Day 2, evening
In the Forge, then elsewhere

The sun hung near the horizon, a glittering ruby of light nestled in the 
navel of Mother Earth herself. The whites and muted greys of the stone 
facades throughout the marketplace were as flushed with color as a young 
girl's cheek, warm oranges and vibrant reds prettying the 
otherwise-functional structures in a way no artisan could have possibly 
produced. Overhead, a patrolling pair of dragons sparkled as the muted 
colors danced over their scales, all against a backdrop of wispy 
salmon-colored clouds that looked like cotton candy one could just reach up 
and pluck from the sky and eat like a greedy child.

Whiteriver's bazaar, normally a bastion of noise and cheer, had quieted 
significantly as the Warren's population busily engaged themselves in 
preparing for the night's festivities. Two nights in a row, there was a 
celebration - the first had been to cheer and honor the hatching of 
Chrysthal's eggs and the Joinings that had taken place that day... and now 
this one, to celebrate the wedding of the new Lord and Lady of the Dragon's 
Hope estate - that which used to belong to Lord Calarais.

Everyone was taking care of last-minute needs and getting ready for this 
momentous occasion.

Everyone that is... except for Tinker.

The heat of the day had broken, but the chill of night had not yet taken 
hold, not that trifles like temperature mattered to him. Still in the 
Forge, he'd long since forsaken wearing a shirt; between the sweat and the 
work, the one he'd been wearing had stopped being clothing and transformed 
into a dirty, stained and wet rag. His skin was faring little better, his 
lightly tanned skin caked with grime and soot streaked in places where 
sweat had tried in vain to wash it off.

"Well, that's the worst of it done," he sighed wearily to no one in 
particular. Smithies weren't known for being the cleanest places, but 
Tinker believed that keeping them as tidy as possible made it easier to 
work in them - a not altogether untrue notion. "I think we can fire it up 
tomorrow."

[* Wonderful! *] Narshada exclaimed, her enthusiasm making her bone-weary 
rider wince and whirl about to glare at her through narrow eyes. Scattered 
around her were the assorted cracked bones that were all that remained of 
the 'snack' she'd eaten - a side of beef. [* It's almost dinnertime, my 
rider, *] she 'casted coquettishly as she broke another one open and snaked 
out her tongue to extract the tasty marrow within.

He just shook his head in dismay. "Is that all you do is eat? I swear."

[* I can't help it, *] she offered in her defense. [* I'm always hungry. *]

As Tinker walked over in her direction, she rose from the picked-clean 
remains of her mid-day snack to meet him... which made him stop dead in his 
tracks to stare at her.

Narshada reeled a bit from the swirl of thoughts she sensed from him, and 
craned her neck in his direction. * What is it, my rider? *]

Disbelief was writ large on his face, his eyes wide and jaw gaping as he 
slowly closed the distance between them. "You... you're bigger than you 
were earlier."

[* I am? *] Looking around quickly, the dragon decided she had enough room 
and let herself stretch out fully, unfurling great graphite-colored wings 
and giving them a tentative flap or two to test the muscles that made them 
work. [* I don't feel bigger. *]

"Well, you are," he declared as he stood by her side. It wasn't much of a 
difference, no more than an inch or possibly two, but Narshada was indeed 
larger than she'd been the morning they'd been Joined. Then, her neck had 
been about level with his armpit, and he'd supported himself on her... but 
now that spot on her neck was even with his shoulder. "I knew you'd be 
growing fast, but this... this is just weird."

[* Whatever you say, my rider, *] Nar tossed back light-heartedly as she 
twisted her head around to look at him. [* Isn't it just as likely that 
you've shrunk? You sweated a lot today, you know. *]

Tinker reached up and wrapped his hands around her muzzle, wrestling her 
head this way and that playfully. "You get the weirdest ideas sometimes. 
Anyhow, I thought you were hungry?"

Quick as a flash, Nar broke his hold on her and opened her mouth, flashing 
long white teeth for a moment before capturing one of his slow-to-move 
hands in a strong, but painless, grip. [* I am, *] she replied insistently 
as she pulled him toward the bridge leading back to the Warren's housing 
and feeding areas. [* So let's go find some food quick, or I'll be forced... *]

"...to bite the hand that feeds you," he groaned, yanking his hand free of 
her mouth. "Alright, alright, you win."

[* Dragons always win, *] she snapped back instantly.

The walk to the bridge across the river was quiet, the sound of the 
not-so-distant falls drowning out the lesser sounds of evening, and for a 
moment Tinker stopped in the middle of the bridge and watched the water as 
it changed colors from the sunset's kiss. It was a pleasant sight, and part 
of Tinker's mind wandered to the young teacher and the talk they'd had by 
the riverbank the night before.

[* Eww, *] Narshada complained.

Turning his head toward his dragon, Tinker asked "What?"

Her answer came in the form of movement, her hindquarters shifting toward 
him as her tail snaked between his legs and lifted strongly, sending him 
flying over the railing with arms and legs desperately flailing about 
looking for purchase. A plume of water rose to occupy the space he'd been 
hovering in for a moment or two beforehand, clearing out of the way just as 
Nar looked over the railing to his splashing form down below.

[* You stink, my rider. Chrysthal reminded me that you've a party to go to 
this night, and I'll be damned if *my* rider shows up smelling like the 
south end of a northbound horse. *]

"Help!" Tinker thrashed in the river, churning up as much froth as the 
falls themselves as he struggled. "Can't... swim!"

Narshada cast a glance skyward as she shout-'casted, [* So stand up! It's 
not that deep here. *]

The splashing down below stopped as Tinker let himself sink down into the 
water, feeling his feet find purchase just as the water lapped tentatively 
at his chin. "You are SO dead," he muttered as he slogged slowly toward the 
far bank.

As she walked along the bridge, pacing Tinker's slow progress, Narshada's 
tone was defiant. [* Wash while you're in there. Get the worst of the dirt 
and stink off, and we can do the rest back in the barracks. There isn't 
much time. *]

"I don't want to go."

For a dragon, Narshada was unbelievably patient when it came to human 
whims, but she still sounded just as condescending  as the oldest elder 
dragon as she explained, [* You have to go. Lord Fowler will be there, and 
you need to talk to him to get the anthracite coal you want for the Forge. 
Or have you forgotten your pledge to Prince Reolden? *]

All protests from Tinker ceased as he remembered his promise to the Crown 
Prince to 'get to know the Warrenfolk'. He realized he had no choice but to 
go to the party - but, he resolved, he'd be there just long enough to get 
what he needed, be seen making social niceties, and then he'd be gone.

And below the water's surface, Tinker scrubbed at himself as he walked 
through the chill current.

She was waiting for him when he clambered out of the water, the end of her 
tail tapping on the ground impatiently. "You... you IDIOT!" he bellowed as 
he charged her, slamming into her with a strength that took her by surprise 
given the size difference between them. Both of them were tumbled to the 
ground, rolling with the impact.

"I can't swim!" Tinker yelled, his hand lashing out to cuff her snout and 
toss her head to one side, both of them wincing slightly from the pain. 
"You could've killed me!"

[* But... but I knew it was safe there, *] she protested. [* The children 
swim and play near the bridge because it crosses where the water is 
shallow. I was watching them earlier while you were working. I would never 
do anything to hurt you, my rider. It would be like hurting myself. We are 
one, after all. *]

Just as quickly as the anger had flared up in him, it fled, drained out of 
him as the truth of her words struck home. He disentangled himself from her 
and leapt to his feet, asking as she rose, "Are you alright?"

[* I am fine, my rider, *] she said, twitching her lip where he'd struck 
her. [* You're stronger than you look. That actually stung. *]

The incongruity of what she'd just said struck him between the eyes, and he 
stared at her for a moment before bursting out laughing. "So... so are 
you," he managed with the breath he finally caught. "Just warn me next 
time, OK?"

[* But that would ruin the surprise, *] she replied, tilting her head 
slightly to one side. [* You should have seen your face just before you hit 
the water. Hey, what's that? *]

He looked down to where she was looking, seeing the leg of his pants 
pulsing and writing down around his ankles. Lifting his foot from the 
ground, he shook his leg and out plopped a rather large trout to land on 
the grass, flopping and twitching this way and that.

[* Oh, how wonderful! *] Nar exclaimed as she leaned down and quickly 
snapped up the silvery fish with a quick bite. [* You brought me a snack. *]

"Let's go already," Tinker sighed. "I just hope I have something to wear."

_____________________
NRPG: More on the way...
_____________________
Respectfully submitted,

Brian Cook as Tinker/Narshada


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