This work was adopted from 's Terri Jones's Nari. I have edited it quite a bit since its adoption. Some things will be quite different while some will be extremely similar. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.
The title for this chapter (Sodalite) is a reference to the rich royal blue mineral widely used as an ornamental gemstone. I found a picture of a polished sodalite shaped like an egg which I think looks remarkably like I pictured Saphira's egg in my head.
Enjoy!
Nari knelt down next to the riverbed, looking at the tracks the deer had left there. The tracks told her they had passed through here not more than an hour before. She stood, knowing that the herd would soon be bedding down for the night. She had a target she'd been following - a small doe who limped from an arrow that she'd misshot. It was small enough that Nari would be able to carry it on her sled.
The sky was dark, and she felt the breeze pull at her hood. She groaned in dismay; the cold air meant she would be freezing that night. Clouds of frosty air from her breath surrounded her face, shimmering in the light of the moon. She adjusted her quiver on her shoulder and grabbed the bag that had the rabbits and squirrels she'd already shot. She hoped she'd find the herd soon; it was her third night hunting and she would need to return home soon. Garrow and Roran would worry if she didn't start back soon. The deer would be the rest of the meat to last them until the end of winter, or at least until Nari would be allowed to enter the forest again.
Nari was fifteen, though still not yet a woman. Not that it mattered. She was not particularly beautiful or exotic. Despite her unknown father's foreign origin, she looked just like everyone else in Carvahall. Those who would not mind her looks disapproved of her hunting. The few who did not mind either were either already attached or were chased off by Roran's wolf glare. She pretended not to find it sweet, but she could never muster up any real displeasure. It wasn't as though she wanted a husband, at least not right now.
Nari approached a glen she knew well, barely following the tracks the deer had left. The deer often rested here, enjoying the abundance of grass and fresh, clean water. In winter, the tightly-knit tree cover blocked most of the snow from covering the grass. Reaching the last hill, she dropped to her knees and crawled as quietly as she could. Below her, the herd had already slipped into sleep. The doe she wanted lay at the edge of herd closest to her, her leg stretched out to ease the discomfort from the broken arrow shaft lodged in her leg.
Nari strung her bow and drew three arrows, notching one and setting the others beside her. She took a last breath and fired, already reaching for a second arrow, just before an explosion roared through the glen. The herd bolted, and Nari quickly fired her second arrow at the doe struggling to rise. The doe crumpled and didn't move again. Replacing her third arrow, Nari headed towards the epicenter of the explosion.
A circle of destruction radiated around a polished blue stone. Mist swirled around it, and Nari couldn't help but observe the damage done by the stone in awe. The grass in the center was charred and smoking while the grass farther away was flattened as though continuously blown by a fierce wind coming from the stone. The pine trees nearest the circle were mostly bare of their needles, some of the branches broken and hanging by a thread. She couldn't imagine what force could make such a large amount of damage. She watched for danger for a few moments, wondering if it would happen again, before cautiously approaching. Using her left hand, she reached out and tapped the stone with her finger her, pulling back quickly. The stone did not react, and no heat burned her finger. Warily, she reached out, cradling the stone in her palms. It was a beautiful deep blue, with thin strands of white embedded in the stone. The stone was cool to the touch, despite the heat that had burned the surrounding plants. There were no edges or flaws, just smooth stone. Though heavy enough, it felt lighter than it should be for a stone of its size.
Uneasily, she turned the stone in her hands. How had it gotten here? Why did its appearance cause such an explosion? Did someone send it through magic? If so, did they mean for her to have it or did the magic go astray? Nari had learned enough through Brom's stories to know that magic was dangerous and its users were more so. Perhaps she should leave the stone here, so that its owner might retrieve it. If the spell had gone awry, they would not be pleased that she'd taken it. Then again, a gem of this size would provide her family with immense wealth. It didn't look like a gem, at least like any gem she'd seen at the Traders' stalls, but why would someone shape stone this way? Another burst of cold wind pulled her hood from her head. Quickly, she tucked the stone under her arm, and headed back into the woods. The glen was far too exposed for camp that night and she needed to retrieve her sled to carry the deer. She would decide what to do about the stone in the morning.
When the sun rose the following morning, it shone on frost covered streams and hardened grass. Nari woke early, eating her scant breakfast quickly before returning to the glen with her belongings. She searched through the grass, hoping to find some clue. Starting at the center, where the stone had rested the night before, she began moving outward. Her efforts were rewarded with nothing but cold fingers and aching knees. She removed the egg from where she'd stowed it securely on the sled, cradled by the side of the sled and her pack, and turned in her her hands once more. Once more she was tempted to leave it here where she'd found it, but something stayed her hand. It truly was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Perhaps if they had enough food and supplies for the winter, she could keep it. And if they didn't, she could sell it when the Traders came. Mind settled, Nari worked to load the deer and her supplies onto the sled, nestling the stone between the deer's belly and her pack. She jiggled the sled slightly, and nodded with satisfaction when the stone didn't move at all. She pulled her hood over her head, pulled the ropes attached to the sled over her shoulders, and started the long trek home.
The trail was rough; most of it was faintly worn and in other places it didn't exist at all. It had been created by animals, it often took long detours. Her sled got caught in some places, causing her to have to stop to get it unstuck. At other times, the path was so rough that she had to watch to make sure none of her supplies fell from the sled. For all the problems it had, it was the fastest way in and out of the mountains and Nari loved hiking it. It was serene and wildly beautiful, untouched by men. Sometimes, Nari found herself slipping into the Spine to seek solitude from her uncle and cousin and those in the village who wanted her to be a "normal" girl.
The Spine was one of the only places that the King was unable to call his own. Stories had been told for years about how more than half of his army had disappeared in the Spine. It was said that the forest itself had rejected Galbatorix's army, deeming them unworthy, and that the trees themselves had turned against them. Nari didn't know if she believed the story, but she often requested that Brom repeat the story over and over again. It was her second favorite, behind the tales of the Riders. Stories also spoke of the bad luck that followed the Spine, causing mishaps for any who spent too long under the shelter of its trees. She rather thought the Empire might have spread those around; you had to be cautious in the trees, wary of bears or wolves, but vigilance, sharp reflexes, and a respect for the forest had kept her safe enough.
She kept as brisk a pace as she could manage, taking advantage of downward slopes when she could find them. Glancing up, Nari observed the trees surrounding her. They were large, reaching to the skies. She remembered now how she'd liked to climb the trees at the edge of the forest when she was younger and how she'd imagined she was flying on a Dragon, surveying the miles and miles of forest around her and watching for trouble. It had been a nice dream, but impossible now that the Riders were gone.
As the sun began to sink down, she reached the the Anora River, a large, powerful thing that could sweep a man away if he fell in. A low rumble joined the sound of rushing water to form a roar. She had to pull down her hood in order to watch the river warily as she walked, avoiding getting to close to the side of the trail. A single misstep could send her or her sled tumbling over the edge and she would drown or lose everything. Finding a thicket some ways away from the river, Nari camped for the night.
Two more days passed as she traveled, the weather getting colder and colder, before she reached the top of Igualda Falls on the morning of the third day. By noon, she'd reached the base of the Falls. The village was alive with activity. Men talked and laughed loudly, the doors of shops open wide in welcome. Women sat on the wide porches, sewing while they watched their children at play. Nari ignored the disapproving looks shot in her direction, returning friendly waves with warm smiles and respectful nods.
Nari had two choices now - to take her catch to Sloan and ask him to skin and prepare the animals for her in exchange for some of her catch or to go on home and ask Uncle Garrow or Roran to help her skin the animals. She knew what the choice had to be. As much as she disliked Sloan, he was an excellent butcher and her uncle and cousin would need to work quickly in order to get the harvest in before the snows came. Plus, Roran had asked her to deliver a message to Sloan's daughter, Katrina, on his behalf, and she didn't want to return home just yet. Roran insisted on checking her for injuries each time she returned from the Spine. If she was even the slightest bit hurt, she wouldn't be allowed to leave the house until all traces of the injury had healed.
"Nari!" Nari turned, smiling when she saw Baldor, Horst's second son, striding towards her. "Welcome back! Good hunt?"
"Better than I'd normally expect this time of year," she agreed warmly. "Shouldn't you be working?"
"I'm just heading back from delivering an order. Are you headed home?" She frowned and shook her head.
"To Sloan's." Baldor winced in sympathy before grinning again.
"Here, let me take your sled. I've got a few minutes before I need to head back." He took the ropes and started off. She frowned slightly at his back. Baldor didn't mind her hunting, but he also treated her like she was delicate when he was around her. He had been her first kiss, and she had been his, but their brief flirtation hadn't lasted long. She sped up, falling into pace with him as they wove their way between the houses to the butchers shop.
"Thank you, Baldor." She said warmly once they'd reached it.
"Any time. I'll see you for dinner when the Traders come?" He asked.
"Of course." He gave one last jaunty wave before heading off, whistling as he went. She sighed up at the shop in resignation. She wanted to get done as swiftly as she could, and avoid Sloan's lecture about settling down as much as possible. The others in Carvahall may have disapproved of her habits but Sloan was, by far, the most vocal. Taking a breath for calm, she stepped into the shop. The spacious front room was warmed by a large fire in the stone fireplace, and was extremely clean, as if it was cleaned non-stop.
"Well, the mighty huntress rejoins the rest of us mortals. How many did you bag this time?" Sloan sneered at Nari. She forced herself not to roll her eyes, not wanting to antagonize him, and pulled her hood down.
"I bagged twenty four rabbits, twelve squirrels, and a deer. I will pay you two rabbits and a squirrel to skin and cut the rest. And I want the pelt back." Nari announced.
"Four rabbits, six squirrels." Sloan decided.
"Three rabbits, and three squirrels." She bargained.
"Four rabbits, two squirrels." Sloan allowed.
"Deal." She tipped her pack, spilling the rabbits and squirrels out onto the counter, retrieving the small tome she'd stowed in the bottom. "The deer's outside on the sled." Sloan came around the edge of the counter and hoisted the deer up into his arms. Dislodged, the egg wobbled forward, spinning on its side.
"What's that then?" Sloan asked gruffly.
"Nothing," she dismissed, "just a pretty stone I found in the Spine." At the mention of the Spine, his face turned red and he turned back toward the shop.
"I will be a while with these." He sneered over his shoulder. "Come back later."
"Thank you." Nari said politely, turning away. She turned her sled upside down now that it was empty, stowing the stone in the pack and setting the pack underneath the sled. She hugged the book close to her chest as she moved away.
Slipping down the side of the house, Nari knocked quietly on the door. Sloan's daughter Katrina opened it, smiling.
"Nari! You're back!" Katrina exclaimed, pleased.
"Hello Katrina. Roran asked me to deliver a message to you when I got back to town."
"Oh?" Katrina asked, leaning forward eagerly.
"He says he will be in town as soon as the merchants arrive and that he will see you then. He also wants you to know that he thinks you are the most beautiful girl he has ever seen and that he thinks of nothing else." Katrina's smile widened and pink filled her cheeks.
"Thank you, Nari. Would you mind terribly taking a message back? Tell him I eagerly await the Traders' arrival and that I will count the days until I see him again. Tell him I want none but him."
"I'll tell him." Nari assured her. "I'd best go. I want to stop by and visit Brom while I'm waiting on your father."
"Take care." Katrina called as Nari turned away.
"You too!" Nari called over her shoulder. She wove between the houses, heading for the edge of town. Brom liked his privacy, but he never seemed to mind her visits, even when he grumbled. Stepping up to his door, she tapped lightly, knowing he'd hear it if he was home. She waited, but there was no answer. Sighing, she settled down to wait on his porch, flipping the book open to reread her favorite part.
Brom had not been when he'd discovered that Garrow had not taught either her or Roran how to read. Garrow didn't think they'd need it, destined for a simple life on the farm or as someone's wife. Brom, however, was of the opinion that everyone should know how to read. He'd sat her down on the days she'd come to town and worked painstakingly on teaching her to read. He'd even bought beginner books from the Traders last Spring so that she could learn without stumbling over larger 'd progressed to harder books now, but she was still nowhere near as skilled as Brom promised she could be. As she'd learned to sound out the words she didn't know, he'd started letting her borrow books from his collection. Some were children's tales or myths, while others were histories. She soaked up the knowledge and basked in his praise as her speed increased.
"Still reading? I'd have thought you'd have finished that one already." Brom's amused voice called out. She glanced up and smiled, watching him approach.
"I have." She called back. "I was just waiting on you." She closed the book easily. He huffed a laugh before pressing past her to unlock his door. As he entered, he left it open behind him and she followed him in.
"Well then, what did you think?" He asked.
"It was a good read, though there were some words that confused me. It also disagreed with the one you lent me last time, at least in some places." Brom nodded, almost in approval.
"Why did it do that?"
"Well, the one you gave me last week seemed to be written in favor of the Empire. This one seemed like it was against the Empire. It was also published much earlier than the last one."
"Very good. This time I'm going to give you a different one. Same topic, but a different opinion on things." Brom was already up and shuffling around the room, replacing the book she'd brought back and pulling another from the shelves. "We'll talk about what you think is truth and what you think are prejudices getting in the way next time." He told her with a smile. She smiled back, hugging the new book close. "How was your hunt?"
"It was interesting. I managed to get quite a lot; I even managed to get a doe this time."
"Good, good!" For a moment, she debated telling him about the strange stone she'd found. Then she changed her mind. Even if he was in a good mood now, he could get grumpy without warning if she said the wrong thing.
"I'd better go," she said instead. "Sloan must be done with the meat by now.
"Go on, then." Brom said gruffly. "Make sure you don't get the blood on that book!"
"I promise," she called as she shut the door behind her. As predicted, Sloan had been as quick as he usually was and grumbled that she'd taken so long to come back. She kept her tongue in check as best she could, and loaded the meat onto the sled. She caught him frowning at the stone once more, and quickened her pace. As soon as everything was loaded, she waved to him in thanks and headed for home.
It was already dark by the time the farm came into sight. She knocked on the farmhouse's door. No one came to the door and she frowned. She knocked again, harder, and shouted out who she was. The door opened and Garrow immediately pulled her in.
"Did you buy meat?" Garrow demanded.
"No, uncle. I traded Sloan so that he'd prepare the meat. I managed to get the hides back too." She answered softly.
"What's this?" He asked suspiciously, rolling the stone in his palms.
"I found it in the Spine. If we need to, we can sell it when the Merchants come." She answered as she pulled her hood off, putting it on the hook by the door. Garrow grunted his approval.
"How was the weather?" Garrow asked, handing the stone back.
"Cold." She warned him. "It didn't snow, but it froze every night and the wind was getting stronger." Garrow's face turned grim, looking worried.
"Roran and I will need to work fast, then. If we can get the barley and squash picked, the frost won't bother us, but if it snows we'll be in trouble if we don't have most of it done."
"If you'd let me help-" Nari began.
"No." Garrow barked sternly. Seeing her face, his expression softened. "Go on to bed. Roran is in his room. We will see you tomorrow." He turned, and Nari headed towards her room with a sigh. She pulled up the floor board and slipped the book below. The stone she put on the shelf above her bed.
Dawn broke the next the morning and Nari awoke. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. For eight nights she'd slept on the forest floor. As much as she enjoyed her trips into the forest, she'd missed her bed. A knock on her door startled her.
"Hold on!" She called, slipping out of bed to pull on her clothes. "Alright!" Her cousin, a sturdy man of seventeen, entered at her call. She smiled at him, watching with amusement as his eyes scanned her for visible injuries.
"I'm glad you're back. Did you get the message to Katrina?" he asked, pretending innocence. Nari rolled her eyes and relayed Katrina's message. Roran's face lit up in delight and he thanked her warmly.
"Father has food waiting when you're ready." Roran informed her.
"I'll be out in a minute," she promised. He nodded and left. She sat on her bed with a sigh, slipping her boots on. Without Roran present, it was easy enough to slip into her own thoughts. Sixteen years ago today, a knock had come on Uncle Garrow's door. Uncle Garrow and his wife Marian had welcomed Nari's mother in, her belly round with child. She refused to speak of where she'd been for the past six years, refused even to speak the name of her child's father. She was clothed in fine fabrics and jewels. Five months later, her daughter came screaming into the world. It wasn't even two days later that Selena had forced herself out of bed and began to gather supplies to leave. She had begged her brother to raise her daughter alongside his son. 'Just as we were raised,' Garrow had once told Nari, though whether those were her mother's words or Garrow's she could not be sure. When questioned, her mother had only insisted that it was for the best. The only thing Nari had from her mother was her name. Selena had given her the name Nari before disappearing, never to be heard from again. Garrow and Marian had been as good as their word. They'd raised her equal to their son, so much so that, until Marian's death seven years ago, Nari had thought herself Marian's own daughter. It had come as a bitter disappointment that she was not.
Going to the nightstand, she splashed her face with water, washing her neck and arms quickly. She would need to clean today while Garrow and Roran harvested. The house would have been a mess while she was gone. With an amused shake of her head, she headed into the kitchen.
Together they ate companionably before Garrow and Roran headed out into the fields. Squaring herself, Nari set to work. The floors and tables were scrubbed, the dishes were done, and then Nari set dinner to begin to cook.
With her work done, waiting for dinner to cook, Nari went to her room and opened her book. She did not dare bring it into the kitchen, where Garrow would scoff and scowl if he saw it.
"Af-ter After the fall of the Riders, King Galbatorix m-ar-ch-ed marched his arm-y army again-st against the elves. There he de-fe-at-ed defe-at-ed," Nari paused, struggling. Then she remembered. When two vowels walk together, the second is silent, Brom's gruff voice reminded her. "defeated the king of the elves, E-v-an-der Evander."
That day and the next passed in a similar manner while Roran and Garrow harvested the fields. The following seven consisted of storing the harvested food for winter. With this, Garrow allowed Nari to help. Pickling, salting, and shelling could be a woman's work as well as a man's, after all. Nari had wanted to point out that hunting was hardly woman's work, but she was afraid that doing so might cause Garrow to forbid her to continue. He barely tolerated her doing so now as it was. If she hadn't come back with those two fat rabbits the first time she'd snuck into the forest, he probably still wouldn't.
Nine days after Nari returned from the Spine, the blizzard hit. The snow came down in waves, swallowing the fields and blanketing the countryside. The wind roared, shaking the shutters of the cabin. Garrow refused to allow Nari out, sending Roran out only to gather firewood and feed the animals. All three of them hovered around the kitchen stove, even bringing their pallets out to sleep in front of it for warmth.
Days later, the storm finally passed, leaving behind a world of snow. The snow drifts were stunning, and Nari had done the first thing that had come to mind. Leaping past, Garrow's form, she had run out into the snow. Waist-deep in the snow, giddy and happy, playing like the girl she was. Roran joined her, and they started a snowball fight and shoved each other into the cold. Roran grabbed Nari and tossed her over his shoulder, spinning in place. She laughed and squealed, unable to speak long enough to demand to be put down. She saw Garrow smiling despite himself from the front porch.
Later that evening, though, things turned grim. "The Traders may not come this year, with things this bad," Garrow warned. "They're late as it is. It may be that the snow has slowed them down, though. We'll give them a chance and wait before heading into Carvahall, but if they don't show soon, we'll have to buy any spare supplies from the townspeople."
The small family grew anxious, the days drew on with no sign of the traders. They didn't talk much, unless you count Nari reading from the scrolls given to her by Brom. It took her mind off her worries, but only for a little while. If the Traders didn't come soon, their family would suffer, meat or no meat. Garrow took her aside to warn her that they should try to sell the stone so that they could get extra supplies, just in case. She'd agreed, though her heart was heavy. She'd found that caressing the stone before sleeping had soothed in her some unexplainable way. She'd be sad to part with it.
On the eighth morning after Garrow's announcement, Roran returned from the road and confirmed that the traders had not yet passed. The day was spent readying for the trip into Carvahall, gathering whatever they could bear to sell. The deer hide and rabbit skins she'd hoped to use to make a blanket and some mittens also went into the wagon, but she kept the stone close to her. She would not let go until she absolutely had to.
That evening, Nari went out to the road once more. She saw tracks that were obviously from the Merchants and yelped with delight. She ran back to the house, laughing loudly.
"Uncle! Roran!" she cried, chest heaving. "They've come!"
I was not sure exactly what the trade would be for a small doe and bagful of rabbits and squirrels being skinned and cut, so please be gentle in that regard. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.