chapter7...Broken Bones, Tarnished Spirit
'Little one...please awaken...little one!' Came an urgent desperate voice.
Sala wanted to open her eyes, but at the same time keep they closed fearing the pain that awaited her. Slowly, almost unwillingly Sala opened immediately regretting her decision, a horrible, painful yelp tore it's self from her throat. "Valin...nor...its hurts..." Sala could barely talk due to the pain that rippled through her chest, small tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared up at the cave roof eyes wavering.
'I know little one...I share your pain.' Valinor whispered, something warm nuzzled the top of her head.
Sala blinked, and weakly turned her head to the side and saw Valinor's massive tail curled around her protectively, Valinor's side vibrated with a low growl, As Sala heard chains rattle. Fear stabbed through her, were those creatures back? Did they want to kill her now? Sala felt her eyes burn, her mind was screaming run, but her body wouldn't move her muscles protested as they strained trying to move. "Eka ai' fricia un Shur'tugal." came a calm male voice, Sala felt Valinor stiffen and slowly unwrap his body from around her.
'Valinor!!' Sala screamed in her mind sheer fear spreading through her.
'Little one calm down he is a friend, he has spoken in the ancient language of the Elf's there is no way to lie through their words.' Valinor said calmly.
Valinor moved away and still crouched low near Sala the man approach Sala, he was taller than Sala and at the moment stronger than her. His ears were softly pointed, and the expression of shock and amazement was on his face. Sala motioned to sit up, but couldn't her limbs just shook with the strain, "Please try not to move, you have a few broken ribs." The calm male voice said. Sala looked up into his dark brown eyes, her face showing pain and fear,
"Hen...grayd..."Sala struggled to say, Sala forced one arm up and pointed down the cave, then it fell limply to her side her, breathing was shallow like that had taken what strength she had. The man looked that way, and suddenly he got up and walked straight into the darkness, Sala heard a yelp and her eyes widened.
'Valinor! Is he hurting them?' Sala asked frantically.
'No, Hengrayd was surprised.' Valinor said soothingly.
The man came out of the darkness, with Hengrayd and Katrina following. They both froze when they saw the light of the sun, "Roran..." The man called out to the other prisoner, "Hm?" that was followed by a gasp from two people and hasty movement of feet, Sala felt a little breeze go over her as the other man ran to Katrina, "Katrina!" The man cried and pulled her out of Hengrayd's grip, "Roran!" Katrina cried as tears spilled from her eyes being in the arms of the man she loved, "Happy...En...ding" Sala said tiredly as the corners of her mouth twitched into a smile. "SALA!" Hengrayd yelled as he went over to her, he kneeled down, "Oh my...Sala...what happened to you...I knew I shouldn't have let you gone..." Hengrayd said regretfully bowing his head, Sala wanted to chuckle at him, but that would have hurt, "Hen...grayd...bones...will...heal..." Sala said with a small smile, " The tall man that was embracing and kissing Katrina, came over and looked down at Sala, "Katrina told me that you were the one that saved her, for that I am forever grateful, Eragon." The man known as Roran said looking over at the elfish boy who was healing Katrina's wounds, "Yes, Roran." Eragon said looking over his shoulder "Is there anything that you can do for..?" Roran said looking at the girl then at Hengrayd, "Sala." Hengrayd said sadly, "Yes, Sala, can you help her?" Roran asked, Eragon came over and looked her up and down, " I can heal the outside wounds, but not the inside ones." Eragon said disappointingly, "Sala don't move!" Hengrayd said frantically, Eragon looked at the girl as she slowly pulled herself up into a sitting position. Eragon had to admit he was impressed,
'My she is a stubborn one, I already like her, and her dragon, he's different from Master Glaedr and myself he looks...' Saphira trailed off looking at the silver dragon.
'You noticed as well, yes he looks...ancient and, he also knew the ancient language, this is all very confusing, but the girl can she really be a rider?' Eragon asked, Saphira.
'A dragon does choose it's Rider...so, yes, that's quite possible if there were any dragon eggs left, but the last egg was in Galbatorix's possession and, I doubt a Rider of the king would help us, I agree with you Eragon this is confusing.' Saphira said raising her head so that it was level with Valinor's.
'We need answers.' Eragon thought bluntly.
Eragon raised his hand and the same light was on his palm except it was brighter and stronger, his hand hovered over a large gash that was on her arm, 'Strange didn't even notice that...' Sala thought warily, she sent a sideways glance at Valinor who was looking at the roof of the cave with great interest; Sala looked back at the people she barely knew looking at her with concern, "Wai'se heill." Eragon said, Sala could feel the skin pulling itself back together on her
Arm, next her went to the left side of her chest and healed there outer wound, her then healed all the other wounds on her. "Out of curiosity...can you move your left arm?" Eragon inquired, as he looked at her twitching fingers, "Mo..Ve...it...yes...feel...it...no." Sala winced out, "May I?" Eragon asked. Sala and Hengrayd both narrowed their eyes warily, "Ye...es..." Sala breathed out, Eragon let his fingers gently pull her tunic down and saw a scar, and it was jagged and roughly shaped like a crescent moon, the soft skin of the scar was inflamed, "How long have you had this?" Eragon said remembering the scar he once had across his back, " I...ca..n't remember...to well." Sala whispered, Sala closed her eyes she was exhausted still, Sala tittered left the right her hands were shaking terribly. Hengrayd recognized these symptoms and gasped, "Sala when's the last time you drank something? or even eaten?" Hengrayd asked fearing the answer, " I...thi...nk...about...two or...three...days ago." Sala said dizzily, "Quickly do you have and water?" Hengrayd asked Roran, Valinor bent his head low and let his snout brush Sala's arm. Roran hurriedly returned towards Katrina, "What's wrong with Sala?" Katrina asked gravely, "She has two or three broken ribs, and looks on the verge of dehydration." Roran said digging through one of Saphira's bags, Katrina gasped as he pulled out a wineskin, "and did she get hurt cause of me and Hengrayd?" Katrina asked, feeling tears run down her cheeks, "No she did not get hurt because of you, she took on an enemy much stronger than her." Roran said gently as he went back towards the group around Sala, Roran handed the wineskin to Hengrayd, who went to Sala's side and tilted the flask towards her lips and let untainted water run down her throat. When the flask was taken away she sighed, and before she knew she slipped into darkness.
'Rest well little one...' Was the fading comforting thought that lulled her into sleep.
Hengrayd laid Sala on the ground for her to rest, He turned to face Roran and Eragon, "She's unconscious," Hengrayd said slumping his shoulders, "and I'm suspecting you want some answers?" Hengrayd said seriously, he sat on the floor with a sigh; Valinor looked at Hengrayd with interest, before looking at Eragon and Roran. "I'm just a philosopher's apprentice, I came to Therinsford to broaden my horizon you can say, common thief's approached as I was coming through the Spine, they demanded that I relinquish some very important manuscripts, but I refused and they chased me into a clearing," Hengrayd paused for a moment, "They bound and gagged me and were going to throw me in the lake, but Sala was there she was ready to kill the men, arrows prepared and everything, They panicked and threw me in the lake to distract her while they ran… if it hadn't been for her I would have died, I've been with her ever since, until the night she was captured…" Hengrayd trailed off looking at Sala's battered body, "Do you know about her past, or how she found the dragon egg?" Eragon said with a tone that said, you will tell me, Hengrayd looked back at the elfen boy, "Unfortunately… Sala is very defensive about her past; you can't get anything out of her I've tried before it did not go well." Hengrayd said sadly again, "As for how she found the dragon egg I'm not sure honestly." Hengrayd said crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head, Eragon stood and looked at Roran who nodded, "Hengrayd, we must depart, and Sala must come with us." Eragon said with narrowed eyes when Hengrayd stood abruptly, "Depart? Where are taking her? I will not leave her side."
Hengrayd said determinedly, Eragon sighed and ran hand through his hair, "Look I know you want to come, but you can't, since the guards of Helgrind have seen you, you are now considered a fugitive, I can take you to the Varden, but other than that you can't come with us, I am very sorry for this, Slytha!" Eragon yelled as he held his hand up, Hengrayd's eyes widened, as he sank to his knees and his eyes closed as a forced unconsciousness broke into him.
The silver dragon made his feelings known to all of them, "Is there a problem with what I did, Arget?" Eragon asked aloud as he looked up at the dragon, Valinor voiced his thoughts so that all conscious could hear, "No…I understand why you have done this…But where will he go now, he is considered a fugitive and I doubt that he is going to be happy when he wakes up." Valinor said to them.
'He has a point, little one. Where can we take him?' Saphira asked in her mind
'We could take him to the Varden and ask Nasuada for a favor.' Eragon said back rather down trodden.
Eragon felt Saphira agree with him, "Where we start from now, it will be a long and dangerous, If Sala would have a say in this, she would like him to be as far away from the danger as possible, what he does from then on is his decision, but I'm mostly certain that the Elves would allow him into their territory." Valinor said as he bowed his head slowly and closed his eyes, Eragon could only stare at Valinor perplexed, "How did you know of the Elves?" Eragon asked, as he felt his and Saphira's curiosity to search for answers, "Aye, I very well know of the Elves, but that is a long tale in which I wish to share with all of you, but it is not safe here we must leave at once." Valinor said raising his head and glaring down the dark passage and then out of the mouth of the cave, he nudged Sala with his tail, slowly she opened her eyes and was attacked by coughs, when they died away her breathe was shallow and ragged, "Yes…Valinor?" Sala said in a low whisper, "We must leave Sala it's not safe here, Eragon shall brace your sides and then…looks like you get your first flight." Valinor said encouragingly, Sala opened her mouth, but closed it and a soft smile spread across her lips, Valinor turned his head and looked at Eragon, "Roran, give me the bandages in the last saddlebag." Eragon said, as he went over to Sala, Roran pulled away from Katrina and dug in the pack and tossed it to Eragon who caught it and bent down near and decided on the best way to wrap her chest, Sala closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, "This is bad only ribs on your left side are broken…" Eragon said looking at the girl's pain stricken face, "Val…inor …. Raise me…with you…your tail gently…" Sala panted out, Valinor was silent as his tail slid gently under her and slowly, not cause a lot of pain her raised her broken body, Sala groaned when she was high enough off the ground for Eragon to wrap her chest gently, Eragon was slightly impressed again this girl had a lot of endurance, and swift thinking, but he couldn't understand her dragon. Why did he look so different from Saphira and Glaedr? Valinor bent he his head and let his rough muzzle nuzzle her cheek gently:
'Don't worry little one, you'll pull through.' Valinor said softly in her head.
'Valinor…What happened to Hengrayd?' Sala asked wearily as she looked at the unconscious Hengrayd.
'Aye let me show you.' Valinor said as there minds merged.
' Hengrayd laid Sala on the ground for her to rest, He turned to face Roran and Eragon, "She's unconscious," Hengrayd said slumping his shoulders, "and I'm suspecting you want some answers?" Hengrayd said seriously, he sat on the floor with a sigh; Valinor looked at Hengrayd with interest, before looking at Eragon and Roran. "I'm just a philosopher's apprentice, I came to Therinsford to broaden my horizon you can say, common thief's approached as I was coming through the Spine, they demanded that I relinquish some very important manuscripts, but I refused and they chased me into a clearing," Hengrayd paused for a moment, "They bound and gagged me and were going to throw me in the lake, but Sala was there she was ready to kill the men, arrows prepared and everything, They panicked and threw me in the lake to distract her while they ran… if it hadn't been for her I would have died, I've been with her ever since, until the night she was captured…" Hengrayd trailed off looking at Sala's battered body, "Do you know about her past, or how she found the dragon egg?" Eragon said with a tone that said, you will tell me, Hengrayd looked back at the elfen boy, "Unfortunately… Sala is very defensive about her past; you can't get anything out of her I've tried before it did not go well." Hengrayd said sadly again, "As for how she found the dragon egg I'm not sure honestly." Hengrayd said crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head, Eragon stood and looked at Roran who nodded, "Hengrayd, we must depart, and Sala must come with us." Eragon said with narrowed eyes when Hengrayd stood abruptly, "Depart? Where are taking her? I will not leave her side."
Hengrayd said determinedly, Eragon sighed and ran hand through his hair, "Look I know you want to come, but you can't, since the guards of Helgrind have seen you, you are now considered a fugitive, I can take you to the Varden, but other than that you can't come with us, I am very sorry for this, Slytha!" Eragon yelled as he held his hand up, Hengrayd's eyes widened, as he sank to his knees and his eyes closed as a forced unconsciousness broke into him.'
When Sala came back to reality she shook her head and cleared her mind, "Era…gon…Where are…you taking….me…?" Sala asked tiredly and her tied the bandages tight around her torso, Eragon looked up his dark brown eyes burning with curiosity, "To the Elves to train…to be a Rider."
