Eragon cringed as his body jerked slightly.
His eyes opened, but he could barely see anything. Pain shot up his bandaged right arm once again. He groaned.
"Finally, you're awake! We have to go!" Murtagh's voice resonated in his ears. He turned to look at him. Murtagh knelt beside him, with Saphira behind him, eyeing him anxiously. He smiled at her wearily.
"S-Saphira…?"
Murtagh turned. "Yes, her. Blast it – stand up, Eragon, lest we all die because of your drowsiness!" His half-brother helped him up, lifting his uninjured arm. Leaning against the cavern wall, he slowly stood. As his cheek made contact with the rock, he turned his head involuntarily. Pain came across his face. Yet another wound, he told himself.
After finally standing enough to walk, Murtagh carried him to Saphira's saddle. She crouched, allowing Eragon to clamber up her leg and onto his seat. Murtagh strapped his legs and arms in as Eragon stopped himself from flinching. After a moment, Eragon slowly realized what was happening. They were leaving from the cave. Habitually, he looked around to see if everything was in order. Brisingr was in his lap. His pack weighted his shoulders. Master Glaedr's Eldunari was not brought, for if anyone scanned the area of the cave for consciousnesses, his would be detected, since Eldunarya could not shield their minds.
He finished his list of items right when Saphira, along with Thorn, who had Murtagh and Blodhgarm on his back, took off. Air blasted along the sides of his face, causing him to wince because of his cheek. He twisted his head to the left and closed his right eye so that wind could be diverted from his grazed face. Afterwards, he reached into Saphira's energy, which seemed to be strengthened by a previous meal, and healed his cheek. He waited as an impossibly itchy sensation came over his entire face, and looked into one of Saphira's scales. His face was completely the same as before this whole predicament started, and before the siege of Feinster – he had unintentionally healed his entire face. Satisfied with the results of such a small amount of energy loss, he began mind-speaking with Saphira.
Satisfied?
Saphira was clearly startled when he spoke, but she answered straight. Of course, partner of mind and heart. Are you?
You know as well as I do that our emotions about each other are the same. Always.
Yes, I know. I just noticed that neither of us had any conversational topics, and that would lead to an awkward pause. He smiled, and she chuckled deep in her throat.
From Eragon's left, Murtagh shouted, "Where to, Eragon?" They were above the forest, and able to speak freely.
"The elves. It is too risky for us to return to the Varden with Galbatorix about to chase us." Eragon yelled back across the air, trying to compensate for the noise created by the extreme speeds of the wind.
"Where are they now? Would you know of the movement of the elven army?"
"Most of them should be in Gil'ead, since a portion of it went for Daret. We shall fly to the city. More elves are probably there."
"Agreed, half-brother. Then we can visit your old prison, eh?" hejoked, though Eragon did not find it too funny. He furrowed his eyebrows slightly as he recalled those days when he did not eat or drink at all in that foul, overcrowded prison.
He countered, "But on the way, might we visit your father's castle? Much I'd like to see there!" Murtagh, as expected, showed his discontent as he remembered his childhood years that Eragon knew about.
Thorn interrupted, I'm sorry, I just find it mildly annoying how you two are attempting to create humour while neither of you are telling your dragons where to go, especially while about to be pursued by one of the strongest people on the face of Alagaesia.
Murtagh raised his eyebrow at the ruby dragon. Broadcasting his thoughts to all three, he responded, Gil'ead, Thorn! I'm sure you could have simply searched my mind or listened to us more profusely were you not having a 'lovely little conversation' with Saphira over there!
Please, Rider, Water-scale and I are merely friends.
'Friends…' Murtagh repeated, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
Breaking up the pair's argument, Eragon inquired, Water-scale?
Saphira replied, turning her head so that her eye could see Eragon, and Eragon could see the smirk on her face, Ah, I have not told you that yet, have I, Eragon? I apologize for not doing so, but as I said before of other matters, there was no need to. You see, Blood-scale and I did know each other before we hatched – we were able to communicate by some means through telepathy within our eggs. Naught did we have for names, but upon searching through people's minds, we knew at least our basic colors – blue and red. Hence, we designated each other 'Water-scale', for my glistening sapphire appearance, and 'Blood-scale,' for his blood-like crimson red. For over a decade we called each other that, so be not surprised that we still continue so.
Murtagh asked, But what of the green egg? What did you call him?
She paused. We did not call him anything but "the other" within our conversations. We did not even know his color, and we never met him. He was kept elsewhere, for the mad king had a particular thought for the egg, though we did not, and still do not, know what it was.
Nobody said anything else. For a moment, Eragon attempted to restart the conversation between the four, but he was just content to be with his dragon. He cared for naught right now, and just listened tothe wind rush through his face. He looked to his right – Murtagh and Blodhgarm sat on Thorn's back. Allowing his gaze to flitter from anywhere his head happened to turn, he looked at Thorn. He had not observed the ruby dragon in a while, since the Burning Plains, but immediately he noticed something – his scales were slightly darker color. No, they were not darker. It seemed that his scales were becoming more iridescent. From his perspective, it did appear darker. It must have been being freed from the curse set upon him. Maybe Galbatorix dulled his scales' sheen, making the blood red dragon more intimidating. Many more reasons came to his mind, but he allowed his gaze to drift elsewhere.
But never to the black silhouette hovering far behind them, watching.
And there ya go. I didn't update last weekend because I forgot….so sorry about that!
Hm. Haven't written a chapter this long in a while now.
I bet a buck that a lot of you have come up with a lot of questions about my plot. I'll try to answer all of them, provided that they won't give spoilers when they are supplied with a response.
So, anyway, I have forgotten about Fanfiction and this story because of a crappy little flash-based browser MMO called "Dead Frontier." It's really bad, but I love it anyway. The same way the InheriCycle is really bad but I love it anyway.
Sorry for not putting an A/N for the previous chapter – I was rushing the entire thing because I woke up a bit too late to update at the right time.
Awkwardness? Tips? Comments? Anything else related to the story? Review. Thank you for all the reviews – I've almost reached 5 per chapter!
Lulz, this chapter is where I forget a lot of aspects. Just ask if you see something awkward or forgotten.
Oh – and one more thing – I need a new beta reader! I need a male beta reader this time – iPrae is already providing input from the female gender, but I have none from a male. is kinda confusing me if he wants to or not, so the status is still open.