Sorry it's taken so long. I've been busy with school. I don't own The Inheritance Cycle. Christopher Paolini and Knopf publishing does.
Jaeden recovered enough from the mental and physical shock to register his surroundings, he realized he had a silver oval shape design on his left palm. He stared, transfixed at it for a moment until the dragon nipped at his hand. He realised that his mind was still able to hear the dragons thoughts. The poor thing was hungry.
"Do you have any food for it?" Jaeden asked the guard next to him, who was still shouting about the dragons.
"Sorry what was that?" the soldier asked.
"Do you have any food-" but he was cut off by his sister, Ariata running up to him and hugging him fiercely.
"You're a Rider, Jaeden! A Dragon Rider…" Ariata chattered on and on, exited. Jaeden repeated the question to the guard, but was not heard.
Finally, in anger and frustration, he opened his mind and screamed the question with his mind. The guards and children all winced as his mental shout reverberated in their minds. Even Ariata halted. The guard was silent. Then he beckoned with his hand to follow him.
Jaeden scooped up the dragon and followed the guard, Ariata at his heels. They walked to the palace in the middle of Belatona. The palace looked was more a castle then a palace. It was tall and made of dark gray stone. And a wall of stone protected it.
But it wasn't the thickest walls, as the Varden noticed when they knocked through it like it was paper. It was also not nearly as strong as it seemed. A group of workers still labored to repair the damage to the wall knocked over by the Varden in their campaign. The wall was nearly finished, only the topmost twenty feet or so was still missing.
Jaeden held his dragon in his arms as he followed the guards to the gates. They opened when the guards called their brethren inside to do so. Jaeden stepped forth, and the dragon squirmed. Jaeden tried to keep it in his arms, but it fell to the floor. The thing righted itself and stood at Jaeden's heels.
Jaeden shrugged and continued on through the room. It was big and richly decorated, he was sure. But his eyes were for the end of the hall. Three pure white horses stood, and beside them three elven men stood together, staring at Jaeden. Or more accurately, at the dragon in his arms. The elves bowed to Jaeden and the dragon. Jaeden didn't know whether to bow or not. But the elves didn't seem upset by his lack of movement. The middle elf was tall, pale, and had long black hair that tumbled down his back. He put two fingers to his lips and said something that Jaeden didn't catch. He did however bow, knowing somehow the elf had just honored him in some way. The other elves did the same as the middle elf. They both had startlingly blond hair. Like a piece of the moon. Then the dark haired elf spoke,
"Greetings young rider. I am Vanir and these are my two companions, Kinsi and Slinthri. We are very honored by your presence. What is your name?" Jaeden just looked at the elf, trying to understand why anyone would be honored by his presence. Then again, he looked down at his dragon. But he pretended not to realise this.
"Jaeden." Jaeden said.
"Jaeden, you will be escorted to the new home of the riders, Nyr Verold. Take joy from this, human, you will be among legends."
"And of my family? I am but a boy. Shall I just leave them?"
"You will leave them, but not without a proper farewell. We will give you an hour, but soon we must ride. What shall you name your Dragon?"
Jaeden thought of this, then remembered the feeling of the dragon.
"Food."
Vanir scowled "You intend to name your partner in mind and spirit 'food'?"
Jaeden laughed and shook his head. "No, but my dragon is hungry. Do you have any food." Vanir nodded and said. "In the bag by our horses. But you must get it yourself, I find it distasteful to touch it." Jaeden shrugged and put the dragon down. He strode to the indicated bag. He opened it and reached inside. He withdrew a handful of dried strips of meat. He took it to his dragon, who, once it smelled the meat it ran over to intercept. The elves all withdrew slightly from the sight. Jaeden noticed this, and stored it for later.