But she refused to accept it at face value. “Why is that? Are you not always welcome in the realm of Dragons? Must you visit or avail yourself of these opportunities only when good King M’earth commands it?”
I was at a loss for words . . . that in itself was irritating.
And now I’m really and truly bored writing about her. I’ll just jot down two other things that happened. First, after she made me mad I told her “When I become Queen, I will command the Crystal Egg to knock that chip off your shoulder.” Probably shouldn’t have said that.
A bit later, she asked, “Is it true that you really flew from Q’umulus on wings made by serpents?”
The girl broke out in a big grin. “Yes. But my friend Kl’air flew beside me just in case things went badly.”
“So you trusted your life to a Dragon?”
“I did. And I would again.”
That made her smile. Yay.
*
The scene abruptly shifted again. They were standing on a turret of the castle watching Rose look at the spectacular view.
[Voice of Tee’ka]: “I have to hurry and write down everything that happened. For some reason, meeting Storm gave me goose bumps. I have a really good feeling about him . . . even if he is a boy.
I was standing on one of the highest turrets in the castle. From this vantage point, I could see a hundred miles in every direction. It was impressive – especially looking down on the thunderstorms floating through the valleys. The flashes of lightning were spectacular and made the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“Hi.”
I jumped at the unexpected voice.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I wasn’t scared.”
“My name is Storm. Should I call you Rose or Rose’Alynnia?”
“You may call me Princess.”
“Then you have to call me Prince,” he said petulantly.
“Why in heaven’s name would I do that?”
“Because I am one.”
“Really? I don’t remember ever meeting you.”
“Um . . . they kind of keep me away from really important people.”
I giggled (I really must learn not to do that. It’s so childlike). “Why?”
“I’m a little clumsy. And sometimes I forget to talk like I’m supposed to . . . you know like don’t say don’t, and you can’t say can’t. Stuff like that.”
“I never heard of a clumsy dragon – sounds dangerous. Did you ever step on someone?”
“Um . . . I’m not supposed to talk about that.”
“So what in the world could YOU teach ME?”
“Um . . . the first thing is how to fly on a dragon’s back.”
“Really?”
“The Queen said that somebody saw you fly into Talon’s Perch on the back of your friend and it looked like you were going to fall off any second. So she wants me to teach you how to do it right.”
“You’re going to teach me? A klutzy dragon who probably has never even met a human girl?”
“Um . . . yeah.”
“No way. You’ll just get us both killed.”
“Um . . . I supposed to tell you that if you say no, I have to teach you the history of Queen F’Aerianne’s family. That’s more than a hundred generations.”
“Like you really know that much history?”
“She’s my aunt so it’s my family too. Besides, I’m pretty smart.”
“For a dragon?” That was kind of insulting and I shouldn’t have said it.
“I guess. I’m not really sure how smart humans are.”
“Anyway, that’s just memorization. What else can that brain of yours do?”
“Um . . . I sometimes do stuff with Ven’trrr. He’s a scientist . . .”
“What kind of work could you possibly do for him? Lift heavy lab equipment?” That was more than a little rude. I guess sometimes I can be a bit of a brat.
He shrugged and said, “Different stuff.”
“Like what?”
“Mathematics mostly.”
“What?” That sounded absurd.
“They couldn’t figure out the equations for the sub-atomic interference patterns needed to isolate the wave function for the inter-galactic . . .”
“You did the math for that thingy? I don’t believe it.”
“I guess I have a knack for numbers and stuff like that.”
“You got to be kidding me?”
“Not exactly.”
“Listen, no offense, but I don’t think you can teach me anything.” However, I was wrong.
“Actually, I am giving you your first lesson as we speak.” Suddenly his voice was filled with self-confidence and smug amusement.
Sensing the change in his demeanor and realizing I was the butt of some yet to be explained joke, I actually blushed. “What’s going on here? Who are you, really?”
“As I said, my name is Storm and I am a Prince. We did meet but that was a few years ago. You were very young . . . for a human.”
“But why were you pretending to be such a ding-bat.”
“To make my point. We Royals have a responsibility to judge others on their own merits and not through the prism of our own preconceptions. I am a young dragon so you were more than willing to accept the fact that I was a bumbling adolescent with limited intelligence. However, I was presumably sent by Queen F’Aerianne herself. Would she actually send such an inept person to teach the daughter of King M’earth?”
“Well, I guess not,” I mumbled sounding like a numbskull.
“Of course she wouldn’t. So you ignored your powers of reasoning and common sense and let your prejudices take over.”
“I AM NOT prejudiced.”
“The fact that I am Dragon, young and a male led you to believe the worst.”
“That’s not true.” Of course, it was true . . . I lied.
“If you can’t be honest with yourself, you can’t be honest with anyone.”
Now that really infuriated me. To avoid the unmitigated horror of admitting I was in the wrong, I changed the subject and asked, “So you’re not actually going to teach me to ride?”
“On the contrary. Climb up.” I hesitated but he said, “I’m not really clumsy. In fact I’ve heard it said that I’m rather graceful.”
“Ha . . . if anyone said that, it was probably your mother.” I slid on his back, just forward of his wings, and took hold. “Oh my gosh . . . no seat belts,” I teased.
“Humans!” he replied in feigned (I think) disgust.
“Don’t be grumpy.”
“Don’t be silly. I’m tons of fun. Are you ready?”
“Just one question before we go.”
“What?”
“Are you really good at mathematics?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m a dragon” and with a loud ‘eeek’ he took off.
*
A moment later, the scene dissolved and the sisters were back in their room.
Chapter 4 – Trading Places
Egg was the first to speak. “I loved it. Young Dazzle would have made a great Sister.”
“I loved the way she thinks,” added Sylvia forgetting that the scene had happened a little over a thousand years ago. “Riding on her friend’s back was wickedly smart.”
BreeZee was beaming. “I loved the fact that she apparently jumped off Q’umulus. That would make any Wind’dancer proud.”
“She was just as crazy as we were when we casually walked into the Seven Lands,” added Soo. “I never knew she did that.”
“I liked the way she stood her ground with the Queen. The girl had gumption,” said Spirit.
“Never knew Storm was so handsome. Hey, Big Bird . . .,” teased Bl’azzz, “. . . how come you didn’t get any of his good looks?”
Only Aeri’elle was less than enthused. All she could mumble was, “She didn’t like dragons.”
The girls looked at each other, but it was Tee’ka who said, “If I might make an obse
rvation?”
“Of course, Tee.”
“Her best friend Kl’air was a dragon. And Prince Storm, according to the diary, becomes her closest friend. She refers to him as her Best Friend, Forever.”
Aeri’elle smiled for the first time. “She did, didn’t she?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ve got to admit, Queen F’Aerianne would never make it as a circus clown,” said Egg.
“What is a circus clown?”
“Um . . . not important. I just meant she’s still a bit grumpy. In a nice way,” she quickly, if lamely, added.
Aeri’elle stared at her friend . . . her eyes very wide. Then she ‘eeked’. “She really needs to find herself a boyfriend.” Everyone burst out laughing but the dragon stopped them. “If anyone ever tells her I said that, I’ll . . . I’ll . . . cut off my wings and become a sea worm.”
Soo pretended to be hurt. “So the worst punishment you can think of is to become a sea creature? Am I hearing you right?” She tried to sound menacing, but couldn’t pull it off.
“Don’t be silly. The worst punishment is to become human.”
“Jynx . . .,” began Spirit.
“NO, no, no. I’m sorry. Please,” begged the dragon. “I can’t handle spit,” and they laughed.
When they finally stopped, they turned to BreeZee since it was her turn.
She smiled brightly. “I’ve got a great idea from Aeri’elle. Tee’ka, can you make me a dragon or a sea serpent?”
“WHAT?” yelled Egg before their hostess could respond.
“I, for one, would like to know what it feels like to be a dragon or a sea serpent. If for no other reason, it would make me a better sister to Soo, Bl’azzz and Aeri’elle.”
“Wow,” said Sylvia. “That’s a brilliant idea. Wish I had thought of it.”
Egg turned to Tee’ka. “Well, Tee? Can you do that?”
“Of course.”
The girls looked at each other and smiled. This could be fun. So, they went around the room and each girl told their hostess what they wanted to be.”
BreeZee, who could already fly, wanted to be a sea serpent.
Soo wanted legs and arms . . . to be able to walk instead of slither or hold things without using her tongue. She asked to be human.
Aeri’elle surprised everyone with her request. “I would love to be a One-Eyed, One-Horned, Triple-legged Sighing Purple Steeple Bleater.”
“You’re kidding?” asked Egg.
“If I am going to invite one to Aerianna, I would like to know what it’s like to be one.”
“Well, Tee, make me a dragon.”
“Egg, you can already fly,” said Sylvia.
“I like flying.”
“What about a Wind’dancer” asked the Wind’dancer.
“You don’t fly, you sail. You sail slowly. Sorry.”
“I prefer to think of it as ladylike,” and Bree stuck out her tongue. It was a gesture she had recently learned.
“Well, I think Wind’dancers are just the coolest,” said Sylvia. “Make me one, please.”
“Like all F’yre Dragons, I really hate the water. Sorry, sea slug. Besides, if you’re going to be human, I will too. You’ll never be able to stand on your own two feet without my shoulder to lean on.”
“Thanks, gas bag.”
“You’re welcome.”
“That leaves you, Spirit. What will it be?”
The girl’s eyes glowed red. “I would like to be . . . a computer construct like you Tee’ka.”
Everyone else’s eyes went wide in surprise. “Spirit, you are one cool cat,” said Egg.
“Is that good?” That phrase would have been confusing even on Earth (unless you were a beatnik from the 1950’s).
“Oh, yeah.”
“Then thank you.”
“So, Tee . . . what do you suggest?” asked Egg.
“First, I must tell you that such a request is the first that I have ever had. I find it most intriguing.”
“Are you talking about Spirit?”
“I am talking about all of you. To take the time to understand each other in such an intimate manner speaks highly of the Hameggattic Sisters. As for your request, Spirit, I take particular pride and I humbly thank you for validating me as a life form.”
That made Egg angry. “Hey . . . you don’t need our validation. You’re you . . . a pretty amazing person”.
“She’s right,” added Sylvia. “On earth, there’s a saying – ‘I think, therefore I am’. Her friend scrunched her face; a sure sign that she didn’t understand. “It means that if you wonder whether or not you exist, that in itself is proof that you do.”
“Say what?”
“Thank you Sylvia. That is a wonderful concept. I will share it with the rest of my brothers and sisters. And thank you Egg for expressing such a heartfelt sentiment.”
“Sure.”
“So, how do we do this?” asked BreeZee. “Should we share one big simulation or should each of us do her own?”
Jynx, who had been listening to the conversation, suddenly rolled over, fell asleep and began to snore. The whole idea of changing forms to a Shameless Mimic was kind of second nature and dull. To watch others do it would have been painfully boring.
“Apparently my dearest four legged companion finds us less than interesting.”
“I gotta tell you that if she always snores that loud she’s not sleeping in my room.”
“Grrrrrr, burp.”
“Shut up.”
“Of course the decision is yours, however I would suggest that each of you design your own simulation. Afterwards, you could share your experience, feelings and emotions as a group.”
Egg agreed. “Sounds like a plan. But how do we come up with the design?”
“There are many ways. The easiest is to simply recall something that you have already experienced . . . but this time you’ll do it as a different life form.”
“I like it . . . I think.”
“If you are ready, may I further suggest that you each go to your own room, decorate it as you will, then we can begin.”
“And you’re going to split into seven Tee’kas?” asked Soo.
“Yes. Are there any other questions?”
“Do we need to choose which particular person we will be?” asked BreeZee.
“We just did,” responded Egg.
“She meant do you, for example, have to say which dragon you want to be,” said Sylvia.
“Oh, yeah.”
“You will choose . . . but it may be your subconscious mind that does,” answered Tee’ka with a coy smile. “If you would please take a room, we can begin.”
*****
An Hour Later
They all returned to the common room and took their seats (or mat or pond). Some were smiling as they recalled the memory of their experience, while others seemed to be lost in thought.
“May I say that I enjoyed that immensely?” said their hostess. “I look forward to reliving it again when I have the time.”
“Why were you so thrilled?” asked Egg.
“I had never considered taking on the form different than the one you see. It opens a whole new world to explore . . . and to learn. I am compelled to say it again – the Hameggattic Sisters are extraordinary individuals. I can certainly understand the high regard that the good people of Aerianna and Zynn-Zaz’zia hold you in.”
The girls smiled at the compliment. “Thanks, Tee. But I think everyone gives us way too much credit.”
“Your well-known modesty only adds to your reputation, Egg.”
“Enough, please. Besides, I’m dying to find out how everyone’s little adventure went. Bree, this was your brainchild. You start.”
“First, I swear I didn’t choose her.”
“Choose who?”
“K’ssss.”
“You became K’ssss?”
“Yes.”
“For shame,” cried Sylvia, which for some reason caused the Wind’dancer
to blush.
“What are you talking about?” Egg asked her friend.
“Let her tell you.”
“Come on, someone talk. What happened, Bree?”
“Um . . . I found myself back on Zynn-Zaz’zia swimming in Zazzi’s cavern. And I have to tell you, being a sea serpent was much like being a Wind’dancer. Instead of sailing through the air, I sailed through the water. The most surprising thing was that my large body – sorry K’ssss – didn’t feel big or heavy. The water supported me to the point that I felt weightless.
I tried slithering out of the water and on to land but it was way too difficult. Without the buoyancy of the water, I found it hard to move. Soo, now I understand how much you suffer when you’re with us.”
“Thanks. But you get used to it. It only gets bad when I stay out for weeks at a time. And that’s only because my skin dries out.”
“The other thing that was strange was using my tongue as if it were a hand. That took some getting used to. All in all, I had fun. More importantly, I now have a better understanding of my slap-happy, sarcastic, slithering snake-like sea sister.”
“Good grief girl. Tradition requires only three ‘s’ words; six was a bit showy.”
“Bree, were you alone in the cavern?” asked Syl with a silly smirk on her face.
Box Set #3: The Serenity Deception: [The 4 book 3rd Adventure of Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood] Page 16