Q
Quatre Winner
Guest
Original poster
Takinu and his family were like most of the lower-middle class families in the valley. They had worked hard to rise out of poverty, now owning a blacksmith's shop and a sizable plot of land just outside of town. Their clothing was plain but clean, they usually had enough to eat, without too many extra frivolities, and were reasonably happy much of the time.
Only one thing about them really stuck out from the other families in the area, and it was more a novelty than a rarity. Takinu's mother had only been able to have him, and while that in itself was not uncommon, the family gained another member while Takinu was still very young. Not a new brother or sister, but an egg. A dragon egg.
How the egg had come to their doorstep no one knew. One day, when Takinu was very small, his mother hand opened the back door while holding him in her arms, and there had been a huge, speckled dragon egg. Amazingly, no one had seen the egg there and taken it before it was discovered. Pet dragons were not as common as dogs or cats or pigs, but they were heard of around the country, and when one could afford them, they made a wonderful addition to any family when young.
Such pets were worth more than horses and fine houses and chariots, but curiously, once out of their eggs, they were extremely difficult to steal or sell. Dragons made two bonds in their lives, to their family, and to a single soul-mate. While it was possible to steal them from the family that held their bond, they would almost always fight to go back to them, making them difficult to keep against their will. They made stubborn, dangerous slaves, extremely destructive when unhappy. Family bonds could be transferred, though; dragons could be persuaded to leave one family for another, but it had to be the dragon's choice. Once the egg had hatched, the dragon inside bonded with Takinu and his family. His choice was to stay with them, and he thus became a familiar fixture in and around their home. For now, at least. So long as he remained young and small he was able to stay with the family.
However, as Takinu and the dragon grew up together, the boy's parents knew it couldn't last forever. Adult dragons retained their familial bonds, but often had to find their own places to live nearby when they grew too large. And there was the matter of the dragon's 'soul mate' to worry about. A soul mate bond was eternal and unbreakable, and while the dragon did not have one, they would continue all their lives in search of that other being. Owners who loved their dragons would set them 'free' when they got older to find these soul mates, though they would always return to rest, before setting out again. Takinu's parents were good people, so they would have to explain to the boy when he was older why his best friend was gone for so long, and where he was going. For now, however, they were both still young. They had time to grow together, to do their chores and play and just enjoy being together.
Every day, Takinu went out with his best friend to feed and water their two horses, to groom them, and check on their welfare. They also had chickens and geese, and a little garden. The animals had grown used to the dragon, and as long as he got enough food (which it was Takinu's job to get for him in the woods), they had nothing to fear from the creature. Like every other young boy with a dragon, Takinu saw only fun in having him, playing and romping and hunting with him. Even as he stood and scattered corn for the chickens, the boy got immense satisfaction whenever the sleepy little biddies got swiped by the dragon's tail.
(Not sure if you were going to have your character already have a human form, or if he has to be a full adult first. I leave that to you!)
Only one thing about them really stuck out from the other families in the area, and it was more a novelty than a rarity. Takinu's mother had only been able to have him, and while that in itself was not uncommon, the family gained another member while Takinu was still very young. Not a new brother or sister, but an egg. A dragon egg.
How the egg had come to their doorstep no one knew. One day, when Takinu was very small, his mother hand opened the back door while holding him in her arms, and there had been a huge, speckled dragon egg. Amazingly, no one had seen the egg there and taken it before it was discovered. Pet dragons were not as common as dogs or cats or pigs, but they were heard of around the country, and when one could afford them, they made a wonderful addition to any family when young.
Such pets were worth more than horses and fine houses and chariots, but curiously, once out of their eggs, they were extremely difficult to steal or sell. Dragons made two bonds in their lives, to their family, and to a single soul-mate. While it was possible to steal them from the family that held their bond, they would almost always fight to go back to them, making them difficult to keep against their will. They made stubborn, dangerous slaves, extremely destructive when unhappy. Family bonds could be transferred, though; dragons could be persuaded to leave one family for another, but it had to be the dragon's choice. Once the egg had hatched, the dragon inside bonded with Takinu and his family. His choice was to stay with them, and he thus became a familiar fixture in and around their home. For now, at least. So long as he remained young and small he was able to stay with the family.
However, as Takinu and the dragon grew up together, the boy's parents knew it couldn't last forever. Adult dragons retained their familial bonds, but often had to find their own places to live nearby when they grew too large. And there was the matter of the dragon's 'soul mate' to worry about. A soul mate bond was eternal and unbreakable, and while the dragon did not have one, they would continue all their lives in search of that other being. Owners who loved their dragons would set them 'free' when they got older to find these soul mates, though they would always return to rest, before setting out again. Takinu's parents were good people, so they would have to explain to the boy when he was older why his best friend was gone for so long, and where he was going. For now, however, they were both still young. They had time to grow together, to do their chores and play and just enjoy being together.
Every day, Takinu went out with his best friend to feed and water their two horses, to groom them, and check on their welfare. They also had chickens and geese, and a little garden. The animals had grown used to the dragon, and as long as he got enough food (which it was Takinu's job to get for him in the woods), they had nothing to fear from the creature. Like every other young boy with a dragon, Takinu saw only fun in having him, playing and romping and hunting with him. Even as he stood and scattered corn for the chickens, the boy got immense satisfaction whenever the sleepy little biddies got swiped by the dragon's tail.
(Not sure if you were going to have your character already have a human form, or if he has to be a full adult first. I leave that to you!)