Talyrise

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <script type="text/javascript"> //OwnerIQ var __oiq_pct = 50; if( __oiq_pct>=100 || Math.floor(Math.random()*100/(100-__oiq_pct)) > 0 ) { var _oiqq = _oiqq || []; _oiqq.push(['oiq_addPageBrand','Lycos']); _oiqq.push(['oiq_addPageCat','Internet > Websites']); _oiqq.push(['oiq_addPageLifecycle','Intend']); _oiqq.push(['oiq_doTag']); (function() { var oiq = document.createElement('script'); oiq.type = 'text/javascript'; oiq.async = true; oiq.src = document.location.protocol + '//px.owneriq.net/stas/s/lycosn.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(oiq, s); })(); } //Google Analytics var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount','UA-21402695-19']); _gaq.push(['_setDomainName','tripod.com']); _gaq.push(['_setCustomVar',1,'member_name','paperloom',3]); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); //Lycos Init function getReferrer() { var all= this.document.cookie; if (all== '') return false; var cookie_name = 'REFERRER='; var start = all.lastIndexOf(cookie_name); if (start == -1) return false; start += cookie_name.length; var end = all.indexOf(';', start); if (end == -1) end = all.length; return all.substring(start, end); } function getQuery() { var rfr = getReferrer(); if (rfr == '') return false; var q = extractQuery(rfr, 'yahoo.com', 'p='); if (q) return q; q = extractQuery(rfr, '', 'q='); return q ? q : ""; } function extractQuery(full, site, q_param) { var start = full.lastIndexOf(site); if (start == -1) return false; start = full.lastIndexOf(q_param); if (start == -1) return false; start += q_param.length; var end = full.indexOf('&', start); if (end == -1) end = full.length; return unescape(full.substring(start, end)).split(" ").join("+"); } function generateHref(atag, template){ atag.href=template.replace('_MYURL_', window.location.href.replace('http://', '')).replace('_MYTITLE_','Check%20out%20this%20Tripod%20Member%20site!'); } var lycos_ad = Array(); var lycos_onload_timer; var cm_role = "live"; var cm_host = "tripod.lycos.com"; var cm_taxid = "/memberembedded"; var tripod_member_name = "paperloom"; var tripod_member_page = "paperloom/talyrise.htm"; var tripod_ratings_hash = "1748592906:6b52944493faa778ae35dfdd9300095d"; var lycos_ad_category = null; var lycos_ad_remote_addr = "209.202.244.9"; var lycos_ad_www_server = "www.tripod.lycos.com"; var lycos_ad_track_small = ""; var lycos_ad_track_served = ""; var lycos_search_query = getQuery(); </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type='text/javascript'> var googletag = googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; (function() { var gads = document.createElement('script'); gads.async = true; gads.type = 'text/javascript'; var useSSL = 'https:' == document.location.protocol; gads.src = (useSSL ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js'; var node = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; node.parentNode.insertBefore(gads, node); })(); </script> <script type='text/javascript'> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_300X250_dfp', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_above_728x90_dfp', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-1').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_below_728x90_dfp', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-2').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.enableServices(); }); </script> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(isV) { if( !isV ) { return; } var adMgr = new AdManager(); var lycos_prod_set = adMgr.chooseProductSet(); var slots = ["leaderboard", "leaderboard2", "toolbar_image", "toolbar_text", "smallbox", "top_promo", "footer2", "slider"]; var adCat = this.lycos_ad_category; adMgr.setForcedParam('page', (adCat && adCat.dmoz) ? adCat.dmoz : 'member'); if (this.lycos_search_query) { adMgr.setForcedParam("keyword", this.lycos_search_query); } else if(adCat && adCat.find_what) { adMgr.setForcedParam('keyword', adCat.find_what); } for (var s in slots) { var slot = slots[s]; if (adMgr.isSlotAvailable(slot)) { this.lycos_ad[slot] = adMgr.getSlot(slot); } } adMgr.renderHeader(); adMgr.renderFooter(); }((function() { var w = 0, h = 0, minimumThreshold = 300; if (top == self) { return true; } if (typeof(window.innerWidth) == 'number' ) { w = window.innerWidth; h = window.innerHeight; } else if (document.documentElement && (document.documentElement.clientWidth || document.documentElement.clientHeight)) { w = document.documentElement.clientWidth; h = document.documentElement.clientHeight; } else if (document.body && (document.body.clientWidth || document.body.clientHeight)) { w = document.body.clientWidth; h = document.body.clientHeight; } return ((w > minimumThreshold) && (h > minimumThreshold)); }()))); window.onload = function() { var f = document.getElementById("FooterAd"); var b = document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]; b.appendChild(f); f.style.display = "block"; document.getElementById('lycosFooterAdiFrame').src = '/adm/ad/footerAd.iframe.html'; // DOM Inj Ad (function(isTrellix) { var e = document.createElement('iframe'); e.style.border = '0'; e.style.margin = 0; e.style.display = 'block'; e.style.cssFloat = 'right'; e.style.height = '254px'; e.style.overflow = 'hidden'; e.style.padding = 0; e.style.width = '300px'; var isBlokedByDomain = function( href ) { var blockedDomains = [ "ananyaporn13000.tripod.com", "xxxpornxxx.tripod.com" ]; var flag = false; for( var i=0; i<blockedDomains.length; i++ ) { if( href.search( blockedDomains[ i ] ) >= 0 ) { flag = true; } } return flag; } var getMetaContent = function( metaName ) { var metas = document.getElementsByTagName('meta'); for (i=0; i<metas.length; i++) { if( metas[i].getAttribute("name") == metaName ) { return metas[i].getAttribute("content"); } } return false; } var getCommentNodes = function(regexPattern) { var nodes = {}; var nodesA = []; var preferredNodesList = ['a', 'c', 'b']; (function getNodesThatHaveComments(n, pattern) { if (n.hasChildNodes()) { if (n.tagName === 'IFRAME') { return false; } for (var i = 0; i < n.childNodes.length; i++) { if ((n.childNodes[i].nodeType === 8) && (pattern.test(n.childNodes[i].nodeValue))) { var areaName = pattern.exec(n.childNodes[i].nodeValue)[1]; nodes[areaName] = n; } else if (n.childNodes[i].nodeType === 1) { getNodesThatHaveComments(n.childNodes[i], pattern); } } } }(document.body, regexPattern)); for (var i in preferredNodesList) { if (nodes[preferredNodesList[i]]) { if( isTrellix && nodes[preferredNodesList[i]].parentNode.parentNode.parentNode.parentNode ) { nodesA.push(nodes[preferredNodesList[i]].parentNode.parentNode.parentNode.parentNode); } else { nodesA.push( nodes[preferredNodesList[i]] ); } } } return nodesA; } var properNode = null; var areaNodes = getCommentNodes( new RegExp( '^area Type="area_(\\w+)"' ) ); for (var i = 0; i < areaNodes.length; i++) { var a = parseInt(getComputedStyle(areaNodes[i]).width); if ((a >= 300) && (a <= 400)) { properNode = areaNodes[i]; break; } } var propertyName = getMetaContent("property") || false; if( isTrellix && (properNode) ) { e.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html'; properNode.insertBefore(e, properNode.firstChild); } else if( isTrellix && !( properNode ) ) // Slap the ad eventhought there is no alocated slot { e.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html'; e.style.cssFloat = 'none'; var cdiv = document.createElement('div'); cdiv.style = "width:300px;margin:10px auto;"; cdiv.appendChild( e ); b.insertBefore(cdiv, b.lastChild); } else if( !isBlokedByDomain( location.href ) ) { var injF = document.createElement('iframe'); injF.style.border = '0'; injF.style.margin = 0; injF.style.display = 'block'; injF.style.cssFloat = 'none'; injF.style.height = '254px'; injF.style.overflow = 'hidden'; injF.style.padding = 0; injF.style.width = '300px'; injF.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html'; if( b && ( !isTrellix || ( typeof isTrellix == "undefined" ) ) ) // All other tripod props { var cdiv = document.createElement('div'); cdiv.style = "width:300px;margin:10px auto;"; cdiv.appendChild( injF ); b.insertBefore(cdiv, b.lastChild); } } }( document.isTrellix )); } </script> <div id="tb_container" style="background:#DFDCCF; border-bottom:1px solid #393939; position:relative; z-index:999999999!important">  <style> .adCenterClass{margin:0 auto} </style> <div id="tb_ad" class="adCenterClass" style="display:block!important; overflow:hidden; width:916px;"> <div id="ad_container" style="display:block!important; float:left; width:728px "> <script type="text/javascript"> if (typeof lycos_ad !== "undefined" && "leaderboard" in lycos_ad) { document.write(lycos_ad['leaderboard']); } </script> </div> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> if (typeof lycos_ad !== "undefined" && "slider" in lycos_ad) { document.write(lycos_ad['slider']); } </script>  <div id="FooterAd" style="background:#DFDCCF; border-top:1px solid #393939; clear:both; display:none; width:100%!important; position:relative; z-index:999999!important; height:90px!important"> <div class="adCenterClass" style="display:block!important; overflow:hidden; width:916px;"> <div id="footerAd_container" style="display:block!important; float:left; width:728px"> <iframe id="lycosFooterAdiFrame" style="border:0; display:block; float:left; height:96px; overflow:hidden; padding:0; width:750px"></iframe> </div> </div> </div> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="01ff4f43.gif"> <div> Talyrise bonded wild prism Haeriyaan at:</div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/ryslen_red/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.geocities.com/ryslen_red/"><U>Ryslen</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="01ff4f43.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="EraserDust" ><B>Paperloom: The Otherworldly Characters</b></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="EraserDust" >    </FONT> |   <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Paperloom: The Otherworldly Characters"><U><B>home</b></U></A></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> <IMG SRC="001f4010.gif" border=0 width="500" height="1" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Talyrise</div> <div> In a place far from what we know, hovering on the tenuous boundaries from what we believe is reality and the wild chaotic legends we call fantasy, a brave knight fought a great dragon.  </div> <div> "Talyrise!" cried the knight in a deep baritone, his gleaming blue-armored free hand making a quick gesture to the slim figure that attempted to move itself from its position at one of the cave walls.  The bright, pure hues of the white-and-green leather it wore might have had something to do with the foiling of that attempt.  "Stay at the wall!  It's my quarrel with Bastet, and I won't have your inexperience adding an unneeded casualty to the list!"  He swung his broadsword with skill at a shadow-dark dragon hand the width around of his armored waist, and it jerked back hastily.</div> <div> Talyrise, however, did not withdraw.  "Mathron, you need backup.  Anyone would understand.  Besides, I'm your <I>partner</I>, and I'm supposed to be at your side!"  The words were spoken in a voice too high to have come from any male throat.</div> <div> Bastet, grumbling her annoyance, flicked her long stiletto-ridged tail toward the blue knight.  The shadows of the cave made it hard for anything to be seen, and so it was understandable that she only snapped the golden plume from the top of Mathron's helm.</div> <div> The knight was nearly as annoyed as the dragon.  "Talyrise, stay.  That's an order from your commanding officer." he dictated , pushing the witchlight forward as he cautiously advanced. </div> <div> Violet flame poured in a molten tumble to be deflected by the knight's shield.  The shield, however, was so warped that Mathron had to drop it, leaving it teetering foolishly on the floor.  Bastet hissed, displeased; the golden amber of her eyes, the darker gold of her chest and throat, and the pale needle-sharp teeth glittered in the witchlight's blue-white glow.  Mathron took his sword in hand, and thrust at her neck; Bastet scooted back a distance to watch him broodingly.</div> <div> The battle progressed, and when its tide turned in the dragon's favor, it was not by greater wits nor by greater strength that she had it, but the simple mischance of the shield left half-melted on the cavern floor.  Bastet was trying to maneuver Mathron to the back of the cave, but he had been holding his ground; now, as he advanced upon the dragon, his foot came down on the curving side of his own shield. </div> <div> He tumbled, with the sick crack of breaking bones echoing up, followed moments later by the horrendous clatter he and his seventy pounds of armor made as they hit the stone floor.  Bastet murmured her glee, and aimed her head to dispose of this rival, but before she could finish inhaling enough air to breathe her flame, a figure in green and white interposed itself before the fallen knight.  "Talyrise!" rang the knight's pain-filled tones, but the girl stood firm, facing the dragon.</div> <div> Bastet examined this new threat, spiky ears flattened to her head in thought.  The girl moved with easy grace, but it was not the muscular, sharp movements of a broadswordsman; rather, it was a smoothness that reminded her of flight, and of the human dancing.  Also, she was short, coming only up to the bigger-than-most knight's chest.  She wore no armor, and her short tawny curls struggled wildly to escape their braid.  This girl was very young.  Her hands, though, were striped with calluses that might come from a sword.  That and her eyes made Bastet nervous.  The girl met the dragon's gaze with a calm, calculating expression, fearless in the face of fire.  A trace of worry drifted across them like smoke.  </div> <div> "Bastet," said the girl with an imperious, unruffled air, "his leg is broken.  He cannot fight you fairly.  It was none of your doing that he is so wounded, only mischance.  Let me fight for him instead.  Not to the death, but until either one of us is crippled-if it is you, then I will tend your wounds, take Mathron and depart; if it is me….  What do you wish those terms to be?"</div> <div> Bastet rumbled in a dragon's equivalent of a sigh, and spoke, for the first time.  "Ifff it isss you, thhhhen I willllll maakkke sssurrrre yourr woundssss arrre not liffe-thhhreatennning, annnnd you willlll do myy bidddding, annnd thhhe knighhhht willllll be dealtt withhh assssss I wishhhh."  Her speech was heavy with the draconic accent, and her voice a deep throb that sent the floor and walls humming.</div> <div> Talyrise winced.  "Very well.  I will get a sword, and be back in a moment."  Bowing, she eeled outside, pacing delicately on the balls of her feet.</div> <div> Bastet clicked her talons, one-two-three-four-five-six, one-two-three-four-five-six, on the stone, and looked speculatively at the knight, who lay still.</div> <div> Before she could get anywhere, however, Talyrise reappeared, silhouetted by the light that illuminated the dragon's foyer.  She carried a curving blade, a saber, fragile with etchwork. Most of its sweep was dull as pewter, but its keen edge winked cruelly as it moved.</div> <div> "I am ready, Bastet," the girl intoned, echoes of her voice fluttering palely up to beat against the ceiling like a trapped bird.  Her slender frame eased into combat stance.</div> <div> Bastet was still for a moment, but gaining confidence, lunged forward, claws raking in a deadly stroke.  Her tail swept up to lash the girl into her claws, to knock her into unconsciousness.</div> <div> It was a fine plan-but Talyrise was no longer there.  With a spine-twisting leap, she had cleared the dragon's hand.  With a wild slash of her curving blade, she caught the back of Bastet's knuckles, the edge of her sword slicing through the diamond-strength of dragons' scales.</div> <div> Bastet cried out, a dragon's scream of pain, and her eyes glowed like embers.  She let loose a rush of furious fire at the small frame of the girl-but again, Talyrise was not there to be scored upon.  </div> <div> The girl hovered with danger written in every tensed muscle.  The hard glitter of her eyes spoke volumes to the dragon.  "I am not as soft as I look, Bastet," she said, her tone even, and the sword sang as she whirled it towards the dragon's shoulder.  Bastet, a fast learner, interposed her steel-hard talons hastily between the sword and her shoulder.  Coming body-to-body, she mercilessly used her greater strength to an advantage, pressing the girl nearly to her knees as Talyrise strove to hold the dragon off.  </div> <div> Her sword flashed twice, and there were two evil-looking gashes on Bastet's shoulder.  The dragon shrilled her rage until the cave shook.  She raked with her talons, and this time caught the girl on her ribs, opening five slashes in the white-and-green leather and cutting deeply into the skin beneath.  Talyrise cried out as well, but still stood, eyes wild, on guard.</div> <div> Blood dripped on the floor, dragon's blue and human red, making slick patches of gore on the stone ground.  The witchlight flickered unsteadily, making scurries of shadows in the creases and crevices of the stone walls.  Steel sang and grated on talons while scales scraped against dust, punctuated by the occasional crackle of flame.  The cavern echoed with the panting cries of the two battlers until it shook with sound.</div> <div> Bastet snaked her head forward, teeth gleaming, maw open.  In a swift movement, Talyrise yanked a half-lodged stone from the wall and hurled it at the dragon's softer muzzle.  It cracked across the golden scales, and Bastet roared again in pain and rage.</div> <div> Again, it shook the cave, but this time the vibrations disturbed the chunk of rough stone half the size of the dragon that hung at a precarious angle from the wall.  With an answering rumble, it tumbled to the ground on its knobbled end.</div> <div>  The shock knocking both girl and dragon to the floor.  With a groan, it fell flat, landing squarely on Talyrise's long legs, shattering bone and pulping flesh. Talyrise's scream died in her throat as she lost consciousness beneath the tsunami of pain.</div> <bR> <div> But she could not swim in the warm darkness forever.  Bastet had laboriously shifted the rock off the small warrior, taking both her and Mathron to her lair.  Talyrise woke to the resounding torture of her shattered legs, and lay panting in shock and pain on the dragon's floor.</div> <div> "Mathron?" she queried dully, her voice no more than a harsh whisper.</div> <div> Bastet loomed over her, eyes glowing in alien feeling.  "Mathhhhrrrrron isssss dying orrrr dead, Talyrrrrrissssse.  An end offff thhhhe rrrrock caught hhhhim in thhhhe chessst.  Hisss rrrribsss arrrre crrrrrushhhed, and hisss woundssss arrre sssso grrrave thhhat even I cannot sssave hhhim.  Do you wishhh to ssssay goodbye, ifff hhhe sssstill livesssss?"</div> <div> Talyrise thought she heard her heart cry out, but no sound left her lips.  In her ears there was a roaring so loud she could not hear her own voice.  "Yes," she managed.  Green eyes were glassy with shock.</div> <div> Gently, Bastet picked up the mangled wreck of Mathron, and moved him beside his love.  "I ccaaan give hhhim a moment offf conssssscioussssnessss, ifff you ssso desssirrrre.  I doubt hhhe will wake, elssssewissse."</div> <div> Talyrise could only nod.  Bastet let out a tonal roar that hovered in the air, then went up a minor third.  As the notes hung in the air, Mathron stirred.</div> <div> "Talyrise," he rasped, and she levered herself upwards, blanching as her legs jarred agony through her spine..  </div> <div> "Mathron, I'm here."  she intoned, but her eyes avoided his bloody face.  She reached out a hand to touch his cheek, but dropped her arm to hold his hand instead.  </div> <div> "Talyrise…" he managed, again.  "I don't want to leave you…"  His eyes, staring out of his skull and luminous as a cat's, rested on hers, pleading.</div> <div> Talyrise's breath hissed in her throat.  "Math… Beloved, I will survive.  You can go.  Take with you my love, Mathron…I love you."  She blinked hard, and her tears fell onto his face.  Their dampness made a channel in the blood and grime.</div> <div> "Thank you…  Talyr, love you forever… So sorry…  The light is calling."  His hand tightened on hers for a moment, and he breathed deeply.  Then his chest fell, and did not rise again.</div> <div> Racked with silent, shuddering sobs, Talyrise closed his eyes.  That act seemed to release all the suppressed tears, and she wept into his glove until she could weep no more.  After a time, she fell into exhausted slumber, still clutching Mathron's gauntleted hand. </div> <div> Bastet hovered worriedly, after taking the mortal shell of the man to the mountain peak and setting it ablaze in a funeral pyre.  The gauntlet she left in Talyrise's hand, and the girl held her grip on it as she fell in and out of dream-haunted slumber.  A fever burned her weathered skin that defied the dragon's attempts to drive it away.  The girl grew so slender that her bones pressed against her skin, and that skin was dry as a bone.  </div> <div> Her legs Bastet had pieced back together, but the dragon could not set the bones, could not make them whole again.  And the golden-scaled healer feared both the death of the valiant girl, and her life, for if she woke Bastet would have to tell her that she would never stand again, never walk or run or duel with her long curving blade.  The dragon wept for the loss of the girl's love, for her spirit, for the death of her own son by Mathron's hand a week earlier, and for her own helplessness against the fire that gripped Talyrise.  </div> <div> She caught the tears on her fingertips, and used them to wet Talyrise's forehead, brushing them delicately over her fever-blinded eyes and over her unhearing ears.  The girl's ears grew pointed as the tears trickled down their length, and her eyes, when open in delirium, were now as slit-pupilled as a dragon's.  </div> <div> Weeks passed, and finally months, while the lady knight lay in the grip of her own body's flames.  Drinking only dragon's tears, eating only the pasty, crumbly cakes Bastet made from her own shed scales, ground, and the bit of milk she still possessed-meant for her son-cooked by the inferno of her breath.  And at last, half a year from the fateful day she had declared herself Mathron's substitute, her fever broke, leaving her with a firmer grip on reality.</div> <div> "Mathron," she spoke, sitting up, eyes wild.  "Where's Math?  Why…"  Her eyes grew larger as she looked at the cave.  "No," Talyrise breathed.  "It can't be… It was all a bad dream…"  Then Bastet moved into visual range, and the girl cried out and shrank away from her, fury in her eyes.  "You killed him!  And now by my vow, I am Mathron's murderer's slave!"  Her voice was bitter as gall, and cut Bastet to the core.  </div> <div> "Child, I could not save him.  And you are not my slave.  If you are good at writing, you will be my scribe. Otherwise, you shall serve another, one of my compatriots who I owe a favor.  And if that does not suit you, there is nothing I can do."  Bastet rumbled, and Talyrise noticed through her haze of anguish that the dragon was much more legible.  </div> <div> "I cannot read nor write," Talyrise mumbled, flattening herself back into the pillow.  Numbly, the crippled girl touched her ears.  "What have you done to me, Bastet?"</div> <div> "I do not know," the dragon whispered.  "I do not know.</div> <bR> <div> "I have someone you should meet," Bastet said abruptly.  It had been two weeks since Talyrise had regained her senses.  "But you must promise you will never attempt to slay a dragon again.  He is…my friend.  I would be easier if you promised not to hurt him, or his lady."</div> <div> "My word on it," Talyrise said dully.  She had scarcely said two word to the dragon.  Bastet was definitely not forgiven, and the healer suspected that the lady fighter would not forgive herself either.  </div> <div> The dragon's tail lashed nervously.  "Let me call him."</div> <bR> <div> A few hours later, Talyrise was staring with blank bemusement at a black-and-white beast who only superficially resembled the dragons that <I>she</I> knew.  There was an elf-woman too, an odd one, who Bastet seemed to be particularly interested in.  After a while, she stopped listening to their conversation.</div> <div> "You shouldn't, you know," said a purr of a tenor next to her ear.  Talyrise levitated straight up,  Astonished green eyes stared around wildly for the source of the voice.  </div> <div> It came again, on the other side of her head. "What's the matter?  I /know/ you've heard a dragon talk before."</div> <div> Whipping around, she caught sight of the black-and-white striped creature, grinning unabashedly at her from across the clearing.  It--<I>he-</I>bowed to her, somewhat mockingly.  </div> <div> "Alakamarth, at your service," said the voice in her ear, which obviously was not originating from his mouth.  "And you shall be at mine, according to Bastet.  She is giving you over to our care.  The atmosphere there will be better for you, I think.  And there is a service you could do me."</div> <div> A new draconic master.  Just what she needed.  "What do you require of me?"  Even to her ears, her voice sounded flat.  </div> <div> "A small service," Alakamarth assured her, his stripy tail switching.  "Just basically standing-er, sitting-around."</div> <bR> <div> They took her back to Moire with them, to a world called Lao Daemia.  It was very beautiful, and wheelchair-accessible, and the healer there even made up prosthetics for her legs, so that she could walk haltingly with crutches.  But she did not feel satisfied being a gopher for Efellai-the-elf and the so-cheerful Alakamarth.  </div> <div> So it was that when Alakamarth called in his `small service', she was more than willing to head offworld.  Perhaps she could find fresh purpose, however brief, at Ryslen.</div> <bR> <div> <I>It is a great honor to survive.</I>  It was a thrum in her head, a constant hammered into her heart from the moment she met Haeriyaan.  Sometimes she disagreed.  Sometimes, when her legs knotted with phantom pain and the ends of her stumps were so tender that she could not bear to put weight on her artificial limbs, she thought that there was not only no honor, but no point.  But then Haeriyaan came to the fore again.  Without her prism-hued compatriot, Talyrise doubted that she would last long.  Especially when they seemed to reserve <I>some</I> tortures especially for her.  </div> <div> "Look," T'mael said, as patiently as he could.  "B <I>always</I> faces right, no matter if you capitalize it or use it lowercase.  Ds have curves on their right when capitalized, and on their left when they're lowercase.  You can't go on confusing them."</div> <div> Talyrise bit her lip and glowered at the Searchrider.  If looks could kill, the ever-patient T'mael would be dead ten times over.  But her hand formed the letters again, under duress.  The double-bellied B, the bowcurve of D…  The accursed b and d, however, were still eluding her.  </div> <div> <I>Courage, Talyrise. </I>said Haeriyaan softly into her head.  <I>You are brave and smart.  These shall not defeat you!</I>  The dragon's speech shimmered in her head, like watching crystals spin from underwater.  With a sigh, she bent her tawny head to her tablet again.  She could do this.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0ae9ae60.gif" border=0 width="410" height="230" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> She was brave and smart, and she did eventually conquer the written word.  Talyrise couldn't believe the feeling of power that came from being literate.  She felt as if all the mysteries of the world had murmured their secrets in her ear.</div> <div> <I>I told you so,</I> Haeriyaan said, just a little smugly.  <I>You have as much power as anyone, yes?  And…we have a visitor.  </I></div> <div> Talyrise was fairly smug herself.  When a long, zebra-striped muzzle invaded her personal space, she only `accidentally' smacked it with a crutch.  </div> <div> "Hey!" Alakamarth's tenor protested, coming out as more of a squawk than a purr. "What was that for?"</div> <div> The lady knight arched a sardonic eyebrow at him.  "For poking your nose into my business.  I'm no longer in your service.  Frankly, I didn't wish to see you again at all.  I've found my life; leave me to it."</div> <div> Rubbing his nose, Alakamarth sat back on his haunches, tail switching in exasperation.  "You may not be in my service, but you owe me a debt," he cajoled, the hint of smoke and honey, of a velvety good-naturedness, returning to his voice.  "Without me, you would never have been at Ryslen in time to bond."  </div> <div> <I>Foul,</I> Haeriyaan said calmly.  <I>That was destiny.</I></div> <div> "I am the tool of destiny," Alakamarth shot back.  "I'm not here to order you around, Talyrise, but to ask a favor."</div> <div> The woman tossed her blond curls, green eyes rolling.  "Right.  Tool of destiny.  Whatever."  She'd picked up on some slightly less…archaic….speech patterns, here at Moire.  "Ask, or leave."</div> <div> "I'd like to extend the invitation for you and your bond to join the Hands.  Specifically, T'mael and Alnath have requested "Talyrise and Haeriyaan, and don't let her give you that I'm-not-worthy crap"."  The black-and-white dragon had something resembling a smirk on his face.  She could feel little prickles of annoyance from her wild prism bond for the cavalier way Alakamarth spoke to her.  Haeriyaan regarded that as <I>his</I> right.  </div> <div> "Riyaan?" she asked softly, brandishing a crutch at the older (<I>much</I> older) Moirean.  </div> <div> <I>Yes.  I suppose it's as good a job as any,</I> Haeriyaan murmured thoughtfully.  <I>There is honor in finding survivors, after all.  Yes, Talyrise?</I></div> <div> "Yes," she said firmly.  With a sight, she watched Alakamarth bolt away with the good news.  The scoundrel hadn't even thanked her…</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0aff4d20.gif" border=0 width="500" height="466" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> They were duly placed in the Nurlömien Talon of Eglado's Hand, and both of them found it to be satisfying work.  There was, perhaps, a bit less camaraderie there than in other wings, but that was all right.  Talyrise simply didn't get a chance to converse with the night-haunting Nalyetari, or the worldwalker Chamele.  But she knew T'mael; that was plenty.  Besides, she was seeing the worlds…</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0b3f4b50.gif" border=0 width="500" height="693" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <I>I want to stay here a little longer,</I> Haeriyaan muttered in her head, so low that she could scarcely make it out.  </div> <div> "What did you say, Yaan?"</div> <div> I want to stay here a little longer.  I wish to pursue something other than candidates and bonder-hopefuls, if you don't mind.  </div> <div> Talyrise shrugged.  "Well, that's no problem.  What are you pursuing, then?"</div> <div> <I>Who is the word.  Who am I pursuing.  I am pursuing Ruoal'shon, here at my birthplace.  She is a survivor, Talyrise… a survivor, just as you are.</I>  The wild prism dragon's tones were very serious; Talyrise bit her tongue and suppressed her immediate reaction on the strength of his earnestness.</div> <div> "Um," she said, when she felt she could be diplomatic.  "Yaan, I hate to break it to you, but Ruoal'shon might be a bit…risky…for your first flight.  She's, uh, a little more fierce than I am."  <I>And a whole lot more likely to shred your pretty hide if she dislikes you,</I> she thought privately.  </div> <div> Her lifemate caught the impression of the thought, down in the layers of consciousness.  <I>But Talyrise,</I> he said slyly, <I>it is an honor to survive.</I></div> <div> "Honor, my rear end," Talyrise said irritably.  "I'm going to be really annoyed if I get out of therapy only to turn around and attend yours, me bucko."</div> <div> <I>You sound like Sme,</I> Haeriyaan said primly, ignoring her.</div> <div> "Sme I am not.  What about her rider, huh?"</div> <div> <I>            Sme is a rider.  She has a dragon.</I></div> <div> "Yaan!  You're avoiding the question!"</div> <div> <I>You'll be…fine.  Just be prepared to take a cold shower,</I> her lifemate chortled.  </div> <div> Talyrise glared.  "I don't get <I>anything</I> out of this?  Stop <I>laughing,</I> you overgrown suncatcher."</div> <div> <I>Your constant companion will be much more relaxed,</I> he suggested, tail swishing.  <I>Plus, you can say that we survived…. C'mon, Talyr, she makes me feel like a giddy adolescent.</I></div> <div> The lady knight curled her lip.  "You <I>are</I> a giddy adolescent.  Come on, idjit.  I need a lift down to find the flight list.  Maybe you can find out if alpha Wylds devour their mates when they're through with them."</div> <div> <I>I wouldn't put it past her,</I> Haeriyaan said thoughtfully.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>