[Derry]

Waking slowly from an exhausted sleep, Derry opened his eyes to see Trinale
frowning slightly, her eyes unfocused.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

That, of course, explained why her eyes still looked a little unhappy.  She
rushed on, seeing the look in his eyes -- "The sun woke me up and I am
cranky when I don't get enough sleep." 

"Uh-huh."

She smiled and kissed him lightly.   "I have a meeting this morning with
Merrisa. If you want to have breakfast with me, then hurry up."

"Hey!"  She grinned at him, mischief bright in her eyes, and she ran toward
the bathroom as he rolled out of bed, following her.  He picked up the
clothes he'd had the foresight to pick up from the Hatchling Barracks the
previous night, considering the option of showering with his beloved... but
if she had a meeting with her junior Queenrider, he supposed that the
option of speeding things up would most likely delay her longer than it
should.

<* Lev? *>

<~ Yes, my rider? ~>

<* Do you know why Trinale is unhappy? *>

<~ No, though Cricket says that the relationships between humans are
strange. ~>

Derry frowned.  <* Oh? *>

<~ Neither of us understands why humans don't ask for what they want. ~>

-----
<later -- skipping hordes of things... :)>

<~ Bruteth is here! ~>  Levka's startled announcement rang through Derry's
mind like a bell.  He looked down at Trinale as her face paled, obviously
receiving the same news.

"What the hell is he doing here?"  Trinale's startled exclamation expressed
what he hadn't even been able to say to Lev.  Almost as one, they took off
at a run for the Med Center.  "How could Saul have let them land? Hasn't he
done enough damage to this warren? And the children....I bet Cill and Ojean
are terrified."

Derry didn't comment, holding his rage at what had been done to the kids in
abeyance.  This was Trinale's duty, and much as he wanted to pound K'leev
into the dirt, he wasn't about to interfere with whatever she was planning
to do.  The commotion surrounding the banished rider called them like a
beacon, and, despite his frustration with the never-ending problem of
K'leev, he had to smile at the words Racine used to deny the man access to
the children.

"K'leev."  Eyes cold, Trinale enveloped herself with an authority that
could not be denied, and Derry felt a sudden, fierce pride in her.  K'leev
seemed to almost recognize the change as he turned helpless, almost beaten
eyes on her, pleading.

"Trinale, I have to see my daughter, please....."

Trinale gave a bark of humorless laughter and stared the man down.

"After what that slut you are with did to them?  I don't believe for a
minute you would have sold Cill to be some man's sex toy, but guilt by
accomplice is bad enough... Cill told us everything, K'leev..."  Her eyes
glowed with her disgust and her anger.  "Picture in your mind this.....a
man kneeling near your little girl, she is drugged to the point it
paralyzes her. She is nude....a stranger runs his hands all over her nude
body, checking it out."

K'leev went white, staring at her.  His eyes flicked to Derry's, and Derry
nodded once, his memory of the men who had brought the children to that...
place... clear, and the certain knowledge of how the girl had been treated
shining in his eyes.

Uncompromising, Trinale went on, voice hard.  "This is what your new
'friend' did to your daughter K'leev...and then sold her to a group of men
who would sell her again to men to be used as a sex toy."

"I'll kill her," he mumbled, his fists clenching and unclenching as rage
dawned red in his eyes.

"You'll do nothing" Trinale said calmly. "You will be turned over to the
Ralengarde authorities for the disfigurement of the young woman in that
town."

"No!" K'leev struggled with the riders holding him. "You can't do this to
me!"

"I can and just did." She turned to the riders. "Tie him up and put him
someplace Bruteth can't get to him to save him.  Now, if you would like to
tell us where that bitch is so that she may pay for her crimes we will go
pick her up."

K'leev stared at her, rage burning in him, but he refused to speak.  Saul
hissed something to the man, but he remained silent.

Trinale's eyes unfocused for a moment and a faint smile crossed her lips.

"Bruteth has helped us. You will both be turned over to King Jaldor's men
for justice as soon as we pick her up.  I will also be writing the
Dragonlady to inform her of your crimes."

"T'jellan, can you organize a group to go after Owlean? I think J'red,
Derry, and Saul are free, as well as my mother and father. Take whoever
you think can deal with this woman and bring her back please. I have
already given the picture of the place to Grunth."

T'jellan nodded and began to gather a group together. Trinale kissed Derry
softly. "I have to go write Christalla. Be safe, ok?"

"For you?  Always."  He caught her before she could move too far away and
nipped her ear softly.  "You are magnificent, love...  Stronger and more
worthy than any 'lady' I've ever known.... love you."

He let her go with a second kiss and turned to T'jellan, the softness in
his eyes evaporating.

"You and J'red come with me. I think the three of us can subdue one woman."
 T'jellan's voice was hard and cold.  Derry frowned slightly.  Hadn't
Trinale implied that Saul...?  But T'jellan wasn't looking at Saul... 
Seemed to be avoiding looking anywhere near the man.

Saul shook his head, "She's a wild one. Be best to take a few more. I'll
go."

"NO!" T'jellan said, still not looking at the man, "I mean, with Ojean
being involved and all, you're too wrapped up in this. My partner'll go.
The four of us can handle it."

It was obvious that Saul wanted to object, but seeing how uncomfortable
T'jellan was, Derry stepped in, praying that it was the right tactic.

"He's right, Saul...  Not only because you might be too wrapped up in this,
but think of Ojee and Shawnee.  Trinale told me that the kids have got to
be terrified, what with K'leev in the Warren, and Shawnee...  She needs you
to help her through the stress more than we need you to help us subdue
that... thing... she has for a mother.  How someone as sweet as Shawnee or
Ojee or Fawna could be related to that... that..."

"Bitch?" suggested J'red.

"...don't you think that's an insult to all of canine kind, Jar -- J'red?" 
Derry considered it.  "How about amoral whoring whelp of a snake and a
jackal?...  No, that doesn't describe her either...  No matter, figuring
out ways to insult Owlean doesn't do what we need to do.  But seriously,
Saul, check in on your mate and help keep her calm.  We'll take care of
Owlean."  He glanced at T'jellan, who had remained silent, keeping his eyes
down.  Saul threw the WingLeader a look, but took off.

T'jellan looked up, apparently relieved when Saul left.  "Shall we get
moving?"

"Aye, I --"

"I'm going, too."  A voice spoke up behind him and Derry winced.

"Chance --"

Katla, dressed in riding leathers, stepped forward into the little group. 
She gave him an icy smile and turned to T'jellan.

"It's fairly simple.  With you or behind you, your choice... either way,
I'm going, and that's that!"

"Katla --"  T'jellan looked at her and her dark eyes met his with their
customary defiance.

"I put that money out, T'jellan.  I helped locate them and bring them home.
 I have a right to be there..."

"Not if you're going to do something rash..."

Katla laughed.  It was a cold, ugly laugh that set his air on end.

"I'm not going to do anything rash...  I don't want Owlean dead...  That's
too easy and she wouldn't suffer enough.  I just want to see her face when
she's caught."

"You'll be in the way."

"Really?  Who do you think is going to protect her?  Those men?  They're
more likely to carve her a new face and turn her loose on the streets of
Ralengarde to make what living she can than to help her.  Of course, if
they were going to do that, I'd just as soon help."

Derry threw up his hands, muttering as he went to get Levka's saddle, only
to find that Katla had already saddled 'Tinka and Lev.  When he got back
she gave him a triumphant little smile while T'jellan simply looked
bewildered, as though he wasn't sure how she'd convinced him to let her go
along.

They mounted up, taking Bruteth's picture and letting it fill their minds. 
They winked out, phasing in over an isolated cave...

[Tag, everyone on the Owlean chastisement team ;)]

------
NRPG --
I had thought of calling this post Pond Scum and Bitches, but...  Well,
children might see the headers ;)

Respectfully Submitted,
Jill E. Flansburg
Derry and Levka
Whiteriver

*hugs*

Jill
                 X-FILES                         DRAGONLANDS

  Assistant Director                     Rhiannon, WarrenLady  *Xylian*
  Sterling Kincaid, Team Leader, ECHO    Elswyth and Aedra   *Keldarra*
  Damien Cunningham, UD DELTA            Katla and Satinka *Whiteriver*
  Xan X. Xavier, Trainer, Classroom A    Zera and Mazel       *Norwall*

 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
			      Vasaris, the Fuzzy Dragon
       Jill E. Flansburg	    |		            vasaris@az.com
       CS HMC 1994	          |		jflansbu@muddcs.cs.hmc.edu
       History, WWU 199?          |		vasaris@divcom.umop-ap.com
 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=