White Sky, Red Moon

Note: all that is said here is in the ancient language, unless I say otherwise.

Eragon was walking through the dense forest of Du Weldenvarden, near Ellesmera. It was one of the rare days when he had naught to do but wander. So many problems, he thought. The Varden need a rider and political standard, the Dwarves want me to track down Murtagh, and make him pay for what he did to Hrothgar, Not to forget Carvahall and its troubles. And on top of all that, I have my training with Oromis! It's as if I my soul purpose is to be busy all the time helping others! He growled. Why can't someone do my job for a while, and see how they like it?

"But you would not be who you are if you did not do everything you could for those who are suffering." Said Saphira.

I know, he said with a slight moan. It still doesn't make me feel better. She flicked a gentle thought at him and winked. They walked on, not knowing where they were going, but that didn't seem so important now. The trees where large here and widely spread, so Saphira could walk easily through them. The sun made golden patterns thought the leaves, and Eragon was just thinking how quiet and peaceful it was when a scream shattered the forest. "What the…?" muttered Eragon as he ran off in search for the sound. Saphira jumped into the air, trying to locate the source from there. It did not take her long. "There!" she cried sending him a mental image of a clearing with a whirling mass at its center. It was not far from where Eragon was, so he ran, drawing his sword as he did. When he entered the clearing, he saw a young woman with two daggers in hand, whirling around, fighting a pack of wild beasts. They appeared wolf in shape, but that was all Eragon could tell, for they were moving almost faster than his eyes could follow. But he dove in, sword out, slashing at the beasts, crying "I am here!" to the elf. She did not respond, so great was her concentration, but he could tell she was slightly relived. For a second he wondered how he knew that, but got his mind back in the fight. One beast bit his arm, drawing blood, and he returned the favor by removing its leg. That was when Saphira decided she had had enough. She soared over the clearing roaring fiercely. Just in time, Eragon darted to the elf, grabbed her arm and yelled "Shield us from fire!" binding the words with his will. And Saphira let loose a torrent of flame that would turn mountains into lumps of coal. The beasts stood no choice but to flee into the forest, or burn in the fire. Suddenly as the flame had come, it ceased. Saphira coasted to a landing among the ashes of the beasts that had been too stupid to run. He quickly went to her, and mumbled a word of thanks.

"Never mind." She paused, looking around. "Eragon, the elf!" she exclaimed. He turned and a shiver went down his spine. She was very bloody from the fight; a long, deep gash was oozing right below her collarbone. Many smaller cuts adorned her arms and face. She locked eyes with him for a moment before collapsing on the ground. He went quickly to her side, and laid a hand over her wounds, healing them.

"What were those things?" he asked Saphira. She thought a moment before responding,

"Not creatures of natural birth, I think, but products of a nastier kind of magic."

"Elven Magic?" he inquired, curious.

"No, the elves would not create such atrocities. Most likely, it was wild magic bonding with the spell weaver's."

"Ah," He said. "That would explain much." And they sat in silence, waiting for her to wake. A few minutes later she did, her eyes fluttering open, and a weak smile spreading across her lips.

"Silver hand," she murmured. "I am in your debt for aiding me in the battle." Eragon smiled and said, "I was glad to help," she sat up and rubbed the spot where her dress was torn at the neck. "Truly I was foolish for offering such provocation for them." She murmured. "If not for you…" she faltered into silence. Then, suddenly remembering elven manners, she touched her fingers to her lips and said "May good fortune rule over you,"

"May the Stars watch over you," answered Eragon. She repeated the exchange with Saphira, who then asked,

"What is your name?" she smiled brightly at Saphira and said

"My name is Artemis, and I believe we have already met, Saphira." Eragon turned towards her with surprise.
"We have?" he asked. Saphira drew back and studied the girl.

"Yes we have Eragon," she said, "at the Blood Oath celebration." He tried to remember Artemis through the swirls of color and motion that had been the celebration. He could not remember her but did not let it show.

"Shouldn't you get cleaned up?' he asked, "Something else might come to see why blood was shed." A shadow passed over her face for a moment, but she covered it quickly.

"Yes, I should, shouldn't I? Would you like to come in for a moment before you go back to Ellesmera?" He smiled, wondering why he liked this girl so much. She was definitely a girl, or young woman who looked like she was in her teens. But with the elves, it was hard to gauge age. Look at Arya, who appeared to be in her twenties.

"Thank you very much." He said smiling. She nodded and led him to a Squat tree growing on the side of the clearing. He looked at it skeptically, for it could not even be one floor high, and not even a small bed could fit inside it. She reached up and pressed her hand to a spot on the bark, and a wood panel slid open. He hadn't noticed it was there before it moved. She turned to Saphira and said, "I am sorry, Saphira, but my home was not made with Dragons in mind."

"Go," She hummed. "I will be fine out here." Artemis nodded and ushered Eragon into the hollow of the tree. Once she was in too, the panel slid shut. Eragon was very conscious of how close he was to her.

"Down," she commanded, and Eragon felt the floor on which he stood move slowly downward. Suddenly, light burst through the darkness of the tree, and he found himself standing in a well lit underground room. It was homey, with a carpeted floor, couches, a table, and a few chairs. There was a staircase going down, (unless you started at the bottom of it,) to other rooms. Artemis moved over to a cabinet and pulled out a mug of tea. To Eragons surprise, the mug was so hot it was steaming. I wonder how she did that.

"Wait here, please Silver hand." She murmured and went downstairs. A few minutes later, Artemis emerged from the staircase, looking refreshed. Now Eragon remembered her from the Agati Blodren. She was one of the elves he had danced with, and the one who sang about flying away, and the one with dark hair and cherry like lips. Who knew she lived so far out in the forest? She wore a sky blue tunic, with a silver belt. She did not wear a skirt, as one might expect, but a pair of loose-legged white pants.

She walked over to that mysterious cupboard and pulled out another mug of tea for herself.

"I must thank you and Saphira for rescuing me." She said, sitting down at the table across from Eragon.

"It was not trouble, really." He said vaguely waving his hand.

"That does not lessen the merit of the deed." Artemis said, her deep blue eyes watching him.

"Uh," Eragon inwardly groaned. 'Uh,' did not sound like something a life-saving-dragon rider should say. He felt the ground vibrate slightly from Saphira's chuckles. To Eragon's relief, she smiled. Not a sad half-smile, like the ones of Arya, but not one of the perfect smiles he got from other elves when they were in a good mood. Artemis' smile seemed almost… human.

"Your arm is bleeding," she said observing his torn sleeve.

"I can heal it." He grunted, preparing to use magic.

"Wait!" she put her hand over the wound. "Did it come from tooth or claw?" Eragon tried to remember.

"I think it bit me… why?" she groaned. "What?"

"Their fangs have a poison… if you attempt to heal it, the bite will cause you great pain." "So what am I to do, then?" he asked.

"I have an herb ointment that will help," and she scurried away again. "Eragon, what about her injuries?" Saphira asked in his head. "What if she was bitten?"

Damnnation! Your right, I may have hurt her… The thought utterly repulsed him. When she came back, he asked anxiously,

"Did… did I hurt you?"

"How so?" she said, opening a jar of ointment that smelled faintly like peaches.

"When I healed you." She paused and looked at him.

"I was only bitten in one place, and it is small. Over the years, I have grown almost immune to it. It merely feels as if a kitten scratched my arm. Do not worry." He could not tell if she was lying or not. She leaned over and took his arm, and started applying the medicine very gently to it.

"So…" he said, trying to think of something to say. "Why do you live so far away from the city?" she looked up.

"I… am not… exactly…" she faltered. "I am different than the other elves. For one, I am only sixteen…"

"But that's my age!" Eragon was slightly surprised. She hardly looks younger than Arya, and she's over a hundred! She smiled again and went on with the cream.

"Yes, so it is." She looked at him a moment before continuing, "And for another, my father was not an elf." No wonder her smile and personality were almost human.

"I see." He cast around for another topic, but Artemis said,

"Actually, I am slightly surprised I told you that." Eragon was just as surprised to hear her say that. "But never mind. How long have you been a rider?" she firmly tied a white bandage around the wound.

"Oh, about a year and a half."

"Did you start your training with Brom?" she inquired.

"How do you know that?"

"A little birdie told me. Almost literally. Well, did you?"

"Yes. He taught me while we were tailing the Ra'Zac."

"Why were you going after the Ra'Zac?" came next. Question upon question she heaped on Eragon. He could tell she was a curious thing, and she had probably been dying to ask him this since she had regained consciousness. Finally when the tirade of questions about Brom, his quest, the Varden, and an animated discussion about the merits of different bows they sat quietly, drinking their tea, and thinking over what was said.

"I really should be going." He said after a while. She nodded and said

"Maybe you could visit again, sometime. I do not often have visitors." He smiled at his new friend.

"I would like that.