@--}}----}--------- Part Two ---------{-----{{--@

Tender falls the tear
of a crying Rose
scanning the silken flesh
of a petal
a dampened streak
of youth and sorrow
a bitter tasting
teardrop stain

      She had been expecting him for a few days now. That was what his last message had said. A youth from the mining encampment now growing into a bustling town had presented her with his hastily scribed note and now three days later he still had not arrived. Well, that was that. She would just have to come to him and after the Command Staff meeting she would do just that. Bringing along some of the others so they could see the town and the mine's new discoveries.

     The meeting had gone well enough. Their business was discussed and completed with efficient ease as they worked as a cohesive team on another new project. They were meeting at the Dozing Dragon in one of the special warded meeting rooms. They had just concluded their business and were adjourning when Luc, the new Inn handy man had burst into the room with word of another messenger from Ravenshead.

      A cave in. They were needed. But there was more that was not being told. They could all sense it but no one was ready to put such thoughts to words, not yet.

      Kia gated them there, Grace, Luc, Shaerl, and Snow. Word was sent to the others to arrive as they could. Many were out in the field on duty or attending to important family needs.

      In the darkness they could see that the small village was rushing to the mine, torches, carts, men, women, children. It was a surreal de javue of another time they were there when there was a fire in the mine. Her mind spun with the memory of what had happened then. Many people had died but the Lady had watched over her Harithin and shortly thereafter they had been married.

      And now it seemed to be happening again. She didn't see him among the men gathering at the entrance of the mine. Grace tried to get closer but Kia and Shaerl held her back, for her own safety she was told. She fidgeted and paced while Shaerl stayed with her while Kia and Luc went to go find out what had happened. Grace directed Snow to fly over to see what there was to see and come back with a report. Time moved like an old tired man then.
Everything around her seemed to be in slow motion while she waited anxiously for news.

      Shaerl spoke quietly and patiently to Grace, but it did not help. Inside her she could feel that the anxious feeling that hand been building for a few days now was getting ready to burst. She had to do something. She had to help.

      She had to know.

      Kia came back, explaining about a cave in, men trapped in the lift and just below it. Most of them were injured from the cave in. Kia then quickly returned to see what she could do about getting the men out of the mine and the injured attended as needed.

      Grace asked one of the miners to find Berin, one of the Dwarven engineers that was in charge of the new excavations. Berin and Scar had become close as they had worked together. Berin would know where Scar was. But the miner just shook his head and pointed to the mine.

      She took a step forward but Shaerl stopped her. Grace was wound up tight now. She had to do something. She looked around and saw that tents had already been set up by the towns people. They were well trained in what needed to be done when something disastrous happened to the mine. Grace looked back to the mine and Shaerl could see the determination in her eyes. She was about to remind Grace about the duty to her safety when Kia called for them to come down and assist.

      Down the mine shaft they went. Shaerl skillfully making her way down on the wall and tumbled rocks. Grace, Kia and Luc by the rope. They could hear the muffled voices of the trapped miners below. Carefully the roof to the jammed lift was pulled apart enough to let men out and the BoR in.

      Scar was not with this group. He wouldn't be of course. He would be one of the last to leave, ensuring that others made it to safety before him. They dropped down through the lift to the floor of the mine. Here they found more injured and shocked miners, all of them stunned as they looked to the BoR members. Here the stale air and the stench of burned black powder made her eyes water.

     Above them Jean had arrived, the silver dragon too large to come down. He sniffed the air and growled deeply. He looked to Snow. "Warn them.. A Great Wyrm". He paced back and forth growling. He chose to stay in his dragon form to be prepared should the Great Wyrm break through.

      Grace could sense that Shaerl and Kia were not too keen on her being down there. The injured miners they found talked about someone shouting at them to "flee, the enemy is upon us." Again, she realized that Scar was not with them, and the coil inside her tightened more. Grace knew that phrase, so many things Scar had told her about growing up being hunted by the Great Wyrms of the far far northern ranges. That was the warning cry when they were under attack.

     Her heart leapt, skipping a beat. She turned to the mine shaft that Luc had gone down looking for others. Snow had made her way down to them by then. Her feathers dusty and ruffled as she spoke but two words the same time as Grace had whispered them in utter disbelief.

     Great Wyrm

     Her hand flew to the sword at her hip as Luc came running back. His eyes wide. The shaft was totally caved in and there was an extremely large black claw sticking out from the wall.

     The heated discussion started then. Grace should leave while the others investigated, but Grace would have nothing of it. She swore her oath to protect those in need with her own life just as the others. And then she knew. Kia gated the injured to the surface and nodded to her.

      Together they carefully made their way down the smokey shaft. Now and then there was a groan of a strained timber, and the tumbling of a loose rock. And as they turned a corner they came upon the it. Black scorch marks colored the broken timber and there they saw it: The black claw, as if reach out for one last strike. It twitched in its death throes seeking it prey, a pool of black icor beneath it.

     And that was all.

      There was no man waiting there, the great hunter having defeated his enemy. She looked desperately to Kia who only shook her head softly.

      Nothing.

      "He promised.. " She shouted as she stared at the rocks before her, looking down on the great wyrm claw that twitched as if it sensed them there. "No more hunting.. he gave that up for me, for us." She looked down at the now useless sword in her hand. "Nothing.. not even an enemy to have my revenge." She lifted the sword as she spoke and struck the rock. Sparks flew as the blade crashed against the rock and the sound echoed around them. The claw twitched one last time then stilled.

      The sword dropped from trembling hands. She fell to her knees, clutching the dragon claw pendant he had given as his vow, his vow that he would hunt dragons no more, his vow that he would create a life with her. But now there was nothing. Nothing but this intense pain that burst within her. She gasped for air as it hit her. No more his loving smile as she woke in the morning finding him watching her sleep. No more his arms holding her through
the night. No more his amazing exclaim to come and see what incredible feat their young son had accomplished.

      She felt a hand on her shoulder but all she could hear was the blood roaring in her ears. Slowly she stood. Kia, Shaerl, Snow and Luc gathered around her. Kia gated them to the surface where Jean and the others waited. He took one look at Grace and bowed his head.

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