To my dear Lady Holder Anne McCaffrey: Thank you for allowing me to play with your property!

Geowyn, you made my whole weekend! Thank you for your kind review, but no return e-mail?

Later the same day.

Masterhealer Tarminas was on a mission. He needed to find the woman who had been brought to the weyr almost a sevenday earlier. She had been brutally raped by a group of drunken men and needed to be monitored for the many side effects that could so often occur in such cases. He had obtained all the research available at the Healer Hall in Fort Hold and from the Aivas facility at Landing, and did not want to lose another patient due to lack of follow-up on his part. 'Depression', as his master had called it, had taken his first rape victim just five turns ago. But, he had trouble understanding even the basic concept of depression. How could anyone who had actually survived such an attack possibly be depressed? They had survived, and were healing, and most would even be capable of birthing children. And if someone were suffering from something as painful as depression seemed to be, why would they not ask for help? It was beyond his limits of understanding. But now, fully armed with all the diagnostic tools available, he knew what to look for and he would not allow this patient to 'dance with thread', as was described by one of the witnesses to that poor girls suicide.

As he left the kitchen area, with yet another verbal report stating that 'she's fine', he saw her about to leave the main living cavern. "Mara!" he yelled.

She stopped and turned slowly toward him, lowering the short stack of bed cloths she had been trying to conceal her face with. "Yes, sir?"

"Come here." He pointed to a table close to the entrance. "We need to talk." He set his clipboard and a small stoppered vial on the table.

"What's that?" She had not moved forward.

"My notes, and fellis juice."

She shook her head and took a step backward. "I don't need fellis." She backed right into a wall. "I have work to do." She turned toward the entrance. "I have to get these to the weyrling barracks." And she was gone.

"Mara!" he yelled again. He picked up his clipboard and vial and walked out of the cavern shaking his head. "Definitely in denial" he said to himself as he walked. He looked toward the weyrling barracks at the far end of the bowl. "That's a long way to walk." But he had to talk to her, so began the long trek.

There was a group of dragons – they were rather small, thought the healer - crouching in what appeared to be some kind of formation. Mara walked around the group. The healer was amazed at how many of the beast heads turned in her direction, but it didn't seem to faze her. As he continued walking, she disappeared into the barracks.

The healer cut a wide path around the group of huge beasts. Even these smallish monsters dwarfed the young people standing next to them. He spotted Mara exiting the barracks. She stopped to speak with one of the men outside, and seemed to be bouncing! 'How . . . suggestive', he thought to himself in disgust. The healer quickened his pace when he saw the smiling man put a hand on her shoulder. What was he doing? 'He must be one of those bronze riders' he thought. He hurried as fast as he was able, but grew furious when the man pushed Mara off in the opposite direction. "Mara!" he yelled, but was certain she didn't hear over the loud chanting of the young people with that group of dragons. So he confronted the man who was now grinning lasciviously at the retreating woman.

"Where's she off to now?" the healer demanded.

The man turned slowly and seemed to grow taller and wider as he turned. "Who?" he growled back at the healer.

"Mara!" the healer nearly shouted. "You were just talking to her! Where is she going?"

The man crossed his arms over his now massive chest. "She's going to the kitchen." He spoke with calm control.

Tarminas fumed. "Why?" He shook his head to negate the question. "Who are you?" Was this man missing a few glows?

"I, Masterhealer Tarminas, most recently of High Reaches Hold, am Weyrlingmaster L'ret, rider of brown Duranth. And Mara is running errands for me today."

"But, she should be resting! You are aware that she was raped less than a sevenday ago?"

L'ret studied the healer. "I, and everyone else in this weyr, are well aware of what occurred at Keroon Gather. And with all that energy, if Mara even tries to 'rest', she will surely explode."

"But all that energy could be just hiding her feelings about the rape!"

L'ret let out a bellow. "She doesn't know how to hide her feelings about anything! That energy is most likely due to the greens flying earlier."

Tarminas was shocked. He was not prepared to speak, or even think, about some bestial mating ritual.

"You do know that she hears dragons, don't you?" L'ret feigned gentleness, but was becoming highly amused.

"Yes, but . . . "

"Argh. You must be hold-bred."

"That is totally irrelevant!" The healer's fury resurfaced. "Rape victims typically experience feelings of . . . "

"Rape 'victims'?" L'ret was no longer amused. "From what I understand, Masterhealer," the last word sounded almost like a curse, "a 'victim' is only a 'victim' as long as that person allows themselves to be victimized. That woman has moved beyond what happened in her past and is moving on to a much brighter and happier future. She is no more a victim than I am."

"Would you even recognize the signs of depression . . . " he was cut off by another loud bellow.

"Depression! Mara? Have you talked to her at all in the last sevenday?"

This deflated the healer somewhat. "No. She keeps running away."

L'ret maintained his training voice. "Because you keep forcing fellis down her throat! She doesn't need fellis anymore than I do for the splinter I took earlier today."

Furious again, Tarminas shot back "You're not a healer!"

"No, I am not! But I know healthy flesh and healthy minds when I see them. All Mara needs is something to do to make her feel needed here. I can give her that – can you?"

"She needs to be monitored."

His patience stretched to a breaking point, L'ret grinned wickedly. "Oh, I'm monitoring her – very closely sometimes."

"She needs monitoring by a professional!"

"Oh, I'm a professional. Just ask any of the ladies in this weyr."

"She needs medication!"

L'ret's patience was now a distant memory. "Medication, my dragon-flattened arse! If you come around here pushing your fellis on her again, I'll let my brown dragon see what a skinny healer tastes like."

The healer was flabbergasted. His mouth worked as if trying to say something even as his eyes first shot wide open with fear and then squinted with fury.

L'ret leaned his head back and hollered at the very top of his lungs. "Duranth! You hungry?"

From high on the ridge above them, a single dragon let out a loud ferocious bugle.

Tarminas backed quickly up to the wall and quickly made his way north, not an easy task with one hand on the wall and head turned to the sky.

Weyrlingmaster L'ret allowed one side of his mouth to twitch up before noticing the laughter coming from the ranks of young dragonriders nearby. He turned and glared at them. When laughter continued, he bellowed. "Get back to work you lazy fools, or I'll let Duranth taste a few weyrlings."

As Mara crossed the bowl, she saw G'raden leaving one of the small curtained caves. Lessa had called them 'occasional rooms' she reminded herself. He smiled until he turned away from the room. And then he seemed to be sad. Mara decided to find out why. She walked as quickly as she could to meet him part way to Normond, who was lying in the sun next to Plith near the lake. He stopped when he noticed her approaching and looked to either side. Mara caught the motion and grew worried. She stopped a few paces from him. "G'raden, are you all right?"

He smiled halfheartedly and let out a small chuckle. "I'm . . . fine." He looked past her toward his bronze dragon. "But, we need to get ready for Thread." He seemed apologetic as he skirted around her maintaining their distance. "Can we talk later?"

Mara nodded and watched him walk away. She sighed and turned back toward the kitchen and her original errand.

Wingleader T'men had been discussing flying formations with some of his wing members when he noticed G'radens exit from the occasional room and his subsequent encounter with Mara. It bothered him that her usual easy smile was not present. He excused himself from the group and set a course to meet her near the entrance to the main living cavern.

He caught up to her some twenty paces from the entrance. "Hey!" He grinned when she jumped. "You all right?"

She grimaced and then forced a smile. "Yes." When he frowned with exaggerated disbelief, she smiled more naturally. "But, something's bothering G'raden."

"Mmmm." He nodded. "Do you know why he was in that room?"

Mara nodded and rolled her eyes as if any dimglow would know the answer to that question. When her new teacher crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows, she knew, from their few sessions so far, that he was waiting for the words. "He was mating with Plith's rider."

T'men wondered if she truly understood what those words entailed. "I think maybe G'raden was embarrassed when he saw you."

"Why? He was just doing his job!"

"He might be worried that you would be upset with him."

"But, it's his job. Normond needs to fly the greens, and G'raden needs to mate the green's rider. Why would I get upset?" Even as she asked the question, she found herself becoming upset and made an effort to control her emotions.

"It doesn't bother you that he spent time with another woman?"

"It's his job! And we're just friends."

"Maybe G'raden would like to be more than friends and worries that this will scare you away."

Now she was getting angry, but she wasn't sure who with. "Well, he's wrong! It would take more than that to scare me away."

"You're really all right with this?"

"It's the way it is."

"And you can be happy with the way it is?"

"I can accept the way it is." She seemed to want to say more.

T'men waited, but then asked "What?"

In embarrassed desperation, she resumed her bouncing and shook her hands in the air. "I just don't know what to do with all this . . . "

"Energy?"

"Energy."

He sighed. "After Thread, you talk to G'raden. He should know how to help you. If he doesn't, for whatever reason, you find me. We'll figure it out."

"Thanks, T'men" she said sincerely.

T'men returned to his wing and Mara looked around the bowl for G'raden, but didn't see him. Normond?

Yes, Mara!

How are you feeling this fine day?

I feel very good! Ready to fight Thread!

Good. Would you mind passing a message to G'raden?

Not at all.

Will you please tell him that I understand, and that I'm not upset, and that I won't be scared away, and . . . she laughed at herself . . . and you be safe out there, Normond. Both of you, all right?

We will be safe, Mara, I promise and so does G'raden.

She started again for the kitchen.

Do you wish us to fly safe as well?

She stopped and turned to face the source of the last question. Of course I do, Mnementh! I wish you all to fly safe, every day! She wondered how much of her message he had overheard.

All of it. Perhaps later you will explain?

I will not!

F'lar turned from fastening straps on Mnementh and raised a hand to her. He lowered that hand to his waist and bowed with a flourish.

Mara jammed her hands on her hips and glared. How rude! she thought not very quietly, and then found herself laughing as the weyrleader ducked away from something being thrown from the weyrwoman's ledge. When the weyrwoman turned her way, Mara waved and smiled a 'thank you'. When Lessa turned back to Ramoth, Mara turned back toward the kitchen. She'd better hurry, she thought. How long had she been gone already?

Journeywoman Healer Loralin was overseeing the set-up of the outside first aid stations being placed at key locations within the bowl. She was talking with one of the dragon healers at the station nearest the main cavern when she noticed Masterhealer Tarminas approaching. "What happened to him?"

The healer she had been talking to turned to see what had caused such concern. "Oh, he doesn't look very good."

Loralin walked to the healer who seemed to be hugging the wall. "Tarminas! What's wrong?"

Tarminas barely looked at her; he was busy looking around the bowl and into the sky. "That man, L'ret. He threatened to feed me to his dragon!"

Laughter broke out at the first aid station behind her, but Loralin kept a straight face on realizing how frightened he was. She took him by the shoulders. "Tarminas" she said gently. When he continued scanning the sky, she shook him. "Master!" That got his attention. "Dragons do not eat people."

"They don't?" His fear soon transformed into disbelief. "Then why . . ."

Loralin dropped her hands to her hips. "L'ret is the biggest soft touch in this weyr. What did you do to make him so angry?"

"I didn't do anything. I told him Mara needs to be monitored for depression."

"Ohhh. I see. Have you talked to her lately?"

"No, I haven't talked to her! She's avoiding me!"

"Then we should set aside some time to just talk to her. You might be surprised, Master Tarminas!

Thread fall would begin just before the normal mid-day meal and be a long one this day, so riders were each given carisacs containing travel rations as well as skins of restorative enhanced wine and water.

Mara was not allowed to deliver carisacs for fear of her 'energy' distracting some of the riders. She was quickly kicked out of the kitchen when a male drudge slicing vegetables chopped off the tip of a finger. The healers at the first aid stations didn't need her help and at the weyrling barracks she was told firmly to stay out of the way. So she walked the same path she had walked in the last fall along the eastern wall of the bowl, 'just listening'.

The first major casualty didn't occur until about midway through fall. Blue dragon Simoneth and his rider, T'mith, were both badly scored along one side. Mara listened carefully, but stayed near the wall until Simoneth started becoming agitated. Mara walked quickly toward the increasingly frantic dragon.

Simoneth!

I can't hear T'mith. It was just thread score.

Simoneth! Calm down! You listen to me while I talk to the healers. All right?

When she reached the distraught blue dragon, Mara placed a hand on his large neck and tried to project calmness. As one of the healers approached, she asked "What happened to T'mith?"

The healer shook her head. "It's just thread score. He'll be fine!"

"Then why can't Simoneth hear him?" Mara demanded.

The healer shook her head again, this time apparently biting back words best not said. She finally spoke very carefully. "Fellis. We tried to tell him we use smaller doses here, but . . ." She shrugged her shoulders.

Mara grimaced, but the healer tilted her head apologetically. Mara turned back to Simoneth.

Did you hear, Simoneth? T'mith will be fine. He's just sleeping.

But, I can't hear him. If he's only sleeping, I should hear him.

He's sleeping really deep, Simoneth. You calm down so the healers can help you and I'll go check on T'mith. All right?

All right.

Mara nodded to the healers who were already approaching the noticeably calmer blue dragon. "Where's T'mith?" Someone pointed her in the direction of one of caverns. When Mara saw the Masterhealer step from behind the curtain, she prepared for a fight. She walked in a way that left no question as to her intent.

Tarminas saw her coming and stepped in front of her. "You can't go in there."

Mara swept him aside with one arm and entered the well-lit room. "Where's T'mith?" One of the healers and a couple of riders with minor scores all pointed to the appropriate bed. Mara nodded at each of them and approached the unconscious blue rider.

"There he is Simoneth." She spoke aloud so all could hear why she was even in the room.

Tarminas was outraged. He grabbed the big woman by an arm, but quickly found a fist slammed almost into his belly, just close enough to cause him to stagger. One of the injured riders came to his side and a healer held his other arm. "Just watch and listen" said the rider.

Mara knelt down next to T'mith and placed a hand on his bare, young chest. "Feel that, Simoneth? He's breathing, full and deep. Feel his heartbeat? It's strong and regular." She ran her other hand across his forehead and down the side of his face. "He looks peaceful, doesn't he? And no fever, feel that? Good. All right." She began surveying his limp body, keeping her hand on his chest. "Looks like just thread-score." She focused on one of the healers. "Is anything broken?"

The healer knelt next to her, smiling for the benefit of Simoneth. "Nothing is broken, and the thread didn't even score deeply. Just skin and a little bit of muscle."

Tarminas was livid with disbelief. He looked at the healer holding his left arm. "Why is she explaining our patient's condition with that . . . that drudge?"

The wounded rider on his right arm jerked the healer around to face him. As the healer looked up to the rider's burly face, the rider forced a smile. "I was a drudge before I impressed my brown Barnoth." When the healer's jaw dropped, the rider pulled him aside. "Let's talk, shall we?"

Masterhealer Tarminas never noticed T'mith being carried back outside to be placed within reach of Simoneth. He never saw how the blue dragon draped his head over the rider's upper body placing the man's face within inches of the sensitive throat at the junction of neck and muzzle. And he never saw how much easier it had become for the dragon healers to do their work on Simoneth. The healer did, however, gain a great deal of insight into the dragon and rider mental bond. And he learned that drudges are not all simple-minded dimglows.

Evening meal was extremely informal, due to the late Thread fall. Riders came and went, most too tired to even sit and talk. Blue and green riders who flew the first half of the fall sat at tables, but most bronze and brown riders simply took what they could carry to their weyrs. Mara was helping keep trays stocked on the long tables separating the eating area from the preparation area. Skins of water or wine were made available as well as the usual mugs and cups.

G'raden stumbled through a line of riders at the long tables. Mara watched him as he moved – he seemed dazed, or maybe just half asleep. He picked up two meat rolls and a sweet roll and placed them in a small carisac.

Mara, standing on the other side of the table, said simply "Hello, G'raden."

He looked up and smiled warmly. "Hello, Mara." He was knocked off balance by a rider behind him and moved on, looking at what was on the table, apparently forgetting that he had even been talking to Mara.

The head kitchener moved in next to Mara. "You've had a long day. Take the rest of the evening off, girl."

Mara thanked her and moved around the table to meet G'raden. He seemed oblivious to her presence. She put a hand on his arm. "Water or wine?"

The dazed rider looked up and seemed surprised to see her. "Uh, water, please."

She took a water skin from the table and walked with him. "Are you all right?"

Again, he seemed surprised. "Just tired."

Mara tried to lead him to a chair. "Sit down for a bit."

"I need to go to my weyr." He covered her hand with his and turned his big brown eyes to search her face. "Will you come with me?" he almost pleaded.

She caught her jaw before it dropped too far and smiled shyly, hoping she wasn't making a mistake. "All right."

"I'm really tired, but I'd really like to hold you, Mara."

"I'd like that."

His hand still over hers, he led her outside where bronze Normond crouched near the entrance to the cavern. Mara noticed that his color wasn't as bright as normal, but didn't get a chance to comment.

G'raden moved Mara toward Normond's midsection. "Just watch." He stepped onto the dragon's forearm and then to Mara's utter amazement, sat on the dragon's muzzle.

Mara grinned as he was lifted up above Normond's wing joints, carefully stepped off, walked forward, and sat down. Her jaw dropped as Normond lowered his head and looked at her. "My turn?" The big bronze head nodded, so she moved toward the outstretched forearm. She groaned slightly as she stepped up, almost losing her balance if not for a well placed muzzle. She sat very carefully, keeping her hands on Normond's side, toes pointed in and held back to avoid kicking him. She giggled as she walked her hands up the dragon's soft, warm side and then up G'raden's leg. She took G'raden's outstretched hand and stepped carefully onto Normond's back, put her other hand on the rider's shoulder and carefully sat down. "Thank you, Normond!"

Any time.

G'raden reached back and, hands on Mara's hips, pulled her up close to his back. "Hold on." When Mara put her hands to the sides of his waist, G'raden took those hands and wrapped her arms firmly around his waist and patted her hands firmly.

Mara flushed deeply from the sensations caused by so much close contact. She could not remember ever being in this much contact with a man, but realized that she would probably like to be even closer. She faintly heard 'if I lean, you lean' and then he began leaning, first to the left, then to the right and then forward and back to upright. She stayed with him, not wishing to lose the feelings washing over her.

"Good" said G'raden. "Let's go, Normond."

Mara leaned forward with G'raden as Normond lifted his massive body up onto his hind legs. She watched the entrance of the cavern and the people inside drop below eye level. When the Masterhealer appeared in the entrance, she looked to her other side. People were turning away, some covering mugs with their hands. As Normond launched into the air, Mara lay her head on G'raden's wide back and marveled at the power she could feel beneath her legs and backside. She watched Normond's wing stretch out to his side and above her. When Normond took his first down stroke with those beautiful wings and started to level off, she leaned back with G'raden, feeling wind in her short hair and joy like she had never felt before. Each down stroke lifted them higher above the floor of the bowl and Mara was fascinated with how people and dragons grew smaller. She nearly panicked when she saw that they were approaching the south wall of the rocky ridges, but Normond banked and missed the wall by more than a dragon-length. Mara looked down through the turn and was thrilled to see the floor of the bowl appear to be at her side. She laughed as they flew near the eastern wall, gaining altitude with each powerful stroke of Normond's wings. Below, in the entrance to the main cavern, she could make out the Masterhealer raising a fist into the air. She tried to wave back, but G'raden caught her hand and held it tight. She loved the feel of his big meaty soft hand on hers, and she loved the feel of his big strong body in her arms, and the feel of Normond beneath them, and the feel of the wind on her face. As they rose above the shadows, she clenched her eyes closed against the lowering sun, and kept them closed through Normond's next bank to the left. The slight disorientation she felt was quickly offset by the total security she felt in being on this dragon behind this man. She laughed again, eyes still closed, as they straightened out and gained even more altitude. When the down strokes ceased, she opened her eyes and saw that they were almost to the top of the very highest ridges. Normond held his wings steady as they glided toward a small hole in the south wall. A downdraft nearly separated riders from dragon; Normond's quick wing adjustment righted the situation, but not before Mara held even tighter to G'raden. She heard him laugh and could feel that laugh through her chest. She squeezed a little tighter as they approached the south wall, Normond's wings tilting down in back to slow their descent. They seemed to be floating now and Mara leaned forward with G'raden as Normond lowered his hind quarters and reached down and forward for the edge of the ledge of his weyr. Mara was surprised at how smoothly Normond absorbed the shock of the landing and gracefully leaned forward, as G'raden leaned back, to place his forearms down on the rock ledge. Normond took a few small, slightly awkward steps and then stopped and crouched low.

G'raden laughed as he patted Mara's arms. "You can let go now."

"Oh, sorry." She let lose her grip on the man and, placing her hands behind her, scooted back a bit.

G'raden hoisted one leg over Normond's back, sat sideways and turned to see Mara, red-faced, smiling from ear to ear, nearly bouncing where she sat. He smiled at her and nodded, not quite sure what he had expected from this woman. He patted her knee and slid down Normond's side to the floor of the weyr. When he turned and looked up, he was surprised to see that Mara was already sitting sideways. As she began to slide, her eyes grew wide and she reached for him. G'raden caught her under the arms and slowed her landing.

Mara bounced back from her landing, reached her arms up and over G'raden's shoulders and hugged him tight. "Thank you, G'raden! That was amazing!"

The big man laughed as he returned her appreciative hug. "Normond did all the hard work. I was just something to hold on to."

Mara let go, moved back, sliding her arms over his shoulders and then leaned forward to kiss his cheek before turning to place both hands on Normond's side. "Thank you, Normond! That was beautiful!"

T'men finished a small meal in the living cavern. As he passed the entrance, he couldn't help but notice the Masterhealer standing just outside. The man was shaking his fist in the air. "What's wrong, Tarminas?"

"That man, that bronze rider! He took her on his dragon." He pointed toward the sky.

T'men looked up and found Normond flying with two riders, the setting sun glinting off the passenger's teeth. "Who'd he take?"

"Mara. She should be resting, not flying a dragon to who knows where!"

They both watched as Normond flew into a hole high on the south wall. "Shards! That's G'raden." T'men fought a smile as he turned to the healer.

"G'raden" he repeated the name as if trying to remember. "Why shards?"

"If she hadn't gone with him, I think I had her talked in to going with me." T'men winked at the healer and walked away knowing full well what the healer was most likely thinking. "Ah, well," he shrugged. "Maybe next time." If the fool took half as much interest in the people of this weyr as he did in their injuries, he would already know that he had nothing to worry about. As he heard the healer take a breath to speak, he bellowed "Reyuth?" The big bronze landed on queue and T'men launched onto his back. When he turned toward the cavern entrance, he found the healer standing inside. "There are no secrets in a weyr, Tarminas, as long as you keep your eyes open and your ears unplugged." Just for fun, he waved at the retreating healer as Reyuth sprang into the air.

After checking Normond's couch for any loose stones and making certain that his big bronze dragon was comfortable, G'raden led Mara further back into the weyr. He held back the curtain to his sleeping room and waited for her to pass through before reaching for the glow basket set high on the wall just inside. He stood near the dropped curtain and watched as she walked further into the room. He grinned when her eyes snapped a little too quickly away from his bed. "So," he bit back a chuckle when she jumped. "How are you feeling?" He put a hand on his stomach. He watched as she bounced in place and couldn't help but notice her whole body was shaking. Was that fear, or something else?

"I feel great!"

He held out a hand, palm up. "May I see how you feel?"

Mara took a deep breath and moved toward him, placing her hand in his. She shook so bad that her hand almost bounced out of his. She chuckled and held his hand tight as she walked closer to those big smiling brown eyes. She feared she might faint when he put his free hand on her waist, and took a deep breath when he used that hand to turn her into his other arm with her back to his front. She closed her eyes when the free hand moved to the other side of her waist and felt a little moan squeak past her lips as the hand slid to the middle of her quivering belly.

G'raden suppressed a chuckle and bent his head down next to hers. That's not fear he thought. He spoke quietly near her ear. "You do feel great." He didn't tell her that something still wasn't quite right inside. "May I help you get rid of all that excitement you're feeling?"

She turned her head to look again into those brown eyes and barely whispered. "Please."

G'raden pulled his hand tighter into her belly. "Put your head back."

Mara did as instructed, confused, but trusting. As she laid her head back on his shoulder, his big hand grew warmer and warmer until it was almost hot. She felt a tingling sensation all through her body, from the tips of her toes to the very tips of each hair on her head. She held his other hand tighter with both of her hands now as the tingling seemed to swirl through each limb of her body. His hand in hers moved up so his arm lay across her heaving chest. The tingling continued to swirl and seemed to swoosh all at once into his hot hand at her belly, like the water in the latrine when the handle was pulled. She laughed at the comparison and would have crumpled to the floor were it not for the strong arm across her chest. She felt suddenly drained. "What did you do?"

G'raden held her tight until she found some strength in her legs. "I took that energy. Now you can sleep."

Mara began laughing softly. "I thought you wanted to hold me."

G'raden squeezed. "I am holding you. And I hope you'll let me hold you all night long."

Mara turned in his arms and noticed immediately how much his efforts had taken from this big man. He was suddenly even more unsteady on his feet and he had to work hard to keep his eyes open. She slid under his arm to support him with her shoulder and led him toward his bed.

He kissed the side of her head. "I need to bathe." When she turned a disbelieving scowl at him, he chuckled. "I won't be long." He walked unsteadily to a small storage nook in the far wall and removed a small item of clothing. Pointing at the bed, he said "Have a seat. Lay down if you'd like." Smiling, he walked slowly past a curtain that Mara guessed led to the necessary room.

Mara wrapped her arms across her belly and turned slowly where she stood. This sleeping room was larger than the one she was staying in, but felt so much cozier. Maybe it was the curvy walls – there was no separation between walls and the ceiling. The walls at the floor had been chiseled out, though, to allow more room for furnishings. She turned again, studying the furnishings. The head of the bed was against one wall, a small chest a pace away, then there was a storage nook in the wall, the necessary room and then a small desk with a copy of the Charter set to the back. And then she was looking at the curtain to Normond's lair. It was a beautiful weaving that hung from floor to ceiling, with a very realistic rendition of dragons flying in formation, bronzes near the top, then browns, then blues, then greens, and near the bottom of the hanging, several beautiful gold dragons. When she looked closely, she noticed long hair of different colors streaming from the heads of the gold riders. She laughed and then noticed long hair on some of the green riders as well. Faces were non-discernable, but that was understandable due to the scale of the piece, but the weaver had definitely made it clear that not all dragonriders were men.

Mara yawned deeply, surprised that she could be so tired after having so much energy all this long day. G'raden really did take that energy! She hoped that what he took would help him feel better. She walked to the bed and noticed, for the first time, that the covering also had a dragon woven into the fabric. This was a large bronze dragon curled up on a rocky ledge, eyes closed, sunlight from one side placing shadows in all the right places to highlight the strength and beauty of the sleeping giant.

She pulled a well-stuffed pillow from under the covering and worried only briefly about laying her not very clean head on it. She kicked off her shoes, put her head on the pillow and was sound asleep before her legs made it to the top of the bed.