Chapter12: Before the Storm

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon so don't sue! Please?

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Yuaza had just heard what had said to Eragon. She was surprised and shocked that it actually made sense. She listened as Era explained to Eragon that Murtagh can't hurt her and can't let any harm come to her. Then Era turned to her and said "So Yuaza do you know what this means?"

Yuaza had no idea "That now we have an advantage?"

Era laughed "Yes but no. Now you really can't date Murtagh!"

Eragon's jaw dropped "You like Murtagh?"

Yuaza gave Era a dirty look "I found him attractive but I always remember that he is on the other side."

Eragon took a deep breath "Good, now it's time to go to bed. Tommorrow we go back to Nausuda you three swear your fealty and then we must decide what to do next."

Yuaza went back to bed but she still could not go to sleep to many things were in her head. Firstly she could not stop thinking about Murtagh. did she like him? She always thought he was hot and all but that is not enough of a reason to like someone. On the other hand she thought about how tomorrow she was going to swear in the ancient langue to Nausuda that they are loyal to the varden.

Yuaza still could not think straight about either. She was not sure if that either were the best things. Yuaza did not like the idea of being stuck to one thing because at one time she thought it would be a good thing. Yuaza eventually gave up on the whole thing and went to sleep.

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The next day they swore their fealty to Lady Nausuda. The ceremony took place outside so that Agni could be there too.

After the ceremony Lady Nausuda led Yuaza and Era back to the concil room. there the concil of Elders and King Orrin awaited them. After they exchanged pleasantries they got down to business.

"Now that we are a united front we must have a plan of attack. We now hold Feinster. We can either go to Belatona then to Dras-Leonon then to Uru'Baen. This road will be a long hard one and ending at the hardest of all the cities to siege. On the other hand we could go to the village of Melian then to Furnost in those viliages we will probably be welcomed with open arms. Then we will be rested before we lay siege to Uru'Baen." said a man, that Yuaza did not know.

Yuaza looked at the map they had spread out on the council table and saw that someone had draw out the two routes they could take. Yuaza noted the poisitiom of each town and how the routes were showed. To her it was obvious, she thought that though taking the cities would be harder it would be better to have to soldiers learn how to lay siege on a small city, than to learn how to lay siege on a city on Uru'Baen itself. " I think the choice is obvious!" Yuaza said loudly, quieting the room, which had broken out in to an argument about which route to take.

"Do you have something you would like to share with the rest of us, Rider Yuaza?" One of the women asked Yuaza.

"Yes as a matter of fact I do." Yuaza said then she took a deep breath and said " I think we should take the north road not the east one because our soldiers need the practice. They do not know how to lay siege to a bulding much less a whole city. The effects would be devastating if we tried to take Uru'Baen without knowing what we are doing. When we lay siege on Belatona we will be novices on how to do such a thing. The reason why that is a good thing is because the city is small and its inhabitants are untrained. When the Varden took this city I heard it was because in the city there was an uprising and I sincerely doubt that we will be so lucky again. The other reason we should take this road is because if the battle at Uru'Baen turns foul then we must retreat somewhere that will offer us some protection. Dras-Lenon can give us that protection and the village Furnost cannot."

There was an awkward silence after Yuaza's speech. In the corner of her eye she saw Era and Eragon give the man that first suggested the other route a small grin that said "told you so".

"So now it's settled." Lady Nausuda said after a bit "In two days time we will leave from here to lay siege to Belatona. We will take any able bodied person willing person with us the wounded, sick, and unable to fight will return to Surda. That is all."

"Lady Nausuda, we would like a word, please?" Eragon asked before she left.

After everyone, except Arya, had left Era said "Last night I had a dream, well it was not really a dream it was more a vision, but I was asleep. I saw my birth, my brothers, my mother and unfortunately my father" Naked Era tacked on in her mind, and then Yuaza started to "cough".

"How fascinating but why is this so important? I do have other things to do." Nausuda said annoyed.

"The reason this is so important us because it explains my jewel." Era said fingering her necklace "I got it from my birth my mother before she left me on the road outside of Daret. I was raised by my adoptive parents in Daret. Anyway this dream explained my stone and it's resemblance to the one on Zar'oc because my mother got it from my father Morzan."

Nausuda looked like she had just been told that she was the daughter of Morzan. Arya on the other hand took the news calmly and said "That does explain a lot."

When Nausuda finally got over the shock, which did not take long, she said "Arya is right. Now I must go. Speak of this to no one, because it will cause people to distrust you, and you are part of our reason for hope."

With that Lady Nausuda left. Arya walked over to Era and said "Good, you have taken your first step into a larger world. That was a good show of all most humility. While Nausuda talked you were full of respect for her."

Era was surprised, was Arya complimenting her? "Thank you, I can respect people but it takes a lot for me to respect that person. In the two days I have been with the Varden I have experienced her great leadership, which has made me respect her."

Arya nodded then said "About your dream it could have been that your mother's spirit sent you that dream so that it may help you decide a decision that you could not decide for yourself. It is not unheard of for a spirit to this."

Era nodded then turned and walked out the door that Eragon had held open for her.

Outside in the hallway Eragon led the two girls down to a door. Outside the door they walked out into the massive camp that held all the Varden's troops. Eragon lead them to a smaller sub-camp that was under a banner that read "Carvahall". Eragon led them in to the biggest tent. Inside the girls saw a woman healing a guy's arm and a man talking with two other men about something.

Eragon walked up to one of the three talking men and said something Yuaza could not make out. The man turned away from the other two men to face them.

Eragon said "This is my cousin Roran, and Roran these are the other two dragon riders you probably heard so much about."

The man, now introduced as Roran, looked at the two girls and said "Funny you two do not strike me as killers."

Era looked at Yuaza who shrugged; Era looked back at Roran and said "I did not think we should act like killers when we aren't"

"But you are what do you call those soldiers that you killed?" Roran said now in Era's face.

"Casualties for some food? I never thought about them that much." Era said stepping back away from Roran.

"Apparently not, next time you kill you should probably know that those who you kill do have families."

"Ummm… can we change the subject already?" asked Yuaza who was now very scared of Roran.

Roran stepped back from Era and stood up again. "So Eragon what did you want to talk about. You never come down here anymore."

"Sorry about that, I just back from the Dwarfs yesterday and I have not had a free moment of time since then. What I came to talk to you about was the girl you just cornered about a minute." Eragon said pointing to Era.

Roran looked at her then said to Eragon "What about her?"

Eragon took a deep breath then said "She's my sister. Actually she's my older sister. She was born about one day before I was conceived."

"So she is also my cousin then?" Roran said as he looked at Era with critical eyes. "She does look like you, a bit"

"You do realize that she is right here?" Era said hotly.

The men looked Era now. Era stood looking at them with arms crossed and with a fire so to speak in her eyes.

"Sorry, Era I did not realize that you would care." Eragon said stupidly and somewhat apologetically.

Era rolled her eyes "Well if your going to be like that I think I'll just go and get myself lost so that you talk about me!" with that she turned her heal and left.

Yuaza, who had been watching the healer work on the man's arm but after Era stormed out she walked back over where the two men stood and said "Sorry about Era, she's not been in a good mood ever since we met with the Council of Elders. I just want to say that do not take it personally. Now I should probably go and find her." Then Yuaza also left the tent, leaving the two very confused men by them selves.

Outside

Era was once again in a huff, she kicked over a bucket into a boy who stood up about to say something mean but when he saw who it was he said "Oh you again! Have you come to gloat, because I have friends?"

Era realized it was the boy she had humiliated the day before. Era opened her mouth to say something mean, but then Arya's word came back to her In order to become a rider you must obtain something completely beyond your reach. Humility. Well, Era was going to prove to Arya that she could be humble. So instead of saying what she was going to said "Oh yeah, sorry about that. Yesterday I was in a bad mood and I took out my anger out on you. So I am sorry about yesterday, but you still need to work on your fighting skills or you will not survive the battle field."

The boy was silent then as the words sunk in he looked at Era and said "Okay, let's forget yesterday. By the way I'm Nolfavrell." He held out his hand.

"I'm Era" said Era shaking the boy's outstretched hand.

Nolfavrell looked mortified "You're that new rider! No wonder you beat me! Oh my goodness, should I kneel or something?"

Era grinned "No this is just fine." Then after looking at the boy's eyes she tacked on "I'm not that kind of girl."

Nolfavrell looked down at his feet. Era then awkwardly said bye then walked away. As she walked away she thought See I can be humble!

Well I don't think that was as humble as Arya was talking but it was a good start. Thought Agni in Era's head.

Agni why are in my head I do like my privacy you do know!

Eragon said that we had become one, I was just trying to practice for when we really need this training.

Well next time warn me before you start reading my thoughts!

Okay.

I got to go I have to talk with Eragon and Roran.

Era walked back into the tent and said "Sorry about earlier. Now what you talking about?"

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How was that sorry about how long it took me to update but this is over four pages long and now this is my longest chapter! ( throws confetti and eats more pop corn ) by the way is anyone going to anser my challege because if no one answers ir tries to answer by the time I have my final chapter I will not update until some one at least tries to answer! Okay, Bye!