Chapter 2: Cuts, Bruises and what not?
Roran was sitting in his tent, exhausted from the day's works. He had been working tirelessly to subdue the revolts that were beginning to take place around the city. The people did not know yet if Lady Lorana had been freed of her oaths from Galbatorix, as such the people of Feinster were ready to fight to death for her.
Roran had spent the entire the day running around with his men, shouting at the inhabitants that Lady Lorana was safe and being treated with respect worthy of her position. He had just reported to Nasuada that they should find a permanent way to stop these revolts. Nasuada decided then to allow Lady Lorana to give a speech to her subjects, telling them that the Varden meant no harm, and that the subjects were now free of the King's grasp.
Nasuada gave Roran the next day off, and had asked him to see if he could do something to get Eragon to come to the council meetings more frequently. Out the four council meetings, Eragon had attended only one, and Arya didn't attend a single one.
Nasuada was quite frustrated at both of them though she knew why they were acting like, but she kept the reason to herself. The other council members weren't so sympathetic and openly questioned whether Eragon had "lost it". It had taken all of Roran's self-control to maintain a straight face.
Roran finally got up, Katrina was asleep, on account of her pregnancy she had been asked to take rest more headed to Eragon's tent, it was surely empty as it had been for the last few days, but Roran knew he could ask one of Eragon's guards for his whereabouts.
Indeed, Eragon wasn't there in the tent so Roran asked an elf, who had a sort of dark blue fur, for Eragon's whereabouts. The elf closed his eyes and stayed like that for a while, Roran knew he was talking to someone using his mind, after which he said, "Saphira will come and pick you up and take you to him, she is just returning from her hunting trip."
"Thanks . . ."
"Blodhgarm."
"Thanks Blodhgarm, do you know why Eragon is acting so strangely?" Roran asked the elf.
"Indeed yes, he didn't tell you?" Blodhgarm replied.
"No, I didn't meet him after the battle . . . Well, what's the reason?"
"I suggest you ask him, for he knows more than me, and my telling you might just confuse you all the more. Forgive me but you are his cousin, Roran, yes?"
"Yes."
After a few minutes, Saphira landed in front of them, "Well are you going to get on Roran?"
"Nice to see you too, Saphira!" Roran replied, laughing.
They flew in silence, and in a couple of minutes, Saphira landed on the shore, a lone tree with two figures underneath it was a little way ahead of the.
"Roran, there's something going on there that you would love to see! Creep up to them as quietly as possible." Saphira told him.
Roran did as she told him, and was startled that in spite of her bulk and immense weight, Saphira was almost as stealthy as him, sometimes even more!
As they approached the tree, Roran saw Eragon and Arya in each other's arms, Arya seemed to be crying and Eragon appeared to be comforting her. Roran smirked, it looked like his cousin was enjoying allright! Both of them didn't notice Roran and Saphira, who stopped right behind them, on reaching there Roran understood what was really happening, which left him quite surprised.
"Arya, be strong, be strong like you used to be, our work isn't done yet, we have to avenge our family members, we have to avenge our homes and our people, the fate of Alagaesia rests on us Arya, we cannot lose now, we must hold on . . . . we must Arya. At least I won't let the deaths of my father, Oromis, Hrothgar, Ajihad and my uncle go in vain, I will fight Galbatorix, till either my dying day or his his . . . Will you join me Arya Shadeslayer?" Eragon looked at her after he finished talking
Arya looked up at him, eyes full of tears and nodded with a determined face.
"I will join you Eragon."
"Pity you can't say that in front of a large group, little one, you wouldn't have spoken even half of that if Nasuada asked you to make a speech in front of all of the Varden!" commented Saphira, voicing her thoughts aloud to all of them.
Roran laughed, even thought he tried to stop himself. Arya quickly let go of Eragon and looked at the ocean, wiping her tears.
"What is your problem Saphira?" Eragon asked her angrily, "I'll get back at you later; of course, I won't clean your teeth for you tomorrow."
Roran laughed and said, "Calm down Eragon, I wanted to meet you so I asked Saphira and she brought me here. By the way, why haven't you been coming to the camp lately, Nasuada is quite frustrated at you, both of you as a matter of fact. Why, you both hardly attended any of the Varden's meetings."
"Roran, my mentors passed away a couple of days ago, during the battle. They were killed by Galbatorix, through Murtagh and Thorn." Eragon replied sadly.
"Your mentors?"
" Aye, they were a dragon and Rider of the old order … the Rider's name was Oromis, and the dragon's name was Glaedr. Unluckily they were both handicapped and were much weaker than before . . . . And they couldn't risk showing themselves because they knew they were the only ones other than my father, who could teach the next dragon and Rider, so they remained hidden with the elves."
Eragon was in tears by the end of his explanation, Arya was also crying, even Saphira was sad.
"I am sorry Eragon, Arya and Saphira…."
Eragon nodded at him and placed an arm comfortingly around Arya's shoulders.