Darril Lothar
***
<<early evening -day Glynweith arrives in Lotherra>>

>"My lord Darril, her Grace has asked us to assess the damage here and see
>if we can locate anyone who would like to take sanctuary elsewhere, as is
>her right and duty.  Would you care escort us as we go...  I would hate to
>have another such incident."

Darril smiled, "Yes, an escort .. you need an escort. I was worried about
you when I heard that you were down in this area along. It can be rough
these days."

"Thanks to your brothers fueding?" Wylla asked pointedly.

Darril shrugged, "When do brothers not fued."

Wylla linked her arm in Darril's as they walked, "So where do you fit in
this 'fued', m'lord?"

Darril thought for a moment. Where did he fit? He simply wanted to be in
his home with his wife .. if only he could make her that.  "I am .. glad to
be back in the place of my birth."

Wylla nodded, "I'd heard Lord Lothar had disowned his own brothers. Treason
.. wasn't it?"

Darril nodded, "Trumped up, of course. I don't think Gerard ever had his
eye on Regil's holdings .. well, perhaps his wife at one point."

"His wife? My my, buried secrets?"

Darril chuckled, "Oh nothing like that. The Lady Coneta is a beauty.
Everyone would give their teeth to have her .. yet somehow Regil got her.
Gerard .. he admired her from afar."

"The Lady was loyal to her husband?"

"Of course .. well, an occasional servant, I heard tell .. but Regil always
seemed to find a way of getting rid of servants who were too handsome, and
too close to his wife." Darril frowned, "Just as he got rid of his
brothers. Not that that had anything to do with the Lady Coneta .. it
didn't. It was all Regil's paranoia."

Darril looked down at the lady, "You have a perfect opportunity here, don't
you?"

"What do you mean?"

"A chance to get the inside story from one of the invaders."

Wylla nodded and smiled, "All information is appreciated."

Darril looked at the Lady Wylla's companion, hobbling along beside them in
a cast. "You know I could get us a small wagon to ride in. It might make
this easier?"

Ce'lot
***
<<early evening>>

>"You have to go get her out of there..." Anadia whispered.

>He nodded and wrapped an arm around her.  "We will..we will...but first,
>show me where the rest are."

Ce'lot was glad to see that B'lin had found his family .. he wondered how
Bella was taking not finding them in Lotherra. He followed in behind B'lin
as his youngest sister lead them into the forest toward the group of
refugees.

<Brit? Do you have close contact with Menia?>

<You could say that,> the dragon chuckled, <I've got her tail in my mouth.>

<What!!!?>

<I shouldn't tell you this ..> Britche hesitated, <But her rider called out
for help, and I had to latch onto Menia's tail to keep her from flying off
.. a nice tail it is too ..>

<Belarade's in trouble.>

<I don't think so anymore.. Menia has calmed down considerably.>

<Why didn't you tell me sooner!>

<What could you have done? You would have sat there and worried as well..
and I wasn't sure there was anyone there to chomp on your tail and stop you
from running off ..>

Ce'lot groaned, <Ask Menia, if she's okay, please.>

<Menia says she is .. I think she's upset with me however.>

<Have Menia tell her that we have found her family. B'lin has her sister
now, and we're on our way to see her mother and father.>

<She'll think you're a hero, you know.>

<Stop it. I didn't do anything.>

<Doesn't matter. Just the fact that it was you who found them ..>

<B'lin found them .. I wouldn't have even known them.>

<I still don't think it matters. This is very good!> Britche gloated,
something else to bring the two humans closer together.

Ce'lot just shook his head and refocused on following B'lin. As he spotted
refugee's poping their heads out of the forest to look at them, he searched
their faces, for a familiar one. Not that he would recognize her .. after
all he hadn't seen her since she was six.. but still.

They stopped and climbed off their horses,  tying them to nearby branches.

"Mama!" Ce'lot heard Bella's sister call as she ran off with B'lin close
behind.

Ce'lot faced the group. "Whose in charge here .. Is Aggie with you."

Suddenly the plump woman's face appeared, with wide eyes, as she walked
toward the blonde wingleader. "By the gold .." she breathed.

"Aggie," Ce'lot said with a smile.

"So it's true .. Lord Lothar didn't get you."

Ce'lot shook his head. "Well, not quite. However, Nunlot is no more. I am
Ce'lot, Alpha Wingleader of Xylian Warren."

"A dragonrider?" Aggie grinned, "I'd have never .."

A slight figure of a girl broke through the crowd, "Aggie," her voice
whined, "I'm hungry .."

Ce'lot watched as several people snickered and rolled their eyes. Aggie
turned patiently toward the girl, "It'll be all right now, Lecia. We've
been found by Riders from Xylian."

Ce'lot watched the girl closely. A pretty thing, with shoulder-length
golden tresses, very similar in color to his own. She gave him a fleeting
glance then looked back at Aggie, "I don't want to go to the warren, I
wanna go home .."

"Lecia?" Ce'lot called to her, drawing her attention back to him, "Lotherra
isn't safe right now. The warren is .. And your mother is there."

"You know my mother?" she asked, eyeing the blonde stranger.

He nodded, "I do .. because she's my mother too."

Lecia's eyes narrowed as she began to recognize some of this strangers
features, "You .. you're dead."

He shook his head, "No, I'm not."

Lecia looked at Aggie, "He's dead. He can't be Nunlot."

Aggie looked gently at the girl, "He is."

"NO!" the girl shouted, "You're dead! I don't want you to be alive! You're
a theif .. and a liar! And you should be dead!"

The girl ran off angrily, and Ce'lot moved to go after her. But Aggie
caught his arm, "I'll go. You stay here and get these people out of the
woods and to the warren, where they'll be safe."

Ce'lot noddly sadly and watched the large woman turn and head off after his
sister. He sighed. It had been much worse then he would have thought ..

Coneta
***
<<early afternoon - next day>>

The carriage ride had been silent as Coneta and Regil Lothar made their way
at a brisk pace toward gods know where! Her husband had refused to answer
her questions, which led her to believe, he wasn't completely clear on what
was going on. He obviously knew where they were going.. but the purpose of
the trip? She didn't think he really knew.

"Are we ever going to stop?" she said finally, "I'm so sore, I'm not going
to be able to walk!"

"We'll stop when we get there," he hissed.

She looked out the window at the passing countryside. It was beautiful, but
she didn't recognize it, so had no idea where they were going. Then in the
distance she though she saw smoke..perhaps from a chimney?

Within minutes the estate was within sight. "Whose home is that?"

"Lady Tellari." Lothar said.

The name was vaguely familiar .. but Coneta couldn't put a face to it. It
was a nice estate. One of at least some wealth.

The carriage pulled up the stone pathway which led to the main house, and
came to a stop not far from the door. Coneta breathed a sigh of relief as a
doorman moved to the door of the carriage and helped her out. It felt good
to move again.

>"Lord and Lady Lothar, how nice to see you!" said Sherri as they emerged
>from their carriage. "I hope you had a safe and pleasant journey?"

Coneta studied the woman, but still did not recognize her. "Thank you for
inviting us .. " she said a bit hesitantly as her eyes fell on Aelxirn.

She leaned toward her husband as he moved beside her, "What is this, a
gathering of the displaced .."

He shot her a dirty look and then smiled at the Lady, "Lady Tallari?"

She nodded, "Yes. Please come in and have something to drink. I'm sure your
parched after your long journey."

"Long journey with no stops," Coneta added with a slight smile as she
jabbed her husband.

Regards,
Ce'lot & Britche

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  |\  /^~~^\  /|
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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
 --d----------b-------------------------------------------------------
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        \/