Chapter 21. Vengeance
Eragon and Roran leave Nausada's command tent together with Saphira trailing behind. "doyou think Lady Nausada will allow you to come?"
Eragon hunches his shoulders, "Hard to say…I will have to convince her otherwise…"
("Whatever her decision I intend to go with Roran regardless I owe the Razac as well…") Saphira says speaking up.
After a mile Horst runs up with Loring and Jeod, "Roran! Eragon!" Horst can say no more when he sees Saphira up close.
"Horst – Loring – Jeod this is Saphira my bond partner…" Eragon looks up at her, "Saphira says hello and wants me to give a special thanks to Jeod for helping to rescue her egg from Galbatorix…"
Horst and Loring remain mute, "I am honored to meet you Saphira…I am truly lucky to see two Dragons in one day but you were the one I really wanted to meet…"
Roran shakes his head, "Horst! Loring! Stop staring like two dream struck ninnies…Tell everyone that Lady Nausada is sending clothes, food, and tents…"
As Horst, Jeod, and Loring walk away Angela walks up and places her left hand with two fingers up across to her right shoulder an Elman greeting. Roran responds by doing the same, "Angela! I am honored to meet you…"
"And I you…This is Solembum…" The werecat leaps up into Roran's arms and he strokes the cat's neck and back. "So how is Tenga doing?"
"Fine…Fine…his usual cheery self…" They laugh.
"Sorry I can't stay and chat long many things to do…"
As Angela walks off Solembum leaps to the ground and follows. Eragon and Roran share his tent and stay up most of the night talking. They fall into their waking dreams and rest a few hours before dawn. Before dawn Eragon and Roran practice the dance of the snake and crane before going to meet with Nausada.
It took a while but Eragon was able to convince Nausada to allow him to go. So they rested for another day and left before dawn the next for Dras Leona. It was a two day trip on Saphira flying. Saphira hid at the mouth of the lake while Eragon and Roran snuck into the city. After two days of spying they followed the Priests of the Helgrind to mountain where they performed a ritual of prayer to the mountain and left the slaves behind for the Razac.
"So Eragon is there someone special…Or have there been many women for the hero of Farthedur?"
Eragon sighs, "There is only one, but she does not feel the same for me…"
"Who?" Roran asks.
("Arya!") Saphira says joining them as the sun sets.
"Arya!" Roran says thinking about it, "She is pretty for an Elf. What is the problem?"
"She is a princess…She is 57 years my senior…"
"Seventy and five…Wow!"
"And compared to her I am a child…"
Roran shakes his head, "Age is a number especially when dealing with love…Have you told her how you feel?"
"On many occasions…She is afraid it will distract me from my duty and she says we are not a fit…"
"Her loss…Is there no one else…"
Eragon falls to his back, "No one I fancy." He sits up and looks at Roran, "What about you?"
"What about me?"
"You love Katrina, but she is not immortal…You will not change while she is ravaged by time…"
"I know, but there are spells to make her immortal…Tenga taught me…I will ask her before we marry…Speaking of which…will you marry us?"
Eragon sits up smiling, "Of course!"
Roran extends his mind to the mountain and finds Katrina still alive and unharmed. He also senses Sloan and looks at Eragon, "You are a Rider…Your mental senses exceed mine so I ask…What do you want to do about Sloan?"
Eragon sighs, "I don't know…He is your fiancée's father…I would say leave him here…But my conscious won't allow it…"
"I know how you feel…If we bring him back to the Varden the people of Carvahal will demand his head…"
("Let me kill him!") Saphira said interjecting.
Eragon pats her side, "I would not want to stain your reputation dear heart…" He says out loud.
("Well you had best decide quickly…Look!") Saphira leads their gaze to the Lethrblaka descending from the mountain. In five trips they take the supplies and slaves up into the mountains.
"Let's go!" Eragon says.
They climb onto Saphira and as they do both Roran and Eragon erect wards around themselves. Then they both place a layers of wards around Saphira. When Roran and Eragon are strapped in they take off. Saphira flies to the summit of the mountains and flies around. ("Where did they go?) Eragon asks mentally.
("I sense them…but…") Roran pauses spotting a flower, ("Its an illusion!")
Saphira tips her wing and it passes through rock. Saphira pulls away then flies toward the mountain and passes through the illusion and lands on cliff by a cave. Roran and Eragon dismount and the trio enters the cave.
"Garjzla!" Eragon says creating a ball of light.
The two cautiously walk through the cave and stop when they hear a clicking sound, "You hear that?" Roran asks in the ancient language.
"Yes they are close…"
An arrow whizzes toward Roran and he catches it with his hand. "Brisinger!" Roran cries hurling a ball of fire in the direction the arrow came from.
That is when Saphira is tackled by one of the Lethblaka. The other adult enters the main cave and roars at Eragon and Roran. They grab the beast telekinetically and slam it into the wall once and then again. Before they can slam it a third time Eragon is tackled by a Razac. "Dacauth!" Roran says trying to kill the beast with magic, but his spell is blocked by wards.
"LOOK OUT!" Eragon screams as the second Razac tries to tackle Roran.
Roran ducks and swings his hammer shattering the Razac's sword. He swings again bashing the Razac on the leg. It falls to one leg then he raises his hammer and finishes it off with one last blow. That is when Saphira roars drawing Roran's attention. She has one Lethrblaka pinned to the floor of the cave. She raises her hind legs and kicks the other in the chest. Then she wraps her mouth around the Lethrblaka's neck and breaks it.
She roars a victory and is tackled by the second Lethrblaka. They wrestle across the floor of the cave almost crushing Roran who dives out the way. They tumble across the cave and out falling. The Saphira chases the Lethrblaka through the air.
Roran leaps up from his back and finds Eragon standing alone, "Mine is dead where is yours?"
"Fled! Badly wounded it…"
"Katrina!" Roran says about to run off, but Eragon grabs his arm.
"She is fine I sealed her cell with magic he cannot open it…"
They walk to the tunnel where the cells are, "Any idea what to do about Sloan?"
He sighs, "A plan is forming, but you won't like it…"
As Eragon explains his plan Roran shakes his head, "I don't like it…What about Saphira?"
He sighs, "I cannot tell her…"
"I have a better idea…"
Roran enters Katrina's cell while Eragon goes hunting the Razac, "Who is there?" Katrina says.
The cell has no light in it, "Garjzla brakka!" A small light appears and Katrina covers her eyes.
"Roran is that you?"
"Yes my love!" They hug and kiss. "Are you well did they hurt you?" She shakes her head no.
"My eyes!"
"Waise heill! Is that better?"
"Yes…"
("Eragon!") Roran calls with his mind.
("Yes!")
("Is it dead?")
("Not yet the Razac wants to make a deal…Tend to Sloan and check on Saphira…")
"Why are we waiting?" Katrina asks.
"Eragon is here…I killed one of the Razac…but the other is trying to make a deal with Eragon…" As he talked with Katrina Roran placed Sloan in a deep sleep. ("Slytha! Saphira! Saphira can you hear me?")
("Yes I am returning now…The other Lethrblaka is dead floating belly up in the lake…We must hurry a fisherman was startled when we splashed into the lake…")
"I have to check you for magic spells or oaths…"
"What?" Katrina asks confused.
Roran gently probes her mind and says a few quick spells of detection and finds nothing, "Alright come with me…"
"Wait my father!"
Roran adopts a sad composure, "I am sorry he is dead…"
"So be it…" She says with a tear sliding down her cheek.
He leads Katrina down the tunnel towards Saphira who just landed. When Katrina spots Saphira she gaps and Roran places her in a sleep. Soon they are joined by Eragon who is carrying Sloan, "What did the Razac want?"
"Later! I will tell you later." Eragon replies shaken up.
They place Katrina in the saddle then Roran sits behind her while Eragon wraps Sloan in blankets then he climbs in and they take off Saphira carrying Sloan in her claw. They fly for two miles and find a good hiding place near a pond.