Eragon – Oops! – Chapter Nine

"Yes," the queen found herself answering Payton's answer sardonically, "every able bodied person in this known world has been searching for dragon eggs, and yet have found none. But you, who came from another world and have never seen a dragon egg before, have managed to find one?"

"Yes, I know it sounds skeptical but it's true." Payton really had no means of proving that she wasn't lying, except, "then you can poke through my memory if you want. I won't stop you, I won't resist. If that is what it will take to prove that I'm innocent, then do it." Payton was firm in her words and knew that she had nothing to fear.

"In all my life," Islanzadi sat down, relaxing her muscles and placing her face in her hands. "I have never found one person to be such a threat to the elves existence. I say this, not only because of your mysterious background, but also because you are a rider. I know that you speak the truth. You speak so openly, and without fear, that there is no possible way you could be hiding anything." Islanzadi paused, thinking of how she should phrase her words. "You are also such a threat, not because of something you have done, but because of my actions. I want to ask your forgiveness." Payton got the most confused look on her face. "I have been stubborn and misjudged you. Due to my own ignorance, you have been treated with undeserved disrespect." Payton was uncertain of how to answer the queen's response.

"It is fine, I can understand why you held me with such harsh judgment, you were only doing what you thought to be best for your people." The queen nodded toward Payton and gave her a soft smile.

"I suggest you begin your training under Oromis then, there is no certain amount of time left, you must hurry." Payton smiled back and bowed.

"I will." She turned to leave with Oromis.

"One more thing," Islanzadi beckoned Payton to turn around."

"Yes?"

"Do bring your dragon in sometime." She smiled as Payton nodded and departed through the door.

"That was close." Payton sighed with relief as she and Oromis left the building.

"Close?" Oromis didn't quite understand her.

"I almost got in trouble!" Payton couldn't believe that he didn't get it.

"You've done nothing wrong, even if Islanzadi did not agree with you; she could not punish you in any way." Payton looked up toward the sky as she realized what Oromis meant.

"So, do I really get dragon rider training?" Payton grinned as she looked at Oromis through the corner of her eye.

"Yes, although you've already started some of it, so it won't take much to catch you up to Eragon, except for magic. That may take some time." Payton's expression faltered.

"Aww, that's my favorite part." They continued the rest of the way back to Oromis' hut in silence.

"I suggest you go get your dragon." Oromis paused and looked at Payton. "You did feed it right?" Payton looked appalled.

"I can't believe you would even ask me that! I'm not brain dead. Of course I fed him!"

"So, it's a he?"

"Eehhh," Payton looked down, "I guess." Payton looked off to the side avoiding Oromis' stare.

"Bring the dragon," Oromis walked inside his hut leaving Payton outside by herself. She wandered off down the trail to the lake where she found the egg at and then followed the semi path she had made to the cave. I hope he's still there, all I need is to find a dead dragon. I'll only have had him for almost a day and already managed to kill him. Payton quickened her pace. She found the cave with relative ease and entered. Her fears only came true as she saw blood smeared across the floor of the cave. She frantically entered farther only to release a sigh of relief. The blood came not from the dragon, but from its' victims. Payton saw that quite a few unwary birds had fallen prey to the baby dragon. He chirped at her happily as he made his way over to her.

"Trouble maker." Her brow furred at him but he only chirped happily in response. She scooped him into her arms and headed out of the cave. "It's time to go!" She noticed that he was slightly bigger than he had been the day before. He's going to get huge! Where am I supposed to put him if he gets so big? I don't have a house or a stable or even a box to live in! She had begun to worry but then thought of Eragon and Saphira. "I guess we'll just have to live in Ellesmera forever!" Payton didn't mind the thought of it. She arrived back at Oromis' hut to find him quizzing Eragon and Saphira on the ancient language. That's what I get to look forward too. She stuck her tongue out at the idea.

"Come out," Oromis knew she was standing there and planned on beginning her training immediately. "I'm testing Eragon and Saphira's knowledge of the ancient language. I suspect you know some of it by now." Eragon and Saphira had witnessed the discovery of Payton's gedwey ignasia but weren't sure what to think of it, even now. "Payton, do you know what Du Weldenvarden means?" Payton racked her brain and finally came up with the answer.

"The guarding forest." Oromis nodded in confirmation.

"And Helgrind?"

"The gates of death." Payton remembered these from one of Eragon's lessons that Oromis made her stay for.

"Correct. That will be all for today. Payton, I will give you some scrolls that I want you to look over tonight. Now that you are a rider, the ancient language will be even more imperative to you than before. But first, bring the dragon. We must identify if he is male or female. The dragon standing on Payton's arm jumped over to Oromis' arm without hesitation. "Male." Oromis allowed the dragon to jump back onto Payton's arm, much like a bird would.

"How can you tell?" She looked at the dragon from every angle and still could not tell.

"His eyes." Was all that Oromis said before entering his hut.

"You really found an egg." Eragon walked over and looked at the baby dragon with amusement.

"Yeah, although," Payton paused slightly embarrassed. "I didn't realize it was an egg until I saw him. I wasn't there when he hatched and I just thought someone had broken the stone I had found." Eragon just laughed reluctant to share his own stupidity with Payton. Saphira stepped closer to examine the baby dragon, but Glaedr only examined it from a distance. "He won't bite," Payton turned her head to look at Glaedr who only released a puff of smoke, reluctant to satisfy his curiosity.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" Eragon watched the baby dragon jump at Saphira only to fall to the ground clumsily.

"Mmm, not really. I thought about a few names, but they seem more like dog names than dragon names." The baby dragon attempted to bully Saphira, but only made a fool of himself. Eragon and Saphira found that it was getting late and headed back to the place they were staying. Payton entered the hut to find a large stack of scrolls sitting on the table.

"This should keep you busy for a few days." Oromis told her nonchalantly.

"A few days?" Payton gathered the scrolls in her arms and the baby dragon followed her into her room where she set them down on her nightstand. She took one of the scrolls in her hand, unraveled it and began translating it as the little dragon busily explored the contents of the room. She was so tired by the time she finished the first scroll that she set it back on the nightstand and fell asleep; the little dragon had found a suitable bed long ago.