Chapter13: the first blow
Disclaimer: I do not own Eragon or really anything else.
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After Era , Eragon and Yuaza had finished their discussion with Roran about the new plan for battle they went back to the dragon rider's room where Eragon drilled the two girls on skills they would need for the battle. By now the girls' bodies were takeing on traits from their dragon like half pointy ears and sharp teeth. With this new look also came new power. Each girl was able to withstand more use of magic then they could at the beginning. Then in the late afternoon their dragon's came and Eragon took them flying and working on more fighting skills. As they flew Agni told the girls about what he had been doing for the last day and a half since they had come to the Varden.
The next two days past with more training and work for all three of the young dragon riders, whenever Eragon was not drilling the two girls on skills of a dragon rider he was busy checking on the progress of the Du Vranger Gata on the lace making project as well as other things. Meanwhile Eragon kept the two girls busy in training and Lady Nasauda teaching them about how the Varden works and showing them why it is a good thing. In the morning the girls training continued but in the afternoon an important person from the Varden would show them something then they would see something else until by the end of the two days the girls knew every thing about the Varden and how it works.
When it finaly came for the Varden to leave everyone was ready. The War progress was made up of the two dragons flying ahead with their riders, then Lady Nasauda and King Orrin in front of the soldiers. Era noted that none of the Council of Elders aside from Jormundur, who rode behind Nasauda, came with the army. In the morning before they left Eragon surprised the girls with a gift of a two person saddle for Agni. It was not as fancy as Eragon's saddle it was just an extra layer of leather in between the riders and the dragon. When every one was ready the army moved forward.
That night they camped on the banks of the Jeit River. After Era and Yuaza pinched their tent and unrolled their bed rolls, they walked to Lady Nasauda's tent where Arya ,Eragon, Lady Nasauda and King Orrin were waiting for them. Once inside they sat down at a small table that had small chairs around it, on the table was a map of Belatona.
"Thank you all for coming here," Lady Nasauda, she paused and Era's stomach growled loudly, "We will after we are done. But first, at about noon tomorrow we will have come upon Beltona. The plan is that first you Eragon, Era, and Yuaza will fly to the outer wall and ask them if they will surrender. If they say yes come back and tell King Orrin and me, so that we may figure some sort of deal with the city for supplies. If they say no then you will still come back and prepare for battle. The plan is that you, the dragon riders will fly around the walls taking out archers and mages. Orrin and I will lead the troops in taking the wall. We will have one rank on making rams to break the gates while the others will make ladders to breach the wall. This is the same plan that we will use to attack Dras-Lenon."
"Though we do not think that Dras-Lenon will surrender to us but some soldiers might. If people surrender to us we will call on either you Arya, or one of the dragon riders but if you are all busy we will call on one of the Du Vranger Gata. Trianna has usurer us that they will be cable of using truth spells on possibly hundreds of people and still maintain their strength." King Orrin said informatively.
The three dragon rider's nodded. Then Eragon said "How sure are you that Beltona will surrender?"
King Orrin looked at Nasauda who took a deep breath then said "We are fairly confident that they will surrender because the majority of their soldiers are people from their city. We believe they will not want to fight and possibly ruin their homes."
Eragon nodded. Then Era and Yuaza announced that they were going to tell this to Agni. After they left Eragon said that he should also tell the plan to Saphira. As he was leaving Arya also made her leave from the tent.
"Are you ready?" Arya asked Eragon outside of the tent.
Eragon looked at her surprised then said "Will I ever be?"
"That Eragon is up to you." Arya said then continued "You were ready for your first battle."
"I had help then. Now I feel as if I am alone."
"But you are not! Do you not see? Now you have her sister and Yuaza as fellow riders. You even have your cousin Roran. You have more friends now then you had then." Arya looked at Eragon. "But you miss your brother."
Eragon stopped and looked away "I do miss him. The thought of him my enemy is unbearable." He turned toward Arya "But he is not the only one I miss"
Arya stepped back "Eragon, you know we cannot be together! Why do you even bring this up? I have my people to look after and you have yours! It is better if we just try to pretend that it never happened."
"But it did. I care for you but you never said how you felt."
"I thought I made myself clear when I said no!"
Eragon seemed to shrink an inch, he had always thought that she might like him but could not because of her rank. Now it was clear to him that Arya did not like him at all. "Fine, then I will continue my life. I hope I will never bother you again with my feelings, Excuse me your majesty."
He swept into a big bow then turned his heal and left. Arya reached out and turning him around with one hand engulfed him in a kiss. Eragon was startled then he finaly calmed down and got into the kiss. He had never kissed anyone before but he liked it and it seemed that Arya liked it to. When they finaly broke apart Arya's usually unread able face was full of confusion. She said "Eragon I do like you but it would not work. Do you understand?"
Eragon still breathless from the kiss panted out a yes. Arya seemed releaved and wiped the tears off her face and regained her composure to the usual unreadable face. The only thing left that might give her away was bit of pink still on her cheeks. Then she left a very, very confused Eragon in front of his tent.
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The next day things went as planned. Eragon, Era, and Yuaza flew above the army to the wall of Beltona. To every one's relief the walls commander surrendered as soon as the riders flew up. He said they would surrender if they were able to keep their lands. Eragon agreed if to his request if the commander would give the Varden lodging inside the city and food for their journey to Dras-Leonon. The commander agreed the request quickly. To quickly in Yuaza's opinion but she did not say anything because she was like everyone else happy to be safe for one night.
How wrong were they all! That night the camp stayed in the park in the center of the city. Yuaza told Arya that she felt like she was surrounded. Arya told Yuaza that she was right to be wary of these people. She said "I do not like this either. I see that these people wear false smiles on their faces and are always whispering when they think we cannot see. Be on guard."
The trouble started after midnight. First a group of soldiers came in to the camp and said that their commander wanted to speak with Lady Nasauda and King Orrin in private. After the group left another group of soldiers came and attacked the camp. They sneaked up on people killing as they went until someone saw them and raised the alarm. Yuaza ran out of her tent with her sword in hand. She found if she used as a very long knife it worked well. When she finally ran in to a soldier who was fairly good with a sword she was so tired that she had to use magic. About half way through the fight the dragons came. Era and Eragon mounted up but Yuaza could not reach the dragons before they took off. With the dragons the fighting soon ended.
When the fighting was over Yuaza found Era and Roran standing over a boy's body. Yuaza walked over and saw why. The boy she recognized as a boy from the village of Carvahall.
"I tried to warn him." Era sniffed. It was then that Yuaza realized that her friend was crying.
"He died in battle, that how he would have wanted to die. Though, I have no idea how to tell his mother." said Roran trying to console her. But that only made her sadder.
"He liked me. It figures, everyone who ever liked or loved me ends up dead or worse, my mother, my adopted parents, my other brother, and now this." Era cried. Then she ran toward the stable. Yuaza followed her friend to the stables. Inside she found her friend placing her saddle on Thorn.
"What are doing?" Yuaza asked confused.
"I'm leaving." Era said wiping the tears from her face. "It would be better for every one."
"Why? Why would everyone be better off?"
"Because, because anyone who ever cared about me has died, or worse! I already said their's my mother, my adoptive parents, my other brother, and now Nolfavrell. Two days ago I found out he liked and I told him no! How terrible is that!"
" Well did you like him?"
"No! But…"
"Then there is nothing for you to feel guilty about. If you did not like him the way that he liked you then you probably did him a favor in not pretending to like him."
"Maybe, but still that does not change that he liked me and then died. My mother loved me then she died. My brother cares for me now he's as good as dead…"
"Wait, what do you mean your brother? That can't be Eragon because he is fine."
"Not Eragon, I was talking about Murtagh."
Yuaza was speechless. She knew that Era was sad because of all the people who died for or because of her. Though Nolfavrell did not die in either of these circumstances because he confessed to liking her more than a friend. Era thought that it meant that he died because he liked her. Though, Yuaza could not see how this concerned Murtagh. In all truth Yuaza had not given him a second thought since two days ago. So she was caught completely of guard when Era brought him up. When she finally was calm enough to speak Yuaza said, "What does Murtagh have to do with anything?"
Era looked down. She did not want to talk about her brother. Not looking up she said " It is my fault. After I was born my mother had to leave because Morzan was abusing her because I was a girl. On the night she ran away she woke up Murtagh and made him swear to protect me in the ancient langue. That is why when we captured him he could not attack us."
Era looked up to see Yuaza's stunned face. Yuaza now really did not know what to say. She had always thought it was just pure dumb luck that they survived when Murtagh attack them. Now everything made sense.
Wow that is a lot of things to think about. said an all to familiar voice in their heads.
AGNI! Both girls yelled in their heads.
Why do you always have to listen when we really do not want you to listen! Yuaza demanded.
You never want me to listen when the most important stuff is being talked about. Agni said.
Well next time we are talking about something ask before you join in. Yuaza thought hotly.
But will there be a next time? From what I hear if Era leaves than only Yuaza will ride me. Is this true? Agni asked now very seriously.
Yuaza looked at Era. Era did not say anything. She did not know what to say. Either she would stay and endanger everyone or she could leave and save every one though Yuaza would be hurt. Era shook her head this was not a question so she said "Yes it is."
With that Era turned around and finished tacking up her Thorn. Yuaza then ran out the stable door. After Era had finished tacking up Thorn and led him out of the stable Yuaza ran back up to Era with Agni at her heals and handed Era. Era undid some of the cloth that rapped the package and saw it was saw it was her sword that she had gotten from the weird old wise guy in Kuasta. Yuaza said "You are still a rider so you will carry a rider's sword. I would try to stop you but I don't think it would stop you."
Era smiled at her friend but Yuaza looked down. Then after mentally saying goodbye to Agni, Era rode out of the city. After seeing her friend go, Yuaza ran into Eragon's tent where the boy was taking a well dissevered nap, at one O'clock in the morning and sobbed "Era ran away!"
Eragon woke up with a start. When he saw Yuaza in his tent he groaned "What do you and my sister have with waking me up?"
Yuaza rolled her eyes and said again "Era ran away! Just now! I saw her go. I don't know where or why but she's gone."
Eragon got up now and called Saphira as he put on a shirt. (AN: yes in my fantasy Eragon sleeps shirtless, so does Murtagh) After that they waited for Saphira to come because Agni had followed Yuaza to Eragon's tent. When Saphira had come and they saddled up and flew into the night. It was a cloudy night and because of the thick tree cover of the land they could not find Era. Eragon guessed that she was using magic to hide from them, but he did know why and Yuaza was not exactly helping.
She was still trying to decide if she was for or against Era's running away. Though that was not the only she was unsure of. The news that Murtagh had taken an oath to protect his sister when he was two made it confusing. That had put a whole new spin on things. She had always thought that Murtagh was an attractive, evil guy but now he had a heart.
This guy is getting harder for you to hate this guy isn't it? Agni asked.
For once Yuaza was not annoyed Yes.
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Uru' baen
"What do you mean, you don't know?" Galbatorix demanded. He had just received news from one of his spies Belatona had just ridden through the night to report that in fact the second egg had hatched to two riders not to one as Murtagh had said. Now he was "teaching" Murtagh what happened to the people who disobeyed him.
Murtagh was at this point seething in pain. He had endured an hour of this already. At the beginning when he was strong enough to use magic Galbatorix had entered his mind and had taken all of his energy. He gasped "I don't know I could not know."
Galbatorix entered his mind again. Murtagh kept him out of his memories though the effort nearly killed him. Once Galbatorix got out of Murtagh's head Murtagh gasped "I can kill them, now I know that there are two girls I will be able to kill them and their dragon."
Galbatorix looked at his apprentice thinking about his suggestion. He thought, How do I know I can trust him? He disobeyed me once I don't want him to do it again.
Then I suggest we test him. Give him a task that will prove his worth to us. suggested Shruikan, his dragon that was sitting beside him. He appeared verybored probably because he had seen Galbatorix do this many times.
"Murtagh, I have decided that I will take you up on that, but with one difference. Instead of killing both of them you must bring me the girl that escaped you the first time."
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Ohhh cliffie. Sorry it took me so long but this fic is five pages long, in 12 times new roman, and it has no name mistakes in it. I am not sure if I got all the characters in character. In the romance seen with Eragon and Arya how did I do? I am not an expert at romance I hope to write more of it later in this fic. PLEASE review! I enjoy reading your reviews. By the way in the next chapter I was thinking of having a character sing a song. Tell me what you think. Please, please, please review. And just ignore what I said at the end of the last chapter.