Thoughts of Something or Other

Original Fiction

Genre: Med/Fant

Rating: T (overall)

A/N: Felt like rewriting this part and then getting back into writing this. Mira’s been bugging me lately.

First part

Previous part

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“We’re almost there!” Talian was shouting, but Mira could barely hear her over the wind. “If you look down, you can see it!”

Mira shook her head, tightening her grip on Victrio’s neck fur. She was pressed as flatly as possible against him right now. She was strapped to the front of the saddle, her legs held close to the Dragon’s scales. Even through the padding Talian had strapped to her legs, she could feel that were bruised and rubbed raw if not actually bleeding. She had her eyes shut tightly, and felt sick if she tried to open them. She could barely handle the surging motions of the Dragon’s muscles with each wingbeat.

They’d left as soon as Talian had returned, basically. “No time for a boat,” the Rider had said. “You’ll need to get there before the rest of this year’s group, work out a pattern with our scholars, meet the other Riders who’ll be in charge of your training.”

Mira had accepted this, letting Talian put her own small pack into one of Victrio’s saddlebags, and then reluctantly handing over the egg so that it could be put away again. She’d made her good-byes quickly enough, too. Her family all cared about her, she knew that, and her little sister had even started crying, but she knew this was better. It would be a relief, not having to worry about the daughter who couldn’t fend for herself. Plus, even though they were family, she’d never been particularly close to any of them. She would try to write, but she wouldn’t be in any rush to visit again.

Then they’d been in the air, moving through the skies. It hadn’t taken long for the motion sickness to set in, just half an hour, and the excitement of being over the ocean and with her home island behind her and close enough to clouds to touch them had faded into a dull throbbing ache from her stomach. She was almost glad when Victrio started descending, although the change in movement made her stomach worse.

Finally she heard the vwoompah! of Victrio’s last wingbeat and felt the slight impact of landing, her body feeling the shudder as it passed through him. She waited for Talian to get down, then slid to the ground herself. They were in a large courtyard, torn-up grass surrounding them and a large building surrounding them. Was this a palace? Mira was stunned, until she remembered that they were on the ground now. She didn’t need her hands to make sure she didn’t fall over! Without even bothering to ask for permission, she rushed at Victrio’s saddlebags, taking out the Dragon egg that called her so.

Talian laughed, watching the girl. “Well, I’m even more sure I made the right choice in you,” she said. “Here, let’s get you to the nests. Victrio, you get some rest.”

“What else shall I do? Mine nest has been calling me since a half turn ago,” the Dragon answered with a chuckle, before taking off again. He seemed headed for a gigantic spire of rock a little ways in the distance.

Nests? Mira followed Talian, wondering what was going on. They walked into the palace, and the former maid was constantly distracted by the plush carpet under her feet in the hallways, the polished floors of different chambers they passed through, the heavy paintings and large windows and the people dressed practically but richly. And she had access to all this? She wouldn’t have to work at cleaning it? She could appreciate it?

Talian had to keep stopping to let Mira catch up, but took those moments to chat with people passing by. Most of them were on their way to look for apprentices themselves; it was nearing hatching time, and if they didn’t find a Rider for every egg then there would be issues. She explained this much to Mira as they walked. “Wild Dragons tend to cause issues. So if we don’t find a Rider for every egg, we must move the eggs before hatching time. Dragons don’t hatch without the breath of their parents, you see.”

Mira nodded in understanding, although some of it still confused her. How many eggs did they have to throw out every year? And did the Dragons truly not care? And how many were born every year?

“Lady Tal!”

They stopped, waiting while a middle-aged man wearing heavy dark robes and carrying a couple of books caught up to them. He seemed extremely thin, and gawky, like he’d never grown enough to fit his build. “Talian, there you are. Back already?” He looked at Mira. “Oh, you found Eminent Halern and Eminent Seria’s inheritor, have you? Good afternoon, Miss. I’m Lon, a scholar here. Pleased to meet you.”

Mira stepped back, nervous. What should she do? She moved behind Talian instinctively, wanting to hide.

“Don’t tell me we have to unspoil a noble,” Lon muttered, his expression suddenly becoming cold. “Lady Tal, couldn’t you have found someone practical?”

“The eggs choose their Riders, not other Riders,” Talian pointed out. “And don’t be so harsh on Mira. She is a mute. I’m actually glad we ran into you- can you get some of the lingual scholars together? You all need to start working out a system. Once she is outfitted, you can work with her. She already uses some hand signals that she had with her family.”

“Mute? How do you…” Lon blinked, then suddenly looked embarrassed. He bowed to them- no, just to Mira. “Forgive me, young Miss. My age makes me jump to conclusions. But, shall you be able to handle the training?”

“Mute, not deaf,” Talian emphasized. “And verbal connections are not needed to bond with a Dragon. She shall be fine for the necessities. Everything else is why you scholars shall work with her to create more signals, and to teach as many of our residency as possible. I shall send her to you once we have gotten the rest of her outfitting.”

Lon nodded, running a hand through wispy dark hair. He looked at Mira again. “Again, my apologies. Can you write?” When she nodded, he smiled. “Alright. I’ll get the other scholars together. Hopefully we can start tonight.”

“Sounds perfect. Now if you’ll excuse us, Lon, we have a placement to manage.”

The scholar left them, and they started walking again. Mira kept pace with Talian now, frowning a little. Would things be this rough? Even more people assuming she was dumb because she couldn’t speak? Still, at least she had someone looking out for her. She glanced up at her companion. ~Thank you,~ she signed, even though she knew her meaning wouldn’t be clear. ~You’re kinda like Mother- a bear if you’re messed with.~

The Rider had watched Mira’s hands, but shook her head in confusion. “The sooner you meet with those scholars, the better. But I’m guessing something in there was gratitude.” She mussed Mira’s hair. “It’s nothing, child. Lon is a bit… assuming. I enjoy knocking him down sometimes.”

They rounded another corner, coming to a spiraling stairway leading downwards. “We’re almost to the nests. Come on.” Talian led the way still, walking more briskly now and starting to explain things. “Dragons mate, and then lay their eggs all in a group. Two eggs per clutch per Dragon, with one clutch every fifty years. We started with a few different generations, so we’re lucky enough to get some every five years or so. The eggs are lain, and take three months to hatch. They only hatch, however, if exposed to the breath of adult Dragons.”

Mira looked up. So to keep an egg from hatching, it just had to be removed from the nests? She’d never have thought preventing more of such magnificent creatures would be so simple.

They reached the bottom of the stairs, and entered in a dark hallway. It was lit by a few torches along the walls, but there were still heavy shadows between each. Talian seemed unphased though, and kept talking. “So we have three months to take the eggs and travel around with them, finding the one person that each egg draws to it. Once found, that person brings the egg back to the nests. We’re actually early- there’s another week before most people will be coming back, and three more after that before the hatching. It always takes a while to find all the new Riders, if we do. You won’t be lonesome, though- there’s three or four others here already. Anyways, we’re here.” She stopped before a heavy stone door. She muttered something, her hands glowing with magic. The handles on the door glowed with a similar power, and then it swung open.

Inside, there was a humongous cave. Crystals lined the walls, glittering with light that filtered from a hole in the ceiling, hundreds of feet above them. There were ledges and divets throughout the cavern, with almost every possible space holding a nest of moss and feathers and fur. Most were empty, while Mira could see one or two eggs similar to the one in her hands, almost hidden within the shadows.

“Pick a nest-  it doesn’t matter which it goes to. Dragons tend to think it takes a group to raise a hatchling,” Talian ordered. “So they do not mind if the nests get switched. It makes no matter to them. A Dragon will look like its parents, but its own power is decided by the magic of the breath used on it right before it hatches. However, there’s no way to  know which parents will go to which nest. So, pick one. Oh, and make a wish, too- kind of silly, but it is a tradition.”

Mira nodded, looking around. She saw a space, between two crystals that leaned together as if propping each other up. She set the egg down in the moss between them, sighing. She didn’t want to let it go, but at the same time, being in this place made her feel like it would be okay. Surely it would be safe here? It had to be. Why else would others have trusted theirs in this place?

She stepped back, looking down at the egg. She knew that this was her chance to start afresh, to actually forge bonds with people. But that could never fully happen if all she had was her signs. So she closed her eyes and hoped that her Dragon would help her communicate with people in some way- she didn’t care how, if it was Victrio’s telepathy or simple growls or actual words- but she wanted someone to help others understand her.

That done, she turned around and returned to Talian standing in the doorway. They left, and the clunk of the door behind them made her think that yes, this was as things should be.