Dragonschild Rising
By: Fryn Ojimaru
Prologue
It was a sideways glance, a muttered remark, which had caused this. An offhand comment that a noble-born took the wrong way. A few words which took the noble searching for a suitable punishment, causing him to stumble upon an eldunaí that the current king, Galbatorix, had stored beneath the small fortress where he lived. And a few soft words that caused him to hunt down her true name and capture her, to bring her here.
"Listen, Deloi Edoc'sil," her captor hissed at her, using her true name, knowing she had no choice but to follow his every command. The unconquerable earth, Deloi Edoc'sil, had been conquered. She sat at a table with a large obsidian stone in front of her. She would have wondered why this was considered punishment, had she not known that the stone was in fact an eldunaí, the last essence of a dead dragon.
"You will pick up the knife and fork in front of you" her captor continued. He was a nobleman of great respect, at least in his eyes. It had been her bad luck to have him walking down the street the same time the effects of the curse put on her those long years ago troubled her. A muttered curse directed at the king and nobles in general had brought her to this place. She admired his determination, in a way. It had not been easy to track down her true name, as she had told only one man. After struggling to resist his command for a few seconds, she gave in and picked up the utensils.
"Now, Deloi Edoc'sil, you should know these are no ordinary knife and fork." He told her as he walked around the small table where she was sitting. She had no restraints on; they were not needed, as an earlier command forbade her from leaving the chair. He continued, saying, "These utensils have been spelled by my most powerful mage to cut through anything. They could cut through a mountain, if the wielder wished to do so." She froze, suddenly knowing where he headed. Her fears were soon confirmed as he hissed at her form behind, "Now Deloi Edoc'sil, unconquerable earth, I command you to take this knife and fork and eat the stone in front of you. You may not do anything else until there is none left on this plate." She resisted the command until her body shook with effort. Eventually she stopped and retreated inside her self until the deed was done. That didn't stop tears from flowing down her cheeks as she slowly but surely ended the once magnificent animal life. A week later she had returned to her life, a shell of her former self. Little did she know, that it was not only her life she returned to, but her daughters as well.
Chapter One
Seventeen years later:
Fyrn sped through the city as if fire was chasing her, which in some ways it was. The distorted shouts of the mob followed her as she raced for the relative safety of Helgrind, or The Gates of Death. They had, until recently, been the home of the Ra'zac, strange creatures that served the king of the land, Galbatorix. She would have spit to show her displeasure at being governed by a king who only cared about himself, but she didn't have the time to spare. The mob had broken in to two smaller groups and was closing in on her. She hissed, a strangely reptilian sound coming from a relatively human looking girl, at least what you could see of her.
Fyrn was 17 years old, about 5'10''. She was very lithe, almost elven in proportions, with long black hair, obsidian black in color. She usually kept it back in a braid to keep it from falling into her amber eyes. The eyes were what unnerved most people, as bright and as piercing as a hawk. Though what they couldn't see would have unnerved them more. She wore a full length, deep black cloak which covered most of her body, shielding it from sight. It was strange, never seeming to open enough to see underneath it, even as she ran.
She hissed again as she saw the group to her right take a shortcut to head her off. Abandoning the streets, she sped up and jumped, soaring high enough to land on the roof tops and continue running. She soon passed both groups and continued onward to her home, the former lair of the Ra'zac. Jumping the wall, she soon was upon the clearing closest to the rocky walls of Helgrind. She grinned and jumped, using enough magic to push her forward to the hidden entrance of the cave. No one would come after her here. She suspected she was the only one who noticed the death of the Ra'zac at the Hands of the Shur'tugal, Eragon Shadeslayer. She had noticed it right away, as if a ripple had been cast, like pebble thrown into a pond. Not half an hour later, the same thing happened, the death of the second she had guessed.
Waiting a day before venturing out, she came to the cave greeted by the sight of the bodies of two humanoid creatures lying in the center cavern. She disposed of them with fire and set about exploring her new home. She knew it was inaccessible with out wings or magic, neither of which any citizen Dras-Leona had easy availability to. At least not any she'd be running from. She was about to take off the bothersome cloak when she heard voices, one physical, one mental, arguing in the room attached to the landing platform. She faded into the shadows, and eased in to the room to see who had made it into her home.
Chapter Two
"Where should we start, Saphira?" said the tall, elven man standing in the center of the room. She watched him as he moved throughout the center room, a graceful as an elf, of at least what she thought they would be like. He had spoken to a large sapphire dragon who dominated the room.
Look around, we'll find something eventually. a gravely female voice echoed in her mind. She gasped softly, knowing she shouldn't have heard those words, as they had been spoken through the rider's connection, a linking of two minds together. Retreating further into the shadows as Eragon looked around, having heard her gasp. Fyrn knew that's who it had to be, no one else in Alagaësia would be here conversing with a dragon. She silently pulled out her twin knives, a weapon she designed and forged herself. They hooked together at the middle to form a short, double bladed staff and were completely thief proof. She readied her self then launched out of the shadows, attacking Eragon at full force. A loud clang resounded through out the cavern as he parried her blow with a quickly drawn sword. The second her first blade hit, she swung the second, testing him. He blocked that as well and a short fierce battle commenced.
After a blow that sent the two sliding backward on the dusty floor, he finally had enough time to ask, "Who are you, to fight like an elf? And I do not sense your mind, what manner of spell conceals it?" She straitened and sheathed her knives. She pushed back her hood, and suddenly he could feel the immense strength of mind she had and he wondered if she could gain entry even to his mind before Saphira told him curtly, Of course not. She'd have to deal with me if she tried.
"Garjzal" Fyrn said, summoning light to the cavern. She turned to the pair watching her and said, "Welcome to my home, Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular."
"How do you know our names?" Eragon asked, startled by the change in demeanor.
Think, little one. How many people fight with a blue sword and associate with dragons? Saphira told him. Only if she was daft, would she not know who you are.
"Well, I'm not daft, so of course I know who you are. My name is Fyrn, not that you asked." She told them, slightly annoyed. "And if your going to talk, I would ask you not to try to do it in private, because I an hear you anyway" They looked shocked. She glanced sideways at them as she pulled wood out of a hidden alcove. Eragon looked stunned and Saphira mirrored him, as much as a dragon could.
"How did you hear her?" Eragon asked, curious. As far as he knew, no one could listen in on a private conversation between a rider and his dragon.
"I don't know." She replied, "Maybe my Da has something to do with it."
"Why? Who's your father?" Eragon asked. Busy building a fire, she didn't respond. Once all the logs were in place, she simply pointed to it and a small fire leapt up and began to build in size.
"So," she said, turning to Eragon "You're probably here to collect what ever the Ra'zac left here to use in the Varden's war. I can tell you now you won't find a tenth of it. I know every inch of this place having lived her for around a year. And most of the store houses are blocked by spells shielding them from view of people like you."
"I'm sure I can find and destroy any spells that are around here.'' Eragon told her.
"Oh really? How many branches are connected to this room?" she asked smirking. Both Eragon and Saphira looked around.
"Three." Eragon responded.
No, four. There is one hidden by shadow over behind you. Saphira told him.
"You're both wrong. There are about 7, though one is blocked in the middle by a cave in." Fyrn told them, reveling in their shocked faces.
"Impossible" Eragon exclaimed.
''By no means." She told them. "Four are hidden, three by spells, one by shadow as Saphira noticed."
Eragon muttered softly, "Vanyalí."
He was trying to detect any magic in the surrounding area. Fyrn noticed and told him,"It's no use; you can't see Ra'zac magic with any elven tricks you've learned." She turned and faced the wall, sounding as if she had something caught in her throat. She stopped and a section of the wall vanished, revealing a new passage way. "You've got to use Ra'zac magic to see or clear Ra'zac magic. Here's my deal. I'll show you all the warehouses here in Helgrind and in return, you take me to the Varden."
Chapter Three
"What?" Eragon exclaimed. "Why do you want to go to the Varden? Are you and agent of Galbatorix?"
Fyrn gave him a withering look. "If I was an agent of Galbatorix, would I have ceased to fight? I want to go to the Varden because I want Galbatorix dead, and that's the easiest way to fight against him." She told him, exasperated. As if she would tell him if she was an agent of Galbatorix. She spat on the ground, showing her displeasure.
I hope that wasn't directed at either of us commented Saphira.
"Don't worry; I hold no hidden grudge against you or your rider, Saphira. I simply do not like living ruled by a king who seeks only to serve his own needs and fancies." She told the irritated dragon. Turning back to Eragon, she asked, "So? Do you accept my deal?"
Eragon looked troubled. He could tell she would be a handful, both here and in the Varden. She wasn't used to following orders and wasn't afraid to speak her mind. That could prove troublesome down the road, but he knew the Varden needed the fighting power she could provide. "Very well. If you keep your end of the bargain, I'll keep mine. But I do not know if Saphira will be able to carry us both after we collect everything there is to collect here." She has walked off and was busy casting the 'open all' spell she had seen the Ra'zac use the time she had been here and they had shown up unexpectedly. Fyrn hadn't heard the last bit of Eragon's response, but even if she had she wouldn't have responded.
As the grating sound of the rock opening echoed around the caves she turned to Eragon and said, "Follow me" This resulted in her speeding along the caverns winding corridors, with Eragon trying not to lose sight of her. As she stopped suddenly before a doorway leading into a large alcove stocked with Sethir oil, she commented, "You haven't run in narrow passageways before, have you? You'd be able to run faster if you had."
Eragon slid to a stop beside her, gasping, both at the large quantity of oil in front of him, and the run. "And you have? Why run in your own home?"
She shrugged. "It wasn't always my home. I should thank you for opening it up to me. And when chased by Ra'zac, one learns quickly." turning to the oil, she slid her bag off her shoulders and opened it up. "Here, hand me the bottles, I'll put them in here."
Eragon looked skeptical. "They're not all going to fit."
"And you have a better idea? Besides, there's a spell on it. It'll hold anything that fits through the opening. I could carry a dragon in here and no one would know." As if to prove her point, she pulled out her staff. It was, as all her weapons were, both beautiful and deadly. Made of jet black wood and nearly as tall as she was, with twin wires wrapped around it, one silver, one copper. A large stone, obsidian, topped it, ringed with a gold wire, holding it in place. She twisted a hidden grip and the stone popped off to let a foot long blade come springing out. She recapped the staff, forcing the blade back into the hidden cavity it had come from.
Tapping the stone, she released the spell capping her magic so an average mage wouldn't know she could use magic. "Fram" she muttered. The bottles flew off the shelves and with superhuman speed she pulled them from the air to store in her bag. Straitening, she asked, "Shall we continue?" and ran off. Sighing Eragon followed. They followed this routine for a while, her running to the next store house and asking what he needed or wanted. He would reply, and she would store the desired objects in her bag. Eventually they found themselves back at the main cavern, where Saphira had been waiting.
Well? She asked.
"You wouldn't believe how far back this place stretches." Eragon began but Saphira cut him off.
I would believe, as I experienced everything through you. Have you forgotten that Nasuada only gave us three days to do this? It will take a day to get back and it's nearly night time. Put what you have gathered in the baskets and let us be off. She turned, as to give Eragon the room to take off the baskets attached to her back to fill them.
"Don't worry, lady." Fyrn told the irate dragon. "I can get those baskets filled in a snap, and I know a back entrance you can use if you want to leave unseen."
How did you know we wanted to leave unseen? Saphira asked the young girl.
"You mentioned nighttime and it's obvious you can't just launch yourselves out of the main entrance, Dras-Leona is practically run by Galbatorix" she replied, as she leaped over Saphira back. Landing on the ridges of her spine she opened the basket with a flick of her finger and gestured from her bag to the basket. Eragon watched, shocked, as bottles and bags and everything they had collected flowed out of her bag and into the basket. Once that was filled she turned and filled the other. Leaping off, she said, "There. All filled. I can show the back entrance if you want."
"How on earth did you do that?" Eragon asked still shocked.
"It's a little trick, compared to the other things I know. It's just magic, Shur'tugal. Surely you've seen that before. I thought you wanted to leave quickly." She told them irritated. So what if the way she used her magic was different? She embodied different. She turned and began to walk off calling, "You coming or not?"
Of course, but I hope you know that I most definitely will not be able to carry you both. I'll only be able to carry Eragon due to his elven bones.
"Don't worry, I can keep up." She told them as they walked into a cavern with a large opening to the outside world.
"Wait, how are you going to be able to keep up? We'll be flying." Eragon told her confused. She gave him a withering look.
"Watch" she told them. She turned and ran towards the entrance to the cave. Before either Eragon or Saphira could call out to stop her, she reached the edge and jumped.
Chapter Four
Eragon ran forward, wondering why the seemingly sane girl had just thrown her self to her doom. His thought were soon cut off when she soared upward on a pair of jet black dragon wings. Now that she was in the air, her black scaled tail hung below her as she hovered in front of the shocked rider and dragon.
"Again, are you coming or not?" she asked. Shaking himself out of his revere, Eragon climbed on Saphira's back, and she took off. She shot past the hovering Fyrn, who smirked and caught up easily. After flying in silence for a while a thought broke into Eragon's head.
I'm impressed. You haven't even asked how I happened to have wings and a tail. Oh don't worry, your mind is still well protected, Fyrn told him as she felt him scrambling to reconstruct his mental barrier. Shielding your mind never works with me. Most mages need to shatter you shield, I only slip under it. And you'd never be able to break into my mind; the king himself wouldn't be able to.
What do you want? Eragon asked, still shaken by how easily she entered his mind.
Nothing. It's just easier to talk mentally when flying, the wind drowns out your voice. I just wanted to tell you, a hawk with magic on it has been following us for the last ten minutes.
What?
I told you, a hawk with magic on it is following us. It's elven magic, so I figured it was the Varden's.
Now that she had mentioned it, he could sense a mind following them, though he couldn't tell it was hawk at this distance. You can't lie in the ancient language, rider. Fyrn told him. Eragon realized with a jolt they had been talking in the ancient language with out him realizing it. Result of living with the elves. If you don't mind, I'm going to cloak my presence. I don't feel like having whoever's watching us with that spell finding out who I am.
She pulled the hood of her cloak up and any trace of her mind vanished. A muttered word and it seemed her physical body vanished as well. They continued to fly, Fyrn asking Eragon all sorts of questions about the Varden and the people in it. Soon, they reached the point when the Varden's camp was in sight. Saphira began a slow descent to the ground, while Fyrn remained up high.
Right before Saphira landed, she shot earthward, landing with a small thump in front of her. If you don't mind, I'll walk right behind you. This way I won't get trampled and I won't get lost. Fyrn told them both.
Very well. Saphira replied. A crowd of people swarmed Eragon. Before long a group of twelve elves darted through the crowd to take up positions around Eragon. His bodyguards, she guessed. The group made its way through the crowd to come to a halt before a large tent, which Fyrn guessed to be the domain of the leader of the Varden. Eragon entered and Fyrn followed, slipping in behind him, so that no one could tell she was there.
"Well? How did it go?" the woman sitting in the center asked. Fyrn guessed this to be Nasuada, the leader of the Varden.
"Very well." Eragon replied. "If you would look out side, you can see that the baskets we brought are completely full."
"So there were no nasty surprises like we had thought? It seems as if you made it back completely unscathed." Eragon hesitated, not sure if he should mention the strange dragon girl he had met there. Nasuada noticed and asked, "There was something?"
Eragon came to a decision, answering, "Yes." He explained what had happened at the cave. The room was thrown into uproar as he told how easily Fyrn had snuck up on him.
"I hope you killed this assassin?" Nasuada asked, troubled. How Galbatorix had known he would be there, she had no idea.
"She was no assassin. After a few seconds she ceased to attack, and ended up helping us find most of the Ra'zac store houses. I wouldn't have found most of them other wise." Eragon replied.
"Who is she, what is her name, what was she doing there?" a man in the back shouted out. Fyrn guessed him to be King Orrin, of Surda.
"She was a resident of Dras-Leona, named Fyrn. It means 'war' in the ancient language. She was living in Helgrind."
Nasuada's troubled look deepened. "I thought the inner caverns of Helgrind were only accessible by air. And how do you know she won't go running off to Galbatorix with information?"
Fyrn was getting tired of standing there listening to people talk about her. "I won't go to Galbatorix because I'm right here, and if I ran now, you'd know." She said as she disabled the spell shielding her from view and pushing back her hood. She later wondered if killing one of them would have triggered a less passionate result. As it was instant uproar. Shouts of "Who are you?" and "How did you get here?" filled the room. It took nearly five minutes to regain order at the end of which, almost twenty immobilization spells had been thrown at her, all deflected.
"I take it you're Fyrn." Nasuada commented.
"Fyrn Dragonschild, at your service, my lady." Fyrn replied
"How did you get here? Dras-Leona is a week's ride away!" king Orrin asked through gritted teeth.
She shrugged and replied, "Trade secret." Eragon thought she was remarkably calm in the face of such adversary.
"Why have you come here, child?" Nasuada asked gently.
"I'm seventeen, I'm no child. I wish to join the Varden in their fight against Galbatorix."
"Well, this is certainly one way to make your self known. Is there a particular reason you hate the king?"
"Do I need a reason? The fact that he only serves his own needs and fancies isn't enough? I do have a more personal reason, but I'm not sharing it to a group of total strangers."
"I hope it's not something that will impede your ability to fight."
Fyrn gave a wolf's grin, all teeth. "By no means, my lady. The reason I hate the monarchy is the same reason I can fight so effectively against him. How ever, it's not something I want the whole world knowing."
Nasuada took the hint and asked everyone but Eragon, Arya and herself to leave the room. After the room was clear and shielded against eavesdroppers, she asked, "Well?"
In response, Fyrn reached up and undid the clasp to her cloak. As it dropped to the floor, her large wings and tail were revealed. They could she was built like an elf, in a lithe frame, packed with power. She wore a sleeveless top, as well as knee high leather boots into which her pants were tucked. She wore arm guards like an archer, but with the guard itself facing outward. They could see knife sheaths on the guards and on her waist, and two hilts stuck out of her boots. She opened her wings so they could see all of them at once. "This is what I mean, when I say my reason for hating the king is the same as the way I shall destroy him."
Both Nasuada and Arya were struck speechless. Eragon said nothing, allowing the two women to get their fill of the sight Fyrn made. She tucked her wings back in and walked over to take a chair and returned, setting it down. She was getting tired of standing. As she sat down, Arya asked, "How?"
"That's a long story." She launched into an explanation, telling how a slighted noble had forced her mother to ingest her father. And how for some reason that deed had caused her mother to become pregnant with her. She had been born, causing her mothers death. As she was being forced into the world, she developed her talons and unknowingly sliced her mother to ribbons from the inside out. She showed her captive audience how her fingernail could extend or retreat at will, acting like retractable talons.
As she finished her tale, Nasuada asked, "How do you know all this?"
Fyrn responded by reaching into their minds and asking, Da, If you would?
Of course, a gravely male voice responded. His voice echoed in all their minds, startling them. I am Stenr, Fyrn's father. I am the one who told her the story of her creation.
"How on earth?" Nasuada exclaimed.
"I am a mind mage of the highest caliber, not to boast. No mental barrier has stopped me before. And as for my Da speaking to you, when I was born, I became a type of living eldunaí, carrying my Da's spirit along with me. At least, that's what we think happened." She shrugged. "It's hard to tell. It's not as if this has happened before."
Indeed. We have done our best to guess what happened, but I doubt we shall ever know for sure. Stenr commented.
Shaken, Nasuada returned to her seat. "Very well. This is what we shall do. You may join the Varden, under one condition. You serve as a squad member first, before serving as anything else."
Chapter Five
"Very well." Fyrn responded. "I shall do that. I must ask, however, where I should live while still here at the Varden?"
Nasuada pondered the question for a moment then said, "I'm sure we have extra supplies here. You'll have to pick out a horse, as well as weapons before your first assignment."
"Very well." Fyrn said again. "If there is nothing else?"
"That is all. You are dismissed. However, return here in an hour. I will have your squad assignment by then."
She nodded, then turned and left. She wandered through the camp, not sure what to do. Eventually she heard the rhythmic thud of arrows shooting into a target. She headed that way. She soon arrived at the archery range, where many men and women were practicing. She looked around and saw a near empty range off a ways. She wondered why it was empty when she saw it had been made for the elves, the targets far from the possible range of humans. She headed that way. A man saw her headed that way and called out, "Girlie, you've no hope of hittin' those targets. They's for the elves."
"'I know." She didn't change her path and soon arrived at the range. She slid her bag off her shoulder and pulled out her recurve bow, also her own creation. Pulling out a quiver, she slid the arrows out and stuck them in the containers designed for this purpose. Stringing her bow, she nocked her first arrow. Pulling back to full draw, she loosed the arrow, sending it shooting into the center of farthest target. She then drew three arrows, nocking them all, and sending them into three separate targets. She then drew five, and began again. She continued to loose arrows five at a time, slowly speeding up, shooting faster and faster. She was so focused at making sure all the arrows hit, she didn't notice the crowd slowly gathering around her. Eventually, Fyrn ran out of arrows, and turning to put her bow back in her bag, saw the crowd of people that had been watching her shoot. She pushed back her hood so they could see her and her them.
"Girl, How on Earth did you learn to shoot like that?" a female voice called out from the crowd.
"Such speed! And accurate too!" another called.
"Hey, you don't have pointed ears!" a male voice accused.
"If you're not an elf, how can you shoot like that?" another accuser shot out.
"People, please!" she called out, hushing the crowd. "My speed and accuracy are the result of hours of practice, no more, no less. And my range is a result of a specialty bow, not immense strength. If you'll excuse me, I have some where to be." She hadn't been lying. The recurve bow gave her a greater range then she would have had with a long bow using the same amount of strength. However, with a longbow, she could recreate the same results, using her dragon given strength. She walked through the crowd, heading back to the building where Nasuada waited.
As she entered the building, Nasuada asked, "What have you been up to? One of my commanders said there was a stranger in a cloak shooting arrows with elven speed and accuracy, but with five arrows at once."
"Target practice, my lady." Fyrn replied "I heard the sounds of the range and headed over." She shrugged.
Nasuada shook her head. "I had thought nothing would amaze me after hearing your story, but it seems I was wrong."
She grinned. "You should never think that, my lady. Inevitably, something always comes along to surprise you."
Nasuada laughed, and Eragon, standing at her shoulder smiled. "Very true." He told Fyrn. "I take it you've learned that lesson yourself."
"Everyone does, eventually. Do you have my squad assignment, my lady?" she asked, remembering why she had come there in the first place.
Nasuada's smile vanished, her mind returning to work. "I do. You will be a part of the 21st squad, commandeered by Captain Edon Warfront. You will meet him and your squad on the practice field tomorrow morn. You'll receive a mission then, and the captain will show you where to get supplies. You'll also need a horse, so if you want to look at the stables now and ask to reserve a horse, you can do so."
"Very well. Thank you, my lady." Fyrn dipped her head in appreciation.
"Most would bow." Nasuada commented.
"I am not most." Fyrn told her, stating the obvious. "I only bow to those who I believe deserve it. I have known you only for a few hours and you have not given me a reason to bow, yet."
"Dismissed." Nasuada said, shaking her head.
Fyrn nodded and exited the building. She looked around then came to a decision. Voicing the spell which hid her from sight, her body shimmered then vanished. She took to the skies, looking to take Nasuada's suggestion. The stables were easy enough to spot; a large building surrounded by pens isn't hard to see from the air. She headed that way, landing a ways off and dissolving the unnoticeable spell. She then proceeded to wander on over to examine the horse stabled.
Chapter Six
"Whatcha lookin' for miss?" the hostler asked, seeing her eyeing several stallions.
"A horse."
He laughed. "I gathered that much. What kinda horse?"
"A big one that'll keep up with me." She replied, walking over to examine a black stallion with a white strip down his back.
"Well, a pretty thing like you shouldn't take that'un. He's a brute. Been meaning to have his converted to meat if he won't work the pumps." He spat on the ground to show his displeasure at a horse who wouldn't take a master.
"What pumps?" she had opened the stall door and was walking towards the horse when he darted forward and attempted to bite her outstretched arm. She twisted out of the way and clamped her hands firmly around his mouth. "We'll have none of that, mister." She told him, not wanting to use the ancient language in front of the hostler.
"See? He'll be working on the water pumps in a week if that keeps up."
The horse tossed his head, trying to shake off her grip. "Letta, boy." She told him.
"What's that elven gabble mean? You an elf?"
"It means stop, and I'm not an elf. Where's his saddle and reins?" she asked the hostler.
He guffawed. "You mean to ride this beast? You got a death wish? He's thrown far greater riders than little bitty you."
She smiled good-naturedly. "Well, I mean to try. His saddle?"
"Over on the wall." He said, still laughing. "The ring's out back."
She left the stall, telling the stallion, "Sitja." Stay. She turned and walked over to pick up the saddle. "Come here." She said in English out loud, with the same in the ancient language in her head. The horse obediently trotted over. The hostler stared at her, open mouthed, as she proceeded to saddle the horse responsible for many injuries on the most experienced rider. And here, this scrap of a girl was saddling him like any other horse! She slid the reins over his head and led him out to the training ring. She slid her cloak out, making sure her wings were hidden before she stuck it on a fence post.
"Are you crazy, girl?" a man cried out from the sidelines. "That horse is a killer, don't mess up your pretty face!"
"I know what I'm doing." She called back.
The laughter of the gathering crowd drifted over to her. "Many a man said that, miss. Not one stayed on more than a minute." A female voice told her.
She did a last going over the straps before tilting the saddle to one side. "Whatcha doin' that for, missie?" the hostler asked. "The saddles all crooked now."
"That's the point." She told him. Fyrn put one foot in the stirrup and pushed down, correcting the saddle as she levered her self up on to it. She gathered the reins and clicked her tongue, asking him to start forward. He stayed still.
"Gotta use the spurs, fool." Some one called out. She ignored him.
"Come on, mister, gánga. Go." She told the stallion beneath her. And like magic, he did just that. The crowd watched with baited breath as he started forward. But the madness, the bucking, the twisting, the charging, that they all were waiting for, never happened. The nameless stallion just walked forward, changing directions when Fyrn asked. After a few minutes of this, she decided to see if this was the horse she wanted. "Hlaupa" Run, she told him. So run he did. Slowly speeding up to a trot, then a canter, than a full blown gallop. As they neared the gate leading to the practice field, she said one word. And he obeyed, jumping the gate and charging out in to the practice field, scattering the soldier's there. They continued a ways then turned around and charged back in to the paddock. As the stallion slid to a stop, she leapt off his back, unharmed, to astonishment of the onlookers. "That's a good horse you have there.' She told the ogling hostler.
""Well, thank'ee, miss. How in the blazes can you ride like that?" he asked, still staring.
"Practice." She said with a smile. "Most noble's horses don't take kindly to being stolen, so I learned tricks to keep them in line while I whisked them away. I figured the nobles could always get more." She finished with a shrug. The crowd roared with laughter, as she had meant them to. She loved freeing noble's horses to help out the occasional refugee she found fleeing the empire and a good horse drastically improved their chances of survival.
She answered the remainder of their questions, and then restabled the stallion, whispering to him, "I'll be back tomorrow." She left the stables, wandering around the city. Arriving at the market street, she immediately headed towards the stall selling armor and weapons.
"What you lookin' for, miss?' the shopkeeper asked.
"Not much. I was comparing this work to others I've seen. Do you have half-plate armor?" She said referring to the light armor style she invented when she was 15. It had become popular in Dras-Leona, but she wasn't sure if it had made it to the Varden yet. It was useful on the streets, but not in full battle, or so many thought. Half –plate armor consisted of a chest and back plate, rounded shoulder, knee and elbow guards, and front and back, upper and lower arm and leg guards. It fit her style of fighting, allowing her to move at full capacity and still have armor. She didn't really need it, but it helped when she didn't want to reveal her scales.
"Half-plate? Never heard of it. Where ya from?" the shopkeeper looked puzzled. He usually knew everything there was to know about weapons and armor.
"Dras-Leona. One of the apprentice smiths there invented it. I have a set in my bag, if you want to see it. I was just curious if it had made it here or not." She picked up a sword, and flicked her wrist, sending it spinning in the air. Catching it, she leveled the blade at the shop keeper, and then set it back down.
"Nice catch. Can I see that armor?" he asked.
"Sure." She slung her bag off her shoulder, setting it on the ground.
"Actually, come on back here. No need to show it off to the world." He opened the stall door that led to the room in the back. "I'm Bram by the way."
"Fyrn." she offered. "Thanks." Entering the back room, she was amazed by the sheer volume of weapons and armor stored there. There was every kind of weapon, and much more elven made armor than a regular shop would carry. She guessed this was a result of the allegiance between the Varden and the Elves.
"So," Bram began, rubbing his hands together. "Can I get a look at that armor?"
She smiled and began pulling it out, laying it on the table piece by piece. He picked each piece and examined it carefully. After looking at each piece, he set the last one down and looked at her. "This is the work of a master smith, one with the speed of an elf. Who forged it? He could do good work for the Varden. We're always in need of more smiths."
She outright grinned. It was always nice to hear that her work was good. "Well, I'm sure I can help out when ever I'm around."
He looked shocked. "You? You forged this? How old are you? "
"Seventeen. I turn eighteen this summer."
"And how did you learn to forge this type of work in that short amount of time? This is the work of some one who's dedicated years to studying metalsmithing not a teenager who's barely old enough to be an apprentice!"
She didn't take offense. It was true. She pondered how to answer, deciding on telling a half truth. "My Da showed me the tricks of the trade. He did some of the work on the armor."
"Well, where's he now? Like I said, we always need more smiths."
"Unavailable. He'd never be able to come to the Varden." Seeing as he's already technically here.
Bram sighed. "It was a small hope. I'd best be closing up shop now, it's almost dusk. You can take back your armor."
She began repacking her armor in to her bag. "Thanks for looking at it. I'd always meant to get it looked at, to see how good it was." She swung the bag onto her shoulder, it disappearing beneath her cloak.
"Anytime." Bram said with a wave as she left the shop. She smiled and waved back, then took off at a run, vanishing in to the shadows right before taking to the sky. She flew to a small forest not far from the camp, and landed in a clearing. She rolled out her bedroll, laid down and slept.
Chapter Seven
She woke slightly before dawn, and repacked her bag. She took off, and landed in the practice field just as dawn broke. Yawning, she pulled out her staff, and uncapped it, letting the blade spring out. She set the obsidian on the ground next to her bag, and swung her cloak off, hiding her wings and tail with a spell. She stretched, and then began. She began what she called a 'blade dance', a series of connected moves designed to test and strengthen the person doing it. She was doing one of the more complicated ones, as to try and calm her sense of unease. She was nearing the end when a voice behind her asked, "Who are you? And how do you move like that?"
She spun, the blade shooting forward to rest against the man's chest. "I could ask you the same thing. Who are you, and why are you interrupting my practice?"
He smiled good-naturedly. "Rei Smithson. Me and my squad are getting a new member, and a new mission. We're meeting out here to meet both."
She drew the blade away from him, planting the base of the staff in the ground to lean on it. "How do you meet a mission?" she asked.
He considered it. "Well, if you're being asked to guard someone, then you'd be meeting a mission."
She laughed. "True. I'm Fyrn Dragonschild. What squad are you?" she asked, despite having guessed the answer.
"Twenty first squad, under Captain Edon Warfront." he said with a grimace.
"Why the grimace?" she asked.
"He's the strictest of all the captains. You slip up once, and you'll never forget it. How come you've never heard of him? He's infamous in the Varden."
She shrugged. "I'm new to the Varden. I just got my squad assignment yesterday."
He looked at her. "The new member we're getting joined yesterday."
She grinned. "Took you long enough. I'm not just out here for the practice."
He started chuckling. "Oh, Captains not going to like this. He's possibly the most sexist man in the Varden. That's probably why you were assigned to us."
"That and Nasuada most likely thought I needed the discipline." She said with a sigh.
Suddenly, from behind them, a voice boomed, "SMITHSON! YOU ARE HERE TO WORK, AND I DON'T MEAN THE KIND YOU DO WITH GIRLS!"
Rei turned to her. "Welcome to the 21st." He said with a grin.
Chapter Eight
"SMITHSON! What are you doing with her? I told you to be here to meet the new squad member, and to receive the next mission!" Edon bellowed. He was built like a bear, all muscle. His dark brown hair was cut in a buzz cut, and he wore simple cut clothes, in drab colors. By comparison, Rei, in his bright colored clothes and spiky black hair, looked positively out of place.
Rei grinned. "I'm doing just what you told me. Having a meet and greet with he newest squad member."
Edon looked like he was about to have a hernia. "WHERE?"
Fyrn decided to put an end to this, before her eardrums blew out with the force of Edon's shouts. "Right here. My name is Fyrn Dragonschild. Lady Nasuada assigned me to the 21st squad yesterday noon." She said, maneuvering her way around Rei and through the crowd that had gathered at Edon's bellowing.
Edon spun to look at her. "WHO ARE YOU?"
"I just told you, sir." She said, with a small smile. "My name is Fyrn Dragonschild."
"Please tell me you did not just say your name was the same as the name of the squad member I was told to expect." He said with a deadly calm.
"Sadly for you, I must have, to have provoked you to say as much." She said, calm as ever.
"WHY IS A CHIT ASSIGNED TO MY SQUAD?" He bellowed for the whole camp to hear.
"I'm no chit, I'm a 17 year old girl trying to help bring down a empire." She replied with a small frown. "I was assigned to your squad by Nasuada herself, you can ask her yourself if you doubt me. "
He growled. "I wouldn't bother her on such a trivial matter. I can just kick you out myself."
"Try me." She said, staring him down. "I can do anything you can."
"Challenge me, chit."
"My name is Fyrn, not chit. And if you truly wish to accept my challenge, I already have one in mind."
"Oh do you, girl? What might that be? And if I am to accept, you must do it as well." He growled, but softer this time.
She shrugged. Girl was better than chit. "Ride the nameless stallion in the stables for over three minutes. You can try first, and then I shall."
Edon laughed a deep throated rumble that scared most of the surrounding crowd. Edon was not one to laugh lightly. "Really? I can easily do that! I accept your challenge. Let us bring the horse here, and test this theory."
She grinned and ran off, saddling and bridling the nameless stallion as fast as she could. She swung herself onto his back and swiftly returned to the practice field. "Your turn." She said, swinging down, grinning her head off.
Edon looked slightly troubled at the sight of the infamous horse. "Very well." He walked over to grab the saddle and pulled himself up. Grabbing the reins, he kicked the stallion viciously. He reared, whinnying. The horse bolted, bucking and twisting in a desperate attempt to get his current rider off of his back. Eventually, the stallion reared, then bucked, and Edon went flying over the horses head to land on the dusty ground in front of him. The crowd laughed, but the sound was quickly cut short as Edon staggered up, scowling. "I see I have failed. You agreed to take upon the same task." He spat at her.
"Gladly." She adjusted the saddle, and then pulled herself up. She then said the same two words she said the first time she rode. "Gánga. Go." The stallion seemed to grin, then reared as a battle stallion did, not to unseat his rider, but to crush the enemy in front of him. He put his forelegs down and ran. He galloped across the field, gaining speed with every step. She began to laugh, the sound echoing across the field, back to Edon's ears, which seemed to be about to shoot off his head. She reached the end, and turned back, soon returning to the group. "So? Do I pass?" she said with a small smirk, looking down from the back of the tall stallion.
He scowled. "You may join 21st squad." he turned away angrily. "I'm going to talk to Lady Nasuada." The crowd watched as Edon stalked away.
Chapter Nine
"Well." Rei said, breaking the silence. "That was interesting."
Behind him, someone chuckled. "That's an understatement. No one's bested Edon in anything for a long, long time." A large man, dressed in plain clothes as Edon had been, stepped out from the crowd. "I'm Alecos. I'm one of the 21st's second lieutenants."
"Fyrn, but I'm sure you already knew that." She said with a nod in his direction. She looked back to Rei. "Do I need any supplies?" she asked.
"Probably any living supplies, such as a tent, things that you don't already have. You also need a horse and weapons."
"If that's all, I'm good. I have my supplies with me, so I'm good to go. And as for a horse, I think I'll take him." She said, jabbing her thumb towards the stallion.
He shrugged. "If you want. Oh yeah," he said, remembering, "Can you use magic? I'm the 21st's official mage, so I need to know if you have any magic, it can interfere with certain spells."
"Yeah, I'm a mage. I can shield my magic, so it won't interfere with yours though."
"How can you do that?" he looked confused.
She was saved answering by the return of Edon. "Girl, we're riding out in an hour. Be ready by then."
"I'm ready now, sir." She replied instantly.
"Fine. Twenty-first squad, saddle up. We're heading out." He turned and stomped over to the stables. Most of the 21st followed, but at a distance. Rei stayed behind.
"You don't have a horse?" she asked.
"I do, but I prefer not to think about it. Blaze hates me." He said with a grimace.
"So get a new horse." She said simply.
"Can't. I don't know how to choose a horse, and most of the other ones hate me more."
She smiled. "That's easy enough to fix. Didn't your teacher ever tell you, animals understand the ancient language? That's how I get Shadow moving."
"Shadow?" he looked confused. "And no, I can't say she ever did."
"The stallion. I decided he needed a name. Tell you what, go get your horse set, but talk to it in the ancient language, instead of what ever you usually do." She suggested.
"Some how, I think you know what your talking about. I'll try." He walked off, hands in his pockets.
Shadow snorted. Fyrn looked at him and smirked. I don't need your opinion. She told him.
I'm offering it anyway. He shot back.
Edon returned, and realized no one was back but him. "Lazy louts." He grumbled under his breath. Turning to Fyrn, he said, "Listen here, girl. I'm the captain of this squad, the highest ranked here. That means you listen to me, and follow my orders. Got it?"
"Got it." She swung back on her cloak, and pulled out her quiver and bow from her bag, before sliding it on to her shoulder as well. Then, reconsidering, she took it back off and hooked it to the back of the saddle. By the time she had finished this, most of the 21st was back.
Chapter Ten
"Alright men." Edon began. Fyrn choose not to point out that not all of the members of the squad were men. "We've a simple mission, compared to some of the others we've had, but this might be the most difficult. A town south of Dras-Leona has been occupied by those painless creatures. We're to go exterminate them."
Painless creatures? She sent to Rei. He flinched and looked around. It's me, Fyrn. I'm a mind mage; I specialize in gaining others minds. Your barrier is fine.
Oh. He looked vaguely unsettled. The painless creatures Captain's talking about are men spelled not to feel pain. They're notoriously hard entry to kill.
Okay then, thanks. She hesitated. Sorry for startling you. I forget how unusual my skill is.
He looked relieved. It's fine. It just startled me.
"Everyone good?" Edon finished, then not waiting for a reply, called out, "Twenty-first squad, deploy!" He whirled his horse around and cantered off. A heart beat later, the 21st squad did the same.
Fyrn grinned. Let's show them what a stallion and a girl can do. She told Shadow. He whinnied, and then bolted off. Staying at a canter, he soon passes most of the 21st and was gaining on Edon's charger, a strawberry roan named Rouge.
Edon looked back; to make sure everyone was keeping up, and was startled to see the new girl right behind him. "Don't tire your horse! We've got nearly a week's ride!" He called back to her.
She grinned. "Aw, I didn't know you cared! I'm at a canter, same as you. If anything, your horse'll tire first!"
He scowled and urged his horse forward. They rode at the same pace for nearly a day, and then stopped to camp for the night in the outskirts of a small village. One of the farmers lent them his barn; Fyrn had helped a cousin of his a while back.
"That was lucky." She commented as she and one of the other members of the 21st, a young man named Nico, returned from hunting.
"The fact that we saw a deer or the fact you healed this guy's cousin back in Dras-Leona?"
"Both." She said with a grin. They walked back in and cooked the deer, splitting it between the whole squad. Most of the men were friendly, claiming anyone who could stand up to Edon, and ride the stallion had earned the right to be in the 21st. She learned that the 21st was one of the highest ranked squad in the Varden, getting assigned the most difficult jobs. However, a few of the men, the lone Urgal of the 21st among them, claimed that the jobs the 21st took on were too dangerous for a girl to take on.
Fyrn was chatting with one of the men, a middle aged man named Nick Ravenhair, about the difference quality of steel can make in a weapon, when the ringleader of the men who wanted her gone, a testosterone filled 18 year old named Alphonse Ericson, approached her. "You. Girl. Get up." He growled.
She looked up from her conversation and made a face. "Gimme one good reason."
He scowled. "I'm a master sergeant and you're a corporal. I'm you're senior, so you must obey me."
"Okay then." She shrugged and stood.
"Get over here." She shrugged again and walked over. He drew his arm back and slapped her. Or so he thought. She had stuck her arm up, and his wrist slammed against her steel arm guards.
"Care to explain, Master Sergeant?" she asked coldly. "I dislike being struck by my allies."
He scowled at her. "I challenge you. You have no right to be in the 21st."
She looked at him. "Does the captain allow this?" She asked, curious. She wasn't frightened, as Alphonse had meant her to be, but curious. She needed to know how well she could fight with her strength at the same level of humans, not elves.
"Of course."
She grinned. "What weapons, armor, etc. is allowed? I'm a knife fighter myself, but I can use any weapon."
"I shall have a sword. No armor, but with sharpened blades." He said, trying to scare her. Sharpened blades meant a challenge could end in death or mutilation of one of the contestants.
Her grin widened. "Very well. Is now good?" she said, hiding her wings and swinging off her cloak.
He smiled maliciously. "It is. Clear some space." He ordered the gathering group.
Kain Lifedeath, The groups only Urgal fighter, gave a wolfs grin, all teeth and predatory instinct. "You die soon, girl. Al best fighter after Cap'n."
She yawned, and stretched. "Is that so?" She reached into her bag, and pulled out her double knives, the same ones Eragon faced two days before.
She smiled sweetly as Alphonse snorted. "What good is a stick going to do you?" He asked sarcastically.
"This." She twisted the grip in the center of the baton, and the flat base of the knife extended out of each end, then twisted, the sharpened blade extending out a good 6-7". She twisted the center and the two knives came apart. Fyrn began slowly twirling them in lazy circles as she waited for Alphonse to be ready. "Anytime now, Master Sergeant."
He scowled and unsheathed his sword. With out waiting to formally begin the match, he leapt forward, intending to spear her through in one blow. She dodged to one side, swinging her blade to lightly cut him cross the stomach. He winced and retreated before she could get in a second strike at human speed. She smiled pleasantly and beckoned to him with one hand. He growled and obliged, running at her. She ducked and kicked his feet out from underneath him. He fell to the ground and rolled to avoid her downward jab. He sprung back to his feet, swinging his sword sideways. She reversed her blade, so that it was laying flat against her arm and yawned as the sword struck it with a loud clang. She looked at his unbelieving face and grinned wickedly. She moved out of the way of his next blow, and set about slicing up his let arm in a series of parallel lines. He began to use more complicated maneuvers, forcing her to actually guard her self. A knife flew at her from the crowd, to strike her in the lower back. She flinched at the blade struck, giving Alphonse the opening her needed. He chopped downward, intending to cut her head in half. With out thinking, she dropped her knives and drew out her scales, an ability her dragon blood gave her. Her hands completely covered in obsidian colored scales, she grabbed the blade and glared at a shocked Alphonse.
"That was a dirty trick, having a supporter try and spear me in the back." She said, her voice dripping ice. Her eyes turned black as her scales spread to cover her whole body. Her nails grew to form razor sharp talons, and her teeth did the same, lengthening and sharpening. She broke the spells concealing her wings and tail, letting the whole of the 21st see them. She snarled, and leapt at Alphonse, who was shaking in fear. He desperately tried to defend himself, but her rage was too great. Soon, he was lying on the ground while Fyrn held her talons an inch from his throat. "I win."
She stood up and he leapt to his feet. "What manner of monstrosity are you?" he cried, echoing the thoughts of most of the 21st.
Fyrn looked at him. Her scales seemed to flow back into her skin, and she soon stood there with her knives in her hands. "I should thank you. I'd wanted to try that out. To answer your question, I'm a mind mage who happens to like illusions. You experienced first hand what I do. I layer a visual illusion with mental commands."
"You mean that wasn't real?" cried Alan Archer, a 2nd lieutenant.
"Exactly." She said with a nod in his direction.
Edon shook his head. "Now I see why you were assigned to our squad. If you can do the same in battle, you'd be as strong as a squad on your own." He looked over his men. "Learn from this. Fear is as great a weapon as a sword or spear. With it, you can kill men as easily as if they weren't armed at all."
Chapter Eleven
"But-" Rei began, but Fyrn shot him a look, along with a silent plead, Rei, please don't say anything. I'll explain later.
"But, what Smithson?" Edon asked.
Rei shook his head. "Nothing."
Fyrn sighed with relief quietly. Her deception would have been for nothing if he had continued. The 21st soon dispersed, discussing the new recruit in a new light. Rei walked over to Fyrn and asked quietly, "Does later mean now?"
She grimaced. "Sure." She turned and walked a ways from the camp, and sat down on a fallen log. "So. What do you want to know?"
"If I voiced every question I have, we'd be here for days. For starters, what was that?"
"That's easy enough. That's my dragon half surfacing."
"Dragon half?" he looked incredulous.
"I'm half dragon. My mother was human, father was a dragon." She said with a shrug.
"How did-" He shook his head, "Never mind. So you're half dragon. Do you have claws and scales always, and you just use magic to shield it from view, or…" His voice trailed off as he considered what it meant to be half dragon.
"Claws and scales are retractable, but wing and tail are not." She said, spreading her wings.
"Of course." He said, shaking his head. "I'm sure there's a story behind it."
"Yes, but not one I'm allowed to tell you. You can talk to my Da if you want." She offered.
"How? I thought you said he was a dragon, and everyone knows dragons pretty much died out. Only ones left are Saphira, Thorn, and the kings, whatshisname, Shruikan." He said, looking slightly confused.
Da? She asked inward.
Do I have to talk to another noble? Her father grumbled.
No, Da. A mage in the army.
You told a mage about what you are?
He's in my squad, he'd figure it out eventually. This way he knows, and isn't surprised.
Fine. He grumbled. I'll talk to him.
Rei looked at her, sitting there with her eyes closed, and wondered what she was doing. Suddenly her eyes flew open, and she said, "He'll talk to you. Took some convincing, though."
"What, now? We can't have a dragon land in our camp!"
Good thing I don't need to fly. A gravelly voice boomed in his mind. Rei nearly fell over, he was so startled.
"What on Earth?" He cried.
Quiet down. No need to be bringing attention to yourself. Stenr commanded.
"O-okay then." He said, at a much quieter tone.
What do you want to know? Stenr sounded bored.
After nearly ten minutes of Rei bombarding Stenr with questions, he called it quits. "He's done." Fyrn told Rei. "Sorry I can't tell you more, I promised not to talk about it." She said with a shrug.
Rei looked at her. "Why not tell people? Why go through the trouble of revealing it, then saying it's an illusion? Why not just out right say it?"
To his amazement, she blushed. "Because if I write it off as an illusion, no one will think twice when I do it again. I joined the Varden to help bring down Galbatorix, but also to get a fresh start. Here, no one knows me as the devil cursed girl, I'm just Fyrn to the people here. And if I show off my wings, I'll get stared at, and people will try to exorcise my 'inner daemon' and I'm sick of that!" She finished suddenly. "I want to live as a human, and get stared at all the time, and to be free to do as I want with out people blaming my presence as the reason from everything to failed crops, to lost jewelry! I want to live where I'm just another face in the crowd, not the one with people edging away from!" She took a deep breath, and seemed to calm down."Sorry. I didn't mean to rant on like that. Magic's just a way to write off my dragon abilities. I'm actually not a very good mage; I can barely heal a paper cut."
He blinked. "It's fine. It actually seems like a good idea. That way you can do as you please on the battlefield, and no one will wonder if you're human after." He stood. "Don't worry about me. I won't say anything."
She didn't turn from staring off into the distance. "Thanks."
He shrugged, and returned to camp, to the jeers of his squad, inventing what the two had been doing with the dirtiest of imagination. Yelling at them to shut up, he went over to his saddle bags, and pulled out a notebook and pencil. He didn't want to forget what he had learned.
((Remeber, the review button doesn't bite. I'd love to hear any and all comment you have))
((I made a list of the 21st so I didn't forget, and didn't have to constantly think of their names.))
21st squad: 14 men, Fyrn
Captain: Edon Warfront
First lieutenants: Rei Smithson (equivalent of), Nico Flight*
Second Lieutenants: Alecos Hawkfeather, Nick Ravenhair, Alan Archer
Master Sergeants: Alphonse Ericson*, Wyatt Farseer, Sig Curtison
Sergeants: Maes Spearthrower, Roy Fleetwood*, Jean Havoc, Scott Cainsfield
Corporals: Fyrn Dragonschild, Kain Lifedeath (Urgal)*, Alex Leif
*= Against Fyrn in the 21st
.com/wiki/Ancient_Language