Day 9

Late Evening

Merissa's Apartment



Merissa stumbled over a toy as she crept into the apartment and gasped as

she looked around at the disaster.  "Th'rin?"  She whispered, her heart in

thumped wildly, fearing that perhaps there had been a fight, as she saw her

favorite vase in pieces on the floor, the cushions tossed and scattered --

and then she saw the toys.  "Oberon!  Oh, no!  What has been going on

tonight?"



"Shhhh!"  Th'rin came out of the kitchen, a cup clutched in his hand.  "Mara

finally got Alina down."



"Where's Xanthia?"



"She went... out.  Corra would have stayed, but  I told her I could handle

it..."



Merissa's soft laughter filled the room, "Oh, yes, I can see how well you

handled it.  Come on, I'll help you tidy up."



----

Day 10

The Wee Hours of the Morning.



A nagging feeling kept brushing through Merissa's mind; something was not

quite right.   She slipped deeper into her dream.  Th'rin was standing in

their central living area in their apartment.  He was smiling from ear to

ear.



"Oh, Merissa!  You've made me so happy!  Another one... just what I wanted!"



Another one?  Merissa looked around and suddenly realized that the room was

filled with children and babies.  All of them seemed to have Th'rin's face!

She stared at her mate and found herself saying, "Where did they come from?"



"They're ours, of course... and I couldn't be happier that you're going to

add another."



Merissa's hands moved involuntarily over her abdomen.  It wasn't the tight,

flat stomach she was used to seeing when she looked down!  She stared at the

bulge and watched it heave and contract.  The pain made her gasp.  "A baby?

I'm having a baby?!  Th'rin help me!"



Her sobs woke up her mate as he lay beside the queenrider in their bed.

"Merissa? Merissa!  What's wrong? You're dreaming!"



Merissa sat up in the dark, disoriented, yet clear of one thing.  She was in

labor.. the pain!  She sobbed, "I'm in labor, you dolt!  I'm having a baby!"



Th'rin turned up the bedside lamp and stared at the woman as she curled

around her middle groaning in pain.  "Merissa, you are not pregnant... and

you are not having a baby!  But you are obviously in some discomfort.  Let

me examine you.  Did you eat anything different?  Did you eat anything at

all!  Maybe it is gas pains, you've been known to skip meals...."



"No, I'm telling you!  I feel... contractions... pain...just like when

Xanthia was having... ugh!... Alina!"  She groaned again, as she felt the

pain, only now she was more awake and the pain seemed to be inside her head!



She sat up again with a cry, as the dragons erupted in chorus.  "It isn't

me!  Oh, it's Chrysthal!  She's clutching!"



Th'rin started to laugh as he helped Merissa out of bed.  The two dragged on

some clothes as quickly as they could, now used to middle of the night

emergencies, and raced to the hatching sands.  Others in the warren were

also arriving to watch the eggs being laid.



---

Arri's Apartment.



<:Arri, Arri, get up, Chrysthal's eggs are coming... get up sleepyhead...:>



With a muffled curse, she rolled over and tried to pull a pillow over her

head to drown out the sound of a million dragons calling out.



It took a few seconds for her sleep-fogged brain to digest Daetyn's

imperative, and then the queenrider leapt out of bed, grabbing a heavy robe

and some slide-on boots, bolting for the hatching cavern in her nightgown,

hair awry.



---

Hatching Sands



The roar as she stepped into the cavern was deafening. The chosen weren't

even here yet as she walked over to stand near Daetyn. Merissa came in,

waddling a little as if she were pregnant herself. Probably some sort of

sympathy pains. At least Merissa was a little more dressed than she was.

Waving, Arri walked over to stand near them.



"Some alarm clock," she called over the din of the dragons with a laugh.

"Congratulations."



Impulsively, she reached out to hug Merissa tightly



Merissa laughed, "Thanks!  She's been so incredibly fussy, I just knew that

she was going to lay.  I'm sure you'll notice with Daetyn."



She nodded as she turning to her own dragon. By the time she got back to

Dae's side, the first egg was coming, and the cavern had fallen so silent

you could hear the wind outside.  More people were coming, but it didn't

matter.



Everyone's attention and prayers were focused on Chrysthal.



Respectfully submitted by:

Arlene Jacobs

AKA

Merissa, Warrenlady, rider of Chrysthal, of Whiteriver Warren



With thanks to Betty Punkert for portraying Arri and Daetyn.