I'm glad y'all like this story so far! And thanks for the reviews *winkwink* I'll go on as long as I possibly can before school starts, cuz this has got to be one of my favourite stories that I've written xP.
The elation that surged through Eragon was only matched by the immense urge to get away from Helgrind. They had to get away before Galbatorix could find them again. They didn't even know if their former master knew that they were free yet. If he did…they just had to get away.
Eragon steeled himself for Saphira's powerful launch into the air. Arya and Glaedr were little more than specks on the horizon and it took ten minutes to catch up to them, but when they did, before Arya could throw a glare at them, both Eragon and Saphira said joyfully in the minds of the other Rider and dragon that they were truly free – and they said it in the Ancient Language. The elf Rider's face lit up and Glaedr dropped a little to fly beside them.
So why couldn't you say anything before? Arya asked.
Galbatorix had ordered us to pretend we had escaped, and we couldn't tell you otherwise, Eragon explained and saw the faces of the children for the first time. The girl with her long, blond hair and eye glinting in the rising sun, and the boy with hair that shone like bronze. And somehow, they both made ripples in the magic that coursed around everything in Alagaesia.
Arya reasoned out how her demanding of the statement in the Ancient Language had released them and smiled.
"Where should we go?" Eragon asked, the impact of this statement slowly sinking in. He was free to do whatever he wanted, and Saphira with him.
Arya thought for a second, then explained what she was thinking about. "Well, I would say we should go and give hope to the Varden, but they're falling apart after all these years, and even we will need help to put them back together. At the moment, going to Ellesmera will be our best bet. And, I have a question for you," Eragon nodded, letting her know that she could go on, and looking straight ahead. "Are we going to rescue Murtagh?"
Eragon was caught off-guard by this question. And after a second, he answered, "Yes, we are. But not today. Today, we need to get far away from here, and in the near future, we'll come back, knowing what to do. I've got no idea how to free him."
For several hours, they flew north in relative silence. Before long though, the sky was darkening with night and they waited until barely anything could be seen before landing. Eragon created a low, blue fire and the children scrambled to warm themselves. His heart poured out to them; they hadn't chosen to come and were now facing things that the average man wouldn't face in a lifetime. He made the fire grown warmer, though it made no more light, and asked, "So, what are your names?"
"Coryn," the boy said, not looking up, though the girl stared reverently at him.
"Sienna," she said. Eragon grinned at the kneeling children, and sat down beside them, warming his own hands for a few seconds, but he started tickling Sienna's sides and she fell laughing onto his lap. He hugged her like a father and wished that Galbatorix and all his men and the terrible legacy that the madman had left would just disappear. Saphira let gold slide through the minds of everyone, and Glaedr responded with a content bronze. The dragons were laying around one side of the clearing they'd landed in and the elf and humans in the other.
Arya got out food: some cheese, dried fruit, and dried meat, and handed some to each child before sending them to their blankets to get some sleep. Eragon stood and watched them, almost leeching his own energy away from him, fall asleep in a matter of a minute and a half, only barely finishing their food before drifting off to dreamland.
You could have heard a leaf hit the ground in the silence that followed. Arya unexpectedly threw her arms around Eragon. "I've missed you so much." But she pulled away a bit, blushing. "It's very difficult to go on like I have. Well, not as hard as you've had it, I'm sure…" Eragon pulled her back into a brotherly embrace.
"I've missed you too. Where are Roran and Katrina and everyone else?" he asked, pushing her back a little so he could look into her eyes.
"They had to go into hiding." Arya wiped a tear away. "We communicate through Angela. Even I'm not allowed to know where they are, because of what might happen if Galbatorix captured me as well."
"When will you be seeing her next?" he asked.
"Two days from now. Just outside of Du Weldenvarden," Arya answered quickly. "We're going to have to get an early start. I'll wake you before dawn."
"Sounds good to me," Eragon said, and took his place reclining against Saphira's side.
It feels so good to be free, Eragon said.
That it does, little one, Saphira sighed and a few seconds later, sleep claimed them both.
*-*-*
The next morning, both dragon and male human/elf were woken by Arya standing over them. She didn't have to say a word, either mentally or physically, to wake them. Both had the reflex of waking up when another large presence was near.
Eragon blearily blinked away the film that clouded his vision as Arya said, "We've got to get moving. If we stay here much longer, we'll be found. The children are already up."
"Alright," Eragon yawned and jumped up. Saphira got to her feet and shook like a dog.
Climb on, she said, I'm ready to go. Arya handed Eragon some food and he ran his fingers through his messy hair.
Can Sienna ride with you? Arya asked, smiling, She quite looks up to you.
Of course, Eragon answered and turned to the girl who was trying to fold the blankets. Eragon gently helped her and watched as Glaedr used his tale to spread the ashes from the fire around the clearing, erasing their time in that place.
After the few minutes it took to pack up camp, Eragon helped Arya clip everything to their dragon's saddles and lifted Sienna to his saddle. Arya did the same for Coryn, and both Rider's mounted up behind them, ready for nearly anything that might happen.