Chapter 1: The Dream
A young man and young woman ran at an inhuman speed through the burning town. Their faces were blurred, but the woman had long brown hair and the man had black jaw length hair. They were garbed in fine clothes, the woman in a white dress that came just above her knee, with a belt around her waist, and the man wore a brown shirt and leggings. Both had swords drawn.
They stopped as they came to a particular burning building. They said something to each other, but their voices were muted by screams of civilians surrounding them. The woman quickly jumped through the flames into the building, and the man was tense as he waited for her. Minutes later, she jumped from the door again, supporting a teenage boy with raven hair. He wasn't moving. The man immediately picked up the boy, and the pair once again ran through the burning town at the same speed, until they came just outside the town, where groups of men and women were helping people who escaped the town, tents being set up, people being run into the tents on stretchers.
A hooded woman ran up to the pair at human speed, her hands checking the boy for a pulse at his neck. She gestured at the man to follow her, and they hurried to the tent. It was simple inside, with a wooden table and an assortment oh herbs and strange equipment. The man placed the boy carefully on the table, and backed away while the woman grabbed the hooded woman's arm, forcing her to look at her.
"Please...save him..."
Eragon shot up straight, sweat dripping from his forehead. The dream had seemed so vivid, he could have sworn he had been right beside the young man and woman while they ran through the town. Taking a deep breath, he slid out of bed, noticing light creeping through the crack at his tent opening. Leaving Saphira to sleep, he got up and threw on one of his elven tunics. Grabbing Brisingr, he walked out into the cool morning.
He walked slowly through the Varden's tents, until the eventually came to Nasuada's tent. Her guard saluted him, and let him through.
"The lady is expecting you," said one, and Eragon nodded to him, thanking him before he lifted the tent flap and walked into the large tent. Nasuada was surrounded by a number of worried members of Du Vrangr Gata, and Arya, Angela and Jormunder stood nearby. Nasuada, looking stressed, looked relieved at Eragon's presence.
"Eragon! Finally, perhaps you can help Arya and Angela reason with these fo-...magicians,"she said, and the men and women turned to look at him, their eyes widened at his presence.
"What is the problem?" he asked politely, folding his arms. He noticed Saphira waking at the back of his mind.
Good morning, Little one.
'Morning , Saphira. I'm in Nasuada's tent. Nasuada waved a hand at the magicians, shooing them out of the pavilion. Once they were out, she gave a weary sigh, shaking her head.
"It appears that troublesome...dreams plagued the Varden 's dreams last night," she said slowly, and Eragon frowned. Saphira's head snaked into the tent as she spoke. Eragon frowned, thinking of his own dream last night.
Could that have been one of the dreams Nasuada is speaking of? He thought.
Little one...I think you may want to see this then, said Saphira quietly, sharing her own dream from the previous night with Eragon.
Two dragons flew through the night sky, one turquoise, the other white. There was a rider a top each of them, both wearing similar black leather gear with hoods pulled low over their faces shadowing their eyes,and with a balaclava's pulled up over their faces. Swords hung at both their hips, and the dragons flew down onto a large stone court yard they had been circling. The two riders dismounted the dragons, one noticeably more graceful and lean than the other.
They left their hoods and balaclavas up as they walked up stairs to a magnificent building. Only when they reached the large oak door did the pull down their hoods, revealing two young women, one with shoulder length blond hair, and the other with long brown hair.
"You can explain to Gethin why his prized dagger is no longer in its sheath in his chambers," said the brown haired girl, her voice clear and enchanting. The blond haired girl laughed, and they entered the building, the dragons taking off together overhead.
Eragon was shocked. That browned haired elf was-
The same girl in your dream, Saphira finished, and Eragon looked at Nasuada, stunned.
"It appears Saphira and I may have had one of these dreams you speak of. The same girl appeared in both of ours," he said slowly. Angela looked interested at this.
"Elf? With long brown hair? Or human, with long dark hair?" she asked. Eragon's eyes widened.
"E-Elf with long brown hair," he stammered. "But how-"
"It appears the same people appeared in all the dreams. Race, appearances from what could be made out,as the faces were obscured," Arya spoke for the first time. Eragon's gaze met hers.
"But there was another girl in Saphira's dream, with blond hair, and there were several people in mine, including a young black haired elf man and teenager," he said. She gave a short nod, but Angela answered him.
"I haven't had any mention of the blond girl, but a few from the elves about that man. It appears that the race of the person who had the dream was the race of the person who appeared in it," she answered simply, though Eragon was at loss.
"But then...how can they possibly be dreams?" he exclaimed, and Nasuada gave a grunt of agreement, sharing his confusion.
"We don't believe they are. I have several theories, but the one most of us agree on..., is they are some kind of message from the people in them. Before you ask, we don't know how, or why they have done this," Arya said, shifting her weight from foot to foot.
What if they need our help? Saphira broadcast her thoughts to the entire tent. Eragon watched Nasuada lean back in her chair, observing Saphira.
"Or what if it is some trickery on Galbatorix's behalf? Trying to distract us while he has Murtagh attack our troops," she replied. Eragon shook his head.
"I doubt it. How would he break into the elves and Saphira and I's mind without us knowing to plant these dreams? If he could do that, he'd have us all under his control right now," he said, shaking his head slowly, his hand on Brisingr's hilt. But before any of them could reply, an ear piercing dragon's roar filled the pavilion, causing dread to fill Eragon ; if Saphira was hear with them, then what dragon gave that roar?