Thoughts of Something or Other

Original fiction

Genre: Medieval Fantasy

Rating: T

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As soon as they were outside, Victrio took off into the sky, flaring his wings and creating a strong gust that nearly caused Mira to fall. Talian laughed, looking at the girl. “You’ll get used to that sorta thing, once your Dragon hatches.”

Mira nodded, although she was still confused. She wanted to ask more questions, but she wasn’t sure how. So she merely kept her head down as they walked down the path to the town, cradling the egg close, marveling at the warmth and incredibly smoothness of it. If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine a  quiet heartbeat coming from it. It was odd. She’d never felt this sort of attachment to anything.

“So, just nod or shake your head, okay? I figure I should at least get some info out of you if we’re to be traveling. You can show me some of your things later- I keep seeing you try to use your hands a lot. That’s how you talk, isn’t it?”

Mira nodded, looking up. She was still in awe of the other woman, tall and dark and carrying herself like any noble.

“Good, good. Hopefully you can work with some of our scholars to refine that. You shouldn’t have much trouble, once your Dragon hatches. They’re born knowing most languages, somehow. Victrio has tried to explain it to me, but I still don’t quite understand. It’s something about inherited memories, though,” Talian said. “Do you know how to fight?”

Mira shook her head. Fighting? That was the realm of boys and men. She’d never even though about picking up a weapon, much less using one.

“Then we’ll have to figure out a weapon for you as well as give you actual lessons. Okay then.”

They were walking through the square now, taking the middle of it and avoiding the crowds near the stalls. They just had to avoid the odd child running around with their friends. Mira noticed a few people staring at them, and she guessed that they were wondering who Talian was, why such a strange person was here. Not that anyone would say anything, of course- so long as strangers were just passing through, the gossip stayed at hearthsides and in doorways.

Talian seemed to have run out of questions already, so Mira merely focused on keeping her arms wrapped around the egg. She’d covered it with her apron, so that it wouldn’t attract too much attention. You didn’t walk through town with what looked like a giant gemstone, even if you would be leaving right away. It just wasn’t smart.

It didn’t take long to reach Mira’s home, a small three-roomed cottage (if a wash closet counted as a room) at the south end of town. She led the way inside, making sure to ring the bell next to the door to let her mother know she was back.

“Hey! Mira!” A young man coming in from their pen of a yard said, seeing her. “You’re back ear- oh, hello. Who’re you?” He changed what he was saying, noting Talian. “Haven’t seen y’before, Miss. Mira’s never said she had a friend exotic like you.”

“Don’t use meaningless words on me,” Talian answered, although she was blushing a little. “Are you this one’s sibling?”

“Aye. Mira’s the next-youngest, after me. We’ve got two older brothers, a sister, and a younger sister. Name’s Charles.”

“Well, Charles, fetch your father from whatever his task is. I must speak with him over your sister’s fate.”

“Fate? How do you mean? Mira’s just a maid.”

She sighed, hating that they were talking about her like she wasn’t here. She stepped forward, signing furiously at her brother, trying to get her words across with only one hand while still holding the egg in her other. ~It’s important. This lady is a Dragon Rider. Apparently I’m one too.~ She moved her apron, revealing part of the egg. ~See? I feel attached to it… Like it’s a part of me.~

Charles raised an eyebrow, shaking his head. “You sound like you hit your head, more. There’s no way that’s an egg. S’too bi… Wait, is that a gem? It’s huge! Lemme see it, Sis!” He reached for it, and Mira moved out of his way, She backed up against the wall, looking to Talian for help.

“Lad. Your father. Fetch him,” the Rider ordered. She put her hand on her sword, much as she had when dealing with Jakobson earlier.

Charles sighed, shrugging. “Can’t do that, Miss.” His voice was teasing, and Mira knew he was applying their island’s beliefs to Talian, that he believed a girl couldn’t fight. “Even a minute of lost work is too much.”

She scowled, stepping forward and grabbing the front of his shirt. “I have much better things to do than act as a baby-sitter. We must talk of things that will affect a many people. So, fetch your father, before he loses out on being able to give his family a much better life.”

Charles looked frightened at that, not used to any woman being assertive. At least, not like this. He stepped back as Talian let go of him, dashing off.

Mira chuckled, getting some parchment and ink and a quill out. The quill was bent, and the parchment slightly ripped, and it had already been written on before. Sorry about him, she wrote. Everyone’s here quite unused to anyone like you. My father probably won’t take you seriously either.

Talian nodded, sitting down at the small table that took up the middle of the room. “Don’t worry, I can manage. There are still quite a few places like this.”

How do you mean?

“Oh, just thinking that women can’t do much on their own and such. Of course, it’s all up to people, really.”

I don’t get it.

“Oh, don’t worry. You’ll learn. See, a philosophy of the Riders is that everyone should have chances. Opportunities for anything. There’s places in our Realm where people are imprisoned just for their kind or kin, and others where anyone new cannot buy anything unless they are a trader, or any number of other things.”

But isn’t that meddlesome?

“Oh, I suppose so, but…” Talian shrugged. “I’d rather make things better for the whole than just a majority, don’t you think? But out of the way places, like this isle, are harder to change.”

I don’t know. I like how things are here, mostly. But I suppose some change would be nice. Mira was still confused about this. Surely things were how they were supposed to be, for the most part? There had to be reasons for why people did what they did, and things wouldn’t stay if they were wrong, right? You’re talking different.

“Am I?” Talian shrugged, chuckling. “I’m not having to pander to a spoiled brat right now.” She looked at the parchment, smiling, then glanced at Mira. “You’ve got nice handwriting, don’t you think? So neat and small. Mine’s more of a scrawl. The scholars always used to yell at me for that.”

Scholars? You keep mentioning them.

“Oh, right. There’s a lot of history and politics in what we do, so there’s scholars at every Rider base to help us out and teach us and make sure we don’t screw up our tasks.”

Mira nodded, thinking that that might be fun. She did always imagine that learning, having lessons like a scribe or page, might be fun. Talian seemed to be getting impatient, as she fell silent and started pacing, but Mira wasn’t sure what to do about that. It wasn’t like she was very good at entertaining people.

It wasn’t much longer before her brother returned, however, followed by a solidly-built man in the clothing- thin shirt and trousers, with a wide-brimmed hat to keep away the sun- of a field-worker, with a scar over his nose and plenty more on his hands. He frowned, seeing Talian, then looked at Mira. “Where’s your mother?”

She started signing, wondering why he expected her to know that. ~I haven’t seen her since I’ve been back, Father. She’s probably taking care of the animals out back. Did you ask Charles?~

“Yeah, Sis is right,” Charles answered quickly. “Anyways, Dad, this woman is saying stuff about Mira being some sort of fancy Dragon Rider or something.”

Talian rolled her eyes, but stepped forward, a polite smile on her face. “I do believe that your son could use some more manners in his life. However, that is talk for another time. Can we speak privately?”

Mira’s father looked wary, but nodded, and left the room with her. Mira stood and grabbed the broom from their fireplace, starting to sweep. Chores helped her calm down, part of the reason why she had no qualms about being a maid. At the least there didn’t seem to be any arguing going on, since she couldn’t hear anything from the other room. She watched her brother head back through the back down, wondering if she should go help her siblings and mother with the chickens and hog that they kept. She was about to, when her father and Talian returned.

“Well, it’s all set, dear,” Talian said quickly. “I need to go take care of a few things on the other side of this isle, but I’ll be back within two hours. Can you have your good-byes said by then?”

Mira nodded, wondering what sort of ‘agreement’ had been reached. Either way, her father looked content, so she figured she shouldn’t worry about it.

“Good. Well, I shall see you then. Keep an eye on that egg, and have everything you want to bring with you ready to go. The sooner we leave, the sooner your training can start.”