Emerald Tiara- So, uh, I guess I'm describing Kaiya's mood well then? Thanks for reviewing, and... ((turns on a light)) better?

Disclaimer: I do not own Eragon. Anything familiar belongs to Christopher Paolini, but everything else belongs to me.


Chapter Fourteen

The rest of the afternoon quickly passed by, with a curious Kaiya exploring the rest of the elves' campsite. She slowly weaved around the half-dozen white tents, watching the others bustling with work. Crisp yellow grass gave way under her feet with a soft crunching noise. As she made her way past a rippling flap of a tent, she heard firm footsteps behind her.

"Do not get used to this," a deep voice commented thoughtfully.

Kaiya looked behind her shoulder to see that a certain brown-haired boy had just exited the tent. Her brow furrowed in question, waiting for him to catch up with her. "Get used to what?" she asked, puzzled.

Murtagh lifted a hand and waved it carelessly, "All of this—the tents, a camp, everything. The sole reason of us setting camp was for Arya, the Twins, and my arrival." He glanced down at her with the faintest hint of a smile across his handsome face. "Can you handle traveling for days at a time?"

Kaiya gave a dry laugh as they continued walking down the flattened path of grass. "It would not be the first time." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes and added, "So you do not plan to return to the Varden?"

An unreadable expression crossed his face, his dark eyes flashing with pure emotion. "Perhaps…someday. Haldin has already set up plans to return the Twins to the Varden, however. Let me be the first to say that their presence will not be missed among us."

Kaiya nodded thoughtfully, her eyes sweeping across her surroundings. "I suppose I will not mind traveling once more, as long as it can keep my mind off of—certain things." There was an awkward pause in the conversation.

"I was hoping to continue my training, though I doubt I shall match the level of any here," she thought aloud.

"But you are a Dragon Rider," countered Murtagh. "Surely that must count towards something."

"Dragon Rider," laughed Kaiya bitterly. "It is true that I have the potential, but I lack the training needed." She kicked aside a group of pebbles, suddenly contrasting the dry grass with their smooth, gray appearance. They had reached the end of their temporary camp and now stood on the brink of the featureless landscape, colossal trees in the distance. A wind tugged at her dark hair, whipping it from her face and backwards.

"You doubt your skills," Murtagh observed. Kaiya frowned stubbornly, a tinge of pink arising on her cheeks. "I know of my skills," she replied heatedly.

Do I? She suddenly thought back to her skirmish in Furnost. A girl of sixteen could not have possibly been capable of triumphing over three older boys. But she had done it. She had killed three boys all in a day. Guild emerged from the depths of her brightly lit eyes, remembering how she had felt no remorse for it at the time.

Kaiya quickly snapped out of her thoughts, seeing Murtagh's inquisitive look. He glanced away from her, unabashed, giving the appearance of him doing some thinking.

"Then show me your skills," he instructed the girl. She raised her eyebrows doubtfully at the question, quickly shaking her head in refusal. "I have yet to train even with a sword."

"So you shall learn," Murtagh said firmly. He looked back towards the camp and, picking out a familiar blonde person, called out. "Eragon!"

Kaiya felt her face turn a dark shade of red as she protested. "No, Murtagh, I will only embarrass myself!"

But it was too late; Eragon had already appeared by their side, glancing between the two curiously. "What is it, Murtagh?"

"Can you ready our blades to spar?" he asked. Eragon slowly nodded, and Murtagh unsheathed the sword from his waist, handing it to Eragon. Then he motioned for Kaiya to do the same.

Reluctantly, Kaiya unsheathed her own sword and watched as Eragon held Murtagh's sword in his hands and uttered, "Gëuloth du knífr." A red spark jumped from his fingers, and Eragon expertly ran it down the blade. Turning the sword around, he then ran it up the other side.

Eragon handed the sword back to Murtagh. Kaiya looked over her own sword in interest, saying, "I will do it to my own sword."

The two boys watched as she performed the Ancient Language perfectly, then fixed her own sword. Eragon nodded in approval at the finishing work, then watched wordlessly as Murtagh got into his fighting stance.

Once more, Kaiya felt the overwhelming sense of embarrassment. Her only past experience with the blade had resulted in the death of her opponents. But they were foolish and lacked the training and skill, while Murtagh was obviously well trained in fighting.

Taking in a deep breath, Kaiya allowed her already racing heart to relax before lowering herself to a fighting stance. Murtagh watched her with a sudden rigid demeanor, his eyes anticipating her every move.

Kaiya lunged into an attack, to which Murtagh parried the forceful change and countered it with one of his own. Taking a hasty step backwards, Kaiya and Murtagh engaged into a furious battle. The girl found herself managing to keep up with Murtagh, though something nagged at her mercilessly.

"Stop holding back!" she snapped angrily, jumping backwards. Seeing his dubious expression, she ruthlessly hurled herself at him with another attack. "Show me what you can do!"

Murtagh nodded silently, then lunged into his own series of attacks. Kaiya felt herself stumbling to ward off them all. Metal clanged against metal sharply. With an angry gasp, Kaiya sidestepped Murtagh's assault and tried to turn to the offensive.

But it was to no avail; soon Kaiya felt herself solely concentrating on not getting beaten to a pulp. She felt Murtagh softening the blows at the final second, but the considerate action only caused a fire to burn within her greater.

Eragon watched from the side, noting Kaiya's skill. She was certainly stronger than he was when he first became a Dragon Rider, and the potential in her was great indeed. Still, she was no match for either Murtagh or Eragon. And soon Kaiya felt herself begin to rapidly lose strength.

After a particularly nasty blow, Murtagh suddenly called out, "Stop!" Kaiya nodded and stopped the fighting, breathing hard.

"You have been taught well."

Kaiya blinked in surprise at his words. Taught well? He exceeded her in skill in every sense, not to mention the fact that he had probably bruised every inch of her body. She gave a gasp for air, then replied, "But you are in a whole other league than I." She quickly wiped the sweat from her forehead and attempted to control her breath.

Murtagh grinned, not nearly as winded as Kaiya. "That is true, but you will become stronger. You cannot expect to be as capable in so short a time."

"It was a good first battle," Eragon agreed. Though desperately disappointed, Kaiya nodded and returned her blade to normal once more. The three slowly made their way back to camp, the red sun sinking below the horizon.