Chapter 10

In the last chapter there was a war, but I don't really know how to do large scale battles. I will try my best to add a more war-like atmosphere to the next war chapter, but it will probably be as bad as yesterday's one. I seem to be better at making new characters and plotting my story rather than something like this. I also needed to end it quickly because I myself thought it was bad.

There will be a lemon in this one, but not in the original one. From now, all lemons will be kept on this story.

A wooden creaking sound, mingling with waves pounded in his ears. Around him were sailors fighting the waves to stand upright. The salty water splashed on board and leaked through below deck. Around them was a fleet. A fleet of battleships built particularly for war. Ahead of them was the port of a city. It looked familiar, but he couldn't tell from when. They docked and plundered the town. Dragons were flying above and burning homes. Screams and cries filled the air along with the sounds of burning wood and dragon roars. To the east of the city was a valley between a large mountain range. Throughout the valley, there was a thin river which trailed down into a lake.

Teirm!

Eragon stood inside a grimy room. In front of him stood Du Dröttningu and Du Ebrithil, swords drawn facing each other. On the floor was a dead man that looked similar to Du Ebrithil, except that he was wearing white instead of a navy blue, and with a red cape. They began to duel. Eragon tried to scream at them to tell them to stop, but they wouldn't listen and continued to fight. They would never spar. Du Dröttningu would use magic to kill him, and Du Ebrithil would try to kill her before she cast a spell. They were both serious, and every time Du Dröttningu started a spell, Du Ebrithil hacked at her again to distract her. Outside someone was banging on the door, but none of the two were willing to drop their guard. The last thing he saw before waking up was Du Ebrithil and Du Dröttningu both embed their swords in one another before he saw himself walk in through the door which had just been blown down…

'Stupid Rider,' a female voice said. His head throbbed and he felt as though he was falling through an endless pit. The image of his two teachers killing each other had been engraved into his mind and wouldn't leave his conscience.

The room he was in had a dingy air to it. He could feel the breath of someone on his face. He felt relieved when he recognised the aroma as pine crushed needles. Eragon tried to open his eyes, but only managed to keep them open for a second. The first thing he saw was Arya.

He spoke, but through unbelievable pain.

'Am I in heaven? Or am I still alive?' he asked.

He heard her sob and then felt her lips on his own. Tears dropped onto his face as she wept while kissing him repeatedly.

He opened his eyes and propped himself up against the headboard of the bed he was on.

He looked around the room. The war seemed to be over. Present in the room were: Du Dröttningu, Arya, Rya, two male elves and one female elf along with two dwarves; all of whom he didn't recognise. In the corner of the room, stood a man in a hooded sort of shirt. He looked like Du Ebrithil, but his master had usually worn a blue cloak of the same style. This person had a white cloak and a red cape.

He blushed slightly at having been seen attaching lips with his queen.

'Forgive me,' he said humbly. 'I was a little distracted.'

Du Dröttningu spoke first. 'Eragon, allow me to introduce you to these five who have joined us today.'

She pointed at the female elf, then the two male ones.

'This is Nadia Dröttning, queen of the water elves. The boots you are wearing now are actually hers,' she said with an amused look on her face. 'This is Niran Könungr: king of the Nuri elves. He gave the chest plate that you are wearing. And finally, this is someone Du Ebrithil didn't know about. The king of the sky elves. He doesn't have a specific name, but he is called Könungr abr Layal by his race.'

'Greetings Eragon,' they all said in unison.

'Greetings,' he replied.

Du Dröttningu continued, 'And these two dwarves are the leaders of the two greatest dwarf clans.'

They both greeted him and then Du Dröttningu continued speaking. 'Eragon, what did you do? What were you thinking? You could have died.'

Eragon was about to answer, but was broken off by his teacher. 'Do not waste my time. We have more urgent issues. Now that you are awake, we can continue, but first I will explain what happened after you fainted. The fire elves came, then the water elves alongside the elves of the clouds. They ambushed the urgals after we had been breached. There were many casualties, but we still eliminated them. Anyway, that isn't the problem. Around three thousand Riders are heading here from the west. Most probably those of Oathbreaker. Fourteen dragon eggs have gone missing, and moreover I haven't taught you anything. If Oathbreaker is among these Riders, we are definitely going to die. Each and every one of us. Ilirea is in no state for us to hold them off for long. It's either every man for himself or evacuate all of Alagaësia to Farthen Dur. Then we will leave for Edoc'sil deloi. Nobody here is safe anymore. The destruction dragons are capable of spreading will make humans elves and dwarves all extinct. Regardless, only the dragons can possibly counter them, which is why we are heading for Edoc'sil deloi or somewhere else. The dragon eggs that have been stolen were vital for us to win this war, but it seems that we will need to wait for more eggs to be lain.'

'Why? Who took the eggs?' he asked her.

Arya answered him, 'We don't know. We also don't know where Du Ebrithil went after meeting with the dwarves.'

Eragon looked back at the figure in the corner. It was a replica of the one that was dead on the floor. He was about to ask someone who it was, but the man shifted and became a gas.

Eragon's eyes widened in shock as the man wafted into smoke and diffused into the air.

'Eragon? Are you ok?' Du Dröttningu asked.

He snapped back into his senses and replied in the affirmative.

'Ok. So…' Du Dröttningu said rubbing her palms together. 'We need to get moving. Standing in this room and talking of what would happen won't help us. We need to take action, and quickly. I think I have an idea, but I would like to hear if anyone else has any opinions they would like to voice.'

Nobody said anything so Du Dröttningu started laying out her ideas on the wall of the room with magic by burning the wall to make her lines.

'We need to abandon Alagaësia if we want to survive with our freedom. Under Oathbreaker's rule, it will just be dictatorship. However, we can't just leave everyone here and escape ourselves, no. We need to take with us everyone we can. I think the best way to do that would be to send one of us to each district of villages and cities to tell them to leave their homes and come with us. Eragon and I will go to Gil'ead and take the citizens straight to Farthen Dur. The reason I will be paired with him is because I need to instruct him in the art of magic, and I haven't had an opportunity to do so until now. You three,' she said pointing at the three elven lords, 'you will go to the villages in and around the spine. Forget Narda. Unfortunately we do not have the time to-'

'Why not?' a challenging voice asked from the doorway.

Everyone turned their heads in that direction and saw Du Ebrithil standing with a sideways gait.

Behind him, the sounds of children crying and cattle could be heard over the voices of hundreds if not thousands of people. Eragon walked over to the door and looked outside. Standing in the courtyard was most of the human population of Alagaësia.

'Seems like you're ahead of the game,' Du Dröttningu complimented. Something glinted in her eye which he recognised from only one incident in his life. His sparring with Arya. That was the second time Arya had shown any affection towards him. The first had been when she had run headlong into the empire in search of him. Du Dröttningu the winked at him which caused him to cringe slightly. Eragon was amused and a sudden thought came to his mind.

Is there something going on between the two of them?

Most probably. This is the first time you're seeing a relationship take place which isn't mine and Fírnen's. You'll be seeing a lot of things you didn't notice in your own relationship with Arya. Trust me, it's going to be funny.

Saphira! I'm so sorry I totally forgot about you! Are you ok?

Of course I'm ok! I was the one killing the urgals that had breached us.

'The urgals from the spine are all wiped out. There was nothing left of them for me to save them from. They were probably killed by the Riders. Teirm is under attack. There is also a fleet with the Riders this time, so there will be a use for foot soldiers. Also, I was the one who took the dragons eggs. I took a few of them to lands outside of Alagaësia and bring the news that eleven of them have hatched. Here are the other three eggs that are yet to hatch. The new dragon Riders are there somewhere in the crowd. I have more bad news. Some of the other realms I visited have already been dominated by, or are allies of Oathbreaker. I had to kill a few hundred to escape with my life. They are being used as farming islands for breeding new dragons. They are then grown larger than their actual size and trained. So for example, a two month old dragon will be the size of that white dragon seated next to Saphira.'

'Well. Let's all rest up and we'll head out tomorrow,' Du Dröttningu concluded.

Eragon and Arya decided to use an abandoned room which Murtagh ha once used to sleep in. The memories of his half-brother stung him like a giant scorpion's pincers.

'Eragon,' Arya called to get his attention.

'Yes dear?'

'There is something I need to tell you,' she said tentatively.

'Well go on then,' he pressed.

'Four months ago… I conceived your child. Our child,' she whispered with tears running down her face.

A sudden gravity pulled on his wits. He was desperate to find out where his firstborn was, but he couldn't bear to see his mate cry. He walked over to her and wiped the water from her face. Pulling her close to his chest, Eragon rocked back and forth to make her comfortable. He kissed her forehead and pulled her face up, cupping her cheeks in his palms.

She had stopped crying and Eragon asked her where the baby was.

'I left her with Blodhgarm who took her to Edoc'sil deloi. Eragon, we may not get another chance in a long time. I want to make this night one to remember,' she requested.

'Do you need to ask?'

Arya lay panting next to him. He himself was exhausted, but managed to speak through his panting.

'Was the child a boy or a girl?' he asked.

'A girl whom I name Selena, after your mother.

The two stars are meant to indicate a lemon. If any of you actually have a desire to read what happened during that time, be my guest. I received seventeen requests from eight different people for this, but it may not be that good considering it was my first time.

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