There she was, seated upon her throne after the recent events had reached their conclusion. Although she had set in motion the rest of the order according to her plans, there was one particular event she wanted to partake in. Namely: She knew that Skald and Coventina would likely be able to encourage each other to grow stronger, after all Skald seemed quite infatuated with the lady of the night, even if he thought he was concealing it well enough. Coventina was an ambitious woman of nature, and as such she likely would rise to whatever challenge was thrown her way. But Karstaag didn't have such a factor, instead, she hoped to rely on the dwarf's fondness for adventure and freedom to grow. However, that didn't mean she would sit idle and not encourage him either. Nay, she had prepared some time to train the dwarf and also teach him a bit more about the gift she had bestowed onto the other that fateful day of the order's foundation.

For now she was waiting for Karstaag to arrive, having instructed him to return to the throne room alongside the wyvern egg. However, she would have a plentitude of surprises in store for him. He knew they were going to go on an adventure soon, but she had divulged little about the nature of their training, which was fine, she expected he would enjoy the surprises she had prepared for him. But for now all she did was wait for his arrival:

The first meeting of the Dragon Order had concluded, and the dwarf was given a brief reprieve from duty that was not bereft of responsibility. No, Karstaag was evidently a proud father now. Saddled with the care of a wyvern egg that left him in a particularly frantic mood. An anxious worry that the sweltering little shell was receiving all the nurturing required for its imminent hatching. He didn't despise the idea, but responsibility in and of itself was terrifying for the man. The idea of contractual obligation and loyalty was a far simpler concept to stomach; both parties get something and he was trying to embellish this task in a similar coat of paint. The whelpling would surely grow into a mighty, majestic creature that would aid him in his adventures. That much was for certain, and for now, that would have to suffice.  

And one such adventure was just on the horizon. The captain had requested his presence again in the throne room along with the wyvern egg that was so snugly rested against his frame. He hobbled back from his lodgings, a steady rhythm in his careful steps and the way he cradled the whelp's shell in such a vigilant embrace. He would die before he let anything happen to it. The thought alone makes Karstaag shiver, far too aberrant for such a greedy and hedonistic man. When did he start caring about the safety of all things cute and small? Was it always there? His nose wrinkles, an agitated grunt under his breath.

He made his way back to that vast space, the monarch sitting on her throne as if all were right in the world and the roundtable left with a solemn emptiness that he felt compelled to fill. He'd settle in, egg propped upon the sturdy surface and held firm in his hands and gaze upon her. "Nice ta see ya again, Cap'n. Reportin' fer duty."

Upon Karstaag's arrival, Ryuko was quick to open her eyes and gaze toward him. "Ah Karstaag~ Perfectly timed." She smiled gently at him as she rose up from her seat and approached the table. She could see that the man was taking the task she had given him during the previous meeting serious, something she appreciated. "Have you thought of a name for them yet?" She paused for a moment, waiting to hear Karstaag's response to her question after which she continued. "I called you here because I wanted to teach you some things about my kin, and more importantly help you train, but before that we have a little task to complete."

She stopped at the chair beside Karstaag and took a seat, leaning over to gently brush her fingertips against the surface of the egg. "Here is your first lesson about Dragons: Our kin actually lack the typical biological gender the other races associate with, as such most of us will adopt a gender based on personal preference or convenience. In this case, young Whelplings who will be raised in the care of the order will frequently adopt whichever gender their bearer imagines them to be. It is quite simple really, the more you think of them as a 'son' or 'daughter', the more they will adapt to that gender."

She paused for a bit, her lips curving into a smile as she continued. "Although there will be a time when they become capable of communicating like mortals, when hatched they will initially communicate through Dragonspeak."

She raised a hand to her cheek, pondering on how to explain the next part. "Our language primarily exists out of two parts, the verbal part has little in the way of grammar or tenses as it is supplemented by the psychic part, where intentionality and nuance is imparted. Often you can understand the feelings the dragon is trying to convey through the psychic part. Of course, it is a one-direction method of communication, but you'll grow used to it soon."

She grinned briefly as she turned her gaze from the egg toward Karstaag. "Which brings us to the first part of our task~ I'm going to help you prepare for the hatching of your whelping. Which brings us to the exciting initial part: communication! Give them a name~ talk to them, let them know what is on your mind, don't worry about giving them a dragon's name, our kin frequently adopts names that mortals have an easier way of pronouncing. My name 'Ryuko' was in fact granted to me by one of my father's priests. Although he was so fond of its meaning that it became akin to a real name."

She paused for a moment, her lips curving up into a mischievous grin. "Curious about my real name? How about you bestow a name onto your whelping and I'll reveal it to you."

"A name!?" Karstaag already felt like a failure of a parent if he would be called as such. The thought of naming the dragonling wasn't even a consideration, perhaps under the illusions that the creature would just choose one for itself when it became capable of such things. He'd clear his throat, gazing upon the egg with the bend of his head, eyes scrunching to imagine what a proper name for a dragon would sound like. "Hmm. I'm not sure what ta call the lit'le one yet... I'll 'ave ta give it some thought, aye." He'd elicit a little grunt, a scoff directed at himself for his negligence, but he was hard at work now.

A curious look with raised brow, as the monarch sits beside him and continues her informative exposition. The dwarf would nod along, the concepts were simple enough for him to understand and Ryuko was doing such a good job explaining that he was left with little to question. They would adopt a form that fit within a mortal's perception of what they should be. The next lesson was a bit difficult to comprehend, however. "Hmm.. So, the lit'le one will make me aware of any problems even if it can't speak, aye? I don' understand the logistics o' it, but i'll take yer word fer it, Cap'n."

His eyes widen, and a hand elevates to stroke through the fluff of his beard with a sobering expression coloring the contours of his face. He'd been contemplating a name during the entirety of the lecture and had settled on the idea of one, whether it was fitting or not was yet to be seen, but I suppose the whelpling itself would mold itself around the concept. It felt odd in a way, to be given such responsibility over another life, but this is what all parents must surely experience, no? An exhalation, calm despite the sweltering worries. "Yer name is Albel..." He'd pass a glance at Ryuko, and then back at the baby with its newly anointed name. "Ta be completely honest wit' ya..  I 'ave no idea what I'm doin' when it comes to takin' care o' anythin' and yer probably better off wit' anyone besides Old Karstaag, but I promise ta do me best ta take care o' ya... Albel..." An exasperated sigh as if he'd just revealed some damning secret in the rare display of care towards another creature. A confession; a vow.

"Alrigh', Alrigh'!" He clears his throat and shoots a glance back towards the monarch, an eyebrow raised in expectation. "So, what's yer real name, Cap'n?"

A gentle smile emerged upon the monarch's lips as she watched Karstaag bestow a name upon the yet to be born whelping. Albel, it was a nice name. She could see that Karstaag had taken the responsibility seriously, and that was part of the reason she had bestowed this task onto her Dragonborn. To learn, and acknowledge the responsibility of being able to decide the fate and future of a life. It was something they needed to learn, especially since the future of the order would have to be one of conflict if they wanted to someday secure a peaceful future. A place where Pergrande could become a realm of peace and prosperity. A place where her kin could dwell once more. "A fair name~ I'm sure Albel will like it as well."

She nodded her head lightly in affirmation as she leaned back in her seat, the moment Karstaag cleared his throat and asked the question lingering on his mind she couldn't help but chuckle softly. "I did promise to tell you that." The Monarch stated as she turned her gaze from the egg toward Karstaag. "It is... Azdaja." How long had it been since she heard that name, since she had spoken it herself? Even among the other dragons she had chosen to uphold her mortal name, some thought it might had been out of convenience but in truth it was out of respect. To remind herself of her origins, of the close ties she had with her father and the fondness she held toward the denizen of Earthland. Indeed, her decision to use the name Ryuko was born out of her love for the world and its inhabitants.

"If the name is too difficult to pronounce you may continue calling me Ryuko, or 'captain'. The term has been endearing to me." She spoke, her smile lingering as she turned her attention back toward the egg. "Aren't you excited to meet Albel? If so, judging from the faint presence I'm detecting it will almost be time for Albel to join us, and I believe it to be only fair that you'll be the first to greet them into this realm Karstaag."

As she spoke the egg seemed to tremble slightly, small cracks emerging on the surface of the shell as if Albel was trying to break out of the egg from the inside out!

Karstaag shifts in his seat, attention is drawn away from the alluring glow of the egg and toward the regent who was addressing him. A crack of his lips upturned, pleased by the validation generously offered. It was an outlandish sentiment that took root, a steadfast commitment bound by nothing, and as such he would not feel the suffocating shackle around his neck that he had once experienced in the past. Children could never be the recipient of his ire, always a soft spot for the dwarf, but stranger still was the compulsion to see the whelping as his own. Going soft with age are we?

The captain would uphold her end of the bargain, revealing her name. She paused, a delay as if the name were from a previous life entirely. The dwarf's eyebrows raise, intrigued by this tiny detail, while a hand brushes the shaggy expanse of his beard. "Azdaja..." A pretty name, that the dwarf would struggle to reprise. He'd do his best to sound out the world with his accent, nodding along as if he had repeated it perfectly. "Har! I'm glad y'ave taken ta Cap'n! No disrespect, lass, but I'd prolly struggle a bit wit' that one." He'd bellow out a burst of laughter, and clear his throat. "Tis a lovely name though." An earnest glow of a fire dimmed within the sanctuary of their Order's castle. Karstaag enjoyed the quiet moment of camaraderie.

The air in his lungs would billow, seize, and roll in broad exhalations. He was trying to remain calm. He could feel the first stir from within; the primal shake of his world remolding as the shell starts to split, hatch into something completely new. "Oh!" The monarch had warned of its impending hatching. "Albel's comin', Cap'n!" It wobbles quicker still, and the faint crunch of the egg fracturing in intermittent bursts would cause his heart to cease in anticipation.

A little clawed wing is the first to surface, puncturing through the fragile cocoon that imprisoned him. Karstaag's eyes boil over, spilling from the brim, kindled along with bated breath. "C'mon lit'le one~ Ye can do it!" He'd cheer the little critter on as its head peeks out and lets out a squeaky roar, staring up at the dwarf with the image of purity.

"Aww... 'Ello, Albel~"

Ryuko couldn't help but smile at the sight of the whelping leaving the safety of its egg to greet Karstaag, it was well and truly the start of the bond between the dwarf and the dragon. She nodded her head in approval as she gave the little critter a moment to find its bearings and for Karstaag to take in the joyous moment, after which she rose from her seat. "Well then~ It is time to proceed with the next part of our trial. As I mentioned the whelplings of the Dragonborn are a bit unique in the sense that they will mature far faster than the average dragon. And for that to be possible we'll have them do something every mortal enjoys at least once in their life, and likely multiple times as well: eating!"

She exclaimed with a smirk as she gestured toward the doorway. "Take Albel with you and we'll head to the kitchen. Perhaps you'll get to enjoy a pint of ale while Albel gets to enjoy some mountain goat meat."

As she guided the duo down to the kitchen of the keep she explained happily. "In this case the eggs were previously enhanced by their flight and Bahamut's blessing allows them to mature quickly but in return they expend their stamina faster than most in the early phases of their life. That is why we're going to get Albel to enjoy some meat and stock up on all that juicy energy. They will need it once we depart for the next part of your training."

His hands would struggle to determine a correct course of action, heart beating with a rattling pace that resonated along his ribcage. The bloody thing was adorable, but the new experience left him wanting for assistance. A fidgety hand raises to caress Albel's head and the little critter responds with a squeaky clamor, tail flicking as it leans into the touch. His attention would shift to Ryuko, and her introduction to the next lesson. Something intrinsic to every living being whether fantastical or not. He'd perk up, a gruff tremble in his voice, "Ahem... How fast are we talkin' 'ere?" The whelpling was manageable now, and judging by the sheer size of the other dragons he had seen thus far... That would not remain true.

"Aye, a pint sounds good righ' about now!" He'd bark a hoot of laughter, and rise from his seat, hands beckoning for Albel with a soft, rumbly coo. "C'mere, lit'le one. Everythin' is okay. Le's get ye some supper." He'd scoop the hatchling, eager movements to settle into the dwarf's cradling arms, tiny chomps of its teeth playing in the mangled mess of his beard. It was too precious, a wide grin seeped in keen sentimentality was staining the stern man's reputation, melted away completely in the paragon of innocence.

But, first thing was first. He'd fetch his child's meal, a slab of meat coated in stringy red and thick fat. It yelped an excitable little sound, waddling over to the bowl to devour it with an adorable degree of voracity. Karstaag made good on the offer of a drink, chugging down on the tankard that would revitalize his spirits. A sigh and a hand lifted to wipe the stain of liquor from his lips. "Aye, I remember ye mentionin' that before. Albel seems ta be enjoyin' tha grub, so thank ye, Cap'n." He glances back to the creature, doting eyes gleaming a rare fondness. He'd be mentally preparing himself for whatever trial awaited, another quick sip of his ale that hits just right. A brief reprieve met with an affirming nod towards the monarch. He'd patiently wait for the little one and promptly depart with the captain.

Karstaag's hesitation earned a soft chuckle from the Dragon Knight as she clarified further: "Their growth depends on your own personal one. Basically the stronger you become, so will they grow to follow in your footsteps. Which is part of why we are going to train~" Ryuko's energetic response seemed to make it almost sound like they were just about to go jogging or something- if only it was for that. "You're welcome~ When I was raising my own she had an appetite that could match even two Albels." She laughed heartily at the remark as she waited for Albel and Karstaag to finish their little supper after which she rose from her seat. "Perfect~ now that the bellies are filled we can go onto the matter of training. Fortunately the order has plenty of training grounds for its members, after all I had to make sure that whether it is martial or magical inclined, people could continue their craft in peace."

She soon started to guide Karstaag outside, hints of snowflakes dropping down from the sky as she led the duo further away from the area, all until they finally reached what appeared to be some sort of spacious clearing. There was clearly an intention of training in this field, as there were several training dummies littering along the outskirts, but it seemed their training was going to be somewhat different on this occasion.

"Alright~ Now that we are here we can get down onto training~ Been a while since I took some exercise myself, so we start with warming up. Prepare your axe Kars~ Albel, keep a close eye on your bearer, it will take a while but at some point you will be able to synchronize with each other just fine. Kars you want to try to focus on hearing Albel's voice, it will be just a matter of time before they will be able to reach you. In the meanwhile I'll be launching some attacks at you--- nothing scary~ I just need you to shake the liquor out of your body~ and the best thing for that is a little sparring~"