** If You Can't Count On Your Family **


Ben'sar and Eleanora exchanged a quick kiss and greeting before he turned to
the others at the table. "So who's 
you're new friend?"

Lia still didn't feel quite comfortable around Ben'sar after what had
happened when he mistook her for Eleanora, so she glanced quickly away.

Tonio stood up, noticing Lia's reaction to the other man's presence,
extending his hand forward and shaking Ben'sar's hand. "My name is Tonio, a
pleasure to meet you. Eleanora was instructing us in sign language, I trust
we weren't taking her away from anything important?"

"Not if I can steal her away now... if you're done?"

Eleanora turned to face her students. "If it's ok with you two?" They nodded
and she stood up. "So, sometime tomorrow we can continue. Just let me know
when." She turned and looped her arm through Ben'sar's and waved before
heading off.

"It's a good idea you know," Ben'sar started signing out in front of his
body as the two of them walked away from the others. 

"What is?" Ellie signed back and turned her head upwards to read his lips,
knowing he'd make sure they didn't run into anything as they walked along. 

"You teaching others your signs," he replied. "It makes a good deal of
sense. Because the more people who know them, then the easier it will be for
you. People will learn how to *talk* to you and after a time they'll become
so used to talking with their hands that they'll forget you have a hearing
problem. It'll be like mounting a dragon... Once you've done it often enough
you don't even think about it any  more... You just...do it."

"I never thought of it like that," she admitted, but he knew his crack about
her hearing being liken to mounting a dragon... may not have been the best
way of putting it. But it got his point across. 

"Not one of the high points on your list huh?" he grinned down at her and
marveled to himself at how lucky he was to have her there beside him smiling
back up at him with a smile he knew was meant for him alone.

"No. I've had other things to think about," she told him, with an impish
glint in her eyes.

"Such as?" he prompted with a silly grin that he couldn't help after seeing
*that* look come into her eyes.

"Like how we're going to have any time alone together with my mother living
in my apartment," she sighed. "Not that she would mind if we ah... wanted to
ah ... be alone mind you, but I can't just kick her out and there really
isn't any free apartments in the unjoined block where she can move into..."

<Abby has a free room,> Killeen told his rider. <The one she uses when your
own sires come to visit... Maybe if you ask her real nice she will let
Cara's riders mother live there so you two can... share good feelings.>

"You know," Ben stopped and looked down at a perplexed Ellie. "I don't know
why I didn't think of it myself... but Killie might just have come up with
the perfect plan for dealing with your mother."

" *Dealing* with my mother? I'm not sending her packing back home to father
just to get rid of her so we can sleep together. You can forget that idea
right now if that's what you thought!" Ellie glared at him half in jest.

"Heck no," he snorted. "I like your mother. She's pretty cool for a mother
type... I was thinking we could ask Abby if she could stay there with her...
Think about it. Abby had a big apartment with an extra room for when *our*
parents come to visit. I'm sure Abby won't mind and it's on the ground floor
so your mom won't have to wait on you to give her a ride up to it. It'd be
the perfect solution for all of us." He grinned wickedly.

Ellie's expression changed from a glare to a conspiratorial grin so fast
that Ben'sar's head would have started swimming if it hadn't already been
dazzled by the look of love she that had shown there when they first started
their walk.

"You know... it might be a good plan at that?" she agreed. "If Abby will
agree to it. One of us will have to ask her..." she looked at him pointedly.
"Then we'd have to get my mother to agree."

"I don't think we'd have a problem there with her," he chuckled. "I think
your mom likes me now that I've assured her I'm not some gigolo on the make
out for what I can get from her little girl."

Ellie looked affronted. Then her expression changed as she slid her body up
against him in a very suggestive manner that he couldn't help but respond
to. "You're not?"

"Oh lady love," he sighed deeply and wrapped his arms around her. "Don't you
worry that pretty little head of yours for one moment about what I want from
you... But sex isn't the only thing I love about you."

"Do tell," she teased, her eyes took on the half closed look of a woman who
had just recently been satisfied. 

"Your laugh," he said quickly.

"My laugh?" he nodded his head.

"And your mind... You're a pretty smart cookie you know. I have to work hard
sometimes to keep up with that wit of yours." He said, then smiled warmly
down at her, his dark eyes shining with the love he felt in his heart. "I
love all of you Lady... Just being with you like this... talking and
laughing... I love the person you show to the world and the one you show to
me when we're alone," he dropped a quick kiss on her lips that quickly got
out of hand.

Finally though he came to his senses... or she did and remembered they were
not home alone and anyone walking by could see them, and broke the kiss.

"I also love the way you don't let your brother or anyone else make you feel
like you are less then you are because of your handicap with your hearing...
It's made you a stronger person... some people would have given in and said
to hell with it... feel sorry for me... but not you... And don't think I
don't know how scared you get sometimes when facing something new... cause I
do... I'm learning to know you so much better now... And I really *admire*
the way you don't let your fear get to you. You grab on to it with both
hands and tackle it to the ground..... All in all if you look at it from my
point of view... I'm one damn lucky son of a ....."

"BEN'SAR!"

"... Dragonrider!" he finished with a grin. "And a smart one too cause you
see I just happened to fall _ head_ over _ heels_ in _love," and each word
was followed by a kiss. "With a woman strong enough to ride the skies with."

*That* was saying a lot for it was a catch phrase among the Dragonriders
given only to those who had proven their worth and who actions had earned
them a reputation for putting *Duty* before any personal fears.

IF you said you were willing to *ride the skies* with someone, it meant that
you would trust them with your life.

Her response was everything he could have wished for... Had they been home
alone and not out among prying eyes. Reluctantly he released her and took
her hand in his then started walking. They ended up down by the waterfall
and after talking a quick look around to make sure no one else was there, he
grinned down at her with a wickedly handsome grin and pulled her back into
his arms, and kissed her, unleashing the passion their earlier kisses had
raised.

He had just laid her down on the soft grass and was about to complete what
they had started, but before he could make his move the sound of someone
clearing their throat interrupted him, and he jumped back as guilty as a
young rider making out for the first time to find a woman he didn't know
staring down at the two of them, her arms akimbo, and the expression on her
face telling him what she was thinking of him at the moment. And it wasn't
nice thoughts.

It things had been different he might have laughed at Ellie's reaction, but
something told him it wasn't a good idea, so he helped her up and then stood
there while the woman totally ignored him and spoke to his Lady love.

"Sorry to bother you, dear," the woman said with a sneer and Ben'sar knew
she was lying. She wasn't sorry at all. She was more then likely thinking
she'd just saved Elly from a fate worse then death. "But Merissa has some
urgent business for us to attend to!" Analise spoke slowly, facing Eleanora
directly... ignoring Ben'sar completely.

"Now?" Ellie asked without thinking, then seemed to realize how rude she
might have sounded. "I mean... yes of course... How may we help you." She
replied, adding Ben'sar into that we, which he could see the woman didn't
care to much for.

"I need *you* to help me with a very important assignment my daughter has
given me and time is in the essence. We must hurry to get it all completed.
And I should warn you, it's a secret so you can't discuss it with *anyone*,"
she said and now she did turn her eyes to look pointedly at Ben'sar letting
him know he had been reduced to the role of *Anyone*. 

He just grinned back at her with one of those charming smiles his own mother
detested for they usually got him what he wanted, and then motioned back
towards Ellie.

Then with a sniff Analise turned back towards Ellie, once again ignoring him
and explained to Eleanora exactly what she had in mind for the decorations
and menu, and then headed off to find the musicians she'd need to perform
without even a last glare for Ben'sar.

"I don't think she likes me all that much," he chuckled after she was gone. 

Eleanora let out a giggle. "Don't worry... I still like you."

"Yes well I hope so," he said and tried to pull her back into his arms, but
this time she resisted slightly.

"As much as I would love to finish what we were doing before she showed
up..." she sighed, looking down where the grass still held the impression of
their bodies. "I'm going to have get started on the work she just gave me.
Care to help?"

"With decorations and picking out food menus?" he shook his head, his
handsome face taking on a look of mock horror. "Oh no... Not on your life...
I think I'll go talk to Abby about that other thing....."

 And so they parted, Ellie to help with plans for the wedding, and Ben'sar
to make sure they would be alone that night to finish what they had started
near the waterfall... and then home to pack up his belonging for the move
into the bigger apartment he would be sharing with his Lady Love.

........... 

Abby was already at work at the med center when he found her (thanks to
Killeen's inquiries) and was just finishing up her rounds when she found him
standing by the front desk talking to the duty nurse.

"Killie said you were looking for me?" she asked upon seeing him there.

"Ah... yes... I have a favor to ask of you," he told her then dropped his
arm around her shoulder and began to lead her back towards her office. 

Abby knew it must be a big favor if he didn't want to talk about it in front
of others, so she allowed herself to be led and then turned to him once they
were in her office and the door was closed behind them.

"Okay shoot... and if you're going to ask me to talk to Ellie for you...
forget it Bro... You're on your own there." She warned.
 
Benny laughed and waved her statement off. "Naa... Ellie and I are doing
just fine. We... had a long talk last night and things couldn't be better
between us. That's what I want to talk to you about though."

"Yes?" Abby leaned forward on the desk, her chin resting on her linked hand
as she looked back at him with a suspicious sparkle in her eyes.

"Don't worry Sis... I don't need you to give me the lecture on the birds and
bees... Ellie's taking her precautions and we both know this relationship is
to new to even think about having kids yet..."

"Well at lease you're showing some common sense. But...?" she wasn't beyond
teasing him. It was so easy and something she had always been good at.

"But... We'd like some time alone together to get to know each other
better... and I don't mean just in bed so wipe that grin off your face!" he
chuckled. "You see her mother is staying with her... and her brother Leo is
sleeping on my couch at the moment and ..."

"And with them both hanging around the two of you have no place to go where
you can... *get to know eachother* better?" she quipped.

"I can see I don't need to explain anything to you," he sighed.

"No... Though I can see that you do have a ... problem," she agreed. 

"Yup..... but Killeen came up with a solution... One that involves your help
and I wouldn't ask this of you if I wasn't..."

"Desperate?" she teased and saw her younger brothers face picken in a blush.

"Ah Abby..... She's asked me to move in with her," he said not needing to
name who had asked. "But with her mother there... and *she* likes me by the
way... I don't think it would work out... But if her mother had some place
else to live while she was here....."

"And you just happened to remember that I had a spare room going unused at
the moment..."

"Well Killeen thought of it," he sheepishly told her.

"And you want me to ask her if she would move in with me....."

Ben'sar sat up in the chair. "It makes perfect sense if you think about
it...I mean it's near enough to ground level so she won't have to be waiting
all the time for a dragon to fly her up when she wants to go home... and the
rooms not being used at the moment... and  she's almost like family now...
and you don't have to ask her... I'll tell her about the room if you'll
agree....."

"The things I do to help out a brother in love..." Abby mockingly sighed,
but he could see in her eyes that she would do it. "I'll make the offer to
her at dinner tonight. That way it'll look like it's coming from me and that
you're not trying to get rid of her so you can have your way with her daughter."

"Oh Liandra already knows I plan on having my way with her daughter and she
approves," he chuckled and then went on to tell his sister about the talk
he'd had with the woman.

"I tell you I've never been so scared of talking with anyone in my life
before then, but she's really something... Not like most mothers of
Landbound daughters who come to the Warren and join."

Abby had laughed hard as he told her about him telling Liandra he was moving
in with her daughter and could see the woman putting him thought his paces.
Someone like that she'd like to get to know better.

"Okay, okay I'll ask her tonight when I see her."

Ben'sar was up and around the desk hugging his sister for all he was worth.
"Thank you Abby. You don't know how much this means to us..."

"Careful Little Brother... Liandra hasn't said yes yet."

"But she will," Benny grinned. "You just wait and see. She will."

"Okay that's Liandra. But what are you going to do about Leo?"

	[ yes KK what ARE we going to do about Leo? ]

............. 

[The party & Wedding] 

Abby, sitting at the same table with Ben'sar, Leo and Liandra and the new
Queenrider, Lia, watched as Elly got up and went to join the other woman as
if by some silent signal they were called. Saw her walk over to the table
where Kanler's family was seated and together they pulled the bride-to-be to
her feet. Then between them she was led up to the dais where her brother,
after confirming that he was giving his sister into holy wedlock to the man
standing before her.

The vowels when exchanged between them made her weep, for she had once
dreamed about being the one standing there beside the man she had loved...
But that was before she found out he was carrying on an affair with someone
else... An other dragonrider as he was himself.

She shook herself and pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind where
they belonged now and looked back up to the dais in time to see Prince
Reolden stand and made his way to the dais where he turned, looked at the
Warrenlady for her permission
(though he didn't really need it) and after getting it turned back to the
crowd and the lovely new wedded couple with all the pomp and ceremony he
could get away with,  presented them with the wedding present of a lifetime.

Lord Bryant, much to his credit took the crisp piece of paper from the
Prince and stared at it for a whole minute before turning to his young bride
with wide opened eyes filled with total shock.

"This can't be happening..." he muttered, but there it was. The proof was in
his hand. 

The prince laughed, then turned to the people gathered there and introduced
the new Lord and Lady of Calarais to a stunned crowd. "Though I'll assume
that you will wish to come up with a name for the place on your own... which
is within your rights as the new owners." He informed them and saw Lenasha
turn to her new husband who nodded his head in approval.

"Dragon's Hope," she said softly, and then louder so all would hear. "We'll
call it Dragon's Hope for they *are* our hope for a safe world and a safe
place to live."

Dragon's Hope. What a lovely idea, Abby thought and shared a grin with those
around her table who by their looks agreed. Such a nice way of paying
tribute to the riders who gave their lives in the line of duty.

Soon the happy wedded couple were led from the dais and glasses of Champaign
were thrust into their hands and Kanler raised his glass for silence.

"First off... I and my family would like to express our thanks and deep
respects to our Warrenlady Merissa for who's quick and efficient
organizationally skills this wedding would not have come off the way it did,
and to those who helped her pull it all together so quickly," he tilted his
glass towards Analise, Eleanora and the new Queenrider, Lia.

"And now I wish for you all to join me in a toast to the new couple and join
in on the wish that they be as happy and *fruitfull* (this brought a few
chuckles from the crowd) as our parents were in the many years they had
together."

Abby joined in on the toast and then as everyone was breaking up into little
groups to talk, she singled out Liandra and asked if she could talk with her.

"That was a lovely wedding," Liandra said as they moved towards the food
table to refill their plates.

"Yes it was... and I think Kanler was just wonderful for making it happen,"
Abby agreed. "You could see that he really loved his sister and wanted her
to be happy..."

Liandra turned to her and gave the younger healer a sly look. 

"This doesn't have anything to do with the new couple does it?" she asked
suddenly feeling like she was about to be set up for something. "If you're
worried about how I'm taking this attachment between my daughter and your
brother then set you fears to rest. I approve."

Abby laughed. "Benny sure had you right. And here I thought I was being so
sneaky bring it up this way."

"I've been a mother to long my dear," Liandra snorted. "I'm well versed in
the signs. Now what is on your mind."

"Well Benny came to me and told me he and Elly had worked things out between
them... and that she had asked him to move in with her..... which he said
you know all about..."

"Yes. They both told me." Liandra confirmed. 

"I heard," again Abby laughed and this time Liandra join in with her. "I
would have loved to have seen him trying to tell you. It must have been a
real sight with him stammering around trying to figure out how to tell you
he and your daughter were going to be living together."

"Yes well... in the end he finally got it out, and as he as promised to make
my daughter happy... But you have concerns maybe?"

"About them. No. I know them both very well and know that the feelings they
share are real. I'm not worried about them, but I can see they do have sort
of a problem... with you being here and staying with Elly... You know how
some young men are when their loves mother is around... it sort of an
inhabitances ... but I think I've come up with the perfect solution where
you can stay and enjoy your visit, yet at the same time..." Abby raised her
hands up before her and shrugged.

"Give them their time alone..." Liandra  finished for her, and Abby nodded
her head.

"I have an extra room in my apartment you see and as no one is using it at
the moment I was thinking..."

"That I could move out of my daughter's apartment and into you spare room so
the two of them can be alone without me there to *inhibit* their... youthful
passions."

"Something like that," Abby agreed. "Thought actually it does make some
sense for you to do so, for you see with as much moving around as you've
been doing since you got here... living with me would allow you to come and
go when you want and not have to wait on a lift from a dragonrider to get
home. Besides which I would enjoy your company at night after I get off of
work. So what do you say?"

	[ tag KK..... will Liandra agree? ]

Ben'sar knew Elly would be waiting for him to make the promised apology and
he when he saw Lia getting up from the table he decided it might be a good
time to get it over with.

"Be right back, he told her and pointed after Lia's retreating back.

He'd been watching the girl through the meal without anyone knowing it and
decided she wasn't all that bad after all... just a little innocent in the
ways of things. Plus he had asked around about her and found out what had
happened to bring her to the Warren... and felt bad about what had happened
later with him.

Poor kid... no wonder she'd acted the way she had.

Also there was the fact that she was... family... in a way, now that he and
Elly had come to an agreement about how they felt about eachother, and he
didn't want the tension between him and Lia to cause Elly any concerns of
her own. So he would be charming and sweet... and make the apology to Lia so
all could finally be forgotten.

"Lia..." he said softly as he arrived behind her at the food table and saw
the quick look of fear enter her eyes for a second when she recognized him.

He stayed where he was and didn't make any sudden moves that would scare
her, but kept his voice as soft and gentle as he would have if he'd been
talking to his nephew Treben. 

"Look... I'd like to talk to you for a moment if I may," he said and saw the
quick look around the room she gave as if looking for someone to come to her
aid from this mad man if he got to pushy.

Again he didn't move, except to smile kindly and look around the room. "Look
we don't have to go anywhere but maybe to that table over there so we could
*talk* for a moment or two. There's plenty of people here who would only be
too glad to beat me up if I get out of line and you give the word. You'll be
perfectly safe from me I assure you," he said and felt better when he saw
her lips twitch upwards in a slight grin.

"Okay we can sit over there and talk," she finally agreed and Ben'sar stood
back allowing her to walk past him, and kept his hands behind his back so
she wouldn't feel threaten by him.

They each sat with the table between them and he placed his hand, folded out
in plain sight as he began.

"About the other night... I want to apologize for what happened and the
things I said. I think we were all a bit tired at the time and things just
sort of got out of hand... but that was no reason for me to sound off on you
the way I did. It was unforgivable and if my mother found out I'd acted like
a jerk to a lady such as yourself, she'd skin me alive and leave me out for
the wraiths to take care of... I'm sorry."

 	 [ Tag Dana..... will she accept? ]

***Submitted by: *****
Ben'sar & Killeen
Abby (Healer)
Kanler & Siriss
Whiteriver Warren

Aka
Barbara