Chapter 10
It took ten minutes for Katrina to reach the northern wall during that time she prepared the spells she might need once she was within the city. Finally she felt the touch of Eragon's mind meaning that he was about to begin his assault she readied herself when she heard the first dragon roar she began to chant under her breath in the ancient language after a few minutes she began to rise towards the battlements, as she lifted herself over the top of the wall she looked round there wasn't a soldier in sight and she smiled, quickly she slipped down the stairs and ran up the main road towards the keep. She was forced to duck between buildings as the from behind the castle walls rose Morzan on his dragon. Once he was out of sight she carried on up the street and as she approached the castle gate she saw that Morzan in his haste had left the sally port open, she cautiously slipped inside looking everywhere to make sure there was nobody around and to her good fortune she was still safe so she released the spell that made her invisible and made her way deeper into the castle after ten minutes of searching she found the stairs to the lower halls and dungeons and headed down, when she finally reached the dungeons main corridor she carefully crept from door to door looking into each one until finally in the second to last cell on the left she found what she was looking for, led on a cot was a tall elf with silver hair, uttering a single word under her breath she unlocked the door cursing when the mechanism faintly clicked. As she pushed on the door and thanked her luck that someone had oiled the hinges, as she opened the door she saw that the elf was sat upright watching her, as Katrina stepped in his brow furrowed ever so slightly so she raised her right hand showing her gedwey ignasia "Eka aí fricai un Shur'tugal" she felt a light touch on her mind to which she lowered her mental walls. She felt the elf's mind sift through her memories ever so lightly but deeply reaching back to her early childhood, once it was satisfied the mind retreated. Rising the elf walked over to her "we have to leave here." As they left Katrina heard footsteps coming down stairs and she quickly pulled her bow from her back and set an arrow to the string as the first feet came into sight she pulled back on the string but before she could fire the guard slumped and fell down the last few stairs with a crash followed by three more shortly after, next to her the elf leaned against the wall a sweat shining on his brow "we need to get you out of here." Said Katrina she pulled one of the elf's arms around her shoulder and steered him up the stairs he stopped her at the top of the stairs and pointed to a door "we need to go in there before we leave." Leaving the elf leaning against a wall she opened the door and looked inside to see an empty guard room on a rack against the far wall were a dozen swords with one in particular standing out, it was an slender sabre with a gold wire and ivory wrapped hilt, next to it was an elegant recurved bow and a quiver full of white fletched arrows, assuming that these belonged to the elf she grabbed them all, as she was about to leave she saw the elf was in the room he pointed to a small shelf on which stood a dozen different sized bottles "third bottle from the right the amber liquid I need that one as well." Quickly she retrieved the little bottle and handed it to him, he quickly unstoppered the bottle and drank the entire contents, he straightened a little but was still pale "now let us be gone from here."
"Aye we need to get up to the main gates and then to the wall, our escape will be waiting for us there."
When they were within five feet of the castle gates there was a chilling laugh "oh it is far to late for you to escape now, I see that you somehow managed to evade lord Morzan but you shall not escape me." Turning Katrina saw something that came straight from her nightmares, before her stood a pale, thin man his hair was crimson as were his eyes in his hand was a thin sword with a wire thin scratch running the length of the blade. She reached out with her mind seeking out the minds of her friends but couldn't reach them and she dared not risk calling out in case Morzan heard her, next to her she heard the dull rasp of a sword being drawn as she looked she saw the elf had drawn his weapon and took a half step forward but he was clearly weak and this made the shade laugh "and how do you intend to fight me with the Skilna Bragh running through your veins elf." he took another half step forward before falling to one knee his sword tip striking the floor this was what the shade had been waiting for and he pounced sword raised fortunately Katrina was quicker as the shade leapt she pulled back on her bow and loosed an arrow catching the shade in his shoulder as he fell to the ground, as he smoothly rose he looked at the arrow where it protruded from his shoulder and grimaced, taking hold of the shaft with his free hand he snapped it off leaving the head buried in his body, all signs of his previous toying around were gone his face was one of pure hatred now he dropped the shaft and began running at her sword at his side and slightly out to the right he had covered half the distance between them by the time Katrina had knocked another arrow he grasped the sword with both hands and raised it she knew that if the blow was allowed to make contact it would cleaves her in half. She loosed another arrow this second shaft caught him between the eyes and he shrieked loud enough to shatter several lanterns hanging from the walls. Slowly his skin turned translucent and he vanished in a cloud of smoke leaving only his clothes and his sword. Without pause she dropped her bow and used one of her knives to cut the quiver from her belt the slight added weight and its position would slow their escape she then pulled the elf's free arm around her shoulder and led him out of the castle and down the street mercifully there was still nobody around, as she reached the top of the wall however the door to a guard room opened and a soldier stepped out, without a conscious thought she drew a knife and flicked her wrist sending the blade flying at the man in the door way, with a dull thunk the blade sank into the guards shoulder making him fall backwards. From their position atop the ramparts Katrina cast her eyes out into the night and saw nothing but emptiness, she reached out cautiously with her mind she could feel the hundreds of soldiers in the northern quarter of the city fiercely battling the fires that Saphira had started, she could see in the distance the dozens of torches rushing away from the city presumably towards where her friends were. Suddenly she felt the wall shudder beneath her, and then again, and then a third time she cast around until she saw it from out of the night came Morzan's dragon without her rider, she looked at the elf who was looking at the same thing as her "we have to jump now" and without a pause they jumped the ground rushing up to meet them as they landed Katrina managed to roll away taking minimal damaged but the elf still weak wasn't as lucky he hit the ground and crumpled, as Katrina got to her feet she saw the elf in a heap. She crawled over to him he was conscious but barely she gave him a quick once over he had a broken ankle as well as a dislocated shoulder and snapped wrist, she sighed and raised a hand, "Slytha" the elf's eyes rolled in his head and he went limp. With an exhausted heave she picked the elf up carrying him over her shoulders and repeating the same spell she had used to cover her tracks into the city she concealed them both and began the long walk towards her friends.
It took her several hours and many rest periods but finally she arrived at the place they had chosen the previous day. It was large cave high in a sandstone cliff surrounded by trees. Exhausted and pushed to her limits she climbed into the cave to see Roran sat by the fire his arm was in a sling and his sword Kveykva was propped against the log he was using as a bench as he heard her enter he grabbed the hilt of the sword and looked at her as recognition crossed his face he let go of the sword and rose moving quickly to her, he looked her over "are you ok Kat?"
"Aye I'm well, tired but ok he isn't though." She said and jerked her head indicating the elf she had propped at the cave entrance "where are Brom and Eragon?"
"Eragon went hunting and Brom's been sat on top of the cliff since first light I'm worried he may not come down."
"We can figure that out later first I need some help getting the ambassador here somewhere one of us can heal him."
Roran looked at her again "you had better go see Luneria she's been worried about you, I'll deal with the ambassador and get him settled Eragon will be able to sort him out."
As Katrina walked away following the thoughts that led her to another large cave in which were Luneria and Askanir both curled up, Luneria raised her head as Katrina entered and the dragoness began to hum contentedly, she walked over and wrapped her arms around the silver dragons snout and rested her head between the glittering silver eyes. They stood like that for a handful of minutes bathing in their love for each other Luneria also used some of her own immense strength to bolster the weary Katrina. After she had washed and changed Katrina returned to the first cave to see Roran sat by the fire again but this time he had his hands full with a small deer that he was in the middle of skinning looking around she saw Eragon had returned, he was knelt by the head of the elf his hands resting gently on the side of the still unconscious elf's head his eyes were also closed. Katrina sat opposite Roran and stared at the flickering flames lost in her own thoughts about the previous night she realised that she had not spent much time processing her encounter with the shade since it had happened and now she switched her full focus on to it reliving the events starting from her first steps into the castle in Gil'ead. It took her a few moments to realise that Roran was talking to her, she looked at him "sorry Roran I was somewhere else."
"It's ok Kat I was just wondering what happened to you last night."
She smiled and began her short retelling of the previous nights events, when she finished Roran was stunned he hadn't suspected that she had been through so much in her short time away from the others.
"So you killed the shade then?"
"I don't know, I assume so but I can't be positive."
During her recitation Eragon returned to the small circle of firelight and sat on a small stump which was currently serving as a stool "I'm sorry to disappoint but you didn't kill the shade I heard what you said since your arrow didn't pierce his heart he has simply disappeared and shall reform more terrible than before, though under the circumstances I don't think you had much of a choice but that is of no consequence for now we shall deal with the shade when he reappears for now we have to get to the Varden without delay I have a slight plan but it will push us to our limits but I believe it is possible."
"What about our elven companion?" Asked Katrina looking at the comatose elf on the ledge
"He'll need to sleep for a day or so but he should fine he was forced to drink the poison Skilna Bragh." He noticed the confused expressions looking back at him "it is a deadly poison that only has a single cure, the poison was reaching its final purpose when he ingested the antidote thus it is taking longer than normal to recover."
It was nearly midnight when Brom finally showed himself his face was grim and set, he seemed older than normal like the years were crushing him since his encounter with the first of the forsworn, he spoke to no one filled his bowl with food and withdrew to a dark corner to eat once finished he withdrew for the night.
In the early hours of the morning Eragon rose to relieve Roran who was on watch, they had decided that they would stay in the caves for a few days so the elf could heal enough to travel. As he climbed to the top of the sandstone cliff he saw Roran sat cross legged on top of a flat stone his eyes closed his breathing was steady, across his lap was Kveykva's unsheathed amethyst blade. Once he was over the edge Eragon gently reached out with his mind he could feel that his cousin had pushed his mind outwards so as to watch for anyone approaching.
"Your mind is becoming a formidable force dear cousin."
A smile crossed Roran's lips "thank you Ebrithil you are most generous though my talents are nothing compared to Kats she is truly incredible."
This made Eragon smile "have you spoke to her about your feelings?"
"Not really she knows that I care for her but…" he paused and Eragon could sense what his cousin was thinking as if he'd spoken the words.
"But you don't know if she returns the same feelings that you have for her?"
"Exactly."
"Speak to her cousin sooner rather than later no one can know how this coming war will end and you don't want to have missed any chance to be with the one you love."
Roran smiled from where he sat and opened his eyes, Eragon felt his cousins mind retreating around his mind as he stood. He sheathed his sword and picked up his bow and quiver walking over to Eragon he shook his cousins hand "thank you Eragon for everything. For Askanir, For Kveykva, for my training, everything I feel honoured to have joined the riders and to be a part of history." Without another word Roran climbed down to the cave. Eragon couldn't help but smile to himself he knew both Roran and Katrina's feelings towards each other but he also knew he couldn't force the two together, still smiling Eragon removed his sword from his belt and began flowing through the many poses of the rimgar the elves dance of snake and crane after a few hours he completed the level he was on and he sat atop the same rock that Roran had earlier vacated he sat cross legged and from within a pouch he drew out a small brown ball and began to rub the ball between his hands casting his mind out ensuring that no one could sneak up on them. Eventually he felt Katrina climbing up the cliff side as she came over the rise Eragon tucked the small orb he held back into its pouch and from within a pocket he took out his pipe, after cleaning it and refilling with cardus weed he set the pipe between his teeth and silently spoke a single word that lit the pipe. As she walked over Katrina smiled at him, her smile was radiant and it's radiance made her glow, in her hands she carried a bowl and a mug which she handed to him. She sat on the ground in front of him and stared at the ground before she looked at him "you said something to Roran this morning didn't you?"
Eragon's expression was unreadable, he thought for a few moments deciding how best to word his response he finally decided to edge round the topic and judge Katrinas reaction based on what he said before he proceeded further "I did speak with him, I can see he cares for you and I told him he should speak to you about how he feels, under current circumstances things left unspoken have a habit of being a persons undoing and I would rather not see either of you come to any harm" he watched her intently trying to work out how his words had affected her, she didn't seem particularly troubled so he continued "before the fall about a hundred and eighty years after I had been chosen as a rider I met a young elf, she was fierce and passionate about whatever she dedicated herself to. We became friends over the course of the next fifteen years I felt my own feelings stir within myself for her but I did nothing about it, elves do not as a rule marry as humans do they simply take a mate of their choosing for as long as they wish, they see it as practical since they are immortal." He stopped to take a pull on his pipe "anyway we were close friends we fought together in a few skirmishes with marauding urgals, feuding dwarf clans and the like, we became inseparable for a time but still I refused to let my feelings be open, finally Galbatorix happened and he began the fall after several of my close friends died at the hands of the forsworn I decided that I was being and idiot, in fact Murtagh often pointed it out to me as well and eventually I came forth and told her of my feelings and to my shock she returned them now as a human I found the the idea of simply taking the woman I cared so much about without the bonds of marriage to be repugnant and so I insisted that if our relationship were to progress in the way we both wanted then I would only let that happen if she would accept my hand and marry me." His lip twitched into a smirk "she laughed in my face at first but then she saw how much it meant to me and she agreed, we were wed three months before the fall of Doru Araeba and we have been separated due to my isolation in the spine for nearly a century. For a while she believed I had died at Illeria along with every other rider there apart from the forsworn." He looked up at the sky before looking back at Katrina "I know how you both feel about each other and I'm not saying that you should get married but be honest and open with each other, Roran is a good man I know this not merely from our months of travel but from knowing his father for my entire life, Garrow was always one of the kindest riders he was particularly adept at healing and he has a natural affinity for plants unlike anyone else I know." He stood and hooking his pipe into his belt he offered Katrina a hand to help her up then he picked up his bowl and mug "come let's get in there's a storm brewing and we don't want to be it here much longer."