From alt.pub.dragons-inn Wed Oct 26 08:55:56 1994 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:7825 Path: netcom.com!ix.netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!spool.mu.edu!caen!crl.dec.com!crl.dec.com!jac.zko.dec.com!leggy.zk3.dec.com!orb!not-for-mail From: penny@agora.rdrop.com (Penny Hutchison) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [KAN] % (eighth rest) Date: 20 Oct 1994 22:16:31 -0000 Organization: Duchy of Wabesylvan Obspauk Lines: 188 Sender: news@Orb.Nashua.NH.US Message-ID: X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL23] Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This post is copyrighted 1994 by Penny Hutchison. Permission is granted for distribution and archival via standard Usenet and altnet mechanisms. All other rights, including repost, are reserved to the author. Thanks to the Dreamer for loaning me Little Rat and for his editorial comments. 'Raf belongs to Steve Hutchison. All other characters appearing here are mine. This takes place the day after Luthor's Party and during Steamy Encounters. Contact Zenith (mrhyde@netcom.com) for copies of any back issues from May thru now. =+=+= ar'Elya walked out into the Lighthouse gardens, humming softly and swinging a basket full of gardening tools. She stopped at the bathing pond that Kev had named "Da Tub". Leah was seated on one of the nearby benches, her silvery-blond hair being combed by Little Rat. The dragonets that always accompanied Leah fluttered around the pair, with the smallest one hitching a ride on the comb as it was drawn down. "Hello there, you two. What's up?" "Hey, Reelya," Little Rat answered, frowning with concentration on her task. "Da Princess said dat I can help comb her hair." The young girl paused to admire the shining mass she held in her small hands. "Ain't it pretty? Almost as nice as Iramus's tail." ar'Elya grinned at the look on Leah's face. "Yes, especially in this light. Anything else going on?" "Yes," Leah answered. "Erik came through just a while ago. I think he was playing volleyball down on the beach. They've left the Gate up, you know." Little Rat looked up from the tangle she'd been coaxing out. "Betcha he wasn't playing da Waryer's way. Din't look tired e'nuf. Hey, quit dat!", she exclaimed, and waved away the blue dragonet that had tried to help untangle the snarled hair, only getting its feet caught up in it as well. ar'Elya continued into the garden, her feet softly crunching the red, ground-pumice rock Kev had brought in to line the paths. She placed her workbasket down and, hands on hips, looked to see what needed to be done. The flowering bulbs were long past their peak, and were ready to have their dried stalks and leaves pulled. Rose buds were swelling, and the various herbs were just beginning to come into their own. Humming happily, ar'Elya knelt down to clip a few of the savory herbs for dinner, when she noticed something moving to her left, in among the catmint. It appeared to be a thick, golden-furred stem, topped with a clump of fur. As she studied this strange weed, it quivered and the clump opened up into the shape of a ripe dandelion. She smiled grimly and picked up her sharpest dandelion weeder. "Well, now, this is a nasty specimen," she mused aloud. "Unsightly, ill-formed, and an unpleasant odor, to boot." Grabbing the thick stem, she gave it a good tug. "Hmm, that's set in pretty deep...Shall I unroot it?" ar'Elya touched the cold steel of the weeder to the base of the stem. The furry clump rolled back up and the whole stem trembled. "Mmm, maybe not," and she placed the weeder back in the basket. "Maybe I should just give it a good, hard _yank_!" Before she could wrap her hands around the stem, the earth rumbled, the furry flower slipped back into the soil with a *plipth*, and gold-furred hands grabbed ar'Elya's shoulders and tumbled her onto her back. "Whattaya mean, 'an unpleasant odor' ?" Raf growled, the offended appendage whipping back and forth angrily. His mate chuckled. "You must admit, dear one, that your tail does _not_ smell floral." The satrylion still looked offended, so she began to scratch lightly under his chin. Raf's eyelids drooped and his chest vibrated with the beginnings of a purr. Keeping her shoulders pinned to the ground, he snuffled down her body. "What's this? Button- fly Levis, my favorite fruit!" he exclaimed, and started gnawing at her waistband. "Hey, that tickles," she giggled, and reached out and grabbed his neck scruff. "There isn't time for this right now. You know that El'n's bringing Taryn over today." "Mrruph," he rumbled, delicately popping off buttons with the tip of a fang. ar'Elya sighed, placed her hands on his shoulders and flipped Raf over onto his back. The satrylion blinked confused green eyes. She returned his look with a smile, while she rested easily atop him, her chin resting on folded hands. "You couldn't have done that if I wasn't distracted," he growled. "Maybe, maybe not," she answered, and unfolded one hand to tickle his whiskers. He sneezed. "Now that I have your attention, furry-heart, Taryn is going to be here at any moment, and I think you'd want to play least-in-sight for now." He smiled smugly and she lightly swatted his nose. "You and your one track mind," she shook her head at him reprovingly, and rolled gracefully off his chest onto her feet. Raf sat up and groomed his left shoulder. ar'Elya brushed garden debris off her rear, then noticed what was left of her pants. "Did you have to rip the buttons off?" she complained. "Oh, I have to change anyway." Raf looked up. "Why? You look great to me." ar'Elya sniffed, and did a credible imitation of a cat's haughty stare. "Because it's not the right role. I have to be a hostess, and jeans just give the wrong impression. Especially jeans with the buttons gnawed off." Raf hung his head. "_Not_ gnawed," he grumped. "Guess I'll see you later," and he turned and slunk off towards the Lighthouse tower. ar'Elya pushed her hair away from her forehead and, frowning with concern, watched him leave. Of all the separated 'Raelfs, he had been the one who had held up best under the strain. But this reaction was really uncharacteristic. If it had been anyone else, she would have called it sulking. A soft chime sounded nearby and an unhuman voice announced, <> "Thank you. House, in my closet, the russet dress and gold robe. And take these to the laundry." <> Two figures stood at the open archway leading to the Lighthouse grounds. One, the taller of the pair, waited calmly. The other untied and retied her belt, and then she began fussing with her robes until a cool voice stilled her. "Taryn, there is no need for this display of nerves. Why not practice the meditative exercises you've learned?" "Sorry, Reverend Mother," Taryn replied, dropping the ends of her belt and folding her arms up into her long sleeves. "It's just...I'm...only..." Her face turned bright red and she looked up at the head of her Order. "Please don't send me away from the Sisterhood. I'm sorry for anything I did wrong. Don't leave me here..." Sister El'n's face stiffened. "We have been over and over this. You have kept yourself from the world far too long, and the lady ar'Elya has invited you to her home for a visit, a vacation. I told you that there are children here, and many different kinds and classes of folk visit here, and live here." Taryn finished blowing her nose. "But, Reverend Mother, I've heard stories in the City about those who live here." "Hmph. Foolish gossip, most likely. The lady here is one I consider almost a daughter, and you will give her the same respect and obedience you give me. Now put your handkerchief away. Here she is." Looking up, Taryn saw an elegant woman all in brown and gold, looking little different than the wealthy Upper City matrons. But her face was much kinder. And her eyes... "It's so good to see you again, El'n," and the two women embraced. The bright-eyed woman then turned her attention to the girl. "And Taryn. I'm happy to welcome you here as my guest." Taryn curtsyed, and El'n nodded her approval. "I'm leaving you in the best of care, little sister. Remember what I've told you, and I'll see you soon." El'n extended her hand to the girl, who kissed it reverently. El'n patted her cheek gently, and walked back down the hill. Taryn stood still as she watched El'n leave, her face desolate. A small friendly breeze touched her face and rippled the hem of her habit. A firmer pressure on her shoulder broke her reverie, and she looked up into the face of her hostess. "Come along, my dear," ar'Elya gently said. "Time to go inside."