Chapter 9
Eragon rubbed his cheekbones again, looking at his tired face one last time before the water disappeared again into the soil. He had closed his conversation with Nasuada just a few moments before and he was almost shocked that, when her face had gone away with the fading magic, the man he was facing was not how he used to remember himself.
The rider had bags under his eyes, the true sign of how very tired he was because of his round trip to Gil'ead with Saphira and Arya. He almost growled, letting his thoughts wonder for about the hundredth time only that day about the elven princess. She had insisted that he had to rest at least the entire day after the funerals, not listening to any of his objections. They had left the same night, stopping only at the first lights of dawn to eat something and let Saphira rest.
Eragon sighed. His fortune was that because of his elven transformation during the Agaeti Blodhren, his features were still charming, even if exhausted. In the last few days he had also neglected to shave and now he could feel the stubble on his jaw. It was the first time he was letting it grow and Eragon was almost curious to see what effect it could have on his aspect. In fact, it was one of the few things remained of his human nature.
You two-legged beings worry too much about your aspect. He heard his dragon's teasing in his head.
Look who's talking. When you lost that little scale, you went crazy. Eragon grumbled back at her.
Saphira snorted and it was then that Arya joined them again after having washed herself in a stream not far from there. He could tell that she was as tired as himself even if she didn't let it shine through. She threw him an odd look, her eyes following the movements of his hands on his face. To Eragon's surprise, the elven princess smirked a little and he raised his eyebrows, quizzically.
Arya shook slightly her head, shrugging, while she was packing again her things in the bags fastened on Saphira's saddle. He could feel her gaze on him but decided to let the subject drop.
"It's time to go, we're not far from the camp now so we should hurry. We've been away for more than I'd originally planned," he stated.
She just nodded, straightening herself. "I'm ready."
They silently reached their spots in the saddle and he felt her thighs pressed against his hips as Saphira took off, causing his mind to go blank for a few moments. He tightened his grip on the knob, his fingers whiter, hoping that she hadn't noticed the shiver that crossed his back. All those days together had been literally overwhelming for the rider. The grief and the pain for his masters, the fear to disappoint Queen Islanzadi and the elves, the exertion and the loss of sleep and, above all, the longing for Arya who seemed to always be there when he looked for her. Being in her company for more than a week, most of the times just them and Saphira had been incredible and at the same time truly painful. He was very aware of the fact that the elven maiden had rejected him two times already but he couldn't help but feel. The young man didn't what he really felt anymore, he just knew that her presence changed his priorities and affected his behaviour. It was the first time in his life that Eragon had felt those emotions and he had to struggle to keep them inside, to behave as if she was just a friend for him. Because she wasn't but he was trying to act as to maintain his promise to her.
But there were those moments when all the bounds that friendship impose seemed so blurred, as when they had danced together after the funerals. Eragon had felt as she wanted to say something more to him but he didn't understand if it was just his fervid imagination that was fooling himself.
The cold wind was whipping against Saphira and he felt Arya moving closer inadvertently to avoid the freezing air. It was common now for her doing things like that, without noticing and the rider just hoped that that intimacy would not stop at the end of their journey. He'd become used to her presence and adrenaline flooded through him at the feeling of her touch.
Those were the thoughts that occupied Eragon's mind when Saphira advised them that they were just a few miles from the Varden's position. Saphira decided to stop at the threshold where they had picked up Arya before the outward journey. From there they could see the fortifications put down while they were away. Only few tents were now standing outside the defensive walls. They descended slowly from the dragoness' back and Eragon could not help but admire Arya's figure as she adjusted her cloak and put on the hood, covering herself. She turned to him and the rider noticed that she seemed hesitant for the first time during their way back to Feinster.
Then the elf maiden looked directly into his amber eyes. "I'll run towards the camp and advise Blodhgarm to make your copies fly away so you can come back without no one noticing that we were far from her for more than a week."
"Do you think that your absence hadn't been noticed?", Eragon asked, doubtful.
She smiled lightly. "My presence is not as evident as Saphira's. I'm sure nobody had notice."
I would.
The thought almost escaped his lips as the rider was looking at her, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. Somehow he managed to close his mouth again and give her a nod.
Even so, his expression must have been pretty clear to the princess whose smile faltered a bit, uncertainty showed in her look.
"Anyway, I'll be quick so you won't wait long here", she added in a reassuringly way as she gave him a last look before sprinting towards the city walls.
Eragon let out a deep breath, watching her figure running away. He turned to his dragoness and, caressing her snout, he sat down. It was as a spell had broken when Arya had left them alone and Eragon started feeling uncomfortable, the gut feeling that something was wrong. Instinctively, he pushed his back against Saphira, seeking her heat as a comfort.
It was not long afterwards that he heard the horn, the signal of danger coming from the encampment. He jumped upright, alarmed, trying to find out what was happening.
It could not be Arya, right? They must've recognized her, he asked Saphira, worry filling his thought.
I don't know, little one but I think that the elf was able to enter unnoticed through the tents. It must be something different.
We must go.
Eragon jumped on her back and she took off, directing herself towards the clouds that covered the sunlight. He tried to contact Arya but he didn't want to frighten the Du Vrang Gata, expanding his mind towards the Varden so he searched carefully until he found her mind.
Arya! What's happening? Can we come back?
Eragon! Come to Nasuada's tower. It's the third one to the right with the blue flag. We're waiting for you. Hurry up!
If possible, her tone scared him more and Saphira dived down, coming out from the clouds and reaching Feinster as fast as possible. They could see soldiers running and preparing for the battle and the other people, mostly old people and women with their children, running towards the centre of the citadel. Eragon noticed the flag and Saphira moved closer, dropping him on the balcony because there was no room for her.
Eragon entered the room where Nasuada, Arya, Orrin and Jormundur were debating animatedly. He noticed that everybody was wearing an armour, except Arya who was getting dressed in that moment. Silence fell for a moment while the people gathered in the chamber looked at him. It was Nasuada who spoke first.
"Eragon, I'm really glad you're here", she let out while she hugged him briefly, barely hiding the relief in her voice.
"So am I. What is happening, Nasuada?", he asked, looking at her worried expression. She wasn't the only one who seemed really tense, Eragon noticed. Orrin was fidgeting restlessness and even Nasuana's lieutenant was scrubbing the back of his neck with a strained look on his visage.
But it was the latter who answered his question. "One of your scouts noticed imperial troops a few miles from here. They're almost five hundred."
"Five hundreds? But we didn't noticed them as we were flying over in the way back from Gil'ead."
Eragon started pacing in the room, his gaze running from Nasuada to Orrin and back to Jormundur. "Saphira would've perceived their presence."
"They probably were too far from the mountains for us to notice them, Eragon," Arya said, as she was tightening her sword belt over the shining hauberk.
"But why would Galbatorix attack with this small amount of people? Besides, a fortified city."
"Not everybody managed to get inside, Eragon. And he probably knows we need to go outside to resist here. When we attacked Feinster, we destroyed much of the system that allowed potable water to come inside the city walls. While you were away we've worked to rebuild it but it was really complicated and most of the work done was to re-establish the defensive walls. So it's a necessity to fight them", Nasuada said. "We can't afford a prolonged siege."
Eragon nodded, thinking quickly. "I need to get my armour then. And Saphira's. What can I do for you, Nasuada?"
"I think it's better if you keep leading the Du Vrang Gata. If there are many sorcerers, they will probably need your help. You can also ask Blodhgarm and the other elves," the Varden leader said, looking directly at him. "All your things are in the left wing of the palace. My servants brought them in the room which has the biggest balcony available. It's the fourth one looking to north-east."
"I'm coming with you, if you don't mind", Arya said in a resolved tone. The elven maiden had finished to put on his armour in the meantime.
Eragon agreed with her with a nod, relieved. "If you'll excuse me, my lady, I must get prepared then," he said and, with a last bow to Nasuada and a wave to the rest of the council, he left the room for the balcony.
He reached Saphira with his mind and, in a beating of wings, the dragoness was there to get him back. After jumping on her, he extended his upper arm to help Arya on and she unexpectedly took it without hesitation.
Saphira managed to reach the balcony of his chamber in a few minutes and they sneaked inside. It was a large room with a big wrought iron bed with a mattress which seemed to be very comfortable to Eragon who sighed, longing for an earned rest.
He shook his head trying to throw out his tiredness as he searched for his armour but Arya found it first and handed the sacks to him. Eragon get dressed rapidly, left his saddlebags in the room and helped Arya taking outside the dragoness' battle gear. It was still a bit scratched since their last battle but Eragon saw that the blacksmiths had repaired most of the damages. They stopped in the courtyard to put it on her as quick as possible. People around them were already wearing their body armours and soldiers were positioned in strategically places on the walls.
As soon as Saphira was ready, Eragon looked at Arya. "I'm going talking with Trianna to decide the best strategy to work together. Stay with Saphira and find Blodhgarm." The rider felt a little uncomfortable giving orders to the elven princess but he knew that speaking with the proud sorceress was something he needed to do alone as they had already established a sort of partnership during the previous battles and Arya's strong disposition would clash with Trianna's pride. "Please. I'll join you after the meeting with Du Vrangr Gata."
The elven maid seemed ready to argue but, after a quick glance at the rider that told him that she wasn't pleased at all, she just nodded and jumped on Saphira's back.
Stay safe, little one.
It was the last thing he heard from his dragoness as she took off, leaving him alone in the middle of the courtyard. He shook his head, blaming himself because he was in hurry and searched with his mind for Trianna's. After a moment, she acknowledged him and gave him her position. She was not far from him so he jogged until he found her with a group of people he already knew since the Burning Plains.
"Shadeslayer." She greeted him with a light bow of her head, the worry in her eyes were the only things that betrayed her restrained demeanour.
Eragon knew how to operate among he Du Vrangr Gata and it was relief that they esteemed him, as well as feared his power. He tried to explain how they could be useful during the fight until he was satisfied that everybody had a task and knew how to collaborate. After the short meeting, he headed towards the wall with Trianna and a few other sorcerers. Walking across the city, the rider could see the rudimentary barricades erected by common people and tried to be as encouraging as he could while he was greeted by the folks.
He spotted his dragoness near the northern wall and it could not help but admire how dangerous and terrific she seemed with her battle gear. At her right, with a hand on her side, Arya stood, accidentally reproducing Saphira's deportment. Even at that critical moment, Eragon felt a flush spreading over his cheeks and reaching his ears and tried to hide it looking at his surroundings. It didn't lasted long because the elven princess must've heard them approaching as she turned towards their direction and his gaze came back on her. She wrinkled her nose looking at the sorceress but they were so far from her that Eragon was sure to be the only one who noticed. Not far from the dragoness, Blodhgarm and the other elves were already waiting for him so he decided to greet them as to avoid a tense moment due to Aryas's clear dislike of the woman at his side. A mutual emotion, the rider realized as he stole a glance at Trianna.
"Eragon- vor. We're glad that you're back safe from your journey," the wolfish elf said, after they'd exchanged the ritual greeting.
Aye, what a pity we're already waiting for the next battle. Eragon thought bitterly to himself but his only evident reaction was a deferent nod as a sign of gratitude.
He reached the other side of Saphira and patted absently her armour. The piercing blue eyes searched for him at once.
You seem troubled, little one.
It's just a…bad feeling. Eragon looked at her and managed a weak smile. But I'm not worried, Saphira. I'm with you.
The dragoness hummed with pleasure and the rider knew that she would've shoved him playfully if she hadn't been covered with the sharp armature. He would've willingly moved closer to her too as the being motionless in that cold fall day wasn't actually likeable. If he didn't knew that the enemy army was approaching he would've lay at her feet and slept with his cloak over him. All together they exited the main gate, reaching the army which was only half mile from it. At that point the enemy was just two miles away from the Varden. Eragon was relieved when he easily noticed that, in spite of the short span of time that the Varden had had to get ready, their number were positively superior than the Empire's force. In front of the soldiers, a small line of horsemen was standing as to guide the army. It didn't take much for the ridere to locate his former white stallion and his cousin's impressive figure making the men falling in line. As they passed through the men to gain the front position, the Varden soldiers moved themselves, giving them space and creating a silent empty line in that ocean of people. Many of them bowed or gave them encouraging waves to him or Saphira while they looked at the following elves with a mix of fear, suspicion and hope.
Eragon almost shook his head in desbelief, thinking about how ignorance could blind those men's eyes. I was like them, he thought, suddenly. And sometimes I still am. He thought about his previous antagonism towards the Urgals and the wariness he still had in their presence. It's fear which is much more scaring than ignorance.
They were now standing ahead of the army, even if detatched from Roran and the others commandants. His cousin had ackowledged him with a nod but he'd remained still in his stance. Prevailing the urge to yawn, Eragon looked beyond Saphira and realized that Arya was staring at him. Bewilderment made his eyes widen but her stare was so intense that he couldn't help but reciprocate her action.
It was only the sound of a horn that made him jolt aware of his surroundings as Arya looked away with a slight frown. Cries of terror filled the air but it was only when Eragon caught a glimpse of the approaching red spot in the sky that he understood why.
Hey everyone, I'm really, really sorry about the long wait but I must be honest and admit that, since I started university again, my weeks will be pretty full and updates will come slower than previously. I don't want to make any excuse but only state a sad reality. Saying that, it doesn't mean that I'm going to drop out of this story. Anyways, this chapter is shorter than the last one because due to the slowness of the writing process of this chapter I decided that it was better to slipt my original idea in two different chapters, as to be sure that I wasn't going to get stuck there. As always, if you notice something wrong, mistakes, inaccuracies and any other stuff that feels incorrect, please, let me know. Hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think!
To Ashin: Probably you're right to be so scientifically focused, I really need somebody to tell that sort of stuff as I must admit that I'm too trusting in what we can call the power of magic and the romantic idea behind that concept. Thanks for your help and support :)
To AnaAkita 1: Thank you very much, your comment makes me smile even now :)
To playlearnwrite: Thank you very much for your support, it's gratifying to read that you like my story that much!
To Dobby99: I must confess that I actually wait for your review every time I post a new chapter, I think you're the most loyal fan of this story since the very beginning so thank you! :)
Thanks also to Celcees and the Guest that noticed some mistakes and above all everybody who started fllowing this story!
