The Silence before the storm
The sun shone faintly as it slowly disappeared beyond the horizon. The calming sound of birds chirping filled the air, only to be interrupted by the noise of a pair of sparkling sapphire wings flapping, to keep their possessor aloft, and simultaneously keeping the birds away in fear from the dragon and her rider.
Eragon sat silently upon Saphira's back as she glided through the sky towards Urû'baen for their fight against Galbatorix. He could feel every muscle move as he relaxed on her back. A smile formed on Eragon's lips as he rested his hand on Saphira's shimmering sapphire scales. Eragon looked down at Saphira as he felt her conscience rub against his and listened as Saphira said. Be careful little one. He will be much harder to defeat then Durza. Eragon nodded before responding. I will Saphira. You watch Shruikan although he may have slowed down a bit from hiding away in the castle after all of these years. His gaze drifted over the radiant sky down to where one of the Elves signalling for him to land and as he did he gripped onto the spikes on Saphira's neck.
Saphira coasted gracefully to the ground and braced herself for the landing. As she steadied herself on the ground as an urgal approached rapidly, ignoring the dirty looks he was receiving from the humans, elves and dwarves.
Eragon slid from Saphira's back and looked at the urgal, recognizing him as one of Nasuada's guards. Eragon watched the urgal carefully, still feeling uneasy about having the urgals on their side because they had once sided with Durza. He listened carefully as the urgal spoke,
"Lady Nasuada wishes to speak with you before you retire back to your tent." Eragon nodded and followed silently after the Urgal, savouring the feeling of the cool breeze drifting by and the solid ground beneath his feet. He enjoyed flying on Saphira but he felt safer on the ground where he could feel the ground beneath his feet.
Eragon looked over the group of Urgals that surrounded the tent before entering silently. He looked around as he entered the tent and paused when he saw Arya and Nasuada speaking. Eragon moved aside so Saphira could stick her head in but watched as Arya left the tent before allowing Saphira to stick her head in.
Nasuada turned to Eragon as he entered and Arya left the tent. Once Saphira had her head in the tent she finally said,
"Hello Eragon and Saphira. There are some things I would like to tell you." Nasuada briefly paused for a breath of air before continuing, "While you are fighting Galbatorix Murtaugh will be sneaking into the castle with a small group of elves to steal the last egg from the Galbatorix. During which time Arya will be a decoy on Thorn who will be helping us fight the enemy and stopping any enemies from entering the castle giving the group a better chance." Once Nasuada was finished speaking she stood silently for any of Eragon's questions or comments.
Eragon thought over what Nasuada had said for a few moments before finally coming up with a question. He rested his hand on the tip of Saphira's nose before looking at her and asking,
"Why is Arya riding Thorn and Murtaugh going into the castle? Since Thorn is Murtaugh's dragon." Eragon watched Nasuada's expressionless face before she responded,
"We are sending Murtaugh into the castle because he knows it's lay out since he was raised there by Galbatorix. So he will most likely know where the egg is and Arya is the only person Murtaugh would allow to ride Thorn." Nasuada walked over to her chair and sat down elegantly into it before saying, "Go back to your tent and get some rest. I don't want you to be tired when you fight Galbatorix tomorrow."
Eragon nodded before exiting the tent after Saphira and walking closely beside her before reaching for Saphira's consciousness with his own and saying. I wonder what she was talking to Arya about and if she's holding something back about what's going on around here. Saphira could sense Eragon's irritation as she listened to him and replied carefully not wanting to make him upset. Maybe she was telling her of their plans and maybe it's best we don't know a few parts of her plans. Eragon sighed still somewhat irritated that he felt like Nasuada was hiding something.
Eragon watched as people retired back to their tents to get some rest before the big battle tomorrow. He ran his fingers through his blonde hair as his stomach let out a loud growl. Eragon rested his hand on his stomach and walked into his tent. He walked over to the food that rested on a table and quickly scarfed it down. Enjoying the feeling of food in his stomach and exhaustion overwhelm him as he lay back in his bed soon falling asleep.
Saphira watched as Eragon drifted off to sleep before heading towards Arya's tent wishing to speak with her.