Maer abr du Evarínya: Maiden of the Stars
Zoey Rowan
This is the first of my series, The Shadeslayers.
Categories: After the Trilogy
Characters: Eragon, Arya, Murtagh, Saphira, Thorn
Genres: Adventure
Rating: M
Warnings: Language, Violence, Sexual content
AUTHOR NOTE/DISCLAIMER!
I do not, nor will I ever, own the rights to anything to do with Eragon or the Inheritance Cycle. They are the property of Christopher Paolini, Knopf, Fox 2000, etc. I can claim ownership of Aiedail, Caleb, Vanilor and Fricai, and anything else you don't recognize. They are the creations of my own mind and are not to be taken as canon.
Oh, and also, so no one freaks out, I am the original writer of the Aiedail Shadeslayer series, first posted on Shur'tugal FanFiction. This is a redo, since my pride could not stand to see that old trash still posted. Please do not report me for plagiarism; it will just make us all look silly. Thanks!
Also, I am aware that Maer(from the title) is not in the Ancient Language, I had to improvise, since C.P. only gave us so many words. :) So I have an Old Norse dictionary that I have been drawing on, since C.P. used that the most. If you have an issue with it, please keep your thoughts to yourself!
On that note, Welcome(or to those of you who are back for round two, welcome back!)
Chapter One: Aiedail
8.17.8033
As my 17th name day approaches, I find myself becoming more and more anxious. Father says I should not worry, he knows I will do well; after all, didn't Angela foretell I would be a great Rider. Caleb claims he knew as soon as we met I would become a Rider. With such faith, how can I fail?
And yet, a small part of my heart wonders if, even if I succeed, will I be able to live up to their expectations? They have tried to be subtle about it, but Ansel and Murtagh have been hinting that Father wishes to train me as his successor. And honestly, the idea terrifies me. It is bad enough that Mother wishes me to concentrate more on my duties as dröttningu. Must I also take on the mantle of Alpha Rider some day?
4.23.8034
Another fine clutch from Rose, eight gorgeous eggs. Father has asked me to familiarize myself with the eggs, so that I may join him on the next Search. Is this part of his training, or does he wish to see if one of this clutch will hatch for me? I know the Elders would forgive an early hatching, but I must wonder, is it right to use my position and heritage to get an early start, when others must wait?
1.14.8035
Mother was crying this morning. Am I selfish to wish she would not cry on my name day? I know she grieves for Jorium, and I do as well, though I have no memory of him. But she still has me. Why does she weep so hard on this day for her dead son?
6.1.8035
Word has come that Saphira has laid her clutch. Father is sending Ansel to fetch me, so we can try again. Please, let one of them be mine.
Aiedail Dröttningu
The egg vault was deep within the Doru Araeba fortress, protected with miles of mazes, thick solid rock walls and protection spells woven by master magicians, powered by eight centuries of magic. As Aiedail followed her father, the Rider Elders and the other candidates found on the most recent Search, she opened her mind enough to drink in the familiar surroundings, allowing herself to touch the minds of all the residents of the Citadel. Most of the Riders were shielded from her, but the dragons were familiar with her mind, and several sent her waves of encouragement. As a child, she had played around their feet and helped the Riders care for them; many of the female dragons regarded her as a small, scaleless hatchling, and were as protective of her as her own parents. She basked in their love and support for a moment before shielding again and focusing on the task at hand.
To calm her nerves, she brushed her fingers against the golden brooch pinning her plain white cloak at her throat, over her boiled leather armor before coming to rest on the elaborately intricate sword belt hanging low on her hips. Her sword, Lesnai, had been a gift from her parents for her sixteenth name day, which according to her human heritage was the day a girl entered womanhood. The hilt was wrapped in black leather with gold caps, a slim one-handed blade made for the flowing sword play her mother had taught her from an early age. Since then, it had rarely left her side. It had been made by the greatest sword-smith in Du Weldenvarden, especially for her hand. It reminded her of her duty, as the daughter of a Dragon Rider, and as the princess of the elves.
This was her third attempt at touching the eggs, and it was becoming discouraging. Until a year ago, she had been kept away from the eggs, so as to not tempt fate before she was too old. Just after the Raudhr Fyrn, the hundred year war that ended when her father slayed the Usurper Galbatorix, when the cache of eggs from the Old Order was revealed, after the Urgals and Dwarves were added to the Rider pact, her father and uncle, together with her mother, Queen Nasuada, King Orik and Saphira and Thorn, had decided to only allow people twenty and older to touch the eggs, people that would already be old enough to take care of a dragon, who would not balk from the hardships that would come from attempting to rebuild the Rider Order. Eventually, as the Eldunarí from the Old Dragons passed on their knowledge, and as more and more people were bonded with dragons, completed their training enough to teach others, the age was lowered to eighteen. And now it was Aiedail's turn to carry on the family legacy that started with her Grandfather Brom. Even though she was raised to believe in no higher powers, Dail found herself praying to anything that would listen that she would not disappoint her family.
Dail? She glanced at the man next to her when the cautious voice brushed against her barriers. Caleb Hawkeyes, despite the twelve year age gap between them, was her closest friend in the Citadel. She had been with Eragon when he had met the young hybrid in Teirm two years before. Even though he was almost ten years older than most of their candidates, Eragon had recognized something in him, and insisted he come back to Doru Araeba. There, Caleb had handled the eggs and bonded with his silver scaled Vanilor. Since then, Caleb and Dail had joined forces in pulling many pranks and, despite not having her own dragon, Dail had joined many of his classes on dragon care and lore, in preparation for the day she might bond a dragon. He had quickly agreed to be her sponsor for the hatching, just as he had for the last two attempts. She was glad to have him at her side.
Nervous? He asked, giving her a quick smile. She flashed him a small grin in return.
The time for nerves has passed, she replied. I am more anxious than anything.
Don't be. Vanilor and I have good feeling about this clutch.
I am glad you are so optimistic.
She broke off their connection as the progression came to a halt. At the front of the line, standing before the steel door guarding the vault, the Alpha Rider began to address the crowd. Despite his fifty years, most of which had been spent struggling to rebuild a decimated order, Eragon Shadeslayer looked no different than when he had slain the Usurper and ended the Raudhr Fyrn. More than a few people, when first meeting the Shadeslayer and his daughter, were astonished to learn he was indeed her father. But the years had given the Alpha Rider a wisdom he did not possess in his youth, and he regarded the gathered Riders and candidates with a critical and slightly weary eye.
"We are gathered here today to witness our young people attempt a feat few accomplish, bonding with a dragon. If they are found worthy, the will gain a partner who will share a part of their soul." He shifted his gaze to the candidates, two humans, a dwarf, an Urgal and his daughter. "Your dragon will be your constant companion, always a word away even when you are separated, closer than any friend or lover. They will be your hearts mate, and, occasionally, your worst enemy." The Riders present chuckled a little at his words, all knowing what he meant by that.
"Should you be chosen, you join a brotherhood that has lasted centuries, despite all attempts of annihilation. Wear this honor with pride, and you will do much credit to your fellow Riders." He stepped aside and motioned his second, the Beta Rider Murtagh, to begin the proceedings. The older Rider tapped the thick, fire-blackened oak staff in his hand against the floor, calling their attention.
"When I call your name, you, your sponsor and Master Eragon will enter the chamber. There, you will place your hands on the eggs. If one hatches, your sponsor will coach you through the process. Good luck to each of you." He pulled a slip of parchment from his breast pocket and began reading them off.
"Cora Sarisdaughter, sponsored by Shur'tugal Holli Nasuadasdaughter." A mousey looking girl stepped forward with her sponsor, a tall rider with a blood red sword at her hip. Murtagh looked the applicant over before nodding. "Sarisdaughter, you have been found worth by the dragon Blödh. His Rider will be your guide and mentor, should you succeed in gaining a dragon's trust. Atra du evarínya ono varda."
The pair bowed to the Beta Rider before Holli led the shaking human into the vault, followed by Eragon, who quietly closed the door behind them. Those left talked quietly among themselves while they waited. Fifteen minutes later, the door opened and Eragon walked out, followed by Holli and Cora. Tears sparkled in her eyes as she stepped away from the gathering. The group was silent for a moment out of respect, before Murtagh opened his paper again.
"Jon Whitsson, sponsored by Shur'tugal Dujan Martynsson."
And so it went. As the only candidate trying again, Dail would go last, and she could feel her nerves building as one by one, her fellow applicants went into the vault to try their luck. A cheer went up when the third, a blonde haired dwarf woman by the name of Dagmar, who was sponsored by the Elder Keyd, emerged with a pale blue dragonet tucked close to her body. Murtagh allowed them to fawn over the new dragon for a few minutes before rapping his staff against the stone floor again.
"Elolith of Breoal ArgentDail, sponsored by Elder Ansel."
As the First Rider led the last candidate out of the chamber, dragonless, Dail slowly let out a sigh. This was it, as soon as she walked into the vault, her life would change. She had made the decision to not continue on after this trial, she would return to Du Weldenvarden and continue on in her training as the elfish princess. In the five times she had been around the eggs, nothing had happened, and she was becoming convinced that Angela's prophecy had been wrong. She didn't think she could stand the rejection much longer.
"Aiedail Eragonsdaughter, sponsored by Apprentice Rider Caleb Hawkeyes." She took a deep breath, squeezed Caleb's hand and stepped forward. Her uncle's face did not change; he did not allow himself to show any favoritism towards her. She was glad for it. "Eragonsdaughter, you have been found worth by the dragon Vanilor. His Rider will be your guide and mentor, should you succeed in gaining a dragon's trust. Atra du evarínya ono varda."
She dropped Caleb's hand as she stepped through the door into the vault, holding her breath until Eragon closed the door behind them. The room was large and oval, lined with cushioned tables and benches on a raised dais that stretched to the back of the large room, on which rested scores of eggs of all colors. They gleamed in the torch light, flames dancing across the rainbow of colors. As it always did, her breath was taken away by the sight of the priceless treasures, each of which contained a dragon. The new clutch of eggs were grouped on the table closest to the door, arranged side by side on a cushion of sapphire blue shot through with threads of red. Each new clutch was arranged so, on cushions with their dam and sire's colors, grouped by age. The Old Order eggs were the furthest back, resting on pallets of white silk, for no one knew who their parents were.
"Atra esterní ono thelduin, dautr," Eragon said softly, before stepping back against the door.
"Elrun ono, Fadir," she whispered and gave him a tight lipped smile and stepped up the dais to survey the eggs.
Of course, she had already seen most of them from her previous attempts, and she doubted touching any of them now would change their opinions of her. So she ignored them and focused on the newest additions to the chamber.
As they had in the wild, the bonded dragons laid their eggs in the spring, the Bonding ceremonies taking place not long after the last clutch was laid. It came as a surprise, then, when Saphira announced she would clutch out of season this year. The moment Saphira retreated to the laying caves a small-scale search began, the target of the search being older candidates who could quickly catch up with the classes that had begun in the spring.
Five eggs were nestled in the sapphire silk, each a foot long and half a foot wide. Their colors were bright, sky blue, sunny yellow, emerald green shot through with thin veins of silver, amethyst and pure, blinding white. As she approached the table, a meep sounded through the chamber. She jumped, startled, before turning wide eyes on her companions. Caleb was grinning at her, turquoise eyes glittering with joy, while a wide smile broke across her father's face. They waved her forward, not saying a word, but she felt their excitement as her own grew. Carefully, she reached out and laid her hand on the white egg, not sure why, but knowing with all her heart that was the one that had made noise. Another squeak sounded and the egg rocked slightly. Before long, the air was filled with squeaks and Dail had to lift the egg off the cushion to make sure it didn't fall over, wrapping it in a delicate, shimmering blue silk cloth. She cradled the priceless egg against herself, sending waves of encouragement and love to the hatchling attempting to break out. When cracks appeared in the pristine white shell, she carefully poked at the lines, helping the dragon break free.
The dragonet was a perfect miniature of what it would look like full grown. Scales of a pure, blazing white, the dragon was long and slim, webbed wings much too big for its frame. Two pearl white fangs peeked out from its upper lip; talons of bone white gleamed against the silk. Like its dam, the hatchling's head was roughly triangular, with three cheek spines on each side of its head and forehead spines between its wide, crescent shaped horns, giving it a wide, mane like appearance. Pale blue eyes the color of the shallows around the southern islands blinked up at Dail. The young hybrid was taken aback by the wild beauty of the newborn dragon. As if to snap her out of her thoughts, the dragon butted its head against her leather breastplate. She giggled and lifted her right hand. She didn't hesitate to place her palm on the dragon's head. She knew this was her destiny, knew it as surely as she knew her true name. And nothing could stop her from fulfilling, not now, not ever.
For she was a Dragon Rider.
Well, that's the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it as much as the original. I'll be back soon with more!
Just a note, the original will be taken down by Christmas, so if anyone is following that, please transfer it over to Maer.
Much love!
Z.
Glossary:
Raudhr Fyrn - Red War
Atra du evarínya ono varda. – May the stars watch over you.
Atra esterní ono thelduin - May good fortune rule over you.
Elrun ono, Fadir. – Thank you, Father.