Hey sorry for the wait guys. Well here you go the next chapter in Ranger. And thank you so much for the reviwes and support! i'm so glad you like this!!! I have a new goal this year, I will try to update every two weeks! i want to get atlest this story done and start to next one before the start collage, my 18 b-day and when the third book comes out. ( which ironicaly is all in the same month. Heck the books comes out the day AFTER my birthday since they moved up the realsedate to 9/20!!)
Anyway we have a speical apprence in this chapter! And hints to future plots. ( well its not to screct if you read my other eragon fanfics or seen my art work XD)
oh btw ANNOUCMENT: LOOKING FOR A BETA READER. !!!
as you all know i don't have the best gramar ' (and since i;m forced to use wordpad since for some stupid reason works wont work!!) i'm looking for a beta
If you're intersted please message me. thank-you
Oh and if you like a like background music to you're stories. I sugest this for the parts:
Yuna's Ballad from ffx-2 (lol i just make this Sight's ballad XD they tend to act the same) In beging before Eragon and brom show up. Then at the Very end.
oh also once again some insperation comes from Lord of the rings (its preety obvious where) and theres a reason for that
Okay you may read now
Disclamer: blah blah. you get the idea.
Chapter 6:
Terim
It's pure white,...
A blinding light in which I can't see anything...
I hear something... a faint whimper I can't clearly make out...
Then the light fades and reviles a forest...
Brown pillers that reach towards the green sky that had breaks that shows the azure color high above , it goes on for miles and miles in every dirction...
...never telling where it ends.
The ground beneith me is soft. Earth that has been covered with moss, flowers and leaves autumn's past.
It's quite, all for the sound of a strem somewhere near by and the calming sounds that all forests make...
Then the sound is back , louder this time and I can tell what its now...
The sound of a child crying...
He's lying by the stream of the soft moss on his front.
The emrald is stainted with crimsion and the ceurliean water has turned scarlet as well.
I walk over and kneel by him
I want to tell him "Its all right, your not alone anymore"
I've had this dream since before I can remember...
in fact I can't even tell if it's a dream...
or some memory of something long ago..
The lines have faded...and blured...but whatever it was faded...
into... a promise.
"Sight."
Sight looked over to Sky who was riding beside her on a grey mare. The were currnetly riding across the flat plain of some part near the spine. The way they were travling it would have appreaded to be simillar to a arrow from a birds eyeview. Hunter was alittle ahead of the others on the back of the bay mare while Sight and Sky stayed behind a little.
"Hm?" the burrnet asked.
The blonde pointed out infront of them. "The towns ahead" she asked.
Sight looked foward to see the bulidings starting to tower infront of them. "We made good time." she remarked.
Hunter called over her shoudler from the front. "How long till they get here to you think?"
"I'd say within the next 3 days, the sithier oil trade leads right to here."
It had been a few weeks to maybe a month since Eragon had left Carvahall to find his uncle's murders. Saphira was with him of course, the dragon was never far away and always mentaly connected to him. One other joined with them on their journey, Brom the stroyteller, altho that seemed not to be his true nature now. It waa quite a surprise to find out that the old man wished to accompany them. Now he was Eragon's teacher, guide, and mentor in all dealings with and about dragon riders and their dragons. More importaltly he was the leader in tracking down the Raz'ac (as Eragon had found out what the murders were called.) Yet there still was this air of secrets about him , for Eragon still knew nothing more personly about Brom then he did while growing up.
Besides that matter all three, rider , dragon and storyteller alike, formed a unbreakable bond. These past weeks had events that Eragon never even dreamed of happen to him.. A few weeks ago he was just a simple fram boy wasting his days away with day dreaming, and now he was a dragon rider! He could hold a sword and battel with it, faught urgal's and even used magic! He even councoured his fear of ridding Saphira. Which had taken root during the events that lead up to his Uncle's death. Now he and Saphira we're more connected then ever
As of recently their group was heading twords the sea side city of Terim, one of the main captial's of trade for the empire. Brom suggested they go there to track down the Raz'ac by the Seith oil they used. His plan was to look though the records to narrow down their search.
"How much longer till we reach Terim?" Eragon asked tiredly from Cardoc.
Brom rode slightly farther ahead of him as Saphira cirled somewhere overhead. They has spent two days travling north twords the sea from the pass in the spine. The climate here was slightly more humid and mositer than the of the empire. Fog hung in the air like a constant curtain hidding anything from view.
"Would you stop asking that?" Brom growled looking back," It takes time to travel places. We'll reach the city soon enough."
"You said that two days ago." muttered Eragon under his breath. ",you old bat."
"I heard that!"
Eragon then heard Saphira chukle in amusment. "Be pateine little one. I can see the city from here." She said.
"Saphira can see Terim!" Eragon told Brom.
"Good. That means we're not far off." Brom shouted back, " Tell her to guide us in the right direction."
Saphira which way? Eragon asked her. ' A little to the northeast. Don't worry there's a sea breeze on it's way."
As she promised, five minutes later as cool sea breeze blew the mist away. Leaving Eragon to gap in awe at the white city infront of him. Terim was nestled by the edge of the shimmering sea, where proud ships were docked with pulled down sails. The surf's dull thunder could be heard in the distance, shmashing aginst the shore and wearing it down. An ageless dance. A white wall contained the city. Well over a hundred-feet high and thirty-feet thick, with rows of rectangular arrows slits lining it and ant-sized soilders and watchmen on the walkway on top. Two iron gates broke the smooth surface of the wall. One facing the west to the sea, and one south to the road Eragon and Brom were on. The only thing visable over the wall was a huge stone citadel which a lighthouse light gleamed like a sun beam in its high tower.
Even from where they where Eragon spotted the soliders gaurding the southren gate they were heading to. But no alarm rose. The two soldiers looked board and lazy with their pikes carelessly held in thier slack grips.
"This is out first test," said Brom," Lets hope they haven't received reports of us from the Empire and won't detain us. Whatever happens, don't panic or act suspious."
Eragon then contacted Saphira mentaly again. Prehaps having a dragon flying near by was not the best way to not to be suspicous. ' You should land somewhere now and hide. We're going in."
'Sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. Again." she said sourly
'I know, but Brom and I do have some advantages that most people don't. We'll be allright.'
"If anything happenes, I'm going to pin you to my back and never let you off."
Eragon snorted in amusment and rolled his eyes. " I love you too... 'mother'" he said mockingly.
'Then be a good hatchling and keep your head out of trouble.'
He then sensed her fly off in the opposite direction. As his mind returned to earth he noticed they had approched the gate. It took a while, but after a few questions from the guards, some acting, and Eragon getting a chance to poke fun at Brom, they easily got through into the city. Then something caught his attention. As he edged Cadoc forward over teh cobblestones, he picked up a converstaion the guards were having.
"Who's the snowdrops for eh? asked the slightly older one. "Hoping to court that young lass again?"
"Shut it. And why should you care?"
"Aww now don't be like that. But I don't think the lass is intrested."
"How would you know." snapped the younger guard. He was probally no older than twenty. The older gaurd laughed. "Son, It'll take more than you got to woo even a ranger."
At the word "ranger" Eragon's mind was sent realing back in time. The images of the three girls formed in his mind. The moring he left Charavhall he atlest wished to ask thier help in tracking down the Raz'ac or bit them good-bye, but it turned otu they had left before him. All they left was a small parcile behind for him. He still hadn't opened it so it lay forgotten at the bottom of his pack. Even after that he had still hoped to run into them at one of the villages, but Brom put a end to that idea right away.
"A ranger can become down righ invisible if they wish. It's impossable to find them when thier in thier element out in the wild. And if those girls are who I think they are, I doubt even Saphira could find them." he had told Eragon, " There is a reason their called the Tawariell."
Then when Eragon asked what he had ment, Brom just said he'd explain later.
The clack of the cobblestone streets under the horses hooves and Brom's growling brought him back to reality.
"Touch of the brain fever eh?"
"I couldn't ket you have all the fubn."teased Eragon.
Brom harumphed and looked away, obbvilously not pleased. After a small chuckel at the old man reaction Eragion took the city in fo the first time. It was alot bigger that his home village or anyother town they had come across so far. The houses were grim and foeboding. Small, deep windows let in only sparse rays of light. Narrow doors were recessed into the buildings. The tops of the roofs were flat, execpt for metal railings, and were covered with slate shingles. Eragon noticed that the houses closest to Treim's outerwall were no more than one story, but the bulidings got progressvily higher as they went in. Those nect to the citadel were tallest of all, though still time compared to the fortress.
"This place looks ready for war." Eragon said grimly.
Brom nodded " With a hisotry like Terim's it has to be. Since it is a center of commerce there has always been ,and always will be, a conflict over it riches. There have been so many attacks by pirates, urgal's and other enemies that the people her have been forced to take extraordiary measures to keep themselves from being overrun. It also helps that Galbatorix gives them soldigers to protect thier city." he remarked drly. " Proballyt he only decent thing that our "king" has done."
"Why are some houses higher than the others?" Eragon asked.
"Look at the citadel, "said Brom pointing. "It has a unobstructed veiw of Terim. If the outer wall was breached, archers would be posted on all of the roofs. Because the houses in the front by the outerwall are lower the men farther back could shoot over them without fear of hitting thier commrads. Also, if the enemy were to capture those houses and put their own archers on them, it would be an easy matter to shoot them down. Like in any battle, those who have the upper ground have the upper hand."
""I've never seen a city planned like this." Eragon said in amazment.
"Yes, but it was only doen after Terim was nearly burned doen by a pirate raid." smirked Brom.
As they continuted up the street people gave them searching looks, but it was nothing to what the experienced in the other towns. ' Compared to Daret, we've been welcomed with open arms.' thought Eragon.
Maybe Terin had escaped notice by the Urgals since it was on the other side of the spine. That opionion changed when a large man pasted them and he was a sword hanging from the mans wasit. Other signs pointed to this. No children played in the streets, people had hard expressions and many houses were empty. Staring at passer bys with blank hunted eyes.
"It looks like they've had trouble."
"The same as everywhere else. We have to find Jeod"
They spotted a weary looking run down little tavern across the street. With the possibility of no other affordable place in the city that crossed the street to the tavern. They tied the horses of to a hitching post outside.
"The Green Chestnut... wonderful." muttered Brom under his breath as he read the battered sign above them. " Keep your gaurd up. These won't be the most humain people in here. And let me do the talking." He warned Eragon as the entered the front doors.
To say Eragon wished he was anywhere else but here at the moment was a understatement. The dingy room felt as unsafe as it smelled of alochol. It screamed of underground rings of trade, deals, rape and other dark actives. A place that only those of thick skin or think heads would dare enter. A fire smoldered in the fireplace, yet noone bothered to throw more wood onit. A few lonely people in the corners nursed thier drinks with sullen expressions. A man missing two fingers sat at a far table, eyeing his twiching stumps There was a brawny bald man by the fire place, his musled bare arms covered in scars.
Behind him he heard Brom talking to the shady bartender, but he barely picked up what they were saying. His attention at the moment was focused on one of the darker corners of the room. At a rickity old table with three iron pints of ale on it and a single latern, sat three hodded figures. He couldn't tell if they were male or female because thier faces were shadowed by the hoods of the dark green capes they wore. The also wore dark weather beaten clothes that made them blend into the shadows that surrounded them. The only clue to what they were was that they sat like men. The one of the right leaned back on their chair, arm draped over the back of the chair and thier feet resting onthe solid pedistal table leg. The one on the left was leaning forward forward with thier chin resting on the palm of thier gloved hand. The one in the cented is what unnerved him the most. They were seemed to be staring right at him. He fiddled with the top of his bow. It was slug across his back, but right now he wished that it was in his hands. That group gave off a aura of pure danger.
'There's something about them. They've been staring at me since I got here.' Eragon tried to see if they had markings on them to indentify what they were. They where so imerged with the dark that all he could pick up was a faint out line of a green star clasped on thier cloaks under thier thoats and gaunlets. Then the one in the middel leaned forward and in the flicker of dull light from the lantern he thought he saw a flash of teal eyes staring at him. Time stopped and the pounding of his heart raced, he felt frozen.
"Gareth, what in th' blazes do you think you're doing? Anyone on the street could tell them where Jeod lives. What are you charging them for? snapped a gruff voice.
Eragon blinked and snapped back to reality tearing his eyes away from the strangers. The sounds of the room returned. The low crackling of the fireplace and the low mummers from teh street outside. He looked around to see it was the man with the two missing fingers that called out.
Brom swept the coins he had put down to barter with , back in his purse. Gareth, who apprently was the bartender, shot a venmous loook at the man at the table. Then he ignored them and went back to cleaning a broken glass. Brom went over to the stranger and said "Thanks. The name's Neal. This is Evan." Giving him thier fake names.
Eragon nodded his head in greeting then looked back over to the corner, only to see the table was empty. Not a single person was there. And what really surprised him was that they hadn't made a sound if they left. No scrapping of chairs or swinging of a door. Nothing. All that showed that they were there was a small stack of coins as payment for the drinks.
"Martin, and of course you met Gareth." the finger missing man said in a gruff tone. Then he gestured to othe empty chairs at the table. "Go on sit down. I don't mind." Then he noticed Eragon staring at the far off table.
"Your boy okay?"
Brom turned to a Eragon rasing a eyebrow. "Evan!"
Once again Eragon snapped back to reality with a jump. "Huh? Oh sorry." he aplogized.
"Balzes boy, whats gotten into you?"
"Nothing." he lied. Then turned to Martin, "Who where those strangers over there a while ago?"
Martin looked over the now empty table and shrugged. "They just left. I hear their one of those ranger folks from up north. Never seen their faces though. Always wearin their hoods."
The sound of the word "rangers" got both men's intrest. More so Eragon's than Brom's
"Ranger's eh? Thats quite unusual. Didn't think they travel this far east." Brom said cooly and indiffrent.
Martin took a sip of ale. "Aye, but there's loads of 'em here. Most underground and keepin out of the king's men way. Now those three are the most known. Stopped in town a few days ago, they come and go now and then. What thier real name's are I don't know, but around here we just call 'em "The Shadow'" Then he dropped the topic, seeming not to keen on the subject. "Well, your looking for Jeod ?"
Brom waited untill Ergon took a sear facing the door. "Yes and thank- you. You saved me a few crowns back there."
"My pleasure. Can't blame Gareth though. Bussiness hasn't been doing so well lately." Martin scratched his chin, "Jeod lives on the west side of towm. right next to Angela, the herblist. Do you have business with him?"
Once again Eragon's mind moved away from the conversation. All he picked up were that the area was having trouble with the local ship trade. Somthing about ships going missing and no wintnesses. All that was on his mind was the rangers that were in the tavern and the ones he knew back in Cavahall. He could barely recall thier names but thier faces remained. Sight, with her kind smile and strong gaze. Hunter with her cunning eyes and her need to tease the others. Sky stood out the most to him for some reason. Her carefree laugh, warm eyes and happy smile. He would never forget them even if a hundred years pasted. He would remember them until time not longer allowed it, just as he would never remove the vest they had given him untill time has worn it into a swach of battered soft leather and rusted dulled clasps.
Yet, he couldn't help but think these two sets of rangers were connected somehow.
After as short while He and Brom left the tavern and headed to the west side of the city. Eragon at that moment felt conspicous and out of place among the finely dressed people in the streets.
"Well we deffianly stand out." Eragon glanced at Brom.
"Their use to it, and if not just ignore them" the older man replied in his usual indiffrent tone.
Eragon look at a happy couple passing by them. A young woman with curls of blonde hair on the arm of a finely dressed young man with dark hair. They were laughing about something in a book the women held in her hand
"Easy for you to say." he muttered under his breath.
"That was close"
"Oh come- one. It wasn't that bad. I don't think he knew it was us."
Shadowed figures talked in low voices as to not be seen. The first one spoke with and air of relife and carefullness as to not be over heard. The other sounded more optomistic and carefree. Another spoke this time in a irtated hiss.
"Can we just take these hoods down now? I'm sweating to death under this!"
"Fine"
With a single tug all the hoods were pulled back and long locks of brown, strawberry-blonde and black tumbled out.
"It's a good thing you guessed they would come to Teirm Sight " said Sky, "How'd you know that anyway?"
"Terim is a center of trade and that were heading south. It was only a matter of time before they came here." Sight explained like Brom had to Eragon ealrier. "Also since their tracking down the Ra'zac through the seither oil they use, Terim was no doubt going to be one of thier stops."
Hunter looked out of the dark alley at the people passing by. "That bard mentioned something about Jeod. And they headed into the west side of the city." She pointed out.
"We'll have to split up. We'll gather too much attention together." Sight said.
Sky on the other hand didn't look to happy about the idea "What about our outfits? We'll stick out like a sore thumb dressed like this."
Sight and Hunter looked at each other with frowns. "She's right" agreed Hunter
Sight sighed "I guess that means one of us should be dressed correctly. The other two should be fine in out normal clothes."
Then they looked at the youngest of the trio, who did not like the look in thier eyes one bit. "Oh hell no!" Sky cursed
Hunter crossed her arms over her chest with a indiffrent look. "Well there's no way I'm wearing a dress." Sight gave a small smile. "Sorry sky. But you know I"m not for dresses. plus I'd rather avoid the guys."
Sly sighed in defeat. "Fine, but they'll notice me if i wear my dress."
Sight looked out of the alyway and spotted a clothing vendor next to it selling a wide selection of colorful, elegante dresses that would fight right into the high class socitey of Trerim's west side. The vendor was bust dealing with a costumer so without him noticing. Sight picked up the one on the end. A plae green gown with a beaded bodice and flowery desgin that lead from the end of the bodice and doen one side of the skirt. It split down in the middle to relvel a off cream color fabric and a gold belt. The neckline was a simple square cut but who beaufully show off Sky's shoulders. Sight also managed to grap a parsole and a matching beaded headband.
"Here. Go change behind that shed." she said simple holding out the dress.
Sky looked at her agast. "B-but you stole that!"
Hutner then took the dress and shoved it into her sister's arms. "Just go change."
Sky gave them one last loathing glare before heading behing the wall. A few minutes later she came back with ther normal clothes tucked under her arms and the dress on. It look maginfiect on her thin fram, but she look rarther uncomfortable. She keept shrugging her shoulders to try to get the bodice in place.
"Now I remeber why I hated these dresses." She growled.
Hunter went over to go behind her and fixed the lace up in the back of the bodice. She also slyly remarked. "Well atltest you have something to hold the dress up now."
Sky turned bright red "Haha verrrry funny, Hunter" she mocked.
Sight rolled her eyes and told Sky to let her hair out. With a confussed expresion Sky pulled out the ribbion that held her hair up in its messy ponytail, and let her wavy strawberry blonde hair casscade down to her elbows. Sight placed the headband on and left some bangs out in the front.
"Perfect." Sight said stepping back to admire her handywork. "You be luck if Eragon doesn't notice you. He might fall head over heels if he see's you like this!"
Hunter took her sisters clothes and placed them in her pack. "You don't clean up so bad sis."
Sight ignored Hunter's "compliment" abd handed Sky the parasole while explaining the plan. "Allright, I want you to walk around the district Jeod lives and look in place."
"In other words, How mother and father use to tell to behave."
"Hunter." she said once again ignoreing her comment. " I want you to go to the docks. We could use a eye otu there with what going on with the ships."
"What about you?" Sky asked.
Sight gave smirk. "I'll be around Jeod's too. But mostly around the herblist's shp. I have to restock anyway, we're on herbs for medicne. If anything happens I'll single you." she said reffering to her arrows.
"What if is too risky?" the oldest girl pointed out. "The city might mistake it as an attack."
"In that case I'll use magic." Sight expliabed lightly touching her own sliver pendant. The crystal shards seemed to shimmer cearulean under her fingertips for a moment. At the same time the gems on the other girls necklaces shimmerd. "I"ll signal you through the pendants. We'll meet back at the Chestnut by sunest otherwise."
The others nodded. They decided to leave the alleyway. Sky left first, dashing across the street to dissaper in the large crowd.
"You be safe now." Hunter cationed Sight.
The burnnet ranger looked at her witha ammused look. "Arn't I always?"
Hunter snorted at her comment and said before heading left twords the docks. " And you say I'm too sarcastic." Sight the headed stright in the same direction Sky had gone. She walked at a calm yer quick pace. The light brown and redish brown hightlights in her hair catching light in the high noon sun and is bounced around her face and sholders.
When she got to the other side of the street she side to doge through the crowd but ended up bumping into someone.
"Sorry." said a low cool voice.
Sight glance up on her right side to see a boy her age dressed in a black leather outfit and a dark green cloak. He was quite handsome with choppy dark hair that fell to around his chin and dark eyes. In the sun you could see though that they were not dark but hazel, the brown mixed with flecks of amber and green. He was taller than her, about a head. Thier shoulder barely touched. Sight gave short nod then a small smile. "Thats allright"
Then headed on her way.
She did noticed the young man stare after her as she turned the corner and out of his sight.
Darkness...
That's all I see... Nothing but endless darkness.
I hateing being alone... my back hurts but I can't call out.
I have no voice.
I want to cry... it hurts so bad. My back and the loneliness.
Then a feel something on my back, gentel and light like a snow but its warm. The pain goes away.
I turn my head, and beyond the tears i can't really make anything out.
Someone's with me... green blue eyes, like the shade of the might sky before the sun goes fully down, A time of magic and where anything can happen, and flash of silver.
"You not alone anymore. You okay?" A small voice says
"w-whats your name? Who are you?"
A bright smile, something i want to keep forever and protect.
... "Aranel"
A faded dream ... A forgoten memory
...A glimmer of a promise.
Next chapter up soon
Glossary:
Tawariell - Girls of the forest
