To Begin Again

Learning

 Over the next few days, Cynder spent her time either learning all that she could about dragon society or translating the books she brought back with Aradare. Between the books and learning from Brell and Joul, she had little time to think about the purple dragon who haunted her vision pool. Cynder had requested a pool like the one in the old Temple be installed in her room, and the Guardians were happy to comply. Volteer was the first to ask exactly what she saw in the pools.

"I see things as they could have been," Cynder told him softly, her mouth turning into a sort of smile. "It isn't anything other than a comfort for me."

Volteer was intrigued, but he didn't press the issue. The Electricity Guardian had a pool installed at once, in front of the window of Cynder's library and on a raised dais so that no dragon would mistakenly step in it. The green liquid tended to only show visions of Spyro, though Cynder tried to steer them back to herself. It was like trying to catch a silverfish: near impossible. She was trying to keep her mind off of him since he seemed to be avoiding her. He hadn't spoken to her since the night of the ball, and Cynder couldn't help but wonder if she had done something to anger him. She felt as though if she did, he would have said something, and she could have remedied it. So Cynder simply continued on her way, acting as though his absence did not bother her.

Thankfully, she had very little time to view the pool or think of Spyro. Since the Season was going to officially open in three days, she needed to know as much as she could about how the game was played. So far, Cynder had learned things.

A dragon never made any advances on a dragoness unless she was lower in the social ladder than he was. This little guideline was ignored if the dragoness made the first move, though. That meant that Cynder wouldn't have to worry about eighty percent of the dragons in Stormclaw. The handful that she did have to worry about were of direct and traceable relation to the Guardians or children of a matriarch or patriarch of a House.

If a House chooses to make a match for their scion, then the dragon or dragoness was not allowed to attempt to court anyone other than the one the House chose. When the House did choose a match, the dragon and dragoness would not be allowed to be alone together until bonded—a simple ceremony in which the two dragons either sang or danced a certain song or dance to signify that they were mates. They would be paraded around with an escort—usually a younger sibling of one or the other—until the ceremony occurred.

If a dragon is left to choose his own mate, he would flirt and flounce around but would be required to speak to the dragoness's sire and dam before beginning to court her. Even if he got the parents' permission, he might not succeed in courting the dragoness. She could always reject him.

A dragoness only courted a dragon if he was below her station or if she truly wanted him to be her mate. This was rare, and it usually caused a lot of whispering in the city when it did occur.

When a dragoness was sought after by two dragons, she got to choose, but if she showed no preference or refused to choose, the two dragons would duel. The dragoness chose when and where they dueled and whether or not they would be able to use their elements.

If two dragonesses were interested in the same dragon, however, the dragon could court both dragonesses if he wished. However, if he didn't believe in taking more than one mate, the dragonesses would be subject to dueling in which the same protocol was followed as for dragons.

There was a major difference between flirting and courting. Flirting was petty little compliments and flowers, escorting to a feast and dancing at a ball. Courting was, after getting the permission of the sire and dam, showering the dragoness with jewelry or other valuables. It was singing and dancing alone, quiet strolls through the city, reciting poems or writing new ones. Flirting was passing, but courting was something serious.