Cherval tutored Serali for several long months, teaching her not only how to speak, but also how to read and write in the dragon's tongue. Reading and writing were harder than they might have been because the dragon's written language wasn't composed of letters that stood for sounds, but instead pictograms that stood for concepts or objects. Serali had a difficult time of it, but her mastery of the spoken language was a far easier task and it wasn't long before she was speaking it almost as if she had all her life. Though according to Cherval she had a most dismal human accent.

He also taught her about the culture of dragons, though often he plead ignorance to her many questions. But as Drevass was always willing to spare a moment or two for her, she soon learned much. One thing that continually amazed her however, was the respect that all the other dragons, even the older ones like Drevass, gave her. Cherval explained it to her.

"The metallic dragons have always been the nobility among us, but the golds especially are respected, ever since the day Arvass became the first dragon king. But everyone thought that there was only one gold left living, a huge ancient named Brethor. He spends all his time writing, since he's the keeper of the Book of Knowledge and the Book of Thoughts.

"Everyone thought that the old dragon king and his mate were the last of the gold line besides Brethor, and they vanished years ago. Some say that they're still alive out there somewhere, but most dragons think they're dead. The current dragon king, Skrisish, who's a royal red, chased them from the royal caves in the north mountains when he took the throne and they haven't been seen since. I was still a child at the time, so I'm not sure exactly what happened. But you can see why all the dragons here are so glad to see you, since everyone thought that all the golds were gone."

They were speaking in dragon, and Serali had needed to stop Cherval once or twice for clarification, but she understood what he had said. She thought for a moment. If Cherval had been a child when the old dragon king had left, when had it happened? And could it possibly be that she…

"Cherval, how long ago did they vanish?"

He thought for a moment. "Twenty years gone now, I think."

Serali nodded. "I see," she muttered absently, in human.

"Serali…" Cherval started, but he could see her mind was elsewhere.

Serali turned and went back to the little nook that she had been given to live in, thinking confused thoughts. Images of kings and queens, of dragons and humans, and of a certain stormy night that she had seen but did not recall, swirling through her mind. She didn't want to assume something when she didn't know for sure, but more and more she was starting to think that she knew who her parents were.