Author's Note: This one's to Kya, for making me laugh with her comment about "a long nap inside some one else's body" and to Coffee Grounds for calling Súndavar emo...Hearts, Kittie
Rune stood at nervous attention, watching the queen with wide green eyes. Eragon squeezed her shoulder. "Don't be nervous," he whispered in her ear.
She nodded slightly, leaning against Eragon for support.
"Come forward, Argetlam," Islanzadí beckoned. "What have you brought?"
Eragon stepped forward, helping Rune along. The girl blinked at Islanzadí for a moment, before kneeling.
"And who might you be?" Islanzadí asked, a chuckle in her voice, "Other than the girl who slept beneath the Menoa Tree and stole the hearts of both our resident Riders."
Eragon turned pink, but said nothing, so as not to be disrespectful.
"Princess Rune of Urû'baen, your majesty," Rune answered with more confidence than she felt. "From Galbatorix, through Lycona."
Islanzadí's eyes flickered for a moment. She blinked, then leaned down. She took Rune's hand in her own pale, elegant one. "Rise, daughter."
Rune looked up at her, then got to her feet. She stared at her booted feet, unsure what to do.
The queen touched her cheek gently, then drew away. There was a sad smile on her face when Rune had the courage to meet her eyes. "You look like your mother."
"I do?" Rune seemed genuinely pleased with this fact. "I…I never knew her."
"I see. Your father is…"
"Galbatorix, yes. But don't worry, she didn't betray you. He…"
"I understand."
Eragon slipped away, feeling the need to leave them alone. Islanzadí's expression was as if she had discovered a lost child after years of thinking she was dead -- a mixture of sadness, joy, and gentle curiosity.
"What was she like?" Rune asked suddenly. "She died when I was a baby. Of a broken heart, I suppose."
Islanzadí laid a hand on her shoulder. "You can be proud to call her your mother, Rune."
Rune nodded. "Thank you."
"I'll have a room arranged for you in Tialdarí Hall. Unless you prefer to…"
Rune shook her head quickly. "No, I'd like my own room, if it pleases you, your majesty." She didn't say why, but she was sure it showed on her face.
She was sick of guys. Eragon, Súndavar, the Murtagh man from her dream memory…they were all a big jumble. She was perfectly content to sleep on her own.
"Men can be tiresome, can't they?"
"Yes," Rune affirmed. "They can indeed."
ooooooooooooooooooooo
"You can do it, Rune," Shay urged, "Parry!"
Rune brought her sword up slowly, breathing hard. Shay touched her throat gently with her blade.
Rune tossed her sword aside. "Shay, I can't do it. I'm tired."
"Come on," encouraged Shay with an understanding smile. "You're getting stronger, I can tell. But you have to keep it up."
Rune nodded, retrieving her sword. She sighed. "Shay, I'm trying. But it's hard."
"We'll go slowly. I'll call the moves for you to make, alright?"
Rune bit her lip, before giving a single, determined nod. "Alright."
"Get in position," Shay instructed. Rune took her stance, feet apart, both hands on her sword hilt. Her muscles ached. Two months of inactivity took a toll on even the fittest body. She'd lost weight too, but it didn't matter much.
Shay attacked slowly, as promised, calling out each thrust and step. Rune often stumbled, but she made it another half hour before collapsing from exhaustion.
Shay picked the other girl up, feeling with surprise how light she was. It wasn't really a surprise, she hadn't eaten in two months – the magic origin of her sleep assured she didn't need to – but surely it wasn't healthy to be so thin.
Dropping the girl off in Tialdarí Hall, Shay began to wander pointlessly around Ellesméra. Secretly she was hoping she would run into Vanir, but she wouldn't admit it to anyone. Heck, she wouldn't even admit it to herself.
Shay felt Thornessa, her sword, at her side, remembering her spar with Vanir. Her face broke into a grin. It always gave her a pleasure to think of her past triumphs, and beating Vanir was certainly one of them. He had to get over himself.
"Lost, Everwood?"
Shay turned, groaning inwardly. Vanir was leaning nonchalantly against a tree, looking as if he despised her as much as ever. But Shay noticed the way his eyes flicked over her body before resting on her face. She had been getting looks like that from Varden guys since she Rune's age. But she hadn't expected it from Vanir.
"I saw you practicing with the little girl on the courts," he scoffed. "Taken a sudden liking to children, have you?"
Shay smiled slightly. "Princess Rune is a guest of Islanzadí and daughter of Mistress Lycona."
Vanir paled. He opened his mouth for a moment, then shut it, something that was becoming increasingly common for him.
"You look like a fish when you do that," Shay told him.
He frowned, then shrugged, a nearly microscopic smile flickering over his lips, then disappearing so fast Shay almost thought she imagined it.
"So…"
"Actually, as much fun as I've had wasting my time talking," Vanir said, "I have things to do. So I'll see you around, Everwood."
He turned and walked away. Shay laughed silently. He was so full of it. He had absolutely nothing to do. If he had, why would he have been leaning against a tree? But she let it go. Vanir may have given the impression of being unreachable, solemn, but she was sure that deep down somewhere there was as much emotion as anyone. He was just afraid to show it.
Men, Shay thought, such babies.
oooooooooooooooooooooo
Súndavar felt the pain sting his wrist. It hurt. But it was wonderful. His heart sang, enveloped by the pain.
He didn't want it all to end anymore. The pain was enough. He could forget everything, drenched in its scarlet embrace.
Slate would be mad. But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Just the sweet, brilliant pain in his wrist.
Súndavar smiled.
When the pain stopped, he slept.
oooooooooooooooooooooo
Shruikan clicked his claws. It is time Thorn began his training, the big dragon said, He has grown soft, living the castle.
Galbatorix didn't look at him. "Do as you wish."
He is bound to Uru'baen. I wish to take him out of the city.
Galbatorix cracked his knuckles. "Very well."
What of his bonds to you? They may get in the way.
"I am busy, dragon," Galbatorix said testily. "You are in charge of him. Teach him as you see fit. I don't want to be bothered with this issue again."
Shruikan nodded solemnly. Of course not.