Well. What can I say? It's been forever. Blame Crew people. I officially am having no life bit by bit. Sigh.
A thousand six hundred and fifty two apologies! :)
Chapter 4- Rush
Little one…
Uhn…
Little one.
Mmmmnn…
Little one! Ice roared in Star's head, finally bringing her around from her trance.
"What?! Where's the danger!" She screeched, bolting upright from the bed, her knife out, breathing hard. Ice sighed at her disoriented state.
Saphira is… pregnant.
Star froze in shock. A thousand things came crashing through her mind at once. Saved… saved… they were all saved. Dragons… colourful rainbows of them… Life… so much life… vibrance… love…
Star screamed, and jumped up and down on the bed. She screamed with shock, joy, love, and also fear. A dragon. A new baby dragon. Finally, their race can be saved.
IceyouhavetocometoUrû'baenrightnowandtellmeallabouttheegg! She gushed, out the door at a dead sprint. She knocked over guards, servants, pedestrians, and noblemen alike.
"Morne!" She screamed, sliding at a dangerous speed into his throneroom.
"Star… what's wrong?" he asked, standing up in alarm. In her haste, Star actually tripped on the corner of a stone, and was sent tumbling across the floor. She lay there, giggling at her clumsiness, then sprung up.
"It'sIceandSaphirathey'vehadaneggthedragonraceissaved!" She let it all out in one breath, and screamed for joy again. Morne looked very confused. Still.
"What did you say? Slower, please." He ran a hand through his hair, wincing when Star just screamed again,
"ICE AND SAPHIRA HAD AN EGG!" The air was crackling with lightning from her excitement, electricity charged the room. Morne sat heavily down on his throne, dazed.
"Another dragon…" he murmured to himself, in shock.
Star there's another egg? Nyra's voice exploded in her mind at the same time as Murtagh's yelled,
Another egg?! Star screamed again in shock from the volume, falling to her knees, clutching her head as they pestered with endless questions. She could tell there was a plan forming in Murtagh's mind, but he wouldn't reveal it to her.
We'll be right there. He said, excited, and severed the connection. Nyra continued to babble endlessly, also talking to Murtagh. But she hid their conversation from Star, which annoyed her.
---
"I really honestly don't feel good about this." Nyra bit her lip, looking doubtfully at Murtagh.
"How else are we going to find out? It's worth a try." He said, shrugging. "As if the new king will attack me," he added. "I'm a Rider."
"But stealing is still bad. Kings, from what I've heard, really don't like things stolen from them." Nyra contradicted stubbornly. But his logic was slowly winning her over.
"Look. It's not stealing, or even breaking in. We're going to casually walk in there, down to the vaults, and… borrow it. Just to see if anything happens."
"It is not an 'it'. 'It' could turn into…" Nyra was slowly running out of arguments.
"What? Are we just going to let it sit there for the rest of eternity?" Murtagh pointed out. Nyra squeezed her eyes shut. He was right. Murtagh sensed his triumph, and pressed.
"I doubt that leaving it there would hardly be kind to it," his voice was a low murmur.
"I can't believe we're stealing a dragon egg…" Nyra moaned. Murtagh made a small sound of triumph and scorn.
"As I said, it's not stealing. Technically."
Nyra rolled her eyes.
---
Star gasped for breath, racing down the corridor. Nyra giggled, running ahead of her, clutching the jade green egg. Star was exasperatedly yelling after her, while Murtagh chased her, laughing. Let alone the shock from Ice recently bringing this new egg to Urû'baen for safe keeping just the other day, now Nyra was trying to steal it! Star wished Galbatorix would come back from his bloody grave so she could kill him again. She was very, very stressed right now.
"NYRA! What do you think you're doing?!" Star screamed for the umpteenth time.
"Giving little baby here a thrill! Don't worry sister dear, dragon love is safe here!" She sang over her shoulder, dancing around a corner. Star's eyes widened, and she did a mid-air somersault over a surprised worker.
"Star! Star! Don't make her drop it!" Murtagh called, still chuckling to himself.
"That belongs to the king! And be quiet Murtagh! If Morne heard about this he would…" Nyra came to a sudden stop, causing Star to slam into her, and Murtagh into both of them. Nyra curled around the egg as they all sprawled out on the floor. Nyra was giggling uncontrollably. Morne stood there, arms crossed, an eyebrow raised.
"So much for 'casually walking down in there and borrowing it'…" Nyra muttered, making Murtagh laugh harder.
"Morne! They were trying to take it, and I tried to stop them…" Star began, trying to speak around a mouthful of Nyra's blonde hair.
"We just want to see who it will hatch for…" Nyra said sulkily, while Star pulled them both up, growling.
"I see. And just what did you expect…"
Squeak!
Everyone froze.
Squeak!
All eyes slowly turned to the jade green dragon egg.
Squeak!!
The egg started to rock violently in Nyra's arms. She quickly set it on the ground, and stepped back.
SQUEAK!
A crack split along the shell. Then another, then another. The shell made a long crrrrackk sound, and the egg burst apart, sending jade pieces flying everywhere. Morne, Murtagh, Star, and Nyra had to duck out of the way of the missiles.
The baby dragon was exactly the colour of the shell, with big oak-leaf green eyes staring happily up at Nyra. It surveyed them all, and scrambled up with some dignity. A slow minute ticked by, they all just stared open mouthed.
It wobbled slowly up to Nyra, squeaking softly. It leaned its forepaws up on her leg, and touched the palm of her right hand with its muzzle before she could move an inch.
A blinding flash erupted, and Nyra collapsed on the ground, a new Gedwëy Ignasia shining on her palm. Star and Murtagh were still frozen with shock, Morne looked like he was about to pass out. The minutes ticked by as they waited tensely for something to happen. Morne started to shift uncomfortably, unable to remain completely motionless like Star and Murtagh.
"Nnn… what..?" Nyra mumbled after what seemed like an eternity. "Ouch…" she muttered after rubbing her palm. She glanced at it, and then did a double take. She stared at the dragon for a good three minutes, and then whirled around, looking at Star with wide emerald eyes that matched her dragon.
"Star what just happened?" She whispered hoarsely.
"Argetlam…" Star murmured, rubbing her own Gedwëy Ignasia which stung from being so close to her sister's Marking.
"I'm…. a Rider?" (A/N: no kidding!!! Score: 1 for Nyra!)
"Ah… Yes…" Star sputtered. Murtagh sat heavily on the ground. "Well… this is.. different." He said, bemused.
"Oh… well… okay then. Stop repeating my name!" Nyra said suddenly, turning to her dragon in frustration. Murtagh and Star laughed.
"Welcome to the club." Star giggled. "Ice was a real jerk about it with me…"
"… and Thorn was just plain sulky…"
"…so don't worry, dragons always…"
"…say their Rider's name since…"
"…that's the only thing they know how to say right now." Star finished. She and Murtagh stared at each other, and wrinkled their noses.
"Ew… we finished each other's sentences. Ugh. Human…" Star made a gagging sound.
"That's…"
"Okay." Nyra and Murtagh chimed in, then burst out laughing.
"Yes, you two do that. I'll go tell E…" Star choked as she realized what she was about to say, then averted her eyes. Nyra frowned, instantly sensing the vast pool of hurt lurking in Star's heart.
"Sister…" she began, but Star rushed out of the room. She turned down a few corridors. Coming to a stop in a courtyard, a messenger called after her, panting hard from his one-sided chase.
"A message from King Orik of the dwarves…"
"They chose a new King?!" Star sputtered, another shock running through her. She couldn't handle much more.
"Yes, Lady Nasuada aided King Orik to his victory and…"
"I have missed a great deal, so don't even try to start explaining." Star said dryly. She hadn't even been introduced to anyone in the Varden. She vaguely remembered Nasuada's name mentioned somewhere…
"Well, the King requests urgent aid from Riders Evarínya and Eragon…" Star squeezed her eyes shut to hold in tears.
"Go on…" she muttered, trying to keep her voice even.
"A great sickness among the dwarves has sprung up. Your urgent help is required at once in Tronjheim." The man bowed, and left. Star smacked her head.
"As if enough weren't already happening..." Star muttered, when Nyra came strolling in with her new dragon in her arms.
"She doesn't like any names I…" Nyra began, but Star just laughed.
"Keep trying maybe you should…"
"Zix!" Nyra cried out suddenly. The dragon hummed, pleased. Nyra sagged in relief.
"Zix, it is, then. She should be introduced to her parents, since someone took her away from mother and father too early." Star crooned to Zix, who stared up at her with her big oak-leaf green eyes. "You're so beautiful, Zix, aren't you?" She murmured, making her hum pleasurably from the compliment.
"There's trouble in Farthen Dur, so I should be going sometime…" Star trailed off, thinking about Eragon. She couldn't face him… she couldn't bear to see him next to Arya. She would rather drown in the sea than see that. Of course he would be there, in all haste. Maybe she just had to get there first, before him. He was probably still in Ellesméra…
Sadness welled up in Star, and she didn't realize she was crying again, until a silver tear fell onto Zix's muzzle. She keened up at Star sympathetically, burying her muzzle in Star's stomach. A deep rumbling sounded in all of their chests as Ice hummed. One big glacier blue eye took up a window, and Zix squeaked loudly, struggling to get to Ice. The two sisters bounded through the window, and they had a happy family reunion. Saphira was still with Eragon. Ice had brought the egg. Since Saphira wouldn't leave Eragon just yet to come see the baby…
"Star? I can tell there's something very wrong with you… tell me." Nyra whispered softly. Star jumped at the sound of her voice, and averted her eyes. Nyra tugged on her sleeve until she looked up.
"Oh Nyra I'm so hurt…" She whispered, a few silent tears slipped from her control. She needed to stop crying. She needed to be strong… but how was she ever going to rebuild her broken heart?
"Oh, Star… oh, Star… you poor thing. Don't cry love, don't cry…" Nyra whispered softly, her own voice strangled as if she was about to cry herself. She kept murmuring nonsense meant to comfort, until Star had finally calmed. She let out a huge sigh, leaning heavily on Ice.
I'm done crying. Forever. She swore to herself. I will never shed another tear for Eragon's sake. I have to be strong. Ice seemed like he wanted to say something, but he kept his thoughts quiet. Star pushed thoughts of Eragon well away from her mind, and she devoted herself solely to her company. Whatever the dwarves needed done, she would do it. Whether Eragon was there or not.
I'm already working on the next chapter! This week is going to be crew hell… so bear with me :) and the medal races are coming up… wish me and my team the best of luck! As soon as crew is over I will be showering you with chapters galore.