Alright, EPIC LAZINESS! So sorry, I should have posted this ages ago. And big oops on the boldface type, damn formatting…anycase, enjoy!
~*~
It was a week after we went swimming before I talked to Vanir. Being a long lived race, we can be away from our spouses/friends/partners for longer than either humans or dwarves. So a week was a small amount of time to be away from him. When you have an eternity to look forward to, the months matter less.
I was in the middle of a wonderful dream, about my parents presenting me with a bright green dragon egg. The creature hatched and(time distortedly) flew me over the trees of Du Weldenvarden. I was happily soaring through the sky when a shouting sound interrupted my thoughts. I awoke with a start, rolling over and lighting a candle using the word brisingr.
"Seyda!! Wake up, Seyda!" Vanir shook me by my shoulders, making me sick to my stomach.
"What?" I asked blearily, sitting up in bed. "This had better be good."
"Your uncle has asked me to train with the rider!" He said, outraged. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and yawned.
"And this is a problem why?" I asked, cocking my head sideways to blink at him.
"He's a cripple and a human!" He growled, glaring and giving my bed stand a frustrated kick. I sighed and rubbed my temples.
"Vanir, go back to bed." I snapped, pulling my feather pillow over my head. He yanked it back and began to rant about what a easy fight it would be and how much of a stupid choice Saphira made in a rider. I let him. It was the only way to allay this frenzied passionate hatred he had against Eragon. He vented his fury an hour and a half. After the first half hour,I began to think he'd truly exhausted the subject. With a last growl he came and sat beside me on the bed. He pulled me into his lap and breathed into my ear.
I drifted off to sleep with him muttering.
"She should have chosen you."
~*~
I slept for two more hours before getting up at the crack of dawn and walking to the sparring yard. I joined Galion, Aranethon, and Tune'var at the edge of the field, Eragon and Vanir had already begun to spar.
"This is pathetic. I mean I knew humans were weak, but this is just sad." Aranethon hissed through his teeth, lips pursed in disgust. Eragon gasped as Vanir easily disarmed him. Galion sighed and looked at me with a pained expression.
"If he sees you it'll just encourage him." He said to me, groaning.
"Encourage him to what?" I asked seeing Eragon pick up his sword with a grimace. Vanir attacked again, and within the moment, had disarmed him.
"Dead," Vanir pronounced clearly, casting me a glance. "how do you expect to defeat Galbatorix like this? I expected better, even from a weakling human."
"Ouch." Tune'var whistled and scuffed the ground with the toe of his boot.
I wondered then how we looked to Eragon, standing a almost silent sentinel over the fight. I doubted sincerely that he could see anything but a mask of impassive observation. I knew my friends well, and even the slightest twitch of a lip or blink of an eye could speak volumes to me. When the humans tell of us, we are emotionless, cool and aloof in times of anger or puerile, ethereal and ever joyful in times of happiness. This simply displays the sincere lack of thought humans put into their assumptions. We merely do not deign to waste emotion on a lesser being.
"Then why don't you fight Galbatorix yourself instead of hiding in Du Weldenvarden?" Eragon snarled, making me tense. Filthy, yellow bellied, excuse for a short-lived peasant! I made a quiet hissing snarl, my lip curling. Emotion? Mortals wanted emotion? I'd show him an emotion he'd never forget, dragon rider or no.
"Because, I'm not a Rider. And if I were, I would not be such a coward as you." Vanir replied haughtily, glaring. I resisted the urge to clap politely, with great difficulty. Eragon leaned heavily on his sword, back to Vanir. Everyone was silent.
"Coward, I say. Your blood is as thin as the rest of your race's. I think that Saphira was confused by Galbatorix's wiles and made the wrong choice of a Rider." This took me a back, it was the strongest public display of derision any of us would dare utter. The first insults had been justly deserved, but this accusation was far out of line. It insulted Saphira! I gasped inwardly and made as if to walk towards them. Aran caught me and shook his head. I nodded and held my tongue, standing back to watch. Zar'roc swung towards Vanir's skull and I let out a sharp, warning yell. Vanir blocked the blow just seconds before it would have killed him. The blow could have beaten his brains out! This was war! I pulled my sword out from its sheath but Galion caught my hand, sliding it back into the leather with a rasp.
"He'll be fine." Tune'var assured as we watched. He forced Vanir to the middle of the field and landed a harrowing blow to his hip. I saw a ruby bead of blood there, making me snarl loudly despite myself. In the same moment, Eragon fell starting to convulse. That did it. For the love of all hallows!
I ripped my arm out of Aran's grasp and strode out beside the pair. I heard other elves murmuring some quietly contemplating my etiquette. Vanir reached for me, but I shook my head. I knelt and picked up Zar' Rocand brushed dirt from it's guarded edge.
You will give him this sword and treat him with the just respect of the elves, Vanir. You cannot afford to be thought of as insolent and childish in his eyes, no matter how much you and I would love to harm at least his pride.
I said quickly in his head. Holding the hilt of the sword out to him, I looked to see Eragon's convulsions abating. At least treat him with respect. For me.
Wiol ono.
(For you.) Vanir agreed grudgingly, taking the hilt of the sword. I pressed my fingers to his side, whispering the ancient words. He took my hand and we turned to leave.
"Where are you going? We have unfinished business, you and I." Eragon's voice stopped him dead in his tracks. He seemed to have recovered, though the color had been drained from his face giving him a spectral pallor.
"You are in no fit condition to spar," Vanir scoffed, voice threatening. I had to admire Eragon's perseverance, even if he was a slow swordsman. But that perseverance was akin to stupidity.
"Try me." Came the obstinate reply. Vanir gave my hand a tight squeeze before returning to attack Eragon. I dithered for a moment before walking off the field and back onto the path that led to the Crags of Tel'Naeir. I saw the furtive glances cast my way, heads quickly turned, whispers suddenly muted. I held my head high and marched on, I needed to talk to Oromis. Fate had other plans for me, unfortunately.
"Oh, look who it is. Seyda!" The high, irritating cackle of the voice made me tense. I kept walking and ignored her, I didn't need anymore frustration today.
"To good for us, isn't she? Little mortal lover, you can't have them both, you know." I stopped abruptly to avoid running into her. Her bright silver hair framed softly elegant features, pale blue eyes slanted and full of hidden jealousy.
"Move, Eletia. I don't have time for this." I tried to move past her but she blocked my escape, sticking out her chin in defiance.
"Oh, I think you do? How about we have a little contest, hmm?"
"Sorry, I don't fight with elflings; not fair to them." I growled, shoving her aside. She staggered to the side in a anoverdramatic gesture of falling, landing a kick to the back of my knee. I stifled a yelp and kept walking, ignoring her.
"Poor Vanir, upstaged by a human boy. So, a fat face and round ears are what does it for you then?" Eletia taunted, making my fists clench.
I took a deep cleansing breath, closing my eyes and exhaling slowly. I kept walking, I really didn't need to hurt her. I'd revenge myself eventually, when she least expected it. I turned to leave, only to come face to face with her entourage. Some of these girls were my own age, hating me for reasons I couldn't fathom. They would never be so impolite as to actually attack me, but their silence was enough
"Please move, Leda. I have to go by." I said lightly, feigning utter indifference. She sneered and moved to the side gracefully, glaring at me. I walked by her with a small 'thank you' and a smile.
~*~
Please, Glaedr? Please!
I tried repeatedly to rouse him from sleep, but to no avail. I didn't want to return to the sparring grounds, but neither did I particularly fancy returning home to read. Wind whistled over the crags and I sat down, pulling my knees against my chest, trying to remember the last time I'd truly flown.
Flying. What a impossible state to describe to one who has never done so. You ride upon the back of such a unfathomably beautiful creature in the infinite sky; your heart seems to grow wings of its own and soar, boundless. It is the most elated, euphoric experience you will ever have. I truly loved the feeling, ever since I was small.
~A small girl sat in the branch of a tree, swinging her legs over open air. She was about twenty feet up, and the smock she wore was stained with mud and grass. She wore a miniscule pair of leggings underneath and the soles of her feet were brown with dirt. She shouted angrily to the four boys below her, voice high pitched.
"I will not!! You wretched boys! If you put one more frog down my tunic I swear I'll curse you!!" She squeaked. Her delicately pointed ears were smudged with mud, and a smear above her right eye. Golden blonde hair was pulled in a braid down her back.
"Come on, Sey, we're very sorry! We won't do it again. We promise!" Vanir pleaded, bouncing up and down on his heels. Tune'var stood beside him, holding a large slimy, bullfrog behind his back.
"I've got a night crawler for you, Sey!! It's big and squirmy!" Aran taunted, giggling. He proffered her a stick with a large, hideous, pink worm on the end. Vanir tried to keep the smile from his lips and poked the worm, making it writhe. Seyda recoiled with a scream and nearly toppled off the branch. Galion was clutching a recently traumatized salamander, nursing the previously air born creature back to health in the palm of his hand.
"What game are you elflings playing now?" Called a tall elf lord, who kneeled down to be on the same level as the boys. Seyda kicked her feet back and forth and shouted.
"Father!! Father! They've been throwing slimy things at me!" She accused, scowling. The man laughed and held out his arms to her. She hopped down and he caught her easily, laughing.
"Slimy things, eh?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. She nodded, sticking out her bottom lip in a impressive pout. Suddenly her face lit up and she scrambled over his shoulder towards the large green dragon who chuckled as she squirmed. The other four elflings pointed and gasped in surprise. Vanir trembled with happiness and awe.
"I know a good cure for slimy creatures, little one." He laughed and lifted his daughter into the saddle.
He swung up behind her and the dragon took off, lunging into the air and giving a powerful beat of its tremendous wings. The powerful downward stroke propelled Father and daughter up into a boundless blue sky, sailing above the trees and into a limitless expanse of sky.
The wind rushed by as they flew, and Seyda grew accustomed to the great roar of wind.
"I can see everything!!" She squealed, leaning over the emerald neck. "Can we go faster, Celtore?"
We can go swifter then the falcon flies. Celtore laughed in Seyda's mind. The flight was like a dream of sunlight and all ethereal things under the stars. Like a midsummer illusion which swept through the regions of a dancing dreamland. The swift wing beats fell into rhythm with the thrum of heart beats, in a sundry cadence that swept the little elf higher and higher.~
