Chapter 2

I made my way to stone home, ignoring the usual stares of the people. I stored my bow and arrows and lay down on my cot.

An over large cat wandered past me and curled at the fur rug at my feet. I sighed. The werecat has been sneaking into my house and eating my food. It was hard when you just had enough to provide for one person. I could see the werecat had one eye open, studying me. I got up and found a rabbit I had caught. I gave the werecat the rabbit and told him to try not to make a mess.

The Rider ceremony would be in an hour and would be at Lord Roran's grand hall of a home. Their daughter lived next door with her husband. All of them were kind to me. I found a brush and undid my braid. White hair tumbled down to the bottom of my rib cage. Another feature that made me different.

Sometimes, my features would bother me but I found that I couldn't change what I looked like so why fuss? Just had to accept what is.

I dusted off dirt from my shirt and trousers as well. My door opened and Hope flew in, a michevious grin on her face. Hope was the only person that would consider of being the possibility of being a friend. Even though she was much older than me, she took the time to see me.

She looked me up down and groaned in dismay. "Is that what you're going to wear? You know this is a special occasion right?"

I recalled Turquasa's sarcasm about the Rider ceremony and smiled. "I don't think a dragon would choose me, Hope. It would probably choose you or some farmer man."

Since Hope was a blacksmith's daughter, she was very strong and could even outlift some of the men. That was how she won her husband, Klaus who was also a blacksmith. Even though he was threatening to look at, he had a heart of gold and treated his wife like the greatest treasure of all.

Hope waved a hand at me. "I don't think so. Plus, even if I did get chosen I wouldn't go."

"Why not? Being a Rider is a dream come true right?" I hoped that the disbelief wasn't evident in my voice.

"No. I've always craved adventure but I have everything right here with Klaus."

"Are you sure about that?"

Hope looked at the ground and fidgeted slightly. Her fingers clutched at her skirts. She was hiding something from me, I could feel it. I focused on Hope, about to read her heart, when she stiffened and glared at me. "Don't Elvana. You can't just read my heart if I don't tell you something. But I will tell you."

I waited expectantly for her to respond, my legs jumping up and down. Hope clasped her hands, looking down at them and then looking at me, her brown eyes shining with tears.

"I'm with child, Elvana," she said, her voice thick with tears.

I squealed in excitement and I hugged her. I'm not much of a hugger and I could feel Hope's surprise. She laughed and squeezed me back. She quickly wiped her eyes and gave me a falsely stern look. "Now, let's get you in something appropriate."

With much fussing and me protesting, I was clothed in a simple white and purple dress. It was the fanciest and cleanest outfit I had ever worn. I usually wore a simple shirt and man trousers that always had some form of filth on it. Hope fastened my hair into a braided coil and patted my cheeks. "You're done."

I nodded my thanks. I was of eighteen years and Hope was of twenty five but yet sometimes she acted my age or even younger. She was always amusing to be around though.

We left and made our way to the hall of Lord Roran and his wife, Katrina. Their daughter, Ismira, and her husband and child lived at an adjoining hall.

The population of Palancar Valley, which is exactly one hundred people, were waiting in the main area. Ismira came to greet Hope and gave me a nod in acknowledgement. We knew each other little but Ismira did go out of the way to be kind to me.

The ceremony would begin with a feast for the entire population and then the dragon egg be presented after. I could see many stirring with excitement. They wanted to be Riders, to escape the life that had been handed to them.

I understood that. With being a Rider, you could be free and have the adventure of a lifetime. But also with becoming a Rider, it meant that you had to leave Alagaesia forever or at least that's what I thought. I may not have the best life here but it was my mother's dying wish for me to be here.

My mother was very young in years when she conceived me even though she didn't look it. With her gifts, it made her age supernaturally fast. She died five years ago.

While she was alive, we lived in Illirea, the capital of the Empire. She hid my existence from the Queen. Even though she enjoyed aiding Her Majesty, it wasn't the life that she wanted for me.

I remembered some of her whispering to me at night when I was falling asleep. "You have to hide your nature Elvana. You cannot help that you are a dragon in heart and soul but if people find out about you, they will use you for their own means. Or even kill you."

Those words weren't comforting but I had took them to heart. Unfortunately, my nature was immediately found out by Turquasa, who sensed it. She has called me Dragonheart ever since.

Lord Roran toasted to the crowd and we all sat at a long, wood table. Food was served and I was amazed by the bounty of such a meal. Platters of wildfowl with bright vegetables, heaping loaves of bread and the endless supply of mead. I dug in and Hope laughed at me, telling me I ate like a savage.

Finally, the meal was over and everyone was lead to an even bigger room. There were two pedestals, each holding an egg. One held an orange egg, veined with red and gold. That was this year's promised egg to the humans. Then there was the other egg. The famous white egg, veined with silver and sparkled like a diamond. The white egg was one of the earliest promised eggs and was first delivered to the dwarfs. With no success, it was sent to the Urgals. Then the elves, then us. This went on for twenty five years and yet the dragon had not found a Rider.

These eggs had already been to all of the human cities. Palancar Valley was always the last. Often, when it was the humans' year, we wouldn't have a chance to even catch a glimpse because the egg had already found a Rider. But there was always the white egg.

All of the elgible people formed a line, waiting for their turn to approach the egg. Both of the eggs wobbled but didn't hatch as people ran their fingers along their smooth surfaces. I reached for the orange dragon's mind. It was ready for a Rider but she didn't sense her person her. Looks like the orange dragon would go to the elves.

I didn't bother reaching for the mind of the white hatchling. It always wobbled when I saw it but never hatched. It would probably wait another hundred years until it found its person.

Hope was in front of me and she smiled when she touched the egg of the orange dragon. It wobbled even more but didn't hatch. She moved on to the white egg. It stopped wobbling all together. Stupid white dragon. It was too fussy.

It was my turn now. When I touched the orange egg, I felt the mind of the hatchling touch mine and it made a sound of recognition. It didn't hatch though.

I tried to swallow my disappointment. I knew that deep inside of me, I was always dreamed of being a Rider. Especially when I met Turquasa. The joy of flying was unbelievable and once I tried it for the first time, I've craved flight ever since.

I approached the white egg and it started to wobble again. I made a sound of exasperation under my breath and touched the egg.

It suddenly stilled under my fingers. Then there was a crack.