"I can’t believe we’re doing this. This is crazy." Ira paced back and forth.
Jessela smiled to herself. "Too late. You agreed. We’re here."
"I plead ‘temporary insanity’." Ira continued to pace.
Jessela laughed. "I told you, you’re too late. We’re here."
Ira continued to mutter under her breath. "Your father is going to kill me."
"No," Jessela corrected. "He’ll just throw you in the dungeon to rot for the rest of eternity." The 19 year old princess fiddled with some flowers in her hand.
Ira stopped pacing and glared at her friend. "Thanks."
The princess added the flowers to her hair and wished for a looking glass. "You have nothing to worry about. You’re not related to him."
Ira handed Jessela her polished shield. "Then how come you’re not nervous?"
Jessela smiled thankfully and examined herself. She was a vision of beauty, like always. "Worrying gives you wrinkles."
"Great!" Ira threw her arms in the air and stared heavenwards. "I’m going to look like an old woman by the time I’m 23 living with you!"
Jessela returned the shield and smiled. "Shhh....It’s starting."
The first egg hatched. It was a beautiful blue. Jessela took a step closer, amazed by the tiny creature. "Stay away from my children!" The yellow mother dragon screamed at the candidates. Jessela let out a squeek and stepped back into Ira. She shuddered in Ira’s arms. Ira snorted and glared back at the dragon. She rubbed Jessela’s back. "You know that it will be hard to impress if you’re hiding."
Jessela glared up at her friend and shook of the embrace. "I was just startled."
Ira smiled to herself. "Sure you were." She was secretly glad Jessela’s had done that. Otherwise Ira may have been the one to jump into someone’s arms.
As the two girls watched the hatching continue, Jessela grabbed Ira’s hand. Ira smiled. Two eggs split, revealing two beautiful reds. One walked away towards another one of the candidates, while the other stopped in front of Ira. It squawked, obviously annoyed and sat down on Ira’s feet. She let go of Jessela’s hand and picked up the tiny red hatchling. "Noe, you little brat." Ira turned towards the feeding grounds, leaving Jessela alone. The young princess looked down sullenly at her feet.
Ira looked up and winked at Jessela. Don’t worry Jess. If there’s a dragon here for me, it’s only because your dragon told it about me. She smiled as she watched Noe eat. Remember, she told herself as she lovingly stroked the little Hathian. You don’t want to be here.
Jessela bit her lip and sat down on the sands. She told herself not to cry, but herself never listened. A single tear slipped down her cheek. How? She asked whatever god it was Ira was always demanding of. How can there be a dragon here for Ira and not one for me?
She was preoccupied with moping and didn’t notice the odd trio sitting on the sands. Another red hatchling and a silver hatchling were sitting by the last egg. Ira however noticed and realized something was up. She picked Noe up and, against the dragon’s will, carried her to sit beside Jessela.
"Don't look so sad, Jess. Maybe one of them will chose you." Ira tried to be optimistic.
Jessla nodded sullenly. Ira frowned and punched her friend in the arm.
"Hey!" Jessela cried. "What was that for?!"
"To bring you back to reality. Cheer up!" Ira smirked as Jessla glared at her, then smiled. Even Noe gave a draconic version of a smirk. Finally, the last egg hatched, sending a small green into the world. All three sisters born at last, the trio set off towards the two seated girls.
Jessela started to reply, but was stopped by the tiny silver. The hatchling happily curled up in the princesses lap. "Kilara..." Jessela was speechless.
The other red tried to do to Ira what Kilara had done to Jessela, but found her way blocked by Noin. Undaunted, the red hatchling pushed Noe out of the way and curled up in her bonded’s lap. Ira smiled, put one hand on Noe’s head to stop her from fighting back, and another hand on her new hatchling’s head to welcome her. "Noin..."
The green smiled and cooed at both girls, than curled up halfway between them. Jessela and Ira looked at each other, than burst into laughted. "And Yanta!"
She was both of theirs.
"For shards’ sake! No! Noin! Noe!" Ira spun, tripped on someone’s tail and fell on her back.
Jessela smirked and offered Kilara another piece of meat. "Ten minutes with you new dragons and already you’re scarring them for life."
The two red hatchling both bolted for the same food bowl again. They ran into each other and went down in a tumble. "Stop! Both of you! Now!" Ira tried to separate them. Eventually she had one under one arm and the other under her other arm, both with a plate of food in front of them. She sighed and looked down. Yanta was creeling in her lap. She looked up. "Why?"
Jessela laughed and happily took Yanta, she continued to feed her silver and their green. She smiled at Ira. "Who do you keep talking to?"
Ira looked startled at her friend. "What?"
"You keep talking to some god or angel or something. Who?"
Ira smirked. "Dunno. But he or she’s answered my prayers on more than one occasion. In return he/she reserves the right to screw with my life for fun."
Kilara yawned and curled up in Jessela’s lap, while Noe and Noin both tried to curl up on top of each other on Ira’s lap. Yanta sneezed, looked up at both her riders and curled up halfway between them. Ira and Jessela moved closer together so they were both touching the green. They smiled at each other.
"So much for ditching you on Lord Sarringham." Ira smirked at her friend.
Jessela sighed. "I guess."
"What?"
Jessela gave a sad half-smile. "Now I’m worried about my father."
Ira took Jessela’s hand in hers. "Don’t worry. I’ve got it figured out."
Jessela looked hopeful. "Really?"
"Of course." Ira cleared her throat and started reciting the Code of Honour. "‘A knight’s first duty is to the Crown. He/she will serve the Crown and the Monarch with all their heart and soul. A knight’s personal life is second to his/her duty.’"
Jessela was sceptical. "So?"
Ira smiled. "It’s a fancy way of saying knight’s aren’t allowed to marry."
Jessela still didn’t get it. "So?"
"Well..." Ira yawned. "I figure when we go back across the Rift we’ll be taking Noe, Noin, Yanta and Kilara with us right?"
Jessela sighed. "Yes. So?"
"I was talking to Mystic. These Hathian’s like travelling in packs. If a couple more people took their dragons across the Rift we could be a pack. His most royal kinglyness wouldn’t want all these dragons running or flying around his country without supervision. So..." She smiled at Jessela. "Dragon riding knights. A pack of Hathians ridden by Crown Knights."
Jessela started to clue in. "Oh..."
"And," Ira added. "All packs have to be headed by a silver. Since you’re the only one I know with a silver, I’m afraid you’re going to have to give up being a princess and lead the Rift Knights."
Jessela squeeled and kissed Ira on the cheek. "Thank you! You’re the smartest person I know! You’re a genius. You’ve already cleared this with Mystic and Magika right?"
Ira smiled and touched her cheek. "Of course. I look after everything."
Jessela squeezed Ira’s hand and smiled. "Thanks."
Ira yawned. "Don’t mention it."
Jessela quickly curled up with Kilara and Yanta. Ira smiled and laid down facing Jessela, but with Noe and Noin in between them. She slowly shut her eyes and let her thoughts float around. Suddenly one of them hit her. She sat bolt up, disturbing all four dragons. "Who’s going to tell your father!?!"
Jessela smirked and continued to be asleep.
"Jess! Jess! Who’s explaining this to your father? I’m not going to if you even think..."
Jessela fell asleep listening to Ira rant. Just like old times...
Read Ira and Jessela’s Candidate Story!
Ira and Jessela impressed Noe, Noin, Kilara and Yanta at Mystic Dragon's Forest.
Background from Jolie Joyau's Web Grabphics.
