# Dragontamers (Some Language)



## Sheridan Holmes (Feb 22, 2011)

_Chapter One: Thunder Rolls_​
She was having The Dream again; the one with chaos and screaming and  fear, but none of the usual signs and symptoms for it. There was no  fire, no shattered glass, no fighting soldiers from one country or  another. Just darkness, thick and plasmic, literally oozing from the  cracks between the cobbled streets of a city she'd never been in. It  swallowed the screaming citizens beneath a hazy, green and purple sky,  leaving nothing behind but more fear.

_Do you understand, Tiaret?_ It was the same voice, neither male nor female, coming from nowhere and everywhere, from right behind her and inside her head._ Time is running out. This is what will happen should you fail._

The same as ever, and her dream self knew that come morning she wouldn't  remember the words. She looked around helplessly and felt the  beginnings of despair well up inside her. The voice spoke up again, and  Tiaret was dimly aware that it had never done so before.

_You are a champion of Fate, Tiaret, and so She has granted you the means to fulfill you duty. Now. Wake up._

~*~

Morning hid itself behind a thick cover of clouds and the occasional  flicker of lightning, making it impossible for Tiaret, groggy and  confused, to tell what the time was. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes  and tried to grasp at the words spoken in The Dream. As always, it was  like trying to catch smoke. Things like "Fate" and "duty" managed to  burrow their way into her memory, but specifics vanished the moment she opened her eyes.

Tiaret ran her fingers through her long, red hair and sighed. When  she'd first started having The Dream over two months ago, she'd nearly  driven herself insane trying to remember the words spoken to her by the  Voice. While she'd long since ceased trying to make her own brain  implode, curiosity and the feeling that it was terribly important nagged  her like an itch she was unable to scratch. 

Throwing her blanket off and sitting on the edge of her bed, she glanced  around the room she shared with two other Dragontamer recruits. The  room itself was spartan, with only table and chairs in the center, four  scratchy, uncomfortable beds surrounding it, and a shared dresser in the  corner. Only one bed other than her own was occupied; the girl snoring softly in it was several years younger than her, and had only recently  been promoted to recruit status. Two other recruits, Alder and Jason, generally occupied the other beds. Tiaret swallowed hard as she got up to get dressed. The fact that she hadn't been woken with them meant  nothing good. 

Throwing on the gray woolen recruit uniform and her boots, Tiaret crept  out of the room, closing the door behind her as carefully as she could,  so as not to wake the last sleeper. The hall was dark, cold, and bare.  It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but once they did, she tiptoed  down to the front door and out into the icy drizzle.

The Dragontamer's headquarters sat in Landsmeet, the center of the  country of Ulster. The moor on which it rested was stormy and muddy at  worst and cloudy and foggy at best, and the green hills were oddly  ominous. Tiaret was under the impression that there were no trees in  Landsmeet, and from what she'd seen, she was correct. It was a world of  fog and hills and eerie silence, a world away from the vivid memories Tiaret had of Morgania, her home country. North of Landsmeet,  she recalled a heavily forested country isolated by great mountains on two sides, a river to the west, and the sea to the north. The memories so clashed with her current home that she felt more than a mountain range separated the two, despite being on the same landmass. That, however, was a topic for a mage, and far beyond her.

The keep itself was an ancient, nameless place. It had been around since  before the Tearing, and predated Ulster several hundred years. It was  fairly massive, with three squat, stone buildings and a large, more  modern artificial rookery for the dragons. The recruits of all ages were  housed in the East Wing, the largest of the buildings, until they  passed their First Flight. After they passed (if they passed), they were  placed in the West Wing, the building for apprentices and official Dragontamers. Between the two dorms was the North Hall, comprised of  training rooms and the mess hall, and the rookery was to the south. A  high, heavy wall of ancient, powerful moorstone, which had clearly never  been breached, surrounded the buildings.

It was rough, cold, and rather miserable, and it had been Tiaret's home  since she was ten. While the days where she pined away for the crisp  sea air and graceful tree houses of her homecity of Daleen were long  gone, Landsmeet always made Tiaret feel incredibly small and lonely. It  seemed like such an empty, dreary place, though not dead.There were  many things in Landsmeet, not the least of which was the great Dragon  Rookery, a place only full Dragontamers had seen; the site of the First Flight.

The First Flight was the final test before one graduated from recruit to  apprentice. Recruits journeyed to the Rookery and stole a dragon egg.  The dragon that hatched from the egg would be their comrade, partner and  companion till the day they both died. Succeeding in getting an egg  also allowed you to be apprenticed to one of the three Dragontamer  disciplines; the Eagle discipline, or the art of being a warrior, the  Hawk discipline, or the art of spying, and the Raven discipline, or the  art of magic. Being a recruit was just a precursor, readying one for the  real training. 

Of course, not all recruits were given the privilege of the First Flight.  Some were deemed too inept, or the High Generals simply decided that  they didn't have the right frame of mind for the job, and they were sent  back to their home kingdom or village. The fact that the year Tiaret  was in was traditionally the last year of recruitment, and she hadn't  been woken while the others were, didn't bode well. Not that Tiaret was  inept or too soft. She'd worked very hard throughout her time as a  recruit, and was consequently considered one of the brighter, if less  sociable, recruits.

But Sir Ryan, the man in charge of the recruits, simply didn't like her.  It was a fact that Tiaret tried not to dwell on. The thought of anyone  having dislike for her made her a bit nauseated.

She slowly opened the door of North Hall, dripping with rain, and found  the majority of the men and women of her year clustered around the table  in the center of the room. Sir Ryan of the Eagles, a tall Ayan man with  brown hair streaked with gray and an impressive mustache, was dressed  in full combat gear, and gesturing authoritatively towards the map  spread across the table. Sir Isaac of the Hawks, a rangy Venezian with  red hair and green eyes dressed in light clothing of greens and blacks  stood in the background, watching quietly as the recruits soaked in  every word Sir Ryan said. He was the first to look up as Tiaret entered  the room; the others were too engrossed in the planning to notice.

"The Rookery is going to be full of dragons; that much is obvious." Sir  Ryan was saying. "This is early for them, so they're going to be  sleeping mostly. Some will be flying out to get breakfast. It's from  these nests that you're going to-"

Sir Isaac cleared his throat, and the rest of them looked up. Tiaret  met the eyes of her friend, Alder. The tall, strapping Venezian looked  slightly ashamed at his armor and weaponry, and turned away sooner than  Tiaret liked. She glanced at Elise, another slim Morganian with long,  thick dark hair, dark eyes, and a face that men would die for. She too  was dressed for travel and battle, and she unable to hold her gaze for  longer than a few moments. Out of the other recruits, only Cullen, with his pale skin, short blond hair, and slightly raised eyebrows, stood out. The silence was awkward and painful as the  recruits glanced from Sir Ryan to Tiaret, waiting for something to  happen.

They didn't have to wait long. 

"I woke up early and noticed everyone was up." Tiaret said, her voice  sounding too high and loud to her ears. "Did I miss the notice?" The  recruits looked increasingly tense as Sir Ryan frowned.

"This party is going to the Rookery, and you're not." Sir Ryan said, devastatingly blunt.

Tiaret felt as if the man had punched her in the gut as mutters and  snickers filled the room, and Sir Isaac strode forward quickly.

"Ryan," he said quietly. "I'll talk with her. You continue with the  planning." He turned the horrified young woman towards an anteroom as  Tiaret's other roommate, Cullen, smirked.

"Nice knowing you, Daisy. Have fun flying home with the other rejects."

"Shut up, Sparkle Fingers," Alder snarled. "Before I turn you into a puddle on the floor."

The mocking nickname sent giggles through the room, but the  amusement was lost on Tiaret as Isaac pushed her through the door. The  young woman felt Isaac's eyes on her back as the door closed behind  them.

"I was planning on telling you in private," Isaac said gently. "I don't  know why Sir Ryan broke the news like that, especially after Lady  Ariadne had that chat with him about recruit relations." Tiaret laughed weakly.

"Why?" She asked, turning to look at his mentor. "I don't understand. I didn't do anything wrong, did I?"

Sir Isaac shuffled awkwardly. "I was..." He shook his head. "It's not important."

"It's important to me!" Tiaret protested. "I've been here for years. This is all I know! What's in Morgania for me?" That was unfair; she had plenty waiting for her in Morgania. Parents, a little sister, a less-than-loving twin brother... A home with trees and sea air instead of monotonous hills and fog.

"More than you act like there is." Sir Issac said tiredly. "For now...Get some more sleep. The flight to Morgania's a long one and I don't want you falling off of Cruz." Cruz  was Isaac's dragon companion, as thin and long and quick as Isaac was.  As least it wouldn't be Sir Ryan and Naya flying her there, Tiaret thought glumly. At least someone friendly would see her off.

"I'll be back after the First Flight," Isaac continued. "Just hang tight, alright? It usually doesn't take long." His tone worried Tiaret, and the woman looked at him closely.

"Are Alder and Elise going to be alright?" She asked. Alder, one of her closest friends, whom she wouldn't be able to say goodbye to and Elise, who'd joined the recruits the same year she had and had been a solid, if  quiet, confidant ever since. She hadn't even seen her for days; their individual training was taking such drastically different turns. Isaac smiled.

"I wouldn't be worried about them," he assured Tiaret. "Betting on the recruits is considered poor taste, but if I could, I'd be betting on them."

"Not Sparkle Fingers?"

"No comment." For the first time, Tiaret laughed with more amusement and less bitterness. It died quickly, though, as the seriousness of her situation came back to her.

"Why does Sir Ryan hate me?" She asked. Her voice came out small and quiet, and the tone was as childish as the question itself. Isaac froze.

"Ryan doesn't..." He stopped and hung his head, unable to finish. "It's complicated. But he doesn't hate you. He just..." He shook his head helplessly. "It's complicated."

"Thanks for clarifying." Tiaret said, her tone painfully bright. "I was worried you were going to be vague about it."

"Isaac!" Sir Ryan bellowed before she could say anything more. Isaac sighed heavily. 

"I'm sorry, Tiaret. I'll be back soon." He turned and closed the door  quietly behind him, leaving Tiaret to sit heavily into a chair, hold her head in her hands, and try very hard not to weep.

~*~

Rain was beginning to fall, stinging and cold, as Ryan, Isaac,  and the increasingly anxious recruits stepped out of the East Wing. All except Isaac were armored; even the magelings, who traditionally  wore only robes, were granted permission to wear leather armor the day of their Harrowing. Ryan turned to the group.

"One of the first parts of your Harrowing is getting there by yourselves," he bellowed over the increasingly violent gale. "You have your map. I have every faith in you. Try not to get lost. Who knows what walks around the moors in early morning." 

Early morning might as well have been night for all the light there was.  As the recruits looked at each other with growing horror, the two  Dragontamers whistled piercingly and waited. A beat, and two large,  majestic dragons landed on the ground next to their riders. 

Long and streamlined, the dragons moved like shadows and looked at the  awed recruits with the distant, aloof gazes associated with cats. They  had no scales, only leathery flesh that was deceptively soft, but really  as tough as any steel armor. Their heads were arrow-shaped, their eyes  dominating much of their countenance, with slits for pupils and no  discernible nostrils. Their legs were like those of the elephants of Rivain, and their tails ended with rudder-like fins. While both were easily twelve feet long, the  brown one that crept up to Isaac was slightly smaller than the pale blue  one that nuzzled Ryan affectionately. While Cruz appeared built for agility and sneak attacks, Naya looked as if she could easily break an enemy line by simply ploughing through the lot. 

Both men climbed onto their dragons and lifted off. "Don't take too long!" Isaac yelled down to them. "Bit cold out!" Ryan cracked up as the  four of them glided silently towards the rookery, leaving the recruits  far behind them.

"And you say I'm mean," he chuckled, barely audible over the wind and rain. 

"You are." Isaac said, his tone abruptly cold. "Tiaret thinks you hate her." Cruz and Naya glanced at each other, then at Ryan, whose jaw was clenched tight. 

"I don't-"

"I know you don't. She doesn't though, and she has no reason to. You go  out of your way to make her look bad when she's one of the best we've got!"

"You know why!" Ryan protested. "You remember what her grandmother said!"

"Foolish humans." Naya growled. "Trying to stop Fate. If she is meant to be a Tamer, she will be a Tamer. If not, she will not."

"They are foolish," Cruz agreed cheerfully. "But they're harmless, in  the grand scheme of things. It's best to just let them flail against the  flow of Fate. Get it out of their system."

"We can hear you." Isaac said irritably.

"We were never under the impression you couldn't." Cruz replied as they  coasted to the ground. The Rookery loomed below them; a sheer cliff next  to a raging lake, honeycombed with caves, full of sleeping dragons.

"All we're saying," Naya said. "Is that what will be will be. If she was  meant to return to Morgania, he would not excel at what you teach. Her destiny is that of a Dragontamer, so a Dragontamer she shall be."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Ryan said firmly. Isaac  scowled, but said nothing, and the two of them waited for the recruits.

--

Reviews are candy. Thank you very much for anything you have to say.

D: This is a lot shorter than I thought it was... This makes me sad. I may combine the next chapter with this one.

Yay... It's all done and edited.


----------



## Apsu (Feb 23, 2011)

Not a lot to criticize.  Its a god start.  If I have to say anything it would be, watch repeating adjectives. ex. two of your characterts are burly. Also, consider starting action and dialog when Hawke enters the east wing,  before giving the descriptions of Sir Ryan and Sir Issac.


----------



## TheFuhrer02 (Feb 23, 2011)

I have to agree with you: This seems short indeed, as if it wasn't complete, as if something was supposed to cap everything up. But what the hell, you're the writer, and you're the one who's supposed to pace the story. After all, there is not rigid rule on making chapters, so I guess this is tolerable.

As for the events, the transition's fine, though some events seem to be appearing out of the blue. I felt like there was no explanation to some aspects of the plot. Of course, you can always reconcile these holes later on, so I guess I'll have to keep on reading. 

I have to admit, the title hooked me, and the story lured me further in. The fantasy world, the dream... it all looked enticing, perhaps enthralling. Will certainly look forward to the next chapter.


----------



## InsanityStrickenWriter (Feb 23, 2011)

What's there is great, though I noticed one terrible, disgusting, despicable floor in your writing abilities:



> The mocking nickname sent giggles through the room, but the amusement was lost on Hawke *h*as Isaac pushed him through the door. The younger man felt Isaac's eyes on his back as the door closed behind them.


 
It's meant to be as, not has, for goodness sake! How could you miss such a simple error!?!

Seriousness aside, I'm not sure about starting the story with a dream. Personally, I've cut them out of my old stories and I refrain from using them as introductions, it just seems like the easy, corny, way to start a story off. Perhaps the dream could be moved to the end, when the boy is sitting outside? (Though perhaps other people are fine with dream introductions, so feel free to pay no attention here  )


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Feb 23, 2011)

Working on the next chapter. I added some stuff to the first chapter, so it's longer and explains more. Maybe a bit too much, but whatever. It can go crawl in a bush somewhere and die... Just felt like I should tell people.

Someone say something after this so I don't double post. I hate double posts so much. XD


----------



## TheFuhrer02 (Feb 24, 2011)

Here's the extra space you ordered. Cost's 29.99 plus delivery charges. X\'D


----------



## mockingbird (Feb 25, 2011)

What about your terrible, disgusting FLOOR in your writing Insanity? Should that not be FLAW? Ok, we all have spell checkers and grammar checkers, but it's the content that matters, although any self-respecting agent or publisher would stop reading after the very first grammatical faux pas, sad but true.


----------



## mockingbird (Feb 25, 2011)

I enjoyed it thus far, Sheridan. A few grammatical faux pas are nothing to worry about, although your word program should identify them with a fuzzy green line. I have spent hours getting rid of those damned annoying lines. A big hint:
Never mix two characters points of view. There's a line spoken by Sir Ryan - this party is going to Rookery, you're not. Hawke's reaction to this should be on a separate line. Always keep individual's points of view separate. Don't ask me why it's just how it is. Also, as it is the 1st chapter, you might explain where you are a little more and reduce the characters to a minimum. The whole novel should have no more than 4 main characters with points of view. Also you leave the Sirs from Isaac and Ryan during speech. Once you've introduced a character keep it the same. It could get confusing. But above all you have a good story to tell, just keep at it. When I post a chapter, you can have fun.


----------



## mockingbird (Feb 25, 2011)

A thought from Mockingbird - this probably won't work but, what about starting the story with these ruthless knights charging into a small peasant village to take all those deemed fit and force them to train as dragon fodder due to so many knights being lost to the cause. That way we know what's going on right away. Just a thought....


----------



## TheFuhrer02 (Mar 3, 2011)

So, er, what happened to this one? I really liked this story, and am looking forward to chapter 2.

So, uhm, where is chapter 2? Sorry if I'm being too hasty.


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Mar 3, 2011)

Oh, my brain jumped to something else; I thought I could multitask. XD I'll get right back to this. Doesn't help that I was half-done with the new chapter and my program quit on me.

This weekend at the latest! (My muse is saying "You say it but you don't mean it..." Don't listen to that supernatural jerk; he doesn't know what he's talking about...


----------



## TheFuhrer02 (Mar 3, 2011)

^ I guess I have to wait. Just make the wait worth it, aryt?


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Mar 6, 2011)

Okay, so I was looking back over some older stuff, and found an older draft of this story. It's basically the same; same countries, cultures, plot, etc. But it's set in a more urban, modern day setting. There's still magic and swords, based on my notes for this version. But instead of a big fort in Landsmeet, there's this big complex, all shiny steel walls and glass and elevators. And there are still dragons and such. And all the same racial differences.

Now, this difference in setting would make a big difference, but I think it might be cool. But since right now I've actually got people interested, I thought I'd ask.

Should I continue with the story as-is?

Or should I keep this draft, but start a new one with this more futuristic setting? 

I can't decide... Opinions?


----------



## TheFuhrer02 (Mar 6, 2011)

I think continuing the story as-is would be good, though you're the writer after all, so you can decide which to do.


----------



## Luckystars1987 (Mar 7, 2011)

I like this so far. Agree that it does seem a bit short. And I think continuing the story as it is would be good, but end of the day it's your decision 
Look forward to reading more


----------



## TheFuhrer02 (Mar 17, 2011)

What happened to this one? I was really looking forward to reading this... I even subscribed to it. 

Perhaps the writer is just a bit busy.


----------



## Apostle (Mar 17, 2011)

I've just read the first chapter and I enjoyed it, though as oithers said it was short and a few spelling errors were present. I am looking forward to the next chapter.


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Apr 6, 2011)

Remember me? No? Neither to I...

Well, I apologize for the lack of activity on this. I joined track, had regional solos, track meets... Busy busy busy, and a shift in my thinking led to a change in the main character of this story... A big one. Like, it's a completely different character in my head now and I really should rewrite this so I don't make my head explode. 

As manager of track, I don't have an outrageous amount of stuff to do during practice, so I'll try and work on this during that time. Sorry for the wait!


----------



## TheFuhrer02 (Apr 6, 2011)

And finally, the writer is back! :thumbl:


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Apr 6, 2011)

Made it all pretty and edited. Reread the first chapter for improvements and awesomeness.


----------



## ThreadWhisperer (Apr 6, 2011)

I very much enjoyed this piece and would love to see it continued in the same vain as it is here. I definitely prefer the "old" fantasy type rather than the modernized. The story thus far has me caught and already has my own mind expanding on what has been given because of the questions left hanging in the air. There were some things I noticed going through the first part that I thought I would point out simply because I think the story is very worthy of spending time on. I see you have moved to other things and such so will only give a few of them and please know they are given because of my enjoyment for the story. 

5th Para... the moment *her* opened her eyes.

7th Para... she glanced *at *around the room 
........... with only table and chairs in the center *<<should have "only a table" >>*
........... Only one bed other than *his* own was occupied; the girl snoring softly in it was several years younger than *her*,
........... Two other recruits, Alder and Monte, generally occupied the other two beds. *<<I think the second two could be removed yes?>>*

9th Para... The moor on which *is *rested was stormy
........... It was a world of fog and hills and eerie silence. It was a world away from the vivid *<<I think it would read better to remove the period from the first sentence and drop the second "It was" making it "...eerie silence, a world away..." >>*

10th Para.. *After they passed, if they passed*, they were placed in the West Wing *<< Seems awkward >>*
........... surrounded the *builds*. *<< Buildings ?>>*

Again, I very much enjoyed this story, and should you ever pursue it further you have another reader, added to your growing list, waiting for the pleasure!

All the best,
TW


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Apr 7, 2011)

Isabela, Second Hawk of the Dragontamers, sauntered into the mess hall, dressed strangely as ever with her Marshlander armor, a curious mix of cloth, chain mail, and hardened leather padding. She pushed her red hair back out of her face, and her tawny eyes flickered about the room in practiced precision and efficiency, absorbing the details. As a leading member of the Dragontamer spy network and intelligence service, she'd fallen into a habit of instantly attempting to get as much information as necessary.

If the mess hall existed anywhere else in the world, information would sell like hotcakes at a Wintersend festival. And Isabela would be there, talking to every fresh faced kid in the room and discreetly milking them for information. 

If there was any other place in Ulster where glittering, tattooed, pierced Marshlanders chatted amicably with brawny, redhaired, freckled Venezians, and gangly, beautiful, pale Morganians giggled and gossiped with blond, blue eyed, stern faced Ayans, Isabela would be in seventh heaven. But that was asking for too much, and it being so easy would make her job infinitely less entertaining.

Isabela's eyes fell on the senior recruits table, and she sized up the rejects. For most of them, the thoughts of "called it" and how much money the Second Raven was going to owe her came up in her head. Then her eyes landed on Tiaret, curled over her tray of eggs and bacon with a miserable expression on her face, and her heart, as well as the future amount of coin in her purse, plummeted. She alone had retained the hope that fairness, not politics, would reign and Ryan would let Tiaret go. 

Apparently her faith in the old stick-in-the-mud was as misplaced as it usually was. When would she learn?

Stealing an apple from a Ayan as she passed, and several pieces of bacon from various breakfasters, Isabela made her way over to Tiaret and said, as she took a bite of her questionably acquired bacon, "Who kicked your puppy, Kitten?"

"What?" Tiaret looked up, startled. Her eyes were always so pretty, yet so off-putting. The eyes of Morganians were always larger than they probably should be, and Tiaret's was no exception. They dominated her face, and were the richest shade of green Isabela had ever seen. Now, they were glittering with suppressed tears, and Isabela felt another sharp spike of wrath. Ryan would get his soon.

"You have a look as if someone kicked your puppy. Who did it, Kitten? I'll turn them into carrion." She said this with so much light-hearted anger that she coaxed a smile from Tiaret, if a watery one.

"It's nothing, Messa Isabela. Don't worry about it." Tiaret started to turn back to her food, but Isabela placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Was it Ryan? Because I can take Ryan." Isabela raised an eyebrow. "I'm serious. I can take him."

Tiaret sighed. "I don't know what I did wrong," she moaned. "But he didn't let me go with them. I don't understand. Was I just that stupid?"

"Of _course not_, Kitten!" Isabela said, horrified. "You're a great recruit."

"Then why am I here, and not out there?" Tiaret challenged. The older woman hesitated. There was no certainty that Tiaret would understand, but Isabela was fairly confident that she would take the reason with grace and sophistication.

"Come on. If I'm going to tell you, I'll have to tell you somewhere private." Tiaret's eyebrows pricked up like the ears of a dog, and she scooped up her bacon and followed Isabela out of the mess hall and into a deserted library. 

Isabela turned to the young woman, the mischief building in her chest hidden by the seriousness of her expression and tone. "Now, what I'm about to tell you is top secret information, Kitten. Understand?"

"Completely!" Tiaret assured her. 

"It doesn't leave this room that I was the one who told you, okay?" This was important. Ryan could have her job if he learned she told Tiaret, particularly if she went through with the possibly Very Bad idea that was starting to take form in her head.

"Of course!" Tiaret said hurriedly, nodding. "I didn't hear it from you. A bird told me." Isabela nodded, reassured.

"Alright. You know who your parents are, right?" Tiaret nodded. That, at least, was no real secret. Tiaret's family was a well-regarded noble line in Morgania, specifically in the economic powerhouse city of Dai'lean, an enormous, thriving port city that Isabela frequented, enjoying its bars full of drunken, talkative patrons, and rather exotic brothels. Not that she told anyone about the brothels.

"Sir Ryan was there when the seeress read your life fortune. He's friends- well... he _was_ friends with your father. The seeress said you would be a great Dragontamer, but ultimately..." Isabela hesitated. How much was Tiaret able to take in right now? She glanced at the younger woman.

Tiaret was practically hopping on her toes with impatience, her eyes riveted on Isabela. With a sigh, Isabela continued. "Ultimately, you would never return as the heir to your mother, despite the fact that you were the best choice." Not _quite_ the truth, but part of it. It would do for now.

"Well, your parents were _very_ reluctant to let you go. They stalled and stalled and called in a dozen favors to try and keep you. But the law of Ulster stood, and since your seeress foresaw this for you, you were taken here. But your grandmother, the matriarch then and now, told Sir Ryan that if you died, no Dragontamer would be welcome in Dai'lean again, and that if you came back as a Dragontamer, you'd be the only one welcome." Tiaret's jaw dropped. "Exactly."

"That's insane. Why would she... wait... then how do _you_ get there?" Tiaret asked, startled. 

"I'm a spy, Kitten," Isabela answered flippantly. "It's my job to sneak into places." Tiaret shook her head, amazed. Isabela remembered seeing Tiaret's grandmother; a tall, beautiful, gray-haired woman known for her wisdom, kindness, and stubbornness. Isabela had heard of other nobility trying to convince her to allow Dragontamers back in, but she'd always stood firm. Isabela probably shouldn't have liked her as much as she did, but the added danger of going to Dai'lean made her job even more fun.

"Can she even do that?" Tiaret asked abruptly, kicking Isabela out of her reverie. 

"The Mahariak family is incredibly old and influential," she answered. "They're the unofficial rulers of Dai'lean. They control and fund the guard, so, yes. She can do that, and she has been since you left Morgania." Tiaret shook her head slowly.

"It makes sense, at least. Why Sir Ryan wants to send me back..." Tiaret looked thoughtful, as if she was reevaluating her assumptions on Ryan, which was all well and good, but Isabela had other plans.

"Still want to be a Dragontamer?" She asked slyly. Tiaret met Isabela's eyes so sharply that she cricked her neck.

"What?" She gasped, staring in wonder at her friend. Isabela laughed.

"Ameel and I can fly you. You'll still have to navigate though; I can't remember where the Rookery is. We'll get you decked out, and you'll get there around the same time as the other recruits. You'll have to sneak in, but that'll just prove you're good enough, especially if you live." 

"Isn't that against the rules?" Tiaret asked, though she seemed excited, clenching her fists in front of her and jumping a little. Isabela grinned. 

"Yes. But it's been done. Usually it doesn't end well. They either get lost in the hills and die, or they make to the Rookery and die. But those are the recruits that legitimately needed to go home, and even then, sometimes, they managed to steal an egg and get out alive."

Tiaret was beaming, but the grin suddenly fell from her lips. 

"What if I don't make it?" She asked, horrified. "Then Dragontamers wouldn't be able to get back into Dai'lean."

"Yes..." Isabela said slowly. "But I really think you can make it, Tiaret. And besides. What do _you_ want?" Tiaret stared at Isabela as if the question had never been asked to her. She frowned slightly, her eyes flaring with determination.

"I want to be a Dragontamer."

~*~

Ten minutes later, Tiaret and Isabela were hurrying to the center of the courtyard, Tiaret now wearing a dark buff coat, leather pants, light, waterproof boots, and a long hooded overcoat of wool, Isabela now wearing a thick coat over her outfit. 

Tiaret's hands clenched and  unclenched around the hilt of her short sword, the bow strapped to her back flailing with the shrieking wind, as Isabela let out a sharp whistle. Isabela turned to Tiaret and grinned, her teeth gleaming white in the darkness. 

"Relax. You'll do great."

With a strangely quiet thud, a dragon landed next to Isabela, its tawny, leathery flesh the same color as Isabela's eyes. It glanced from Tiaret to Isabela, and its head tilted to one side in a rather birdlike motion that seemed questioning.

"We're taking Tiaret here to the Rookery, Ameel." Isabela said cheerfully over the gale. "Think you can fly there?" Ameel looked up at the slightly purplish clouds and the lightning jumping from one section of cloud to the next, and nodded before looking back to Isabela. "Ameel says that we'll have to stay low to the ground, but he should be able to take the wind. Get on." Isabela swung herself onto Ameel's back and held out her hand.

Tiaret hesitated. Despite Isabela's confidence and her own knowledge, there was the serious chance that Tiaret wouldn't make it. Being taken to the Rookery didn't mean she'd survive; plenty who went never returned

She looked up and found Isabela's eyes on her, watching her carefully.

"You can do it, Tiaret," she said gently. Tiaret's back straightened. The young woman nodded, grabbed Isabela's hand, and pulled herself onto the dragon.

~*~

The Rookery was a scary sight, looming over everything that surrounded it. Ameel landed heavily off to the far side of it, allowing Tiaret and Isabela to jump off. Isabela turned to Tiaret and started lecturing quickly.

"Now, it looks like the other recruits have already gone in," she said quickly. "The dragons could wake up if one of them is careless, but if you're quiet, you should be able to slip in and out. Stealth is key when you're not big and strong, or you don't have magic." Tiaret nodded, gripping her daggers even tighter. "When you see the egg, you'll know. Don't ask me how; something to do with soul connections or Fate. Ask the First Raven if you're really curious. But _don't_ grab the first egg you see, unless you get that feeling."

"What does it feel like?" Tiaret asked quietly. 

"Hard to explain." Isabela answered with a shrug. "You'll know it when you see it. It's like... _recognition._ A stirring. I don't know." Tiaret nodded again, excepting the fact that Fate's hints were difficult to describe. Isabela looked from Tiaret to the Rookery, and when she turned back, the Morganian was startled to see worry in her eyes.

"Be careful." The Marshlander said freverently. "Okay?" 

Tiaret nodded, turned, and started to climb the sheer wall of the Rookery. It was a hard impulse to control, but ultimately, she didn't look back.

--

There. _NOW_ I'm done.


----------



## ThreadWhisperer (Apr 7, 2011)

In the immortal words of Charlton Heston... Damn you, Damn you all to hell.... You pick the worst places to stop!!! LOL I say this because I am locked into this story, you have done what few writers have been able to do to me in the fantasy genre, which puts you in league with the likes of Harry Harrison, Orson Scott Card, and Terry Brooks to name a few. 

I am truly enjoying the story even if it is making me wait for more at the worst (best) possible times. The sad part for you is that being so engrossed in the story will make me a poor critique'r and only the very obvious such as, "_plunging neckline and *a hemline *with a hemline that_ " will catch my eye.  Thanks for sharing more of the story and for continuing work on it even while pursuing other writes.

All the best,
TW


----------



## AvA (Apr 7, 2011)

At first skim, this seemed like a Dragon Age 2 fan fic.

But it isn't, right?


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Apr 7, 2011)

No, it's not. I just violently kidnapped some names. The actual descriptions and character concepts were there before I got Dragon Age 2, but I won't lie. The game provides a lot of images in my head. But that doesn't mean that descriptions aren't subject to change.


----------



## ThreadWhisperer (Apr 9, 2011)

Honestly loving the story Sheridan, and very appreciative of the efforts and time you are giving to it! There was one more small thing I noticed on my re-read of the second portion here...

"_Apparently her faith in the old stick-in-the-mud was as misplaced as she thought_."

This just seems to negate itself in the single statement, Her faith in him misplaced as she thought... if she thought putting faith in him would be misplaced then she never truly had faith in him to begin with so the statement just seems out of sorts to me. 

Another section that caught me was...

_Isabela answered flippantly. "It's my job to sneak in places."_ <<- Should be into I think, in places makes it sound like she is only supposed to sneak here, or there, but not everywhere... instead of sneaking into anyplace she wants/needs to.. Might just be me that feels that way though. 

_Merrill now wearing *in* a dark buff coat_ <<- Remove in 

....
*There. NOW I'm done.*
Done? DONE!!?? Oh I think not, you have a book to finish!  LOL 

A very enjoyable read and again my thanks for sharing it. 

All the best,
TW


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Apr 13, 2011)

Okay, so before I move on with the story, I have a question for my... two and a half readers.

So, the names of this story (and most of the character descriptions) have been from Dragon Age 2. I admit that. Recently, I told my guy friend about my story and he said that Merrill was a housewife name, not a hero name. Today, he suggested the name Tiaret (TIE-ret), with Tia (TIE or TEE-uh) for short. Now, I was watching Alice in Wonderland, so my image of the MC is completely different now (Oh Mia Wasikowska, you beautiful, soothing-voiced creature...). I feel as though I'm distancing myself from Dragon Age 2 now, which is good.

Since I'm going to be going back and changed some descriptions anyway, do you think I should change the MC's name from Merrill to Tiaret? 

P.S. For your brain images, the people I imagine when I think of my characters:

MC: Julie McNiven

Alder: Max Adler

Elise: Summer Glau

Isaac: An older Rupert Grint, perhaps?

Ryan: Ray Winstone; he was pretty BAMF in the King Arthur movie as Bors.

Isabela: Something like this. Shut up! CGI Leliana's hot!

Cullen: Jake Abel

Gavaine: No one in particular, but someone like this.

I don't think there's anyone else at this point....


----------



## Razzazzika (Apr 13, 2011)

before I got to the second page of threads I was so going to comment on the dragon age similarities too haha, that and one of the travellers from DJ MacHale's Pendragon series was named Alder.

As for renaming characters, definately. Rename your places and things too. For you to have a Laandsmeet and a Harrowing and a Merril and an Isabella and Hawks... it's all just... a bit odd

EDIT: Tiaret is a really cool and original sounding name

EDIT2: OH SNAP! You don't wanna do this, copyright infringement probably ---> Be careful." The Rivaini said freverently. "Okay?" Isabela from Rivain? tsk tsk.


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Apr 13, 2011)

Hawks I don't think is too big of a thing. I'm definitely changing Merrill and Rivian and Harrowing. I've never read the Pendragon series, so I'm keeping Alder, and Isabela's a simple enough name. I like Landsmeet; I actually wasn't thinking of Dragon Age when I named it. I was just thinking that it was in the center of the landmass where it all came together.

Tsk tsk indeed. I'm too influenced by outside sources, but they tend to more be... working names and titles. Unofficial, chosen so that I can progress the story quickly.


----------



## Ajay (Apr 14, 2011)

So, when's the next fix coming out ? We need our dope man =P

It was amazing and I want more... So, Write, my good fellow, write. =D


----------



## AvA (Apr 14, 2011)

If pronounced as TIE-RET, Tiaret would sound awfully close to 'zipper' in Flemish. :lol: Or it could just be the '...ret' which turns me off.

For a short name (or even a 'long' name), Tia sounds find.


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Apr 14, 2011)

HA! Well, it's Egyptian, and the way my friend pitched it, he pronounced it "TIE-ret", with "Tie" being the nickname. XD 

--

The caverns of the Rookery were incredibly hot and dimly lit. Sweat began to get in her eyes and dampen her hair before she'd reached the first cavern, defying the cool rain and wind of the moor. Once she got to the opening of the cave, Tiaret discarded her overcoat and squinted into the darkness before here.

The first tunnel split off in three directions, with the sound of relaxed breathing and what could only be snores echoing from all of them, more or less. They were dimly lit, a soft, phosphorescent glow coming from random outcroppings of crystals that grew along the walls and ceiling of the tunnels. 

Gripping her daggers (both of which seemed totally useless at the moment) and resisting the urge to look back over the moor, Tiaret hurried into the middle tunnel.

The dim light of the crystals allowed her to watch for turns, but there were none. While tunnel twisted a bit, it didn't branch off at all.

After a hundred meters or so, the tunnel opened into a cavern the size of the mess hall. She halted in the doorway, her heart plunging and settling somewhere around her navel.

The enormous cavern was full of dragons of varying colors and sizes. Some slept alone or in pairs, others slept in great kitten piles, a mass of color. One stunningly large group of crystal grew from the high ceiling, its dim light revealing all. There was some room to walk, narrow strips of rock between contentedly sleeping dragons, but it would be slow, careful going. 

But abruptly, Tiaret's attention was caught not by the dragons, but by what some of the solitary dragons had wrapped themselves around. Nests, seven in all, made of dry grass and molted skin, and nestled in the nests were veritable treasure troves. Each nest held at least three of varying colors, from white to black, gold to silver, and all the colors of the rainbow and everything in between.

Yet looking at each brought no feeling of recognition. She suppressed a sigh of disappointment and supposed that it was too much to ask that the first egg was the one she was meant to have. 

She turned to leave, and her nose hit something very hard and cold. Stumbling back with a muffled curse, she felt a hand grip her shoulder.

"Tia? What are you doing here?" She looked up at Alder, the young man's eyes concerned and horrified. "You're not supposed to be here!"

"Isabela," she said. That was enough to explain it all. Alder sighed and scowled.

"I'll show to how to get to the main descending point. There are ropes you can use to get down."

"Alder!" Tiaret hissed. "You and I both know I should be here! I was cheated!"

"Sir Ryan must have had a reason!" Alder whispered back sharply. Tiaret winced, because he really _had_ had a fairly good reason.

"He may have," Tia said softly. "But I still deserve to be here." 

Alder's scowl deepened, and he opened his mouth to reply. But before he could, an animal roar of complete outrage echoed deafeningly through the caverns. They both clapped their hands over their ears until it was over, and when they looked up, the eye of every dragon was open, and staring right at them.

"Please tell me you have something more than those table knives." Alder hissed as he drew his weapon, a simple long sword, and backed up slowly. Tiaret shook her head jerkily. The dragons were all slowly rising from their sleeping positions, their catlike pupils contracted into slits, their teeth bared menacingly as a symphony of snarls reverberated through the cavern and the sound of death cries and battle echoed from other parts of the Rookery. 

"When they charge," Alder continued quietly. "And believe me, they _will_ charge... We run together until the first split off. Then we go in opposite directions. Got it?"

Before Tiaret could do any more than open her mouth, a great, slate-gray dragon roared, and every dragon leapt at them. The two recruits turned and fled.

The dragons were stronger, and definitely had more stamina, but Tiaret was small and fast. Despite it all, she tried to stay even with Alder who, in his heavy armor, was tiring quickly. She grabbed his wrist and tried to drag him with her as the snarls and roars and scratching came closer and closer. When the split off came, she was reluctant to leave him, but he gasped "Go!" and shoved her one way as he went another. Barely regaining her momentum, she ran down a narrower passage, leaving the dragons behind her. Or so she thought. After a moment of silence, a blinding light pressed up from behind her, and the heat abruptly intensified.

With a shriek, Tiaret flung herself down the next corridor, the fire catching her pant leg as she fell to the ground. As the flame ate away at it, she slapped at the flame and beat it out, gasping for air as the wall of fire died away, and roars of irritation echoed from where she'd come.

Her thigh throbbed with a searing pain, and it was several moments of careful, shaky breathing before she'd pushed the pain back far enough to reach into one of her belt pouches and pull out a small container made of jade. Isabela had nicked it from First Raven Ariadne's storeroom before they'd left; it was a jar of healing salve, infused with magic. Tiaret hadn't been thrilled about Isabela stealing it at the time, but now she was intensely grateful. She carefully smeared it on the burn through the hole burned out of her pants, and sighed contentedly as the pain ebbed and the flesh healed over. 

_I love you, Isabela,_ she thought reverently as she got up and placed the jar back into her pouch with care. She listened and found that the sounds of rather one-sided battle had died down, with only the occasional cry or scream. Swallowing, she crept out of her sanctuary and back into the narrow passageway. 

She was immediately barreled into by Cullen, red-faced and clutching a burgundy egg to his chest protectively. His forehead was bleeding and he looked as if he'd just fought the fight of his life. Despite the rather wild look in his eyes, he stuttered out a reflex apology.

"S-sorry- Wait... _Tiaret?_" He looked positively scandalized. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at-" He was cut off by an angry roar from behind him. He cringed. "Forget it." His indignant look gone as quickly as it had come, he hurried past her. "Be careful!" He called back behind him. Tiaret watched him leave and crept down towards the place the roar had sounded. 

Light, brighter than what was given off by the crystals, poured in from down the hall, along with ragged breathing and the occasional sound of pain. Tiaret's eyes took a moment to adjust, then her hand went to her dagger and she stepped into the light.

Less a cavern and more akin to a room, it was smaller than the others, as if it was meant to be private. One of the walls was nonexistent, allowing in natural light, a view of the moor below, and a breeze that made the space much cooler than the rest of the Rookery. Blood drenched the floor, pouring from both the corpse of a female recruit whose name Tiaret couldn't remember, and from the young, copper dragon on facing her. Its teeth were bared, but it seemed weak on its feet, blood pouring from several wounds all over its body, and its wing had an ugly twist in it at one bat-like joint.

The dragon's green eyes looked from Tiaret's face to the daggers, and a snarl, weak but still strangely fierce, dragged through its clenched teeth.

Morganians had a natural tendency towards nature. Tiaret remembered her mother teaching her the language of the trees and rivers, of the birds and the fish.  There wasn't really any reason to know them; it was a frivolous thing to learn, like singing or playing an instrument. When Tiaret was first taken to Landsmeet, she was told that her knowledge of the languages of nature probably wouldn't be very useful.

But at that moment, seeing that young dragon pushed into a corner and possibly unable to fly, Tiaret figured that trying to speak to it would be better than attacking it. Drawing her daggers drew another outraged snarl from the dragon, but it blinked in surprise when Tiaret placed them on the ground and kicked them away. 

"Fairfarren, Dragon," Tiaret said haltingly, drudging up the old language of the wind, which wasn't one she was terribly familiar with, but it seemed like the one most likely for the dragon to know. "I want to help." The dragon's head tilted in a birdlike fashion, but it did nothing but watch warily as Tiaret approached, each footstep cautious. As Tiaret reached for the pouch holding the salve, a dangerous growl rumbled up, but Tiaret quickly whispered assurances until the dragon relaxed ever so slightly, allowing the young woman access to its broken wing. 

Infinitely careful, Tiaret snapped the bones back into place and, ignoring the pained groan, slathered nearly a quarter of the salve onto the wing, quietly hoping beyond hope that it would work.

The dragon straightened in shock and extended its wing to its full length. Tiaret ducked out of the way, grinning, her heart pounding, feeling as if she was in a world separate from the fighting and rage of mere minutes before. The wings settled back into their natural position, and the dragon seemed to look at the recruit with new eyes. Then, hesitantly, as if going against its better judgement, it shifted and allowed Tiaret to see what was behind it.

Nestled in a ring of rock were four eggs, each a different color, glistening and slick-looking with membrane. Tiaret gasped and turned to the dragon in wonder. 

"This is a room where dragons lay their eggs." A blink, and then a birdlike motion towards the eggs. Tiaret turned and looked at them.

One was a rich gold, another blood red, and yet another pitch black. But the one that drew Tiaret's eyes was a beautiful green, like the leaves on the trees of Dai'lean or the moss on the rocks. She felt as if she was looking at someone she knew, but hadn't seen in a very long time. The sort of feeling that comes with the phrase _"Oh, it's you!"_ 

She knelt and carefully lifted the egg, still sticky, from the company of its kin, and cradled it in her arms. The dragon seemed to approve, and nudged a large pouch at her belt suggestively. It watched as she placed the egg into the pouch and cinched it tight, then jerked its head towards the drop to the moor. Tiaret bowed her head in thanks, a gesture the dragon returned, and started her climb down.

~*~

When Tiaret reached the ground, Sir Ryan, Sir Isaac, Isabela, and the remaining recruits had already made their way to her. Sir Isaac looked throughly relieved, Isabela thrilled, but Sir Ryan was clearly furious. Out of the dozen recruits that had gone, only four remained, not including Tiaret. Alder, Elise, Cullen, and a warrior named Elvina stood behind the three officers, looking proud, smug, impressed, and curious, respectively.

"When I said you weren't coming," Sir Ryan snarled, towering over Tiaret in his rage. "I meant it. What on earth made you think this act of insubordination would get you into the Dragontamers?!" Tiaret swallowed, her stomach clenched too tightly for her to speak.

"Ryan, calm down!" Isabela said happily. "She made it, didn't she?" Sir Ryan whirled on the Marshlander, his hands raising as if he was incredibly tempted to strangle her.

"And you!" He roared. "I should have your office for this! I _will_ have your-"

"Isabela is under my command, Sir Ryan." Sir Isaac said, quietly but pointedly. "Rest assured that this will be discussed. Later." Sir Ryan turned to his comrade as Isabela smirked smugly.

"Isaac, are you really saying-"

"I. Said. _Later._" The quiet, cold tone startled everyone, even the seemingly irrepressible Isabela, into silence. Sir Ryan's jaw clenched as the smaller man continued. "No matter what you said, Tia still has her place among the Dragontamers. So, congratulations everyone. You survived." Isabela whooped and punched the air as the survivors relaxed. "Everyone get on a dragon. We'll take you back to the keep."

No one rode with Sir Ryan. The man was clearly incensed, and kept shooting glares at the two Hawks, who loaded the former recruits, now officially apprentices, onto their dragons. Cullen, Tiaret and Elise rode with Isabela on Ameel, while Cruz, the larger of the two dragons, carried Sir Isaac, Elvina and Alder. As the dragons soared through the air, the storm quieted and the winds calmed. Cullen leaned forward from his position behind Tiaret, who was sandwiched between him and Isabela.

"So. Daisy," he said. "How'd you do it?"

"Do what, Cullen?" Tiaret asked with some irritation at the nickname. 

"Everything. Get here. Get a dragon egg." He waved his hands in a vague emotion. "Everything."

"How'd you?" Tia asked challengingly. Her fellow apprentice shrugged.

"Same as the others really. Walked there, which was shitty because it was raining and windy. Climbed up, went with that recruit Alisha through. We found the nest with my egg in it, but the dragon was awake and set off an alarm. It killed Alisha and wounded me, but Alisha crippled its wing, I think." His tone was odd, and when she looked back at him, she saw a look of regret and guilt on his face. "I grabbed my egg and ran. Into you." He raised an eyebrow, meeting her eye. "So?"

"Well..." Tia said slowly. "Isabela flew me here. I climbed up, and I was in the main cavern with Alder when that dragon raised the alarm. We ran and split up. I ran into you and..." She carefully explained what happened, trying to understate the remarkable. It didn't work, and after she finished, Cullen, Elise and Isabela were all staring at her in shock. Tia felt and heard Ameel hum in a decidedly content manner, but before any of her companions could question her further, the dragon landed down in the courtyard of the keep.

Several full Dragontamers were waiting to meet them. Among them was Messa Gwyn, the Second Eagle, a tall, proud, red headed Venezian in full plate , and the First and Second Ravens, Ariadne, a graceful, willowy Morganian dressed all in pale purple and Esca, a tall, dry-humored Ayan mage with a limp that he earned in the war between Marshland and Aya. 

"Congratulations, everyone." Lady Ariadne said with a smile. "You've successfully taken the first step towards full membership into our illustrious order. Your belongings have been moved to the apprentice dorms- Yes, Miss Tahariak, even yours," she said, answering a question Tiaret had only just opened her mouth to ask. "And you will all attend the Naming Ceremony tomorrow, where the names of your dragons shall be chosen, and your mentor assigned."

"You thought _this_ was bad," Esca said dryly. "Wait till you start your apprenticeship!"

"Don't frighten them, Esca." Gywn scolded gently. Before anyone could say anything else, a series of sharp cracks echoed through the courtyard, cutting off all conversation. The apprentices quickly pulled out their eggs: Alder's was a rich sunset orange, while Elise's was a soft violet. While Tiaret couldn't speak for her friends, her own egg jumped and throbbed in her hands as hairline cracks erupted across the surface of the egg. Tiaret quickly knelt and placed the egg on the grass, as did the others.

Cullen's opened first. A leg, a miniature version of the limbs of the adults nearby, broke out of the egg and flailed wildly. Then a wing freed itself, and another leg, and a tail...

Each hatchling was slowly breaking free of their confines. Tiamet watched in wonder as the flat, arrow-shaped head of her dragon burst free, and its enormous green eyes blinked rapidly up at her. It wiggled, and eventually it was simply surrounded by shards of egg, stretching its wings and chirping with glee. The others had broken free as well, and Tiaret was relieved to see that the other apprentices were just as clueless about what to do next as she was. 

The baby dragon in front of her blinked up, its pupils dilated into wide, relaxed circles, its leathery green flesh wet with membrane. Slowly, Tia reached out her hand, and the little dragon loped over and gnawing on her hand. Its teeth were nonexistent, but it continued to gum her fingers cheerfully. 

Tiaret gently lifted the hatchling in her arms and cradled it in her arms. It snuggled against her, purring. The adults, even Ryan, grinned.

"Take very good care of them, apprentices." Ariadne said gently. "They will remain your comrades until you die. Now go get something to eat and enjoy your day."

--

There. I think that's a good ending for the chapter. ^ ^


----------



## Ajay (Apr 14, 2011)

Did you really just stop there ? T_T

I must say, I was completely hooked onto every word, and I like your description of the cavern and the nests. I do have one small piece of advice though, could you please NOT leave us hanging like this ? xD

Anyway, as you may have gathered, I'm desperately waiting for the next installment.


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Apr 14, 2011)

Done with the recent chapter. Enjoy. ^ ^


----------



## Ajay (Apr 14, 2011)

Uh... Where is it ? =/


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Apr 14, 2011)

I wasn't done with the last chapter. I added to it. XD A lot.


----------



## ThreadWhisperer (Apr 14, 2011)

_There. I think that's a good ending for the chapter. ^ ^_

Yup... ok Chapter II... Hope it is posted by tomorrow... LOL

Noticed an oops 
_Each hatchling was slowly breaking free of their confines. *Tiamet* watched in wonder_

Also a possible consideration is when you are referring to other characters home towns/countries it might help to give just a one or two sentence description of the basic area, or even just a couple adjectives in front of the names. I find having those in a story of a land I have never read about before helps me to get to know the names of the places better as I am able to put some kind of familiarity with them.

For example:

_Esca, a tall, dry-humored Ayan mage with a limp that he earned in the war between Marshland and Aya. _

Marshland and the forested city of Aya
Marshland and the hillside city of Aya
etc...

Just a thought and by no means a criticism. Still very hooked into the story and not ever having played/read/seen (??) Dragon Age I may look into it if this story has been inspired this richly from it. :thumbl:

I do hope there will be more of it to come, and very much thank you for what has been given already. Truly enjoyed the scene between Tia and the coppery dragon, that was very cool.

All the best,
TW


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Apr 15, 2011)

Dragon Age II is awesome. It's an excellent roleplay game, and I suggest it for everyone who likes fantasy RPs. Particularly if you liked Baldur's Gate. It's by the same people.

--

The Naming began the next day, in the High Hall of the main wing. It was a large, circular room with a dome roof and windows of stained glass. The footsteps of the new apprentices echoed off the white marble floors and walls. And the three Firsts, Sir Isaac, Lady Ariadne and Sir Ryan, stood in the center, watching the five survivors stand before them in the white robes of initiation. The dragons of the Firsts stood behind them as well, the room being big enough to include them. Naya and Cruz stood slightly behind their riders, Naya looking rather bored, Cruz watching the proceedings with interest. Morrigan, Ariadne's black dragon, watched everyone with her disconcerting yellow eyes.

The Dragontamers watched with looks of pride and anticipation, but remained silent. Ariadne spoke.

"The Naming is simple. You will be chosen by your mentor, and then the gender and name of your dragon will be given to you and the Naming complete. Now, Cullen of Aya. What discipline do you choose?"

"The discipline of the Raven, Lady Ariadne." Cullen said firmly.

 Lady Ariadne smiled. "Who will accept Cullen of Aya?"

The Second Raven limped forward. "I will, Lady,"  he said. Ariadne nodded to him, and turned back to the others as he went to stand by Cullen.

"Gavaine of Venezia. What discipline do you choose?" 

"The discipline of the Eagle, Lady." Gavaine looked tense, but sure of herself. Ariadne turned to the crowd of Dragontamers.

"Who will accept Gavaine of Venezia?" An Eagle named Donnic stepped forward, was recognized, and went to stand by Elvina.

"Elise of Morgania. What discipline do you choose?" Ariadne asked. Elise stood a little straighter.

"The discipline of the Raven, Lady Ariadne," she said, matching the First Raven in strength and clarity of voice. The woman smiled.

"Who will accept Elise of Morgania?" A tall, elderly Raven named Orsino stepped forward and claimed her. Ariadne gave her consent, and he went to stand by Elise.

"Alder of Venezia. What discipline do you choose?" Ariadne asked, her smile still on her lips. Alder took a deep  breath.

"The discipline of the Eagle, my lady," he said, his hands clenching and relaxing almost compulsively.

"Who will accept Alder of Venezia?" An Eagle called Clarise stepped forward and granted permission. If Alder had any qualms about being taught by a woman, he gave no sign of it.

"Tiaret of Morgania." Lady Ariadne said gently. "What discipline do you choose?" Sir Ryan shuffled irritably.

"The discipline of the Hawk. My lady."

"Who will accept Tiaret of Morgania?" A beat, then Isabela stepped forward. 

"Lady Ariadne, I'd love to teach her." A rather wicked smile lit her features, and Lady Ariadne sighed.

"What you'll teach her, I hesitate to guess. Very well, Isabela. Teach her well." 

Isabela beamed and practically skipped over to Tiaret, who was grinning broadly.

"Alright. Let the Naming continue." The other mentors whispered in the apprentices ears, and Isabela leaned over.

"Her name is Genevieve. It means 'Lady of the People'." Tiaret frowned at her new mentor.

"How do you know?" She asked. Isabela winked.

"I asked. You'll see later." Tia frowned deeper, but didn't get to expand on the conversation.

"Cullen of Aya. Who is your dragon?" 

"His name is Kosta, my lady," he said quietly, cradling the burgundy dragon in his arms with a slight grin.

"A good name." Ariadne said cheerfully. "It means steadfast. Gavaine, who is your dragon?"

"His name is Greer, Lady Ariadne." Gavaine said, a smile on her lips, her bronze dragon wriggling in her arms like a rowdy baby. 

"Excellent. 'Guardian', correct? Yes, a fitting name. Elise?"

"She is Arwen, Lady," the young mage said, her hand petting the dragon down the length of her back.

"'Royal Maiden'. Interesting. Alder, who is your dragon?"

"Arathorn, my lady," he said with a grin. Ariadne laughed.

"'Royal eagle'. We expect great things from you, with a name like that," she said, her voice still bubbling with chuckles. She turned to Tiaret and smiled widely. "Tiaret. Who is your dragon?"

"Genevieve, Lady Ariadne," Tiaret said, her fingers absently rubbing the membrane of the dragon's wing. "Her name is Genevieve."

"'Lady of the People'," the First Raven said quietly. "Interesting. The names of dragons are chosen by Fate Herself. Hold them close, and know that from now on, you are not alone."

~*~

_Genevieve_​
The older dragons told me not to worry about the Naming.

"It's just something the humans do," they said. "Pomp and show. Rather overdone, honestly. Just tell the person who is not your human mama your name and that's all you need to do."

And so it was. Afterward, Human Mama and I are both moved to a very nice room. Human Mama marvels at the bed, bouncing on it and rolling from one end to another. It is a very nice bed.

"I don't know what's going to happen now," Human Mama admits that night. "Or how much we'll see each other."

"Oh, well see each other all the time, Human Mama." I say reassuringly. But unlike the older humans here, she can't hear me. 

"I wonder what it'll be like," she says quietly, moving her fingertips through a candle flame. "Training to be a Hawk." She sighs and looks very preoccupied.

I look at her closely. She is pretty to humans, and rather pretty to dragons too, but I think that is because of the magic. Every Morganian I see has magic glowing from inside them, inside their blood and essence. Probably because of how close Morgania is to the beginning of the Tearing. Her hair is long and red and wavy, and she has a rather pale face. Her eyes are so dark green that they contrasts sharply with the rest of her coloring. She is tallish, but strong, with strong-looking legs and arms, and a well-formed torso. I wonder if she has a mate. Pretty people and pretty dragons tend to have mates, don't they?

She sighs again and turns to me. "Well, it's time for bed, Ginny. Come up." I jump happily up onto her bed and snuggle down into the blankets with her as she blows the candle out.

~*~

I am often left with Ameel while Human Mama trained, but she isn't always with Isabela. Every Hawk has something useful to show apprentices, and so Human Mama learns from everyone. Isabela can fight very fast, her daggers barely visible, but Human Mama is better at shooting arrows. An Ayan named Hedrith can run across a tightrope, a Venezian called Morgol can play the mandola, a Morganian called Fael can create and read maps. Spies need to know many things, more than mages or warriors. At the very least, the talents are far more widespread.

The five apprentices spend a great deal of time together. The other dragons are my playmates, but sometimes we curl up next to our mamas and papas and listen to their conversations.

"I kid you not, Daisy, it was _this big!_" Cullen holds his hands out about a foot or so apart. Human Mama laughs.

"Impossible. I've seen plenty, and they're never that big." She sounds certain, but Cullen is insistent.

"Would I lie about something like this? _Really?_" 

Gavaine, who's been cleaning her blade and determinedly Not Listening for several minutes now, finally looks up.

"I can't do it anymore. What on earth are you two talking about?" She looks pained, and Cullen and Human Mama burst out laughing.

"Knives!" Human Mama giggles. "Well, _daggers_ really. Why?" She grins. "What did you think we were talking about?" Gavaine does not dignify that with a response.

"Do you deliberately act dirty?" Alder asks with a raised eyebrow. "Or is it just natural to you?" Human Mama throws a roll at him, but says nothing.

~*~

Every apprentice smells different, even if they're both mages or warriors. Cullen smells like herbs and potions and a little bit like lightning. Elise smells like ice and fire and blood. Alder smells like straw and wood and steel. Gavaine smells like steel and blood and sweat. Human Mama smells like hemp and wood and bread. I don't know why she smells like bread, but it's a nice smell and I don't complain.

Months pass and the apprentices harden and mature. It was all green and foggy when I hatched and now it's bitterly cold. Snow falls, but training doesn't slow. If anything, it intensifies. 

One snowy day, Sir Ryan comes into the library when Human Mama is reading a history book to me. It's about the Tearing, which is very interesting. Many hundreds of years ago, the four districts of Aurora Major, the desert land of Helmi, the country of Ulster, the Teardrop Islands, and the Floating Mountains, were all one big landmass called Aurora. But the peoples of Aurora had been fighting for nearly a hundred years, and the overlords of Aurora, the Conclave of Magi, were desperate. They pooled their power, and called on the gods to end the fighting. This led to the landmass of Aurora being torn into the four districts, and the spirit world, Aurora Minor, coming into being in the center. 

Sir Ryan taps on her shoulder and jolts her out of the story. We both look up at him, and he smiles down at me. 

"Genevieve." He looked at Human Mama as if she was someone he'd rather not talk to. "Tiaret."

"Sir Ryan." She's clearly confused; Sir Ryan never talks to her, since she's a Hawk and he's an Eagle and he was never pleased with her being a Dragontamer anyway.

"Your grandmother has sent you some things," he says slowly. Human Mama stands so quickly that I tumble onto the floor. 

"My grandmother?" She asks, her voice very quiet and strangled. Sir Ryan nods. "Where are they?" 

We follow Sir Ryan to the Main Hall, into his office. There, in front of his desk, was a trunk inlaid with silver and emblazoned with a strange insignia on the front. Human Mama kneels before it, touching the insignia reverently.

"The Mahariak family crest," she whispers, before slowly opening the trunk. Sir Ryan stands back by the door, silent.

The first thing she pulls out is a dark, elegant bow, the length of the limbs carved with delicate swirls and whorls, along with a strange inscription: _"Not for the sake of one, but for the sake of all"_

"The Tahariak family motto," Sir Ryan supplies quietly. "Dragontamers are supposed to be free of allegiances to individual countries or cities, but... We felt it wouldn't be right to keep these things from you." Human Mama nods absently, then carefully places the bow next to her and takes out the next item.

It's a full suit of chain-mail, only it has holes where the crook of the elbow and the armpits and the backs of the knees would be, and it has a strange, greenish tint to it. Human Mama lifts it out very easily, and even as strong as she is now, it shouldn't have been quite that easy. Sir Ryan gasps.

"Wardsteel," he says, startled. "Very valuable. Very rare. Very light and strong. Mined out of the mountains between here and Morgania." He doesn't say anything more, but it seems like he wants to. Human Mama places that down very gently, and picks out a long, soft-looking tunic from the chest. It's clearly supposed to go over the chain-mail. It's a rich green, has no sleeves, and falls to the knee. A belt is cinched around the waist, and the buckle has the crest etched into it. As she folds this and places on top of the chainmail, Sir Ryan steps forward and hands her an envelope.

"This came from your grandmother," he says, his voice surprisingly gentle. Human Mama takes it, opens it, and as she begins to read, I peek over her shoulder.

_Dearest Tiaret,

I'm at a loss on what to say here. I never expected to write this letter, not because I thought you were going to die, but because I thought, foolishly, that my promise to bar any Dragontamer would somehow corral the Generals into sending you back. Clearly, this was not the case, and now that this is reality, I find myself immensely proud. The gifts I've sent are for you; the measurements were sent by Sir Ryan. I hope they provide security and protection for you in the future.

Young Ella is being tutored in magic, and is my current heir. Your brother Cooper has been apprenticed into the city guard. No doubt you remember him being (I'll be blunt) a bit of a tit. He's never been content with his place in our family, but hopefully Guard Captain Irving will give him some discipline. All in all, your siblings seem to be content with their life, and I hope you see fit to write them. Ella in particular was overjoyed to hear you'd passed into apprenticeship. She finds the attention that comes with being heir a bit trying on her health, poor dear. She's strong, however, and I know she'll be alright.

No doubt you heard of the Wailing Fever that ravaged Dai'lean a few years ago._ (Here, water droplets splatter the paper, making the words rather difficult to read.)_ It kills me to write that your parents, my daughter and her husband, were both killed by the dreadful illness. Their souls and bodies were sent to Aurora Minor four years ago. I'm sorry that they were unable to see your triumph, but always remember that they were incredibly proud of you, and would have been as proud as I am now.

Remember to write us, Sweetheart. 

Grandma Leandra_

Human Mama's shoulders shake violently, and a strange sound escapes her as she hides her face in the letter and sobs. I wriggle my way into her arms and she hugs me very close. I hear something change, look up, and see Sir Ryan walk up behind her and place a hand on her shoulder awkwardly. We all stay like that for a long time, mourning memories.

--

Chapter complete.


----------



## Ajay (Apr 17, 2011)

Mama-who-is-not-mama... A bit too much Eragon influence, don't you think ? Its like your writing is an amalgamation of every fantasy-genre related thing that's ever come out in the history of man kind =P


Anyway, loved the chapter, but I think you need to shuffle up the names again a bit, I mean, Isabella is common enough, but Arathorn is DEFINITELY Heir of Isildur and Father of Aragon... =)

Waiting for more...


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Apr 17, 2011)

No... Wow, I hate Eragon... Why would you insult me like that? What did I ever do to you? Eragon...*shudder* 

D: Nu! I looked them up on babynames and they have perfect meanings. Nu. I'm keeping them.

And is it says, the chapter is not complete.


----------



## ThreadWhisperer (Apr 17, 2011)

Enjoying the read.  I was going to mention the mama-who-is-not-mama part but only because of the three repeats so close together and then the conversion to just mama after that. I was thinking perhaps of one mama-who-is-not-mama and then perhaps something like human-mama or something to break up the repetition of the long term. Either way though the rest went ok so with a full chapter it might not be as cumbersome with the three so close together, as long as the term is used very sparingly during the rest. I think it is just the size of the term that makes it so blatant to my mind when I read it... not sure really.

Anyway, cool to see more coming and looking forward to additions in the future. :thumbl:


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (Apr 18, 2011)

Finished the chapter. A page shorter than normal but it's late and I'm dead tired.

Oh, and guys? If you're curious, I have how I imagine the characters on the previous page. Some people have been added.

And I changed Monte's name to Jason, and then Jason to Cullen. And Cullen sounds good, so Cullen it will stay.


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (May 6, 2011)

After the First Flight and the hatching of the dragons, three years passed with uninterrupted training. With each year, the dragon hatchlings grew larger and stronger, and the apprentices learned increasingly difficult skills. 

They watched apprentices who had joined those ranks before them simply appear in the infirmary one day. Some died. The ones that lived joined the ranks of the Tamers. But despite being an assistant in the infirmary, Cullen had no idea what had been wrong with them.

"I wasn't allowed to help," he whispered to his fellows, their foreheads practically pressed together over the table, the chatter of the mess hall nearly drowning out his words. "I just work with idiots that crack their heads on a low-hanging doorway or nearly get their arms cut off by an idiot with an axe. The stuff Esca was doing seemed insanely subtle."

"I wonder what happens," Gavaine said absently. "It must be extreme, for nearly half the apprentices of each year to die."

"It probably involves rabid badgers," Cullen said solemnly. "Or dire chinchillas."

"You're out of your mind," Tia said with a laugh. "And impossible to talk to." 

The young mage bowed slightly, a grin on his face. "I do my best," he said sardonically. 

~*~

In the third year of the apprentices training, the dragons learned to fly. Their bodies had matured completely, and they had grown too big to sleep with their future riders. They slept with the other dragons in the Rookery. The young dragons flew with the adults, sometimes in lazy loops in the air above the keep and other times for long periods, looking like a moving, cloud-like rainbow as they did. They would often return from particularly long flights with blood on their teeth and claws, which their companion humans delicately decided not to ask about.

Eventually, training trickled into nothingness, and the apprentices were having more and more time to themselves. Wistfully, Tia watched her old friends, Alder and Elise, drift away from her, embroiled in their own lives and new friendships. While she would have lapsed into the background with little regret, Tiaret found herself quickly gaining the friendships of Cullen, who had spent the years for their First Flight teasing her, and Gavaine, who she'd never given a second thought before. While meetings with her old friends became increasingly formal and stiff, the conversations between Tiaret and her new companions became increasingly easy. Soon, she forgot that she, Alder and Elise had ever shared secrets and ate and bantered with the others.

In hindsight, it was, perhaps, fate granting her a reprieve.

They came at night, when they were asleep. Tiaret had only just managed to snuggle down into deep sleep when someone shook her. She was awake instantly, up and alert, the knife beneath her pillow clenched in her hand.

Isabela grinned at her in the gloom. Tia relaxed with a sigh.

"Honestly, Isabela," she muttered. "What is it?"

"Time for your Reckoning, Kitten," the older Hawk said briskly. "Get up, get dressed."

Having no idea what the Reckoning was, Tia obeyed out of habit, quickly getting dressed and following her mentor out of the building, and out of the keep. They went quickly across the moor, the moon beaming down and providing all the light they needed. A soft veil of fog blurred their surroundings, but Isabela walked with certainty until the blurry shapes of a strange circle of stones and the warm glow of a fire became visible.

The other four were already there, standing in the center of five strange, tall, intricately carved stones with the Three Generals, the dragons, and an almost barbaric stone table,  the surface worn smooth by countless years of use. It was also stained with a slightly rusty color. Tiaret decided it was best not to dwell on that. 

The dragons of the others stood behind them, the atmosphere of the moor effecting them all strangely. Kosta, lithe and almost serpentine compared to the others, was crouched behind Cullen, the dragon's burgundy eyes flicking all around. Greer sat, tense but apparently fearless, closer to his companion than any of the others. Arathorn growled slightly at the darkness, and Arwen seemed almost scared, trembling and glancing at the stones as if they were creatures of nightmares. 

Genevieve nudged Tia gently with her broad head and stood next to her, watching the Three closely and with interest. She alone seemed calm, almost disinterested.

"Apprentices," Lady Ariadne said quietly, her voice seeming disconnected in the gloom. "The time has come for your final test. Pass, and you shall be Dragontamers. Fail, and your journey to Aurora Minor begins." 

"Pass or die," Cullen said dryly. "Brilliant."

---

I was seriously waiting for you guys to post so I wouldn't double post. THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! DX


----------



## Sheridan Holmes (May 24, 2011)

Um... Oops. I meant to do some edits and ended up quoting. Ignore me.


----------



## Mick Carranza (Oct 16, 2011)

I'll be honest, this is one of the few previews I've seen so far that I didn't want to stop reading. I really enjoyed it! Keep it up.


----------



## Notquitexena (Oct 18, 2011)

I liked it very much. Minor grammatical errors can be caught with a good editor (sometimes even yourself if you allow yourself a little time away from the text). I liked the casual conversation between the dragons and you have done a good job of outlining some of the major characters with only a few sentences of description and dialogue.


----------

