Before Eragon could say anything, I was back on Briam's back and flying. I didn't feel like talking, and if he didn't like it he could deal. I waited a few minutes....waited...and then was finally satisfied that Eragon wasn't going to attempt to speak to me. Which was fine. Really, really fine.
Oh give it up already. You want to talk to someone, and it may as well be the only other person that was with you that this affects.
Don't tell me it didn't bother you that Thorn and Saphira were fighting.
Suddenly he blocked his mind from me, and the only thing I could feel was a sudden strong emotion: hate. For some reason the logical part of my brain didn't agree with my impulsive part of my brain on why he was angry. I naturally assumed that he agreed with me, but if he did then why wasn't he telling me about it? I shrugged it off, and since his mind was still blocked I spoke aloud.
"Let's go see Nasuada."
Wordlessly, Briam turned and headed towards the Varden encampment. He landed as gracefully as a dragon could in a fairly enclosed space, and I kept my gaze straight ahead. The problem with keeping your gaze focused though is that sometimes you miss things. Like my brother walking straight into my path.
We collided, and of course I was the one to start falling backwards. A hand grabbed my arm and pulled me back before I could hurt myself. With a shock, I realized it was Roran. His eyes, I noticed, weren't staring at my face. They were wide, and they were directed at my stomach. As tired as I was, I wasn't going to let the opportunity to punch him in the arm pass me by.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"For not giving your cousin a proper greeting."
He rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. I thought I picked out, "Saved you from falling on your butt," only with the less kind version of the word.
"Where were you going in such a hurry anyway?" Eragon asked.
"To see Nasuada. Where else would I be going?"
He shrugged, and with Briam and Saphira in tow, we continued on our way until we came to Nasuada's tent. With Saphira being so pushy, there was no room for Briam to get his head in anywhere, and I heard him huff out an annoyed breath. I laughed quietly and grinned. Arya's head snapped up from her discussion with Nasuada, and her eyes scrutinized us. Meanwhile, Nasuada rushed forward to embrace my brother.
"Where were you? We thought you were dead, or worse."
"Not quite." I could sense Eragon's mixed feelings. Having just been told the lie about who is father was, I imagined he was still feeling pretty sour about it. And his relationship to Murtagh.
"And Arianna!" I was next on the hugging list. "How are you? Sit, sit. You shouldn't have fought today."
I rolled my eyes, "I'm not that pregnant. We're all alive and breathing still. Nothing to worry about."
Not like anyone would really be upset anyway if the monster's children died, a voice in my mind said. Sharing my mind with Briam and Vanilor was irritating enough, without adding random voices of my own to the mix.
During the time that I was lost inside my own head, more words had been exchanged. Eragon was bringing Roran into view, and blabbing about introducing his cousin Roran. Roran was a totally different person than the cousin I'd left behind in Carvahall. Like a stranger almost.
"It is an honor to meet Eragon's cousin," Nasuada commented.
"Indeed," Arya added.
I listened intently as Eragon explained how the whole village of Carvahall was on the Dragon Wing, and what Roran had done. From that narrative I concluded that Eragon hadn't gotten any detailed information from him, and that I'd have to do it later. Men were so lousy at getting to the important part of things. There was a reason women were the ones with all the knowledge. We talked. Men talked, but it was barely the same language.
After all of that, Eragon went into a detailed narrative of things we already knew – for our cousin's benefit, no doubt – and finally got to today's battle. He talked about fighting the Rider and his dragon, and about the Rider's special abilities. I tried to tune him out, but with little success. I was just as intrigued as the other three people in the room, and I'd been there.
"As soon as he spun his sword around, I realized we had dueled before, so I threw myself at him and tore off his helm."
"It was Murtagh, wasn't it?" The question came quietly from Nasuada, and Eragon looked incredulous, asking the ever repeated question of "How..." and then trailing off into silence. You would've thought that having me for a sister would have taught him that when he told a story, he left little to the imagination, but he didn't. He was just that thick headed.
"If the Twins survived, and Arianna survived, it only made sense that Murtagh had as well."
Arya threw me a glance, and I ignored it.
The Queen's going to be furious when she hears about this.
I could really care less Briam. I wasn't going to rat him out.
It was at that moment that I saw Eragon take a deep breath, and I cringed. I couldn't help myself. Arya's sharp eyes must've noticed it, but she said nothing, returning her scrutiny to my brother.
Then the "secret" was out. Or the lie, depending on your point of view.
"It can't be."
Nasuada was absolutely right. It couldn't be. And yet, as of today, it was falsely true. If my father were still alive, he'd be able to take all this terrible weight off of everyone's minds by telling them. Oromis and Glaedr could tell him. Glancing at Saphira, I didn't believe that she believed what was being said either, which was strange. I didn't think much beyond that thought, which was typical for me.
"Could Murtagh have been lying?" This from Arya.
"He repeated the same thing in the ancient language," I stated numbly, both to stress the fact that Eragon hadn't been hearing things and that I was horrified by it too.
It was decided that no one would find out about this terrible secret. They then discussed boring politics; mostly how our brother would affect their campaign strategy.
I was nearly asleep when I heard the words, "Enough. We cannot decide this when we are bloody and tired and our minds are clouded from fighting. Go, rest, and we shall take this up again tomorrow."
I for one was not going to appreciate taking this up again tomorrow. Maybe I'd ask Eragon to fill me in on what happened and skip altogether.
You're a Dragon Rider too, Arianna. You have as much weight as he does.
But no more. I'm carrying Galbatorix's children, to the horror of just about everyone who carries authority. No, they will not wish to hear what I have to say. So I don't wish to hear their ridiculous theories either.
"Do not allow this to trouble you overmuch, Eragon-elda. You are not your father, nor your brother. Their shame is not yours."
For someone who claimed not to care for my brother, she sure did have a lot to say in terms of making him feel better.
She met my gaze, and her alien mind touched mine.
Nor you, Arianna.
I inclined my head slightly to let her know that I'd heard her, but that was the extent of my gratitude. I missed listening to Nasuada's departure speech to Eragon, and more irritation towards Arya flared up.
Outside, Eragon took a small moment of silence before turning towards Roran.
"So now you know."
"Blood always tells," Roran replied, shrugging carelessly.
"Don't ever say that!" We growled unanimously. Then Eragon repeated it once more for good measure.
As they continued talking, I felt a large mass of people approaching. Realizing it was the villagers, I made to scramble away to safety, like my tent, but was restrained by my ever annoying brother.
"Horst!" he exclaimed when they rounded the tent, exposing themselves to the dangerous giant dragon that was named Saphira. The words made me laugh quietly to myself. As if Saphira would ever hurt anyone who didn't deserve it.
"It's good to see you again!" he continued on, giving the smith a bear hug.
After the initial gaping, Horst beamed up at Eragon.
"Blast if it isn't good to see you as well, Eragon. You've filled out since you left."
"You mean since I ran away."
Horst ignored that, and then turned to me.
"You had us worried missy," he told me sternly. "Elaine will just be relieved to know you're safe." As he uttered the words, he pulled me into a hug and rocked me back and forth. He seemed awfully emotional, and from my head's perch on his shoulder I could see Horst's oldest son looking at me with concern. Albriech had always been like an older brother to me, but somewhere along our teenage years we'd found it awkward to be around one another. He was huge and hulking like his father, but he had his mother's honey-blonde hair. He was definitely a sight to behold.
Once Horst released me, I tried not to stare as he sniffled and wiped at his eye. Before I could bat an eyelash, I was being pulled to Eragon's side.
"Arianna, this is Jeod. Jeod, this is my twin sister, Arianna."
A strange gleam came into his eye upon taking in my appearance, and I hoped desperately that he couldn't see Brom's features in me. Everyone always told me I looked like our mother, but then they didn't have a father to compare me to. But if he hadn't figured out the resemblance between Eragon and Brom, and they'd stayed in his house together, than I highly doubted that he was going to figure out the relation by looking at me.
"It's an honor to meet the sister of Eragon, and the highly praised student of Brom. Not to mention another Dragon Rider."
So that's what the look had been for. That was a huge relief.
"Likewise. An old friend of Brom's, and a highly thought of scholar as well. It is I who should be honored."
He grinned like a little boy at Christmas, and then let himself be brought back into conversation with my brother. I returned my attentions to Roran.
"I'm going back to my tent. As soon as you're done here, and done talking with Eragon, I want you to come see me. Alright?"
He nodded, returning to his previous conversation. Briam sniffed and followed me.
What's the matter with you? I asked him.
I don't like the way that boy looks at you.
Albriech?
Yes.
I snorted, He's nothing to worry about Briam. Just a friend.
You keep telling yourself that.
I glared at him, then turned and stalked off. Like Saphira, he too was much too big to fit inside the tent. So he settled down outside near the entrance and put his snout by the door. Despite my attempts not to, I couldn't help but drift off into my "sleep" state...
I was woken up by a slight shaking of my shoulder, and my eyes opened slowly. Roran was standing over me, looking both utterly spent and determined.
"Did Eragon show you Katrina?"
It was hard not to dream of her in my resting state, what with their thoughts being entirely focused on her and whatnot.
"Yes."
"Good."
The conversation was really quite awkward, and all I really wanted to do was drift back to nothing again.
"So...you're pregnant."
I laughed, but it wasn't a happy laugh.
"Yes. Have you heard who the father is?"
I saw his eyes tighten, and he sat down so fast that I thought I might get squished.
"That bastard!" he growled.
"What? Eragon told you! That little br-"
"No, but I've got a brain Anna. Can't Eragon like...get it out of you or something?"
"I don't want them out."
I knew Roran wished he had a wall to punch. As it was, the whole tent would fall down if he punched it. So instead, he balled up his fists and ground his teeth together.
"Them?"
"Yes. Twins. A boy and a girl."
"Have you lost your mind?"
I shook my head wearily. "I don't think so, brother. I don't think so."
Grasping his hand, I smiled weakly at him. If only there was some way to make him understand. To make everyone understand why I wasn't going to give them up. Now they all thought that they were going to be doubly evil, what with Morzan supposedly being the grandfather, and Galbatorix the father. How sick would that be? But me being me, I was looking on the bright side of things. These children would have Galbatorix in them, yes, but they would also have me, Brom, and Selena within their blood as well. And I firmly believed that the good would always prevail over the evil.
Forcing a smile, Roran squeezed my hand before leaning down to plant a kiss on my forehead.
"Sleep, cousin."
Darkness settled in my mind, and I didn't bother correcting him. There would be plenty of time for that later.
So, we've finally hit the end of book two. Woo hoo! I feel accomplished, especially since I spent you know, like the whole afternoon ignoring my nice pile of homework to write this, and I coughed the whole time. Oh well. Being sick sucks, but at least I've got this. :)
So anyway, hope you liked it. Don't freak out if it takes me a while to figure out where I'm going with this. I haven't read the third book in a whole year. So...that should be my next side project. I should at least skim it. And, to relieve some of you who might be worried about Arianna, don't worry. She will not being tagging along to help free Katrina.
