Saul
***
<<Morning after Xanthia is rescued>>

When he awoke the morning after, he was still racked with guilty. He'd had
horrible dreams all night of Shawnee finding out and leaving with the kids
.. and the baby. Gods how had he let it happen! He sat up from the couch
where he'd fallen asleep and headed quietly into the baby's room.

She was sleeping peacefully. Looking so tiny .. so helpless .. so
unsuspecting. He picked her up and carried her to the living room where he
sunk into the rocking chair and began rocking her .. just studying her tiny
perfect face.

***
<<Some snips from Barbs Trouble's come in three's post>>

>"Is something wrong Saul? She asked.

>Still he didn't look at her, and it was a minute before he spoke.

"It was a long night. Xanthia .. Aradia's sister," he watched as she
stiffened noticeably at the name, " .. was kidnapped by another rider. He
didn't leave the warren with her, just took her away from her new dragon.
He was acting very strangely."

"Kidnapped."

"It's all right. Tarv'renon is in custody and Xanthia's safe. I helped .."
He looked up studying her eyes for a moment.

"No wonder you just feel asleep on the couch last night." She said
smoothing back her hair.

He nodded, "Yes that's way .. and .."

"And?" Shawnee asked, "What else?"

>"My mother and her husband arrived at the Warren yesterday," he told her
>and then went on to tell her about Ojean asking Doshayne to call him last
>night and then he told her about meeting his...*sister* and having to deal
>with his mother and her husband.

T'jellan
***

When he heard the news from Grunth, first thing in the morning, that
Maxima's rider had been found he quickly got up and dressed. He couldn't
wait to tell Ashelle. She was going to be so relieved.

He jumped in the shower and washed and dressed, unaware of the fact that he
was primping himself. Combing his hair neatly .. he even trimmed his beard
which he realized had gotten just a bit scruffy.

Grunth whistled as he stepped to the ledge when he was finished. <You like
her.>

<Who?> T'jellan asked.

<Oaklah's rider.>

<Of course I do. She's a sweet girl, and she's going to be so happy when I
tell her about Maxima's rider.>

Grunth chuckled, not mentioning that Oaklah had probably already told the
girl. He was just glad to see his rider smiling again. He tried to help
matters by winning Satinka, giving his rider a chance to mate with someone
other then Shawnee, who had filled his dreams for far to long, but left his
bed empty.

The black dragon grinned as he remembered what a fine dragon Satinka had
been. Winning her was very good for him .. even if it had turned out not to
be so good for his rider.

But now .. T'jellan had a bit of life in him again. Satinka's rider had
helped that along in her complete acceptance of him at the hatching party.
But watching his rider now, he was sure that young Ashelle was a part of it
as well.

***

He stepped into the hatchling barrack looking around for the ebon-haired
Ashelle. He smiled when he spotted her grabbing a plate of meat scraps,
obviously intended for the empty stomach known as a hatchling. "Ashelle!"
he called.

She looked up and smiled happily at him, "Oh T'jellan! Did you hear?
Xanthia's all right!"

He stopped, a bit disappointed that he hadn't been the one to tell her.
Course now that he'd thought about it, it was foolish to think the word
wouldn't be circulating among the hatchlings about the fate of one of their
own.

He smiled at her, "I did indeed. I was coming to make sure you'd heard."

She nodded, "Oh I did! I'm so excited. I haven't been to see her yet. She's
apparently in the med center. Though Maxima assured Oaklah that she was all
right. I guess they just wanted a quiet place for her to rest."

"I expect so."

Ashelle groaned, "I'm being called .. Oaklah's 'starving ..."

T'jellan grinned, "I'm sure."

"You can come help me .." she began then paused, "Unless of course you have
other things to do?"

T'jellan looked at her, thinking he should probably let her be with her
dragon .. but she had asked, "I can stay for a few minutes."

Ashelle grinned, "Good. I'm sure once she's eaten she'll fall asleep. She
always seems to gorge herself then sleep .."

"That's completely normal, nothing to worry about."

Ashelle nodded, "So I've heard. Have you eaten breakfast? I'm nearly as
hungry as my dragon!"

He shook his head, "No, not yet. Let feed your  dragon and then we'll go to
the dining hall and feed you."

Saul
***
<<From Barb's post - I changed Grandpa L'rian to  Uncle L'rian since he's
Saul's age :)>>

"So Uncle L'rian.... isn't she just the most beautiful baby?" Shawnee
teased when the man began making faces at Lynnie..

"Uncle huh?" he tilted his head up just enough to look at her... "Well I
think I like the sound of that. What do you think, my dear?" he asked
looking at his mate who was leaning over his shoulder to get a better look
at the baby.

"I could live with that...." Caitlin agreed with a warm smile on her face.

"Does that mean you two will be offering to watch Lynnie on occasion?" Saul
asked hopefully. Only to be rewarded by a slap on his arm from his own
mate.

"I don't mean today or any time soon... " he said quickly and then turned
when he heard Barry call out their names.

"Speaking of 'family' ... Grandpa Barry! Come to see our beautiful daughter
for yourself?"

***
<<another snippet>>

>"Shawnee!?!" he called after her and then caught up with her outside.

>"I have to see if it's really him," she told him and kept walking. "I have
>to know."

>"Who love? Know who, who is?"

Shawnee didn't answer just hurried off toward Barry's store. Saul sighed
and followed her. What the devil was going on!

Well if nothing else it had gotten them out of the dining hall where Gwyna
had been watching them with interest. He felt bad .. treating her like the
'other woman'. He knew what had happened last night was due to their
friendship. He shouldn't have taken advantage of her wanting to be there
for him. To comfort him.

He flushed, and pushed the memory of their twining bodies from his mind. He
would apologize as soon as he could .. as soon as he got up the nerve to
face her ..

But now Shawnee was agitated over something. So agitated she'd walked off
leaving the baby with L'rian and Caitlin .. Why did the name Dontey upset
her so much?

Shawnee was a good distance ahead of him and he hurried to follow her.

When he caught up to her he saw her talking to Fawna's new friend, Sammy,
who was grinning as she spoke, ".. Fawna said you're the best and nicest
sister there is."

Shawnee was silent for a moment just staring at the girl.

>"Hello Sammy," she said finally when she felt Saul come up behind her and
>touch her arm.

Everyone turned to look at the door as they heard it open. Saul didn't
recognize the man, but it was clear Shawnee did as her face hardened,
"Hello father."

Saul's jaw dropped. "Oh gods .." he muttered turning his eyes from his mate
to the older man.

>"Somehow love I don't think the Gods had anything to do with this... first
>your mother and now my father...What else can go wrong."

A quick vision of Gwyna naked caused him to flush .. there were definitely
other things that could go wrong .. he just hoped Shawnee never found out
about them.

***
<<Another snip>>

>"Are you okay?" Saul, asked once they were away from the shop.

>"Right now I'm not to sure," she admitted. "I just want to get Lynnie and
>go home... I have to warn Fawna and Ojean that he's here..." she told him
>and then stopped in her tracks. "Oh Gods... how will they take it, knowing
>he's here after what Owlean did to them?"

>He reached for her and hugged her.

Saul's eyes fell on Gwyna who smiled at him as she walked by. He tried to
smile back; to pretend that everything was all right .. but, it wasn't. His
guilt was beginning to consume him. He'd been able to put it aside when his
mind had been occupied with Tarv'renon last night.. He just had to find
something to occupy his mind ..

That's when  he caught sight of the multicolored hatchlings heading
awkwardly for the green. His sister would be there.. He'd barely had a
moment to saw anything to her. "Lynnie'll be all right for a moment," he
said. "How'd you like to meet my sister?"

Shawnee hesitated, clearly torn. "Saul .. I want to be sure she's okay.
With my father here .. I just don't know that she's safe, and I have to
find Fawna and Ojean. I can't let anything happen to them."

He shrugged, a slight frown coming to his face. "I understand."

She reached up and caressed his bearded cheek with her hand. "Why don't you
go see her and invite her to have lunch with us after practice."

He nodded, forcing a slight smile to his face, "That's a good idea .. as
long as Rebessa doesn't show up."

"Oh Saul," Shawnee laughed bitterly at the irony. "How is it that our
families have to show up now .."

"It'll be all right, Sweet Shawnee. Go make sure our daughter is okay ..
and your brother and sister." He hugged her tightly again .. Maybe too
tightly as he prayed to whatever god might listen that thing would get
better.

She kissed him softly before breaking away. He watched her for a moment
pledging to prevent anything from hurting her, before he turned to study
the new group of dragonriders.. trying to remember what the girl, Elissa
had looked like.

He was walking through the hatchlings, recognizing many of the searchlings
he'd brought to the warren for the hatchling. He grinned, full of pride. He
hadn't lost his touch!

"Saul?" he heard a quiet voice behind him say. He turned to see the girl
with the long braids.

"Elissa?"

She nodded and smiled. "I'm sorry things ended up the way they did. I
didn't intend for it to go that way. I just wanted to come and meet you. It
sorta became an obsession."

He shrugged, "It's okay. I'm glad you came .."

"Really?"

"Well, I'm not glad to see your mother .."

"She's really not that bad, Saul."

He shook his head, "I don't want to argue with you on our first chance to
talk."

She nodded, "I understand. I go to school with Byrin Barmen .. I mean, I
went to school with him. Fawna and Ojean tell me that .. um .. he's your
son."

Saul nodded, "Yes." He realized he needed to go to Ralengarde and see
Byrin. He'd promised to bring him to see the baby when she arrived. Well,
it would just have to wait.. the one thing he didn't need was more family
here complicating things.

"Shawnee .. my mate .. said I should invite you to have lunch with us. I
don't want to interrupt anything you have planned with your parents
however."

"They're going home soon," she said, trying to keep the emotion out of her
voice. The thought of never going home again was a bit scary. She'd only
planned to stay in Whiteriver long enough to meet her brother. Now she
would be staying a lot longer.

"Well, If you'd like to join us you're welcome to."

"Thanks, I would."

He looked to see the new dragonriders gathering for training, "It looks
like you're needed, so I'll get out of your way."

She nodded and headed over to the other, followed by a creamy green dragon.
Saul turned and headed to the dining hall.

He was confronted by Gwyna, who called to him to follow her to a more
secluded spot. He followed her, deciding that now was as good a time as any
to ask her to forgive him for taking advantage of her.

"Gwyna, I .." he started, only to have her wrap her arms around him,
pulling him down for a passionate kiss. He pushed her away a bit, "Gwyna!"

"Shh Saul, don't stop me .. please. Not after last night .."

"Gwyna," he groaned as he found himself pulled down into yet another kiss.
She ran her hands over his back and arms, keeping her mouth plastered to
his until he stopped fighting and began to respond. Then she pulled back.

"Saul, I know I shouldn't put you in this position," she said, her dark
eyes wide with concern, "I know how you feel about Shawnee .. but .. I
can't help it. After what you did to me last night. It .. was incredible.
And I know you can't deny that you didn't enjoy making love to me."

"Oh gods, Gwyna," he said, his guilt washing over him, "I didn't mean to
hurt you. I know you were just trying to help me through a rough time ..
but .."

She turned away, a small sob escaping her lips, "I understand .."

Saul began to feel even worse. "Gwyna, please .."

She turned and forced a smile, even as her eyes filled with tears, "I knew
then Saul. I knew that it was just for that one moment. And I will cherish
it always. I just thought maybe .. maybe if you found me attractive enough
.." her voice trailed off.

"You are very attractive. That's not the problem .."

She turned away, "I told you, Saul, I understand .."

He moved up behind her and touched her arm, "Gwyna, I'm sorry .." She
turned to face him and he pulled her into his arms, "I don't want you to be
hurt either .. I was just weak."

She removed the smile that had crossed her face, as he pulled her to him,
and looked up at him with puppy dog eyes, "You aren't weak. You are very
strong. But you are also a man with needs. Don't blame yourself because of
that." She ran a slender hand over his chest, gently tangling her fingers
in the soft hair that just barely showed at the neck of his shirt.

Seemingly on accident a button came loose opening his shirt further. "Oh
Saul .." she breathed.

Regards,
Saul & Fayloth
***
NRPG: Here is part 2 as promised :)

Kristen


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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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