< Sarilyn...in Rhia's office. >

> Rhia bit her lip thoughtfully.  "Sarilyn, I will have riders keep an eye
> out for your father, and in extremis, I will offer him sanctuary here...
> but he will have to ask for it."
> 
> "He'll be in danger..."
> 
> "Yes, I imagine he will, particularly if Lord Meradh is involved.  But
> brutal as Haedin Meradh is, he's unlikely to throw aside a useful tool if
> he thinks he can use it.  The question is whether that message got here
> without one of Meradh's spies seeing him."
> 
> "What can we do?"
> 
> "I don't know yet," Rhia ran a tired hand through her hair.  Trouble,
> trouble, trouble!  She needed Ilara trained and ready to take her place! 
> There weren't enough hours in the day for one person to put out all of the
> erupting fires.  She sighed.  "I don't know, but I will.  I swear that to
> you, Sarilyn.  I will."

  Sarilyn's face was filled with relief, and her eyes filled with more
tears...this time of gratitude.  "Thank you, Rhia...thank you so much!"

  Then she turned to H'lie, and hesitated just a bit before getting
herself, and her voice, under control.

  "Thank you too, H'lie.  Just for listening, and caring enough to let me
tell Rhia..no matter how bizarre it all sounds."

  She blushed a bit, and sighed softly.  "I'm sorry for acting so noble
and all.  I know I got on your nerves a lot when I first arrived, and most
likely still do.  But I'm starting to feel at home here, and more trusting
of people.  You helped.  I really appreciate that, honest."

  She leaned to give the grandfatherly rider a soft kiss on the cheek,
causing him to actually blush for a moment.  "You're sweet.  I'm glad we
aren't at each others' throats any more.  Can I ask you for a small favor,
please?"

  H'lie, taken aback by the kiss, nodded.  "Ask."

  "Would you mind terribly if i didn't come back to the rest of the lesson
today?  I need to..well..think, and just try to relax.  I promise I'll
practice later on, and read double..maybe even get in some flying
practice."

  At that, Rhia's head turned...and she cleared her throat.  Sarilyn shook
her head quickly, then remembered that Rhia couldn't see that.  "No,
M'am,  I mean Rhia..I won't go flying off to my father, I promise...I'm a
bit behind due to that little adventure...and just want to catch up.  I'll
stay in the Warren, honest."

  H'lie nodded, taking the new rider at her word, and knowing that the
scare of possibly losing her dragon had well and truely sunk in.

  "All right, but if you need to talk, you know where to find me, ok?"

  Sarilyn gave H'lie a grateful hug, and nodded.  "Thank you, H'lie."

  She stood, and after a curtsey to Rhia..she couldn't break that habit
anyhow...she slipped out, worry in her eyes and reflected on her face as
she headed for Lunath..flopping to sit beside her.  Her father just *had*
to be all right, he *had* to!

  Leaning against her dear dragon, she tried hard to relax, and hoped that
everything would be all right.  Two sets of human eyes, as well as two
sets of dragon eyes, watched her worriedly...as both Billy and Ilara, and
their dragons, wondered what had happened to stop class, and had their
friend so visibly upset.

[Tag: All involved.]

-------------

Jeanette
Sarilyn/Lunath * Xylian

> ------
> NRPG --
> Welcome back to the Warren everyone!  After the morning meeting with Ce'lot
> and co, Rhia will be wanting to talk to everyone who went on that little
> adventure, so feel free to drop on by ;)  Please don't go beyond evening of
> this 'day' -- I'll be writing a 'fluid time' post presently (I know, I've
> been saying that for a month, but I wanted to see everything tied up ;)

  Silly question here...why didn't she talk to Sarilyn while she was in
her office?  Just curious.  :) ]