Neryth twisted her head so she could keep one eye on Vervada but also look down at her rider with the other. 'She doesn't want to accept the fate Bond,' she answered the questioning flicker from her rider. 'I hoped to give her a nudge, though I worry she may not bond with the girl, even though fate has decreed it.' A soft sigh escaped her. She understood Vervada's pain. Her previous bond, before Kiran, had been a human. He hadn't lived very long, and eventually old age was his undoing. The inescapable weakening of the body and joints had rendered him more vulnerable, and during a patrol, they had been jumped. Neryth had fought her hardest, but a strike to her rider had rendered him unconscious. Neryth had retreated quickly, but by the time she returned to the Rider's base, it had been too late to save him. She had lost her rider and closest friend. It wasn't quite the same as what Vervada had experienced, losing both her rider and her dragon friend, and their rider, but she could understand the pain of losing a rider. She had been reluctant to accept a new bond, but she also knew she couldn't ignore it when she had met Kiran.

Neryth huffed a puff of smoke, her head twisting again so she could eye the dragon with the Queen. He seemed alright. She wasn't too concerned about him, though she could understand why Kiran was concerned.

"My name is Arya," she answered, summoning her courage to stand up straighter. "What's your name?" She was plucking up every ounce of courage, wanting to somehow impress the dragon, though she didn't expect to be able to very much. A breeze drifted over her, ruffling her bangs and the sleeves of her shirt.

"Well, to be honest, I've just never been chosen. I can't control how the bondings are chosen, unfortunately." She shrugged, a slightly pained smile touching her face. "I've wanted a bond for a very long time, but I've never been chosen. And, to tell you the truth, I only became Queen a little over a decade ago. Before that I was just a princess." She paused, wincing at the memory of her mother's death before she pushed it away. Her mother would be proud of how far she'd come. She would be proud of the fact that Avika had finally found a Bond. Shaking her head slightly, blond curls bouncing slightly, she plastered a smile back onto her face. "Tell me about yourself."

Vervada : Dragon : Warrior : Female
M: Neryth, Arya, Trainees (dir.)

Vervada stood still as a statue, the only thing moving being her pendant shifting on her chest in the breeze. Arya? There was no way. She didn't believe in fate. And yet.... it was too much of a coincidence. But how could it be? Her heart felt like it was struck as memories that she'd supressed for so long came rushing to the surface. Daell and Arya laughing together as they approached them, Arya trusting her to care for Everest, Everst trusting her to save Arya from death....

A single tear escaped her eye and slipped down her cheek before she could turn her head to block it from view. Taking a deep breath she recentered herself. She couldn't lose focus, couldn't let them see her weakness. Pretending she'd just looked over at Neryth she turned back to... to Arya. Surprisingly to find the girl staring at her calmly, and daring to ask her her own name. Hmm so she wasn't a coward. Well that was a good sign.

She let her purple gaze stare down Arya a few moments longer before replying in a deep, yet noticably calmer, tone "I am Vervada." she said, then after a pause she reluctantly rumbled in a lower tone "Well met, Arya" the common greeting between a new dragon and rider.

Arya blinked, recognizing the age old phrase. Had this beautiful dragon actually chosen her? Her, of all people? She didn't dare let herself believe it, in case it ended up being a false hope. She'd always wanted to ride a dragon, and nobody in her family had ever bonded with a dragon before. She didn't want to let herself have that false hope. Noticing the tear, Arya blinked, her face saddening. She hadn't even known dragons could cry. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but she didn't want to anger the dragon, but...

"What's wrong?"

<br>
Avika laughed, a high, pure note. "Do not worry, we won't be in any large, open bodies of water. Maybe the occasional swim in the river, but I sadly don't often have time for that." She paused to think. "And unfortunately you may have to accustom yourself to large groups, as you said." A soft smile touched her lips, the corners curving upwards. "Well. I like the colors green, blue, and red. I enjoy fruit salads, particularly if they contain nectarine and mango. I enjoy quiet early mornings, and foggy days, as well as watching and listening to the rain." She paused again to think. "I enjoy looking at the mountains and painting them."

Vervada : Dragon : Warrior : Female
M: Arya (dir)

Vervada could see the disbelief, shock, and hope flash over the girl's face in a moment at her words, most likely not daring to let herself believe it to be true. And she was right to not. For the large starry dragon didn't know herself if she would truly accept her. It seemed this girl had read up on the bonding ceremony, having known the old phrase that unfortunately many dragons didn't use anymore. Although.. either she was holding back respectfully, or just was unaware, that the bond could only be finalized by physical contact between the two.

Her thoughts were brought back to earth as the girl, with a sad, sympathetic, and yet still curious look, suddenly had the nerve to ask her what was wrong. Almost as if she already assumed she was close to Vervada, as if she would be able to understand. Her gaze hardened once more and she drew her head back, her eyes flickering with annoyance and anger. What was wrong? How could she explain this to a human, even if she wanted to?

As her anger grew she could feel the flames climbing up her throat, and she did nothing to stop them, except to keep her teeth clenched closed. Through the gaps between her sharp fangs all shades of purple flames began licking, until her whole mouth appeared on fire. How DARE this puny human even attempt to understand what it was like for a dragon to lose a rider? And not just a rider, but all they loved? Her blazing eyes remained locked on the Arya's, daring her to ask again as smoke curled from her nostrils, flames dancing around her muzzle.

Arya flinched back, instantly regretting her words. "I'm sorry I asked. I just..." her voice trailed off, at a loss for words to explain. "If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to. But... I just want to understand. I mean... I mean if we're to be partnered, I want to understand you." Arya paused, biting her lip with uncertainty. She didn't want to make the dragoness any more angry than she already had. She wanted so badly to understand, but she felt horrible for how she'd already made the female feel. She knew, whatever it was, it was unlikely she'd be able to truly understand. But she had experienced her own pains, and understood some of it. Arya reached out a hand, hesitantly, but did not touch the dragon's scales. She just held her hand out, a gesture of peace. "I'm sorry if I hurt you in some way. I never meant to. Please forgive me."