Post by mriswith on Mar 6, 2011 23:03:40 GMT -5
A hushed whisper came over the wind. It stirred the short, black hair of the Elf kneeling on an open platform looking out over Ilirea. Her hands lay still atop her legs as sounds near and far tickled her long, pointed ear. Unlike most days, dressing in clothes some might find distasteful or even distasteful, the woman's thin, black outfit was more befitting of a monk or martial arts practitioner--functional and humble with its aesthetic sentiment. It hung close to her slender form, but still gently rustled with the wind; another soft note on the symphony all around. Every living thing played its part no matter how soft; without even the faintest of pieces working together the song would change.
"How do dragons pick their rider?"
Ishiyo recalled voices from decades since. She recalled her own innocence so many years ago.
"Not everyone gets chosen. There aren't enough eggs. How do they know which one to pick?" A child Elf asked of a mentor as they slowly drifted down one of the Citadel's many corridors set on the perimeter for a majestic view out over the land.
The older, male Elf looked down at the child with a small smile. "They know."
Ishiyo had reflected on the simple response for a moment before her bright, red eyes peered back up at the man with unresolved questions. "How?"
A soft chuckle was his only reply for a few seconds. "When a Rider is chosen their soul touches that of the dragon. This causes overwhelming pain that quickly passes. Before they are chosen, they sense the nature of the Elf's soul."
A quickly blink and the child Elf peered up at the mentor for a long, quiet moment. "But... they can't be bad people. I know some of them and they're very kind people." Ishiyo hadn't been at the Citadel long--for an Elf--and was still exceptionally innocent, young, and frank about her observations. She knew one or two that had emerged without a dragon, and knew they to be very good people.
"Mmm," the Elder nodded, "so they are. However, not all Elves are prepared for joining."
"But..."
The smile surfaced for a moment as he looked down at the child again, anticipating th objection, "There is more to being prepared than making the decision to become a Rider."
Another wide eyed stare followed before Ishiyo lowered her chin and looked forward as they walked. For a minute she thought about what the mentor had said, knowing it was important for a person to think for themselves and not expect all answers to be given to her.
"So," the child Elf began, "they are not ready in their heart?"
"In their soul. The heart is only a muscle," her mentor corrected gently, "it is a battle between one's mind and one's soul. In their mind they have accepted what it means to become a Rider; but, in their soul there are still uncertainties, doubts. What they may believe is a deep-felt desire to join may be the product of social pressures."
Ishiyo blinked her red eyes and looked up at him suddenly. "They don't understand the real reason why they made the decision."
Light laughter followed as he gently patted her shoulder. "Good, Ishiyo. Becoming a Rider is not something done lightly. It is a life-long partnership with the dragons to maintain all that is beautiful and good in our world. You must be fully prepared for what that requires."
Another breeze swept over Ishiyo's black clothing. A sharp, clean scent was on the air. Even the plants had begun to slumber with the coming night, leaving their pollen to waft and settle where it would. Finally the Elf's eyes slid open and the adult Ishiyo gazed out over the vista before her and the vanishing sun.
There was no doubt in her mind as she knelt there of what she was doing; but there was doubt. Ishiyo knew there couldn't be secrets. Even what drove her from Du Weldenvarden, something she'd shared with no other living creature, would be revealed. She was not ashamed nor felt guilty of what she had to do at that time; but it had been one of the most serious and trying decisions of her life. Would that offend the dragon to sense its mark?
Slowly rising to her legs, keeping her back straight as she rose in place, Ishiyo continued to look out over the city below. The dragons might decide those or recent events made her unworthy. There may not be a dragon whose personality or interests matched her own. However, the Elven woman would lain everything before the dragons and accept their decision. If they refused her tonight she would return again after further self-examination.
She turned and began moving across the floor with one measured step after another. Slowly she removed the thin gloves she'd been wearing and neatly tucked them away in a pocket. Seemed respectful to ensure her hands were clean when handling such precious eggs gifted to Ilirea. Having waited her entire life for the opportunity just to set foot inside the chamber, Ishiyo had gone out of her way to prepare herself physically as well as mentally and spiritually for this occasion.
Nothing deterred her step as she passed deeper into the sanctuary. There wasn't time for distractions and idle banter with faces she may or may not know. She'd prepared to surrender everything in the moment she touched the eggs and that was the most personal and vulnerable state of being she'd ever taken before another. Distractions could cause that metaphysical door to slid shut however little.
After being permitted entrance, Ishiyo respected any guide sent along to protect Elf and Egg alike in the journey--Elves having a tendency to pass out from the shock if chosen. Again, she said nothing and calmly passed through the chamber, carefully handling the eggs one by one. She waited with each warm egg in her hands for several seconds, and then several more standing before it afterward. Ishiyo didn't know what a young dragonling's thought process must be like or how it deciphered which Elf was right, so it seemed only polite not to 'rush' its decision.
It didn't matter how many eggs there were or how late into the dawning night it would take, but Sasaki would follow through until the very last or until the electric jolt would slam into her mind and permanently wedge the door open between her and the dragon-to-be. The Elf was prepared, however, to remain conscious as long as possible if that brush between minds or souls happened while she was handling an egg; long enough to set it down and not drop it.
Whatever outcome Ishiyo would at least later find the entire process emotionally overwhelming. Just being there was something she'd wanted to do for over twenty-five years; at the time a five-year trip home to see her sister hadn't seemed such a long time after her "graduation." Sadly events caused her to flee back to Ilirea, but in secret, and delay her visit to this sacred place.
"How do dragons pick their rider?"
Ishiyo recalled voices from decades since. She recalled her own innocence so many years ago.
"Not everyone gets chosen. There aren't enough eggs. How do they know which one to pick?" A child Elf asked of a mentor as they slowly drifted down one of the Citadel's many corridors set on the perimeter for a majestic view out over the land.
The older, male Elf looked down at the child with a small smile. "They know."
Ishiyo had reflected on the simple response for a moment before her bright, red eyes peered back up at the man with unresolved questions. "How?"
A soft chuckle was his only reply for a few seconds. "When a Rider is chosen their soul touches that of the dragon. This causes overwhelming pain that quickly passes. Before they are chosen, they sense the nature of the Elf's soul."
A quickly blink and the child Elf peered up at the mentor for a long, quiet moment. "But... they can't be bad people. I know some of them and they're very kind people." Ishiyo hadn't been at the Citadel long--for an Elf--and was still exceptionally innocent, young, and frank about her observations. She knew one or two that had emerged without a dragon, and knew they to be very good people.
"Mmm," the Elder nodded, "so they are. However, not all Elves are prepared for joining."
"But..."
The smile surfaced for a moment as he looked down at the child again, anticipating th objection, "There is more to being prepared than making the decision to become a Rider."
Another wide eyed stare followed before Ishiyo lowered her chin and looked forward as they walked. For a minute she thought about what the mentor had said, knowing it was important for a person to think for themselves and not expect all answers to be given to her.
"So," the child Elf began, "they are not ready in their heart?"
"In their soul. The heart is only a muscle," her mentor corrected gently, "it is a battle between one's mind and one's soul. In their mind they have accepted what it means to become a Rider; but, in their soul there are still uncertainties, doubts. What they may believe is a deep-felt desire to join may be the product of social pressures."
Ishiyo blinked her red eyes and looked up at him suddenly. "They don't understand the real reason why they made the decision."
Light laughter followed as he gently patted her shoulder. "Good, Ishiyo. Becoming a Rider is not something done lightly. It is a life-long partnership with the dragons to maintain all that is beautiful and good in our world. You must be fully prepared for what that requires."
Another breeze swept over Ishiyo's black clothing. A sharp, clean scent was on the air. Even the plants had begun to slumber with the coming night, leaving their pollen to waft and settle where it would. Finally the Elf's eyes slid open and the adult Ishiyo gazed out over the vista before her and the vanishing sun.
There was no doubt in her mind as she knelt there of what she was doing; but there was doubt. Ishiyo knew there couldn't be secrets. Even what drove her from Du Weldenvarden, something she'd shared with no other living creature, would be revealed. She was not ashamed nor felt guilty of what she had to do at that time; but it had been one of the most serious and trying decisions of her life. Would that offend the dragon to sense its mark?
Slowly rising to her legs, keeping her back straight as she rose in place, Ishiyo continued to look out over the city below. The dragons might decide those or recent events made her unworthy. There may not be a dragon whose personality or interests matched her own. However, the Elven woman would lain everything before the dragons and accept their decision. If they refused her tonight she would return again after further self-examination.
She turned and began moving across the floor with one measured step after another. Slowly she removed the thin gloves she'd been wearing and neatly tucked them away in a pocket. Seemed respectful to ensure her hands were clean when handling such precious eggs gifted to Ilirea. Having waited her entire life for the opportunity just to set foot inside the chamber, Ishiyo had gone out of her way to prepare herself physically as well as mentally and spiritually for this occasion.
Nothing deterred her step as she passed deeper into the sanctuary. There wasn't time for distractions and idle banter with faces she may or may not know. She'd prepared to surrender everything in the moment she touched the eggs and that was the most personal and vulnerable state of being she'd ever taken before another. Distractions could cause that metaphysical door to slid shut however little.
After being permitted entrance, Ishiyo respected any guide sent along to protect Elf and Egg alike in the journey--Elves having a tendency to pass out from the shock if chosen. Again, she said nothing and calmly passed through the chamber, carefully handling the eggs one by one. She waited with each warm egg in her hands for several seconds, and then several more standing before it afterward. Ishiyo didn't know what a young dragonling's thought process must be like or how it deciphered which Elf was right, so it seemed only polite not to 'rush' its decision.
It didn't matter how many eggs there were or how late into the dawning night it would take, but Sasaki would follow through until the very last or until the electric jolt would slam into her mind and permanently wedge the door open between her and the dragon-to-be. The Elf was prepared, however, to remain conscious as long as possible if that brush between minds or souls happened while she was handling an egg; long enough to set it down and not drop it.
Whatever outcome Ishiyo would at least later find the entire process emotionally overwhelming. Just being there was something she'd wanted to do for over twenty-five years; at the time a five-year trip home to see her sister hadn't seemed such a long time after her "graduation." Sadly events caused her to flee back to Ilirea, but in secret, and delay her visit to this sacred place.
