Hey there, kid. What're you doing in here, I thought you said you were done with the bars and the drinks once you got married. Well, here, have your usual. On me. But just one, you hear? I don't wanna get into trouble with your husband by gettin' you drunk. 'Sides, he'd probably think I was trying to hit on your, or something. I don't think he trusts me, heh.

So what are you doing down here? Just got tired of being cooped up inside? Well, yeah, I get the same way. I don't much like spending every night at home, though I gotta say it's better now than it used to be. Just me and Kalaia, it got pretty lonely, and worse, bad memories. Add Igess and Nekeress, and then it was stressful, cuz I had to keep them both entertained and keep assuring Igess he'd see his other bond soon. Now, though, it's better; feels more relaxed, you know, in our own place with the Minister and all five of the monsters, even if they are all huge. More like we're some kinda family-- really weird kinda family, but still. It's nice. I'm not down here near as often.

So why am I down here? Gods, hadn't you heard? There's another xenohatching happening any day now. That's enough to drive anyone back to drinking, if you know anything about xenodragons. Nasty little buggers-- and trust me, I know. I've got two of them, remember? There were only six hatched at the last one-- well, two hatched and four bursted, or whatever you'd call it. This time there's gonna be dozens.

What's worse, this batch isn't just xenodragon, there's this thing called a hydra beast, with bunches of heads-- oh, you seen it, running around the station? I figure we're lucky it hasn't hurt anything yet, the thing is freaking psychotic, and it's bond is even worse. But anyway, that's the father. So we've got xenos and hydra-beasts, which are every bit as bad as xenos-- maybe even worse, when you put them together.

And if that weren't bad enough, get this. Every single one of the boys chasing that xenodragon queen who officially rose found a little lady to catch. That's right, there's not just one dragon's offspring here, there's five. All of mixed and very questionable blood, let me tell you. The Minister of Security wants at least thirty cops there, he's so concerned about these things getting violent. I'm just hoping we have enough candidates. Once xenodragons have a bond, they're not so bad, they'll pretty much stick to doing what their bond wants. I can't even imagine the havoc they'd cause if they were free to roam around.

Yeah, told you. It's more than enough reason to come hide at the bar with some strong beer for a while. I'm assigned to the feeding tables with a few others, to make sure nobody's bond kills anybody else's. Apparently the hydra critters eat each other regularly. Disgusting, isn't it. But I did such a great job looking out for the eating hatchlings-- burstlings-- whatever-- did such a good job with 'em last time, keeping 'em from killing each other, that Gavin thinks I should try it again. Having Nekeress and Igess to back me up will probably help. Now that we've pounded "right and wrong" and "fair" into Igess' skull, he's gotten pretty zealous in following it, and I bet he'd enforce it with all those little ones that'll be hatching. Besides, Nekeress is royals-blessed huge now, compared to the other xenodragons anyway. That's a reason to behave, right there.

So here I am. Pretty bad, huh? Not afraid to admit that it scares me something horrible, thinking about it. Not just because of the xenodragons, either. If I get hurt, it's no big deal, and my own two would probably wring some pretty hefty revenge on whoever tried. No, I'm more worried about my sister.

My sister, Kalaia. Now she actually looks suitably girly-- she's almost as old as I am, but she stopped growing around fourteen, and I expect she'll be a little girl for pretty much the rest of her life. The most innocent thing you can imagine-- and also the strangest, sometimes. She loves everything, see, even the creepiest, most dangerous critters there are, she insists on finding something cute and sweet about. You see where this is going? Yeah, she's got it into her head to actually go to this horrible xenohatching. There, now you know the real reason I'm here.

I don't know where she ever got the idea. She's gonna be scared out of her wits the whole time, I bet. She might love disgusting creatures, but she doesn't love blood and gore, and believe me, both'll be there in plenty. The first one only had six, and it was awful. This one'll have at least thirty, probably more, and I can only think it'll be even worse. I tried to forbid her to go, it's dangerous, dammit, but she said she'd go, anyway.

That was when Gavin gave in and said she could. She's my sister, by the Royals, I should have more say in whether she does something like that or not-- but I figure, at least he's promised he'll make sure she's safe. Assigned her a personal bodyguard and everything. This massive horse-headed fellow named Tonn. It's not all that reassuring-- one guard isn't going to do a whole lot against a swarm of xenodragons-- but it's better than nothing, I suppose.

Gavin keeps telling me I need to relax and trust that Kalaia knows what she's doing, but-- she's just a kid. And odd kid, but still. A kid. It's hard to think of your little sister as someone who know what she's doing, you know? It's easier to think about her like someone who needs protecting and looking after, especially when she's just so-- so-- trusting, you know?

But she swears that her dragon is hatching at this one, and nothing can convince her otherwise. She's done that once or twice-- been all certain-sure about something. Much's I hate to admit it, she's usually right, too. She was utterly convinced about when my two were gonna hatch, anyway, and she was right, there. And it's been so long, she's been going to every hatching ever since I bonded, hoping to meet a dragon that's hers, and this is the first time she's been at all positive about it. Poor thing, it's been well over a year and a half now, and she still doesn't have one.

So it's like, humor her and let her go, knowing she isn't likely she's going to attract any attention but the unfriendly type from a bunch of monster dragons, or lock her up at home and hope she doesn't hate me for it? Not that I don't think she could probably escape, anyway....

Ah, hell. I just worry. It's what I do best, I think. Other than ramble. But it's late, I really should get back. What if the clutch hatches tomorrow morning early, and all I have is two hours of sleep and a hangover?

Here, help yourself to another drink. It's the least I can do, for listening to me complain. Just one, now, then you get home, too, before that hubby of yours comes looking for you.

Heh, thanks, I'll need all the luck I can get. G'night.

The Hatching Story

Chapter Six

Back