Chapter Thirty Eight
We land and Katrina rushes towards us, hands on her bulging belly. She looks worried. "What news?" she asks us.
"Did you hear about the werecats?" I question.
"Yes," she nods.
"Then there's no real news other than that," Eragon tells her.
"Roran said to give you his love," I announce.
"He's all right then? I thought I felt something," she points at the ring on her finger, one that Eragon and I enchanted so that she would know if Roran was in trouble and Roran would know if she was.
"He'll tell you about it," Eragon informs her. "He got a few bruises but he's fine. Scared me half to death, though."
"Well, at least you are all safe," she seems unsure if she should feel relieved or not.
We leave to find food then take it to our own private tent. Eragon sits on the ground with me and digs into some roast pork belly. 'Is it good? Is it scrumptious?' Saphira asks from outside the tent.
"Mmm…" Eragon says, juice running down his chin.
I roll my eyes at him. "You pig."
"You love me," he replies, grinning.
"I suppose I can't argue that," I smile. I go over and wipe his face with my hand before sitting in his lap and kissing him. He kisses me back, wrapping his arms around me. The rain and the wind are pelting the tent and I am grateful to be here in Eragon's embrace. There is nowhere else I'd rather be than with him.
When we stop kissing I gaze at him happily. "I love you," he tells me.
"I love you too, forever and always."
"Forever and always," he agrees.
I don't want this moment to end. Our lives are chaotic to say the least and finding moments to be alone together is like gold to me. I know that when I go back outside I will have to face the soldiers and the weather and the battle. That is just part of my job as a dragon rider. I was chosen and so was Eragon. This is our destiny.
We go rest on one of the cots placed in the tent for us. I lay on top of Eragon, my head on his chest. We drift asleep.
Soon it is time to get up. "How are you feeling?" I ask him.
"Not very well," he admits.
"Me neither," I agree. I kiss his forehead and hug him.
"Hello? May I come in?" a voice asks outside of our tent.
I sigh then sit up straight, placing my hand on Eragon's. "Come in," he says.
"Am I interrupting something?" she asks.
"No," he answers.
I always wonder if she knows that Eragon and I are more than friends. I'm sure that she must have some idea that our relationship is a bit…different.
One of the blacksmith Horst's sons runs over. If I remember right his name is Albriech. "Eragon! Eragon!" he cries.
"What?" Eragon asks.
"Mother's birth pains have begun! Father sent me to tell you and ask if you will wait with him in case anything goes wrong and your skill with magic is needed. Leolynn too. Please, if you can..."
Eragon quickly throws on his cloak and fumbles with the clasp. I go to him and fasten it for him.
"May I accompany you?" Arya asks. "I have some experience with this. I can make the birth easier for her."
"Let's go," Eragon nods.
We wait outside the tent with the other men cringing at the sounds of high pitched screaming coming from Elain. Many of the people gathered speculate that Elain may not survive the birth. It's cold and wet and my body is sore. I huddle close to Eragon for warmth. We won't leave until it's over.
Arya emerges from the tent for a moment to say something to our Elvin guards standing by us. Eragon asks her "How goes it?"
"Badly."
"Can't you help her?"
"I could sing the child out of her womb in half an hour but the women will only let me do the simplest of spells."
"That's absurd!"
"Magic frightens them. I frighten them."
"Let me go in."
"No! You will only make it worse," she shakes her head.
"Fine," he sighs. "Whatever happens don't let her or her child die. I don't care what you have to do."
"I would never allow a child to come to harm."
We go back to waiting while she goes back inside the tent. The screams gradually die down to low moans. Eragon starts to bite his nails. "Don't do that," I scold him.
"I wish there was something more I could do than wait out here."
"I know. I am worried too."
There's a loud sudden scream, louder than all of the others. Then there's total silence. After a few moments there's the sound of a newborn baby crying. We all smile and a few men cheer. Then there's the sound of a woman inside the tent sobbing and dread overwhelms me.
'She can't be dead! No! Arya promised!' Eragon exclaims.
Arya runs out to us. "Eragon! Leolynn! Come!"
"What has happened?" Eragon whispers to her.
"The child is healthy but it was born with a cat lip," she explains.
It means there is a gap in the middle of her upper lip. Most children don't survive and those who do are shunned by everyone.
"You have to heal her," Arya says.
"Me? But I've never…" Eragon frowns. "Why not you?"
"If I do it people will say I turned her into a changeling. You have to heal her."
"Eragon," I grab him and force him to look at me. "You can do this. I'll help you if you need it but Arya is right. I look like an elf and they barely know me. You have to be the one. I trust you. They trust you."
'I'll help too,' Saphira assures him.
"I'll do it," he nods.
Once again I wish there was more I could do here. I have always had a bit of a natural talent with healing. They tell me it was passed on to me through my mother.
We go into the tent and the midwife places the bundled baby into Eragon's arms. It is a little girl who has a wide gap from her left nostril to the middle of her upper lip which you can see her tongue through.
"I can't work here," Eragon announces.
"One of us must go with you," the midwife insists.
He frowns then nods. It's obvious he doesn't want her hovering over him while he works but they don't trust us using magic on the baby alone. We go outside and some of the men try to approach but I put my hands up. "Stay back!" I order them and they do.
We go to our tent. On the way we pass Elva the girl who Eragon had once tried to bless and accidentally cursed. 'I can't do that to another child,' he says.
'You won't' I assure him.
He uses a spell to make light in the tent and gazes at the squirming baby. He looks over at the midwife/town healer. She frowns at him. "How you have changed," she says to him.
"You know me still," he replies.
"No, I don't believe I do."
I glare at her angrily.
Eragon sets the girl down on the cot on some blankets. He speaks with me through our mental link as I stand behind him. Arya is waiting outside by the dragons because she doesn't want anyone to accuse her of anything. He goes over the words carefully with me and I dissect each one. When I am sure that the spell will only do good for the child and no harm, I give him the assurance he needs to say the words. He sings the spell.
It is difficult work. For one you have to be careful you are not messing up the bones in her face which are softer and still growing compared to adults. Another thing you have to be cautious of is that she is still developing so we have to try to guess what will look okay in her features as she grows. Something that looks good right now may not look as good in a few years.
I watch Eragon and the child intently the whole time, never taking my eyes off of them. If something goes wrong or if Eragon looks to be too distressed I will jump in regardless of what Gertrude may think.
By the time he is done the sun is rinsing. We have been here all night. When I stand up my body aches. Gertrude looks at the healed child and says to Eragon "Never did I think to see such a thing. Least of all from you Eragon Bromsson. Brom was your father, wasn't he? That seems fitting somehow."
Eragon whispers to the baby "Se ono waise ilia." May you be happy.
She smiles at him. Eragon and I both smile in return.
We bring the baby to Horst who takes the child into his arms. "I can't believe it. Elain are forever in your debt. I am grateful that you healed her."
"What will you name her?" Eragon asks.
"Hope," he says.
"That is a good name. How is Elain?"
"Tired but well," he answers.
One by one the men stop by to look at the child then even the elves do. Elva stands on her tiptoes to peer at the child. She nods at Eragon then leaves and he breathes a sigh of relief then.
"You should be proud of what you accomplished," Arya tells him. "The child is sound and well formed. Even our most skilled enchanters could not improve on what you did. It is a great thing you have given this girl, a face and a future. She will not forget it and I am sure none of us will.
When Eragon is finally fed up with shaking hands and answering questions we say goodbye so that we can go back to our tent. "I'm so tired," he tells me.
"I'm very proud of you Eragon," I tell him.
He smiles lightly. "Thank you."
I wrap my arms around him and kiss him. "Let's rest now," I suggest.
'Unless we're under attack I don't want to see anyone for the next ten hours, not even Nasuada. Tell Blodhgarm,' he informs Saphira.
'I will. Rest little one.'
I lie with him on the cot, holding him to me. He drifts into a deep sleep quickly.