Um, just to let you know in advance, I know nothing of archery except the things from the book, so don't blame me if I get anything wrong. You could point out stuff that's wrong to me in a review:)
Chapter 4
When Brom came back, which seemed an eternity for Alexia, he gestured for Eragon and herself to follow him. When at last Brom felt safe they weren't going to be overheard, he explained that the Ra'zac had come this way.
"Apparently they stopped here to pick up horses, as we did." When he finished, Eragon patted the horses.
"When we were in the barn, I touched the bay's mind by accident. I didn't know it was possible to do that." Alexia contacted Ayda while Brom told Eragon something about touching minds of anything apart from their dragon.
Ayda?
Yes, little one?
Err, I dunno. I guess I'm kinda bored.
Okay…what do you want me to do about it?
I dunno. Hehe.
Well, I think Brom's asking you something.
What? Oh right. Ending their conversation, she looked up at Brom.
"Pardon?"
"I was asking if you knew how to ride."
"Oh, yes. Of course I can." It was half the truth; she had a few lessons and knew how to move, but she never went faster then a trot. She had a feeling they were going to go faster than that most of the time.
"Okay, put everything from your packs into the saddlebags and tie the packs on top." Eragon and Alexia nodded. Then Alexia slowly climbed on. Eragon looked at the bay and with a sigh, he carefully got on.
"Will this do the same thing to my legs as riding Saphira?"
"How do they feel now?" Brom asked.
"Not too bad, but any hard riding might open them up again."
"Lets take it easy then." After giving Eragon a few pointers they set off at a gentle pace. Eragon and Brom were at the front, while Alexia went behind.
Ayda?
You don't have to say my name all the time, you know I can hear you.
Someone's touchy. She heard a growl.
Take that back.
Why? You gonna burn our mental connection with smoke?
You're so-
Annoying?
That's the word. Anyway, why aren't you talking to Brom? Didn't you want to learn to write?
You should really stop creeping into my mind, it's getting scary.
Fine, but don't blame me if I do it by accident.
How can you get into my mind by accident! The conversation lasted for hours. Alexia trusted her horse to follow Snowfire so she wouldn't have to look where to go so she could properly talk with Ayda.
Little one, you really should look where you're going.
Yes mother. Really, stop calling me that!
Saphira uses it, besides, it's fun seeing you get angry and you can do nothing about it.
Ooh I'm going to get you when I get the chance.
Alexia, look where you're going.
You already-"Oh!" Her horse had stopped abruptly and she hadn't prepared for it, thus nearly toppling over.
"Sorry." She mumbled after regaining herself.
"It's all right. We're making camp here. It will take us most of the day to make the descent.
"How far across is the plain?" Eragon asked amazed.
"Two or three days to more than a fortnight, depending on which way you go.. Aside from the nomad tribes that roam this section of the plains, it's almost as uninhabited as the Hadarac Desert to the east so we aren't going to find many villages. However, to the south, the plains are less arid and more heavily populated." They left the trail and dismounted by the Anora River. They unsaddled the horses and gave their horses names when prompted by Brom. The bay was now called Cadoc, Eragon's grandfather's name and the piebald was named Auroran, a name she particularly liked. When Saphira and Ayda landed, their Riders came to them.
How was the flight?Okay, we talked. About you and Eragon and how you two are always arguing.
Carry on.
Well we got to the conclusion it was like a love/hate relationship and- Alexia immediately severed contact with the purple dragon as it laughed.
"Um, I'm going to bathe." Alexia announced. Brom nodded. She and Ayda went to the river. Ayda covered her as she undressed and slipped into the icy water.
She dressed in a new shirt and breeches, washed her dirty clothes and went back to the camp. They all sat round the fire eating their supper.
When they had finished, Brom handed Alexia and Eragon a sword.
"Just do your best." Was all Brom said.
Kill me right now. He's had loads more experience than me. No doubt he'll strike even harder than Brom. Eragon smirked at her and then it started…
ERAGONELDEST
"Dead." Eragon said as he knocked Alexia's weapon from her hand and made to point his to her neck. Alexia saw that coming and instantly attacked his mind with arrows. Eragon fell back in pain, which gave her the time to snatch his weapon and point it to his chest.
"Dead." She smiled sweetly, mocking him.
"You cheated." He protested.
"No I didn't, I was saving my life."
"That is true. It's getting late now, to bed, both of you." Brom cut in.
Alexia lay in her blanket, thinking of her parents. I wonder who they are. Well they mustn't have wanted me, dumping me to strangers, they sure were desperate. Alexia drifted off to sleep, dreaming of her faceless parents, dumping her on the first doorstep they passed. Then an arrow came shooting to her heart…
Alexia bolted up in the darkness, her face full of sweat. She was panting heavily. Walking silently to the Anora River she splashed the cooling water on her face. Every night now, why don't I stop the arrow?
What arrow? She jumped slightly as Ayda asked her.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Come on, I know already, I just wanted you to tell me on your own.
I don't have to anymore, like you said, you already know. What do you want me to do?
You could talk about it. It helps most of the time.
Okay, I keep having a dream and at the end there is always an arrow speeding to my heart. It's about to hit me, then I wake up. I have this nagging feeling it's telling me something.
Do you see who the shooter is?
I saw him once, he was about eighteen, but I never saw his face.
Mm, maybe you should talk about it to the old one.
Ayda have you lost your mind? It's a dream, he'll think I'm a five-year-old scared of the Urgal in the wardrobe.
But this is about your death-
You don't know that, it's never hit me. I've told you and you act like my mother anyway so it's enough, isn't it?
I guess.
Thanks, I do feel a lot better now.
If you say so. When Alexia got back they were still asleep. She packed her 'bed' and sat down on the ground.
Do you think it's how I'll die?
Alexia.
How old do you think I'll be when it happens? Who's going to shoot me?
You know what, let's talk about something else. This is making you depressed. Lets talk about, the sunrise? It's really nice sight.
Yes, it really is a good start to the day. The two remained silent as the sun crept up from the horizon. When the light was halfway in the air, Eragon and Brom woke up.
ERAGONELDEST
The descent was hard. In many places they had to find their way down themselves as the trail disappeared often and at times they had to dismount and lead the horses on foot, holding on trees to steady them. The ground was full of loose stones. They had to stop often to get the stones out of the horses' hooves. To add to that, Alexia had a new set of bruises; one particular one her side throbbed every time she mounted and dismounted as well as riding on Auroran. Te ordeal left them hot and irritable on the cold day.
At midday they had reached the bottom and they stopped to rest. Alexia scanned the flat plain around them. There was nothing to hide them; no hills or trees. The River veered to the left. The trail was split into three; one turned north toward Ceunon, the second led straight across the plains and the last turned south. Brom examined all three for traces of something, possibly Ra'zac and found their tracks heading to the grasslands.
"They've gone top Yazuac. It's due east four days away if nothing happens. It's a small village situated by the Ninor River." Brom explained.
"We need to replenish our water skins; there isn't another supply of water between here and Yazuac." After they had filled their water skins and let the horses drink, the two dragons landed to take a drink. They turned eastward and started the journey across the plains.
Ignoring the wind, Alexia turned her mind to Brom.
Alexia?
Yes.
What is it?
Well you said we were tracking down the Ra'zac.
Ah, I knew you'd ask me soon. Soon after Saphira was able to carry Eragon on her back, he heard Sloan, a butcher whom he despised greatly telling someone of his blue stone. When he told Saphira, she got Eragon on her back and flew to the spines. The next afternoon, they returned and found his house in ruins. It was the Ra'zac. His father eventually died. I found him trying to sneak off and he told me everything, including you. He said that he had to find you, so we searched, practicing with wooden swords every night, as well as learning magic, to get revenge on the Ra'zac.
Oh. She paused for a moment, taking everything in. I have one more question.
Fire away.
On the night I discovered magic, I felt no tiredness. I tried it again when you were asleep and ended up making it do somersaults high above my head and still I felt nothing. Why is this?
Probably because of your parents, they must have been very powerful with magic. They continued silently and the wind picked up a little. She gasped when she felt her hair flying behind her. Covering them again, she kept her head low for the rest of the journey, not before making sure Eragon and Brom hadn't notice her ears.
Are you sure they definitely didn't see them?
Look, just ask if you don't believe me!
I can't do that! They'll suspect something!
Then trust me when I say they didn't see them.
Okay okay. Just warn me when we're about to stop all right?
Of course, if you'll listen.
Oh I will this time.
ERAGONELDEST
By the evening, the wind only worsened. They had to camp in the open as there was no shelter anywhere around them. Eragon had found some scrub brush and attempted to light them with his tinderbox. After several attempts and producing nothing but vile-smelling smoke, he resorted to magic.
"Brisingr!" Blue flames appeared this time and he stepped away.
As Brom cooked, Eragon and Alexia sparred again with Brom's wood. They fought with fatigue and wind, ending only when Alexia tripped and Eragon held his weapon to her neck. He withdrew quickly and trudged to the fire.
After dinner they went to sleep, Saphira and Ayda sheltering them from the harsh wind.
She was panting heavily, a sword in her hand full of blood. She heard something behind her and saw the arrow speeding to her heart. She looked at the shooter.
"No, Mur-" It sped to the target and her last breath died away as she felt a calm, warm sensation take over her…
"No!" Alexia bolted upright covered in sweat. When she looked up, it was still night. Brom and Eragon were beside her immediately.
"What happened?"
"Are you okay?" Brom looked at her his face full of concern.
"I-I'm fine. It's only a dream. Nothing much, go back to sleep."
"Saphira told me that you've been having these dreams every night." Eragon said.
"Well they don't mean anything. Really, it's just lack of sleep. I'll stop having them sooner or later. I'm fine, just go back to sleep." But instead of going back to sleep, they packed up and had a light breakfast. They mounted the horses when the sun's rays were just peeking through. As they were riding, Alexia talked to Ayda.
In the dream, I said a name.
Who?
I don't know who he is, Murtagh.
Well lets hope we never meet him. The day passed uneventfully and silently. On the third day of journeying through the plain they saw thunderclouds ahead of them. They carried on and up to the storm front all was calm. Upon entering it's shadow, a giant wave of wind passed the grass and neared them. All three humans prepared for the impact.
Ayda, either fly up or land and fast! Ayda started to fly up while Saphira was doing the opposite. She was diving towards the ground at immense speed, but it wasn't fast enough. The wave was upon them and Auroran's hooves skidded on impact. Alexia kept her head down but she heard Saphira land with difficulty. The dragon was flung up again and crashed down. She heard Eragon dismount and hurry towards Saphira and she quickly did the same. Saphira was having difficulty folding her wings, so she rushed to her right wing as Eragon tried to fold her left. Putting all her strength into pushing the wing, it slowly moved towards the blue dragon's body. When it was tucked firmly against her body, Alexia jumped over to help Eragon. After an agonizing minute, both wings were safely tucked in. The wind continued to howl. Alexia left dragon and Rider and mounted Auroran again. Eragon came a few moments later and after confirming that Saphira wasn't hurt, Brom pointed at a thick tapestry of rain. Alexia pulled her clothes tighter and before long they were all drenched in ice-cold water. Great, lightening. She grumbled as she saw a bolt of blue strike the horizon. Small fires were started by the lightening and extinguished a second later by the rain. After what seemed like an eternity, the elements were tired of playing with them and left them. Once again, the sky was clear. Ayda came into view again.
Are you all right little one?
Yes, I'm fine. You?
Fine. Is Saphira okay?
Yes. Just before light faded, they stopped in a shallow depression. Exhausted, they went straight to sleep.
Everything was black. Everywhere she looked was darkness. A male voice sounded.
"You shall not esssscape until you reveal the location of the elven city!" Light entered the darkness and she could see a bare cell. In front of her was a man, or what she thought was a man. He had blood red eyes and crimson hair. He donned a black cloak with a sword on his hip. His boots were black also, as were his gloves. His lips formed a cruel smile as he stepped on her fingers. She winced, but didn't make a sound.
"Tell me and I let you free." He pressed his foot down even harder with impatience.
"Tell me your location, elf!" All of a sudden she was shaking uncontrollably and the man was shoved backwards and she heard her name, though faintly.
"Alexia! Alexia! ALEXIA!"
She sat up, her spine rigid with fear. She was breathing heavily and everyone, including Saphira and Ayda, was crowded around her.
I had a different dream. About a man with blood red eyes and crimson hair.
Tell everyone.
No! They can do nothing to help me. Ayda grunted, smoke coming from her nostrils. Alexia looked at Brom and Eragon. Concern filled their faces.
"Fine, I had a bad dream." She started to get up but Eragon pulled her down.
"About what?" Alexia started to protest, but Eragon cut in. "You've been having these dreams every night, we could work out the mystery." Alexia glared at the night sky.
"A man with red eyes and hair. He said something about the elven city; I didn't even know there was one. I don't remember the rest." Ayda snorted, seeing past her lie. She glared at her.
"Fine, he was asking for the location of the elven city, then stepped on my hand. Then I woke up. Happy? Now let me go." She made to get up, but Brom looked at her, demanding her to sit back down.
"And what about the other nights? Eragon told me it was about your death."
Ayda you sneaky dragon, I told you not to tell anyone!
You didn't.
I expected you not to.
That's not the same. Alexia grunted, mumbling curses, hoping they would leave soon. When they didn't, she sighed.
"At first, the dreams were of an arrow speeding to me. Then, I could see a faceless shooter. The next night I named him and the arrow pierced my heart and I felt a calm sensation, like my troubles were lifted and I could die in peace."
They remained silent for a few minutes. Then Eragon spoke.
"You should try and forget all of this, they're only dreams." Alexia glared at him.
"Yes, they're only dreams a child has! It's nothing disturbing like death!" She jumped up, grabbed her bag and mounted Auroran. Despite the shouts of protest from Brom, she cantered off in the direction of Yazuac with Ayda following her.
ERAGONELDEST
When she reached Yazuac, the sight horrified Alexia. Ayda had stopped not too far from here to avoid being seen. Everyone was dead, woman, man and child. She choked back a sob upon seeing a babe no older than a week with an arrow to its skull. Husbands were covering wives and children, trying to protect them from the attackers. Frightened faces stayed forever on the people, eyes wide, mouths open. Dropped hammers and other pieces of everyday items lay beside their owners, some with dried blood, some without. She dismounted and knelt beside a dead girl her age in front of her mother, still holding a kitchen knife, dried blood resting on the tip of the blade. Her face held determination. Drops of water fell on the girl's breeches and Alexia realized it was her tears. She barely registered that Brom and Eragon had arrived. She stayed there for a while until Brom noticed something.
"They're still here, run!" Alexia wiped her tears and mounted the piebald, walking to the other two. They began to run and reached the center of Yazuac when a spear whizzed past her, missing her neck by a finger. She heard someone crash into a wall. Turning round, she saw it was Eragon. He was panting heavily and a monster stood over him. It had grey skin, muscles bulging on its arms and chest, under a breastplate that was too small for it. From each of its temples a horn protruded, an iron cap on top. It was wielding a shield on one hand, a short sword on the other. She heard Brom say;
"Run, you fools!" She was about to, but Auroran reared and whinnied fearfully, whites showing, at the sight of another Urgal. She clung on as best she could but dropped when she lost grip for a second. She landed on her back, pain spreading everywhere. She looked up just in time to see an Urgal raise its axe.
"Jierda theirra kalfis!" she cried out of instinct. The Urgal fell back and Alexia sat up shocked. She took her bow from Auroran's saddle, glad she didn't carry it on her back, and nocked three arrows, loosing them at three Urgals coming at her. She did this until she had no more arrows in her quiver. She panicked when the Urgal sneered at her, their bloodied weapons raised.
"Brisingr!" She shouted and a purple string of fire wrapped around the Urgal, burning it to ash. She heard Eragon yell at the same time, and a blue light crossed the ground, killing every Urgal in its path, leaving everything else unharmed. Brom's words suddenly reached Alexia. Do not attempt anything beyond your strength, you could die from it. She gasped, he did powerful magic, enough to make him faint! She didn't know how she knew this, but ran to the passageway where she saw Eragon against a wall.
"Eragon!" She ran over to him. She held his hand and felt a little energy seep from her to him. He looked at her and smiled a little.
"Thanks."
"No problem, we should get to Brom, I think he's hurt."
Brom was slumped motionless on Snowfire's saddle, blood crawling through a gash on his arm. As Eragon slid Brom out of the saddle, she saw Saphira and Ayda landing. Turning back to Eragon, she helped him place Brom on the ground carefully. As Eragon put a thin leather saddle on Saphira, Alexia cleaned the cut on Brom's arm and bandaged it with a strip of her blanket. Together, they lifted Brom and strapped him in. It was then that he woke up. Knowing he wanted to talk to Eragon, she climbed up on Ayda and sat sideways holding on to the bottom-most spike of her neck (Like sidesaddle on a horse). The spikes continued up the neck and stopped at the top of her head. Sensing her Rider's concern, she asked what's wrong hatchling?
I don't know, everything's happening at once. I gave Eragon energy and killed Urgals with a spell I don't even know. I'm just really confused at my actions.
Magic is a mystery, but we try to understand as much as possible, without our brains imploding from the mass of information. Alexia smiled. She could always make her smile whenever she wasn't. She slid off her and mounted Auroran when Eragon told her it was time to go. They continued along the Ninor River, stopping to refill their water skins. The silence was broken by Eragon.
"Alexia, I was really stupid in saying you could forget those dreams. And also in thinking you were too young to be a Rider."
"And for suspecting me as a spy?"
"Yes, and that too, and I just wanted to say, I'm sorry for everything."
"I'm sorry too, for screaming at you and anything else I've done wrong." They looked at each other.
"Friends?"
"Friends."
ERAGONELDEST
Saphira and Ayda had found a place for them to stay the night and when they reached it, a smokeless fire was already burning. Brom sat next to it, tending to his arm. When he asked, Eragon explained everything he did while Brom had passed out.
"…and then I just felt really tired." At this point, Brom cut in.
"You fool! Didn't I specifically tell you not to do anything beyond your strength? You shouldn't have done that!" Brom exclaimed.
"I didn't know it would happen! The Urgals were about to kill me! Anyway, I survived with the help of Alexia. She touched me and I felt stronger." When Brom looked at her, she said hastily;
"I didn't know how I did it, it just happened because I knew he was weak." He nodded thoughtfully.
"Eragon, why don't you find us dinner?" He got up, took her bow and went into the wood. Alexia felt someone in her mind and immediately put up barriers. It is I, Brom. Reluctantly, she let the barriers down. She saw memories of her past flash before her eyes.
She was playing wrestle with a boy a little older than herself.
"Why do you use your left hand?" he asked.
"I've always used it. Don't you?" He stopped and ran away.
She saw the bare cell and the boot of the man on her fingers.
"Tell me your location, elf!" He screamed.
The arrow was in her heart and she said her last words.
"No-" Alexia put her barriers up and severed the connection, her heart racing as if she had run the length of the Hadarac Desert.
"You had no right to do that!" She glared at the old man.
"I know, but I think you are seeing premonitions. The future." She nodded slightly and he carried on.
"The man who stepped on your hand and demanded to know the location of the elven city, is a Shade." She had heard about Shades, they were nothing but evil.
"And you know about the arrow. It's how you die. Best not dwell on it." He finished as Eragon came back carrying a dead doe and a pouch of fruits. He handed the pouch to her and started on the doe with the help of Brom.
ERAGONELDEST
Alexia woke well and rested the next morning and had a feeling it was the fruit Eragon gave her. All the same, she didn't have any dreams so she wasn't complaining. When they rode, Brom decided it was time for another magic lesson to strengthen them. He set off Eragon first by telling him to make a piece of leather tie into a knot. He then came to Alexia.
"I want you to tell me why you cannot summon the essence of silver from my ring." She pondered for a moment.
"Because I don't know the word for it yet." Brom nodded.
"Arget is the word. After that, I want you to make the pebble glow with light." It was the same every day. During the ride, they practiced magic and in the evenings Eragon and Alexia sparred. Then Alexia would make some arrows to refill her quiver. The night before they reached the nearest town, Daret, Alexia stayed awake thinking of the people who brought her up and her faceless parents. Eragon started to twitch and mumble in his sleep so Alexia decided to calm him.
"Draumr moi." His mumbling and twitching ceased. Satisfied, she gazed at the night sky.
The next day they rode into Daret. Saphira and Ayda hid close to the village this time, should anything happen It was silent like Yazuac, which unnerved Alexia, but this time there were no dead bodies. All the same, she had her bow in her hand, her other ready to reach for arrows. She had a feeling they were being watched but seeing no-one, remained cautious. When they reached the center of the village wagons rolled out from behind the houses, blocking their way. A man jumped over the wagons, a drawn bow in his hands and a broadsword at his side. Without thinking, Alexia and Eragon pointed their bows to the man.
"Halt! Put your weapons down. You're surrounded by sixty archers. They'll shoot if you move." A row of men stood up on the roofs of the surrounding houses, ready to loose their arrows.
Do not do anything, stay there, we'll be fine. Alexia commanded as Ayda said she was coming with Saphira. She wasn't sure if she listened.
"What do you want?" Brom asked.
"Why have you come here?" The man demanded, pointing his bow to Brom.
"To buy supplies and hear the news. Nothing more. We're on the way to my cousin's house in Dras-Leona."
"All of you are armed pretty heavily.
"So are you. These are dangerous times."
"True." The man eyed them with suspicion. "I don't think you mean any harm to us but we've had too many encounters with Urgals and the likes for me to trust you only on your word."
"If it doesn't matter what we say, what happens now?" Brom inquired.
"You say you want supplies. Would you agree to stay here while we bring what you need, pay us then leave immediately?"
"Yes."
"All right." The man signaled to one of the archers, who landed on the ground and ran over. "Tell him what you want."
Brom recited a short list, adding to it two pairs of gloves to hide the gedwëy ignasias, but he kept the last part to himself. The archer ran off. The man, Trevor talked to Brom for a bit. Alexia was still wary of the place, and she still felt hidden eyes watch her. After a while, the archer hurried back with the supplies. Brom took them and handed Eragon and herself a pair of gloves while he put everything else in the saddlebags and paid him. They exited Daret and continued their way. When they reached the dragons, Saphira gave a menacing hiss at Eragon and thrust her head at him. As they talked with their minds, Ayda also gave a low hiss, but didn't thrust her head like Saphira.
What's Saphira doing?
Telling Eragon he is to ride her tomorrow so he doesn't get into trouble. I would do the same, but I do not have a saddle, Brom is making me one once we get some leather. I'm just worried about you, what happens if you're in trouble and I don't reach you in time?
Aww, Ayda. I'll be safe with Brom. I have magic aswell.
I'm not letting you out of my sight anyway.
Yes mother. Ayda growled playfully.Ok, I want 3 reveiws before I post my next chapter. Not much to ask for is it? You get a free Zar'roc model aswell!