Chapter 1

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Silvanna threw her covers off her, and climbed out of bed. Inwardly, she groaned; another day of living with her evil uncle, aunt, and cousins. But then she remembered that today, the Dragon Riders were coming to Carvahall! Maybe, just maybe, is she got picked, she would be able to leave this house behind. Her life behind! But her cheerfulness faded as she took in the chances of her being a Rider. She could only dream. 

Silvanna got dressed, and hurried downstairs to make breakfast. Once the toast and eggs were ready, she ate her fill, and dashed outside before her family woke up. She avoided them until noon, picking crops, and filling baskets. When she finished, and was going back to see her uncle and aunt for the first time today, shadows blanketed the fields. Dragon Riders! She dropped her baskets, not caring for the corn and beans that spilled out, and followed the dragons.

She arrived in the town square, where many people were already waiting. The Riders had landed, and were unloading their precious cargo, the two dragon eggs. One was as black as night, with ivory veins streaming across it, and the other was green, with gold veins.

She took a place in the line, which was very long in front of her, and waited. The sun had dipped towards the horizon when she came to the eggs. She ran her hand over the smooth green egg, it's shimmering beauty caught by the dying sunlight. 

But the black egg seemed radiant. It was pulling the light from it's surroundings, while also illuminating the surface of the egg. She wondered if everyone else felt the way she did about the black egg. She reached out for it, and it seemed that even before her fingers made contact with it, it shook. A thin crack appeared in the unbroken surface.

The elves who had brought the egg, looked at each other, relief in their eyes. 

"Go with Lilane," the male elf said.

The female elf led Silvanna to a small barn.

"Keep the egg here, with our dragons," she commanded, in a gentle, but firm tone. "It won't hatch until you come back with your things, I promise."

Just then, Silvanna's friend, Ainell, burst into the barn, carrying the green egg. "Sil?" he asked, and he skidded to a stop. "You're a Rider too?"

"Yes, I am," Silvanna replied. And in a quieter voice, so only Ainell could hear her, she said, "And I can finally get away from my uncle. Anyway," she continued, dropping the whispering, "I have to go pack my things."

"I'll come with you," Ainell offered, knowing what her uncle would do if he saw her.

Silvanna walked back towards her farm with Ainell. The town was shrouded in night, which meant that her family was asleep. That made it so much easier for her to pack her things; a small carving of a forest which was her mother's, her clothes, and some food and water for the journey. She swung her pack over her shoulder, and was just heading out the door, when she almost bumped into her uncle. 

"Hey!" her uncle said, groggily. Then he saw her pack, and his senses sharpened. "Where ya' goin'? Ya' can't leave this here farm! I won't let ya'! Einiss!" 

Silvanna's aunt came hurrying up, followed by her cousins. They all looked menacing. Her uncle reached for her arm.

"Sil! Run!" Ainell's voice cut through Silvanna's terror. He grabbed her hand, while blocking her uncle, and took off, down the stairs and out the door. Her family stood in the doorway.

"Ya' rat!" her uncle cried after her.

Next they visited Ainell's family, who were hardworking bakers. They, unlike Silvanna's family, hugged both the Riders, and gave two loaves of bread and a pie to Ainell and Silvanna. Ainell brought his things from his room, and his family gave weepy farewells, and told them to visit soon.

They walked back to the barn. The cracks on both their eggs had grown. Then Silvanna's egg shattered.


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