I'm back! Excuses are at the end of the update. I know I am a terrible, terrible, terrible person and I am sorry.
Chapter 21
Brom came into my room to wake me the next morning; today we would depart from Teirm. We retrieved our saddlebags from the stables. "Thank you Jeod for all your help, I appreciate it," I said to the old man.
"It was an honor," he responded with a smile. "Take care of him will you, he thinks and he can handle things on his own, but really sometimes he needs assistance." Jeod smiled at me warmly.
"I will do my best," I responded bowing my head. I mounted Cadoc and waited for Brom to say his farewells to his best friend.
"It feels strange to not be going with you, my heart tells me to join you," Jeod said to Brom.
"You have a new life here, your time is up, now it is time for a new generation to take over and it is time for us to trust and help that new generation out." Brom looked back at me and I smiled at him.
"Yes I suppose you are right. Farewell old friend."
"Farewell," Brom responded shaking the old man's hand. "Helen, take care of him wont you, he is a strong man, but he at often times needs help from loved ones and family." Helens face turned bright red and she shut the door on Brom.
Brom got on Snow fire and we made our way out of Teirm, the guards at the gate let us pass without a second glance. I noticed Solembum was watching us as we made our way out the city. "What do you know about werecats?" I aksed suddenly after we got out of the city.
"Why are curious about werecats?" Brom asked.
"Oh I heard a whispering about them in Teirm, I am just curious."
"At one time they were honored like dragons. The elves and kings kept them to be companions, but they were free to do what they wanted. There race today is very scarce, I am afraid to admit."
"Do they use magic?"
"No one is sure if they can or cannot. They do end up doing unusual things and seem to know what is going on at all times and somehow manage to get themselves involved in everything."
We rode in silence until we were free from Teirm and I broke the silence to call Saphira. The force of my mental call to my dragon was so strong that the horses snorted with annoyance and Brom smiled at me. We watched as a blue blur sped out through the clouds and coming toward us. Saphira's wings snapped open with a thud and she landed gracefully in front of us.
"It is good to see you again, Saphira," Brom said smiling.
Same to you.
"I will join you for lunch," I said throwing the reins to Cadoc toward Brom. Brom smiled at me, but he seemed distracted, but I did not bother to wonder why since I was excited to be reunited with Saphira once again.
"Okay. Have fun the two of you and be careful."
I climbed up onto Saphira's back ready to take flight and held on tighter when I felt her get ready to take off. Once we were up in the air, I closed my eyes enjoying our time together, enjoying the feel of the cool wind on my face, the feel of freedom. I sighed contently as we glided through the air. We were masters of the sky.
Saphira did a few rolls and acrobatic tricks and I laughed with enjoyment. I had no idea I could stay on without a saddle while you did those tricks.
Either did I! Saphira admitted. I could feel her enjoyment as we flew high above in the clouds together. Saphira did a dragon's equivalent to a laugh and I laughed as well wrapping my arms around her neck and hugging her tightly.
When we landed for lunch with Brom I slid down Saphira's side and fell to my knees since my legs were stiff from holding on to Saphira's sides for a long amount of time. "That was graceful," Brom commented by a small campfire. I gave him a flat stare and accepted the bowl of stew that he had made.
Saphira do you mind if I ride Cadoc, I wish to ask Brom a few more questions about his past. I could already feel her disapproval at my request through our mental connection.
You know I do mind if you ride that pathetic four legged creature you call a horse, but let me know what he says, I am most curious about the older fellow. Saphira flicked her tongue and set one of her large eyes on me while the other was on Brom. She coiled up into a ball and tucked her head under wing as if she was sleeping.
When we were done eating we disposed of our fire and saddle the horses up, Saphira looked at me one last time before she bounded up for the air, I watched as she flew away, amazed at how her scales glittered in the sun, and how she looked like she belonged in the air. I mounted Cadoc and followed Brom down a trail closely behind him.
"Brom, I have a few questions," I said hesitantly breaking the silence. The only noise you could hear was the animals in the woods and the hooves of the horses as they walked down the trail.
"You mean to tell me that you are not out of questions yet?" Brom asked in return teasing me. I shot him a glare behind his back, but ignored his comment. "I am glad though that you are curious."
"Things are happening fast and there is a lot going on, some of it I understand and other parts I do not. Like for instance, your friends. Who are they? What were you doing hiding in Carvahall? What did you steal in Gil'ead? I trust you with my life and Saphira does as well, but I think that I deserve to know things."
"Did you eavesdrop on us?"
"Only once," I admitted.
"I guess you still need to learn your manners, why do you think this concerns you?"
"I don't, I just find it odd that you were hiding in Cravahall when I found Saphira's egg and that you know so much about the dragonlore. There are other clues, but I ignored them. It is strange though how you knew of the Ra'Zac and how they fled when you showed up. I also cannot help but think that you are somehow involved with the appearance of Saphira's egg. "
Brom was silent for a moment, his look darkened and deep lines formed on his face as he frowned. He lit his pipe and took a few puffs, I shifted in my saddle. "I guess I will tell you want I can, I am not going to tell you everything, but before you protest I do not want to keep you ignorant I just simply do not want to tell other peoples secrets .That is all."
"Okay, then tell me what you can."
"There is a war raging in Alagaesia between the Varden and the Empire. They are in a power struggle and their reason for war is you."
"Me? How can that be, they don't even know of my existence."
"Not yet. You see the Varden and Empire are not fighting over land or gaining control of the people. What they want is to control the next generations of Riders, and you are the first. Whoever controls the Riders they have the most power."
I sat their trying to absorb what I have just learned; it was almost incomprehensible that people would have so much interest in Saphira and I, the only person who showed interest in us was Brom. "I thought that the Riders were killed during the Fall of Riders and the ones that lived served Galbotroix, but even they are dead now. As far as I know nobody knows if there are dragons alive or not."
"I lied about the dragons," Brom admitted. "There are three eggs remaining, well two since Saphira hatched, but they are under Galbotorix's control. "
"So there could be two new Riders loyal to Galbotorix." My stomach dropped at the thought.
"Yes, there is race right now. Galbotorix is trying to find two people who the egg will hatch for and the Varden are doing everything they can to get those eggs, they are electing people to steal the eggs and the candidates that Galbotorix finds are killed by the Varden."
"So where did Saphira come from?"
"That is story that happened way before you were born; I was a lot younger back then, not as smart as I am now. I hated the Empire and wanted to destroy it however I could, my reasons I will keep to myself. I was led to Jeod who claimed to have found a book that could tell us how to get around inside Galbotorix's castle. So I eagerly brought him back to the Varden."
"However something happened and the thief only got one egg. For some reason the thief never returned to the Varden and had ran off with it. Jeod and I were sent to go bring him and the egg back to the Varden. Ah that was one of my greatest adventures I have been on, racing against Ra'Zac and Morzan, Galbotorix's most loyal and finest servant. The hunt from there became a personal battle. When I heard word that the egg was in Gil'ead I raced there and found myself encountering Morzan as well, we fought a nasty contest, but in the end I slew him. I took the egg back to the Varden and they asked me to train the new Rider, and I agreed. While I waited to hear news of a new Rider, which never came, I hid in Carvahall."
"So how did Sahpira's egg come to be in the Spine?" I asked.
"Not sure, but I have an idea. I am guessing that the egg was taken from the Varden and the egg carrier to protect the egg magically transported to the Spine, if it was meant to go the Spine or not, I am not sure. I have not heard from the Varden about how they lost the egg, perhaps one of the runners were intercepted at one time by the Empire and the Ra'Zac were sent."
"They didn't know about me then, the Ra'zac?"
"No and if that damn butcher Sloan had kept his mouth shut, they still wouldn't know. I sent a message to the Varden telling them about you."
"You don't have the intentions of taking me there straight away, do you?"
"No."
"Why not, chasing after Ra'Zac has to be dangerous especially for a new Rider; it has to be safer at the Varden then what we are doing."
Brom snorted and smiled at me. "The Varden is dangerous. As soon as you join them they will try to get you tangled in their politics. You will be sent on missions that are pointless to show a point among the leaders, even if you are not ready for them. My goal is to get you prepared for that, to teach you all that I can. I will help you find the Ra'Zac and even- maybe kill them. For they are just as much as my enemies as they are yours, then you have to make a decision."
"To join the Varden or not," I stated nodding my head.
"Exactly, it would the safest thing to do since the king will not be pleased with you, or you can beg and plead with the king if you join his services."
"Why would I join him?"
"Power," Brom said simply, "Galbotorix has his ways and that is why most of the forsworn joined him. They enjoyed letting others know that they did not compare to them. That they would never have power, that they were weak."
"I don't want power."
"Keep that in mind," Brom said smiling at me with what looked like a since of pride.
"Did you know my mother?" I asked curious. Brom looked back at me with what looked like pain and happiness.
"Yes I did."
"What was she like?"
"She had a sense of pride and dignity, much like Garrow did. It was her downfall and one of her best qualities. She helped the poor and the less fortunate, even when she was not in the best of situations." Brom had a distant look in his face and a small smile crept across his face.
"Did you know her well?"
"Enough to miss her when she was gone," he commented. He shook his head and looked ahead at the road.
I contacted Saphira to tell her all that I learned and she seemed intrigued and when I mentioned the part of about Galbotorix she recoiled at the thought of being anyone's possession, especially the kings. Look at all that you would have missed out on if you stayed in Carvahall! I moaned when she said that.
When we stopped for the day I went and searched for water and found a stream, when I put my canteen in the water to refill it, I noticed an odd shape and it was rather large on the other side of the stream. Curiosity consumed me and I jumped across the stream and hit a bit of wet moss and fell forward. I felt my right wrist crack and I tried my hardest not to howl in pain.
Eragon! Saphira yelled through our mental connection with worry. What happened?
I fell and broke my wrist doing something stupid. I should be fine.
I am coming to you,
No don't. Too many trees… I will be fine…
She sent me a mental image of her tearing apart trees to get to me and I chuckled at her.
I looked at the footprint and noticed how deep it was, it was unlike any animal print, then fear struck him as he recognized the print, "Urgals," I spat. I instantly wished I had brought Zar'Roc with me. I pulled out my hunting knife and contacted Saphira.
Saphira! There are Urgals here, I found one of their footprints and they are fresh, keep Brom safe! I jumped over the stream and ran back to the camp behind every tree and bush I thought of the possibility of the enemy hiding behind it. When I made it back to the camp I saw Saphira's tail flying towards me I ducked and yelled, "stop, it is me!"
Oops.
"Oops? You could have killed me!" I exclaimed. "Where is Brom?"
"Right here," a voice said behind Saphira's wings. "Tell your crazy dragon to let me go."
"Let him go!" I said exasperated. "You didn't tell him?"
You just told me to keep him safe, she said sheepishly.
"I found an Urgal footprint by the stream and it is fresh," I explained to Brom when he stepped out from under Saphira's wing angrily.
"Saddle up the horses," Brom said urgently. He began to clean up the camp, "we're leaving." I stood still where I was. "What happened to your arm?"
"My wrist is broken."
Brom cursed and helped me onto Cadoc and said, "As soon as we can we need to put a splint on it, try not to move it too much." I gripped Cadoc's reigns tightly with my left hand and nodded at him. Brom then turned to Saphira, "it is getting dark, you should fly ahead of us, if the Urgals attack they will think secondly about attacking us with you around."
If they do attack they will not think again.
A mile away from camp Brom stopped suddenly and said in a hushed tone, "do you hear that?" I stretched my hearing to hear a war horn sound. I gulped. "They found our camp that we were at, they will not chase us. It is not part of their nature to let prey escape them so easily, he looked up at the sky and called Saphira.
"Leave Cadoc with me and ride Saphira, you will be safer."
"What about you?" I asked.
"I will be fine, ride with Saphira. Go, now!" Brom said with an odd tone. He sounded panicked and worried. I sat myself between Saphira's shoulder blades and held on the best that I could. I winced each time her movements would jolt my wrist. Another horn sounded and chills traveled down my spine. Fear was taking over me.
Then it got quiet. Where are the Urgals? A horn sounded in the distant and I slumped against Saphira's neck relaxing for the first time during our flight. Then a horn sounded right below us I jumped at the sound and looked down at the ground to see Brom pushing the horses to their limits and swiftly behind him were Urgals on horses.
He is not going to outrun them.
What should we do?
Land in front of the Urgals!
What? Are you crazy?
Land in front of them now, Saphira! I know what I am doing. She did as she was told and we landed in front to the Urgals. The Urgals shouted out in surprise as we landed in front of them and their horses legs grew stiff and they collided into each other. The Urgals quickly untangled themselves and glared at Saphira.
Why are they waiting to attack us?
"Our master wishes to speak with you, human!" One of them said in a deep voice that sounded like a grunt as well.
"Who is your master?" I asked.
"His name is no importance to one such as you. He rules the sky and the lands, you are nothing but an ant compared to him. Yet he wants you brought to him alive, you should be grateful that he notices you that much."
"I will never go with you, nor any of my enemies!" I declared. Fear gripped me on the inside, but I refused to show my fear in front of the group of Urgals. Who was their master?
"If you do not, he will make sure that every day that you live are lived in complete agony," the Urgal snarled at me. Who has that kind of power? Who has the power to control the Urgals? I asked myself. "You cannot escape from him."
I reached for the power inside of me and felt the same sensation as I did when I first encountered the Urgals and one word came to mind and I shouted, "Jeirda!"
No! Saphira shouted through our mental link, but it was too late the spell had already taken its toll on me. I instantly felt fatigued, but this time it was worse than when I first used magic. Thist time I knew I had pushed it too far.
The Urgals watched as my palm glowed and beams of light emitted from my palm and the Urgals were thrown into the trees falling sensless to the ground. I fought the fatigue as much as I could, but it was impossible. I went too far this time. I tumbled off of Saphira. I could see that there was still an Urgal and it was approaching Saphira, with hate rating from his eyes. He was ready to come in for the kill. I couldn't warn Saphira as much as I tried, I was too weak.
No… I said feebly.
Saphira turned around in time to attack the approaching Urgal. I watched as she clawed with blinding speed and she snapped her jaws when she had killed the Urgal and turned back to me. I could feel her wrap her claws around my torso and we took off for the skies once again. I struggled to stay conscious. I focused on the sound of Saphira's wings beating as they went up and down.
When Saphira landed I was aware that she was talking with Brom, but I had no idea what they were talking about. A decision must have been met, because Saphira took off again and I was unable to fight any longer. I finally let myself fall uncounious.
I am sorry for not updating for some time... I work now and it was the holidays and I had a death in the family. I am full of excuses that you probably don't care about, but I gave you a long chapter to read. Please leave a review, and I will work on getting a chapter up quicker. In fact I have three days off this week, but the weather is nice right now so I might have some spring fever... Okay now it is your turn to do your job and review. :)