I own nothing of the Inheritance Cycle!
Thoughts over bond
Waking up the next morning, David stood up with a wince. Sleeping on the cold hard ground of a cave is not the most comfortable places to sleep.
Looking around David found himself alone. Both Eragon and Saphira were gone, and David had no idea where either of them could be. I suppose they could be at the training grounds?
Didn't they have to meet King Hrothgar at some point?
David rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palms I need to find something to eat.
Going down the spiraled staircase David noticed that the wall that wrapped around the stairs had a slide in it. This must be that never ending staircase, or whatever it was called in the book.
Hoping to find some kind of cafeteria David went down the staircase and chose a random hallway to explore. The corridor was lined with doorways. The only sound was the muffled thumping of David's shoes against the floor. Nobody was in the hallway There's never anybody when you need them.
Hearing footsteps behind him David turned and saw a woman bustling down the hallway. Her hair was put up into a bun with wisps of hair falling out. A stained, white apron was tied around her, covering her plain brown dress.
David reached a hand out to stop her, "Excuse me, miss—" but she quickly brushed past him. She turned back to face him, "Forgive me Shadow," she gave a small curtsey, "but I'm in a bit of a rush. Please, excuse me."
He watched her go in silence before quickly following her She is the first sign of life I've seen all day. She must know where some food is, no?
The woman quickly entered one of the doors and rushed in. Closing the door behind her. Standing in front of the door David cautiously set his hand on the door and pushed it open.
The room was pure white. One wall contained rows of different herbs, and other medicines David didn't recognize. The opposite wall had about six beds, each bed had white sheets. Standing next to one of the beds was the woman from the hallway. She was seated next to the bed and seemed to be tending to someone. The woman had yet to realize he was in the room with her.
Walking closer to the bed David examined the woman who was in it. She had long, raven-black hair spread out on her pillow, creating a black halo. Her eyes were closed, so David assumed her to be asleep. The woman tending to her shifted, moving the woman's black hair to reveal her finely pointed ears. David drew a sharp breath of surprise. Well I found Arya.
The women next to the bed whirled around with a gasp, a hand clutched to her chest. Arya bolted upright, her forest green eyes fixed upon David. I must have been pretty quiet if even Arya didn't hear me.
He returned Arya's stare, "It's good to see you awake." Arya said nothing and continued staring at David.
His attention was brought back to the woman who was, apparently, Arya's nurse. "Shadow, sir! I'm sorry but nobody is allowed in here—" David cut her off from her distressed rambling.
"I wouldn't have come in here in the first place if you hadn't brushed me off out in the hallway when I wished to ask you for help." The lady blushed and looked down at her lap.
David gave a small smile and spoke in a gentler tone, "I was hoping you could tell me where I may find some food. I haven't eaten since the day I got here."
She looked up from her lap, "Oh, of course! There's a dining hall just to the left, all the way down the hallway, then you take another left, then a right, and then down some stairs, and it's the third door on your right." She finished with a radiant smile.
If anything, those directions did nothing more than confuse David, and it must have showed because Arya broke in, "I will show you to the hall." Her voice was like pure crystal, clear with a slight ring to it as if she was about to sing.
The woman began to protest but they fell on deaf ears, as Ary had already gotten out from her bed. She began walking out of the room and David was forced to follow.
Their walk to the dining hall was a quiet one. For the most part.
They made it a set of stairs and David assumed this was pathetic staircase the woman had told him about. "You are The Shadow?" David looked over at Arya and nodded. "You've heard of me?"
Arya looked back at him for a moment before returning her gaze to the hallways in front of her. "I wouldn't be surprised if everyone in Alegaësia has heard of you."
David observed his surroundings with wry smile, "Great." His voice was laced with heavy sarcasm.
Her sharp eyes flicked to his face. "You do not like being The Shadow?"
"Oh no I like being The Shadow, don't get me wrong. I just don't like all the rumors associated with the title."
"Rumors?"
"Well you've obviously heard of The Shadow, but what have you heard about me?"
Arya was silent for a few moments. "Your reputation has spread to every part of Alagaësia. When I was still ferrying the egg, Ajihad would tell me and my company to keep watch for any word regarding The Shadow. If we were to find you we were supposed to talk with you and convince you to come to the Varden with us,"
I knew the Empire was searching for me, not the Varden.
"We never did find you, of course. The only thing we ever found regarding you was rumors of your strength and heroics. We were on our way to bring the egg to the elves when we stopped at one of the towns for a small rest. We heard that you had stayed at that very town not two days before. We gathered as much information as we could before setting out to find you. After two days of nothing we were forced to head for the elves once more. We were unfortunately two days late of the deadline we were trying to reach and I was forced to explain why to the queen, Islanzadí. Word of your existence spread through the elves like wildfire. They have come up with rumors of you as well." Her last sentence held slight amusement.
David dropped his head into his hands and groaned. Arya placed a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to find they were in the doorway of the dining hall. Taking a deep breath David's stomach began to growl from the delicious smell of food. He looked over at Arya and saw her looking at him with a stoic expression, but the amusement in her eyes ruined the look. "I don't suppose you could tell me these rumors over some lunch, could you?"
David didn't give her the chance to refuse as he led her further into the room. He stopped suddenly and turned back to Arya, a sheepish smile on his face. "You wouldn't happen to know where to get the food, would you?"
Arya wordlessly began to lead David toward a stout, ruddy-faces dwarf. The dwarf handed them both a stone platter filled with fruits, mushrooms, and meat. Thanking the dwarf, the two sat at one of the tables in the room. They ate their meal in silence. David was thankful to finally have something in his stomach.
"So, what are the elves saying about me?"
"Their rumors started with what was already existing. They came to me and asked what I knew of you. I told them how the humans believe you can move mountains with your strength. How you have the ability to control shadows." Arya took a deep breath before she continued, "When I told them what you have done to gain the title Shadow they began thinking that your skills could rival Galbatorix. You were, and still are, another hope for the fight against Galbatorix." Arya looked up at David's face and raised a brow at what she saw.
David had a look of horrified surprise on his face. "Rival Galbatorix?!" His outburst gained a few stares. Continue using in a quieter tone, "I'm good I will admit, but Galbatorix is on a whole other level of skill."
"There are stories of you taking down a group of ten slavers in less than two minutes, and in the process you saved innocent people from a life of servitude."
"That doesn't mean I can rival Galbatorix," David pointed out.
"Yes, but that is not the only story that talks of your skill. The Shadow is a mystery to everyone. All anyone has to go off of are stories of you saving people dressed in all black, riding upon a black steed. Add the fact you are only ever seen at night, people have named you The Shadow. Even before I had been captured I knew, along with everybody else, that Galbatorix wanted to meet you. He only used the fact that you saved one of his generals as a cover for what he really wanted, but what he really wants nobody knows."
David dragged a tired hand over his face. "But I can't move mountain, or control shadows. The only thing I have that could rival Galbatorix would be my swordsmanship." David looked at Arya and elaborated.
"I began learning how to wield a sword about ten years ago. My teacher was a man who used to be a general for Galbatorix. He told me Galbatorix had taught him how to fight, and now he passed the knowledge onto me."
"Galbatorix taught this man himself?" Arya seemed skeptical.
"I would not be surprised if it was true, he was a tough opponent." Arya seemed to accept the answer but she was still skeptical.
They rose from their table and headed back to Arya's room. Their walk was silent, and when they made it back to the rooms door David opened it and bowed, "Ladies first." When he straightened back up he was in time to see a small smile on her face before it quickly disappeared.
He turned to go back to the dragon hold but he was stopped by a voice behind him. Arya was standing in the doorway, "Where are you staying?"
"At the moment I'm staying with Eragon and Saohira in the dragon hold. I was never given a room of my own."
Her eyebrows furrowed. "The dragon hold is for a dragon and its rider. You should have been given a room of your own."
If only you knew "I wouldn't have had anywhere to sleep if I didn't accidentally find the dragon hold last night. Saphira was the one who told me to sleep in there." Arya said nothing, she just turned to go back into her room.
David just turned and headed back towards the dragon hold Did you enjoy your date little duck?
It wasn't a date Aquila. She just showed me where the dining hall was, and told me what the elves thought of The Shadow while we ate.
Excuses excuses. From anyone else's point of view that would have been considered a date.
It wasn't a date Aquila. David's voice signaled that the conversation was finished.