Day 35
MERISSA'S OFFICE

Merissa pushed back the papers on her desk and sighed.   Her paperwork
seemed to have doubled since the Meeting with the Lords of the Land.  All
these new requests for tithes, and the constant checks that she felt
necessary to insure that no one was slacking.  However, other than
paperwork, it had been some of the most uneventful weeks that she could ever
remember.  She could feel Chrysthal's contentment, though, as she lounged
somewhere in the sun.  Her last brood of hatchlings were practically grown
dragons, and their training had gone very well.  She'd have to remember to
talk to N'lin about possibly taking that on as a more full-time position.

But, enough work for today, Merissa decided, as she stretched and rose from
her desk.  Today she was going to just.. walk... around her warren.  It had
been a long time since she'd felt safe enough to do that.  With the new
patrols that W'lam had suggested, things had been wonderfully calm and
quiet.  The rotations between the two wings was working out perfectly, and
it was amazing how much more rested all of the riders seemed.

She smiled in greeting at a few of the lovers as they walked hand in hand
towards Trinale's garden.  She could see that someone again had been working
it, and idly wondered who was caring for the late warrenlady's flowers.  She
gazed at the lovers as the wandered into the garden, and a slow grin spread
across her face which she didn't even realize was there as her mind recalled
the way she'd been awoken that morning.

Not the usual crash of Oberon through the door, but by the slow tickle of
warm breath on the back of her neck. A small shiver of recalled delight
traveled down her spine.  Then the day and the place reasserted itself and
Merissa ambled on, though her thoughts still dwelt upon the passionate
interlude she and her two best friends and lovers had spent together that
morning -- before a certain small boy had awoken.

And at that thought Merissa's lovely face was creased by a frown.  She was
worried about Oberon -- again.  He had been making leaps and bounds with his
teacher Sarah, but lately he'd been regressing.  Sarah seemed as puzzled as
she, but had also made mention that a number of the children hadn't seemed
to be feeling too well recently.  Perhaps Oberon wasn't feeling well, and
his speech was being hampered by that.

She rested a moment, leaning up against one of the now familiar black posts
that now dotted the paths of the warren.  The feel of the post against her
back made her think of the man responsible for their being there:  Tinker.
What an odd combination of naivete and intelligence!  He had surprised
her -- she who prided herself on being a good judge of a person, had had to
admit that his "upbringing" had prejudiced her and perhaps blinded her to
his true character.

It had only been about 2 or 3 weeks earlier that he had shyly approached her
with his drawings and asked her to come out to the forge for a
demonstration.  He had insisted it be at dusk, and Merissa and a half dozen
of her most trusted friends had trouped out to the forge to see his
handiwork.  He had seemed so nervous.  And Merissa couldn't help but chuckle
at the remembered scene.

It was turning to twilight and they stood in small groups of 3 or 4,
chatting, while Tinker had fiddled and made final adjustments.  He had stood
their awkwardly while waiting for everyone to notice that he was ready.  It
was J'red who had finally realized that the demonstration was ready to
commence and called everyone's attention.

Tinker had fidgeted and mumbled as he adjusted something.  Merissa had
strained her ears to try and catch what it was he was explaining --
something about gas?  He tripped what looked like an oversized flint-type
igniter, but the small spark did not seem to do the trick.  He had mumbled
again but with more agitation, and then flicked it again, but the gas had
been running for a few seconds before the second trip of the igniter lit it.
A BIG blue ball of fire had burst overhead, but had dimmed quickly down to a
mellow golden light.  Enough light that Eleanora had had no trouble reading
Merissa's lips as she had exploded with equal ferocity.

Merissa felt her cheeks flush at that remembered incident.  While there had
been no casualties, the burst had frighteningly  reminded her of the
explosions that had rocked the stands during that ill-fated hatching, taking
the lives of many good people.  She had given poor Tinker a tongue lashing,
but he had assured her that it had been only a miscalculation and that he'd
get the right mix of air and gas... and something... and Merissa had
apologized, when she realized how foolish she sounded, especially standing
under the soft light that was being cast by the gently hissing lamp.   She
knew now that she had reacted purely from fear and flash-back of that
terrible event.

Tinker had gone on to light the other demonstration lamps, with no further
incident, and they had all discussed which one they preferred.  Eleanora's
opinion had taken precedence.  It was for her sake, as much as for warren
safety, that they were considering these "outside" lamps.

But now, as Merissa leaned against one and gazed across the green, she
couldn't even imagine how they had lived without them.  Tinker, during the
times he was not training with the ever growing Narshada, was still laying
more pipe and connecting more lamps throughout the warren.  He had already
extended the lamps that had lit the square around the forge to include the
main market area of the Bazaar and the Tavern.  It had already made the area
so much safer!

Yes, overall it had been a very good month at Whiteriver.  As she crossed
the green towards the Med Center to go check on Th'rin and see if he had
time to meet her and Tarv'renon for lunch.


****
Before noon
MED CENTER

As she entered the Med Center, she was amazed by how busy it seemed.  Every
staff member appeared to be at work.  Even Cora, who normally took the
nights, was scurrying past.  Merissa stopped her to ask, "What's all this
going on?"

Cora looked at the young warrenlady and only frowned in consternation,
"seems we may have a bit of an epidemic -- a number of folk were brought
in -- throwing up and feeling dizzy.  I'm sure we'll get them to feeling
better in no time at all...."

But Merissa saw the clear doubt that was etched in her face.  This "bug"
obviously had puzzled the healer.  Perhaps Th'rin could help explain things.
Even before she could ask Cora volunteered that Th'rin was with a patient
and perhaps Merissa should wait in his office.

****
TAG:  Anyone feeling sick?

****
IN TH'RIN'S OFFICE

Merissa had been gazing out the window when the door behind her opened.
Assuming it would be Th'rin, finally, Merissa turned with a welcoming
smile -- which only froze in it's place as she caught sight of whom it was
that had entered -- Xanthia.  She was back.  Shocked, Merissa let her eyes
slowly travel over the younger woman's form... only one word issued forth...

"Whose?"

****
TAG Morgie -- take it away girl!   Kris... is Th'rin going to walk in on
this little meeting?

NRPG:  Sorry, this was so long in coming! But here it is.   Much reduced but
I think ultimately better.  Have fun!

Respectfully submitted by:
Arlene Jacobs
AKA Merissa, Warrenlady, rider of Chrysthal of Whiteriver Warren.



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