I Love My Mate
Yea yea I know but hey I had a sudden surge of Dragon Fever lol. Seriously though, it's just another short one though so it's all good lol. Keep in mind, I will be jumping around instead of a full re-telling mainly because of the amount of time that would take is something I don't have.
That being said, the first chapter was well received so I figured one more wouldn't hurt so for all of you who wanted it here ya go! Consider this the first of many.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters are copyright of Christopher Paolini
"You will never see a more majestic creature in all Alagaesia." One of the elves, Nari if Eragon recalled, exclaimed for the hundredth time as Saphira swam in the river beside them as they continued their trek minus the dwarven company.
'Do they ever stop?' Eragon thought to Saphira as she poked her head from the water. 'Once or twice is fine but over a hundred?'
'Jealous my love?' Saphira thought with a sly smirk as she waded close to his arm in the water.
'Well they are continuously staring at you...' Eragon thought back as Saphira nudged his arm with her snout.
'Well I do cut a striking figure, as you well know.' she thought with a smirk that made Eragon blush.
'And you love to flaunt it around me.' Eragon thought back as Saphira nipped his fingers playfully.
'A week without you in my grasp...you do realize you have a lot of make-up to do?' Saphira asked "innocently as Eragon sighed.
'Yes my mistress.' he replied with a smile as she splashed him.
'And don't you forget it!' she thought back as she sent him a very graphic image of one of their earlier memories. 'I'll have you begging on your knees in under a minute.'
'Can't wait my mate.' Eragon replied as Saphira swam away while moving her tail a little more than normal and giving Eragon a brief glimpse of something only he will ever see.
"Tease." he whispered under his breath as he turned away and had to shift a little to get more comfortable from her double assault.
-Scene Change-
It was night as they broke camp in a small clearing in Du Weldenvarden and Eragon had just started falling asleep until a loud crash was heard outside his tent. Jumping up and grabbing Zar'roc he rushed outside only to see Orik being wrestled on the ground by Nari and Lafean while Arya was murmuring a spell and within seconds a loud pop was heard and Orik stopped thrashing.
"Uh why are you on the ground?" Eragon asked as Orik grumbled.
"Mark my words elf, I will not be controlled by elven magic again! Any more and I will leave and return to Tronjheim and you will have the might of the Ingeitum to deal with!" Orik roared as Arya tried to placate him.
"It was not my intention to have us anywhere near Silthrim during Dagshelgr but I miscounted the days until the event." she said as Eragon looked confused.
"Dagshelgr?" he questioned as Arya nodded.
"We sing to the plants and animals and our words work magic to stimulate growth and allow the forest to flourish. The more elves that join the song, the stronger the magic and the farther the song reaches." she explained as Eragon thought for a moment before shrugging.
"Damn elven magic." Orik said as he sat near Eragon. "Why aren't you affected?" he whispered quietly as Arya stared back at Silthrim with hungry eyes and the two elves went back to guard duty with subdued expressions.
"Why would I be? The song invokes feelings of love and Saphira is my only love you know. Also, being mated to a dragon allows one to shrug off things like that after a while." Eragon said just as quietly.
"So you're immune because she is always on your mind and her draconic influence wards it away?" Orik questioned as Eragon nodded.
"Kinda like how only other dragons could sniff her scent on me right now and that would tell them that I am taken and my scent on her let's them know she's taken. It wards off other dragons and our deeper connection now allows us to ignore or shrug off things like this." Eragon explained as Orik finally understood.
"Lucky you." Orik grumbled as Eragon gave a small chuckle. "So you are also immune to Arya then."
"You mean her scent? Yes, when I first smelt it I thought it was nice but after a while it makes me want to puke until you learn that all elves have that same thing. According to Brom, they use it as to coerce information from anyone they want without the person even being aware of it." Eragon said as he remembered the times he smelled it when he was around Arya and the questions she asked when he did.
Before either of them could continue the conversation a rush of wind was heard as Saphira carefully landed in their small encampment. 'There's animals going crazy in the trees,' she explained as Eragon nodded as a pair of raccoons invaded their camp in a very...provocative position. 'And in our camp it seems.'
"Well good luck getting any sleep tonight." Orik grumbled as Eragon couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping him.
"Eragon, how were you not affected?" Arya asked suddenly as Eragon gave her a shrug.
"Brom warned me about some of the elven customs and their effects so he helped me overcome them through meditation but it wasn't easy." Eragon said as Arya looked at him for a moment before nodding.
"Brom was always studious about our magic so him developing a way around them isn't surprising." Arya said finally as she turned back to her watch.
"He was surprising alright." Eragon agreed as he settled next to Saphira's underbelly and she curled up around him. Before they fell asleep they allowed their minds to join fully and the result was a very special dreaming session of them flying together and forever happy.
-Scene Change-
Ellesmera looked deserted at first until Eragon and Saphira stepped into it with Arya and then the elves revealed themselves. Many elves had hair of either silver or sable with a few sporting a very light blonde but Arya seemed to be the only with midnight black hair. It was odd but Eragon just decided that it was a rarity and left it at that.
The procession continued into the city while elves laughed and played above them and more than one offered their blessings to Saphira, who seemed to bask in the praise. Eragon gave out a few waves of his own but looking closer at the eyes of a few younger elves he saw something else besides praise. He saw jealousy and a few even had a hint of malice towards him for being chosen over them. 'I'm going to have to watch my back while we are here.' he thought to Saphira as she snorted.
'They will do nothing while I am here and if they do something to you then let's just say they won't have a nice time.' she thought back with a fierce protectiveness that made Eragon smile.
'I'm going to have a hard time walking tomorrow aren't I?' he thought innocently as Saphira paused for a moment.
'What makes you think I'll even let you try to walk away tomorrow? What if I tie you to the bed and refuse to let you leave?' Saphira asked curiously as Eragon shrugged.
'Then I just won't make any plans then.' Eragon replied as they approached a grand hall with a large throne at the center and an entourage of elven lords and ladies. Seated on the throne was Islandzadi, the queen of the elves and by her expression she was staring almost hopefully at the group. Her face showed signs of aging as if she had experienced loss and her eyes were a dull green with little sense of life.
Stopping in front of the throne, Arya was the first to bow, followed by the other elves and Orik went next but Eragon and Saphira remained where they were. This didn't go unnoticed by the elves or Islandzadi as her eyes gave a brief flash of disrespect and the elves along the wall had brief flashes of narrowed eyes but Eragon was unmoved. After all, the Riders were not bound to anyone in the past so why would give someone he didn't know a way to control him? Not even Nasuada had control over him since he didn't swear in the Ancient Language.
The dwarves were different as Hrothgar had been the one to offer him his clanship and of the three races he trusted them more, at least they told you if they wanted to kill you.
With grace and poise, Islandzadi slowly stood and approached the party and stopped in front of Arya with a pained expression. After a moment of looking at her, Islandzadi put her hands to her face and cried. "Oh my daughter, how I have wronged you." The elves seated along the walls were shocked as mother and daughter engaged in a hug and whispered words to each other as the rest looked on.
After they exchanged a few more pleasantries, and Islandzadi looking a little more lively, the queen moved on to Orik. "It has been many years since one of your race has walked in our halls dwarf. How fares Hrothgar?"
"He fares very well in these troubled times." Orik replied as he brought out a scroll. "I bring this from him for the royal greetings and a plea for you all to aid the Varden once more."
Taking the scroll from and quickly reading it she offered Orik a smile. "If you get the chance, tell Hrothgar he has my thanks and my support should he need it." Stepping away from Orik she then turned to Eragon and Saphira. "It has been so long since a Rider has visited our fair forest. It gladdens me to know that there is hope for the future of the Riders."
"I don't plan on dying any time soon so there should be." Eragon replied with a smile that made Islandzadi relax.
"And it's our duty to make sure you don't." she replied as he too gave her a scroll. "From the Varden." she surmised as he nodded. "In my folly and grief I allowed our allies to suffer due to my blindness. Fear not, we shall assist them and much more thanks to your rescue of my daughter. Might I know the name of the Rider who saved my precious daughter?"
"Eragon Shadeslayer." Eragon replied simply as Islanzadi's eyes widened and the elves sucked in an audible breath.
"And your's fairest dragon?" she asked nervously as Saphira gave a puff of smoke.
'Saphira Brightscales.' This time the elves did a double take and Islandzadi looked like she grew another head.
"You carry a powerful name Shadeslayer, one that we rarely bestow anymore. I welcome you Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Brightscales to Ellesmera." With that, she strode to the door overlooking the city and said something in the Ancient Language that had the elves all cheer and run about like chickens with their heads cut off.
"What exactly did she say?" Eragon asked as Nari smiled.
"To break open our finest casts and light the cook-fires, for tonight shall be a night of feast and song!" Nari said as Eragon sighed warily as Nari grabbed his hand and dragged him off.
-Scene Change-
True to Nari's words the city was alight with various fires and music with the largest near them as a large table was laid out with a fine tablecloth and utensils as a band arranged themselves on a stage and their music joined the others as they were sat at the table, Eragon refused point blank to be seated anywhere other than beside Saphira, and soon the aroma of food wafted through the air that made Eragon's mouth water.
After being offered a goblet of what was called Faelnirv and filling his plate with what he could, Eragon was approached by a very irate Arya. "Why did you not bow in the throne room?" she hissed quietly as to not disturb Saphira and her pie.
"Must we go over this again?" Eragon asked with a sigh as Arya narrowed her eyes some more. "Saphira and I bow to no one remember? No race or leader ever dared to tell a Rider what to do or allow them any measure of control over them so why should I be the first to have someone lord over me?" With that he turned back to his food in clear dismissal as Arya clenched her hands and stalked away.
'Your attitude isn't winning you friends my love.' Saphira thought as Eragon shrugged.
'For some reason, I really don't care.' he thought back as Saphira graced him with a smile, complete with bits of food in her teeth.
'It seems being mated to me is rubbing off on you then. You are taking on the attitude of a dragon that cares for little but it's mate. Another sign that I have chosen right.' she replied as he gave her a smile of his own.
'I'm not going to start growing scales right?' he asked sarcastically.
'No only your attitude...and maybe your ferocity in battle will change but that's it.' Saphira replied wistfully. 'Though you would probably look good as a dragon.' she finished cheekily as Eragon shook his head at her.
'I love you Saphira.' Eragon said as Saphira embraced him in her mind.
'And I you my mate and tonight is when we will prove it. Over and over again if need be.' Saphira responded as Eragon blushed.
He definitely wasn't walking the next morning and the elf knocking on their door was promptly propelled off the platform of the tree-house by a very irate dragon.
