From: Kristen Gant <kgant@interaccess.com>

Ce'lot
***

It wasn't long after the funeral was over, that even as the pyres still
smoldered, that every walked away with heavy hearts and hanging heads. Rhia
was rushed back to Eos for the trial, and he found himself confronted by
Molla. "How's Belarade?"

"Okay," he answered simply.

She nodded, "So you don't know, huh?"

"I said she was 'okay'!" Ce'lot shot back at her.

Molla shrugged, "Fine, but I think you're fooling yourself. Which is
probably why that poor girl ended up like she is right now."

"Molla, if you have a point to make, I wish you'd make it."

"The point is that you have a young girl .. a dragonrider .. who is doing
nothing but worrying about what you think about her." Molla said, "And look
at you, you barely even notice."

"What? I spend all my time noticing her!" Ce'lot glared at her, "She's
practically my mate!"

"Practically?" Molla asked. "Okay perhaps I'm wrong. But if you notice her
so much, can you tell me how much she weighs?"

"What does that have to do with anything? I'm not some peddler at a fair,
earning coins by guessing a woman's weight."

"Okay, then let me ask you this, do you think she looks good currently?"

"Of course! She's always beautiful to me."

"Blinded by love, eh."

Ce'lot huffed and turned away from his wingsecond. She had always enjoyed
goading him, but this was getting to be annoying! He had things to do. In
fact as it was because of the funeral he was late for his own patrol ..

Molla ran up behind him, her short dark hair bouncing as she jumped in
front of him. "Listen Ce'lot, I'm honestly not trying to make you angry.
I'm just worried about Bella. You may not think it matters but that once
healthy girl, who used to be a perfectly good weight, is now rail thin and
you don't even seem to notice."

"So she's lost a little weight. What's wrong with that? Besides she's been
sick.. the pain she's suffering .."

"You are hopeless!" Molla groaned. "No one should have to take pain
medication this long! If it was just pain she was suffering she could have
gone to Nineve .. but it's not. The fact of the matter is that she doesn't
think she looks good enough for you .."

"Come on, Molla, that's not true."

"It is true. I've seen the way she looks at you." Molla motioned her hands
up and down his body, "Ce'lot, you *are* beautiful. Do you know how many
woman in this warren would give everything to get close to you. You bring
the flirt out in all of them, and you don't even know it. Gods! Women bat
their eyes at you and  you smile back politely and I think Belarade doesn't
think she can compete with them."

"Compete? I never look at other women!"

"No, you don't. But you don't look at her either. You pay her no more mind
then anyone else. You do not make her feel 'special'."

"That's ridiculous!"

"Is it?" Molla asked.

Ce'lot nodded, "Yes, it is!" and pushed past her, calling Britche to the
green to pick him up. It was ridiculous. What did Molla know about it! She
was alone and had always been alone! No wonder the way she insisted on
being so damned opinionated!

Darril Lothar
***

>"Lord Darril Lothar, Earl of Landress, please rise." Glynweith's voice cut
>across whatever the young man had to say. "My accountants and those
>employed by the Lady of Xylian for this purpose will be at your disposal
>for the next several days."

>"I will send a rider to you so that you may contact me at any time with
>questions, Lord Darril." Rhia curtseyed deeply, following the sound of his
>voice to angle her body. "I am certain that Landress will prosper under
>your care."

Darril Lothar stood on shaky legs. He'd come here with every intention of
being named a true Lord .. but Landress had certainly not been what he'd
expected. He was completely dumbfounded by the news .. that it seemed just
about everyone (at least everyone who mattered) seemed to believe.

Glynweith had no doubts or she wouldn't have given him the title. And
Rhiannon of Xylian .. she had almost called him family. He'd always known
that Regil held some tenuous claim to relations with Glynweith's late
husband .. but he'd never given more then a passing thought to Landress.

"Go to Landress, my boy." Ramstaso said, looking at him with a nod, "Find
your family."

He nodded to the aged Lord and to the Duchess, then turned to Rhiannon, "I
appreciate your offer of help, Lady Rhiannon of Xylian .. and I will .. do
my best to take care of Landress as you would."

Rhia nodded gratefully to him and he sat back down, reaching for Bryn's
hand, which had moved instinctively to his lap searching for relief from
her own confusion. There was a dull whisper throughout the room as people
turned to their neighbors and discussed the events that had just unfolded
before their eyes. Darril turned toward his wife whose questioning eyes
told of her confusion.

"Landress?" She breathed.

"Well it's a little unexpected .. but .."

"A little?"

He squeezed her hand and turned his attention to the front of the room
where Glynweith was calling the assembly to attention to begin the trial of
the murderess, the former Sheri Tellari..

Lecia
***

>"Now, girls, I've heard some rumors about how well -- or not -- you two
>work together. I suggest you work this out, as well as a lightened
>schedule for Ilara --" Nineve handed the red-head a list of suggestions,
>"-- and I suggest you get on it. If you can, I'd suggest working it out so
>that you have a final proposal to hand to Rhia when she comes back. This
>is going to be hard on *her* too."

Nineve's tone was really beginning to scare Lecia. And the paleness of
Ilara's skin wasn't helping. The girl looked drained. "Wh.. what do I need
to do?" she asked, trying to keep the panic from her voice.

She looked at Nineve, who in turn looked at Ilara, "Ask Ilara, Lecia."

Lecia didn't really want to even look at Ilara, but she forced her eyes on
the red-head. "I .. I don't know what to do .."

Ilara looked into Lecia's eyes, "Are you really willing to help me?"

"I .. guess .."

"You can't guess, Lecia!" Ilara said, "I have to know if you are going to
actually help or just pretend to help, like you've been doing all along."

"Well, what do you want me to say!" Lecia cried. "I was forced to sit and
listen to you for hours on end, simply based on the color of Sadie's skin!
Now that's hardly fair is it!"

"Lecia!" Nineve reprimanded as Ilara's head sank.

Lecia bit her tongue, and her face colored as she felt ashamed of her
outburst when the young woman in front of her was in so much pain. She
honestly did feel for badly for her and she did want to help. But it was so
hard to be stuck in the same room with her and to be constantly reminded of
the fact that she and B'Lin had .. been involved ..

"Lecia, I don't think you understand what's going on here .." Nineve started.

Lecia frowned, looking up at the healer, "I do .. at least I think  I do."
She looked back at Ilara, "I am sorry. I .. I do feel badly for what your
going through and I do want to help. You've been very nice to me, and I
really want to like you .. but sometimes .. I just get so scared that you
.. well that you're going to take B'Lin away from me .. and then well I
just start to .. not like you very much at all."

Ilara looked up at her with stunned eyes, "Lecia, I do not want to take
B'Lin away from you." She sighed tiredly, "That I can promise you."

"But .. but you're gonna have his baby .."

"That doesn't mean I want him!" Ilara groaned, "That is one thing you do
not have to worry about! Honestly .. I don't want B'Lin."

Lecia stood transfixed for a moment, "You .. don't want him?"

"No," said Ilara, shaking her head, then shrugged slowly .. almost sadly,
"I'm in love with someone else .."

"You are?" She tried to remember what other men she had seen Ilara with,
and for the life of her wasn't able to come up with anyone. Well H'lie ..
but well .. he was old! She frowned slightly, "It's not .. H'lie is it?"

Ilara smiled gently, "No, Lecia. And I'm not sure you're ready to hear
*who* it is .. but one thing you can be certain of .. it is NOT B'Lin!"

Lecia nodded slowly, "Okay .."

"So we can be friends .. right?" Ilara asked. Lecia saw the tired pleading
in the young woman's face.

"Okay .. we can be friends."

Regards,
Ce'lot & Britche
***
NRPG: Just some small snippets.

Taylor, Molla has given Ce'lot something to think about. We'll see if he
thinks she right or not :)
Jill, Darril will be ready to go to Landress, and Coneta, of course, to
Lotherra <G>
Sam, Lecia will do what she can to help. But I think it'll still be hard
for her to get past being a spoiled brat, though she'll try :) And Rhia
thought Ilara was a handful :) Heck maybe Ilara and Lecia will really be
friends! Wonder what she'd think of Ilara's preference in companionship :)

Kristen
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  |\  /^~~^\  /|
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       \oo/     Kristen Gant
        ~~      (AKA: Waylene & Aura, Marrid Warren, Warrenlady
                      Meena & Vonn, Norwall Warren, Wingleader
                      Kalewyn & Sabbith, Telnor Warren, Dragonrider
                      Th'rin & Areena, Whiteriver Warren, Head Healer
                      Merybelle Barmen, City of Ralengarde, Innkeeper
                      Ce'lot & Britche, Xylain Warren, Wingleader
                      Saul & Fayloth, Jasra Warren, Searcher
                      Darlea & Makayla
                      Devon & Xanith
                http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/Kris/kris.htm
 --d----------b-------------------------------------------------------
        ()
       \()/
        \/

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