A/n: This was a hard chapter to start, but it really took off, mostly talking but enjoy!
Ch. 13
Aris thought she was dreaming
"Oh my! What happened?"
"She was fighting, she killed a man then started shooting at the Ra'zac, it was as if she wanted to die, foolish of her to shoot at them."
"Poor girl, she helped me so much, but she never seems to worry about herself, did she get stabbed?"
"No, just took an arrow in the shoulder, she passed out when I reached out for her, she looked exhausted."
"She probably was, you say she was there for how long Katrina?"
"Seven years."
"And, you are that thin from just above a month. It's amazing that she survived."
"She does looked starved doesn't she…I need to get the arrow out of her."
"Just be careful Eragon!"
"I will."
Aris screamed on the inside as the metal in her left shoulder was drawn out of her flesh, she tried to open her eyes to tell him to stop, but she couldn't break through the clouds of this dream, she was floating in a white mist.
"There, it's out, now…waíse heill." Aris felt the skin from the wound close and heal.
"I think that's the only place she was injured, nobody got really close to her." Aris was beginning to realize that somehow this couldn't be a dream, but she couldn't put her finger on why. She felt the ripped shoulder of her dress shift down and heard a chorus of gasps. She felt a few cold fingers touch the top of the numerous wounds on her back. She fought through the clouds so she could wake up. She noticed that her cheek was against cool rock and her arms were splayed out beside her body. Then it hit her, this couldn't be a dream because elves don't dream. They sleep in a state of consciousness, always aware of their surroundings, so what she was hearing…must be what was being said around her.
She suddenly remembered the elfish looking man who had saved her, and Katrina was there, she had heard her name. Aris wanted to break through the white so she could see where she was, but she couldn't make it through the last layer. Then she felt the back of her dress being slowly pulled down.
"I don't believe it…how does she move…this is awful."
"The slavers were particularly cruel to her, she never listened…I wonder what Bryshaw did to her earlier…"
"Do you really want to know?" The male voice that kept speaking was very close to her, she wanted to know who it was. She began to panic when the short hem of her ripped dress was pulled up on her legs; the same fingers prodded the skin carefully.
Aris didn't like it, an unknown man touching her, why did Katrina allow this, she wanted to get up and move away. Just then the aching spiked in her side and she remembered her broken ribs, next came the rest of her pain, the pain had been dulled but it attacked her with renewed vigor. Aris knew she was coming about, but she needed to quicker, for the man's fingers had moved to her side.
"She has broken ribs."
"Can you heal them?" Aris wanted to scream at Katrina to get this man away from her, Katrina knew that Aris was slow to trust.
"I would have to remove the…well if you want to call this a dress."
"I…I don't know that she'll like that…will it help her a lot?"
"Broken ribs are taxing on the body, she may not wake up until it's healed, her body is using all her spare energy to keep her alive."
"Then do it, she can't have much energy left."
"All right." Aris protested in her mind, and then as her dress was lifted to her hips she broke through the remaining clouds. She opened her eyes and pushed her body away from the fingers. She crawled backwards a few feet until her ribs couldn't take it any more. She flipped over onto her butt and stared at the people a few yards away from her.
They were all looking at her in amazement, the elfin man still had his fingers poised over were Aris was a few seconds ago.
"Aris…" Katrina said quietly, "It's okay Aris, these men are our friends."
Aris didn't speak she just looked at her surroundings slowly. There was a young man with chin length dark brown hair and serious dark eyes; he was sitting on the clawed foot of the red dragon. Sitting next to Katrina was a broad shouldered man with lighter brown hair, and hazel eyes, Aris assumed he was Roran. A huge silver dragon had it's head over Roran and Katrina looking at Aris. The elfish man had the narrow features of an elf, but they were rough, more rural than a pure elf. He had brown hair, chin length as well, and deep brown eyes, staring at her in surprise. He was not as broad as the other men, but he was muscular as well, and looked like the tallest of them. The largest of dragons was a blue dragon that sat curled up with it's head on the ground looking upon the scene before her calmly.
"Aris, this is Roran." Katrina pointed to the man beside her, "That is his cousin-"
"Brother." Roran interrupted.
"Brother," Katrina smiled at her fiancée, "Eragon, that is their other brother Murtagh." Aris' head snapped to look at the man with darker hair, she knew that name.
"Yea, Morzan's son, I know you know my family, but I fight against Galbatorix now, don't worry." He spoke to her, even though Aris knew her eyes had given nothing away, she figured he must be used to accusation.
"Yes, he is a friend." Katrina nodded eagerly trying her best to make Aris comfortable, "They are all Riders, amazing, you were right. Saphira, the blue dragon, is Eragon's dragon, and Inarkien." Katrina pointed above her, "is with Roran and Rahzin and Murtagh are partners as well." Katrina finished her introductions and waited for Aris' response.
Aris merely nodded and pulled the ripped shoulder of her dress back up. She noticed that her weapons had been removed, she looked around and saw them sitting by the fire.
Aris realized night had fallen when a cold wind blew and she shivered. She stood up painfully and staggered towards the fire, passing by Eragon, Roran and Katrina. The man named Eragon stood up with astonishing grace and stepped in front of her.
"You need to lie down, your ribs need to be healed, walking won't make it better." He said quietly, his voice was smooth and gentle.
Aris didn't want to talk, she knew that he would notice her elfin accent and that would lead to questions she didn't want to tell these strangers. She stepped around him and walked slowly to her swords and bow. She lowered herself slowly to her knees and strapped the belt around her waist then pulled the bow into her arms. Her knees shook as she stood back up, then she looked around, unsure of what to do. She had no idea where she was, and she knew she wouldn't make it to Ellesmera on her own, or if anyone there would recognize her. She also didn't want to leave Katrina, she was the only friend Aris had made in years, being alone didn't sound appealing anymore.
Katrina stood up and walked over to Aris. Aris looked into her only friends green eyes and knew that Katrina saw how scared she was. Katrina took the bow from Aris' hands and set them down. Then she wrapped Aris into her arms, rubbing her back soothingly, "It's okay Aris, nobody will hurt you again, its my turn to take care of you." Katrina reached up to kiss Aris' forehead, "I'll get you back to your family, and I will make sure that soon I see you smile freely."
Aris closed her eyes and suddenly felt better, as long as she wasn't left alone again, she would be okay. Then she pulled back and nodded to Katrina, she picked up her mother's bow and walked to the edge of the camp. She lay down and attempted to get comfortable. Her ribs wouldn't allow it. She rolled onto her back, and glanced at Katrina. The potion hadn't worn off from the last dose, she couldn't heal it herself, and Katrina wasn't strong enough.
"Heal me please." she whispered masking her accent. Katrina walked over to her and touched her hand.
"Eragon will do it quickly." Katrina said and Eragon walked carefully over to the girls.
"I won't look I promise, I just need you to lift the dress up over your side." He said kneeling down next to Aris, she watched him carefully and slowly lifted her thin dress up over her broken ribs. She heard Eragon gasp and saw Katrina flinch. Aris knew her many layers of cuts and bruises made her skin look gruesome. Eragon laid his hand over her black and blue ribs carefully and spoke the ancient language quickly. Her skin turned pale white again, the bruise disappearing, and the ache in her ribs disappeared. Despite the absence of the injury her bones where still visible through her skin. Aris hastily tugged her dress down.
"Thank you." she said quietly, Eragon looked torn, as if he wanted to say something more but it was against his better judgment to force the issue.
"The least I could do." He replied. "In the morning we will head out for Surda, we will receive accommodations there so don't worry, you can take a bath and we can get you new clothes," he addressed the girls, "Both the King and the leader of the Varden are very amiable, there is also someone there who can heal your wounds, it's a woman so you may feel more comfortable." He continued.
"The Varden are in Surda…I wonder what caused that, what else has changed in my absence?" Aris wondered, she didn't voice her questions though. She had no idea how she would explain knowing about the Varden's previous whereabouts.
"For know, you can wear my cloak," Eragon continued, "You're only shorter than me by three or four inches so it should fit you relatively well. Roran has a cloak for you Katrina."
"Ok," Katrina squeezed Aris' hand one last time before walking over to her fiancée who pulled her into his side as they walked over to Inarkien. They ducked underneath one of his extended wings and disappeared from view.
"Here." Eragon handed her a cloak, she hadn't even noticed him moving to get it. "It's of the elfin make so even though it looks thin it should keep you warm." He smiled at her, and she nodded, her dead eyes staring blankly back. She wrapped it around her shoulders and wanted to cry, it had been so long since she had worn anything like the silky material of the elves. Instead she walked back over to the fire and sat down.
Eragon followed her, "I'm sure Saphira wouldn't mind letting you sleep under one of her wings, it will keep you warmer. I'll ask her if you'd like."
"I'm fine." she whispered. Regardless of Katrina's reassurances Aris would have to judge on how trustworthy these men were for herself.
Eragon's brow furrowed, "Okay…may I ask you a question?" Aris nodded slowly. "Those weapons that you're holding, those are of elfin make, do they belong to you or did you just grab some in your haste?"
Aris thought quickly for an answer that wouldn't be a lie, "They suit who I am the best."
Eragon looked confused, "Then you've trained in swordplay before? It did look like you knew what you were doing."
"I've never trained with swords." It was true, she had only ever trained with daggers.
He nodded, "One more if you don't mind…how old are you…Katrina told us you had been in that…" Aris watched as his almond shaped eyes narrowed, "camp…for seven years…"
"I have ten and seven years." she said.
"Oh! Since you were ten…" His eyes were wide as he thought about that, "you're very strong."
"Or perhaps weak, I feared death, so I was too weak to accept it when it came my way."
"That's not weakness, you fought for a life you knew you would have someday."
"No, I expected to die there, I now have no idea what to do." Aris replied once more, "How many years do you have?" The curiosity she felt was missing from her words.
"Twenty this hot season…almost four years as a Rider." The last part of his words seemed directed towards himself as he thought.
Aris nodded then lay down, her head resting on her arm, her body facing the fire.
A--E
Eragon watched as the girl fell asleep, she had never said her name, but Katrina had called her Aris. He walked over to Saphira who had watched the whole interaction, and leaned back against her neck. "Odd girl isn't she." He thought to Saphira.
"Strong girl," Saphira corrected, "Seven years, I wish I knew what they have done to her to make her so emotionless though."
"Did you not see the injuries she had?" Eragon looked up at her astonished.
"Not clearly, you were all bowed over her."
Eragon summoned up a mental picture of the state of Aris' body and showed it to Saphira, a huge shudder ran through her. "Disgusting isn't it."
"It is incredible that humans can treat other humans that way…I wonder though why she wasn't happier to be saved." Saphira shook her massive head.
"It seems as if she doesn't know how to be around people anymore, being beaten like that over and over again…it would disconnect me as well…I wonder if her family was killed or something…"
"Why do you say that?"
"Well I remember how badly beaten Arya was when we found her, and her guards who she was close to had been killed…and she rarely shows emotion. This girl…Aris…her injuries are more extensive than I've ever seen…and her face never shifts…so something incredible must have happened to her." Eragon theorized.
"That sounds probable…poor, poor girl…I don't think we should question her though."
"No, but we have to ask her about her family, or else we won't know where we should take her."
"She didn't object to Surda. So perhaps her family is there, she doesn't look like a nomad."
"No, she doesn't look like any human I've ever seen actually…almost elf…but her ears are rounded…and blue eyes aren't an elf trait…her lips are to big too…all elf features are narrow and delicate."
"She is indeed a mystery…her mind is odd too, did you notice?"
"That it doesn't seem to be there?"
"Yes, it isn't blocked it just isn't there." Saphira lifted her head from her clawed feet and looked at Aris, "It is a little more noticeable now…maybe she was drugged."
"I don't think we will ever know." Eragon shrugged and dug around in his saddle bags searching for a blanket. He pulled it out and walked quietly over to the sickly thin girl, laying it over her bony shoulders. Then he reached his mind out searching for enemies and when he found none he went to sleep underneath the protection of Saphira's leathery wing.
A--E
A/n: I'm scaring myself with how fast the chapters are being written, this chapter was actually two pages longer before I realized that I wasn't even close to done, so I cut it off. So the next chapter should be up soon too, one question for you guys, I'll take the majority answer : how far can I take the romance before I freak you guys? Don't flip it will stay pg-13...but how much pg-13?