The sun was barely starting to peak over the horizon, casting yellows, reds, and deep golds across the sky and glistening off the smooth snow-covered landscape. There was a buzz of excitement as everyone waited at the base of the Dragon's Trench.
Dragon's trench was a wide canyon that stretched the length of the Frost lands. Steam seemed to softly waft from it at a constant rate, a signal to the surrounding area that it was indeed nearby. The dragons lived in caves and rocky cliffs or even the river system encased by the canyon edges. Even the StormTwins called this place home.
There was a cliff that overlooked the Canyon, a place where dragon riders had come for generations to call forth their dragon, ever since the first dragon bond. Now, each royal in turn came here to be introduced to the dragon clan while the citizens watched from below. Granted normally they knew her better, but this time there was a lot of curiosity and speculation In the crowd. Would the Dragon's accept an adopted daughter into their ranks? It was a genuine concern.
These whispers did nothing for Clovis' nerves as he stood beside Bryson and Myra looking up at the cliff. He couldn't help but run his hand through his hair again, ruffling the dark strands, cut much shorter for ease of upkeep. The leather pants and tunic he wore fitting his now muscled form. He looked as though he belonged next to his war hero Grandfather in law now.
"Calm yourself, Clovis. If nothing else she will be greeted by the storm twins and that is just as much an honor as being chosen. Raina has played among the dragons long enough to be known among them." Myra pointed out, well aware of his concerns. He nodded, eyes still glued to the cliff where his wife would lead his daughter out. A large palm that once would have made him stagger slapped down on his shoulder, now it barely made him shift. He glanced up at Bryson then back at the cliff.
"If you keep tussling that hair of yours you won't have anything left. Now calm yourself. Kyera knows what she is doing." Bryson reminded him as the first hint of Kyera and Raina came into view. They were soft blue shapes against a crimson sky. They were a breathtaking pair. No one would have ever thought they were not mother and daughter. The smaller looked as though she was a perfect copy of the older.
Kyera kissed Raina's hair and bowed to the trench. The crowd seemed to snap to attention as Kyera pulled her Zither from her hair and began to play. The sound was soothing and yet teasing and playful. The human and shifter listeners enjoyed it as the music turned to a storm of notes no one had heard before, unless they witnessed the Storm Queen summoning her twins. In a flash of air and a rumble of the cloudless sky, two dragons emerged from the trench, flying at identical speeds up to the cliff edge and shooting high over it. The pair swooped and dove over the heads of the crowd as lesser storm dragons filled the air as well, following the twins, they were young and beautiful.
Kyera walked to the cliff edge and sat on it. As Ember swooped down, Kyera pushed off. She fell. Her beautiful skirts flashed and flowed around her legs in an almost living way as she fell. Before she went 10 feet, her hands caught around Ember's front talon, so she was hanging suspended in the air for a moment before Ivory glided up and nested Kyera between her shoulder blades.
Clovis finally took a breath when she was safely in place. Bryson chuckled noticing his grand son in law's reaction.
"Well, it looks like she took her husband into account this time. LAME." Sansor whined and Clovis glanced at him.
"I agree, I was hoping for the swan dive, it's still her best move." Myra agreed. It was fairly clear that Clovis was the only one concerned by Kyera's death defying fall.
"You must agree though, it was more beautiful and elegant than her Swan Dive." Bryson offered and Clovis shot him a bit of a hurt look, as though he felt betrayed. Bryson just winked.