The Dragon Egg

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. At least that's what we were told in the stories growing up. Apparently our grandparents' grandparents lived freely and without fear of losing everything they had worked to build and possibly everyone they loved as well. Houses were built above the ground, animals were kept in pastures, children played in the river not far from our now underground village, and our people used to have large fires with food and music and laughter. We don't have those anymore. We don't have any of that anymore. It attracts too much attention with the noise. It tempts the destructive beasts to come take all that we have.

My name is Audreigh. I am a twin to my brother Averill. Together we are the first set of multiples in the valley in over 100 years. Our parents, Hazel and Kenelm, saw it as a sign of a blessing from God and chose not to have any more after us. I wish they had bore me a sister though. Averill and I don't always see eye to eye. He seems to believe that I am not as worthy as he. I am female and am not permitted to be a warrior for our village against the dragons, but I haven't quite mastered the skills my mother has been trying to teach me since our toddler years; the responsibilities of the women of our village. I find it very boring and can't focus on it. I'd much rather watch Averill complete his training, even if I can't participate.

A soft dinging sounds thrice throughout the dugout we call home. That's the sign that it is all clear for now to go complete any duties that need fulfilled on the topside. I climb slowly up the ladder with my basket strapped to my backside. It's my turn to go check the garden for any produce that we might be able to use for tonight's feast.

"Hurry up, Audreigh," hissed Averill, climbing up right behind me. Lucky him. He actually got to look forward to his daily routine learning battle exercises while the dragons were presumed asleep during the day. I purposely slowed down just to anger him further. He pushed on the bottom of my foot and I kicked backwards, not making contact with his face like I had intended. Once outside of the tunnel, I squinted in the bright sunlight. After our eyes adjusted, we went our separate ways, as we always had since birth according to our parents. After we were born, we went out of our way to NOT spend time together. The womb was enough for a life time.

I was carefully combing through the plants and placing produce in my basket when a shadow spread across the green foliage in front of me.

"Good morning, Aud."

I smiled and without looking at the source of the voice said, "Good morning, Harden." I felt him move behind me and his breath on the back of my neck. His fingers brushing through my small hairs too short for my braid. I could feel the goosebumps rising on my arms and the butterflies in my stomach start fluttering. Then my dimwit brother ruined the moment.

"That's gross."

Harden stepped back and dropped his hand. If looks could kill, I'd be an only child. Averill was standing at the edge of the garden with an expression of disgust on his face.

"What do you want?" I asked him with annoyance clearly in my voice.

"Just here to get my best friend for our drills if you would stop distracting him."

Harden stepped further away. "He's right, Aud. I should get to drills. I'll catch up with you at the feast tonight."

I watched them walk away. Harden peaking over his shoulder with a longing in his eyes. It was no secret in the village that he and I were a thing. It grossed my twin out to think of such things and he would use every opportunity he had to discourage the relationship. Harden noticed me when we were freshly 16. Two years later, we are starting the courtship process for our village.

Once the pair were out of sight, I went back to gathering the produce from the garden for the feast. Harden, Averill, and the rest of the boys were going on a hunt to train. Hence the feast to celebrate.

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The men were back from their hunt and they brought back plenty for the feast. This village feast is when the elders turn the village over to the next generation. Everyone enters into new roles with the village feast. But it has to be completed by sundown and the noise kept to a minimum, otherwise we won't have a village anymore. The biggest rule is to be under the ground by sundown. The consequence for breaking this rule is literally death, or so we've been told all our lives.

To keep the noise levels down, we split into smaller groups and circulate to the foods we've prepared all day. Harden only has his mom, so they circulate with our family. The topic of conversation is obviously Harden and me. We are coming of age in the next couple of weeks and we will actually be able to start planning a union ceremony. I feel Harden's fingertips slide across my lower back as we discuss what will be happening with our families, sending electric up and down my body. It showed the others that I was his. It was not something I had ever seen my father do with my mother, at least not now; maybe before she had Averill and myself. They kept their relationship very private, much like Harden and I usually do.

After good food and quiet conversation and planning, the sun starts to set. It's a group effort to get everything cleaned up before the last of the sunset disappears and the dragons appear to wreak their havoc. We leave no signs that we were there. Everyone is saying their good-nights including Harden and me.

He leans in and gently kisses my cheek. As he does so, he whispers, "Meet me outside the garden in one hour." I pulled back and tried to conceal my concern on my face as not to alert anyone else to anything unusual with our conversation.

He smiled at me, "Trust me." Of course I did. After all, he and I were to be united soon.

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There are two things I had never seen in my life time and never thought I would until tonight. The night sky and a dragon. I had always been very good, despite the ache in my soul to see the night. Averill got to be outside at night a few different times as part of his training to be able to protect the village once he came of age. I remember the day after his first night excursion. He came back, bragging about how beautiful the stars were and how bright the moon was. These were concepts to me only known in the books that we had for studying.

I had always wanted to see it for myself. I felt safe with Harden. I trusted him. So I waited for my parents and Averill to fall asleep and made my way, slowly up the ladder.

I was too stunned to move. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined the moon looking this enormous, bright, and stunning. It's silvery light bathing everything I had only seen in daylight in a romantic glow. I stood for a few minutes before Harden quietly walked up beside me. He moved around behind me and wrapped his arms around my chest and drew me back to him. We were always most comfortable when we were alone. Which wasn't a luxury we usually got to experience. He pulled my now loose hair to one side and put his lips next to my ear.

"Ever since we took our first night trip, I knew I wanted to be the one to show you this for the first time. This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life other than you, Audreigh."

I turned my head to the side as he kissed my forehead. His arms fell to hold my hand as he led me to the tree line. I was slightly disappointed as it made the moonlight disappear with the cover of the trees. The disappointment was short lived though as a subtle glow appeared in front of us. It was a warm golden light touching every surface within the tree line. I looked at Harden to see if his face would give me any hints to the source. We had never read about this in any of our books.

He smiled an all-knowing smile as he raised his finger to his lips, indicating for me to be quiet. We slowed our pace and finally it was in sight. A small glowing sun. It was sitting in a crater type divot in the ground. All the stars and moon in the night sky couldn't touch how beautiful this looked. It projected glittery shapes like one of the spinning lamps my father built for Averill and me when we were small. I couldn't have made any noise if I wanted to. I was too stunned by it's beauty to speak.

After a few minutes of basking in the light of this golden orb, Harden pulled my hand and led me back to the village.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" I whispered harshly and excitedly, careful not to be too loud.

"That, my love, is a dragon egg," smiled Harden.

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