Halleluja! I'm back, back in civilisation! I just want to say one thing before the next chappie. This is CouldBe's annoyingly optimistic side speaking: I WILL manage to finish this story BEFORE the ninth of November, I MUST!
LILLYAN
Lillyan peered up at the sky. It was black. It was still raining. She was cold. Life was hard.
She closed her eyes and imagined warmth slowly rising through her body, tingling her toes, crawling up her foot, ankle, legs, knees.
Syrai shuffled in his sleep-trance and Lillyan lost her concentration. The warmth disappeared and she was left, once again, in the freezing cold.
I don't like elven tradition; Syrai reminded and looked at her.
Lillyan, startled, lifted her arm for self-protection. Syrai laughed and pushed it back to her side.
Why not? She sighed.
Because there is no emotion! Lillyan watch, see . Have you seen the human children play? Have you seen the dwarves? The way their little faces light up in a broad grin, eyes sparkling, blood rushing…don't you ever miss that? Want it? long for it?
Lillyan looked at the trees across the clearing.
I don't know what you're feeling now. You don't show it. no one does. What are you feeling, Lillyan?
Sadness
Why? Syrai looked alarmed.
Lillyan looked up at the sky and gave a quiet but high pitched moan. Because I do not have to miss it, Syrai, I have to hide it, as well as I can. He looked puzzled. Don't YOU see it? the way they laugh behind my back? She turned to him. I'm a quarter human. That makes me different to the other elf children! I don't BELONG with them, because I am not a full ELF!
The dragon let out a squeak at her misery. Syrai almost did as well.
GUESS WHO…
They hugged each other for warmth, shivering against each other. Eventually the sun rose, but it didn't mean anything. The rain continued to fall as if the clouds had been saving it up for years just for that occasion.
This is my fault, Syrai told himself.
Then a dark figure stood in the way of their vision.
Lillyan greeted him silently and Syrai filled it in with words. Once the elf had returned the greeting he laughed a deep, wise old laugh and blinked at the two of them.
"It seems as though you two have been through a tough night…" the furred blue elf man commented. "come with, I will bring you to shelter,"
Without another word the pair stood up and followed him.
They walked through the slowly waking town. Most elves were up already, but only after they had watched the sun rise did they start their daily work or schedule. The trees were old, almost black and terribly creaky, with every tiny wind they let out sorrowful groans.
Eventually they left the town behind and turned into a gate way, sung from two younger trees that had grown into twisting spirals at the top and split in two at the bottom. Beyond that there were several hollow trees with no doors but furniture and carpets within them. As the trio went on the odd rooms became more frequent and larger until they were in a ginormous hall with a long blue carpet rolled out. It stopped at the top of three steps where two thrones sat and around them twelve slightly less glamorous chairs were placed. On each chair a solemn looking elf was sat, but what took up the most of Lillyan and Syrai's attention was the tall man, majestically leaning back against the chair and frankly looking rather bored. The man, as well as being not all that bad looking, had blue leggings and a blue silk tunic that hung until just above his knees. With a silver thread a grid of large diamond shapes had been stitched upon it and where each line crossed there was a silver pearl. It was his cape that was the best though. Hung from shoulder to ankle, the blue velvet wavered gently as they approached. At least on the outside it was blue, on the inside it was the colour of blood, a rich red out of shiny fabric.
Lillyan took in the man's posture, face expression, clothes, throne and attitude and only then realised that Syrai was uttering the greeting. Quickly, she caught up and did the actions and mimed the words with her mouth.
The man-the king returned it and then looked at the furred elf. He raised his eyebrow. "Who is it you bring me this time, Blodgharm?"
The furred elf smiled, bowed and replied "two children in need,"
The king raised an eyebrow and regarded the children with a look of excitement, confusion and interest. "Do you know who I am?" He tested, scratching his forhead.
Lillyan shook her head the same time Syrai nodded his. "The king," he said
A rider, Lillyan sent to him, as well as everyone else in the room. The king, who had been watching Syrai, whipped his head towards her.
"A girl who does not speak out loud, but does not hesitate to invade ones thoughts?" he commented. Lillyan didn't answer, didn't wince, in fact it surprised her that she did not care at all. The king smiled "Why do you say so?"
Lillyan looked down at her palm. The sign, the shining mark, the dragon has placed it upon your hand, I glimpsed it when you scratched you forehead.
The rider-king looked at the surrounding elves, and laughed in amazement. You are observant, he told her in an amused voice.
And you are Eragon Shade slayer, you must be, it is the only possibility.
Eragon frowned. "who are you?"
"Outcasts. My parents do not want us, the others do not want us…My name is Syrai and…" Syrai began but then Lillyan trod on his foot.
You should know who I am, Lillyan challenged.
Eragon stood up and for a second she thought she had gone too far. Then however, she noticed the smile on his face as he slowly walked down the stairs and circled her like a beast its prey.
"let's see, the ears too soft, cheeks to red, you are partly human?"
As you are…
"the boy said…HIS parents, so yours are presumably…"
Deceased yes,
Eragon looked from Syrai to Lillyan. "Can I be honest?"
Lillyan nodded.
"I havn't the slightest clue who you are." With obvious disappointment he retreated to his throne.
I am Lillyan, daughter of Eyra and Abrayda. I am Lillyan a dragon rider. I am Lillyan, granddaughter of Eragon Bromsson and Arya. I a Lillyan and I am lost. I am Lillyan and I… she lowered her head, putting an end to her proud moment, am lost.
I hope you liked it! I STILL havn't named her dragon! But I had another idea, which AGAIN, I need your help with. Because the dragon seems to have an odd fascination for rain, I thought I'd call him either cloud-something or other or rain-something or other. For example CloudRider or RainDancer, BUT I need a word for cloud and rain in the ancient tounge AND name suggestions like my examples…help?
