Chapter two, ready for you to enjoy. Have fun, oh lovers of Eragon.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
To the tale!
X
The room was now spotless; clean linen and sheets had been laid on the bed and the entire chamber was infused with the fragrance of the lavender that burned at the hearth. I sipped sweet wine from the chalice that Evandar had poured for me, and I watched him as he stoked the fire, his warrior braids spilling over his shoulders as he leaned forward.
My husband stood, and smiled as he turned to me. "I am so glad to have returned home, my love," he said as he walked to where I reclined, and slid behind me on the bed.
Exhaling deeply, I laid my head against his chest and listened to the steady rhythm of his heart. The sound calmed me, and a great weariness washed over me, causing my eyelids to become unnaturally heavy.
"So am I…so am I, my dearest husband," I answered his words, and my reply was as true as the waters that flowed through our enchanted land.
I felt him run his hands over my neck and shoulders, and yawned contentedly.
After losing myself in his comforting ministrations, I forced my eyes open with unusual difficulty, and twisted in his lap, handing him the chalice of richly flavoured wine that I held. "Drink, Evandar. I know you to be a weary as I."
"I would welcome a drink, Islanzadí, thank you." My husband took a long swallow of the spiced alcohol, and set the emptied goblet on the bedside table with a sharp
"How fare you, wife? I know not the pains of childbirth, but I could hear your discomfort when I arrived home. So, tell me, are you well?" He inquired, caressing my still rounded belly with lazy circles from his fingertips.
My lips curled in humour. "Aside from a few aches and pains here and there, Evandar, I am in the best of spirits."
"That is enlightening news, beautiful one," he answered with his most favoured name for me, aside from 'my love'. Evandar pressed a kiss to the delicate area where my neck joined my shoulder. I tingled with pleasure at the gesture.
Earlier that evening, he and I had greeted our people and had introduced our daughter, and the new heir to the Elven throne, to the people of our capital city. The entire night had been filled with merriment and feasting, with every elf in sight welcoming the arrival of Arya into our realm and our close friends clasping arms with Evandar with words of encouragement and bestowing kisses and embraces upon me.
It had been wonderful. The smile had not wavered off of my husband's sensuous mouth even once, and I was sure that I had not laughed so gaily in the duration of my existence.
Even now, the celebrations had not ceased. Pretty music drifted into the room from the opened windows, brushing the insides of our ears like down feathers.
A warm kiss to the side of my throat lifted me from my musings pleasantly.
I chuckled. "Are you not tired, Evandar? You cannot tell me that riding here all of the way from Cerís has not left you lacking in…enthusiasm."
He answered my laugh with a masculine rumble of his own. "Tired of you, my love? Never!" To emphasize his point he pressed me flush against himself and buried his nose into my loose hair, growling animatedly.
Giggling, I pulled myself free of his grasp, and playfully chastised him. "Evandar, contain yourself! You are not the one who has just given birth."
He turned his greens orbs to my face and I all but melted. I never could hold my own against his beautiful eyes. It was irritating.
"Do not look at me like that, Evandar!" I laughed, and he grinned.
"How am I looking at you, Islanzadí?"
"As though you do not take me seriously."
"I take you very seriously. But, I have been away for months, my love. Would you deny me the chance to hold you again?" Although he had a mischievous glint in his wide eyes, his tone of voice was completely sober.
"It is not the question of denying you, my love. I am tired, and my body has not healed itself properly yet. Please understand," I said, aching for him despite the slights pains in my back and in between my thighs.
He merely smiled. "Of course I understand."
I sighed and burrowed back into his arms, where I felt as though not even Galbatorix and his evil armies could touch me.
"How is Arya? Ëarelda told me that she is sleeping," Evandar inquired, peering over at the cot in the corner of our chamber, where my tiny daughter lay suckling her fingers in her slumber.
"She is. She was exhausted from all of the commotion and the noise. I fed her and laid her to sleep just before you entered," I answered, tugging the sleeve of my forest green night dress into place, my gaze directed at the skillfully designed crib; a gift from Evandar's father. My husband's mother had unfortunately passed away years before; something incredibly sad, for she had been dear to me ever since I had been a young girl.
My eyes stung, and I pushed away the maudlin thoughts, shaking my head to clear it. Oh, Alagaësia, I was tired!
"My love," I said. "The best for you and I to do at this moment is sleep. I know that I am ready to drop to the floor in exhaustion."
"A capital idea, Islanzadí," Evandar agreed, kissing me deeply a final time before he extinguished the flameless lanterns with a single word.
I dug my way under the covers, and felt Evandar's strong arm curl around my waist, bringing my body closer to his as we fell into a state of utter calm and reverence.
Dreaming of summer and of Elven flowers, I experienced the most soothing rest period that I had received in months.
X
An awed gurgle interrupted my rest, and the haze that had settled over my eyes while I slept cleared as I regained complete consciousness. I did not move, but merely watched as Evandar came into view with Arya held safely in his arms as he sang to her.
The song was one that was familiar. It was of a maiden who had her entire life lived by the sea, and who was one day wooed by a noble warrior who became enchanted by her beauty and grace. It sang of how he, Bélion, was called away to battle, leaving Aillá to yearn for the day he returned and the two lovers would be reunited once more. He never came back to her, having been killed at war, and Aillá became so engulfed in her grief that she threw herself from a cliff into the merciless ocean that she had loved as fervently as her mate.
The ballad was a melancholy one, and one that Evandar treasured. That he would sing it to her of all the songs he had known touched me deeply.
I watched on, seeing my husband rock our child gently back and forth in his arms, and how he smiled at her as she reached for his straight nose with her little hand.
A warm feeling spreading throughout my breast at the scene, I drifted back into my slumber, happy.
X
Morning came, casting its golden light onto our well-rested forms. The twittering of birds intermingled with the sound of a set of reed pipes, forming a sweet melody. I breathed in the clean air, and stretched my arms above my head to remove any kinks that I might have acquired during the night.
Yawning, and tucking a strand of hair behind my tipped ear, I turned to see Evandar with his arm thrown over his bare chest and his hair tousled childishly. I could not stifle a giggle; the Elf looked adorable.
I left our bed, and drew on my satin robe, walking over to the table where a pitcher of water and a glass lay. Parched, I drank my fill of the cool liquid and moved to Arya's cot. Today would her first full day to enjoy in Du Weldenvarden, and I hoped to take her for a picnic with Evandar and I, and show her the majesty of her new home.
She was wide awake, I discovered, and making a series of sounds that instinctively informed me that she was hungry. I scooped her soft body into my arms and seated myself on the rocking chair by the fire, opening the small buttons on my night dress to bare my chest. Arya immediately sought out my breast, and began to suckle, stopping ever so often to swallow with a light exhaling sound that to my ears sounded beautiful.
Soft strands of ebony hair framed her rosy face as she drank with a will, and I ran my long fingers through them, marveling at their texture. When Arya had satiated her hunger, I removed my teat from her mouth and wiped both her lips and my flesh with a damp wad of cloth and rearranged my clothing to its usual state of immaculacy.
"What do you say to a day in the forest, my darling?" I crooned quietly to her. "Just you, your father and I. Would you like that?" I whispered, delicately pressing the tip of my finger to her nose.
She gurgled and looked up at me while she kicked her legs. "Yes? Then let us get you properly washed, my little flower," I said, placing her back in her crib while I called for a maid to bring in a tub of warm water, gentle soap and towels.
"Would you and my Lord prefer to break your fast in you chambers, my Lady?" The maid, a slim, fair haired elf asked.
"Yes, that would be delightful. And have a messenger inform Nilían that I shall not be able to be present at the infirmary today, thank you," I said, feeling slightly guilty at breaking my word to Nilían.
"Yes, my Lady Islanzadí," the maid politely replied, curtseying and hurrying off to the servant's quarters.
Soon, the maid returned with a large tray of food and a pitcher of lukewarm water which she poured into the tub. She left as hastily as she had arrived, with only a few courteous words to her Queen.
Dipping my fingers in the bath water to test it, I found it to be satisfactory and removed Arya's miniature gown and stockings with careful hands.
She was bathed with the utmost care, although I made sure to be thorough.
It was when I was drying the water from her hair when I sensed Evandar's presence behind me. He laid his large hands on my shoulders.
"How are my two most beloved ladies this fine morn?"
"They are most comfortable, my dear," I said.
"Exactly what I wished to hear," my husband replied, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"What do you say to a day to ourselves, my love? I was thinking that perhaps we might be able to steal away from Tialdarí Hall; just for today," I asked, hoping that he would not be occupied.
"That sounds wonderful. I am sure the ambassadors and councilors would not begrudge me a day away from the work desk to be with my wife and daughter," he answered, rubbing my stomach as had become his habit.
I tied the last ribbon on Arya's pale blue tunic and laced up her shoes. Evandar had abandoned his post at my waist and was now reaching for Arya. He held her securely against his chest, and she nestled herself comfortably at her new place. I could already see that she would love him greatly as she grew, and that her affectionate feelings towards her father would be returned enthusiastically by Evandar.
Such a lovely thought.
"Shall we eat? I had the maid bring breakfast to our chamber today."
Acquiescing, Evandar, Arya and I sat ourselves at the table in the dining room and feasted on an expertly prepared breakfast of oat porridge, fruit, hazelnut butter, fresh white bread, raspberry jelly and tea; of course, Arya merely reclined on my lap as Evandar and I engaged her with loving caresses and amusing sounds.
The meal concluded, and Arya having been returned to her bed, Evandar and I parted to dress for a day that would be spent in the woods, amidst the trees we Elves loved so dearly.
I chose to wear an old and slightly large tunic of dark purple, and a pair of black leggings with my cloth boots. I brushed my hair, plaiting it to hang in a simple braid down my back and once again asked a servant for a basket of food and drink to be brought to the royal suites.
I was sorting through said basket when my husband emerged, clad in a russet tunic and brown leggings, and grinned when he saw my attire.
"Now there is a sight for sore eyes," he remarked.
Shaking my head, I reflected my husband's good humour. "Shall we leave now? There is no reason to remain."
"Why not?"
We headed out of the chamber, and left Tialdarí Hall with polite nods to the Elves we encountered.
The sun shone brightly throughout Ellesméra, and the jubilant sounds of the running river water promised an eventful day.
However, I was sure it would a day that I would never forget.
X
Hurrah! The second chapter completed! Enjoy, fanfctioneers!
-Artanisofavalon.