"Brom! Brom, wait! Wait for me!" But Brom kept running, and try as he might, Eragon couldn't seem to catch up.
"Eragon!"
"No Brom! Come back!"
"Eragon! Eragon!" Who was calling his name?
"ERAGON!!!"
Eragon jerked awake, startled, but not fully out of his dream. "Brom?"
"Eragon, it's me. Murtagh."
"Murtagh?" Now Eragon was fully awake. "Oh, Murtagh. I'm sorry, I was dreaming." Tears began to well up in his eyes.
"I know, and I understand." Murtagh smiled kindly at Eragon. "It has only been four days since his death and he was a dear friend to you." He moved to sit next to Eragon and put an arm around his shoulders. Eragon blushed at this touch.
"But I feel so helpless. Like I should have done something to save him." Eragon started to cry, hiding his head in his hands so that Murtagh would not see his tears. But Murtagh saw.
He said softly, "Come now, don't cry. You know you did everything you could. It was his time. He is safe. Now, stop this crying and look at me." When Eragon didn't obey, Murtagh moved his hands away and lifted his chin to look into his eyes. There he saw grief and sorrow, but also something else. What was it?
As Eragon looked into Murtagh's eyes, for the first time since they met, they didn't seem so cold. There was kindness and understanding, and something else⦠what was it? "I know everything you say is true, but I cannot help but to feel badly."
"I know. Now hush. There are still a few hours until sunrise. Go back to sleep."
"Okay. Good night."
"Good night."
As Eragon lay back down, Saphira said to him, Eragon there is something other than Brom's death that is troubling you, but this is a new worry. What is wrong?
When I was dreaming, Murtagh brought me out of it. He was so kind to me when he is normally cold. And then, when I looked into his eyes, there was something there besides kindness, but I don't know what it was.
I don't know, but I don't think you should worry about it. Go back to sleep, little one.
Alright. Good night, Saphira.
Good night Eragon.
Little did he know, Murtagh was having a similar conversation with himself about what he had seen in Eragon's eyes.
