Eragon's mood was damped not much later, as he learned that Roran would be send off to Arough. It was an honorable duty of course, but the Rider only saw that he would not be able to keep an eye on his cousin if he was that far away. It was just the same as it was with Islanzadi, he could only hope that they were alright, but could do nothing to assure it. Saphira told him to have faith in them and that's what he did, although his worry would not disappear.
Furthermore Roran would have to leave Katrina behind which meant that he might not get back in time to see his first child born, even if there still were several months left. Who knew how much time they still needed to finally reach Urubaen? Taking the cities on the way was not the only problem they had to deal with. The taken cities also had to be watched over, which reduced the strength of the Varden army which made it's way to Urubaen and robed them of some of their best leaders.
Eragon had of course promised Roran to keep an eye on Katrina's well-being, but with all the duties the Rider had to perform he was often too busy to do that job sufficiently. He tried nevertheless.
And so the Varden army made it's way towards Dras Leona without Roran.
As they approached the city it became quite clear that this town would not so easily be taken. There was a huge solid wall around it, that made it impossible to invade the city without the gates being opened.
Several days the leaders of the Varden and Eragon were contemplating what would be the right approach. Since they couldn't attack before the gates were opened or preferably destroyed, a secret mission had to start first in order to enable the way.
It was Jeod, who had come with Roran and the former citizens of Carvahall from Teirm to the Varden, who played a main part in finding the solution. The scribe had found the description of a secret passage into the city in an old document. Those news were gratefully received by both Eragon and Nasuada as well as the leaders of the Varden. After all it was their best chance to invade Dras Leona, if not their only one.
Deciding who would go through the secret tunnel didn't take very long. The persons who would go on this quest had to be well-trained fighters as well as magicians, which ruled most of the Varden out. Eragon of course would be part of the little group, accompanied by Arya, Angela and several elvish magicians and also Solembum, who had been as mysterious about his motivation as ever.
The evening before Eragon and the others went to find the secret passage into the city, the young Rider was called into Nasuada's tent. Since he had left it only a few hours ago, after the last tactical preparations for their mission, he was quite surprised to be called in again.
As Eragon entered the tent it immediately became apparent to him, that the leader of the Varden was in a foul mood. The young woman was pacing behind the makeshift desk which had been put up for her and on which several small mountains of paper had piled up.
Eragon could see an envelop lie on the little cleared area in the middle of big piles. It was sealed with red wax, but the Rider couldn't quite make out it's imprint. Alongside the little letter lay an already opened one. The writing on the paper was even and looked ridiculously graceful for mere trails of ink. It was unmistakeably an elven handwriting.
„Lady Nasuada," Eragon began, but trailed of, as she turned towards him.
„Eragon," she said, her voice forcefully calm. „I'd like you to explain this to me."
Nasuada pointed at the envelop on her desk. Eragon stared at it and frowned.
„Erm, I don't quite know what you mean," he said slowly, while at the same time trying to figure out what was going on.
Nasuada gave him a disbelieving stare, but as she saw the look of pure confusion on his face she explained: „I got a letter from Queen Islanzadi, the usual reports about the progress, but inside I found this."
She pointed at the apparently offensive envelop again.
„It's addressed to you and has a warning that you are the only one to open it on the outside."
Eragon pressed his lips together to keep himself from smiling. This certainly was neither the place nor the time to do so, because Nasuada would only feel offended by it. Nevertheless Eragon grinned internally. She had written a letter to him!
For a moment he fought not only the urge to grin, or even smile, but also the little part of his brain which wanted to do a little happy dance. But that would of course have been ridiculous.
He had not noticed how much he had wanted to hear from her until now that the letter was so close, but just out of reach. For several days now he had contemplated contacting her, but he had no way to send her a message and using magic would have been an unnecessary use of power. Right now when he had to always be ready for a fight, he couldn't afford to spent such amounts of magic.
Eragon felt his heart speed up in excitement. He needed to get that letter!
„Eragon," Nasuada caught his attention. Her tone had changed to an urgent almost whisper. „I will not allow, that you receive secret orders from her. I can't help the secrets you have to have because you are a Rider, but nothing more. Remember that you have sworn to me."
Eragon nodded numbly. His thoughts were already circling around the letter. Of course he would have to answer Nasuada, if only he could think of something to say...
„I... erm... I assure you that I do not receive any orders from Islanzadi. There is nothing you have to worry about," Eragon said almost hastily.
Sensing that this was not enough to sooth Nasuada's mind, the young Rider tried to think of something more specific to say. It bothered him that he couldn't tell her the truth, but right now it really wasn't any of her business.
„Possibly it's got something to do with..." he swallowed heavily, as a wave of memories washed over him. „... with Oromis..." he trailed off again.
Nasuada nodded slowly. If she wasn't convinced she didn't let it show. Still Eragon could feel her wary gaze on his back, as he left the tent. He was sure that he had not heard the end of it yet.
Not much later Eragon sat beside Saphira and kept turning the letter over in his hands. He had contemplated opening it as soon as Nasuada had handed it over, but had decided against it.
You could open it now. Maybe it's important. Saphira said, her giant head rested next to him on the ground, her eyes were halfway closed.
If it was something officially important, she would not have sent it to me with such secrecy, Eragon answered.
For a while they remained silent, as Eragon kept turning the envelop in his fingers and Saphira closed her eyes like she was drifting off into sleep.
Soon Eragon would have to meet the others and the invasion of Dras Leona would begin.
Why don't you want to open it right now? Saphira suddenly asked.
I don't quite know, Eragon confessed. But if I don't open it now, it will still be there when we return. After we fought, He added.
Saphira seemed to shrug. It will also still be there if you open it now.
Yes, but it wouldn't be the same, Eragon replied.
This time Saphira remained silent. Of course she understood what he meant. Still she refused to voice her own opinion about this.
Eragon stared down at the letter, without stopping to play with it. Yes, he would keep it like this until he returned from the battlefield. Opening it was certainly something to look forward to...
Rider and dragon stayed where they were, until the time for Eragon to join his little group of invaders had arrived. As Eragon stood up and dusted himself off, Saphira opened her eyes and looked at him for a long moment.
Be careful, little one.
I will be, if you promise to be so, too. Eragon answered, smiling.
In the middle of the night the small group entered the passage and carefully made it's way into the city. They tried to be as silent and invisible as they could, for they would be outnumbered by hundreds once they were within the city.
Things didn't go well, though. Long before they could reach the gates, Eragon and the small group were attacked by soldiers and got separated. The Rider found himself taken prisoner alongside Arya, with no clue where the others were or how they were fairing. The situation only got worse as the priests of the Helgrind appeared. With them came an awful realization.
After flying to the Helgrind with Roran to safe Katrina from the Ra'zac and the following fight, during which the Ra'zac and their parents, the Lethrblaka had been killed, Eragon had thought that he had put an end to their line. Apparently he had been wrong, because the priest now showed him the eggs of another Ra'zac generation. What a demoralizing realization, the Rider thought. If they would hatch, the whole terror would start all over again. He had seen the things those creatures could do and he could not allow them to continue. But right now there was little he could do. He was bound, as was Arya and there was no sign of the other members of their little scouting group. As horrible as it sounded, they could already be dead.
It was Angela who finally came to safe them, almost in the last minute, alongside Solembum who took care of the Ra'zac hatchlings by making a meal out of them. That had certainly been the most efficient and at the same time the most disgusting thing Eragon had ever seen.
Soon the now reduced group was back on their way, now even more careful than they previously had been. No one was willing to risk another unpleasant surprise.
As they were running through the dark tunnels and later through almost equally dark streets towards the gate, Eragon found comfort in the thought that back in the camp the letter was waiting for him. Once he returned he would read it.
And it made him even more eager to return.