Dax: Hey, Jalinda! Get out here—we've got an audience!

Jalinda: *Hurries out, blushing* Whoops! Hi, everybody. So, you've come to hear about our adventures, right? Well, we're in quite a mess right now—let me tell you how we got there.

Dax: Y'see, the three of us—that's me, Jali, and Aedan—we met when we first started training to be Waverunners a few years ago, and we've been friends ever since. We were all supposed to take the trials on the same day. I was so excited; being a Waverunner has always been my lifelong dream—

Jalinda: *grinning* Though sometimes we weren't sure you'd make it to full rank before they kicked you out for all those pranks you pulled...

Dax: Aww, be quiet, Jal. *makes a face at her* So anyway, they gave us a choice of weapons and shut us in a dark room.

Jalinda: Now, you hardly see magic used, except for what the fortunetellers do, stuff like that. So this room must have been really old; I bet it's been there practically forever. The room just vanished, and we were in the middle of a battle against some dwarves! The Riders ordered us forward, so of course we joined the fight.

Dax: Yeah, but during the battle we got separated. I think we were supposed to be protecting the queen, but she was safe when the dwarves attacked this castle that had to be protected, too, so they ordered us down there. But by that time a dwarf had taken Jalinda off guard and knocked her down.

Jalinda: I was holding my own till he surprised me from behind!

Dax: Well, they were holding their own down at the keep, and Jali was in trouble. So I figured, the heck with orders.

Jalinda: Yeah, he came running down the hill to help. Dwarves are pretty fierce fighters though, so it was a pretty heated fight. And then a bunch of reinforcements came rushing down on us, with Aedan following, but somehow the three of us managed to defeat...um, I think there were five dwarves at once.

Dax: Nah, there were six—even two-to-one odds! You gotta learn to boast, Jal! *grins*

Jalinda: *Rolls her eyes* No thanks. I don't want an ego the size of yours.

Dax: *Makes a face at her* Okay, so we're standing there after our victory and gettnig ready to go help the others, when we hear shouts. It sounded like they'd pushed the dwarves back from the keep, so the battle was won. But then a couple Riders showed up and started snapping at us about disobeying orders.

Jalinda: I thought we were in serious trouble. I know Aedan did—he was as white as a sheet!

Dax: Yeah, but all of a sudden they said we disobeyed orders and went to help our friends, and that was the right thing to do.

Jalinda: Then the battlefield faded, and we were back in that dark room. Commanders Jahrid and Rethen were there, and they led us back out to the courtyard and gave us our new uniforms.

Dax: *Laughing* We're Waverunners, Jal! Even now, I can still hardly believe it.

Jalinda: Well, it's going to prove a mixed blessing. We've got a lot of troubles ahead of us...

Dax: Well, since we passed the trials, the natural thing to do was celebrate! The three of us went to the common room of our favorite inn, the Silver Crown. We had a lot of fun—especially Jalinda!

Jalinda: Yes, I danced a bit and sang a song or two...

Dax: *winking* And a drink or two, right?

Jalinda: Some, yes.

Dax: C'mon, Jal, you were plastered! *grins*

Jalinda: I was nothnig of the kind!

Dax: Sure you were. You needed me to help you walk home!

Jalinda: *Flushing* Shut up, Dax. Anyway, there was this blond kid at the inn—awfully young, and something of a pretty boy. He was quiet, but he managed to offend a big drunk with a sword, who challenged him to a fight. The kid beat the tar out of him! I think he told Dax his name was Andrew before slipping out the door.

Dax: Wow, Jalinda, I'm surprised you remembered all that. You were pretty drunk at the time—

Jalinda: Hey, I wasn't the only one drinking, all right?

Dax: *grins* Yeah, but you know, I'll bet there was someone who had more fun than either of us...right, Aedan?

*Aedan has been standing quietly to one side, just listening.*

Aedan: *Stiffly* I don't want to talk about it.

Dax: *With an infuriating grin* Okay, there was this girl about twelve years old with blond curls, and she was in the crowd at the trials—

Aedan: *covers his face with his hands and groans*

Dax: —Aedan fell asleep in his chair in the common room, and you know, that girl can do amazing things with eyeshadow.

Aedan: *Hisses* Dax, shut up.

Dax: And of course, all the other girls were very jealous about her handsome new boyfriend, especially when he looks so cute with a pink bow in his hair.

Aedan: I don't know what you're talking about, Dax. If we might continue with the story...?

...To be continued!
More on the Waverunners story!

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The Waverunner Chronicles ©2001 Amy Unfred