I do not own the Inheritance Cycle.
Edited 1/30/22

Please let me know your thoughts throughout the story, I'd love to hear for you :)

Enjoy,


Decisions

"What are you doing awake at this hour?" Rose said after a time of silence.

Eragon held his gaze with her for a moment, before looking down. With a sigh, he looked back up at her. "I couldn't sleep," he said.

"That I do not doubt; it's your watch," she muttered with a frown. "Is the bag meant to be a cushion for your head, or do you mean to go somewhere?"

He straightened in a jerky motion, hefting his bag on his back. "What does it matter to you?"

Rose shrugged, and glanced away. "It doesn't," she said, crossing her arms indigently. "Yet it will matter to the Brom and your mother, and I cannot simply let you leave without knowing the reason for you doing so. I would have far too many people questioning why I did so." She paused as she debated on her next words. "I know you're dreams have been bothering but don't you think that it might be a trick? One that you're walking straight into?"

In the weak light, she saw Eragon scowl. Saphira moved out of the shadows and stood beside him, her scales shining vividly in the moonlight. "I have," he whispered brusquely. "But I have to do something or I'll go crazy. Sitting around waiting for the visions to go away isn't working, so I choose to risk it."

"You'll be risking more than just your safety and freedom for a haunt that does not exist."

"She exists," he said shortly as if this was a conversation he had many times before. "I've seen her before when I scried her. One cannot scry something that doesn't exist."

Biting her lip, she studied him through the darkness Rose couldn't see much, yet she could see the high blush of fever on his cheeks and his unwavering stance. He's not within his right mind, she thought with a sigh. "That does not mean that she's real. You're chasing a dream, Eragon. None of it is real," she said as quietly as she could, hoping that their company would remain slumbering. "Best return to sleep. You'll probably feel better come morning."

"I won't," said Eragon bitterly. "I never feel better in morning. I only feel worse after being kept awake by visions of the woman you claim not to be real. But you don't see her. I do. Every day as plainly as I see you or Saphira or Thorn. I feel her too. I can feel the life being drained from her. She's dying and I can feel every moment of it. It feels like I'm dying also, and nothing I've done has stopped it. I have to go, if only to prove that I am going mad and it's all been in my head this whole time. At least then I'll know."

Rose opened her mouth and quickly closed it. It wasn't going to do any good to argue with him, it certainly wasn't doing any good as far as she could tell. She felt Thorn mindtouch her, and without hesitation opened her mind to him. I've talked with Saphira, he said. She's rather worried about him. The visions he has been having troubles her greatly, and she cannot seem to comfort him in any way that will help. She has said that he wishes to go find this woman with or without her, and is resolved not to let anything in his path stop him. She cannot seem to persuade him and chooses to go with him to keep him safe. Also she asked for assistance. Any help that we might give would be greatly appreciated.

Assist, how? Rose frowned and rubbed her arms, trying to warm that chill that has settled in her skin like a mist.

However you choose.

Resisting the urge to turn and glare at the dragon, she bit her lip. That's rather unhelpful. I don't see how we can do anything to help. I should wake Selena. Rose regretted the thought as soon as it came, and knew she wouldn't waken the woman. Why make me choose? You should have a say in what we do.

You know what I would do. He nudged her back with his snout, causing her stumble forward slightly.

She did know. For a moment she considered her options, she couldn't leave him to go off on his own; despite having Saphira about, he was a liability in his state and would likely get them both killed, nor could she wake Selena and Brom, though she considered it, and tell them what he was planning. If Rose was correct in her thinking about him, he would only find a way to leave despite her best efforts to stop him, rather it was now or later. She could of course accompany him, to watch over him and insure that he remained safe, and hopefully reason with his insanity. This last thought simply pained her. He was going to get them both killed.

"Where will we be going?" she asked, having made up her mind.

Is this alright? she asked Thorn. You asked me to choose what we what we do. This is what I choose, but it is right?

The dragon behind her rose up in answer and stepped over to her side, his large head snaking into view. If it's for the right reasons, was his simple answer.

Eragon started, and then leaned against Saphira as if he were suddenly weak. "We?"

"Yes," she said a little too slowly, puzzled over Thorn's comment. "Yes… Two Riders are much more formidable than one. As good as a tale it would make; it will take more than a lone Rider to take on the King's army to save your dream woman. You going alone would be like handing yourself to the King on a gilded platter."

"You can't come." He shook his head.

"I cannot, or you don't want me to?" she said tightly. "You can try to stop me from following you, but all the same you'd be safer with me than if you went off alone. I know more of the Empire's inner workings than you."

Eragon grumbled to himself, then straightened. "Fine, you can come," he said. "But be quick. We should leave before the night grows any older."

Rose quickly walked through their rough camp, and then with a short delay scrambled through her bags, sorting through what she might need. With the flickering campfire as her light, she wrote a quick and rather hasty message to Selena and Brom, telling them what had happened that night and to continue with their quest south, if not for theirselves than for the remaining dragon egg. Then she tucked it into the food bag, where she was certain one of them would find it. After that she sorted through the rest of the packs, and picking out a small purse of coins, that had once belonged to Tornac (it certainly was of little use to him now), she turned to Eragon and told him that she was ready.

He nodded, taking her bag from her, and asked if she had a saddle for Thorn. Rose simply shook her head, knowing that he could see the movement even in the dim light. After muttering something that sounded like an oath, Eragon assisted her onto the saddle which rested on the dip between Saphira's shoulder blades. Before climbing on after her, he tied their bags firmly to the leather saddle and tugged on them to test his knots' strength. Soon after he climbed on behind her, Saphira took off into the night with a mighty bound, and soared into the mist covered night, Thorn following not far behind.

They kept a steady pace through the remainder of the night. Even as the red glow of the sun painted the sky, slowly returning color to the land below, they continued landing only when a hour before noon. Then Saphira dived out of mist, the wind whipping their skin until it was pink and felt as cold as a brick, and landed gracefully inside a grove of trees.

Rose, having been in a numb trance of exhaustion moments earlier, slithered off the dragon's back, and walked quickly over to Thorn. He had landed moments after Saphira, his breathing was deep and uneven, and his wings drooped. She stared at him for a moment before sighing. What now?

The question felt meaningless and unresolvable; she did not know what propelled her to choosing to go with Eragon. She knew only that it felt right, as it did when she choose to travel to Teirm. She shook herself, and looked around the circling of trees. They didn't look to be anywhere near a town, and despite what they were doing, she had hoped for a place with proper beds, but alas, that apparently was too much to ask.

A pale yellow light suffused the sky with gentle radiance as Rose gathered kindling to prepare a meal, having been refused to assist Eragon unburden Saphira. Then as Eragon finished, he brought over a pot filled with water from the stream, much to Rose's delight, and a small bag filled with provisions. Neither of them talked as they cut up vegetables and some tough, dried meat to add to the water, letting the sounds of the fire fill the emptiness that their silence left.

Rose felt far too tired to think, nonetheless speak, and the stew, after it had finished was eaten without a word. After the meal was finish, neither of them felt like cleaning away the dishes and they were abandoned near the fire, they spread out their bedroll, away from the few patches of remaining snow, and slept under the trees, curled up in their blankets and cloaks, with the dragons sleeping close by. All of them slept deeply, without dreams and woke refreshed, as if their troubles has loosened its grip in those few hours.

Rose sat down on the dew-damp grass, nestling herself deeper into the bushes. As a giddy shock settled over her, she stared out on the road winding before her, which now looked emptier than it had before. The only thing accompanying the road was still brown puddles and stray animals- chickens, pigs, goats, and a few stray cattle.

She had found, not without a great amount of relief, that they were not far from a village. She could see its trails of silvery curling smoke rising out warmed chimneys, even from the distance. After a time of watching the village, as she sat on a low branch, she decided to get a closer look, to see how much traffic the road was getting. It was not too much of a long walk, but it gave her plenty of time to think and calm her nerves.

The village stood between the slopes of two reasonably large hills, leaving more than one of the buildings leaning or fallen over completely when their supporting beams gave out with age. The hillsides theirselves sloped around the village, casting its streets in early shadows.

She sighed, and decided that though the road was not very well traveled it was in the least travel enough that two more travelers wouldn't stand out too horribly much. Rose turned away and followed her footprints back to their encampment.

When she had left the encampment, Eragon was still soundly asleep. Rose turned to him, now he was awake, and sat down on the edge of the sputtering fire. He tossed a pinecone into the fire. The flames eat up the pinecone, dancing and rebuking with an angry whistle. "Where did you go?" he asked, when he noticed her.

"I found a town," Rose said. "I think that it would be best if go there and bought some supplies."

"What do we need?" Eragon frowned, and tossed another pinecone into the fire. "Other than some basic provisions, we have plenty of supplies."

She leaned away from the fire as it sputtered glowing sparks at her. "We need a map, for one thing, and whatever news the townspeople might have," she said. "Perhaps we'll hear word about your dream woman."

Eragon gave her a rather long look before he nodded. "You're right," he said eventually. "Any information the townspeople might have would be helpful, but we don't need a map. I know where we are going."

"Oh?" Rose looked at him surprise. She hadn't thought that knew where he was wanting to go, and this was news to her. "Where might that be?"

Eragon pursed his lips slightly, and a crease formed between his brows. "North," he said seriously.

Tapping her fingers on her knee, Rose slowly shook her head. "All the same," she said evenly, "I would like a map."

"How are we going to pay for the map?" Eragon walked over to the fire and slowly began to put out the fire with hands full of dirt. The frames gasped in complaint before retreating into their coals, and only then did Eragon straighten himself. He wiped the dirt off on his trousers. "I didn't bring any coins to pay for anything. I didn't plan on having to stop anywhere."

"I have it taken care of."

Eragon didn't question her any further, and they sorted through the bags, repacking one of the bags into another, to make further space for anything they might get. Then after waking Thorn, who had been lightly slumbering before, and telling him where they were heading and why, they wandered into forest, following Rose's earlier path.

Ducking under a thick limb, she followed Eragon, tugging her cloak closer to her body as she did so. The trees in the underbrush were prickly and bare, as they had yet to lose the chilling air to the warmer months of spring as it had further south. Neither of them talked, and when they did it was to remark on something trivial and their words hung in the empty. The land around them seemed to forbid such chatter and very soon they said nothing at all.

Upon reaching the town, they drift through the streets, peeping briefly through the grimy windows of shops with squinting eyes. They passed more animals on the roads then people; sheep would saunter up to them, their tails wagging comically. Rose looked into their strange silver eyes, and clasped her hands firmly together as she followed closer behind Eragon. When they didn't see a map-maker's shop, many of the shop windows were darkened indicating that they were closed down for the evening, and they were only able to stop into a workshop to buy some buckskin. It was not long until they gave up all together and found their way to the local tavern.

"If there's any place to hear about the on-goings it'd be at the tavern," said Eragon, stooping to scratch a cat's heads as they walked back down the main road. The grey tabby cat, opened its yellow eyes and snuggled deeper into a coil of rope.

"I suppose so," Rose said in hesitant agreement, then they walked into a thatched building with a rather creaky door.

They called for food and wine, and sat down at a table near a group of exultant men. For a time, the travelers listened to the men's nonsense and jokes and drunken calls their way, however after a time, when Rose beginning to feeling very tempted to leave, she heard something that caught her interest.

"Them shields are trailing this area again. Been watchin' fer something, like ah eagle watchin' fer its prey, and are vigilant 'bout it too," said a rather large man, with a missing eye but despite this he gave off the air of well-being. His stocky legs were stretched out under the wooden table and his hands were folded over his mass of a belly. "Imma ah tellin' yeh, Barric, they been watchin' fer somethin' and it an't our doing. Keep them boys o' yours outta their way."

A rod of a man nodded, and said, "Yes, yes. We've seen 'em. Me boys know, you an't got to worry about that."

"It's those beasts from the mountains fault," another said accusingly. "I'm tellin' you if it weren't for them we'd still have Trowbridge to trade with and we'd all be better off. They came through like a savage army, I tell you. Lucky you weren't here to see it. Nasty brutes that they were."

"What'd they come down fer?" the one-eyed man ask, leaning forward. "They an't got no business 'round here. Them beasts, I means."

The second man shrugged. "They're gone now," he said. "That's all I care about."

The men's conversation moved on to other things, and soon the travelers left. Rose remained quiet, more so than she was before, something about what the men said disturbed her, although she couldn't say why. A vague foreboding weighed upon her spirit, though there was little reason for it. She was glad of the distraction when they arrived at their encampment, and she was able to turn her troubles over to Thorn.