Smiling quietly to her self may set down her youngest child onto the ground in the nursery as she went to attend to the eggs with the new dragon mother Tanis. The task was simple enough the two mothers worked together sorting out all 20 currently unwatched eggs residing in the nursery. Rolling them over, adjusting the heaters, assessing what stage of development they were in, how soon the wild eggs would hatch and the stability of the four that were going to be sent to alegacia to chose riders. It was a daily task and required care and concentration. Which meant that May was unable to watch her baby very closely for an hour or so, leaving the little girl time to crawl and wonder over the expansive cavern.
Baby Illa was adventures with a never-ending curiosity for the world around, with the ignorance to be fearless, even of the great dragon mothers. This particular day was no different. She crawled around the chamber slowly at first but picking up speed the further she got from her mother dirtying her chubby hands and knees as she scuffled along the floor. Occasionally she would sit- one chubby leg under her padded bum and the other stretched out wards in case she needed to make a quick escape -and stare at the open gap in the wall or the twinkling heat lamps at the centre of each nest to warm the eggs. Some days when she was feeling extra brave and rebellious she would shuffle up to one of the eggs, use it to proper her self on to her feat and gaze into the intricate patterns lining the colourful stone shells. Some days a mother dragon would be sitting on her nest and Illa would babble away to the massive beasts with extremely one-sided conversations. Occasionally the dragonesses would hum with their grand bellies or puff warm air in the small child's face in response to her gibberish, which would often earn a giggle in response.
Today however there were not dragons to talk to and exploring the cave had became tedious and boring. So the child gave up on crawling and sat down and waited for something interesting to occur, she wait and waited until she herd a strange sound in her mind. Small and soft the voice called to her without words urging her closer. Carefully looking around for her mother to see if she was still distracted the baby cautiously repositioned herself onto all fours and crawled in the direction of the voice. As she approached the voice got louder yelling at her to continue. Then it stopped and Illa stopped, and the baby looked around confused, suddenly broken from her trance only to find herself in front of Tanis's nest of five eggs. Her nose almost touching one about her height covered in midnight blue, dotted with brilliant white specs like stars on a moonless night. Illa thought it was the most brilliant sight she had ever seen and reached out with one tiny hand to touch it. The stone felt warm under the round pads of her palm and fingers but also tingly like when you sit on your hand for to long. Something began to move from with in. Placing her other hand Illa used the stone to prop herself up and she stood her thin leather shoes barely gripping the smooth floor as the stone began to rock and the small wordless voice returned. Slowly at first the sound if the egg rattling against the cloth and straw beading made no sound, but as the minuets wore on the rattling got louder and the voice stated screaming and it took all of Illas strength to stay holding on to the egg and standing. Finally with a satisfying crack the stone shattered and Illa fell to the ground as the shell fell away.
In the distance illa could hear her mother cry and a squeaked raw of distress from the dragoness but she paid them no mind as she looked deep into the brilliant crystal blue eyes of a baby dragon. With out understanding or reason Illa reached out her hand as the dragon extended its head and when they touched it felt like a flood gate had been opened up and Illa was seeing life for the first time. Her wonder and revelation lasted measly seconds as her mother rushed to her side and removed her from her dragon, lifting her up and checking her over for injury only to stop at the palm of her hand and look down upon the glistening white mark. May began to cry and fell to her knees sobbing into her baby's hair as the mother dragon looked over her hatchling and made a sound like angry thunder spewing. Illa didn't know what she had done wrong.
As she grew much older Illa realised why her mother cried and the dragon was angry, but that wasn't for years and now she was but a baby. Very confused and very scared. After a moment guards arrived and after a quick conversation they stayed and the two mothers regained some composure, collected their young and scampered out of the massive nursery into the equally massive hallway. The two women ran their way passed many more halls and rooms until they exited onto a massive balcony that acted as a landing pad for the mighty dragons. Scampering on to the dragoness back all four took off and headed towards the adjacent mountain. Angling herself to gain altitude as she circled the great mountains, sawing past the massive alcoves and rooms that dotted its sides and the stone buildings bellow. The city was built on a mountainous out crop where cave sung into the mountains and the rubble was used to build the buildings bellow, extending for many leagues in every direction. It took the dragoness 10 minuets to fly from the nursery to the top of the tallest mountain, the residents and office of Illas grandfather.
Eragon stood by Saphiras side as he looked out towards his city, at what he built. His partner was dreaming, letting her mind wonder to what ever it wished in her old age. He had contacted her with his mind alerting her to the situation but she didn't stir and instead remained half aware of the waking world until May and her own daughter Tanis appeared with the hatchlings. Trying his best to contact some of the eldest dragons eldunari to find out if this had ever happened before, the few that answered had nothing particularly encouraging or concerning to say strengthening the old mans resolve that dealing with his daughter May and saphiras daughter Tanis were going to be the biggest challenge if anything. With all his heart Eragon pitied May, she loathed the riders and every thing they were for stealing both Eragon and her mother Arya's time away from her as a child and lead to the very untimely death of her dear sister. Poor Tanis was much the same and the two girls shared a unique bond because of it, both swearing that they or any of their kin would have nothing to do with the riders instead only working for the best interest of the city and dragons. May even went as far as to restrict her oldest son, Galen any contact with the with the dragon eggs or his grandfather for fear that she would loose him as well.
The two women came in yelling. However loud the two yelled and angry they had no affect on their parents, for old age had desensitised Eragon and his partner of old to most things and they knew from experience that reacting would only end in more yelling. After a minute or so the yelling calmed down and the room was filled with the sounds of IIla's frightened cries and the dragon hatching equally frightened whimpers. Calm as ever Eragon walked up to May and extracted Illa from her alms calming the child easily with the ancient language and cradling her in his arms as Saphira did the same for the hatchling held securely Tanis's jaws. Once the to were free Eragon placed the children on a cluttered desk and wordlessly examined each with Saphira, first physically then mentally. Eragon paying close attention to Illas palms and her newly acquired gedwëy ignasis, the two appeared healthy and the bond was sealed between them. Once he was done the examination he turned to the two mothers and calmly asked them to explain what happened, then once they were done asked them what they wanted to be done.
"Can you undo it?" demanded May with more fear than anger in her voice.
Tanis immediately backing her up with 'he was never meant to be with a rider, he wasn't chosen for that life you have to undo it'
If he had been younger and more subject to his emotions Eragon would have sighed. "A bond like theirs is for life I can't undo it and if I could it most probably would kill them I'm sorry. We can work together on setting up special training programs for them in time but for the moment, given Illas age it will be long since either of them will big or old enough to effectively learn anything. So I would just leave them to grow up for the next few years". The younger the rider is when chosen the less its dragon partner will be required to grow to match the riders mental state, since Illa is still a baby her dragon will grow as slow as she.
The answer obviously displeased the mothers even earning a low growl from Tanis. It was May however who took it upon herself to say in a low voice "I will not raise a rider like you and mum did not raise me"
Slightly thrown off but without showing it Eragon and Saphira quickly discussed their options before addressing the two "What do you suggest happens with them." Dragon and rider speaking in unison with both body and mind.
The mothers were quiet for a moment and Eragon could feel them discussing in their minds. After a long moment later May and Tanis came to an agreement, with may stating as bluntly as she could muster "we are entrusting their care to you, and whatever you decide".
'Are you sure this is what you want younglings' Saphira spoke softly eying her own daughter in particular.
For which she replied with 'parentage for a dragon is not so important when they're joined, no I trust you to know what to do better than me'
Eragon subsequently addressed his own daughter slowly walking up to her and gently touching her arm. "And what about you May? Are you really willing to give up your child inspire of us"
Swiping away his touch May stared definitely at her father "I am not giving her up. I'm just entrusting the care of a rider in the hands of the head of the organisation, father. She can visit occasionally, but her primary care will be taken on by you" with that the two mothers left and Eragon was left to wonder at the hatred that had engulfed his daughters heart.