Date: Sun, 6 Nov 2005 18:38:55 -0600 (CST)
From: "Barbara A. Matthews" <carolyn@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: [DL-J] Untimely Arrivals
[[ John can you check the address for me to make sure I have them all
please...B]]
Fig was worried. She'd failed somehow. Tara was hurt and she hadn't
been
here to prevent it. It didn't matter that her history didn't cover this
time line, she should have been here. She should have been near Tara so
she could have prevented what had happen to her.
So far word was that she was holding her own, but Fig knew things could
change. What worried her the most was that she could not be there to
see
how the woman was for herself. She had to rely on what she could over
hear
since she had no real reason to be in the room with the injured woman.
No
reason to be in the Warren at all since her arrival had been derailed.
She
had to be very careful not to be caught here now or her whole cover
would
be blown.
Things hadn't gone the way they were suppose to. The fighting had
started
before Fig could get back to the Warren for her planned arrival. Now
she
wasn't sure what to do. She'd snuck back inside when the sun had
slipped
out to sea, but now she had to worry about how to come back when the
sun
came up again and be allowed to stay.
She needed advice, and knew she'd have to hurry if she was going to
catch
him before he headed out for the New Dragonlands on some mission or
other
he had going on there...
...........
"Ask for Jerram," came the quick reply after she had explained her
problem. "He knows who your father is and is very protective of Tara.
If
you can convince him that you're who you say you are then he'll make
sure
you can stay and that should give you a legitimate reason for being
there."
Jerram... Fig's face didn't change expressions, but inside she was
smiling, for she knew the self appointed protector, and Warren Trainer.
Or
had known him most of her life.. but that was a different place and
time..
"Yes.. you are right, my second teacher," she nodded respectfully, her
blue eyes glinted with a slight trace of amusement. "My father has told
me
about the man and how formable he can be. I will have my work cut out
trying to convince him I am who I say I am without my father there
beside
me."
Trap chuckled as he turned to go. "I have every faith that you'll be
able
to pull it off young Fig. Have him contact Diemis through his own
dragon
if he still has questions."
She watched him until he seem to just disappear into the darkness and
then
turned to back track to where she left her own dragon, Kasha hidden in
one
of the sea caves.
>>Do we go now?<< the dark smoky gray dragon asked as her rider turned
back to caress her snout.
<In a bit my love,> the girl responded. <We'll go in when the sun
starts
to come up. I need to make sure I have everything I need..>
.....
(early morning.. ((not sure the day))
They were challenged by other dragons as soon as they popped into the
air
above Jasra Warren. Fig had Kasha identify themselves as messengers
from
Lord Darden with a message to be given to her Ladyship the Warrenlady
Tara.
They were allowed to land, escorted to the ground by two very big
dragons
and Fig was allowed to dismount but was told to wait by her dragon
until
someone could be summoned to deal with her and the message she carried.
She almost didn't recognize the man who arrived to greet her, gone was
the
well dressed man she had once known, and in his place stood a man who
looked as if he had passed through hell and barely made it out alive.
Fig
had to fight off the dizziness that threaten to overwhelm her at the
sight
of him. He looked so.. So .. hopeless. He'd always seemed like a rock
to
her, so full of life and strong as the day was long... this man she
barely
recognized.
"They say you are here to deliver a message to the Warrenlady Tara,"
the
tired looking man before her barked out. The green eyes she had known
so
well were now almost a dull gray as if the color and life had drained
away. Yet there was still an alertness about his stance that made her
realize he was suspicious of her arrival.
She shifted into the *young girl* mode as if in awe as she looked
around
the beach area and the Warren in all it's disarray. "Ye..yes.. Sir .."
she
allowed a slight quiver to sound in her voice... "If you beg my pardon
....
sir... It looks like you had a war here!!"
"We did," was all he would say about it. "This message you have, you
can
give it to me," he told her and held out his hand for it.
She shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry but I was instructed to give it
into
the hands of the Warrenlady herself. My father said I wasn't to give
it
to anyone else."
She could see by the look that now came over his once handsome
features,
her words weren't going over to well with him.
"That won't be possible," he informed her shortly as his displeasure
was
now plain to see. "The Warrenlady was injured in the attack and is
unable
to see anyone right now. So I am here in her place."
Fig's right eye narrowed and her head tilted a bit to the left as she
regarded him. She allowed a bit of the rebellious youth she was suppose
to
be to show as she asked. "And just who might you be who thinks I should
ignore my fathers orders just on your say so?"
The man took a step towards her causing the girl to back up a few steps
until any further retreat was blocked by the dark gray dragon behind
her.
Not that he really scared her... but he might have if she hadn't known
him... no.. better not think of that now. Better to just let him think
she
held some fear at his advance.
"I am Dragonrider Jerram," he informed her in a voice that sounded a
lot
sterner then a few minutes ago. "Weaponsmaster of Jasra Warren and
protector of the Warrenlady.
"Jerram.. I know that name," Fig said as if that was what made up her
mind, not the titles that came afterwards. She looked him over and then
nodded as if making up her mind to do as he said.
"I guess my father won't mind if I give the letter to you. He's spoken
of
you before and trusts you. Which puts you on a short list," she
informed
him as she dug into the pouch on her hip to pull out the letter. "But
if
he gets mad at me I'm going to tell him that you forced me to give you
the
letter and refused to let me see the Warrenlady. I haven't been with
him
for long you know and I'm not going to get kicked out of his house
because
I didn't follow his orders and give this to the wrong person."
Jerram eyed her as she spoke and wondered who she was. Something about
her
was familiar but.. Her words weren't really making any sense and he
couldn't figure her out, but he didn't think she posed much of a
problem
towards the Warren. "And just who is this father who might kick you out
of
the house.." he asked as he took the letter she held out to him.
Her eyes opened wide as if wondering if he was for real. "Surely if
you're
so close to the Warrenlady, then you'd have herd about me by now!! I'm
sure my father didn't keep me a secret from her.. At lease I don't
think
so."
Some of the color had seeped back into his tired eyes as his interest
was
peaked. "No darling.. Can't recall the warrenlady ever speaking about
you
before.." he slowly shook his head and started to wonder what this girl
was up to. "But then since I do not know your name..." he paused as if
giving her the opportunity to provide it.
She had the good graces to blush and have him a half smile. "Oh
sorry...
My father is Lord Darden and my name is Fig..."
The amusement drained from his face and she found herself pressed back
against Kasha's warm flesh by the two strong hands clamped around her
arms. She knew she'd evoke some sort of response out of him with her
words
and had warned Kasha not to attack. She'd expected more along the lines
of
angry words... not a physical assault on her person. She'd
underestimated
him at the wrong time. But then she hadn't counted on a battle erupting
before her arrival.
Wisp had warned her that Jerram was no man to mess with. Told her that
he
himself dared not challenge the man to a fight, and right now Fig could
understand why. The Swordsmaster was a man to be feared at the best of
times, but after the battle they'd just had here, he was more dangerous
then normal. Something she should have considered before she spoke. He
took looking after the Warrenlady very serious and any threat to her
brought out the warrior in him.
"Don't lie to me darling," his breath was warm against her face as he
leaned in towards her. "I've had a bad two days and the last thing I
need
is some little twit claiming to be the daughter of the Warrenlady's
Uncle,
when I know damn well he has no children. Now TELL ME WHO YOU ARE!!"
"Please sir.." she cried, not daring to even try to get away from the
powerful hands holding her. She didn't have to pretend to be scared.
She
was and knew none of her self defense moves would work against him with
him the way he was now. "I am his daughter.. But I didn't know until
recently. Have your dragon ask mine if you don't want to believe me.
She'll tell you who I am. "
At first she didn't think he'd do as she asked, and barely managed not
to
scream out as the pain he was inflicting reached the limits of her pain
threshold. But then the pressure on her arms lessen, he did not release
his hold on her, but it wasn't as bad as it had been.
"Ones dragon might say anything if the rider was in trouble," he
growled,
still not totally convinced. "You're going to have to come up with a
better story then what you've told me so far darling if you want me to
believe you. Why didn't your.. father.. come here with you?"
This was not the loving uncle she had known.. This man scared her, and
not
many people, man or woman scared her the way Jerram was at the moment,
but
the time was different so she couldn't have expected him to be the
same.
Especially when she hadn't even...
"Father had to go to the new Dragonlands.." she said in a cowered tone.
"He'd learned of a plot to kill one of the Warrenlady's there and had
to
go stop what was to happen... so he sent me here to try and keep me out
of
trouble until he returned. I wasn't suppose to tell anyone who I was..
being his daughter... I'm not sure why but he said it was dangerous for
me... He said he'd written in the letter to his niece that I was the
daughter of a friend who needed help for a few days and would she
please
let me stay here in the Warren until he returned..."
"So you say," his cold eyes glared at her.
"Please... Sir... It's all in the letter.. read it and see if I'm
telling
the truth," she begged, needing him to back away from her and give her
some room to breath.
"It only cost a few marks for a good forger to write up a letter," he
countered, but released one of her arms to yank the letter out of the
pocket he'd shoved it in.
It took him a moment to open the wax seal holding the pages together,
and
then he had to flick his wrist to get the pages to open. "Do *not*
move,"
he warned her as his eyes scanned the words Lord Darden had written
there.
He was still not convinced after reading the letter, and there was no
softening of the body stance as he propelled her away from her dragon
and
started towards the buildings of the Warren proper.
"Whe..where are you taking me..?" she dared to ask as he dragged her
along
behind him.
"Someplace I can keep an eye on you," he told her and then added,
"Don't
worry.. I had my dragon Seydor assure your Kasha that I'm not going to
beat the hell out of you or dump you down a deep hole in the ground...
for
now. But we're going to talk and if I don't like the answers I may
reconsider."
Fig followed. Not that she was given much choice in the matter, but a
long
time respect for the man had her following him where ever he led her
without trying any of the escape moves Wisp had taught her.
Jerram led her to what Fig remembered as being the visitors
apartments.
The ones reserved for dragonrider's with a ledge for their dragons to
sleep. The one he took her too was the one closest to where she
remembered
his own apartments to be. The one near the training grounds.
He pushed open the door leading inside and dragged her into the living
room and all but threw her onto the couch. Then he took a seat across
from
her and as she brought one hand up to rub the wrist of the other he
rattled the letter in front of her.
"According to this letter," he sneered. "You have been sent here to be
taught some respect. Seems your wild ways have *your father* throwing
up
his hands because he doesn't know how to handle you any more and he
wants
us here in the Warren to tame you and teach you how to respect
others...
It doesn't say anything about him coming back for you."
"That's a lie!!" Fig pretended to be outraged. "My father wouldn't dump
me
here without telling me!!"
She started to get up as if to reach for the letter to read it for
herself, but Jerram's voice thundered in the room, telling her to sit
down! She sat.
"You still haven't convinced me that you are who you are claiming to
be,"
he informed her, his voice still cold but with a hint of the tiredness
he
was feeling. "So you had better start speaking and convince me or I
will
turn you over to the Guardians of Peace and let them deal with you."
"I'll tell you," she said in a voice that reminded herself of the small
child she had once been when being scolded by the very man in front of
her
for doing something very wrong. He hadn't told her parents about it,
but
made sure she would never do it again by making her promise. She never
broke a promise given to him. "But I need one favor before I tell you..
No
make that two."
"You're not in any position to be asking for favors," came the steely
reply, and looking up at him, Fig knew nothing but the truth would do.
But
would he believe her. If not then her trip here could come to nothing
and
she and hers could be worse off then before.
"Please.. I don't know how to convince you anymore then I've already
tried, but before I can tell you my story I need for you to have your
Seydor contact another dragon who is listening for him who you do know
and
I've heard trust... if he can convince you I'm no threat... will you
listen to what I have to tell you with an open mind?"
"Depends," he said after a moments silence. "On who the dragon and his
rider are."
She nodded her head as if accepting not having any other choice. She
hadn't wanted to involve Trap at all, but it looked like it would be
the
only way out of the trouble she was now in.
<Kasha... is Diemis open to hear from Seydor?> she sent the quick
mental
message to her dragon who had moved to the ledge outside the apartment.
>>He listens,<< came the quick reply. >>Are you okay my rider?<<
<I will be.. He will not harm me. Just make sure Diemis's rider knows
what
to say.>
"I'm waiting.." though he didn't raise his voice, it still made her
jump.
"If you will have your dragon contact Diemis.. Dragon of the rider
named
Trap..." she started.
"I know Who Trap is..." Jerram cut her off. "And you had better hope he
vouches for you... Seydor..."
Fig thought quickly while Jerram was busy listening to the relay
between
his dragon and Trap's Diemis. She had to fight to keep all emotion off
her
face as his green eyes never left her face even while the dragons
bespoke
each other.
How much should she tell him. How much would he believe. She knew how
far
fetched her story was going to sound and wasn't sure she'd believe it
herself had someone else told it to her.
"Okay.. so you are who you say you are," he said finally when her
nerves
had been stretched to near limit. "He said you were sent here to watch
over Tara while he couldn't be here himself. Said Wisp told him you
were
his daughter and decided it was finally time to meet your family.. The
side that's not wacko in the head anyway so he sent you here and the
Warrenlady is not to know that you were sent here to ask as a body
guard."
Fig let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Trap had
come
through for her like he said he would. The rest was now up to herself,
and
she had to find a way to do so without revealing her own secrets...
***Submitted by: ******
Barbara aka
Fig & Kasha (from parts unknown)
Jasra Warren
Nrpg: John... Jp the next part??
Summary:
Fig arives in Jasra and meets with a distrustful Jerram
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