“Jahrra, this is Viornen and Yaraa, and you’ll refer to them as Master Viornen and Mastress Yaraa. They’ll be your trainers for your new defense lessons.” Jaax nodded to each of them in turn.
Jahrra slid off of Phrym, not wanting to be disrespectful, and approached the two elves timidly.
“Nice to meet you. I hope to learn a lot from you.”
The pair smiled brightly, and Jahrra relaxed a little.
“We’re pleased to meet you, Jahrra,” Yaraa said in a melodious voice. “We’ve heard so much about you.”
She gave a welcoming gesture with her arm, the white sleeve of her simple cotton shirt fluttering with the movement.
Jahrra smiled again and gave a slight curtsey, something she felt odd doing in leather pants and an old stained, tattered tunic.
“We’re eager to train you in the old ways Jahrra. We haven’t had this opportunity in many years.” Viornen spoke this time, his kind voice just as musical as his wife’s.
Jahrra took a minute to wonder if this was an effect of the magic surrounding this place, but grew attentive when Jaax spoke again, using his most commanding voice, “As I have told you, Viornen and Yaraa are true elves, something that is not too common in these parts. You may also have noticed that they have inherited the gift of magic. It is used to help keep their home hidden. If the wrong people found out about them there could be trouble, so I want to stress the importance of keeping these lessons secret, even from your closest friends. They may mean no harm, but like I said, if the wrong people were to find out. . .”
Jaax let the end of his sentence hang in the enchanted air. He gave Jahrra another one of his steady, intrusive glares and Jahrra knew that he was serious. The grave faces of the two elves only supported the dragon’s words and not for the first time Jahrra wondered about these secret lessons. She also wondered why these elves were hiding out in the first place. Surely they wouldn’t be shunned in town? She took a deep breath and nodded to the dragon and her new trainers, signaling to them that she understood.
Suddenly, the intense mood was interrupted by an explosion of noise. Three young children, the spitting images of the two adults, came bursting through the front door of the cabin. Jahrra watched as two girls and one boy went tearing around the corner of the yard after the lazy chickens, which instantly became alive with terror. The dog that Jahrra had seen earlier trailed after them, barking and chasing the chickens in a playful ruckus.
“Oh, don’t mind them,” laughed Yaraa. “They have just all gotten over a spit of sickness and they’ve been cooped up for weeks.” Then she added with a sly grin, “Looks like they’ve recovered from their shyness as well.”
The children finished their lap around the house, breathless from their exertions, and stopped dead when they saw Jaax.
“Whoa!!!” said the young boy, eyes wide as saucers. “A dragon!”
The two girls skidded to a halt behind their brother, gaping in awe. Jahrra forced away a smirk as she reminded herself that these children wouldn’t be so impressed if they knew what Jaax could really be like.
“Samibi, Strohm, Srithe,” Viornen said, his arms crossed tightly across his chest, “don’t stare, it’s rude.”
“Sorry Pa, but isn’t it magnificent!” the little boy piped.
“It’s alright, Viornen, I don’t mind,” Jaax laughed softly.
Jahrra looked up at him in surprise. When has Jaax ever laughed before? she wondered, unable to ever remember the dragon looking so much at ease.
“Hey, who are you?” asked the oldest girl when she spotted Jahrra.
Jahrra, who’d been standing back and watching in mild amusement, flinched when the attention was suddenly directed at her. It took her a moment to register what the girl had said.
“I’m, I’m Jahrra.”
She blushed in embarrassment. She wasn’t used to anyone taking such positive interest in her. Usually it was the opposite.
“I’m Samibi,” the girl replied, not at all noticing Jahrra’s awkward discomfort, “and this is my brother Strohm, and my sister Srithe.”
Jahrra smiled and felt her muscles relax. She was so used to the laughter and sneers from the younger children in the schoolyard that it was a treat being so easily accepted here.
Samibi, Strohm and Srithe soon lost interest in their two guests and started a game of tug-o-war with their dog. While the children tried their best to wrestle the rope away from the hound, Jahrra tried to guess their ages. They looked to be four, six and eight in Nesnan years, but like their parents, they could’ve been much older considering the endless life span of elves.
“Samibi, why don’t you go show Jahrra your tree house and your garden?” Yaraa suggested kindly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind a sharply pointed ear.
“Oh! C’mon, it’s grand!” the eldest girl chirped, her face radiating happiness.
The children grabbed Jahrra’s hands and dragged her off behind the cabin to see their world.
Jaax turned to the two elves as soon as the four children were out of sight, and just out of ear shot. “So, what do you think? Will we be able to pull this off?”
“She definitely looks human, but are you absolutely sure Jaax?” Viornen asked quietly, donning a more serious face now that the children were gone.
“Yes, absolutely. I arrived in Crie as soon as I could,” the dragon insisted, “and she was only a week old when I arrived. She had blue eyes as an infant. That could only mean she’s human.”
“After all these years . . .” Viornen said in a quiet voice, his face paling slightly.
“Oh, Jaax,” Yaraa cried, hardly able to hold back her excitement, “finally, finally she’s come to us! Jahrra will be the start of a new era, I’m sure of it!”
“Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. She’s still quite young and has much to learn,” Jaax answered. With a more serious and warning tone he continued, “You must understand, she’s been raised believing she is Nesnan. She mustn’t know who she really is until she is ready.”
“You’re right to do so,” Viornen said after a thoughtful pause. “I don’t think she’d be able to comprehend the truth now. We’ll prepare her for that day the best way we can.”
“Very well.” Jaax nodded agreement. “For now, we focus on getting her strong and capable to protect herself. I’m counting on you two, for you are the best ones for this job.”
Yaraa flashed the dragon a look of slight confusion.
“Jaax, we’re flattered by this honor,” she began, her usually smooth brow furrowed, “but surely there must be someone more suited, what about . . .”
“No,” Jaax interrupted, his voice like a whip.
There was a silent pause as the tension in the air nearly solidified. Finally, Yaraa went on delicately, “She deserves another chance you know, and she’s skilled in more ways than we are . . .” but Yaraa stopped when she saw the threatening look on the dragon’s face. Whatever memory or notion she’d been trying to evoke fell short and stayed buried in her mind.
“I know who you’re thinking of, and that is absolutely not an option.”
Jaax finished this sentence rather harshly with fire building in his nostrils.
Yaraa backed down timidly, something she didn’t often do.