sorry anther double day.
Someone over hearing Raven laughed. “Help with what? The boy doesn’t need a lass interfering with his him. He is working.”
Raven said, “Is that how they drive wagons in town? Seems a bit fast to me.”
The man gave her a look. “With that attitude you must be just in from the sticks. You will soon learn better. He is doing just fine, might be a bit new. But there is nothing to worry about.”
Raven shook her head. “Town living is going to take a bit of an adjustment. Yes sir, I am just in from Righthight. Back there a wagon going at that speed with so many around would be thought to be close to a run away and steps would be taken to stop it. Surprised there aren’t more accidents, if that is how the drivers go. Sorry of I upset you sir. My concern was real.”
The man grunted, but the one next to him chuckled. “He is just upset as that is his wagon and you called him on it. That diver is a bit wild, but not uncommon here, unfortunately. In town they have to be in a real threat to property of life before any moves to help the drivers. It takes some getting used to. Though if Righthigh is what you’re used to you will have a good deal to get used to. For now just know you never enter a fright-way without making sure there are no wagons with in two blocks. They don’t look for people, it is considered your job to look for them. Hard to believe we are less pedestrian friendly than town that is mostly dragons. But it is so.” The two men headed off.
Rule looked at his mom, “And you wondered what would happen if I wasn’t around. She would have just walked right out there. She gets so caught up she forgets the world around her.”
Raven put her hands on her hips. “I do not. I know exactly what is around me. There was nothing intending harm. I heard that wagon I would have stopped!”
Rule looked at her. “Sure. And you like math to. Come on, you know you did not see a thing.”
Serenity saw this was shaping up to be one of there arguments and moved to stop it. They could get a bit to involved for the street. “Ok I get the carving. It is very nice, though you did over do the praise a bit, and just what is it about the stone? It was hardly the most impressive one there. You passed over the one with the charging rhino in it. That was what I thought you were after.”
Raven blushed. “That rhino was nice wasn’t it. I will have to get it next week, if it is there. Or maybe there will be one like it. I did not have the money for it today. Not with these others. Well the praise might have been a bit much, bit knew that dragon was not for sale and I was feeling a bit guilty. Her carvings were really good. Her son does exultant work, but if I told her that it would just scare her.”
Serenity raised an eye ridge. “Just what were you feeling guilty about, young lady? What have I told you of mind reading?”
Raven said, “I wasn’t reading her mind, I was just listen for loud thoughts. I can’t help it when in a crowed. It takes to much work to block everything out. Plus being able to hear if someone is think to harm me keeps me from jumping out of my skin. Her thoughts were all focused, loudly, on her son. He has been ill, and was never strong, so she was worried. When I was going over the carvings I got an image of him working on them. The dragon, well that was just her body, the way she moved around it. Protecting and showing off at the same time. No that was not it. It is the stone.” She paused a bit then pulled the stone out of her pocket again. “She had no idea what she had, not that it would have meant anything to her. Still though. I am sure. Just a minuet. Where did I put that?” She stopped and dug in her bag. The others were used to her and waited. She puled out a bottle of water and opened it. “Watch.” She pored some water on the stone and it turned a blazing red, then faded back to the duller shade. “Did you see it? I am all most sure it is unkeyed. It seemed to call me, but I can’t be sure until I get home. But I think I have it. My source. This is a fire rock. I wonder how it came to her?”
Serenity looked her. “I um, that is a fire rock, it is the onlything that acts like that around water. It looks just like the one other I have seen. As to it being yours. That is, well just don’t count on it.”
Raven said. “It’s that you’re a human thing again? I know it is rare. But rare doesn’t mean impossible. Old man Riser said I had one and it would find me soon. I needed it before My birthday. I know he was a bit touched, but he was right some of the time. What will it hurt to see? I have to wait tell the next moon anyway. By then the work room will be done.”
Serenity shook her head. She wished they hadn’t let those kids hang out with him. But he was harmless. “All right, but you may not do any thing with the stone until the work room is completed. On your word. Yes I know you have shields, but not for that.”
Raven said. “Not to worry I will wait until the work room is fully done and shielded to the ninth. If anything happens it would be to noise for anything less. I promise. The last thing I want is that.”
When they reached home the kids went to there rooms and put there things away. The rock ended up under Raven’s pillow, tough she had intended for it to be on the self with her nick knacks. Mostly carvings of forest creatures with a few trees and one of a camp fire, that if looked at to long seemed to move.
Serenity went in to the kitchen where Willow was. “They were in the old public bathing house having a water fight. They had gotten bored, and no one would listen. Therefor they decided to leave. They did not think how it would look. I don’t know what we are going to do with those two.”
Willow smiled and handed her a cup of tea. “This move will be hard on them, and us. But it is the right thing for them. I trust you got things smoothed over at the school?”
Serenity nodded, “They will be in the eighth form tomorrow which should help with the boredom. The principle said he would try and get them at lest one class together. So that will help to. They just don’t like to be forced apart. It is fine if they decide to different things, but let some one else decide.”
“They are a bit to close.” Willow said. “They are so young, yet it is almost.”
Serenity nodded. “I worry that I might have done wrong by her, by you both. But you were in such sad shape there was no way you could making on your own you were so terrified of me and someone had to for help. Leaving Rule seemed the best. Then once we got you to town you need a place to heal. I had the most room. I never even thought about what it might do. Those two growing up together.”
Willow said. “There is one thing I learned. Destiny won’t be denied. Even if you had let us stay else where they would have still ended up together. Perhaps not as soon, and perhaps with more pain. No it was for the best. Even if she dose seem more dragon than human at times. That is my fault, I am the one who wouldn’t move. The only thing I regret about it is that I had to get us stuck in that ravine to find you.” They heard the kids coming and changed topic. The two thought they were odd enough as it was. They did not need to know bounds like theirs were unheard of. It was enough for them to know that their magic had woken to soon.
The next morning Raven and Rule arrived at school and went to find out about their classes. The secretary looked up. “Your late. What is your excuse?” She was reaching for a stack of late slips as she spoke.
Rule and Raven exchanged a glance, then Rule spoke. “We are not lat. We were told to be here at eight thirty. It is only twenty-five after. There should be some schedules for us. Mr. Typhoon said they would be done.”
The secretary said. “You don’t look like high scholars. Names, come on I have not got all day.”
Rule said, “I am Rule and this is Ra”
The secretary said, “Ah you are our runaways. Now I see. Well just try to wait till noon to run away today. As hard as it might be.”
Raven blushed. “Sorry about that we were bored and not thinking. We forgot it wasn’t up to us. That is.”
The sectary waved her off. “You clearly weren’t hurt or lost for ever. So no harm done, in my book. Serves them right. Now let see. Ah here they are.” She shook her head. “This will never done. That class is to full and you have had it.” After a few minuets she came over to them. “Ok this is what we have. You have to be in different homerooms. That is a required separation. As is this one here. Dragons are to take human studies to help them understand humans better. Luckily you are only required to have one year of it. Would make more since if humans had to take a year of Dragons studies, but such a class doesn’t exist. There were servile choices but zoology had the least takers so I put you in it. Now then you have different interests. Raven you have more language and Rule more math. You are to gather for basics geography, government and magic. Though the magic will change later and you might not stay to gather. This is just evil. Now it looks like you are together for PE but don’t count on it. They often have the dragons doing one thing and the humans anther. Now then come on and I will get some one to show you around. This building can be a maze.” She stepped out in the hall and flagged down to students and sent them off.
Homeroom turned out to be a room full of yelling kids. It took everything Raven had not to turn the other way. She hoped that they would settle down once the teacher got there. She was not used to such mass hysteria. What school there was in Righthigh had been informal, held by who ever had a minuet. Mostly once a child knew how to read they were left to learn as they would. There was to much work and tow few hands. The girl responsible for leading Raven around turned and pointing at a desk saying something that Raven did not get. Raven decided it was some all the lines of sit there. Nodded her head and went to the desk. That must have been right because the girl smiled and took the other one and started talking to the girls around her.
When the teacher entered silence came with him to Ravens relief, though that would soon change. The teacher looked out at the class. “I see all chairs are full. Good to see there are no skippers. Good. We have a new student joining us today. Raven, stand up and tell us about your self.”
Raven swallowed and stood up, trying to remember what she had read. She had never really needed to do more than say hi I’m Raven before. Start with you name and where your from. “UM I am Raven Storm Feather. Though I think my name would make more since of my middle and last names were switched. My family has just moved here from Righthigh.”
She started to sit but one of the kids said, “Righthigh? The military base? They don’t have children do they? I thought that was a dragon town. What were you doing there?”
Raven blushed, she did not like this kind of thing. She liked books better than people. “It is mostly made up of dragoons but there are a few humans there to. It is a mining town, the base was just added to the town. Well its been a few years but the town was there first. Mostly just the tavern works for the caravans. Though there are a few who come to learn some mine craft from time to time.”
“Is that what your folks were?”
Raven said, “You mean Miners or tavern? Um well Serenity is a finder in one of the amber mines. Mostly working in the played out shafts. Making sure they were safe to close up. Willow is an herbalist. She has a hard time being closed in, so couldn’t go in the mines.”
There were some chuckles to that. Raven was trying to figure out why. The teacher thought it best to move on, and did not bother to enlighten her. Did not understand she did not see what the chuckles were about. So what did you do?”
Raven just wanted to set down. “Rule and I liked to study under the trees mostly, or if tow hot in a shaft that wasn’t being worked. Oh you meant for fun. Sorry I didn’t hear right. We would go exploring. Mostly in the trees, though we did a bit in the caves. Once we found an untouched vain of Jade. But that was a one time thing. Usually we just found the odd rock. Or If Serenity was off work she would take us up to the ruins and where Rule and I looked for hidden rooms, hidden secrets. But we weren’t to go there alone. The normal kid stuff.”
The teacher perked up, “I haven’t heard of any ruins up there. Are they far?”
Raven shook her head. “They aren’t far just hard to get to. It looks to be an old dragon city. The only way in is to fly. It would take weeks to climb, even if you could. That is why Serenity would have to take us.”
“You live with a dragon, in the same house?” There was a touch of outrage to voice, but raven being more used to dragon voices than humans didn’t catch it. Not that she would have cared if she did.
“Dragons,” Raven said. “I have for all. Well all the life I can remember. Willow says I was four when we came to Righthigh. But I don’t remember anything else. Mom was sick or something and Serenity found us and took us in and I grew up there.” There was some coughing and no few shocked faces. Raven looked puzzled. “Did I say something wrong? Sorry, but I truly don’t see what the problem is, but by your faces I take it I said something bad.”
“People and dragons do not live together. Well except for the bonded. But everyone knows they are just creepy.”
Before Raven could form an answer anther voice chimed in. “It has only been that way for the last century, since we have had more room. Before that we shared living spaces all the time.”
“If that is so then how are we here? You have your facts wrong.”
Rule was helping Raven understand what was going on, he was facing something similar in his room. But this made them both blink. Raven started talking without thinking. “Only the bonded humans can’t have children. That is the price they pay for their lengthened life span. Humans and dragons can work together and share magic with out being bond to each other. It takes longer but it can be done. The no children thing has nothing to do with the dragons it is the ceremony. It asks a price from the participants to bind them. Children are one of the things the human must give up. Usually the dragon involved will never have any either. Especially if female, there just isn’t time with the responsibilities a pair face, to raise kids. Not if you are going to raise them right.”
Two spoke at once. “You said one of the prices. Living with dragons.”
Raven choose to ignore one and answer the other. “For the most part the cost are kept secret among those who have, or plan on, under going the ceremony. The only reason the child thing is so well know is that it is so obvious. Plus so the legend goes, when the first bonding were made there were concerns of over population. Given how many children the average human had. So it was let out to reassure everyone.”
The teacher tried to rain in the class. He was clearly wishing he had know more about Raven before he had opened this up. “So why is it you moved here?”
One of the girls called out, “Likely to civilize her.”
Raven smiled. “More like socialize, but yes. Serenity was worried that I knew more about dragons than humans. She had been fighting for this move for years. I don’t know what finally decided it.” That set up a new round of yelling. It took the bell and class change to stop it. The rest of the day was uneventful by comparison. By mutual agreement neither child told their parents of the outrage they had uncovered.
Chapter 3: A day at the base: John
Raven said, “Is that how they drive wagons in town? Seems a bit fast to me.”
The man gave her a look. “With that attitude you must be just in from the sticks. You will soon learn better. He is doing just fine, might be a bit new. But there is nothing to worry about.”
Raven shook her head. “Town living is going to take a bit of an adjustment. Yes sir, I am just in from Righthight. Back there a wagon going at that speed with so many around would be thought to be close to a run away and steps would be taken to stop it. Surprised there aren’t more accidents, if that is how the drivers go. Sorry of I upset you sir. My concern was real.”
The man grunted, but the one next to him chuckled. “He is just upset as that is his wagon and you called him on it. That diver is a bit wild, but not uncommon here, unfortunately. In town they have to be in a real threat to property of life before any moves to help the drivers. It takes some getting used to. Though if Righthigh is what you’re used to you will have a good deal to get used to. For now just know you never enter a fright-way without making sure there are no wagons with in two blocks. They don’t look for people, it is considered your job to look for them. Hard to believe we are less pedestrian friendly than town that is mostly dragons. But it is so.” The two men headed off.
Rule looked at his mom, “And you wondered what would happen if I wasn’t around. She would have just walked right out there. She gets so caught up she forgets the world around her.”
Raven put her hands on her hips. “I do not. I know exactly what is around me. There was nothing intending harm. I heard that wagon I would have stopped!”
Rule looked at her. “Sure. And you like math to. Come on, you know you did not see a thing.”
Serenity saw this was shaping up to be one of there arguments and moved to stop it. They could get a bit to involved for the street. “Ok I get the carving. It is very nice, though you did over do the praise a bit, and just what is it about the stone? It was hardly the most impressive one there. You passed over the one with the charging rhino in it. That was what I thought you were after.”
Raven blushed. “That rhino was nice wasn’t it. I will have to get it next week, if it is there. Or maybe there will be one like it. I did not have the money for it today. Not with these others. Well the praise might have been a bit much, bit knew that dragon was not for sale and I was feeling a bit guilty. Her carvings were really good. Her son does exultant work, but if I told her that it would just scare her.”
Serenity raised an eye ridge. “Just what were you feeling guilty about, young lady? What have I told you of mind reading?”
Raven said, “I wasn’t reading her mind, I was just listen for loud thoughts. I can’t help it when in a crowed. It takes to much work to block everything out. Plus being able to hear if someone is think to harm me keeps me from jumping out of my skin. Her thoughts were all focused, loudly, on her son. He has been ill, and was never strong, so she was worried. When I was going over the carvings I got an image of him working on them. The dragon, well that was just her body, the way she moved around it. Protecting and showing off at the same time. No that was not it. It is the stone.” She paused a bit then pulled the stone out of her pocket again. “She had no idea what she had, not that it would have meant anything to her. Still though. I am sure. Just a minuet. Where did I put that?” She stopped and dug in her bag. The others were used to her and waited. She puled out a bottle of water and opened it. “Watch.” She pored some water on the stone and it turned a blazing red, then faded back to the duller shade. “Did you see it? I am all most sure it is unkeyed. It seemed to call me, but I can’t be sure until I get home. But I think I have it. My source. This is a fire rock. I wonder how it came to her?”
Serenity looked her. “I um, that is a fire rock, it is the onlything that acts like that around water. It looks just like the one other I have seen. As to it being yours. That is, well just don’t count on it.”
Raven said. “It’s that you’re a human thing again? I know it is rare. But rare doesn’t mean impossible. Old man Riser said I had one and it would find me soon. I needed it before My birthday. I know he was a bit touched, but he was right some of the time. What will it hurt to see? I have to wait tell the next moon anyway. By then the work room will be done.”
Serenity shook her head. She wished they hadn’t let those kids hang out with him. But he was harmless. “All right, but you may not do any thing with the stone until the work room is completed. On your word. Yes I know you have shields, but not for that.”
Raven said. “Not to worry I will wait until the work room is fully done and shielded to the ninth. If anything happens it would be to noise for anything less. I promise. The last thing I want is that.”
When they reached home the kids went to there rooms and put there things away. The rock ended up under Raven’s pillow, tough she had intended for it to be on the self with her nick knacks. Mostly carvings of forest creatures with a few trees and one of a camp fire, that if looked at to long seemed to move.
Serenity went in to the kitchen where Willow was. “They were in the old public bathing house having a water fight. They had gotten bored, and no one would listen. Therefor they decided to leave. They did not think how it would look. I don’t know what we are going to do with those two.”
Willow smiled and handed her a cup of tea. “This move will be hard on them, and us. But it is the right thing for them. I trust you got things smoothed over at the school?”
Serenity nodded, “They will be in the eighth form tomorrow which should help with the boredom. The principle said he would try and get them at lest one class together. So that will help to. They just don’t like to be forced apart. It is fine if they decide to different things, but let some one else decide.”
“They are a bit to close.” Willow said. “They are so young, yet it is almost.”
Serenity nodded. “I worry that I might have done wrong by her, by you both. But you were in such sad shape there was no way you could making on your own you were so terrified of me and someone had to for help. Leaving Rule seemed the best. Then once we got you to town you need a place to heal. I had the most room. I never even thought about what it might do. Those two growing up together.”
Willow said. “There is one thing I learned. Destiny won’t be denied. Even if you had let us stay else where they would have still ended up together. Perhaps not as soon, and perhaps with more pain. No it was for the best. Even if she dose seem more dragon than human at times. That is my fault, I am the one who wouldn’t move. The only thing I regret about it is that I had to get us stuck in that ravine to find you.” They heard the kids coming and changed topic. The two thought they were odd enough as it was. They did not need to know bounds like theirs were unheard of. It was enough for them to know that their magic had woken to soon.
The next morning Raven and Rule arrived at school and went to find out about their classes. The secretary looked up. “Your late. What is your excuse?” She was reaching for a stack of late slips as she spoke.
Rule and Raven exchanged a glance, then Rule spoke. “We are not lat. We were told to be here at eight thirty. It is only twenty-five after. There should be some schedules for us. Mr. Typhoon said they would be done.”
The secretary said. “You don’t look like high scholars. Names, come on I have not got all day.”
Rule said, “I am Rule and this is Ra”
The secretary said, “Ah you are our runaways. Now I see. Well just try to wait till noon to run away today. As hard as it might be.”
Raven blushed. “Sorry about that we were bored and not thinking. We forgot it wasn’t up to us. That is.”
The sectary waved her off. “You clearly weren’t hurt or lost for ever. So no harm done, in my book. Serves them right. Now let see. Ah here they are.” She shook her head. “This will never done. That class is to full and you have had it.” After a few minuets she came over to them. “Ok this is what we have. You have to be in different homerooms. That is a required separation. As is this one here. Dragons are to take human studies to help them understand humans better. Luckily you are only required to have one year of it. Would make more since if humans had to take a year of Dragons studies, but such a class doesn’t exist. There were servile choices but zoology had the least takers so I put you in it. Now then you have different interests. Raven you have more language and Rule more math. You are to gather for basics geography, government and magic. Though the magic will change later and you might not stay to gather. This is just evil. Now it looks like you are together for PE but don’t count on it. They often have the dragons doing one thing and the humans anther. Now then come on and I will get some one to show you around. This building can be a maze.” She stepped out in the hall and flagged down to students and sent them off.
Homeroom turned out to be a room full of yelling kids. It took everything Raven had not to turn the other way. She hoped that they would settle down once the teacher got there. She was not used to such mass hysteria. What school there was in Righthigh had been informal, held by who ever had a minuet. Mostly once a child knew how to read they were left to learn as they would. There was to much work and tow few hands. The girl responsible for leading Raven around turned and pointing at a desk saying something that Raven did not get. Raven decided it was some all the lines of sit there. Nodded her head and went to the desk. That must have been right because the girl smiled and took the other one and started talking to the girls around her.
When the teacher entered silence came with him to Ravens relief, though that would soon change. The teacher looked out at the class. “I see all chairs are full. Good to see there are no skippers. Good. We have a new student joining us today. Raven, stand up and tell us about your self.”
Raven swallowed and stood up, trying to remember what she had read. She had never really needed to do more than say hi I’m Raven before. Start with you name and where your from. “UM I am Raven Storm Feather. Though I think my name would make more since of my middle and last names were switched. My family has just moved here from Righthigh.”
She started to sit but one of the kids said, “Righthigh? The military base? They don’t have children do they? I thought that was a dragon town. What were you doing there?”
Raven blushed, she did not like this kind of thing. She liked books better than people. “It is mostly made up of dragoons but there are a few humans there to. It is a mining town, the base was just added to the town. Well its been a few years but the town was there first. Mostly just the tavern works for the caravans. Though there are a few who come to learn some mine craft from time to time.”
“Is that what your folks were?”
Raven said, “You mean Miners or tavern? Um well Serenity is a finder in one of the amber mines. Mostly working in the played out shafts. Making sure they were safe to close up. Willow is an herbalist. She has a hard time being closed in, so couldn’t go in the mines.”
There were some chuckles to that. Raven was trying to figure out why. The teacher thought it best to move on, and did not bother to enlighten her. Did not understand she did not see what the chuckles were about. So what did you do?”
Raven just wanted to set down. “Rule and I liked to study under the trees mostly, or if tow hot in a shaft that wasn’t being worked. Oh you meant for fun. Sorry I didn’t hear right. We would go exploring. Mostly in the trees, though we did a bit in the caves. Once we found an untouched vain of Jade. But that was a one time thing. Usually we just found the odd rock. Or If Serenity was off work she would take us up to the ruins and where Rule and I looked for hidden rooms, hidden secrets. But we weren’t to go there alone. The normal kid stuff.”
The teacher perked up, “I haven’t heard of any ruins up there. Are they far?”
Raven shook her head. “They aren’t far just hard to get to. It looks to be an old dragon city. The only way in is to fly. It would take weeks to climb, even if you could. That is why Serenity would have to take us.”
“You live with a dragon, in the same house?” There was a touch of outrage to voice, but raven being more used to dragon voices than humans didn’t catch it. Not that she would have cared if she did.
“Dragons,” Raven said. “I have for all. Well all the life I can remember. Willow says I was four when we came to Righthigh. But I don’t remember anything else. Mom was sick or something and Serenity found us and took us in and I grew up there.” There was some coughing and no few shocked faces. Raven looked puzzled. “Did I say something wrong? Sorry, but I truly don’t see what the problem is, but by your faces I take it I said something bad.”
“People and dragons do not live together. Well except for the bonded. But everyone knows they are just creepy.”
Before Raven could form an answer anther voice chimed in. “It has only been that way for the last century, since we have had more room. Before that we shared living spaces all the time.”
“If that is so then how are we here? You have your facts wrong.”
Rule was helping Raven understand what was going on, he was facing something similar in his room. But this made them both blink. Raven started talking without thinking. “Only the bonded humans can’t have children. That is the price they pay for their lengthened life span. Humans and dragons can work together and share magic with out being bond to each other. It takes longer but it can be done. The no children thing has nothing to do with the dragons it is the ceremony. It asks a price from the participants to bind them. Children are one of the things the human must give up. Usually the dragon involved will never have any either. Especially if female, there just isn’t time with the responsibilities a pair face, to raise kids. Not if you are going to raise them right.”
Two spoke at once. “You said one of the prices. Living with dragons.”
Raven choose to ignore one and answer the other. “For the most part the cost are kept secret among those who have, or plan on, under going the ceremony. The only reason the child thing is so well know is that it is so obvious. Plus so the legend goes, when the first bonding were made there were concerns of over population. Given how many children the average human had. So it was let out to reassure everyone.”
The teacher tried to rain in the class. He was clearly wishing he had know more about Raven before he had opened this up. “So why is it you moved here?”
One of the girls called out, “Likely to civilize her.”
Raven smiled. “More like socialize, but yes. Serenity was worried that I knew more about dragons than humans. She had been fighting for this move for years. I don’t know what finally decided it.” That set up a new round of yelling. It took the bell and class change to stop it. The rest of the day was uneventful by comparison. By mutual agreement neither child told their parents of the outrage they had uncovered.
Chapter 3: A day at the base: John
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