The Dragonbond Program discussion

Rows of eggs are swarthed in flames or ice, or their environment, waiting to hatch and bond with their chosen human."

Adam was dragged into the hatcheries by the headmaster. He didn't want to choose an egg. He didn't want to doom one of these to a life bonded to both a useless human, a sadistic human, and... Something else.

The headmaster pulled him past many of the eggs to a selection of about five, each egg unique in the patterns. "Dragons over health," he gestured, and then to another one, alone, "And a dragon that enhances the physical."

"I want a fire dragon," he said with some effort. Ildera had been a fire dragon.

He cursed under his breath, then gestured to the hundreds of fire dragon eggs, some larger, some smaller, all patterned with what looked like flames.

He looked at the hundreds of eggs with a look akin to sorrow. Ildera's had looked like this, when he's chosen her egg. Hers had been blue, with a pattern of golden flames. He turned away from the blue ones quickly. No. He couldn't have another blue dragon. The one his eyes settled on quickly after the blue ones was red, with silver flames.

"That one should hatch within a week."

"The red one?"

He nodded.

"Ah." He felt a strange connection to the egg, but it wasn't as it had been with Ilnara. And he wasn't sure a week was long enough, or if it was too long, to wait.

The fire flickered behind it, illuminating the dragon within.

He looked at the dragon.

The headmaster sneered, features grotesque in the firelight.

It was red, with silver horns. He couldn't tell whether it was male or female, because it was asleep in its egg. He blinked, turning to the headmaster. "I want that one."

"It's yours. I'll commence the bond now."

"Shouldn't we wait until they've hatched?"

"It's alive, even unborn. It will work."

"Is it safe?"

"Perfectly." The dragon would forever be a slave, though.

He blinked. "I would rather wait until it's hatched. To be sure."

"Fine, then. Not like you're going anywhere."

He nodded. "I must admit that your condition that I not run away seems to be quite unfounded."

"All the better. Still, it is of no consequence."

"Why."

"Because you cannot leave, yet you are useful, and Anya is still a useful pawn."

"How am I useful."

"A dragon will be your legs."

.

((Sorry I was trying to Tumblr an GR and it want working XF))

"When they're a baby?"

((Sokay. :D))

"The bond is strength."

((XD))

"What?

"I was hoping you'd go for a healing dragon, but if you continue to be weak through the bond you've chosen, your life is mine.

"I don't understand."

"I'll kill you and rebond the baby. I can't have you completely lame. If you regain partial use of your legs, however..."

He blinked. "You'd... Kill me." When Ildera had died, he'd ALMKST gone insane. He'd do that to the baby?

"It's your one chance for life."

"What is."

"Bonding with the dragon."

"You just told me you'd kill me if I did."

"If you failed to improve."

"How am I to improve?"

"Your condition in the legs."

"How am I to improve my legs?"

"A bond. Regular sessions at the clinic."

"Headmaster, from what I can tell, I am paralyses from the waist down. And I don't believe that trips to the clinic is going to reverse that."

"Then perhaps binding to the body dragon."

"I don't want the body dragon."

"Then it's on your head.' He pulled the egg up into his arms, holding it out to the paralyzed boy. "I'll take you to the infirmary."

His hand closed into a fist. "So my only option is death, and insanity for the baby?"

"The baby won't feel anything. I can transfer the pain of the bond equally throughout all the captives."