Melanie Nilles

The time for our third interview has come. This time is not with a human, though. Today we have one of the drakin, the only one who has shown any interest in humans. He goes by the name of Jaren, a human given name, since drakin identify each other by other means. They are winged reptiles, mostly in shades of green to hide in the trees in which they live.

Welcome, Jaren. From what I’ve learned already, you have a fondness for humans and have acted as a messenger at times between the two realms. Why are you considered unusual for your kind? You could as well be miniature dragons, or wyverns–

*hisses* Use no such name to compare us to them! The Majera gave us intelligence when he came to this realm, a place of purity, a sanctuary for the TRUE dragons, and we breathe not fire and destroy not things as the Red Clan and their leader. We seek not causing problems but are happy playing games and eating berries and the pesky bugs that bother the dragons, which are delicious in their own way.

The dragons?

*squeaks and flutters his wings* Your joke is not missed, one of the reasons I enjoy human company.

Uh…okay. I didn’t think you’d eat dragons, but your words came out sounding like that.

Not natural is human speech for us but too many languages we hear, or I hear, which is why the others prefer little contact, even though we are given the mindspeech by the Majera, the only magic we have or need, though many not use.

This mindspeech–telepathy–is how I hear you?

Correct, but what is telepathy?

Telepathy is basically the sharing of thoughts.

Mindspeech is not then telepathy but only works by making others hear me. I cannot hear your mind unless you direct your words to me, but you have a means to speak your language. I cannot, although I have tried and made…sounds, but not like the humans I know, so I am happy with this, because I speaking to you in my own way, even though I’ve nothing like you for speaking from my mouth. *squawks*

What can you tell me about your kind?

We are not dragons, but we like the idea of being considered drake kin, something I believe Sethirngal and the others amuse each other about, but they always speak nice to us. Like the humans they like to cut me off when I want to tell them things about what I see and hear, and about the sweet berries in the valley along the river where the trees reach down into the water. I ate too many when I found them and got sick. I know not why dragons dislike berries, and the herds leave the berries alone; but we chase them away. The real dragons eat the fat bulls they raise on the plains instead of our berries, but they have not to eat every day like me and my family, but bugs are plenty and their bulls are not many. I find many more to eat in the First Realm when I travel there for carrying messages.

The dragons cannot hear from far away when they watch with their magic, so I help. I liking the sights and food but the travel tires me after some time and I rest and eat more to stay strong. When I come home, my brothers and sisters want to play, but I need rest. I want to play too, but I am tired and needing sleep.

When did you start acting as a messenger? How long have you done this work? For that matter, how old are you?

I am…four…teen years? I remember Gaispar coming and going with news after my hatching and it making me interested in helping too. We flew together a few times so I learned my way and how to recognize the hidden entrance to my home. She makes a good bird, and fast and strong compared to my kind too, and I wish she stayed in that form, but she changes to talk to other humans. They talk boring things but I listen, except when they take too much and I want to see other things. I want to talk too but they not let me until they tell me what to say and where I need to go. I learn and like to help humans and dragons, but miss friends and like home, but no one wants to listen to stories.

Do you see yourself settling own anywhere and retiring from your work?

What is “retrying”?

“Retiring” basically means to quit working.

I quit nothing. I like to be a messenger because I like the First Realm, where the dragons came from to our world, and Gaispar and the others. They are nice to see and talk to, and they listen to stories of my family and me and we already know but they not know and we have fun telling.

I can see that! Well, I’d like to continue but we’re out of time for today (aside-interrupting him has been necessary to cut this to a reasonable length!). Thank you, Jaren, for being so open with us.

Join us next week when we sit down with Darius from Legend of the White Dragon (starting with Dragon Prophecy from Mundania Press, January 2008)!