Uncertainty.

That's been the air over the kingdom over the year so far.

It started in November of last year. The first week of November is a week-long festival where we don red and give offerings to The Winner in hopes of the red dragon winning the battle as we wait for the eggs to be laid. There have always been two. The two eggs are laid over the course of two days. One egg per day. The two dragons that hatch from the eggs are always both female, and the next November, the one who won the battle always lays two eggs and continues the cycle. The first egg laid usually contains the winning dragon. When the first egg comes out, we rub it for good luck.

The first clue that this year would not be like the others was that the first egg came on a Tuesday, not a Wednesday like it usually does. Nobody really panicked yet. We just found it odd.

The concern began that Thursday. Usually with the first egg being laid on a Wednesday, the second would come on a Thursday, but due to the first one being a day early, so was the second one. The second egg was laid on Wednesday. Thursday morning, however, it was discovered that last year's winner had not only laid a third egg, but the mighty blue dragon had actually died. That wasn't supposed to happen until after the battle. We would have to come together as a village and find a way to incubate all three eggs ourselves.

So, we built three small sheds just big enough to fit one egg and six humans each. From the first week of November until the last day of December, every able-bodied adult in the kingdom - including the monarchy - took shifts in the sheds, vigorously and constantly rubbing the eggs to keep them warm.

Then, on the evening of December 31st, as per usual all eggs simultaneously hatched. Everyone was focused on the third egg.

At the stroke of midnight, out popped all three baby dragons. The red one's scales resembled rubies. The blue one's scales resembled sapphires, and the green one had scales like emeralds. All of them glistened in the light of the full moon.

Nobody was sure what to make of the green dragon. The blue one, as per usual, was already behaving aggressively, nipping at the face of her neighbouring sister and trying to blow fire at us only for a bit of smoke and a few simple sparks to come out like a dying fireplace. The red one dodged the attacks of the blue one, but seemed incredibly docile. These were the usual temperaments of these dragons. The green one, sat contently and serenely in the nest we'd transferred the eggs back to when they first began to hatch. It seemed to be observing us.

Thaddeus, the Royal Dragonkeeper, walked up to the red dragon and examined it. "Red. Female." He announced.

He walked up to the blue dragon and did the same before declaring "Blue. Female."

Then the green one. His eyebrows knitted together in slight confusion. "Green... Male." He announced, likewise causing the confusion of the crowd.

Because their mother had passed away and could not provide food for the babies, that meant Thaddeus and volunteers had to feed them.

It was hard to provide for three baby dragons. They grow rapidly. Of course, it may have been better if not for the famine. Blue dragon years are hard, but the previous year's winner brought with her a famine the likes of which the kingdom had never seen. People were starving to death. We'd even briefly considered eating the third dragon egg before it was pointed out that we weren't sure which egg contained the red dragon and it would be foolish to risk killing it.

Nevertheless, the dragons were all provided for and Winter turned to Spring. By this point, the three dragons were adolescent and had to be kept separated. It was almost time for the battle and they were all beginning to lash out at each other.

Then, finally, came the first day of April. Time for the battle.

The dragons were all released, and took to the sky, breathing fire and trying to take out their opponents.

The blue dragon swooped in from the side and bit out a large piece of her sister's neck. Silver blood rained from the sky as the red dragon fell into the forest.

Panic ensued! The red dragon had fallen.

The battle raged on only for about another 10 minutes before the blue dragon, too, had been killed.

The winner was green. There was a great sense of foreboding. What would happen now? He was male. He couldn't even lay eggs.

Strangely enough, as the green dragon landed, a tear fell from his eye. Almost as if he were grieving his sisters. The mournful victor was lead back to his nest by Thaddeus to have his injuries treated.

Then, we began to notice something odd. Where the dragon's tear had fallen, an apple tree began to grow over the course of a few days.

In the months after the fight, crops finally began to grow! Our livestock began to produce more young! We were all so hungry and now everyone seemed to have a surplus of food.

When the harvest came and everyone in the kingdom had enough food, everyone gave offerings of fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and bread to The Winner.

Now it's December, and while he can't lay eggs, he is in excellent health. Thaddeus says the green dragon is likely to be around for a very long time.

Almost as if he brings with him eternal prosperity for the kingdom.