Updates every Mondays and Thursday!
This is completely unedited/I just wrote it 20 minutes ago and have not read through it. Hopefully my new Beta will get on it soon :)
With Rhonny off exploring once again, Eragon and Saphira were left alone in the cave. They thought about looking over the oasis as well but Saphira didn't want to walk everywhere, so they settled for flying. Eragon strapped Saphira's saddle on with practiced ease, barely looking at his fingers as he worked. Once he hoisted himself up and strapped himself in Saphira launched into the sky from the ledge and carried them towards the sun.
In the oasis it was easy to ignore the dry heat of the desert with all the trees and ponds, but in the air they were reminded of how hot it was. Saphira hummed with the sun and wriggled happily, but Eragon was forced to pull off his shirt, already sweating. You will get burned, his dragon warned, but Eragin chuckled.
I'm pale, a little sun will do me good, he reassured her, so she shrugged and let it go. Feeling the heat on his shoulders and back made him sleepy, but the roar of the wind in his ears kept him awake. It was a surprisingly confusing conversation; his body didn't know whether to doze off or not. Why can't everyday be like this, Eragon sighed, stretching on Saphira's back.
Saphira agreed with him halfheartedly; her mind was elsewhere. Eragon… what did Blodgharm tell you? Why did we leave so… suddenly? She had not been able to get away from her throats ever since they left the Varden, it was haunting her. Did the elves know something about her condition? Did Blodgharm tell Eragon, is that why they left so unexpectedly?
Saphira, I do not think this is a good time, Eragon whispered, knowing telling Saphira while she was flying was certainly a bad idea.
It is a good a time as any, Eragon, tell me what Blodgharm told you, Saphira growled, and Eragon sighed. This was not the time he wanted to explain everything, so he fought to find the right words to let her down gently.
Blodgharm said… the elves may have been involved… in your condition… Saphira stayed silent, her mind picking that apart until the cold truth was all that remained.
What you're saying is… I'm pregnant thanks to the elves..? She asked, not even knowing if that was possible. She had always reasoned it was something to do with the Empire, and it was that idea that fueled her flight east; she was flying to get away from those who had hurt her. At first she had wanted to lay waste to their castles and burn their bodies, but Eragon's nature had gotten in the way of her revenge so she settled for escape.
Escape from the Empire, escape from the pressures to be the mother of her race, escape from everything. Eragon had not noticed, but her heart had hardened over the last few months. The war was taking its toll on her spirit, sapping the soul right out of her. Only Eragon had held her up, helped her don a mask of violence loving vengeance until Rhonny came along, yet now the girl was softening her as well.
Her eyes began to sting and Saphira pushed herself higher into the air, ignoring Eragon's voice in her head and the pressure of his mind against hers. Cracking, she roared with every bit of sadness, relief, and anger she had within her and fire burst from her maw. She burned the air with her flames until her throat became so hoarse she could no longer roar, and her eyes burned with tears she didn't know she could produce.
Eragon screamed, trying to warn her about the approaching danger, but it was too late; by the time her eyes cleared enough to see the mountain of sand tearing towards them they were sucked into the sandstorm. Saphira fought the winds with wing breaking power, but not even she could fight nature and win. So she let herself be sucked into the gusts and be thrashed on the currents, tossed this way and that.
On her back Eragon was hugging onto the saddle and squeezing his eyes shut, praying for their lives. This isn't a terrible way to die, Saphira reasoned, but she knew this was not the way she wanted to go. She screamed when her wing was snapped back at an unnatural angle but the only thing on her mind was her rider who clung onto her back for life. She couldn't let him die, and she wouldn't leave him alone in the world due to her own selfish misery. He had left his whole life behind for her, and it was her turn to return the favor.
Shruikan was hunkered down for a bit of rest when he heard the roar of the storm and the piercing wail of one of his own. His head shot up and he scanned, wide eyed, knowing for his own safety he should just lay there and let whatever dragon was out there suffer through the storm; it took a lot to kill a dragon. He was almost content with that logic as the storm raged closer until he heard another roar.
Standing to his feet Shruikan ignored the winds that bit his hide and sand that sung his eyes and he began marching in the direction of the storm. He knew it would be suicide to try to fly in this weather, so his pace was painfully slow, but once he was in the middle of it all and looked up for the deserts upcoming victim his burning eyes widened. It's her, he thought but the joy of their first meeting was pushed back by an overwhelming bad feeling. She would surely be thrown to the ground by the storm and killed. By the looks of it her wings were already broken, and he knew what he had to do.
Seven hells, you owe me one little girl, he growled, and launched into the sky. He had only been in one of these storms before and he prayed he remembered how to maneuver. His heart pumped until he could hear nothing else as he neared her, the storm quieting all around him as his pulse pounded through his skull. His skin tingled as the sand sprayed against his scales and he fought to keep his eyes open. He spun around her, trying to find a good place to wrap himself around her and bring her down, but her body just kept spinning.
Saphira, you must work with me or you, your rider, and I will not survive this storm, he whispered into her mind. He felt her panic, and her pain, but thankfully she could not open her eyes to see him or she'd fight him. Shruikan saw her reached her paws out and took the opening, latching onto her body with his own talons and enclosing her in his wings. Saphira did not know what he was doing yet she had no choice but trust him with her life. She was scared out of her wits and clung onto this strange dragon desperately.
Had she control over her thoughts she wouldn't have said "I don't know who you are, but if you save my life I will owe you a big one." Fortunately, Shruikan got the gist from her torrent of thoughts. Grinning despite himself and the situation they were in, Shruikan tucked her head down under his and they dropped. The worst thing about these types of storms wasn't trying to get in, it was getting out. There was only one way and that involved his shoulder slamming into the sands after dropping two hundred feet through the air. Random gusts of wind slowed their descent but he gritted his teeth, knowing this was going to hurt him more than her or her rider.
Eragon had no idea what was going on any more than his dragon, but after being wrapped in Shruikan's wings he dared peak out with one eye and found himself encased in black. The winds were all but gone, yet sand still gathered in various places. He realized with the sinking feeling in his stomach they were dropping. His eyes widened and he began to see spots, all the blood rushing to his head. Then the world boomed and they went tumbling. Had he not been strapped in, Eragon would've been sent flying this way and that, but he leaned in close to Saphira's back and held on so tight his knuckles turned white, praying to every god he knew he was still alive.
Then the world stopped whirling and they lay there, only moving to breathe. Shruikan shuddered, and he groaned, not daring to move his shoulder quite yet. He had been far worse when fighting rival dragons, but never without Galbatorix to heal him immediately after. He guessed Eragon did not have the abilities to help him, and he guessed correctly. Saphira's ears buzzed and her heart thumped uncontrollably from the rush she hoped to never feel again anytime soon. Her thoughts gathered, and after checking Eragon wasn't in any serious pain, she dove into this strange dragons mind to flood him with thanks.
You're welcome, young one, Shruikan managed to rumble but he could not keep the pain from his mind to seep into her own. This wasn't how he wanted to meet her for the first time, hell, he had kind of hoped to impress her right off. But that didn't seem possible, so settled for het temporary unbiased thanks he knew would melt away as soon as she saw the color of his scales.
Unwrapping his wings from her back, he let the light in, knowing the storm had left as quickly as it had come. He held a roar in his throat at the shattered feeling in his shoulder and side as he retracted his head from hers and rolled over, slumping on his side. With every breath he took he saw black and he squeezed his eyes shut, unable to stop his pitiful whines and whimpers of pain.
Eragon untied himself from the saddle and fell into the sand from an odd angle with a thud, knocking the wind out of his lungs. He laid there only for a few seconds before he sprang to his feet and ran around the bulk of Saphira, practically climbing onto Shruikan's body in his haste to get to head and look into his pain filled eyes. He opened his mouth to say something and Shruikan blinked slowly as if even that stung him. Eragon opened and closed his mouth once again before just staring at Shruikan.
Disappointed you don't have your sword with you to slay me, rider? Shruikan tested, abdomen heaving with pain as he inhaled. The pain wasn't going to fade anytime soon, and it did not put him in a good mood. At Shruikan's words, however, Eragon said nothing. Instead he trailed his eyes to Shruikan's torn shoulder where the blood gushed down his side and over his back. He knew he couldn't heal the wound beneath, but he could mend the surface.
Shruikan's eyes rolled to the back of his head as Eragon ignored his taunt to cast a spell and close the gash on his shoulder. It didn't heal as much as he truly wished, but it made a small difference in the pain. Instead of a sharp tug his shoulder reduced to a pulsing ache that he could deal with. Making sure the ride was clear of his feet and back next to his dragon, Shruikan rolled to his feet, gritting his teeth at the rough movement. He withheld his growls, knowing he could not afford to seem threatening to the pair, and turned to look them over with heavy golden eyes.
No one spoke for what seemed like hours until Saphira dropped her gaze, Eragon busy healing anything he could find wrong with her wings. She didn't even dare hiss at the slight pain knowing what Shruikan was suffering through. Her mind was everywhere although her face didn't show it, and reaching in Eragon's mind she found he was questioning the same things as she. It was only when she looked back up to Shruikan with a small fire in her eyes that she linked her mind with his. Why the hell did you save us?
Shruikan sighed and looked away from her in search of something, and to avoid her gaze. He had hoped he'd catch up to them in the next few days but he wasn't exactly ready to explain to either of them the way he wanted to. So he struggled to grasp onto a suitable answer as the dragoness sat there none too patiently. There would be no gain in letting you die when I could save you. Regardless of your affiliation you are still a dragon, like me. He stated firmly, and no matter how much she wished to be mad at him, she couldn't.
How could you assault someone who had saved your life and hurt themselves to do so? She growled at him, warning, but did not move to strike him. With his injury she had a chance of winning, but her wings were still sore and he was so… large.
He dwarfed her, nearly two times her size, which surprised her as she had thought he'd be far larger with the help of black magic. She thought back to Thorn and how the hatchling was bigger than her as well due to that very reason, and she growled again. I assume you are the King's traitor of a dragon, so why are so far from your master?
Choosing to ignore her ignorance towards his history and relationship with Galbatorix, he responded calmly, to find you of course. Couldn't have the last female flying to heaven knows where without finding out what she was up to, he reached a claw up and scratched his muzzle lightly, a movement that brought Saphira's eyes to his. He saw disbelief there and wariness as well, yet to his surprise a significantly small amount of malice; he was off to a better start than he had hoped.
My business is none of your or your treacherous King's concern, she asserted but Shruikan merely rolled his eyes at her. Of course her business was his concern; it was all of Alagaesia's concern. She was the last female alive until more eggs hatched, including the ones in her belly and the one he carried as well.
Your business became my business more than anyone else's when the eggs in your belly began to grow, he growled and watched her eyes widen, terrified. Yes, I know a mutual friend of ours told me after you and your rider flew off, he continued, mentioning that night when she had brutally maimed Thorn and Eragon had knocked Murtagh unconscious. After they left, Blodgharm had been quick to diffuse the situation and strike a deal. At the time Shruikan thought he was getting the upper hand, but upholding his part had proved a bit more difficult than he realized. It was over the past few weeks he had realized although he had no gotten the better end of the bargain; it had been as fair as it could've possibly been. Shruikan longed to tell her everything, all the words that had been exchanged between him and those elves, and all the promises they each made, but he feared it would over whelm her.
Saphira wisely cut Eragon out from their conversation as soon as Shruikan mentioned her eggs; some things were left to dragons alone, no matter who he was or how much she trusted her rider. How did you know? She hissed, growing defensive and warning him to keep himself in line. Shruikan would have shrugged but the action would've filled his body with pain.
Blodgharm told me, of course. I know what the queen did, and I know how I can help, he whispered the last sentence and his eyes fell to her paws. Unsure on whether she still felt threatened by him, he sunk his head down below hers before continuing, if you would let me.
You are Galbatorix's dragon, the killer of my master and many more. You brought the rider's to their doom! You, and your rider, are mad! I wouldn't even consider such a thing! Now get away from me! She roared, and he backed away to appear even less threatening. It made him sad she rejected his offer without even consulting her rider, but it made him mad as well. If anything, he knew one thing he could use to his advantage.
All your life you've only had one person you could trust; the boy who raised you. You're angry, and you have reason to be, but you're also ignorant of your own history and of the world before you were born. Do you have any idea why this war was started, other than what the elves have told you? Do you really believe you can trust them after what they've done to you? Shruikan snarled, angry at fate more than her. If I had just guarded your egg better that night, none of this would have happened, he whispered in his own mind, but Saphira heard it.
You think the weight of our race is all on your shoulders, little one, but it's not! There are others, dozens of eggs waiting to hatch once the spell breaks. The same one the elves put on them hundreds of years ago that keeps them imprisoned in their own shells. The same one that held you, or do you not remember? I sang to you, young one, when you grew lonely in that dark prison waiting for that boy to come along, he motioned to Eragon. Do you want to same thing for your own eggs, to wait from a human that might never come? Or do you want them to be raised free as wild dragons like your mother Vervada? Finally finished and hoping he made his point, Shruikan retreated from her mind slightly. If she chose to answer him he would hear her, but only if she called out to him.
Saphira sat there, stunned as his words and his passion. Wishing to consult Eragon, she gave him only the bits and pieces that she deemed acceptable for his ears. Left just as stunned as she, Eragon wished to help her decide but could not. Finally they decided for every negative reason she found to make Shruikan leave, he'd search for a positive to counter it.
When she said he could be lying, Eragon said he could be telling the truth. He's the king's dragon, she offered, he's the only dragon. She raised an eyebrow at him but continued he could be trying to force us to serve Galbatorix. Eragon frowned at her, but he saved our lives, and everyone else is after us for treason anyways. Their countering and counter-attacking continued until Shruikan shifted nervously, only seeing their exchanged glances and subtle hand gestures and growing nervous. He thought his little speech was good, and the obvious submission had been a nice touch, yet there was always the possibility they'd make him leave, and in his state he might run into some trouble trying to fight them.
Finally Saphira turned her head to him and pushed at his mind, finding immediate acceptance in, I wish to search your mind, she stated firmly, and knowing to object meant they'd be suspicious again he let her in after a few seconds.
He hid nothing, watching her go back through the past weeks to watch as he fought the battle of Melian and before leave Uru Baen with her in the back of his thoughts. She caught a glimpse of Galbatorix and took an obvious interest in the conversation they were having. He felt her listen to them speak of the elven front late one night before she moved back even further to him training Thorn in the rain, and onto the hatching of the red egg.
His heart swelled with emotion as she watched Thorn first break out of his shell and come crawling towards Shruikan's foot. Despite himself, he began to hum happily as he did when it actually happened. She abruptly moved back farther, something about that particular memory obviously upsetting her. He directed her towards the memory of her egg resting in his claws the morning before she was taken from him and let him guide her. Something Saphira saw there triggered a connection as she recalled something about that morning from the recesses of her mind as well.
Hatchling, you will have far more time to go through my memories later if you'd like to take your time. I have nothing to hide from you, he whispered to her. Saphira ignored him to push back further a bit more, just enough to see another dragon before her sparkling brilliant green. At first her mental eyes deceived her but she assured herself that was in fact a dragon he had seen. He caught onto an echoing though in her mind and chuckled, I am a hundred and 16, young one. Many more years for you to sift through when you choose to. With that she withdrew her mind from his, her own swimming form her new knowledge. She breathed shallow and looked into her eyes, her anger all but gone. She trusted him enough to let him help her with her condition, but only for now.
One slip up and I slit your throat, she hissed as Eragon swung up into her saddle. She stretched her wings out, ignoring the pain, and glared as Shruikan as he mimicked her. She wasn't happy about inviting him into their lives, but she was curious.
Oh hey guys, about my updates: Track starts next week and apparently I'm doing it again this year xD Practice runs from right after school to supper (2:00-4:30) and being it's towards the end of the year I might get a little lost when it comes to time. Also, track meets are on Thursday and usually go late into the night, so those updates will happen on Wednesday or Friday instead depending on my schedule. I'll still give you two updates a week unless something drastic happens and my schedule changes, but school is my top priority =) bear with me for the next THREE MONTHS x.x
Next Update: 3/15/12 Next Thursday.