Dragon Riders

Chapter 5: Bound

Aspen POV:

"NO WAY!" I shrieked. Excitement bubbled up inside of me, but in the recesses of my mind I could feel irritation about the way I had just shrieked. That doesn't make sense, I pondered. I am way too happy to get irritated. I dashed over to my Dragon. I laid my hand on its scaly forearm. It was rough, yet smooth. I rubbed its feathery wings. Stripes of lavender, magenta, and white lined them. Lavender... LAVENDER! "Dad." I screeched. "You. Got. Me. A NATURE DRAGON????" Again, annoyance built in my brain. I skipped up to the patio and gave him a big hug. "Oh!" I gasped. I ran back to my Dragon. "Greetings," I stated respectively.

"Greetings," responded my Dragon. Her voice sounded like a mixture of bells ringing and silk.

"What are you called?" I inquired. I was quite familiar with the fact the Dragons were granted names, not given them. Thus, they were called, not named.

"I am called Serafina," she answered smoothly. "And you? What is your name, princess?"

"I'm Aspen," I replied. "You don't need to think of me as a princess though, I am just Aspen. Your friend, Aspen." My inner thoughts appreciated my down to earth personality. Queer, I thought. I don't normally appreciate my own personality. "How old are you?" I asked. "A week?"

"A week and a day" she corrected. My dad probably realized he was intruding upon our conversation and strolled away. The sun was setting in the West. I could see Mik in the deep orange glow. We chatted casually about our early lives and about our likes and dislikes. We were very similar. We both loved the outdoors. We enjoyed music and long walks through the forest. We didn't like when people destroyed nature. As the stars came out, I had an epiphany.

CADE! My mind screamed at me to go get him. "I'll be back soon, Serafina!" I called back as I jumped the hedge surrounding our yard. I felt confusion build up in my brain. Why, I pondered, am I confused? Whatever! My excitement masked the confusion. I raced to his house and did the secret knock. The door swung open.

"Back so soon?" He questioned playfully.

"No time for games!" I retorted. "Come on!" I grabbed his hand and led him back through town. We reached the castle and I helped him over the hedge, then leapt over myself. Too bad he's not as adventurous as I am, I thought. We'd have loads more fun then! I led him to the backyard. He gasped in awe.

"You." He took a deep breath. "Got. A. Dragon?!?!?!" He stammered.

"Not just any Dragon," corrected Serafina. Cade went pale white. "A Nature Dragon, mind you!" He took a step toward Serafina.

"May I?" He asked politely.

"But of course, young man," Serafina allowed. Cade strode up to her side and began to comment.

"Perfect neck length," he murmured. "The arch in the back is flawless. Could you possibly flap your wings for me?" Serafina answered by beating her wings. "Perfect length and stunning feather coloration..."

"Enough nerd talk," I commanded. "She's beautiful; we get it." In my mind I could feel gratitude of his assessments. When they stopped, it disappeared.

"What are you called?" Cade asked.

"I am called Serafina," she stated. "And you? What is your name?"

"I am Cade" he smoothly replied. "Can you tell me about Beliu?" He pressed. "About the trees? And the Mefinas? The Wiops? Oooh! Start with the Calmeria!" Entertainment bubbled up inside me. Cade sat down and prepared to listen intently. I followed. Over the next hour, Serafina described Beliu in immense detail. It felt as if I was really there. I could imagine the musty Calmeria and picture the thirteen tables perfectly. I recalled the bitterness of the drowsy berries.

Wait, I stopped the descriptions in my mind. She never said the berries were bitter. She just said they were awful. Hmmm... My thoughts trailed off as she described Blithe, an Elf, who brought her here. I could picture him in full detail: red hair, pointy ears, short, freckles. Freckles? She never said anything about freckles... She finished by telling Cade about my shocked expression when I first saw her. My face turned ruby red and amusement appeared deep in my mind, but it was soon masked by my embarrassment. The sun began to appear over the horizon.

"I have to go," reminded Cade. We stood and I helped him over the hedge. I watched as he disappeared around the corner. My thoughts drifted back to Beliu. Wiops, Calmerias, Mefinas, and Orion.

Orion? Who's Orion? I strode over to Serafina. "Who's Orion?" I questioned curiously.

"How did you..." Serafina began, but she stopped then turned away. "The connection." She turned back to me. "We have established a connection!"

"A connection?" No Dragon scrolls I had ever read described a connection.

"Yes," Searfina answered. "Have you felt any strange feelings today that were not your own?"

"A ton!"

"I have as well," she pondered. "I would have never dreamed..."

"What is a connection?" I wanted to gain information, not be bombarded with pointless questions.

"Very rarely," she began," a Dragon and their owner will form a bond deeper than friendship. They begin by feeling each others' emotions. It progresses to being able to hear the other's thoughts. Then, in some extremely rare cases, the human and Dragon become One."

"One?" I pressed for more. "We share a body?"

"No!" She corrected. "It doesn't mean we share a mind or body; it just refers to an extremely deep connection.This kind of tie allows for the human to become a Viy."

"A Viy?" I inquired

"Yes," Serafina confirmed. "In the Dragon tongue it is Viy, in the common tongue the word is..." My answer cut her off.

"Rider", I translated. She nodded.

"If this occurs, you will be a Viy and I a Teff." She predicted. Then, before I could ask, she translated. "Teff means a Dragon who is ridden." I toyed with the possibilities. If I became a Rider, or Viy, I could leave here forever. I could go to Beliu and fight for the Dragons.

This could be my chance. Serafina turned sharply.

"This could be my chance?" Serafina repeated. I felt the blood drain from my face. "It has begun!" Serafina stated. She turned to me, "We are bound, Aspen. This can not be reversed. I hope you are ready for a world of adventure and fright." I stood and dusted my dress off.

"I was born ready!"