Dan had had prepared (actually making them himself), the knots for all

the

presentations that he was doing today for the Journeyfolks, and had
Valeryna's in his hand when she came up.
"Oh, don't be so silly" he said, and reached out to hug his friend.

That was all it took. Val threw her arms around Dan, and

buried

her face against his shoulder, softly crying. "I thought you'd forgotten
all about me, after I Impressed," she whispered for his ears alone. "I've
missed you all so much."

***

About that time another guest that had been invited, made his way
staggeringly towards the gathering. In one hand he held a mostly gone bottle
of wine and in the other a bouquet wilted flowers that F'ation had flown to
the Valley to get for Valeryna.

Bumping into the guard that had hung back to keep an eye on Wygelle, the
man reached out to steady the dragonrider. "Hey, you sure you should be
going over there?" The guard stepped back, the man positively reeked of
alcohol.

"Let go o' me, I'm 'vited," F'ation waved at the guard with the hand holding
the bottle.

"Okay...okay," the man let him pass. It wasn't his job to be messing with
drunkards. For all he knew the man could be a ruse to keep his eyes off the
goldrider and she was his job.

F'ation stumbled forward and reached the back tables just in time to see
Valeryna go over to Master Dan and hug him. "VAL!" He yelled out to her! If
she could hug that man she could spare a hug for her husband. "VAL! I'm
here!"

F'ation stumbled forward and reached the back tables just in time to see
Valeryna go over to Master Dan and hug him. "VAL!" He yelled out to her!

If

she could hug that man she could spare a hug for her husband. "VAL! I'm
here!"

Valeryna turned, in time to see F'ation, who looked quite drunk,
staggering in her direction. "Oh Faranth," she whispered, "let me handle
this, please. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

She headed directly for F'ation, and instead of berating him
since she knew why he was so drunk, she simply embraced him, crying softly.
"F'ation, love, shhhh....I know. Shards, but I miss him too. And I love
you, we'll get through this together, I promise. Come sit with me?"

F'ation stumbled forward and reached the back tables just in time to see

Valeryna go over to Master Dan and hug him. "VAL!" He yelled out to her!

If she could hug that man she could spare a hug for her husband. "VAL! I'm

here!"

Valeryna turned, in time to see F'ation, who looked quite drunk,

staggering in her direction. "Oh Faranth," she whispered, "let me handle
this, please. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

"Of course, Valeryna -- Journeywoman Valeryna!" and Dan watched as Val
walked away towards F'ation. He was tremendously impressed with the young
woman, and how she took the surprise of her promotion, and now for the
responsibility of handling F'ation.

He then took out the next set of knots that he wanted to present.....

********

She headed directly for F'ation, and instead of berating him since she

knew why he was so drunk, she simply embraced him, crying softly.

"F'ation, love, shhhh....I know. Shards, but I miss him too. And I love

you, we'll get through this together, I promise. Come sit with me?"

Valeryna turned, in time to see F'ation, who looked quite

drunk,

staggering in her direction. "Oh Faranth," she whispered, "let me handle
this, please. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

She headed directly for F'ation, and instead of berating him
since she knew why he was so drunk, she simply embraced him, crying

softly.

"F'ation, love, shhhh....I know. Shards, but I miss him too. And I love
you, we'll get through this together, I promise. Come sit with me?"

"Val! Val, thesh ish for you!" F'ation held out the broken bouquet of
what had once been a beautiful bunch of flowers. He gripped her tightly, but
wasn't content to just go sit down. "I has to thank muh ol freng Dan! DAN!"
F'ation started to yell for
Dan.

"Val! Val, thesh ish for you!" F'ation held out the broken bouquet of
what had once been a beautiful bunch of flowers. He gripped her tightly,

but

wasn't content to just go sit down. "I has to thank muh ol freng Dan!

DAN!"

F'ation started to yell for
Dan.

"Oh, they're lovely!" And they were, even in their broken
conditon. He'd chosen the colors that she loved most, and that made her
love him all the more for it.

But the yelling would have to stop. While she understood
why he was in the shape he was in, she had to be the strong one now, for
them both. She reached to take F'ation's chin in her free hand, and said
sternly, but lovingly, "F'ation! I understand how you feel. But now is not
the time, love. There are others to take into consideration; others who are
being honored. Wait until this is over and done with, *then* we will go to
Dan, *together*. Please, just hold me right now?"

As she spoke, she was trying vailently to steer him off to
one side, where they could share their sorrow in private.

"Oh, they're lovely!" And they were, even in their broken
conditon. He'd chosen the colors that she loved most, and that made her
love him all the more for it.

But the yelling would have to stop. While she understood
why he was in the shape he was in, she had to be the strong one now, for
them both. She reached to take F'ation's chin in her free hand, and said
sternly, but lovingly, "F'ation! I understand how you feel. But now is

not

the time, love. There are others to take into consideration; others who

are

being honored. Wait until this is over and done with, *then* we will go

to

Dan, *together*. Please, just hold me right now?"

As she spoke, she was trying vailently to steer him off to
one side, where they could share their sorrow in private.

The greenrider whipped his head out off Valeryna's chin grip. "You

don' you don' unnerstan anythin'!" He glared at her though he allowed her to
steer him away from the front of the room. "Dead their all dead...I shuldint
love you... but I do! I do love you! I'm chorry, Val." He held onto Valeryna
and raised the wine bottle to his lips, quickly finishing what was left
inside.

The greenrider whipped his head out off Valeryna's chin grip. "You

don' you don' unnerstan anythin'!" He glared at her though he allowed her

to

steer him away from the front of the room. "Dead their all dead...I

shuldint

love you... but I do! I do love you! I'm chorry, Val." He held onto

Valeryna

and raised the wine bottle to his lips, quickly finishing what was left
inside.

Valeryna looked confused. "What do you mean, 'they're all dead'?
What else has happened?" She felt a cold knot of dread in her stomach.
"Talk to me, F'ation, what's happened??"

Valeryna looked confused. "What do you mean, 'they're all

dead'?

What else has happened?" She felt a cold knot of dread in her stomach.
"Talk to me, F'ation, what's happened??"

**

"Wha' happen! I'll tell ya wha' happen...she died...my baby died, my
hushband died...they all died!" F'ation looked at the empty bottle and
frowned, shaking it once he tossed it aside not caring if it broke. "Dun wan
you to did, Val, can' love you...bud I do..."

"Wha' happen! I'll tell ya wha' happen...she died...my baby died, my
hushband died...they all died!" F'ation looked at the empty bottle and
frowned, shaking it once he tossed it aside not caring if it broke. "Dun

wan

you to did, Val, can' love you...bud I do..."

Oh shards. The rider and his unborn child....dead too?? "Oh
love! Oh Faranth, I'm so sorry! I'm not going to die, F'ation, not for a
very long time, with luck in Fall, and skilled flying from Seveglesth. And
why can't you love me? Don't you think I fear each and every time *you* go
up there?" She pointed up. "I love you no matter what. We're both paired
with dragons now, we know the risks. Lets' love each other just for each
day, forget tomorrow, we may not even *have* tomorrow. You've got me,
Allek, Pepereth and Seve too. We all love you. Can't you see?"