Ever since the war had ended there had been more and more visitors to the dwarves cities. Humans had been interested in seeing the great tunnels and halls that the dwarfs had carved into the stone for a long time, and now that the dwarfs were no longer in hiding this became possible.
Because of this, dwarfs frequently guided travellers through the dark passages to wherever the travellers were travelling. One such dwarf was guiding a man and his pregnant wife towards Tronjheim. He had been reluctant at first but when the man told him that he was the dragon rider's cousin he couldn't refuse.
Roran hadn't been to Tronjheim before, but he had heard tales of it from the people in the Varden. It was apparently a very large city, deep within the mountain that he was currently walking in. These tales were proven true when Tronjheim finally came into view. Roran gaped at the city in awe, Katrina doing the same by his side.
They had been to Ellesmera before and seen the elves forest cities but they suddenly seemed less magnificent when they thought about the amount of time and resources it would have taken to carve into the mountain and build a city in it's centre.
They passed a few dwarfs and people going in the other direction but other than that they had no company apart from the darkness that surrounded them; their dwarf guide wasn't the most talkative of people that Roran had ever met. Roran and Katrina soon found themselves passing in-between two giant golden griffins that seemed to stand guard over the passageway they were going through.
The dwarfs' wealth was easily visible in the hallway they walked through. Various gems lined the walls and a number of gold statues sat in the alcoves in-between them. What really made them lost for words was the gigantic sapphire that was high above the large chamber they entered.
The sapphire capped the entire ceiling of the chamber, but it looked like a small passage enabled people to stand above it. There was a rose carved into the blue gem, Katrina thought it beautiful how the dwarfs managed to capture the image of the rose in full bloom on the gem. The dwarf was also looking at the sapphire. "I see the dragoness made good on her promise to fix the Isidar Mithrim, although it was red last time I checked."
"Saphira fixed this?" Roran asked, not really expecting an answer.
"Aye, I wager there was much drinking last night." The dwarf replied.
"Do you know where we could find Saphira now?" Katrina asked.
The dwarf nodded. "The dragon hold is above the sapphire, she will most likely be up there. You can get there by using Vol Turin." The dwarf said, pointing to a staircase that spiralled around the chamber upwards towards the gem ceiling. Roran looked at Katrina, there was no way she would be able to reach the top in her current condition.
"I'll go up and see if they are up there." He told her. He then turned back to the dwarf. "May I ask if you can take her to someone who can find us accommodation, preferably someone who knows Orik, or better yet Orik himself." The dwarf nodded.
"Sending me away again?" Katrina said as she turned to her husband. "But even I know I wouldn't be able to make it up all those stairs." She moved close to him and gave him a passionate kiss on his lips. Roran relished the contact and almost stopped her as she pulled away. "I hope to see you and Eragon soon, don't spend all your time up there with him, bring him down and we'll talk over a drink."
Roran nodded and then watched as she walked off with the dwarf towards a staircase that spiralled downwards. Once she was out of sight he made his way towards the staircase that led upwards. He looked up, not looking forward to his ascent. "You and your dragon, Cousin." He said to himself. "Just because she can reach high places doesn't mean that you have to live up there with her." He then began to climb.
His back began to sweat as he climbed. The stairs seemed to go on forever and Roran swore he was going to kill Eragon if he found him up there when he reached the top. When he did reach the top he collapsed on the top stair, panting heavily. His legs were burning and the bottom of his back ached; he felt like he had done all the work on his fields three times over without a break.
When enough time had passed for him to have recovered, he got himself up and proceeded to walk through the only visible archway. This led him to some more stairs but he thanked the gods that they only went up about twenty steps. Once at the top of these he found himself standing on the giant sapphire.
As he looked around he immediately noticed the five dragons lying smack down in the middle of the gem. He was astounded that the dragons were there, he had always been under the impression that there was only two dragons left, Saphira and the golden dragon, that Eragon had mentioned lived in the forest of Du Weldenvarden. Yet lying down before him were two large dragons and what were undoubtedly their children.
As Roran studied the dragons he recognised that the large sapphire dragon, that was lying on top of the light blue coloured dragon, was Saphira. He had no idea who the other dragons were but he guessed that Saphira had found herself a mate. 'Well at least now Eragon doesn't have an excuse for not finding himself a wife' He thought to himself.
He carefully crept towards the dragons. He planned on waking Saphira and leaving the other dragons alone, he didn't know them so didn't know if they would try and attack him. When he reached her he tapped her on the leg that was draped over the other dragon's side. "Saphira." He whispered. "Saphira, where is Eragon?"
Saphira stirred slightly and then growled. No, Eragon is mine. She said as her grip on the dragon beneath her tightened. She then seemed to be asleep again.
Roran looked at her, puzzled. 'She must be having one strange dream' he thought before trying again.
"Saphira, where is Eragon?" This time Saphira opened her eyes. She looked around the room but she couldn't see Roran, who was just below her elevated position on Eragon's back.
He's right here. She said as she licked the blue dragons neck repeatedly.
Roran sighed. 'She's still half asleep.' He tried one last time. "Saphira, it's me Roran. Where is Eragon? I wish to speak with him." He said this slightly louder, causing two of the smaller dragons to stir. He froze in place expecting them to wake but they didn't.
Saphira lifted her head. Her glazed eyes fixed on to Roran and a vague sense of recognition drifted across from her mind to his. Roran? She asked. He nodded. What are you doing here? Saphira suddenly buried her head into the light blue dragon's back. Oh my head. She said as she rubbed against the scales.
"I take it you had quite a lot to drink last night." Roran laughed lightly. Saphira nodded. "Well I'll leave you to sleep if you tell me where I can find Eragon."
Saphira stopped rubbing her head against the other dragon. This is Eragon. She said.
Roran grew irritated. "I think you may still be drunk." He said.
I think I am. She said slowly. But I am telling you the truth. This is Eragon, transformed into a dragon to be my mate.
"That's impossible, even I know that there isn't a magic like that."
If you don't believe me ask him yourself. Saphira then began to nudge Eragon's neck. Eragon, Eragon, my mate, wake up. The dragon began to stir, although Saphira still remained in her position on his back.
W-what is it Saphira, you can't honestly wish to do it now, can't it wait till later? Roran recognised the voice, it was Eragon.
We'll save that for later, my mate, for now your cousin wishes to speak with you. At the mention of his cousin Eragon quickly lifted his head, only to bring it down with a quiet whimper. Maybe you were right about the drink. She said as she licked the back of his head.
"Wait, how is this possible? And why haven't you told me this before now?" Eragon opened his eyes and looked at his confused cousin. His mind was still swimming with the effects of the drink he had consumed, but enough time had passed to give him a serious headache.
It's a long story for how I became like this but as to why you haven't been told…I have been living in a cave with Saphira for the past four months in seclusion. Eragon told his cousin.
"You've been a dragon for four months!" Roran exclaimed, loud enough for the hatchlings to wake up.
Ow my head hurts. Serafina said as she ran her tongue through her teeth.
I don't feel well. Vervada complained as she turned over onto her stomach. Ouch, I shouldn't have slept on my wings.
Selena was still asleep, her mouth hanging agape and a small stream of saliva flowing out from between her teeth and pooling around her head.
Yes four months. Eragon repeated. Not many other people know about this, it happened quite suddenly and, well, it happened around the dragon mating season and that was where these three dragons came from.
Roran's face went pale. "Y-you mated with Saphira…and had three children?" He looked at the three hatchlings, two of them looking back at him with confused looks. "I'm an uncle to dragons." He said quietly.
Is there something wrong with that? Eragon challenged. Roran looked at him.
"Oh no, nothing wrong with that, except for the fact that you're human, like me."
I'm not human anymore, my transformation was a complete one. I have the same instincts and hereditary knowledge that Saphira and my hatchlings share. I won't be returning to human form, I don't want to.
"You don't want to?" Roran repeated. "Katrina is pregnant, I will soon be a father and you an uncle. What will happen if something happens to her and I? Who will care for the child?"
I'm glad that you are expecting, Roran, but I can't be transformed back. If something does happen to you and Katrina then Saphira and I will try and look after the child- Roran interrupted him.
"How can you look after it? You can't pick it up if it's crying, I really don't think Saphira produces milk, and you are so big that you will crush the child if you try to walk towards it."
Well then you will have to find someone else to look after the child. Saphira and I don't expect you to look after our hatchlings if something happens to us. Eragon snapped back, his jaws clicking together, sending a sharp pain to his head making him regret doing it.
Roran scoffed. "I couldn't even if you wanted me too. They're too big, a different species and would eat me out of house and home."
Saphira grew tired of the conversation between the two cousins. She firmly bit down on Eragon's neck and quickly pinned Roran down with her tail. There, now, you two have both begun to raise families. Whoever that is done with and however you both do it is trivial, the point is still the same, to raise offspring. I know this is a shock to you Roran but it is something you have to accept, Eragon is now a dragon and my mate. Besides he doesn't answer to you…he answers to me.
Eragon winced slightly as Saphira bit down harder to get her point across. Now, Roran, I seem to recall you saying you would leave me to sleep if I told you where Eragon was. Well, I told you where he was and now I wish to return to sleep. She lifted her tail off Roran and wrapped it back around Eragon. Unfortunately I am quite comfortable here, so Eragon will not be available for you to talk to for quite sometime.
With that, she released the grip her jaws had on his neck and then laid her head back down on Eragon's head. Roran tried to begin talking again but a glare from Saphira made him stop. He looked at the hatchlings, who had now gone back to sleep. Eragon exhaled loudly in a sigh and shut his eyes again, trying to get back to sleep. Roran, now with his conversation forcibly ended, began to leave. If Katrina is anything like Saphira then I feel sorry for you, cousin. Eragon said inside Roran's mind.
Roran turned to look at Eragon who winked at him, Saphira snoozing loudly on his back. Roran gave a light chuckle."No, I think you have it worse." He whispered back.
I heard that. Saphira said, making Eragon panic and Roran leave in a rush.
--
Angela cursed as she tripped over a knotted tree root. "Why is it dragons have to live in places like forests and mountains? What I wouldn't give to find a dragon who likes vast open plains, preferably with a managed road passing through it."
Upon entering Petrøvya she had been assaulted by the rumours in the city that a golden beast was seen in Silverwood Forest. She had cast these rumours aside to begin with, she usually heard such rumours when venturing into any city. However, her interest in this one grew when some of the rumours began to speak of a golden dragon.
After some investigation she discovered that the rumours began about two months beforehand, which coincided with the hatching of Selena, Vervada and Serafina. That was why she was traipsing through the forest, someone must have been transformed into an egg and remained undiscovered until it hatched.
Solembum easily traversed the terrain. If things were as easy as that then what would be the point?
Angela glared at the werecat. "Don't be giving me all that rubbish, I had a hard enough time hiking across the Spine looking for Saphira and Eragon, I don't see why I just can't have it easy for once."
Because dragons are stubborn, you can't change that.
"You're hopeless." She said with a sigh. They walked in silence through the forest for a further fifteen minutes before Angela tripped again. "Blast it all!" She cried out as she lost her footing and landed head first in the mud.
She picked herself up, turned around and then kicked the tree that she had tripped on. You may want to take a closer look at that tree. Solembum said as he casually licked his left front paw. Angela took a look at the tree and realised that it had been uprooted. She also noticed several claw marks on the bark and several more in the dirt around it.
"The dragon has been here, recently by the looks of it." She mused as she studied the tracks.
HE has and still is. Solembum stated. I've been able to smell him for a while now. Angela's face grew flushed.
"You knew it's gender and how close it was for some time now!" She shouted angrily. Solembum simply carried on with his licking. She cried out in frustration. "Well make yourself useful and tell me which direction to go in."
A few moments passed before Solembum answered, further infuriating Angela. Straight ahead of you there is a small cave by the nearby waterfall. He lives in there. Angela hung her head in exasperation.
"It would have been a lot easier on me if you had told me this before. Come on, the quicker we find him the quicker we can get to Tronjheim." Angela walked off into the forest, Solembum stalling a bit before finally following.
It didn't take long for Angela to hear the waterfall and not long after that for her to actually see it. From there she began to search for the cave that Solembum had mentioned. She found it a few meters to the left of the cascading water and about one meter up the cliff face. Unfortunately she was on the wrong side of the water.
"Did you know about this?" She asked the cat by her side.
Now how could I have possibly known?
She sighed and slowly began to wade through the water. The water went waist high but that wasn't what bothered her; she didn't want to get wet in the first place. Solembum had avoided getting wet by jumping on to Angela's shoulders and when she reached the other side he jumped off on to the floor, as dry as he was before. Angela glared at him whilst she squeezed the water out of her clothes.
A rush of wind above her suddenly caught her attention and she looked up to see a young golden dragon fly over her head and then land in front of the cave, staring at her. Angela noticed that the dragon was slightly bigger than Eragon's and Saphira's hatchlings, but that could only be expected due to him being male. "I've been looking for you, dragon." She said to him, his golden eyes fixed onto hers.
And why have you been looking for me? The dragon replied. Angela took a step forward only to receive a growl. Don't come any closer, I've seen your kind before, you've tried to hurt me in the past. Angela thought for a moment. The dragon seemed to have no idea that it had been a human.
"Where did you come from?" She asked, remaining where she stood.
I do not know, I hatched not far from here and have been in these woods ever since.
"And you have no idea where your egg came from?" She asked again.
No, now, if you would kindly like to explain why you were looking for me. Angela smiled.
"I believe you have a purpose. I have been looking for you to introduce you to other dragons." The dragon seemed interested.
And how would you know how and where to find other dragons? He asked, sceptical of her intentions. Angela smiled and reached into her pack. She then pulled out a glistening, brown dragon egg. The dragon stared at it.
"I'm no stranger to dragons." She said, rubbing the smooth egg. "I happen to know where there are three lovely females for you. I would say you are about two months old, another four and you will be mature enough to mate. Coincidentally that is around the same time your spring mating season begins. It would be easier on you for me to introduce you to the only last females left, rather than for you to hunt them yourself."
The dragon was deep in thought after this. Angela knew he couldn't refuse. Fine I'll come with you, but if you try anything I will rip you to pieces.
Angela's grin broadened. "A wise choice. But I need to ask one favour of you." She paused and the dragon nodded. "Where we are going is far, and we need to be there within a week, the only way we can manage that is if I ride on your back."
That shouldn't be a problem. Climb up. The dragon crouched down but Angela didn't move. What's wrong? He asked.
"I can't ride you bareback, your scales will skin my legs. I'm going to have to make you a saddle."
A saddle? The golden dragon asked, confused. Angela only smiled at the young and naive dragon.
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