Chapter 1
Belatona lay in ruins. It was the result of the battle that had taken place for control of the city between the Varden and the Empire. Eragon looked in pity at the ruins that had once been a beautiful city.
So much death. He thought. There is absolutely no need for this. We could get to Uru'bean without running into all of these cities.
His dragon, Sapphira, nudged him from behind. Little one, do not mourn the fallen here. They had their chance to escape, yet they continued to protect their mad King.
The thought of Galbitorix made him shudder. But we could have saved them. Is it so fair that so many had to die?
I cannot answer that for you. Only you can decide how far you will go to defeat this Tyrant. Now come, Nasuada wanted to see us before she addressed the troops.
Fine. Eragon climbed atop his dragon's sapphire hide. In the sun, she shimmered like a sea of the beautiful blue gems. He reached out his mind and again tried to make contact with the Eldunari, the in soul gem of a dragon, of Glaedr.
The golden dragon had been one of his teachers in Ellesmira, the Elven capitol, before his untimely slaughter in Gilead. After he and his rider had died, Glaedr's soul had come to a coma like state within his Eldunari. Every once in a while, he would rise from his grief and tell Eragon to leave him alone. Today was not one of those days. Today, the dragon was too enveloped in sadness to notice Eragon's presence.
Eragon sighed and strapped himself into Sapphira's saddle. They flew over the burnt city and landed in the courtyard in front of the house that Nasuada had taken temporary residence in. The house seemed to be well enough intact after the battle and was large enough to host the meetings between the generals and leaders of the Varden.
As Eragon entered the house, he noticed that several people were also waiting for an audience with the leader of the Varden. His cheeks warmed as he noticed Arya, the Elven princess that he had been pining for, for quite some time now. Her thin figure was outfitted in her normal tight-fitting leather armor and her raven hair was pulled back into a pony-tail.
He walked over to her and asked "What do you need with Nasuada?"
"I was going to inquire about the location of my people. Lady Nasuada was well informed with the location of our Elven armies and my mother. I am beginning to feel that I should wait until later though."
She seemed to enunciate the fact of her mother, Islanzadi, Queen of the Elves. The idea that Arya could someday be queen of the elves was one of the many reasons for her rejection of his love at the Blood-Oath Celebration a few months before.
"Why don't you just accompany me? Nasuada said that she wanted to speak to me before she spoke to the troops. You could ask about the elves afterword's."
She hesitated. "That would be fine. So how will you know when she is ready for you?" As if on queue a small page walked out of the meeting chambers and asked the crowd "Has Eragon Shadeslayer arrived yet? Lady Nasuada wishes to see him."
Eragon raised his hand above the others and said "I'm here!" He grabbed Arya's arm and pulled her forward with him. He felt her stiffen underneath his touch. They were led into the Conference Room and to the leader of the Varden.