Hello again! Estoy en un muy bien humor hoy! (That's Spanish for I'm in a good mood today.) I would say it in Hindi or Russian for all you Indian and Russian people out there, but I don't speak those languages. sighs deeply But yeah…since I am in a fine mood I decided to post another chappie to my story.
Twilight alchemist: Thanks, I try not to be bad most of the time. :)
Disclaimer: Does anyone honestly believe I could possibly be Christopher Paolini? Or that I have enough money to make suing me worth it?
Arya took Lavidatia to a pond early the next day. The blood and dirt rinsing off her back made Lavidatia feel better than she had since Wayna's death. They sat on the stones near the pond, letting the sun dry both their hair. Lavidatia felt at ease with the elf, and they soon both felt friendship towards the other.
The sun was climbing to the middle of the sky when Lavidatia said, "You never truly told me what the Council will decide."
Arya ran her fingers through her thick, dark hair. "Many of the men are unpredictable; I could no sooner tell you what they will do then what you are thinking now. But be wary of some of the dwarves; they are angry no dwarven Rider has been brought about yet. They will seek to take out their frustrations on you if they are allowed to. Likewise, many of the men and elves are agitated that no Rider has shown up for three years."
"Who was the last to come?"
"An elf named Horintu and a man named Kelrih. They are completing their training now in Ellesmera, the capital of my people. Soon they will bring their dragons to be with the others."
"What are dragons like? I have seen them now, but I know nothing past their appearance and that they are incredibly intelligent."
"Their intelligence is indeed equal to, or greater than our own. They can live forever, as long as they are not slain nor their Riders die. Their immortality allows their Riders to live much longer than a normal life span. They grow very attached to their Riders and would give their life to keep them safe. And though they can understand many languages but cannot speak aloud, they have the power to speak through minds."
"They do?"
"Yes, but don't be so awed by that. For anyone could speak through their minds if they tried hard enough."
"Can you do it?"
She smiled. "Yes. It is most easily done with Dragons, which why Riders are best at it. That is how Eragon and myself first spoke; through our minds. He entered my mind, and I gripped him roughly, fearing he was an enemy. But after he told me who he was, I released him."
"Do elves have stronger minds than humans or dwarves."
"Do not mention it to the Council, for it would start an argument, but we do. Our minds are more vast and powerful, hence our abilities to capture an invader to our minds. Those of us capable of using magic have a greater amount than the few humans who can."
"Why are there so few Riders? Are dragons dying out?"
"There are still many left, but they have not hatched. It is very difficult to find Riders, because the dragons choose their own Riders."
"How?"
"It is not known how an unhatched dragon knows who its Rider is, but they will not come forth from their egg until the right person has entered their presence."
Their drying hair was swayed by a wind from behind them. Arya smiled. "Good day, Saphira."
Lavidatia turned and there, inspecting her with cat-like blue eyes, was the great dragon of Eragon's. She bowed her head to Saphira, and said in greeting, "eka celobra ono," meaning 'I honor you'. Saphira's eyes twinkled and she came to sniff Lavidatia. Once she was through smelling her, she brushed her large head against the girl. Lavidatia smiled with delight and ran a head over the gem-like scales, surprised to find they were warm. The dragon settled near her, sitting like a cat.
"You speak the Ancient Language well," Arya observed.
Lavidatia nodded. "It is an odd thing…how I learned. You would no doubt think me insane if I told you."
Arya looked at Saphira. "I think very few people insane. And I do not hold it against most of them."
Lavidatia was encouraged by this, and told the elf how the Language had come to her on the slave platform.
"I did not know it before then, not a word," she finished.
Arya's thin eyebrows were furrowed in thought. Finally, she said, "That is indeed an odd story, but not insane. I could not tell you certainly why your mind gained it instantly." She seemed to sink into thought again, and Lavidatia ran her hands over Saphira's neck, carefully avoiding the spines running its length. The sun sank, and still the comfortable silence was on them. As the moon came up, however, Arya looked strangely at her hair. "Your hair…," she said quietly. "It is…almost purple in the moonlight."
Lavidatia nodded. "I don't know why, but it takes on a different shade when the moon rises to those who look closely."
Commotion from through the trees made the elf listen closely.
"Saphira, can you smell if it is the Council?" she asked.
The dragon dipped her blue head in a nod and Arya stood up. "We will return now. Remember what I told you; tread carefully. These men have the power to send you far, far away if Eragon or the king does not intervene. I hope that my husband is not on patrol when they meet you, else it will be too unruly for my taste."
They made their way toward the camp, Saphira padding quietly next to Lavidatia. When raised voices could be heard, Saphira growled.
"Trouble already," Arya mused tightly.
"Am I the cause?"
"You are no doubt the subject, but the cause is the tension that has been building up between them all." As the camp came into sight, Lavidatia could see a new wagon and many new horses. A large group of men—dwarves, elves, and humans—were by the large fire. The flames cast bright light on their angry faces, and their matching voices could soon be distinguished. Firelight danced on the surface of strange colorful stones set on pillows.
"Oh no," Arya whispered. "Eragon is not here. He must be patrolling on horseback. This could be bad. Lavidatia, watch out for the human with the slick graying hair; he has great magic, but he uses it rashly toward whatever purpose seizes him."
Lavidatia found the man, who was in the center of the uproar, glaring at Murtagh.
"You cannot endanger our cause. You least of all people," he was roaring.
"She's just a girl! How greatly could she harm our cause? Besides, I have honor enough to repay a debt owed. And I owed her my life as well as Cartive's."
"One traitor could ruin everything! Suppose she is working for the false new king Jalisman? Or even for the Shade?"
Arya squared her shoulders and led Lavidatia into the camp. "I highly doubt Lavidatia is working for the Shade, Master Luchid, as I have seen the marks of his torture on her," Arya interrupted smoothly. "Gentleman of the Council, this is Lavidatia."
Lavidatia bowed to them, aware of many sets of eyes on her. When she straightened, some were smiling, and others (like Master Luchid) were glaring.
"Murtagh has influenced the young Riders to bring danger into our camp," he said loudly. Murtagh's face filled with anger and the Riders were incensed at the insult, but he continued without notice. "Now I will protect us all by seeing how much of a danger they have brought about."
Before anyone could say anything, Lavidatia felt a new presence in her mind and closed her eyes. Luchid reached her childhood memories first, and began tearing through them. The pain was intense, and though he sensed it, he continued. She could dimly hear men yelling, and Arya and Nasuada commanding Luchid to stop. Lavidatia threw up her defenses as quickly as she could, but he found a weak spot and tore through it. Undeterred, she threw it up again and winced when he crashed through it violently. The shouting was gaining volume, but she pushed it away and focused on the attacker. After he tore down her third wall, she felt desperation and anger meld together. As he reached a memory of Wayna racing on horses with her, she felt the two emotions form a powerful force in her mind. She reached out and gripped the attacker with an iron hold, fueled by her new power. Surprise reverberated from Luchid, followed quickly by anger. He struggled against her grip, and she could feel his power, but hers was greater in that moment. She squeezed as hard as she could, and forced him out of her mind.
When she opened her eyes, she was on her knees, as was Luchid. Both were panting from the fight and the people looked on in surprise.
"You have no right to probe her without consent," Murtagh growled at the gasping Luchid.
"She…has…too powerful a mind," Luchid announced breathlessly. "That presents a greater danger than I thought."
The men all began shouting again and some were close to blows. Arya and Nasuada went to restrain the riled Councilors. Saphira used her head to push Lavidatia to her feet. Once she was up and could stand on her own, the dragon took off into the blackness. Three Riders were amidst the arguing, trying unsuccessfully to calm the males down.
"I'm not a danger," Lavidatia said, but it was drowned out by shouting. She took a cautious step forward.
Saphira appeared again and landed on the camp's outskirts, followed by two other dragons. Not even the wind or the firelight dancing on the colorful scales stopped the passionate argument. Three men dismounted from the dragons and ran forward; Lavidatia knew the one who had gotten off Saphira had to be Eragon. Eragon tried to calm them down, until an elf mentioned to him what Luchid had done to Lavidatia, then he began yelling himself.
"I warned you, Luchid! You know probing has to be consented to! And you have to do it gently, not ripping though them!"
Lavidatia was surprised that she could cause so fierce an argument. She stepped sideways, trying to see Arya, and bumped into something. She looked down and saw she had brushed against a pillow holding a bright lavender stone the size of her head. She stooped to right the stone again, then stood and resumed her search for Arya. Lavidatia heard the squeaks before any of the shouting men. At the sound of them, she jerked her head about, alarmed by the high-pitched noises. But she couldn't find the source.
A crack resounded through the night air and the men stopped shouting abruptly. More squeaks followed and they all turned to look at the stone. Lavidatia watched, wide-eyed, as the perfectly smooth surface of the thing became riddled with cracks. The stone fell into pieces with one last high squeak. There in the firelight, licking off the membrane that encased it, was a dragon. (Gasp there's the absolute shock everyone knew was coming.)
The Councilors and Riders stared. The dragon was as long as Lavidatia's forearm, but when it stretched out its thin wet wings, they were revealed to be much longer than its body. Its scales were the color of the stone it had come from; the color of amethyst. But not a stone, Lavidatia realized, an egg.
It had a neck like a small swan's and the back was lined with spikes the size of her little nail. The thing cast its reflective purple eyes about the camp, surveying the dumbstruck men. When its eyes settled on Lavidatia, it walked over and sat at her feet, looking up at her. She automatically knelt and stretched a hand out for it to sniff. It did, but when its nose touched her flesh, she felt as though icicles had been plunged into her skin and jerked away. She clutched her palm and was shocked to see a shining spot of flesh. A white oval shimmered in her palm, itching slightly like a spider bite.
She looked at the dragon again. She blinked and felt a consciousness brush against her own. The dragon squeaked and opened its mouth. She felt the consciousness again, but this time it extended into a tendril of thought, through which she felt a heavy curiosity and hunger. Her eyes widened when she realized she was feeling what the tiny dragon was feeling.
"Impossible." Luchid's whisper seemed to break through the air like the cracking of ice. Lavidatia couldn't move her eyes away from the dragon. "There has never been a female Rider," he insisted, his voice growing louder. "It breaks all tradition. This girl is a sorceress, in league with the Shade and the false king, come to coax this dragon out of its egg. I will show you," he took a step toward Lavidatia and stuck out his arm to grab her, but before anyone could stop him, the dragon placed itself between the man and girl, back arched, a deep hiss escaping its throat.
He backed away from the shining purple dragon, his eyes wide. The Council seemed stunned; too stunned to even move. Lavidatia stared at the dragon and at her silver palm, utterly confused and stunned. The dragon returned to its calm curious state once more, looking up at Lavidatia expectantly.
The consciousness brushed her again, and this time the feelings in it were very strong.
"You're hungry," Lavidatia whispered.
The dragon seemed pleased that she had finally gotten the message. It flicked its spined tail in approval.
Eragon recovered from shock before any of the others. He took a step forward, looking Lavidatia over closely. She knew she should curtsey or lower her eyes such as Mama Sutten had taught her to do, but she just returned his gaze straight on; she was too fascinated to do otherwise.
"Where are you from?" he asked.
"I used to live in Surda. Now I have no home."
"Who are your parents?"
Now Lavidatia looked down. "I don't know," she admitted. "I lived in an orphanage of sorts."
The Council murmured, making Lavidatia uncomfortable. She still wasn't quite sure what was going on.
Eragon held up a hand and they immediately fell silent again. "Do you realize this dragon has just chosen you to be its Rider?"
Lavidatia looked at the little creature then at the mark on her palm. "Me? Why me?"
Eragon shrugged. "I could no sooner tell you why than why Saphira picked me."
"But she picked you because…because you're…Eragon!"
"And you're Lavidatia," he said, smiling now. "Dragons don't make mistakes on who they choose; it's just meant to be. This little one has picked you."
The camp was silent for a moment. Some people were beginning to look curiously at Lavidatia—as though she had suddenly become far more interesting. Elves were especially looking her over. Their race was renowned for respecting females more than any other.
"Eragon, be reasonable," Luchid laughed nervously. "This witch has simply found a means of tricking the egg. It's not even thinkable that she become a Rider. And especially not to that dragon."
Lavidatia did not like being called a witch. To be called a witch meant death in some places. It could even mean it here, but she was too confused and angry at the man to care about that. Just as she was opening her mouth to make a barbed retort, Eragon did it for her.
"You know no magic can fool a dragon's egg. Besides—if any could, I have no doubt who would be the first one to try it." His pointed gaze left no doubt who he meant.
Luchid paled. "Eragon—I—I am your foremost supporter. You know I would do anything to help the Riders' cause. I would never attempt to fool any part of this mighty empire in the making."
Eragon was his normal placid self again. "I know that Luchid."
Relief flooded into Luchid's face. "I am most glad that you do—"
"So I know you will teach our newest Rider all your magic secrets."
Luchid's nostrils flared. To teach a woman his magic! An orphan girl! That sent rage scurrying down his weak spine. However all but his eyes hid that rage. "Of course. Only the best for the Rider of that dragon."
Lavidatia wasn't following all of this. It wasn't just that they kept putting emphasis on certain words; it was that she was always aware of a growing hunger and open curiosity. She was feeling what the dragon at her feet was feeling. The small purple creature was just staring at her, and she got the impression it was memorizing her every feature. She was surprised when it let out an abrupt, high squeak.
Eragon smiled at the small creature, the skin around his dark eyes wrinkling. "You're hungry, little one. Come on, we'll get you fed. You should come as well Lavidatia—there is much that should be explained to you."
She knew everyone was watching her and the new dragon. Eragon turned and began to walk, and just as she was about to follow him (glad to be rid of the stares) the dragon let out another squeak, but this one was different. At once Lavidatia felt alarm. It wasn't her alarm, but she felt it. The little dragon stood on its hind legs and raised its front ones, stretching its neck toward her. Lavidatia knew at once that the dragon wanted her to pick it up. True, the gesture was unmistakable as a request to be picked up, but the wish to be held crossed Lavidatia's mind and she knew that was what the dragon wanted.
She kneeled once again and stretched out her arms. The dragon let out a sniff of satisfaction; Lavidatia felt that same satisfaction pass through her mind. The tiny creature used her arms as stepstools to climb onto her shoulders and curl about her neck like some strange majestic scarf. She found the warm weight of the dragon oddly comforting. With a quick look at all the people staring at her, she followed Eragon away from them. He was walking into the darkness, not even looking back.
As Lavidatia walked past the two Riders who had flown to the camp with Eragon, they stared at her openmouthed. She had no answer to give their stunned eyes, only a quick unsure glance. Their dragons, however, puffed out their chests and lowered their necks slightly to her and their small relative, who chirped at them in reply. Whispers broke out as soon as her back was to the group. She couldn't read the tone of the quiet voices, whether they were angry or pleased.
Soon the voices faded, leaving only the sound of her footsteps and Eragon's. She didn't dare say a word or ask where they were going. He was the first of a new generation of Riders; he was responsible for the downfall of the evil Galbortorix; he was rebuilding the Empire, restoring it to its old ways and glory. How was she, nothing but an orphan girl, supposed to be anything like him? How could she even speak to him?
The dragon had no such qualms. After five minutes of walking, the little creature snorted in impatience. Eragon kept walking but turned his head to look at it. "Almost there, little one," he said.
The dragon sighed and began sniffing Lavidatia. It spent the rest of the walk gazing intently at her eyes. Lavidatia found it very hard to walk as the dragon did this, because it was very distracting to have one of the most powerful creatures in existence sitting on your shoulder as you tried to move—even if it was a very small creature. Lavidatia heard a soft padding noise behind her and spun to look. Saphira bobbed her head in acknowledgment before following Eragon. Lavidatia wasn't sure why, but she got the distinct feeling they were talking in their heads to each other.
It took them another ten minutes of walking before Eragon slowed. He was standing in front of a clump of thick trees. Eragon looked back at her and the little dragon before he and Saphira went into the trees and out of sight. With a doubtful look at the purple dragon, Lavidatia followed.
Once she was through the tangle of leaves and branches, Lavidatia stood still and stared. A small lake was before her, shimmering in the moonlight. The surface was beginning to carry ripples as the huge Saphira waded in. Eragon was standing to one side of the lake, and he motioned for her to come closer. She did so and then he told her to sit. The dragon climbed down into her lap, balancing two paws on each knee.
Lavidatia had no idea what she was supposed to do. Was Eragon going to question her? Ask her if she'd used magic to trick the egg? Or was he going to explain to her why there was a mix-up and why she had to go home? But she hadn't used magic! And she certainly wasn't going home. He didn't say a word, though; merely watched Saphira in the lake. The glittering blue dragon kept ducking her head under the water and then raising it again. After doing this several times, she came ashore and sat on her haunches near Eragon. She lowered her great head and opened her mouth, letting shiny things tumble out: fish. The head-ducking had been fishing. The little dragon let off a whistle of pleasure (Lavidatia felt that pleasure in her mind) and trotted over to the fish, consuming them eagerly. Eragon watched the baby eat for a few moments with a smile on his face, but it faded when he looked at Lavidatia. His looked was not angry or stern, more searching and thinking.
"You know about Riders?" he asked.
Lavidatia nodded. She would have to be deaf and dumb not to know about them after all the stories Mama Sutten had told.
He sunk into thought again, staying quiet for more time. "You've heard about how they're chosen then?"
Lavidatia thought he was asking her if she had used magic on the egg. "I didn't do anything to make it hatch," she said quickly. "I only touched it and then it just….cracked open. Please believe me."
The smile returned. "I do. I wasn't accusing you—I was just asking."
"Oh. Well, yes I know how they're chosen."
"Then you understand that by responding to your touch this little one has chosen you as its Rider."
Lavidatia opened her mouth but could think of nothing to say. She still couldn't believe that she was meant to be a Rider. They were so….great. She was nothing. How could she be one of them?
"Daunting isn't it?"
His question surprised her. "What?"
"Daunting—to be chosen by a dragon."
"You…you think it is? B—but you're the head Rider."
His smile grew. "I was sixteen when Saphira chose me. And back then, Riders were a bittersweet memory sinking into legend. I couldn't believe I was one of them. And when I finally got used to Saphira, I couldn't see how I was supposed to head up a new generation of Riders. It seemed like I was the wrong person for the job. I was just a strangling; dark, solitary, without parents or future prospects. But I think I've done alright considering all that."
"Alright? You've saved your kingdom! You brought down an evil king and put a just one on the throne! That's better than alright."
"And you can do more."
She couldn't help but laugh. Her? Do more than the great Eragon? "I highly doubt it."
He looked at the little dragon again, still eating the fish. "I don't. There's something you should know. That dragon isn't just any ordinary dragon."
"I doubt there's any such thing as an ordinary dragon. But what do you mean?"
Saphira lay down, looking like a great blue cat. She nudged Eragon and he sat down next to her. "Back in the days when I was just starting to build up the Riders again, Saphira laid an egg. My group of Riders numbered two. Before the final battle with Galbatorix, I had to choose an heir. The two men I had were great—I trusted them with my life and more—but they weren't cut out for heading the Riders. I didn't know what to do. If I died in the battle, who would continue to carry out my cause? The great elf seer Osthato Chetowa solved my problem two days before the final battle. He prophesized that the Rider Saphira's egg chose would be my heir. Ever since, we have guarded that egg as our most valuable possession. We did not even want to imagine what would happen if it fell into the enemy's hands. That would be the downfall of the Riders. But it didn't; the egg remained with us. And from that egg, came that dragon." He pointed at the purple baby, finally finished eating fish and cleaning its scales.
Lavidatia actually stopped breathing. She stared at the dragon then at Eragon and then at the dragon again. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was open. When she tried to speak, only a puff of air came out. Eragon leaned back into Saphira, peacefully letting it sink in. That took some time.
Finally, Lavidatia stuttered, "You mean I am…when you…after…me?"
Eragon just nodded. Her breath left her again. It was giving her brain an overload just to be here, with the Riders. It hurt her head to think about being one of them—much less the future head of them. How was she supposed to do that?
The little dragon finished cleaning itself and walked contently over to Lavidatia, soon becoming bored with her when she just stared. It moved on to Eragon, sitting in front of him and blinking curiously. The dragon brought that ever-ready smile to his lips and he leaned toward it. "And what are you, little one? Male or female?"
Lavidatia could feel the word forming in her mouth. It was out before she even really thought about it. "Female." Her brows furrowed and her face became confused. She didn't know why or how she knew, she just did.
Eragon did not seem to doubt her at all; he just nodded and spoke to the dragon again. "You're already working on her, eh? Saphira gave me two weeks before starting on me." He looked up at Lavidatia. "What's her name?"
The dragon turned her small head to look at her Rider. Her purple body seemed to glow to Lavidatia, her deep purple eyes holding the wisdom of an old elf and the young life of a human child. Also this question did not require much thought. But this answer was different. This one came from her heart, not from anywhere else. She knew as soon as she looked into those eyes. "Amethydia."
The dragon blinked, and Lavidatia felt pleasure. Saphira's blue eyes got a twinkle in it that Lavidatia could have sworn was the equivalent of a dragon smile.
"A good name." Eragon cocked his head at her. "How old are you?"
"Sixteen."
Eragon stood up. "More than a coincidence that you should be chosen at the age I was, I should think. Come, Lavidatia. You should sleep."
Lavidatia did not move. "What's going to happen to me—" she looked at the small dragon, "—us—now?"
Eragon stroked Saphira's neck lovingly. The places where he touched shimmered more brightly than the rest of her body. "We were heading to Uru'baen to set up our command center there. But now I think we'll be going to Ellesmera. In accordance to the old laws set down by the first Riders, existing Riders instruct you for only a small portion of your training—the elves get the most. We have to make some stops on the way; it will be a long journey. But in that time I can train you."
"Train me on the road?"
"Yes. Brom taught me as we traveled. Likewise I will teach you."
"Teach me what exactly?"
"To fight, to cast, to do everything a Rider must do."
Lavidatia twirled her thumbs in doubt. "How can I learn all this? I'm nothing but an orphan."
Eragon's kind smile was there again. "As am I. Come on and let's go back to camp. You need sleep; this will all seem less overwhelming in the morning."
Lavidatia had never even imagined what it might be like sleeping with a dragon. But she actually did it that night. The small creature curled up against her torso, humming softly as it fell asleep. Her purple scales were warm to the touch as they pressed against Lavidatia's stomach. The girl had been through so much pain, but the gentle vibrating of the dragon's hum and the warm scales soothed her into the deepest sleep she could ever remember having.
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Wow I typed that really fast! Ha ha! Take that evil computer-teacher-lady! I CAN type "properly". grumbles at evil computer lady freak OK, good mood's back! To everyone that read this: hurrah! I love ya tons! So, since I'm spreading the love, you should too: go down to the bottom left corner of this page and………REVIEW! M'kay, all done! I think I will go attack one of my poor friends now!
Lys