Xanthia left Oldreth's apartment feeling much more lighthearted than
she'd ever felt before. Suddenly she realized the birds were singing and
the sun was shining, and for some reason that she could not fathom, that
alone made her happy.

<Let's go play on the green!> Xanthia told Oberon and the boy gurgled
happily in response. She went back over to Th'rin and Merissa's and
gathered up some of the boy's toys before going out onto the green to
play.

As she started to walk down the stairs, she saw Oldreth mount
Wintermoon. An pang of panic went through her, surely he wouldn't leave
the day after he got here?

<Where are you going, you just got here?> Xanthia asked the platinum
queen anxiously.

<We'll be back, don't worry,> Wintermoon replied. and with that she took
flight.

Xanthia watched as the two disappeared, teleporting to who knows where.
She hoped they would be safe, and would be back soon, though why she
cared was beyond her. She'd just met this man. Must be because of the
Bear nomad connection she decided, shrugging as she rearranged Oberon on
her hip. He was getting to be quite a load to carry.

*** 

They played with the toys a while, but Oberon quickly became bored of
his toys and wanted to explore. So Xanthia packed up the toys in the
bag, and taking Oberon's hand walked along with him as he toddled beside
her on pudgy legs.

"We'll go see the garden," Xanthia told him, "Never too early to learn
your herbs."

***

[Trinale's Garden]

The garden was nice and peaceful, and Xanthia busied herself with
pulling some of the dead plants from the ground, separating them from
those that were still living, while showing Oberon the different
species. 

"Blue mallow," Xanthia said verbally as well as mentally, pointing to
each plant as she did, "That's for cough and colds... Elder leaves, for
the urinary tract... Damiana, for nervous conditions... Celandine, for
eye infections and jaundice..."

The boy gurgled happily beside her, banging two rocks together as
Xanthia went on and on about different herbs and their uses. Neither one
was fully aware of how much time had passed until Xanthia was startled
by a voice behind her.

"Hi Xanthia!"

Xanthia jumped to her feet and turned about. Recognizing the warrenlady,
she ran up and gave her a hug.

"Trinale! Cricket told me you can hear her again! I'm so happy!"

"Thank you," Trinale responded, "You're certainly in a good mood."

"Why? Shouldn't I be?" Xanthia responded in confusion.

"No, it's just you seem happier than usual."

"I just feel good today," Xanthia shrugged, watching as Oberon hung onto
Trinale's skirt with one chubby hand and patted on the warrenlady's leg
with the other.

Trinale picked the boy up. "He's getting big!" she commented, "Have you
seen Oldreth today? We were supposed to meet to discuss some things."

Xanthia nodded and smiled.

"And?" Trinale asked.

"And he kissed me, here," she pointed to her cheek, "Like I was his
sister, or something." Xanthia smiled broadly.

"That's not what I meant. What I want to know is, where is he?"

"Away."

"Away???" the queenrider asked.

"He'll be back though, Wintermoon told me so. And queens don't lie,
right Trinale?" Xanthia looked up at Trinale for reassurance.

"You like him, don't you?" Trinale asked.

"Of course I like him, he's my friend. He treats me just like regular
people, and yesterday we took a bath together. It was fun," Xanthia
bounced with childlike glee.

[NRPG: Tag Kat!]

***

[Dining Hall]

> "Hello again." Moira told the woman as she and her companion arrived
> at her table. "Grab some food and join me, your friend is welcome too."
> Oldreth smiled and leaned across the table, taking her hand. "I am
> Oldreth, I ride Wintermoon." He introduced himself. Moira 
> hastily stood, intending to curtsey and introduce herself but then
> remembered she was in pants and tunic. She settled for nodding and 
> answering, "I'm Moira, recently from the Weaver's guild. I haven't
> been joined yet."
> 
> Oldreth chuckled at the "yet" part and looked down at Xanthia, "shall
> we go and find some food and join Moira in eating?"
>
>He smiled at Moira, his best come hither smile, "Why not come talk with us
>while we get something, I'm sure Xanthia would appreciate a hand with
>Oberon."

"Of course, Moira replied, and hesitated uncertainly. As they moved
forward she said, "You have such a beautiful baby!" Glancing back at
Oldreth she added, "You must be very proud of him."

"Thank you!" Xanthia said. He's mine and Th'rin's... and Merissa's too."

"Merissa, she's the queenrider, I saw this morning. You share a baby
with her?" Now it was Moira's turn to be confused. "And this is Th'rin?"
she asked Xanthia.

Oldreth seemed to be too preoccupied in something to follow the
conversation.

"No, this is Oldreth, he's a queenrider, too. He just got here
yesterday. He's a Bear nomad. Oberon is my baby and Th'rin's. Th'rin
delivered him from my sister."

"Merissa's your sister?"

"No, Aradia, silly! She and Pa'gan were Bear nomads too, but they're
dead. She was dead when Oberon was born."

"And Th'rin's Oberon's father?

"No, Pa'gan is! Th'rin and Merissa are fosters!"

"Fosters?"

"You know, they raise him... Like Corra was my foster, but better."

"Perhaps I'd better help," Oldreth offered, seeing Moira's confusion. He
pulled out a chair for each of the ladies and helped Xanthia settle
Oberon in the high chair. He sat down in the remaining chair and
continued, "From what I've learned in my short time here, Aradia and
Pa'gan were two Bear nomads who came here some time back."

"Their dead now, like the rest of their clan," Xanthia interjected, "But
Oldreth's not dead, different Bear nomad, the White clan."

"Yes," Aradia and Pa'gan died, but Aradia was with child at the time of
her death. But the babe was strong," he gently squeezed the boy's hand
between thumb and forefinger, "and Th'rin, who's a healer here,
delivered him from his dead mother's womb."

"Xanthia, here, wasn't raised with the nomads, she was left in the city
to be raised."

"Tillharnon," Xanthia interjected.

"After her mother died in child birth. Xanthia's parents were Bear
nomads who were in town for trading, when her mother's labor started too
soon. Xanthia is Aradia's half sister, she looks just like her except
the eyes..." he scrutinized her carefully, recalling the picture. "And
those eyes are a lot like Pa'gan's"

"Do you think that I'm Pa'gan's sister too?" Xanthia queried.

The large blond man shrugged. "It's possible, under the circumstances,"
he chose his words carefully while continuing to study her eyes, "Yes, I
suppose it is possible for you to be related to Pa'gan, maybe even be
his sister."

Xanthia bounced gleefully and clapped her hands together, "Wow, then
that would make me twice related to Oberon!"

They all laughed at Xanthia's elation and then continued to talk about
different things, with Oldreth helping to switch the conversation over
to Moira and the weaver's guild.

>They talked amiably, Xanthia, although Oldreth wouldn't have known it, was
>talking more than she ever had to date. Perhaps the influence of someone
>who treated her as an adult, sho knew. Moira was quiet, but managed to
>describe her job with the weavers in detail when queried directly.
>Oldreth remembered the times sitting on the ground near his mother,
>fascinated as her fingers flew between warp and weft, guiding the shuttle
>back and forth, to make the cloth for the clothes he wore. He shared his
>recollections with them as he ate, and in time Moira relaxed, and even
>seemed to enjoy the conversation.
>
>"Perhaps if you want, Moira, we can talk Wintermoon into taking you up for
>a flight" Oldreth offered as he polished of the last of his midafternoon
>repast. 
>
>Moira's eyes widened, "Ride a queen?" she almost stumbled over the words.

Xanthia didn't like this idea at all, not at all. Why would he offer a
ride to this new girl, who wasn't even of the Bear nomads? It just
wasn't right.

>Oldreth chuckled, "Wintermoon...Queen seems kind of much don't you think?"
>
>"I...I'd love to."

Moira would love to. Xanthia felt her heart sink, knowing she herself
would love to, too.

<You can ride me, you know that,> Maxima told her. <You want to fly
after lunch?>

<You know I have to go to the med center.> Xanthia told her. <Besides,
that's not what I meant.> Xanthia wondered what it would be like to feel
his big, strong arms about her body, keeping her safely in the saddle.

>Xanthia frowned, "You're not s'posed to."
>
>"What?" Oldreth cocked an eyeborw at the girl.
>
>"Queens aren't s'posed to go for rides, or fly alone, or stuff like that"
>
>Oldreth laughed and ruffled Xanthia's hair "Bah! Tell Wintermoon that and
>she'll likely bite you. We go where we want."

Xanthia frowned, her eyes turning to ice as she glared at him. Trinale
wouldn't like that idea, of queens flying where they wanted. Or of
queens biting the healers, for that matter, but then Xanthia didn't
believe that part, she got along better with the dragons than the
people.

>Xanthia didn't seem convinced, "Trinale'll tell you."
>
>"Trinale, horse dung, I forgot I was s'posed to meet her this morning."
>Oldreth slid away from the table and stood.
>
>"I should find her and talk with her." he said, and leaned down to kiss
>Xanthia's cheek, then turned to Moira, and reached down to stroke his
>fingers softly over her cheek, he crouched down to speak with her.

Xanthia was pleased that the talk of dragon rides on a queen was over
for now, but felt her cheeks burn hotly when he saw the familiar touch
he gave to Moira and saw him whisper something in her ear.

<Why do you care, if as you say you do not want to mate with him,>
Maxima asked.

<I don't know, I just don't want *her* to mate with him!> Xanthia
retorted to her nosy black and red dragon.

<But you like her?>

<Yes, she's nice, but that's not the point.>

<What is the point?> Maxima asked.

<I don't know!> Xanthia snapped back.

<Feeling a might touchy about the subject? A might possessive, are we?>

<Yes! No! I don't know, I'm confused.>

"Xanthia..." 

"What?" the petite redhead blinked,and looked up at Moira who was
Keeping Oberon from climbing out of the high chair. "Where's Oldreth?"

"He's gone to meet with Trinale. Where were you just now?"

"Just talking with Maxima, my dragon. Sorry." She took the child from
Moira, "I need to take him to Th'rin and report to the med center. I'll
see you later," she said, and kissed Moira on the cheek in perfect
imitation of Oldreth.

***

[Med Center]

"Xanthia, you're right on time!" Th'rin told her as he saw her trotting
toward him, juggling the diaper/toy bag with one arm and Oberon
clutching the fingers of the other hand as he toddled beside her.

Oberon saw Th'rin standing by Clarissa and smiled, turning loose of his
aunt's fingers and striding forward with unsteady steps to meet the man
who raised him.

Th'rin picked the boy up, greeting him. "Hey, little bear! Was he a lot
of trouble?"

"No, we worked in the garden, I showed him some of the different herbs,
we met with Oldreth and Moira for lunch."

Th'rin raised an eyebrow, "Lunch, huh?"

Xanthia looked at him confused and he let it drop, changing the subject
to the med center. He began telling both the women about the orders for
the various patients.

***

"Was he a good boy?" Merissa asked as she joined the healers in the med
center.

Xanthia nodded, "My Oberon is always a good boy."

"Your Oberon?" Merissa asked.

"Yes, he's mine too. He was Aradia's boy and Pa'gan's so that makes him
mine, since I'm his aunt. Do you want me to pick him up tomorrow, too?"

"Sure, that will be fine," Th'rin answered, "I'm glad you two get along
so well."

With that Th'rin and Merissa left with Oberon while Xanthia turned to
take care of her share of the patients.

****

NRPG: OK, Xanthia will be in the med center until about 11:00 PM if
anyone needs her.


                \=/,         _-===-_-====-_-===-_-==========-_-====-_
                |  @___oo   (    Submitted by:                        )
      /\  /\   / (___,,,}_--=    Jacqueline "Morgan" Allgood          )
     ) /^\) ^\/ _)        =__                                          )
     )   /^\/   _)          (_                                         )
     )   _ /  / _)            (      Danika/Kalindeth of Daere        )
 /\  )/\/ ||  | )_)            (_    Xanthia/Maxima of Whiteriver     )
<  >      |(,,) )__)             (   Kattibrie/Calishandra of Telnor )
 ||      /    \)___)\             (_ Yasmine/Starlin of Marrid       )
 | \____(      )___) )___           -==-_____-=====-_____-=====-___==
  \______(_______;;; __;;;

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