"My Lady Dragon?"

The tiny voice was hardly audible, but the weirdly colored dragon perching at the entrance to a large cave heard it nonetheless. "What is it, my servant?"

The thoughts of the dragon entered the old halfling woman's mind like a powerful blast, but the servant was used to it and did not even flinch.

"The colors of the clouds in the crystal pool begin to change color. You instructed me to wake you as soon as this was the case." The halfling, with bowed head,stood next to her mistress,after all the years still in awe to have been picked as servant, familiar, whatever you may call it.

"Excellent! I was sure it would happen any year, now. This is hopefully going to be interesting, entertaining and full of potents. About time. I am so..." The dragon stopped short of admitting she was bored. It would not do to let a servant know about such things. She sighed. "I'll have a look.Thank you for your service."

The halfling, knowing she was excused, bowed deeply and left. Tharaxia, loredragon of her own appointment, chronicler of history (at least the parts she deemed important), made her way to the crystal pool without any obvious haste. There,she stared into the swirling clouds beginning to take on the color of dirty rose. Musing the possibilities, her mind already reached out through the clouds. To any other dragon, her impatience would have been obvious. Anyone else would think her totally at ease. As the clouds parted for her, Tharaxia's eyes brightened. "Old doings, new beginnings," she hummed to herself.