There are 2 messages in this issue.
1. [DL-J] End hanging loose
From: Kristen Gant <aubidar@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
2. [DL-J] Precarious Proposal
From: "Arlene" <wondermom@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 15:08:24 -0500
From: Kristen Gant <aubidar@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: [DL-J] End hanging loose
Saul
***
<< Day 2 - Morning >>
Saul was greeted by an explosion of squeals as he stepped into the
apartment. A little bullet of pink flannel with dark hair rushed at him
and jumped into his arms, "Daddy!"
Shaulyn was squashed against his chest, "It's my Lynnie!" he laughed.
"Where have you been, Daddy!" She scolded him. "I missed you!"
"I missed you, sweetheart." he assured her, then looked down as a small
blond boy was pulling on his pant leg.
"And Aarin!" Saul reached down and ruffled his hair. The toddler
bounced happily on his bare feet.
Fawna, who was beginning to blossom as she entered her teen years came
out carrying Oryll, "Saul! You're ok!"
Byrin was right behind her. He stepped around her and gave Saul a pat
on
the back, "Gods Dad! So glad you're okay."
Saul was beaming happily, surrounded by his family. Lynnie grabbed his
bearded face between her two small hands, "Daddy, Aarin went PeePee in
his pants!" She sounded completely mortified. "Mommy had just taken him
potty!"
Shawnee chuckled, "Aarin's not as big as you are, he's still learning."
"Maybe he needs a baby diaper like Ory!" She smirked those lovely
turquoise eyes down at her brother, "Baby Ory .. Baby Aarin!"
"No Baby! No Baby!" Aarin squealed, bouncing up and down.
Shawnee sighed, "Welcome home, my love."
Saul grinned, "It's good to be home." And it was.
Kiyomi
***
<<Day 2 - Morning>>
The emperor and his daughter stood together with their foreheads
touching, both relieved to see the other alive and unharmed. The baron
had left them alone out of respect. Toru reached up and touched the top
of Kiyomi's head. "I have never been so scared in all my life."
"I wasn't worried, my father. I knew you would save me." Kiyomi smiled
up at him.
"I should never have allowed you to be put at such risk. You are the
hope of our empire." The emperor sighed and released her, "Now it's
time to secure their well-being as well."
Kiyomi frowned, "What do you have in mind? Father, I've come to know
these people. They are not the vile creatures we thought them to be."
Toru smiled gently at her. "Do not be alarmed. It is in the best
interests of our people to make a pact with the landers. Look at your
cousin, Kiyomi. And Rellick. They are only first to make their way to
surface, they will not be the last. As these landers expand, we will
begin to butt heads if we do not address the issue now. They have a
force of seadragons, by all that is blue! That alone should prove the
need I speak of."
Kiyomi nodded in agreement. "You have spoken to Warrenlady Tara?"
Toru frowned, "I"m afraid Oga got to Tara .."
"She's not .. dead?" Kiyomi gasped.
Toru shook his head, "No, but knowing Oga it is serious. However, there
are others in position to act upon our treaty here. There will be a
meeting sometime this morning to discuss these issues. You will join
me" He turned dark green eyes affectionately on his daughter.
"Of course." She took his hand in hers and squeezed it.
Ce'lot
***
<< Day 2 - Afternoon >>
The tall blond man had worked himself into a sitting position taken
stock of his legs. It seemed for sure that one was broken, the other
might only be a fracture, but he wasn't certain. What he was certain of
was that he could not walk. The pain was manageable .. barely.
Britche had landed on the beach, <It's a pocket.>
Ce'lot nodded, <How big?>
<Smaller then Haven.> Britche informed him. <I went as far out of the
pocket as I dared. I could sense no other pockets near by.>
<How did we get here?> the muscular blond man asked his dragon looking
around the waters as seen through his dragons eyes. His own eyes were
now closed as he joined the mind of Britche.
<I'm not exactly sure ..> the dragon told him. <It started with a roll.
One of those weapons used by Oga's men was firing directly at us. I
started to dodge and then rolled .. and then .. we crashed.>
<I can tell we crashed ..> Ce'lot groaned.
<You would have been ok, had the saddle not broken sending you flying
through the air.> Britche sounded horrified about his riders injuries.
<Were you hit by Oga's men?>
The dragon mentally shrugged. <I am uninjured from all I can tell ..
but something sent us here.>
<Could it be just warping pockets as we had near Xylian?> Ce'lot
wondered.
<Possibly,> The dragon acknowledged. <I will keep checking the
borders.>
Regards,
Saul and Fayloth
Kiyomi and Emperor Toru
Ce'lot and Britche
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 01:34:55 -0500
From: "Arlene" <wondermom@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: [DL-J] Precarious Proposal
Day 2
After Midnight.
Medical Center
Corwin held back as the others left Hsina's room. "I'll be back," he
promised her, "after I speak with Tanami."
Hsina nodded and managed a smile, "I know you will. Go, take care of
what needs to be decided. I will await your return."
Corwin kissed her and then looked deeply into her eyes. "Rellik is
correct, you know. You could never be replaced." And Hsina knew that
he meant more than just as the rider of a seadragon queen.
Tanami was waiting for him as he exited Hsina's room. They walked out
into the night, breathing in the tangy sea air. Instinctively they both
headed toward the beach to have their talk. The wind tugged at their
long hair, blowing the blond and green strands, whipping them around
their faces, yet neither seemed to mind.
"I have not had much time to think on this proposal, however, I believe
it is what we must do." Corwin stated when they stopped to stare out
over the ocean. "Yet, I am uncertain. We would be risking the wing
against who-knows-what out in the ocean depths."
Tanami stared out at the calm waters, but her mind was visualizing what
she remembered lurked below. "I have lived down there... briefly...
after leaving Neaopi. Every day I feared that Kethriss and I would run
into something we couldn't handle. And though I know, first hand, how
frightening it is down there, I would follow you, Corwin, back there,
if that is where you lead."
Corwin nodded appreciatively, "I know that you and the others in our
wing would go to the ends of the known seas and back for the warren; of
this I have no doubt. Though I fear the unknown and worry about the
risk, I know we can prevail against any that come against us."
"Then what is it that truly holds you back?" Tanami asked.
"What if the Emperor accepts what we propose?" Corwin began.
"But that is what you are hoping for, is it not?" Tanami turned to
face him.
"Yes, but what if Tara does not support this idea when she returns?"
Corwin frowned. "Should I even have it brought up in the negotiations
without consulting her first?"
Tanami shook her head, "I do not know when Tara will return, but these
negotiations cannot wait."
"Yes. So, I believe I must offer the services of the wing," Corwin
stated, "For they are the greatest asset we have to negotiate with."
"Yes, I believe this, as well. There is nothing else that your people
possess that the Emperor cannot get from somewhere else or in some
other way." Tanami agreed, "He cannot otherwise get a trained
seadragon wing to protect him and his cities."
"But... they would remain Jasra's wing, not subject to the authority of
the Emperor or his legions." Corwin asserted.
"Yes, we must make that very clear during the negotiation," Tanami
agreed.
"And we offer our services to the benefit of all Kataani, and will not
be used in political moves of one Kataani against another." Corwin
added, beginning to enumerate the points of negotiation, as he thought
aloud.
Tanami nodded, again, "And as Rellik pointed out, they should be used
only in times when Kataani forces cannot be employed instead."
"Right, so we don't step on any toes." Corwin grinned.
"Step on their toes?" Tanami glanced at Corwin and frowned.
"It's an old saying... just meant we won't supplant their function in
any way. Our wing would only be called upon to assist their efforts."
Tanami murmured, "Yes, so we do not 'step on any toes.'"
As they conversed, Corwin became more certain that this was indeed the
way to go. They would make sure that the wing would be available as
allies to assist the Kataani, remaining under Jasra's rule, and would
not be tools or a weapon for political gain, but only act for the
general welfare of the whole Kataani race. Tanami and Corwin firmed up
what they would offer and what they would refuse for their wing to do.
[TAG: John if you wish to add anything?]
Then Corwin and Tanami went their separate ways.
Corwin returned to Hsina's room, where he found the queenrider asleep.
He grabbed a blanket, pulled up a chair and made himself as comfortable
as he could. His mind raced back over the events of the past 18 hours.
So much had changed in the warren in such a short time that he had
difficulty processing it all. He watched Hsina sleeping until his
eyelids became too heavy to stay open any longer and he drifted off to
sleep. Tomorrow would be another day.
[TAG: Andrew. I assume Hsina wakes first?]
---
Summary:
Day 2
After Midnight
After leaving Hsina to rest, Tanami and Corwin talk on the beach after
the meeting of the active warren leaders breaks up. They discuss what
the negotiation points for the seadragon wing should be during the
talks in the morning. Though they both have their doubts about what it
is they are offering, they both agree that the seadragons are the
greatest asset
the warren has to offer to the Kataani. Tanami and Corwin then go
separate ways and Corwin returns to Hsina's room, where he falls asleep
sitting in a chair.
---
NRPG: Thanks to John for helping to come up with some of the ideas
behind this post.
Respectfully submitted
Arlene Jacobs
AKA
Corwin, Wingleader of the Maritime Wing, Rider of Syngnath.
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