Hi! This is my first attempt to write an Inheritance Cycle. I absolutely love this series from the characters to the storyline. As such, it was very important to me that I stay as close to the characters as possible.
For those of you who have followed this fanfiction from the beginning, I sincerely apologize. I got busy with life, or rather, life got busy with me and I lost the will or inspiration to continue this story until I picked up the books again. I'm now determined to finish it and I even have a few companion pieces planned. I re-read my work and realized how many mistakes I had slipped in. I intend to republish every chapter and correct them.
On that lenghty note, enjoy the reading, new and old readers alike :)
Saphira.
The blue dragon hummed. Little one.
They stood in front of their house, at the top of the hill that dominated the entire city. Under the light of the dawn, the sky was streaked with purples and oranges and green and mighty roars filled the silence.
It has almost been a hundred years since we defeated Galbatorix, declared Eragon.
Yes. Saphira nuzzled Eragon with the tip of her nose. Don't be so gloom, Little One. I, for one, do not appreciate to wake up to such pessimistic thoughts.
He looked into her great sapphire eye. I'm sorry, Saphira
Her reply was cut off when they both he recognized the soundless walk of Narí as he approached them from behind.
"Brightscales, Shur'tugal."
Eragon sighed, but turned obligingly to greet the elf. Saphira merely turned her elongated neck and blinked.
"Good morning, Narí. How do you fare?"
"I am well, as always." The slim elf waited a few more seconds before speaking again. "A letter from the mainland arrived with yesterday's boat."
"Ah. It must be from Ellesméra, then. What news did Lord Däthedr send us? Good ones, I hope."
"I know not. The letter was addressed to you personally. "
"I see. Thank you then, Narí. "
Eragon took the letter and Narí shortly took his leave. The Rider returned to his dragon's side.
What do you think is so important that the elves don't want the other Riders to find out?
Little one, we won't truly know until you open it, now, will we? Go ahead. I am curious too.
He chuckled lightly. Saphira really was the reasonable one in their partnership.
Of course I am. She punctuated her words by blowing playfully a puff of smoke that quickly surrounded Eragon.
He coughed a little and pretended to glare at her but his face soon broke down into a lopsided grin.
He quickly sobered up as he focused his attention of the small roll piece of paper in his hands, he broke the seal and unrolled the scroll.
Kvetha, Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular,
The time of the Agaetí Blödhren is upon us once again. As symbols of the bond between dragons and us, you and the other Riders would do us great honour to attend to the celebration.
Atra esterní ono thelduin, Eragon Shur'tugal,
Arya Dröttning
He barely had time to react to her words when a purple dragon suddenly landed beside Saphira. He preened a little, showing off, before mischievously biting the larger dragon's tail. Saphira growled lowly, warning him to back off. Their respective Riders both observed the interaction, and if the older one found it amusing, the other was simply mortified.
"Ebrithil! I've been trying to reason with him, but he won't listen!"
Hudraer had been trying to gain the blue female's attention for quite a while now, and while Saphira found it annoying, to Eragon, he provided daily entertainment.
The elder Rider chuckled. "Vanyalí. How good to see you. But if I remember correctly, you've long finished your training. You needn't call me Ebrithil anymore."
"You'll always be Ebrithil to me," said Vanyalí.
"Will you promise to at least try, then?"
She sent him the luminous smile that had made countless of other Riders fall for her.
"I will Master. Oh..uh I mean Eragon-elda." She took a deep breath. "I came to ask you if I could return to Alagaësia for a few months."
Eragon frowned at little. She was a fully trained Rider now, and a very powerful one at that, but he still had some reservations about sending her alone. He could not help the protective streak that surfaced occasionally when he was dealing with his students.
"I know you are concerned with my well-being, and I thank you for caring, but I am more than capable of taking care of myself and I always have Hudraer to help me. I am going to travel straight to Ellesméra. My sister is with child and her pregnancy is a difficult one. I want to stay by her side in case anything goes wrong"
"I believe there are quite capable healers in every elven city to help your sister if need arises."
"She would prefer it be family who attends to her."
Eragon considered her request a moment longer.
"You are free to go on one condition. You scry me before entering Du Weldenvarden," he said sternly.
"Oh yes, of course, Ebrithil! Have you not asked, I would have done it the same!"
Before she started running eagerly to her dragon, he called her.
"Vanyalí? When are you planning to leave?"
"Tomorrow at dawn. We want to reach the port of Teirm before nightfall."
"Wise decision. Very well, then. Can you come by this afternoon? I would like you to deliver something before joining your sister. I have a letter addressed to Queen Arya. Does that agree with you?"
"Aye."
"Now go, you have much to do before leaving. As for when you'll come back, I'll send you a letter with another Rider when the time of the Agaetí Blödhren will come."
The elf bowed and left.
Saphira. Are you staying here? I am going inside to write my reply to Arya.
I am enjoying the sun on my scales. Let the others admire me a bit more. But be quick. I am itching to go flying afterwards.
The idea of flying with his partner alleviated his heart and he ran back to his house. As soon as he sat down though, all the sadness he was feeling that morning returned. He read the letter Arya had written once again, his heart feeling constricted. It was the first letter he's received from her in the last fifty years. Never had she tried contacting him in any way. Many boats came and went by their port, for they made a lot of commercial exchanges with the mainland and an occasional delivery would come, often from elven boats, carrying news sent by elven lords, but never from her. He was only informed of her well being from the travels of his elder Riders, who often travelled back and forth as his emissaries and to ensure that all the races lived in peace.
In all the years apart, his love for her had never gone away. His passion still burned bright and everyday passing it was more painful for him to remember her. At night, when the valley would go silent, he often sat on his bed, contemplating the fairth he had made of her shortly after his arrival. It was the same picture he had made of her before leaving, when he first met Fírnen.
Eragon.
Through their bond, he felt a wave of unfaltering tenderness and comfort from her.
Yes, I know. I'm coming Saphira.
As he wrote back to her, he kept it short and curt, appropriate for their respective statuses, but many times, he restrained himself from writing to her everything he had in mind. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach when he saw the final result. It was exactly what he knew it had to be and a far cry from he had wanted it to be. His reply was just as polite and impersonal as hers. Had their friendship already reached that point? Had she already forgotten the companionship they had shared so many years ago?
With regret of not being able to say more to her, he sealed the scroll and put it in his drawer. His heart heavy, he set back to where Saphira was laying.
Shall we, partner-of-my-heart-and-mind?
She let out a mental roar and Eragon smiled. There was nothing else that could make his days brighter than to fly with Saphira.
And the pair rose up to the sun.