Chapter 6

The Expanse, The Gullington, Scotland, United Kingdom

Gen's gaze lifted to the mouth of the towering caves set high upon the craggy face of the mountain. There, against the stark contrast of the weathered stone, was the head and neck of a creature so magnificent, so utterly beyond the realm of her understanding, that for a moment, she forgot to breathe. The giant blue dragon was covered in shimmering scales like sapphires in the sunlight. Lunis surveyed the world below with eyes that sparkled with the wisdom of the ages.

Then, with a grace that contradicted its immense size, the dragon dove forward, like doing a free fall. Quickly after clearing the cave, he unfurled his wings—a breathtaking span that caught the morning light and splintered it into a thousand dazzling hues. The air thrummed with power as the dragon flapped his wings. The sheer force of the movements sent a gust that whipped through Gen's hair and tugged at her clothes, a physical testament to the creature's might.

As Lunis sailed through the sky, his flight was a dance of elegance and strength, each beat of his wings propelling him closer to where the two women stood on the Expanse. The land itself seemed to hold its breath, the usual whispers of the wind and calls of distant birds falling silent in awe of the spectacle unfolding.

The dragon's approach was heralded by the shadow it cast, a moving darkness that played across the green tapestry of the hills. Lunis landed in a masterful display of power and control, the ground beneath his feet barely whispering a protest despite the dragon's colossal weight.

Then, in a gesture that was as unexpected as it was breathtaking, the dragon bowed before Gen, his great head lowered in a noble salute. The moment was surreal, a blend of fear, wonder and an unspoken bond that tugged at the core of her being. Here, in this wild corner of the world, Gen stood face-to-face with a creature of legend, a being of majesty and mystery that had stepped right out of the pages of the fairy tales.

The experience was exhilarating, a vivid splash of magic against the canvas of reality, making Gen's heart race with a mix of excitement and a touch of whimsy. In this encounter, the impossible became possible, and Gen knew that her journey in this new world had taken a turn into the realms of the extraordinary.

When Lunis lifted his head, Gen was surprised to see the blue dragon smiling. It was such a strange, unexpected gesture on his face and yet, he looked about like a pirate, thinking of the punch line to a joke. His wise eyes danced with amusement, looking between her and the large purple egg in her arms.

"He's heavy, isn't he?" the dragon asked, winking at Gen.

Not at all expecting this after that greeting, Gen cut her eyes to Sophia, giving her a look of confusion.

The dragonrider sighed heavily. "Could you have started with hello instead of calling her dragon fat?"

"I'm not calling him fat," Lunis replied, folding his large wings into his body neatly. "I'm simply implying that her arms are probably quite tired. That egg is about as big as her." Shaking this off, Lunis glanced back at Gen. "And I'm sorry. I meant to say, hello, dear majesty, first warrior and Founder for the House of Fourteen, time traveler and ancient ancestor of the Beaufonts." He then cut his gaze back at Sophia and stuck out his tongue. "How was that?"

Sophia laughed, shaking her head and looking at Gen. "If you were expecting the sage-like dragon experience, you're not getting it with Lunis. He tells dad jokes and makes insults. It's his thing as the first dragon of the new generation. He likes to be as ridiculous as possible."

"You're ridiculous," Lunis fired back.

"Well, nice to meet you," Gen said, lifting the egg that was quite heavy in her arms. "And he's okay, but I look forward to setting him down."

"Go ahead," Sophia encouraged, motioning to the two figures striding over from the Castle. "Mahkah and Quiet are joining us."

"Okay." Gen slid the large purple egg onto the grass in front of Lunis, who eyed it with intrigue.

He then bowed his head slightly. "And hello to you, Old Man."

Gen laughed. "So you can talk to him? You two know each other?"

"We all know each other," Lunis said. "But you have to know his name instinctively to fully bond with him, so I can't give you any spoilers. Each rider must get to know their dragon on their own."

"Well, I'm just hoping that you all can tell me when he's going to hatch," Gen said with a sigh. "I'm hoping it will be this century."

"I think it will be soon," Lunis said, a new seriousness to his voice.

Gen was about to press for more information but right then, the two men from the Castle neared. One was tall, slender and stoic. He had dark, tan skin and his long black hair pulled back in a long braid, much like how Gen wore hers. The other, well, he was a short, round gnome with rosy cheeks and bright blue eyes.

"Oh, you must be Quiet," Gen said, stepping forward and curtseying slightly to the tall man wearing a serious expression.

"Actually, I'm Mahkah, the expert on dragons," the man said, pointing to himself and then to the gnome, several feet shorter than him. "This is Quiet. This is his Gullington which gives him a distinct knowledge of dragons, being the one who looks after their home and has for over five hundred years."

"Oh," Gen said in sudden surprise and embarrassment. She hadn't expected that the unassuming gnome with the chubby cheeks and a burlap hat covering his round head was the demi-god who Sophia had described as being all of the land and castle where they stood presently. "My apologies. Well, I'm Genevieve Beaufont but please call me Gen."

"We've heard much about you, Gen," Mahkah said, bowing slightly. "And of your dragon, the first egg ever spawned."

The gnome muttered something, but Gen didn't make it out, either because his voice was so low or his words incoherent, she couldn't tell. However, Mahkah and Sophia both nodded to him, like they perfectly understood what he said.

"It is very exciting that we will have another dragonrider and the first egg ever," Sophia said, smiling at Gen. "We simply have to wait until your dragon hatches."

"And you said that would be soon?" Gen asked, looking at Lunis quizzically.

"Yes, I think so," Lunis said in a suddenly refined voice.

"Well, when? What can I do?" Gen questioned.

"Why don't you try telling him a few jokes," Lunis offered.

Sophia groaned. "Oh, no. Not this… She's brand new to our world. Give her a break, would you?"

"What do you mean?" Gen asked, confused, looking between Sophia and her dragon. "Why would I tell my dragon's egg a few jokes?"

"To see if you can crack him up," Lunis said and then roared with laughter, throwing his head back and vibrating the ground with the noise.

Sophia sighed. "Sorry, Gen. My dragon is special. I told you, he tells dad jokes. They never, ever stop. Not for decades."

Gen smiled, chuckling softly. "I like a good joke. But I'm not sure that will work on my dragon. Do you all have any ideas? He says he will hatch when he's ready, when I am and when the environment is."

"How about you give us a moment to inspect the egg," Mahkah offered, thoughtfully, the picture of calmness. "Then we can give you a full assessment and hopefully some answers."

"That's a good idea," Sophia said, motioning to the Castle. "And in the meantime, I'll introduce Gen to the leader of the Dragon Elite, Hiker Wallce."

Quiet muttered something, again inaudible under his breath.

Sophia nodded, a grim expression on her face. "I know. I'll deal with the wrath of that man. It's sort of my full-time hobby at this point."

"What wrath?" Gen asked, looking between the gnome and Sophia, wishing she knew what was going on. "Is something wrong?"

"Just that I've been keeping secrets," Sophia answered, tugging Gen toward the Castle. "Come on, this will be fun. Let's go to Hiker Wallace's office. I love watching that man get angry."