Chapter 23
Brom made his way through the Varden's makeshift training grounds, the encampment was bustling with activity ever since the army departed from the safety of Farthen Dûr. They were eventually able to reach Aberon, the capital of Surda, at a quick marching pace. However, the journey had left even the strongest of men bent over in exhaustion. The march had taken a deeper toll on their supplies than Nasuada's advisors had accounted for and at this rate, the army was on the brink of collapse. Food reserves were dangerously low and conflicts over resources were becoming more frequent. To sum it up, the Varden was close to defeat. And to add on top of material problems, the central command chain was beginning to grow increasingly power-hungry. It didn't help that the leader of Surda, King Orrin, was also vying for control over Nasuada. Thankfully, the daughter of Ajihad possessed the same level of fortitude, intelligence, and strength that her father had. "She may be the only thing that the Varden has going for them right now." Brom sighed, slightly mournfully. "Is this what my life's work has come to?" Quickly perishing the sad thought, he stared at the battalion alongside Eragon's servants, all of whom were standing before the rank of over a hundred men, with no experience in the art of combat. And they had been assigned to them for training.
Because of Brom's history with the Varden and his relation to key members throughout the organisation, Nasuada had made him her second in command, only followed by her faithful commander Jörmundur. It felt odd to be, once again, assisting in the fight against the Empire. Especially having spent years in Carvahall watching over Murtagh. The thought of the young rider caused him to think of Eragon and to his recent pledging of allegiance to Nasuada. His Son. The idea that he had unknowingly left his child of whom he did not know, to suffer under the wrath of Galbatorix... It caused him so much anguish. Although he would never show it, seeing the look of betrayal and anger on his little boy's face nearly drove him to tears. It felt like all those years ago when the black tyrant slew his beloved dragon, Saphira. He looked down at his right palm in contemplation. Even if he didn't know Eragon existed, it was no excuse to not search for him when he had the chance. Hardening his resolve, Brom pushed his sad thoughts away and looked back at the men,"There will be a time for remorse, guilt and apologies, but for now... There is only training."
"Alright, listen up men! you have been given the privilege to be trained by me and so I expect you all to have filled your hearts with iron. For fighting against the tyranny of the Empire will require the utmost of resolve. Your enemies will be well equipped, well trained, and battle hardened. They will fight back savagely. However, I have full confidence in your abilities to overcome their assaults. The eyes of Alagaësia will be upon us when we lay siege to the black city of Urû'baen and the freedom of all her races rests upon your shoulders. We will accept nothing less than full victory!"
After barking out his speech to the new recruits, he could see that the young men were immediately roused of their previous stupor. Indeed they were eager to fight for the noble cause and this satisfied Brom greatly, "it seems that my time spent creating the Varden may not have been in vain" He thought, smiling to himself. In the next few hours Brom went about assigning exercises to them in order to gauge how they will perform in battle. First he had them go about running laps around the perimeter of the training grounds, which was about several thousand paces in all aspects from length to width. Next, he would have them spar together at different sessions with each bout grouping more and more men together in order to simulate real life battle scenarios. All in all the training went on for what may have been several hours but Brom did not let up. His persistence in training the men was so steadfast that it took Bard's pleading to stop in order for Brom to allow the training to cease.
By this time, the old man could see that the men were at their wit's end. Most could barely even stand up yet Brom could see that their attitude remained resolute... undaunted. This pleased him greatly, "Today has been a good day men, I see that you all possess an incredible amount of spirit. Had the entirety of the Varden be consisted of people like you we would have easily been standing at the gates of Urû'baen at this very moment." To his surprise, Brom saw his battalion seemingly rise up as one almost reinvigorated by his words. Nodding gratefully he dismissed them all and wished them a good rest before their next training session in the morrow.
"You certainly have given them a strong sense of purpose to fight for the Varden... I can see why you are Eragon's father." Brom turned to look at Bard studying the young man. Nasuada had also lent the aid of Eragon's servants to assist him in drilling the new soldiers and he had admit. He certainly had an eye for talent. Although they were fiercely loyal to his son, it was belied by their cheerful demeanor which made them more akin to elf than human and it did not help soothe the tension he felt whenever they were around him. "Only because what I said was true and the cause that we all fight for is just. That is what allowed them to become motivated."
"I can see where where his Lordship gets it from now. Just as blunt as his father." Desdemona muttered. Brom frowned slightly. He was aware that their services were hired in protection of Selena. Yet he slightly envious at the thought that they had known his son for longer than he had and on a more personal level.
"Life seems to be nothing more than a cruel joke" Brom thought as he dismissed the four servants. After uttering that thought, he expected a familiar sapphire blue presence to retort something back in his mind. Nothing. Just emptiness. Trudging his way back to the Castle of Aberon, Brom suddenly felt much lonelier despite the crowded street ways he passed. Entering the castle's holds which were close to Nasuada's, in case of an emergency.
Before entering his room he knocked on it three times out of habit and opened the door. At once he felt better when he took in the sight of his love.
Selena was sitting on the bed reading when he entered, her brown hair fell in front of her face. The sight was more than enough to make his heart jump. "I see you're back from training," Selena said with a warm smile.
He nodded. "There isn't much to do save for watching them at them at the moment." He lowered himself to sit beside. "How are feeling?"
Selena smile grew, and she laid her head upon Brom's shoulder before giving her answer. "Hmm... Content." It was comforting to know how much Selena brought joy to his life whenever he was at his lowest point. The reason he asked about her well-being was because of one critical reason. She was pregnant. When Eragon and Murtagh had left with Arya and Orik for Ellesméra. Angela, through her eccentric ways had found out that Selena was indeed pregnant. And had been so for a nearly a week.
When he had received the news, Brom couldn't have been any more conflicted with the fact that there will be another child in his family. Yes he was indeed absolutely overjoyed for the most part yet he could not help but allow the sorrow well up inside of him. Almost as if Selena's pregnancy was taunting him for his absolute failure of protecting Eragon. Brom's pain was only exacerbated when he began to think of how Eragon will take to his mother's pregnancy. He felt ashamed about being unable to expect what the reaction from his own son would be like. "How will he react to this news? Disappointment? Apathy? Betrayal? Happiness?-"
His troubled thoughts were interrupted when there came a knock on the door, before Desdemona walked in carrying a tray of food.
"Lunch, Lady Selena." She said with a smile that looked rather odd on her beautiful yet haughty face. The food that she brought came in heaps, in order ensure that Selena had the nutrients available for both her and the baby.
"You've all been spoiling me too much," Selena protested, folding the page she was on before closing the book.
"Only of our own volition, plus his lordship has warned us to make sure you were properly fed or he'll make sure we rue the day we were born." The way she was able to speak of Eragon with such ease only made his self-loathing as a father grow. In spite of his sudden foul mood, Brom was curious as to how such people came to be Eragon's servants.
"How are you feeling today?"
"I'm fine," replied Selena, leaning forward to take a look at the food. Selena's plate had a thick cut of seared beef shimmered with spices and sauces. a side of rice, beans, and corn laid beside the exquisite chop. The food was by all means somewhat extravagant even if it did not appeal to his tastes, years of studying under Oromis amongst the elves had caused him to develop an avoidance to meat for it was the product of suffering. He would have nothing to do with it.
"He can be a rather competent chef when he isn't fooling around," The servant's words were dripping with sarcasm as she spoke of her comrade. "Please eat, Lady Selena; I'll be back with dinner later on." With one last smile, she turned and left, closing the door softly behind her.
As Selena picked up her fork to eat, he tried to not let his foul mood show through his composure. "Everyone seems to be on better terms on my son than I am." Brom thought bitterly. It ate away at his heart like acid to metal. It hurt just as much as it did now when Selena first revealed to him that a sixteen year old dragon rider was his son. The revelation cut even deeper into his being after learning that same sixteen year old had named his dragon Saphira... "Was it a coincidence or something more..."
"You seem deep in thought."
He turned his head tiredly to stare at Selena, who was busy chewing a morsel of beef. "Eragon . . ."
He didn't even finish his sentence before her eyes flashed with understanding. Lowering her fork, she began. "Brom. Dear, He has been through much. You must give him time... Maybe while he trains in Ellesméra the rift between the two of you will be mended by that point.
"I am such a terrible father," murmured Brom. "I failed him... And my only excuse for it is so paper thin that it might as well have been a lie."
"I know Morzan's son better than my own..."
"It is all in the past, Love. Right now, focus on the present. When he comes back, face him, don't avoid him." She smiled sympathetically, reaching out to caress his cheek comfortingly.
"Can you tell me the story of his childhood?" asked Brom. Selena smiled. Ever since the family reunion, he had repeatedly asked to listen to his son's childhood, though there was never a good opportunity for it, until now.
"Eragon was such a sweet child... certainly sweeter than you" she said with a slight wink. "Though he had always been lonely. He was very reclusive, never going out to play with the other children of his age. He always preferred to stay with me. Never leaving my side." She shook her head slightly. " It may have been his fear of losing me however I cannot tell unless I were to ask him directly... Perhaps when life settles down and there is no war, I will ask. He also adored you with all his heart, I told him stories of your exploits and he always kept the fairth I made of you close to him. He saw you as his hero and would always nag me about when you'd come to see him."
Brom's eyes misted over, the regret was slowly becoming too much to bear.
"Unfortunately... Something must have happened that caused his shifting attitude towards you. At the age of seven, he stopped asking for you. At eight he put away the fairth, essentially banishing it from his presence. By his ninth he had become a completely different person..." Selena's cheerful face quickly turned into a mournful one. "And then at twelve, Saphira hatched for him. That was when Eridar came to be. I felt so helpless, for I had no control over his transformation... Galbatorix had made it so that Eridar would be his to command. However... maybe he still wished to retain a part of his identity by naming his dragon, Saphira. The namesake of his father's dragon, of which he had lost.
Brom's throat tightened, "Oh how I have wronged you so, My son..."
In spite of your absence, Eridar still retained your charitableness. Under his fearsome reputation, there was another that exuded nobility and a great capacity for kindness. Even if he took in his servants for his own purposes, there was not even a shadow of a doubt that he treated them with the utmost of respect and kindness. His relationship with them went beyond that of a mere lord and servant contract. They certainly indulged his nature because of it." She smiled.
Willing together all of his willpower he held in his sadness. Brom spoke as dryly as possible, "I think Rosalie and Desdemona have that down to the point. They seem to be enamored by him."
Chuckling Selena continued, "The people also adored Eridar for he had done many good deeds within the Empire. Always traveling about to large cities in order help put down one too many corrupt nobles and lords or protecting the villages from Urgal raids. In a way, you could that he was what a king should be. Everyone went to ask him for advice or aid in their troubles. Despite his fame, nobody knew what he looked like under that black armor. Which I'm sure stirred much curiosity for many females.
"He does look the part." Brom said, the thought of Eragon's refined elven features reappearing in his mind. "Has he ever found companionship with someone besides you or Saphira? Perhaps courted anyone— ?"
"Good lord no," said Selena, surprised and somewhat amused at the question. "Desdemona and Rosalie have made certain that no woman would ever get close enough to try."
"Hmm. There was Arya, the only other female besides Rosalie, Desdemona, and Selena whose fate would also be closely intertwined with Eragon's." He felt somewhat uneasy at the thought of his son being so close to the elven ambassador. But what right did he have to voice such an opinion of their potential union? "You should eat up. The baby can't feed itself."
"Yes... sir. "She replied in a mocking voice, with that she resumed eating. He smiled; part of his world was settling itself into place, there was however, another pressing matter that needed his attention, something he needed to find a way heal. When she was done eating, he bid Selena a farewell and kiss before leaving to explore the castle somewhat.
While he let his feet carry him to any destination, he allowed his mind to wander, deep in thought. The idea of thinking wasn't foreign to him, for it was the key to success. A tool that allowed brilliant plans to spring forth in the realm of intelligent minds. But there were just some things that logic couldn't fix, such issues like that of the heart and soul, could not be compatible with logic. For the past sixteen years, he had tried to live life raising Murtagh to be a man Selena would be proud of, someone unlike his father. And for those sixteen years, he had grown fond of the man he had come to be, almost caring for him as if he were his own son, watching out for his every move.
But in all of that time, he had a son who had wished to see him dearly, who had wanted his father. And he had neglected him to continue life watching over the son of his enemy. The man who had betrayed his adoration and loyalty, who had betrayed the Riders, and destroyed his partner of heart. He never regretted taking Murtagh under his wing, but what he did regret for, deeply was that he couldn't care and love Eragon. "If you want everything, you'll end up with nothing." He thought. But was that really greed? To want to see his two boys grow up happy? But 'if' the question was that, when given the chance to do it all over again, who would he look over? Murtagh or Eragon?
"Ah, and here is the teacher of one of our recent Riders and father of the other." A voice said. He turned to find Angela walking towards him as eccentric and odd as ever. "I hope your fortune has gotten better since we've last met."
"It has... in some ways."
"Wonderful." Despite her cheerful disposition, she seemed slightly tensed. "But as you are thinking, I didn't come here to speak of pleasantries with you, Brom."
"I see. Then what is it that you've come to see me for?"
"A deed that your charge has caused."
"My charge?" he frowned. "Has Murtagh done something?"
"Done something?" Her expression became dark. "It's more complicated than that... Come." She led him down the corridor of the large castle that seemed to be layered in glass. It was convenient that it was evening for if the sun was high up in the sky, he was positive that the heat would've made their trek through the hallways akin to a walk in hell. "Sometimes, I wonder whether it was your teaching or Murtagh's straight up stupidity. It could be both, but that observation requires further testing."
They came to a door recessed into the inner wall of the corridor with gifts surrounding it on the floor. Angela opened the door. Following her, he took the strange sight before him. In the center of the room was a small child eating a platter of food on her lap. Rosalie sat beside her with Solembum curled comfortably in her lap. What was it that Angela wanted him to see? A child eating?
The suddenly he felt the presence of a cold mind, an odd existence, slowly touch his thoughts. Was it possible that it was the child that was giving off such a mind? But how? As if knowing what he was thinking the little girl looked up, revealing a dragon mark bright upon her brow and violet eyes. Her lips quirked into a smile, a smile that chilled his bone for he knew it did not belong to that of a child.
"I've been waiting to meet you for a long time."
Narrowing his eyes he resisted the thought grabbing his sword; the sound of an adult's voice coming from the child, chilled him to the bone and caused his hair to stand on end. He had no doubt that she knew what suffering was. "Who are you?" he asked cautiously.
"I'm Elva." She turned to Rosalie. "More food." He was somewhat surprised that the she actually rose to her feet without objection and left the room in a graceful manner. Elva then patted the floor beside her. "Please sit."
He walked forward hesitantly and slowly lowered himself to the floor. He stared at her before suddenly feeling a strong presence driving its tendril deep into his consciousness tearing at his thoughts, his memories. He fought the strong urge to recoil, when she reached out to grip his hands softly. "Remorse and guilt isn't a way of living. It's only a way to die. Time will eventually heal all wounds; your son will understand when he returns from Ellesméra. The person who loves you will help you and there will be others to help close this bridge between father and son."
He stared at her. She knew everything, all of his fears, the very things that weighed heavily on his soul. Elva had addressed them all, and had given him a small semblance of peace, knowing that whatever father-son relationship he had with Eragon wasn't useless.
But he didn't let it sway him. Elva was dangerous. She knew, for whatever reason, his fears. And if she did, he was sure she could discern the fears of others, bend them to her will and manipulate them. He didn't trust the child before him who seemed an adult in many ways than one. "What are you?" he asked again.
"I am what your student, Murtagh, had made me."
"That was right..." Brom thought. Murtagh had blessed a child. But was this a blessing? "He... blessed you?"
"He was unaware of what his actions have wrought. His lack of awareness and tenacity has turned my blessing into a curse. My condition was much worse when I was smaller for there nothing I could do but suffer."
"What is this condition?"
"The pain. Every time I see a person, I feel the pain that they feel at the present and the pain that will eventually beset upon them in the future. The magic in my blood forces me to protect people . . . to sacrifice myself for them. No matter the cost or whether I want to or not." Her smile twisted bitterly. "It has costed me dearly when I resist the urge to do so."
Sympathy filled him. A child bound by magic to suffer. "Why have you told me this?"
"Since you are Murtagh's teacher -" her violet eyes pierced him, "or his former teacher, rather — I thought you might know how to fix this wrong and undo his curse for me."
Brom frowned. He may be old with age and with it great knowledge. However the marking on her brow and the obscurity of the wording Murtagh used, left him bereft of any way to undo her curse. "I'm afraid that I'm unable to undo this curse, Elva. Because of the marking on your brow and my ignorance of what words Murtagh used, I am powerless to assist you.
Her eyes became blurred for a moment and she blinked nodding. "Though I'm sure that when Murtagh returns, he will right his wrong. If not then, Eragon might -" He stopped. Did he have the right to even suggest whether his son might lend his help? Just then Rosalie returned with a new platter of food.
"Eat up, Elva." She said gently, placing the food before the girl. With ravenous intent she tore at the food, bending her head over the platter, hiding her violet eyes. When it was apparent that she was would talk no more, Brom accompanied the herbalist to a separate room. Angela made sure that the door was closed before she spoke.
"That was what I wanted you to see, Brom," she said with a sigh. "Nasuada was here earlier today and she agreed to feed Elva as much as she could afford to. I've agreed to watch after the young girl, but not for the next century. This has to be fixed."
He nodded, that much was apparent. "Is she dangerous?"
"More or less," said Angela with a shrug. "But you've seen it and you've heard it. The person that she's most likely to kill is herself. The compulsion to protect others from misery will drive her to insanity without our assistance."
"How far can she foretell events?"
"Two or three hours at the most."
"And you're taking her under your wing?"
"That's what I've been asked and I shall try to keep up with it as much as I can." She said. "It is a good thing that Eragon's servants have agreed to lend me another eye. They're trying their best to watch out for Elva. Rosalie and the Desdemona are toiling to concoct potions and remedies to alleviate the pain."
He frowned, thinking about the hundred troops placed under his wing and the pain they faced under his drilling. The soldiers under his command will need to adapt to this pressing event. "I'll make sure that not too many people die."
"Good . . . because when I'm done with your former student, we are going to need the extra numbers to replace such an idiot."
Hello again! I promise ya this story ain't dead till I say so. Stay tuned and check your notifications for when a new chapter arrives. Life's been oh so busy because of college so I hope yall can stay patient with me, while I continue on this remake. Thank you! :)