Date:  Wed Mar 6, 2002  4:16
pm


<<Snip from Arlene's post, Life's Lessons>>



"Seems unlikely that miners wouldn't know that cinnabar is 

poisonous," Merissa frowned, "I mean, that's their life's work, 

isn't it? Well, the only way we'll know for certain what they're 

doing is to send someone to investigate!"



"Yes!" Xanthia has managed to catch her breath, "And to rescue 

Latnem and 'Tonio!"



<<End Snip>>



Merissa stroked Xanthia's hair reassuringly, "I'm sure they can take 

care of themselves."



Just then a breathless and panicked young nurse came flying into the 

room without so much as a knock on the door.



"He's gone!" she proclaimed.



"*Who* is gone?" Xanthia asked, surprised by the unexpected entry of 

the nurse.



"T-t-t-tarv'renon, m-m-ma'am," she stammered nervously.



"Tarv!?!" Xanthia and Merissa exclaimed at the same time. 



"He woke up, and I went to get someone. By the time we got back, he 

was gone!" the girl cried, wringing her pinafore nervously in her 

hands. 



Xanthia got a distant look to her face as she tried to communicate 

with Murkash. She then made contact with several of the other 

dragons.



"Murkash won't answer, and some of the dragons report that he and 

his rider left the warren, but they thought nothing of it," Xanthia 

reported.



<<TAG Bets and Arlene>>



***



Murkash and Tarv'renon landed by the river's mouth. There, along the 

edge were several chunks of orange ore, just like he'd found on 

previous visits.



"Lovely!" the artist crooned, dismounting. "This is just what I 

need!"



He reached into his cloak and pulled out a sack, and began filling 

it with the richly colored ore. 



"You there! What are you doing?"



"Damn!" Tarv cursed as he turned and saw himself faced by a group of 

dragonriders. He turned  and began to run for his mount. He didn't 

get very far, though, before his feet, clad in hard riding boots, 

slipped out from under him on the wet shore; he quickly found 

himself face down in the silt.



He tried to stand, but found himself held down by a hand on his 

shoulder.



This day keeps getting better and better, he mused sarcastically.



<<TAG anyone!>>



***



**Late morning, close to lunch time**



Xanthia arrived in the apartment to be greeted by Oberon wrapping 

himself about her hips and Alina crying in hunger. 



"Where've you been?" the boy asked.



"On an adventure!" Xanthia hissed intriguingly. "Come, let's see 

what Alina wants."



<She's hungry.> the boy told her silently.



<I know. Come visit with me while I feed her.> Xanthia sent back.



"So... Where've you been off to?" Corra asked.



"Helping Latnem and 'Tonio. I am a noble courier!" Xanthia annouced 

with a bow.



"Ooo!" the boy gasped in awe.



"Xanthia! You are nothing of the kind. You are a healer, and a 

mother, and your daughter is hungry."



Xanthia climbed up onto the bed, propped herself on pillows, then 

took Alina from the elder healer and cradling her in one arm, put 

her to her breast.



"Am too! 'Tonio said so! And I know so because I was swift and 

silent, I didn't get caught!" Xanthia then turned her attention to 

her infant daughter.



Oberon watched in fascination as Xanthia held Alina to her breast. 

<Did momma feed me so?> he asked.



<No, Bear. Your momma couldn't breastfeed you. She fed you from a 

bottle.>



<Why not?> The boy demanded.



<Because your momma is not your birth mother. She's your foster 

mother. Though she couldn't love you more if she'd bore you herself.>



A pensive look crossed the boys face. He then asked, <Who is my 

birth mother?>



<My sister, Aradia.>



<Can I meet her?> he asked hopefully.



<No, Bear, she died. Your Daddy delivered you so you wouldn't die, 

too.>



Again the boy's brow furrowed in a serious expression far beyond his 

years. Xanthia patted the bed with her hand, and the boy needed no 

further invitation before joining his aunt and infant cousin on the 

big bed. He nestled in under Xanthia's free arm and wrapped his 

small arms around her.



<What was she like? What did she look like? Was she beautiful?> the 

boy asked.



<I never knew her myself, but I've been told she was quite a lovely 

person, both beautiful and kind. But, several of the dragons knew 

her. Areena and Chrythal both knew her.> 



The boy's eyes remained vacant as he queried the small irridescent 

white dragon belonging to his father. His eyes teared up as he 

gently touched Xanthia's face.



"She looks just like you. All but her eyes..." Oberon said aloud.



"Who are you talking about, lad?" Corra asked.



"My mother."



"Your momma looks nothing like Xanthia," the elder healer laughed.



"Not momma. My *mother*," the boy stressed in distinction, "Aradia."



"Aradia. You told him of Aradia." Corra planted her hands on her 

hips and glared at Xanthia over her glasses.



"He asked." Xanthia shrugged.



"Anyhow, you know you're supposed to talk to him *aloud*," Corra 

sighed. "It's time for a nap, young man!"



"Aw!!!" the boy protested.



"I'm tired myself, Alina's about asleep. Why not let him nap here 

with me?" Xanthia reasoned, finishing with a yawn.



"No adventures!" Corra shook her finger. "I'm off to the med center."



"Maxima will take you," Xanthia said a moment later, "I just asked 

her." 



"Much appreciated," Corra replied curtly.



***



Corra wasted no time before going straight to Th'rin's office. She 

was relieved to find Merissa in the office as well. 



"Better the both of you hear this together," she explained.



"What's wrong? Is it Bear?" Merissa asked.



"Yes, yes it is." Corra said. "Oh," she reassured, "He's fine. He's 

not hurt. In fact, he's taking a nap right now with Xanthia and 

Alina."



"So..." Merissa asked tentatively, "What's wrong?"



"Xanthia told him about Aradia." Corra announced.



"Aradia," Merissa said softly, taking a seat on the sofa. "How..." 

she began to ask.



"I don't know how the subject came up. I didn't *hear* the 

conversation. But Xanthia said that he asked."



"Aradia." This time it was Th'rin's turn to speak aloud the name of 

Oberon's birth mother as he took a seat beside his mate.



"Out of the blue he told Xanthia, 'She looks just like you,' and 

that's when I asked him who he was talking about."



"And he said it was Aradia?" Th'rin asked.



"Not exactly." Corra pursed her lips.



"So... what did he say?" Merissa asked.



"He said," Corra replied, "My mother."



<<TAG Arlene and Kris!>>



*************



Respectfully submitted by,



Morgan

The heart and soul of Xanthia and Maxima, Tarv'renon and Murkash, 

Latnem, Corra, Alina, and Oberon.