[Ilara, at the office]

>"Now, you see why all of that is hard for Rhia to do alone?"
>
>Ilara nodded.  "But I don't know anything about doing all of that."
>
>"That's okay, you do have some time."  S'dan smiled.  "What happened to
>Kyrie was unusual, Ilara, and even then, Rhia had two years to train under
>her.  Now, Rhia had an advantage, she'd been raised to rule Landress...." 
>His voice trailed off.  "Now that may be something you should consider... 
>Find someone who can help you who was raised to run a large farmstead or
>manor...  I will help you all I can, but I'm Rhiannon's courier and
>assistant, and I won't always have time to help you if you're confused..."

        "I see," Ilara replied, understanding that she couldn't very
well expect S'dan to help her *and* Rhia.  She smiled and asked, "You
know, I think there's someone who just might fit the bill... now..."
She frowned for a moment, and then Erkvinen interjected, <Sarilyn.>

        "Sarilyn, of course!" she said aloud.  "She... she was... yes,
she'll be able to do it.  I think."  Ilara knew a little about Aelxirn
and Kedrina's daughter, who'd joined with Lunath at the hatching.  But
it was admittedly patchy, and she wouldn't have the faintest clue if
Sarilyn were really up to all the demands.  "Well, unless you know of
someone else, I'll ask her about it when I can track her down."

        S'dan took a moment to go through the other possibles, and
nodded agreement with Ilara.  "Well, even if you can't read too well,
you seem to be a good judge of character.  Sarilyn *does* have the right
upbringing, from what I know... you ought to be fine with her."  He
noticed the junior queenrider smile a bit more at the compliment.

        "Thank you S'dan," Ilara replied.  "I hope I wasn't imposing too
much on your time, but..."  She shrugged, not knowing what to add at the
moment.  Keeping her mind focussed helped, but the odd thought of
Carlynee had had her staring off into space.  "If I go now, I might be
able to catch Sarilyn at the dining hall," she beamed, standing up.  She
faltered, "Ah, unless you had anything else to tell me...?"


[Dining hall, after Carlynee leaves]

        Ilara was tired.  She'd had no idea learning was so tiring...
she wanted to get a nice dinner, and sleep out the rest of the day.
Oh... then again, she'd better not be asleep when Carlynee called.

        Her expression brightened as she saw Sarilyn sitting at one of
the tables, and she waved to the dragonrider as she made her way to the
banquet table.  She didn't want anything that was... or that... or
this...

        Ilara frowned.  She wasn't normally this picky about her food,
especially not when she was in such a rush... to talk to Sarilyn, of
course.  She grasped her tray with both hands, as it was heavier now,
and took a seat at Sarilyn's table, smiling across at... Billy, that was
the name.

        "Hi Ilara," he said brightly.  "Carlynee was asking about you
earlier."  Billy looked around, and remembered that he'd seen the
artisan leave with Chelea.  "She *was* here, but took off with Chelea.
The deaf-"

        Ilara interrupted, "Mmm, I know her."  Her complexion paled
slightly at that understatement... she'd known a side of Chelea last
night that some in the Warren knew little of.  She went paler still with
the realisation that Carl seemed to have befriended Chelea.  Ilara hoped
the little dragonrider would keep schtoom, even though secretly she
wouldn't mind a repeat.  By this time guilt was set on her expression,
plainly visible.

        "What's the matter?" asked Billy, wondering what had brought on
such a sudden quiet stillness in the junior queenrider.  Her hands were
shaking as she raised her cutlery.

        Ilara sighed and almost let it all out, but instead shook her
head, "Nothing... just I'm really tired, Billy.  Thankfully, Rhia's
okay... everyone did hear that earlier today?"  The change in subject
was almost by accident, but it got her where she needed to go.  

        "Sarilyn, I was ah, looking for someone to help out... S'dan
said you'd have the background for it.  Me, I don't know much outside of
a kitchen," she said, grinning at the last point.  "Would you be
interested?"

[Tag Jeanette!]


[Ilara's room, a bit later]

>  Carlynee felt as if she was sneaking about like thief in the night.  After 
>questioning several pages, she finally found where Ilara was staying and 
>carefully skirted anyone she knew on her way to Ilara's room.
>
>  Finally standing in front of Ilara's door, Carlynee wiped her sweaty hands 
>on her skirt before knocking softly on the door.  After all, from what she 
>had heard over snatches of conversation here and there...Ilara had had a 
>rough day and she didn't want to disturb her anymore.  

        Ilara stretched and moaned in her sleep, unconsciously pulling
the covers tightly around her.  To look at her, the junior queenrider
looked smaller than her six feet, and vulnerable.  Almost by
coincidence, she called out Carlynee's name.

        She wasn't aware of the door opening, or the footsteps...
hesitant ones, as Carlynee searched for her, and then stopped at the
head of the bed.

        Even a little insistent nudging didn't shift her from her deep
dreaming, her fantasy.  It took a good shake by the shoulders to break
her out of that, and she looked up blearily.  Carlynee's face came into
focus, and Ilara snatched the sheets up around her, feeling a flush of
embarrassment at being woken up by the very target of her fantasy, and
at having not much else to cover herself with.  "H-hi," she said softly,
looking deeply into Carlynee's eyes as she always did.  "It's been a
tough day," she admitted ruefully.

[Tag Cheryl!]

<nrpg>
>Sam -- Ilara should be with S'dan and Rhia that the point in the day that
>H'lie is discussing flying.  Rhia and S'dan will do that, among other
>things :)  I just need to see what happened with the rest of the day before
I know *sigh* I've been holding up everyone lately :( if I missed
anyone, gives a shout and I'll have something for you pronto-ish *grin*.

Jill: did I mash S'dan a little there?... sorry if I did *rolls eyes*.
Are you and Jeanette working on the tag with Sarilyn and H'lie?

So I'm kindof caught up with the day before, and ought to get onto
morning real-soon-now :)

Cheryl: I did leave it with just the impression of how Ilara seems to
be, and feels.  It could be rather annoying to Carl *grin*.  Really
sorry about not getting back to this sooner *sigh* I'll try better in
future.

Respectfully submitted by Sam M. Edwards
      Ilara, rider of Erkvinen at Xylian (DL)
     E-mail: Ilara@positronix.demon.co.uk
        WWW: http://www.positronix.demon.co.uk/
       "Make it so." - Picard