>While Trinale's back was turned Aradia stole that moment to hand back the

>sacred dagger to Pa'gan.

>

>"I love you," Aradia whispered to Pa'gan while stroking his arm lovingly,

>"She doesn't understand our ways, you see. Somehow, we must explain it to

>her."

>

>She watched as Pa'gan silently began to gather his weapons, her heart going

>out to him. Then they both turned to follow Trinale who was already several

>paces ahead of them.

>

>>"Damn, I forgot Aradia joined yesterday" Trinale couldn't believe how

>>caught up she was in her own emotions to forget something like that.

>>"She'll need to see to her dragon."

>>

>>She watched as Aradia approached, glancing over her shoulder at the group

>>of the newly joined and then looking at Trinale. She stood in front of

>>Trinale warily.

>

>Still hurting, Aradia looked at Trinale uncertain as to what to expect.

>Trinale reached her hand out to Aradia's bruised cheek and the priestess

>flinched reflexively.

>

>>"I guess I deserve that" Trinale said softly "I realize you need to go to

>>see your hatchling and can't meet with us right now. Maybe we can talk

>>later?"

>

>Aradia felt a faint ray of hope touch her heart at those words. She nodded,

>her promise that she would be back to talk later.

>

>"Be calm," Aradia mouthed to Pa'gan and gave him a soft, sweet kiss.


	Pa'gan did not even hear Aradia's words and barely noticed the kiss. His mind going in so many different directions. Never had anyone he had known treated anothers life so lightly. Never had this ceremony been defiled like this. Yes it was known to make many people feel many different emotions, but THIS was something never heard of in all the ages of the history of the bear nomads.


	"And now she wants to sit down and talk!" Pa'gan thought to himself unbelievably. Pa'gan watched as the last of the crowd dispersed and Aradia left Trinale to join the rest of the newly joined.


	Pa'gan let Trinale get some distance from her before he began moving towards her office. He wanted to give her a little breathing space and he needed his own at the moment. After all his honor had been ripped from him. It felt as if his soul.....his entire being was pulled away and stomped on.


	The thing that kept going through his mind was "why .....WHY didn't they understand what it all meant? What am I going to do?" he continued thinking as he walked. "By all rights I should demand that she pick a champion to defend her honor as I defend my own. But that is the whole concept behind the Dagger of Eternal Honor."


	Pa'gan looked up and suddenly found himself in front of Trinale's open office door. There she sat behind her desk and her face redder than he had ever seen it before and he knew this was not going to go well for either of them.


	"HOW DARE YOU!" Trinale nearly screamed at him as he stepped through the door.


	"ME!" Pa'gan screamed back as he swung the door shut so hard he was sure that the sound echoed across the green. "I have done everything I can to adjust to WARREN ways as has Aradia! And you take my words and turn them all around and even physically attack Aradia over a little comment that embarrassed your precious little warren ladyship sensitivities. And when I do my best to apologize for something that any nomad WOMAN would have felt honored over, YOU turn it into something disgusting. You took something that has been held in the highest honor all through the bear nomads history. Something that was usually only reserved for those that were mated with one another and even then only rarely. I tried to give you a great honor and you tossed it aside like something not worth even looking at, and as that dagger fell so carelessly to the ground........" Pa'gan paused long enough to take a deep breath and swallowed that lump of anger in his throat, "so you also carelessly tossed my honor to the ground with it."


	Pa'gan paused glaring at the young queen rider awaiting any reply.


********************************************************************


NRPG: Tag Kat! But I am going to assume she has a thing or two to tell him as well, so I will finish this post as if she read him the riot act.


***********************************************************************


	Pa'gan could not believe that she didn't understand a thing of nomad honor. Pa'gan looked at the young warren lady for a long silent moment after she had finished. 


	Pa'gan slowly moved closer to the front of Trinale's desk while pulling up his bow. Suddenly in a flash of movement Pa'gan raised the bow to chest height and then brought it down quickly as his right knee came up snapping the bow in two.


	Trinale looked at the large man in shock, she could not understand what he was up to.


	Pa'gan then took out the dagger that she had tossed away so carelessly not much earlier. Pa'gan's eyes locked onto Trinale's eyes as he raised the dagger and put it behind his head, his other hand came up as well. There was a cutting sound and Pa'gan brought down the dagger as a blank look came over his face. Then the other hand came done holding his long braid of hair. He tossed it onto Trinale's desk. Then he sheathed the dagger and placed it on the corner of her desk.


	In a very calm...almost resigned voice Pa'gan said to Trinale "Give the dagger to Aradia.....she is the only one worthy enough for it now."


	Trinale started to speak but before she could he had turned and was heading out the door.


****************************************************************


	Once outside  Pa'gan moved out onto the green in about the area in between the dining hall, hatchling barracks and Trinale's office. He knelt and took out his sword. Slowly he drew the blade lightly across his chest, just enough to draw a light line of blood.


	Trinale watched from her office door and didn't know what to do.


	Pa'gan then turned the sword point down and drove it into the ground until about half the blade was in the ground. He then took off his cut leather top and wrapped it around the handle and hilt. Next he took his belt and fastened it around the leather top and sword holding the two together.


	As Pagan reached up and removed the circlet from his head a tear escaped his eye. Slowly he kissed the crescent moon on the front of the circlet and pushed it down so the circlet was held by the thickness of the leather armor.


	As the large man rose to his feet, Reekor landed right behind him. Reekor looked very sad and his soul mate mounted him.


	The two took to the air and shortly disappeared as they teleported away.


	Trinale stood there in shock for several long minutes not knowing wether to be mad or sad or what to feel because she was uncertain as to what she had just seen.


	Suddenly the watch dragons called to Trinale. <<Reekor just blew past us and headed towards the apartment he shares with his rider.>


	*Was Pa'gan with him?* Trinale asked almost afraid of what the answer would be.


	<<No he was rider less. But there was clothing attached to his rider's harness.>


	Trinale decided not to panic.....at least not yet. After all Reekor coming back meant he was not dead. She would talk to Trinale about it all at lunch. Trinale worriedly stroked Pa'gan's braid as she still had hold of it.


*******************************************************************


NRPG: No I am not killing off Pa'gan. :) But tag to any and all who might have seen him on the greens with his sword. Also just to let everyone know......no the trainees could not see him....I see it as this was after lessons as they fed the hatchlings and then got ready themselves for lunch.




<bigger>




Things are not what they appear to be	

</bigger>We only see what we want to see

When we open up our eyes

We see the night give in to daylight

WE WILL SEE


Listen to Wind and Hear the Wisdom she sings;

Watch the Fire and Feel the Energy of Passion;

Lie beside the Water and Learn the Tides of Life;

Walk upon the Earth and Seek the Great Mysteries;

Talk with Spirit and Behold the God and Goddess! 



May the Blessings of Divine Intelligence

go with all of you:  however you may each 

choose - or choose not - to perceive  Her/Him/Them/It,

               VES THU HEIL



<center>



May the Gods light your path and walk with you in laughter!

<italic><color><param>0000,0000,ffff</param>

</color></italic></center>			Keeper Journeyman