For the Dragons

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GreenLady

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Typhyree, or "Fire Starter", as he was called in the human dialect walked down the main road of the tiny village he kept watch over. Soon, the dragons would be selecting their riders, as was the tradition of every dragon over the age of one hundred years old. He snorted smoke out of his nostrils, his bronze scales shone in the sunlight.

He stared at some of the elves and humans alike moving quickly to get out of his way.
 
Zairee's mother, Iridessa, called to her from the door of their small cottage her great grandfather had built into a large baobab tree. Zairee's ears twitched slightly hearing her mother's melodic voice. She sat in the branches up towards the top staring out at the canopy of the forest surrounding the village. "We're going to be late you must come now." She closed her eyes and sighed as she jumped off the end of the branch tucking into a flip and landing crouched down on the ground beside her home. "Must you always do things the hard way?" Her mother chastised. She smiled brightly at her and followed her down the path that led to the town

Zairee had kept to herself for the last couple of years since her father had been killed in the woods by thieves. A mere herb salesman they had stolen no more than a few dollars from him. Now her mother had taken over their small shop in town that specialized in mixtures for various ailments. Today her job was to go off delivering the packages that had been bought. She dreaded coming into such interactive situations with humans and with the other elves as well. Some weren't as nice as she'd hope.

When they entered the town she followed quickly behind her mother. She didn't notice that people had been moving aside for the Fire Starter and when her mother quickly turned to unlock the door of their shop she nearly bumped into the dragon. She blinked her eyes suddenly snapping back into reality and murmured a quick apology skipping over to her mother quickly as if only the tips of her toes were touching the ground. She closed the glass door and flipped the open sign looking out at the beautiful dragon. Her father had told her so many stories of dragon riders. If Only​ she thought to herself.
 
Fire Starter smiled as a young elf bumped into one of his forelegs. His neck bent and his head angled to better see the child. He watched as she scurried to the herbal shop and his tail lashed in interest. He looked behind him and mindspoke an apology to the human that he had tripped with his tail.

His wings ached to be free but he knew that they would be straining enough when it was time to choose a rider. First, the candidates would be lined up and the dragons would question each. They were only allowed one question per candidate. Some dragons were lucky and knew on first contact whom their rider would be. It was known as the "bond". Some just got their rider by luck.

Fire Starter snorted, black smoke curling out of his nostrils. He could not shake the young elf from his mind.
 
"Zairee stop looking at me like that." her mother said mixing some liquids into a small pot above an open flame. "What do you mean mother?" "Like i'm doing it all wrong." Zairee giggled. "You're doing splendidly. I don't know why you're so judgemental." "Because i'm not your father. I wish i had paid more attention..." Zairee's ears lowered at the mention of her father. She jumped down from where she sat on the counter and hugged her mother. "We're doing great and papa would be very proud to see us now." "Well not with you." her mother mused giving her eskimo kisses. "Run off and deliver the packages before the ceremony begins." "Oh mother..." she groaned. "tsk tsk, no whining. Off you go. Madame Oliver is waiting for her foot soak." "I'm not doing anything more than handing her the box and running off." She said in horror. Iridessa laughed. "Off with you." She smiled and grabbed the large basket full of bottles and ceramic boxes full of powders and potions.

House after house Zairee knocked waited patiently and nearly whispered a hello while handing the correct concoction to the customer. One client who had been ruthlessly uncivil since the death of her father huffed impatiently as Zairee searched the basket for her specific balsam. "I don't have all day elf." she said curtly. Zairee felt a pang of anger at the way she pronounced elf as if it was below her human species. "Your father was never this clumsy." Zairee breathed out slowly finally finding the correct vial and handing it to her. "Tell your mother if the service is not better next time I will no longer be buying from your kind." With that she turned around and slammed the door shut. Zairee stared at the door and glared thinking to herself how hard it must be to live with such an ugly outside that was prettier than her inside.
 
Fire Starter watched the young elf with interest as she scampered about. As she finished her last delivery he put a foreleg in her way gently. He rotated his jaw, wincing as it popped and snapped before he spoke. "Pardon...but may I know your name?" He was gentle and his voice sounded like a crackling flame but it was obvious it was hard for him to speak in a human tongue.
 
Zairee's eyes widened. She had never been spoken directly by a dragon let alone be asked a question. She stared at it as if it was speaking in tongue. She shook her head slightly realizing she was taking longer than usual to answer a question. "Zairee... My name is Zairee." She said her fingers tightening around the basket. Her fathers stories had filled her dreams as a child and when the ceremony of the dragons occured she'd sit on the side lines wishing she could be one of the ones to someday ride a dragon. Her father had always told her that her place was on the ground even though she spent most of her times as high as she could go in trees, closer to the sky.
 
Fire Starter sat on the ground before her, lowering his head to her level. "Zairee...." He paused, his jaw popping again. It had been a while since he had had to resort to a human tongue. Most of the elves and humans wished nothing to do with him, so he sat in the square or on his patch of land outside of town, forever alone. "Will you be taking....place in the ceremony?" He asked, stumbling slightly over the words.
 
Zairee was so amazed with the dragon. His voice was almost enticing to hear. She noticed the popping noise and wished she had learned how to speak to them when her father was still alive. He hadn't ever rode a dragon but he worked with riders and their dragons and had learned their dialect. She cocked her head to the side exposing one of her long pointed ears and shook her head slightly. "With the town being the way it is with us I've only seen male elves partake... and older than me by at least two years." She sighed her shoulders drooping slightly. "Mama would be so upset if I would even think of such a dream. She's like papa in that manner. On the ground is where elves belong." she said a tone of defeat in her words.

The door swung open when Madame Oliver was getting ready to leave. She saw that Zairee was still standing on the last step of her stoop. "What are you doing here?" she said with a tone of disgust and let out a muted scream when she saw the large dragon so near her home. She ran back in and shut the door while Zairee stood giggling. -Serves her right- she thought to herself
 
Fire Starter watched Madame Oliver with fascination, her muted scream causing him to jerk his head back. He laughed, causing a small flame to burst from his mouth and a halting roar. He smiled, bending back down to Zairee. "You should take part. I am interested...in what...you have to offer." His scales made a rattling sound as he shifted on his forelegs. "If you do...be aware...dragons will be asking you their questionsss...in mindspeak..." He angled his head, one eye watching her closely for any reaction.
 
She finished settling her laughter and looked up at the beautiful flame. How could Madame Oliver be afraid of such majestic creatures. She did not fear them but had great respect for the winged creatures.

Zairee was amazed that fire starter thought she had something to offer a dragon. "I fear the townsfolk would object a young girl like me. Mama would birth a cow." She sighed. -maybe if mama was occupied and did not watch the ceremony- she thought to herself her ears perking up. "Will i know how speak back to the dragons... Will they be offended by my partaking when it hasn't been allowed in years?" She respected the dragons but in no way did she want to disrespect the ceremony
 
"When the great Fire Starter speaks and allows a guest none shall object." He bent his head towards her and winked.
 
Zairee smiled instantly. Maybe just once she could disobey her mother and participate in the ceremony now that his word was supreme to the town's ideals. She saw smoke from the chimney rising in darker plumes from where the herb shop was. "I will be there." she whispered and turned to wave at him and went off on her way to the herb shop where she was afriad that her mother was burning one of her potions or worse, the shop down. She took off lightly running only turning to look at him as he began walking back towards the center of town.

She opened the front door to the store waving off the burst of smoke that came out at her face. "What is going on! Mother?" she yelled hearing the coughs in the back room. She jumped over the counter and made it to where her mother was opening the back window using her apron to wave out some smoke. "What happened?" "I think I used too much of the dry leaves." Zairee giggled at her mother whose face was covered in black soot. "Well then... I'll get this cleaned up." Zairee offered. "I need to go collect some more herbs out in west side of the woods just stay here for if any one comes in to buy what is already made." "How long will you be?" "I'll just meet back home at dusk, there's leftover soup from last night you can have I'll fix myself something as soon as I arrive." "Can... I watch the ceremony?" Iridessa looked up at her with a stern look. "Zairee... you aren't planning anything are you? You know better than I that you aren't allowed to join... and I don't know why you would want to any way." Zairee bit her lip nervously and then sighed. "Mama... what if the rules changed could I try?" Iridessa looked up at her in a way that resembled an injured animal. "I will see you at home Zairee... all this talk of riding dragons is tiring me. Close up well." With that she walked out the back door with a basket and left without looking back at her somber daughter.
 
Fire Starter chuckled, beginning to walk back towards the center of town. The path was easily cleared for him as people scrambled out of his way and he could only sigh in frustration. There were not many that would speak to him. He sat in the center of town, asking the mayor through mindspeak if the field for the ceremony had been cleared yet.

His brothers and sisters would be coming soon. Those that became successful in bonding with a rider would be warriors and be required to mate with those that were not selected. This would ensure the continuance of the race of dragons.
 
Zairee could barely contain her excitement. It was not more than five minutes before that she was hoping for a small miracle of a distraction for her mother so that she could attend the ceremony. The jingle of the bell startled her back to the present. She slightly bowed her head welcoming in the guests. "Oh hello Zairee." The young couple. "What can I get for you today." The female elf smiled straightening her pink dress skirt. "My soon to be husband..." she said clearing her throat to get the young elf's attention. "Is getting ready to face the dragons and needs a little oomph." He looked in dire straits as if he was going to vomit all over the counter. "You want something to make the dragon choose him?" Zairee said raising an eye brow. "You know I heard from a very wise source that the dragons choose their riders by the questions they ask in the bonding." "Well you wouldn't know would you, just give me something that'll make him calm his nerves." Zairee nodded and took to the many shelves finding a small vial full of bright blue liquid. "It's an antiemetic. Take it now and try breathing exercises before going to the ceremony." "Thank you. How much?" The girl asked opening a small coin purse that was nearly bursting. "Consider it a pre-ceremonial gift." She said with a warm smile to the male elf who was clearly not ready. With that they walked out of the shop.

When the clock tower began to chime four-o-clock Zairee excitedly finished sweeping up and closing the shop down the exact same way her mother and father had taught her countless times. She made sure the door was locked by jiggling it and followed the multitude of people that were making their way to the field. She was glad that her mother was at the polar opposite part of the woods than where they were all gathering. She stood by a tree feeling safer away from the largest of the congregation. Any time now the dragons would arrive. She noticed how some young men and elves alike began lining up closer to the center of the field. Not a single girl stood in that line.
 
Fire Starter was the first dragon to arrive in the field. He watched as others of his kind began to land. He dipped a head towards a green that landed beside him, her dislike of the ceremony evident. Nema, great to see you again. The green dragon next to him chuckled. She dipped her head towards him, admiring his scales with a wink of her eye.

Others came in, different shades, as if the rainbow were standing before the humans and elves, glittering in the sunlight coming off the scales.

Fire Starter's jaw popped. "May the ceremony begin!" He said with a roar and breath of flame. He dipped his head towards a blue that was situated at the far end from him.
 
The admiration for the dragons was very evident. The audible gasp that escaped every single one's breath hung low in the air as the massive creatures landed. The ground softly thumping with the bodies reaching the ground. Zairee smiled in awe. They were all so very beautiful. The colors were endless and their eyes were breathtaking. She saw a few more men walking towards the line the last one only five feet or so away from her. The blue dragon at the far end took the first steps and she thought she would wait until the moment was perfect to jump into the line and hope for the very best. No one would dare to speak up once the ceremony had begun. As soon as the first question had been asked... she would go.

She swallowed hard trying to dissolve the lump in her throat that felt suffocating. Her head was alight with so many thoughts buzzing around. Things would never be the same once she took the first step. She could evade the entire disaster and run off into the woods and never come back to town... live up in the tree tops like she always wanted but she had made a promise to Fire Starter and she would not back down from a promise.
 
The blue stepped forward, passing from person to person until he stopped in front of a large male human. He bent his head down, linking with the one in front of him.

Fire Starter, being one with the most practice with two-legged peoples, spoke, "He has chosen!" He nodded to the now bound rider and dragon and watched as they stepped back. The other dragons all mindspoke congratulations before looking at Fire Starter, wishing for their speaker to go next.
 
When the congregation clapped at the announcement of the first binding Zairee slipped into the line stealthily. She stood beside but a half a step behind the last in line so as to not break his concentration. She lowered her head and ears slightly at the murmurs coming from behind her. She could hear their shock and awe that she had joined the ceremony. What would her mother say... she shook her head slightly and closed her eyes tight. This panic rising slowly within her wasn't going to take this dream come true away from her. She ground her feet a little into the ground feeling closer to home. Elves had a sixth sense when it came to the land. There was something about the life it exuded that was almost readable. She breathed out slowly and waited patiently as the next dragon was to begin the line.
 
Fire Starter dipped his head in acknowledgment at the other dragons' encouragement. "I shall go next." He spoke, jaw popping and cracking.

He went down the line, mind-speaking a question to each candidate before leaving with disappointment. He continued down the line, before stopping in front of Zairee.
 
Zairee felt her nerves on edge releasing the breath she had been holding slowly she stared into the dragon's eyes before her. All the fear was suddenly gone. The murmurs, the sounds of hushed whispering was all muted and completely drowned out as she focused every particle to Fire Starter. Could it really be that she was the last in line and he had not bonded with anyone? Could she be his rider?
 
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