Merissa felt warm and safe; sleeping more peacefully than she had in a long
time -- until...

>Oldreth nudged Merissa, who stirred and smiled up at him. Then followed his
>eyes to her mate. Her eyes widened and she grabbed the blanket's covering
>herself, "Th'rin!"
>
>Her voice broke him out of his trance and he began to shake, "How could you
>.." his voice was barely a whisper.
>
>"Th'rin ..I .." she mumbled.

What was she doing here?  Gods what had she been thinking?  She saw the
betrayal and hurt in Th'rin's eyes -- the eyes of her love and mate...

>"How could you!" he said louder. His hurt was turning to anger, "I loved
>you, Merissa! I loved you and you betrayed me!"

Merissa felt like a cornered rabbit and turned her eyes darted from Th'rin
to the rock steady barbarian beside her -- Oldreth, who had needed her --
back to Th'rin who had been so distant of late, so unlike the man she had
fallen in love with....

>"You can't betray something that isn't there." Oldreth said softly, "She
>wouldn't have come to me otherwise."
>
>Th'rin turned hardened eyes on the junior queenrider, "Shut up! What do you
>know!"
>
>Oldreth glared at Th'rin, "I know that she does not belong to you, healer."
>
>Th'rin shook his head. "You stay out of this. This is between me and
>Merissa! She's my mate! Not yours!"
>
>Merissa grabbed Oldreth, "I .. I have to go. Th'rin and I need to talk."
>
>To both of their surprise, Oldreth nodded, "Very well. I will be here if
>you need me." He pulled her close and Th'rin saw red as he kissed her
>passionately.
>
>Merissa pulled back, nervously looked up at Th'rin.
>
>Th'rin turned his angry eyes from her and stormed out of the junior
>queenrider's bedroom.

Merissa followed more slowly, glancing back at Oldreth, who stood there with
an expression of concern.  "It'll be okay," she smiled shakily at him and
turned and left, mounting Chrysthal and flying back to her own apartment.

<Aren't we beautiful today?>  Chrysthal sung doing an extra loop before
landing, <Do you see how all the other dragons envy me?>

Merissa being a bit distracted, didn't notice the tell-tale signals as she
landed and entered her apartment, only giving Chrysthal a perfunctory, <*Of
course you are beautiful, my heart, and what dragon wouldn't envy such a
magnificent queen as you?*>

>***
Th'rin was waiting for her.  She could see the pain in his eyes, though he
tried to hide it.

>She slid from her dragon and turned to look at him, "Th'rin .."
>
>"I just want to know where we stand, Merissa?"
>
>"What?"
>
>"Where do we stand?" He shook his head, "I would have never thought that
>you .. And with HIM! I just don't understand it."
>
>"Let me explain .."
>
>"Do you want me to move out? Is that it? Aren't you happy with me. What
>about Oberon .. I thought we were a family .."

"Please, Th'rin, just let me explain..."  Heat filled her, passion enveloped
her...  she suddenly became a vixen, her eyes shining with heat ... "Here,
Th'rin right here..." her hand came up and opened her blouse -- and then she
laughed, dancing away from him, running down the steps and out onto the
green -- as Chrysthal soared into the air screaming a challenge.

A multi-colored ribbon of male dragons rose in pursuit of the magnificent
lavender dragon who dove and screamed her challenge:

<Catch me?  No one can catch me!  YOU are not worthy of ME!>  She danced in
the air above the warren, ducking as a male came close, spinning away from
the claws of another...

And Merissa on the green danced out onto the green, laughing and singing a
baudy song as she teased and taunted the men that pursued her... leaving
Thr'in alone on the ledge to watch in dismay... Th'rin who was joined to the
female Areena, who could never win Chrysthal's mating flight....

A young man was there -- he was familiar, yet... Merissa laughed and danced
away, but he pursued with intensity.

A young camouflage dragon came up suddenly from below -- he had blended in
with the trees so well Chrysthal had not seen him, and had not been able to
avoid him.  Trefoil grappled with the queen...

<YOU are clever!  YOU are worthy!>  She screamed in defiance and then in
acquiescence as they joined and plummeted toward the ground.

Merissa was caught up in the arms of the dark-haired young man, he grinned
in triumph and carried the petite queen rider to ... her own apartment ...
past the gaping Th'rin who watched as they swept past -- swept up in their
dragon lust -- straight to the bedroom which Th'rin and Merissa had
shared...

*****
NRPG:  Hehehehe  -- just thought I'd add a little twist [g] - Have fun
Bridget -- and what with Th'rin think *now* Kris??

{{hugs}}
-Arlene
aka Merissa rider of junior queen Chrysthal of White River Warren.