The Path Less Taken
Chapter Three
Trust
"Papa! Please! One more story!" The little girl of about seven was holding onto her father's leg for dear life. The tall man look down at his young daughter and smiled widely.
"But Mama wants you to go to bed early for the morning!" he laughed.
"Nope. I wanna hear another story, please?" The girl looked up at her father with quivering lips and large gray eyes much like his own. He sighed and lifted her. she squealed as he threw her onto his back and began running around the house. The little girl's giggles floated to the kitchen where her mother was busy making lunches for the next day's outing.
"Kaen, I thought she was supposed to be put into bed," the girl's mother had come to look on with large ladel in her hads. Her tone was strict, yet her eyes sparkled at the display.
"Mama! Come play!" the little girl squealed in delight.
"I'm coming to get you Kael!" The woman with the ladel ran forward chasing the girl and her father around their home.
"Mama!" I shot out of the cot I was lying on. I rubbed my forehead feeling the beads of perspiration that were making their descent. Disorientation hit me and for a second I thought I was once again running from the Ra'zac in the Spine. I looked around and realized I was in a tent with other cots placed about, occupied of course. "I'm not handicapped," I muttered darkly then pieces of the previous day hit me. Wait, was it the previous day? Or longer? It was dark in the tent so I cautiously albeit slowly made my way outside. It was nighttime.
Awake?
No, I smiled.
Ha-ha.
Where are you?
Catching up on some well needed rest- oh wait not anymore.
Yeah yeah. Wait did anyone see you? Panic filled my system.
Roran hid me well Moonling.
Oh, that's good. How long was I asleep for?
Asleep? Try unconscious. That Ra'zac that cut your face put poison into your blood stream, you're lucky you're even alive. Not so great news for a Rider eh?
How long was I unconscious for then?
About three days.
Five hells.
Come meet me.
Where - oh never mind, just show me the directions.
The little dragon sighed. Must I do everything?
Lyriel and I were sitting below a tree calmly, well I was, Lyriel was busy mastering the art of flying. Small giggles erupted from my lips every now and then, but other than that, my mind wandered into the deep cavern that was filled with my childhood memories. I had carefully stashed them away so that they couldn't torment me with their perfection and make my mood sullen, but the bank had been burst with that one dream and now memories flooded my brain. I remembered the day right after we were chasing each other. We had gone for a picnic in the woods nearby and after bathed in the pool. We were not a rich family but we were happy. Happier than anyone else. My heart clenched knowing that my parents were still out in the world that was ruled by the tyrant. Were...were they even...alive? I struggled to take a breath in at the thought. Lyriel cocked her head at me. I felt her mood drop also.
Sometimes I forget you like to visit my brain.
She brushed off my words and came to rub her head against me. They are still alive Moonling, have hope.
Even if they are...they would not love me anymore...not after what...Galbatorix did.
You mean rape you?
Everyone that knows looks at me differently and condemns me for it. I am tainted by his evil.
Roran does not.
Well...everyone except Roran. I sighed thinking about the man that saved my life.
Twice.
What?
If he had not killed the Ra'zac, it would have killed you.
Yes, I must thank him for it, I thought standing quickly.
Wait, he is still asleep Moonling.
Oh.
You like him. Lyriel teased.
Yes, he is a...friend, one of the firsts in a very long time. No one talked to me when I was a servant. No one ever even spoke to me.
Make that two friends.
Two? Roran and who? I jested. Lyriel huffed and returned to flapping.
I stretched my limbs in front of me and groaned.
Laughter filled the clearing we were sitting in and I jumped up in fright. "It's just me." I sighed when I saw Roran.
"You're up early," I commented.
"That is beside the point. How are you feeling?" He came over to where I was sitting and touched my forehead gently with his hand. "Ah, you're fever is gone."
I nodded at him only now realizing how close we were. I looked down and scooted over a bit. "I-uh...I wanted to tell you thank you. For yesterday, and for everything."
He shrugged a bit and ran his fingers through his hair frowning. "No problem. I'm going to go now," he said gruffly, walking back before I could say anything.
Well that was odd.
Hm, Lyriel was chasing a bird and paid no heed to my conversation with Roran. I frowned. Probably he was thinking about Katrina as I my parents.
When I returned to the village people were now gathering supplies and having breakfast. Needless to say, they all turned to look at me, surprise and annoyance akin gracing their features. I ignored them yet again and settled for a hard chunk of bread with a dried piece of cheese. I looked for Roran hoping his earlier mood had dissipated. He was my only friend in years and I wasn't too eager to lose him. After my meager, yet satisfying breakfast, I made my way to the canteen, hoping to get some water while also looking for the brown haired man.
I spotted him helping another man fit supplies onto horses. I walked over and waited for the men to notice me.
"Kael, what is it?" Roran asked. I smiled at his tone. He was no longer in his dejected mood of earlier.
"You need help packing those things?" I asked eager to get something to do that would ease the toll of boredom.
"Sure! You can take my place, and I'll see if anyone else needs help," with that he walked away leaving me and the red haired man alone and packing supplies.
"The name's Nolfavrell by the way," his familiarity clicked in me. The woman's daughter. Birgit. Birgit! How was she?
"You're Birgit's son right? H-"
"You saved her life the other day. She's well, though she wanted to see you. Thank you, you know, we've only got one mother in this world."
He didn't know how those words hurt me but I concealed it behind a mask of laughter. "That is too true, and I do want to see how she is."
"The people of Carvahall, they're warming up to ya. 'specially since you saved my ma. Not everyday a young woman like yourself would jump into danger for someone you hardly know," both my face and his twisted at his choice of words and laughed easily. "That sounded different in my head."
"I bet it did."
When we were done Nolfavrell took me to Birgit. I was eager to see the beautiful woman again in hopes that she-and her ankle- were alright.
"Ma! Kael is here to see ya. The girl who nearly died?" He carried on a conversation with his mother while I awkwardly waited outside of the tent. His head poked through the flaps and he smiled. "Come on in."
I wasn't surprised to see Birgit bedridden, but I sure as hell was when she leaned forward and hit me on the arm. "You are one stupid girl you know that?" Saying I took offence was a vast understatement.
"Look h-" She cut me off abruptly.
"Now, now child don't get angry, I am grateful that you saved my life, but you could have died. Life is something you need to keep holding onto, 'specially since Galbatorix is in power. I may know more than you think," she whispered the last part with a twinkle in her eye. My eyebrow rose. Was the crazy woman talking about Lyriel? No, she couldn't know. I shook my head.
"I wanted to see how you were faring. But I see you are quite fine," I grumbled rubbing my sore arm.
"I am quite fine. I would ask how you were feeling but I don't suppose you'd answer," What in five hells was her problem? Crazy. I smiled and bid her goodbye, eager to get away, though her quirky attitude had lifted my spirits.
I found Roran drinking a jug of water. When i walked up to him he put his jug down and smiled. "What are you all smiles about?"
"I just went and talked to Birgit," I said shaking my head.
He laughed and said, "She's the best. Eragon and I, we looked to her like a mother."
My blood ran cold. Eragon? The next rider? Or was it just someone of the same name? "Eragon?"
"Oh, that's my cousin's name, the one that ran away," he said bitterly. There was no doubt about it. But Roran seemed ignorant. I decided that maybe it wouldn't be best if he found out from me that it was because of his cousin the Ra'zac had attacked and killed his uncle, not to mention deplete their village.
"Hm. I wanted to know when you could help me with the sword?"
A smile lit his face. "I woke up early this morning to practice my archery by some trees. If you want we could get up before everyone else. That way we could go to Lyriel also."
"That's perfect. But shouldn't you get your sleep to travel?" I asked. It was no problem with me, for I had realized that I was now very afraid of sleeping because of the memories that had resurfaced.
"I..." He shook his head. "I don't need much sleep." I knew he was lying but shrugged it off. I had learned a long time ago that pushing people too much just pushed them away.
"Okay, so tomorrow morning?"
"Yes, but for now...I think the villagers are getting ready to travel to Therinsford. It should take us about three to five days to get there. Any thoughts on the Varden?"
"I just want to get there. I-I'm pretty much not good at anything...and if the King caught me...I don't want to be known as the rider who just got her dragon...and just got captured," I shrugged.
"It is tough huh?" At my inquisitive stare he added, "You know living up to the expectations of being a rider."
"...I just don't know what lies in store...It is tough, but some part of me is yelling and screaming with excitement and anticipation."
He smiled.
We had travelled for the entire day. Since I wasn't really part of the village I decided to walk instead of going on a horse like many others...not that there were many horses to begin with. Roran and some other men were bringing up the rear in case of an attack, so I was left alone with my thoughts. Thoughts that seemed to revolve around my training. Roran had told me about three times already that he was no swordsman. But I needed any sort of basis right now, I couldn't fight, not one bit. Many of the women were clumped together talking about whatever I didn't know. Birgit often looked over at me. I tried to look away but something about the woman intrigued me.
When we had stopped for lunch she beckoned me over. I sighed and trudged over. "Yes?"
"Go talk to my Nolfavrell," she smiled. I gasped.
"Why?" I asked scared to know where this was leading.
"Well, you're a pretty girl...and he doesn't have a lady friend," She said as if it was she spoke these things everday. Now that I thought about it, she seemed like the type of mother to try to get every girl to talk to her son.
"I-I do not think now would be a good time. Everyone is under stress," I smiled trying to slip away casually.
"Nonsense! But fine, come and sit with us, your feet must be killing you," In fact my feet were aching, terribly so, but I wasn't going to sit there and act interested in their small talk.
"Actually, I like to walk," I shrugged and walked away quickly.
When we had set up camp all I could think about was sleep. Yet when I lay on my cot after talking to Lyriel, sleep easily evaded me. Memories overcame me, consuming my being and spitting me out chewed up. My breathing increased rapidly as I fell into a restless sleep.
My hands gripped the flower that was blooming in my mother's garden anxious to see what creatures dwelled beneath the thick soil. My little fingers skimmed over the slippery moss in delight, reveling at the smooth, slick feeling of it. I laughed.
"Kael, you're destroying my flowers love," my mother sang from across me. She was busy plucking carrots from the ground to sell at the market but her watchful eyes had caught on to my little escapade.
"Sorry mama," I smiled.
"'Tis alright, come on and pull out the carrots instead, that way we can sell them," she whispered to me enthusiastically as if she was telling a secret to her school friends. Papa had gone to the market to set up the stall already so it was just me and my mama. I looked over at her. She was so beautiful. I smiled imagining her at a castle waiting for the handsome prince, my papa.
"Mama, tell me a secret," I whispered as I pulled the carrots from the Earth.
"One day, you are going to be our saviour," she whispered looking me in the eye. Her amber eyes held a sudden seriousness to them. What did she mean? I smiled and pulled more carrots, my nine year old self content with playing with the mud. A sound like fireworks erupted in the air. I gasped in delight and ran to the gate to see. What my eyes saw was far from fireworks. Soldiers decked in Galbatorix's colours swarmed our village.
"Mama!" I screamed.
"Kael! Get inside! Now!" My mother yelled at me. When I failed to comply, but instead stare with my mouth open, my mother grabbed me and pulled me inside. "Kael, you need to hide understand me?" She grabbed my hand and dragged me around in our small house until we came upon the bedroom. "Get underneath now." Her voice was filled with panic.
She rushed around looking back at me one last time. "Mama! Come hide too!" I cried. Tears streaked my face as I realized that what I thought was some fun event before was not so.
"Baby, I need to get your father," She whispered as she gripped my face and placed a kiss upon my tear streaked cheek. And then she left.
"Mama," I whimpered. Seconds turned into minutes, and I was growing restless. The tears continued to pour down my face as thoughts of what could have happened to my parents assaulted my thoughts. Suddenly, I heard the door fly open.
"Grab what you can, Terin," A gruff voice spoke.
Footsteps echoed through the walls and before I knew it they were infront of my face. I bit back my whimper of fear and tried to control my breathing. "Blow up the house after." At that a little cry left my lips. "Aye! What was 'at?"
"Check under the bed ye crackpot." A dirty head poked down and one eye looked at me. I screamed. The soldier laughed spewing spittle onto my face. His filthy hands gripped me and lifted me up in the air. "Well look wat we got 'ere Cap'n."
"She's old nough tat I can 'ave me way wit 'er," his rotten teeth showed each time he talked and I gagged at his foul smelling breath. Tears welled in my eyes.
"Mama," I whimpered though softly now.
"Shut-up arsehole. Keep her the King needs servants." The fat one that the other had addressed as the captain spoke.
"Oh, he wouldn't miss one," the soldier that was holding onto my collar whined.
The captain punched him on his head. "Shut-up, come on now, we have to destroy the house." I screamed loud and clear.
"Mama! Mama save me! Please!" Emotions rang in my voice choking me on a sob,"please," this time I whispered.
"Ah!" I screamed softly as I shot up from my cot yet again. Tears rushed down my face in torrents. I crumpled into the foetal position whimpering. I crawled out of my cot the emotions rolling within me too much. I walked outside inhaling the fresh air. The liquid on my face froze slightly to my face in the cold temperature. I walked toward the tree Lyriel was hidden in and stopped in shock. Roran was sitting under the tree with Lyriel on his lap. His eyes shot to me as he saw me coming and concern immediately washed his got up and walked toward me.
"Can't sleep?" he asked gruffly as he took in my tear streaked face.
"No...you either?"
He shook his head. We both sat under the tree as Lyriel curled and slept between us.
I thought you would want to think things over by yourself.
No, I just...didn't want to be alone now.
Roran and I sat next to each other, both of us lost in our thoughts.
"...Katrina and I planned to live on a farm and make our living there," Roran whispered breaking the silence. I was startled and somewhat relieved to be drawn from my thoughts. "Her father didn't approve...he...he let the Ra'zac take her." He swallowed.
"My mother left me hiding when the soldiers attacked to find my father. I was both angry and frustrated with her...and now I feel guilty all of the time for it...Now that I don't have her. I realize now that my father and mother just loved each other immensely."
"That doesn't mean she doesn't love you though."
"Of course, but being ten and left alone was scary."
"Katrina and I fought often about petty things, I'd get so angry with her...but I feel like a piece of horse shit for it now."
We continued swapping bits of information about Katrina and my parents for a long while.
"Thank you," he whispered.
"Me? I should be the one thanking you," I smiled at him.
"No, for listening to me and...it helps talking about it. Sometimes I feel like the only way to get away from thoughts of her is to fight...or talk to you,"he whispered. My breath caught in my throat at his words. What on Earth did he mean?
He coughed and stood up quickly causing the air to swoosh past me. "Come on let us practice, neither of us can sleep, let's make good use of it." I smiled and followed dismissing what he said. Yet what plagued my mind was that in my dream my mother had called me a 'saviour.'
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