Day 14

Merissa was busy with requisitions when a soft knock sounded on the door.
Mara poked her head in, almost apologetically.

"What can I do for you, Mara?"  Merissa's thoughts immediately going to
Oberon -- what had he done now?

"Merissa.. umm... my Ma asked me to come.. if you aren't too busy ... Oberon
seems upset over his Aunt Xan."

"Sure, let me just put these papers away, and I'll be right with you."
Merissa quickly stacked the papers in the "to do later" pile and followed
Mara out of her office.

It didn't take long to reach Racine's.  She passed a scruffy looking man,
who quickly ducked away -- and for a moment she worried that he might be
someone spying for the cult, however, those thoughts were soon displaced as
Merissa could hear Oberon's yelling "An XAN, AN XAN!!" before the door to
Racine's apartment was even opened.  As soon as he caught sight of her,
though, Oberon's chant switched to, "Ma! Ma! Ma!" and he raced to her on his
chubby little legs.

"You want to see your Aunt Xanthia, sweetie?"  Merissa asked softly, as she
bent to pick up her foster son.

The boy nodded enthusiastically and cries of, "An Xan, An Xan," reverberated
again through the room.

<Chrysthal... I hate to disturb you... but could you check with Maxima and
see how her rider is doing?>

Chrysthal responded immediately, if a little curtly, <She's awake.>

<Thanks for your help, love.>  Merissa sent back, along with a mental hug.

"Racine?  I think I'll take Oberon over to see his Aunt Xanthia... "
Merissa said.

Racine smiled at the young woman, "I think that's about the only thing that
will calm him down."

****
They walked together to the Medical Center, Oberon running and pulling
Merissa along.

"Slow down, Bear!  She isn't going anywhere!"  Merissa laughed.  She tried
to slow him down by pointing out the bugs and other things of interest to
the small boy.

They entered the medical center and spotted a familiar figure at the front
desk bending over a file.  "Th'rin?" Merissa asked when she saw him.

"DA!" Another voice screamed loudly.

>> <SNIP From Kris G's post>
He turned and both he and Merissa chastised the boy about his indoor/outdoor
voice at the same time. Then they looked at each other and smiled. Oberon,
having just listened to his mother discussing the fact that good boys don't
scream properly lowered his voice and whispered, "An Xan?"

Th'rin frowned, "She sleeping, little bear."

The boys eyes wrinkled and his lips pouted, and Th'rin could see the
beginnings of a major protest coming .. so he did what any good father would
do in the middle of a public place, with a child about to make him look like
an idiot .. "Would you like to peek at her?"

Oberon's head cocked to one side, and Th'rin gave him a pointed look, "But
you need to be very very quiet, and you can't stay long. Tomorrow after
lunch you can come and sit with her, but only if you are good today.
Understand?"

The boy thought for a moment then nodded adamantly.

"All right," Th'rin held out his hand and led the boy to Xanthia's room,
"Remember just a peek .."
<<  <END SNIP>

Merissa followed them in, and saw that Xanthia was indeed sleeping.

Oberon tiptoed up to her bed, and standing on his toes, looked up at his
aunt.  Then, rather loudly, he asked, "An Xan, UP?"

Her eyes fluttered open and as soon as he saw that, his jubilant cries of
"An Xan" echoed through the medical center.

Merissa, though chagrined by his outburst, suddenly realized that he'd just
added another word to his vocabulary -- "Did he say, *up*?"  She smiled at
Th'rin.

However, Th'rin was busy trying to shush his over-exuberant son, and care
for his startled patient.

Xanthia's face lit up once she realized who it was in the room with her.
Merissa watched as her son suddenly grew very still, and she watched as
Xanthia and Oberon just seemed to stare deeply into each other's eyes.

Th'rin and Merissa's eyes met and questioning glances were exchanged.

Merissa turned back to Xanthia, "How are you feeling, Xanthia?"

The girl seemed lost in thought, and seemed to take longer than usual to
realize that Merissa had asked her a question.

"Fine, fine..." she muttered.

"I'm so glad.... Come, Oberon, remember we promised Da that we wouldn't stay
too long and tire out his patient..."  Merissa came forward and took
Oberon's hand.  "We'll come back and visit tomorrow."

Oberon set to wailing as Merissa and Th'rin pulled him from the room.

"Tomorrow, sweetie!  I promise!  You'll see Aunt Xanthia tomorrow!"  Merissa
repeated over and over as she carried the still crying child from the
Medical Center. "It's almost lunch time, Bear, why don't we go over to eat?
What would you like for lunch?"  Merissa said in an attempt to distract the
boy.

***
They had a rather uneventful meal.  Merissa made Oberon's favorite lunch --
some grapes, a few crackers, and small cubes of boiled meat.  She tried to
hurry him along, as she'd wanted to see N'lin and Raine off before they went
"under-cover," but Chrysthal informed her that they had already left with
Kanler and Katla.

<Chrysthal, love, would you be so kind as to tell me when Sariss and 'Tinka
return?>  She tried to be extra cautious on making demands of Chrysthal,
when she knew that the queen was getting ready to lay her eggs.

After dropping Oberon off at Racine's again, Merissa decided that she'd been
so busy on warren matters that she'd better make some time for her dragon.
The sands were rather warm, as Merissa walked across them to where Chrysthal
lay.  She could see where the eggs had already made her belly bulge.

<I bet that is itchy work -- how would a good oiling sound?>  Merissa asked,
thinking how the sand and the expanding belly must certainly itch.

Merissa felt rather than heard how much Chrysthal would appreciate that.  It
was rather labor-intensive, oiling a pregnant dragon.  Merissa couldn't even
reach over her side, but Chrysthal enjoyed the rubbing and rolled over to
allow her to get to the most hard to reach areas, even though rolling over
was not an easy task for a pregnant dragon.

Merissa had found herself covered in more oil than she thought possible, and
had just started to shower, when Chrysthal informed her that Katla and
Kanler had returned.  She washed off, dressed quickly in a fresh blouse and
hip-hugging skirt, and rushed over to see them.

<SNIP From Barb's post>
>>
"I just heard you were back," she said, a little breathless from hurrying to
get to them. "How did it go?"

"Well Telven was there to meet us and he's agreed to the plan," Katla told
the girl. "So now we just have to wait until we hear something."

"It's not easy is it?" Merissa frowned as her eyes met those of the other
woman's. She could see the worry and concern she was feeling echoed in eyes
that stared back at her.

"No...It's not," Katla sighed and looked away.

"Raine's a special woman," (Kanler) said startling them both. "A woman such
as the
two of you. She felt she had to do this to gain back who she is... We had to
allow her to do this if she thinks she can.. or has to... But know that I
don't like it any better then the two of you."

They spoke of it a while longer then Merissa excused herself to see to other
duties. << <End Snip>

She knew she'd left a stack of papers on her desk since that morning -- but
as she headed back to her office she couldn't help but worry about her
friend Raine.  How could she have allowed the girl to put herself back in
peril?  She should have stood firm!  But at least with N'lin there to look
out for her....  But who was looking out for N'lin?

And as she thought that, she noticed Jael sauntering across the green.
"Jael?"  She called and he stopped and greeted the junior queenrider.

"Jael, are you ... busy?"  she asked.  And with his negative response she
continued, "I know you and N'lin were partners -- and perhaps friends?
Yes? -- I was wondering if you could have Ophar keep an open link with
'Foil in Marketa -- and tell me, or Trinale, or Derry, or Katla if N'lin
needs some assistance... immediately!?"

"And what should I do while I'm in Marketa?"  Jael asked, but Merissa could
see that he already had a few ideas by the smirk that suddenly came to his
face.

"Enjoy yourself... but keep alert.  And remember that the Cult of the
Blindfolded Lady is -- active in Marketa."  Merissa warned.

****
>> <SNIP from Kris' post>
<< Evening - Day 14 >>
After releasing Moira from the med center Th'rin headed home. He was glad to
see Merissa and Oberon playing in the living room. Well Oberon was playing
while Merissa was chasing him around.

"Rough day," He chuckled at Merissa's harried look.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," she sighed.

"Da!" Oberon shrieked and ran to Th'rin throwing his arms around the mans
legs.

"Well, I'm glad to see he's in a better mood."

Merissa nodded, "Yes, but I'm not so sure we're going to be able to get him
to go to sleep tonight."

"Hmmm," Th'rin murmured, "You know there a nice herbal concoction that would
knock him right out .."

"Th'rin!" Merissa said in a shocked voice, "You aren't suggesting that we
drug our child!"

"Of course not. But I bet he would like a nice sweet warmed up cup of milk."

She chuckled, "I'm not so sure about that."

"Well if all else fails, he's got to fall into a exhausted sleep
eventually."

"Eventually .." she said raising a eyebrow at him.
<< <END SNIP>

The warm milk really did seem to work, much to Merissa's amazement.  She lay
with him and sang as he snuggled into the softness of her body -- and once
he was asleep, Th'rin lifted the boy and carried him to his own small bed.

Merissa had started to doze when Th'rin returned, but when he slipped into
bed with her, she couldn't help but voice her concerns.

"Th'rin?  Love? I'm worried about Xanthia... do you think her leg will
heal?"

Th'rin explained about the brace and crutches and how he wanted her to try
them out -- and Merissa listened, but her mind moved on to other worries.

"Did you notice today, when Oberon saw Xanthia?  He said a sentence... you
know I'm worried that he doesn't talk that well yet..."

Th'rin agreed and voiced his concerns as well, and he pointed out that the
boy had had a traumatic birth, and just perhaps that area of the brain had
been damaged.... he sounded so medical and scientific, and Merissa derived
no comfort from that at all.

So she moved on to her next concern, "Trinale's mother... are you going to
send her to Tinobel?  They might have a mind-healer there... do you think
they might be able to help?"

Th'rin wondered about that, but said that he was doing the best he could for
her...

"And Raine, do you think she'll be okay?  I mean I know that N'lin is there
looking out for her, but... those men, what they did!  I am so worried about
her!"

Thr'in had no answers for that one, except to take Merissa into his arms and
kiss her, until she forgot about her worries in the comfort of Th'rin's
embrace.

****
Day 15.

Merissa hadn't gotten as much sleep as she would have liked and still felt
tired when Oberon's activities aroused her.

Yet she still managed to crawl out of her bed, get herself showered and
dressed.  Th'rin was already in the kitchen supervising Oberon's breakfast.
He smiled and handed Merissa a cup of coffee as she came into the room.

"Anything important today?"  Merissa asked.

Th'rin frowned thinking through his plans for the day.  "Mostly I'm
concerned about that survivor from the caravan attack and Xanthia and her
crutches -- and though I discharged them, I'm still a bit worried about
Moira and her spells and Lisha..."   His sigh was audible.

Merissa nodded sympathetically.  One thing she had always been was a good
listener, and it sounded as if Th'rin needed to talk.

But their conversation didn't get very far, as Oberon's cereal went flying
across the room, splattering everything in it's path -- including Merissa.
Her screeches elicited chortles of laughter from the boy, and even Th'rin
couldn't help but smile at seeing the grains running out of her once freshly
washed hair.

"Guess I'll be taking Oberon to Racine's this morning?"  Th'rin tried to be
sympathetic as the two parents cleaned up their kitchen and their son.

"Okay, but I promise, I'll take him tomorrow!  Let me go shower again,"  and
putting on the mother-is-mad face she frowned at Oberon, "Now Mommy has to
shower again, Bear!"

****
(Late Morning)

Merissa walked from her office to Racine's to get Oberon, as promised.  The
little boy had not forgotten that she'd said he could go see his aunt again
today, and had been rather insistent about it.  It was rather odd, though,
that his outbursts had coincided with the time that Chrysthal had informed
her that Xanthia was awake.

The boy practically knocked her down when he caught sight of her.  It felt
like deja-vu, as they took the same path across the green to the Medical
Center -- with Oberon's incessant chanting.

This time, however, Th'rin was not at the front desk.  Merissa quickly lead
Oberon through the halls, hushing him and reminding him to use his "indoor
voice".

When they got to Xanthia's room, Merissa was startled to see a man hovering
right outside the door.  She checked her urge to call for assistance when
she caught sight of the young man's face.  He looked torn between a desire
to open the door, and fear.  But the concern that was in his eyes was
evident.

"Tarv'renon, are you coming or going?"  Merissa asked trying to decrease his
anxiety at being discovered hovering there.

"I wasn't sure if Xanthia... was awake."  he finished lamely.

At the mention of Xanthia, Oberon forgot about his indoor voice, and
bellowed, "An XAN! An Xan!"

"Shhhh!  Bear!!!  We'll go see Aunt Xanthia, honey!"  Merissa said, putting
her finger to the boy's lips as a reminder.

Tarv grinned, "Well, him I know she'll be glad to see." and he opened the
door admitting the small boy into his aunt's room.

Merissa and Tarv'renon hung back in the doorway and watched the odd
interaction between the aunt and nephew.  Few words were exchanged, yet they
seemed to totally understand each other.

"That's pretty amazing... look how quiet he is when he's around Xanthia,"
Merissa murmured.  Her doubt and confusion coming to the fore -- was there
something wrong with her little boy?  He hardly ever spoke!

"They're good for each other, don't you think?"  Tarv asked.

Merissa glanced at Tarv with new eyes.  She had never really gotten to know
him -- mostly because of her opinion being clouded by his previous attack on
Xanthia.  Perhaps his motives had been good, even if his actions had been...
problematic.  Th'rin continued to insist that Tarv wasn't all that bad...
and now she saw, that perhaps he wasn't.  He truly seemed to enjoy watching
the petite red-headed healer playing with the toddler.

(NRPG:  Tag Morgie?)
****
Evening

Merissa was still holding dinner for Th'rin who seemed rather later than
usual, when the trumpeting call of a mating flight broke the silence of the
warren.

<Who??>  Merissa wondered.

Chrysthal responded with a one word answer, <Hyacinth.>

Hyacinth?  Lisha's dragon!  Merissa recalled how Th'rin had been concerned
about Lisha -- and Merissa had heard that only that morning Lisha had been
in to see Derry about a new patrol partner.  With Shawnee leaving, and all
the recent deaths from the bombings, etc., the warren was short of suitable
dragons.  Merissa couldn't help but worry if there were another attack from
the cult, or even if there were a wraith attack -- the warren seemed sadly
understaffed.

Chrysthal's eggs would help to repopulate the warren, but those dragons
would be in training first.  They needed some more experienced riders.  She
made a mental note to herself to talk with Trinale in the morning about
requesting additional riders from other warrens -- provided they wished to
transfer.  Yes, she would talk to Trinale, right after she dropped Oberon
off at Racine's.

****
NRPG:  I still need to do Day 16, but I think I'll hold off until we get
some other posts covering Day 15 (Wendon?  Jill?  Mike?)

Respectfully submitted by:
Arlene Jacobs
AKA Merissa rider of Chrysthal of Whiteriver Warren.