Thirteenth hour (temporary title)

I swiftly knelt in front of the lady who entered the shop. She sported a turquoise dress that flowed down to her black heels. She also wore a turquoise stone necklace, with the matching bracelet. Even with my head down I could picture her ghostly gray eyes, which lay in a smooth, wrinkle-free face. She had a prominent jaw, and her nose was small for her face. Rumors always proved true, to some extent.

"Cloemonth." She whispered. Her bewitching voice filled the room, floating and never quite disappearing.

"My Lady, to what must I owe this visit?" I asked, my own rough voice nothing compared to her's.

"How old are you?"

"Thirteen, My Lady."

"You know what happens when you turn thirteen, right?"

"Yes, My Lady." She ignored my comment.

"You touch the Egg." She whispered, looking down at me. My hands trembled slightly.

"My Lady, I trust your judgment, but I hardly think the Egg would hatch for the likes of me,"

"You will touch it, none the less." Her voice had a hint of poison in it.

"Did you know your great grandfather, Cleomonth?"

"No, My Lady."

"He was the First. This ability is passed down through generation and bloodlines." I nodded to her. "Be in the Barn at the thirteenth hour."

"Yes, My Lady." She strode from the room, her guards following behind her.

"It's an expir'ance, ya know?" Roraich (roar-ich) said from his corner. He was thirty, and the blacksmith of the town. He had a hard face and big, callused hands. Jet black eyes stared bluntly at me. "Are you going to stand there, starin' at the street? You got somewhere to be!" He called hastily. I nodded to him, rushing into the back room. A single mirror lay there, reflecting a boy with the same black eyes as me. I also had a sharp chin, though not too sharp to be abnormal.

"I'll be back tomorrow, have a nice day!" I exclaimed as I ran from the blacksmith's shop. Horses dodged around me, many cries of 'watch it!' came from behind. I sprinted to the bath house, where a few coins got me in. The aroma of lavender soaps floated around me, and I scrubbed vigilantly with some good-smelling bar.

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The ballroom was stuffed with boys and girls of my age. A quick guess told me that about a hundred people stood about. Even a million people wouldn't fill this ballroom, as it seemed. They all cluttered around a small table, but I couldn't see what lay on it. It must of been the egg, I though to myself. Guards rested on the fringe, obviously not too excited about this job. Only one struggled to keep track of who touched the Egg. A group of kids sat on the other side of the room. I got up from the wall, and ambled over to the table. Layers of kids stood before me.With a steady push, I got to the center. At least close enough to see the Egg. It was a fiery red, and as one child struck it it changed to an icy blue color, and back to red. It was polished like diamond, and was probably worth twice as much. Very slowly, I got close enough to touch it. I marveled at the polished red stone. Get it over with,I growled to myself, then I can leave the crowd. With a gentle movement, I brushed the Egg. Grateful to be leaving, I wormed out of the crowd.

The sound of an egg cracking thundered through the room. I looked back as guards flooded the area, using batons when necessary. A bubble of light exploded through the crowd. No one could see the beast that came from the Egg. It squealed, nervous.

"Can't you see your stressing him!" Someone yelled. The shriek that came from the beast proved the child's point. The guards backed up, though no child dared to enter the circle they made. Unknowingly, I backed up until I reached the wall. Even from across the room I could hear it's shrill hiss.Mere seconds later the crowd parted as the beast came through, obviously pointed to something. Several people ran to my area, in hopes of being the one who hatched it. Using all fours, it came over. It's muscles were stiff, and it made small steps at a time. Slime and junk covered it, and the yellow of it's scales radiated from it. It slowly waddled to me.

No. I can not be Mexiv Thelita. It meant Dragon Friend in the Paper Language, or the language for magic. But, the dragon kept coming to me. People stared, and one even ran up to the dragon and planted himself before me. The dragon, who was the size of him, snapped at the boy. Several rows of sharp teeth planted themselves into his leg. The boy screamed, his voice echoing through the entire room. The dragon hesitantly let go, veering around the boy who clutched his leg in fear and pain. It approached me, and looked up into my eyes. Slowly, I reached a single hand down, and the dragon's head meet it. My hand tingled and burned. I fought the urge to scream, with the fire running through me.

The guards herded all of the kids out of the room, staring at me. The dragon watched them go, and turned it's head to me. I very slowly laid another hand onto it, ready for the pain, but none came. My hand rested on it's head, awed by what i was now. Minutes ago, I was just a blacksmith to be. One cried for My Lady and My Lord. I left my hand on the dragon. My dragon.



I watched as the guards ran about. They all seemed to be doing something, whether barring the doors, swinging the curtains down, or calling My Lady and My Lord. The dragon, likewise, was watching them. It's clear blue eyes sparkled with an unknown feeling, one which I would have thought as delight. It's eyes were too big for it's head, including it's tiny nostrils that were twitching. It had thin slivers of skin that outstretched a foot out, give or take. They seemed to always moving around, like feelers. They were laying in a sun yellow body, witch were scaled. I stroked it, just to find the scales weren't scales. They seemed like little feathers, based on the fact I could bury my hands in them and they felt like fluff. It seemed to be scales on it's head, though. It had four stiff, thick legs that had three distinct spots to use to climb up. Astounded, I found that the knobs continued to where it's neck and head meet. There was a break of spikes from the base of it's neck to it's head. The tip of each spike was dull, but I had seen plenty trees stripped of bark from sharpening them. Tracing the rest of it's body, I came to it's wings. It had four, two of witch were strong muscles meant for flying. The other two were small and thin, and they jutted from it's side. It had a half-circle shape, and seemed to be used for steering. It's underbelly was exposed, unlike the rest of it. It's tail had spines all around it, a row on he top and a row on the bottom. The tip formed a four leaf clover live thing that had two lethal, long spikes; one on the left and one on the right. It beamed over at the two doors leading into the main castle as they swung open.

My Lord walked in, quickly followed by My Lady. I bowed, and curiously so did the dragon. It looked very funny, I must admit.

"You. You are the boy I visited today, second son of Grechtomy the third, in the sixth the Dragon Friend League." My Lady bellowed. "Come forth," I lifted from my bow and hesitantly walked up to her, standing a respective ten feet away.

"My Lady," I replied, clearing my throat.

"You were picked by this noble steed, right Cleomonth?" My Lord asked, with a booming voice.

"Yes, My Lord."

"May I see the beast I have kept shelter for so many years?" He asked.

"Yes, My Lord." I stuttered hesitantly. He walked up to it, and the dragon responded by backing up and clucking. The emperor stuttered something in a language I had never heard of, and the dragon slowly walked up to it. For over thirty minutes, they stood together while he talked. A sudden, unexpected pang of jealousy hit me. Soon after that, My Lord returned.

"It is a magnificent beastie you have there, boy. Consider yourself lucky." He remarked. "Well. You shall be sent to Bethgolmonth, the school of learning. You will be chosen by an Older One and his own Steed. While most are sent there to learn the Paper Language, you shall be sent for more than that. To become a mighty Friend that will watch over all of Zarknown. Go home, pack up your things, and be here soon. By the fifteenth hour, would be a good time." He began to leave the room gracefully.

"And Cleomonth?" He asked.

"Yes, My Lord?"

"Start to think of a name. Every dragon has a real name, in the Paper Language, but they like nicknames in this language." And with that, he left the room. The guards opened the doors leading outside, where a crowd was formed. I stepped behind the dragon, who took a single step forward. People swarmed around up, making it impossible to go anywhere. With a pop, a multi-colored bubble emerged from her mouth. It expanded, enveloping me before it forced the crowd away. She stared at me, expectantly. I scratched her neck, and started off for home.

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"You're a WHAT?!?! You ain't leavin' this house till I let you!" Father boomed.

"I did not chose it, father. It chose me. I had nothing to do about it. You know the custom; I have to go. To learn magic." I replied, as mom and my three sisters stared at me. I was still shocked that I got my dragon to wait outside.

"That is absurd. There is absolutely no way." Beatrice barked. She was my older sister, and she always thought she was queen of everything.
"You really want to see it?" I growled.

"There isn't nada to see." I beckoned for her to come, and the whole family came out. The dragon wasn't there.

"Dragon!" I screamed. "Where are you, beast?!?!" The sky rumbled as she landed on the ground, her teeth bloody. 'You'd netter not have hunted humans." She looked with an innocent glare, as if saying 'would I do that?'

"Yes, you would." I replied, scratching her. "Meet my dragon," I told my family. Her big, intelligent eyes swept all around.

"You should pack," Mother stated. I stared, wide eyed.

"I... expected more of an argument."

"You know the custom. You only have an hour to get everything together." She replied, dragging me into the house.