The Name of Names

~Six: Contact~

The days slipped into months, and slowly the dragon grew bigger. Eventually the day came, about the time when it was almost too big for Vanya's shoulders, that it made contact.

Vanya.

Vanya whirled around to look at the dragon, who looked back at her, blinking once.

Excitement welled inside of her. Yes?

The dragon didn't respond, but she wasn't discouraged. Perhaps he had merely said her name to establish contact. Now that it had, perhaps a name of its own was in order.

"You don't have a name!" She smiled as she added, "Do you want to choose it, or make me guess?"

Amusement radiated from him, Try and guess. Perhaps you'll think of one I like better. He flicked his tail, watching her.

Are you a female or male? Vanya asked him first, speaking through the strengthened bond they shared.

The dragon eyed her. Do I look like a female?

Vanya smiled again. Of course not.

The dragon made a noncommittal noise, shifting his position on the floor. Silence pervaded as Vanya thought about names.

"Valdr?" she suggested, watching and listening for his reaction, "He was an ancient dragon. I believe his Eldunari was recovered after the war."

Disapproval emanated from the dragon, and he started licking his scales—which had only brightened with age—to clean them. They were now a cloudy grey, with shades of white and dark grey to accent them. Like all dragon's scales, they were truly beautiful.

"Umaroth?" Vanya said after some thought, "He was the leader of the Riders, Vrael's, dragon."

Again, she could sense his disapproval.

Time ticked slowly as Vanya thought, searching her memories for anything, and thinking of the history of Dragons and their Riders. A thought occurred to her, and she spoke it to him, Perhaps you don't want to feel the pressure of living up to their names?

Without the dragon saying anything, she knew that she had found the problem. Perhaps something in the ancient language? She spoke deliberately, thinking hard now. Just a word, something that meant something, worthy of a dragon.

Nothing came to mind. She changed her point of view. What would the dragon think of?

"Kaldar?" the name seemed to pop up in her head, and she felt like it should mean something significant.

The dragon was quiet for a few seconds before humming, agreement emanating from his mind.

"Kaldar," Vanya repeated, feeling how it rolled off her tongue. "It's nice to properly meet you."

Kaldar made a strange noise, twisting his head sideways, and Vanya eventually realized it was the dragon's equivalent of laughing.

"What name were you going to choose?"

Kilden, but I like this better. the dragon paused for a moment before adding, Although, I may change it someday. For now, though, you may call me Kaldar.

It was not unusual for dragons to do that, she recalled from lessons in her youth.

The dragon met her eyes with his, and for the first time, Vanya truly appreciated the implications. They were Dragon and Rider.

More time slipped away without them noticing and each day their bond grew. Vanya would still go to the forest each day with him, and while Vanya drew her map, Kaldar would hunt, coming back after removing the carcass from the woods. Eragon had been contacted some time earlier by Arya, to tell him that an egg had hatched, but soon the day came when Kaldar could fly.