NRPG: First off, I need to give a reason for something so don't get upset
that I changed something.......Dragonlands warrens are built out of stone,
nothing permanent is built out of wood as the wraiths would destroy it. So
this has to be a tempoary platform, say that the carnies have built. Also,
training is done on the ground, we don't want any baby dragons or humans
dying falling off a platform in the air. They land and take off from the
ground. Just some reasons for some things.

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

*Shortly before sunrise*

Trinale stirred in Derry's arms. She rolled over and looked at the man who
had come to her rescue last night, well one of them. She thought about
Daimon also. She had to get her feelings straightened out. Her confusion
about what she was feeling was partially what caused this mess in the
first place. Suddenly, Derry sat upright looking around frantically.

"Levka?" he said questioningly. He then looked at Trinale "Levka is
hungry."

Trinale laughed as she remembered how hungry Cricket had been as a
hatchling. "Go feed your dragon...we will talk later, ok?"

Derry nodded and raced off to the hatchling barracks.

Trinale stretched and then called Cricket to take her to her apartment.
She had just started to change when suddenly there was a mourbful keening
from Reekor resounding through the warren. He was calling all to the green
near the big platform that the entertainment troupe had put up for one of
their shows.

Trinale wondered what was going on, as obviously there was no attack or
any such thing as the watch dragons had not alerted them.

(Cricket?)

(Reekor won't say)

Trinale tried to ask reekor, but he refused to answer.

Trinale mounted Cricket and then had her land on the outskirts of the
crowd, making her way forward.

> 	Just before Trinale reached the bottom of the stairs Pa'gan began to
> speak. "Last night.....many things went wrong for a lot of people. Many
> things were taken not as they were meant. But now I do have a few things to
> say and I want no mistake about it. First....I apologize for the way I got
> you all here but in a way was the truth."
> 
> 	Pa'gan paused to look at the crowd and then continued. "It would seem that
> I mad a lot of you mad with a comment I made towards one of the women I
> love. Yes I made a drunken JOVIAL remark about making love to both of the
> women I love at one time. We nomads are not like you warren borns. We do
> not hide our feelings."

Trinale was outraged anew. It wasn't bad enough that he embarrassed her in
front of half the warren last night, today he had to do it in front of all
of them. He didn't seem to understand that he had taken a very sweet
moment of caring between the two of them and turned it into an exhibition.

There were murmurs all around her, puzzled as to why they had been called
here for this.

> 	"I by no means claim to be perfect.....far from it. But I will tell you
> this .....you people can not even be honest with yourselves let alone with
> one another. You can not even be true to your own desires!"
> 
> 	Pa'gan looked directly at Trinale and then let his eyes wonder to Thorin.

Trinale blushed as she realized that those words were true. She continued
to run from her feelings, and she realized she needed to change that.

> 	"You can not even be proud of your own children," Pa'gan 's eyes locked on
> K'leev for a moment, "And you put up with drunken bullies that torment
> those smaller than themselves and on women who can not defend themselves
> and even worse when it is their own spouses and offspring."

Anger came back. How dare he judge her people! They were human and trying
to do the best they could, just as she was.

Trinale started up the stairs of the platform when Pa'gans words again
stopped her.

>. "And when someone tells you they will respect
> your wishes.....you turn it against them."

But you don't ignore them! her heart cried out. She had thought he didn't
care anymore.
 
> 	The crowd got even more quiet at that point as Pa'gan's eyes moved away
> from Trinale yet again. "And you ALL have the guts to call ME an animal!"
> 
> 	Pa'gan was visibly shaking with anger at this point. "I tell you
> all.......WE ARE NOT THE ANIMALS HERE!"

Trinale did not know who had insulted him by calling him an animal but
this didn't matter right now. She started up the stairs again.

> 	Pa'gan's eyes found Aradia. "We.......WE NOMADS.......WE OF AR NEAHM!"
> Pa'gan sighed, "We are not the animals.....barbarians.....heathens you
> accuse us of being. I think you should look at yourself be accusing anyone
> else."

Trinale was puzzled. What Titania had taught her of Ar Neahm had not
prepared her for this. This must be a different sect.

> 	With that Trinale was up the rest of the stairs shaking with anger too
> tongue tied to speak.
> 
> 	"To show all of you," he continued as he took his eyes from Aradia and
> looked again over the crowd, "that we nomads are of an honorable
> race.........there is an old and sacred tradition among my people. Trinale
> speaks for you all does she not?"
> 
> 	A loud and clear cheer at the young Warrenlady's name was heard
> throughout the warren.
> 
> 	"Then it is she that shall act for you all."
> 
Trinale heard a gasp from the crowd and saw Aradia looking very worried.

> 	Pa'gan drew his sword and stuck it into the wooden platform and then
> leaned his bow across the hilt. He then moved in front of Trinale and kneeled.
> 
> 	Trinale's anger turned to confusion as she watched the giant of a man
> kneel before her.
> 
> 	Pa'gan withdrew a dagger that no one in the warren had ever seen. He then
> cut open the front of his armor and pulled it open exposing his muscular
> bare chest. Next he placed the dagger tip just above his heart and sunk the
> tip in ever so slightly.
> 
> 	"If my honest expressions of my emotions have truly offended you and you
> believe that was my intent," Pa'gan reached out for Trinale's hand and
> placed it on the handle of the dagger, "Then push and end my life and your
> humiliation!"

What in blazes was he doing?

> 	Pa'gan paused for but the briefest of moments, "But if it is possible that
> you were the one mistaken......then pull the dagger from my chest and let
> us all live as friends......." and then Pa'gan whispered just loud enough
> for Trinale to hear, "if not lovers!"

Trinale was flabbergasted. He expected her to admit she was totally wrong
or kill him? She had intended to talk to both him and Aradia this morning
once things had calmed down, now this?

She whispered to him fiercely "How dare you put me in this position? You
are using emotional blackmail. I refuse to kill either you or your
dragon!"

She pulled the dagger from his chest and tossed it over the edge. He
jumped up as though to hug her but her glare froze him in place. She
called out. "Show is over, everyone please go home or to your duties.
Aradia and Pa'gan I wish to see in my office."

She then looked up at the man before her. "Please, we are friends, lets
both stop being fools and talk this out."

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

NRPG: Hope this is alright Morgie and Keeper...now everyone can move on as
they see fit. 


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                        Kat Harris: catwoman@indy.net


Sysop of Circus of the Mind BBS (317) 888-8755  (Katmandu)

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