Disclaimer: The Inheritance Cycle belongs to Christopher Paolini.
Summary: Post Brisingr. Much hope is lost for the Varden after the death of Oromis and Glaedr. That is, until a mysterious ally appears. But can a total stranger be trusted? Aid is offered in their most hardest of times, and the Varden is desperate, but is being influenced by a person who they know nothing about worth the risk?
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Last time on Dawn of a New Era:
It was true, those words that were spoken. Eragon had only a short amount of training, nothing compared to the extensive amounts required to become a fully mastered dragon rider. There was no one here now to teach him either, leaving Saphira and him to fend for themselves. To be honest, Arya could help him very little. She could teach him of the Ancient language and magic, but he needed to learn from a master.
The two sat together in silence, pondering the future, and trying to put the past behind them.
There was disorder amongst the Varden. They had done all they could have possibly accomplished in the past week. They set up a more secure camp again, restocked supplies, buried the dead, and dealt with the prisoners. But at the moment it seemed, there was really nothing more they could actually do.
It had been seven days.
Seven days since the capture of Feinster. And yet, no orders had been issued regarding as to whether they should prepare for another battle. No one had even seen so much as the shadow of Nasuada for the past week, and it was stirring worries at the back of their minds. Everyone was beginning to ask questions. Questions such as, what if Galbatorix were to suddenly attack now, and with a full army? They were in no means ready for another war so soon, their people were still injured and in recovery, and many had not made it. But alas, all they could do for now was sit and wait till their leader had made a decision on a matter that they knew not of. And no one knew how long that could possibly take.
Nasuada herself was pacing around in her tent, still annoyed about the meeting she had been in with the war council hours earlier. Apparently an anonymous vote had been casted, and it had been decided they should wait and plan more strategies before going ahead with the sieges. They couldn't risk losing any more people than they already had, and they didn't have enough resources to last. But the problem, Nasuada thought, was the longer they waited, the more chance Galbatorix would have to stage a surprise attack on them. The more they waited, the more opportunity Galbatorix would have to unleash an invincible army on them. If no action were to occur, they could be easily defeated by surprise. But if they went ahead now without any clue as to what they were to do, they would also be the loser. The words of her late father, the greatest leader the Varden had ever seen echoed in her mind.
'Nasuada, never be irrational. Think things through. Do not act upon impulse, as I know you are one to so. Or you will find one day, that you may have won the battle, but you will lose the war.'
She knew that she acted on impulse much too often, but her natural instincts were the one thing she trusted. And right now they were telling her to move along with their original plan as intended, the only thing stopping her being the members of the war council. In truth, there was no one she could properly consult about her thoughts. Almost everyone had kept to themselves for the past week, hiding away from the crowds, including herself. Eragon and Saphira were nowhere to be seen, and that was really quite strange, as how could a dragon as large as Saphira be hidden so easily.
The twelve elven spell casters had since returned to Ellesmera to assist their Queen Islanzadí, and another group was due to arrive in three days. Strangely, and unexpectedly, Nasuada had been upset to see them go, as she had trusted them and held them in high esteem. This also caused her to worry about whether she would have as much faith in the new group as the standards had been pushed up high.
Much to her surprise also, Arya had decided not to return with them, and opted to stay for three more days, when both she and Eragon along with Saphira would head to Ellesmera for the mourning of Oromis and Glaedr. An invitation had been extended to Nasuada also, but unfortunately she had to decline it, as the Varden needed her to watch over them most right now. And in the end, her loyalties were lay in the Varden. Even Elva and Angela had left to participate in the mourning less than an hour ago, causing her some guilt.
Nasuada was so caught up in her thoughts, and pacing around the tent in a manic like state, she did not notice the knock on a post, and the person that had entered until they cleared their throat. She spun around immediately to see who had intruded her personal space, only to find it was one of the many guards that usually remained outside her tent, patrolling. She nodded, letting him know she was ready to listen to whatever he had come in to announce.
'Lady Nasuada, there is a visitor for you. A visitor, whom is not one of us.' he confided in her.
He then proceeded to walk out and lift the tent flaps to allow whoever Nasuada's unexpected visitor was to let themselves in.
Next Time on Dawn of a New Era:
'It is evident you know all about me, yet I know nothing about you. So I do expect you to explain something, anything to me.' she whispered lethally, her hand resting on her dagger.
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iDaringx3