Coneta
***

>"Work on bringing Lothar back under your control... If you're good, I
>might even give you what you really want, Coneta... A real man in your
>bed."

>He walked out, ignoring her depreciations and laughing to himself.

"Damn him!" she murmured putting her hands over her face. She hated that
she'd loved the way his hands moved her. She hated that she'd had to beg
him ..

It was only because he didn't understand. He thought they were alike, but
they were nothing alike. She was a passionate woman in the prime of her
life! She wasn't aging .. not like they said! She wasn't!!!

Hot tears leaked out of the corner of her eyes and ran down the sides of
her face. She wiped them away quickly, smearing the carefully applied color
on her eyes and cheeks. Her eyes fell on the black streaks on her hand and
she cursed again.

Getting up, she made her way to the bathroom turning on the water and
splashing it over face, washing away the streaks of color. She raised her
head to look in the mirror, seeing the fine lines at the corners of her
eyes, and the edges of her lips. She sighed heavily. Gods, she needed Celia
..

Dear, sweet Celia who took care of her .. Damn! How ~dare~ he say ~she~ was
cold hearted! She loved deeper then he would ever know! And she had LOVED
them all.. Ethlan and Tammias, and thier long slender fingers, skilled in
the art of delicate massage. She had indeed loved them, and they way they
made her skin tingle .. Vedrun .. Ferdic .. Gods he seemed to know about
most of them. She wondered how many of those he didn't mention, that he
still knew about. And why, by the GOLD, was he watching her enough to know
such things! Even Regil didn't know about most of them..

Oh gods, and he knew about Nuns .. Nunlot, her golden boy. Damn Regil for
creating that whole scheme to get rid of him. She should have been watching
closer. She should have protected him more .. It was her own fault she lost
him! Oh she'd been much more careful in the years since .. but none had
ever come as close to moving her as her beautiful Nunlot had.

Though he was different now. She could see it in his eyes. Her Nunlot was
gone, replaced by this dragonrider who called himself Ce'lot. Oh he was
still beautiful, but he certainly did not seem quite so eager to please ..

And Haedin knew about him .. She flushed involuntarily again, as the memory
of his hands filled her mind. NO! She wouldn't let him do this to her. He
was a horrible, horrible man and she was nothing like him! He had used her
.. forced her to agree to something in the heat of the moment that she
never would any other time!

How could she accept a concubine! She would be reduced to a nothing in her
own home! She couldn't allow that to happen! She had to stay in control.

*Your husband broke in a virgin last night, Coneta... I wonder if he'll be
able to tell the difference between his first night with her and his first
night with you...*

*.. I wonder if he'll be able to tell ..*

No! She closed it out of her mind. Regil was too stupid .. but .. once
again, Haedin knew. How did he know abou the folly of her youth. Gods Regil
had been married to his first wife then, and the woman had been pregnant
with his child. Coneta being the second daughter of a minor lord with land
holdings near Lotherra, thought her best chance of getting a decent
marriage lay in Gerard. He had still been a bachelor at 34, and he liked
the attention paid to him by the young debutante, just barely 16.

And to be honest .. she had liked him. He seemed happy to be the younger
brother of Lord Lothar. He was more charming then his older brother, and he
had treated her very well. Better in some respects then she would have
liked.

For a moment Coneta sighed, as a slight smile crossed her lips .. if only
things had been different. Gerard had ignigted the fires within her with
kisses and caresses. He had promised to love her forever, and to marry her
and bring her to live in his ancestral home. Happily she had given herself
to him, and his gentle lovemaking.

But then the Lady of Lotherra died .. and along with her, any happiness
Coneta might have found with Gerard Lothar. For barely a week after the
death of  the woman .. and days after the death of her sickly daughter,
Coneta's father was arranging her marriage to the widower Lord of Lotherra.

Coneta couldn't argue. It was a much better marriage. Gerard was enraged
and begged her to run away with him. She soothed him, playing on his love
of Lotherra. And after all they could still see each other anytime they
wanted, for she would be living in his home.

Gerard had allowed himself to be calmed by her and to accept her marriage
to his brother. But she had watched as his anger and hatred of his brother
festered .. even beyond what she could easily control. And Regil caught
glimpses of it, finally leading to Gerard and Darril's banishment from
Lotherra.

Though to be fair to Gerard, once Coneta and Regil were married, he only
touched her with the chaste touch of a brother .. despite the fire that
burned in his eyes for her, or the advances she herself had made on him.
She understood, somewhat .. but oh, how she had missed his loving touch.

Regil had never touched her lovingly.  On their wedding night, he had taken
her roughly and with little thought to the fact that she was, to his
knowledge, a virgin. That had been the beginning of her hatred for her
husband. And she found ways to control him .. usually using her body, only
giving in to him, when it suited her and her purposes.

But that didn't make her evil! It was Regil's own fault! He'd not treated
her like a woman. And Gerard wouldn't any longer .. so she found other who
would. Young, exciting men who were more then happy to do as she asked.. to
make her happy. And yes .. she HAD loved them. ALL of them.

But what was she to do now.. Bide her time?? Continue this humiliation
until she had things better under control??

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and she frowned, realizing she was
in no condition to see anyone. "Go away!" she yelled, "I need some rest!"

She heard the door being pushed open and Regil's voice yelling irritably at
someone, "I don't care.. let me in!" She groaned, not ready to face HIM
right now! "Coneta, come here at once."

"Go away, Regil, I don't have time for you right now," she said holding her
head up high as she walked out, "Leave me in peace for a bit."

"God, woman, you look terrible," he said with relish, placing great
emphesis on his final word. He smiled as he saw his wife cringe.

"What do you want?" She said moving to her vanity and taking a seat as she
began to smooth the soft ivory color over her face, slowing hiding the
lines which she hated so much.

"It's just, my darling, that you are to moved to another room."

"What!," Coneta chocked nearly dropping the soft sponge she had been using
to apply her face color.

"Yes, I've decided that these rooms should be put to better use." He turned
toward the door, "Come in, my dear."

Coneta followed his eyes and watched in shock as the slender young woman
walked in. She could almost have been looking in a mirror ..  only without
the lines of age. Gods, this only proved how completely evil Haedin was! He
was truely intending to drive her mad!

"Coneta, dear, I'd like you to meet Dawn. Named so by me because she is as
young and beautiful as the morning. She will be staying in these rooms as
they do adjoin to my own. You will be moved down the hall."

Coneta's face paled as she looked back at her husband, unable to believe he
had the audacity to do such a thing! "You .. you can't!"

"I can and I did. Don't worry about taking anything other then the basics.
I'm sure Dawn can wear your clothes. You have let yourself go that much."

"I .. won't .. allow..." she began, her fists shaking in fury..

"You have no choice, me dear. And these two are here to see that you do as
I ask," he motioned to two stone faced guards. He held out his arm for his
concubine leading her toward the bed, then turned and looked back at his
wife, "Oh and don't think about trying any of your femine wiles on the
guards, for if one can turst Haedin to such things .. and I think one can,
they are eunuchs, and will not be swayed by you."

Coneta stood,  realizing there wasn't much she could do right now. "This is
not over, Regil."

"By the gold, I hope not! I'm having far to much fun!"

Lecia
***

>"Actually," H'lie corrected in a cold, furious voice, "He's a dragonrider.
>If you'll excuse me, I seem to have failed in some of my
>responsibilities."

The young woman tossed her golden blonde hair in a shrug and turned toward
the others. She watched as the two red-heads, one with a horrendous cut and
the other a bit on the chubby side moved off from them. She eyed the young
blonde boy who seemed to be watching the two red-heads with a bit of
concern. A concern which deepened as they headed off.

Lecia was left alone with the young boy for barely a minute when they were
approached by a plain young woman with long brown hair and a tall,
tow-headed lad. "What's going on?" the yong woman asked.

Lecia shrugged, "You got me. I'm new around here. I just wanted to get out
and have some fun. Isn't there a  hot spring bath or something around here."

"Well, M'tok was talking about a picnic."

"Outside?" Lecia said wrinkling her nose. "There are a lot of bugs outside."

"Not so much this time of year," the girl grined. "Most of them are
hybernating now."

Lecia looked up at the sky that was just beginning to gray, "Looks like it
might rain .."

The girl smiled lightly, "By the way,  I'm Iralyn, rider of Coriandreth."

"Lecia. I'm the ward of Lord and Lady Lothar." The lie slipped easier from
her lips this time.

"Oh .." Iralyn frowned, "I didn't know they had a ward." Her frowned
deepened, "But my family lived on the far reaches of the land .. We didn't
get all of the latest news .."

Lecia frowned, "I'm sorry. I didn't know." She seen the devastation from
Gerard's troops. She'd seen the refugee's weeping over missing loved ones.
Not liking the somberness the conversation had taken she turned to the
young golden boy. "What's your name?"

"Me .. I'm Billy."

"You're a dragonrider too?"

He nodded, "Oh yeah, I am."

She frowned, "I guess that makes me the odd man out."

"Well, you could always join the next time there are eggs."

"Me? Join to a dragon!" She chortled. "I would never join to a dragon! Not
when one of those beasts would take someone like my lying, thieving brother
as his rider!!" She shrugged, "Not that any of you are like my brother."
She frowned, feeling like she'd stuck her foot in her mouth. She quickly
changed the subject. "I don't suppose any of you know where Lord and Lady
Lothar went. Did they go back to Lotherra to reclaim it already?"

Ce'lot
***

Ce'lot didn't want to stay for dinner .. he just wanted to call Brit to
come and pick him and Belarade up and take them back to the warren where it
was safe! But he knew that was completely impossible. It was one thing to
have dragonriders in the castle it was something else entirely to have
dragon landing in Lotherra. He knew Rhia wouldn't stand for that.

And seeing and talking to Darril was one thing. Seeing and talking to
Gerard would be another.

Tho standing here, alone with Belarade so close .. her nose nuzzling his.
He pulled her into his tight embrace, his lips falling on hers. He tasted
her lips with a sweet gentle need before whispering, "I was so worried
about you."

"You were.."

He nodded, kissing her again, "When Brit told me you had been in trouble
.." he sighed, "I would have blamed myself if anything had happened to you."

"Why? I had to come."

"I know, but maybe it would have been better if I'd stayed close to you."

She shook her head, "No, you found your sister.. and my family. I owe you
everything for that."

He chuckled, "Well, it was B'Lin who spotted them, not I. In face it's
probably due to B'Lin that I found Lecia .." He grimaced slightly, "Don't
tell him I said that."

"I won't. I know you both did it together. And I thank you." She stepped up
on her toes to kiss him again.

He felt his heart racing as he enjoyed the taste and feel of her sweet
lips. Smelling the soft perfume of her skin .. so familiar .. Suddenly he
pulled back and looked at her strangely.

"What wrong?" she asked a worried expression on her face.

He studied her face for a moment. "It's .. nothing." He couldn't tell her
that for a moment, he was thinking of Coneta.. for it was her perfume he
was smelling. He smiled, "Really, I think the others are waiting for us.
Probably your brother is about to come searching for us."

She nodded and moved to turn away from him. He grabbed her arm gently,
pulling her back to look at him. "Bella .. I am very glad to be with you
again."

Gerard
***

"I'm so sorry the inclement weather put such an early halt to our touch,
milady," Gerard said happily to the duchess, for in truth, he was not sorry
in the least. She'd been pressuring him to try and explain the devastation
of Lotherra, and in all honesty he couldn't explain it to her satisfaction.
It was just a part of war. And reclaiming his home was indeed a war!

"Don't worry about it, Gerard. Now if you'll excuse me, I must rest."

"Of course. You will be down for Supper, won't you?"

Glywieth nodded, and headed up the stairs. Gerard motioned to a servant,
"Where are those dragonriders?"

"In the sun room, m'lord."

Gerard headed down the hall toward the far room. He pushed the doors open
and smiled graciously at the three who occupied the room. "I am Lord
Lothar, and I am very pleased to meet you dragonriders!"

"I'm the dragonrider," B'Lin said his arm wrapped around the pretty servant
girl as he lounged comfortably.

"Oh," Gerard said. "I'd been told there were more."

"Well, you've probably already met my sister, Bel."

"Oh indeed. The lovely young woman who came with the Duchess. Quite a
pleasant girl." He took on a look of concern. "I can understand your
concern for your sister, with the state our poor Lotherra is in right now.
Though I assure you, with the help of the dragonriders, we can make it
strong once again!"

Regards,
Ce'lot & Britche
***
NRPG: I wonder how long it'll take Haedin's spies to get word that Lord and
Lady Lotherra have a 'ward' in Xylian warren :)

Coneta isn't licked yet.. But she does need some time to think... and plan :)

Taylor, Sorry about Ce'lot thinking of Coneta and her perfume.. but I
couldn't resist, hehe :)

Kris

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       \oo/     Kristen Gant
        ~~      (AKA: Darlea & Makayla, Keldarra Warren, Courier
                      Waylene & Aura, Marrid Warren, Warrenlady
                      Meena & Vonn, Norwall Warren, Wingleader
                      Kalewyn & Sabbith, Telnor Warren, Dragonrider
                      Saul & Fayloth, Whiteriver Warren, Searcher
                      Merybelle Barmen, City of Ralengarde, Innkeeper
                      Ce'lot & Britche, Xylain Warren, Wingleader
                http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/Kris/kris.htm
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