Ismira, ran out of the shop with Hope to see the party and rider approach and there they were, the rider who at the distance looked to be a human or elf and was perched on a large topaz dragon that sparkled like a precious gemstone in the noonday sun. the villagers were all gathering in the main square of Carvahall right outside of the Manor she saw her mother and father come outside and join her where they and the rest of the villagers waited in the square for the rider to arrive. There was a general excitement in the air particularly in the children that were trying this year. Soon the rider and dragon were circling above the courtyard and the elves were riding in to the village. Ismira's father and some of the older men being more familiar with dragons gestured for the villagers to clear a place for the great topaz dragon to land. Once the dragon had landed in the middle of the cleared space with a mighty thump Ismira's father stepped forward to address the Rider and elves that all stood in the middle of the square.

"Welcome rider, dragon, and elves to the village of Carvahall I am Roran Stronghammer and we hope you enjoy the hospitality of our village." he touched his fingers to his lips and the twisted them over his sternum in a peculiar gesture that the elves repeated. One of the evles spoke up a hint of a foreign accent in his voice " Stronghammer you may remember me I am the current ambassador for Arya-drottning I am Vanir. We worked together to quell uprisings with your cousin after the war." Roran replied politely "yes I remember you were also there in the battle for Illrea, good to see you again." He nooded to the other elves and the rider. The rider who up until this time had been quiet spoke.

"Hello everyone, my name is Dom and this" he said gesturing to his dragon "is Rina." Ismira gave a small wave to the dragon who fixated on her with a large amber eye and snorted. The rider Dom was of average height but she could see that he was powerfully built with defined muscles in his arms and shoulders from fighting with a sword which at the present time was sheathed in a scabbard at his waist. He has sandy brown hair that gave him a boyish appearance and big green eyes he couldn't be more than sixteen or seventeen she thought it was his first time she noted, all the previous years she could remember a rose colored dragon had been the bearer of the eggs.

"now" said Dom with a smile "where are all of the children that will be trying this year, come on up now" he gestured with his hand to where Rina was sitting. Hesitantly, Ismira started forward with Hope and about a dozen other kids. This would be fast, she thought there were less kids than there were last year. "now form a line right…. There." Dom said pointing to where Vanir the elf stood. Dom had dismounted and was striding towards them with a polished wooden chest in each hand " now I want you to come up and touch both of the eggs hold your hand there for just a minute and then do the same for the other, now carefull now no need to rush! Ismira waited with growing impatience as one kid after another put their hand on the two eggs when it was her turn she rushed up to the eggs and tripped knocking the purple colored egg out of Doms hand. She hurried to catch it as they both fell to the ground. Her knees hit the ground and she went sprawling with the purple egg in her hand she felt it vibrate once and then start to crack she held her breath with the rest of the villagers as a triangle shaped crack appeared on the egg anda little purple head poked out of the egg mewling like a kitten. She slowly got up still holding the egg and hatchling carefully in her palm. Dom who up until then had been watching instructed the villagers to move back and for her to place the egg and hatchling on the ground gently. Ismira complied as she watched with an awed wonder as the little dragon kicked itself free of the egg and started toward her "Now pat her on the head" gently instructed Dom. Ismira hesitated for a second and then put her hand on the hatchlings head, it felt warm and soft like lambskin almost all of a sudden she felt a tingling icy sensation on her palm and she jerked back her hand where she has touched the hatchling there lay a silvery mark, the mark of a rider. "now you can pick her up." Said Dom softly. Ismira lowered both palms to the ground and the little hatchling clumsily climbed into them, she slowly raised her hands back up and the dragon hatchling clambered up her arm onto her shoulder. Ismira smiled as the little dragon nipped at a strand of her fiery red hair.

"Now what is your name dear?" Dom asked her she stammered "I-Ismira." Dom smiled "good and what is her name?" he asked gesturing toward the purple dragon perched attentively on her shoulder Ismira replied in a low voice "Amethyst." The little dragon snorted and she strangely felt that she approved the name " She likes it." she told Dom she didn't know how but she knew. "good then, now lets finish up with the rest and the blue egg and everyone cheer for the chosen and her dragon." Dom said to the crowd who gave her a hearty cheer all except for her father who had a sad smile on his face. Roran didn't know how but he just knew it would be her this year, she was too much like her uncle for it not to be. Now Ismira stepped to the side as the rest of the children stepped forward for their try with the sky blue egg and the trying continued. Soon it was Hope's turn she placed her hand on the surface of the egg and nothing happened at first, then a crack appeared on the surface spider webbing through the egg and for the second time in fifteen minutes a dragon hatched. Dom looked extremely surprised, it was unheard of for two eggs to hatch in the same town and in one small as carvahall it was nigh on impossible but he watched as the shy, quiet, dark haired girl touched the sky blue dragon hatchling naming him Xander. The villagers cheered even louder loudest of all was Hope's father Horst and her two brothers Albriech and Baldor.

The selection was now over and now the feast would begin. Usually it was just an honorary feast for the passing of the rider and their entourage. This year it was for the two that had been chosen. Amethyst had moved her position from Ismira's shoulder to the top of her head as she hugged her mother and father who offered words of congratulations. Soon it was time to eat with Dom at the head of the table and Ismira to his right and Hope to his left. As they ate and laughed Ismira thought of how much her life had changed in these few hours and how much it was going to in the coming years.