[DL-X] The long winter months
by
Kris & Scott Gant <sgant@interaccess.com>

Ce'lot
***

Winter had been long and very cold, but Ce'lot had managed to keep himself
warm with the help of Belarade. They'd spent many cold nights in the warmth
of each other's arms. And the golden haired man couldn't remember being
happier. The memories of Coneta, which had plagued him nearly daily before
having met the red-head, were just vague recollections now .. and no longer
carried the power to dominate his thoughts as they had for so long.

He loved her more then he'd thought possible. So much so that even her
minor failings, which would have driven him batty before, didn't bother
him. Things like the completely unorganized mess in which she kept her
apartment. Not that she spent much time there. He brought her to his
apartment as often as she would let him.

He had been able to do a little straightening in her apartment, but it
certainly was in no way close to the very clean and organized ..
meticulously so .. way he kept his dwelling. But as long as she loved him,
that didn't matter.

His mother loved her to. Of course Celia liked most everyone.. including
Bel's annoying brother. Ce'lot and B'Lin were no closer to learning to get
along, and the wingleader doubted they ever would be. At every turn B'Lin
seemed to go out of his way to irritate him. And in no area did he do it
more then when it came to Lecia.

It burned his very soul that his sister was living with the man. He was
sure B'Lin was just using her, but there was no way to prove it. Lecia
continued to sing the lout's praises and show off the cheap little baubles
she claimed he gave her because he 'loved' her. The only thing that stayed
him from  doing anything was his mother.

Celia was sure B'Lin was a good man, who was truly keeping her daughter
happy. And she made her son promise to try and get along with him. Ce'lot
had tried. But B'Lin was impossible!

Thankfully Bel's family was wonderful. They welcomed both Ce'lot and his
sister as well as their mother, into their family circle. For that Ce'lot
was grateful. Not only because it made Bella happy, but because he felt
that someone at least was watching out for Lecia, when he couldn't.

Britche landed on the ledge to Belarade's apartment, <They are not back yet.>

Ce'lot frowned, <Well, it shouldn't be to much longer. I'll wait.>

He slid off the dragon's back and headed into the apartment, bending to
pick up a stack of books laying haphazardly by a wall. He slid them in into
a spot on the shelves he'd helped her put up. He shook his head at the rows
of books he had taken such great care to neatly arrange. They were now
stacking the wrong way, some leaning on others ..

He heard the flapping of wings and turned to see the bright red Menia
landing on the ledge. He smiled at the red-head who slid off her dragon and
came toward him, sliding into his arms, and planting a kiss on his lips.
"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you about my sister." He said.

Belarade grimaced, "Ce'lot .."

"No, now listen before you tell me you can't do anything."

She sighed and nodded. "What?"

"I think she's looking a little pale .."

"She looks fine." Bella assured him.

He frowned, "I don't know. She didn't eat much last night at dinner."

"We didn't have dinner with her last night." Bel said looking at him strangely.

"Oh, I know .." he said, "But I stopped in the dining hall a bit later for
some coffee .. and .." he looked down into her brown eyes, "Bel, I'm
worried about her."

"She seems happy. Did you see the pretty broach B'Lin gave her last week?"

He rolled his eyes, "I saw it. I also saw that she was limping .."

"Ce'lot!" Bella said with reproach. "She sprained her ankle!"

"She's been awfully clumsy lately."

Bella pushed him away, "We are not going to have this conversation. My
brother did not do anything to hurt her."

"And what about that kitchen wench he was hanging all over."

"He was just being friendly. It's Lecia he cares about. You have to admit
how sweet he is to her. He loves her."

"Yes, whenever I'm around, he's fawning all over her! It's nauseating!"

"Ce'lot!"

He groaned, "Okay, I'm sorry .. I'm just worried about her."

"I'm sure she's fine." Bella assured him, moving back into his embrace.
"But if it'll make you feel better, I'll talk to her."

Ce'lot brightened, "Would you?"

Belarade nodded and he hugged her tightly, "Thank you. I feel much better."

Lecia
***

The girl stood in the bathroom, in front of the mirror brushing her hair. A
hundred times to make it shiny. That's what Coneta always said. Of course
her hair was unruly compared to Coneta's, which always did exactly as it
was supposed to. She heard the sound of a dragon landing and quickly put
down the brush rushing out to greet B'Lin.

After that first evening .. he'd asked her stay. He'd spoken pretty words
and convinced her to stay. She'd even let him climb on top of her again and
huff and puff until he groaned in release. He seemed to like it .. she was
still not very sure about it.

His kisses were sweet and sent shivers through her body. Sometimes when he
touched her, her body would ache .. ache for something. But then he'd slip
between her legs and thrust roughly and she just held on waiting for him to
finish.

For the most part it wasn't so bad. He was and exciting man. He'd take her
to the dining hall and parade around like he was the luckiest man in the
lands, and she the luckiest woman. One night when the weather had been
good, he'd taken her on dragonback all the way to Daorith and they'd danced
and drank a sweet liquor and it had been more fun then she'd ever had. That
night she'd barely remembered him fumbling for her awkwardly before passing
out.

Of course there were the bad times too. She'd learned not to ask when he
stayed out all night. He'd been very angry. Shouting about the fact that
she didn't own him .. he'd said some horrible things. But then later as she
lay crying on the couch he'd come out and apologized. Saying how sorry he
was. Smothering her in those delicious kisses of his. And shortly after
that he'd brought her a pretty necklace. Nothing as fancy as Coneta had..
but it was from him. It proved how much she meant to him.

Lecia rushed out to the ledge, stopping as she saw the red dragon. She
frowned, it wasn't B'Lin. She saw the red-head jump down and wave, "Hi
Lecia."

She nodded, a bit disappointed. She quickly covered her disappointment. She
didn't want Bella to know that B'Lin had been gone all night again ..

"How are you doing?" Bel gave her a friendly smile.

Lecia nodded, "I'm okay."

"You're brother's a little worried about you."

She groaned, a fire sparked within her, "You can tell him I don't need him
worrying about me! I'm just fine."

Bella moved toward her, "I told him you were. Don't be angry with him."

Lecia shrugged, "How do you put up with him, Bella?"

"He's not so bad," she grinned.

"So you say." Lecia sighed.

"So where's B'Lin?"

Lecia looked at her something dark passing over her eyes, "Umm, he'll be
back after a while."

***

The two had moved into the living room and were chatting when Lecia's hears
picked up the sound of another dragon. She stood quickly and ran toward the
ledge, "B'Lin, guess who's here?"

Stepping out into the large dragon chamber her face fell again. It wasn't
B'Lin. The man stepped down off his dragon, "Lecia? I'm S'dan." He nodded
to Belarade as she followed Lecia out.

"Hello, S'dan," Bella greeted him.

"I'm here to see Lecia. We need to find her a job." He turned to the blonde
girl, "That's how the warren works. If you want to live here, you have to
do something to help out."

Lecia frowned. She'd heard that before. Mostly from that obnoxious brother
of hers. "What kind of job."

"What kind of job would you like? What can you do?"

Lecia shrugged, "I don't know .."

"Well they are always looking for help in the kitchen .."

Lecia's nose wrinkled at that, and S'dan continued, "Well, there's the
laundry .. sewing .. cleaning .."

At each of these suggestions Lecia's frown deepened, "I can't do those
things .."

"Why not?" he asked.

"That's for servants," she told him.

S'dan frowned, "There are no 'servants' in the warren, we all take care of
each other. And you need to find something to do or you will not be able to
stay."

Lecia looked at him in surprise, "You mean .. you'd throw me out?"

Regards,
Ce'lot & Britche
Lecia
***
NRPG:  Taylor, have fun chatting with Lecia :) Fill in whatever you need to.

This basically takes care of  catching Ce'lot and Lecia up.. Coneta and co
are next :)

Kris



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  |\  /^~~^\  /|
 -qqQ-\O||O/-Qpp------------------------------------------------------
       \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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