> Mara was taking her time getting back to her apartment, just enjoying the
> still warm air and the the sweetness of the babe in her charge. As she
> walked she heard a humming coming toward her. She turned in time to see a
> young woman with Ebony hair ..  hair as dark as Merissa's.

  Ashelle was taking her time, trying to learn her way around, and just
watching the different people.  She'd learned from her time in the tavern
that if she just kept quiet, and listened and watched, she learned more
than barging ahead, and making a fool out of herself.

  She spotted the young girl pushing a carriage.  And she wondered if
there was a baby inside.  She did love singing to little ones...and any
time there was a new baby at Killaglen, she usually was the one that sang
it a special lullabye that she wrote especially for that baby.  Sort of
like a birthing gift.
 
> As she drew closer she noticed something strange about the woman's eyes.
> She stared as she tried to figure out what it was she was seeing.

  'Shel caught the stare, and was taken aback for a moment.  Then she
realized that it had to be her eyes again.  Oh well...at times they had
the advantage of being a great conversation starter.  That was, of course,
if people didn't turn and walk away first.
 
> She noticed the young woman looking at her uncomfortably and she blushed.
> "I'm sorry," she called out.
> 
> The woman smiled, "It's okay."
> 
> "That was a beautiful song you were humming. I think it put Oberon to sleep."

  Ashelle smiled softly.  "It probably did.  I was humming a lullabye that
I used to hear as a child.  But, who's Oberon?"
 
> The woman came closer and looked into the carriage. "What a beautiful
> baby." She eyed the young Mara closely, "It's not your's .. is it?"
> 
> Mara laughed, "Oh no. It's my brother's .. I mean he's my brothers .. or
> well, now he is anyway."
> 
> The woman looked at her in confusion. And Mara shrugged, "It's a long
> story. What's your name?"
> 
> "Ashelle."
> 
> "That's pretty. I'm Mara."
> 
> "Do you know Analise? I'm supposed to go see her about singing in the warren."
> 
> "Oh sure!" Mara grinned. "She can be a little cranky, but she's okay ..
> She's my brother's mate's mother .. well, I think their mates .." she
> shrugged again. The girl blushed a bit as she stumbled over the words.  She
> wasn't real good meeting new people and she tended to talk to much when she
> did, often saying stupid things. At least that's what her father had always
> told her.

  Ashelle grinned, and softly chuckled.  "Let me guess, you get tongue
tied when you're nervous too?  I have to tell you, I've talked more since
I arrived here than I've done in a long time. I usually just listen and
watch people.  And I'm more comfortable singing.  Please don't feel
uncomfortable around me...and you'll get used to my eyes eventually.  They
do tend to startle people until they get used to them.  Me, well...I never
know if they are a curse or a blessing...but I'm sort of stuck with them."

  This brought a chuckle from Mara, and Ashelle joined in.

  "I have a couple of questions for you, Mara.  One, if you haven't eaten
yet, might it be possible for you to show me the way to the dining area,
and could you join me?  We can both watch little Oberon there, and maybe I
can come up with a song for him too.  What do you think?"

  Already, her mind was sorting out phrases, and a little tune for a
possible lullabye for the little baby boy.

  "Sure! I like that idea, come on!"

  Mara led Ashelle towards the dining area, even letting her take a turn
at pushing the carriage, and listening to the soft humming as they walked.

  After arriving, they took turns watching the carriage as first one then
the other went to get plates, then sat at one of the tables.  Ashelle
noticed a few stares sent her way as others caught sight of her odd
colored eyes, but simply shrugged them off.  And she thought, and
'composed' as she ate.  Finally, she grinned, and settled back in her
chair.  

  "I think I might have a fairly simple song, if you're interested in
hearing it, Mara?"

  Mara nodded quickly, and glanced over to check on Oberon.  "I'd love to!
Would you please sing it?"

  Ashelle hummed a bit, getting the tune set in her head, then her foot
started to sway as she lost herself in her music.  That was the one
problem that she had...and she'd have to ask Analise about it.  When she
sang, she almost...well...went to her own little world, she got so lost in
her songs that she never noticed anyone until after she was done.

  Little Oberon opened his eyes for just a brief moment, and it seemed
that he looked right at Ashelle as she hummed, and she noticed his eyes,
quickly setting another verse in her mind.  Almost as quickly, he fell
back to sleep again.

  As Ashelle hummed, her tune started to carry, another fault of hers, or
so she believed, and soon the room went quiet, as the people in it turned
to see where the humming was coming from.  As did a woman that had just
entered the room...Analise.

  Then she started to sing, not noticing anyone or anything in the room.

  o/~  "Precious new boy-child, sent from above,
        You enter the room, and fill it with love.  
        Ruddy of skin tone, with dark colored hair,
        You go through your life now, with nary a care.

        Special and perfect, a life set apart,
        Young and so fragile, you steal every heart.
        Bright rosy cheeks, and soft colored eyes,
        The gaze that you give us, seems very wise.

        Happy and playful, with disposition so sunny,
        At your first cry, everyone comes running.
        Destined in later years to be handsome and tall,
        Your happy fate now is to be loved by us all."  ~\o

  Ashelle hummed a few last bits of her 'made-up' tune, and then went
quiet, blinking in suprise as she realized that the whole *room* was quiet
too.  She'd done it again.  And she went a deep shade of red,
blushing...she would really have to watch it around here until she got to
know everyone, or she'd have the whole Warren quiet...as much as she loved
singing!

  Mara finally found her voice, and noticed the woman standing by the
door.  She gestured in that direction, and whispered (why was she
*whispering*?!) to Ashelle.  "*That's* Analise!"

  Blinking, and quite shocked to have been introduced to the Warren's Bard
in such a fashion, Ashelle went even more red.  And for a spur of the
moment made up song!  Drat!  She would have liked to have sung one of her
best ones for the lady.  This wasn't going well at all!

[Tag:  Kristen, and whoever plays Analise, I forgot! *blush*]

[NRPG: If anyone else wants to be in here and has a reaction, feel free!]

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

Jeanette
Ashelle/Oaklah-to-Be  *  WhiteRiver