T'jellan
***
<<<NRPG: I've changed the timing a little bit from Kat's post. Cause I
wrote the fight with Saul and Gil happening around dinner time. And I
figured they wouldn't have training that late .. so I just switched the two
meetings.>>>

>"I think that's an excellent idea, T'jellan, will you please organize the
>searching?" Trinale tried to smile calmingly at Ashelle, but she was
>really worried. What could have happened to Xanthia. She reached out for
>the girls mind but was unable to connect. "Ashelle, you will need to join
>the other hatchlings at training."

Ashelle looked ready to protest but T'jellan put a hand on her back, "It's
alright, we'll find her. You need to see to your new dragon."

The girl nodded and headed out to the hatchling barracks for practice.

"As soon as you find her let me know, T'jellan."

"Of course," he nodded, "It will take a all of today and probably into
morning to check all of the apartments.."

Trinale nodded, "I know. The watch dragons know to check all dragon
readying to teleport?"

T'jellan nodded, "She won't get out of the warren."

Gil
***

He stomped his way to where the Warren offices were. He would let them know
that they couldn't do this to him and get away with it! He would see that
man arrested and tried and sentenced and his daughter would be taken back
to Ralengarde! That's what would happen whether they liked it or not!

He spotted a skinny kid with a flute out by the offices, "Which one of
these is the Warrenlady's office?"

The boy pointed, and Gil headed quickly toward the door clearly intent on
going directly in. The boy called after him, "Wait!" But Gil had no
intentions of waiting. They were going to know his displeasure.

He burst through the door with the boy following him. Then he stared at the
tiny red head. Gods! She couldn't be that much older then Elissa was! He'd
heard the Whiteriver Warrenlady was young.. but he never expected this
child!

"You can't go bursting in there without an appointment!" the boy called
behind him.

>"Its alright, N'lin, I'll take care of it." Trinale reassured him. "I
>would like you to stay though if you would." Trinale knew that Derry and
>Saul would be upset if she met with a man who was so obviously upset by
>herself. She didn't know how much help N'lin would be, but his presence
>was calming.

>She then turned to the man who stood there clenching and unclenching his
>hands, his face red. "Now, how can I help you?"

>"You can give me my daughter back!" he fumed at her.

>Trinale frowned and said to him "I am unaware of any kidnapping that my
>warren, or for that matter, any warren has ever done."

>"Its that dragonrider of yours" he spat out the mans name "Saul!"

>Had Saul searched an unwilling candidate and not brought her here? She
>reached for Crickets mind and asked her.

He watched the girl's face go blank and he frowned, "And I want him
arrested for hitting me!" He pointed to his face drawing the girl's
attention back to him. There was clearly a bruise forming on his face, dark
and ugly purple. "See what he did to me?"

"Sir .." she began.

"Gilliad. Gilliad Durrall of Ralengarde. This will not be tolerated!"

"Mr. Durrall, Please have a seat and allow me a moment to speak to my Queen
dragon and find out the story from her." Trinale kept her voice quiet.

"What the hell would a dragon know! I want .."

The boy she'd called N'lin, grabbed his arm, "Please let Trinale do her job."

Gil looked at the boy, who wasn't very big and would not have been able to
force him to sit .. however, Gil was smart enough to know that if he caused
a problem they would surely get someone bigger. It was best to at least
play this game the girl was forcing him into.

After what seemed like far to long to the man, Trinale refocused her eyes
on him.

>"Your daughter is a dragonrider now, Sir" Trinale calmly explained to him.
>"Neither you nor I can order her away from the dragon she is now joined
>to, even if we wanted to."

"My daughter will not stay here!"

"She has no choice, Mr. Durrall." Trinale said as gently as she could. If
you separate her from her dragon, her dragon will die, and she will no
longer be the girl she is now. Losing a dragon, even after only a day
together will change her radically. She might even die."

"What!" Gil's eyes widened. "What have you done to her?"

"I'm sorry. But we can not control who a hatchling chooses."

"I will not leave her here." His voice held less conviction this time.

"Talk to your daughter. See how she feels. Meet her dragon. You are all
welcome to stay in the warren if you want."

"Stay here! I couldn't do that! I have business in Ralengarde. It's where I
live .. With my wife and my daughter."

"Just talk to you daughter."

"What about Saul? He will be punished?"

"I will talk to him in the morning. It's getting late."

"Morning! He could be gone by then.. if he isn't gone already!"

Trinale shook her head, "No. Saul won't go anywhere. He's got a mate and a
newborn daughter."

"By the Gods!" He said throwing up his hands, "How many other bastards does
he have strewn around the lands!" He looked pointedly at Trinale. "I want
him punished for what he did. And if he's gone in the morning, I will hold
you responsible!"

Trinale cocked her head and sighed, "I do take responsibility for the
riders here in Whiteriver. And I assure you Saul will still be here."

Gil nodded and headed out of the office.

Elissa
***

"I'm sorry, mama," the girl said. "I just wanted to meet him."

Her mother nodded and smoothed her hair as she lay on the bed. "It's all
right, honey .. everything will work out."

"But mama, Saul's right. I can't go home now. I have to stay here, with Pati."

"I know."

"But Daddy won't understand. I didn't at first. But then I met Ojean and
Fawna .. and so many other new dragonriders .." Her eyes widened, and a
smile crossed her face. "I'm a dragonrider, mama."

Rebessa's face took on a shattered, sad quality. "I know .."

"Don't be sad, mama," Elissa said to her. "I'm not. I've never been so
happy as I am with Pati. Some people have wanted to be dragonriders their
whole lives .. but they don't always get picked only the special ones. I'm
special, mama."

"Yes, you are," a deep voice said. They both turned to see Gil standing a
short distance away. He moved to stand beside the bed where his daughter
was sitting up, "I tried to tell them that you were coming home with us."

"I can't, daddy." Elissa told him.

"So I've been told."

"It's not so bad. I sat with all the other new dragonriders earlier today,
and we learned about how to keep our dragons clean .. and free from dry
skin .. and fed .. and .. it's wonderful." Elissa's face glowed. "And she
can talk to me. I can hear her in my head."

Saul
***

>"NO! I love her! We are meant to be together!" Tarv'renon exclaimed, and
>planted his mouth over Xanthia's once more.

>But this time, there was nothing she could do, no way to move away or
>retaliate. Tears streamed from her crystal blue eyes as she cried
>pitifully at the violation trembled with fear in his grasp.

Saul moved quickly, grabbing the man and pulling him away from the girl,
"Have you gone mad! Can't you see you're scaring her!"

He was barely aware of the unknown woman pulling Xanthia toward Trinale
once again .. or of the stares of disgust at the two men. He was only aware
of the awkward punch Tarv'renon aimed at his nose. He dodged it easily,
grabbing him by the wrist as he went off balance and twisting his arm
behind him. "Don't you hear her crying?"

"She's mine! You can't take her from me!" The man screamed. He was quite a
bit larger then Saul and by sheer size he broke free from the smaller man's
grasp and moved toward the three women.

Derry who'd been pretty unobtrusive up until that point, stepped in front
of them blocking the man's path. "Just hold on there .."

Suddenly from seemingly out of nowhere a dark wood stool came crashing down
on Tarv'renon's head. He dropped to the ground unconscious. All eyes turned
to see the woman with the long brown hair, setting the stool on the ground
and brushing a wisp of hair out of her eyes. "Men!" she exclaimed with
exasperation and promptly burst into tears.

She tried to stop them, choking and cursing her weakness and all the rest
of them, but they still flowed down her cheeks.  The small red head
recovered from her shock and went over to comfort the intermittently
sobbing and swearing woman.  She laid a gentle hand on Aeryin's arm,
murmuring soothing nonsense.

The arm was jerked away violently.  "Get me out of here," Aeryin said
harshly, striding through the room full of faces towards the dragon ledge.
She turned when no one moved.  "Now!" she shrieked.

Saul stared at the woman in puzzlement, then back at Derry, who shrugged,
"I'll call Lev to come get us." He motioned the woman to follow him.

Saul looked to Trinale who was nodded to Derry as he led the tall woman out
of to the ledge. Saul cleared his throat, and motioned to the fallen
Tarv'renon, "So what do we do with him now?"

Trinale shrugged. "I'm too tired to think about it."

"I'll get a watch dragon up here and we'll confine him to his apartment
until we've all had a good night's sleep."

She nodded, "Sounds good." She moved toward the exit of the apartment, then
stopped, "By the way, I need to talk to you in the morning about a man who
says you punched him." Saul rolled his eyes, he'd almost forgotten about
that! Trinale eyed him, and shook her head, "I wish you'd stop going around
hitting people. The last time landed you in the med center!"

"Trinale .." Saul groaned.

She moved to where Xanthia sat, almost catatonic, sobbing to herself. "I
know, Saul. I talked to Cricket. You'll have to explain the details to me
later, however.. Now go home, I'm sure Shawnee is worried about you,
running out on her in the middle of the night."

Saul's face paled but he nodded. He wondered if Shawnee was worried about
him.. He wondered if she wondered where he'd been all night.

"Why don't you have the watch dragon call Th'rin up here.. make sure
Tarv'renon's head is all right."

Saul nodded and watched as Trinale helped Xanthia onto Cricket's back and
then followed her up.

Regards,
Saul & Fayloth
***
NRPG: This is only part one. Part two is coming later tonight :) Thanks to
Morgie and Bridget for their help and suggestions for the Tarv scene.

Hugs,
Kris

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  |\  /^~~^\  /|
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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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