Alrighty! For once I have met my goal. If anyone is curious, this chapter was the reason that I had such a long gap between updates; halfway through my first draft of Dashelgr, I had an idea which completely derailed my outline for the events of the night, and I then spent months trying to write it in a way that made sense in the context of the previous chapters. So, I hope you enjoy!
Thank you so, so much to everyone who commented on the last chapter. It was so cool to suddenly have all those notifications of comments, and I'm glad people are still enjoying this fic, even with my less-than-frequent updates. If you have anything to say about this next chapter, please know that I'm always happy to see your comments, and in the meantime I hope everyone is safe and healthy amidst all the change and chaos in the world right now.
"What about you, Corrin?" Leah asked unexpectedly. "Was Kiera's hatching more like Galzra's or like Thuviel's?"
Corrin blinked, glancing away from the ongoing conversation between an aghast Murtagh and an exasperated Varog. "Uh, definitely not as exciting as Thuviel's," he said abashedly. "My mother is a housekeeper in the castle at Aberon, and the servants and their children are permitted to attend the presentation ceremonies along with the nobility." He grinned shyly. "Although some of the nobles were very unhappy that I was chosen instead of their children, so I guess we have that in common."
Leah laughed. "Our exclusive club."
"In hindsight," Corrin added, "I suppose I should be grateful I didn't have to deal with death threats. Or angry mothers."
"Ah, but no matter what, we all still had to deal with infant dragons," Leah countered, "which was a trial like I have never experienced before or since."
Nonsense, Kiera said, diverted from whatever she'd been ruminating on. I am perfectly pleasant to be around, and I have been from the start.
"HAH!" Corrin exclaimed incredulously, turning to look over his shoulder at her. "You're kidding, right? You refused to eat meat that didn't have the exact ratio of fat and meat that you liked! It took you two straight months to pick out a name!"
Kiera huffed at him, filling the air with the smell of brimstone.
"How did you end up picking your name, Kiera?" Leah asked curiously.
I liked the sound of it, Kiera admitted.
"It's from the Lay of Kiera, one of Surda's old legends," Corrin added. "Kiera was a great leader of our people who saved them in a time of great turmoil and founded the non-nomadic culture that became the Surdans. I heard the tale once when I was young, from a travelling troupe."
"Wow," murmured Leah, impressed. "And it suits you so perfectly, too."
Corrin nodded. "We think so. But can I ask how Thuviel chose his name? I thought Thuviel was one of the Riders who fought at the Battle of Vroengard."
"He was," agreed Leah, reaching back to rap her knuckles on Thuviel's scaled shoulder. "Thuviel! Explain to Corrin why you picked the name you did."
Thuviel the elf, the silver dragon explained, was the hero of the battle of Vroengard. As their Thuviel spoke, Corrin glanced around to see that the whole fireside group was listening; even Murtagh had stopped interrogating Varog at some point, and was alertly observing the conversation. He sacrificed himself to make Vroengard uninhabitable and to destroy the buildings where eggs were stored, so that Galbatorix and the Forsworn wouldn't find the Vault of Souls. He wouldn't even have remembered that the Vault existed at that point, because of the memory spells, but his sacrifice saved all of the eggs in the Vault from a lifetime as slaves to Galbatorix. Including Galzra, Kiera, and I. The silver dragon flicked his tail lightly, but for once his tone was dead serious. The way I see it, we owe our freedom to him.
There was a beat of silence after he finished speaking. Corrin thought the silence seemed almost reverent. Surely they had all heard of the Battle of Vroengard at least once before, but somehow Thuviel's honest opinion of his namesake made the tale seem far more immediate. Kiera is here with me because of that other Thuviel, Corrin thought privately. In a way, we owe everything to him.
It is a good name to bear, Shruikan commented unexpectedly. Most of the group turned to look at the black dragon, but Shruikan's attention was still fixed on the flames and he showed no intention of contributing any more to the conversation.
Corrin, however, felt Kiera come to some sort of decision. What about you? she said clearly, and lifted her head up high.
Shruikan's mis-matched eyes slid slowly over to Kiera. Corrin, as always, felt a sliver of apprehension to be caught in that piercing gaze, even if only by association. He swallowed hard.
Shruikan answered after a long pause. What about me? he parroted blandly, with almost a hint of mockery.
Since we are discussing names, Kiera pressed, why choose Shruikan?
This time there was definitely more than a hint of mockery in his tone. Why not Shruikan? When Shruikan 'spoke', images and emotions vividly overlapped the words in the ancient languages, more strongly even than when Corrin and Kiera shared thoughts. A dragon should choose a name that is fierce. One that belongs with them.
Yes, but yours does not, Kiera pointed out, preternaturally calm. There has already been a Shruikan in Alagaesia, and I doubt any other will overshadow his legacy anytime soon.
Shruikan seemed unperturbed. Perhaps not. Yet Thuviel bears the name of another, and there is no worry of one... diminishing another. He paused, seemingly working to put words to his meaning. You bear the famed name of another, as well, yet you are not overshadowing, but honoring.
Thuviel bears the name of a hero, Kiera argued, one whose deeds should be remembered into eternity. You, on the other hand, do honor to the servant of a tyrant, if indeed you do honor to anyone at all. Corrin heard Murtagh draw in a breath. I judge that to be questionable behavior at best.
Shruikan didn't immediately respond, seeming to mull that accusation over, and when he spoke he seemed more amused than outraged. Because I am so concerned with your judgement.
You seem concerned only with yourself, Kiera admitted quietly, but I have no doubt that others will form their own opinions of you, and of the wild dragons who you claim to be the advocate of. I wonder if the name of the most violent and terrifying dragon of our age should be the name by which Alagaesia first knows wild dragons again. And I wonder at the character of one who would choose such a name for himself.
The circle around the fire, already watching in tense silence, grew still as stone in the blink of an eye. Shruikan lifted his head from his forelegs and stood in a single graceful motion. Annoyingly, this rendered him again difficult to see as he stalked around the fire, so that a creature less dragon than shadow moved to face Kiera down at less than three feet between their heads. Corrin reached back to put a hand on Kiera.
My character. Is that your meaning? The mis-matched eyes glared unblinking. Perhaps, if you wish to challenge me, you should speak more clearly, yearling. Or else, do not speak at all.