Chapter Seven
Red Blade, Blue Blade
Eragon was on his way towards Roran's room. It was only yesterday that he had fought with the dwarf-king. It wasn't very pleasant at all, like he had thought directly afterwards. Dwarves were eying him and Saphira apprehensively as they passed through Tronjheim's many halls, stopping what they were doing at the time. He felt it might have taken centuries for him to reach Roran's room, but he was just there. He straightened his blue cloak and knocked at the door. A slight creak, and Roran's head was shoved outside a small opening in the door. Once he saw who it was, Roran grinned.
"Eragon!" Roran exclaimed. "I didn't think you would come, knowing you had a lot on your hands."
"What, am I so busy I would not be allowed time with my dear brother?" replied Eragon, rolling his brown eyes.
Roran laughed, and pulled him in. He glanced up at Saphira. "You can come in as well."
Saphira snorted as he walked back in. The door wasn't large enough for her to fit through, but she shoved her head through it anyways.
Katrina was standing besides a window, and she turned around when she spotted Eragon. She ran right at him and hugged him.
"I think you should stop doing that before Roran becomes jealous," chuckled the Rider. Katrina smiled and let go of him, while Roran smacked Eragon across the face playfully.
"Eragon, where have you been?" Katrina asked disapprovingly. "And what has happened to you? You look very different."
Eragon sighed. He resigned to telling her everything. It was a very long story, and he had tried again to explain it in much like the way he told it to Roran; he described how he felt when he made all of the choices, so that she would understand him properly.
Katrina stayed silent for a moment, while Roran and Eragon waited patiently. "You have been through hard times, Eragon," Katrina said. "I understand your choices, and I respect them. Continue your journey with the blessings of the gods."
"Well, let us get down to business, then." Roran clapped his hands briskly. "What are you going to do now?"
Eragon shrugged. "You already know about the three eggs, correct? Two of them have already hatched, as you saw in the battle. Edoc'sil, the elf, and I will be stealing the egg."
His cousin widened his eyes. "But isn't that in Galbatorix's castle?"
The Dragon Rider nodded solemnly. To his surprise, Roran smiled.
"And you did not even invite me! No, with or without your consent, I will go with you."
"But … it's too dangerous – you might –"
"Might what?" interrupted Roran irritably. "Die? I can survive this Eragon! I might be newer than you at these things, and I might also not be a Rider, but I could still help."
Eragon opened his mouth to argue, before clamping it shut again. He knew better than to argue with his stubborn cousin. He only heaved a great sigh.
"Very well," he agreed grimly. "But I should warn you, the risk is very high."
Roran laughed and shook his head. "I do not mind."
The Rider shrugged and went on informing him of the plan, with Katrina listening to his every word as well.
"But Eragon," she said when he finished. "There is very great chance that you might get captured."
"That is a chance I would be willing to pay. We have no opportunity to beat the dreaded King Galbatorix with only one Rider, I'd say."
Roran joined in. "There is a chance things would go wrong, but I am sill going. Do you think I would want to stay here uselessly? Nay, I'd rather be where the action is."
Eragon nodded, and then stood up from the chair which he had been offered to by Katrina. "Well, then, I'd better be off and meet with Orik," he said darkly. "I've had a … er … an argument with the dwarf king. I'll see what has happened to him." He walked off, leaving Katrina and Roran looking slightly confused.
It took quite a while for them to find Orik, but they did eventually. Or rather, Orik found them.
"There you are!" he cried. "Where have you been?"
"I was looking for you," replied Eragon, calmly.
"I am here to inform you that our new King wants to meet you. And don't you leave before you attend Hrothgar's funeral!"
The Rider laughed. "I would not have dreamed it."
Orik smiled roughly for a second, before leading him to the same chambers he had fought Otho. There, a kind looking dwarf with a gray mane of hair and a long beard. His green eyes turned to watch the Rider walk into the room, Saphira following.
"Hello there, Eragon Shadeslayer!" he said, his lips turning into a smiled under that beard. "Welcome, welcome, I'd say. The dwarves have told me to take Otho's position. Otho himself has been exiled, for attacking you. However, we must discuss your punishment for the insult directed on the old dwarf-king-to-be."
Eragon had not the chance to bow, but he did so now. "I would very much like to know it myself, sir," he said.
The dwarf chuckled. "That is fine. And please, don't bow or call me sir, I am not a King yet. Even then I request for you not to do so. My name is Jiklain; call me that."
That is a strange dwarf, remarked Saphira. Dwarves are not usually like that.
"And now, let us continue," he continued. "Your punishment is being removed from Dûrgrimst Ingietum. Some of the clan chiefs voted for you to be exiled as well, away from any Dwarf city. I put my foot down, of course, and suggested this."
The Dwarves are releasing their hold on you! Saphira said inside his head.
I expect that this is because of Jiklain, as he so heavily hinted.
"I ask you now to hand over your helm. We shall get you a new one, without the symbol of the Ingietum."
"It is currently in my room."
Jiklain snapped his fingers, and a servant appeared. "Go and fetch the Ingietum helm from Shadslayer's room."
The servant nodded, and scurried out of the room.
"The clans wanted you to swear fealty to the dwarves, but I also put my foot down. Riders, before the Fall, were not controlled by any. This should be the same to you. Now, let me ask you, what are your plans?"
Eragon nodded and told him about stealing the egg.
"I must say, it is not the best of plans, but hopefully, it would work," Jiklain said, his eyes glinting at Eragon. "May the gods' blessings be with you. You may leave."
Eragon left. He felt it strange, what Jiklain had said …
In the next week, it was Hrothgar's funeral. It was much like Ajihad's. He was placed in a sandstone coffin. And the new King was announced right after it. Jiklain made a speech:
"I am honored that the clans have chosen me to become your new King! I will try and become what you all expect from me, during these hard times. We must stand together! We need to fight the evil Galbatorix, until he is dead or our hearts stop! Let us fight with all our might, for together, we could achieve it. Yes, we could achieve it! On one of our sides, stand the elves. And on the other, stand Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira! We will defeat Galbatorix, for that is our goal!"
Roars from the crowd sounded when Jiklain finished. He bowed quickly, and then went off.
He had, as Eragon had thought, made the dwarves happy with him, a point he could use.
Immediately after the funeral, they left Tronjheim. Katrina would go to Surda with some dwarves who would be heading out to there soon. Jiklain visited them before they left, wishing them a safe journey.
It was really quite easy. Eragon and Edoc'sil were light, and it was easy for Saphira to carry them along with Roran. They had begun their journey in the dead of the night, and when morning arose, Saphira carefully concealed herself high up on the sky, so that she appeared nothing more than a stray bird by a normal eye.
They reached Teirm in about four days; they stopped to take rests every now and then, and to eat. Saphira stayed away from Teirm, while the three went right into there. Eragon had given both himself and Edoc'sil caps so that they could cover their pointed ears. They all had to wear fake beards. They were good enough.
The guards eyed them as they came close. "Watche'r doin' at Tei'rm today, fell'os?" one of them asked. (What are you doing at Teirm today, fellows?)
Eragon put up an accent. "Wa've come 'ere fer tradin', see? Need ta ge' enough money's fer a livin', ya k'now." (We've come here for trading, see? Need to get enough money for a living, you know.)
The guards shrugged and let them go in. Edoc'sil lead them towards the castle, and they were stopped again by guards. This time, Edoc'sil killed them both with magic and hid their bodies. They could not think of a good enough excuse.
They crept into the castle. Edoc'sil lead them through hallways, muttering at times, "Yes this was the way …" or "Hmm … is this right?"
Eragon and Roran felt very nervous.
Eragon and Edoc'sil heard guards coming. They shoved Roran into an unlocked room, and waited patiently for the guards to pass.
"Be'er to go 'ow, fe King'd be arrivin' soon …" (Better to go now, the King would be arriving soon.)
"Got'ta watch ou' for any of 'em assasin's." (Got to watch out for any of them assasins.)
"Dun k'ow why fey nee'd us. Sai' King ca' protec' himself well, fro' wha' I hear." (Don't know why they need us. Said King can protect himself well, from what I hear.)
Their voices faded soon. Eragon turned wide-eyed towards Edoc'sil. "We don't have enough time! Let's get into the tunnel, and quickly!"
Edoc'sil nodded and led them again, until they reached a normal wall, the end of a hallway. Edoc'sil tapped a few bricks with his finger. Bricks began moving away so that an opening was revealed. They quickly crept into the tunnel, and the opening shut behind him. It was total darkness.
Eragon grimaced and created a blue orb that lit their path. In the dim light, they could make out the tunnel. It was a hallway, but insects crawled across the walls and spider webs were scattered everywhere. There was slimy water that reached up to their ankles. Ignoring it, they made their way across the tunnel, insects hurrying away from them as they came closer.
Eragon hated the five days they spent in the tunnel. The tunnel echoed with their voices whenever they talked, and they ate barely any food. And always, he only saw darkness ahead of him. In some parts, the tunnel had caved in, and they had to climb over the wreckage.
"It has gotten worse since I last used it …" Edoc'sil informed them.
At last, they had reached stairs. They climbed up them, and at the end, they found a brick wall.
Edoc'sil tapped it at some points with his fingers and it opened just like the other wall. Once they were all out, the wall shut again.
They were in weaponry. There were many beautiful blades, some tarnished ones, and there was an odd assortment of other kinds of weapons, such as spears and maces.
Roran grabbed a shining blade and tied it to his belt. He carried his hammer in one hand. Edoc'sil ignored everything and kept to Skölir. Eragon already had Argetdail and his scythe, which he had named Garjzla. He had taken it to the dwarves who had made an improvement upon it, and there were some carvings of dragons and Riders on it. It was now tied to his back.
They slowly made their way out of the weaponry. There was no chance they would meet Galbatorix now … But maybe he had returned? They were anxious, because they didn't know what to expect. Eragon began missing Saphira, who he was use to leaning on when times got hard.
The hallways were dark; they seemed to prove that the castle belonged to a mad man. Slowly, Edoc'sil led them towards the treasure room. They stopped and hid whenever a guard came their way, only to start again when the guard's footsteps could not be heard.
At long last they came to two large doors. Edoc'sil muttered, "Open," in the ancient language, and the doors did just that.
Eragon only had time to wonder why Galbatorix did not change the way of entering, when he spotted it. It was a green stone, twice as big as Saphira's. It was placed amid a pile of gold, and Roran went to pick up the egg. However, no sooner than he had taken it, a voice spoke from the door.
"Well, well, well," it said. "What have we here?"
Eragon recognized the voice and turned around. "Murtagh!"
Murtagh was smiling. "What is the matter, brother? Why do you seem mad at seeing me."
Eragon grimaced. Murtagh was taunting him. He would know why.
"That would be because you are as mad as your master," Eragon said, tonelessly. "Get out of our way. We don't have time for you."
"Tut, tut," Murtagh said, shaking his head. "I'm afraid I can't. And what? Let you go off with this fabulous egg? Then I'd be as mad as you kindly said."
Eragon felt a jab at his mind, caused obviously by Murtagh. Unfortunately for Murtagh, he had lifted his barrier while doing so. And Eragon attacked his mind again. He saw Murtagh wince as he did so. Then he put up his barriers again.
"I see," he said softly. He drew Za'roc. Eragon drew Argetdail, and his scythe.
"An interesting weapon for a farm boy, no less," taunted Murtagh. Edoc'sil and Roran already had their weapons out and were staring at Murtagh with hatred, Roran's much more pronounced than Edoc'sil's. "Why haven't you introduced me to your friends?"
Eragon raised an eyebrow. "Didn't think you'd be interested, that is why."
The Red Rider growled. "Where's your dragon, Shadeslayer?"
"And why should I be telling you?" Eragon said, hotly.
"Merely asking, brother," Murtagh said, and that was where they clashed blades. Eragon found that fighting with Murtagh was easier than before. He figured he must've been tired at that time. Murtagh apparently noticed so, because he widened his eyes, and increased his attack power.
And so they continued fighting, while Edoc'sil and Roran waited. Countless times they tried to approach them, but Eragon told them to wait.
They were getting no where. As their two blades collided, Red Blade, Blue Blade, the other two were showered by sparks. And suddenly, the two pulled away from each other, both very exhausted.
"Enough!" Murtagh said. "Go," he said. Then he disappeared in a bright flash of light.
And meanwhile, they were hearing squeaks. It was coming from the green egg.
Roran was still holding the egg!
Author's Note:
Ha ha, bet that surprised you. Only one of you people guessed it right. Congrats to teenchic2004.
I will update soon. And never ever forget to review. I don't really care if its bad, just review!
