Chapter 17: Solemn City

With a weeks worth of travel, the small band had made it over the range of the Spine and were nearing the old city of Teirm. Saphira, like before, would have to remain hidden in the forest surrounding Teirm until they finished their goals. It had been discussed that because news of Eragon could have been revealed already, they would enter under fake names. They rode closer to the gates and Riley tried to look natural, not that they would suspect anything from a sixteen year old girl.

She made sure not to look too interested in the conversation as two guards stopped them by the gate. Brom was the one to respond after they were asked for their names.

"I'm called Neal." Brom had taken on a different voice. He added a slight wheeze to it and he slouched in his saddle. "This'ed be m'nephew 'n niece, Evan n' Amira. They's m'sister's kids." He said, with a wide smile.

The guard nodded. "And yer business here?"

Eragon chirped up. "He's visitin' an old friend. We're along t' make sure he don't get lost, if y'get m'meaning. He ain't as young as he used to be. Touch of the brain fever, y' know."

"Right. Go on through, " the guard said, waving his hand. Riley had thought it went quite smoothly and she smiled politely as she passed ahead. But when Eragon came level with the guard that questioned them, the guard quietly said, "And make sure to keep yer sister close." He discreetly glanced at his partner who had been staring at Riley more than the others. Riley had noticed, but the confrontation was so short, she didn't think anything of it. Of course the guard knew his partners habits better than her. Riley had worried that maybe he had recognized her somehow, and remembering what they had learned to do after Daret, Riley reached out with her mind. It was difficult, but with them being close enough to the guards, she was able to read the other guards intent ever so slightly. Even so, chills crept down her spine and Riley frowned, disgusted. She should have reached out from the beginning. But at the same time she berated herself, she realized that it was a good thing she didn't. She wasn't sure she would have been able to hold her tongue.

Once they were away from the entrance, Brom prodded at the brain fever snide.

"I couldn't let you have all the fun," replied Eragon.

Riley smiled despite the uneasiness she felt. Eragon looked to her, knowing that she heard the guards warning.

"Don't worry, we wouldn't let anything-"

Riley cut him off, putting her hands on her hips. "I can handle myself. I just can't believe there'd be so many men that think so little of women." Growing up around a small town, Riley understood now that the dynamics of a large society were barbaric, and hoped that her innocence wouldn't betray her, or worse, get her into trouble.

The city of Teirm was like a copse of trees where the ones in the center were the tallest and the young trees that gradually sprouted around declined in an even slope to the edge until there were only saplings and seedlings. The center in this case was the citadel, and each building became shorter until they were only one story tall near the outer walls. When Eragon mentioned that Teirm looked ready for war, Brom explained that the city has a long violent history with pirates and Urgals because it has been a center for markets and trading.

Riley observed that Teirm was readily prepared for battles and in this, it did not have much of a happy atmosphere. There weren't many people about, no children or women walked the streets. The men passed by with heavy steps. Many of the houses they passed were dark.

"We'll stop in there to see if we can't find anything on my friend, Jeod." Brom steered them over to a building that seemed to attract some of the men that were walking ahead. Riley read the sign above the door. The Green Chestnut. They tied their horses to a post and walked into the tavern.

The room was dimly lit by one fire that was almost to its embers. There were round and square tables with mismatched chairs strewn around the walls. The few men, who sat in some corners, wore sullen expressions.

They walked up to the bartender who was wiping away at a broken glass. Riley stayed back behind Brom, sweeping her eyes around the room and periodically watching the entrance.

Brom began speaking to the bartender. "Do you know where we can find a man called Jeod?"

The bartender reclined back and replied in a deep voice that could be heard from the other side of the building, drawing the attention of the men slouched over their glasses. "Now, how would I keep track of all the clods that enter this place?"

Brom lifted his hand over the counter and slid some coins over to the man. "Could this help jog your memory?"

The bartender brightened and was about to reach for the coins, when a man from the closest table called out, "What in the blazes do you think you're doing? Anyone here could point out where Jeod lives. No need to charge them!"

Brom scooped up the coins quickly, and they walked away from the sour faced bartender. Riley looked at the man who saved their funds. He was grimy and dressed in worn clothes that had been patched up several times. He was missing two fingers on his right hand, but his eyes were clear. Although she could see the struggle he was going through to not down the drink in front of him. "Thanks. The name's Neal. This is Evan and Amira."

The man raised his glass in greeting. "Martin. Go and have a seat here." Riley would rather have stayed standing but didn't want to be rude or attract attention, so she took a seat between Brom and Martin. Eragon pulled a chair from the empty table next to them and sat on the other side of Brom, but angled to face the door.

Brom thanked him again. Martin nodded. "My pleasure. Jeod lives on the west side of town, right next to Angela, the herbalist. Do you have business with him?"

"Aye, a proposition of a sort," Brom said. Martin sipped from his glass, and then said that Joed, like many of them in Teirm, was going through a rough time and may not be able to buy anything from him. Jeod was a shipping merchant and had lost several ships and one of which just a few days ago. Riley listened intrigued, as Brom and him discussed the possible reasons for ships and sailors to go out and never be seen again.

When they took their leave, Riley looked back on the men with solemn eyes, now knowing the hardships many of them were dealing with. They walked beside their horses farther into the city. The housing grew taller and cleaner, their tan walls decorated with maroon vines and flowered vases near the doorways and in the windowsills. The alleys were even moderately clear of debris and not fouled by waste. Families passed the three, wearing fine clothes and walked easily in the street. Though this was a comfortable part of town, Riley didn't think she could see herself staying here for long. It felt like a front; the authority this area held could quickly fade, like a puff of smoke.

They made their way to a street with ornate houses and businesses, and one stuck out to them the most. It had a shallow porch, covered every inch with hanging plants. There was a woman sitting near the porch post, holding something in her hand and writing vigorously with her other. Riley whispered, "That must be the herbalist."

There was a house on either side of her shop of similar designs and the group wondered which to go to first. Brom suggested they ask Angela.

They walked over to the curly haired woman, who had almost a full page written, and Brom asked, "Could you tell us which house Jeod lives in?"

"I could."

"Will you tell us?"

"Yes." Angela kept writing fervently, taking quick peeks over at the frog.

Riley glanced down at Angela, a wry smile on her face. "To be more specific, which house is Joed's?," she asked.

"Ah, there it is. Joed is on the right."

"Why are you holding a frog?" Eragon asked before they could say thank you.

"This is isn't a frog. It's actually a toad. I'm trying to prove that toads don't exist. There are only frogs."

"But if you have a toad in your hand, how can it not exist right now? And what good will it do to find out that there are only frogs?"

Riley scratched her head. She bent down to better look at the toad-frog. She'd seen many of each in her life and could clearly see the differences, but then again they could be just a different species of frog. After all, there were many different types of human beings. Or it could just be a different creature, like dwarfs and urgals.

Angela shook her head. "If I prove toads don't exist, then this a frog and never was a toad. Toads have too many bad tendencies like cause warts and poison. They won't be able to be used in evil spells, because there won't be any toads around."

They were silent for a few seconds until Brom came up with an appropriate transition to leave. It was a short walk over to Jeod's house, and the three stood in front of a dark red door with an iron knocker.