There are 2 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. [DL-W] Help for a mystery
From: Allen Veazey <veazeyae@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
2. [DL-D] The Gray Shades of Morning
From: "Tree Deutscher" <treedr@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 3 Dec 2005 21:31:46 -0600
From: Allen Veazey <veazeyae@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: [DL-W] Help for a mystery
Day 18
Early Afternoon
Ash'chenon was not hard for Merissa to find; he was on the
Green, staring out at a spot in distant hills. He was smoking,
occasional puffs of a heavy cherry wood scent filling the
air.
He didn't turn as she approached him, and they both had
a quiet moment looking out to the mountains. Finally he
said, "Wyndamenth is out there. She hasn't returned from her
mating flight."
"Really?" Merissa asked. "It's been quite a while."
"She's been grumpy lately," Ash said. "I'm hoping it has a lot
to do with this urge to mate. I'm hoping she'll get over it." He
turned, then, and regarded the warrenlady, frowning as he saw
the expression on her face, or perhaps just how she looked at
him.
"Azhy won the flight, you know."
"I heard," Merissa said.
"But it's not why you came to me," he continued. "What's the matter?"
Merissa took a deep breath before releasing it slowly. "You know about
the attempt on my life," it wasn't a question and Merissa didn't wait
for an answer, "I had hoped it was only one insane individual -- but it
may be more." Merissa's eyes held a deep sadness as she thought of all
the deaths she'd had to deal with over the years. It was hard enough
to
be a dragonrider with the dangers of wraiths and other waste monsters,
but to have humans attacking them from within... She shook her head to
clear it and continued, "One woman is dead, and another appears to be
missing and perhaps is also dead... two women who worked in the medical
center." Her voice trailed away.
Ash was still, not moving, and the pipe was clenched in his teeth,
but the puffs of smoke had stopped. "Let me get this straight," he
said slowly. "Two more women are missing, or dead... under my
very nose. It may or may not be connected to the attempt on your
own life. Nothing has been done about it. You -hoped- it wasn't
connected." He didn't need the tone in his voice to make the whole
thing sound ludicrous.
"There wasn't any reason to believe that it was connected!" Merissa
exclaimed.
"It's a little too much to heap on poor coincidence, don't you think?"
Ash asked. "Even with all the recent visitors." He started to puff on
his pipe again, faster than before.
"What do you think?" Merissa asked.
"I think your friend Th'rin had better watch his back, just on the
face of things," Ash said. "Someone may be after him just to hurt
you. Why was someone trying to kill you, anyway?"
"He... the man who attacked me and poisoned my tea... said he wanted to
destroy the warren. He wanted to kill me because I'm the warrenlady."
Merissa closed her eyes trying to remember. Chrysthal, feeling her
rider's intense concentration supplied what she could recall of the
incident, but her impressions were just about as vague and shadowy as
Merissa's own.
Merissa snapped her eyes open, "But it isn't like we haven't done
anything about it. Only the man killed himself, and no one around here
recognized him; didn't give us much to go on." She watched Ash and
shook her head. "But now... Corra is dead, and she died holding a page
that had been taken from Latnem's journal; a page that Latnem had
written on about my taking tea in the evenings to help me relax. And
Corra had been drinking tea when she died!"
Ash nodded. "I understand. It does sound very much as if someone, or
several someones, are still bent upon destroying the warren, Merissa."
He hesitated. "I may figure out how, and possibly even who, was
involved. Even with the normal lax security that comes with a warren, I
will probably find that there was inside help." He met her eyes. "And
if
I do find the ones responsible, how do you want me to handle it?"
Merissa lowered her eyes and her voice, "You must stop them with any
means necessary, Ash'chenon. And..." She smiled as she looked up at
him, "one you might consider an enemy agrees with you. Tatiana has
always been complaining about our lack of 'security'. In fact, one
other point you should know: most of the warrenfolk do not yet know
that Corra is dead. We have told everyone that she has taken very
ill...
and is in the medical center. Tatiana is posing as Corra to dry to
draw
out the one responsible. So far, no one has made any attempt on her
life, so either the person knows that Corra was killed and we have set
up a trap... or that person is no longer in the warren."
"If they haven't done it by now, chances are they won't," Ash said.
"But
I won't tell anyone. Perhaps we'll get lucky on that score." His tone
said that he didn't think so.
"I'm thinking about bringing Avid by the medical center... Corra's
apartments, too. Maybe he can catch a scent." He turned. "And when
Wyndamenth returns, I'll start asking around about tea, and where we
get
it. I'm assuming I'll have your support in this? I'll be causing a
stir."
Merissa smiled, "I wouldn't have come to you if I weren't going to
offer
you my support. We need this stopped, before anyone else gets harmed.
We need to find the missing woman, dead or alive. Her son is here, and
he's already been asking about her. We have no answers to give him."
"Wonderful," Ash said. "There's little time. I'll look into it for
you, Merissa. And in the meantime... be careful."
--
Allen Veazey
veazeyae@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"All your base are belong to us!" -- Zero Wing
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2005 03:41:33 -0800
From: "Tree Deutscher" <treedr@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: [DL-D] The Gray Shades of Morning
Day 130 After Byorn's rescue
The battle had been fierce and Almantha was feeling a bit woozy as she
emerged from the hole that Byorn had made. But she was still mad,
really mad, yet strangely silent as made her way through the dark dusty
haze to the tunnel entrance. Her thoughts were of course for her rider,
whom had already assured her she was okay and then for Galendriel whom
was now mourning the loss of some of the hatchlings. A low mournful
keening rumbled in her throat to acknowledge the deaths of the little
ones. They hadn't even had a chance at life. How dare these vile
creatures invade their home like this! How dare they hurt the clutch.
Soon, her own eggs would be on the sands. Something must be done to
protect them, to keep this from ever happening again.
Galendriel's lost was felt by all the dragons and as she moved through
the dim light the dragon song of death rumbled from the copper queen's
throat. As they neared the mouth of the tunnel Almantha's body began to
ache from the battle. The bite she received amongst the other wounds
she'd received were starting to sting like crazy. She'd been so enraged
she hadn't even realized she'd been wounded until now.
Stepping into the fresh air the young queen took a deep breathe then
gasped as intense pain rippled across her lower back and into her
stomach.. Her cry of alarm to Flerrion made little sense as she
collapsed in front of him.
[..] Day 131
<Snip>
The sun had finely broken free and the warren was bathed in its
glittering
rays. Shafts of light seem to herald a new beginning and Thea muttered
to
herself that she truly hoped so. 2 eggs never hatched and died in there
shells 1 egg hatched and the dragon disappeared but there were now 27
new
dragon riders and one of them a princess soon to be queen.
<End>
But for one young queen it would be a morning that would change her
life forever.
Attended by the Dragon Healers Almantha lay in the dragon area of the
Med Center under heavy sedation. They worked in hushed tones their
faces were a grim mask as they performed the necessary tasks to save
the junior queens life.
[..]
After having her wounds tended and being diagnosed with a concussion
the usually soft-spoken Pandora was frantic in her worry for Almantha.
Only the threat of being sedated herself did she finally calm down.
Andrew was the one to tend her and jokingly teased the Head Healer not
being a very good patient, to which the queenrider scowled and fell
silent. Then much to her embarrassment Pandora suddenly turned ten
shades of green land ost the contents of her stomach.. On top of that
her throat hurt, from all the dust in the tunnel making her cough. Her
healer instincts told her it was only temporary and would go away, but
right now all it did was make her hurt worse.
Andrew had disappeared briefly then returned with a cup of tea. Oh how
she hated tea! But they both knew it was better for the soreness in her
throat and definitely be much better for her queasy stomach.
[..] Later that day
The tea was the last thing Pandora remembered until she had awoken in
bed in one of the patient rooms. Staring at the ceiling her first
thought strangely enough was that the Med Center could probably use
some better mattresses.
"Hey Bright Eyes, welcome back!"
Turning her head she found her big brother sitting next to the bed and
her second thought was spoken aloud, "That rat spiked the tea!"
Lexi laughed, his face lighting up with a huge smile of relief. "That
he did Sis, he knew it was the only way that you would rest."
Pandora sighed, fingering the bandage on her head her mind raced over
the events of what had happened. Suddenly gasping in alarm she tried to
get up and only succeeded in restarting the horrible pounding in her
skull. "Flerrion, Samson, the others?" She exclaimed gently laying her
head back on the pillow. Searching her mind for the copper queen the
deep even breathing she heard told her Almantha was sound asleep.
"The battle is over, don't worry everything is being taken care of.."
He answered really hoping it was good enough to keep her from probing
further. He hated keeping things from her but Andrew had given him
express orders not to tell her anything for fear of upsetting her
further. But Sis could always tell when he was hiding something and the
mirror like eyes narrowed. "Lexi.." She said softly, "You're lying to
me!"
"I am not!" He answered gruffly straightening in the chair, clearly
offended by the charge..
"Then you are hiding something." She answered knowingly.
Fortunately the blacksmith was saved by the appearance of all three of
the dragonhealers.
"Listen Sis, I'm going to take off and let you all talk! I'll be back
later." Giving his twin a reassuring grin Lexi leaned to give Pandora
an affectionate peck on the cheek, "Heck, someone has got to keep the
new Daddy in line. He's pretty puffed up with himself!" Lexi chuckled,
giving her a wink he was gone leaving her alone with the trio. The look
in their eyes filled her with dread..
[..] A short while later.
Rayn had helped her fluff the pillows so that Pandora could half way
sit up without her head feeling like it was going to explode and she
listened quietly.
"She will recover Pandora, but these first 48 hours are critical and if
we can stretch it to 72 that will be even better. We don't want her
moving at all so she'll have to be kept under heavy sedation. It's not
the best thing to do with a dragon, but we have no other choice!"
Bentriv relayed gently. "The longer we can keep her quiet the better it
will be."
Pandora nodded, fighting back the tears that clung to her eyelashes. "I
hear a 'but' in your voice." She whispered staring at her hands folded
neatly on the white coverlet. Nervously the slender fingers laced and
unlaced themselves not wanting to hear the words she knew he was going
to say.
The aged healer looked to each of his colleagues for support. This
wasn't going to be easy and could possibly hurt the warren. The loss of
a fertile queen was always a blow. "Pandora we talked about this after
her last injury. I told you then that she may never be able to
reproduce that we would just have to wait and see what happened when
she flew to mate."
Still staring at her hands Pandora's shoulders rose in a deep sigh
"You know as well as I that nature has way of compensating in its
healing. Unfortunately, this time her old wound was reopened and it was
far worse." He added.
Pandora pursed her lips tightly together yet a single tear rolled down
her nose. Rubbing it away she glanced at the older man then at the
others. "But she'll be okay, right?"
The three healers nodded in unison but there was something in Rayn's
eyes and Pandora's head swung back to the older man her eyes wincing in
pain at the rapid movement, "What is it? What are you not telling me?"
He sighed again, wishing he was anyplace else but here, "She had 6 eggs
Pandora!" Of course he wasn't about to mention they thought one might
have been another little queen. The three healers had agreed that it
was also best that this was never revealed. The older man fell silent
and not a sound was heard as the queenrider absorbed the words that
she'd just heard. The silence grew for what seemed like an eternity
until..
"Had! Had! What do you mean HAD!" Pandora demanded her voice rising
several octaves.
"Pandora, we are so sorry there was nothing we could do!" Rayn
exclaimed in her gentlest tone leaning to squeeze the queenrider's
hand. "This is all new to me, I just wish there was some way I
could..."
The tears that had been pricking at the back of her eyes spilled over
as the unspoken realization hit her and Pandora began to tremble.
Biting her lips hard to stop the quivering she tasted blood and as hard
as she blinked she couldn't stop the tears that spilled down her
cheeks. Feeling one hit her hands she balled her slender fingers into
fist digging her nails roughly into the palms. The pain was nothing in
comparison to the pain in her heart.
Seeing Rayne's hesitation Timbolo joined in, "Bentriv and I did some
research on this kind of thing awhile back. Animals can miscarry just
like humans but for each species the cause and effect can be quite
different. We have found that reptilian types have a tendency to
reabsorb their eggs when exposed to a severe trauma. We think this is
what is happening with Almantha." Not seeing Rayn's warning glance,
"She will probably still be able to rise to mate like a normal dragon
of course, but that depends on her, but she will definitely not be able
to conceive."
"Pandora," Bentriv interrupted sharply giving his a bit too
enthusiastic young apprentice a stern look Leaning forward to take
Pandora's hands in his, the comforting squeeze did little to ease the
sting of the words. "Almantha's eggs weren't developed enough to fight
off her body's natural defenses. The process had already begun by the
time we got her wounds tended and we simply don't have the knowledge or
even know if there is a way to stop it." He led out a deep exhale,
hesitating for a moment he knew there was no other way to give bad news
other then to just say it, "I am so sorry Pandora!. This time there are
no options."
"A queen without a purpose." Pandora mumbled, her head drooping even
lower. Licking the tears from her lips then taking a deep breath
Pandora lifted her chin bravely, or at least she hoped it looked that
way. "As long as Almantha is going to be okay, that's all that
matters!" She choked out then dropped her gaze back to her hands.
Blinking through the tears she noticed she had several broken nails
that needed to be tended to.
The appearance of the BCS Wingleader brought nods from the healers who
quietly excused themselves leaving the couple alone. She could feel the
strength of T'rell's gaze and she finally looked up to find him
standing with his arms crossed leaning on the doorframe. His beautiful
sky blue eyes were filled with concern, but there was also a flicker of
hurt. "Why didn't you tell me about this?
"I was going to ask how long you've been there, but I guess I don't
have to." Rubbing her lips tightly together Pandora sniffed and wiped
her wet cheeks with the back of her hand "Almantha didn't even know! I
guess I just kept hoping it wasn't real." She whispered hoarsely.
T'rell moved to sit next to her on the bed. The queenrider sighed
leaning her head against his shoulder. "There was no reason for you to
deal with this alone! I wish you'd have told me!"
"What! So we could worry together?" She quipped then letting out a sad
sigh apologized and added,, "I know, please don't be angry with me. I
guess I felt if I didn't talk about it that..that..maybe it would just
go away."
Wrapping her in his arms Pandora she collapsed against him unable to
hold back the tidalwave of anguish. "She's going to be okay! That's all
that matters!" She croaked in a tiny whisper.
[..] Later
Stretched out in a position that would not affect her wounds the copper
queen lay sleeping soundly under the affects of the medication. Pandora
sat on the floor leaning against the large body her knees pulled up to
her chin her head buried in the material of her skirt. A pallet had
been brought in for her but despite the throbbing in her head from her
own wound Pandora could not really sleep and dozed fitfully waking at
every little sound.
The approach of soft footsteps made her look up and she found Thea
standing over her. With a gentle smile the regal Warrenlady slid down
next to the Jr. Queenrider. "They told you?" Pandora asked the tears
returning anew. Thea quietly nodded enfolding the young woman in her
arms.
"She's going to be okay Thea!" Pandora exclaimed as hopefully as she
could. "Is Galendriel well? I've only heard snatches of conversations?"
"That's wonderful, and Galendriel is as well as can be expected." The
Duchess answered, carefully stroking the silky black hair in hopes of
easing the young woman's distress.
A sob tore from Pandora's throat, "Oh Thea, she lost six eggs
and.and.."
"Hush now," The Warrenlady whispered as she tightened her arms around
the young woman.
Trying to catch her breath Pandora hiccuped through her tears. "You
know what this means don't you! I don't think I can tell her!"
{Tag: Eddie}
Respectfully submitted by,
Tree Deutscher
AKA
Pandora, Almantha & Lexi
and a few npc's
**Summary**
Day 130 Late night, wee hours
Almantha doesn't realize how badly injured she is as she leaves the
cave and collapses shortly after she and Flerrion leave the tunnel
Day 131
Almantha is in the Med Center sedated because of her injuries and
Pandora gets slipped a micky by Andrew so she will rest.
Hours later Pandora wakes to find her brother with her. That dragon
healers appeared to give her some not so good news about Almantha.
T'rell arrives and the healers leave them alone to talk.
Later Pandora is in with Almantha and Thea appears to comfort her.
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