Yay! Thanks for the reviews everyone! As I promised, a Zar'roc model for you all.
They made camp at sundown and when the fire had warmed them up enough, Eragon and Alexia dueled as usual. At one point, the wood snapped because of the force and Brom smiled.
"It's time to use the real thing. Eragon, get Zar'roc out. Alexia, you can borrow my blade for the time being." Eragon took his sword out and frowned.
"We'll cut each other to ribbons."
"Well spotted, but you're forgetting magic." Brom showed Eragon and Alexia how to dull the blade.
"Gëuloth du knífr!" they said in unison. A small lilac spark erupted from Alexia's fingers and she ran them down the blade repeating it on the other side, all the while touching the metal. When her fingers left the metal the spark vanished. Seeing nothing different, she placed the sharp edge gently on her right palm and felt a thin layer of invisible water blocking her touch the edge. When she and Eragon had finished examining their barriers Brom pointed out a few things.
"Even though it's dulled, the swords can still break bones and a blow to the neck could be fatal, so I'm trusting both of you not to mess around with them." They nodded. Satisfied, he signaled for them to spar. It took a while to get used to something heavier than a wooden stick but she soon got used to it, though she was still much slower, as was Eragon.
By the end, both of them had large welts and were panting heavily and Alexia accepted the food from Brom.
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Alexia woke with painful bruises, but they were not as bad as last time. At least I can ride without wincing every step. After breakfast, Eragon was all set to ride Saphira.
"Now remember, grip with your knees, guide her with your thoughts and stay as flat as you can on her back. Nothing will go wrong if you don't panic." Brom advised. Alexia grinned at him.
"Have a safe flight." He smiled in return.
Alexia mounted Auroran and held on to Cadoc's reins and Brom mounted Snowfire. She didn't know how long they rode, but Brom signaled her to stop when they reached a clearing. Brom dismounted and she did the same.
"The Ra'zac's tracks have gone. They stop here." He pointed to the ground where numerous footprints overlapped each other. Over them were several long, thick gouges torn into the ground. She racked her brain for anything she saw that looked like this when her thoughts fell on;
"Dragons?" Brom shook his head.
"No, they wouldn't ever consent to bear a Ra'zac." Then Saphira landed beside them and Eragon hopped off.
"What's wrong?" Alexia's thoughts drifted to Ayda.
Where the hell are you? Saphira's come down already.
Oh right. Alexia sensed her dragon was distracted by something. When she landed, they continued talking over lunch.
What's wrong?
Nothing to worry about, little one.
Hey, how come you can sift through my thoughts but I can't go into yours?
Hmm?
Nothing. Just then, Brom called her over. He was holding a flask. He poured some of the contents into the cap.
"This is oil from the petals of the Seithr plant. In its natural state the oil is used to preserve pearls but when specific words are spoken over the oil along with a blood sacrifice it gains the property to eat any flesh. It leaves everything else untouched though. You can dip anything that isn't once part of an animal or human into this and pull it out unscarred. It is used for torture, mostly but is used for assassination aswell. Any injury caused by this is slow to heal. It's very rare and expensive, especially in this form, which is why we don't touch stuff laying on the ground, expecting it to be harmless." The last part was mostly directed at Eragon, who was holding his finger, which had a burn mark on it. She guessed it was he who found the flask.
"Then why did the Ra'zac leave it behind? She asked.
"It must have slipped off when they flew away. The king won't be happy they lost it, but news of Eragon will be more important than anything else at the moment. No-one has discovered anything about you yet." He added for Alexia's information.
Good, that might come in handy sometime.
"This oil, how rare is it exactly?" Eragon inquired.
"Like diamonds in a pig trough. Actually, it is used by jewelers who can afford it."
"So there are people who trade it?"
"One or two, perhaps."
"Good. Now, do the cities along the coast keep shipping records?" Brom's face immediately brightened, while Alexia hid a scowl. If they ask me check help read, what shall I do?
You could always tell them you can't read.
Why are you always in my mind?
We're connected whether you like it or not.
So now I have no privacy?
You should have thought of that before keeping me.
Yes, I should have.
Too late now! She scowled fully.
"…and because he's a merchant it's possible that he has access to those records." Brom finished.
"How do we get to Teirm?" She asked, pretending to be interested in the conversation.
"We'll have to go southwest until we reach a high pass in the Spine. Once on the other side we can head up the cost to Teirm."
"Can we reach the pass within a week?" Eragon asked masking his excitement behind a calm face, but his eyes still gave him away.
"Easily. If we angle away from the Ninor and to our right, we might be able to see the mountains by tomorrow." Eragon walked away and mounted Saphira.
"See you two at dinner then." Ayda took off just after Saphira. The other two mounted their horses and Brom led Cadoc this time.
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Before they reached Teirm, they had to sort out disguises. They wore their hooded traveling cloaks to hide their faces and chose names.
"Right, so Eragon, you will be my nephew Evan, I will be Neal and you can be Elizabeth, Evan's sister. This won't deceive Jeod but I can trust him with our names." They nodded in agreement and rode on to the city entrance looking casual, where they met their first test. Two guards blocked the gate.
"Wha's yer name?" asked one of them.
"Evan an' this my sister Elizabeth." Eragon said in a heavy accent. "She's deaf s-"
"Yeah, we get it. Who's th' other one?"
"I'm called Neal." Brom said in a wheezy voice, slouching to one side.
"And yer business here?"
"He's visiting an old friend and I'm along t' make sure he don't get lost, if y'get m'meaning. He ain't as young as he used to be, had a bit too much sun when he was young'r. Touch o' the brain fever, y'know." Brom bobbed his head, smiling weirdly.
"What about the girl?"
"She's comin' w'me, we live alone an' I c'n hardly leave 'er because-"
"Right, Go on through. Just make sure they're not a nuisance."
"Oh they won't." The guards let them pass and they rode on. When they were out of sight from the guards, Alexia hissed, much like Saphira so that Eragon jumped and turned around.
"You could have said I was visiting my cousin, but no, I had to be deaf!" Eragon smiled.
"Improvisation."
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Alexia walked into the Green Chestnut tavern behind Eragon and Brom and she felt uneasy. She did her best not to reach for her bow on her back. Brom leaned against the bar and asked the bartender;
"Do you know where we can find a man called Jeod?" The man answered in an overly loud voice, as if trying to let the whole bar know.
"Now why would I know something like that? Do you think I keep track of the mangy louts in this forsaken place?"
"Could you be enticed to remember?" Brom slid a few coins onto the bar." The man brightened and lowered his voice.
"Could be, but my memory takes a great deal of prodding." Brom frowned, but slid a few more coins onto the bar. The bartender was about to reach for the coins when another man interrupted from his table.
"Gareth, what in th' blazes do you think you're doing? Anyone can tell them where Jeod lives." At this, Brom took back the coins from the bar and walked towards the man. Eragon led Alexia to him when she told him with her mind that she was 'deaf'.
"Thanks, The name's Neal. This is Evan and Elizabeth."
"Martin, and you've met Gareth." Martin gestured at some chairs.
"Go ahead, sit down, I don't mind." Eragon turned his chair so that he faced the door. Martin raised an eyebrow at this but didn't question it.
"You just saved me a few crowns." Stated Brom.
"My pleasure. Can't blame Gareth though, business hasn't been doing well lately. Jeod lives on the west side of town, right next to Angela, the herbalist." Alexia stood up, wanting to talk to her dragon.
"You know what, I'm gonna go outside for a minute, I don't feel too good." Brom nodded.
When she got outside, she heaved a sigh.
I'm going to buy the leather now.
Good.
I need to take some measurements aswell, so I'll meet you tonight?
Okay. You could do it now.
All right. Alexia got a picture of a mossy cliff surrounded by maples. She walked briskly to the gates, passing them head down. When she reached the cliff she contacted Ayda again.
How am I supposed to get up?
I could find a clearing and land.
Actually, I'll climb. I've not done it since I don't know how long. Gives me a stretch. Alexia studied which way to climb, before starting.
Well if you fall I'm not letting you do anything like this ever again.
Yes mommy.
Since when did you call me 'mommy'?
Since you said not to call you mother.
Don't call me mommy either then.
You're right. I should call you younger-but-bigger-than-me, er, something.
That's a long name.
I know, but I couldn't think of anything else. I'm almost there. She reached the top and saw Saphira and Ayda ahead of her. The purple dragon blew smoke as a greeting.
"Hey buddy." She said aloud, patting the shimmering scales. Alexia began taking measurements like Brom instructed and soon she knew exactly how much leather she need for the saddle. Ayda carried her down and Alexia bought some good leather. As she walked out of the shop, she contacted Eragon. He resisted at first, but soon knew it was her.
What?
Where are you and Brom?
In Jeod's house.
Right, that is where again?
Next to Angela's shop.
Okay, thanks.
The shop was easy to find. It had a cheery sign and a short curly-haired woman was seated by the front door, holding a frog in one hand and scribbling away with the other. On either side of the shop was a house. Deciding to ask the woman which house it was, she approached her timidly.
"Do you know which house Jeod lives in?"
"I do." She said and flipped a page and started writing again.
"Would you tell me?"
"Yes." Alexia waited a moment before asking again;
"Which house is Jeod's?" Angela looked up. She had a friendly face.
"Now we're getting somewhere, if you want to know something, ask directly. Jeod's house is on the right."
"Thanks. Why are you holding a frog?"
"Well, it's a toad, but I'm trying to tell everyone they don't exist, so witches can't do any of their evil spells, which means this toad doesn't exist, therefore this toad was really a frog in the first place."
"Intriguing. Well, I'll leave you to it. I have to meet my friends." The woman waved her hand and started writing again. Turning to the door of Jeod's house, she knocked three times. She waited patiently and the door opened revealing an angry woman.
"Forgive me for interrupting, but is there any chance Jeod is here?"
"Jeod has left to his headquarters with Evan and Neal."
"Oh, sorry once again. I'll be going now." The woman shut the door.
Eragon, you said you were at Jeod's house. Tell me where you are, now!
We were at Jeod's house, but we left to talk in a more private place. Right now, I'm with Snowfire and the other horses just outside the citadel, listening to what they are talking about. Puzzled, she glanced around and made her way towards the citadel. She entered the main gate and saw Eragon concentrating on something, eyes closed. Dumping the leather on the ground, she sat down beside him. After a while he opened his eyes.
"What's going on?" He muttered.
"What?" He jumped slightly and turned to see Alexia. He quickly explained what he heard and finished as the door opened.
"You found Evan then." Brom stated. "Were the horses alright?" Eragon nodded and they untied them again leading them to the main body of Teirm.
"By the way, this is Alexia, known as Elizabeth to everyone else." Brom said.
"Pleased to meet you."
"It is my pleasure." They shook hands.
"So Jeod, you finally got married. And, to a lovely young woman. Congratulations." Jeod did not seem too happy with the compliment.
"Whether congratulations are in order is debatable right now. Helen isn't very happy."
"Why, what does she want?" asked Brom.
"The usual, a good home, happy children, food on the table and pleasant company." They talked for a while before deciding to eat.
"You can leave your horses in my stable." They did that and followed him to a tavern. It was loud, clean, and full of boisterous people, unlike the Green Chestnut. Alexia didn't eat much, she was busy thinking over what Eragon had told her. I've never seen a dwarf, hell I don't even know what a dwarf is! And who is this Ajihad person? And what about tuatha du orothrim?
So many questions!
Ayda, you're here.
I know.
Can you leave?
No. I like it here, I can look into your secrets.
Fine, look all you want, just don't show them to me, I don't want to remember much.
I'll try. Alexia scowled as Ayda deliberately brought up the love/hate relationship conversation again.
ERAGONELDEST
Eragon went off to see Saphira so the rest went to Jeod's study and talked about the plan of action.
"Everyone can help, it's a simple task of finding the right scroll." Alexia flushed and Brom noticed.
"What is it?"
"Um, well, I don't know how to, read because of my, problem." She gestured to her hands. Brom's face darkened.
"Well I'll teach you, it sets my plan back, but it is necessary."
"Um, you'll have to teach me too." Eragon stood at the doorway head lowered. Brom scowled.
"You mean Garrow never taught you?"
"He knew how to read?" Eragon asked.
"Of course he did. Must have thought it an unnecessary luxury. We'll start as soon as we can. For now, let us rest. And Alexia, i'll work on the saddle."
Okay, this chapter is kind of a see you later present, I'm going on holiday for a week. When I come back, I shall be expecting lots of reviews. Toodles!