Chapter 10

Wise Words

We pass the mountain that Eragon calls Utgard and Eragon hisses to Brom, "What is that?"

I look up and see a crumbling tower perched on top of it, with no visible means of getting there. I recall all I know about the tower. But before I open my mouth, Brom says,

"It was an outpost of the Riders – one that has lasted since it was founded. That was where Vrael took refuge and where, through treachery, he was found and defeated by Galbatorix. When Vrael fell, the area was tainted. Edoc'sil, Unconquerable, is the name of this bastion, for the mountain is so steep, none may reach the top unless they fly. After Vrael's death, the commoners called it Utgard, but it has another name, Ristvak'baen – the 'Place of Sorrow.' It was known as such to the last Riders before they were killed by the King."

It takes hours to skirt Utgard and Edoc'sil, but after a long while, we top a slight hill and see what is beyond. Both Eragon and I gasp. A huge, a tan plain stretches out before us, the colour of dead grass.

"I knew it was big," I say. "But not that big!"

"This plain covers the heart of the Empire," Brom says with a snort. "Of course it is big! But all we need to concentrate on now is crossing it."

"What do we do now?" Eragon asks. Brom snorts again. "We're going to cross it. But now, we may as well get a nice early night. It's going to take all of our strength to get down the hill to the plain and make the crossing."

"How big is it?"

"Two to three days, to a fortnight, depending on which direction you go. We aren't going to find many travellers here."

Brom turns Snowfire around and guides him further back, towards the Anora River. As he reaches the water's edge, he dismounts, followed by Eragon and me.

"You should name them," says Brom as he pickets Snowfire. Eragon is in the middle of helping me to picket my horse. I consider the names. None spring to mind. Then I think of my own world, my books, and my old life. All of a sudden I know the perfect name. I straighten up and place a hand on my horse's neck. She softly whinnied in response and put her head close to mine.

"I name you Linden," I told the horse. "After my own world, and my own Capital, London."

Linden is also a name in one of my favourite books, Rebel. Brom nods and switches his gaze to Eragon. He also laid a hand on the bay. He smiles at me. "I would call you Emily, but you're a boy. And Brom doesn't suit you either. So I name you Cadoc. It was my grandfather's name so bear it well."

Brom nods and untacks Snowfire and I do the same with Linden. Although I have no experience picketing horses, I help Eragon to undo Cadoc's girth and let him eat the grass. Saphira lands and the horses give a whinny, this time of fright, but they regard her warily and go back to feeding. I look after Linden nervously, but she seems to be okay.

Dinner was a dose of baked beans and eggs. After Brom started the fire up, he came to sit next to me.

"Tell me," he says. "What is your world like?"

"We are more high tech than your world is," I say. I regard him warily, hoping he doesn't take offence at this. Brom nods, and suddenly I know that he doesn't mind about such petty things.

"We have buildings with so many floors that they touch the skies. We have metal machines that can fly, and machines that go deep underwater without the people inside suffocating. We've actually been off the planet in a space ship as well!"

"Is a space ship a metal machine that sails in the sky?" asks Brom, eyes wide.

"Well, off the planet," I reply.

Brom makes a questioning face, but then Eragon turns to me.

"No wonder you feel out of place here!" exclaims Eragon as he sits beside us. "Do you really have these houses that touch the sky?"

"Yes," I reply, smiling at his reaction.

I summon a photograph of the London Eye, which I visited when I was six for my birthday. The photo emerges in front of him.

"That is called the London Eye," I say. "From the top, you can see miles and miles."

Eragon's eyes open wide and his jaw drops. "You have this in your world?"

"And lots more," I say.

"Hand it over," Brom says to Eragon. "It can't be that amazing, so close your mouth," he adds, although his tone is uncertain. But, very soon, Brom's mouth is open like a goldfish as well.

"By the Lost Kings," he gasps. "This is amazing! I've never seen anything like this before! Is this what it is like everywhere?"

"Yes. But don't get too excited," I say glumly. "The cost of this high techyness is that hardly any free areas exist. Our country used to be completely covered in forest. Now, only five percent remains. That's why I was really excited when I came here." I switch my gaze to Brom and Eragon, hoping they understand why I like this place so much.

"And there are laws everywhere, you can't build a house without the government's permission, you can't change the use of your house, you can't carry sharp arrows or knives otherwise you end up in prison. There's no freedom to go as you wish and you never feel like you are making a change in the world."

My unhappiness makes Eragon and Brom fall silent and I pick up the photograph and throw it in the fire.

"I used to think that I would be happy to return home," I say miserably. "But now? I'm not too sure. I feel as if I belong here, but it's my family I miss, not my world. If only there was a way of getting them to live here–" I sit bolt upright. "What if I summon my parents and my brothers and sister here? Then I could live here and not be troubled by my family!"

I prepare to do it when Brom grasps my arm. "Emily, stop." Not asking. Ordering. I shrug him off.

"You don't know what this will do to you, or your family!"

I lower my hands. He's right. If my family was hurt when I try to transport them, I could never forgive myself."

"I'm sorry," I say, and retreat from the fire. I go to Saphira who is awake and watchful. I know she's seen everything but I don't care. I reach for her consciousness and she allows me inside.

Oh Saphira! I can't bear it!

Peace little one. All will be well.

How can it? Galbatorix, the Urgals, my parents…and now we have to cross the plain! I feel like everything I do is snapping me out of a trance. Something I used to do all the time, although I don't remember what it was.

You mean you don't want to remember.

Of course that's not what I mean! I am shocked, but I know somewhere that what she said contains a portion of truth.

I feel Saphira probe at one of my memories. May I?

I give my consent and the memory of the last time I saw my dad fills my mind. The row. I try to hide my suffering, but there is nowhere inside the memory to hide it. Thankfully Saphira does not comment on it. I stomp upstairs. Suddenly, the film halts at the bit where I grab a book from the bookcase and flop onto my bed to read it.

Ah.

Ah? Saphira please!

You said that everything you do snaps you out of a trace, didn't you?"

Yes, I did. What of it.

You read to escape the real life. And now, you don't have the time to read because your life is taken up with reality. So you can't escape, you can't deal with reality, so you feel completely trapped and hopeless.

This time, it isn't just a portion that I know to be true; it's everything she's said.

So how do I stop feeling that?

Learn to live with reality. Reality is hard Emily, but it is harder if you don't face it every day.

Already, I'm starting to feel better. I allow myself a small giggle.

I knew you were wise in the books, Saphira, I say. But you are so wise in person that you have enough wisdom to spread to me as well, and I'm a thicko.

I may be wise, Saphira responds, humorously. But I still have no idea what a thicko is that you refer to.

An idiot, I reply, chuckling. Soon, both Saphira and I are seeing the funny side of it. I stand up and Saphira snakes her head forwards and gently nudges me back towards the fire.

Go on Emily. I shall watch you and those pitiful deer animals that you call noble steeds.

I smile at her.

"Thank you," I whisper, and I retreat from the contact although my mind does not close fully. That part of me will never truly be closed till the day I leave, I am sure of that. I love Saphira now, as a friend and councillor, not as a ruler and Queen.

Eragon is already in bed and I see his stick by the fire. Brom is watching me. Although he does not speak, his orders are clear. Reluctantly, I take up the stick and wait for him to join me.

This training session is shorter than the first, but still long enough for me to get battered to pieces. When we stopped, Brom beckoned.

"You were upset earlier. Did you and Saphira talk?"

There was no point in denying it, and no reason to either.

"Yes."

"I know you miss your family," Brom says. "But we need you to stay strong."

"Me? You and Eragon are driving the bus. You get to fight the enemies and battle Shades and here I am, a lump of lard, just getting in your way. You make it fine without me to Teirm."

"Teirm?"

"You find Sethir Oil and Eragon comes up with the idea to check the shipping records, so you go to Teirm."

"Not a bad idea," Brom mused. "Is that where you're leading us?"

"Yes. Roran escapes Palencar Valley and makes his way to Narda with the Ra'zac on his trail. He winds up in Teirm and tries to hire a ship and coincidentally, ends up talking to Jeod." This throws Brom.

"Does he recognise Roran?"

"Not at first. But when Novarell lets slip Gertrude's name, he recognises her name from a description you give. Roran almost kills him, but is surprised to hear him cry, Garrowson. So he spares him, but Roran still ends up in a heap of trouble."

"Hmm. I think you are right. It's time to pay Jeod a little visit. Then where?"

"First you get Eragon through the Tuatha Du Orothrim. Then you take him to Tronjheim. And as soon as possible as well."

"Eragon? To Tronjheim? Do you realise how everyone will react?"

"That is why you must train him. Brom, in Yazuac, you will find it pillaged."

"By who?"

"Urgals. No fewer than fifty, no more than a hundred. You will also find two Urgals there. They will attack you and Eragon. Eragon escapes unharmed, but you receive a rather nasty scratch after one Urgal kicks Snowfire and throws you off balance."

"And Eragon? What happens to him? I have a feeling you are not telling the full story."

"Eragon is backed into a dead end and uses brisingr to destroy the Urgals with one arrow. He survives, he doesn't become unconscious, but he will feel extraordinarily weak afterwards."

Brom mulls over this.

"I wasn't planning on telling you this; Eragon's survival can hang on magic, and if he can't perform it, then he is in mortal danger."

"You were very foolish not to tell me." Brom thinks some more. Finally he decides.

"I agree. Other any other circumstances, I'd refuse, but I can't. If this all goes to plan, Eragon will learn magic and I will not have a gash."

"What is your plan?"

"Saphira will hover over the town, keeping a lookout, but remaining invisible. If any of us are in mortal danger, she can always help us."

"I doubt Saphira would be very pleased."

"I'll tell her. She trusts me."

"And Eragon? He'll blame me afterwards if anything goes wrong."

"I'll have a word with him afterwards as well. But be very careful Jade. In the story, we survive. You may not. So you need to be protected the most."

I grow sombre for a second.

"Without you, we wouldn't know all of this. And without you, those Twins won't get a good hiding when I return to Farthen Dur." I smile at the humour in his voice.

"But, after dark, from tomorrow, I'll have to teach you mental tricks to keep your consciousness guarded. Can you perform magic?"

"I-I think so. I made a stone move once. And green mist was coming through my fingers."

"Well, I'll tutor you in that as well. Don't tell Eragon yet. I want to see if this works out."

"Very well." I stand up and summon my sleeping bag. Brom lifts an eyebrow.

"I'll have to get you to practise that as well."

"Good night Brom."

"Good night Emily. And just to let you know, while you're here, I regard you as much my daughter as your real father back at your home."

I feel touched by this. I smile and slip into my sleeping bag. I feel a lot more refreshed by talking to Brom.

Morning comes, and I wake. Eragon isn't up yet and I can see Brom sitting by Saphira. I don't interfere.

"Breakfast's ready," I announce, Conjuring the full English breakfast. Brom finishes his mental conversation and comes over to join me. I go over to Eragon and gently shake his shoulder.

"Morning sunshine. Its breakfast time."

Eragon is suddenly up. I laugh and Eragon picks up his breakfast and bolts it down. I stand up and go over to Brom and eat mine. Brom has already finished his. Eragon is moving even more stiffly than before, and so am I. I notice one of his fingers is hot and swollen and I offer him some cream. I summon a pot of Sudo Crème and he applies a small amount to his finger, mounts Cadoc and Brom follows as well. I unpicket Linden, tack her up, and swing myself onto her back. She's still a lot taller than I am used to but I wouldn't have her any other way.

The slope is steep at first and I am afraid that Linden might fall down it. My heart stops every time one of the horses takes a stumble on the loose rocks, but somehow, they always managed to right themselves. There was a rough trail that sometimes helps, but in some places it fades away, leaving us to manoeuvre through the trees. We often have to dismount and guide the horses down. At one point, Cadoc simply refuses to go any lower down, so I leave Linden and helped soothe Cadoc enough so that he would go down. Linden's ears are plastered to her skull and she is sweating, but she seems determined to get down the slope. It took many a solid hour of trekking before Brom orders a rest near the bottom. The slope leaves us breathless, irritable and hot, despite the biting cold. I summon several cans of Coke, but that hardly touches our thirst, so instead, I decide on bottled spring water. I manage to multiply the bottle successfully into three bottles, and we drink so much, I'd think we might burst.

We leave the Anora, as it flows northward, almost back on itself. Brom and Eragon study the trails. Eragon tells me that there are three trails, one heading towards the northern cities, one across the plains, and one south. Brom confirms that the Ra'zac are headed to Yazuac, so we must be careful. Eragon enquires where Yazuac is and Brom replies, "Due east and four days away, if all goes well. It's a small village situated near the Ninor River." He waves a hand towards the Anora. "We'll have to fill up here. We can't expect Emily to provide for us all the way." He smiles, and the smile is genuine.