. 
Nisk and Kemmi stayed very close together, what with the eyes of everyone upon them. Neither had the slightest inkling to run away or cause mischief, though Kemmi kept looking at the locals gambling with cards or dice and had to be restrained from joining them.
The High Prince was on their side, though, he'd spoken to them privately and understood that their past mistakes would be wiped away if they could prove themselves worthy of being a Knight. No more Mob activities, for them. Once sure of their motives, the Prince sent them on their way and ran interferance from the other Knights or locals who had the sense that these Mob kids were up to no good.
When at last the draks announced their nest had hatched and the draklings would be ready to come out and meet them, Nisk and Kemmi were both thrilled.
The big desert grinned up at Nisk. "I think you'rre interesssting. I'll come with you. I'm Bekenar."
Nisk realized that Kemmi wouldn't become a knight this time around - the other two draks were both female, and they hardly suited the young man's personality. They did suit the other folks who were present, however one merely decided to go home with someone - to another world.
"I'm sorry you didn't pair," Nisk said.
Kemmi smiled and waved him off. "It's okay, I can watch what you do and be one up on everyone else when my time comes, right?"
Bekenar gave a silly chirp at that, communicated his confidence in the other young man to his Knight. Then, eventually, they would go off to train with Kaydda and her big male plant-drak Athtlna. They would learn to be Knights! Suddenly the thrill of it all overcame Nisk, as he babbled on to his drak - who was asleep - about the adventures they'd surely have...
***
Kemmi didn't have long to wait, however, before his own adventure would begin. Kemmi continued to get those glances - people knew that he was Mob, but what could they do? The Prince was still keeping his eye on them too, and that allayed any fears that folks had about him.
While Nisk and his lovely drak were in training, it was storming heavily outside. Nothing like this at Dun Keiba, no local batted an eye but the ones who weren't used to the weather changing like this were a bit skitterish - and that included the little draklings that were being introduced! They weren't at all sure what was happening with the noise and the shaking... stiff wind pounded the place, but it was safe in here, deep in the lowest of caverns.
It took several minutes, and several loud peals of thunder to break the group of small draks up, and get them toward their chosen partners. When the first had chosen, everyone was relieved. Then the sibling Aspirants were both snapped up by their own draklings. Leaving two, and Kemmi and a girl to wait to see which they were going to be chosen by. If they were chosen.
It was the plant male that decided to come to Kemmi, "I'm Ohdios. I'll stick with you, and everyone else had better watch out." The male plant told Kemmi with a grin. Kemmi smiled broadly with relief and chuckled.
"Yeah, and I think I can convince those lawgivers that I'm not a criminal any more..."
He would be working with Aeme & Water Meraidt for their training, so while the drakling got his food and started to preen, Kemmi looked around and found out some information. If anyone knew Aeme, it would have to be her drak - because people around the castle hardly said a word about her. Shy and unassuming, and modest beyond belief, apparently, those were the traits that Kemmi could gather.
"Well," he said to Ohdios, "at least we won't have to work with some stuck up lawgiver or judge..."
***
Though there was a few weeks between the pair of draklings, it looked like Ohdios learned quickly, and would be slightly bigger than Bekenar. They didn't compete, particularly, because they had different routes to becoming Knights. Nisk and Bekenar had wildly different trainers after all. The sullen and somewhat grumpy Kaydda was so very different than shy demure Aeme. But that didn't mean that the two women treated their squires any differently! They had a job to do, to form these ex-mob kids into Knights!
Both young men were competent riders, with an eye for detail and good memories. Kemmi's memory especially, because apparently as a gypsy kid he had to know who he'd scammed and who not - that was unfair as a judgement on him, Aeme knew it but it was hard to overcome those old feelings about these types. But she learned to help him exploit what he knew best, racing, to help him learn the best ways to come up against Nex or even to joust.
Kaydda on the other hand knew perfectly well that Nisk was a softer sort than any Mob kid ought to be. She'd seen her share of tough guys - and Nisk just wasn't one of them. He was brave, that was true. But he was caring and gentle with his hands. She decided that his training ought to be strongly in favor of combat medicine. He would have to learn more about physically helping people when he got back to Dun Keiba, of course, because their healers were more proficient than she was. But she helped him learn techniques to get in and out of a heated battle quickly, and it was she said a good thing that his drak was a bit on the small side too.
So when the pair came back to Dun Keiba with their attendant, he proudly passed them on to the Head Knight, the judges, and the High Prince and Princess. "I would like to present to you, Knight Nisk and Desert drak Bekenar, and Knight Kemmi with Plant drak Ohdios." He bowed, and went on to explain that they had passed exams and learned from their mentors all they could learn before coming home.
Even Rey was impressed with their changes, though truth be told they hadn't changed all that much in a year. They still looked wild and friendly and somewhat spooked, but they showed an easy confidence with their draks that true Knights had. Nisk went on to study with Istvan, while Kemmi experienced first hand what happens when the High Princess gets ahold of someone...
Nisk Rallor, male, mob member, 17 years old. In his spare time, he likes to read. He is kind, serious, and a loner. - Going to Drockh Tallahn.
Kemmi Tanazi, male, escaped prisoner, 20 years old. In his spare time, he likes to drak race. He is mellow, jaded, and caring. Going to Drockh Tallahn.