<<Arlene your post sorta crossed with my last Th'rin post, but since its
all just personal stuff with Th'rin and Merissa I fix it up here :) No
biggie. Did you get my last Th'rin post where he asked her to be mates?>>

Th'rin
***

<<From my post,  "A Day of Changes">>

Oberon was sleeping soundly when Merissa got home, having been fed, changed
and burbed by Th'rin, who was completely enjoying his new role of
fatherhood.

He had candles lit on the table and the box with the ring wrapped up in
bright ribbon. He was glowing when Chrysthal landed and Merissa climbed
down. He moved toward her holding out his hand. "I have something I need to
talk to you about, Merissa." he said.

"You aren't going to believe what I have to tell you either," the junior
queenrider told him.

"Me first," Th'rin said, "This is very important." He pulled her toward the
table where the box sat.

She looked at it,  and then up at him, "What's this?"

"It's for you."

"For me?" she asked a slight smile adorning her face. He nodded and she
picked it up, "Why?"

"You'll see," he grinned.

She pulled on the ribbon, releasing it then opened the box. She smiled when
she saw the ring, "It's lovely, Th'rin."

"You really like it?"

She nodded, pulling it out of it's box. "I do."

"It's for us .. for our family. I want you to be my mate, Merissa. Oberon
needs a family .. and I need you." He gripped her hand tightly, "Please
say, 'yes'."

<<End Excerpt>>

Before Merissa had a chance to reply to his shocking question, Oberon
wailed. Th'rin looked up perplexed, "But I thought .." He shrugged and
hurried to get the baby. Maybe he hadn't had enough to eat. Poor thing was
still hungry.

He picked the wailing bundle up and tried to soothe him, but the bear of an
infant would not be soothed. Th'rin hurried into the kitchen where Merissa
was now standing looking at him dumbfounded.

Th'rin pulled the milk out of the refridgerator and poured it in a pot,
turning the heat up until the flames licked the sides of the pot. The boy
was hungry now .. he needed to be fed now!

<<From Arlene's post, "Another  turn of events">>

"How do you know when the milk is ready?"

Merissa stared open mouthed.  "Ready?  Ready for what? And what is *he*
doing here?  Shouldn't he be in the med center?"

Th'rin gleefully responded, "Oh, no, B'ril and Clarrissa both agreed that
he could come home today -- isn't that fantastic?  But he's hungry..."

"I can *hear* that!"  Merissa was almost shouting to be heard above
Oberon's pitiful wails.  "I think you only need to warm it, not boil it!"
Merissa found herself taking the pot off the stove.  "Th'rin, I think we
need some help!"

"Yes, perhaps you're right... I'll go find Racine!"  Th'rin deposited the
sobbing Oberon in Merissa's arms and dashed out of the apartment in search
of his step-mother.

Oberon hiccupped, suddenly gone quiet.  Merissa stared down into his eyes,
so wise for one so little.  He was studying her, she felt.  "Poor baby,"
She found herself humming, her beautiful voice soothing the baby.

She cradled him in her left arm -- it seemed ... natural -- she noticed the
container of baby milk that Clarissa had obviously labeled when she sent it
with Oberon.  She laughed softly at Th'rin's ability to be so "scientific"
about somethings, like medicine, but miss something so obvious as a label
that gave directions on how to feed an infant!

Merissa poured out a small amount of the baby's milk into a bottle and
warmed it gently under warm running water.  Oberon's hiccups had lessened,
and they were interspersed with small wimpers by the time the bottle was
warmed.

<<End Excerpt>>
***

Th'rin found himself knocking on the door to his father's apartment. No it
was Racine's apartment, he reminded himself. she said she wanted a smaller
one .. one without the large dragon antechamber in the front, but she'd
been to worried about Cill to think much more then that about it.

Again he felt guilty. He should be more worried about Cill then he was and
he knew it. But in truth he and the girl had never gotten along. Not that
it mattered. She shouldn't have been stolen away from her mother. He felt
for Racine much more then for the spoiled Cill.

Mara opened the door and peered out, "What is it?" she hissed.

"I need Racine .. it's important."

He heard Racine's voice in the darkness, "Thorin?"

"I've got a problem with the baby .."

Racine let out a disappointed breath .. she hoped maybe it was news of her
missing child. "What's wrong?"

"He's crying, and he won't stop .."

She chuckled lightly, "Babies do that sometimes."

"Please come and help."

"Of course," she said, moving Mara gently away from the door. "I'll be back
in a few minutes, Mara. Will you be all right?"

The girl nodded. And Racine admonished her to lock the door tightly and not
to open it until she returned. Mara nodded, and Th'rin wondered when Racine
got so protective .. was it just because of K'leev. He frowned, knowing it
surely was.

***

>By the time Th'rin had returned with Racine, Merissa and Oberon were fast
>asleep curled up together on the bed -- the crib in the "nursery"
>forgotten.

Racine smiled, "I think Merissa must have the touch."

Th'rin grinned, "I knew she'd make a good mother. "

"She's a good woman, Thorin .. er Th'rin." She smiled embarrassed, "I'm not
used to this changing of names. I'm sorry."

He shrugged, "It's okay, it took me a while to get used to it too. Here
I'll walk you home."

Racine nodded and the two headed to the staircase which led down into the
the hatching cavern, taking the back passage that bypassed the large cavern
where Cricket sat diligently guarding her eggs. Walking into the hatching
cave would have made for a nasty scene with the silver queen. They had just
reached the outside air, when Th'rin heard from his dragon.

><Th'rin, my Love. Come to the hatching cave! You must come see! She looks
>just like Aradia!> the petite dragon chirped excitedly to her rider.

<I have to walk Racine home ..> Suddenly he stopped, <What did you say?>

<I said you must come see, love. I'm just out side the hatching cavern.>

<What did you say about Aradia?>

<This one looks just like her. Come see.>

Th'rin looked toward the entrance to the hatching cavern, and could make
out the pale shape of his tiny dragon in the dim moonlight. There was
another darker form there, but he couldn't make it out.

Forgetting Racine he started moving toward the two. Someone that looked
like Aradia??

Areena's shining eyes sparkled as she watched her rider approach she nudged
the girl, <Xanthia, this is my rider, Th'rin.>

Th'rin was surprised when the girl, having heard Areena, started to turn.
She was a telepath?? He nearly fell over when Aradia's face turned to gaze
at him. He stopped in his tracks and his breathing stopped as he just
stared .. the events of that horrible night of Oberon's birth flashing
through his head, "No .." he whispered when he finally realized he'd been
holding his breath.

"Aradia?" he fell to his knees in front of the girl grabbing her shoulders.

"HEY!" she said irritably, pushing him away.

There was something different about her. Something that wasn't Aradia .. "I
.. I'm sorry. It's just .. you look so much like a friend of mine."

Racine came up behind them, "Th'rin I'm going to go on home, I'm worried
about Mara."

He looked up at her, startled, "Oh Gods, I'm sorry Racine. I said I'd walk
you home."

She shook her head, recognizing the face of the girl as well. Not that
she'd known Aradia well, but she'd seen her around. And she knew Th'rin had
been close to her. "I'll be fine. You stay."

She turned and headed off and Th'rin turned back to the girl, "You ..
you're name is Xanthia?"

<<Tag Morgie! I'll let you finish up the interaction. Just send Th'rin home
at a reasonable hour :)>>

***
<<middle of the night>>

>"Don't worry, I'll clean it!"  Th'rin called as Merissa, laughing
>hysterically (also from lack of sleep), walked out of the room.

Th'rin looked down at the tiny baby, "You know how to make a mess, little
one." He frowned at the mess and then moved into the bathroom to begin the
process of cleaning up.

He had just gotten the baby out of his dirty clothes and into the sink for
a bath when the dragon roaring began. He looked up briefly, <Areena?>

<An egg, Th'rin! Lute's laid an egg!>

<Lute?? She's not a queen.>

<Neither was my mother.>  said Areena unsurprised at Lute's having laid an egg.

<Yes but .. Lute's a warren dragon. Warren females don't lay eggs if they
aren't queens.>

<Well, Lute did.> said Areena logically.

Th'rin shrugged and turned his attention back to the tiny baby as he washed
the last of the mess away from him he grabbed a towel and wrapped the child
up in it, and settled him down into a small cradle before turning to jump
into the shower himself.

That's when the second joyous roaring began. <Th'rin! They're home!>

<Who?> he asked barely able to breath as he hoped beyond hope that she was
talking about Cill and Ojean.

<The hatchlings, my rider. Sometimes you are so dense.> The tiny female
chuckled giving her rider a mental nudge. So much good news tonight had the
little dragon humming with excitment. <They are taking your sibling to the
medical center.>

<I should go ..>

<No Juniper says everything is under control my rider .. I already told her
our tiny hatchling had your hands full.>

<But Areena, it's my job ..>

<Juniper says her rider has things under control. You are on vacation!>

Th'rin finally agreed, that he had to finish cleaning up here anyway. He
headed into the shower to wash.

***

After a quick shower, he headed out to find Merissa. Oberon, had gone back
to sleep in his cradle and the apartment was too quiet. He found the young
woman sound asleep on the couch. He smiled gently  and placed a soft kiss
on her forehead. It had been a long night and she needed her rest.

He noticed on her finger was the ring he'd had made for her. He remembered
she'd never had a chance to answer his question .. but she was wearing the
ring. He hoped that was a good sign. He picked her up and carried her back
into their bedroom, placing her sleeping form gently on the fresh sheets
and coveringher up.

She moaned a little and smiled at him, before her eyelids drooped back
down, "What a night .." she breathed as she fell back to sleep.

He grinned and crawled under the sheets with her, laying there holding her
as the sun began to rise ..

Regards,
Th'rin & Areena
***
NRPG: Part Two will be out later today :)

Kris

*********************************************************************
  |\  /^~~^\  /|
 -qqQ-\O||O/-Qpp------------------------------------------------------
       \oo/     Kristen Gant
        ~~      (AKA: Darlea & Makayla, Keldarra Warren, Courier
                      Waylene & Aura, Marrid Warren, Warrenlady
                      Meena & Vonn, Norwall Warren, Wingleader
                      Kalewyn & Sabbith, Telnor Warren, Dragonrider
                      Saul & Fayloth, Whiteriver Warren, Searcher
                      Merybelle Barmen, City of Ralengarde, Innkeeper
                      Ce'lot & Britche, Xylain Warren, Wingleader
                http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/Kris/kris.htm
 --d----------b-------------------------------------------------------
        ()
       \()/
        \/