I am sooo sorry it's been so long since I updated this story! I deleted my nook app and I realized I didn't have a paper copy of Eragon. It was really stupid of me, but I bought a paper copy today, so I can try to update more often. I promise I'll try to do better.
Armelle had spent her next few days in town, helping the town healer, Gertrude. She learned many useful things, like the correct herbs and tonics and medicinal plants to heal wounds and stay infection, which she knew could be useful, especially if Brom's suspicions of Armelle having little choice other than to join the Varden were true. Of the nights, she would sit with Brom and her father and listen to his stories of the great feats of the Riders of old, and, after her days of assisting Gertrude, she went to the Spine and retold Brom's tales to Argenta, and sometimes Saphira and Eragon, if they were there to listen.
Whenever Eragon or Armelle grew upset over something, they and their dragons were there for them as vents and balms for which their frustrations or other emotions escaped. Eragon and Armelle could never do for each other what their dragon's did for them. Argenta's thoughts were Armelle's, and vice versa. They understood no one better than they did each other.
Eragon had told Armelle about Roran's decision to leave, but she could only comfort and offer advice.
In the next weeks before his cousin left, Saphira and Argenta had both taken growth spurts. Saphira had grown twelve inches at her shoulder, which was now higher than Eragon's own. Argenta stood even taller, her chest centering at the same level as Armelle's head. The saddle Brom had made for her, when worn, was growing too tight to be hooked through the first hole.
It was a warmer day when Eragon discovered that the small hollow where Saphira's neck joined her shoulder was a comfortable place to sit. Armelle still preferred the gap between Argenta's hip, back leg, and flank. He would sit with the dragons and the half-elf and explain meanings of words while he scratched her neck. Soon she, like Argenta, understood everything her Rider said and frequently made comments. It was a true wonder; Saphira and Argenta were as real as any person they could meet, perhaps more so, but Armelle and Argenta understood each other on a deeper, more profound level as Eragon and Saphira did.
Saphira did wondrous things that left even Argenta impressed, and vice versa. Every day each revealed more aspects of who they truly were. On the day Saphira caught an eagle, and, instead of eating it, released it, saying, No hunter of the sky should end his days as prey. Better to die on the wing than pinned to the ground.
Armelle could only marvel in the wisdom of the creatures, and she learned from them as much as they learned from the Riders.
The day Eragon planned to tell Roran of Saphira, after much procrastination, Armelle was in the Spine again with Argenta. Her legs were healed enough for flight with the saddle. Her father, who could only live in memories of such things, had joined her in the Spine and thought it necessary that she test what Argenta was skilled at doing in flight. Argenta agreed, her silver wings rustling as she knelt for Armelle to climb in the saddle.
The half-elf did, gracefully bounding into the saddle and strapping herself in. "Ready, Argenta?" Armelle asked with a grin, glancing at her father, who watched with arms crossed over his broad chest.
She replied by leaping into the air with her muscular legs. Her wings shoved downward on the winds, sending her higher and higher. Far above the trees, Argenta evened her wings out and soared over the Spine, Armelle's long golden hair billowing behind her like a cape.
The half-elf smiled again, spreading her arms out to their full length. She called out into the sky, laughing with her silver eyes gleaming with her joy in the sunlight.
Argenta laughed, tucking her wings next to her side and diving through updrafts.
Armelle latched her grip onto one of Argenta's ivory spikes when the silver dragon hurled herself around, snapping out one wing for a strong gale to catch and send her spiraling. She then ducked downward quickly, firing down like an arrow straight from a tightly strung bow.
Armelle's weight shifted downward, her face almost colliding with one of the spikes on her dragon's back. She yelped, stopping with the bridge of her nose centimeters away from the sharp spine. "Careful, Argenta!" Armelle squeaked as the silver dragon snapped her wings back out, her front claws scraping the dirt as she launched higher into the air. "I need my nose!" She was jolted backward at the steep incline of Argenta's rise to the clouds.
Sorry, Argenta replied, though her voice was amused and far from apologetic.
Armelle tugged a scale at the base of Argenta's neck and the dragon let out a snarl of irritation. "Oh please," the Silver Rider replied, rolling her metallic eyes. "You deserved that."
Maybe, Argenta amended before soaring higher through the air.
The half-elf reached up and touched a cloud, her tan slender fingers cutting through the white water clustered in the sky. She tore the cloud in half with her fingers, and with one powerful beat of Argenta's wings, the cloud pieces drifted in opposite directions. Armelle laughed, her eyes bright as Argenta rose higher and higher.
They were in the sky for another half hour before Argenta thought it necessary for her to land and for Armelle to return to town.
After a few more minutes of them spending time together on the ground and Armelle's father critiquing Argenta's flight, Armelle and her father returned to town.
As they walked, Armelle noticed two strange looking humanoid figures covered in cloaks. Their backs seemed hunched and bent in a twisted manner.
"Father," she said warily, her voice quiet. She motioned to the figures subtly.
His expression turned cold, and he spoke sternly in his hushed tones. "Go back to Brom's quickly, and try not to draw attention to yourself."
"But I'm supposed to help Gertrude today." Armelle informed him quietly.
His jaw clenched and unclenched as he thought. "Alright," he said after a moment. "Go there and nowhere else. When she sends you home so she can retire come straight to Brom's and I will do my best to meet you there."
She nodded, and she turned to walk to Gertrude's quickly, but not so quick it would draw unwanted attention.
She arrived and helped her mix tonics and poultices, sort herbs, and organize her gauze and bandages. It was past sunset when Armelle finished helping her. On her way to Brom's, her path was cut off by the strange creatures, one in front of her and one behind.
"We need to ask you a few questionssss." The one in front of her hissed, stepping closer to her in a strange hobbling movement. She caught the strong stench of rotten meat on its breath.
Her mind expanded in a way she didn't know it could, and she quickly searched for her father's presence. "I don't believe I have the answers you are searching for." She said, stepping away from the one inching toward her, and backing into the other.
"You cannot know until we asssssk them," the one behind her spoke in her ear. She clenched her jaw and stepped to the left, away from other of the beetle-like creatures. Her heart slammed almost painfully against her ribcage as she backed away from the two… things.
"Armelle!" She heard her father call from behind the front creature. He caught up, shoving past the deformed creature and sighing in relief that only seemed half of an act. "There you are. I thought I told you to be back by now. I have searched all over town for you."
"I'm sorry," she replied sheepishly, and her father pulled her away from the beetle creatures and quickly walked with her back to Brom's.
"Are you alright?" He asked when they arrived inside, looking over her with his hazel eyes full of concern.
She nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. What are those things?"
"They are called Ra'zac." Her father said briefly. "They seem to be searching for Argenta's egg, and another."
Armelle stopped breathing for a moment. They were after Argenta and Saphira!
"Armelle," her father said, looking up at her with stern hazel eyes. "Do you know something about this?"
She shook her head. "Only Argenta."
Her father's eyes narrowed.
Brom grunted behind him. "It doesn't matter. They'll be after her now, and use you both to find wherever that other egg went."
Armelle gulped. "What should we do?"
Her father shook his head. "We have to leave, but not yet. It would look too suspicious now. We will wait a few days, let tensions die down, and escape Carvahall."
Armelle nodded before hesitating. "What about Argenta?"
"Find her in the morning, and tell her of the plan. There is only one place we'll be safe, and it is far from here."
Armelle nodded again. "Yes, Father."
He kissed her forehead. "Try to get some sleep, my child."
She nodded and slipped out of the room, eavesdropping on her father's conversation with Brom.
"This cannot be possible, Devon. You know she knows who the second Rider is. If she gets injured or killed because she will not tell us who the next Rider is, then we cannot help either of them and all hope will be lost."
"I know," her father snapped, "but you already know that the other Rider is her friend in Palancar Valley."
"All the more reason to have them admit it," Brom replied quickly. "If we can be completely sure, then we must be. It is the only way to make sure the new generation survives."
Her father was silent for a long moment, but she was sure he was agreeing.
Armelle was pulled from her eavesdropping at a voice echoing in her head - Saphira. She must've been shouting for Armelle to hear her from such a distance. Murderers! The Silver Rider almost hit her knees at the wave of bloodlust and fear that burst from the sapphire dragon. Fire! Enemies! Murderers! Death!
Armelle rushed out of the back door of Brom's house. Argenta! Find Saphira. Tell me what's happening.
Armelle almost tumbled down the hill into Palancar Valley as Saphira tore at the ground and Argenta landed nearby, staying low to the ground so her mirror-like scales didn't reflect over the entire valley.
Eragon then did the dumbest thing possible—he grabbed Saphira's tail as it flicked near him, yelling for her to calm down, and the blue dragon leapt into the sky, with her Rider still dangling from her tail.
Armelle swung herself onto Argenta's back, into the saddle she thankfully still had on. Follow them!
Argenta leapt into the sky, following Saphira as she flew Eragon away from the Carvahall.