Legacy
Chapter One: Coming Home
Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon or the Inheritance Cycle
Author's Note: Hey guys and gals welcome to Legacy, my attempt at an epic re-vamp of Eragon! Take head brave readers for if you venture forth into this fic you will meet with strange waters, plot only superficially resembling canon, lots of OCs, odd and unexpected pairings and general chaos! To be perfectly honest I wasn't sure that posting this fic was a good idea (especially considering the amount of unfinished fics I have posted) because I don't think there is anything like this out there and I'm not appealing to a pairing fan base. Let me know what you guys think!
The view from the crow's nest was magnificent, not a cloud in the sky and there in the distance was the island. Home, it had been so long he'd almost forgotten what it looked like.
"Kairos, get down here or the Captain will keel haul you,"
Kairos grinned and, just to scare the snot out of the crew, he swung out of the nest and into the rigging on a loose line and scrambled down to the deck enjoying the feel of the sun warmed deck boards against his bare feet.
"You're gonna break your neck one of these days, boy," said the quartermaster ruffling his hair.
Kairos scoffed and ran a hand through his long sun-streaked mop set it to its normal state of disarray rather than the bird's nest it had been.
"I know the rigging better than I know the back of my own hand, Liyr" Kairos protested.
"Hn, tell that to your parents when they are weeping over your mangled body," Liyr said unsympathetically.
"We're not more than an hour away from home, the horizon is calm not a squall for as far as the eye can see," Kairos reported with a grin.
"The Captain will be pleased, in the mean time Old Jo needs your girly hands at mending sails,"
"You're just jealous 'cause Old Jo likes me better," said Kairos haughtily.
Liyr laughed as Kairos swaggered away doing a passable impression of a young Alagaesian aristocrat.
"That boy get's more and more like you every day Captain," Liyr told the inconspicuous shadow that detached itself from the lee of the mast.
"Witty, charming, and devilishly handsome?" suggested Captain Spier.
"Reckless, haughty, and sarcastic, you mean,"
"Me...Surely not," the Captain protested facetiously, "He's not really a boy anymore," Spier said suddenly serious.
"Aye, but sixteen summers does not a man make either," Liyr reminded him.
"There was a time we thought very differently," Spier chuckled.
"Look where it got us, we're hunted outlaws, if Galbatorix dared explore beyond his landmass we would be done for. Is that really the life you want for your son?"
"No, but it is the legacy he was born to all the same,"
"Land ho!"
Kairos glanced up from his fine stitch work to see that the island was fast approaching its lush blossoming trees looming with the promise of shade.
"Tie off that line!"
"Take in more sail; we don't want to have to repair the dock because we crashed into it!"
Old Jo chuckled.
"Get on with ye then lad, if yer not going to work here ye might as well be scampering about the rigging,"
"Thanks Jo," Kairos exclaimed extricating himself from their secluded corner.
Kairos joined the frenzy of activity that came before docking tying of lines, securing their stolen cargo, raising the sails and weighing anchor. He was practically vibrating in excitement. He would see his mother and sisters again. He would sleep without the company of grunting snoring sex-starved bunkmates. Scratch that he would sleep with whomever as long as he got to sleep in a bed, a soft mattress stuffed with fragrant grasses and goose feathers.
"Welcome home," his father said appearing silently out of nowhere behind him.
Kairos barely started, used now to his father's appearing and disappearing act. If he was trying most of the time he could find Spier anyway.
"It's been so long, Mellie will be all grown up now and Ajha will be ten," said Kairos shaking his head amazedly.
Spier let out a bark of laughter.
"They will not recognize you at all; you are a far cry from the reedy little boy who got on this ship seven years ago. You've sailed to all sorts of faraway places, and seen such extraordinary things. They'll probably be just as amazed by your changes as you are by theirs, the thing about people is they are only changed until you can fit all their new pieces into the puzzle you remember," he explained as they slid to a lurching halt.
The crew broke into spontaneous cheers and a rousing song was struck up as the mooring lines were tossed to the men on the docks and the gangplank was lowered. Kairos grinned when Scarred Mort's young wife flung herself into his arms and kissed him soundly on the mouth and joined in on the raucous cheers and lewd remarks.
The Captain stuck to fingers in his mouth and let out an ear piercing whistle that cut through the din and caught the immediate attention of everyone aboard.
"Get off my ship ye mangy scabrous dogs, get a few wenches and celebrate cause tomorrow yer arse is mine again and we'll be unloading sorting and storing cargo as well as doing full scale repairs," he shouted loudly enough to be heard by all.
"Aye Cap'n," was the rousing response as the crew members scattered to the four winds either by walking off the dock or by the simple expedient of diving into the turquoise waters of the island cove.
"C'mon Kairos, let's go home," Spier said slinging an arm around his son's shoulders.
They walked off the dock waving at halfway familiar strangers and taking the path up the beach a ways there at the end of the beach sat their sprawling little estate. They were home.
"Mama, come see, it's Papa," cried a young girl with honey coloured hair.
"Ajha my sweet look at you, you got so big!" laughed Spier twirling her around as she threw herself at him unreservedly.
A familiar figure appeared on the veranda and Kairos' mouth went dry. Willowy as a young tree with a long brown braid hanging over her shoulder she looked almost exactly as Kairos remembered her.
"Mother!" he cried happily.
"Oh Kai,"
They ran to each other and met with a fierce hug.
"Look at you, I wouldn't know you from the King if you didn't look so much like your father," she exclaimed kissing his forehead, though she had to stand on tiptoe to reach it.
Her gaze turned to a point over his shoulder.
"Spier..." she sighed contentedly ensconcing herself in his arms.
Kairos let his parents have their moment.
"Remember me little bean?" he asked, grinning at his younger sister.
"Wow Kai, you got big..." she said in wonderment looking up at him.
"Too big for a hug?"
She grinned happily.
"Never,"
Ajha threw her long gangly arms around his neck and squeezed him tight.
"Mother, what's all the fuss about?"
"Mellie, come greet your father and Kai," Veride called.
A very pregnant woman ambled out onto the veranda.
"Papa?"
"My, my Mellie, you have been busy, who's the lucky fellow?" asked Spier giving Mellie a somewhat more gentle hug and laying a large tanned hand over her bulging belly.
"That would be Iain," she laughed.
"The little twig who was always putting mud in your hair?" Kairos said sceptically.
"Yep, he's grown a little bit since then of course...and so have you baby brother, look at you, you're taller than me now!" Mellie exclaimed hugging him.
Kairos hugged her back gingerly, not wanting to hurt her in her fragile state.
"Come in, I'll get you some lunch you must be starving," Veride said bustling into the house with Ajha dragging Spier and Kai along behind her.
The rest of the day was spent catching up for the family. Spier and Kairos spent hours telling edited versions of their adventures at sea, and describing all the different places they'd seen and then the girls told them what had happened in the village while they were away, who'd gotten married, who had kids, which farms had been destroyed in the last hurricane. Not as picturesque as the stories told by the males but they were just as important and amazing to they who had been away so long.
"Mama, tell them about Yasuel," Ajha insisted over dinner.
"Oh yes that's right, thank you for reminding me dearest,"
"Who is Yasuel?" asked Spier with a raised eyebrow as he set down his roll.
"He was a merchant of some sort apparently back in Terim, he sailed in about a year ago looking for your father, he said they were friends," Veride explained.
"The only friends my father had were rebels, thieves, and general riffraff," growled Spier suspiciously.
"Yes, well, when I told him that Spyros was six years dead and buried he seemed incredibly distressed and then insisted that he must speak with you. When I told him you'd been gone for six years and that I didn't know when you'd be back he flitted about the island trying to find someone who knew Spyros well enough to fit certain criteria but of course they were all either with you or dead. Eventually he installed himself in a cave on the other side of the island. He comes and visits now and then and I swear he gets more nervous every time I see him," Veride shook her head.
"Well wouldn't you living out in the back end of nowhere with no one to talk to for months on end," Mellie remarked shaking her head.
"So odd that one of my father's contacts would come looking for him after all this time," Spier muttered taking a bit of his roll and chewing on it thoughtfully, "Veride, where exactly does this Yasuel person live, I think if he was so distressed to find my father dead it must be an urgent and probably dangerous matter, I best deal with it immediately,"
"He lives a good day's hike straight through the jungle at the base of the big cliff. He makes himself useful by lighting a signal fire on the top of the cliff when a storm is coming in and in turn we let him have his pick of the food and clothes come market day,"
"Hmm, I'm going to have a talk with Liyr, I'll want to go see this Yasuel first thing tomorrow and he'll need to supervise the unloading of the cargo..." Spier thought aloud.
Veride's eyes went cold at the mention of Liyr's name.
"Do you have to go tonight?"
Spier took one look at his wife's face and chuckled darkly rising. He took her by the arms and kissed her soundly.
"Relax yourself Veride; I'll only be gone for a bit,"
"Which is more than enough time for you and Liyr no doubt," she hissed jerking herself out of Spier's rough hold and clearing the table primly.
"Veride, we've been over this..."
"Just go, and hurry back," snapped Veride waving him off.
Spier sighed but turned and strode out of the house none the less. Veride bustled around in the kitchen washing dishes and engaging Mellie in a somewhat forced conversation about making fruit tarts or a pastry to welcome them home. Kairos and Ajha left the room and went to see that the geese were all still in their pen.
"What was that about?" asked Ajha once they were out of earshot.
"I have no idea," Kairos lied easily.
In fact he had his suspicions but if his father and mother wanted them to know they would have told them.
"I've never understood why Mama doesn't like Liyr, he's Papa's best friend after all, you'd think they could all just get along," sighed Ajha scattering some bread crumbs for the geese.
Kairos hesitated unsure of what to tell his perceptive younger sister, and how much.
"Well...I think perhaps Mama blames Liyr for taking father and I away from her for so long," he said hopping up easily to sit on the fence post.
"That's ridiculous, Papa is the Captain not Liyr,"
"Liyr and father grew up together when father was still living in Alagaesia and they were always into some sort of trouble or another. Grandfather approved of course being a thief himself but when father married Mama well...she wanted him to stay and he wanted to go adventuring with Liyr again," shrugged Kairos.
"Mama was always saying how reckless Papa was, how selfish, she didn't like the fact that he took you with him at all...if she didn't love him..." Ajha trailed off shaking her head.
"Hn," Kairos agreed.
In truth Kairos was glad that his father had taken him with him. Shipboard he had a purpose and a sense of freedom that was simply breathtaking and all the things he'd learned that he would never have even heard about on the island. He'd been taught to read and write and climb and tie and sew and...No he could never have been content as a farmer or a carpenter or a blacksmith. Though thinking about it fairly he couldn't really say that because he'd never done those things before, perhaps if he'd been apprenticed before father left...well there was no use dwelling on it. He couldn't go back now, he was a sailor, an adventurer, and he loved it too much to do anything else now.
"I'm going to bed, don't stay out too long or Mama will be worried," Ajha yawned waving goodnight to him.
Kairos waved back absently his eyes narrowing at a pair of shadows leaning against a tree a ways down the beach. He would know those shadows anywhere. Quietly making sure that his mother and sisters weren't watching him he slunk across the beach to join his father and Liyr in the shadows.
"I'm coming with you," he announced to his father when the silence betrayed the fact that they'd heard him coming.
Spier turned and raised an eyebrow at him.
"What makes you think you can shirk work, you're still a part of the crew no matter who's son you are,"
"You shouldn't go traipsing about the jungle alone, Liyr is the only one you would trust with this and he has to stay and supervise the unloading because he's the Quartermaster, therefore I am coming with you," Kairos insisted crossing his arms and staring his father down in such a way as to dare him to protest.
Liyr let out a quiet chuckle.
"There you have it Spier, problem solved,"
"Stop looking like the cat that's caught the mouse," grumbled Spier, giving Liyr a glower.
"Kairos is as good as either of us at sneaking and lying, although perhaps not as practiced, and he's fit and trustworthy. What more could you ask for, mate?" Liyr pointed out.
"Fine, fine, it seems my mind has been changed for me," groused Spier as Kairos and Liyr shared looks of supreme satisfaction.
"Yasuel...do you remember any of my father's old contacts being named Yasuel?" Spier asked Liyr.
Liyr considered the question.
"There was Yasuanna that whore in Belatona..." Liyr suggested.
"No, Veride assures me that it is an old man," Spier said shaking his head, "And besides what would Yasuanna or any of her get be so desperate to find Spyros for?"
"Hn," agreed Liyr.
"Well I suppose we'll find out tomorrow," shrugged Spier, "Be ready before dawn...with your knives," he instructed Kairos.
Kairos nodded understanding; his father expected a certain amount of trouble.
"Be careful, both of you, Old Spyros had friends in very low places," Liyr warned.
"Aye, sir," agreed Kairos gravely.
"C'mon Liyr, you know me I'm always careful," grinned Spier charmingly.
"Hn," snorted Liyr sceptically.
"I'll tell Veride you said hello,"
This time Liyr's snort was something more along the lines of exasperated disgust.
"Don't worry Liyr, I'll keep him out of trouble and he'll keep me out of trouble," Kairos interjected.
"We'll have some father and son bonding time," added Spier.
"It'll be fun," Kairos concluded.
They both turned angelic grins on the quartermaster. Liyr simply snorted and started walking down the beach.
"It's like he has no faith in our abilities," pouted Kairos.
Spier laughed, "C'mere kid, let's get some sleep before the sun catches up with us,"
"Aye Cap'n," Kairos agreed.
Arms slung about each other's shoulders the father and son ambled back to the house and turned in for the night.
AN: I hope you all enjoyed the first installment of Legacy! Please, please, pretty please with sugar on top review and let me know what your thoughts are. Do you like the OCs so far? Do you have an idea or four for plot? Who needs some loving? How can I know the many and varied answers to these questions unless you leave me a review and tell me?