A small girl clings to the denim-clad legs of her mother, watching with wide, terror-filled eyes as the solemn procession passed. The Caerlady had died suddenly. Her striking purple dragon followed in the procession, looking regal, even though her heart had broken when the Lady took her final breath. Though Meghana was only six, she knew that great purple Myth would stay on to help the new Caerlady, whoever she might be. "Mama?" Meghana asked softly. She would have been surprised by the quick and loving response had she not been overwhelmed by everything that was going on. "Mama? Will Myth be sad forever?"

Her mother picked her up. "I hope not Meghy." Her mother whispered, "Everyone loves Myth."

Meghana thought about this as hard as she could. "Did everyone love Elly, Mama?"

Cheri hugged her daughter close. "Elly was a strong Caerlady. She did very good things for Yslen. We will miss her."

Meghana wanted down, so Cheri put her down and she ran off through the crowd of dragoners and their families. "Children have short attention spans." Cheri remarked softly.

"Yes, but that Meghana of yours is something else, Cheri." A dark green dragon remarked softly, her eyes twinkling with a sort of draconic smile.

"Oh Lysilth, you're prejudiced."

"Only a little Cheri, but she is a very bright child."

Cheri smiled and leaned against the green's neck. She was glad that her dragon had favorable things to say of her only child.

* * *

Meghana darted through the people, giving loving pats to any dragon that came within her reach. There was an older-looking red gryphon there, and Meghana wasn't sure who he was. "Hello Sir Gryph" she whispered.

The brilliantly plumed creature turned his head so one vibrant yellow eye rested on the young girl. Meghana thought the big gryphon laughed softly - but she could be mistaken. "Such respect from a young one." He said. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Meghana, Cheri's daughter." The girl replied properly.

"Well met, Meghana. I'm Blix." The red gryphon replied.

Meghana's face twisted to her 'thinking' expression. "Mother Yence's mate?" She said, after a moment.

The gryphon laughed at her, pleased that she knew these things at her tender age. "One and the same, youngling." He said.

"Is Mother Yence as beautiful as they say she is?" Meghana asked.

The gryphon's beak parted in what Megana interpreted as a smile. "I think so." He said. "Would you like to meet her?"

Meghana nodded, and then shook her head. "Yes Sir Blix, but I've something important to do first."

The gryphon nodded. Such trifles that were important to children. "Come find me when you're done then." Blix said.

"Okay" Meghana said happily. She though carefully, then reached out and gave Blix a loving pat on his foreleg. The giant gryph smiled again, and Meghana ran off on her errand.

* * *

It took longer than Meghana thought to find what she was looking for, but there was no mistaking the forlorn purple dragoness. Meghana sat down next to her quietly, and rested her head against the old dragoness' flank. Meghana wondered if her pigtails tickled.

After a moment, the great Myth craned her neck around to see who was there. "Hello Meghana." She said.

Meghana smiled. "Hi Myth." She said back.

"What are you up to, little one?" the purple dragoness asked.

"I came to be with you because you're sad." Meghana replied truthfully.

"And how do you know I'm sad?"

"Because Elly is gone." Meghana replied.

The great dragoness nodded, but was quiet. No matter how hard Meghana tried, she couldn't stay quiet as long as Myth could. "Sometimes when a dragoner loses their dragon people start to call them by their dragon's old name, or put 'th' on the end.."

Myth regarded Meghana with a look of slight confusion.

"We could call you Mythelly, or Mythel, or..."

Myth made the sound that Meghana knew was draconic laughter. "That's a delightful Idea, Meghy." Myth said. "Which name do you like?"

"I like Mythel best."

"Me too." The purple dragoness said.

After a moment, a beautiful grey barred gryphon came near, with the red Blix trailing behind.

Mythel rose and greeted her.

The gryphon was more than willing to accept the dragoness' new name. "And who is this with you?" the gryphon asked.

Mythel looked at Meghana. "This is Cheri's daughter Meghana."

Meghana smiled at Blix and at the pretty grey.

"Cheri with Lysilth?" The gryph asked.

"Indeed." Mythel replied.

"Good day to you, Mother Yence." Meghana said, staying near to the dragon in fearful respect.

The gryphoness seemed startled and pleased at the same time. "Greetings to you, young Meghana." Yence said, sitting down. "Pray tell, how did you know who I am?"

Meghana smiled. "You're the most beautiful gryphon I've seen, and Blix is following you."

The gryph laughed and peered at Blix. "You're absolutely right. What if Blix was leading?"

Meghana thought. "Why would he lead? He's a boy."

Mythel laughed, and so did Yence. Blix laughed at Meghana's naievete. "Very good." Yence said. "You run off and play now, Meghana, and we'll talk later."

"Okay!" Meghana said with youthful exuberance, and ran off.

* * *

Just over a dozen years passed, and Mother Yence was still in charge at Ice High Aerie, though she was getting old. She seemed to be holding out hope for a young one to take her place. She sometimes came down to Yslen to visit, but as the years went by, Yence visited ess and less. But that was understandable.

Meghana had grown considerably, and as a young woman, she was an exact duplicate of her mother. She stood 5'8" tall, and was trim and fit. She wore her long dark hair tied back in two high tails, and her skin was a rich cinnamon.

It was early autumn, and Meghana knew the full harvest would be coming in soon, so she arranged to take a short holiday before the work began. Mythel had left them during the previous summer, and Meghana still felt strange without having the old purple dragoness to get her advice from. She often spoke with Lysilth, and the other dragons, but when you lose a friend...

Mehana decided shortly after Mythel's death that she knew what it was like to lose a bond mate. Mythel had never rebonded, and she couldn't bond a second human... or was it wouldn't? Either way, Meghana was as close to a bond as Mythel had, and now Meghana missed her horribly.

One of the other dragons, Blinth, a gold pair-bonded with her clutch-brother took her down to the seashore to relax. Many unbonded youths cashed in favors to get away for a while before harvest, and Meghana was no different. The seashore was nice - a warm wind was blowing, and Meghana could see the seadragons cavorting among the far out waves. Meghana changed into her swimclothes at the visitor's house, and waded out into the chilly ocean. Vlinth was there, and her brother, the red Vixth had brought twin boys down for their break, and got to spend the time with his sister. Meghana swam out to them, and was rewarded with a splash-fight.

All of the dragons liked Meghana. She was a good person, who treated them all well, giving kind words and loving pats indiscriminately. The younger dragons were fond of having her trail her fingers along their skin as she passed. They were so smooth and they always made her smile.

Many of the youths, and some dragoners (especially the younger ones) came to Meghana for advice. She would listen to whatever they had to say, and give them the best advice she could.

When the waterfight came to a lull, Vinxth looked at Meghana. "Hey Meghie? Has anyone ever asked you if you wanted to be a bonder?"

This caught Meghana off guard. "No, why?"

Though addressed to Vixth, Blinth answered, as pair-bonds were apt to do. "Because you've got what it takes, Meghana dear."

"Oh! Maybe they never asked because she was always with Mythel?" Vixth suggesed.

Meghana looked at the two dragons. Her? A bonder? She'd been born and raised at Caer Yslen, and it had always been assumed that she would bond, but she'd never been summoned...

The seadragons suddenly took notice, and a brilliant aqua female swam over. "Potential bonder?" she queried.

Meghana nodded. "That's what Blinth and Vixth are saying."

"Oh splendid!" the seadragon said. "Seyiz knows where they need bonders. Caer Talor Cliff."

Meghana was so startled she nearly stopped treading water. Vixth ducked under so she rested astride his back. "Caer Talor Cliff? That's far across the sea..." Meghana said, looking out across the water, as though she could see it.

"It's not too far." The aqua seadragon said. "Seyiz goes there... well, to that Isle all the time."

"You lie, Seyiz." Vixth said.

"Seyiz does not. Caer Talor Cliff's dragon Mitanth tells Seyiz there are eggs buried in the dunes, and they're looking for bonders."

Meghana looked skeptical, and gazed slightly towards the foothills where Caer Yslen lie. The dragons and the seadragon argued, but Meghana didn't really pay them heed. She couldn't side with either, though the concept of visiting another Caer was rather intriguing. "Oh just stop." Meghana said after a moment. "Whether Seyiz is lying or not, it's of no importance."

Blinth blinked at her. "Say what?"

Meghana dove from Vixth's back. "If Seyiz is lying, we'll soon know. I'll need a ride to the Caer. If Talor Cliff really is looking for other isle bonders, I'd like to go."

Vixth was flabbergasted.

"Oh Vixth, little Meghie is growing up! She's so determined!"

Vixth snorted. "Oh don't get sappy. If a little one hatches out and bonds her, will she get to come back to Yslen?"

Seyiz snorted in reply. "Of course! Her dragon - assuming she gets one - will have wings like you tow, and nothing will stop them from going whenever they want to."

Vixth liked this idea. "Do you think Meghana will be Caerlady someday?"

"Not unless a dragon bonds her - and the Council chooses her." Blinth said.

"Certainly." Seyiz said. "But until her might-be-dragon is adult, you won't know."

* * *

As soon as Blinth arrived back at the Caer with Meghana, the news was all over. A message was sent to Caer Talor Cliff to confirm they were seeking bondable youths, and that the seadragon wasn't spinning yarns.

Nora of Talor Cliff confirmed it swiftly, and their own Lady Falora welcomed any bondable young men or women who wanted to make the trip.

Meghana packed lightly, and Blinth conveyed her to Vallen Cove at dawn, where Seyiz waited to travel with her. Special waterproofed gear for Seyiz and Meghana was provided by the folk of the cove, and they were soon off.

It took a considerable portion of the day to travel there, but Meghana was prepared; and Seyiz was good to talk to, even if she did talk in third person. Meghana learned of many things that the seadragons did differently than the flying dragons Meghana knew so well - for instance, the seadragons buried their eggs, and red, yellow, and silver were the rarest colors - sea dragons never came in black or white...

* * *

Seeing Caer Talor Cliff was quite an exciting experience. The dragons came down to retrieve her, and were all excited. Thought they were dragons, they were subtly different from Yslen's, but similar enough for Meghana to feel right at home.