Eragon and Saphira were making their way east, flying along the borders of the Beor Mountains. They moved as fast as the desert wind allowed, but were slowed by the heat as well. "If only we could sleep through the day and fly at night, it would be much cooler," Eragon reasoned, looking to the setting sun for the third time. The air grew progressively chilly as the golden light gave way to a purple haze. Saphira's eyes grew fuzzy with the twilight, making her squint and give thanks they weren't flying through a forest or something similar.
"You know why we can't, little one, we would be caught unaware should anyone spot us sleeping on the ground during the day," Saphira reminded him, fighting to remain realistic. She knew their odds of being spotted were dropping with every passing day, but the mountains made her nervous. She could not see any strangers lurking in the trees. They could have already been spotted and not noticed it. The dwarves could have already sent word to the Varden, and in turn the elves. The Elves was who they had to really worry about, they were the only ones that had the speed to catch them.
"What about Thorn and Murtagh?" Saphira scoffed, confident in her abilities to out fly the younger dragon. She shook Eragon a bit, unhappy that Eragon did not share this confidence.
"I was flying before he was even hatched, and I can out fly him now. We need not worry about Thorn, nor his rider," She asserted to her rider. He let the matter go, but something still bugged him about it. She could fly faster than Thorn, sure, but could she win against the King's dragon himself, Shruikan? He hated to admit it, but he doubted it.
"Just land Saphira, it's time we rest," Eragon murmured. Saphira shrugged and began to descend, flying lower and lower until she set herself on the ground. Eragon unstrapped his legs and jumped down, wobbling at bit before steadying himself. They had beat their old record of three days straight in the saddle with four.
Eragon felt terrible; his eyes were crusted over and his face was burning, the skin raw from the constant hellishly hot winds. His limbs ached and his shoulders sagged, he wasn't tired, just sore. Sore all over. To make matters even worse, his groin was sore just as much as the rest of him. He walked funny, bearing the pain like a trooper as he unpacked his supper from the saddle and loosened the saddle from Saphira's back. They couldn't chance taking it off all the way, but he loosened it as much as he could before he risked it falling off in flight should they have to rush into flight during the night. Any adjustments he needed to make after they were free of danger could be done while flying, they had practiced.
He was in the process of taking his boots off with an apple in his mouth, a rather un-heroic moment, when Saphira lifted her head from her sleeping position and stared into the underbrush. She squinted, raising her upper lip threateningly and signaled Eragon to put his boots back on. Eragon, there is someone over there. She has frozen in fear, but I heard her boots scrape on the rocks. Eragon immediately sprang to his feet, narrowing his eyes and calling a bit of magic to give him better sight. Though he didn't see anything, he heard her breathing with Saphira's ears.
He had only taken a few steps in her direction when she took off like a rabbit, scrambling up the mountain side. He sprinted after her, apple long forgotten on the ground. His worsts fears was that it was a young elf ready to tell the Varden of his whereabouts, and this fear pushed him on faster than he thought possible. His half-elven agility let him jump from rock to rock after her, and as he watched her run, the fear that she was an elf vanished to the back of his mind. Though she knew how to maneuver herself over the rocks, she was no elf.
She was far too short as well, all the elves he had seen were tall, taller than him even, and he was proud of his above average height. She couldn't have been more the five and a half feet tall. Do not underestimate her because of it, she could be baiting you somewhere, Saphira called to him, circling them over head to try and get a visual on the oncoming terrain. Keep herding her in that direction, there is a gully up ahead that she will not be able to cross, Saphira informed him. Eragon nodded through she could not see this. With another burst of speed he crashed through the underbrush and saw her three feet away. With a sinking feeling in his gut, he realized he would not stop in time, and slammed into her. They tumbled over the edge and into the small ravine, both cursing and grunting the whole way down.
When they came to a stop at the bottom, they panted heavily in unison for a moment. It only took Eragon a few seconds to regain his bearings and remember where he was and what was happening. With a growl, he rolled over and pinned her into the dirt, catching her wrists in one hand and forcing them above her head while planting her hips down by sitting on her. He glared down at her, but couldn't fight the surprise on his face. I, I caught her... He told Saphira, who hovered above, watching their movements.
Good, hold her there so I may land, Saphira answered, but Eragon barely heard her. He continued to stare down at this, this non elfish woman who looked elfish but was not, with sandy blonde hair and eyes as brown as his. He shook himself out of his surprise, and tightened his hold with renewed vigor, "Why the hell did you run?" He barked, trying to sound more angry than astonished.
"Why the hell did you chase me?" She snarled back, fighting his hold. She kneed him in the back and slammed her forehead to his nose, forgetting how much the move dazed her, "ow." Meanwhile, Eragon swore and ducked his head, fighting the urge to let go of her arms and hold his face. Instead he glared down at her, blood running from his broken nose down his chin and into his mouth. He spit, his mouth now all bloodied and red, giving him a devilish look.
She does have a point, why did you run after her? I thought we were going to just pack up and leave, Saphira added to their silent conversation, wondering herself. She didn't want to search his mind, so she just waiting for him to answer. Eragon sighed at her, resisting the urge to facepalm.
I chased her because no one can know we were here, he growled, growing irritated with all the pain. His face ached just like the rest of him, and that did not make him happy. "I chased you because you saw us, and I can't let you run off and tell everyone." He stood and hauled her up with him, barking out a spell that bound her hands behind her back. "Do not run again, or I will knock you out," he threatened, but the minute he held her with one hand instead of two she bolted. He swore at her and grabbed her again, this time casting another spell that lulled her to sleep slowly over the next few minutes. She fell quiet immediately, growing limp in his grip.
He struggled to drag her up the side of the ravine, exhausted when he finally reached the top. He panted, his body reminding him how much it hurt and his nose beginning to drip again. Saphira craned her neck down and smelt the stranger, curious about her. She smells almost like.. Orik... Eragon gave his dragon a funny look.
Dwarf? She doesn't look it at all, he added, looking the woman up and down. He didn't mean to leer, even though his face flushed anyways, he was just curious as well. She is pretty, I'll give her that. Saphira nodded in agreement, choosing not to taunt him about it. It wasn't as if it wasn't the truth.
But what are we going to do with her? It was the question that hun over both their head. They couldn't just leave her here, after that fiasco she'd never forget about their encounter, and who knows who she would tell and who would learn of their whereabouts because of it.
Take her with us I suppose, drop her off some place else or something.
She may die with us anyways, Saphira admitted, knowing even Eragon's body was straining to remain healthy. Not to mention she would not have her own rider sacrificing food for any stranger, even if his manners dictate it should be so as she is a woman.
Saphira! Eragon yelped, surprised at her blunt state. He didn't want to think of anyone dying, least of all that first person who didn't automatically want to capture or kill him he had seen in weeks. It's settled, she'll ride with us, for the moment at least. Saphira nodded her consent and Eragon moved so she could pick up the woman in her paw and fly her down to their camp for the night. In the morning they would be off again, and Eragon was secretly excited to finally have someone new to talk to during their travels.
So now you've officially met a new character! :'D her name will be revealed next chapter following these guys (don't know when that will be) but yeah, I'm making great progress with the plot for this. It's shaping up to be a really long story (48 page long doc so far!) but not a lot has happened. I'm not good at writing long chapters Dx ugh, I'm sorry guys.
Next update: 2/27/2012 - Next Monday :) See you then!
