Saul
***

>"As I said.. I don't want you to go, but for the time being I will be
>sleeping in Fawna's room and we will try to work things out between us.
>And I want you to promise me that you will have nothing more to do with
>Gwyna. Weather you see it or not... she has been trying to come between us
>every since I came here and I will not put up with her attempts any
>longer. So it's her or me. The choice is yours."

>She stood there waiting for his answer.

"What do you mean.. she was just being my friend..." Saul said, surprised
at Shawnee's anger against the woman. It wasn't her fault.

"You men are so blind... wake up and see her for what she is. She would do
anything to have you to herself.."

"I don't think  you should talk about her like that. It wasn't her fault..
it was my fault." He insisted, "As it was she was more concerned for you
then for herself... She was worried about how this would all effect you?"

"I know her kind.... she's just like my mother... beware of her Saul.
She'll lie anyway she can to break us up."

"She's nothing like your mother!" he said in shock. "How can you say that!"

"All she cares about is herself, and I won't have her ruining our lives!"

"You know I would do anything for you." He said, "But Gwyna isn't as bad as
you think. Yes she cares about me .. I Know that. Which is what makes what
I did so much worse.. I took advantage of her feelings."

"No matter, Saul... if you can't promise me that you'll have nothing to do
with her... then you might as well leave now for she's won then. And I
won't stick around waiting for her next move to win your love from me and
your daughter."

"I can't just ignore her! Be realistic. I have to talk to her.. explain.."

"If that's your choice...then I guess there's nothing more to say..."

"Shawnee! You aren't making any sense!" He was getting angry at her
unreasonableness, "You're being completely selfish!"

"I don't have to be realistic... She knew what she was doing..." Shawnee
shot back, "And maybe I am selfish ... But how would you feel if it had
been me who slept with someone you knew wanted me and didn't care if you
got hurt along the way?"

That stung! He remembered how he felt when Grunth won Doshayne's mating
flight .. and that was completely unreasonable because it was a mating
flight. His relationship with Gwyna had not been spawned out of dragonlust.
"I don't want to fight about this." He said turning away. "I am so sorry it
happened. But it's not Gwyna's fault. She'd not in love with me.."

"Open your eyes Saul!! Everyone else can see it but you!"

"Everyone else?? Who, Shawnee.. T'jellan maybe. Is that where you're
getting your information!" Damn! Why had he said that name. He sighed.
Because it had been on his mind that's why. He knew it wasn't T'jellan. The
man hadn't even come close to them recently. Saul was sure it was due to
the rumors flying around after Satinka's mating flight.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, but inside she couldn't
help but wonder if Saul had learned of the big man's feeling for her.
"T'jellan has never mentioned her to me."

"Oh please!" Now that upset him. She couldn't be so blind she didn't see!
"T'jellan is so blinded by lust he can't see straight! Who else would have
reason to lie about Gwyna like that."

"I don't need to have anyone else tell me that she's after you Saul..
T'jellan is my friend... just as he has always been your friend... he would
NEVER do anything to hurt you or that friendship. I can't say the same for
*her*. I can see it with my own eyes. Every time I leave you alone she's
right there by your side."

"That's not true. I rarely even see her.."

"No," Shawnee said sadly.. "You probably don't see her."

Saul sighed heavily. "Shawnee I love you. But I think you're mistaken about
Gwyna. She's just a friend. Don't ask me to throw that friendship out the
window. I have to at least find a way to apologize to her for the hurt I've
caused her."

"This isn't getting us anywhere. If your friendship with her means more to
you than your love for me.... I can't do anything about it"

"Of course it doesn't .." he said sadly.

"I wish I could believe that Saul.. I really do," she said. "But if you
can't do this one thing I ask... then I don't see any reason for continuing
this talk."

He looked at her in defeat. "If you ask .. I'll do it. But Shawnee is there
really a reason to ask?"

"Yes Saul there is... but you obviously don't see it.... She would do
anything to break us up. To come between us. But if you can't see that then
she wins and we lose."

"No I don't see that. But I do see that I've hurt you and I need to make it
up to you. We aren't gonna lose Shawnee. Not if you love me .. Not if you
forgive me.."

"I want to... the Gods only know how much I want to... but it's going to
take some time. And it won't be easy with having to deal with her trying to
take you away from your family all the time.

His heart fell. Not that he'd expected her to fly back into his arms.. but
a man can dream. "I understand. I wouldn't let her anyway .. I don't ever
want to be apart from you."

"Nor I from you... but I need time... so I will be staying in Fawna's room...."

"No .. I'll .. I'll sleep on the couch. You can have our bed."

She looked at him, then nodded. He watched as she headed into the bedroom,
then fell back into the couch. It was going to be a long afternoon .. and
an even longer night!

T'jellan
***

T'jellan was at the lake long before he knew Ashelle would be there. Dragon
gossip and rumors were flying around the warren proper and he didn't want
to hear it. At least in the coolness of the Whiteriver winter there would
be few at the lake.

He longed to go to Shawnee .. He wanted to punch Saul in the face! How
could he do such a thing to Shawnee! She loved him .. she bore his child ..
she depended on him. And he basically spit on all that. Things T'jellan
would give anything to have.

He'd never approved of Saul's roguish ways. In the 15 years Saul had been a
dragonrider at Whiteriver, this certainly wasn't the first time women had
fought over him. But then he'd never before spent so much time with one
woman. Nor had he ever come close to taking a mate.

But now he had, which meant that he'd made a commitment. A commitment which
he'd just kicked in the teeth! He obviously didn't know what the word meant
.. and certainly didn't care enough about Shawnee to find out!

Of course not all the blame went to Saul. He'd watched Gwyna sidling up to
the man, waving her hair, shaking her hips. Saul had always ignored her.
Never made more then a friendly smile or wave. So what had changed that
this time.

T'jellan expected the birth of their daughter had something to do with it.
Too much responsibility for the man to handle.

So caught up was he in his thoughts, that when the small cool hands covered
his eyes he was surprised.

"Guess who?" Ashelle's voice laughed.

He forced a smile and caught her hand, turning to look at her. "Is practice
over already?"

She nodded, "It is over until tomorrow. So have you been waiting for me long?"

T'jellan shrugged, "I don't know. I .. haven't been paying much attention
to the passage of time." He looked back over the water, listening to the
quiet roar of the waterfall.

"What's wrong, T'jellan." She asked moving to sit next to him on the bench.
She took his hand in hers and squeezed, genuine concern showing on her face.

He smiled at her. So young .. so beautiful. "Just a tale of a broken heart,
my dear."

"Yours?"

He shrugged, "No, not mine." But the look on his face called his words a lie.

"T'jellan, who in their right mind would break your heart." She said,
placing a hand on his cheek, "You are the gentlest man I know."

T'jellan chuckled, "You are a sweet girl, Ashelle. But honestly, it is not
my heart which is broken. And," he chided her gently, "Don't go telling the
wing what a gentle man I am. I do have a reputation to maintain."

"I promise, I'll keep your secret." She grinned, "Now tell me, whose heart
is broken."

T'jellan frowned, "It's gossip .."

Ashelle nodded, "Saul and his mate .."

T'jellan looked at her and nodded, "I see your dragon is taken with gossip
too. It's in their blood I think."

"Their close friends of yours?" she asked, "I only meet Saul the one time,
and he seemed nice enough, very charming and handsome."

T'jellan darkened, "He didn't .. try anything with you .. did he?"

Elissa
***

Elissa had stayed well away from Xanthia during practice, mostly out of a
sense of guilt. But as she watched her now in the barracks, putting on a
lovely party dress .. with her hair sticking up all over the place, she
moved toward her. She had to find a way to make it up to the girl. She
headed over and noticed the girl trying to smooth her less then ruly  hair
into what appeared to be a braid. Now that was something Elissa could do
easily.

>"Would you like some help?"

>Xanthia turned and saw that it was girl Elissa, who had embarrassed her
>that morning.

>"Help?" Xanthia asked.

>"With your hair."

>"Please," Xanthia nodded

"You wanted it braided?" she asked

Xanthia nodded and Elissa picked up and brush and began smoothing the girls
long hair, with long gentle strokes. Her hair glistened as the girl brushed
and she couldn't help but admire it, "You have such beautiful hair. I love
it's color."

"You do?"

"Uh huh," Elissa said as she sat the brush down and began separating the
girls hair to make a braid. "Mine is so ordinary."

"Not ordinary," Xanthia said shaking her head, causing Elissa to lose her
grip on some of the girl's hair.

She laughed, "You have to hold your head still."

"Sorry." Xanthia said. "Your hair is normal .. not ordinary."

"Normal is boring," Elissa said with disdain.

"Normal is good," Xanthia insisted.

***

>"There, you look very pretty," Elissa said in approval once she was finished.

>Xanthia beamed at the praise.

>"Thank you," Xanthia said, after a reminder from Maxima.

>"Where are you going, all dressed up."

>"Going to Th'rin and Merissa's, to have dinner and see my baby nephew,"
>Xanthia smiled and bounced, excited by the upcoming event.

"Is that your brother?"

"No. Th'rin is a healer .." she blushed, ".. Like me."

Elissa looked away, "I'm really sorry about that this morning, Xanthia.
Honest I am. Sometimes words just pop out of my mouth before I have time to
think about them. And well ..the night of the party .. well you were
dancing like a lunatic or something .."

"I'm not crazy!"

"I didn't mean to say you were," Elissa said quickly. "It's just that where
I grew up .. well you didn't do anything that wasn't  .. proper. My
father's very insistent on my being a lady .. and not drawing attention to
myself."

Elissa looked unhappy, "Well, I'm gonna go lay down with Pitty Pat .. umm
Patinari. You have fun."

Th'rin
***

Th'rin was playing with the baby while Merissa set the table for the three
of them. Th'rin had done most of the cooking, since it didn't seem to be
Merissa's talent. Suddenly Oberon burbed and a watery white goop coughed
out onto his clean play suit. Th'rin frowned, "I just dressed you, little
bear." The boy smiled happily and gurgled and Th'rin chuckled. "Umm,
Merissa .."

"Almost done." She called from the dining room.

Th'rin picked up a cloth and cleaned away the biggest part of the mess,
then picked the boy up and headed to find her. "I think your son wants to
be changed."

Merissa looked up from the table at the messy baby happily playing with the
soiled cloth Th'rin had used to clean him up with. She grinned, "Why is it
when he makes a mess, he's *my* son."

Th'rin shrugged, "It just seems like the best time to turn him over to you."

She shook her head, and headed over to take the baby. She gave Th'rin a
quick kiss before cooing to the baby and taking him into his room for a
change. Th'rin finished setting the table just in time to hear Xanthia's
voice, "Am I on time?"

"Perfect!" Merissa smiled, coming out with a freshly cleaned baby.
"Actually, would you mind playing with Oberon and keeping him out of
trouble while Th'rin and I finish cooking?"

>"I...I..." Xanthia stammered, uncertain as she'd never babysat before.

>"Oh, you'll do fine, he's a happy baby." Merissa said encouragingly,
>handing the boy over to Xanthia, "His toys are in the chest in the corner,
>just lay a blanket on the floor for him to sit on." And with that she
>returned to the kitchen area.

***

>The two played happily for some time before Th'rin and Merissa came out
>and announced it was time to eat. Th'rin picked up young Oberon and placed
>him in his high chair. between himself and the queenrider.

>"You two seemed to be having a good time. I could hear the two of you
>laughing all the way in the kitchen," Th'rin said.

>"It was fun," Xanthia replied.

>"Well, good, that's the whole idea," Th'rin smiled.

He was glad to see the young woman had enjoyed the company of her nephew.
Oberon needed all the family he could get. And somehow Th'rin knew that
Pa'gan and Aradia would approve of this girl .. It was clear Oberon did as
he made funny faces every time he could catch the redhead's eyes.

Merissa sat a plat on the table for the baby.  Portions of their meal that
she had carefully mashed and smoothed for the boy. At first he ate well ..
but the green peas were another matter entirely. Th'rin and Merissa
succeeded only getting the lovely green mix everywhere but in the baby's
mouth.

>"He doesn't want that!" Xanthia giggled.

>"Then what does he want?" Th'rin asked, meaning it to be a rhetorical
>question.

>Xanthia paused and considered the image and the flavor that just filled
>her mouth.

>"Applesauce!" she replied a moment or two later.

>"And how would you know that," Th'rin chuckled.

>"He told me!" Xanthia answered simply, her eyes sparkling with delight.

Th'rin and Merissa looked at the girl,  "He told you?"

She nodded, "Just like out there he told me what he wanted to play."

They both looked back at the baby who was reaching his arms toward the
plate Merissa had set out of his reach. Experience having taught them this
was the best place for a plate of Oberon's food.

Slowly Merissa dumped the spoon of the peas she'd been trying to give him
and scooped up some applesauce. The boy wiggled with delight and grabbed
her hand pulling the spoon to his mouth. Th'rin and Merissa looked at each
other.

<Areena .. can you hear thoughts from the baby.>

<No, Th'rin why do you ask.>

<Xanthia said the baby talked to her.>

Areena shrugged, <Maybe. I do not get that close to him to play. Though
there are times when he is most unhappy that the air in this apartment
seems almost unbearably oppressive.>

<I thought that was just because you didn't like to hear him cry.>

<I thought so to, my rider .. but who knows.>

Saul
***

Saul had stayed in the apartment all afternoon and into the evening. Never
leaving for a moment. He played a few hands of solitaire .. read for a
while .. paced for a while ..

He'd seen Shawnee as she went to the baby when she cried. He'd helped out
when he could, but for the most part Shawnee sent him away, saying she had
things under control. The one place he had not gone was into their bedroom.
He'd decided that would be her safe zone. He knew she needed time to get
over her anger.. or at least make a decision about whether or not she could
forgive him.

She said little to him. Though she had made enough dinner for the both of
them and she invited him to eat with her. Though the meal was eaten in
silence. Everything that had to be said, was. Now he could only wait.

Once he was sure she was sleeping .. the poor thing had gone to bed early
.. he slipped into the bedroom and then to their bathroom to wash up. She'd
already brought him blankets and a pillow. He'd almost hoped she'd have
asked him to sleep in their bed ..

But he knew she needed time. He'd done a horrible thing .. and he would be
lucky if she ever forgave him. After brushing his teeth and washing up he
through his clothes into the hamper, slipped on his pajama bottoms and
headed out of the bathroom.

He looked at Shawnee for a moment, sleeping peacefully, made his way to the
waiting couch. As he snuggled down into the lumpy cushions he couldn't help
but hope she'd forgive him soon.

Gwyna
***

Gwyna stopped through her own apartment as she readied herself for bed. He
was still in there with her! Had the woman turned weak and forgiven him
already! She was so sure Shawnee would throw him out .. and then he would
of course come to her. Where else did he have to go.

Damn! There had to be more she could do! "This isn't over yet, Saul .. not
by a long shot .."

Regards,
Saul & Fayloth
And all the others :)
***
NRPG: Barb helped with all the dialogue at the beginning of this post
between Saul and Shawnee :)

Jeanette, have fun with T'jellan :)

Morgie, wasn't sure how much further to take it. I'm thinking Th'rin and
Merissa may just laugh it off for now .. and Areena will definitely be
watching now!

Barb, I don't think Gwyna's done yet :)

Kris



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       \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
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