Hey guys I am back for chapter 19!
Guest: Thanks for the review and kind words! Can't say much about Arya and the throne as it would spoil future chapters, but the rating is M because I am tinkering with an idea for a mature scene between ExA. but I am not 100% sure if I will do it or not. I decided to go M just in case.
Hope you enjoy!
Kayla's POV (Didn't see that one coming, did you? )
All Kayla felt was pain. Unceasing and unrelenting pain as though she had never felt before. She slipped into unconsciousness multiple times only to have the next wave wake her again. She had no energy to fight, so she simply tried to float atop the water. She wished for death, anything to end this pain, and it seemed her wish was granted as a larger wave came and crashed onto her. It pushed her deep under water and she felt her head hit something hard. she welcomed the darkness that followed.
Kayla wasn't sure how long she was out but when she had awoken night had fallen. She lay in shallow water that pushed her slowly toward a sandy beach that was only a few feet in front of her. Kayla was still incredibly confused and disoriented but knew one thing
"I had to reach the shore"
Mustering every fiber in her being she tried to stand but to her surprise she found her legs would not move. Kayla tried for several moments to get her legs to move before giving up. She reached and began to crawl slowly and painfully to the shore. Although she was only ten feet or so from the shore it took her over an hour until she finally fully emerged from the water. It had been excruciating. Every movement felt as though her bones were being snapped like twigs. She lay on her back in the soft sand and fell back into darkness.
Kayla awoke to find herself staring at the sky. She stared at the sky for a moment wondering why it was moving above her before she realized
"I am moving"
She moved her head slightly to look up. Two men on each side of her were carrying her on a small cot. They seemed to be entering a small jungle. Kayla presumed by their primitive clothing and weapons they were part of the local population of people that lived nearby Mount Arngor. She knew very little about them other than they kept to themselves and were mostly pacifists who lived off the land.
The journey was painful as each step by the men caused her body to jolt in pain. Kayla felt truly afraid for the first time. She did not know what they would do to her or why they had saved her. She knew she was in no condition to fight them.
They finally arrived in a clearing with several wooden huts that had been erected. A small community of people gazed at her as she passed them. She was brought into a small hut near the middle of the clearing where she was transferred to a small bed on the side of the cabin. She was left alone for several minutes. She took an inventory of her injures during this time. Her collarbone was clearly broken and her left shoulder was dislocated. She was sure she had broken nearly every rib in her body, and they were clearly pushing against her lungs due to her difficulty breathing. What most concerned her was her legs. They looked ok other than her left ankle that was hanging at an odd angle but she had yet to be able to move them. She supposed she had severely injured her back and spinal column.
"I wonder if I will ever walk again" She thought glumly as she waited for someone to return.
Finally, the door opened to the hut and three people walked in. She recognized one as one of the men who had carried her. The other she did not know although he was clearly some sort of leader and the third person…. Was an elf!
She was surprised to see an elf so far from Du Weldenvarden. She recognized the elf that stood before her as Eltreir. He was well known for his studies into other cultures and beliefs. She supposed that was why he was with the natives. He was a middle aged elf (Around 350 or so) with short black hair and a kind face. Kayla severely hoped that he hadn't been in contact with anyone recently.
"My friend what has happened to you?" he asked kindly as he observed her injuries
Choosing her words with care Kayla replied, "There was a skirmish atop one of the walls of the city and I was thrown off" She carefully avoided any specifics like who she had been fighting or why.
She gasped in pain as he gently grabbed her arm.
"I will do all I can to help you, however magic can only do so much. There is no guarantee you will heal completely or even if you will be able to walk again. I can contact Eragon and…."
"no" she said quickly "I would prefer no other person to be involved"
He gave her a questioning look but didn't press her
"Very well, do you understand that you may never heal completely?
Kayla nodded in understanding
"I am grateful for your help and understand there is no certainty in this effort, but I must try"
He nodded and began to speak many spells of healing.
She felt her bones in her back shift and begin to pop back into place.
After several minutes he stopped chanting and she looked at his efforts
There was little change, many bones remained broken and her legs remained motionless.
Eltreir spoke "This will be a very slow process. I must rest, these spells take a heavy toll upon the user. Once you are strong enough, I will use some of your strength to help heal you faster but until then you must rest."
He spoke a line in the ancient language, and she faded to black.
Over the next few weeks, a routine was established. Eltreir would come early in the morning and heal her as much as he could for the day. He would then eat, and rest then return around sunset and preform the spells again.
Days passed slowly for Kayla as she lay bed ridden on her bunk. She found that she had drifted around the other side of the city when she fell and had ended up on a small beach around six miles from the city. The forests were thick, and she had no fear of being found by anyone in the city. What did worry her was Eltreir. He was incredibly kind and caring for an elf, but he was also friendly with the city and at any point he could reveal that she had survived her fall. She grew less and less worried at each passing day without any sign that anyone from the city knew she was there.
After three months Kayla had gained the strength to stand without falling over although it hurt terribly. At four months she was able to walk across the room and at six months she was able to move around the village slowly without major discomfort. She found the life peaceful although she was still in constant discomfort, something Eltreir said would most likely never fade. At ten months she was able to jog slowly and at just over a year she was able to run. She found that she was no longer as fast or as flexible as she used to be. She could still move faster than your average human, but she moved slow compared to an elf. She doubted she would ever regain her former speed and grace.
As she healed, she found herself beginning to hate the queen of the elves more and more
Kayla put the blame for everything that had happened to her on Arya. It was Arya who had ruined her relationship with Eragon, and it was Arya who had been the catalyst for her injuries.
After over a year and a half within the village Kayla found she had reached a wall in terms of healing. She was not improving anymore. Eltreir spoke to her after a healing session. He looked as though the session had lost him no energy at all.
"There is nothing more I can do for you Kayla. You have healed as much as you ever will, I fear"
Kayla nodded unsurprised
"If that is the case, I have no reason to stay do I?"
Eltreir looked as though he had wanted to argue but stayed quiet
They had become friends over the time they had spent together
He would be the only thing she missed about this place
"where will you go?" He asked calmly
"Home" She replied simply "I have been gone too long"
More importantly she thought
"I have a queen to visit"
Although she didn't share her plans with Eltreir
Several days later Kayla had entered the city under disguise as a merchant selling goods. She made sure to hide her face under a hood and was able to get to the docks undetected. There she was able to get passage to Tronjheim. She stayed at Tronjheim for several days before heading through the tunnels and starting her trek across the Hadarac Desert. She decided to leave on her own to ensure no one knew who she was or why she was returning.
She was three days into her five day walk when she saw them. She walked through the desert with her supplies, lost in thought planning how she would get revenge on Arya for all she had done. She still hadn't decided her course of action in this aspect. As she was lost in thoughts, she noticed a small dust cloud ahead of her that grew closer every second. She finally saw the outline of four horses traveling toward her. She quickly pulled up her hood to hide her pointed ears. The lead rider stopped several feet from her and regarded her.
"Now what would a fine woman like yourself be doing traveling alone across the desert? Awfully dangerous out here." He said with a crooked smile that revealed yellow teeth.
"I am heading home…. you would be wise to let me pass" She said in a cold voice
They laughed as they dismounted from their horses
The lead rider began to shout orders
"Tie her up! You! grab her bag!" he grinned at her
"Let's see what this girl is hiding"
They two men approached her with rope in hand
They lunged and she dodged easily
She moved forward and landed a punch at one of the men that broke several of his ribs and took him out of the fight. She drew her sword and made quick work of the second bandit.
Her hood fell from her face during the fight.
She heard the fear in the third bandits voice as he cried
"She's an elf!"
Kayla moved toward the third bandit and with a shout of "Thestra" she threw him back into his own horse killing him instantly.
As she turned to face the final bandit, she heard a twang of a bow and pain erupted from her shoulder.
She gritted her teeth and moved forward
The lead bandit renotched an arrow and fired again but Kayla was ready, she shouted
"Letta Thorna" and the arrow stopped in mid air and dropped to the ground
The bandit attempted to flee but she closed the distance between them easily
The bandit fell to his knees and began to speak
"Please! I beg you! Have mercy! I am sorry!"
He continued to beg but Kayla was hearing none of it. She raised her sword to his neck and pulled her arm back to deliver the fatal blow when a voice behind her spoke
"Let him go elf"
Kayla turned and behind her was a massive red dragon and atop the dragon was a human rider with a red sword strapped to his waist.
Murtagh had returned
OHHHHH Kayla lives AND Murtagh is back! Crazy chapter!
What did you guys think? Did you like it, hate it? Have a question?
Let me know
Stay safe guys!