Chapter One
Nearly five hundred years. I thought to myself as I stared at the amazing view before me. The Shur'turgal* Isles. I looked up and gazed at my home. The Floating Isle, a massive chunk of the large continent, the heart in fact, had broken off and floated into the sky for some unknown reason. It had been like this when we discovered the empty island. The main life being deer, birds, rodents, and wolves.
"Argetlam*." I turned to find Blödhgarm for me by the door to Great Hall. There was a meeting that I needed to be in. I turned away from the stairs leading to the grand doors that were twice Saphira's massive size and Glaedr's size before he had died combined. I followed the fur covered elf into large room where the Master's of New and their dragons awaited me. I nodded to them before I took my seat at the head of the table. There were eight Master all together, not including Blödhgarm and myself. Two of each. Two elves, two humans, two Urgals, and two dwarfs. Saphira's shadow loomed over me and I sighed quietly in content that my partner of Mind and Soul was with me.
"Master." they bowed to me respectfully.
"Speak, Cole." I commanded as the tall, burly man stood.
"The Home Land is ready for the annual Hatching, Master Argetlam. We are prepared choose the eggs and the Riders who will carter them to Alagæsia." he spoke in his soft voice. I nodded.
"Who is it that you have chosen this year, Keltí?" I asked the female Kull. She stood proudly and jerked her head respectfully.
"We've decided that Faola and Delfìan shall carter the eggs to the Home Land." she stated before returning to her seat beside her male counter-part.
"Why choose such young Shur'turgal?" I asked curiously. I still have that issue as Saphira claims.
"We want them to have some experience with their Home Land, they have been away for almost ten years, Master." Rein, the älfa-kona*, said. I nodded.
"Send Erophin with them, I want an experienced rider to guide them." I said, "How many eggs shall we be sending, ten each?"
"Nay, we calculated fifteen each." Greth, the male red-haired dwarf with three braids in his long, bushy beard. I nod in confirmation, doing the math in my mind.
"Good, any other business we need to cover before we dismiss?" I ask. They shared glances with each other before Æromor, the male elf counter part stood.
"Master, we worry about Heidi. She refuses to go to training, to even leave her lodgings. She lets no one in. We fear something is wrong." he explained. I frowned, this has never been a problem before. Yes, Heidi was always difficult in socializing, but never like this.
"What could have sent this child over the edge, Saphira?" I turned to my partner. She lowered her head so that her large eye, the size of three broad shields, was level with me.
Little One, I fear we do not see all with this young Rider. She was very right. I had sent Blödhgarm to speak with the child months ago and she refused to speak, to acknowledge his presence, to even look at him. What has sent her over the edge?
"And her dragon?" I ask.
"Catatonic, we've had to contain him three times this past month." Rein said stoic. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the able and pressing the tips of my fingers together in thought. I was silent thinking of a way to fix the problem when I finally decided what I shall do.
"Have her pack whatever belongings she wants, send her to my personal office." I commanded. I have not done such a thing in a long time. Not since I was training Rein and Nali, Greth's dwarven counter-part, and the constant fighting between the two became a problem for all eight of them, "You are all dismissed to prepare for the Hatching."
I leaned back and watch as they departed without another word. Blödhgarm stepped forward.
"What do you plan to do with Heidi, Eragon-Vinr*?" he asked, his glowing yellow-amber eyes stared into mine.
"Hopefully, I will be able to get her to trust me. But until then. I don't know." I sighed as I stood, "I must now go confer with the Alagæsian council." he nodded and followed me to Saphira who was awaiting us. Once we were settled in the two-rider saddle she pushed off, agilely soaring though the open ceiling. She carried us high above Dragon Rider Isles until we were landing on The Floating Isle. My home. Blödhgarm and I jumped off of her back and landed on the ground with soft thuds. We made our way into the great hall that led to all the places in the massive castle.
"Ebrithil*! I worried you would be late." Eirien, Blödhgarm and I's petite assistant. The small elleth stormed down the stairs, "I cannot believe you would take such a time consuming route when you know you have a meeting with the Alagæsian Leaders. For shame on you, Eragon, for shame!"
I chuckled at Blödhgarm's small, temperamental mate as she ranted about being late once more.
"...and furthermore-" Blödhgarm silenced her by placing a calming hand on her lower back.
"Silence, iet dunie*, you do remember the meeting of the Masters, no?" he said, his amber eyes sparkling with bemusement. She sighed before turning and leading us into my large home. It wasn't all mine, just most of it. She was such an oddity, I shouldn't have been surprised when Blödhgarm fell for the strange elleth.
"The Leaders are waiting for us in the conference room, Ebrithil." Eirien said as she pushed open a door that led into a smaller hallway. I walked through it and turned to the second door on the right that led into the large room. I had it specially made with magical mirrors so I didn't have to use so much energy while communicating.
"My apologies, my Lords and Ladies, I was caught up in my last meeting." I said as Blödhgarm, Eirien, and I took our seats at the small table that sat before the large mirror. There were twelve in the council all together, if you counted the advisers of the Leaders.
"We just arrived ourselves, Master Eragon." Queen Nasuada the Fifth spoke up. She was the fifth female in the line of the Nasuada I knew, beside her was her adviser Jermund. To her left was Kind Herond of Surda and his adviser Gyllis. On the other side of Queen Nasuada was King Half Paw of the Werecats and his newest adviser, Calisto, both in their human forms. Beside them sat the massive Kull leader Nar Gashz and his adviser, an Urgal by the name of Yarbog. Beside King Herond and Gyllis was King Ovrund and his adviser Broim. King ovrund was the oldest son of King Orik who passed away nearly two hundred years ago.
Last, but not least, Queen Arya and Vanir sat at the end. Stoic and graceful, betraying no emotions, were they. Fírnen coiled around the large gathering with his head resting beside his Rider.
"How goes it on Shur'turgal Isles, Master Rider?" Ovrund spoke up, I've almost mistaken him for Orik on several occasions he looked so much like his father.
"All is well, many new students have been taken to Fells Ren*" I said, "I am sending the eggs tomorrow. They shall arrive at Du Weldenvarden in ten days to the least. Foala, Delfìan, and Erophin shall be the carters."
"Very well, I shall send Vanir and some others to receive them." Arya nodded curtly. I nodded in return.
"And all is well in Alagæsia?" I asked.
"Yes, trade has been well amongst Surda and Alagæsia." Kind Herond nodded. A silent man he was, rarely speaking. I respected him. Though he was young he was wise beyond his years. Very seldom do you meet someone like that.
"That is good to hear, and what of the dwarfs?"
"All is well, many new tunnels have been constructed and repaired." King Ovrund smiled happily through his bushy, brown beard. Broim nodded in agreement with his king.
"That is wonderful news, King Ovrund." I smiled, "And what of the training in Du Weldenvarden, Arya Dröttning?"
"All is well, the students have grown in their knowledge and have learned much, six are already on their way to Shur'Turgal Isles." she said impassively.
"Good, an what of the werecats?" I looked towards Grimrr Halfpaw.
"All is well, but, I would like for one or two werecats to...observe the Home of the Riders for some time." I smiled.
"That will be no problem, send them with Foala, Delfìan, and Erophin." I said.
"Oh, I already sent them on with the new apprentices, I just knew you's agree." Grimrr purred. I cocked a brow, but said nothing otherwise.
"Very well, I shall greet them personally, myself." I said, "Is everything well in the homeland altogether?"
"Good, all is peaceful, no outbreaks, no rebellions, just peace, Firesword. Thank you." Nar Gashz said as he jerked his head respectfully. I smiled and nodded.
"Thank you, my friend." I replied gratefully.
"Eragon, I do believe Saphira is stuck in the ceiling...again." Eirien said as the roar of annoyance that could only belong to one dragon rang through the sky. I sighed.
"Well, goodbye for now. I must attend to Saphire. Blödhgarm, remind me to re-size the landing room." I muttered to him as I hurried out of the room leaving behind the council and my two assistants.
Once Eragon was out of earshot we turned to the Leaders.
"Before Eragon figures out that Saphira isn't truely stuck we would like to extend an invitation to you all to come to The Shur'Turgal Isles in celebration of Eragon and Saphira's partnership for five hundred and fifty years." Blödhgarm said glancing at the door. The momentary shock faded from their faces.
"I would like to meet Master Eragon in person." mused Queen Nasuada.
"Well, you may contact either one of us to confirm your invitation and we shall make preparations for you trip and arrival here." I said. Vanir turned to us after a short consultation with Arya.
"You can confirm Arya Drötting's invitation now. This is the perfect opprotunity for her to take a break." he said without a single pause. I nodded and scribbled down a note.
"Would you prefer riding on Fírnen to boat ride?" I asked her.
"I shall arrive on Fírnen." she said impassively. I nodded and made another note.
"I, too, shall come. Fire sword and Fire tongue are greatly honored amongst the Urgal and Kull tribes. I wish to pay respect to them face to face." Nar Gashz rumbled in his deep voice. I nodded.
"That is greatly appreciated, Nar Gashz." I said.
"I will come as well, I'd like to view the Isles of the Dragon Riders" King Grimrr purred, "I wonder if their are as many little songbirds flying a mock as their are dragons."
"I wouldn't say as many as the dragons, but plenty." Blödhgarm said without so much as blinking. Nasuada and Herod were conversing with their advisers.
"I wish to come as well." Nasuada said as she leaned away from Jermund. He wrote something down on his small scroll.
"I believe Surda will be well for a week or two without me. This will be good for my son. I shall come as well." King Herod spoke up, "How long shall we be gone?"
"The most would be two weeks. But the celebrations will last for several days." I explained. They nodded. So all of them were coming. We broke the spell and I breathed a sigh of relief. I turned to Blödhgarm as he placed a calming hand on my shoulder.
"It is done, iet dunie." he whispered before sharing a sweet kiss.
YAY! I'm sort of re-writing RotBR, but it's more like leaders of Alegæsia come to Dragon Isles...so really Eragon doesn't go back to Alagæsia, just as Angela predicted. So I hope you like. There will be some things from RotBR, but it's all mostly new material! There will be Murty at some point, possibly, if you're all good. Okay, so here are all the AL terms I used in this chapter:
Shur'turgal- dragon rider (Duh!)
Argetlam- Silver-hand (Another DUH!)
älfa-kona- she-elf
Vinr- friend (A title, Vanir used one similar to it in Brisingr, but that one was more of Equal, equality in description. I assume after five hundred and some years after being around each other so often, they'd become good friends.)
Ebrithil- Master (Once more with the DUH!)
iet dunie- my love
Fells Ren- translate as Mountain Oath, but it really means Oath Mountain. Oath Mountain is where apprentices become fully fledged Riders and take an oath to never betray the riders or the innocent people, and to always serve and protect. You'll get more deats later.
Please review! This story will be more planned than my last Inheritance Cycle fic, so I hope you all enjoy. (As you can tell, I've become a much better autheress than I was before!)
Special shout out to my pal FenrirShadeslayer! You rock man!