Brom and Joed: Chapter 14

Slowly the large door opened and a young, blonde haired woman appeared. She looked as if she had been crying for her hair was a mess and her eyes red and puffy, yet her voice was steady. "Yes, can I help you?" she asked.
"I hope so. Does Joed live here?" Brom asked in return.
"He does, yes. He is my husband. Now what do you want?" she snapped.
"We need to speak with him. We have traveled very far to do so and it is very important."
"He is very busy at the moment, may I take a message?" asked the woman.
"Sure. Tell him that an old friend from Gil'ead is here."
Suspiciously she said, "Very well." She slammed the door shut and scurried to tell her husband the news.
"That was rude!" belted Eragon, "She could have been more polite."
"Hold your tongue, Eragon, and keep your opinions to yourself." Brom shot back.
Eragon quieted and looked at Kiara. This whole time she had been sitting there, quiet. Her face was a bit pale too. When Eragon asked if she was alright, she just shrugged him off.
"Alright, but I wish you would tell me what's wrong. Remember what I told you that night in the woods. I'm here for you." he whispered so Brom couldn't hear.
"I remember. It's just..."
The door opened.
This time it was a tall man with gray wispy hair who answered. His eyes widened as he looked at them.
"Brom....Is that really you?" he said, his jaw agape.
Brom stepped forward and clasped on to his arm and said, "Joed, it's good to see you." Then his voice dropped as he whispered, "Don't use my full name, it is most unwise. All will be explained."
Joed looked at him and agreed. "I have a place where we can talk in private. Give me a minute and I'll take you there." As he said this his gaze landed on Kiara. "Is that really..."
"Shhh!"

***

Eragon saw that Joed led them to a castle. "According to Lord Risthart, all business men must have their headquarters in his castle." He led them down a long, dark hallway. Eragon shivered, it surprised him how damp and cold it was. Soon they stopped by a door which Joed opened with a key.
Inside the room, Eragon saw large bookshelves stuffed with scrolls and books alike. A table stood in the middle of the room surrounded by chairs. Not too far from the table, he saw Joed place wood in the fireplace and soon a roaring fire warmed the small room.
They sat down across from Joed who said, "Now, you have a lot of explaining to do, old man."
"I'm an old man, look who's talking!" Brom said with a smile." Last time I saw you there was no gray in your hair."
"And you, my friend, look the same as you did twenty years ago" Joed chuckled back." But enough of this, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Do you remember that night in Gil'ead?" Brom said, getting serious again.
"Of course, how could I forget such a thing?" said Joed.
"After our separation, I stumbled into a room filled with old crates and boxes. Joed, I found what we had been searching for!" Brom said.
Shock filled Joeds face as he heard this. Brom continued on, "With it finally in my grasp, I had no time to look for you for fear of being discovered. So, I disguised myself and fled to the Va....I mean our friends." Brom said, hesitating a bit as he occasionally looked at Eragon and Kiara.
"And...what happened next?" Joed asked, interested.
"They hid it in a vault. I promised them that I would take care of whoever received it next. Until then I hid out in Carvahall. I am sorry that I was unable to tell you this, but no one had to know that I was alive, save for our friends." Brom said.
For the first time Joed inspected Eragon. "I assume that you are fulfilling your duty then." he said turning his attention back to Brom.
"No, it's much more complicated than that." Brom continued on by talking about messengers being waylaid and something stolen. He then told Joed of Garrow and how he was killed by the Ra'zac. He explained, in short, how they saved Kiara, found the oil, and then headed here.
"Eragon, few are named after the first rider." Joed finally said.
He then looked to Kiara, "I find it ironic that you are accompanying them. It's been long since I've seen you." He said.
At this Brom told Eragon to wait by the horses. "We need to speak to Kiara in private."
Furious, he got up and left. "Even now I am still left in the dark. Who is this Kiara, and how is she more interesting than me, a rider."
He headed towards the horses and patted them on the back. It was then he had an idea...