Moira sat quietly on the edge of the bed as the healer Merissa had
introduced as Th'rin took her pulse and listened to her breathing.  Vaguely
she recalled he had something to do with the baby Oberon, but she really
couldn't pin it down. He had asked her some questions but her mind was to
fuzzy to answer very well. She knew her answers were fairly randon and
didn't make much sense, but she did her best.  More than anything she
wanted to go find someplace dark and quiet and curl up under a blanket and
sleep. 

She sat numbly and listened as Merissa entered and Th'rin turned to speak
to her. She knew she should feel foolish for having created such a stir
over her outburst, but she couldn't muster up enough energy to care.

"Well, she's in good physical shape." Th'rin was telling Merissa. "I think
most of what we're seeing is emotional shock. I'm going to give her some
medication she's to take regularly for the next couple of days, she's to
rest and not do anything to streneous, but she's also not to sleep all the
time either. A quiet activity to keep her hands busy and she should
probably have some company when she's ready to talk." 

Merissa nodded, a slight frown on her face. "Barry has offered to let her
come stay with him for a while, he seemed to think she shouldn't be alone.
I'm not so sure it's a good idea, doesn't she need time to grieve?" She
told Th'rin.

"Actually, he's right. She pretty much came here to confront her father,
she can't do that now.  The mind healers call it lack of closure, I think."
Th'rin took Merissa's arm and led her back out into the hallway, and waved
for Barry to join them.  " It will take a while for her to come to terms
with the fact that her father didn't abandon her and her mother, he died
instead. Just because what she believed happened has changed doesn't mean
that how she feels will change that quick, she's been carrying around alot
of emotion about this for a long time, and she's kept in deep inside. It
needs to come out, to be told to someone, for her to heal.  I think she's
been on her own a long time now, and the idea of her staying with a group
of people is a good one. To do what she needs to do to heal she needs to
feel she belongs somewhere, and that it's okay for her to be herself. "

Th'rin reached held out the small packet he had been holding and gave it to
Barry. "She's to take one of these with each meal for the next couple of
days. She may feel a little drowsy but don't let her sleep all the time.  I
understand she's been helping you in the shop? Good, give her little tasks
to do to keep her hands busy, and keep her company. Time should do the
rest. I'll probably stop by and visit once or twice to see how she's doing.
Why don't you help her get her things from the searchling quarters and get
her moved in."

"Thank you Th'rin." Barry shook hands with the young healer and nodded to
Merissa, then went into the room. 

"Moira?" The young woman blinked slowly and raised her eyes to him. One
hand raised and pushed errant strands of hair back from her face. "Barry?
Oh, I'm sorry I didn't return to the shop, I just didn't think, I couldn't
think..." She started to say.

"Hush, hush." Barry gently took her hand and patted it. "Quite
understandable! I'm not upset at all. In fact, Th'rin wants you to stay
with someone for a couple of days and I've volunteered for you to come and
stay with me and the children. You can share a room with Fawna." Barry
gently hushed her protest with a finger over her lips, then tilted her chin
up so she would look him in the eyes. "It's just for a few days. Please?"

Surprised, Moira finally nodded. Everything seemed so unreal, the world
turned upside down. People not upset at her for crying and screaming,
people offering to let her stay with them, and her father dead; not just
missing.

*One thing at a time.* She told herself, her private mantra when faced with
that which was overwhelming.  Carefully she slid down from the table and
straightened her clothing. Barry gently took her arm and they walked out of
the healing center, pausing to bid thier goodbyes to Th'rin and for Moira
to thank Merissa and Oldreth for thier help. She still felt as though she
were an actor in a mummer's play, that she was watching herself from very
far away, but she managed to do what was needed. 

They stopped by her quarters in the searchling barracks, she gathered up
her meager possessions and bundled them together, then paused in dismay as
a thought struck her. 

"What is it dear?" Barry asked.

Moira turned to look at him, feeling the tears welling in her eyes and
fighting to stop them. "Will they still let me try for a dragon?" It came
out hoarsely, desperately.

"Goodness yes child! Just because you got upset doesn't mean they won't let
you have a dragon! If that were the case most of the riders here wouldn't
be riders, most of them are a tempermental lot!" Barry chuckled softly and
patted the girl on the arm.

"No, I mean...because I'm orphaned. I know Warrenfolk don't really care
about me being a bastard child, but now..." Moira took a deep breath.

"Child, do you have any idea how many orphaned and abandoned children make
thier way here and become dragonriders?" Barry watched as Moira shook her
head. "You know Saul, have you meet Shawnee?" Again Moira shook her head.
"That is Saul's mate. She was abandoned, raised her younger siblings, had
to resort to some things she's not proud of to take care of them, but did a
damn fine job. The children staying with me are her siblings, Ojean just
joined with a hatchling, you heard about that, didn't you?"

"Yes, that happened just as I got here I think." Moira answered. 

"Well, there's your answer then. I personally think some of the best riders
are some of those who've come here alone and made a place for themselves."
Barry watched as the young woman took a deep breath and nodded her head
slightly, then opened the last drawer and took out some rolls of canvas and
some dye pots. "What have you there?"

Moira hesitated, then spread out a few of the scrolls, showing them to
Barry. "These were canvas pieces that were flawed, the guild was going to
throw them out. I took some leftover dye and made pictures." Her fingers
traced the face of a sad looking woman. "Maelynn was my mother, and this
was my father." Slender fingers touched a picture of a handsome man with
pale eyes like his daughter. "This a Annara, the dyemaster's daughter at
Killaglen Weaver Guild. " There were many more pictures, all exact in
details and done with bright colors. Moira rolled them up and stuffed them
and the pots into a bundle.

"Perhaps while you are staying with me you would do some of these pictures
for me? Of Fawna and Ojean and the others?" Barry asked. Moira looked at
him with a very surprised expression on her face, then nodded agreement.

Wonderful! Now if we can just get the younger ones to sit still long
enough.." Barry gathered up the bundle of possessions and the two made
thier way to the tailor's home.

***********
Rhi
Moira