1214-02-19
I sat at my desk, observing the dragon.
As it moved around in its pen, the water dragons swam through the water like fish. It almost felt as if it was observing me, watching me scribble notes and eat my food. It looked jealous.
I placed some fish in its enclosure, watching as it brought the fish to the depths of the water and ate them in the darkness.
Beside me was a small boy, watching as I wrote my notes and went about my work. My apprentice. He would take on my work, just as I had done before.
He tapped on the glass of the enclosure, watching the dragon settle to sleep, clinging to the fish laid among the other water dragon eggs.
"When will it be chosen?" my apprentice asked.
"Since the emperor isn't here, one of the council will decide who the next dragon goes to."
"The emperor oversees the dragons?" he asked.
"Yes," I said, still looking into my notes.
"Have you ever ridden a dragon?" he asked, trying to keep the conversation going.
"I have not," I continued. "Our goal is to keep them alive through the egg and early hatching stage."
The day moved on, and my apprentice watched as I took notes and did the work I had to do. He's a sincere boy. He seems excited to be working with me, and very excited about the dragon. He even named it, though that wasn't what we were supposed to do.
We were supposed to be impartial, residing in the dragon-like castle until it was given to a soldier for them to continue training. As the day went on, and the sun rose high in the sky, the dragon seemed angry at its enclosure, and I could tell that it was time for it to be moved.
It had been a month—one month since it had been born—and it had already outgrown the enclosure. My apprentice could tell as well.
Knock. Knock.
A soldier. A familiar soldier. Was outside the door, followed by older men with white hair and multicolored eyes—councilmen.
"I'm here to collect the dragon," the soldier said.
"I'll prepare that for you," my apprentice said, as he walked quietly over to the dragon's enclosure. I turned to speak with the soldier and the councilmen.
"Did you get promoted?" I smiled at the familiar soldier.
He smiled back. "Yeah, I'm going to be a rider."
"I never got your name," I said to the new rider.
"I'm Hanami," he smiled.
The councilmen gave us a moment of silence before speaking, their voices cold and measured.
"You need to be respectful when speaking to us," one of the councilmen said, his eyes piercing.
We bowed, trying to maintain a calm demeanor, though the councilman's age and authority often made them intimidating.
Hanami, standing next to me, glanced at the councilman. "I'm here to take the dragon. The emperor appointed me—nothing more."
"Yes," the councilman replied, his tone biting. "And since the emperor isn't here, you will follow our orders and show us the respect we deserve."
His gaze hardened further, his eyes like stone, and he said nothing more. Another councilman, older with silver hair and a ruthless glint in his eyes, stepped forward.
His voice was as cold as ice. "We are here to oversee. Not to be questioned."
The apprentice, who had been quietly observing, cleared his throat.
"We understand," he said, his voice steady despite the tension, betraying none of the unease he must have felt.
"You will follow our orders," one of the councilmen growled, his words sharp as daggers.
"Do as we tell you," another commanded, his voice a low rumble.
The first councilman sneered. "If we told you to kill all these dragons, you would do so without hesitation."
"Would the emperor approve of that?" my apprentice asked, his voice quiet but defiant.
"The emperor loves dragons," the silver-haired councilman said, his tone dismissive. "But we are here to treat them as weapons of war, not pets. Now, hurry. We have no time to waste."
"We're here to care for the dragons." he mumbled in response.
Hanami gave him an approving look, then bowed back to the councilmen.
I glanced at him, considering his words carefully. Some say that the emperor only initiated the council so he could go about in other countries without worrying about civil war. He would visit Ghar and Tobe, causing chaos and destruction in his wake, all while remaining aloof from the political decisions at home.
Hanami stood at the edge of the dragon's enclosure, eyes locked with the creature's glowing, amber gaze. There was something in that gaze, a deep understanding, an invitation, as if the dragon was waiting for the soldier to make the first move.
For a moment, the world seemed to still. The soldier took a step closer, his breath steady, and he whispered, "I'll name you... Kairo." His voice was firm but gentle, as if he were offering the dragon a piece of himself.
The dragon tilted its head, regarding the soldier for a heartbeat longer. Then, as if considering the name, it slowly inched forward, extending its long, scaled body. The soldier extended his arm, and, without hesitation, the dragon wrapped itself around his wrist, its body warm, its grip strong yet cautious.
I watched, fascinated.
Not everyone can bond with a dragon. Bonding is allowing the dragon to be its own. Sure, there are ways to force a bond with a dragon, but... who would do that? I thought to myself, the words bitter in my mind. A forced bond wasn't a true one.
But Kairo, as if hearing my thoughts, nuzzled into the soldier's arm, accepting him as its own.
"Dragons are like cats," my apprentice said. "Take care of her."
"I will," Hanami smiled.
Suddenly, the room seemed to shake. With a deafening roar, Kairo spun around, its wings flaring, and shot a stream of water from its mouth straight at the councilmen. They scrambled, some shielding their faces, others stepping back.
Hanami standing calmly with Kairo still coiled around his arm, glanced at me with a slight smirk.
"I'm ready to train you." he whispered as the dagon fell asleep
The councilmen, dripping wet, scowled at the dragon but said nothing. The room was filled with the heavy silence that only moments like these could create.
I looked at Hanami and Kairo.
"Let's go," the silver-haired councilman said, his voice tired.
As Hanami left, carrying Kairo, I couldn't help but feel a pang of worry about the future.
It saddened me deeply that I would no longer see Hanami again. I had watched him grow from a determined young guard into a pristine dragon rider
Bonding with dragons was still new, and with so few riders, what would lie ahead for them? Would they be sent to fight in a war, or used as transport like they are in Shatar?
One thing was certain: the council only saw dragons for their potential to cause chaos. That wasn't how they should be viewed. We're not even supposed to train them for this, according to the Varvensi Agreement, and yet here we are.
The coming years of Kairo and Hanami's lives would shape the future of countless others.