The Journey, Chapt 18 = previous chapter
Chapter 19; Dust
Elqiana jumped on to Tara’s outstretched hand, climbed up her arm and settled on her shoulder.
“Tara, may we ask you what her name is?” Father Connely asked politely, bowing to the dragon.
“Oh, her name… is Elqiana.” Tara replied matter of factly.
The priest raised his hands and the spectators quietened, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the first ever human dragon rider, Lady Tarasque, and Elqiana!”
There was a gasp followed by a slow rupture of applause. “Let the celebrations begin!” Cried out the town major.
Tara ran to her mother and hugged her, “I’m not exactly sure what this means mother, but for some reason I’m excited, so so excited!”
Tara’s mother sat down on a chair looking her daughter in the eyes. “It means sweetheart that you are a peacekeeper. Once you are trained, and Elqiana big enough to carry you, you will fly around and help those in need. In a few days we will have set travel to the Elves for both of your training to begin… everything changes now, and it’s up to you to decide what path to take.”
‘It won’t be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.’ Tara’s mother looked around in surprise as she heard a gravely male voice in her mind. Tara, hearing it too, took the scale from underneath her garment and handed it to her mother, and whispered only for her mother to hear.
“Mother this is Zeindaryys the Swift.” Tara handed her mother the scale.
‘For many years my spirit was lost, until Tarasque found it, having the courage to risk her life to retrieve me, albeit with her foot’
Tara blushed embarrassed, Elqiana snorted. ‘I knew then that there was something special about the girl, things are changing and dragons need to come back to the forefront. Tarasque, Elqiana I beseech you both as my final wish, to do anything everything you can do for the better of mankind’
Tara puts her hand across her heart “Zeindaryys the Swift, I promise to do my best.”
‘I, too Elqiana promises to do thine best, for the better of dragons and mankind’
There was a sigh of relief from Zeindaryys, ‘Now, children, I can rest in peace.’
The purple scale shimmered a bright purple in Tara’s mothers hand, it floated into the sky turning into a purple shimmering dust, with one final loud roar from Zeindaryys, that everyone heard the shimmering dust cloud disappear.
Tara and Elqiana watch as it dissipates. Tara’s mother sighs and shrugs her shoulders, “What a nice… dragon he was.” She was puzzled, not sure if that was the right thing to say.
Claira unexpectedly walked over to Tara, her eyes watching Elqiana cautiously. Tara got nervous and the dragon sensed it.
‘Why are you nervous? Did she cause you harm?’ Elqiana asked with a growl, which made Claira pause.
“Claira is my bully, has bullied me from the first day we met, just because I was different.”
Claira bowed to Tarasque and did a low curtsey to Elqiana. “I wanted to apologise to you, Lady Tarasque, and in extension to Lady Elqiana for my behaviour, I’m sorry.”
Elqiana snorted, ‘please tell on my behalf that dragons have no titles because we are already superior… and that if she bullies anyone again I’ll turn her into a toad’
‘Is that something you could seriously do?’ Tara asked Elqiana through her mind.
‘I don’t know… possibly. Dragon magic is fickle and unpredictable, but she doesn’t know that, does she?’
Tara stifled a chuckle, quickly regaining herself, and repeated Elqiana’s message to Claira.
Claira’s eyes went wide, “a toad?” She squealed. Claira went to run away, but then remembered her manners, turned back and bowed to them before running away.
“Are you ok Elqiana? I’m sorry about your father.” Tara said, stroking along the dragon's back.
‘I will be ok, in time, although briefly I got to hear his voice, for the first and last time. He really was a great beast. Before departing he bestowed upon me all his memories. When we travel we need to reach the Elven forest called Caa Alora, we are seek out Gabija’
“Caa Alora… Caa Alora…” Tara repeated softly as the name of the place rolled off her tongue, “Who is Gabija?”
‘I don’t know, someone… important.’
Chapter 19; Dust
Elqiana jumped on to Tara’s outstretched hand, climbed up her arm and settled on her shoulder.
“Tara, may we ask you what her name is?” Father Connely asked politely, bowing to the dragon.
“Oh, her name… is Elqiana.” Tara replied matter of factly.
The priest raised his hands and the spectators quietened, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the first ever human dragon rider, Lady Tarasque, and Elqiana!”
There was a gasp followed by a slow rupture of applause. “Let the celebrations begin!” Cried out the town major.
Tara ran to her mother and hugged her, “I’m not exactly sure what this means mother, but for some reason I’m excited, so so excited!”
Tara’s mother sat down on a chair looking her daughter in the eyes. “It means sweetheart that you are a peacekeeper. Once you are trained, and Elqiana big enough to carry you, you will fly around and help those in need. In a few days we will have set travel to the Elves for both of your training to begin… everything changes now, and it’s up to you to decide what path to take.”
‘It won’t be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.’ Tara’s mother looked around in surprise as she heard a gravely male voice in her mind. Tara, hearing it too, took the scale from underneath her garment and handed it to her mother, and whispered only for her mother to hear.
“Mother this is Zeindaryys the Swift.” Tara handed her mother the scale.
‘For many years my spirit was lost, until Tarasque found it, having the courage to risk her life to retrieve me, albeit with her foot’
Tara blushed embarrassed, Elqiana snorted. ‘I knew then that there was something special about the girl, things are changing and dragons need to come back to the forefront. Tarasque, Elqiana I beseech you both as my final wish, to do anything everything you can do for the better of mankind’
Tara puts her hand across her heart “Zeindaryys the Swift, I promise to do my best.”
‘I, too Elqiana promises to do thine best, for the better of dragons and mankind’
There was a sigh of relief from Zeindaryys, ‘Now, children, I can rest in peace.’
The purple scale shimmered a bright purple in Tara’s mothers hand, it floated into the sky turning into a purple shimmering dust, with one final loud roar from Zeindaryys, that everyone heard the shimmering dust cloud disappear.
Tara and Elqiana watch as it dissipates. Tara’s mother sighs and shrugs her shoulders, “What a nice… dragon he was.” She was puzzled, not sure if that was the right thing to say.
Claira unexpectedly walked over to Tara, her eyes watching Elqiana cautiously. Tara got nervous and the dragon sensed it.
‘Why are you nervous? Did she cause you harm?’ Elqiana asked with a growl, which made Claira pause.
“Claira is my bully, has bullied me from the first day we met, just because I was different.”
Claira bowed to Tarasque and did a low curtsey to Elqiana. “I wanted to apologise to you, Lady Tarasque, and in extension to Lady Elqiana for my behaviour, I’m sorry.”
Elqiana snorted, ‘please tell on my behalf that dragons have no titles because we are already superior… and that if she bullies anyone again I’ll turn her into a toad’
‘Is that something you could seriously do?’ Tara asked Elqiana through her mind.
‘I don’t know… possibly. Dragon magic is fickle and unpredictable, but she doesn’t know that, does she?’
Tara stifled a chuckle, quickly regaining herself, and repeated Elqiana’s message to Claira.
Claira’s eyes went wide, “a toad?” She squealed. Claira went to run away, but then remembered her manners, turned back and bowed to them before running away.
“Are you ok Elqiana? I’m sorry about your father.” Tara said, stroking along the dragon's back.
‘I will be ok, in time, although briefly I got to hear his voice, for the first and last time. He really was a great beast. Before departing he bestowed upon me all his memories. When we travel we need to reach the Elven forest called Caa Alora, we are seek out Gabija’
“Caa Alora… Caa Alora…” Tara repeated softly as the name of the place rolled off her tongue, “Who is Gabija?”
‘I don’t know, someone… important.’
