The Beginning (34 page)

“And furthermore,” Jaax continued after Jahrra and Phrym were safely in front of him, “Jahrra will not be pulled from her lessons. She’ll finish her last year at the schoolhouse in Aldehren. She doesn’t have much schooling left, and I believe you can tolerate her for a few months more.”

Jahrra could have sworn there was concern in that comment, but she let the thought pass. She really wished Jaax hadn’t insisted she finish the year with Tarnik, though. The one positive outcome from all of this chaos was that she wouldn’t ever have to listen to that old buffoon preach his nonsense to her again. She could spend the entire day working on Kruelt or taking extra lessons with Viornen and Yaraa instead.

While the bristling crowd let their hackles settle, Jahrra set her face in determination and turned to the pair of dragons, one the color of a distant storm cloud, and as unpredictable as one as well; the other an emerald pillar of strength and fire, and like fire, more likely to cause harm than good.

Jahrra tried not to look at Jaax, although she was kicking herself for avoiding his gaze.
I won’t let him take away what I’ve gained today
, she told herself. She knew the Tanaan dragon would have something demeaning to say to her, but she was determined not to let it get to her this time.
I won’t be ashamed of what I did
, she reminded herself.
I did it for myself and I did it for my friends. I had to run that race.

Jahrra looked up at Hroombra with apologetic eyes and was surprised at what she found there. His ancient amber gaze held pride and joy, but those two emotions weren’t enough to mask the fear.
Fear for what the Resai might have done to me
, Jahrra told herself remorsefully.

She swallowed back her guilt and said in a low voice, “I had to do it Master Hroombra. I had to beat Eydeth.”

There was a short silence as Hroombra turned the words over in his head, only the thrum of the surf and the soughing of the wind to disturb his thoughts.

He took a patient breath and said quietly, “I understand child, but I wish you hadn’t. How long have you been planning this?”

“Since the trip to the Eight Coves,” Jahrra answered without pretense. “Eydeth told us that his father bought the coastal land that the coves sit on and that he would soon buy Lake Ossar. So you see, I had to beat him. Lake Ossar means everything to me, just as the Great Race meant everything in the world to him.”

Jahrra ended her excuse in an exhausted huff. She felt a little bit like an eight year old again, making her apology for the justified wrong she’d done.

Hroombra gazed down at her for quite a long time and Jahrra got the feeling that he was merely thinking about what she had just said.

After some time, he lifted his head and spoke roughly, “I do not approve of such dangerous behavior, but I understand it. You’ll not do something so foolish again, Jahrra.”

Jahrra nodded in acceptance. She knew that he had every right to be angry, and she knew that from now on she would obey him. She was through with dangerous and reckless behavior.

Jaax, who had remained surprisingly silent this entire time, kept the same distant and demeaning presence he always reserved for her. His face was set in stone, the spikes garnishing his triangular head like a crown, his bronze-green scales taking on a more azure shade to match the sea. Jahrra hadn’t seen Jaax for several years, but he looked exactly as she remembered him.

“I see you’re still up to your usual antics, Jahrra,” he finally said, his voice sounding like rocks grating together in a landslide. “Nothing changes much does it?”

He ended with a slight grin, one that Jahrra knew was not out of kindness.

“Oh, and what concern is it of yours?” she braved haughtily.

He merely stared back down at her, unaffected by her brusque tone.

After he refused to answer her, she spoke again with some sarcasm, “How long do you plan to stay this time, five minutes?”

She straightened her back and sat as tall in the saddle as she could. Jahrra knew she should be thanking Jaax for saving Phrym from Eydeth, but she was too proud to do anything of the sort. She sighed and slid down from Phrym, jarring her weak legs when she touched down. She stretched out her abused muscles and turned to face the now dispersing crowd behind her. Jahrra only stopped scowling when she recognized several familiar faces waiting patiently for her to notice them. She let Phrym lower his head to inspect some beach grass and took several sore steps to reach her friends.

“We arrived at the Ruin this morning to see if you wanted to come watch the race with us,” Scede said in a low tone, keeping a nervous eye on Jaax.

He would display the full magnitude of his glee later, but not in front of the dragon that always put Jahrra in a bad temper.

“Jaax was already there, and when he went to wake you, he said you weren’t in your room,” Gieaun added anxiously.

“We figured you were out for an early morning ride, but Jaax guessed where you really were,” Scede added. “We didn’t believe it at first, but he insisted.”

Jahrra nodded and gave them a half grin. She looked up at Hroombra and then took Scede’s and Rhudedth’s arms and led them away. The deep sand made it feel like she was walking against the current of a strong river.

“I can’t believe you just did that!” Rhudedth piped up once they had moved far enough away from the dragons. “That was amazing! The look on Eydeth’s face was ten times better than his reaction to the lake monster!”

“Jahrra, who is that other dragon?” Mahryn asked nervously, eyeing the stern and watchful Jaax.

He had met Hroombra once before, but had never before seen another dragon in his life, especially not one with a look of savage fury surrounding him.

“Oh, that’s just Jaax,” Jahrra said rather boorishly. “Sometimes I think Ethoes carved him from stone and forgot to add all the pleasant emotions. He is the dullest and most ill-mannered creature I know.”

Mahryn’s eyes widened with surprise. He could never imagine anybody speaking that way about such a dangerous looking creature.

“Jahrra.”

Jaax’s stern voice cut into the children’s conversation and Jahrra turned. Both dragons gazed at her with well-reined patience and she knew it was time to head home.

“I have to go face my punishment now,” she said tiredly to her friends. “I’ll see you all later.”

Before they could protest, Jahrra collected Phrym and headed back towards Jaax and Hroombra. She tried very hard to calm her mind and sooth her spirit as she placed herself between the two brooding reptiles.

“So, do you have anything else to add to what my dear old school teacher just said?” Jahrra stated as she trudged through the loose sand. “Perhaps he forgot something, let’s see: disappointment to my own kind, a disgrace, eternal banishment,” Jahrra listed off the insults on her fingertips, “What did he forget? Oh yes, friend of dragons and semequin thief.” she finished rather dramatically.

“What did you expect Jahrra? To be hailed and carried away on their shoulders?” Jaax remarked. “Don’t let anger guide your thoughts, and watch the attitude you now display. You are lucky Hroombramantu isn’t allowing me to deal directly with you in this matter.”

“What exactly are you doing here, anyhow?” Jahrra snapped, angry at Jaax’s patronizing tone. “Don’t you have something better to do? You can’t honestly have a good reason to be here.”

Jahrra regretted the harsh words the moment they were out. She secretly cursed herself for letting everybody’s disdain get under her skin.

“Jahrra, Raejaax, that is quite enough. Let us walk in peace the rest of the way back to the Ruin. It’s a long journey and I wish to think, something I cannot do over raised voices.”

Hroombra was the only being that could get an obedient response from Jahrra. She immediately focused her attention on leading Phrym and occupied herself with greeting the many Nesnan onlookers still gaping at the unlikely champion. The path they took back home was the one that led past the lakes. Jahrra grinned inwardly as the group approached the head of the trail, secretly recalling all of the fond memories she’d had traveling this exact route.

Before long the two dragons, Jahrra and Phrym were heading down the road that led through Willowsflorn and along the Danu Creek. Jahrra had given up walking several miles back and was once again atop Phrym, very much aware of Jaax’s eyes boring into her back.

A soft breeze picked up and shuffled the leaves of the willows, stirring the stagnant silence. Jahrra knew she should’ve been enjoying the walk on this wonderful day, but she also knew that it was only a matter of time before they got back to the Castle Guard Ruin, where the dragons would really let her know how they felt about the race. She sighed and tried hard not to think these unpleasant thoughts. When they finally reached the top of the Sloping Hill, Jahrra was surprised to see Scede and Gieaun waiting patiently for them.
They must have raced Bhun and Aimhe here
, she thought complacently. The warm greeting by both her friends caused Jahrra’s tension and anger to wane, and for the first time since leaving the beach, she smiled.

Scede and Gieaun regarded the two dragons as they usually did, grinning cautiously for fear they might get caught up in Jahrra’s punishment, whatever that might be.

Jahrra was surprised, however, when Jaax addressed her friends, “Now Scede, Gieaun, don’t look so nervous, you’re not at fault here.”

The siblings nodded and Jaax flashed them a genuine smile. “It is very good to see you both. You have grown into such fine young adults.”

What’s he doing? Why is he being so pleasant?!
Jahrra fumed. Jaax was never agreeable with her, even when she wasn’t in trouble.

Gieaun grinned weakly, shifting her weight from one foot to the other while she eyed the ground shyly. “Thank you,” she answered timidly.

“I guess we had better get going, it’s growing late,” Scede said cautiously. “We just wanted to say congratulations again without everyone else around. We’ll see you tomorrow, right Jahrra?”

The siblings gave her an inquiring glance, but when they saw the sour look on Jahrra’s face they turned to leave with no further argument. They had known Jahrra long enough to know that whenever Jaax was around it was best just to leave and wait for her to come find them.

Hroombra took a great breath, released it and proclaimed, “That is enough excitement for one day. I think I’ll head off to bed early. Jahrra, don’t stay up too late tonight, we’ll need to discuss several things in the morning.”

He took one hard look at both Jaax and Jahrra, as if warning them to watch their words, then turned toward the Ruin. As soon as Hroombra was out of sight and out of ear shot, Jaax got right to the point.

“The last thing I expected when I arrived this morning was to find you making a spectacle of yourself in front of the entire population of Oescienne,” he said harshly.

“Then why did you know where to find me this morning if you didn’t expect it?” Jahrra countered rather cheekily.

Jaax just glowered down at her, his expression clearly showing his irritation. Jahrra simply turned her back and let out a half triumphant laugh as she pulled Phrym towards the stable. Phrym whuffled in aggravation, informing Jahrra just how rude it was to jerk him along.

On her way across the field, she decided that she was done talking to Jaax for the day. Speaking with him only lead to arguing and arguing only led to more anger. She stopped walking for a moment and held her hand up to shade her eyes as she peered out over the ocean. The sun was only an hour away from setting, and Jahrra, despite the pent up anger that was driving her, was finally feeling the weariness of the race. She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply as she tried to calm her emotions. A gentle breeze lifted her bedraggled hair and dropped it behind her shoulders, the sun caressing her skin like a fire-warmed blanket. It was so calming just standing in the open field, listening to the music of the breeze-blown trees. Jahrra flinched, however, when Jaax’s voice interrupted her sense of peace.

“You can ignore me all you want, but I’m not going away,” he said with a steady calm, the earlier hint of anger and rashness now gone.

Jahrra refused to answer him. She snatched up Phrym’s reins once more and trudged on.
I won’t give in this time. I’ll just keep walking and stay silent. He’ll leave eventually.

“Rude silence is not very becoming of a young lady,” Jaax called out from where he stood. “You could use a few lessons from your friend Gieaun.”

Jahrra turned so suddenly that she wrenched Phrym’s head around with her, causing him to start just a little.

“Since when have you been on equal terms with Scede and Gieaun? I thought your goal in life was to be far more superior to everyone you know, even Master Hroombra.”

Something dark crossed Jaax’s eyes and he lost his usual smirk and domineering gaze.

“Is that what you think Jahrra?” he asked in a dangerous tone. “Well, you don’t know me at all then, do you?”

“No, I don’t. And I don’t wish to either. I don’t even know why you keep showing up here, except to drop insults every chance you get. You always have some patronizing comment for me, no matter what I do, and this time you greeted my friends in a perfectly civilized manner while scolding me like a seven-year-old child!”