From twenty feet below her was the sparring field and the prospect of sparring again caused nausea to swell inside of her. It could be a trigger and she might kill someone.
"Ready?" Däthedr smiled as he gestured with an outstretched hand to the spiral staircase that wound down one of the thick and old trees. She felt Arya rub her back supportively and Eila looked over to give her a nod.
"I am, Ebrithil." She answered, and she felt the last of Arya's fingertips as she removed herself from her cousin's side. Elva caught her hand and squeezed it quickly before letting go, which caused a soft smile to touch Eila's lips.
Soon though, she joined Lord Däthedr and followed him down to the area where they would practice. Eila was going first because he and many other people, including Arya, wanted to see how developed her skills were in the art of swordplay.
They walked to the center of the field with soft black soil beneath their feet: fertile and ready for hosting plant life. Eila was aware of the eyes on her. At the very least fifty other Elves were watching, excluding Arya, Elva, Angela, and Solembum, who took the form of a boy. Not to mention the three dragons who watched with interest behind them.
"Ebrithil?" She said as confidently as possible, but she couldn't keep the tremor out of her voice.
"Yes, Eila? Is everything okay?" He stopped and answered kindly.
Her hand worried over the carnelian pommel of her sword. "I have… a… safe-word. I was raised in Urû'baen and I suffer from Repeating Past or at least something like it. Sparring might be a trigger and if it is, I know I can get violent rather quickly. I don't want to hurt anyone." She looked down at her feet, chest and mind filling with shame. "It's, uh… 'Ivy'."
He smiled kindly. "Don't worry. Thank you for telling me. I don't want you to feel like you're in danger here, so if something bothers you, please let me know." He thought for a second. "Will sparring make you uncomfortable?"
Eila's eyes widened and she didn't speak for several beats. "I… I don't think so. I'm nervous because we have an audience and I'm worried something is going to happen, but I think that's unavoidable. Besides, I'd like to see how much my skills have decayed. It's been since before Galbatorix died."
Däthedr nodded. "I see. May I ask who taught you swordplay?" he began walking slowly towards the middle of the field.
Eila worried at her gloveless hands. "My…" she stopped herself. "Both Durza and Galbatorix. Mainly Durza. Galbatorix hardly ever spent time with me and when he did it was… bad."
Däthedr eyed her sudden melancholy and his gaze softened. "Are you related to him?"
She flinched at his question and looked up with a fearful gaze, but she couldn't stop her eyes from watering.
"I see." Däthedr's voice remained calm and sympathetic. "It's okay, it's not your fault. I asked because some of your quieter features resemble him, and I hope you don't take that with offense. You look a splitting image of Freydis Dröttningu, though. You both have the same eyes."
Eila tried speaking, but only a soft squeak came out, so she cleared her throat and tried again. "Did Arya tell you?"
He shook his head. "No, I guessed. Unfortunately, I know that if Freydis had been captured, any child that would be born from her would most likely come from Galbatorix himself. Elves would have been too important and advantageous to him. He wouldn't have let anyone else sire a child." He looked at her and studied her features. "Your presence isn't unwelcome here, Eila. Nobody can control who their parents are."
"But aren't you worried I'd turn into him? I'm worried about that." She admitted softly before she wiped her eyes.
He looked thoughtful. "I suppose there is a concern, but none of us have really gotten to know you either. Any Elf here knows that judgement built on whim can often be treacherous. Those who are too quick with their opinions are no better off than someone with an arrow in their foot." She smiled warmly. It seemed almost carefree.
Eila had to take a moment to process everything he just said. "How many people suspect my relation to Galbatorix?"
He shrugged. "More or less."
The distress on her features seemed to cause her pain, but she nodded and backed away, deciding she didn't want to talk about it anymore.
She tapped the tip of each boot behind the heel of the other four times before drawing her sword, Istalrí. "May I ask that you take the offensive first?" Her voice cracked slightly.
"Of course, but please know that I intend to refrain from lessening the impact or complexity of my own swordsmanship skills." He drew his own sword and settled into his initial stance.
"I would kindly ask nothing less of you." Eila had already settled into her own stance, sword low and chest unguarded, but not out of mind.
He inclined his head, then spoke words into his sword to protect the edge. He then gave the incantation to Eila, who spoke to hers with a slightly surprised look. She was used to playing with bare blades.
When all was prepared, Däthedr skipped forwards to land a blow to her head, her hip, then her stomach in quick succession. His moves were met by Eila's blade and deflected quickly as the flurry continued.
"Oh you are interesting." He said as he observed her and she felt a tingle run down her spine as she felt his mind brush up against her own.
"We've barely started." Eila said with an almost confused looking frown.
"I know." He smiled, then lunged at her again, this time landing eight blows instead of three, each with increasing speed and agility.
Eila mentally felt the environment surrounding her and began building a guard around her mind while keeping herself tethered to the plants and wildlife. Everything was a lot louder than the way it was in Urû'baen, which was devoid of all plant life.
Her sword skipped across his blade to meet it at every contact point just inches before it touched her. Every time she danced away, unfazed with calm breathing. She let a slow song play in her mind as Däthedr watched her. It seemed he wanted any sort of reaction he could get.
She felt his mind again, and all he was met with was lyrics. They shielded him from being able to anticipate her next moves.
A long way goes when the wind blows,
Across the land and over the trees;
To kiss the sand and to dive into the sea.
Eila took in a deep breath and let the song continue to play.
My heart flows free,
When I find you're with me.
I hold close to your key,
That you gave to me so willingly.
Däthedr lunged at her again from an odd angle, causing her to jump out of the way. Her focus returned to her sword but remained also on her song. Her mind hung in the balance and stayed in that familiar rhythm as they continued.
Twelve blows were successfully deflected, her body moving like water as he chose a very chaotic pattern. A blow to her hip, her knee, her shoulder, her sternum, her side, then shoulder again, then shin…
She let out a deep breath, and with his movements, she began taking the offensive, feeling more comfortable with her ability to spar without causing a past memory to resurface and make her a danger.
Däthedr fought with her to keep the offensive role, making it as difficult as possible for her to navigate around him. Now they were truly sparring.
The old and familiar patterns of the mind and body fell back into place, and before she could catch herself, she was humming.
I dig deeper to find the treasure,
without measure inside your chest.
I am persistent,
Yet not insistent because I know that you need rest.
Her defense became offense simultaneously. The blow that was blocked became the next attack as she let her sword slip around Däthedr's.
With a small smile, she let her left hand drift around his waist and lower back as she passed close to his body, a tactic that was often disrupting to her sparring partner's concentration.
Under her breath, she began singing her lyrics instead of humming them. Sparring was the one thing that brought her joy in Urû'baen, and she had forgotten how much she enjoyed the task.
Däthedr's surprise was palpable, but he smiled as he worked his way around the incoming attack on her end, finding that she had increased her pace. He tried finding his way into the top layers of her mind but found only the lyrics to her song.
A long way goes when the wind blows,
We make our peace with all things strange,
So please stand by me even as the seasons change.
She took her time with her next few attacks which he deflected with ease.
That's when he realized she was playing with him.
"Eila." He said as he pulled away. "Show me your skill."
Her eyebrows raised. "Forgive me, Ebrithil, but you're also holding back."
He smirked. "That I am, but it's clear to me now that you're very aware of how to handle a sword. I'd like you to try beating me."
She straightened, feeling her bones shift together as she ignored the pain her shoulder blade was causing. "Yes sir."
He inclined his head and settled into his beginning stance. Eila did the same and waited for him to advance. Her mind opened and closed and stretched and thinned as she found her place. Her song restarted after a moment and she took the first move when she realized he wasn't going to.
She drew her sword in an upward motion, starting around his hip. If he hadn't deflected the blade, it would have opened him from his hip to his opposite shoulder.
"There we go." He smiled proudly and retaliated in a set of deeply complicated blows which Eila found herself appreciating as she deflected all of them quickly. This time she didn't pause to take the offensive.
Her blade whirled through the air and she almost landed a few strikes before growing frustrated with each deflection. The anger pooled in her belly and she retaliated by locking Däthedr's blade in her own and trapping his hand. With a sharp gesture, the sword flew from his grip and landed several yards away. Her foot connected with his sternum, and he flew backwards, landing sharply on the ground.
She stood there for a moment, stunned, but before long, the anger fled and she set her sword on the ground with a soft gasp as she ran to him and knelt.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry-"
"Stop." He said with a wince. "That was the best match I've had in a long time." He smiled, though he was obviously in pain.
"I cheated." Eila said softly.
"To disarm your opponent isn't cheating. I've seen very few people perform the technique you used with that amount of ease." He sat up and she helped him. He gasped and his breathing caught in his throat.
"I might've fractured your sternum… let me fix it…" she spoke quietly.
Däthedr shook his head. "I intend to let this heal on its own unless Arya insists I become her students' sparring teacher, which I'd gladly do." He said with a frown of pain. "Even with your injured shoulder, you still were able to best me."
"How do you know about my shoulder?"
He laid a hand on his chest and felt the area to be sure nothing was broken along with a quick mental scan. He was relieved when his injury was only a fracture, like Eila had guessed. "Arya told me in case you didn't. I also noticed your movements are hindered when you wield a blade."
Eila's expression fell. "Oh…" she said quietly.
"If you'd be willing, there are spellcasters here which may be able to fix your injury. All you have to do is say the words and we can have that arranged." He offered a smile. "Don't worry about your heritage, Eila. Just focus on being yourself and the people here will get to know you based on who you are, not who you're from." He laid a hand on her shoulder and she nodded.
"Wonderful. Now, would you do me the favor of helping me up?"
"Oh, of course." She said quickly, then bent and wrapped her arm around his waist to avoid his chest and shoulders. She didn't want to injure him further.
Once he was up, she made sure he could stand on his own, then retrieved both her sword and his. Together they left the center of the field and walked back up the stairs, taking their time so as to not upset Däthedr's injury.
Upon reaching the top, Arya was there to greet them with a worried expression. Eila saw that Elva had stayed back with Angela, Solembum, and the dragons, but it was obvious she wanted to be there with Arya.
"I'm okay." Däthedr smiled. "I must say though that you have a promising student and that I look forward to working with her more often." He said this louder than necessary, but it was clear he was making this known to the Elves watching the encounter. Arya noticed Eila relax slightly.
"I'm glad. Eila, are you alright also?"
The half-Elf nodded. "Yes ma'am."
Däthedr kept a hand over his chest as he took a deep breath, then coughed.
"You should get some rest Lord Däthedr." Arya rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you, I will. I must inform you that I will let this heal on its own out of honor, though if I am needed for further instruction, I will mend this quickly so we may resume our lessons." He straightened and looked to the sky. It was cloudy and overcast. "Speaking of mending things, I have extended the offer to have Eila's shoulder fixed. I'm not sure how bad it is, but we will do our best to mend what we can."
Arya's smile was gentle. "What say you, Eila?"
"I'm… fond of that offer. I accept with gratitude." She offered a forced smile. It was genuine, she just couldn't get past the nervous energy that pulsed in her body. The eyes that were on her seemed heavy and critical; too highly observant. Däthedr didn't give her a clear answer on how many suspected Galbatorix to be her father, or even that Freydis was her mother. She tried ignoring them to the best of her ability.
"I'm glad." Däthedr smiled. "Now, I must excuse myself. I feel the need to rest."
"Would you like me to accompany you? It's the least I could do." Eila asked and Däthedr shook his head.
"I am alright, thank you kindly. You should rest your shoulder as well. I know it pains you." he said with a nod.
"Yes, Ebrithil." She nodded and bowed slightly, then looked to Arya.
"I agree, Eila. Elva mentioned to me how much it's bothering you." the Elven Queen inclined her head and Eila's eyes softened when she glanced back over at her partner.
"Is she alright?"
"I believe so, but I think it would be wise to talk to her. She might know how to help you manage it better than you already are." Arya gave a soft, knowing smirk that caused a blush to run to Eila's cheeks.
"Yes, Ebrithil. Thank you." She bowed, then started off towards Elva, but stopped herself and turned back. "Lord Däthedr, I hope your injury heals quickly and painlessly. Thank you for sparring with me today." She bowed again, then left, trying to tame the sudden jumpiness of her being. Once again, she tried ignoring the eyes that followed her, and decided she wanted to be back in the privacy of the Rider's Loft.
She took a deep breath. She'd get to go back soon…
A/N: Blam! New chapter! We've made it to FOURTY CHAPTERS! I honestly had no idea it was going to be this long, but hey, it's working! I'm just so glad you all have stuck around with me for this long, and especially to those who stuck around after I did my re-write! You guys are troopers, I'm telling you. This story has gotten so long, but I'm thankful for the support you guys give me and the encouragement and the criticisms. It all helps me stay on track and involved. ALL OF YOU ARE AMAZING I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!
As for this chapter, I hope you all enjoyed it, as always!
Remember to eat and drink something!
-Lady Arlo