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Last Chapter: Her thoughts were interrupted by a large snap! of a twig. She sprang up, bow ready. There was a rustle and someone stepped into view.
Chapter 2Alexia couldn't believe it. It was the boy she saw outside Merlock's tent!
"What are you doing here?" The boy asked.
"I should be asking you that." Alexia retorted and dropped her bow checking her hair was still covering her ears. "I just like the forest so I sleep here every other day." She continued anyway.
"Really? I've not seen you here with your dragon and I've been here every morning since last week."
"I-I-I don't have a dragon! That one's a stray, I'm just taking care of it." A sudden squeak ended their conversation and Alexia looked around. It wasn't her dragon's sound. Next to her dragon though, was another dragon, blue in colour and a bit bigger than the purple one. She turned to the boy triumphant.
"I suppose this is yours?"
"Fine, this is mine. Now we both have dragons."
"Really, this one's my friend's."
"Ah. So which one is it, stray or friend's?" He smiled smugly.
"Both." Alexia smiled mysteriously. There was a few minutes of silence before the blue dragon gave another squeak. The boy went over and started petting it.
"So, what's your name?" The boy asked. The two dragons were playing and Alexia and he were lying down watching the sunrise. They had decided to get to know each other.
"Alexia. Yours?"
"Eragon."
"How old are you?"
"15."
"13."
"What! You can't raise a dragon at thirteen!" Alexia stood up, boiling in anger.
"And why is that? I'm doing just fine! I have enough money; I have it all planned out! Besides, I turn 14 tomorrow."
"So you only think you're raising a dragon to take care of it?" She rolled her eyes.
"What else would I be doing, raising dragons for meat? That's just sick." She added.
"So you've never heard of any Rider stories?"
"Listen you, you may have enough time to listen to people making up stuff but I don't! Life is too short for stories! You have to go." With that, Eragon looked up at the sky. He looked at Alexia and then left for his house. She waited until he was out of sight, then, deciding that they needed to go before anyone else discovered them, grabbed all her ribbons and the rest of her clothes and set off to sell them in order to buy a horse and a map.
By the afternoon, Alexia had sold most of the things she anted to and had bought some riding breeches, new boots and a new blouse. She had been advised to go to Therinsford for a horse. The dragon watched Alexia prepare the meat and when it was full played with the blue dragon. Before I go on my journey, I want to see all of Carvahall. Besides, my dragon will need to be a bit bigger to fly, and even bigger for me to fly on it. She smiled as she thought of flying on her dragon. That would be the best thing that happens to me. She talked to her dragon about her past and what she thought about everything.
"You're really pretty, you know." She said, petting the dragon. The dragon squeaked again and she smiled.
By nightfall, Eragon was here again after she had fed the purple dragon. She started on her own dinner. As the blue dragon could hunt now, Eragon brought nothing but a grim expression. He sat down next to Alexia.
"You're a Rider"
"That's nice."
"No, you are."
"What?" Eragon sighed, trying to calm himself.
"You. Are. A. Rider."
"Sorry, not heard that story and I don't intend to."
"I will force you to then." He waited patiently for her to finish her food.
"Sorry, do you want any? I have loads." She held out some berries.
"No. I'm fine."
"Ok." When she finished, Eragon said;
"Hold out your hand."
"Which one? I have two."
"Your. Right. Hand." Eragon said. Alexia smirked in her mind and held out her gloved hand.
"Now take your glove off and we'll see if this is your dragon." Smiling now, she slowly, she took off her glove revealing,
"Nothing." Eragon growled furiously. Then, a male voice behind Alexia said;
"Try the other hand." They both turned around and saw an old man with eyes that showed lots of knowledge.
"Brom?" Eragon said. The old man nodded.
"How did you find us?" He asked.
"I followed you. Now, what about that other hand?"
Alexia shifted uncomfortably and turned her head down so that all they could see was a curtain of brown hair. After a few minutes, Eragon grabbed her left hand and shoved off her glove, revealing the shimmering oval on her palm. A second, later, with immense strength for a thirteen year old girl, she pulled away from his grip and ran so fast she disappeared a second later. Eragon stood and turned to face Brom.
"She's left handed."
"She's more than that." Eragon looked at Brom inquisitively. The old man only smiled and said,
"She'll tell you in her own time."
Alexia stood beside an old gnarled tree and let all her tears and anger she bottled up for the past ten years. She pounded the tree as hard as she could over and over again, relieving the anger. She screamed until she had no breath left. The teenager stood panting, tears flowing freely and dripping onto the grass, trickles of blood coming from her knuckles.
"Why me?" Alexia whispered through tears, to no one in particular. Hours passed by and her little dragon came into view.
"Hello dragon." She scooped it up.
"Don't you just hate life sometimes? Well I despise it now. They're going to tell everyone in Alagaësia I'm deformed and then I suppose I'll get shot with an arrow. Yes, I can just picture it now…" Images of angry villagers came into her head. They were all shouting something, a faceless man stood high on a rock and released an arrow flying straight to her heart, everyone laughing mercilessly…
Alexia shot up from her dreams panting heavily, sweat dripping from her face. The dragon brushed her mind again, this time she could tell it was trying to calm her down. Pictures of waterfalls flashed through her mind. She smiled, then a thought came to her mind. Yes! Thank you dragon! She picked it up and kissed its nose. Come on, we're moving. The dragon squeaked its reply. Alexia stood up, remembering all her stuff had been in her not-so secluded place now. She ran silently, faster than any human could and packed all her things into the bag and after retrieving her dragon, ran to the base of Igualda Falls. Hold your breath, we're going in. The dragon squeaked and puffed its chest out. Laughing at the sight, they went through the waterfall. What they saw was an empty, spacious cave, the river flowing at the side. See? No one will ever find us here. I only found this cave when I found you. You might as well familiarize with it, as we'll be living here until I die. The dragon explored it's new home.
Over the next month, the dragon grew rapidly. Its squeak became a low grumble and it could speak to Alexia instead of just communicating with images. It soon became taller than Alexia; it's head nearly reaching the top of the cave when it stretched. Well so much for living here and seeing the whole of Carvahall. The dragon had learnt to hunt and there was a large supply of food for Alexia. We were living so peacefully aswell.
When are you going to give me a name? Alexia hit her head.
I knew I missed something! The dragon snorted.
Um, I don't know many but here are the ones I know. Othorus?
No.
Urobane?
No.
Um, that's all I know.
Make some up then.
Some minutes later, something clicked in Alexia's head.
"You're a female dragon!" The dragon snorted again.
Of course. I can't believe you didn't notice my voice.
I can't believe you didn't tell me! It made a strange sound. It sounded like coins and pots jingling together.
Hey, don't laugh. Everyone makes mistakes.
Okay, sorry.
So, a female name. Iduana, Arai, Ayda, Sutay-
Yes.
Sutay?
No, Ayda. (AN: EYE-duh)
Okay, Ayda.
Yes, I like it.
Aye.
For a few moments, everything was silent until Alexia heard someone coming through the waterfall. She grabbed her already strung bow and pointed it to the entrance of the cave, her palm shimmering as she had not asked for her glove back. A head bobbed up, and then another. Alexia immediately identified them as Brom and Eragon. Her mouth twitched, but other than that she gave no sign of emotion, although inside she felt like releasing the arrow straight into Eragon.
"What do you want?" She asked coolly. Brom held up his arms.
"Peace, sit and I will tell you everything." Alexia eyed them both but when they sat down and she didn't see any weapons on either of them, she placed her bow down and sat opposite them while Ayda sat behind her protectively.
"A dragon hatched for you, yes?" She nodded slightly, gesturing to Ayda.
"Do you know the legend of the Riders?"
"No."
"This is going to take a long time." Eragon muttered. Alexia glared at him.
"Hush, now is not the time for arguments." Brom told Alexia and Ayda everything about what they were, about the Varden and about King Galbatorix. They were silent, drinking in all the information Brom said.
"And now, King Galbatorix knows there is a new Rider in Alagaësia and is sending his people to hunt them down, which is why we have to get to the Varden."
"What about elves? I've heard they were very powerful. Why don't you go find them?"
"The Elves were very secretive so they didn't reveal their place to anyone." They sat there silently.
"Why do I have to go with you? No one has come here until you two came. I'm sure no one else will find it."
"Exactly, we found it so it isn't a very good hiding place!"
"Eragon, calm down. You're going to have to come anyway, anyone can find you if you don't keep moving."
They are right little one, mabe we should follow them.
Don't get into
this Ayda. She snorted but didn't say anything else.
"How do I know this is true? You could be the enemies!" Brom sighed.
"I'm sorry, but this is for your own good. Eragon." He stood up and pointed his palm at Alexia.
"Slytha." Instant drowsiness washed over Alexia and the only thing she could hear now was Ayda. Sorry, but it is for your own good- and she could hear no more.