<Faith>


The three girls wriggled through the grass on the elbows and knees, then
settled comfortably flat on their stomachs to watch the dragonets on the
training field.  The shadows beneath the temporary platform were cool, and
hid them from Cali's sight... a plus as far as Faith was concerned.  She
still couldn't think of an explanation to give Cali about her necklace, so
she'd been avoiding the dragonrider as much as possible.... though that had
meant avoiding Lute too.  She missed Lute!


 Lorilei and Jennifer talked quietly together while Faith stared intently
at the hatchlings being bathed and oiled.


"Why are they always so hungry?"  Faith asked, as she watched Cali
demonstrate how to bathe a dragonet.  "They were only fed a little while
ago and already they're hungry again."


"It's the same for all newly hatched dragons."  Lorilei said nonchalant,
showing off her superior knowledge of dragonets.  "They grow fast so they
have to eat a lot at first. When Trinale joined with Cricket she was
exhausted for the first few days because she had to keep getting up during
the night.  Anyway... how do you know they're hungry?"


"They feel hungry."  Faith shook her head and went back to watching Cali
and the trainees


"Is that why they put the babies in a place away from the rest of the
dragons?  So they don't keep everyone else awake."  Jennifer asked idly.


"They're dragonets... not baby dragons!"  Lorilei said scornfully  "And
they put them in the barracks cos they can't fly yet. Of course when I get
*my* dragon she'll be a Queen... just like Trinale's is... and everybody
will help me to look after her and feed her...."


Jennifer picked a grass stem and chewed on it.   "I think I'd like to be a
dragon rider when I grow up... it must be fun to have a baby dragon to love
and play with."


"Dragons aren't just for playing with."  Faith said as she turned away from
the training session and sat up.  She wrapped her arms round her legs, and
rested her chin on her knees thoughtfully.  "They're very important for
lots of things....'specially fighting Wraiths and things."


"There's no such things as Wraiths."  Jennifer said smugly  "That's just a
story to frighten kids like you."


"There are too Wraiths!"  Faith and Lorilei chorused together  


"I've seen one."  Faith shivered as she remembered the eerie sight  "when
we were leaving the mountains around Norwall.  If it hadn't been for the
dragons... and the flame throwers that we picked up from the Kale-Barr
caravan traders of course... we would have been EATEN by them."


"They don't eat people."  Jennifer scoffed  "Besides... you're making it
all up!  Wraiths aren't real.... everyone knows they aren't."


Faith and Lorilei exchanged exasperated looks.  Jennifer could be fun at
times but when she got an idea in her head it could be very difficult to
dislodge.  It was probably something to do with being the spoiled only
daughter of a Lord, Faith decided. Sometimes she'd wished that she was a
Lord's daughter.... then she thought of how difficult it had been for
Jennifer to escape her father's watchful eye that morning and decided that
she liked being who she was.


"I think I'm going to be a rider when I'm grown up. And I'm going to fight
the Wraiths that Jennifer doesn't believe in, and be famous forever and ever."


"Why not a queenrider?"  Lorilei asked her with a puzzled frown  "I think
it'd be neat to be a queenrider.  They get to run the Warren and tell
people what to do..."


"And they can't *GO* anywhere without people worrying and fussing about
them.  And they don't get to fight the Wraiths and rogues and stuff like
that. Nope.... I'm going to be a Wingleader!"  Faith said firmly  "Then I
can stop terrible things from happening to the queens and their eggs...."


"Like what happened with Chrysthal's eggs?"  Lorilei asked  "I didn't think
of that!  Maybe I'll be a combat rider instead."


"Well I'm going to be a queenrider."  Jennifer declared  "My father says
that's my destiny."


"You'd be too frightened to go anywhere near a queen dragon."  Lorilei
giggled  "You didn't even want to come and watch the training..."


"That's not true!"  Jennifer said indignantly  "I just didn't want to get
my dress dirty crawling under here to watch."


"I'll bet you wouldn't touch one of the queens."  Faith said  "I dare you."


"I would."  Jennifer answered quickly   "I'm *not* frightened."


"Really?"  Faith grinned


"Really!"   Jennifer answered, thinking that she was safe from having to
fulfill the dare.  After all, they'd be shooed away by any passing rider if
she got to close to a queen.


<..>


"When did you find out about this way up to Merissa's quarters?"  Lorilei
asked quietly as they stood watching the lavender queen lounging in her
sandy bed.  "I thought I was the only one that knew about it...."


"A little while ago.  Now hush! or Merissa will hear us and Jennifer won't
get to fulfill her dare.  Come on Jennifer... you said you weren't
scared... so prove it!  Lori.... you stand guard and make sure no one
blocks our escape route."  


Faith pulled the reluctant Jennifer forward. 


"I'm not sure this is such a good idea." Jennifer tried to back away  "We
might get into trouble if we're caught."


"If you're quick we won't get caught."  Faith hissed quietly  "Go on....
you said you weren't afraid."


Clutching Faith's hand tightly, Jennifer slid forward another foot or two
and then froze as a small pebble rattled underfoot.  The noise, though
faint, was enough to call attention to the two girls,a ND the queen's head
swung towards the sound, her enormous gentle eyes blinking in astonishment
at the two girls standing watching her.  Faith cheekily winked, and grinned
at the dragon and was rewarded with a wide toothy smile as Chrysthal
realised they were admiring her.  Puffing her chest out with pride,
Chrysthal preened daintily....


"She likes us."  Faith whispered to her timid friend  "See... she doesn't
mind us being here at all......"



"You might as well come in now that you're here."  a softly amused voice
called, causing Jennifer to jump and clutch onto Faith's arm.


Faith swiveled round to find Merissa smiling at them, her eyes sparkling
with genuine amusement.  Meanwhile Jennifer did her best to hide behind
Faith, even though the younger girl was smaller than she was.  


Jauntily, Faith strode into the room, towing a very reluctant Jennifer
behind her.....


<..>


"We just came to congratulate Chrysthal on her new children."  Faith stated
boldly  "Isn't that right Jenn?"


Jennifer nodded dumbly, her face a picture of guilt and confusion and awe,
her eyes never leaving the huge queen resting in a comfortably sandy hollow
in the middle of the vast room.  Her lips trembled slightly as she smiled
nervously at the queenrider.


"Well I'm sure she appreciates your interest."  Merissa told them,
beckoning them closer to where she stood beside the dragon's huge head.  


Faith moved forward eagerly, nudging Jennifer in the side when she tried to
pull back.  As if she'd been doing this all her life Faith bowed gracefully
to the queen, and then made her congratulations.  With a quick look at
Merissa to make sure she didn't object she reached up a hand and
tentatively stroked the soft, warm hide of the queen's neck.  A buzz of
pleasure rewarded her touch, and Jennifer seeing that she hadn't come to
any harm, quickly joined her in petting the queen.


<..>


"I could have died when Merissa called us in."  Jennifer said as the three
walked across the green arm in arm.  "I really thought we'd get into trouble."


"But we didn't."  Faith said smugly  "And it was fun to be that close to a
queen dragon."


"Well I'm just glad it's over."  Lorilei said  "My heart was in my mouth
the whole time you were in there just in case someone saw me and asked what
I was doing hanging around when I should be at lessons.  I think maybe I
should get going before someone comes looking for me...."


"Don't be a spoilsport!"  Jennifer exclaimed  "I could get in just as much
trouble as you if someone misses me.  I'm *supposed* to be packing for the
trip home.  If my father finds out I'm not...."


"Ack!"  Faith said in disgust  "You two run along like good little kids
then... just in case you get into trouble.  I'll go look for them by myself."


"Look for what?"  the two asked  "Come on Faith... tell!"


"Well... I heard one of the riders talking a few days ago, and he said
something about finding Wraith spoor not far from here."  Faith shrugged
"I thought maybe Jennifer would like to help me look for them but if she's
too scared...."


"There's no such thing as Wraiths!"  Jennifer insisted


"Then you won't want to come with us will you?"  Faith skipped ahead  "Come
on Lorilei....."


The two started jogging, and Jennifer was left standing on her own.  After
a long moment's hesitation she started after them.


"Wait for me....."


**********
<Daimon - Late afternoon>


He'd spent most of the morning and all afternoon looking for Faith.  He'd
hunted in all her usual hiding places without success, and then scoured the
public corridors of the warren without any luck.  In desperation he stopped
a passing dragonrider and asked her if she'd seen his daughter....


"Black curls, blue eyes and about so tall?"  The rider held her hand approx
four and a half feet from the ground, and Daimon nodded in relief   "I saw
her with Lorilei and Lord Fowler's youngster this morning, but I haven't
seen them since.  Maybe you should try the VIP quarters...."


He thanked the woman for her help and went to check with Lord Fowler.  Just
wait till he got her home!


<..>


"I was just about to come and see you."  Lord Fowler said worriedly, when
Daimon told him why he was there.  "Jennifer was supposed to be packing but
nothing's been done and none of my men have seen her since she sneaked out
with your daughter and Trinale's young sister.  I've searched everywhere I
can think of...."


"So have I, and I've seen no sign of any of them. I think it's time we paid
Trinale a visit."  Daimon said seriously  


Submitted by

Daimon & missing child




-- 
Mint,  the voice and soul of

Timi Caplain  FO   USS Javelin       T'Beth  CMO/Coun  USS Magellan
Lillith the Mage     Broken Lands     Minty, Kirimith's rider  Dragon Lands 
                          Caliban, Lute's human       Dragon Lands  
Naomi, QueenRider to Amethyst, Norwall's WarrenLady,  Dragon Lands

http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/5902
http://www.dragonfire.net/~Mint/