The boat slowly floated down the river, an elf standing on the boats bow. The boat sailed smoothly, and nothing had changed in regards to the landscape in close to a week since they had left the known regions of Alagaesia.
In his room, Eragon rolled over on his bed as a small amount of morning sunlight filtered through the window the pointing towards the front of the boat; towards the east.
The cloth curtain that hung over the window was not completely closed and the small amount of sun that shone through was waking him up. He didn't like it.
He sat up and opened his eyes, and his bed sheet fell off his chest and his eyes stung from the light. He also had a lot of the grit that always accumulates around your eyes during sleep. He rubbed it off with his knuckles and as his eyes adjusted to the light he saw a figure sitting on the normally unused bed on the other side of the bed. It took a bit longer for his eyes to come in to focus enough for him to realize who it is.
"A...Angela? what the..." he said groggily as the herbalist came in to focus "you said you were staying in Alagaesia"
"well, I like to be where interesting things are happening. I finished what I needed to do just before you left and managed to stow myself away in the cargo hold. I figured with so many dragon eggs coming along this would be much more interesting than the endless politics between the elves, dwarves and two different human countries. That, and Nasuada trying to control all magicians. "
Eragon noticed, however, that when Angela mentioned the dragons, her right hand turned its palm towards her leg and she slowly clenched a fist. It was a subconscious move on Angela's part, but it wasn't lost on Eragon
"open your hand" Eragon said sharply
"why shoul-..." she started, but Eragon cut her off
"open your hand." He muttered authoritatively
She relented, and opened her hand and Eragon saw a shining mark. The gedwey ignasia.
A purple baby dragon wandered out from behind her and made a shrill chirping noise.
"he hatched last night! When I was hiding in the cargo hold I saw the eggs but I didn't touch any of them till last night. And, well, he was the first one I touched!" Angela said happily with a grin.
"so you stowed away on a boat filled with objects of incredible value, potentially wasted any supplies and, for lack of a better word, 'misappropriated' a dragon egg?"
"I have no desire for any of your valuables, I already have a sword sharper than any you have in the ship, I didn't use any of your supplies and I hardly think I misappropriated the egg, it chose me! It wouldn't have hatched if it doesn't think I was suitable, right? Angela retorted, offended. Then, she cocked her head to one side and her eyes relaxed. It was quite unnerving to Eragon
"what are you looking at...?" Eragon inquired, confused
"nothing, nothing...but you sleep with no shirt. That's interesting. " she said, then winked at him.
Eragon's eyes narrowed, and he grabbed his shirt and pulled it down over his head.
"you're no fun" she pouted while she rubbed her dragon's chin with her knuckles as it chirped happily.
"so, have you named him yet?" Eragon asked, changing the subject
"nope, waiting till he gets old enough to chose his own name" she explained, and Eragon nodded. that's how the riders did it before the fall; dragons typically chose their own names.
Saphira invaded Eragon's thoughts
As mysterious as she is, Angela seems suitable as a rider. Extensive knowledge of the ancient language, experienced in combat and has proven herself loyal to the varden,or atleast, to you and I.
Eragon said nothing in response but agreed totally.
Angela broke the silence which Eragon hadn't even noticed.
"and why bother with the shirt? Nothing under there I haven't seen already, and I'm sure it's more comfortable without it" she grinned cheekily
"settle down. Now that you're a rider, you are also my student, so the elves wouldn't see it as appropriate..."
"yeah? Well, you are still glad I'm here. I can tell. I can also tell that the reason you just brushed my" she made a quoting action with her hands "advances...is that you are still hoping to be with Arya eventually".
Eragon's eyes narrowed. Did she know that He and Arya had exchanged their 'true' names the night she returned from Ellesmera? If she knew that, had she managed to get in to his head and discover either his own name, or even worse, Arya's true name?
He shook off the concern. She wouldn't have known, and he didn't think that she would violate his privacy like that. Then again, she had been sitting in his bedroom and staring at his bare chest for who-knows how long, which are both obvious invasions of his privacy
"She has her duties back with the elves, I have my duties on this boat, with these elves- and you, apparently- in an unknown land. It couldn't happen, it shouldn't happen..."
She just looked at him, unconvinced.
"you say that, but you don't believe it..."
Eragon sat on his bed in silence. Not wanting to make this conversation any more uncomfortable. He swore in his head when he noticed a tear running down his cheek
Angela saw it, there was no way she wouldn't. She quickly moved from her bed to his and sat next to him, putting her arm around his shoulder to comfort him.
"it's not like you'll never see her again. Both of you are immortals. Galbatorix is dead...the world is much safer. There is nothing left in Alagaesia that can kill her. We both know that"
Eragon wiped the tear off his face with the back of his hand.
He heard creaking of the wooden floor of the ship, getting louder and louder. Coming towards Eragon's door. Angela made a small motion with her head and her dragon moved to in front of the door, looking up at it. The door opened and Blodhgarm stepped through it, right as Amethysta made a loud chirping/squeaking noise. Blodhgarm saw the dragon and nearly jumped out of his skin
"what the f-" he swore, jumping backward
Eragon and Angela both laughed at the now very annoyed elf
"Angela? "He managed to splutter out "what are you doing here?"
"Oh, I was hiding on the ship ever since it left, and this little beauty hatched! ..Say hello to my little dragon!" she said with a huge smile
Blodhgarm sighed.
"did you get on the ship just so you could get closer to the eggs? Did you just go around touching every one of them?"
She shrugged
"yeah, pretty much. Seemed like a good idea. Besides, he wouldn't have hatched if he didn't think I would be a good rider."
Blodhgarm rolled his eyes and went back to the ships steering-wheel. He would have stayed if he had any coherent thoughts to use to rebut Angela's argument
"that shut him up!" Angela said with a grin, and then lay on back on the bed that she seemed to have claimed, crossed her arms beneath her head and relaxed as her dragon curled up on her stomach and slept.
With Angela occupied, Eragon went down in to the cargo hold to make sure that nothing had been disturbed by Angela, save for the one egg that had apparently hatched for her.
He looked around. All the piles of food, the meat enchanted not to spoil. There were still plenty of dragon eggs and in a box which he had not informed anyone of, were several rider's swords that he coerced Rhunon in to giving to him to begin training the riders with. He searched through them until he found a sword with a purple blade. He removed it from the box and closed the lid. Around the corner from that box was a pile of purple shards, a small and simple bed and a leather backpack which had a small mirror which shimmered with magic, aswell as some simple food; bread and meat which apparently had also been enchanted to never spoil, although the meat was of a different sort than the type Eragon and the elves had brought with them.
He turned and saw Angela standing behind him, leaning against the ship's hull.
"you found my little 'camp' I guess then?" Angela said with a voice that made it impossible for Eragon to tell how she felt.
"yeah..." he said, diverting his gaze to the backpack and the seemingly enchanted mirror. He walked over to her bag and picked it up off the top "what's with the glowing mirror?"
"isn't it obvious?" she said, but Eragon shook his head. "it's a scrying glass, but a special one."
"special? How?" he said, concerned about what she may have done to it
"simple! Unlike other scrying glasses, you can communicate with a person you are viewing, should you know their true name"
"what if you don't know the person's true name?"
"well" she explained "you can view the person by speaking their common name, and your intent will direct it to view the person you wish. With a true name, however, you can communicate in the fashion that a rider communicates with a dragon"
Eragon's eyes drifted upwards as he thought
"may I borrow it for a few minutes?" Eragon asked, trying to prevent his intentions from coming across as much as possible, but it wasn't lost on Angela
"you wish to see Arya, do you? I can't imagine you would know her true name, though, so I would expect you are just wishing to view her. I doubt she would approve of you viewing her without permission"
Eragon scowled, she was right, Arya wouldn't approve, but he would never know if he didn't try.
"I have other people I would wish to view. Roran, for example, and Nasuada, and Orik..." Eragon lied; the only person he wish to view was Arya at the current time.
She waved her hand dismissively
"I get it, I get it. You may use it, and examine the enchantments if you wish, should you wish to make your own scrying glass someday" she said before she left the room
Eragon looked down at the shimmering mirror
"Arya..."he muttered under his breath. He saw her sitting on a rock outside what he recognised is gil'ead, overlooking the plains down below. As he inadvertently moved the mirror, he realized the view he got through it changed accordingly.
As he shifted his view through the mirror, he saw Firnen flying up high, presumably hunting. His thoughts were confirmed when he saw the emerald dragon dive on an animal down below. From this distance, Eragon couldn't tell what type of animal it was
His jaw trembling as he thought about what might be a breach of the trust she had placed in him, Eragon very quietly spoke Arya's true name. Through the mirror, he saw her shift uncomfortably, as if she were chilled.
Arya? He thought, hoping she would hear. Hoping it had worked
He saw a surprised look on her face through the mirror
Eragon? Is that you? How are you contacting me at this distance?
I am using a special scrying glass, it allows me to observe people and if I know their name... he thought, swallowing as he hoped Arya would not be angry at him using her true name... their true name, he continued, I can contact them.
I must admit this is a bit of a rude surprise and a invasion of my privacy, Arya thought back, though not angrily, just slightly disconcerted
I'm sorry, really, but I have news. It's important
If you insist, what is it?
It appears Angela was a stow-away on the boat. One of the dragon eggs hatched for her...she is now a rider, like you. Like me.
Eragon saw her nod through the mirror
I believe she would have great potential as a rider, however I must say I question her loyalty, she always seems a bit too...
Arya paused, trying to think of the right word to describe the herbalist
Free-spirited and anarchistic...
In a moment of clarity, the perfect word for the witch came to her mind
Too volatile to be a rider
Eragon nodded. it was true
Why aren't you with the Elves? Now that you are their queen I would have expected you to be either governing them from Ellesmera or in a meeting with the other kings, and queen... Eragon thought, referring to Orrin, Orik and Nasuada.
The politics of the Alfakyn are tiring. Once you are in a position of power, you never get a moment of peace, especially with so much to do since we killed Galbatorix. I needed the peace and quiet, so I took Firnen hunting...
Saphira misses Firnen. She has been quite vocal about it since we left. And why are you near Gil'ead? Surely there are better places to hunt
True, but it is also fairly close to Du Weldenvarden...and I must say goodbye for now, Firnen is nearly done hunting and we should be heading back to Ellesmera...if you have any more news you may contact me again in this manner but please be conservative, for my mind Is my own refuge.
Eragon agreed, and then realized he did not know how to sever the link with the mirror. The most obvious, and the first thing, he thought of worked
"letta" he muttered. Stop.
The mirror faded and Eragon slumped against the wall as he regretted not talking to Arya for longer. Or talking about how he felt
Arya sat on the rocky outcrop outside Gil'ead as Firnen landed next to her.
A thought kept coming into her head.
Why are you near Gil'ead...?
Eragon's question had struck a chord in her, even though she would never admit it to him.
Why am I near Gil'ead...? I got tortured here. I nearly died here...but I also met him here. I met Eragon for the first time while I was in Gil'ead
The thought caused an unwitting tear to roll down her cheek.
Firnen entered her thoughts to soothe her
I know how you feel about him, but you shouldn't dwell on such matters. You are both immortals, your paths are bound to cross again.
What about Angela? Now she, too, is truly immortal. And they have more in common than me and Eragon, as well as both of them being human.
Do not think of such things, the witch has many secrets, and I doubt anything regarding her is as it truly seems. Eragon and Saphira will return, and we will still be here when they do.
Eragon reappeared on deck, holding the purple sword. Unsure where to find Angela he walked back in to his room and sure enough, she was lying down on the bed across from Eragon's, which she had apparently claimed now that Eragon new she was on the boat.
"Angela?" Eragon said, and Angela rolled over, her eyes wide open.
"what's up?" she said happily
Eragon raised the purple sword
"you are a rider now, I think it fitting that you have a rider's blade, too" he explained, gesturing for her to take the weapon
"hah, I feel complimented that you should offer, but I have my own sword" she said with a smile
Eragon knew of her sword. Infinitely sharp, can cut through rock like it was butter
"I must insist- all riders carried such blades. I think it is fitting that the new generation do, too"
"well then, if you insist, it shall be kept, even if nothing more than an ornament, because I shall continue to use the weapon of my own choice"
"so be it, although I would request you train with it, because I don't want your own sword tearing everything to pieces while sparring"
"you give me little credit" she scowled "I am perfectly capable of using my sword without, as you say 'tearing everything to pieces' ... I am more than capable of warding the blade so as to not slice through stone and blade"
"okay, I get it, settle down." Eragon said waving his hand dismissively "use whatever blade you want..."
Arya and Firnen sat outside Gil'ead for over an hour, she watched the sun rise further overhead and Firnen's intermittent hunts on the animals that dwelled on the plains below.
We should leave. Arya called out to Firnen as he stalked an animal down below
To what end? Firnen's deep voice resonated through Arya's consciousness
To inform the other leaders of Angela. They need to know there is another rider
I doubt that is wise, Firnen replied, the leaders and their advisers do not trust her. Do you trust her?
I trust she is loyal to Eragon and thus loyal to those to whom he has fealty
Firnen roared through the shared consciousness
You do not answer my question. Do you trust her as a person? He demanded
She is devious, talented and hard to keep track of. She is a threat.
Orik, Orrin and Nasuada all see her this way, too. they do not trust her. If you tell them, there will be consequences. If you tell them, they would not risk another unstable rider, lest that rider become another Galbatorix.
This situation needs to be dealt with discretion and subtlety, I know this. However, if the other leaders find out I kept such a thing from them, there will be consequences, too.
They are all attending a meeting in Aberon. We sent an emissary in your place, should we attend? There is good reason for us to attend, now... Firnen rumbled, trying to work out the most appropriate plan of action.
Yes. How fast can you get us there? They meet in 3 days
Firnen grinned and roared
I can get us there in by sunset tomorrow
They flew fast over the countryside as they flew south from Gil'ead to the Surda capitol of Aberon. By the time the sun had set, they had just passed Uru'baen. Neither of them liked being near that city, so they flew for another hour before they found a place to rest until morning.
Arya rested with her back against Firnen's belly, taking comfort in the warmth he provided. She played with a small fireball she had made with magic. It was relaxing, and good training. While she had crafted the fire simply by saying brisingr, she wasn't using the ancient language to control the way it rolled around her hands and darted through the air. It was more dangerous than controlling it with the ancient language, but it was good for concentration and she felt more confident if she can control magic without the confines of the ancient language to limit her.
At a word, the fire vanished and she went back to thinking about the problem of Angela, her exchanging of names with Eragon and her position of power within this new world that was rising. Back when she was the egg courier and ambassador she had very little power or influence, compared to Brom, Ajihad and Islanzadi. No difficult choices to make, no politics controlling everything she said and did.
If you find Eragon in the east, Firnen rumbled in her head, you can avoid all the responsibility. You have been a pawn of elfin politics for nearly a century. Doing your duties and being a truly honourable Alfakyn, but times change. This world can cope without you, but I do not think you can cope in this world, not anymore. Too much change in too short of a time can be hard on anyone, even you
You are unusually wise for such a relatively young dragon. I shall attend the meeting of the heads of state, and I shall announce my resignation as queen in order to find Eragon and train the new riders. I'm sure they will understand
And as for Angela?
I will tell them nothing, and I shall see to it that she is watched closely. Another rogue rider is the last thing the scarred world we live in needs.
With that, Firnen snorted and a small jet of green fire illuminated the field briefly, and the two of them fell asleep under the stars.