Chapter 7. The Quest

Eragon's usual visions and night phantoms, were replaced by more pleasant visions. He stood on the banks of Leona Lake enjoying the breeze and morning dew on the ground. A familiar presence buzzed in his head and he tried to identify who it was but suddenly the air was filled with the familiar smell of crushed pine needles. Eragon knew the smell well which was followed by the tender footsteps belonging to Arya. She stepped in front of him and stopped him from speaking by placing a finger across his lips. She wore a white robe with golden Elvish designs embroidered on the edges and held together by a gold clasp. Arya unfastened the clasp and let the robe fall down to her ankles. Eragon blushed and gasped because Arya was completely naked. She was everything he imagined her to be as she stepped out of the garment and walked backwards until she was submerged in the water. She poked her head out of the water to her eyes and beckoned to Eragon with one finger. The familiar presence no longer mattered to him as he disrobed and jumped into the cool water.

He had felt urges when it came to women before but now they were intensified because of his Elf enhanced senses. They splashed around each other then as Eragon hoped their bodies got close. Eragon felt every curve of her body, which caused his pulse to race and his manhood to rise. ("Is this real…") He asked himself. He would have asked Arya, but he was afraid of what she would say. They finally kissed; passionately, energetically, and with vigor. Eragon's hands went places he only dreamed about. This went on for an hour, but Eragon was unaware of the passage of time. That was until the skies turned gray and the wind became boisterous. The trees swayed back and forth, then there was lightening and thunder. On the wind was a familiar voice that spoke every time the lightening flashed. ERAGON the lightening crackled.

Eragon looked up, but Arya grabbed his head; "Ignore it… I want you!" They started kissing again and the wind got stronger. Then the lightening flashed again; ERAGON.

"Go away!" He screamed into the air.

ERAGON!

He jumped up off his pillow and looked around. He was in Dragon hold beneath the city fortress of Feinster. His head fell back to the pillow in disappointment. The mysterious presence in his mind was gone.

("Yes you were dreaming…") Saphira said angrily.

("It was so real… Why did you have to wake me…")

("Your dream was leaking into my head… Is that all you two-legs think about?")

Eragon placed his hands on his head; it felt as if someone had been in his mind. ("You know me better than that…")

Saphira grunted, ("I thought I did… If Arya knew what you were dreaming about…")

Eragon looked at her; ("Your not going to tell her are you?") He nervously asked.

("I would be too ashamed to talk about such a thing with her…")

Eragon layed his head back down but then he felt something and looked up again. Jarsha had been standing in the entrance to Saphira's hold the entire time.

("Oh that is the other reason I woke you…")

"I am sorry to disturb you sir… but Lady Nausada requests your presence in her chambers…"

Eragon jumped out of the bed and washed his face and hands; "You may go Jarsha… I know the way…"

Eragon put on his shirt then his mail armor on top of that; he then belted his sword Brisinger to his belt of Beloth the Wise. ("Let me know what is happening…") Saphira said as Eragon left the hold. Saphira went up and out into the courtyard just in case Murtagh and Thorn were in the area. As she walked Saphira was joined by two elves.

When Eragon reached Nausada's room the knighthawks ushered him inside. Jormunder, Arya, King Orrin and Narheim were waiting. "Has something happened?" Eragon asked looking at everyone in the room.

Nausada seemed very perplexed to Eragon as she kept rubbing her hands together. "I went to Elva's room to get her council on a matter, but when I arrived she was gone!"

"What about Angela?" Eragon asked.

"She wasn't in her room either…" She said; "…I sent," Nausada didn't get a chance to say their names, because Trianna and Roran entered the room at that very minute.

"We looked everywhere… Trianna said, "…Elva is not in the palace or the city."

When she said that, Eragon closed his eyes to search the surrounding countryside. He found two members of the black hand sneaking out of the city in fear. He found animals and people all over, but no sign of Elva. He was about to end his search when he found Angela in the forest near the foothills of the spine picking mushrooms. She felt his mind but ignored him. Eragon opened his eyes and told Nausada what he had found.

"Trianna go and bring Angela back here…"

They waited and waited for over an hour before Trianna returned with Angela. "Well the gangs all here… What is so important that you have to stop me from what I was doing?" Angela asked in aggravation.

Nausada explained the situation, when she finished Angela bent over and laughed causing everyone gathered to exchange looks. "Is something funny?" Orrin asked.

Angela sighed; "This situation is funny to me… anyway Elva has left the city and Solembum has gone with her…"

"You knew?" Nausada asked in anger as the others bombarded Angela with questions. "Where have they gone?" Nausada was finally able to ask.

Angela hunched her shoulders; "I do not know… They left at sunset and before they left I put a spell on myself to make me forget… I won't remember until they return…"

"If they return…" Jormunder said.

("Eragon perhaps we should go after them…") Saphira said in his mind. She had been listening through him. Eragon repeated her words.

"We cannot risk your safety…" Arya said.

Angela waved her hands; "You are all getting worked up over nothing… besides Solembom is with her, she will be fine… And don't try to search for them either… Werecats are just as powerful and mysterious as dragons… If Solembum doesn't want to be found you won't find him…"

Nausada was getting angry and Eragon could feel it. "How can you be so careless… Elva is just a child…"

Angela looked at her; "You know better than that… Eragon's spell has made her more than that and she can control her abilities…"

"And just what are they doing?" Jormunder asked.

Angela blew an exasperated breath; "Aren't you paying attention to the conversation…"

She didn't get to finish her statement because Nausada yelled and said. "How could you just let her leave like that…"

Angela narrowed her eyes when she looked at Nausada; it was closest Eragon ever saw her to getting angry. "Are you upset that she left or that she isn't here to protect you anymore…"

A deadly tone took hold of the room and Jormunder grabbed the hilt of his sword. Nausada took three steps toward Angela. 'Leave this place… leave the Varden and never return…"

Angela's cheery disposition returned and she doubled over laughing again. "Pish posh girl… you have no more power to banish me than King Orrin… I was there when Brom put this little rebellion together and I have been coming and going as I please among humans, dwarves, Elves, and even Urgals ever since…" Angela picked up her basket. "…I am tired now it is late and we have a long march ahead of us… I suggest you get some sleep as well…" Angela walked right out and no one stopped her.

"Trianna…" Nausada turned to face the sorceress. "…I want you to have Angela followed and watched at all times…"

A look of fear touched Trianna's face; "My lady… If I may… that would not be wise… The twins led us because they were the most powerful spellcasters among humans… That is why I now lead… The twins were always afraid of Angela that is why they never challenged her. It would be foolish to trifle with her…"

Nausada sighed and looked at Arya; "Perhaps one of the elves could…"

Arya shook her head; "As long as I have known her Angela is not one to betray others… she has walked among my people long before I was born…"

Orrin placed a gentle hand on Nausada's shoulder; "Let it go… I am sure the witch child is fine…"

With a sigh everyone returned to their rooms; when Eragon returned to the dragon hold Saphira was waiting. ("What do you think they are up to?") He asked.

("I am not sure…whatever it is I know they won't betray us…") Saphira replied.

The next morning the Varden were up and preparing to march out of the city. It took longer than Nausada wanted because of the extra time used to fill water cantina's and the time it took for the soldiers to harness oxen for the catapults. It was two hours before they were finally ready to march. Katrina kissed Roran goodbye and then he joined his knights. Saphira and Eragon flew overhead while below Nausada, King Orrin, Narheim, sat on their horses watching the army march pass. Arya and Nar Garzvog was there as well they stood on their feet. As Angela passed by she smiled at Nausada who returned a venomous look at her.

Elva and Solembum rode a brown stallion northeast towards the Jiet river. They had been up and traveling an hour before sunset. They rode along the river until they came to a bridge that had been erected by the empire for better travel across the river.

"Slytha…" Solombum said in the ancient language putting the soldiers to sleep. He repeated the magic when they reached the other side. They traveled until an hour after sunset then they stopped to make camp. Solombum tethered the Horse to a tree and drew a circle with a rock around the tree and their small camp.

"By the light of the moon; guard us from unfriendly eyes, ears, and all unfriendly creatures that stalk the land." He said in the ancient language. A spark of light flashed on the line of the circle he drew and it split left and right running along the circle. When the lights came together the circle glowed cherry red and faded.

Solombum unpacked the saddles and made a fire crying brisinger the wood burst into flame as he set water in a pot to make stew. While Solembum prepared the stew Elva pulled out scroll and began reading it. She had read and memorized half the scroll when she looked at Solembum.

"Are there many werecats left in the world?"

He was dumping a cut up potato into the pot along with some rabbit meat. "Not as many of us as I would like there to be. Before the war between Elves and Dragons werecats were as numerous as the Dragons and more elusive and mysterious. My people fought for the dragons against the Elves and when the dragons made peace with the elves… well there is a group of my kin who live in the wilds of Duweldenvarden. They hate elves, humans, dwarves, .and even Urgals…"

"Why?" Elva asked.

Solembum sighed; "Well my people aided the dragons in their war against the elves. When dragons and elves made peace… that particular group never forgave the elves; when Galbatorix rose to power they vowed to never walk the land again until the dragons returned…"

Elva looked at him in confusion; "But, Saphira…"

Solembum waved his hand; "The wild dragons… they await the return of the wild dragons…" He stirred the pot. "Then there is Maud who lives with the elves in Ellesmera… and there is another group of werecats living in the wilds of the spine, they call themselves the wild ones… Last but not least… the king of all werecats… the most powerful of us all. He dwells in the heart of the Hadarac desert…"

"Why?"

"One does not question the who and whys of one's king…"

Elva hunched her shoulders and continued reading her scroll. Solembum handed her a bowl of stew, but when he didn't take any she asked; "Aren't you hungry?"

"No… in this form I require neither food or sleep…" When Elva finished her bowl Solembum cleaned it in a near by the stream.

"How did you and Angela meet…" She asked when he returned to the campfire.

He smiled; "That is a long story…"

"We have a long journey…"

"We met… oh… two years after the riders fell… A dark wizard captured me… He was going to give me to Galbatorix as a present. As we camped one night there was a flash of green smoke and there was Angela. The two of them fought with swords and magic trying to best one another. Angela overthrew him, but she wasn't able to kill him. The wizard fled and she freed me… we have been together ever since… Angela has had two masters who instructed her… The dark wizard had killed her first master…"

"What was his name?" Elva asked intrigued.

"Casmuss… I will never forget his face or his name…"

"You are about to get your revenge… This Casmuss is in Urubaen…"
He smiled; "Rest I will keep watch…" Elva lay her head down and fell asleep. While she slept Solembum used magic to make his teeth look human.

An hour before sunrise they ate the rest of the stew together and then they were off. Solembum sniffed the air, "There are no nearby villages we are alone…"

"Do you think Nausada will send someone after us?"

He grunted; "Not if Angela has anything to say about it…"

"How far…" Elva didn't get to ask her question because she felt danger approaching. "Galbatorix's troops… they are deserters and we are in danger…"

Solembum sniffed the air and picked up the smell of humans and horses. They were miles away but the men were heading towards them at full speed. They didn't try to outrun them that would be useless so when they arrived they rode around Elva and Solembum shouting and brandishing their weapons.

"Well men it looks like we found two little urchins… What you rats lost your parents…"

"They will make great slaves… especially the girl…"

"You would do well to let us pass…" Elva boldly said.

The man urged his horse forward; "Oh yeah little one what are you going to do…"

None of the soldiers saw Solembum's hand as it trembled. His fingernails grew to six inches and glowed red. He swiped the air and four large gashes appeared on the man's chest. He fell out of his saddle and died. The other men were slow to react as Solembum hissed and slashed three across the face. The last man tried to escape, but Solembum flicked his hand in the air and killed him as well.

"What was that?" Elva asked.

"A rare piece of magic we werecats only use in the most dire consequences."

While Elva waited on the horse Solembum buried the bodies and released the horses. In the ancient language he told them to run free and wild.

"How far do you think we have gone?" Elva asked an hour later.

"Many leagues… maybe a hundred or more…"

They continued heading northeast as they traveled and that night Solembum allowed Elva to sleep in the saddle while he lead the horse. They only stopped to relieve themselves and they ate in the saddle.