A Start



Benjamin Lanivere, a descendent of the generation of slaves that survived the day of freedom, warrior and now after more than a decade of climbing through the ranks, commander of one of Val?s legions, had just come back from the ride from having humped out in the desert of bones, a bit tired but well ready to play on his way into the town. The horse pulled up to the rail as he slid off the back, taking the reigns and lashing Deatimer to the fencing. A swung boot and a leap over the railing and he strolled on through the door of the tavern. He looked for the Mandoccy woman, wondering where she was off to.

He called out, ?Catey where the hell are you??

Catalina Manodoccy, courier for the elite in service of the king, had been waiting for far longer than she liked, but she knew leaving just because Benji was running late would only have him show up at her door later and in a temper, and probably after she'd gone to sleep. But she certainly didn't need to be sitting at a table looking like ordered and forgotten. So she had gone in search of some entertainment on location. The crusty old inn didn't have much to offer in the way of entertainment, though.

"Over here" She called to Benji from behind the monstrous harp that was in desperate need of some strings.

"You're late" She added as she got out from behind the rather large instrument and gently leaned it against the wall.

What the hell are you doing Catey? He looked at her a bit strange, kind of curious to why she was looking to play the harp that appeared to have been more a decoration to the place than anything, though the bawdy brawling warriors would be returning soon enough, and for once, if there was music, maybe there would be less mayhem and more hey amen.

?Late? I just rode in off the field.? He wondered what he'd forgotten that he was late about.

?I was putting some strings on this harp. It's not much of a harp without them, you know.? Catalina walked over to him.

?Ah, well, yeah... It probably isn't... ? Benji's gaze traveled up and down her form. He knew that while out and about, she preferred to appear as unattractive and unimportant as possible. For that reason Catalina kept her hair tied up and if at all possible hidden. Today, as usual, her garb was shapeless pants and a jacket of soft and well used brownish leather that she took pains to keep dirty.

Now she had a chance to actually look at Benji, and she did so thoroughly before a small smile came to her lips. While she generally didn't like the warrior type, she did have a severe soft spot for Benji and was always looking forward to seeing him when she was sent to bring him reports or orders. He still wore that black and worn smooth leather jacket with the spikes on the shoulders and the patch on the elbow.

"You're looking in fairly good shape and you managed to beat the crowd."

?Yes, the advantages of being the wreckers courier.? He looked over at Max, the owner of the tavern, calling to him.

?Hey Max... can you get the soup on! And the wenches? better send a runner or they'll tear the place apart.? He turned back and looked at Catey, sliding the heavy leathered jacket off.

"Taking the place apart, is it? We had better get our business taken care of then so I can be out of here before that happens." Of course there had to be a legion of warriors somewhere close by if Benji was here and Catey meant to avoid the lot of them.

"Aye, right." Benji looked to Max again and gave a hand signal, and Max promptly tossed over what looked to be a key on a chain. Benji moved toward the stairwell. His booted foot was already on the first step when he looked back to Catey.

"Well, don't fantasize all day about getting my clothes off me!" He was teasing of course, though he could have just as easily been serious.

"Keep on dreaming." She had been looking though, but she'd die before she'd admit to that. Anyway, he was probably looking forward to enjoying drink and wenches, or so she told herself.

For a while all she could do was lay there. When some time later Catalina started to shiver, though, she did turn to her side and snuggled up to Benjamin. For warmth she told herself, knowing it was something else entirely. But that L-word was for other people and for ages of peace, and those certainly were not tears burning behind her closed eyes when she thought of having to leave as soon as the sun was up.

"Benji?" It was a soft whisper.

"Yes... Catey?" He drew his arms about her. His hand drew a blanket as well when he felt the shill of her soft skin as he looked to her.

"Thank you." She lightly draped her arm over his belly.

Benjamin leaned to her kissing her softly, a tenderness so very lacking in the world they lived in, so rough and raw. But now, as he lay with her, his arm curled her close and he gently caressed over her arm and back as his chest rose and fell.

"When do you have to leave?" His question was a soft whisper.

"Sunup." Even then she couldn't be sure she'd make it to the safety of her destination by nightfall. When he held her just so she could almost believe that he felt for her like she did for him. She moved her fingers lightly back and forth where her hand rested. But then she remembered his comment from earlier about Glo's wenches. "Do you want me to take anything back to court for you?"

He currently wondered about that himself. The orders had been unsettling. Something drastic was happening with the King, and it seemed that he would not know the answer to that question until he and Cat returned from another land, far away.

"Yes, actually there is one thing you can take back to him..." He whispered softly.

"Yes?" Catalina whispered because he was whispering, raising her head to look at him.

"Me. We travel just before the sun comes up." He looked at her, as she glanced up at him. "I'm coming with you."

"You?! You are coming with me?" She felt stupid just repeating what he said. But his statement took her completely by surprise. "Why? Whatever for?" Did he really mean for them to travel together and why now, she wanted to know.

"Don't you have to boss your soldiers around? Skeletons to fry, armies to defeat?" Perhaps she was already asleep and dreaming. Yea, that must be it, she was dreaming. There was no way that Benji would just up and leave his troops just so they could have a little Sunday stroll together. No way.

"Wake up!" Benjamin pinched her lightly. "No, you're not dreaming. I said I'm coming with you. I have my orders, and so do you! We are heading to another land."

"Ow! I don't have orders like that. What are you talking about?" Could there really have been such a thing in the papers she had delivered. Why-oh-why hadn't she looked? Because she never looked, that's why. It was safer not to know. Usually.

"Yes, you're required to attend to the King's business back in a land called Rhydin. He has a ranch and many men from here live there now. I am requested to go to command the men there. It appears we may be fighting a battle on two fronts. I'm to assess the situation while I'm there and report back to the King's council." His hand still caressed over her shoulder and back.

"The kings business, a different war in a different place... With the same enemies or different ones? I'm a currier, not a warrior. What am I expected to do?" She tried to make sense of what Benji was telling her, which was rather difficult with her mind being drowsy and her body exhausted and both wanting to simply revel in the idea that she didn't have to leave him in a few hours. The question remained unanswered, though.

The Golden

"It's about time you got your dick in the right place!" Dax bellowed out as they came down the stairs and then walked toward him.

Benji promptly climbed up the wing to Dax's neck, waiting for Catey to follow him up, and offered a hand to draw her in front of him on the dragon saddle.

"As well spoken as the last one." She nearly groaned as she moved up and came to sit on the saddle. She tied her pack to the saddle and shoved the leather hat onto her head, and generally tried to appear like she knew what she was doing. "Are you feeling better, Benji?"

"All right Dax... We're ready." Benji called to Dax as he took hold of the horn, reaching around Catey. When the Golden leapt into the air he whispered into her ear, "No, I'm not."

"Me either." Catey grasped his arm with both her hands as the dragon leapt up and her stomach gave a little lurch. The wings flapped as they started soaring upwards, the head of the beast swung back.

"We have to stop off by Rex first then to GloChild." Dax called back to them.

"How far is it to the portal and what should I expect on the other side?" She tried to sound all business. "Why?"

"I don't know..." The dragon carried them swiftly, headed toward the encampment. After a while Dax turned his head back toward them again. "Do not worry Cate, you will see soon enough."

"I prefer situations with a minimum of information before going in." Things tended to be far more difficult when one had no idea at all what to expect. She had not even gotten to pack for this mission. She went over the list of what was in her pack in her mind, more to distract herself from Benji's closeness than for any other reason. "Have you been to this ranch before?"

"Yes, I have." Dax called out, this time without swinging his head around.

"That's not helping." Meaning Benji's hand on her thigh and she firmly moved it back to the pommel before she called to Dax again. "Tell me about the ranch then."

"It's a ranch with a house and barn along with sheds. They raise horses. Not much to tell." Dax fell silent again, presumably to better concentrate on flying as they drew closer toward Rex and Glo's camp.

"It's not a castle disguised as a ranch then." Benji's hand was on her thigh again. She'd have pushed his hand away again, too, but she'd have to let go of his arm to do so, and she wasn't at all sure that she wouldn't fall off the dragon if she did that now as Dax's veered sharp to the left and he started descending. Anyway, she loved the feel of his hand on her thigh.

Dax didn't answer, just shook his head. The assembly of a thousand plus men was camped on a ridge that overlooked the hills that led into the desert of bones.

"That looks even creepier from above." Her grip on his arm tightened as the dragon dove. At least up here she didn't have to deal with the warriors. Or, for that matter, the bones.

Soaring now, the Golden drew up his wings to brake, his hind claws dug down into the ground as they landed with a light jolt.

"Stay put, I'll be right back." Benji, already dismounting called back and down the wing he went, and then toward the main tents near where Dax had landed.

"When are you going to let me show you how I care for you Cate?" Dax turned his head to look at Catey and sniffed the moment Benji disappeared into the tent

"What?" Catey was utterly stunned at the Golden's question.

Unscrupulous as Dax was, he would do almost anything to get laid, as he often did, enjoying the beds of many. Cate was different, Benji had been with her, and the two of them competed at times for affection. Not so much Benji, as Dax was the one that enjoyed the human game.

"Yes. Surely you would let me bed you when I'm in human form?"

"You're insane." Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to pick a fight with a dragon while sitting on him. "If you got an urge you should have enjoyed one of the wenches at the inn. That's what they're there for."

"Oh, but you would be so sweet. Maybe, you and Benji would both like to share a bed with me?" He sniffed the air in a very insinuating manner and probably would have said more. But Benji had stepped just outside the tent and with him Rex and Glo. All three appeared intensely concerned, even at this distance.

"Sure, thousands of dragons around and I get detailed with one who has a sense of smell. Let's get one thing crystal clear, if you ever try to stick anything into me, I'll slice it off." There had been no one else she wanted to be with since she had met Benji, not even when she didn't get to see him for months at a time. She didn't know if Benji was just teasing her with the mention of woman for hire, or if he actually enjoyed their services from time to time. But knowing wouldn't change her feelings toward him.

Glo leaned to Benji for a hug, then gave a wave toward Dax and Catalina. Benji moved back toward the Dragon promptly and climbed back up to slide down behind Catey.

"Off we go." He called to Dax.

"Hi, Benji. Are you sure we have to ride this flea bitten excuse of a golden all the way to the portal or even to the ranch?"

"Hey, you know he and I are friends?" He grinned, looking at her. He knew exactly what was on Dax's mind and what had riled her. His heels dug into the scaled plate of the dragon's hide as his hand returned to her thigh.

"Fine friends! Of course I know." She couldn't like his seeming to not mind his friend propositioning her. Then again, Benji had never mislead her into believing that he loved her. Now that she was angry she wasn't worried about falling off anymore, even should that rouge attempt aeronautic acrobatics, and she brushed away Benji's hand. "Stop that!"

They rose up high into the sky and then flew back to the East, towards the far end of the lands and eventually passed over water. Benji and Catey relaxed for the flight seemed to go smooth and Dax kept his mouth shut. After a while Benji wrapped an arm about her waist and nipped at her ear. That gesture. more than anything he could have said, calmed her anger at him and at Dax.