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I'll never be special, Kalindra thought. And most of the people in the village agreed. It wasn't her fault that her sisters set such high standards. After all, being the youngest of the seven princesses of Elsweyr was not as easy as it looked.
Take her eldest sister for example. Sharla, being the eldest, had married a prince from the neighbouring kingdom of Valenwood. She was a strong woman and she made a fine queen and a formidable enemy to any who threatened her kingdom while her husband, King Geradin, was away on business.
Kalindra's second sister, Gwenhwyvar, was not to be messed with. She was an Eighth Grade Sorceress, one of the best in the land, and she got whatever she wanted, often by just threatening to use her magic powers.
Shahanna, Kalindra's third sister, was Kalindra's closest friend. She was a cleric and was often able to use her power to 'sense' what was upsetting Kalindra before Kalindra even mentioned it. Being a cleric meant that Shahanna could use her mental abilities to heal people telepathically. Kalindra felt closer to her because it took Shahanna many years to discover her special talent.
The fourth sister, Sharra, was one of their Father's most talented knights. Being a woman didn't stop her from doing what she had always wanted and been good at. She could split an arrow on a target in two from one hundred metres away, more often than even Robin Hood could. Sharra was proud to wear her Royal Knight tunic. She had been the champion of the Yearly Jousting Competition for many years.
Kalindra's fifth sister, Killashandra, was a healer. She had a wide knowledge of herbal remedies and was always wanted to assist somebody. Killashandra was renowned for her breakthroughs in healing the blind. However, Kalindra found her boring and of no use to anyone other than those she was healing.
Her sixth sister, Terisa, was an Archer. Unlike Sharra, who was talented with bow and sword, Terisa was only skilled with her bow. However, she was better at Archery than even Sharra, and had often used her skill to turn the tide of battle for the better.
And that just left Kalindra. Having no special talent, skill or magical power, she remained unknown and little-cared for. Many of the peasants did not even know that King Walter and Queen Louisa had a seventh daughter. Which is why Kalindra felt the way she did: depressed and lonely.
I'll never be special, Kalindra thought once more. The palace had seemed even more lonely as of late because her father and his knights had gone to sign a Peace Treaty in the neighbouring country of Black Marsh, Shahanna and Killashandra had gone to help cure a plague that was spreading throughout Valenwood and Gwenhwyvar spent most of her time in her tower in southern Elsweyr.
The castle seemed lonely, it's stone corridors dark and frighteningly quiet. Kalindra shivered even though the fire in her room was burning strongly. Although she was supposedly meant to be running the castle, village and country while the rest of her family was away, nobody really needed her to make choices about such trivial things as what to cook and which sheets to make up the King's bed with.
Suddenly a maid burst into Kalindra's room looking flushed and breathless. There seems to be a commotion outside in the courtyard too, Kalindra thought.
"I'm sorry ma'am about not knocking just then, but you must come quickly. A dragon is attacking the village and several houses have been burnt down already. You must do something, ma'am. All the legends say that only some of the Royal Blood can communicate with a dragon and you are the only person here ma'am."
Although the maid made it sound like a negative thing when she said that Kalindra was the only one of the Royal Blood there at present, Kalindra agreed that she must at least see this dragon.
Kalindra ran through the corridors yelling that her carriage must be made ready so that she could travel to the village even though it was only a short distance from the castle. The corridors seemed impossibly long and the echoes of her footsteps mocked her as Kalindra ran on and on. Suddenly she burst outside into the sunshine and almost leapt into the waiting carriage.
By the time Kalindra had reached the village several of the buildings had burnt down to the ground and a tongue of flame still protruded from the dragon's mouth. The dragon itself was the size of several houses, its wings as long and wide as a small pond and its scales were each as large as a square on a checker board.
The dragon was gold in colour, and it shone in the afternoon sunlight. Its eyes had an almost hypnotic feeling about them as they swirled around showing the many different colours of the rainbow.
Suddenly its head swivelled around and Kalindra felt it's hot breath gently blowing down on her and she could feel it staring at her almost as if to say "What do you want? I've got better things to do than just stand here talking to silly princesses".
Suddenly Kalindra felt inspired. She yelled out, "Dragon, what do you wish from my people and myself? Name it and you will receive."
A soft voice spoke inside her mind and Kalindra understood why only some of those with Royal Blood could understand the dragon's speech. Will you help me?, the voice stated, I have only come to ask for help. I did not mean to harm your village, it was truly an accident.
Poor dragon, Kalindra sent telepathically, I will be glad to help you. Ask me and I will be glad to help.
Come with me and I will show you. Get on to my back. Kalindra climbed upon its back and held on tightly. Don't worry, it sent, I will not let you fall.
Then the dragon took off, it's powerful wings showing no sign of strain. Kalindra could feel the wind in her hair as they flew through the air together over the land. They approached the cliffs that marked the border of Elsweyr and the dragon dipped lower. Kalindra suddenly felt fear for herself as it looked as though they were going to crash into the cliff.
Do not fear, the dragon sent in an amused tone as it glided down into a small cave where it landed. Kalindra dismounted and crept tentatively further into the cave where she saw a large group of mottled eggs.
Oh, she sent, you're a mother. But what do you need help with?
I need someone to watch my eggs while I feed, I need someone to help me bring them up and teach them. Will you? The dragon was almost pleading with Kalindra, who immediately replied with all her heart.
I am quite willing to live here and assist you. I am not needed at home. As long as you will allow me to visit my family occasionally and do not mind when I decide to mate I will be your rider.
And so Kalindra rode back to the palace where she waited for her family to return. After they all arrived she told them her decision and while they were reacting Lamanth (the dragon) sent an interesting fact.
Your sisters, she sent, they cannot 'hear' me.
After her decision was accepted Kalindra was proud to be known as the first Dragon Rider in Elsweyr and was equally proud of her talent which none of her sisters had. Kalindra knew that she would be the first of many with the talent to hear dragons and that she and Lamanth were going to be partners and friends forever in a way that none of her sisters could ever understand.
All stories © Copyright 1997-2002 by Catherine.
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