Chapter 4. Family

Nausada was dressed in her red hunting clothes, she wore them whenever she went flying with Murtagh on Thorn. She sat packing in the cobblestone courtyard with a smile on her face as she watched the six year old twins play. She especially paid much attention to her son Ajihad who had been named after her father. The boy looked like her father more and more everyday despite his light brown completion. Then she turned her attention to her willful spoiled daughter Selena. She reminded Nausada of herself and all the trouble she caused her father growing up.

She smiled, "The gods have a sense of humor…" She said to herself.

"Morning all!" Murtagh yelled entering the courtyard.

"Daddy!" Selena screamed running into his arms.

"How did the meeting go?" Nausada asked kissing him on the cheek.

"I will tell you later…"

The children were placed in the saddle first then Nausada and finally Murtagh climbed up, it was a special saddle he had made to accommodate his entire family. Thorn crouched low and leapt into the air with the children screaming at the top of their lungs in excitement. With three mighty strokes Thorn was in the air angling Northwest towards Ceuneon the capital of the Northern Kingdom.

Roran's chief spellcaster had alerted him to Murtagh's approach so he and Queen Katrina were waiting in the courtyard as Thorn descended from the sky. Roran and Katrina were waiting with their seven year old son Prince Garrow Sloan. As the adults greeted each other the children wrestled with each other as usual. Selena was determined to prove that she was just as tough as her brother and cousin.

"I see your daughter hasn't mellowed any from the last time we saw her…" Katrina said disapprovingly.

Nausada smiled, "She is her father's daughter…"

"Ha!" Murtagh said, "She emulates her mother in every way…"

Roran went over to the children, pulled Selena off of Garrow, and held her on his shoulders, "Maybe I should sign this little Urgal up as captain of my guard…"

Selena stopped struggling and looked at her uncle, "Oh can I be your captain…" The adults laughed.

They all went to the great study while the children ran off to explore the secret passages, "Are you staying for dinner…"

"That would be nice…" Katrina said.

"Thanks for the invite, but I came to ask if either of you heard from Eragon…"

Roran and Katrina looked at each other, "We haven't heard from him in months…"

"I don't like this I am considering sending a ship after them…"

"It could be nothing…" Roran said.

"You know Eragon better than I do…"

"Murtagh is right let's send the ship…" Katrina said.

"With a dragon rider…"

Murtagh sighed, "I can't spare any as is… with all the trouble Vanir is causing me…"

"Your words echo my cousin with the sound of civil war…" Roran said

"It can't be that bad?" Katrina commented.

"We are not dismissing the possibility… at the least there may be a break away by all the Elven riders…"

"Well if it comes to that you know you have my support, but I must ask… where do the dwarves stand?"

Murtagh sighed, "With the elves of course…"

Roran took a sip from his goblet, "What about Queen Arya?"

"I don't know I haven't spoken with her…"

"Would you like me too

He shook his head, Murtagh stood up, "Let us put all these unpleasant things behind us and enjoy the company of family…"

Nausada and Murtagh were in their suite getting ready for dinner, "You seem worried…"

"About many things…" Murtagh replied combing his hair.

"You are a good leader Murtagh…"

Dinner was held in the grand dining room, it was just family only. They ate and talked while the children sat eating their food properly. After dinner the adults went to the study where Nausada read the Jounals of Tanmar the great. His works were one of the literary treasures found hidden away in Galbatorix's vaults. The next day Murtagh, Roran, and Thorn went hunting, while the women and children remained at the palace practicing archery. Murtagh and Nausada spent the next three days with Roaran and Katrina, but it was time for Murtagh to get back to his duties as Head of the Council of Dragon Riders.