Envy
Chapter 1
Nasuada stood looking down at the shattered window that was behind Orrin's high throne. A bloody knife still lay beside Orrin's lifeless body, along with the killer a man who had been struck down by eleven simultaneous attacks, five physical and six mental. Nasuada shuddered as she again realized how powerful a magician was. Here was a man who had been killed in an instant by a muttered word. A pudgy dwarf waddled over and said through his massive beard,
"The killer swung from a rope on the roof through the window and struck the King down with that knife before he could even turn around. The magicians and the body-guards attacked with all possible speed, but it was already to late." Nasuada looked across into the mass of the Varden's camp. Orrin's house-castle was only a tent with a large wooden canopy above it. This allowed any one that wanted to get on the roof to do so without notice, for people where kept well away from the tent.
"Do we need a successor for Orrin?" She spoke to the tall elf beside her, Faolin.
"Ordinarily I would say that Orrin's death was a tragedy. However, he accomplished so little that his death will be hardly noticed. If you want my honest assessment, Nasuada, I would tell you that you would be a better ruler of this country." Nasuada looked at him, then to the young woman beside him.
"Trianna?" She looked up from the grass below, studying the crime scene.
"I don't think you need my opinion. Orrin did little else but work in that useless laboratory of his." She looked lovingly at Faolin. "And he was already given you all the advice you need." Nasuada thought over all that had been said. Her as the queen of Surda. She sighed and turned to Jormundur.
"How go our movements?" The stout man looked at a piece of paper he held. "They go well. Another day and half of march and we will be inside bow shot range of the walls of Belatona." A runner jogged up to Jormundur and whispered in his ear, grinning wildly. A smile broke out on Jourmundr's face.
"Lady Nasuada, our forces have just finished capturing the cities of Melian, Furnost, and Aroughs." Nasuada sighed with relief. Finally some good news.
"Very good." Jormundur continued.
"Several hundred of the men that we sent there are now on the way back, and should reach us in about two days." Another runner came to Jormundur and whispered.
"And the elves have captured Therinsford, Narda, and Gilead." Nasuada smiled. That left the Empire cornered. Trianna snapped her fingers.
"Oh yes, Nasuada, Orrin wanted me to give this to you." She held out her hand to show the tube that Orrin had shown her that held the quick silver that would only go down so far. She took it and rolled it in her hands. A few rough edges caught the attention of her roaming hands. She looked at it and was surprised to see words written on it. She looked closely at it but she couldn't read it.
"Faolin. What does this say?" The elf took the tube and frowned at it.
"Eru ono du drottning. It is an informal way of saying, You are the Queen. By the look of it I can tell it's Orrin's writing." The blood drained from Nasuada's head.
If he wanted this to be for me, and he wrote that on the tube then it must mean he wants me of all people to succeed him. She told her thought to Trianna and she frowned, appearing thoughtful.
"It makes sense. Shall I announce to the Varden of your queen ship?" Nasuada nodded.
"Do that I guess." Trianna turned and walked off to the center of the marching men. She announced what had been decided and the men stared at Nasuada with a new found respect. Nasuada groaned as a burst of pain shot up from her arms. A cool, calm and even voice spook from behind her.
"Are you well?" She spun around and assumed a surprised expression.
"Blodhgarm. I am fine." The blue furred elf reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Merely because we are not mates does not mean that we can not be civil. I asked a simple question, only desiring to know if you are well." Nasuada sighed.
"No I am not well. My arms hurt more and more each day, but I will live." Blodhgarm removed his hand and shook his long mane.
"I did not mean to cast judgment on your strength." He turned then and ran off. Nasuada watched him go then turned her attention, and with it her quickly beating heart, away from the blue-furred elf. It's over, Nasuada. He and you are over. Stop thinking about him. She took three steps forward and a light in the far distance caught her eye. A glowing red dot on the far northern sky.
"Thorn!"
*********
Eragon held on with all his massive strength as Thorn dove from the sky to the Varden's camp. Thorn was going faster then he had in their entire trip, and as a result Eragon difficulty holding on. Less then two hundred feet in the air Thorn ripped open his wings and Eragon was flung around like a rag doll. Saphira! Thorn's mental shout was so loud that horses three miles away flicked their ears in annoyance. He landed with a loud BOOM and Eragon jumped off and landed on his hands and knees, gasping. Saphira dove from the sky to the east and landed, more quietly, then Thorn. She pushed her head under Thorn's and hummed. Thorn reacted with an equal amount of love and affection. Brom jumped off Thorn and landed in a similar fashion as Eragon. Gridor landed and ran forward a few steps. He looked up at Thorn.
"Nicely done." Then he walked off to some random portion of the moving Varden. The ground for a few paces in every direction was vibrating from the strength of Thorn and Saphira's humming.
He hatched. Saphira words were formal but it took Eragon a moment to realize what she meant.
She's a mother. Eragon jerked as a yellow mass rammed into him. He was pushed to the ground and looked up into the scaly forehead of a dragon. Saphira hummed in amusement.
Maraw, get off my Rider. The dragon looked up at her, and then caught sight of Thorn. He started to jump up and down, making strange excited sounds. Saphira cast her blue eyes at Thorn.
He wants to met his father. Thorn laid his head down beside his son and with a sound like rusty bells jingling Maraw jumped up and started to bit his father's ear. Thorn chuckled as his tiny teeth tried to bit through his hard scaled ear. Saphira moved her head down below Maraw and picked him up by the tail. Maraw let out an indianite squeak and started to wave his wings and kick his legs. Thorn began to laugh in a dragon's odd manner, and after a moment Saphira joined him.
From the corner of his eye Eragon saw Murtagh approach, with a tall silver haired elf. Murtagh rapped his arms around the neck of his dragon, and Thorn hummed.
"Eragon." The brisk word came from his right and he looked to see Trianna, Nasuada, and to his distaste, Faolin. To his surprise Trianna and Faolin walked hand in hand. His name had been spoken by Nasuada, and he turned and bowed to her.
"Lady Nasuada."
"Come with me, please Eragon and who I assume is Brom." Brom got up and followed his son to the red command tent that served as her meting place. She sat in her high backed chair and Eragon and Brom took their place in folding chair's in front of her.
"Now, Eragon I must inform you of what has happened recently. As I'm sure you are aware, Orrin was killed in one of his meetings. As a result I am now Queen of Surda, as well as the leader of the Varden. I trust you can appreciate how difficult, how insanely impossible it is for one person to fill both those posts. I have not gotten a small scrap of sleep in the past week, every few minutes I'm assaulted by some noble. So, and I dislike doing this, I have decided to intact a whim of fate that never happened." Eragon frowned.
"What do you mean?" Nasuada leaned back in her chair.
"Do remember what I told you before we attacked the Empire on the Burning Plains? I told you that in the event of my death that you would take my place as leader of the Varden." Eragon nodded, although a pit was forming in his stomach.
"So then, I have decided to act out that death. I can not continue to lead both Surda and the Varden. I am in control of almost thirty thousand men and woman and it is too much. So I have decided that you will take my place as leader of the Varden, so that we can more accurately attack the Empire when I am not so tired and weary." Eragon groaned. As his lord she had the right to order him to take the post. But he hated the idea of leading the whole Varden by himself.
"But-" Nasuada raised her hand.
"There is more. My arms. I can not fight with them. If I were attacked without my guards around I would be killed with no effort on the attackers part." Eragon glowered.
"I half believe you took on the role in the Trial merely so you could make an excuse not to partake of any form of hard work." Brom, still looking at Nasuada, hit Eragon over the head so hard Eragon's head went to the table and nearly hit it.
"Please excuse that last comment my son made." Nasuada smiled at the two of them for a moment and then turned series again.
"Eragon I need you to lead the Varden. You do not understand how disastrous it could be if I continue to lead both the Varden and Surda. I need you to lead the Varden, as I know you are capable of." Eragon thought. If he lead the Varden, and then made a mistake, it would mean catastrophic punishments for every living person in Alagaesia. But what choice did he have in the argument?
"Alright, fine. But I expect that you will give me orders on what to do." Nasuada nodded.
"I will have Jormundur do most of that." Eragon and Brom left the tent and went back to were Saphira and Thorn were playing with their child.
At different times the two larger dragons would extend their tails and flick Maraw, at which time he would snap playfully at them. His tail wagged like a dog's, and it looked to Eragon like he was snarling, though to Saphira it was more like a joy filled smile. Eragon walked up and saw that Faolin was lying on Saphira's leg, watching them play. To his right sat Trianna. To his left Kecra, in cat form, was watching as if he could actually see it. Faolin had an arm draped over Trianna's shoulder and Trianna was leaning against him. A tall silver haired elf, whom Eragon had never seen, was walking up to the three of the. Eragon looked down at Trianna as she looked warmly at him.
"Who's that?" She cast a eye at him.
"That would be your son." Eragon barely had time to reply with shook before the elf walked into the small clearing made by Saphira's body. He looked at Eragon with startling silver eyes, and then cast his eyes at Trianna. He jerked his head at Eragon and in a smooth but rough voice said,
"He's my father?" Trianna dipped her head. The boy looked back at him and to Eragon's surprise and anger burst out in a laugh.
"Ha. I take back what I said about wishing you would stop pretending Faolin was my father. It's a lot better then this mess." Eragon glowered at him but then stopped.
He's got a right I suppose. At that instant a tall blonde girl came around the corner of Saphira's shoulder and Eragon, dismayed, recognized Elva. She did not cast so much more then a glance at Eragon but went to his son and he rapped an arm around her. She dipped her head at him.
"Eragon." Through his surprise he was barely able to reply,
"Elva." Elva didn't even seem to hear him but looked up at the slightly taller boy beside her.
"Are we going to go somewhere tonight?" He kissed her on her gedwëy ignasia and said,
"Your choice. I found a really good out cropping of rock that's perfect to watch the sunset." He leaned down and with Eragon's powerful hearing he heard him whisper,
"And a dark cave not to far from it." Elva smiled and almost mockingly looked at Eragon as she replied,
"That sounds pleasant." The boy, whatever his name was, looked at Eragon and his eyes tightened for a moment then he looked down at Elva again.
"Well I have work for the Varden to do. Meet you there at sundown?" Elva nodded and the boy placed a hand on her forehead. Eragon felt the transfer of directions from him to her.
"Hold on." The boy stopped as he was about to leave.
"What do you want?" Eragon shifted his weight to the other leg before saying,
"First, what is your name?" The boy smiled and said,
"Reja." Eragon nodded.
"As the new leader of the Varden, I reassign you to the task of cleaning up after the horses that just went across the river." He did not like being mean to his own son, but he had to make Reja understand that he was in charge, not him. Reja's eyes flared for an instant then he turned and walked in the opposite direction.
"Alright." Elva had a far worse reaction.
"What? Who made you leader of the Varden. Eragon turned looked at her.
"Nasuada."
She turned and walked off. Or more accurately stormed off. Eragon waited until the others were back to doing what they had been doing and then followed her. She was walking in what appeared to be the direction of her old caretaker's tent. Reaching out he grabbed her by the arm and took her in between two tents. "
What do you want?" She looked at him with a guarded expression.
"You know very well what I want." Elva shrugged.
"Strange. Last I checked you didn't have the power to make someone think something" Eragon strove to remain calm and he succeeded.
"Do you hate me or something?" Elva looked at him as if he had said something stupid.
"I hate almost everything, Shadeslayer." The last word was almost an insult.
"Don't insult me. When did you start seeing Reja?" A slow smile seemed to be gathering on her face, but not so much that Eragon could challenge her with.
"Why do you ask?" Eragon bit back a sharp reaction then calmly said,
"Because he is my son." Elva shrugged again.
"Well there's nothing that's getting in my way." She cast a blue eye at him.
"Is there?" Eragon thought for a moment. What was she trying to do?
"I can not think of anything." Elva moved the ball of her shoulder in such a way that it wriggled the strap holding her dress up loose. Slowly, every so slowly, she moved towards Eragon.
"That's strange." Eragon frowned and backed up against the tree that was behind him, ready to jump around it to retreat further.
"What?" Elva angled her advanced side ways so that it was pointing at her tent, which to Eragon's dismay was less then ten feet away.
"Every time I'm around you I get this urge." She took another step towards him and the strap that still held her dress up slipped down half an inch.
"This urge to have you on top of me, doing all these great things." With a sheer force of will Eragon snapped his fingers, freezing her feet with invisible chains.
"Stop it Elva." She smiled in a sly way.
"You know Eragon, Arya isn't here. Neither is Reja. My tent is not ten feet to our left." She leaned forward and whispered,
"Our left. We can do whatever we want and they won't know about it." Eragon shook his head. No. Honeyed seduction.
"No." Elva sighed, still with a grin on her face, and placed a hand on her leg. She slowly dragged it down her leg until she reached the invisible chains that held her in place.
"You know what's an interesting by-product of Saphira's blessing?" She tapped the chains and stood. Slowly she raised and wiggled a foot.
"I can destroy any magic that holds me." Eragon's heart pumped.
No. I swore that I would not betray Arya again, and I meant it. Elva smiled and took another step in his direction.
"Another great by-product of her blessing is I act like a mirror. Any magic directed at me, no matter the summoner, will be turned on them." Eragon looked down at his legs and only then realized that he could not move. Elva took another step and raised a hand towards his waist. A hurricane of wind ripped through where Eragon and Elva were and a voice spook from behind Eragon.
"Elva. I agreed to get Eragon for you, under the perception that you had fallen in love with Reja." A burst of flame melted the tree Eragon was leaning against, but did not burn him. Gridor stood at his full height and looked down at Elva. She looked up at the Mecch and then withdrew her hand and re-did the strap on her shoulder. She turned then stopped. She looked back at Eragon and said,
"This isn't over. Two have broken away from two, one has joined four, and the Carrier has entered. It's only a matter of time."