Bright light shines through the windows, waking me from rest. I yawn and stretch, pushing my arms above my head. Crawling out of my thick, warm sheets, I go to the closet and retrieve my clothes, the ones I wear almost every day. Brown trousers, a long-sleeved tan shirt, brown boots, my brown belt with its burgundy sword dangling from it, and a dark cloak. My brown hair tumbles in waves down my spine, so I brush it and braid it back quickly. Beruus, my burgundy-scaled dragon of three years, stirs on his dais. Just as I'm pulling on my gloves, he hums.
Morning, little one. He says. He yawns, exposing his rows of sharp teeth.
Morning, Beruus. I reply, going over and scratching behind his jaw. His humming continues to increase in amount until the entire room is filled with the sound. When I stop, he nudges me. I laugh.
Last time I checked, you weren't a kitten, Ber. Come on, let's go eat. I say. He nods, and we leave our large sleeping room.
Arriving in the dining hall big enough for ten farmhouses to fit inside, we are greeted by many dragons and their Riders around the table, the dragons of every color you could think of. Eragon and Saphira, his blue-scaled dragon, sit at the head, and I can tell that they are talking amongst themselves in the privacy of their minds. Beruus and I walk over to them, and as I bow, Beruus lowers his head in reverence.
"Sayra." Eragon says, tilting his head to me.
"Good morning, masters. What do you have planned for us today?" I ask, standing up straight. Eragon chuckles. As far as masters go, he is by far my favorite. Even though he is only five years older than me, he at twenty-two and I at seventeen, he is a great teacher, and taught me almost everything I know.
Saphira's mind brushes over mine, and her rough voice enters it.
Eat, both of you, and you will see later. She says.
Yes, Master. Both Beruus and I answer her, and she nods to us. We bow again and turn, making our way to our seats. I sit in my high-backed wooden chair, and Beruus takes his place next to me, sitting on the ground. A server brings me my full plate of fruits, vegetables and grains, while two servers bring Beruus a platter with a roasted pig. He hums at the sight of food, and begins to dig in. I follow suit, filling my hungry stomach until I can consume no more. When I'm finished, I push my plate away. Beruus does the same, and I stand.
"Ebrithil," I ask, getting Eragon's attention, "shall we go to the Clearing?"
"Yes, that would be wise." He replies, nodding his head. "You both are excused." I nod, and with Beruus at my side, we leave the dining hall.
When we reach the Clearing, which is a large space outside of the building we are all housed in, we are both silent. I slide off the saddle on Beruus' back, and land, my boots the only sound on the hard-packed earth. I slip my sword into my palm and practice multiple moves I learned from my instructor. Just as I am about to thrust it into an invisible enemy, a shadow forms overhead and Saphira lands next to Beruus, closing her wings. She tilts her head back to look at Eragon as he loosens the straps holding his legs on the saddle and slips off.
"Sayra. Beruus. Nice to see you two again."
"It is good to see you as well, Master." I say, sliding my sword back in its sheath. Beruus interrupts me by saying:
What do you have planned for us to do today? You haven't told us yet.
Have patience, little one. Saphira hums, leaning down her head and opening her massive maw to breathe over my dragon. He stands under her jaws, and I notice-with some fear, I must admit-that one of her teeth is almost longer than Beruus' own mouth.
"Well, we have decided that today, and until the final stages of your training, Saphira and I will train the two of you. Alone." Eragon says, crossing his arms over his armor-covered chest.
"What?" I ask, stepping forward indignantly. "Master, I hope you don't mind me asking, but why? Why are we suddenly so special?" I think immediately of my closest Rider friend here, a boy a year older than me named Lucas, and his golden male dragon called Halcyon, who I have always looked up to and thought of as a better Rider pair than Beruus and I.
Don't worry about Halcyon and Lucas, little one. Beruus' voice ripples through my mind, causing me to relax. Eragon and Saphira must have chosen us for a very special purpose. They both emanate thoughts of good, and kindness. They chose us on purpose, Sayra.
What if what they have planned for us is something we can't do on our own?
If you think about it, there is nothing we can't do. Well, and Beruus chuckles. Chriis and Leand, he mentions the Rider pair, of a 14-year-old human and his silver dragon, who have only been bonded for a year and hardly know anything about each other, they have a lot of work to do. We've been together two years their senior. We will be fine. I promise. I reach up and scratch under Beruus' jaw, thanking him quietly.
"I'm sorry for spouting, Masters. What is it that you have planned?" I say softly, knowing that Eragon will be able to hear me just fine.
"More sword training, more magic lessons, more flight lessons, more training you two to be a better bond, there are many things that we plan to do. If you are willing to do them." He responds, reaching up and putting his hand on the side of Saphira's jaw. "You two are very special, and you have a lot of potential. It would be a waste to put such talent down the drain."
"Yes, Master." Beruus and I say at exactly the same time. "We understand."
Good. Saphira hums. Very good. Beruus, you will come with me for an hour, and Sayra, you will stay here with Eragon. After an hour, we will switch.
"Yes, Master." Beruus and I say at the same time again.
"Good." Eragon says. "Say your goodbyes for now." I reach up and scratch Beruus' jaw again. Suddenly, I don't want to leave him.
Little one. Beruus says. I will be fine. Don't worry. It's just an hour. Remember, Master said it's not more important how we work together, it's how we work apart. I nod, leaning my head against his scales.
Goodbye, Ber.
Goodbye, little one. Beruus opens his wings, and as he takes off with Saphira, he sends me a last thought. Good luck.
"Okay." Eragon says, startling me. "Let us begin. Show me what you can do with your blade." As he takes Brisingr out of it's sheath, and as I take Esterni-or good fortune in the Ancient Language-out of my own, I have a feeling that I'm going to regret everything I'm about to do in this hour of alone time with Eragon in training.