Chapter 10. Promise Fulfilled

Before sunrise Eragon is up with the Elves practicing the dance of the Snake and Crane. Arya is there and the two share intimate thoughts in private. Then Dianah and Neida take up guard positions and follow Saphira and Eragon through camp. As Eragon is walking he notices Angela reading the future of two women. Curious he and Saphira walk over just as Angela finishes.

"You will succeed and your enemies will die at your hands…" Angela looks up, "Saphira! Eragon I was hoping to see the two of you…This is Velda…" The elder woman had a sword strapped to her back and a dagger on each hip. Her eyes were feral as she sized Eragon up. "And this is Kendra…" The younger woman had slave cuffs on each wrist. The sides of her head were shaved and the Mohawk went down to the middle of her back. Like the Elder woman she sized Eragon up and gave Saphira a disrespectful glance. Most people shied away especially when Saphira growled at them, not Kendra, she held Saphira's gaze as if daring the mighty blue Dragon to attack. "Um would you bless them in the ancient language? It would go a long way to improving the success of their quest…"

"What is their quest…" Eragon asked intrigued.

"Our quest is one of blood…" Kendra said in a deep but feminine voice.

Eragon sighs and looks at Saphira, ("You know what you are doing now…Go ahead…")

Eragon agrees and places his hand on Velda's head first, "Atra gülai un ilian tauthr ono un atra ono waíse sköliro frá rauthr…" When he reaches his hand towards Kendra she flinches. Only after Velda reassures the girl does she allow Eragon to place his hand on her forehead. "Atra gülai un ilian tauthr ono un atra ono waíse sköliro frá rauthr…" The amount of energy the spells require is considerable, but Eragon shows no signs of fatigue. A normal spell caster would have died from casting such a spell twice.

As the women walk away Angela hands Eragon something to eat. As usual he checks it for poison before eating. "What is this?" He asks after the first bite. She just winks and Eragon can feel the energy he lost return. "Well at least tell me where those women come from…"

Angela hunches her shoulders, "They come from Aroughs though not originally…Their people actually live on a mountain in the Spine…A fierce tribe of human warriors…Velda was a part of a group sent to make contact with Galabtroix about an alliance…Galbatorix killed most of her companions…Kendra is actually Velda's niece…She was born a year after they were sold into slavery…Their master was a noble from Aroughs that is how they wound up in the city…When King Orin attacked Aroughs Velda and Kendra turned on the soldiers that watched over them and fled the city…Their Master left them in the care of the city guard…as all the slaves were rounded up just encase they turned on their masters and fought with the Surdans…" They start walking through the camp towards Nausada's tent, "I suppose you are going to remove that spell from Elva…"

"I am…"

"Well I want to be there…I find Elva intriguing…"

Eragon looks at her, "You seem awfully comfortable around Elva…"

Angela bobs her head, "I will tell you a secret…She doesn't know what will make me happy…I warded myself against her power when I found out about her…"

Eragon looks at Angela, "Can you teach me that?"

"No make your own spell up…" She says with a wink.

When they arrive Nausada is waiting with Elva, Greta, and Solembum. They all sit in a circle, "Elva…" Nausada feels ashamed for what she is about to ask, "…before Eragon begins I want to ask if you would wait…Your power can mean the difference between victory and defeat…Against Galbatorix you may be the very thing that thwarts him…"

Elva takes a deep breath, "I am not unsympathetic to the Varden and its allies…But I am a child…A babe…whose childhood was stolen…I will never know what it is to play as a child…Eragon's spell, blessing, or whatever you wish to call it has made me this…Before Eragon returned I saw nothing but doom before me as his magic forces me to make others happy and save them from the pains and misfortunes of life…Sleep is a dream that only comes if Angela forces it upon me…Peace is just a word more so brought on by this constant war…You ask me to wait…I say no and no again…"

When Elva falls silent Nausada looks at Eragon, he shakes his head. "I know it is a hard thing to ask, but…"

"But what?" Angela says in a disrespectful tone, "Isn't it enough what Elva has done for you and the Varden…She came to you willing to aid you…She saved your life…And all you can do is ask for more…You shame yourself Nightstalker…"

Eragon sighs, "I am sorry Nausada, but Angela is right…We cannot ask this of Elva no matter how great our need is…If I had been more careful we would not be here now…Let me do what I came to do…"

Nausada shakes her head, "So be it…"

Eragon stands up and places his chair before Elva, "There are two ways I can deal with this spell I put on you…One I can try to remove the spell, but there are too many variables with that course of action…The most paramount being is that you could be torn apart by the removal spell as this magic runs through your blood or you could become a baby again and retain all your knowledge…That being said we should not try that path…The second thing I can do is try to counter the spell…There is risk on that path as well…The energy to fuel the spell must come from you…Because the first spell is integrated into your body a counter spell will cause you to weaken…You will never be able to run as fast as others there is even a chance slim mind you that you may age faster or stop aging all together…"

"Why can't the energy come from you…" Elva asked as if it is the most obvious thing to do.

"Well for one the greater the distance the more energy required to fuel a spell…Basically it would kill me…or leave me magically defenseless as my bond with Saphira may sustain me…Saphira and I have labored on a counter spell night and day from the moment I learned of the horrible mistake I made…It is a long spell, but I believe…We believe…" He looks back at Saphira, "…That we have covered every possible side effects of this endeavor…I even consulted a few knowledgeable Elves on the matter…So if you Elva are ready to begin…Then so am I…"

"Will this hurt Shadeslayer?" Greta asked in concern.

"No I don't believe so…"

"Be brave my little plum…" Greta says patting Elva's hand.

Eragon pulls out a long scroll so that he does not mispronounce one word or forget a crucial phrase of the spell. Then he begins reading the spell of the scroll in the ancient language. Merging his mind with Elva to draw the energy from her. With Saphira's help Eragon pours his passion and regrets into the spell. He speaks forcefully as the words fall from his lips. The minutes become hours as Eragon says the spellwithout stopping for water or to catch his breath. When he says the last sentence he looks up at Elva.

"I am done…" He watches her for the smallest change, "How do you feel…"

Elva is silent for a long time, "I don't…" Elva pauses as she feels a tingle and starts to laugh with tears falling down her cheeks, "You did it!"

("Can you tell us Silver Brow…") Saphira says speaking for the first time.

"I…I can ignore it…I can control it…I have the power to decide who I want to help…And I feel no pain when I ignore the needs of others…" Elva jumps up, "I am free! Free of idiot little boys dreamy eyed girls…Drunken men…Lonely women…I am free to follow my own path…I need no one but myself…And woe to anyone who gets in my way…"

"Elva no!" Greta said in fear.

Elva's new attitude scared Eragon and he considered stripping Elva of her power completely. Then she kneels down before Eragon and looks into his eyes, her eyes start to glow locking him in place. "If I had heard what I said just now I would be afraid as well Shadeslayer…But take heart I will not abuse my new gifts…I will use them as I see fit…If that does not go line up with your moral code…That is your affair…not mine…But if it does not will you be Galbatorix and bring more harm to me than the good you just tried to do…" As her eyes return to normal she stands up with Eragon watching her the whole time feeling guilty about what he was only thinking. Then Elva turns to Greta, "As for you my beloved keeper…I am grateful for all that you have done for me…But if not for you Eragon would not have…cursed me…So know that I hold you just as responsible as I do him for what befell me…" She takes Greta's hand and looks at Nausada, "For saving your life and all the other things I did for you I ask that Greta always has a place at your table and that she be taken care of…"

"She will…"

Then she looks at Saphira, "Brightscales…You can always count me as a friend and ally…" When Elva tries to leave Eragon jumps up and blocks her path. "Is there something you wish to say Shadeslayer?"

Eragon nods, "Remember who made you…" He says in the ancient language, "I will be watching…" He says and steps to the side.

Elva stares at him for a few minutes and smiles. "So will I…"

As she leaves Eragon receives a slap in the head from Angela. Saphira roars at her but is ignored. "What the hell woman!" Even Solembum growls at Eragon arching his back.

"Thanks a lot…Now I am going to have to teach her some manners…" Angela smacks her teeth and walks out as Greta starts to cry.

("What do you think?") Eragon asks to Saphira.

("Hard to say…You are right though she needs to be watched…I wouldn't want Elva as an enemy…You fulfilled your promise and that is all one can do…The rest is up to her…")

Eragon spent the rest of the day preparing for Roran's marriage to Katrina. Then he went flying on Spahira to clear his head and figure out a way to trap Murtagh the next time they faced him.