Chapter Three

Gil'ead

Sif left Ilirea early the next morning, while the sun was still rising. Saphira stood patiently while her partner's luggage was attached to her saddle, her wings rustling from time to time. Sif tried to say goodbye to her mother, but it was much more difficult than she had thought it would be.

'It's all right, Sif,' said Nasuada, trying to comfort her daughter. 'You're fine. Saphira will take care of you.'

'I know,' said Sif. 'I mean…' she sighed, trying not to cry.

'Here.' Nasuada held little Eragon out toward her. 'Say goodbye to your brother. He got out of bed early just to see you off.'

Eragon reached out a pudgy hand. 'Sif!'

Sif smiled and grasped it. 'I'll miss you too, Ergy.'

'Don't call him that,' said Nasuada.

Sif shrugged. 'That's how he says it.'

Eragon giggled. He had inherited his father Murtagh's dark brown eyes, but his skin was fairer than his sister's.

Sif sighed again and rubbed her eyes. She found her brother annoying most of the time, but she knew she was going to miss him. She was going to miss everything about her old home. 'I'll write to you every day,' she told her mother. 'I promise.'

'And so will I,' said Nasuada. 'I'll tell you everything that happens here while you're away, and you can ask me whenever you need advice.'

'How long will it take to get there?' said Sif. It hadn't occurred to her to ask earlier.

'About two days,' said Murtagh. 'Flying at a sensible pace. You could do it in one and a half if you pushed yourself, but it's not necessary and Saphira wouldn't like it. You should only ever do that sort of thing if it's an emergency.' He finished tightening the strap holding Sif's bag of clothes onto the saddle, and stood back. 'Well, I'm finished. You're all ready.'

Nasuada hugged her tightly. 'You take care of yourself, understand? Eat plenty of vegetables, go to bed at a sensible hour, and if you meet someone special… well be level-headed about it, all right?'

Sif managed a smile. 'Don't worry, Mother, I know all about that. I would like to get married someday, though,' she added, half to herself.

'And I'm sure you will, when you find the man who's right for you,' said Nasuada. 'Now off you go. Don't keep Saphira waiting any longer.'

Sif let go of her and embraced Murtagh, taking him by surprise. 'You look after Mother and Ergy, won't you, Murtagh?'

Murtagh overcame his usual reserve and returned the hug. 'Of course I will. You don't have to worry about a thing, Sif. They're safe with me.'

'I don't mind that you're not my father, you know,' Sif added, letting go. 'I never have. I think Father would have been happy that you were helping take care of me.'

Murtagh sighed. 'I hope he would have. We never got on particularly well, him and I. But he was still my brother and I never could hate him. He drove us all a little mad from time to time, but he was good-hearted.'

'And I'm sure he cared about you too,' said Sif. 'You're brave and good and I love you, Uncle.'

Murtagh's face lit up with a rare smile. 'Thankyou, Sif. I'm sure you'll make a wonderful governor.'

Sif kissed her mother and half-brother, pecked Murtagh on the cheek, and then climbed into Saphira's saddle. She was wearing a thick woollen dress with long sleeves, and a heavy cloak to protect her from the cold, and Íssbrandr was strapped to her back. She was ready.

Saphira nuzzled her fellow dragons farewell and took off, and then they were in the air, soaring up over Ilirea and circling round so that Sif could wave to the others. Thorn, Silarae, Rose and Skarlath raised their heads and roared, and Saphira roared back before she turned herself in the air and flew away from Ilirea, heading North.

On her back, Sif wiped away the tears that had begun to leak from her eyes. 'Well… off we go, then.'

Saphira shared a feeling of warm confidence. 'Yes. I hope you know how important today is for both of us, Sif.'

'Of course I do.'

'I thought you did. From today…' Saphira sighed. 'Today we leave youth behind and fly toward adulthood. When we come back to Ilirea we'll have grown up, you and I. We'll never be hatchlings again.'

Somehow that gave Sif confidence. 'Yes, Saphira. You're right. When we get to Gil'ead there won't be anyone telling us what to do. It'll all be up to us. Lady Sif. I'll be Lady Sif.'

The journey, true to Murtagh's prediction, took two days. They reached Bullridge by evening and stayed in the little fort there for the night, and at dawn the next day they resumed the journey. Sif slept well that night. She had expected to be miserable with homesickness, but that did not happen. Caught up in all the excitement of being out on the road with Saphira for the first time, she had no time to feel miserable. There was too much to do and too much to think of for that. While they were in the air on the second day, though, she grew bored and began to feel the first stirrings of unhappiness. To distract herself, she talked to Saphira about the dance they would hold when they reached Gil'ead. Planning for it helped to cheer her up and make the destination look more attractive, and Saphira had plenty of good suggestions.

'Musicians,' she said. 'We'll have lots of musicians. What sort of instruments, though?'

'Pipes,' Sif said immediately. 'Flutes. And drums. You need a good strong rhythm, for dancing. Maybe some harps?'

'They wouldn't carry so well in the open air, though,' said Saphira. 'Are you sure you want to hold it out of doors?'

'Yes,' Sif said firmly. Her mental picture of what it would look like was far too strong to let her change her mind now. She could already see the torchlight shining on the surface of the lake, and the stars.

'Well maybe you could use magic to amplify the sound,' said Saphira. 'What d'you think?'

'That could work,' said Sif. 'I bet I could think of something. And then there's the dances. What sorts do you think we should do?'

'All of them,' said Saphira.

'What, really all of them?'

'Yes, why not?'

'Yes, why not?' Sif echoed. 'Yes. That's a good idea. We'll do partnered dancing, and circles, and I'll show all the young noblemen my butterfly step.'

Saphira grinned mentally. 'I wonder how many of them will ask to dance with you?'

'All of them,' Sif said immediately.

'But of course,' said Saphira. 'How could they possibly resist the charms of a girl like you?'

'Are you making fun of me?'

'Would I do a thing like that?' Saphira asked innocently.

Sif giggled. 'Yes. But you're right anyway. I'll have my tailor make me a new gown, with silk and sapphires on it, and-,'

'Oh dear.'

'What? I can have a new gown if I want to!'

'That's not what I meant,' said Saphira. 'Look.'

Sif looked around, but failed to see anything. 'What am I supposed to be looking at?'

'Look at the sky up ahead,' said Saphira. 'Here, use my eyes.' She flashed an image into Sif's mind.

Up ahead, much more easily visible to a dragon's eyes, there was a kind of dark smudge sitting on the horizon. Sif examined it uncertainly. 'What is it?'

'That dark shape on the ground, that's Gil'ead,' said Saphira.

Sif started to feel excited. 'So we're nearly there?'

'Yes, in less than an hour, but I'm not so happy about that other thing I can see.'

'Why, what is it?'

'That smudge in the sky above it,' said Saphira. 'It's clouds.'

'So?'

'I'll be more certain when we're closer, but that amount of cloud usually means bad weather.'

Sif's heart sank. 'Not rain?'

'Maybe. But there's no need to despair just yet. It could be a passing thing. I'll let you know when we're closer.'

Sif held on anxiously, watching the sky ahead as they flew on. After a while Gil'ead became visible to her too – she could see the towers of the castle at its centre. She could also see the dark, gloomy mass lurking stubbornly above it.

'Oh gods damn it,' said Saphira.

'What is it?' said Sif, with an unpleasant stab of anticipation.

'It's worse than I thought. Sif, that's a storm we're heading into.'

'Gods damn it!'

Saphira winced at the mental shout. 'I know. I'm sorry.'

'Could it clear up?' Sif asked hopefully.

'I don't know, but right now the dance is the least of our worries. If there's high winds I'll have trouble landing. And-,'

The sky around them lit up in a split second. Sif felt Saphira's fear freeze her own stomach, and she tensed in the saddle, clinging on tightly with her heart pounding.

A few moments later there was thunder, growling threateningly up ahead.

Saphira muttered a dragonish swearword. 'All right. All right. Just… calm down, Sif, we're all right.'

'What are we going to do?' Sif almost wailed.

Saphira angled her wings and flew lower. 'It's all right. I can do this, don't worry. I can handle it. Hold on tight. I'm going to try and fly through the storm.'

'No! Saphira, we'll be killed!'

'I know what I'm doing,' Saphira snapped. 'Don't distract me.'

They entered the storm. Sif felt the wind pick up dramatically, pulling at her hair, carrying drops of icy water with it. They splattered onto her face and blew back into her hair, moving at such great speed that they almost hurt. She crouched low in the saddle, flattening herself along Saphira's outstretched neck, heedless of the dragon's spines.

The next flash of lightning was brighter than the last; pure white and blinding. Sif cringed and closed her eyes tightly, red lights flashing on the inside of the lids. The thunder that followed was much closer this time – frighteningly close. Sif could feel Saphira bucking beneath her. The wind was buffeting at her wings, throwing her around in the sky.

It was raining in earnest now. The drops felt like tiny ice arrows hitting her face. The wind was dragging at her too, trying to pull her out of the saddle, and lightning flashed again…

Sif started to panic. 'Saphira!'

Saphira lurched alarmingly. 'It's all right!' she called back. 'Sif, it's all right! It's just a bit of wind, I'm strong enough to deal with that!'

The light flashed again. This time the thunder broke directly overhead, deafeningly loud, as if the sky itself were tearing apart. Sif screamed. 'We're going to get hit by lightning!'

'No! Sif, it's all right! I promise you-,'

The next roll of thunder was like an explosion, and Saphira suddenly began to fall out of the sky.

'SAPHIRA!'

'Sif, it's sheet lightning! It can't hit us! Hold on!'

Sif held on with all her might, ears ringing, her clothes soaking wet, so terrified she couldn't even feel the pain of the spines on Saphira's neck digging into the soft skin of her upper chest. They were falling, she could feel them dropping out the sky, they were going to crash…

Saphira's talons hit solid ground with a thud that travelled right up her body and into Sif's, but it took her several seconds to realise that they were no longer flying.

'Sif? Sif, are you all right?'

Sif raised her head. The storm was still raging, but now it was above rather than around them, and she realised with a sudden start that they were all right. Saphira had landed on a flat stone surface atop a massive tower at the very centre of Gil'ead, and people were running toward them.

Sif fumbled with the straps holding her legs in place, and half-fell out of the saddle. Instantly the people were there, surrounding her, shouting above the howl of the wind.

'My Lady! My Lady, are you all right? Please, you must-,'

Sif broke away from them and ran to Saphira's head, stumbling slightly. 'Saphira! Are you all right? Are you hurt?'

Saphira had flopped onto her belly and was lying there, panting. But she raised her head and looked at her, bright-eyed. 'We made it! Whoo!'

Sif crouched, touching her head. 'Are you all right, Saphira?'

'Fine. Sif, I did it! I told you I could do it!'

The blue dragon was practically radiating triumph and excitement, and that helped to calm Sif down. 'Gods, I thought we were going to die.'

'Yes, I could feel how scared you were. But don't worry, Sif, we made it. We beat that storm together. See? I told you we could do it!'

Sif managed a grin. 'Are you sure you're all right?'

'Yes, I'm fine, I swear. I just need to rest.'

'But you can't sleep here in the rain,' said Sif.

'Oh, it's all right. I'm used to sleep outdoors, even when it's raining. I don't feel the cold much. I'm fine. You just go inside and get warm. Don't want to risk you catching something, do we?'

The people who had been waiting for them were keeping their distance, frightened of Saphira. Sif removed her bags and threw them aside and then unstrapped the dragon's saddle. As soon as it was off Saphira curled up, wrapping her tail around herself and spreading her wings to protect her head from the rain. The wind was still catching at them, but nowhere near strongly enough to unbalance her. She was all right.

As soon as Sif was away from her, the people who'd been waiting closed in on her again, wrapping her in a blanket and asking anxious questions as they led her away toward the trapdoor that led into the castle. A couple of servants were already taking charge of her luggage, and in spite of her anxiety she allowed herself to be taken inside.

Saphira yawned as she was helped down the ladder. 'Sleep well, Sif.'

It was warm and dry inside the tower. The man who'd put the blanket around her took a small flask from his belt and gave it to her. 'Here, drink this, my Lady, to warm yourself up.'

Sif drank. It was some kind of alcohol. It had a sweet, spicy flavour and warmed her from end to end. 'Thankyou,' she said, giving it back.

'It is not a problem, my Lady. Is there anything we should do for your dragon?'

Sif pulled the blanket more tightly around herself. 'Have someone take some warm water up to her, and some meat. She likes venison.'

'At once, my Lady,' said the man, nodding to one of the servants, who hurried off.

Sif walked down the stairs, shivering and dripping on the floor.

'We're very glad that you arrived safely, my Lady,' said the man who'd spoken before. He was finely-dressed, though rather wet himself, and spoke earnestly. 'If I may introduce myself… I am Lord Oswald Theremin, the previous governor of the city, and I welcome you to Gil'ead.'

'Thankyou, Lord Theremin,' said Sif, remembering her etiquette. 'It is an honour to be here.' She looked at the other two nobles who were accompanying Lord Theremin. 'And you are?'

'Lord Sethin Dirke, my Lady,' said one.

'And I am Lord Aldrin Walden, my Lady,' said the other.

Sif regarded him. 'You are descended from the Lord Walden who lived in Urû'baen under the former King?'

'Yes, my Lady. During the Shade War my family fled to Gil'ead. We are loyal servants to King Ravana the Night Dragon, and to yourself and your fellow riders, and-,'

'Yes, yes, I believe you,' said Sif.

'I am sorry, my Lady, I did not intend… I am sorry.'

'It's all right. I'm just tired, that's all.'

'Well, we are well prepared to see to your needs, my Lady,' Lord Theremin said smoothly.

This was quickly proven to be true. Sif was shown to the chambers that had been furnished in readiness to receive her, where there was a good fire burning. Her luggage was brought in and unpacked with astonishing speed, and her clothes – damp in spite of the waterproof bags they had been in – were taken away to be cleaned and dried. In the meantime she was provided with a bathtub full of steaming-hot water, aromatic with cleansing herbs, and a fine new gown to wear. Once she had washed and dressed she was guided to the dining hall, where there was hot soup and bread and almond milk pudding to follow – her favourite. She ate heartily and drank several cupfuls of mulled wine, and finally retired to her room, warm, well-fed and wonderfully drowsy.

The rain drumming on the window of her new bedchamber would not let her forget Saphira. She tried to make mental contact with her, but found the blue dragon's mind was full of a kind of gentle mist with faint images moving through it. She was asleep, and dreaming too, by the looks of it.

Reassured, Sif put on her nightdress and got into bed. She had been considering sitting up for a while and writing a letter home to tell her mother that she had arrived safely, but the moment her head hit the pillows she changed her mind. She managed to rouse herself enough to snuff out the candle, and then she snuggled down and let sleep bear her away.

Sif found herself wandering through the crypts in her dreams that night. She was looking for her father's tomb, but somehow the corridors never seemed to end. She kept trying to turn the corner that led to it, but every time she did the corridor would turn again and she realised she was going in circles. She had forgotten to bring flowers to him as she'd promised to, and she had to get there, but she was holding them too tightly and the stems were breaking in her grip, and she couldn't make herself be more gentle. They were going to be ruined, and…

Saphira's blue shape suddenly rose up out of the darkness, interrupting the dream. Sif! Sif!

Sif stopped and held the flowers out toward her. Saphira, I broke the flowers, can you…

Sif, you're dreaming. Wake up, Sif…

'…Sif? SIF? Sif, can you hear me?'

Sif sat up in bed, utterly bewildered. 'What? What's…? Saphira?'

Saphira shared a feeling of relief. 'Thank the sky, I thought you'd never wake up!'

Sif lay back, heart pounding. It was almost completely dark, but she could still sense that this was not her room.

'You're in Gil'ead,' Saphira reminded her. 'Sif, get up, quickly.'

Sif struggled out of bed, galvanised into action by the dragon's voice. 'What's going on?'

'There's a dragon in the lake,' said Saphira.

Sif stopped. 'What are you talking about?'

'You heard me. I think it's hurt. Come on, hurry!'

Sif hastily summoned up a magical light and pulled on her shoes as fast as she could. She found her cloak hanging up by the fire where she'd left it, and draped it over her shoulders. It was still damp, but warm enough, and she picked up her sword and ran out of the room. Out in the corridor outside, she began to panic. She didn't know which way to go… upstairs. It had to be upstairs…

'Go left!' Saphira shouted.

Sif didn't hesitate. She ran in that direction, turned a corner, found the stairs to the roost and dashed up at them, taking them two at a time. She reached the ladder, climbed it and shoved it open, emerging into the night air. It was still raining heavily, and there was the occasional rumble of thunder from overhead, but the storm had slackened off.

Saphira was waiting for her. 'Quick, get on my back.'

Sif needed no further prompting. She scrambled onto the dragon's back, tucking the loose ends of the cloak under her legs to protect them from her scales, and Saphira kicked off from the top of the roost. She flew over the lights of the city, wings pounding the air, and swooped straight toward the lake, whose churning surface reflected the lightning. As they came down to land, Sif could see what Saphira had seen, and her heart leapt into her mouth. There was something huge in the water, and it was moving.

Saphira landed clumsily by the lakeside, kicking up clumps of mud and grass. Sif jumped down and ran toward the water with the blue dragon close on her heels.

The dragon's back half was still submerged, and its head, neck and forelegs were in the shallows. It was struggling to drag itself out onto dry land, one wing flailing at the air. The other trailed in the water behind it, the membranes catching on its lashing tail.

Sif made straight for it, but Saphira overtook her and pulled her back. 'No, Sif. Keep back. It could be dangerous.'

The dragon had seen them. It snarled, mouth opening slightly to reveal sharp white fangs, and redoubled its efforts to get out of the water. Saphira drew back, protecting Sif with her wing as the beast pulled itself up onto the bank. Its back legs and tail emerged, and it slumped onto its belly, gasping audibly for breath. However, when Saphira came closer, it raised its head and growled warningly at her. She growled back, keeping her distance.

'It's a wild dragon,' said Sif, unable to hide her fear. 'Saphira, what are we supposed to do?'

'I'll try and talk to it,' said Saphira.

Sif did not hear what she then said to the wild dragon, but she saw its reaction. It stirred and growled again. 'Do… not come near me,' a voice said.

Sif started. The voice was deep and growling in a way that reminded her of the King, and unmistakeably male. But young as well. 'We're not your enemies,' she said, projecting the words into the dragon's mind.

The dragon started to get up, but then sighed and lay down again. 'What… what is this place?'

'This is Gil'ead,' said Sif. 'You're by Isenstar Lake. Please, we just want to help you.'

There was tense silence for a few moments, while Sif waited with the fear that the wild dragon was going to attack. But he only lay there, apparently thinking, and then appeared to relax. 'What is your name?'

'I'm Sif,' said Sif. She nearly added "Lady Sif", but stopped herself.

'Saphira,' said Saphira.

The dragon jerked slightly. 'Saphira?'

'Yes. Are you hurt, wild dragon?'

He growled at her again. 'I warn you, Saphira, do not come any closer or I will attack. I am not a tame dragon like you are.'

Sif went hot with anger, but she said nothing. She didn't want to provoke him; the threat had sounded perfectly sincere.

Saphira, though, seemed to understand. 'There's no need to be like that,' she said. 'We are allies of the wild dragon, and honour-bound to help you.'

He raised his head at that. 'You are?'

'On my word as a dragon. Please, lie still and my rider will heal your injuries.'

The wild dragon turned his head toward Sif. 'Will you, rider?'

'Yes,' said Sif. 'I don't want to fight you, just help you.'

He paused, and then sighed. 'All right. I accept your offer. If you want to help me, then help me.'

Sif hesitated, glancing at Saphira. 'Don't worry,' said the blue dragon. 'He won't attack. I can smell the blood on him; he's badly hurt. He was only threatening us because he knew he couldn't fight.'

Reassured, Sif came closer to the dragon. He lay still, his breathing ragged, and now she could hear the little catch of pain in it. She increased the magical glow around herself to make him more visible, and immediately winced. The dragon's back was covered in deep wounds. Something had torn clean through the scales and into the flesh beneath, and there was indeed blood on him. A lot of blood. His limp wing, too, was injured.

Sif steeled herself by thinking of how much it must be hurting him, and came closer. She tensed when he moved, but he did not try and attack her; only closed his eyes and waited.

Sif spread her hand over the torn wing. 'Waíse heill!'

Her magic went to work. A blue glow appeared around the edges of the wound and then brightened, bringing them together. The dragon groaned softly as the flesh silently repaired itself, muscle and skin knitting together before the scales regrew over the top.

Once the wing was whole again Sif moved on to the dragon's back. There were literally dozens of wounds there, some frighteningly deep, and one had cut right through one of the thick spines between his wings, snapping it clean in half. Sif healed them one by one, not letting the magic fade until they had closed completely, but she soon began to realise that she would not have the strength to full heal all of them. She worked on, closing them sufficiently to stop the bleeding, but leaving the surface damage as it was. When she was finally done she stumbled back toward Saphira, feeling light-headed and a little dizzy. But it was done.

The rain had stopped. Overhead the sky was beginning to lighten slightly. It would be dawn in less than an hour. The wild dragon roused himself, getting to his claws and raising his head from the ground. His wing, now healed, folded neatly along with the other, and he stretched and opened his mouth wide. Sif and Saphira pulled back instinctively, but he only yawned. His jaws shut with a faint snap, and he shook himself and looked at them. His eyes, set into a blunt-snouted face with an unusually wide forehead and jutting brow, stared straight at Sif. They were jet black and disconcerting, showing no sign of pupil or white. 'Thankyou, Sif,' his voice said softly.

Sif bowed very slightly, not quite realising she was doing it. 'I did my duty,' she said.

'I don't care why you did it,' said the dragon. 'I'm grateful.'

'Do you feel better now?' said Saphira.

'Yes. But I need to rest.'

'You can use the dragon roost, if you like,' Sif offered.

He peered at her. 'Where is that?'

'In the city,' said Saphira, indicating it with her snout.

He followed her gaze and then shook his head. 'I'd rather not. I'll sleep in the forest.'

'It's all right,' said Sif. 'You'll be safe, and we can bring you food.'

'I can find my own,' said the dragon.

'You won't be in any danger. We just want to help you.'

'Well.' He watched her, tail twitching slightly. 'Well… if you want to help me, there is one thing you could do for me.'

'All right,' said Sif.

'I want to see the King of this land,' said the dragon. 'You serve him, don't you?'

'Yes. King Ravana.'

'Good. I must see him. I don't know where to find him. If you could tell me which direction to fly in, I would be very grateful.'

'It's Southward, but why do you want to see him?' said Sif.

The dragon fixed her with a cool, steady gaze. 'That is for the King and I to know. All I need is a guide, or a map.'

Sif looked uncertainly at Saphira. 'What should we do?' she asked, hiding the question from the wild dragon.

Saphira hesitated. 'We'd be happy to help,' she said at length, to the dragon.

'Good,' he said in satisfied tones. 'I am going to go and sleep now. I will come and see you again when I feel stronger.' Without waiting for an answer, he turned and trudged away along the bank, his tail dragging. When he was well away from them he took to the air with a clumsy flick of his wings and flew over the lake toward the forest, where he landed and disappeared among the trees.

Sif tried to dry her face on the edge of her cloak. 'Why did you agree to help him?'

Saphira shrugged with her wings. 'Why shouldn't we have helped him? The wild dragons are subjects of the King as much as humans are. It's our duty to help them as well.'

'I suppose so, but what will everyone think if we send him to Ilirea?'

'They'll think we did our duty. Come on, get on my back. We should get back to the castle before everyone starts waking up.'

'I still don't like it,' said Sif as they made the flight back. 'You know how the King gets when people come to see him without being asked.'

'Well it's not our problem. You can warn that dragon before you send him on his way, and if he decides to annoy him anyway, let him deal with the consequences himself. We've got other things to worry about.' She landed on the roost with a soft click of claws, and crouched low.

'I suppose you're right,' said Sif as she dismounted. She yawned. 'Gods, using all that magic made me exhausted. I'm going back to bed.'

She found herself stumbling slightly as she headed back toward her room. The healing had taken more out of her than she'd realised. When she got back to her room and closed the door behind her, she saw the light of dawn coming in through the window. It was lighting up a clear sky. The storm was over. She could start to organise her dance today. But for now, the call of her bed proved far more alluring than even that.

She felt a curious sense of unease as she drifted back into sleep. There had been something about that dragon that had felt wrong. He'd looked more or less like any other dragon, but… those eyes…