Thorin
***

Thorin left the Warrenlady's office feeling that he hadn't done what he'd
set out to do. Once again, he'd failed. He found himself heading to the
medical center even though he was scheduled to be there today.

<Th'rin, please don't be so down on yourself. It'll work out.> Came the
calming voice of his dragon.

<I know.> Thorin sighed, <How are you doing love?>

<I'm fine. Merissa oiled me while you were with Trinale. I like her, Th'rin.>

Thorin smiled, <Me too. I'm going to head to the medical center and work
for a while. Call me if you need me, love.>

Thorin stopped in the garden to check on his herbs. He was thrilled to see
one of his rarer plants actually blossoming.  He quickly plucked a couple
of the soft blue blossoms and hurried to the labs to begin preparing them

K'leev
***

<He's calling again. Can I answer him?>

<NO!> K'leev roared.

<But it's only Gust.>

K'leev growled, <Fine tell him where we are.>

The large man stood and watched the skies for a sign of his partner. He
didn't know why he was bothering to allow him to come. There wasn't
anything he could do to help. <He may have an idea, my rider.>

<Unlikely,> K'leev hmmphed, <Because of Saul's woman, Trinale's got exactly
what she wants. A reason to get rid of me. Despite the fact that Whiteriver
needs me.>

<I don't understand this. But maybe if you said you were sorry ..>

<Apologize! Me! Never! I didn't do anything wrong. That girls been waving
her body in my face since she arrived. I was only trying to oblige her!>

Just then there was a dragon's trumpeting. K'leev looked to the sky to see
the rust colored Gust circling down near his large black dragon. Daalin
hoped off his dragon and ran to his partner, "K'leev you have to return to
the warren. You can't imagine the rumors spreading about you."

"Oh yes I can. That little bitch  thinks she's going to get away with this."

"With you away from the warren, she will." Daalin insisted.

K'leev frowned, "What can I do about? This is exactly what Trinale's been
waiting for."

"It's your word against hers."

"And T'jellan's, and her dragon .."

"A misunderstanding obviously by a much too young to understand dragon and
a wingleader with the hots for Saul's woman." Daalin said.

K'leev looked up at him, "What?"

Daalin nodded, "You mean you didn't know." His partner laughed, "Of course
not, you were too busy drooling over her yourself. But T'jellan wants her
too. Seems Saul's woman has many admirers."

"I don't know, Daalin. Trinale hates me."

"Stick with me and let me do the talking."

***
<<Sometime between lunch and dinner>>

"Come in," they heard the young girls voice.

Daalin and K'leev stepped into her office, and Daalin moved to the
Warrenlady's desk. "K'leev and I want to discuss the trouble with Shawnee."

"As would I," Trinale said tightly.

"K'leev has asked me to speak on his behalf, as this is very upsetting to
him." Daalin began

"I'll bet." Trinale remarked. "Go ahead."

"What happened last night was not attempted rape however, it was a young
woman getting scared and backing out when she was discovered."

Trinale frowned, "What are you trying to say? That Shawnee is lying? When I
have testimony from T'jellan that she's telling the truth?"

"It more a misunderstanding." Daalin said. "A misunderstanding which began
with a queen's mating flight."

Trinale colored a bit, but didn't speak. Daalin continued. "The fact of the
matter is Shawnee was upset that Saul's Fayloth won the queen and that Saul
was off having sex with you, m'lady. She is landborn and as much as she
wanted to understand she didn't."

Daalin motioned to K'leev, "This is where K'leev comes in. He's made no
attempt to hide the fact that he finds Shawnee attractive. And when he came
upon her crying an upset because her love was with another women, what
could he do but comfort her.

"His only mistake was to try and help. He kissed her and she accepted his
kiss .. in fact she welcomed his kiss. Until she began to feel guilty over
the lust in her heart. She teased K'leev making promises of a passionate
night. She led him on .. then she began to feel guilty and got scared
someone would find out .. she even frightened her very young dragon. Too
young to understand what was truly going on here."

"What about what T'jellan saw?"

Daalin chuckled, "T'jellan? You are joking aren't you, m'lady. After all,
it is common knowledge that T'jellan wants Shawnee himself. He simply
overreacted when he saw K'leev getting what he himself wanted."

"T'jellan wouldn't lie." Trinale said tightly, "And I don't believe Shawnee
would either!"

"I don't think this is a case of lying. It's a case of misunderstanding.
Shawnee is feeling guilty over falling into K'leev's arms. And she's
blinded herself to what really happened, and is persecuting K'leev in the
meantime." Daalin motioned to K'leev. "K'leev may not be the most gentle
man, nor even the most understanding. But he certainly is not a rapist.
He's been in the warren all his life. And never once been accused of such a
thing .. until know."

Daalin shrugged, "Surely you can see this is all a misunderstanding."

"And the bruise on her face?" Trinale asked.

"Simply an accident in the confusion of the moment."

<<Tag Kat, It's K'leev's last ditch effort :} And yes, it is meant to
discredit Shawnee .. :}>>

Thorin - sometime after lunch
***

<Th'rin, are you going to stay there all day?> moaned Areena.

<I'm almost done, Areena. A few more minutes.>

<Please hurry.>

<Okay,> Thorin promised, <Ask Chrysthal where Merissa is. I have a surprise
for her.> Thorin grinned as he picked up a small glass bottle and held it
to his nose. It was perfect. She would love it.

<She's in her office.>

<Good, don't tell her I'm on my way. I want to surprise her.> Thorin
screwed the lid on the bottle and tied a ribbon around it. It was an after
product of the blue blossom plant he'd worked on all afternoon, and when
mixed just right it made the sweetest smelling water. Just the scent of it
made him think of her.

<<Tag, Arlene, he's on his way. Feel free to have some fun with him. Give
him hell, whatever ..:}>>

Byrin
***

Byrin was excited to see Shawnee, for that meant that Saul couldn't be far
behind. He'd been looking for the man all day and so far had no luck.  He
kept watching behind the woman be there was no sign of the bearded
dragonrider.

>"Have you seen Saul, Shawnee?" the boy asked. "I still haven't been able
to tell him that Mom let me stay an extra week."

>"I'm sorry Byrin," she told him and really was. "I asked Doshy if Saul and
Fayloth were back yet when I was coming in, and she said they were still
gone. But I'm sure they should be back soon."

"You don't know where he's gone?" the boy asked in surprise. He though
Shawnee and Saul were mates. Didn't they keep track of each other?

>"No..." she took a deep breath and turned to look over at Barry. She could
see the concern in the older man's eyes and knew that he had already heard
of their break up. Then she turned back to Saul's son. "He and I aren't
seeing each other any longer."

"Why? I thought you loved him," Byrin looked confused. Why would they break
up when they were so happy. He'd seen much less happy couple in Ralengarde
who stayed together simply because that was the way things should be. So
this seemed inconceivable to him.

>"I do. But we just wanted different things. But that doesn't mean that he
won't want to see you," she assured him. "I'm sure once he's back he'll be
happy that you wanted to stay."

"Ah...here you are," a voice said from behind them. Byrin noticed two
people coming up behind Shawnee. To his disappointment neither of them was
Saul. "I thought for sure I'd fine Saul here with you. Will he be joining
you soon?"

>"Not tonight," Shawnee heard herself saying. She wasn't ready to tell the
man she wasn't seeing the dragonrider any longer. He would find out soon
enough. She just wasn't ready for his questions. Not yet. "And I 'm not
sure where he is or when he's coming back."

>Something in her tone of voice must have alerted the man that something
wasn't right, but he was kind enough not to ask. That wouldn't last long.
His glance moved to take in the boy sitting at the table with them.

>"New to the Warren?" he asked Byrin, who flushed unsure of what to say. 

>"L'rian.. Cali.. This is Byrin. Saul's son."

Byrin grinned. He liked being introduced as Saul's son. It was better then
saying he was just visiting. It gave him a place .. a standing within the
Warren.

"Saul's .. son .." L'rian said in disbelief. But then he took in the boy's
face .. and his deep blue eyes. "Oh my .."

Cali chuckled, "I take it Saul didn't know about you until recently."

Byrin shook his head, "No, Ma'am. I came with my mother .. cause I wanted
to meet him .. and to see the hatching."

Saul - Dinner
***

Fayloth landed on the green a short distance for the dining hall. Doshayne
had told Fayloth that her rider was there and Saul was determined to see
her. He's spent most of the afternoon, playing cards with a couple of
regulars at the Pig & Whistle. And Celia had spent most of the afternoon
mentioning Shawnee. The older woman felt that Saul needed to settle things
with the girl before he did anything else.

Now he stood looking at the entrance wondering what he would say to her.
Finally he took a solid step forward and made his way into the dining hall.
Her white blonde hair stood out, and was the first thing he saw when he
stepped in the door. He made his way purposefully toward her.

"Saul!" came a gleeful cry, from the younger version, as she stood and
flung herself into Saul's arms. "I've missed you!"

"And I you, angel." He said, his eyes still on the back of Shawnee's head.
He put the little girl down and moved a step closer to her sister. Then his
eyes fell on Byrin looking at him with grin. He stopped in surprise,
"Byrin? I thought you and your mother left yesterday."

Byrin shook his head, but before he could speak, Shawnee stood, "Excuse me,
Doshayne needs me." She fled the dining hall at a quick pace. Saul looked
at the others briefly .. L'rian .. Cali .. Byrin .. Ojean .. and little
Fawna .. all staring after Shawnee in shock. 

Saul jumped into action and ran after her. He caught up to her a short
distance outside the  dining hall, and he grabbed her arm, "Shawnee."

"I need to get to Doshayne .."

But Saul wouldn't release her, "Shawnee, please .." he said turning her to
face him and drawing her into his arms. He pulled her against his chest
holding her tightly.

She melted against him for a moment, closing her eyes and breathing in his
scent .. She pulled back at the very flowery, very female scent of his
shirt. Then she noticed the pink smudge on his collar. She brushed her
fingers across it. "Wearing lip color now Saul!" She pushed him away,
"Gods, I knew it .. I knew it!"

Saul froze unable to follow her.. Damn! Now she knew about Celia ..

His eyes followed her as she disappeared behind a building on her way to
the hatchling barracks. Then he turned back toward the dining hall. Maybe
it was better this way .. but inside he didn't believe it. How was he going
to forget her ..

Regards,
Thorin & Areena
K'leev & Bruteth
Saul & Fayloth


------------------------------------
Kristen & Scott Gant
http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/gant.htm