I woke up to a knock on my door, the room was filled with inky blackness and I was not in the mood.
I grunted and rolled over, "What do you want?"
The door opened and I squinted against the light, seeing Suruli's face come into focus. "Are you up?"
I sat up and rubbed my face. "I am now," I muttered.
She smiled, "Good, because breakfast starts in a few minutes and Nisvārtha wanted us all rounded up before we head down."
I sighed and nodded, "Kay, give me a minute to get dressed and I'll be out."
Suruli gave a cheerful grin before closing the door.
I pushed my hair back from my face and got out of bed. The people who had brought me to this room had taken my wet clothes and left me with two garments.
In place of my bra they gave me a simple, yet ingenious garment. It was a wide strip of cloth that connected in the front by a cross lacing of string which I only had to pull tight and tie off to keep it in place. Over that went the simple dress of undyed cotton. They had also left me a large piece of blue fabric that I had seen the women wearing on their heads. I just draped it over my shoulders like a shawl, seeing no reason not to keep it on me.
I opened the door, walked into the hall, and joined my friends. Everyone was wearing the undyed cotton clothing of the Temple. Dresses for the women, pants and shirts for the men.
Nisvārtha was waiting in the hall with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall between two doors.
I walked up to him, "Morning Nisvārtha."
He glanced at me, "Good morning."
I looked at the two open doors next to mine. Within I could hear the sounds of Havala and Suruli trying to wake up Sanna and Śarat.
"Should we help them?" I asked.
Nisvārtha smirked, "Why?"
I shrugged, "Well Śarat is so strong and Sanna is so much bigger than Suruli."
Nisvārtha chuckled and looked at me. "While strength and size may be in their favor," his eyes glittered. "Havala and Suruli can be quite terrifying when they need to be."
I laughed and watched with a smile as a sleepy looking Sanna and a disgruntled looking Śarat exited their rooms. They were followed by Suruli and Havala, who both wore identical looks of triumph.
"Are we ready?" Suruli chirped.
There were several grunts of affirmation and then we were off, down the long hall until we reached a wide spiral staircase. Suruli let out a girlish giggle before she sat on the thick wooden handrail and started sliding down, her headscarf billowing out behind her.
Sanna turned and grinned at me, dropping into a bow, "Would the lady care for a ride?" he asked in a fake, pompous voice.
I laughed and hopped in his back, "Let's see if we can beat her down the stairs, yeah?"
"Heck yeah!" And Sanna shot down the stairs in a blur, me laughing all the way down.
We stopped at the bottom of the stairs before Suruli was halfway down, Śarat was coming down that way too, while Nisvārtha and Havala were walking.
I laughed and pecked Sanna on the cheek before sliding off his back.
He turned and snorted a laugh before touching my hair, "Oh wow, sorry, Sūrya."
I laughed again, only imaging what my hair must look like, "It's fine, just fix it."
Sanna sat me down in a chair and started braiding my hair in a crown on my head, but he left much of it loose in their natural waves down my back.
The bottom floor of the dorms had been made into some sort of study center. There were tables and chairs scattered all around and large windows displaying the outside world.
Sanna continued to play with my hair as we waited, humming the tune to a song I didn't know, but had heard a few times from Havala and Suruli.
When everyone finally reached the bottom we followed the oddly bubbly Suruli out the great double doors and outside into the chilly morning. The doors opened onto a wide stone path leading to the church, to the right I could see farms and low buildings, and to the left was a large building which we headed toward but walked past to a smaller building into which many people were entering.
"That is the school," Suruli explained as we passed the first building. "All hatchlings and fledglings are trained there until the masters decide they are ready. Up ahead is the dining hall, where they will be serving us breakfast."
"You're very comfortable here, Suruli," I observed.
"Well this was my home," she said, not turning to look at me. "I left right after my adult ceremony."
"Why?"
"That is my business, Kendra." Suruli looked back at me with a smile, "Careful where you stick that nose of yours, or you might lose your head."
I swallowed and stared warily at the small brown woman, remembering Nisvārtha's comment about her being terrifying.
We entered the dining hall and were served wonderful hot food. I snarfed down a large plate and then seconds before I was satisfied.
I let out a huge sigh and rubbed my belly, "My god that was a ton of food."
Suruli giggled, "I am not surprised." I looked at her, "Your metabolism should be going up as you near the change."
Sanna chuckled and played with my hair, "Have you not noticed that we all eat so much more than you?"
I shrugged, "I guess I didn't really think about it that much."
"How are you feeling, Kendra?" Nisvārtha asked suddenly.
I blinked, caught a bit off guard. "Um, I'm in pain. All the time, why?"
"I talked to Temple Master Garuda last night, and he said he would meet with you tomorrow."
I frowned, "Why do I need to meet with him?"
"Master Garuda will be able to help you," said a voice from behind. I turned to see a familiar looking guy about my age. Brown skin, eyes, and hair. He was wearing a monk's robe of the same cotton as our clothes, and had a smile on his face.
I blinked at the guy, "Hello, have we met?"
He bowed to me, "Briefly last night but I did not have the chance to introduce myself. I am Gari Robbins, Master Garuda has chosen me as your tour guide for today."
"Robbins?" Suruli's voice was very quiet as she stared at Gari. "Do you know Esalu Robbins?"
Gari nodded, "He is my father. How do you know him?"
"I don't." Suruli said, closing the odd conversation.
After we finished our food Gari took us on a very long and detailed tour. Through the schoolhouse where many children sat at tables and studied. Ages ranging from below eighteen to men and women my age, trying to shift into large beasts of scale and feather.
The kitchen was a bustling metropolis of smells and the women cooking in there were all very cheerful and welcoming, until they caught Sanna trying to sneak food. Next we saw the workshops where men crafted beautiful furniture layered with exquisite detail. They too were kind and cheerful.
We sat in the covered garden for lunch and watched the trees of the small orchard sway in the wind.
"How old are you Gari?" I asked as some point during the meal.
He just kept smiling, "I just went through the adult ceremony during the last new moon."
"And what exactly is the adult ceremony?" I took a bite of food and watched him curiously.
He looked surprised, "Do you really not know?"
Sanna touched my hair and answered for me, "No, she does not. So answer the question."
I frowned and looked at Sanna. Usually so friendly and kind, he now looked irritated and closed off, like just looking at Gari pissed him off in some way. Looking around at everyone I noticed how no one looked comfortable, no one looked happy, no one was smiling.
Gari started to tell me about the adult ceremony, which was some kind of test or tradition that each clan has for when a dragon completes their hundred years of being frozen. For Gari he had sat in a room for a whole night while he tripped out of some kind of potion. I tried to listen, but the expressions of my friends made it difficult to concentrate.
After lunch, Gari showed us the church, the library, the hospital which was filled with many phoenix women who guarded eggs of varying colors and sizes. Last there was the bathhouse and the farms, I tried to smile back at Gari and keep conversation with him as we walked, but the moods of my friends had gotten to me, and now speaking felt like it would break something.
Gari left us at the bathhouse where everyone washed up before dinner. If anyone noticed how I had stopped talking, they didn't mention it.
The bathhouse was a lot nicer than I expected. Wooden floors, private stalls, and hot water. Last night's bath had been wonderful, but a hot shower was more welcome than I had expected.
When I got out of the shower and was dressed I ran into Sanna.
"Hey, Kendra can I talk to you?" he asked.
I finished the side braid I was putting my hair in and gave him a look, "Sure, is everything okay?"
He pulled me to the side, "Yes, everything is fine, I am just a little nervous."
I frowned, "About?"
He sighed and put on a smile, "Happy birthday, Sūrya." He held up his hand, and dangling from it was a short knife that hung on a chain.
I just stared at him with my mouth hanging open. I couldn't think of a single thing to say.
Sanna wasn't discouraged and lifted the chain over my head. "I know your birthday was awhile back, but normally when a dragon turns twenty-five, they get their blood knife." He smiled softly, his eyes so soft and warm, "With everything that has happened, no one has gotten the chance to recognize this incredible milestone in your life."
I touched the small knife, completely awed by what it meant. Then I looked up at Sanna and had to swallow back tears, I never liked gifts or my birthday, but now this gift seemed to mean more than any I had ever received.
I hugged Sanna tightly, wrapping my arms around his neck and resisting the urge to cry once more, "Thank you, Sanna," I whispered.
He held me close and kissed the top of my head, "Anything for you, Kendra."