Sure enough, as the storm grew outside, the rocking of the double clutch grew also, until a largish egg split cleanly in two, exposing a cloudy dragonet who for all practical purposes was golden, though it was already clear that she’d never be bigger than an average brown.
“She’s mine!” a young Pernese girl chimed audaciously. “C’mere precious. C’mere Driath.”
The clouded gold hatchling made no move towards Viahue, who had indeed spoken her name. I am NOT a DOG! the tiny queen snarled, flaring out her clouded wings in anger.
“Of course not!” Viahue chirped. “Come now and we’ll get you something nice to eat.”
Driath was not placated, not in the slightest, but she was terribly hungry and followed her bond finally.
“Clouded gold...” the chronicler began, murmuring to himself as he wrote.
No! Snapped Linneth suddenly She is golden DawnShower Driath!
The scribe’s eyes opened wide. “O...kay. Gold DawnShower Driath chose Viahue.” He said, speaking clearly for the Storm Blue’s benefit.
That’s better. Linneth said smugly.
In this time, a second egg had opened quietly, more like the entrance of a scholar than that of a warrior. The hatchling was a pale almost pastel purple, her hide solid in color and her wingsails strongly clouded. She approached the novos shyly, and one of the females stepped cautiously forward. “This is IceStorm Olobeth.” The demi-angel Ixaxi announced to the assembled, and led her dragon off the sands and out to her first meal.
The rain yet fell outside the immense cavern, but there was plenty of indoor space to feed hatchlings at Ryslen - or else the infirmary would be full of newly-bonded with frostbitten feet and hands after every Flurry!
The third egg fell to pieces in a manner that seemed to suggest it was blown away. From the debris stepped a blue and black dragon - a Night Blue, with it’s distinctive shading - and strongly clouded wingsails. He practically flew to the albino novo. StormWinds Direnyth, at your service. The hatchling said with an awkward bow.
“Uletiel, at yours.” The mage replied with a bow of his own. Linneth dually announced this to the crowd and the scribe.
Beyond the great arched doorway, thunder cracked and lightning flashed nearly simultaneously. Within the sands, one of the largest eggs cracked wide open. From the shards stepped a hatchling with mellow browny-bronze hide. Perhaps golden brown? At any rate, it was his wings that were truly remarkable. The sails were jet black and streaked with bronze-edged white lightning.
Mad Van grinned maniacally as the large hatchling walked straight to him. He was King, was he not? Of course he would bond a kingly bronze. The movement of the spectral hues in the faceted eyes of the bronze seemed to suggest he was rolling them, but no matter. “Hiya Dreikoth!”
Another egg broke, exposing a glowing neon blue colored hatchling who bore lightning-marked wings as well. For a split second, the dark eyes of the two Sangers met, but then Doc was nudged by the blue. He laughed. “Why hello Umpteenth...”
Somewhere, Kalkin laughed.
Another egg broke open almost violently, revealing a large and clearly masculine red hatchling marked fully with clouds like his mother. The boldest of the male candidates stepped towards the red, but he would have none of them. His choice had been made instantly - and she knew it. Fyre stepped right out and knelt before the hatchling. There were startled noises in the crowd, but the fierce red practically melted into her arms.
FireStorm Arekith chooses the girl Fyre. Linneth announced.
Before their very eyes a small egg erupted, the ivory shell crumpling away as a very bright green made her entrance into the world. A rather arrogant (if dully colored) catboy was entranced by her lithe movements and her electric hide.
“Rhiradonth?” He queried in a whisper, and the lime colored dragon came right to him.
Hi Pomeson! she chirruped. What an interesting choice this was!
What appeared to be the largest and the smallest eggs of the combined clutch rocked fervently until they seemed to be in sync and then they broke apart - the smaller one in a flurry of jagged shards and the big one neatly in large pieces. It was quite obvious that the two queens were of Melonith’s brood - the bright lightning on their wings was a clear enough indication for anyone. The large one sat back on her haunches and let the little one take the lead, just this once. She lunged across the sands and launched into Lumina’s arms, landing them both in the sand and the lightning lemon in the little girl’s heart.
“Astelarith!” From Drudge to Dragonrider. How often did that happen?
Smugly now, the gold rose from the sands and sauntered across the sands to her chosen. Kesanaa... She purred, and the young woman (who’d been thrust into managing the estate after her father’s unexpected demise) fell to her knees in the sand and embraced the hatchling with childish abandonment.
“Are you really mine, Alardoloth?” She whispered.
Of course. the dragon responded lovingly, almost maternally, as she re-settled her lightning-marked wings.
The hatching seemed to speed up as three dragons broke shell and went directly to three novos who were nowhere close together. Although the hatchlings who homed in on Asala, Ixaelo and Mirabai were all reddish, that was where the similarities ended.
Asala’s lightning-winged Sauliath was covered in hot magenta colored hide.
Onoth, Ixaelo’s bond was clouded red. HotWind Linneth corrected.
Mirabai’s dragon was the most remarkable of the three - not that Sauliath and Onoth weren’t awesome, just that this red one was more awesome - Not only was the hatchling red, it was gold as well.
SunShower Nydaeth chooses Mirabai! Linneth trumpeted excitedly.
Nydaeth’s eyes appeared to roll. Shyam Mirabai. If he’s waiting for you, we’ll find him together... The red-gold promised.
Three eggs remained, and they did not have any intention of keeping their bonds waiting. The next egg broke open like a wild stallion crashing through a thin wooden door. The dragonet was darkest cobalt and black clouds. Was he a Night then? Boldly he strode forward to a wild spirit from offworld. As he moved, it was clear that he would be fast. Very fast on land and in the air with wings like those. It was a very good thing that Zkhaun had been a jockey. Oh yes.
“Storm Runner? No... StormRacer...?” He asked, eyes wide. He was so much like the Tua’lai Tierachen and yet so different.
StormRacer, Yes. I am Jeroewyth. The dark blue hatchling replied quite happily. Linneth had no need to say anything - a relief to those with sensitive minds.
A seventh lightning-winged beast broke shell and bolted for the courtyard shunning the candidates who stared longingly after the gray (!!) hatchling-- no, he ran for the novo Lavier, who was twirling the end of his white candidacy-scarf as if it were old habit. “His name is Graeveth.” Lavier said casually to the scribe as he and his odd (for Ryslen) colored bond went off towards the meaty meal set out for the hatchlings.
Lightning cracked, and so did the last egg, its pieces flying across the vacated sands. The last dragon was Linneth’s child, and a dark one at that. Though she was clouded all over, she was as much a Night as Jeroewyth and Direnyth. Only one could appreciate her beautiful darkness and she met the purple halfway and Linneth announced them.
RainStorm Giaveth has chosen Aurora Bloodsworth. You all can go now.
Viahue and Gold DawnShower Driath
Ixaxi and Purple IceStorm Olobeth
Uletiel and Night Blue StormWinds Direnyth
Mad King Van and Lightning Bronze Dreikoth
Crazy Doc Sanger and Glow Blue Umpteenth
Fyre and Red FireStorm Arekith
Pomeson and Electric Lime Rhiradonth
Lumina and Laser Lemon Astelarith
Kesana and Lightning Gold Alardoloth
Asala and Hot Magenta Sauliath
Ixaelo and Red HotWind Onoth
Mirabai and Red-Gold SunShower Nydaeth
Zkhaun and Night Blue StormRacer Jeroewyth
Lavier and Lightning Gray Graeveth
Aurora and Night Purple RainStorm Giaveth