A Thunder of Dragons
*Disclaimer- I do not own any of these characters, nor the places, terms, phrases, etc. Any plagiarising is unintentional, I have just read the books so many times they are practically memorized. :) All of the aforementioned things belong to Christopher Paolini, the author of the Inheritance Cycle.
After Eragon departs.
"So, Blödhgarm, which way should we go? Out on the open sea, or follow the coastline around, beyond the Beor Mountains?" asked Eragon.
After bowing respectfully and touching his first two fingers to his lips, Blödhgarm replied, "I do not know, Shadeslayer, and even did I know, 'twould not be my decision to make."
Eragon, the elf speaks true. In the end, it is your decision to make, and yours alone as the leader of the Riders. commented Saphira.
"Alright, then, we'll continue along the shore until we have reached the Beors, then tack south, towards the ocean." Eragon decided.
Two months later.
A great fountain of spray and mist erupted out of nowhere, battering the sails as the wind whipped the droplets about.
Saphira! shouted Eragon with his mind, horror-stricken. He had just seen Saphira coasting low to the water for a swim when the wind suddenly gusted and something had come out of the water.
I am fine, little one. Saphira said soothingly as she alighted on the deck of the ship. It is not my way to let those Nidwhalar take bites out of my tail. They cannot even fly!
The wind calmed considerably, and Eragon's mind did, too. Alright, then. How about a flight? asked Eragon mischieviously. You know how much I like storm-flying with you... There was nothing more exhilarating than alternating between being playfully tossed about by the winds, letting yourself be battered about by the great forces of nature, and coasting in the calm eye of the storm.
Are you sure you're up for it? I hear you had a particularly strenuous sparring session this morning, Saphira thought apprehensively.
And you had a fight with a Nidwal! thought Eragon defensively. Come on, let's not lag about. We both know we're going to end up flying anyway!
Alright, fine. Now hurry up and put my saddle on. conceded Saphira.
Eragon rushed below deck to grab the new light riding saddle that the elves had made when they had too much time on their hands during the trip. Saphira had long grown out of the old one that Brom had made, and the normal saddle was too heavy and clumsy for recreational flying.
Once above the sea, the ship, and the storm, it was surprisingly calm, even though the winds still buffeted the ship below them.
Ready? asked Saphira.
Ready! Eragon eagerly replied. And Saphira dived.
They fell towards the rowdy seas, through the clouds, the mist, and into the storm. When they had nearly reached the water, Saphira opened her wings suddenly, and flapped strongly, skimming the water with her feet, then her wingtips. She gained altitude fast, carried partly by a strong updraft and partly by her own muscle. Hovering amidst the wind and heavy clouds, they rested for a moment in the eye of the storm before continuin. Coasting into the side of a thunderhead, the winds spun them around like a top, Enjoying the ride, the two of them, with their minds melded together so tightly they could not discern whose wings they were using to stay aloft, roared and yelled and blew flame. As small hailstones began to fall, Eragon and Saphira, now separate entities once again, ducked out of the side of a cloud, and found themselves flying above a lush forest, continuing as far as they could see from above.
Wait, this could be what we were looking for! Eragon exclaimed. An uninhabited island big enough to support a thunder of dragons!
We should probably get Blödhgarm and the others before they get too far from this, reasoned Saphira as she started flying back on tired wings.
As soon as they touched down on the ship, they excitedly told the elves who had accompanied them of their discovery. The elves set the ship for a course that would take them to the island within the hour, even as they began to cast their magic to influence the currents of the water below to speed them on their way.
When they arrived, Eragon and the elves set out to refill their food supplies, just in case someone hostile turned up and they had to set out upon the open sea again. Discovering an abundance of sweet fruits and filling potato-like plant rhizomes, they finished gathering food very quickly, and sat down to an early lunch.
By the time they had finished, Saphira was back already, with a report on the other life forms on the island.
I do not think we will have to travel any further, she hummed happily, licking her lips. I have flown over the forest, and there seem to be an overabundance of suitable prey animals. They are fat, and do not seem to know many predators, other than the occasional snake or wolf. At the far end of the island is a great mountain, not as tall as the Beor Mountains, but tall enough that we could easily find enough caves for our future Riders and their dragons, and many leftover besides, if wild dragons decide they would also like a cavernous roost. Along the edges of the island are beautiful white sands, and shallow waters until three or four times the length of this ship out.
"Thanks, Saphira," Eragon said out loud, for the benefit of the elves. "Now, do you recommend we unpack right away, or should we send word to Arya and Nasuada first?"
Probably unpack, then you can scry them and show them what you have done for the eggs and Eldunari. came the reply, abrupt and to the point. Meanwhile, I will go and take a bath, roll in the sand to get the salt off of my scales, and perhaps sun myself for a few hours before the sun goes down. After that, I will hunt again, and help you excavate some caves or whatever it is you need to sleep in.
Upon saying this, she leapt into the air and swooped away, toward the stretches of sand. Eragon and the elves immediately got to work.
...
8 hours later
"Phwew, I'm tired!" exclaimed Eragon as he flopped down on the warm sands with Saphira curled up beside him. The nine remaining elves had worked with Eragon in cleaning out one of the largest caves, and moving all the eggs and Eldunari into it. After shifting their precious cargo, they then proceeded to recast all the wards upon them to include the cave. With plenty of time left before sundown, they sang more furniture out of trees to place in another large cave they had cleared. This would serve as the dining hall for the Riders, and a smaller nearby labyrinthine network of caves would serve as dormitories. Eragon, as the leader of the Riders, would have his own small cave, but he preferred to sleep under the stars on a hot summer night such as this.
The next day, they rose early and cracked open coconuts which had fallen during the night for their meat and milk. The elves went to finish furnishing the dining hall, while Eragon and Saphira went to the forest to meditate and also to scry Arya, then Nasuada, Orik, Orrin, Roran, and all their other friends to tell them the good news and also to invite them over.
"Atra esterní ono thelduin." Eragon pressed his fingers to his lips and recited the traditional elven greeting.
"Mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr," said Arya wearily. "Eragon, how have you been?"
"I have been fine, as has Saphira. How go things in Du Weldenvarden?"
"They have been tiring in the extreme, yet the only one I can tell is you, since you are the leader of the Riders, and I would gain no political advantage over the others by exchanging meaningless pleasantries with you." Arya replied sadly. "Now even friends are not real friends, those we greet as such are only allies, or people we want to gain advantage of. When you gain power, you lose freedom, in a way. No longer can I simply say what I mean and be done with it, it must be so carefully worded and refined that it loses most of the scant meaning it once had! Such is my life now."
"Arya Svit-kona, or rather, Arya Dröttning, you must come and visit us when you are not too busy! For that is the happy event which I have contacted you to tell of - the elves, Saphira, the Eldunari, and I have found a delightful island just enough off the coast of the Beors to discourage ragamuffins and tramps with boats from visiting. Come explore with us, Arya! There are plants which even Väldr does not recognize, even with his millennia of experience.
"Alright, would a fortnight from now work for you? I have a few weeks' reprieve from politics because the rest of the politicians' party is going to Surda to nag at Orrin for a while." Arya hopefully replied.
"Of course that would be fine! Though we cannot guarantee very comfortable lodgings, having only gotten here but a day ago." Eragon teased. "Oh, and don't forget your sword! I was hoping for another chance to spar with you."
"Of course, Eragon. You know I would never go anywhere without my sword," Arya said scoffingly.
"Good. Then it is settled?"
"It is."
"See you in a fortnight!"
A/N "Thanks" DitheringFool from HPFF for "helping" me "edit."