NRPG:  Dana was going to send this but it would have had to be divided into
three parts, due to her email constraints.  This is a joint post between
Arlene, Dana, and Katrina.

[Day 41 - evening]

At seven o'clock sharp, Lia was ready for Analise's dinner.  Since it was a
special occasion, she had dressed with extra care.  Although she was still
shaken up by the events of earlier in the day, she had done her best to pull
herself together for Merissa's sake, not wanting to spoil the evening for
her.

Analise had been angry when Lia told her about the incident with the
soldiers.  "What is this place coming to?  It's bad enough to have all these
unrestrained dragonriders around without having to deal with degenerate
soldiers as well," Analise had complained.

"The dragonriders have been very considerate of me," Lia countered.
"Anyway, I don't want to dwell on it.  This is too important an event for
your daughter for us not to be in a good mood."

"You're right, child."  Analise had smiled broadly at Lia before heading to
the kitchen to check on the food, while Lia had gone to her room to get
herself ready for the party.

Analise entered the kitchen, humming to herself.  She was going to enjoy
this evening.  Everything was ready, now if only the guests would arrive.
At that moment the sound of dragon wings could be heard outside, and only
moments later there was a sharp tapping at the door.  Analise and Lia
converged at the entrance, eager to invite their guests inside.  Laughing,
Analise moved forward to open the door.  "Come in!"   She awkwardly embraced
her daughter and Eleanora as they entered.

Eleanora awkwardly returned the bard's embrace.  She smiled shyly and
carefully positioned herself as unobtrusively as possible.  She had hidden
in her paperwork much of the afternoon, trying to make sense of her unruly
feelings.  That Ben had won the flight only made a difference - she just
wasn't sure what, yet.  Still, she was embarrassed enough.

<Why should you be embarrassed?  It was a good flight.>

Eleanora shook her head in bemusement - there was no way to explain.
<It's...uh...it's a human thing, dear.>

Merissa wondered at Analise's surprising embrace but followed her mother
inside and into the living room.

Lia and Eleanora stood awkwardly near the door.  Lia blushed at the memory
of the afternoon's event, one she had been totally unprepared for.  In spite
of all her travels, she had been very sheltered, and the mating flight had
shocked her to her core.  Eyes on the ground, she cleared her throat.
"Would you like to go into the living room, too?  Analise will be serving
drinks."

Eleanora noticed Lia's blushing and felt her own cheeks burn.  There could
be little doubt what had embarrassed the young girl.  Forced by her deafness
not to duck her head, Eleanora stood miserably waiting to follow Merissa
into the other room.

They moved into the living room and sat awkwardly in silence until Analise
bustled in with a tray holding four glasses.  She passed the drinks around.

Merissa sipped the drink, noticing the way the bubbles tickled her nose.
The taste brought back memories, too.  Her mother had often served the
Dragonberry Fizzing Cordial to her guests when she was younger.  Merissa had
always been curious about the Fizz and had once snuck a sip during one of
those dinner parties.  She had never been able to forget that first taste of
a forbidden drink.  While she hadn't really gotten intoxicated, the daring
feeling of independence had remained with her.

Lia took a tentative sip of the sparkly beverage.  It seemed to be a blend
of flavors, nothing she could readily identify, that tasted heavenly.  She
took another, larger sip.  Then, remembering the outcome of her last
drinking experience, she slowed down - way down.

Eleanora gulped gratefully at the Fizz.  The tickling washed away a large
amount of her discomfort.

"So, Mother, now that we are all here...are you going to tell us what this
evening is all about?" Merissa asked.

Analise smiled.  "I got a letter yesterday from Cyrano.  He played your
song, Merissa."

"And...."  Merissa sat on the edge of her chair.  The other two young women
also perked up with interest.

"Not only did he like it, he thought it was Master Quality!  Merissa you
have just become a Master Bard!"  Analise exclaimed.

Eleanora clapped her hands together with glee.  "Oh, congratulations,
Merissa," she murmured.

"That's wonderful!"  Lia reached over to embrace Merissa.  "You are truly
deserving.  It's an outstanding piece of music."

Merissa felt light headed.  Before joining to Chrysthal this was the one
dream she had had - and now, when it shouldn't really matter - it had been
fulfilled.

Eleanora raised her glass impulsively.  "A toast to our new Master
Warrenlady!"

"Here, here!" Lia joined in.

Analise grinned and touched her glass to those of the women around her
before sipping.  "To my daughter.  I never thought I'd see the day."

"You must be so pleased, Merissa."  Eleanora swallowed her brief spurt of
envy with another glass of Fizz.

Merissa smiled graciously to those around her.  "Thanks!  And yes, I guess I
am, Eleanora!  And thank you, Mother and Lia...for this party to celebrate."

Analise nodded.  "Since there aren't other bards around, I thought these two
would understand more than anyone else."

"My father would have admired your song," Lia told Merissa in a quiet voice.
It was the greatest praise she could have given.

Seeing the glint of sadness in the other girl's eyes, Eleanora reached over
and quietly squeezed her arm.

Analise refilled the glasses and then vanished into the kitchen.

She never did handle displays of emotions well, Merissa thought, as she
watched Analise leave the room.

"Thank you."  Lia met Eleanora's eyes, her own reflecting her deep gratitude
for the other woman's understanding.

Analise soon reappeared with some stuffed mushrooms.

"My favorites!"  Merissa exclaimed.

"Mmmm, these are delicious," Eleanora exclaimed around a mouthful.

Lia bit into the succulent delicacy, relishing every morsel.

Analise refilled the glasses again and sat down to enjoy the party.  The
women soon were chatting amiably.  When there was an appropriate lull in the
conversation, Analise ushered them into the dining room for dinner.

Merissa exclaimed in amazement as she looked at how much effort her mother,
and obviously Lia, had gone through for the evening.  The table was
decorated with fresh flowers, and the crystal sparkled in the candle light.
The cloth napkins were folded and stood like fans.

Eleanora gasped softly with delight.  The dining room looked beautiful.
"Oh, Analise, it looks lovely," she whispered.

"Ah, it wasn't all my doing." Analise smiled warmly at the compliments.
"Lia really is the one deserving of your praise."

Eleanora smiled shyly at Lia.  "It looks great," she murmured.

Lia blushed at the compliments.  "It was nothing," she murmured.

Analise moved to the head of the table and invited her guests to sit.

Eleanora slipped quietly into her seat and sat watching Analise.

Lia unfolded her napkin and placed it on her lap, then waited for Analise to
begin the meal.

Analise proudly presented the courses.  Each item was greeted with oos and
ahhs of appreciation.

Merissa smiled as she saw how much trouble her mother had gone through to
make some of her favorite foods.  A humus spread or honey butter was
available for the delicious rolls.  Asparagus spears in a hollandaise sauce,
twice baked potatoes, and a roast made up the main course.  The salad was
seasoned just right, with a light raspberry vinaigrette.  "Mother, you have
outdone yourself!" she exclaimed.

Lia had eaten some sumptuous meals during her travels with her father, but
Analise's dishes rivaled the best.  And it was even more special sharing a
meal with women she was coming to think of as friends - the first real ones
she'd had in her life.  She wished she knew how to express her feelings to
them.

Eleanora helped herself generously to the each of the various dishes - even
those she didn't recognize.  She was surprised to find her embarrassment of
the afternoon fading in such pleasant company.

Compliments flowed as freely as the dinner wine.  The women murmured and ate
until eating became the entirety of the conversation.  Analise sought for a
safe topic and turned to the girls, "And what did you do today?"

Eleanora choked and reached hastily for her wine to wash down the food.  Her
face turned red, she could feel the heat of her blushing.  Glancing up at
Analise, she sought for words but couldn't give voice to them - and she
doubted Analise knew the signs she might make.

Merissa, who had begun to formulate an answer to her mother's question,
noticed the strained reaction of the young courier.  Though she attempted to
be sympathetic, when she caught Lia's eye, she couldn't help but burst into
a fit of giggling - so unbecoming to the Warrenlady - which made her laugh
even harder.

Eleanora blushed even harder at Merissa's giggles.  Between the laughter and
the wine she had drunk much too quickly, she found herself half-tempted to
just say, "Oh, I lost my virginity."  Thankfully, her mother's training was
stronger than a momentary whimsy.

Lia blushed a deeper shade than the wine in her glass, which she quickly
brought to her lips, looking down into it in a futile effort to block out
the room.  She suddenly wished she were far away, the memory of Eleanora's
behavior of that afternoon too discomfiting for her to contemplate - and yet
she couldn't seem to avoid it - while Merissa's laughter only made it worse.

Seeing Lia blush made Eleanora try to temper her answer.  Though why Lia
should be so embarrassed when it wasn't HER that....  Clearing her throat,
she whispered, "Well, there was a lot of paperwork...and Cara rose to mate."

Merissa saw the puzzled look on her mother's face and the embarrassed and
hurt expressions of the other two, and her laughter quickly faded.

"What was that last bit, dear?  I'm sorry I didn't catch that," Analise
asked.

Merissa snorted at her mother's choice of verbs.  "No, Mother, you couldn't
have caught Cara...."  and she dissolved into laughter again.

Biting down on a sudden unholy urge to laugh, Eleanora tried to respond
carefully.  "I said, Cara rose to mate."

Analise blinked, realizing who Cara was, and the implications, "Ah, I see.
I guess then you had a very...interesting day...."

Eleanora tittered, swallowed hard to smother it, but failed.  Helpless in
the face of Merissa's giggling - and lightheaded from the wine - she lost
the battle to remain serious.  "It was certainly educational," she managed
to gasp out between giggles.

"You certainly get a different kind of education here at the warren than I
ever could have imagined," Lia put in, not entirely seeing what had the
others so hysterical.

Eleanora paused for a moment to wipe her eyes.  It wasn't fair to keep
laughing when Lia didn't get the joke.  "Actually, no.  You'll learn this
outside the warren, too - just not with everyone else watching."  She
sighed.  That part really rankled - that everyone in the warren knew.

Merissa looked at Eleanora sympathetically, as she also dried her eyes.
"Oh, I am so sorry about that, Eleanora," she said when the girl looked up.
"But no one here is going to think any less of you after today.  What
happened, happens to us all....  I should tell you about that time when..."
and to ease the girls' self-conscious thoughts Merissa proceeded to tell
them about some of the strange things that dragonlust had made her do.

Analise's face flushed as she listened to her daughter, but Merissa hadn't
become a Master Bard for nothing, and before long even Analise was laughing.

The longer Merissa spoke, the wider Lia's eyes became.  "You didn't really
do that, Merissa.  It's just a story, isn't it?"

Merissa winked at Lia  "What do you think?"

Eleanora chuckled softly at Merissa's tales.  True, she HAD known this was
coming, but knowing she wasn't the only one to make a fool of herself
helped - a little.  "So, I should count my blessings?  It could have been
worse?"

"Well, you didn't go running naked through the warren...."  Merissa grinned.

Analise gasped, "You didn't!"

Merissa laughed, "No, Mother, *I* didn't but I know someone who did."

Eleanora raised an eyebrow at Analise's shock, but managed to bite down on
the laughter.  Analise might be as bad as Leo.

Lia's stomach suddenly turned over on a horrifying realization.  This could
eventually apply to her, too!  "You know," she gulped, "I'm not sure I'm all
that keen on joining anymore...."

Eleanora laid her hand on the young woman's arm.  "It has to happen someday,
Lia, whether you join or not."

"But in such a public fashion...."  She bit off the rest of her statement.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Eleanora.  I didn't mean...."  She reddened again.  She just
couldn't seem to handle any of this.

Eleanora flushed.  "True.  It wasn't what I would have chosen, but....," she
blushed brilliantly at her next words, "still...it was wonderful."

"Well, I guess I had a slight advantage," Merissa commented, her tongue
loosened by the wine, "I wasn't a virgin during my first mating flight."

Analise swiftly rose.  "Uh, I think perhaps we should move into the other
room?  Lia, could you help me with the coffee?"

Eleanora got to her feet unsteadily.  Coffee would definitely be a good
thing.  Regaining her balance she moved carefully into the living room.

While Lia placed cream and sugar on a tray in the kitchen, she pondered the
things that had been said.  Eleanora did rather have a point.  Lia didn't
plan to be alone her whole life - which meant that eventually....  And there
was a certain someone who made the idea seem less than unappealing.  She
smiled to herself.  Perhaps it wasn't such a difficulty after all.  It was
even possible she might reach that point before her first mating flight.
The thought warmed her - scandalous though it was.

In the living room, Merissa picked up one of the lutes by the fireplace and
absentmindedly strummed it.

When Analise and Lia returned with the coffee and cheesecake, Merissa turned
to her mother and asked her to play something.

"Oh, no dear.  It is your party.  You go ahead," Analise declined.

Merissa started with a pretty tune.  However, they all clamored for Merissa
to play her new song....

"Play the new song, Master Merissa!" Eleanora spoke up.

Merissa glanced up in surprise.  "No, not that again?  Aren't you sick to
death of that song?"  She laughed, but then sobered.  "You know that it
would never have happened if it weren't for the three of you here tonight.
Mother, if you hadn't recognized Lia's talents, my helping her learn to play
would never have happened, and Lia, if you hadn't tried out some new chords
with me, I never would have thought of that old song that I'd put aside, and
Eleanora, if you hadn't convinced me to write it all down, and hadn't taken
the time to write the notes as I called them out, it would never have been
written down...and Mother, again!, if you and Lia and Eleanora hadn't
secretly given it to Eleanora to take to Ralengarde...."

"ENOUGH!  Just play it!"  They all laughed.


     Music was her passion
     To play and sing all day.
     Peasants, Lords or Ladies
     Would come to hear her play.

     Singing at a party
     From the crowd came a voice,
     "Join us at Whiteriver
     But it must be your choice."

     You could join a dragon
     At the next hatching day.
     She didn't believe them
     But she went anyway.

     She thought she'd write a song
     About the dragon folk,
     Then a dragon claimed her...
     She thought it was a joke!

     Not only was she joined
     Her dragon was a queen.
     How beautiful she was,
     With her metallic sheen.

     Her voice sang in her mind
     Like crystal ringing clear.
     She spoke of dragon love.
     She would always be there.

     They would share all their life
     Joined together as one.
     Sharing all their sorrow
     Sharing even more fun.

     Flying was their music
     The rhythm was her wings.
     Dancing among the clouds
     With her dragon she sings. *


It wasn't as if she were really responsible in any way for that song, Lia
thought.  It was all Merissa's inspiration that was responsible.  It had
merely been a serendipitous occurrence that she had played those chords with
Merissa.

Eleanora watched Merissa carefully, reading the words off her lips.  She
knew the notes and the time signature and still she'd never know the beauty
of the song.  Swallowing hard, she took a quick drink of the coffee, looking
away until she regained control.  She wasn't about to ruin the party.

Analise for once found no criticism forming on her lips and just sat back
and enjoyed the intertwining of the notes with her daughter's lovely voice.
Well, one thought did come to mind - it was a shame that the lyrics were
about riding one of those dragons - however, the song almost made her wish
she knew how it felt.

The final chord faded into the stillness of the room.  It seemed as if
everyone had been holding their breaths and as one they exhaled.

Eleanora applauded softly when Merissa had finished.  With an effort she
smiled at Merissa. "It's a lovely song."

"Oh, that was just magnificent, Merissa," Lia breathed.  "I think that's the
most beautifully you've ever played it."  The words of the song brought home
to Lia just why she had been so anxious for the eggs to hatch.  She was
coming to believe more strongly every day that her own dragon was in one of
Chrysthal's eggs.  She reminded herself that nothing was certain but her
affinity, though.  She would just have to wait and see.

"Yes, dear, it is a wonderful song - and I'm sure that you sing it much
better than Cyrano possibly could have."  Analise chuckled at the thought of
that old man singing Merissa's Song.

Eleanora blinked in surprise.  She'd never heard Analise say anything
complimentary toward Merissa before.

"Cyrano may not have the strongest voice," Lia put in, "but he certainly
knows master bard quality when he comes across it."  She smiled at Merissa.
She was almost as proud as if it had been her own accomplishment.

"Can you just imagine the Songmaster a-dragonback?"  Eleanora giggled.

The women all chuckled at the thought of Cyrano singing about riding a
dragon.  The old Master Bard was a crusty man, and it was often amusing to
hear him sing some of the love ballads.

"Oh, can you imagine him singing this one?" Merissa asked as she launched
into a good imitation of the old bard singing a dirty little ditty.

Lia's eyes opened wide at the content of the song - at least the parts she
thought she understood.  Her cheeks colored again.  She so often seemed to
be embarrassed by things that happened at the warren.  But in spite of her
discomfort, she didn't want to return to her previous sheltered existence.
She still wanted her father back, but she wanted her freedom as badly.

Eleanora watched as Lia blushed once again.  Hadn't she said she'd
accompanied her father?  Had he never played in any taverns?  She was
clearly totally shielded if even that fairly mild old ditty made her blush
so red.

Analise chuckled.  Merissa certainly did a fair imitation of Cyrano.  Even
down to his mannerisms.

Merissa finished with a flourish - as Cyrano often did - and bowed low even
before anyone began to clap.

Lia clapped politely, giggling a bit nervously along with the others, but
she hoped Merissa was finished singing songs of that ilk.

Eleanora clasped her hands together with delight.  No matter that she
couldn't hear Merissa's voice - she could only dimly remember what the
guildmaster's sounded like, anyway - but she knew for a certainty the
quality of her impersonation.  "Oh, Merissa!  I could almost see him when
you do that!"

Eleanora glanced sideways at Lia.  Yes, definitely uncomfortable with the
song.  Frantically searching for a new topic of conversation, Eleanora sat
silent, cursing her awkwardness.

Merissa noticed Lia's discomfort and found it rather endearing.  "I'm sure
living at the warren has been an eye-opening experience for you, hasn't it
Lia?"

"Yes, rather," she admitted.  "There are so many things that go on here that
I've never been exposed to - that everyone else seems to take for granted."
She paused briefly.  "I feel lost a good bit of the time."

Eleanora leaned forward to rest her hand on Lia's arm.  "It will get better.
I felt horribly lost when I first arrived in Telnor.  Once you have a dragon
of your own, it won't seem so bad."

"Well, it is an experience that I'm sure your father would not approve of,"
Analise reminded Lia.   "The warren is no place for a young girl.  Merissa,
you should tell your dragonriders to be more...."

"Prudes?"  Merissa laughed.

Suddenly, Eleanora felt moved to argue - it was almost certainly the amount
of wine she'd had earlier - and she turned to face Analise more squarely.
"Oh no, ma'am, the warren is the way the warren needs to be.  The riders are
nothing like those soldiers."

Analise frowned at Eleanora.  The girl had surprised her by speaking up in
such a fashion.  "No, I can certainly see that, but still...the riders
needn't be so loose...."

As she trailed off Merissa turned to Lia.  "Lia, is that what is bothering
you?  The thought that you might become...loose...if you join a dragon?"
Merissa asked seriously.  "You know, you don't have to stand at the hatching
if you don't want to."

"But...but," Lia stammered, "I have to stand at the hatching.  I just know
she's in there waiting for me.  I know it must sound silly, but I believe
that."  She looked earnestly at Merissa.  "And, really, I'm looking forward
to joining.  From what everyone says, it is such an amazing thing to have
that kind of a partnership, for always...."  She trailed off, momentarily
lost in the memories.  "Never to be left totally alone again...."

Merissa nodded and absentmindedly strummed a few bars from her song.  "Yes,
you are never alone when you are joined to a dragon."

Without quite knowing why, Eleanora got up from the chair where she had been
sitting and sat down on the couch beside Lia to give her a hug.  There were
no words that would take away her pain, so she didn't try.

"Thank you, Eleanora.  You're a good friend."  Lia sighed.  "Maybe it would
be easier if I knew a bit more what to expect."  She glanced around at the
group of women and took a deep breath.  Fighting a blush, she asked, "Do you
think you could explain a few things to me.  Like, perhaps, what that little
song was all about?"

Analise smiled sweetly.  "Well, dear it really wasn't a very nice song," she
gave her daughter a scalding look before continuing, "but it had to do with
the activity between a man and a woman."

"Um, Lia?  You do know that much at least, don't you?"  Eleanora frowned
slightly.  Surely no bard's daughter could be quite that ignorant.

"Oh, Mother!"  Merissa burst out,  "You make it sound so...boring!"  She
turned to Lia.  "It was about sex, dear.  The man was caught looking at a
pretty girl, and he grew to desire her...and grew!"

"You mean he wanted to be with her...to kiss her...and things."  It was all
Lia could do not to cover her face in embarrassment.

Eleanora squeezed Lia's arm in sympathy.  This must be so difficult for her.

"It was the 'and things' that made him grow," Merissa pointed out.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Lia wondered.  "I know you can't mean he
got taller."

Merissa tried to stifle a giggle, but it escaped, despite her best efforts.
"Oh, no...not all of him got taller."

"Lia," Eleanora added, "only part of him got bigger - surely you know
about...er, how men are different from us?"

At that, a memory suddenly struck her, of a man's body pressed close to
hers, and the unfamiliar swelling she had felt against her belly.  "Oh," she
blurted, "I think I have an idea what you're talking about now."

Eleanora bit her lip hard to keep from giggling at Lia's response - and then
wondered just which rider had caught her fancy.

Analise swiftly gathered up the coffee cups, and then stopped herself from
leaving the room.  The girl obviously needed to know.  "Lia, men have
penises.  When they are excited by a woman, they get...larger...and when a
man and woman...."

"Mother!"  Merissa gasped in laughter, remembering when she had gotten this
same talk many years ago.

"Merissa, now don't you 'Mother' me!  Lia needs to know these
things...especially if she's going to join with one of those dragons.  We
don't want her having her first mating flight without knowing about sex, now
do we?"

"Um, actually, ma'am, I did at least know the theory," Eleanora blushed
furiously, "and I don't think Lia knows even that."

Analise looked at Eleanora, and putting two and two together she gasped,
"But your dragon flew today...and this was...her first?"

"Yes, ma'am.  Cara's first flight...and my first as well."  Eleanora thought
surely her cheeks would burst into flames, as hot as they felt.

"Then we are celebrating more than my song, tonight!"  Merissa grinned.
"Congratulations, Eleanora!  Welcome to the world of women."

"Thank you," Eleanora murmured softly, growing uncomfortable with being the
focus of attention - or rather with the attention focusing on just that one
thing....

Lia was still feeling left out of things.  "Can you please explain the rest
of it?  Now seems as good a time as any...."  She twisted her fingers
together nervously but was determined to press on.  There wasn't any point
in staying in the dark about things she was eventually going to be
enlightened about anyway.  Better to know ahead of time.

Analise opened her mouth to reply, but Merissa jumped in first.  "Mother,
the way you tell it the girl won't want to even touch a man."

Analise frowned and murmured, "Didn't work with you."

Eleanora stifled a giggle.  It would only make things worse.

Merissa, ignoring her mother's comments, continued, "Lia, when a man and
woman feel an attraction to each other, there are certain areas of their
bodies that respond more than others.  Have you ever felt anything when you
were around a man?"

Lia looked down at her hands, nodding ever so slightly.  Then she looked
back up at Merissa.  "Do you remember when we talked in your office?"

Merissa smiled encouragingly, "Yes...."

"I've had feelings about him, ones that are different than I've ever felt
around anyone else.  Kind of like when I drink wine."  She glanced sideways
at Analise, knowing she was on dangerous ground.

"Or like a fever?" Eleanora gently suggested.  She had little to add to the
conversation otherwise, her own thoughts on the matter too confused.

"Yes," Lia agreed, "it's like that, too, in a way.  And sometimes your
stomach feels tied up in knots.  But even though some of the feelings are
uncomfortable, most of them are good ones.  And you want to be with that
person, and you miss them when you're not."

Merissa just nodded.  "Those feelings are normal.  The attraction between a
man and a woman can be something...beautiful.  When you have those feelings
sometimes you want to kiss the man, right?"

"Yes," Lia softly agreed.  "That's a very nice feeling."

"And sometimes when you kiss you want to touch the man," Merissa waited for
the nod she knew was coming, "and when you touch, you feel differences
between a man's body and your own."

Lia remembered the hard, lean lines of him...the way he had felt pressed
against her...his taste and his scent and the sound of his voice.  She
suddenly wanted to be with him again, to learn more of him, to share more of
herself.  "Yes," she whispered breathily.

Eleanora felt the color begin to rise in her cheeks.  All this talk stirred
recent memory.  She didn't even have to close her eyes to feel his skin
beneath her fingers.  Her breath caught in remembrance and she wanted him
anew.  She smiled briefly - in anticipation - and then remembered where she
was.  Terribly embarrassed by the inappropriateness of her reactions here,
she sank back into the shadows, hoping no one would notice.

Merissa noted the girls' reactions.  "Good.  You know what I'm talking
about. Well, those passions lead to sex in many cases when both the man and
woman want it to...or when a dragon's mating flight preempts the natural
progression."

Analise was carefully studying her ward.  She could clearly see the confused
look on her face when Merissa so casually mentioned "sex."   "Merissa,
darling, I don't think that the girl quite understands what you mean,"
Analise critiqued.

Merissa looked over at Lia, "About?  Sex?  Well, that's when a man and woman
join together."

"Like with a dragon?"

"No," Merissa chuckled, "not at all like with a dragon...which is more
like...two souls merging.  Sex is physical.  When a man wants a woman he
gets...aroused."

"Oh for pity's sake!"  Eleanora forgot her embarrassment in the face of this
idiotic delicacy.  "Lia?  The hole where your monthly blood comes out?  He
fits in there with his..um..."

"His penis."  Merissa pointedly looked at her mother.

Analise smirked, "Boring, was I?  At least you knew the right terms for
things.  Lia, a woman has a vagina - that's the hole - do you know how
babies are made?  How they are born?  No?  During sex, a man's penis goes
into that hole, the vagina, releases his seed, and that joins to a woman's
egg in her womb.  The baby grows in the womb and comes out of the vagina.
That is sex, and that is why women should avoid it."

"Oh, Mother!"  Merissa smiled, suddenly feeling an understanding for the
woman who had been often cold, and often condemning, most of Merissa's life.
Analise had been very young when she had had Merissa - perhaps no one had
told her that sex led to the birth of babies.  "I think, though, that you
left out one of the most important things.  It feels good, Lia.  Men and
women have sex because there is nothing like the feelings - and it can be
incredible when a man and woman love one another.  But, Lia, at the warren
we have a medicine that comes in a small brown bottle.  You take it in the
morning and it keeps you from getting pregnant.  So you can have sex...and
enjoy all the good feelings of being with a man...without having a baby."

Lia barely heard what Merissa was saying.  She was looking down at her belly
in something akin to horror.  "I have an EGG inside of me?" she asked in
disbelief.

The women looked at Lia's perplexed expression - perhaps almost panicked
would be more like it.

"More or less, Lia."  Merissa smiled compassionately.

Eleanora leaned back where Lia couldn't see her roll her eyes at the
question.  Little wonder the girl was confused.  The terms weren't as
important as getting Lia to understand.

Analise shook her head.  "Lia, dear, the egg and the seed are very tiny."

"Ohh..."  There was a wealth of dawning understanding contained in that
single expression.  "You mean I have a special kind of egg...oh certainly
not like a dragon's - or even a chicken's!  It isn't an egg I lay, is it?  I
mean, the egg and seed, they become the baby, is that right?"

The women all nodded and smiled.  "Yes, now you have it," Merissa exclaimed.

Lia tentatively returned their smiles.  She knew she must seem woefully
ignorant to them.  It was almost enough to make her feel stupid - which she
knew without being vain that she wasn't.  Why in the world had her father
left her so painfully uninformed?  She decided to have another go at it.
"So, if I have sex with a man, and I don't use the medicine, I could have a
baby.  But if I do use it, I won't.  And sex feels good, so it isn't
something I need to be afraid of.  And most of the time it's private -
except for mating flights, which everyone at the warren understands, so I
don't really need to be embarrassed when my dragon's time comes.  Is that
pretty much it?"  She drew a deep breath at having gotten it all out.

Eleanora smiled and gave Lia a reassuring hug.  "That should cover it."

Analise felt as though this discussion had gotten entirely off track.  "You
know, Lia, there is no reason to be in a rush about this now.  You're still
very young.  Sex may feel good," she glanced reprovingly at her daughter,
"but it can still hurt you.  It's not easy to keep your emotions out of it,
and you may find that you're left with a broken heart."  She shook her head.
"Some men seem like they care about your feelings when all they really care
about is your body.  You should stay away from those Îlove Îem and leave
Îem' sorts."  She looked intently at her ward.  "The type that try to sweep
you off your feet, plying you with wine and sweet words - not because they
value you, but merely to get you into bed with them.  Look for a nice, quiet
young man - like Gerry, for instance.  He would be good for you."

Gerry?  Lia didn't know if he was right for her.  But was Har'son?  She had
already admitted to herself that he was dangerous.  Something inside her
just wanted to ignore the dangers, though...to see only the good.  And she
knew there was some.  She had glimpsed a vulnerability in him that had
touched her.  And he had returned her to her own bed - alone - after their
first picnic, when she realized now that he could have behaved far
differently due to the effects of the wine on her.  That didn't sound like
someone who didn't value her.

Merissa had told her that she had a good head on her shoulders.  Well, she
would just use it - decide for herself what was right for her.  Strengthened
by her resolve, she faced Analise squarely.  "I appreciate the care you're
showing me, ma'am, and your concern for my well-being.  But I believe I am
the best judge of what is good for me.  And maybe," she giggled, exchanging
amused glances with the other two women, "that just might be having sex with
the man I choose, when I choose it.  And who knows," she added airily, "I
just might wind up breaking HIS heart."

In a loud voice, Merissa burst into song.

     "There was a young lady named Lia,
     Who once had a splendid idea.
     She got her a man
     In the palm of her hand,
     Then in the end said, "I'll see ya." #

Lia and Eleanora laughed until the tears streamed down their faces, while
Analise frowned at their antics.  Young people just refused to learn from
their elders.

Eleanora glanced over at Analise's frowning face.  "Analise," she whispered,
"it doesn't always go wrong, after all."

Analise looked at Eleanora and then gave a sad smile.  "It isn't always that
simple."

"Affairs of the heart never are, Mother, are they?"  Merissa's voice
softened.

Analise smiled at Merissa. "You know, maybe an old woman can learn a thing
or two from you young ones."

"Like how to have fun?"  Merissa grinned.

Analise nodded, "Like how to have fun."  She suddenly surprised everyone by
breaking into a song of her own.

     How to teach an old dog a new trick?
     Maybe you beat her with a large "stick."
     Perhaps better
     Would be wetter
     That if her with your tongue you did lick! *

Eleanora choked with laughter, too shocked to do more than sag against the
wall and wave a scolding finger at Analise.

Merissa, who had just taken a sip of her coffee, sputtered.  Gasping, she
cried out, "Mother!  And you said mine was bad!"

Now that she had some understanding of the references, Lia could join in the
general hysteria.  She couldn't remember ever having laughed so hard or so
long.  Making a vain effort to catch her breath, she gasped out, "No more
songs, please.  It's too painful."

"What?" Merissa put on a faked, pained expression, "you want a bard not to
sing any more songs?"

Eleanora chuckled.  "Good luck!"

"If you do," Lia continued to giggle, "you'll have to take me to the med
center.  I just know I'll break something."

Ignoring Lia's dire warnings, Merissa sang out...

     There once was a man
     Who dreamt of a lass
     He couldn't see her face
     But only her ass.

     He searched far and wide
     For the girl of his dream
     Looking at the behinds
     Of all that he'd seen.

     He spied at the inn
     When he came to a town
     The girl of his heart
     As she bent to look down.

     He asked her to come
     And be his wife
     But when he saw her face
     He ran for his life. *

Eleanora collapsed into utter incoherence, hooting gleefully at Merissa.

Lia was sure she was going to die of suffocation from not being able to draw
a breath.

Joining in the laughter, Analise wiped the tears out of her eyes.  By
surprise a yawn overtook her, even as she giggled.  "I can't remember when
last I've laughed like this."

In natural response to Analise, Eleanora caught herself yawning.  "Now
you've done it," she accused, grinning.

"It is getting awfully late," Lia added reluctantly.

"Yes,"  Merissa agreed sadly, "and I have to meet with Reolden first thing
in the morning..."

Analise rose from her chair, stretching slightly.

Merissa smiled and rose as well, recognizing the signal that the party was
ending. "Thank you, Mother,...and Lia and Eleanora.  I couldn't have
imagined a better way to celebrate!"

Eleanora smiled and stood - a trifle unsteadily - to accompany Merissa.
"Thank you for having us, Analise.  I had a lovely time."

"It was certainly a party I'll never forget."  Lia grinned.  "Thank you all
so much for ... everything."

Analise escorted Merissa and Eleanora to the door, giving them each a hug,
which was surprisingly much less awkward than the one she'd given them in
greeting.  Then she turned and, putting her arm around Lia's slender
shoulders, she closed the door.  "We can clean up tomorrow."  She smiled.

****
Respectfully submitted and co-written by Arlene (AKA Merissa and Analise),
Dana (AKA Lia), and Katrina (AKA Eleanora)

* written by Arlene Jacobs
#  written by Dana Zuhlke