A little bit of a time jump. Yes, Ajihad won the trial (was there any doubt) with twelve cuts. This begins a few days after Eragon and Brom return to the Varden from their mission which was successful.
Enjoy!
"Eragon!" The young man turned at his name. He and Saphira had been preparing to leave. Ajihad had asked Eragon to sit in on the dwarves' election of a new king. Being a dwarf by law, he had the right to sit with Orik who had become the grimstborith of Dûrgrimst Ingetium, the clan that Eragon had been adopted into. Saphira had also promised to fix the Isidar Mithrim which she and Arya had broken to save Eragon from Durza while Briar and Dwervevindr had fought Corinna and her dragon. Briar was the one walking up to him. He hadn't seen much of her since he and Brom, his father, had returned from destroying the Ra'zac. It was still weird for Eragon to know who his father was and that he was Brom, the old storyteller from their town. Except Brom wasn't a storyteller. He was a Rider who had been there for the beginning of the fight against Galbatorix. A Rider who had married another Rider and they had a daughter of their own. He had a half-sister through his father and a half-brother through his mother. Eragon was caught in the middle of the two sides because of his family. "I'm glad that you haven't left yet." Briar said as she got closer. Eragon noticed that she was rotating her left shoulder. She hadn't done that since she had first woken in Farthen Dûr after the battle.
"Morning, Briar." He pulled the strap on Saphira's saddle tight and turned to look at his sister. "Is your arm bothering you this morning?"
"Just sore from my morning exercises." She responded. "I need you to do me a favor."
"Can't it wait until we get back?"
"No," she said. "I more than likely won't be here when you return. Ajihad is sending me to get Kai. At least to check on her progress. If Master Oromis says she is ready, then I will bring her back here or send her to the queen who is making her way to Urû,baen from the north. Besides, what I have to ask you I will be able to ask our masters if my hunch is correct."
"Hunch about what?"
"Nothing for you to worry about just yet. But I need you to share with me the memory of your fight with Durza. When he split open your back." Eragon and Saphira looked at her, surprise etched on both of their faces. "I'm not asking this of you because you are my brother. I am asking this of you because I trust you."
"You need to tell us why you need the memory first." Saphira said to her.
"I agree with Saphira." Eragon said, not surprised that she had been on the same thought process as him for the memory. It was not one that he liked thinking about and tried not to when he could help it. "You said that you could use your left arm without problems since the dragons made their changes."
"They conditioned me against the pain." Briar said, sighing. "But apparently Corinna can still cause my arm to become useless." She seemed like she was going to say more, but didn't, closing her mouth and rubbing her left shoulder. "I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't important." Eragon looked at Saphira.
What do you want to do? Saphira asked him.
There is something that she isn't telling us. Something that she is afraid of.
But you don't remember much of it.
Just the pain. Eragon said. But she knows that. Why would she want it?
Like you said. There is something she is hiding. But in the time we've gotten to know her, Briar has never done anything to put either of us in danger. I trust her. Do you?
Eragon turned to Briar and nodded. He reached out to her with his mind. She opened hers and allowed him into just enough that he could share the memory. He pulled it from the deepest part of his mind and let it play in their minds. He tried not to flinch as he watched Durza's blade come at him. Then the sound of breaking glass followed immediately by the burning up his back. Briar was the one to break the connection, turning to keep from being sick on him. She was pale and sweating and looking like she was about to be sick. Eragon got his water-skin from his bag as she was sick and throwing up off to the side of Saphira. When she was done, she gratefully accepted the water from him. To Eragon and Saphira, she looked scared as she looked around, fear in her eyes.
"Thank you, Eragon. Everything makes sense now." She said.
"What makes sense?" Eragon asked. "Why did you need that particular memory? You've been injured by Durza."
"My injury from Durza was only a scratch and did not have his full power behind it."
"What did it answer?" Eragon asked again as Briar pushed the shoulder of her mail shirt off. The scar from Corinna's curse was red and inflamed and Briar looked like she was having trouble moving her left arm.
"Corinna's curse and why nothing has seemed to help it, not even the dragons." She let the shirt move back and moved her left arm, wincing.
"Shade magic?" Saphira asked.
"Sorcery," Briar hissed as she moved her arm above her head. "Shades are when the spirits take over the Sorcerer. Sorcery is when the Sorcerer is successful in controlling them." Briar looked at them a moment before speaking in the ancient language. "Speak of this to no one, please. I don't need my father keeping me from fighting because of this. Promise me, both of you."
"I promise." Eragon said in the ancient language.
"I promise." Saphira echoed.
Some of the fear in her eyes eased, but not all of it. She wished them well and walked away.
That is strange indeed. Dwervevindr said. And something we should have figured out sooner.
That can't be helped now. Briar answered. What matters now is that we find a way around it. Spirits are dangerous and do not follow the same rules as creatures of this world. That includes rules regarding magic. It must be why the dragons' magic didn't' work when they made their changes.
But Durza used the spirits. Yet the dragons were able to heal him. Her dragon countered as she finished tying on the last pack.
Durza didn't use the spirits, they used him. But you have a point. He was injured with the same magic as I was. At least that's what it feels like. I don't know much about shades. What if they do use the ancient language?
If that were true, you would have been able to ward yourself from the pain and the elves would have found a cure by now.
Briar huffed and tied back her hair so it didn't tangle while they flew. Her father was staying behind so the Varden was protected on their march towards Feinster. She hoped to be back by then. They needed to be back by then. There was no telling who was waiting for the Varden at the city.
She spun and drew Vindrbitr, stopping it inches from her father's neck. He stood still until she put it away. She didn't say anything as she sheathed the sword.
"I was hoping to catch you before you left." He said. She didn't answer and he sighed. "Brair, I did what I did to protect the two of you."
"Protect us or protect you." She said bitterly, still not looking at him.
"I didn't tell you so in case either of you were kidnapped, no one would know what was happening. Neither of you would have been taken before the king to get to me."
"Cut the bullshit!" She turned to face him. "If you had been trying to protect us, you would have told us the truth when we left Carvahall. You would have said something to us to keep us safe. We would have taken better precautions instead of running headlong into danger. Eragon wouldn't have nearly been captured in Dras-Leona. That is on you because you left him alone. How is that protecting your son? How is that protecting your ignorant daughter? You can lie to yourself if you want to. But I've had enough." Briar climbed into Dwervevindr's saddle and tightened the straps on her legs. "We're going to get Kai and Thringa. We should be back by the time the Varden attack Feinster. Take care of the Varden for me, Brom."
Dwervevidnr jumped into the air and angled northwest, towards Du Weldenvarden.
That may not have been the best good-bye between parent and child. What if you don't see him again?
He is too stubborn to die now. Briar said. I'll see him again. And maybe he'll have learned something from this.
Brom watched as his eldest child flew off on her dragon. His heart ached. He knew he had done right to keep them ignorant of the truth. It was the best thing he could have ever done. He knew that should either one should have been kidnapped, they wouldn't have led the enemy to the other. One would always be safe. That one should have been Eragon. But he had become a Rider.
That could have gone better. Saphira said, walking up to him and watched as her son flew away.
She'll get over it. She has before.
Maybe if it was something trivial. But this, you kept her family from her. Dras-Leona. Terim. Both were situations that were dangerous. Situations she might have taken better precautions had she known the truth.
What are you saying? He asked, turning to face her. That she is right?
You said it, not me. She said. But they should have been told when Eragon became a Rider. You knew they were going into a danger where ignorance is not a blessing.
Brom didn't answer as he walked back towards the camp. He didn't regret his decision not to tell his children the truth. It had kept them all safe.
Author Question: Who do you think is right? Brom? Or Briar?
Some answers next chapter. Thanks for reading and please review.
