There’s only one egg left. One single dragon egg for the fifty or so of them sitting as patiently as such an event will allow them to be. I watch from the stands but my heart is not in it, I’m not part of that group anymore. I glance to my side and see old friends in their new uniforms, their eyes wide as they stare below, their dragons surely just as excited as they are. Their excitement is palpable, the room is buzzing with energy that can only be described as a thundering storm about to explode.
A dragon hatching is nothing to scoff about, they happen once a year and something to celebrate. When there’s a queenling, things get even more interesting. For me though, my years as a dragon rider are over. They have been since last year's hatching when I got injured leaving me with a permanent limp and scar the length of my thigh. I am no longer considered fit to be a rider, I am a disappointment to my dotting father.
There’s a cracking sound that can be heard resonating across the cavern.
“Everyone’s money is on a new pearlescent queenling. What do you think Solirah?”
I glance over at Zaran, he’s excited and he has a reason to be. He’s the proud owner of a black dragon, he’s dragon rider royalty. Whoever this dragon bond's to could be his future partner.
“Maybe,” I say while looking back at the egg.
The cracks on the egg finally meet and a single piece of shell pops off of the egg. The hide within is pearlescent and moves to reveal a single white eye staring back at the crowd. I lean forward, there’s no denying that this is interesting now. Everyone hushes as the scrapping begins before the queenling bursts from her egg. She is large for a hatchling, her limbs are sturdy and her wings look strong. The queenling shakes herself off before glancing at her mother.
'I thought I would never get out,' she says to the other queen before their nose touch. The pearlescent queen turns to those sitting closest to her now before looking up at the crowd.
'I am Qazari, daughter of Kasonsa and Nokei,' she begins. I hold my breath, who will it be? Who will be the new queen rider. 'And I chose Solirah, daughter of Soahe and Lirish.'
People look around, there’s a rising murmur in the crowd as the recruits look at each other before looking back at the stands. My heart is racing, I can see Zaran turning towards me in shock. Riders usually pick their egg when all the female dragons lay their eggs, recruits then spend time with the egg and once the dragon hatches it knows who to bond with. Queen dragons however get time with everyone, they cannot be claimed by anyone. It is shocking to everyone that a queenling would pick someone who had not interacted with it during it’s shell time.
'Where is my rider?' The queenling screams at the ground, she bares her teeth at those who are close by before her queen mother curls her tail around her.
'Will Solirah please step forward.' The queen mother knows, she looks straight at me when she says the words. I am frozen by those intense blue eyeslike two glittering sapphires.
Zaran finally elbows me and I rise hastily almost stumbling as I do so. Those around me are confused but still they let me pass as I slowly make my way down. I’m still limping and it doesn’t help that all eyes are one me. The closer I get to the hatching ground the warmer it gets, I can feel the sweat starting to build at my brow.
On my last step I trip and begin to tip forward when Kasoya, Kasonsa’s rider, grabs onto my arm. She’s a woman in her late forties, her bond is strong and her draconian features smile down at me. The pearlescent scales matching Kasonsa sprinkled across her face only make her seem younger.
“Welcome Solirah, congratulations on your bond. Please meet your bonded.” She released me before moving aside. Kasonsa moves her large tail to reveal a small version of herself. Qazari is huffing but when she lays her eyes on me she stills before approaching.
'I didn’t think you’d come down,' she says softly.
“I...” I don’t know how to explain myself, so instead I extend my hand out to towards her and gently pull the dragon scale in the middle of her forward. I pluck it right off and then place it on my tongue while letting it dissolve there. It’s not long before I can feel the bond between us. It is like being flooded by a rollercoaster of emotions that you can’t control. When Qazari opens her eyes, they’re silver like mine. The bond is complete.
“I look forward to our sessions together,” Kasoya says in a hushed tone to me before turning towards the crowd. “This concludes the hatching. Recruits please head to the feeding grounds and baths before heading to the flight hall for your next reassignments. Everyone else, tomorrow the festivities begin. Until then I ask that only immediate family members and educators see our new privates. Thank you.”
Many of the recruits looks at me with disdain as they stand up. I should not have been chosen, I was not a recruit.
‘A bond is felt, it isn’t given by chance.’
I’m shocked to hear the voice and turn to Qazari, I can feel her amusement in our bond.
‘Recruits are taught to find an egg that feels right, that is why the bonds always work out. Has no one ever wondered why sometimes a dragon picks another bonded?’
“No?” I responded aloud. I had admittedly not thought of it before. But it answered the reason why I had never become a dragon rider before now.
‘My brothers and sister did not pick you because you did not feel right to them. You are mine and mine alone.’
‘This is going to be interesting.’
‘I believe things will be much more interesting once I’ve eaten.’ Qazari answers as she moves towards the dragon opening in the cavern wall.
I watch her go before following behind her, I don’t know how I feel. I am excited of course, but there’s a feeling within me that something is wrong. Something dark and dangerous is coming, but I just don’t know what.
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