a reflection of + innocence +

W e l c o m e . . .

"Shy~!”

At the sound of his name Shy patted his latest creation on the head, tied the bow firmly around the small boy’s neck and gently pushed him towards the waiting rider. He would be happy in his new life, have new chances and…

“Shy~!”

Shy sighed. “Yes, Teska?”

He had always been close to this unusual one, but ever since that egg had arrived, their relationship had been strengthened. Teska was smart. She knew how to deal with almost everything, really—but when it came to eggs, she was a beginner. She had always loved him, but she had never depended on him as much as she did now.

Oh, and how she had changed in a span of days! He had created her, and so had always known of her potential to be a mother. In fact, he had been waiting for the day she and Connar would announce their marriage.

It seemed, instead of marriage, her maternal instincts were making themselves clear through the egg. Shy had never seen someone so devoted, and so protective. She had grown slightly more sensitive, more thoughtful, and while this was great as a worker—well…

“They made a frying egg joke again.” Dressed in a long, loose shift that seemed to emphasize her skinny form, her eyes were wide and traumatized. “What is it about eggs that make people make frying egg jokes?”

Shy had to stifle a smile. The Vella Crean people had seen many dragon eggs, but this was the first of it’s kind. The first to be cared for by a woman, as if it would hatch by itself. They knew in theory, it could happen- but everyone was fascinated, waiting with a bated breath and for some reason, this seemed to bring out a more humorous side of the riders.

It was just that Teska didn’t appreciate the sense of humor.

“Now, Teska.” He said gently. “You know everyone’s joking.”

Teska scowled. “Of course I do. But I’m going to whup their ass—“ she stopped.

“Yes?” he arched a brow, walked over with that silky saunter and sat in front of her.

“I’m trying not to swear.” She said almost sheepishly. “I know the egg’s not Pernese, and Pernese dragons can’t hear from inside that stage… so I don’t want it to overhear me say bad words.”

Did Shy say she was turning maternal? No. Cross that out. She was a mother hen.

“Teska.” He said, running his hand down her arm. “You know that—“

Teska nodded her head.

She felt ridiculously silly, and obsessed.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” She insisted, and scowled. “I’ll be fine.” She amended.

Shy smiled. “How is work?”

It was then, that Teska relaxed a bit more. “It’s good.” She said simply. “Naeodin’s been thinking of moving me around. I’ll have to take a couple of years off, if the egg hatches.”

“When it hatches.” He corrected her.

Teska smiled, a bit unsure. “When.” She said grudgingly. “But I won’t be busy every hour of my day—they think I’ll make a good flight coordinator, and aren’t Glenn dragon’s supposed to have gifts?”

Shy frowned. He had a book lying around somewhere, depicting a brief history… where had he left it, again?

Hmmm… maybe among the closet full of whips and hand cuffs…

“I have a book I’ll lend you when I find it.” Shy said idly, reminding himself to find it soon.

Teska nodded her head.

She was being so…professional about it. “I’ve done some myself. Naeodin knows some Glenn riders who might be able to help me out.” She smiled, a bit wry, a bit nervous.

“You’ll be special, now.” Shy teased.

Teska laughed. “I think, I’ll like it.” She mused.

***

When she returned to her room, her eyes went immediately to the egg sitting in front of her. When Shy had proclaimed that the egg was healthy enough to be placed out of his care, she had immediately offered her own bedroom. Well, of course. Where else would it go? And every day when she entered her home, she would go straight to the room.

Honestly, she probably knew every depth of the surface now, every dip and every almost crack that she might have been imagining. Never having been this obsessed before with anything, she constantly found herself reaching out to touch it, as if somehow the touch of it’s slightly grainy, slightly smooth surface would reassure her of any worries she had.

“Soon.” She promised herself.

And decided to wait a bit longer.

***

"Teska!"

At the sound of her name, she groaned, waking up and rolling out of bed, reaching for her top mechanically.

"Shy tried to kidnap the bee queen of the hive colony and now they're spitting mad."

If her groan could have grown any more heartfelt, it would have happened then. Opening her eyes to see Kashiel stand there, a little bit anxious and a little bit worried about the sanity of her friend, she immediatly handed her a cup of coffee.

"The PR department are already at it, but you're the only one of his creatures whose actually employed with us, so they think..." she hesitated. "You might be able to help? Somehow?" with her lilting, persuasive voice, Teska didn't really stand a chance.

Besides, she had a feeling that Kashiel wouldn't let go of the coffee until she said yes.

"Alright, alright." she muttered, her mind already thinking quickly. The hive people, half bee and half human, they lived in a small, secluded island where they made the best warriors, honey and wax and other products. It had been two months since they'd arrived at the Vella Crean, and they had formed a treaty by which a select few of the riders could go personally to collect their work. It was a quiet, private process where the riders rarely saw the bee people.

In fact, Teska had only seen them once in her life.

"I'm at it." she said, walking outside, and yet before she did she let her hands wander over to the egg, grazing it's surface. Someone had said that maybe she was supposed to name it, but she was too scared, for now.

"What do you need?" Kashiel asked.

"They're bee people, right? So they like flowers. I want you to bring the research team and tell me exactly what kind they like, and the most precious form they have. Then I want you to go to the R and D and get them to program some flowers, a field of it that can grow in the colony and not lose it's characteristics." Teska smiled. "If we need the seeds, we made a good deal with some of the farmers and horiculture guests from last week so it shouldn't be a problem. I'll smooth things over, explain what Shy actually it-- it usually helps when they know he wanted to experiment."

Kashiel smiled. "Maybe you shouldn't put it in that way?" she suggested.

Teska grimaced. "Need food." she muttered, and with one lingering glance at the egg, she left the room.

***

When she returned later on, someone had turned on the lights to a dim glow, lit a back in the center of the room (far from the egg so that it wouldn't get wet. Who knew what water could do to it?) and had left a plate of steaming food. Sighing, and feeling herself relax she shed her clothing, leaving a path in her wake and walked over to the egg.

"Maybe." she said, murmuring in a voice that no one else got to hear. "Things will be easier when you hatch."

She had a vague feeling that the egg was laughing at her.

The Isle of Mirrors