|
“Aaaaiiiii!”
A shriek cut through the silence in the room and Jorian’s good-natured grin fell from his face as his gaze turned toward the door and the direction the sound had come from. He turned back to face Orlya for a moment but when another shriek followed the first he mumbled something unintelligible and rushed from the room. Orlya sighed as Jorian rushed from the room, uncertain what to do. She was due to leave the Hold and return home in moments, her transport would likely be arriving at any time, and she really couldn’t afford to stand around and wait for Jorian to come back, if he came back. Scowling ferociously she got up from her chair and headed out the door turning left and heading to her room. The drudges were still working on packing her things so she settled down by the window, wondering if she should have just stayed in case Jorian came back. Outside the snow swirled as it fell and she leaned her head up against the cold glass of her window and heaved a sigh that turned more than one head. When she realized the servants were watching her she merely stated what was on her mind as if it were a fact that none could deny. “Men suck.” Smiles twitched at the corners of a few mouths, but nothing was said to contradict or confirm her sentiment and so she returned her attention to the snow falling outside. Orlya and Jorian had been friends for almost two years. When she had first come to this hold to be fostered she had despaired of making any friends but Jorian, in his shy, reserved way, had approached her almost as soon as she got here and they had become fast friends. She had known all along that he wanted her to be more than a friend but she could not bring herself to encourage or discourage him in those feelings. So friends they were and had stayed. Orlya knew her friend well enough though that today she had expected him to declare his heart. He had shown every sign she expected to see from him, the good-natured smile attempting to hide the strain and agony of expected denial. The way he’d sat her down and proceeded to pace as he asked her meaningless questions that he’d asked her many times before. Orlya smiled now as she saw again in her mind’s eye how nervous he’d been, but her smile was wiped away as the shriek once again disturbed the amusing scene. He’d left her there, no doubt running off to get his sister out of trouble once again. Orlya cursed herself for her jealous feelings toward Jina. She knew the girl was incapable of taking care of herself but she seemed such a burden for poor Jorian. Orlya sighed as she noticed the servants were leaving her room with her bags. She should head to the main entryway. Her window didn’t face the courtyard so she wouldn’t know when her transport had arrived unless she was waiting for it. Sure enough when she got to the courtyard there were two blue dragons waiting there. One of the dragons was already being laden down with her things and she waited inside, out of the cold, until the rider said they were ready. She turned to the Lord Holder then, thanked him for caring for her the past two years and rushed out into the snow to mount the dragon. She pulled the collar of her heavy jacket up around her neck to keep the snow from sneaking in and falling down her back then wrapped her arms around the dragonrider. He smiled back at her, “Ready?” She nodded wordlessly and the dragon thrust up from the ground, his powerful wing strokes pulling them up and away from the snow-covered ground. The flakes swirled around his wings with each stroke and she found herself watching the flurries of snow idly as they almost hypnotized her into a thoughtless stare. It took a moment for her to realize the dragonrider had spoken to her and he repeated what he had to say when she blinked at him in surprise. “Looking forward to going home?” he asked, looking at her over his shoulder as the dragon continued to gain altitude. She shook her head, “No.” “Your father’s no doubt lined up an advantageous marriage for you, eh?” She blinked again in surprise and just stared at him. Suddenly her problems with Jorian seemed all the worse. What if her father had found someone to marry her off to? What then? Part of her really hadn’t seen this separation from Jorian as anything permanent; after all, they’d be able to meet up at Gather’s and the like. But if her father married her off to some Lord Holder’s son she might never see Jorian again, even as friends. “I’m sorry, hadn’t you thought of that?” The rider’s voice once again pulled her from her solitary thoughts and she shook her head. He smiled, “Well, I’ve got another option for you if you’re game. Okserth here has his eye on you as a candidate.” “A candidate for what?” she asked, then her eyes widened as she realized the answer to her own question. “For a dragon?” “And in the flurry no less,” replied the dragonrider, what had she been told his name was? D’run that was it. “Are you serious?” she asked, suddenly realizing they’d leveled off and were circling idly while rider and dragon awaited her answer. She grinned suddenly, picturing herself on the back of her own dragon. “I’ll do it.” “Thought you might,” replied D’run with a smile. “Hang on; we’ll go between to Ryslen right now.” Orlya wasn’t sure she quite believed it; when she arrived at Ryslen and got settled into the Candidate Barracks she pinched herself just to make sure. It hurt, it wasn’t just a dream. She was going to be a candidate for the Ryslen Flurry! |