Chapter 13: Explanations
The three galloped deep into the night, Marie and Eragon talking sometimes with Saphira and Oropher but mostly just keeping to themselves.
Dawn showed itself and they all slowed and stopped the horses.
"I must sleep…whether they catch us or not, we're making camp," mumbled Eragon. Marie stumbled off Cadoc and fell to the ground, the still fresh lashes on her back giving off stabs of pain.
"I might just fall asleep here," grumbled Marie as she failed to get up. Eragon trudged over and put her back in the saddle.
"We're meeting Saphira in a clearing. We'll jog the horses so they can breathe," said Eragon and he swung up onto Snowfire's back. Looking at the horse, Marie let a tear drop in memory of Brom and also began to wonder how it happened.
She kicked Cadoc into a trot staring at the back of Eragon's head. She didn't know what to think about him anymore. She knew her trust in him was planted there for eternity but she didn't know how she felt. She had always had a friend relationship with him but after all the events…the brother/sister possibility was being pushed away while the romance was being eagerly tugged closer.
Then she thought of the elf and how fervently Eragon had fought for her just as much as Marie. Jealousy from nowhere griped her stomach and she looked away from Eragon to look at Murtagh. He was mostly quiet and was obviously a great warrior. Marie decided that she would ask questions when they settled.
The place Saphira had chosen was nice and isolated and big enough for three horses, three people and two dragons. Marie jumped off Cadoc and tied him to a tree, stroking him for a moment before she trudged sleepily to the middle of the camp where Eragon lit a fire with magic.
Murtagh tied Tornac next to Snowfire and Cadoc and then came and joined them just as Saphira and Oropher flew in, looking just as tired.
Marie found the strength to get up and sit against her dragon, rubbing him lovingly. She fished in her bag and put her gloves on, wanting to hide one of the only signs that she was a Rider.
Eragon went to Saphira and gently pulled the elf down. Marie caught him blush when the elf's body touched his own and she looked away not wanting to see anymore.
Eragon set the elf down. Marie heard a slight rip and looked up to see the elf's shirt had torn a little. Eragon moved to fix it when he stopped and saw something and gasped. Marie and Murtagh gave over and they shook their heads at the sight. The elf's arm was dotted with cuts and bruises. Though some were healed, others were fresh and filled gushing. Eragon pulled the elf's sleeve up higher and everyone could see that the injuries continued up her shoulder.
Marie frowned as Eragon unlaced the elf's shirt but quickly changed expression as she saw the elf's back. Besides a strange tattoo, there was whip marks and bleeding imprints of claws and scabs that made Marie feel selfish for thinking that her wounds were serious.
"Can you heal this?" asked Murtagh.
"Not alone," said Eragon looking at Marie. She nodded her head. Oropher. We're going to need you too.
I am with you. Oropher weaved his head around and nudged her shoulder.
Marie and Eragon took off their gloves and placed the hand with the gedwey ignasia on a wound on the elf's back and said together, "Waise heill!"
During the long time the two were healing, Murtagh brought them some food. They also had a little time to think.
Marie glanced at Eragon and saw him blushing with sparkling eyes as they healed. He also looked a bit uncomfortable. With that, Marie scowled and kept working, leaving Eragon wondering why she was mad.
When they were half done, fatigue started creeping up on Marie and her back started throbbing.
As they were finishing up, her back gave one big jolt and she pulled away from healing to grasp it.
Marie! What is wrong? Oropher demanded touching her with a worried mind.My back…I was whipped but I don't think the wounds closed. Marie stood, clutching her back.
"Marie?" asked Eragon. He draped a blanket over the elf and walked to her.
He put a gentle hand on her back and was taken aback when she cried out and jumped away, tears streaming.
"Marie…" Eragon said and walked to face her. "You need healing."
"No…I'm fine," she mumbled looking away.
Murtagh scoffed at her answer. Eragon ignored him. "The only other time I've seen you in pain like this was when your wrist was broken. Now something is wrong and I can heal it. C'mon."
Marie turned away from him again. Eragon stared at her back and saw that it was wet with blood and wondered why she was resisting help.
You can't just expect her to let you heal her. Unlike the elf, Marie would be very much awake and very much aware that you could see her privet spaces. She would risk bleeding out unless you reassured her somehow, said Saphira and Eragon immediately understood.
He walked over to her, prepared to try again. "You can hold your shirt to your chest so I don't see anything…if that's what you're worried about."
Marie was silent for a moment and then nodded her head. "I'll take it off over there."
Eragon and Murtagh respectfully looked away, though Oropher shielded Marie with an outstretched wing.
Marie came back, looking horribly red with her shirt practically plastered to her chest. Eragon couldn't help but think her figure wasn't that bad either.
Marie walked over to Eragon and then turned and knelt down. Eragon and Murtagh grimaced at the sight of her back too. There was over ten deep whiplashes that were oozing puss since they hadn't been closed.
"Marie…how could you ride like this?" Eragon asked. He laid a hand on her back. "Waise heill!"
"I didn't want you guys to worry," she mumbled. She pulled her long black hair out of the way as he healed under her neck. Eragon looked at her bare neck and saw a silver chain. "Besides…that elf was in worse danger."
"That may be…but we can't have you awake and in this much pain," said Eragon shaking his head. "You should've told us earlier. This was foolish."
Marie gave a slight smile and her dark green eyes flickered. "You sound like Brom."
Eragon stopped for a moment. Marie was silent too. "How…"
"I have to tell you where we were going or you won't understand," said Eragon. Murtagh stood and walked to the farthest end of the camp. He did not feel left out. Eragon had spoken slightly of a really good friend before and he was guessing that it was Marie. So when they talked like this, he knew he'd feel worse if he listened in. He gave them their space.
So Eragon told Marie all about Carvahall and Roran and Garrow. He told her how he had found Saphira's egg and about his travels with Brom until Teirm. He told her about the Ra'zac and about what they were actually doing in Teirm. And then he told her about the ambush and fleeing and Brom saving his life. He told her about Brom's grave and meeting Murtagh until being captured by Urgals.
"There was something else too," said Eragon quietly. He pulled his hand back and looked over Marie's now smooth and slender back with praise. There were still aching wounds under the surface but on top, it looked perfectly normal.
Marie stood and put her shirt on before turning. Marie's eyes were rimmed with tears. "What?"
"Brom…was a Rider," said Eragon. Marie wiped a tear away and looked at him.
"What? He was a Rider?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"And he told me that if I ever saw you again that…he wanted you to know that he thought you had great potential to be one of the greatest rider ever known. That if anything was ever to happen, you would pull through strong. He also said that if we reunited that we were unbeatable together and that we should look after each other and our dragons." When Eragon finished, he too had tears streaming down his face.
"Oh…I wish I had been there…" Marie gave a mournful cry. Eragon wrapped his arms around her and let her cry on his chest.
Marie. It's time to rest. Oropher's voice entered as they pulled away.
No…let's finish healing the elf first. Marie said and she got up and walked over the elf and her and Eragon finished healing her. Eragon slumped down tiredly as Marie laced the elf's shirt back up.
Time for sleep Eragon. Saphira said as she curled up off to the side.
Marie shook her head as she turned and walked to Oropher.
Eragon too sat down by Saphira but both had too much on their minds to sleep.
"Hey Murtagh!" Marie called suddenly. Murtagh jerked up from dosing and walked over. He sat down with a yawn.
"So Marie," said Murtagh. "What's your story?"
Marie sighed.
Murtagh wondered why he had brought that up. He himself had no intention of sharing his past, so why bring up her's when it could lead to his.
Marie sighed, her green eyes flickering in the morning light. "My parents were killed or kidnapped or something on a merchant ship for…friends…"
"Your friends don't happen to be the Varden by any chance do they?" asked Eragon eyebrows raised.
Marie was silent for a moment. "They might be."
"Ah…" mumbled Eragon. Then he looked up. "Do you know the leader of the Varden?"
"No…" replied Marie. "But I met a…close relative…"
"How close?" asked Murtagh.
Marie shook her head. "I'm not allowed to say. But anyway, after their ship disappeared, I lost the house…my possessions…everything but this."
Marie pulled out her silver locket. "So, I started working for this jerk, Gareth at a pub/hotel. He had me selling stuff for a permanent room there. One day I came down and saw Brom and Eragon there talking to a local but I didn't know it was them. Then, I saw Eragon at the house on my walk. On that walk, I saw something blue (Marie glanced at Saphira, who snorted back) and then I fell in a tsunami ditch. I heard something while I was in there…it was Eragon calling to Saphira but I didn't know it was a dragon until she flew over the ditch. Then…I fell back and hit my head on Oropher's egg. That's just about it."
"Hm…an egg by pure luck…" said Murtagh. Eragon nodded in agreement but Marie took that offensively and she went to bed in a sour mood.
While she was 'sleeping' Eragon and Murtagh talked about the elf.
"As far as I know," said Murtagh. "She the first elf the king has captured. Ever since they went into hiding, he's been looking for them without success-until now. So he's either found their sanctuary, or she was captured by chance. I think it was chance. If he had found the elf haven, he would have declared war and sent an army after them. Since that hasn't happened, the question is, Were Galbatorix's men able to extract the elves' location before we rescued her?"
Marie frowned like she always did when the elf came into the talk. Something ticked inside her and resentment flew at the unconscious being.
"We won't know until she regains consciousness. Tell me what happened after I was captured. How did I end up in Gil'ead?" asked Eragon.
"The Urgals are working for the Empire," said Murtagh with a grimace. "And, it seems, the shade as well. Saphira and I saw the Urgals give you to him-though I didn't know who it was at the time-and a group of soldiers. They were the ones who took you to Gil'ead."
He speaks the truth, said Saphira.
The Urgals were from the Empire. Galbatorix! Why would he send his own recruits to attack his people? Eragon shook his head, not liking the new news.
Because he's evil. Saphira said with an upset snort.
"This will mean war! Once the people of the Empire learn of it, they will rebel and support the Varden." Eragon growled.
"Even if they heard of this outrage, few would make it to the Varden. With the Urgals under his command, the king has enough warriors to close the Empire's borders and remain in control, no matter how disruptive people are. With such a rule of terror, he will be able to shape the Empire however he wants. And though he is hated, people could be galvanized into joining him if they had a common enemy," said Murtagh.
Eragon's face twisted in bewilderment. "Who would that be?"
"The elves and the Varden. With the right rumors, the king can turn all of Alagaesia against them and even side with the Urgals," said Murtagh shaking his head. "I wonder what the Empire promised in return for their services."
"It wouldn't work," said Eragon. "No one could be fooled that easily by Galbatorix and the Urgals. Besides, why would he want to do that? He's already in power."
"But his authority is challenged by the Varden, with whom people sympathize. There's also Surda, which has defied him since it seceded from the Empire. Galbatorix is strong within the Empire but his arm is weak outside of it. As for people seeing through his deceptions, they'll believe whatever he wants them to. It's happened before." Murtagh stopped and looked away, letting his words sink into Eragon and Marie as well.
This is horrible! Marie was surprised at the calmness her mind spoke in. The Urgals working for the Empire? And what if Galbatorix's plan works and he manages to take over the Varden, the elves and Surda?
Then Galbatorix would have succeeded…if it weren't for us. Oropher said. Even in the most desperate times, as long as there is a Rider that hasn't chosen a path, there is still hope. For our luck there happens to be two.
But he knows that we're traveling together now…won't that cause a problem? Marie asked.
It might…but he'll still fear you. As long as you and Eragon continue to travel together, you should be fine, said Oropher.
I would be fine either way as long as I had you, said Marie. Oropher touched her mind with gratitude and curled his neck around her.
"You risked your life to rescue me; I owe you for that. I couldn't have escaped on my own. Marie owes you too. She was a bit worse of than me and if we had tried to do it by ourselves…well, we'd just be crawling everywhere," said Eragon. Murtagh and Marie gave small smiles.
"I'm just glad I could help-you and Marie both. It…" Murtagh rubbed his face. "My main worry now is how we're going to travel with so many men searching for us. Gil'ead's soldiers will be hunting tomorrow; once they find the horses; tracks, they'll know you and Marie didn't fly away on your dragons."
"Yea…" mumbled Eragon flatly. "How did you get in the castle?"
Murtagh chuckled. "By paying a steep bribe and crawling through a filthy scullery chute. But the plan wouldn't have worked without Saphira. She," Murtagh stopped and faced the sapphire dragon. "that is, you, are the only reason we escaped alive. With help from Marie's dragon."
Murtagh nodded at Oropher who blinked at him in reply.
"We better start riding again," mumbled Eragon who stood and started shaking. He was still wiped from his joint heal with Marie.
"No! Marie probably isn't even asleep and you haven't tried. You must!" Murtagh insisted.
"Me and Marie can sleep in our saddles. But we can't risk staying here any longer," said Eragon, taking a swig of wine.
"Fine. I'll lead Snowfire with you tied on him and Snowfire can pony Cadoc with Marie tied to him. Or I could tie you both to Snowfire…" Murtagh said the last part with amusement. Marie shot up at the suggestion.
"No…we'll take the first idea…" mumbled Eragon with a hint of…reluctance?
So they carried out the idea, Marie instantly falling asleep on Cadoc's back as the dragons took off with the elf and Murtagh pulled her and Eragon.
