Late afternoon it was now, with the sun very slightly poking out of the forest canopy. The rocky floor was cold under Saphira's belly. The cave was still filled with the scent of blood, now drier than usual…and another smell was in her vicinity.
Deer. A scraggly little lump of brown and white fur lay to her right. It smelled of an unfamiliar smell, one that was moist and bitter. Her mind was clear now, and she knew what it was. Eragon smelled of it after Gil'ead, and through his memories she recognized it. It was the venom.
Eragon narrated his escape to her proudly. She now remembered; Eragon had urged himself against eating, as the food and water was tainted. Yet she was so hungry…for over three days, she learned, she had been in the cave without food and unconscious. A dragon could not live with little food, but she refrained from giving in to the temptation.
After a few more hours of keeping her mind busy so as to resist eating, Thorn arrived. Her mind was perfectly unclouded, and she understood the situation.
You have not eaten.
The food is contaminated. Of your doing, I suppose?
Not willingly, but yes.
Why, Blood-scale, have you betrayed me? We were allies once, bent on escaping when time allowed us to do so, yet now you are a slave.
I hatched for Murtagh because he wanted to escape too. Two strong bodies and minds with the same ideas and purposes would be better than one. I did not know what would happen if I hatched then; every memory I received were empty of the knowledge of oaths. Again, I do not freely serve Galbatorix.
Break this chain I am bound with, and the Varden shall come to free you and your Rider.
It is not of my make. Galbatorix enchanted it himself and I do not know how to sever its links. Besides, I fear that freedom is not coming for us.
Do not think so. A change in your true name would allow you to escape, and the elves, with combined power, are strong enough to counteract any spell Galbatorix has placed upon you and your Rider. They would more eagerly do so, for they respect dragons more than any other creature. I would know.
As my Rider has stated, neither of us would want to change ourselves for freedom. To be free but not to be yourself would be like freeing another. Understand, Water-scale, that it is not as simple as your ideas. If a way for me to escape existed, Galbatorix would know of it. This is why…I willingly captured you. You are the one who knows me best, other than my Rider. Please, help me create a way for me to freedom.
Saphira studied his request. And that is my purpose here?
Yes, in my eyes. But not in Galbatorix's. He thinks you of value for-
Yes,I know why…and the reason raises my suspicion. How do I know that this is not a ploy to get us closer together and eventually resurrect the dragon race, with every egg and dragon at his disposal? Galbatorix is likely to be cunning enough to come up with the idea, and it serves his purposes very well. Answer that, Blood-scale.
Thorn appeared troubled by her question. Hmm…interesting how you are paranoid enough to suspect every action of mine Galbatorix's make. Very well. I shall do one deed that you ask of me, and I expect you to accept mine.
Saphira had already created one as he talked. Hunt me a larger deer daily, free of Galbatorix's foul potions, and I will undertake your appeal. If it is untainted, then I will be able to expose every tactic Galbatorix throws at me through you, if you are lying, but still leaving my hunger satiated. Also, I assume you will help me free myself from this accursed cave. Just bring me one today. Agreed?
Agreed. Thorn left once again, leaving Saphira to think of their conversation.
Another dragon was helping her…though not as much as she would like. She recalled the many days they spent communicating within their eggs, as rows upon rows of individuals came upon them and touched the eggs. Each one was still a servant of Galbatorix. Therefore, they agreed not to hatch for any one of them, even after finding a suitable Rider. It was the right action; their instinctual knowledge, as Saphira was taught, made each egg hatch during the most suitable time for the dragon race's welfare. They knew, from the thoughts of those who touched their eggs, that Galbatorix wanted to resurrect the dragons for his own purposes. Hence, if either egg was to hatch, for the green dragon was kept in a different area later on, the race would not continue as it should-free. They waited and waited, until Saphira was stolen from Galbatorix. Still, she did not hatch, for she could not find another suitable Rider. Until Eragon arrived. And now, she knew that Thorn finally hatched in hope of escape. Foolish, she thought. But could she critique the wiseness of dragon instincts? Maybe…he was made to hatch for a reason. The souls of dead dragons judge the proper time for an egg to hatch…She hatched at what she thought was the perfect time-her life was still excellent. There was just enough conflict to satisfy her needs. Then Thorn also hatched at the right time. But why now?
An hour had passed since Thorn had left. That was the average time Saphira took to hunt. And sure enough, he returned carrying a large deer within both his claws. He flung it at the entrance-just out of Saphira's reach-and landed beside it.
She struggled for a moment, stopped, and growled. Your aim is true, yet cruel.
Thorn smiled. A nudge is all that it would take for you to reach it, which I would be willing to do. But do you accept my request?
What is your proof that it is not poisoned?
Heat it with your fire, and smell the air. She did so. Notice that only the scent of roasted deer fills the cavern. If it were poisoned, the dragon's nose can sense it.
True…I accept it.
And with that, Thorn nudged it towards her.
Thank you. Now tell me, Blood-scale, when did you create this plan of escape?
When we were given the mission of capturing you.
So, until then, you had no intentions of actually obeying Galbatorix?
No.
Exactly. Do you know what that means?
I know not of this you speak of. Know that Galbatorix has taught us little, only of topics that would benefit us in fighting.
She exhaled through her nostrils, allowing smoke to cloud her snout for a moment. It means that you have done something you haven't done before.
And?
And you've changed. By doing something, even one that completely counteracts your purposes, your true name, your personality, changes partially.
Yet I cannot disobey Galbatorix. And believe me; I have made many attempts to do so recently.
This leads me to believe that he knows your new one. I suspect you are imbued with another spell which informs him of any change within your mind. I know that he cannot observe your thoughts directly without your Eldunari, but he must have guessed upon your new actions. Or did he take it?
If you speak of those colored live rocks he keeps giving to Murtagh before missions, then no.
Exactly.
So how, pray tell, do you think we can remove this curse of mine?
Know you little of the ancient language? Does your rider know more?
No. As I have already stated, we are not taught anything but battle-words.
Then I must find a solution myself. Now be gone; I wish to start eating my deer and study your problem
.
Goodbye, then, Water-scale. I expect a solution from you at some point.
Do not hope for one tomorrow. I cannot rush- But then, Thorn had already left.
Yeah, here's Chapter 2. I actually have 1 or 2 more chapters lying around, which I will only release after a few more positive reviews, but right now I just couldn't resist, lol. I actually have a strategy with this- If I release only one chapter at maximum every day and update only once at maximum every day, it will be close to the top of the "update date" list for a prolonged time.
If anybody finds any flaws or something, please put it in a review. Also, soon I probably will be taking requests, mainly because I'm out of ideas after I got to chapter 4. Thank you for all the positive reviews, and by "update soon," NimbusMM, I don't think you were expecting an update within a day of writing your review! I hope I didn't disappoint the readers of the previous chapter with this chapter, since the starts of my stories always seem to be the best part.
Lastly, keep reviewing, no matter the topic, because a simple "nice!" can motivate a writer, and saying what is good and what is bad can help the mentioned writer make his or her stories better. May the stars watch over you, miscellaneous readers of fanfictions!
