*Tarv'renon*
Day 1
Late Afternoon.
Medical Center

Visions of wraiths danced in the dragonrider's head as he slumbered 
restlessly. Once more he was transported back to the battleground, the 
wraiths swarming, attacking en force. United. Plotting... He looked at the 
one closest to him as it's form shifted, taking on the face of a man; the 
face of his father.

He bolted upright and cried out, the sudden awakening his mind's only 
escape from the tortured dreams.

"Tarv? Tarv!  It's Merissa....  Tarv!"

He panted, wide-eyed, perspiring, anxiously grappling to come to terms with 
the present. "Merissa..." he murmured.

:Yes..." the queenrider moistened a washcloth and tenderly washed away the 
perspiration  off his brow, "It's me... Merissa."

"I'm home," he responded.  It was as much a childlike query for reassurance 
as a statement.

"Home and safe, " Merissa reassured. "You're in the med center, remember? 
How are you feeling?"

Tarv'renon looked at her as if she was speaking in a foreign tongue, 
prompting Merissa to repeat the question.

"Fine..." Tarv'renon replied uncertainly at last, "I'm fine."

***

*Early Morning*

"How are you feeling this morning?" Xanthia asked Tarv'renon, examining his 
wounds.

"I'm fine... just fine," he said. "Fine... and dandy." There was a hint of 
bitter sarcasm in Tarv'renon's voice, but it was wasted on the female 
healer. He was restless, eager to leave.

"Good. Looks like your wounds are healing right on schedule." The redheaded 
healer remarked.

"So I can go home?"

"You had a restless night. I'd like to keep you here a few days longer."

"No." Tarv'renon said flatly. "I want to go home. Today."

He looked at her coldly, a look that was discomforting to Xanthia for some 
reason. She rubbed at her forearm, smoothing the hairs that felt as if the 
were standing on end.

"I'd like to consult with Latnem after you see him this morning and see 
what he advises first."

"NO!!!" The husky artist lunged from the bed, grabbing the pregnant healer 
by the throat. "I want to go home! Now!" he growled, punctuating each word 
as he spoke.

"Okay..." Xanthia conceded, her voice a mere whisper through his 
strangulating grasp. She was terrified, fearing for her life and that of 
her unborn child. She didn't know what else to do but to let him have his way.

Tarv'renon released his grasp, and turned to the closet to procure a change 
of clothes.

"There is no physical reason you need to be here," Xanthia stammered. Her 
hand trembled as she rubbed her neck, tender where his fingers had just 
tightened about her throat. "Just make sure you come in once a day to talk 
with Latnem. More often if needed," She cautioned. A blood chilling glare 
from the rider sent the healer scurrying from the room as fast as she 
could, her only thought to get away from her patient as fast as she could, 
and try to forget the frightful incident.

***
<<NRPG: Anyone want to bump into our girl? Kris???>>
***

Day 2
Morning
Merissa's Apartment

He smiled to himself as he saw her combing her hair before the mirror. She 
was so beautiful, she was just... lovely. That was the only word to 
describe her the artistic dragonrider decided, resolving to resume painting 
the portraits he'd begun some time back. He crept up behind her, and 
quietly embraced her and kissed her on the nape of her neck.

>"Ah!  It's you!"  She swatted at him.

Tarv'renon couldn't suppress a boyish grin.

>"Oh?  And who did you think it was kissing you?"  Tarv asked surprised by
>her response.
>
>"I couldn't imagine!"  Merissa blushed, but she could and did imagine a
>certain knight who knew the tunnels....  She changed the subject quickly,
>"So, Xanthia released you?"
>
>"Well...."  Tarv chuckled.  "I'll go make you some coffee."
>
>Merissa smiled, "Thanks, wait!  Tarv!  Xanthia did release you, right?"

Tarv'renon stopped and looked lovingly into Merissa's eyes, "I told you 
yesterday, I'm fine!" He stroked her cheek reassuringly

A frown creased the queenrider's brow. "You're sure?"

"I really didn't want to stay there any longer than I had to. And even 
Xanthia agreed that there was no physical reason for me to continue 
occupying a bed at the med center."

"And Latnem?" Merissa asked.

"I wasn't aware he was officially on the med center staff?" Tarv'renon 
stiffened.

"What did Latnem have to say?" Merissa sighed.

"He didn't say anything," he said, eliciting a raised eyebrow from the 
queenrider, "I didn't see him this morning."

"Tarv..." Merissa began with a maternal tone.

"If you must know, the only way that redheaded wench would let me leave is 
if I promised to come in regularly to talk to her head shrinker," he snapped.

He paused a moment and then continued as if nothing was wrong, "Now. I'll 
go make us some coffee."

***

Tarv started the coffee brewing, then dug in the kitchen and found some 
bread with which to make toast. He carefully buttered the hot slices, 
placing them buttered sides together to help the butter melt better. His 
eyes scanned the kitchen til he eyed the butcher block where the cutlery 
was stored. He picked a sharp knife and began to cut the slices, when 
Merissa came in, having changed quickly. He poured her a cup of coffee and 
set it and the four buttered triangles before her, then pouring a cup for 
himself sat down across the table from her.

He scooped two spoonfuls of sugar into the steaming cup and sat and 
stirred, watching her as she sat with her tablet, making notes, barely 
noticing his presence, let alone the toast he'd made. Why didn't she eat?

>Her eyes focussed on the man across from her.  He was just sitting there...
>staring at her!  "Tarv?  Uh, thanks for the breakfast... sorry, I can't 
>stay...I
>need to take care of Chrysthal before I head over to the office."

{NO!!!} His mind wailed, devastated. {How can she just leave me like 
this?!?} He suddenly stopped stirring the coffee. Tarv felt his nails bite 
into his palms as his left hand tightened into a fist. He forced a smile 
and replied sweetly, "It's okay!  Really... I wanted to paint this morning."

************
NRPG: Well, this catches me up for Tarv. Sorry I didn't take it farther, 
but I really couldn't think of where to go with it. Hopefully this is a 
satisfactory segue to what Arle wrote. I'm still thinking as far as 
Lisha... That poor girl, I'm not sure what to do with her! I haven't 
forgotten Latnem either... I've got the Tonio conversation pretty well 
written, but I'd like to give Bridget or Betty a chance to address the 
N'lin/Arri mating flight situation of Day 1 before I post so I can deal 
with that if need be as well.

Respectfully submitted by:

Morgan
morgan-the-elfwench@home.com
morgan_the_dragonwench@yahoo.com
ICQ: 28792949
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I feel deeply. I care deeply. I desire deeply. I will always tell the 
truth. That is who I am. I expect nothing less of you.



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