Day 10
Late Afternoon

It was a different Lord Fowler who returned from the break. There was steal
in his eyes as he stared at the men who accused Lorelei of murdering their
*friend* in cold blood.

The junior queenrider was strangely absent as they all resumed their places.

"After obtaining all the testimony, I am forced to make a ruling I would
prefer not to make." Lord Fowler stated in a cold hard voice. "In the
matter pertaining to the murder of one of my caravan drivers, I find Lorelei
must be held accountable."

A rough jeering cheer errupted from the assembled drovers. But it was
silenced swiftly as they were surrounded by some of Lord Fowler's guards.

"Lorelei, you are to remain in custody here at Whiteriver and are to perform
two months of menial service to repay your debt to society."

The men began to complain, while those in the Warren cheered.

Lord Fowler banged the gavel and silence resumed, "In the matter pertaining
to the rape of this young woman,"

Protest rose loudly from the men:
"She was willing!"
"She asked for it!"
"What rape! No one raped the whore!"
"She wanted it!"

Lord Fowler's face turned red with rage. "SILENCE!" He bellowed. The
memories he'd shared of Lorelei's rape -- her fear, loathing, pain and
hatred -- were still very real in his mind. Added to it was his own disgust
at the act that those men had perverted. His eyes burned with fury, "I hold
those men responsible! They are guilty of one of the vilest acts."

The guards moved in closer, having been warned before Lord Fowler had
returned to the hall. The caravan drivers cringed, all bluster gone as
they saw the look in their ruler's eyes.

"As punishment, these beasts will be castrated, and exiled to the wastes!"

***
Evening

The dining hall had once again been turned into a place of friendly
gathering. Many of the warrenfolk were celebrating. Not only a double
laying, but also their former beloved Warrenlady's little sister was home,
and while not completely exhonerated, she at least could sleep knowing that
the men who had attacked her would not be able to do so again.

Laughter and snatches of song followed Merissa from the hall as she exited
out into the evening air. J'red's wave caught her attention and she waited
as he joined her. She followed him to where a derelect of a man waited on
a bench outside.

<SNIP FROM KRIS'S POST>
> Zeleniec
> ...
> He shook his head, "No .. thank the gods .. for that would have been more
then I could bear. I came upon the body of Aura, her dragon. She .. she had
been dead for only a couple of days as far as I could tell. Her golden glow
.. was gone, but there was no mistaking that it was her."
>
> "Zeleniec?" Merissa asked, drawing his eyes back to hers, "You are .. you
were .. her mate? Waylene's mate?"
>
> The man nodded. The Warrenlady had indeed made the connection. He had been
Z'lec of Marrid. His own dragon had been killed before the pockets formed,
and he and Waylene had gone their separate ways. But he had stayed close to
the place he'd called home for so long .. even after the catastrophic
changes that had displaced the warren. "I am called Zeleniec now. It is who
I have become."
>
> Merissa nodded solemnly. "Can I offer you Whiteriver's hospitality?"
>
> Zeleniec nodded, "I could use a quiet place to rest for the night."
>
> Merissa smiled gently, "J'red will help you with that. I need to consider
what you have told me.
<END SNIP>

Merissa called the Beta Wingleader over and made proper introductions.

"Fire can take us over to the VIP quarters, if you'd like." J'red offered.

"Your dragon?" Zeleniec asked and then shook his head, "No, I think I'd
prefer to walk, if you don't mind."

Merissa smiled, gently, and seeing the stress on the former rider's face she
piped up, "I could use the walk myself... but would you mind waiting a
moment? There is someone I'd like to have join us."

Merissa went back into the dining hall. She'd seen Eleanora with Barsel a
moment earlier, eating dinner. She waved to her courier to get her
attention and mouthed, knowing that Eleanora wouldn't need to hear her, that
she'd like her to join her outside.

Eleanora quickly made her excuses. Merissa noted that Barsel took away
Eleanora's empty dishes, and wondered just how close the two of them had
gotten.

Rejoining the Beta Wingleader and their visitor, Merissa saw Eleanora
hesitate a moment, before an odd look of resolve came over her face as she
stepped up beside the Warrenlady. J'red on the other hand looked everywhere
but at the young woman, Merissa noted.

Again introductions of the former Marrid rider were made, this time to
Eleanora. Zeleniec looked slightly uncomfortable around so many people, and
Merissa suggested they begin their walk across the warren to the VIP
quarters.

Merissa was patient. She knew that Zeleniec had come not only to share that
news. If he had, he would have simply said his piece and left. Instead he
had accepted her offer to stay for the night. So they walked in silence
until he was ready to address what else was on his mind.

Finally the unused voice broke the silence. "The magic.. they thought they
could wait it out. Sure it would return. But it didn't."

"Who? The riders of Marrid?"

"No, the people. We created a sort of unjoined militia based in the
abandoned warren. We called ourselves the Sentinels of Marrid. We protected
the landbound who remained. Even vanquished some of the waste monsters
that were plaguing the area." A faint smile crept to his cracked lips as he
recalled. "But it was no use, really. Eventually people left for safer
areas. But...."

"But you remained."

"I remained."

"And you still patrolled the land you loved. So, you are sure it was Aura
that you found.... yes, of course you are." Merissa's sadness slipped past
the barrier she'd placed between her thoughts and Chrysthal's.

<Who has died, my rider?> Chrysthal's voice sounded in her mind.

Merissa paused. No use in hiding it any longer. <*Aura...*>

A flash of memory of how Chrysthal had last seen the golden queen filled
Merissa's mind. Then a sad keening began as the dragons of Whiteriver
mourned the loss of the Marrid queen.

***
Late Evening

After having seen Zeleniec settled, J'red had remained at the VIP quarters
to visit with his father and sister.

Merissa an Eleanora walked together to the Tavern. After all the ups and
downs of the day, Merissa could use some wine. Besides, she hadn't had a
chance to tell Eleanora why she'd asked her to come along.

They sat in the usual table near the back. Eleanora sighed as she slipped
into the seat. "Cara told me about the Marrid Queen... but I really don't
understand."

"Zeleniec -- Z'lec, he was once a dragonrider. He and the Marrid Warrenlady
Waylene were mates. Then he lost his dragon."

"How awful."

"It gets worse. He left Marrid, but I guess he never really left the
area... he just hid. But then there were those shifts in the magic, and the
Warren was abandonded. They tried to regroup in a new location, but that,
too, had to be abandoned. Many riders fled to other Warrens, some came
here. Many wanted to stay together, so they moved to Xylian. That's where
I thought Waylene had gone."

"But this Z'lec... he said he found her dragon in Marrid?"

"Yes. And, I know.. how can I trust him? He would know if it were her."
Merissa nodded. She had met Z'lec when he was a rider. He had been an
honorable man then and though he'd lost his dragon, she felt she could trust
him.

Eleanora nodded, sipping her drink.

"Tomorrow I'll need to send a letter to Christalla." Merissa sighed.

"Just let me know when it is ready and I'll take it," Eleanora smiled.

Merissa smiled in return, "I wish it would be all good news, but I can tell
them about the eggs as well."

"Yes, a new queen egg might help to ease the blow of losing Aura."

***
Summary:
Day 10
Late Afternoon Lord Fowler pronounces judgement after reliving
Lorelei's memories through A'Rillia's gift.
Lorelei is
remanded to the Warren, and the men who
raped her
get a shocking punishment.

Evening As Merissa leaves the dining hall, she is introduced
to
a stranger, who turns out to be a former
dragonrider
from Marrid who had made a gruesome
discovery --
the Queendragon Aura has died.

Late Evening J'red visits with his father and sister.

Late Evening Merissa and Eleanora head to the Tavern to talk.

***
Respectfully submitted by:
Arlene Jacobs
AKA
Merissa, Warrenlady, rider of Chrysthal, of Whiteriver Warren
Also, Lord Fowler and J'red Fowler rider of Firefly