>With a strange popping sound, and a sudden gush, the baby slid into the

>world.  Arri wiped off the baby and handed it to Xanthia, as Xanthia had

>stated that she wanted to establish the baby's gender herself.

>

>Merissa hugged Xanthia tightly.  "The baby is beautiful!"



"Beautiful..." Xanthia marveled as she viewed the small life she'd created 

for the first time, falling instantly in love. "Look at all that hair!" she 

crooned, running her fingers over the titian locks which framed the 

infant's tiny face.



"A redhead just like her mother," Merissa smiled.



With the care one would give the finest porcelain, Xanthia folded back the 

blanket to determine the gender of this precious child. Her face beamed 

with joy and she held the naked infant aloft proudly.



"It's a girl! I mean, *she's* a girl!" Tears of joy cascaded down the new 

mother's face.



"You need to feed her. She's hungry," Arri supplied as explanation for the 

infant's sudden wail.



"Feed?" Xanthia blinked, suddenly terrified at the responsibility before her.



"Here," Arri helped arrange the infant in the proper position, just as 

Xanthia. "Breathe, relax, and let nature take it's course."



"Breathe...  Relax..." Xanthia reiterated as her heart pounded in her 

chest. The baby quickly latched onto the proffered nipple, her cries 

ceasing instantly.



Xanthia smiled happily, rocking slowly as the baby suckled. She reached out 

to Merissa, giving her hand a warm squeeze of gratitude and friendship. 

"Thank you," she said softly.



"What will you name her?" Merissa asked.



"I don't know!" Xanthia's brow furrowed anew. "It has to be a fitting name, 

a name with meaning, something to do with here and now." She looked about 

the verdant field, thinking of the things they had done prior to the birth, 

the herbs they gathered.



{catmint, dandelion, hops...}  Xanthia frowned as the mind voice that 

listed these herbs was neither hers nor the dragon's. Her eyes then met 

those of Arri and she realized whose thoughts were being sent to her. 

{...rue, vervain, tansy...}



"Tansy?" Xanthia mulled it over for a moment. "No... need more meaning..." 

Xanthia switched the girl child to the other breast. "I wish we weren't so 

far from home," she sighed.



{Alina... a word in the old tongue meaning 'distant place'.}



"Alina..." Xanthia sounded out. "I think I like that!," she beamed.



{Thank you, Arri!}



"What do you, think, Merissa? Is Alina a good name for our baby? Would 

Th'rin like it? It means 'distant place'... or so I've been told," she 

winked at A'rillia



"I think it's a wonderful name," Merissa agreed, giving Xanthia a hug and a 

kiss on the forehead.



"Do you want to hold her?" Xanthia offered to Merissa.



***



"Look at all those dragons! What are they doing out here so late?" Xanthia 

pointed to the sky.



"Looking for us," Merissa replied, "Chrysthal just told them what happened."



"Oh my... I'm a mess..." Xanthia frowned. "I need to clean up... my clothes 

are at home. Can we go home now?"



"Do you feel up to flying?" A'rillia asked.



"Sure..." Xanthia stood up slowly, "Let's go! I can't wait for Alina and 

Th'rin to meet. Goddess, I need a bath!"



******

NRPG: OK, they're on their way home. I just plain ran out of steam so I'll 

leave it here for now. Kris, will Th'rin be waiting at the med center?





Respectfully submitted by:



Morgan