Chapter 3: Plans
Here comes the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to Mockingbirds for reviewing and also to Umbra8191for being such a loyal fan not only from this story but from my other stories.
I don't own the Inheritance Cycle but I do own the rider Delena, her dragon Alfheim, and the plotline.
The news that another rider and her dragon was about to join the Varden spread like wild fire across Fenister. Everyone was in a much better mood. Ever since the city was taken many people of the Varden were grieving over the deaths of the soldiers that died during the siege. But now they were happier because they have a new hope.
Nasuada and Arya were in the wide plaza were the dragons will land. They were in the middle of a conversation.
"So, you are the ambassador of the elves and yet no one ever told you about the existence of that rider?" Nasuada asked surprised.
"No," Arya said with an impassive face but Nasuada could tell that she was angry.
"Well, even though she has been the secret weapon of the elves for some time, now that she will join us things are certainly looking up," The Varden leader said.
"Indeed," Arya said. "However, there is one fact that could get us into trouble with Delena present," She stated.
Nasuada raised her eyebrow.
"And what will that be?" She asked the elf.
"She was very specific with her words, Nasuada," Arya told her. "She said that she was supposed to help Eragon in any way she could. She claims that she will help the Varden but she hadn't sworn loyalty to you or any of the other factions like Eragon has," Arya reminded.
Nasuada looked alarmed.
"Then she won't take orders from us?" She asked.
Arya sighed.
"Nasuada, the riders aren't supposed to pledge their allegiance to no one else but their order," She said. "She will have to take orders from you at the very least and I am sure that she knows it but I wouldn't be surprised that the elves that know about her ordered her not to pledge their allegiance to any human. Honestly, I would rather that Delena isn't too tied to our political games." Arya explained.
Nasuada was thinking about Arya said. She thought that the elf was right. Even Ajihad wanted Eragon to remain as untied as possible by our political games and since that hadn't been possible with him maybe Nasuada can make a difference as her successor. She was going to make herself sure that she would at least follow her orders but she will try to use her influence so that the other faction don't have too much power over Delena and her dragon.
That was when Nasuada saw a silver glow in the sky.
She focused her eyes and saw a magnificent silver-colored dragon. Nasuada couldn't help but smile at the sight and she noticed that Arya was smiling too. Then, she heard steps coming closer and discovered that everyone that Delena presented herself at first and a few Surdan nobles were in the place by now. There were looks of awe in the faces of everyone that stared at the older dragon. They could hear the Varden cheering from the afar and more people were approaching the plaza.
Eventually, the male dragon and Saphira landed in the center of the Plaza but their riders didn't get off their dragons. Everyone watched at them expectantly. Then, Delena talk in a loud voice.
"People of the Varden, you are the warriors of freedom and I have come here to help you in your struggle against Galbatorix," She said to the crowd. "I am Delena, the last dragon rider of the elves and this is my dragon Alfheim," She announced. "Our master told us to wait until the right moment to reveal our existence to Galbatorix and the time has come," Delena said. "I know that ever since the battle of the Burning Plains you were beginning to lose hope but hope is the last thing that must be lost and we will make sure you won't lose it. People of the Varden," She said after a pause, "We will work hard alongside with Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Brightscales to bring the downfall of Galbatorix or die trying; I give you my word as a rider." Delena said ending her speech.
After a few moments of silence, the crowd started cheering. Delena smiled. She has been waiting for this moment for a long time. When the crowd calmed down, the leaders told Delena, Eragon and the dragons to follow them to the tower. When the riders and Saphira entered her room they noticed that Alfheim was too big to fit through the door so he just got his head inside. After the leaders entered the room and took their sits.
Nasuada broke the silence.
"That was a very motivational speech, dragon rider and the Varden need to recover their lost moral," She said.
She made a pause before continuing.
"It's time we discuss our plans for the next siege," The Varden leader said.
"We are supposed to attack Belatona right?" Eragon asked.
"There have been a change of plans," Nasuada said.
That got everyone's attention.
"Our spies informed me that Galbatorix is waiting for us to move toward Belatona so that, when we start the siege he can send several thousand soldiers he is assembling on Teirm to attack us from the rear." Nasuada informed.
No one liked the news. The warriors of Teirm are well trained and if they decided to attack the Varden from the rear the army could receive some heavy loses.
"So, I decided that we will start moving toward Teirm tomorrow to capture the city," Nasuada announced.
After a moment of silence King Orrin spoke.
"Are you sure that is a good idea?" He asked. "Even if we do capture Teirm, it could delay us many weeks from our campaign toward the cities in the heart of the Empire." The Suradan King stated.
"I am aware but we can't leave this threat alone," Nasuada said. "Besides, Teirm is one of the wealthiest cities of the Empire and it is responsible for the transportation of most of the supplies of the imperial army," She reminded. "If we can cut off the Empire from one of its most important cities for the army, then it could deal a critical blow to both the enemy army and the economy of the Empire. I believe is a risk worth taking," Nasuada continued. "And now that we have another rider and her dragon we should have a bigger advantage than before."
After some more arguing among the politicians, the rest ended up agreeing with Nasuada.
"We leave tomorrow at dawn then," Nasuada said.
Then, most of the nobles of the Surdan court started to present themselves to Delena and her dragon. She tried to do her best in remembering their names and titles. The nobles said that she and Alfheim are welcome to stay in their cities whenever they want. Obviously, they wanted to gain the favor of the rider.
Eventually, the council was dismissed and only the riders, their dragons, Nasuada, and Orrin stayed in the room.
"Is there something you want to tell me Lady Nasuada?" Delena asked.
She nodded.
"I was just wondering if you were planning to pledge your allegiance to any leader in particular of the different factions," Nasuada asked.
Delena took a deep breath.
"My loyalty is mostly to Queen Islanzadi and the elven race but I am aware that riders aren't supposed to become subjugated to other leaders outside their order," She replied. "I know that the situation doesn't apply anymore so I decided to pledge my loyalty to the Varden cause and I am willing to take orders from yourself and King Orrin but I have two conditions," Delena added.
"And they are…?" King Orrin asked.
"That in case you order me to go fighting I can question the order if I have a better plan and can prove it and that if we manage to defeat Galbatorix I am no longer tied as a vassal of the Varden and Surda," Delena explained.
The room became silent as they process her conditions. Nasuada and Orrin thought they were fair enough and if Delena will follow their orders until the fall of the Empire it was a better deal than they expected.
"All right, your conditions are granted," Nasuada said.
"Agreed," Orrin said.
"Well you may go," Nasuada said.
The riders nodded and got back to the ground with their dragons.
"Eragon, where is the training area of Fenister?" Delena asked.
"Down the street to the left of the tower," He replied.
"Well Eragon, if we are going to fight alongside each other from now on we need to know each other skills so how about we spar there," Delena asked with a grin.
"I was wondering when you will ask," Eragon said grinning as well. "I wanted to test your skills with the blade myself," He stated. "Besides we could use the extra practice if we are going to attack Teirm."
"That's right but first I wanted to show you something," Delena said and grabbed a small cotton bag tied to the saddle of Alfheim.
Eragon assumed that it was made of cotton and not leather because the elves don't kill animals if they can help it. When Delena took out what she wanted to show Eragon, he was surprised when he saw Naegling, the sword of Oromis. He thought that Murtagh took it.
"I manage to save it in time," Delena explained. "I have my own sword so I am not going to fight with Naegling. However, the diamond in the hilt of the blade has a massive amount of energy," Delena reminded. "So, I was planning to divide its huge amount of energy among us and store it in our own gems," She explained.
Eragon liked the idea. After all, all that energy could help them in many battles.
"Sounds good to me," Eragon said.
"I know that you have the belt of Beloth the wise and since Aren has loads of energy by itself and it will be risky to have too much energy in one gem because it could be stolen I suggest that you put half of the energy of Naegling inside in the gems of the belt," Delena said.
"Fine," Eragon said and moved to touch the diamond.
He could feel insane amount of energy stored inside the gem. There was such a big amount that Eragon had to spent almost ten minutes transferring energy from the diamond to the twelve gems of Beloth the wise just to get half of it. By the time he was done, all the gems of the belt about half the energy quantity that Aren had and that is saying a lot.
"Wow, with all the energy that I have now I think I could tear down the walls of Teirm with a single jierda," Eragon said impressed.
Then he frowned.
"Which gems are you going to use?" Eragon asked her curious.
As an answered she took out her other glove and the young rider could see a ring her middle finger. It was made of silver and the gem was a grey one but he didn't recognize it.
"This gray gem is called howlite," Delena informed. "It's not very common in most of Alagaesia but I could extract enough from the ground with magic to make the ring."
Eragon nodded in understanding. After all, he had extracted gold from the ground with magic once.
"I was planning divide my share of the energy between my ring and the howlite gem in the hilt of my rider sword," Delena explained and then unsheathed her sword.
Eragon watched it with interest. The blade was as long as Brisingr and it was of a silver color. The hilt was also made of silver and a bigger howlite gem than the one of her ring was in the middle of it.
"Rhunon's work never ceases to amaze me," Eragon admitted. "That sword is magnificent."
"Yes, and I wouldn't have it if it wasn't for you so thanks again," Delena said smiling.
Then, she started to transfer the energy from Naegling's diamond toward her own two gems. Ten minutes later she was finished.
"Well then, let's go the training area," Delena said.
There you have it. I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter will have action. Writing long action scenes is not my area of expertise but I will do my best. I am not sure when I will be able to update again because I have another story to update but I will try to update as fast as possible. Please review.