Interruptions

Interruptions can be viewed as sources of irritation or opportunities for service, as moments lost or experience gained, as time wasted or horizons widened. They can annoy us or enrich us, get under our skin or give us a shot in the arm. Monopolize our minutes or spice our schedules, depending on our attitude toward them."

-William Arthur Ward

Disclaimer: Well, I obviously don't own Eragon because Paolini would probably never even consider these pairings.

Elva sat down in her room and sought Lilith's mind. To her surprise, she couldn't find it.

Lilith! she called. Lilith! The girl couldn't be gone. She just couldn't be.

Elva? Lilith asked. I was sleeping.

I'm sorry, Elva said. You scared me. I couldn't find your mind. I thought that maybe Galbatorix had found out what you're doing and hurt you.

Oh no, Lilith said. He's fine…Elva, have you ever killed a man?

I've uncovered assassins after Lady Nasuada, and they've died because of it, Elva admitted.

I think that I killed a man today, Lilith said. My mother told me that I didn't, that it was the green rider who killed him, but whenever I drink that one potion, I don't remember anything. I don't know if I killed him or not, and I think that I did.

What potion? Elva asked.

I don't know what it is, Lilith said. I just know that I use it whenever the riders need new powers from the dead, I think. My mother told me that they need me because of these powers I have with the dead. You know. Those powers that help me talk to you. Anyway, the time that I helped the red rider, somebody died too, but they moved the body away before I woke up, and now I'm afraid that I've killed two men.

Lilith, I don't think that you did, Elva said. She then paused to think up a good reason for why she thought that. It sounds like the green rider would need to kill him if he needs power from the dead.

You really think so? Lilith asked.

Elva said that it made sense to her, and it really did. Besides, she said, if you can't remember anything, how can you have really killed anyone? Wouldn't it be the person who gave you the potion's fault?

I guess so, Lilith said.

I know so, Elva told her. I have to go now. Lilith, thanks for telling me that.

Thanks for comforting me, Lilith said.

Bye.

Bye.

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Eragon stirred the moment he felt the sunlight creep over his back and breathed in. Something smelled good, rather like cinnamon in fact. He reluctantly opened his for his sleep had become quite pleasant after the visions of lies had stopped and he wasn't quite ready to rejoin the rest of reality yet.

A strange sight met his eyes as he opened them. Nasuada was lying extremely close to him, her breath tickling the hollow in his neck. A moment later he realized that his had his arms wrapped around her waist. Why was that? They hadn't done anything. Had they? No, they were still clothed, he though as he looked down.

Then it hit him. This had been the woman who'd comforted him during his unconscious state. She and Saphira. His hand absentmindedly ran through her dark hair before he stopped, realizing what he was doing. This wasn't right. He shouldn't have made her sleep next to him. It would look wrong if anyone walked in right now even if she had only been comforting and even if it simply felt good to have her lying so close to him, his fingers tangling in her hair…He stopped and shook his head. He'd best wake her up before anything did happen. He shook his head again. Of course it wouldn't. Well, he still might as well wake her up.

"Nasuada," he whispered into her ear.

The Varden's leader opened her eyes and looked up into Eragon's. She realized where she was lying and looked down. She was suddenly very aware of his hands around her waist, of the feel of his chest beneath her hands, of his breath in her hair…She stopped and looked up again.

"Eragon, what…" she began. Just then, the door opened, and both the rider and Nasuada looked up into the shocked face of Roran Stronghammer. Eragon hadn't really spoken to his cousin since they'd gotten back from Dras Leona, and they'd never quite made up from their fight.

"So, you two are…together?" Rorana asked. "Interesting. Um, maybe you'd better be a little more discreet about it. I mean, I know that you really shouldn't worry about what other people say—Katrina and I didn't—but considering who you two are, I'd think that maybe you'd better care about what people say. And if she got pregnant with your child, it might not go over too well…"

"Roran, nothing happened!" Eragon shouted. Nasuada was staring at Roran in a state of shock, her cheeks coloring slightly.

Roran sighed. "Eragon, I'm not going to tell anyone. Besides, this makes it pretty obvious."

"Roran," Nasuada began, "I simply fell asleep here while I was waiting for him to wake up. Nothing happened between us. That would be rather inappropriate considering the present circumstances and that we simply view each other as friends."

Roran sighed and mumbled something that sounded like, "Denial," before he said, "Well, whatever it was, I was coming down here to check on Eragon when that witch Angela came to tell me that Orrin was meeting with a delegation from Ellesméra and that he required Nasuada's presence and Eragon's if he was feeling up to it. So, are you?"

"I am," Eragon said, gingerly climbing out of the bed.

Nasuada climbed out after him, trying desperately to straighten out the wrinkles in her dress. At last, she gave up and muttered an incantation under her breath to make her dress look less slept-in.

Eragon glanced at her sideways and then did the same thing to his clothes. He grimaced when he noticed the tear in his shirt and the blood stains on it. He mumbled something to get rid of the blood and the tear.

"Come on," Roran said as soon as Eragon finished. He and Nasuada followed Roran through Boromeo Castle until they reached the door of Nasuada's study.

"You're not coming?" Nasuada asked him when Roran made no move to follow them through the door.

"I'm not important enough for that," was Roran's reply. "Besides, I don't feel like being ripped into by them for not turning back despite the fact that Arya told not us to."

When Eragon and Nasuada had entered the room, they saw Orrin, Orik, Jörmundur, Trianna, Vanir, Lifaen, and a silver-haired elfin female whom Eragon had never seen before.

"Ah, so good to see that you've recovered," Orrin said pleasantly. "These are Lifaen Rílvenar, Vanir Haldthin, and Sandrelin Danathr."
Eragon bowed, and Nasuada remained upright to remind the king of her status.

"We are here to discuss that disastrous loss that has occurred," Vanir said. "Indeed we were shocked that you allowed such an even to occur, Argetlam."

"How dare you accuse him of cowardice?" Orik asked. "It's been said again and again that the elf asked to be left behind to do battle with her Ra'zac. How is it our fault if the red rider decided to appear out of nowhere and take back the egg that he stole from her?"

"Peace, master dwarf," Lifaen said as he rose from his seat. "We do not come here to insult the rider. Vanir-vodhr spoke badly.

"However," Sandrelin interrupted, "we do wish to know why nothing has been done about this."

"Because there has not been the time," Nasuada said.

"There has not been time to rescue the elfin ambassador, dear to the queen herself?" Vanir asked.

"It would be nearly impossible to simply walk into Urû'baen. Eragon is the only one who could even hope to that, and he'd have to have help. Besides, we've needed him for weeks. There have been attacks by the king's newest rider, and battles involving the red rider. We were waiting for you to come to us so that you could offer your help and for the other situations to clear up," Nasuada explained.

"And what if Galbatorix has succeeded in breaching her mind?" Vanir asked.

Nasuada took a deep breath before saying, "He has. Eragon and I witnessed that just a few days ago."

Orik swore.

"And the elves could soon be under attack?" Sandrelin asked. "How could you not tell us this?"

"You were going to come here in a few days," Nasuada replied. "And that brings me to my next point. We need to go rescue Arya and soon."

"It should have been sooner," Vanir mumbled.

"Lady Nasauda, who should go on this mission?" Jörmundur asked. "There are some that cannot be spared."

"Eragon and I shall go," Nasuada said.

"Why you?" Lifaen asked, puzzled.

"I have recently started to learn magic," Nasuada replied.

"She has a great gift," Eragon put in. "She could be useful."

"That I cannot allow," Jörmundur protested. "If you are killed…"

"Then Eragon shall be my successor," Nasuada finished.

"And what if Eragon is killed?" Lifaen ventured.

"Then we will have to leave Alagaësia," Nasuada said with a sigh.

"What I am thinking is that you all should go back to Ellesméra and try to defend your city against the attack that must surely be coming," a new voice said.

Everyone turned to see Elva standing in the door.

"Who is this child?" Vanir asked. "She reeks of strange magic."

"Lilith told me that the green rider just obtained his powers," Elva said simply, ignoring Vanir and addressing Nasuada. "She also told me something else that I am supposed to just tell Eragon."

"Who is Lilith?" Vanir asked.

"She is a child living in Urû'baen," Elva said, "and I am Lady Nasuada's body guard."

"What curse has been placed on you?" Sandrelin asked.

Eragon drew in his breath. If Elva told her the truth, he might lose any respect that the elves had granted him.

"A blessing gone wrong is all," Elva replied, meeting Eragon's eyes.

Eragon bowed his head in thanks to her.

"Can none heal you?" Lifaen asked.

"I have chosen to keep my curse," Elva said. "It is useful to others. And it will not let me let go of it when doing so could harm so many."

"And how have you contacted this child in Urû'baen?" Sandrelin asked.

"I have other powers. I can communicate with the dead upon occasion, and I can talk to others who have those powers," Elva replied.

"A medium," Lifaen said, puzzled.

"She is how the green rider got his new powers, and she is how Galbatorix continues to keep his," Elva explained. Eragon thought that her voice sounded almost sad for Lilith. She bit down on her lip. "The power comes from wherever the dead are, I think."
Everyone there looked puzzled. Everyone except for Orik that was.

"That is the Vault of Souls," Orik said. "Gûntera created it, and before the elves even came to Alagaësia, he made Hel keeper of the Vault."

"Hel?" Lifaen echoed. "You mean the daughter of Loki? The one whom the Grey Folk shut away from the world after they made the Ancient Language and saved the world from wild magic?"

"She is half alive and half dead," Orik continued, "and she is the daughter of Loki, the one who almost destroyed the trying to conquer it with a spell."

Eragon's eyes widened. This is what Oromis had talked about when he had told Eragon that spells could be performed nonverbally.

"Yes, that much is true," Sandrelin put in, "but this Vault is never mentioned in the Grey Folk's writings."

"That is what Lilith said," Elva stated. "Perhaps she was mistaken. I do not know."

"It would make sense if Galbatorix's growing powers came from something more than just his own body and the Ancient Language," Lifaen mused. "But from the dead? Or perhaps from something else?"

"Like wild magic," Sandrelin added.

Vanir shook his head.

"You had to get them started, didn't you?" he asked Orik and Elva in an undertone.

"Oromis-elda already knows the source of Galbatorix's power," the dark-haired elf told the other two loudly. "We need to deal with the matter at hand."

"He's right," Nasauda said. "So, what shall we do?"

"I think that the girl has a point," Orik said.

"As do I," Orrin said.

"Arya needs rescuing," Eragon said. "We can get her back, and then we can go back to Ellesméra. If we need to, we can kill one or both of the riders when we go there."

"But it would be easier to kill them in a battle," Jörmundur remarked. "There'd be more people and more magicians. Even if he has two riders and even if he knows where Ellesméra and every other place in Du Weldenvarden is, how can he stand up to the might of the elves and Eragon? He killed a shade, and he's become even stronger since then."

"But hasn't he been unable to escape even the green rider's duplicity in the previous battles with the previous battles?" Vanir argued.

"I think that I'll be prepared for his tricks this time," Eragon said coldly.

"He has a million of them," Trianna mumbled, speaking for the first time.

"What did he do to you?" Eragon asked.

"It doesn't matter, Argetlam. I doubt that he'll try it on you," Trianna replied with a hint of coldness in her voice.

"How powerful is his magic from what you've witnessed?" Lifaen asked, interrupting the discussion.

"He has to rely on trickery to get anywhere with me," Eragon said.

"He killed one of my apprentices," Trianna said.

"And he will have gotten more powerful with the help from the dead," Elva added.

"So, do we go to Ellesméra to defend it or go to Urû'baen to regain Arya first?" Nasuada asked.

"I think that defending Ellesméra and hopefully killing at least one of the new riders will be better than risking our lives in Urû'baen. We cannot go against three riders," Vanir said at last.

"We are putting far too much hope into this idea that we could actually kill them in a battle," Sandrelin protested. "I think that we could assassinate them when we sneak into Urû'baen."

"That is not likely, Sandrelin Svit-kona," Lifaen said.

"And in a battle?" Sandrelin asked. "Would it not be better to have Arya Dröttningu on our side and possibly one less rider?"

"You forget that if both his riders are dead, the king will come himself," Vanir put in. "Where will we be then?"

"He wouldn't leave his capital," Sandrelin stated.

"He would," Lifaen said. "He knows where we are, and if he has riders, it is likely that he will send them, but if he has no riders, he will come himself."

"And suppose he comes with them?" Sandrelin asked.

"You just said that he wouldn't leave his domain," Vanir replied.

"I must say that I agree with Vanir and Lifaen," Orrin put in. "Elva will tell you when the king is likely to attack Ellesméra, and then you will go there to defend it. It makes more sense."

"The queen will be most displeased," Sandrelin mumbled.

"And are we to leave Arya to him until then?" Eragon demanded. "That is wrong."

"Arya Dröttningu knows the risk of this task," Lifaen said.

"What if he kills her?" Eragon asked.

"He won't," Elva said. "He wants her to suffer slavery until the fall of the Varden, the elves, and the dwarves."

"Find out when Galbatorix will attack Ellesméra," Sandrelin told her as she left the room.

"I will ask Lilith if she knows," Elva said.

"Considering the fact that Sandrelin is gone, I would say that this is over?" Vanir ventured.

"It is," Nasuada agreed. "Elva, find out more if you can."

"Please forgive her," Lifaen whispered to Nasuada. "She is young, and she thinks of Arya as a sister."

When they had left the council room, Eragon was surprised to find that Roran was still outside of the door.

"So, Arya is still in danger?" his cousin asked him.

"She's just a tool to these peole," Eragon complained. "At least Sandrelin has some sympathy."

"I think that they were more concerned about the safety of the rescue. If you all die trying to rescue her, it won't do her any good," Roran said.

He's right, Saphira told him.

"Maybe you should be the rider," Eragon told him. "You get everything better than I do."

Eragon, Saphira sighed, I chose you when I could have chosen Roran. He was in the same house with me, wasn't he? He touched my egg just as you did. But you kept me, and you cared for me, and you have been my rider.

Apparently, Saphira had made sure that Roran could hear as well, for he said, "I wasn't cut out to be a rider anyway. I don't think that I have the stomach to do all that you do."
"But look what you did with the village of Carvahall," Eragon protested.

"I led a village after me, but I couldn't lead an army. Besides, you were always better with animals and such. Not that Saphira's an animal, but you know what I mean. You were always better at bonding with one person," Roran told him.

"I'm sorry that I yelled at you after Helgrind. It wasn't your fault," Eragon told him.

"And I'm sorry that I teased you about Nasuada," Roran said. "I know that you love Arya more. It's just…Well, hasn't Arya rejected you? Hasn't she told you that she doesn't want you?"

"I love her," Eragon said. "I can't just stop. That's not right. And maybe you want me to be with Nasuada, but…"

"But what?" Roran asked.
"She's not Arya," Eragon said.

"Obviously," his cousins said. "Maybe she's just more suited for you."

Eragon, I share you thoughts, Saphira told him. Remember how you've been concerned for her, defended her, and accepted her comfort? And you liked holding her.

Eragon sighed. "You two are hopeless."

No, you are, Saphira told him.
Roran chuckled at him.

"Well, what about you and Katrina?" Eragon asked.

Roran closed his eyes. "I love her, Eragon, and she loves me. She's close to my age, and I'm happy with her. We're suited for each other. From what you've said, Arya's too old for you and too different."

"Stop it," Eragon told them. "Stop insulting her."
"I'm not insulting her," Roran laughed. "I'm telling you what I think is best for you and that I think that Arya's too old and too cold for you." Before he knew what was happening, he was on the ground, and Eragon was standing over him, glaring.

"Oh, little cousin, you're gonna pay for that one," Roran whispered. He pulled Eragon down, and they wrestled back and forth on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Nasuada demanded. "You can not be wrestling in the middle of the halls. What if the elves saw that?"

"I'm sorry, Lady Nasuada," both men mumbled as they broke apart.

She sighed and said, "It's fine. Just please don't do it in public. We need to at least pretend that we have some dignity." Her lips quirked slightly, and Eragon snorted.

"So, have you two made up?" she asked.

"We have," Roran said. "At least I think so."
"We have," Eragon said grudgingly when Nasuada looked at him.

"So, what was the argument about?" she asked him.

"It's not important anymore," Eragon said quickly.

"If you say so," Nasuada said with a shrug.

As she walked off, Eragon noticed a slight sway in her hips, and then cursed himself. She was his liege lord. He had no reason to be thinking of her that way.

Eragon, you've thought of Arya that way, and she's an elfin princess and ambassador, Saphira groaned.

Roran snorted at something.

"What?" Eragon asked.

"You were checking her out," he whispered.

Eragon growled at him and walked back to his room.

"What's wrong, Eragon?" Nasuada asked.
Eragon turned and saw Roran working very hard not to laugh. Nasuada was standing near him.

"Just something Roran said," Eragon muttered. "It's fine."

"You really should stop teasing him," was the last thing that Eragon heard Nasuada say before he was out of earshot.

So, that's the end of chapter 25. I hope that you all liked it. Next chapter is all in Urû'baen, I think. I hope that you liked the Eragon/ Nasuada interaction in this chapter. Okay, so, who dies? Hathcyn and/or Eofor or Nasuada? By the way, the person who dies, dies at the end. Just so you all know. And sorry about how long it took me to update. I've been busy with exams and such, but it's summer for me now. Well, here are the review responses.

TheSummoningDark: Oh, it's fine. I just finished mine Wednesday. I'm glad that you liked those scenes. I suddenly got into Norse Mythology again, probably because we were reading Greek Mythology in English. I dunno. But I've always thought that Hel and Loki were the most interesting, so they're in there. I also enjoyed having Eofor mess with Morgana.

Carottorange: Hi, Sophie. I'm glad that you like the E/N. It's fun to write.

Cassie Winchester: I see what you're saying. It's a good point.

Hanka13: I don't know whom I'm going to kill off, but I know that someone has to die.

Stripysockz: Yeah, that was fun to write. I love making Hathcyn argue with people. Sorry about the gods-confusion thing. I'm glad that you eventually understood it. The Arya/Eofor thing will probably be mentioned again in the next chapter. I will not kill off Lilith, I swear. And, yes, Galby's an idiot. The thing about Hathcyn and Trianna dying is interesting. It might happen at the end. I'm gonna do more with that couple when…well, never mind. I can't tell you that, but I will do more with that couple. I see what you're saying about Saphira and Thorn. Eofor is definitely a little rebel.

Queenmab: I'm glad that you liked it. I hope that I see you during the summer. And I lost the game.

Mayarider: I'm glad that you like it. Well, there wasn't a Murtagh/Hathcyn fight, but there was an Eragon/Roran one. Sorry.

Maze2010: I'm glad that you liked my ritual. I thought that it needed to be evil, or else the elves would all be doing it.

Fredsonetrueluv: Um, yeah. Okay. It was probably a good idea that you stopped.

Treeonfire13: He got his power from the Vault before Lilith first from one of the Foresworn and then from Medea. That was explained in chapter 21, I think?

CaramelBoost: Yeah, it does suck when they do that. I won't kill off Lilith, I swear. I see what you're saying about the death thing, but whoever dies won't die until the end. I'm glad that you liked the delusional thing. Brecca may or may not go, but he's not a main character, and nobody really likes him, not they're really supposed to. Morgana and Deandra might actually talk next chapter. It'll be about the Lilith thing, I think.