Doshayne 
**********

<Something's wrong,>

*<What could be wrong my pretty one?>*

<My rider is suddenly very sad and has asked me to come get her,> the little
teal dragon told the blue and, yellow she was gossiping with. <Her thoughts
are all mixed up and I can't understand what has upset her so... but your
rider has something to do with it. And something his sire said to her. I
must go get her.>

When her cuddle mate didn't reply the teal thought something was funny...
she hesitated just long enough to look back at him.

<Do you know what has made her upset?>

*<I ..well... my human... umm.. well he was lonely and he had drunk some of
that water that makes humans do strange things and he...well...>*

Doshy's eyes went wide. <He didn't... cuddle ... with
another... did he?> she suddenly understood why her human would be so upset.
Humans in what they called *love* sometimes thought strange. It was so much
easier being a dragon. She didn't get all upset when Fayloth cuddled with
another dragon... during the day time hours anyway... but at night she liked
to have him in their cave because he kept her warm.

Their cave was to big for just her alone.

*<He's very sorry....and feels really bad about it.>* Fayloth told her as
she turned and flew away. 

<Not as bad as he's gonna feel with a crispy backside if he's hurt my
human!!> was Doshy's parting thought.

[Troubles father?] The little yellow hatchling asked her sire. 

*<It's a human thing that you will find out about my daughter. Sooner or
later...>*

Shawnee
*********

She mad it as far as the bedroom, putting the still sleeping little baby in
her bassinet before she completely broke down.

Her knee's became to weak to hold her up and she fell across the bed, her
tears falling freely as her heart felt like it was breaking in two.

How could he have done that to her after all they had been thought to be
together? Did sex mean so much to him that he had to go to someone else to
get what he couldn't get at home? 

Maybe.. he was tired of living with her... 

But Gods... why did he have to pick that bitch to sleep with... didn't he
realize how much that would hurt her if she found out?

"Shawnee .."

"Don't talk to me! I don't want to hear it!"

"You can't listen to my mother! What does she know?"

Shawnee looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes. "Was she lying, Saul? She
said she saw you .. Was she lying?!" her voice rose shrilly and the infant
in the bassinet began to cry. Shawnee pushed past him to get to the baby,
picking her up and cooing gently.

"She didn't see what she thought she saw .."

"What did she see then?" Shawnee asked, wanting to give him a chance to deny
his mothers words. But somehow knowing the woman had been right. Why she
hadn't even known she was her son's mate!

"Gwyna and I were just .. talking."

"Just talking?" she asked in disbelief. Gwyna wouldn't be happy with just
sitting there *taking* to Saul. No... That woman had always let her feeling
be known as to what she wanted from Saul, she'd find some way to..."You know
I could have Doshy as Fayloth .."

"Gods, Shawnee! Listen to me. Nothing happened this morning. Rebessa just
made assumptions over a friendly hug!"

"So you weren't in her arms?"

Saul groaned, "Shawnee .."

When he didn't come right out and deny it, she knew. He wasn't that good at
hiding his feelings from her after all this time.

"Tell me the truth Saul," she knew she would hate herself for asking the
question as soon as the words were out of her mouth. But she had to know
where she stood in his life. "Did you sleep with her."

Saul couldn't meet her eyes, "Shawnee, you know what I was like before you.
I slept with a lot of women."

"That's not what I'm talking about! And you know it. Don't try and change
the subject!" Shawnee kept her voice even and her touch on the fussing
infant gentle, "Have you slept with her since me." 

Saul looked at the floor, he couldn't lie to her .. not directly, "It wasn't
like that .."

"Did you?" she said sharply, praying that he would deny it... but knowing he
couldn't by the look written there on his handsome face.

"Shawnee.." his voice begged.

And she knew. 

"God! You're pathetic! You can't even answer me! How many time times, Saul!
Since our sex life was restricted.. before that!"

"No! It only happened once!" He broke down, "And it wasn't like you think .."

"You slept with HER!!!!" She yelled, unable to stop herself. "What am I
suppose to think!?!"

"You don't understand how it was..."

"Don't I Saul?" she countered. "Don't I? Do you think it was any easier for
me? To have to lay there in our bed every night for the last two and a half
months next to you and know I couldn't make love to you!?!

"You think I don't understand how much it hurt every time you touched me or
kissed me and my body cried out for more of your touch. Cried out to be
loved by you at the same time knowing that I couldn't do a damn thing about
it! Oh I understand all to well Saul"

"Gods Shawnee.. I never meant.. I never intended for it to happen. You have
to believe me love."

"It doesn't matter what I believe any more Saul," she said softly holding
her daughter close as she turned away from him. "I loved you and thought you
loved me..."

"I DO love you!!" fear filled his words as his ears heard her using the past
tense of the word love. "You have to believe that. "I love you and Lynnie
more than I've ever dreamed possible."

She didn't say anything. She couldn't, her tears were nearly choking her.
They were both quiet for a few minutes until she got some control of herself
and was finally able to speak.

"I want to be alone now to think about this," she told him, her head facing
the far wall for she knew if she looked at him right now she'd break down. 

"I'll go wait out in the living room," he told her sadly. "But please
remember I love you and our daughter. I was weak and I'll never forgive
myself for hurting you, but it'll never happen again."

When she didn't answer, didn't turned to look at him, he left the room.

Dontey
********

Lunch had been just what he had been needing. After Shawnee had left his
shop, he just couldn't face is mate after their little talk, so he'd gone
for a walk and ended up in the dining hall.

He'd seen her from the moment she had first walked into the dining hall.
With that main of white-blond hair the beautiful young woman with the baby
couldn't have been anyone else but his Shawnee. 

He wanted to go try and talk to her, but she looked so happy just then that
he didn't dare move or let her see him. Not yet. Let her grow used to him
being here first. 

As Dontey watched his eldest daughter and her mate talking with the other
young lady, then saw her leave and was in a good seat to see what happened
next when they were joined by an older woman.

He didn't know what was said at the table, what caused his daughter to get
up and flee as if the hounds of hell were on her heels, but he intended to
find out.  He'd just about made it to the table where Saul and the older
woman were arguing when Saul suddenly turned and quickly left the hall. That
left only the woman to tell him what happened. 

As he walked towards her, a dark-headed female approached her and the two of
them talked for a moment. When the other girl finally walked away, her face
held the look of the cat who's just killed the rat. He wasn't sure he wanted
to know what that had been about.

"Pardon me," Dontey said as he came to stand next to her. "But I couldn't
help noticed what just happened and wondered if you would be so kind as to
tell me why my daughter ran out of here in tears."

"Your daughter? You let your daughter get involved with a rogue who will do
nothing but break her heart!" the woman looked at him with contempt in her eyes.

"Are you talking about Saul? A rouge! I'll have you know he's been very good
to my daughter and her siblings. He's made her very happy." For some reason
Dontey felt he had to speak up for the man. Everyone he'd talked to had told
him what a happy couple they were, and how good he was to her.

"Oh I'm sure." Rebessa gave a bitter laugh, "Just as he takes good care of
all the other women in his life. If I were you, I'd go talk to your daughter
and convince her she'd be better without him. Believe me I know his type."

Dontey frowned. Who was this woman making such statements about Saul. "I'll
have you know M'lady, that I've never seen Saul with any other women since
I've been here. Why the people who live here will tell you how devoted he is
to her. Everyone knows he loves her and their new daughter."

"He's got you all fooled has he?" Rebessa shook her head, "I know I
shouldn't be surprised. His father was the same way. He could charm his way
out of anything. But I've seen him, just an hour ago groping another woman
in the bushes." She looked at him with a piercing gaze, "He will only bring
your daughter heartache .. it's in his genes." 

"Not that I believe you... but what right do you have in judging the man the
way you do?" Dontey's eyes narrowed and then remembered the look on his
daughters face as she ran out of the hall. He reached forward and grabbed
her upper arms forcing her around to face him. "You *told* her what you just
told me ...Didn't you?"

"I didn't mean for her to find out that way. I thought she was the other
woman .." Rebessa said her eyes showing her genuine sorrow. "But I do know
Saul. I am his mother. You think I'm proud of the way he is? Gods if I could
change things .. but I can't. He is who he is .. just as his father was."

"Lady I don't know you or the man who begot him, but I don't think you know
your son all that well," the man said. "He's one of the most respected
riders in Whiteriver. He holds the trust of the Warrenlady herself and is
the one responsible for finding searchlings for the eggs. You may not be
proud of him, but there isn't a man or women in the Warren who wouldn't
stick by his side in a fight or anything else. The man has a good caring
heart. That's one of the reasons my daughter fell in love with him. I don't
know what game you're playing or why you're lying about this... "

Rebessa shook her head, "Believe what you want. But it's the truth. Just ask
the lovely brunette I was just talking to. She'll tell you that she's his
lover too. Only she's the worst kind. Because she wants him for herself. And
hat will be the downfall of Saul and of your daughter."

"I think you underestimate their love." he told her. "Even if what you say
is true. They will be strong enough to work things out. Even the best of
couples have troubles in their lives. But I'm counting on my daughter to
come out on top."

He refused to let the old bittie see how much her words worried him. If what
she said was even half true...

He wanted to go to his daughter now and offer her a shoulder to cry on or
just someone to take to, but knew he would be the last person she would want
to see.

"I hope your right .. for that girl's sake. I stuck it out for many years,
hoping that our love would be strong enough. But it wasn't. He poisoned it,
with drink.. and gambling and women. And he poisoned my son as well .."

Was the women right? Had Saul been unfaithful? Damn he felt so useless. Find
Tahsa.. talk to her, he thought. She'd know what to do. 

But in the mean time, 

"Lady I hope the day never comes when you will find out what your unbending
attitude has caused you. People make mistakes... and the lucky ones learn
from them. But there is always someone like you who never lets them forget
their past. I feel sorry for you."

He turned then and left the woman standing there. His mind for a moment
going back over his own life. Yes... people did make mistakes, and the lucky
ones like him... Thank the Gods Tahsa had been more forgiving. Her love and
support had made him a stronger man. Gave him a reason for living again
after Owlean's deceit and lies had almost killed him. 

He had to talk to Tahsa.. she'd know how to help.

Shawnee
********

She didn't know how long she stood there after he had left the room. Her
pain had blinded her to the passing of time. It was only when Lynnie started
to fuss that her attentions were drawn back, and she moved quickly to pick
her daughter up.

"Hungry again my sweet one?" she soothed as she opened her shirt and brought
the babe up to feed. 

Gods!! What was she going to do?

Why hadn't she realized something like this could happen? Saul was a lustful
man. Hadn't he proved that to her night after night, until their sex lives
had been put on restriction? 

Didn't he realize that it had been hard on her too? 

She turned aqua eyes downward to look at the fuzzy head of dark colored hair
in her arms. The cause of that restriction... Yes... as hard as it had been
to be denied his touch, Lynnie had been worth it. 

In as much as it was hurting her right now to know he'd been unfaithful, and
for that she was having trouble forgiving him because of the woman he'd been
unfaithful with, she was a little calmer now and could think about the
things in his live leading up to the event.

She remembered how caring he'd been though out the last few months. How he'd
waited on her hand and foot, seeing that she had wanted for nothing. He'd
gone out of his way to keep her spirits up. Little things... like the book
of poems he had brought and read to her, and making sure her siblings could
come see her when ever they had wanted to. 

She remembered all the cold showers he'd taken in the early hours of the
morning when he thought she had been asleep and hadn't known. 

So what had changed all that? Why, now when the restriction was about to be
removed, did he have to do what he did.

<Fayloth said his rider had been worried about the birth of your hatchling
and was troubled by the appearance of his sire and his worries for you. He
hadn't mean to hurt you this way, but he was weak and so many things
happening at once then when *HER* rider (for Doshy refused to mention the
dragon's name right now) started being nice to him and gave him some of that
drink that makes human's stupid... well... Fayloth said that his rider is
very sorry, and that you should think it all over before you send his rider
away.>

Send him away!!!

The thought had never even entered her mind! She loved him more than
anything. He was her live. So why would she send him away.... 

Was that what he was worrying over right now as he waited in the other room.
That she would ask him to leave!?!

She was madder then hell at him and he'd hurt her bad... but to send him
away... No.. Somehow they would have to work this out. 

But what.... what if he wanted to go. What if he didn't love her away more
and... 

Making sure her daughter was asleep, she got up and moved across the room
and place the sweet little girl back in her bed, then turned and moved
slowly towards the door to the living room.

Saul didn't hear her as she entered the room, but she saw him sitting on
their couch, with his head bowed in his hands.

She called his name and his head snapped up quickly to look at her. She saw
his expression turn from hopeful to sorrow as he stood and headed towards
the bedroom. 

"I'll pack my things and find somewhere else to live." He said defeated. 

"No."

"No?" he stopped and turned back to face her. "What are you saying?"

"I don't want you to leave... unless you want to."

"Gods Shawnee... that's the last thing I want to do. Leave you and Lynnie. I
love you both so much. You have to believe that."

She nodded her head slowly, wanting more than anything to believe him. 

"But... I will need time to get over this.. to forgive what has happened."
She told him, hoping he would understand. 

"What ever it takes."

"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.

--------------------------  

Well Shawnee may be letting him stay... but he still has to prove to her
that he wants to... But Shawnee means what she said about that *HUSSY*.... 

*****Submitted by: ******

Barbara (a.k.a.

Shawnee & Doshayne
Dontey 
Whiteriver Warren