After a short dinner of more fish, the duo made their way back to their cave and went inside. The sun was setting in the horizon, and though it was still early, both rider and dragon were exhausted. Despite the early hour Ragin readily collapsed onto his bead with a tired sigh, not bothering to shed his clothes. They were dry by then anyway, and clean as well.

Akaysha curled up in her nest with the most satisfied purr he had heard her make in a long time. She set her tired head between her forepaws. The midnight blue scales shined in the dying of the light. Any mud, dirt and sweat had been throughfully cleaned off, giving a now pristine surface that sparkled like a million dazzling gems.

'Sleep well Akaysha,' he murmured mentally too her, finally letting himself fall into the exhausted confines of his body.

'You to, partner of my mind and soul,' she replied back.

* * *

Akaysha rumbled, half annoyed as she found herself pulled from her sleep by an unconscious stream of thoughts in the back of her mind. The dragoness lifted her head with a slight huff, shifting slightly in her far too comfortable nest, and gazing around the room. The moon was bright that night and, after a minute or so, she found her eyes adjusted to the minimal darkness in the room. She could sense there were a number of others awake, thought they paid her no mind.

Her gaze turned to Ragin. The rider was fast asleep, stretched out on his stomach and breathing deeply. But his mind was active. Images rushed through it at a startling rate. Words went passed. Ideas, thoughts and dreams she hadn't seen from him before. But more important than all that, was the fact his mind was completely open once again. An excited thrill ran down her back as she stretched out her mind into his, eager for the chance to see into his memories again.

Part of her felt guilty. These were her rider's private thoughts, memories and emotions. He had far more of a right to them than she did, but the other part of her rationalized that as his dragon, she had a right to those thoughts as well. Before she stopped herself she dove into his mind, taking the rare chance to discover more about her rider.

* * *

"Master, do we really have to do this?" a ten year old Ragin asked.

It was a strange memory. Unlike the others that Akaysha had viewed it was extremely hazy. The sounds of the crowd surrounding both the boy and Vanir were muted and unnaturally conjoined. People's faces didn't really stick out, their details vague and unconvincing. The only really clear view she got was from the regal elf standing beside them. At first she didn't recognise him, but after a quickly look through previous memories she realised that Vanir had cast a spell to change his appearance for whatever occasion they were attending.

"It is compulsory, Ragin," the elf replied, "You have been recorded on the city's ledger. If you don't attend questions will be raised. You don't want that do you?"

"No... but... I don't even want to become a dragon rider," the boy muttered.

"There is a very low chance you will be chosen my boy. These eggs go by every person and being in Alageasia and beyond. In the end, only five eggs hatch every five years."

"But what if one does hatch for me?" grunted Ragin, jabbing his hands into his pockets.

Vanir was silent for a moment, "Then you will go with them."

Akaysha wasn't quite sure, it was hard to tell with the overwhelming amount of emotions flooding out of Ragin, but she thought she noticed a degree of sadness in the way the elf spoke. It surprised the dragoness because, from what she had seen through her rider's memories, their relationship had been rather one-sided, mostly coming from Ragin's eagerness to gain the attention of his master. The idea that Vanir would feel anything for the young boy was rather startling. Though, they had been together for four years now.

"Why would I do that?" Ragin exclaimed in reply, "I don't want to go with them. I want to continue my training with you."

"Ragin," Vanir's voice became stern, "To become a dragon rider is a blessing. Yes, I consider the riders my enemy, but I have a high degree of respect for who they are and what they stand for. You would be lucky to fight for such a cause."

Ragin seemed confused by this and a frown creased his face, "But... aren't the dragon riders bad people?"

"No, they just think we are."

"Why?"

"Because we do things that they consider evil. While some may be so, we do those things because it is necessary to be able to keep the peace we have today."

"Hmm... I still don't want to be one."

Vanir laughed, "To bond with a dragon is one of the most life changing experiences known. I'm pretty sure that you would change your mind if you ever did bond with a dragon."

"I don't want to change my mind."

Before Vanir had a chance to answer a loud gong sounded over the roar of the cluttering crowd. Ragin turned his attention toward the large stage set in the village square. Three chests had been set atop a number of pedestals at the centre of the stage, and as they watched three glowing orbs were lifted from the chest. There was a dark-blue almost black one, a white and a golden. Dragon eggs. A hush washed over the crowd as they behold the sight. Even Ragin was awed.

"Would everyone who is trying for a dragon egg please line up at the steps of the stage. We will call you up one at a time."

Something prodded Ragin in the shoulder. He grunted and looked back at Vanir, who gently pushed the boy forward. After a slight huff he relented and moved to join in the line. The quicker it was done, the quicker he could head back to train. He had been trying out a new spell, and was eager to get back to learning it.

Akaysha was a little surprised at how resistant he was to having a dragon hatch for him, even at such a young age. She understood why he resented the riders so much at the moment. They were the ones that had destroyed everything he had ever known after all. But now? When he was so young? It confused the dragoness greatly. Though she had to stop short of saying that he resented the riders, it was more a general dislike and wariness. Like one would have of a suspicious stranger.

She could feel his slight distaste for the others around him. They were all so excited and eager to have their go. One by one they went up, everyone between the ages of ten and twenty five, as was law in Alageasia. Other races had different regulations. The elves: anyone up to the age of one hundred and thirty could attempt for an egg. The urgals' had the rule where anyone who was battleworthy could try for a dragon. The dwarves' limit was fifty.

As they watched one boy in a spoiled blue robe and fingers encrusted with rings of gold let out a tantric cry, trying to punch one of the eggs in anger. The elf guarding the egg stopped him with a stern glare that sent the boy scampering from the stage, tears in his eyes. Ragin let out a slight chuckle at the sight, shaking his head. It was ridiculous. People got so upset over the unhatched eggs that they lost there minds. They didn't seem to understand the shear unlikeliness of one hatching, especially for spoiled brats with no backbone.

Akaysha felt a strange nervousness crawl into his stomach at the thought. He knew he certainly had a backbone, and was far more powerful the most people his age. In fact, he was likely stronger than most people there. No one would be able to tell that of course, but with the spells that Vanir had taught him and his growing skill with a blade he was quite sure that if it came to it he could even escape the elves. Akaysha thought he was overestimating himself with that train of thought, but it could definitely be true regarding the knowledge he had at the time.

As the line continued to move she felt Ragin move into a dreamy like state and the memory became a little bit of a blur as if her rider couldn't remember much of the following in extreme detail. Slightly annoyed Akaysha fast-forwarded the memory a little until the memory became clear again. This time he was right at the front, with only one person to go before him. This person was a slightly older boy whom Ragin had seen around. He was usually relatively quite and hung in the back of his pack of friends, only speaking when he needed to.

The boy was blond and had an average build, with no other especially contributing traits. He walked up onto the stage and made his way over to the eggs. He brushed over the first one, the dark-blue one that Akaysha now realised looked very similar to her own egg, then the next, the white one, but as he did he went stock still with a loud gasp.

The general murmur that had arisen over the course of the day instantly stopped as all eyes were turned toward the boy. Ragin gently probed the boys conscious and found that, while the first egg had been cool to the touch, this one seemed to have had a burning fire inside it, and there was a spark that seemed to run between him and the egg. His eyes went wide as he stared at the white stone in awe.

"We have our newest rider!" cried one of the egg guards, a man, raising his fist into the sky.

An instant cheer went up from the crowd, and the boy seemed frozen in both confusion and disbelief. The dwarf guard came up to him, picking up the egg and placing it in the boy's arms.

"What is your name child?" the dwarf asked.

"B...Ben," the boy stuttered in what could have been a sob.

"Congratulations," the dwarf said with a large grin, "It requires a great character to gain the attraction of a dragon."

Ben smiled, and Ragin could see the tears coming from the boys eyes. Everyone began moving forward, cheering and waving at the newest dragon rider. He seemed to be unable to move, not knowing what to do, or he was completely absent from the world, eyes only on the egg held in his arms, unaware of the commotion he alone had caused. The guardians were standing around him, making no effort to move the young boy as he began to openly sob.

Ragin let out a sigh, not wanting to wait around for much longer. Akaysha could see his the thoughts he was having and they weren't particularly suitable for a ten year old child. Without waiting to be called he walked up the steps and without hesitation brushed his hand along the top of the stone that looked like Akaysha's egg and nearly froze. Nearly.

For but an instant the same fire that he had felt in the Ben's mind swelled through his hand as if the hatchling dragon inside leapt toward him. His mind went haywire in panic. No. It couldn't be true. It couldn't be. Keeping himself calm he quickly stepped over to the next egg and brushed his hand across that one. Cool. Unreactive. Safe. His mental sigh of relief was so great Akaysha felt herself relax. He continued walking. Past the boy with his egg. Past the guards that had not realised the connection he had felt with the other egg. Past the prying eyes of the elf that had been unable to recognise the connection because of his closed mind.

He descended down the steps, breathing heavily, shoving his hands into his pockets and using the crowd to disappear, just like Vanir had taught him. He walked fast, breathing in and out, trying to relax, to get that memory out of his system. The dragon hadn't chosen him. It couldn't have. He refused to admit it. To even acknowledge it. His hands bunched into a ball as his head began to hurt with the effort it was taking not to let tears out. That was impossible. Impossible!

He quickly met up with Vanir, who ushered the boy away, but couldn't help regard his solemn silence as suspicious. Ragin didn't even realise this as he walked, but Akaysha could tell the elf was keeping a close eye on him. All that was flooding through the boy's mind was panic and resistance. Of refusal. The egg hadn't meant to hatch for him. It had made a mistake. It was impossible. He shivered all over and closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm down, to drive his mind away from the egg, to continue walking. It was alright, even if there had been a connection, no one had noticed. And he was determined to keep it that way.

* * *

Akaysha slowly drew out from her rider's mind, startled. The memory she had just visited was so vivid in her mind that she didn't know what to think. To be angry, to be surprised. She hadn't known this. She didn't understand it at all. He had touched her egg before? Nearly ten years ago? He had felt the connection. He had felt the call... but had rejected it? She was silent in her nest, looking at her sleeping rider.

She felt... hurt. She didn't know why. Ragin was different to what he had been ten years ago, different to the ten year old boy of that memory. But still... she had felt his presence before... and had rejected it. She shuffled her wings, laying her head against the nest with a deep breath. Why? Why had he been so adamant in refusing to become a rider? Was it Vanir? Had he turned her partner-of-heart-and-mind against her? No, that couldn't be true, judging from what he had told Ragin before. But still... why?

She let out another deep breath and curled herself around a little tighter, struggling to get these thoughts out of her head. She rumbled deep in her chest. Another question entered her mind. If he had felt the connection before, then why hadn't he recognised it when he stole her egg not six months ago? Why hadn't he recognised her egg at all? She growled softly and shook herself out, closing her eyes. The thoughts continued to swell in her head until eventually she fell asleep.

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Hey guys! Sorry so much for the long wait. I didn't mean to leave it so long but well... life...:) I've had a massive writers block recently but I seem to be over it now. I typed most of this chapter out in about half an hour lol. Anyway, vote if you enjoyed and comment what you thought. The next chapter will be out as soon as I can get it. See Ya!

Pennator^^