“Do I have to go?” Morgaine whined to Celestria.

“Yes,” she insisted. “It’s just a banquet to honor the coming of winter, it’s like a big party, we have one every year. It will be fun.”

“We had a festival like this in my village, but everyone there was like me. Here they will be nobility, a common falconer’s apprentice like me doesn’t belong there,” Morgaine pleaded.

“That’s not true, do I keep having to remind you that you’re as good as many nobles and you’re not just a ‘falconer’s apprentice’. You’re the king’s falconer’s apprentice and you’ve been invited. Plus I know for a fact that Declan and Shan Chi will be there too, so you don’t have the excuse that you’ll be the only non-noble there.”

“Well I do have the excuse that I don’t have any clothes nice enough to wear to something like this,” Morgaine said desperate to find a reason she couldn’t go. “And it’s not like I could borrow something, it’s the stocks for anyone who dresses above their station.”

Celestria sighed, “And you forget your station. Apprentice to the king’s falconer is as good as any other sort of master or apprentice that will be there and I’ve gotten you a dress so you don’t have any excuses.”

“So that’s why you taught me to dance,” Morgaine muttered as she put on the dress Celestria had handed her. The dress was a soft pale blue with bronze, to indicate that she wasn’t a noble, and white trimming and she looked at herself in a full length mirror in Celestria’s room. It wasn’t nearly as fine as what Celestria wore and by law it couldn’t be in the same colors or as bright, but it was the finest thing that Morgaine had ever worn. She studied herself, Celestria had done her hair so it hung loose, but would not get in her way and the dress fit like a second skin and looked great, but there was something off. It was her eyes, they were amethyst from excitement, blue would be better, she thought and to her surprise they changed.

“Did I know I could do that?” Morgaine asked herself more than Celestria.

“Do what?” Celestria asked.

“This,” Morgaine said changing her eyes from blue to green to purple and back to blue.

“Interesting, but now you’ll be able to hide your feeling,” Celestria said.

“Good,” she said as they walked to the banquet hall. “I get tired of everyone knowing how I feel all the time.”

Morgaine was shy at first and hung by the walls. Celestria saw this and dragged her into a crowd of young men and introduced her to all of them, though they all knew who she was. Among them was Byron, who even now winked at her. Soon she was relaxed, flirting and dancing with the men just as Celestria did. Apparently the rumors had disappeared just like the warm summer days. Morgaine found that she was enjoying herself and that parties weren’t so bad. Later in the evening she caught sight of Declan and went over to were he was standing.

“I see you’ve been enjoying yourself,” he said then added. “You look nice, I don’t think I’ve ever seen your eyes quite that color.”

“Parties are fine, but give me a good hunt any day and I’ll be in heaven,” she said ignoring his comment about her looking nice. Music started to play and he startled her by asking her to dance and she accepted in spite of herself. She couldn’t help but to giggle at dancing with her mentor, who had always seemed decades older, but tonight she realized that he really wasn’t and it made her giggle again.

“What?” he asked grinning.

“It just seems funny that we’re dancing together. I feel like I’m dancing with my father. I mean how many falconers have danced with their apprentice?”

“I think this is another first for falconers,” he said.

Morgaine woke the next morning in the predawn hours with a feeling of calm, she was ready for anything. This was it, the storm was upon her. She dressed quickly in her warmest clothes because the morning was cold, but she didn’t know why she would be going out. Dressed she stole to the armory and took a dagger, a longbow and a quiver of arrows, then she went to the kitchen and took some bread, cheese and apples and put them in a pack. Finally she went to the mews and let Skye out.

It’s time, Morgaine said. Let’s go quickly and quietly.

It was still dark out, but with her dragon eyes she easily maneuvered her way out of the palace and through the city to the meadows. She walked in silence with Skye flying over head, she didn’t know where she was going, she just knew that this was the way to go. She was headed south towards the mountains and making good time. By dawn she was a half mile from the foothills and Sario was far behind her. An hour after dawn she stopped to eat and rest and Skye, who had hunted as they went, sat in a near by tree preening her feathers.

I hate this, Skye said irritably. Dragons shouldn’t interfere with mortals and especially not with humans.

Why? Before you were all for this saying to listen to dragons, now you act like it’s something bad. Nothings going to happen that we wont both live through, Morgaine said standing to go.

We’ll both live but dragon’s still shouldn’t play with you, Skye said bitterly.

By noon Morgaine was almost half way up the mountains and she was beginning to tire a little. Suddenly she turned to the left and saw a cave entrance, it began to snow. The storm. Morgaine made her way to the cave and it began to snow harder and it became increasingly cold.

Just inside the cave it was very warm and Morgaine was forced to strip off her warmer layers until she just wore a shirt and breeches. She strung her bow and adjusted the quiver on her back then started down into the cave with Skye hopping along behind her. Soon the cave opened into a huge cavern illuminated by an unknown source.

Your test starts now, the dragon said though Morgaine couldn’t see it anywhere. She could tell that it was the same dragon who had spoken to her that night months ago. Prepare yourself.

I’m ready now, she said boldly.

Everything was silent for a minute and Morgaine warmed the bow in her hands. Suddenly four men jumped out from nowhere and they all wielded axes. Morgaine put an arrow in the first, but the second ripped the bow from her hands and she rolled away just as another swung his axe at her just missing her skull. Quickly she pulled out her dagger as Skye attacked the men, going for their eyes, then Morgaine leapt at one of the men and thrust her dagger in his throat and let the blood flow over her hand.

One of the two remaining men grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the ground, knocking the wind out of her. The other man raised his axe above his head and would have cut her head off if at that moment Skye hadn’t attacked again so only Morgaine’s hair was cut off. Skye’s attack gave Morgaine time to get to her feet and grab the axe of one of the fallen men and bury the axe head into the skull of her nearest attacker.

The last man seemed to be smarter than the other three and they circled each other for a moment then the man lunged at Morgaine, but she rolled away before he could impact and grabbed the dagger that she had dropped earlier. Facing her attacker, the man it turned into Declan, but still advanced on her so Morgaine didn’t hesitate throwing her dagger and caught Declan’s image right between the eyes.

Morgaine looked around at the fallen men and suddenly they all disappeared.

You have done well, better that expected, the dragon said. Now it is time for your next test.

Suddenly a deeply bronze colored dragon appeared in the center of the cavern. She was over thirty feet long from snout to rump with an extra ten feet of tail. Morgaine knew that the dragon was female because as with most predatory birds, female dragons are larger than males. She had roughly a forty-five foot wingspan that was covered with a thin, lighter colored webbing of smooth skin. Her broad shoulders, thick legs and strong tail made her look more massive and strong than she really was and her four long claws on each foot made her look very deadly. She had a large head with a long snout that was accented by soft facial curves. Morgaine could see large, sharp, ivory teeth that weren’t quite fully hidden by her soft lips. This made it look as if she forever had an evil grin . Her large cat-like eyes where bright green like the first new grass in spring and they stared at Morgaine unblinking. On the crown of her head two ivory horns protruded a good foot and a row of curved spikes, that started at her forehead, ran down her back to the end of her tail. She was more beautiful than anything Morgaine had ever seen before and she was scared to death of her.

You needn’t be afraid of me, the dragon said sweetly.

Only a fool would stand before a dragon and not be afraid, Morgaine said flatly. What is my next test?

Eager aren’t you? Well here it is you just have to stand there, but no matter what happens you can’t call out.

Don’t do it to her, Skye pleaded. She’s not strong enough, don’t do it.

Be gone raptor-sister this doesn’t concern you even if you have guessed my aim, the dragon said, smoke coming from her nostrils and Skye screeched a rude reply.

Suddenly the dragon opened her mouth and belched flames that enveloped Morgaine and she was hit with pain from every angle. Her flesh felt as though it was melting off and her bones ached. She fell to her knees but she wouldn’t cry out and to keep from screaming she bit her lip till it bled.

Suddenly in her mind she saw a woman tied to a stake and being burned while villagers rallied around and she heard the woman’s screams. Those horrible screams that haunted her nightmares. Then she was that woman tied to the stake, but she wouldn’t cry out, she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction nor would she make some other young girl live with the same memory that she did.

It seemed like she was in the flames for an eternity but finally the flames stopped coming. Normally the dragon’s fire would have turned her flesh and bones instantly to ash but when she looked herself over she could find no sign that the flames had ever touched her.

You have passed the second test. You have proved your ability to learn and you can conquer fear. Now for the third and final test, the dragon said and another dragon appeared next to her.

This dragon, also female, Morgan could see was sick. Her scales a dull yellow and she lay with her eyes closed and her breathing was harsh. She looked very similar to the other dragon, though she was a bit larger and had two more sets of horns, but because she was ill and sleeping she was much less threatening.

This is the Elder Dragon, Sahara. She is what you would call the queen of dragons and she’s ill and you can fix her, the dragon Jade gave you that power when she mended your leg . Now put your hands on her and save her, the dragon said.

There was a pleading in the dragon’s voice that Morgaine couldn’t ignore and she walked to Sahara and placed her hands on the dragon’s back and closed her eyes. She felt a sensation like feeling when birds were near but different.

There was twinge of pain and suddenly she could see into Sahara’s body, it was a spearhead in her heart that ailed her, it was old and rusted like it had been there a long time and Morgaine concluded that Sahara must have been stuck long ago and the spearhead had since festered it’s way into her heart. Without knowing where she got the knowledge how to do so, Morgaine began to pull the spearhead out and repair the dragon’s heart.

Sometime later Morgaine finished and she opened her eyes, Sahara’s scales were now a bright gold and she was awake and her yellow eyes had a glint to them and she looked well. Morgaine on the other hand was exhausted and almost collapsed, but she fought off the faint and said, I think I did it.

Of course you did child, said Sahara’s melodic voice. And I will be forever grateful.

And you have passed all three tests, the other dragon said. I am Myst and you have been chosen to help dragon kind. I will come to you only as a last resort for help. For now take the gifts we have given you and live your life. If we are lucky I will never have to ask your help, if we are not I must know you are willing to help.

I would be honored to help dragons in any way I can, Morgaine said swaying and the slightest wind would have knocked her over.

Very good, there are dark times ahead and you have a power that can help, Sahara said, Sleep now child you’ve earned it.

The dragons disappeared and the cave became cold. Morgaine stumbled to the cave entrance and put on the warm clothes she had taken off earlier and fell asleep.

Morgaine woke to the scent of herbs and the sound of two people talking. At first she thought that she might still be in the cave with Myst and Sahara, but when she opened her eyes she was back in the palace in her own room. Celestria and Declan were standing at the foot of her bed and she tried to set up, but the room started to spin and she had to lay back down.

“Good you’re awake,” Celestria said good naturedly. “You’ve been asleep for two days.”

“Two days?” Morgaine asked attempting to sit up again and this time she succeeded. Then she asked, “How did I get here?”

“The morning after the day you disappeared Skye showed up here screeching and squawking until we followed her.” This was Declan. “We found you out cold in a cave. What where you doing there and what happened?”

“Don’t pester her with questions when she’s just woken up,” Celestria chastised. “She can tell us everything in her own time, but now you should rest.”

“Rest? I’ve been asleep for two days, rest is the last thing I want to do. Besides I really should go thank Skye, she didn’t want me to go, but she wouldn’t let me go alone and it really helped having her there,” Morgaine said starting to get out of bed.

You can thank me from right where you are, Skye said and she came hopping and flapping into the room and flying up to perch on the bed post.

How did you get them to let you in here? Morgaine asked chuckling.

I pecked at Declan until he let me in, Skye said defiantly.

You didn’t! Morgaine said, then serious she asked, Did that really happen in the cave? I mean with Myst and Sahara and everything?

You tell me, you’re the one who’s hair is only four inches long.

Morgaine began to protest then she remembered that her hair had been cut off while she was fighting the men. She felt her hair and sure enough it was short, only about long enough to cover her ears. Morgaine laughed and said, “What a left-handed way to get something I’ve always wanted, but could never have.”

Declan and Celestria looked at her at her oddly and Morgaine related everything that happened in the cave and how she had always wanted short hair and getting it chopped off by an axe was never the way she had pictured getting what she wanted.

When she was finished with her story Declan asked, “What will you do now?”

“Exactly what Myst told me to do, live my life and not worry about the dragons until they call for my help,” Morgaine said. “Now if I remember correctly it was just starting to snow when I went into that cave so there should be a good layer by now. I’m going to get dressed and go snowshoe hare hunting, it’s a favorite of Skye’s and mine.”