**Morning, Day 10**

Xanthia rubbed her throbbing temples as she sat up in the bed. This
was going to be one of those mornings that she'd have to use every
ounce of willpower in her tiny body just to get up and get dressed.
She actually gave a the idea of rolling back over and sleeping at
least until her shift started when Maxima mentally nudged her, <But
you have to get up... you have things to do.>

"No..." she groaned out loud as she recalled the conversation with
Moira from the night prior. She knew the taller woman was correct, she
would have to sit and talk with Oldreth about her feelings. But that
prospect terrified her to no end, never comfortable talking about
feelings as it was.

But if Xanthia had difficulty figuring out most people, the great
nomad was a complete enigma to the petite red-head. Indeed, the man
was unlike anyone she'd ever met, and his actions were far from
predictable. This made the prospect of talking to Oldreth about her
feelings even more formidable.

<You'd best hurry if you want breakfast.>

"No..." Xanthia groaned again, her stomach churning in concert with
the throbbing in her head. Food was the very last thing she wanted to
think about, aside from the thought of talking to Oldreth.

<But you need to eat! Eat something, will you.>

<Oh, all right, I'll go to the dining hall and get *something*.>
Xanthia grumpily conceded.

***

Xanthia wandered out of the dining hall, munching on the muffin she
procured from the kitchen as she walked across to the queenrider's
apartments. The cooks had already started the preparations for lunch,
but one of them kindly offered her some of the leftovers from
breakfast. Indeed, Maxima was correct, most of the warren was done
with breakfast and were busy at their jobs or, for those with later
shifts, enjoying their free time.

On her way she poked her head in Racine's apartment, knowing that
would be where Oberon was since she was late in rising that morning.
"I'll be back in a few minutes to watch Oberon. Sorry, overslept, have
to talk to Oldreth," she bade the older woman.

"Take your time dear, it's not a problem," Rancine replied.

"Thanks!" Xanthia said as she withdrew her head and dashed up the
stairs, knowing she had to have this discussion now, before she lost
her nerve. Yes, today she would tell him how much she truly loved him

She burst through the door without knocking, just hollering as
cheerily as possible, "Oldreth!!!! Oldreth! I need to talk to you!!!"

Her brow furrowed as she got the sense that something was not right.
He would be here this time of day, or at least Wintermoon would...

"Oldreth???" Her lip began to quiver and tears began to well as the
throbbing in her temples increased. Something was not right, but
Xanthia couldn't put her finger on it.

<Wintermoon???> Xanthia whimpered. But Wintermoon was not responding
either. Then she noticed, the room was too clean...<Maxi... where's
Wintermoon???>

<Wintermoon is not in the warren...> Maxima responded.

In fact, she though, it looked almost uninhabited. Uninhabitted...
"Oldreth???" A mere squeek as the truth of the matter took hold in the
petite healers mind. Tears flowed freely as she rushed to the bureau
and started rifling through drawers, her hands trembling.

"EMPTY!!! All his things are gone!!!!" Xanthia raled as the final
piece of the puzzle clicked into place. "No... no... no... NO!!!!" She
pulled out the last drawer and flung it across the room, then hurried
to the bed and kneeling down, peered beneath it, looking for any sign
of the large nomad's belongings. 

"All his things are gone..." Xanthia whimpered, "All gone... he's
gone... GONE!" she raged flinging a lantern across the room,
shattering the globe into a thousand pieces.

"DAMN HIM!!!!" she screamed as she took out her knife and began
stabbing the stuffing out of the giant bed. "I hate you! Hate you!
Hate you!"

Xanthia continued for several minutes, but no matter how much of the
room she destroyed the abandonment still piercced her heart like a
knife. She just wanted the hurting to stop... just stop...

She sat down on the now feather covered floor, and lifting her skirt
drew a thin line across her thigh with her knife, a near forgotten and
strictly forbidden ritual from her childhood, an attempt to exchange
the emotional pain for the physical.

"Xanthia what are you doing?!?"

Xanthia's crystal blue eyes blazed like a cornered animal as she
looked up from her handiwork startled and ashamed at being caught in
act, and by Th'rin of all people. "No!!!!" she raged, throwing the
blade across the room!

"Maxima told Areena you need me," Th'rin began.

"I HATE HIM!!!" she screeched in response before her friend could
finish, lifting up the nightstand with adrenaline enforced strength
and flinging it across the room as well. She grabbed one of boards
that broke loose from the drawer she destroyed earlier and set to
smashing everything else in the room, blinded to anything but her rage
at the absent male queenrider, deaf to any input from any source.

She was not sure how long she had carried on when a familiar yet
soothing sound penetrated her mind. 

<Xanthia you are scaring my rider and her mate> The sound gelled
finally into words, the voice had a bell-like and very calming quality
to it.

<Chrysthal?> Xanthia querried, pausing mid swing, her hands bruised,
having sometime since abandonned the splintered board in favor of
bare-handed destruction.

<Yes, you are scaring Merissa, my rider, and her mate. You need to
calm down.>

Xanthia turned to face the frightened couple, her blue eyes looking
piercingly into Merissa, as she wondered when and why the dark-haired
queenrider had arrived here. She sniffed and wiped her nose on her
sleeve as she asked with a childlike squeek, "Why?"

******

NRPG: Tag Arlene and Kris, (and anyone else who wants to be there!)
Have fun with this.


                \=/,         _-===-_-===-_-===-_-=======-_-===-_
                |  @___oo   (    Submitted by:                  )
      /\  /\   / (___,,,}_--=    Jacqueline "Morgan" Allgood    )
     ) /^\) ^\/ _)        =__    morgie@iquest.net               )
     )   /^\/   _)          (_                                   )
     )   _ /  / _)            (   The heart and soul of:          )
 /\  )/\/ ||  | )_)            (_  Xanthia/Maxima of Whiteriver   )
<  >      |(,,) )__)             ( Kattibrie/Calishandra of Telnor )
 ||      /    \)___)\             (_                              )
 | \____(      )___) )___           -==-_____-====-_____-===-___==
  \______(_______;;; __;;;

Morgan's World http://members.xoom.com/Morgie/

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