The sounds of the dragon's trumpeting the end of the battle had 
quickened Evelle's heart.  Rushing from her apartment, she searched the 
skies for a glimpse of her family's dragons.  The one she spotted first was 
S'brogh's deep indigo Iganeth.  Riding side by side, some little distance 
behind, were her parents on Bareuth and Lixanth.  One by one the 
dragon's landed, and their riders dismounted.  Evelle ran to them relieved 
to see that they had been fortunate; their injuries were minor.  Her brother 
bore with pride a long scratch down his left forearm, the badge of honor of 
his first combat ride.  Fervently, they all hoped there wouldn't soon be 
another, but Ralengarde was safe for now.

	Once sure that her family was all right, Evelle left them.  Their first 
duty, and wish, was to see to the well-being of their dragons.  This was a 
private time and Evelle left them to it.  Word began to spread as she 
walked about the warren that Christalla had decreed there be a feast that 
evening.  Such banquets were considered an event in Keldarra Warren.  
There would be merry-making and celebration and food and drink would 
be abundant.  Evelle was thinking about what she would wear when a 
young warren boy approached her.

	"The DragonLady wishes you to come to her office, Evelle."

	That could mean only one thing.  She was to be screened as a 
candidate for tomorrow's hatching.

	"Thank you, Japen.  I'll go right now."

	Evelle tried to remain calm while the DragonLady examined her.  
Truthfully she answered all of Christalla's questions -- it was the only way 
-- and waited for the answer.  At long last it came.

	"Of course, I want you to be a hatching candidate."

	Christalla noted the brightening of Evelle's aura at her words.  She 
worried about the girl's single-mindedness, but felt a strength within her 
as well.  If the joining didn't happen at this hatching, Evelle would suffer 
disappointment, but she'd not give up or lose heart.

	"You're certainly qualified and young enough," she continued.  "But 
I do have a different proposition for you."

	"What kind of proposition?"  Evelle was truly puzzled.  A hatching 
followed a pattern.  Dragons and potential riders found each other or 
didn't.  What else could there be?"

	"Well, I'm putting together a special group of girl candidates at this 
hatching.  There's a queen egg in the clutch this time--"

	"A queen??"  Evelle cut her off, her face flushed.  Was it possible?  
The DragonLady was saying she might be a candidate for a queen!"

	"Only one girl can join with that queen, but it won't prevent you 
from joining with unfertile females at the hatching," she qualified.

	"I understand!"

	Evelle walked in a daze as she left the DragonLady's office.  This 
was more than even her dreams had promised.  One thing she knew...she 
would tell no one of this possibility.  If the queen should choose her, she'd 
have been blessed by the gods, but if it was not to be, she mustn't raise 
the hopes of her family.  Whatever dragon was right for her, she would be 
happy.

	On her way back to her apartment, Evelle saw Wynn, standing 
alone.  Such a handsome young man, he was, but so often looking forlorn 
and troubled as he did not.  She approached him.

	"Will you be at the hatching tomorrow, Wynn?"

	"I'm afraid my time has come and gone, Evelle.  I'd best be looking 
for other careers.  You will go, I'm sure."

	"Oh yes!  Of course, I'll be there."  She touched his arm.  "You're 
only nineteen.  You mustn't give up hope.  It's not yet too late for you.  
Please come."

	Evelle looked into his eyes, but he didn't answer.  She sighed.  "At 
least I'll see you at the banquet tonight."

	"Yes, all must come to celebrate the victory at Ralengarde.  If only I 
could have been there to help win the battle."

	He turned and left her, walking slowly away.  Evelle continued on 
her way beginning to notice the landbound guests who had arrived to 
witness the hatching.  She noticed a young man and an older one, talking 
animatedly.  Clearly they were members of the Guild of Swords.  She'd 
heard the stories of a proposed merger between the Guild and Keldarra 
Warren, and could see the benefits to both if it came to pass.  The 
younger was another fine looking young man.  As she passed by, she 
overheard a few words of their conversation.

	"Who woulda thought 'twoud be me picked fer the hatching?  If 
we'd said it back home, they'd've called us daft fer certain."

	"Twas fate brought us here this day, son, and Fate is naught to be 
argued with, I ken."

	Their words caused Evelle to take another, closer look as she 
passed.  She hoped he would find his dragon.  A shadow across her path 
made Evelle realize that the sun was dipping below the mountains.  She 
stepped up her pace and hurried home to dress for the banquet.

			******************************

	The time had arrived.  Warren dwellers and guests were making 
their way toward the immense banquet hall.  Its several large rooms, 
carved into the mountain, could hold all of the warren's members as well 
as the guests that had been invited.  Evelle had dressed in a soft knit 
dress of rusty gold that reached the floor.  It was early autumn, and the 
warm temperature of the daytime sun reflecting off the mountains would 
drop some degrees at night.  Not enough to disturb the dragons.... the 
world of New Brittany spun close enough to its sun so that only for two 
short months in winter was the planet really cold.

	When Evelle entered the banquet room, the festivities were just 
beginning.  She found Kalera and V'redan and joined them.  Her brother, 
S'brogh brought them each a tankard of wine.  Soon, M'ressan would 
begin the evening with a toast to the DragonLady, then one to the victory 
at Ralengarde, and a third to the riders and dragons who had fallen there.  
Then the revelry would begin in earnest.

Evelle
Dragonrider-to-be

Judi Marko