For Alagaesia: Resolute March

Eragon held tight onto Saphira as she performed a mid-air somersault. They were far above the ground so as to avoid detection, but with their superior eye sight they could see everything that was on the ground. There was no disturbance except for an odd deer running around. Alagaesia looked peaceful. But Eragon & Saphira were anything but. It was 4 days since the battle of Feinster, but the memories of Glaedr during the last moments of Oromis still haunted them. A strange sense of guilt was creeping over Eragon. He felt that he had failed his master during his time of need.

'Do not think that you were responsible for their deaths, Eragon. They were more than capable of defending themselves. It was only ill-luck that must be blamed,' Saphira called out. Eragon wasn't in any mood to speak about them then and so just nodded his head even though he knew she couldn't see him from her position. Saphira, understanding his situation, remained calm for a while. However, Eragon's mental state wasn't anywhere near improved even after such prolonged isolation. Hence Saphira tugged at his mind till he let his barrier down. Once she established contact with him she pulled him deep into her mind. Eragon tried to resist. She was too stubborn that he had to let her take control. Soon his vision was tinged blue and he felt considerably comfortable.

There still seemed to be an undercurrent of melancholy in their combined thoughts and soon Eragon noticed that it was from Saphira that the discomfiting feeling arose. He was embarrassed to have thought that he was the only one to be affected heavily by their master's deaths. The sad part was that he knew Saphira like the back of his hand. But had forgotten her in his distress. She had tried to comfort him many times in the past four days. He hadn't done that one bit with Saphira. He wanted to apologize to her.

Saphira overtook him and said, 'Little One, Don't worry about me. I am a dragon and I am strong.'

For the first time in hours Eragon spoke, "Oh, Saphira... I am so sorry! I know that the loss of Glaedr is too much for you. You are… alone in the land… again."

Saphira answered him quite heatedly, 'No. I am not. I have you.' However after a small pause she added, 'You are right, little one. He was the only other dragon in this whole land'

Eragon bit hard on his tongue not to swear hearing the lament from Saphira. In a biting voice, he answered her, "For this alone, I could kill Galbatorix, a hundred times over."

Saphira roared in response, letting out a stream of flames from her maw and said, 'If only that traitor hadn't enslaved the eldunarya, we could just now fly over his ill-gotten city and shred him to pieces'.

Eragon patted Saphira's flanks partly in appreciation of her words and partly in desperation due to the truth behind them.

Just then a mental probe arrived and afraid that their venting of emotions had raised suspicions from empire mages, Eragon hastily pulled up his barriers. Quickly though, it turned out to be Arya and hence he let his defences down.

'Don't you know the meaning of a scouting trip, Saphira? Why did you bare your existence for all to see?', reprimanded Arya.

Eragon who was already grumpy snapped at her, 'Just because you can see it doesn't mean those pigs of the empire too can.' Arya might have noticed his boiling anger because she didn't react with surprise or any of the other reactions one might expect in that situation but she answered him in utmost kindness almost akin to a mother, 'Enough of the scouting Eragon and Saphira. We have reached plain lands where we can see and feel with mind the presence of any empire soldiers without much difficulty from the ground. You can now come join us.'

Eragon was even more agitated at being addressed so like a misbehaving child and was about to ignore Arya's message when Saphira started heading straight down. 'Arya meant well, Eragon. She only wanted to make sure that we don't do anything untoward in our anger.'

'I know Saphira. But ...' Eragon couldn't find words to justify his claim and so became quiet.

'We can trust Arya with our lives, Eragon. You know that'.

'Aye, I know we can. But…' Eragon tried giving words to his strange feeling but found he couldn't. Saphira, he could totally understand and accept. But not Arya. The elven princess was in a different league altogether. Whenever it came to her, all he wanted was to earn he appreciation and respect.

Saphira alighted near Arya and when Eragon noticed her state, all his anger melted away. She looked spent. Eragon wanted to apologise but she cut him off midway and saying, "I sympathise with you. I only ask you to be more mindful of your surroundings."

Eragon was left to wonder how Saphira and Arya affected him so differently even when he saw the pair of them like his eyes.

'Only people close to you have such effects, Eragon. Is it that difficult to comprehend?' Saphira who could explain everything explained this one away as well. Eragon stroked the scales on her foreleg and she hummed in contentment.

Before long Eragon's elven guard joined him. Together, they walked slowing down to match steps with the humans. With Blodhgarm and his trope taking over the scouting duties, Eragon reverted to introspecting. His mind raced from the darkest thoughts like the Eldunarya trapped by Galbatorix to the brightest thoughts like Katrina's soon to be born child.

Saphira's constant vigilance within his mind pushed away the dark thoughts and he started to reminisce about the times just about two years ago. Back then he was considered a courageous youngster who dared to hunt in the Spine. But now he was soon going to be uncle of a child who was a hero even before its birth thanks to its father's exploits. The thought of Roran being a father made him feel old and that coupled with his tired body made him think of himself as an old man who would sit on the porch of his home and speak of his adventures to his grandchildren.

As he pictured himself like that he could almost see Brom telling tales of the old to the people of Carvahall and a slight smile settled on his lips. But then a seething anger came back to his mind when he thought of his father's untimely demise and the fire to burn Galbatorix alive started blanketing his mind again. He knew then that he will never be able to quell that fire until Galbatorix laid dead before him or he was slain by the said king.

Eragon knew that the heavy mood that had set in was because he had still not come to terms with the death of Oromis. After all he and Saphira weren't new to losing loved ones and they knew full well what tricks the immediate aftermath could play. 'How strange!' thought Eragon. The fact that all those deaths hadn't incapacitated him was nothing short of a miracle. Even stranger was the fact that they still were willing to fight knowing they would probably lose more people before the end of all this.

'We still fight because there still are loved ones to fight for, Eragon.' Saphira hummed in his mind in response to his unasked question. 'Enough of the pondering… go now…Visit Katrina. Her baby can relieve you of stress. Convey my wishes to her.'

'Aren't you coming?', Eragon asked her.

'No, I have to hunt. It's been three days since I last ate.'

'Ok. Then go. But be careful. We are in lands controlled by the empire.'

'Don't worry, Eragon. I will be.', she said before she took off.

'Be close', Eragon warned her. She sent him an approval.

Eragon turned to his guards and said "Will some of you keep an eye on Saphira's surroundings? She has gone hunting."

Blodhgarm replied, "We have already made arrangements, Shadeslayer."

Eragon thanked him and told them to move along as he went to see his cousins. Blodhgarm suggested that Eragon take at least one of his guards with him. Eragon, not wanting another argument with the wolf like elf agreed and so Blodhgarm himself accompanied Eragon.

As Eragon walked through the temporary tents set up in a line like a long snake, he remembered his last meeting with his cousins. It was the day after the battle of Feinster and Eragon was mourning his masters. He was looking at the sea and its raging waves that hit the shore. His guards were a little away from him. He was crying away the tears that had threatened to overwhelm him for the past six hours in that secluded place. They were the tears that he had held from spilling in order to comfort Arya. But that fact didn't give him any comfort; only further heart-ache. He had completely closed off his mind to his surroundings and hence did not notice Roran's approach. Roran was mostly cheerful because they had taken the city without much hassle.

He patted Eragon on the back on his approach and greeted him cheerfully. Eragon made a valiant effort to hide his tears by wiping them away and by trying to settle a smile on his face as he turned. Most would have been fooled by this, but not Roran. As soon as Eragon turned to look at Roran, he found that something was amiss and asked, "What is wrong?, Eragon".

Eragon not wanting to retell his master's demise said, "Nothing. I am fine. Why do you ask?"

"Because I know you too well to know when you are alright and when you are not. What happened? Is something missing?"

Eragon sighed and said, "My teachers. They are dead."

"What? How do you know?"

Eragon simply said, "I know."

Roran stood there looking down on Eragon and said, "Don't keep too many secrets in you, Eragon. It will destroy you."

"But I have to", said Eragon exasperated. He then added in a more biting and self-pitying manner, "Being a Shur'tugal, I have to."

Roran put his hands around Eragon's shoulders and said, "Don't worry, Eragon. It will all get better. Angvard will have his say." Eragon smiled bitterly and thought back to Oromis and his lessons about God being a myth.

Roran was not fazed by this ignorance because he pressed Eragon's arm with his hand. Eragon was eternally thankful to have a brother such as Roran who could understand and comfort him in times of need. The brothers sat together and stared out into the sea, remembering how they had planned to run away from Carvahall when they were but mere boys to see the sea.

After a while Roran said, "I came to take you to Katrina. She wanted to see you."

Eragon turned his attention back to Roran and whispered, "Maybe later?". Tears had gathered over his eyes. Roran put his arm over Eragon's shoulder and pulled his younger brother close. "Just know that I and Katrina will always be there for you, Eragon," the stronghammer cooed.

Eragon had spent another three hours by the sea shore during which time Saphira joined him and advised him to visit Katrina. Eragon, along with Saphira went to find Roran's tent. Katrina was organising when they arrived. When she noticed Eragon and Saphira, she put away whatever it was that she was carrying and rushed to welcome them. She hugged and kissed Eragon's forehead. "Oh, poor things come on in," she said, beckoning not only him but also Saphira. Obviously, it just was a figure of speech for if Saphira with her bulk tried entering the tent, the whole place would collapse. From her bearing, Eragon could see that she was already aware of Oromis and Glaedr's demise.

Katrina comforted him in ways only mothers could – a testimony that in months Katrina was going to be a doting mother of little child. He liked that feeling because it was years since he had known what a motherly embrace would be like. At that moment he was so glad to have Katrina in his family. As his thoughts moved from there to Marian, his aunt, he was notified by Blodhgarm that they had reached their destination.

Brought back to the present, Eragon asked if Blodhgarm would like to accompany him in. The elf smiled and thanked him for the offer but chose to wait outside. Elven reservation to outsiders baffled Eragon still, even after a whole year spent in their company. Eragon knocked on and ducked through the small entrance to the tent to find Roran sitting by Katrina who was on her bed. "Eragon! How have you been coping?", Roran asked on noticing him.

"Better," the younger cousin replied even he Roran hugged him. Katrina beckoned him in to sit by her bedside. Eragon did so and inquired about her health. She said that she was as healthy as a pregnant woman can be. Within minutes, they had fallen into small talk and Eragon found himself lightening. He thanked Saphira silently for suggesting a visit to his cousins.

Roran said that he was to lead a scouting party in mere hours and excused himself from the conversation after a while. Eragon helped his cousin pack and dress up in his war attire. Just as they began to be absorbed into yet another conversation about the many different people of Carvahall, a messenger arrived informing that Nasuada was looking for Eragon.

As Eragon absentmindedly started leaving, Roran called, "Good bye, brother!"

"Be safe," Eragon called back raising his hands to wave Roran and Katrina goodbye as he left. .

Nasuada's guards verified the secret code before letting Eragon pass into her quarters. Blodhgarm chose to stay with Nasuada's guards outside the tent. The meeting, unusually, had only a handful of participants – apart from him and Nasuada, Jormundur and Arya were the only participants. Eragon took a seat facing Jormundur. Once he was settled, Nasuada continued whatever it was she had been discussing earlier, "As I was saying we are just a day's march from Belatona and should be prepared for any eventuality."

Eragon tried focussing but found there wasn't much of interest to discuss. They had already made detailed preparations when they left Feinster and this was only a follow-up on their progress. Eragon spent most of his time being quiet as the talking became redundant.

Arya was more subdued than she would normally be in meetings. Even though Jormundur and Nasuada had known Arya for longer than he did, only he, who had made it a habit to observe and internalise her behaviour could tell the difference. He didn't want to bring up her unusual silence as he knew why she was so.

He could only admire her capacity to bridle her true feelings – that of loss and hurt – behind the mask of indifference that she usually wore during political meetings. As his focus was thus shifting from the meeting, Nasuada raised her voice a little, probably noticing his lethargy and said with a small smile, "I have an announcement. King Orik had contacted me just before I called this meeting. In fact, I called this meeting to inform of that news. The dwarves have left Farthen Dur and will be joining us as soon as possible."

Jormundur was evidently happy as he banged his hand on the table and said, "It's about time they joined the fight." Arya, as usual, did not show her real reaction for the news choosing to take in the news as silently as she did any other news.

Eragon was not exactly happy. This just meant another one of his loved ones was in battle. But logically it was good for the Varden and so he nodded his head in approval and mouthed, "Good" with not much conviction even though he knew only Arya, with her elven hearing, could hear him.

As the meeting was dismissed he came out of the tent with Arya and they shared a knowing look that suggested that their mindsets were similar at that moment and nodded their heads to each other before departing in their own ways.

Author's Note:

This is just a filler. But I felt it necessary to convey the state in which the main characters were.