.

Merissa nodded, feeling tears come into her eyes.  Just like with her own
mother, Merissa had often felt the need to prove herself, and always was
met with disaproval.  She sighed, sadly.  "I do understand that, Th'rin.
But you don't need to prove anything to that man.  He has lost all
respectability, don't you see?  He is not worthy of your idolization!"

Thorin shook his head. "You are wrong about him, Merissa.  Deep down
inside he isn't like that."

"Th'rin, love, you hold on to the past.  The man that you remember as your
father died with his wife, with your mother.  The K'leev that is here
today is not that man!"  Merissa responded vehemently.

They say in silence, and finally Merissa said, "Th'rin, I love the way you
are loyal to your father...  it makes me feel that I can really trust you
to be loyal to me."

"Merissa, I will always be loyal to you!  I love you."  Thorin blurted
out, "and it pains me to see that something that I am doing is causing
you grief.  But please don't ask me to choose between you and my
father...please, Merissa..."

*****
<Trinale needs you in her office>  Chrysthal chimed in, disturbing
Merissa's concentration.

<Already?  But I haven't finished the budget figures!>  Merissa
complained, while she stacked her papers and reports, hurrying to get
organized before going to Trinale's office.

But when she arived at Trinale's office, Trinale was not in the mood to go
over budgets or patrol schedule recommendations.  She launched right into
the trouble that Shawnee was in.  Trinale filled in the blanks in
Merissa's knowlege, including K'leev's partner's accusations against
T'jellan.  Merissa probed, as was her training, feeling more an more
disgusted by K'leev and his antics.

When finally, Trinale asked her opinion, Merissa felt compelled to
comment.  "Biased?  Well, if you are biased, than I must be the lynching
mob!"  Merissa blurted.

"What?"  Trinale looked surprised by Merissa's vehemance.

"That man, if you can call him a man, is not worth the dragon he rides
with!  If it weren't for Th'rin, I wouldn't hesitate on telling you I
think the man should be sent as far away as possible!"  Merissa then
sighed.  "But for some awful reason, Th'rin loves him! ...Oh, Trinale, I
don't have wisdom for you!"

The two girls looked across the desk at eachother.  The incongruity of
these two young women having the awesome responsibility of running this
warren suddenly struck Merissa as amusing, and she started to laugh, and
she couldn't stop

And Trinale, caught off guard by Merissa's laughter began to laugh
herself.  And soon the two of them were doubled ove, laughing so hard that
tears streamed down their faces.

After the needed release, they were then able to focus again.

"Putting aside Th'rin's feelings...." Trinale prompted.

"I'd say he should be banished!" Merissa responded.
*****
Tag right back at ya! Kat.

*****
Merissa was busy escorting Lord Grock's amassador to the dining hall for
dinner, and just as they sat down for dinner, a long, mournful keening
swept through the warren.

<Chrysthal?  What is wrong?  Who is that?>  Merissa reached for the
reassuring presance of her lavendar queen.

<It is Reekor!  He says that his rider is badly injured!>

<Oh, no!  Aradia?  Is she alright?>  Merissa queried.

<Futhark's rider is going to him...  She wishes to be alone.>  Chrysthal
replied.

"Ah Hem!?"  Lord Grock's envoy cleared his throat.

"I beg your pardon, but there has been an emergency.  I will have to beg
your forgiveness, as I need to run..." Merissa said, using this excuse to
flee the company of this extremely dull ambassador.  "I will meet with you
in the morning..."  As Merissa rose, she grabbed the arm of a passing
rider, and asked her (as her Junior Queenrider) to keep Lord Grock's envoy
company.

Merissa fled the dining hall, feeling opressed and depressed.  She wanted
Th'rin.  She ran all the way to her apartments, where she found Thorin
happily oiling Areena.  He stood, and seeing her distress, enfolded her in
his arms....

*****
Some open tags here, if you want Merissa to visit your "sickie" please go
right ahead and post the meeting.

From: "Arlene E. Jacobs" <jacobs@wsnet.com>
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
   /^\      /^\              \^=^/            Submitted  By
  /  `._   /  `._            | `,O'--^-^:     Arlene Jacobs
 ( : :  `.(  : : `.         /|'.^.)___.''         aka
 | : :`. `:_ : : `|_       /`. '.)               Merissa
  \/^|._ _. \_  ._ _\_   /`. '.')'            Junior-Queen
     \/. :-._`|  .: |_\/`.'_.-.).\     __       Rider  of
        \/. ..,`.\__/.,'^\...'-)  )__/^;;)      Chrysthal
          ^\/ ._,_... |   \.,--)______/            Of
            <> \/ | .. (   \._)___ __       Whiteriver Warren
                __| ., '\________(,;;)      jacobs@wsnet.com
               |. /^\')______)
            __/. / . \)______)\      
 _/\_/\__/\/..  ( ... )______)_)___
<__|__|__|__|___(__|____;;; ____;;;) aej

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