It was an unusually warm day in the port town of Teirm. Nathan pushed the cart full of a fresh shipment of silk from the merchant's ship to the local bazaar. As usual the eighteen year old son of a tailor didn't like his so called "temp job". All through out his early teen life, he really hadn't cared about academic studies or dropping out of school. If there was ever a chance for a real adventure he would partake in it would be painting, but that required additional education that he didn't have. He could still dream though. The smallest things of all made his life more comfortable since he figured he was going to be stuck here until Fate threw him into something when it determined it was his time to shine.

Realizing the time, Nathan dodged through the crowded streets of the port town. At last he made it to the small building where he was supposed to deliver the silk. "You're late!" A voice shouted. There was that crotchety old man with half his white hair missing pointing his cane accusingly at the boy. Nathan sighed irritably and began to defend himself. "But there was-"

"Don't make anymore excuses, just leave! I have no use for you." The old man cut him off. Nathan just dropped the cart there and left murmuring darkly.

It wasn't until later that day until Nathan's boss Lu'ic summoned him. The bearded man looked at the nonchalant Nathan expectantly.

"Garth Row said that you swore at him again", Lu'ic said.

"I wasn't, he just blowing it out of proportion…" Again he was cut off.

"Just go home Nathan." Sighed Lu'ic as he dismissed him.

Nathan left the Teamster building and went straight home, his mood foul. That night, he sat on rooftop starring out at Teirm watching the few people who were up this late walk by. The weirdoes as always, he sneered. His parents had stopped arguing an hour ago and the house had fallen deathly quiet. He was startled when the latch to roof opened up and out came his mother Samantha. She was a kind woman who worked at the family flower shop her parents had owned. Settling down next to her son she began, "So, tell me what happened today".

"The usual, stupid Garth Row got me in trouble.", Nathan's tone was of frustration. "How did I know I was late, I was in the middle of the hot afternoon pushing that heavy cart through the busy streets".

"Nathan, Nathan, Nathan". His mother calmed him.

"I just wish that someday, that things would be far better then what they are now, you know".

"We had this conversation a countless number of times. Like I always say, you will succeed." His mother's reassurance was always there. "What ever it is you are meant to do, you will do it and do it well."

"Thank you Mom." The two of them embraced.

"Everything takes time dear, it could take you ten years or it could happen tomorrow, just remember that Fate will intervene when you least expect it."

XxXxXxXxX

Taina Mayne sighed and looked out the window of her family's small home. The rain poured down, unrelenting, for the third day in a row. The ground was mush, and the house had become a prison. She wanted nothing more than to go outside and enjoy the forest around her home, but with the storms the ground would be solid mud. Lighting caused the small, dark room to light up suddenly, then it was dark again. Always dark. She couldn't stand it.

Tai stood and grabbed her cloak and some boots. "I am going out." She told her mother. "In this weather?"

"Yes, in this weather." Grabbing her knife, she shut the door. She needed an escape from the house, and it didn't matter what her mother said.

Tai smiled as the rain fell around her, splattering on her face and soaking her clothes. She missed coming out of doors, she missed the excitement of exploring, the excitement of adventure. She had always wanted to travel around the world, and maybe become a dragon rider. Her brother had laughed at that. He had told her that there weren't enough dragons left for her to be a rider. She had then defied him by saying she would be one of those sworn to serve under Eragon, the current head rider with his great dragon Saphira. As the rain soaked her, Tai grinned while thinking of herself atop a dragon, flying hundreds of feet above the earth. Just the idea of it was dizzying.

Lighting forked the sky once more, illuminating the forest around her. A flash caught her eye and Tai thought she saw something, but once the light was gone, she could no longer find it. She waited until another flash illuminated the area, and found what she was looking for- a glossy blue stone. She picked it up carefully, having never seen one like it before and studied it. It was almost perfectly round and a pure sapphire blue. It was heavier than it looked too. Wanting to study it more in the light, Tai put it in her belt pouch and turned towards home.

Later that night, after no success in identifying the strange rock, Tai lay staring out the ceiling. The rain was keeping her awake with it's pattering on the roof. She sighed and rolled over, needing sleep. But it would not come. She couldn't stop thinking about the rock. What was it about it that made it so intriguing to her? Seeing as she could not rest, she stood and tip-toed over to it. To her surprise, the rock was not where she had left it. It seemed to have rolled off on it's own. Maybe her floor was slightly slanted, she mused. She attempted to pick it up, but it shifted again, rolling away from her. Now she was just confused. Was the rock alive?

A tiny crack startled her, followed by another. And another. A small section of the 'rock' chipped off, and a golden shimmer moved inside. Curious, Tai took a closer look. She peeled back a small section of shell and was rewarded with a tiny squeak. A golden snout poked through, followed by a body and wings. Within minutes a dragon hatchling stood before her, bright sapphire colored eyes gleaming in the moonlight. It screeched softly and she grinned. It's golden scales were beautiful, and it's wing membranes were a striking blue to match it's eyes. It was the most amazing creature she had ever seen.

The dragon seemed to be studying her, and it moved closer on unsteady legs. It beat it's wings once then again, almost surprised by the movement. Once it had learned it could do that, it turned it's gaze on her again and squeaked, then moved forward. Tai sat and let it come to her, not wanting to frighten it. It crawled into her lap and looked at her, then nuzzled her neck. As soon as the dragon's scales met her flesh a sharp pain took her, then subsided. The area on her neck where the dragon had touched still tingled. She looked at the tiny creature who simply lay down, curled up, and seemed to fall asleep in her lap. "Goodnight, little one." She whispered, grinning at the reptilian. Her dream could now be reality. She had a dragon. She was ready to become one of the legendary dragon riders.

She would become a new legend.