Bellevera opened her eyes slowly, what had woken her this time? A servant, a new one, opened her eyes wide at the sight of her mistress's open eyes. She squeaked out in a shrill, panicked voice, "Mistress, you have woken!" She sounded more astonished that afraid.
I looked at her quickly, she looked like a snowflake I decided, with her pale skin and delicate body, and the way her blonde hair was almost silvery in the pale light, I called out to her listening to my voice ring and seeing how much it had changed since I had last woke, "Snow, what woke me?" I was puzzled, normally the noise would have to be close, and being so close it would still reverberate around my chambers.
The girl blinked, astounded at her new name and then replied, "I'm not sure my lady, it sounded sort of like thunder, but thunder's noise don't carry this far down."
I thought over her reply, she was too young to remember Xarasay's death, only about thirteen or so. If she had never heard a dragon's cry from a distance would it sound like thunder to her? Was there a dragon, somewhere far above my head? "How long have I been in deep sleep?" All servants were taught the terms I used as soon as they were old enough to remember them. Deep sleep was my term for how long it had been since I had been up for more than a day or two.
She replied almost instantly, "Little over nine, mayhaps ten years, my lady."
I nodded, accepting the information easily. It was a short time actually, I tended to sleep for twenty or thirty years or so without really waking. I stood and looked down at what I was dressed in. It was a ivory gown with sleeves that went down just below my elbows and a sky blue lace trim. I stood and moved to the edge of my bed and Snow knelt by my feet holding ivory slippers with blue ribbon ties, I slipped my feet into them easily and she hurried ahead of me to throw open the tall oak doors. She stepped out in front of me to announce my waking.
"Ladies, Lady Bellevera Verdisie Mistress of Ir de Compri 'Ca has woken." Than she moved aside as I stepped forward. I looked at the scene before me, there were about thirty women and girls in all, they were seated around different hearths in armchairs or on couches. Some were mending torn garments while others embroidered, still some read books and some talked. The younger girls either played with dolls or played hand games with each other or sat at the foot of a group of older women listening to their conversations. They were all dressed in similar styles of dress, with several layers of petticoats, hair pinned up or kept under caps, and frilled aprons. Many of their gowns were covered in embroidery, most likely done during long afternoons. Many rugs, furs, and cushions covered the cold stone floor giving the small cavern a cozy atmosphere. Large wall hangings and tapestries hid the cavern's walls from site. The pictures on the hangings depicted her family's history, stories of battles, wars, hunts, festivals, journeys, heros and warriors, tragedy and loss, romance and adventure, the walls held it all.
The women and girls looked up, the older ones curtsied deeply while the younger ones hesitated in shock and then followed the older women's lead. One stood and approached me, she had her hair drawn up and the color of honey-brown, her mouth had laugh lines and her eyes crinkled as she smiled at me. I remembered those eyes, they were the last I looked into before I last went to sleep. "Carmela?"
She smiled at me and then spoke in her soft, quiet-laughing voice, "Ah, so you do remember me. I thought you might of forgotten me during your slumber. But it wasn't so, you have woken my lady."
I smiled back at her, remembering the long afternoons we had spent up above in the sun. Oh, how we had laughed and teased everyone around us. She had helped me so much throughout those days. "How could I forget you my friend, you who I spent so many days with?"
She teased me back, "Oh I don't know, you immortals seem to forget about us mere mortals." Than she laughed.
"What woke me Carma?" Now the laughing face was tucked away as we faced serious issues. She frowned a faint line appeared on her brow as she thought.
"Elders, come here." She called out distractedly, all those who had been here the last time I was awake came forward. "You should recognize most of them Lady, they were all here the last time." Now she greeted the elders and asked them, "What do you think woke our Lady?"
Some frowned, some glanced up at the ceiling, all wore the same worried expression. I decided. "Carma, ready those over ten and able." She nodded and began shouting out orders. All who were told to begin to pull on black dresses. Black clothes and scarfs were swathed around necks, arms, and heads. In each hand a woman gripped a dagger, the blade a shape of a long leaf. Carmela wore a silver necklace around her neck. The women painted each other's eyes and lips black. I pulled on a large black gown with a neckline that falls down to my stomach. A child, about eight or so, laced up the front with a long, black satin ribbon.
I pin a scarlet cloak about shoulders and remove the pins from my hair so that it falls in black ringlets down to my waist. The women fall in behind me and we ascend to the world above. There are no guards stationed outside the doors as there should be and sounds of battle already reach my ears. We step outside into the sunlight and I use my magic to help the mortal women's eyes adjust. Guards dressed in black armor hesitate as they see us. I press a finger to my lip, telling them to be silent, and continue on. I quickly find the mortal in charge, my own half-brother, Eaken. I quickly climb the stairs and order my followers to spread out.
I come up right behind Eaken, using my magic to force the guards to be silent of my approach. I grab Eaken's shoulder and spun him around. "Kneel to me, Lady of this castle." Instead he puts his hand on his sword. "Wrong answer." I hiss and snap his neck, already I sink to the ground and began to drink, until not a drop of his blood remains in his veins.
My followers order the men on the walls to kneel to me or die. The older ones don't even hesitate, if a man refuses, they slit his throat. The younger ones warn the man and if he still refuses, then his throat is slit. Soon all have kneeled to me and I recall any troupes on the plain in front of me. I see a man on a dragon. The dragon has deep, sapphire blue scales and intelligent eyes. Clearly not the dragon from long ago, but a dragon, never the less.
"Carma, gather a few of the old who remained above to come with me." She nodded and was already bustling off. In the end Carma and three others stood before me. Cedric, who had been a young knight I had flirted with before my father's death, Anders, an old man now who had helped to serve my father, and Layla, who had been my servant but fallen in love and I had given her permission to leave.
Five horses were already saddled and we rode out to meet the force that surrounded my castle. I carried a living branch in one hand, signaling parley. A rider carrying a large hammer easily in his right hand approached on horse, two soldiers at his side.
"I am high lady Bellavera Aihara, true mistress of Ir de Compri 'Ca. I wish to speak with the leaders of this," Here I paused for a few moments, I did not know who they were, I looked as Cedric provided a name for the army on the plain ahead of me.
"Varden."
"Varden." I repeated. "I wish to meet with the leaders of the Varden, and discuss what is," I paused again, this time choosing my words carefully, "occurring here in order that hasty actions are not made."
The man nodded. "I am general Roran Stronghammer. I will convey your message."
I stopped him just as he was about to leave, "If you can arrange a meeting Stronghammer, one of every race must be present." I saw it in my head, my magic showing me that this was how I must meet the outsiders. One of every race. The words reverberated in my head.
"I will convey your message," He said again, and then he and the soldiers wheeled around and rode back to the army.
I waited as he rode deep into the army, back into the edges of camp. Where he stopped the dragon and the rider landed, the meeting didn't take long. Soon the rider and dragon were heading towards me. I held my ground as they landed before me, refusing lower or raise my head, I remained still.
The two consciouses were strong and shielded impenetrably. I suppressed the urge to shiver as my mind touched that of the dragon before me. She was ancient in memory and ferocity. The last conscious I had touched like that had murdered my mother.
"I am Rider Eragon Shadeslayer, and this is Saphira." I felt him test my defenses with a tendril of magic and I hissed under my breath.
"Greetings to you Rider. I have not seen a Rider and dragon together for nay on ten years." I felt his coil of surprise and continued, "I am the High Lady and Lone Ruler of Ir de Compri 'Ca. I am Bellavera Aihara, the last of my people to remain in this land."
"You wish to meet with us, a member of each race present?" A shiver ran up my spine at these words and I gave a sharp nod. "Will you swear no harm to any during the meeting in the Ancient Language."
This time I snapped my eyes to his and my amber met his blue, "I will swear to not harm any during our meeting unless me or my people should be harmed or threatened." He grimaced but nodded and swore in the Ancient Language, finishing with, "Kora witness."
I dismounted and whispered words of power that cleared the ground of blood and muck and rose a throne for me to sit upon. I touched the horses minds and sent them back. My four stood with two on each side we waited.
Eragon and Saphira returned, "The others will come, we must wait." I nodded and turned back forward, staring at this 'Varden's' camp ahead of me. In the distance at first, but soon emerging, they came. Four on horse and two on foot.
I let chairs of equal height but with much less design rise out of the ground. In the end there were seven chairs in all. The first to dismount was a man of broad shoulders who wore a crown on his head signaling a kingship of some kind. He walked to the Lady of dark skin and dark eyes and helped her to dismount. Another broad shouldered man dismounted easily. The last to dismount was the dwarf who carried the power of kings.
Bellavera than turned her attention to the two who had the strength to run with the horses. One was a Urgal. It was unheard of that the humans and urgals could work together. But with the dragon's roar she had felt the changes that she had felt coming in her sleep for the past ten years. The lands on which she roamed and slept were changing and new reigns were coming.
The other was one of the fair haired elves. She walked with a soldier's strength but Bellavera could sense the nobility in her blood. She was actually quite old. This too, Bellavera could feel.
The Rider became the spokesperson and began with introductions. "My High Lady, Bellavera Aihara, Lone Ruler of Ir de Compri 'Ca. Let me introduce you to my companions." With this small introduction she smiled and watched as the people of each race came and stood before the seats, waiting for their names to be called before sitting.
"Lady Nasuada Nightstalker, daughter of the deceased Ajihad, the former leader of the Varden, it was she who was elected to take his place and now rules as leader of the Varden." With this the woman of dark skin and dark eyes took her seat. Bellavera smirked as the large chair seemed to drown the smaller woman. She smiled fuller when she saw the dark lady's eyes sparkle with wit and watched as she raised her chin slightly in response to Bellavera's smirk. She liked the strong spirit that the dark lady had shown.
"King Orik Knoungr of Dugrimst Ingeitum. Ruler of and leader of his people." As the rider was speaking she allowed steps to form in front of the dwarf's chair, allowing him dignity as he turned to seat himself.
"King Orrin of Surda. Supporter of the Varden and valued advisor to Lady Nasuada." With this the broad shouldered king took his seat, his eyes watching her warily.
"Princess Ayra
Jormundur
Saphira Bjartskular Arya Drottningu Queen Izlanzadi of the Elves Orik Knoungr of Durgrimst Ingeitum Lady Nasuada Nightstalker leader of the Varden