Chapter 9: Ellesmera.
The sound of singing birds blissfully danced in the air as Irim awoke, fluttering her eye lashes slowly and tenderly as the morning sunlight cascaded into her room from the open balcony curtains. Irim stretched her arms out wide as she sat up in her silk bed, glancing over towards the balcony, she smiled as Islind or led there peacefully humming away.
Irim scanned the room as she combed through her hair with her fingers, smiling as she recognized the room from several years ago. The walls were decorated with fairths and oil painting. Irim had always been an artist at heart, and spent much of her life before becoming a dragon right depicting the sites of Ellesm ra and the groves of trees around the city. To the left side of her bed was a desk that had 3 mirrors placed upon it, an emerald coloured box sat peacefully in front of the middle of the three mirrors. Upon seeing it, Irim couldn't help but smile happily as she remembered the music box her father had given her for her 5th birthday. When she spoke her name, the box would open and reveal a small model of an elven princess that would sing lullabies to her, Irim frowned slightly as she regretted not taking it with her.
Good Morning, loved one Islind r spoke, and Irim smiled as she saw her partner-of-mind-and-heart stretching out like a cat on the balcony .
Morning She replied, rising from her bed to walk and join her dragon on the balcony. Did you sleep well?
I slept like a Hatchling would, my dear little elf. Islind or replied, yawning widely revealing his sparkling white fangs. I remember this place from my earliest memories. I spent my first nights with you here.
You did, but you were only a hatchling then, you've grown a bit to say the least! Irim replied, placing a hand of Islind or's head and led against his warm side.
I may have been just a small one who could sleep in your bed, but I was just as fierce. Islind or replied happily
I agree Irim replied, giggling.
"Irim " came the voice of her father, Vanir, after a several minutes of sitting on the balcony with Islind or enjoying the morning sunlight.
"Come in, Father." Irim replied, turning her head to see her father enter the room with a happy expression on his face.
"Good Morning, my love" Vanir spoke softly, as he walked over to the balcony and kissed his daughter on the forehead before settling down next to her. "It is a beautiful day, the forest shines with happiness knowing you have returned"
Good Morning Islind or spoke softly in Irim and Vanir's minds.
It is a pleasure to see you as well, king of the skies. Vanir replied, grinning at the dragon.
The three of them sat on the balcony for twenty minutes, as they watched the Ellesm raand the wildlife in the surrounding trees come to life to greet the morning. Irim noticed Vanir stand and offer her his hand to stand up,
"Come, your mother was making your favourite for breakfast" Vanir said smiling, as Irim took his hand. "She didn't know whether you'd had some for a while, but thought it would be nice all the same"
"Pancakes with fruit and berries? Ebrithil tried to make them, so did the other tutors. I'm afraid to say they weren't very successful." Irim replied, smirking as she remembered how useless Eragon was with cooking.
"In all this time he hasn't learnt properly?" Vanir smiled in response.
"He can cook." Irim insisted nervously, she didn't like speaking of Eragon in a poor light.
Just not very well. Islind or replied, causing Vanir to laugh.
However, Islind or has no such inhibitions to talking ill of Ebrithil. Irim thought to herself, as she smiled along with her father. They entered the kitchen and Irim smiled as she saw her mother placing three plates on a wooden table in the middle of them room. As they saw down and enjoyed their breakfast Irim couldn't help but take in her mother's beauty, since it had been several years since they had been in the same room.
You look like her, Islind or noted in her mind. Both as beautiful as the stars at night.
I love you, my precious one. Irim replied, smiling.
"Did you like them?" Irim heard her mother ask after she finished her breakfast.
"They were delicious, thank you mother." Irim replied placing a hand on her mother's across the table. "I'm glad to be home."
"We are both glad you are home, as well." Vanir replied, placing his hand on theirs.
"What does Eragon-elda have planned for you?" Irim heard her mother ask,
"If its anything like our normal routine, "Irim started, taking a sip of fruit juice. "Most of the day will be meditating, along with some teachings in between"
"The whole day?" Her mother asked sadly
Most of it, Islind or offered sadly.
"I'm sorry. I want to spend more time with you while I'm here but " Irim said apologetically.
"No need to apologize," Irim heard her mother say with a glum expression.
"Yes, we understand how important it is. I'm sure Eragon will find some time to take it easy whole he's here. A certain friend of his has waited for his return for a great many years, I'm sure she wont waste the little time they have." Vanir replied with a smirk on his face, her mother smiled knowingly.
"The Queen?" Irim asked inquisitively.
"Perhaps. Come, you best get off and find Eragon" Vanir replied, letting out a quick laugh.
Irim smiled contently as she walked through the streets of Ellesmera, observing the trees and the elves that strolled throughout the city on their days tasks. As she made her way to the treehouse that the Lead Rider inhabited during his stays in the pinewood city, Irim cast her gaze to the sky and was happy to see Islind or soaring above the city among the birds. Returning her gaze to the city around her, Irim turned a corner and spotted the Queen walking through the city accompanied by several of her council.
"Arta esterni ono thelduin, Arya Drottning." Irim said, as she bowed before touching two fingers to her lips.
"Un du evanya ono Varden, Irim Shur-tugal." Arya replied, smiling back at her. "Are you going to meet Eragon for your lessons?"
"Yes, my lady. Are you heading the same way?" Irim asked eagerly, before she had left to join Eragon on the Silent Isle the Queen had instructed her and Aaenor for a brief time. Irim found that she liked the queen, and hearing about her from Eragon had only increased her respect for Arya.
"I am afraid not, young one." Arya's smile faded, "I am rather busy at the moment to speak to the Lead Rider. Perhaps time will allow me to do so at another point."
"Yes, my lady." Irim bowed to the Queen as her and the council members walked off in a different direction.
Yep, she definitely misses him Islind or noted in her mind.
Before Irim could respond, she spotted Aaenor and Elira waiting further along the path for her. As she approached, Elira outstretched a hand and waved to her, while a smile crossed Aaenor's face.
"Good Morning, Irim " Elira said warmly,
"Hello" Aaenor said, with a smile.
"Aaenor, Elira-elda" Irim replied, touching her two fingers to her lips. "It is a pleasure."
As they set off walking towards the Lead Riders tree house side by side, Irim inquired to why Elira was joining them for their lessons. Her response left Irim feeing confused.
Ebrithil doesn't normally have elder riders sitting in on our lessons. But then, she doesn't know why he summoned her. He must have some sort of errand for her to run for him. Irim concluded, Islind or sent feelings of agreement to her.
As they arrived at the foot of the staircase that granted entrance to the Lead Riders accommodation in Ellesm ra, Irim looked up and grinned as she saw Saphira's tail drooped lazily over the edge of the veranda dozens of feet in the air. Turning her gaze to the staircase, Irim followed the other two as they started making their way to meet Eragon.
As the three of them ascended the staircase, Irim noted that the staircase was steep and a large distance to travel. As the thoughts ran through her mind, she remembered the time when Eragon had talked to them off his time in Ellesm ra during the Great War, and how he had struggled to climb them before his transformation. Irim smiled as she recalled fondly, the times at the start of their tutor ledge on the Silent Isle when Eragon would simply recount many of his adventures to them.
"Thank you, Turvin. I am glad that everything is going well, and I thank you again for passing my message on". The sound of words in the Ancient Language being spoken broke Irim out of her reminiscence as they found the door into the living quarters of the tree house open, awaiting their arrival. As they entered the room, Eragon stood and turned to face them with the happily smile he wore every time he saw his students.
"Aaenor, Elira." Eragon said as he welcomed them into his home, and gestured for Irim and Aaenor to sit on the bed. He turned his gaze on her. "Irim ".
As she sat down on the bed next to Aaenor, Irim couldn't help but gaze into Eragon's deep brown eyes. She had always found them filled with wisdom and knowledge, and often found herself looking in wonder at what they displayed about him. His eyes always showed his true emotions, and they had a sparkling glint in them when he spoke of his current and past students.
"Eragon-elda" Elira bowed her head as he smiled and handed her a piece of parchment.
"Elira" Eragon replied, "That is a message I would like you to deliver to the remaining riders who are in Alagaesia, but who currently are not in Du Weldenvarden."
"It informs them of my visit to Illirea in over a months time, before the Aghaeti Blodhren is held. It is an invitation for those that are not able, or planning to come to Ellesmera to meet me in Illirea. I have several things to discuss with them."
"I am happy in being able to help you" Elira responded a slight smile on her lips. Irim watched her bow her head before Eragon one last time before she disappeared down the staircase.
Irim returned her gaze to Eragon as he sat on a stool that was near a small table, where the mirror he had just contacted the Silent Isle with sat. As he did, Irim saw him close his eyes and take a deep breath and then the room settled into silence.
Irim sighed as she recognized what Eragon was doing. Regardless of the numerous years she had spent being instructed by him, this ritual he insisted upon partaking in before their lessons still irritated her. She cast her mind back to their first lesson with Eragon, where he had them sit in silence for over an hour. Both she and Aaenor at that point asked what the point of it was, to which she remembered his words perfectly;
"Patience is a crucial part of the world. Disputes, and even wars can be prevented by simply being patient with one another."
Knowing that Eragon would make them wait for a good amount of time Irim gaze wandered around the tree house, taking in all the details of the home of Lead Riders for over millennia's. The walls of the tree house where decorated with patterns and depictions of the wildlife and trees that inhabited Du Weldenvarden. On the walls there were several paintings of Riders with their Dragons, similar to the halls of Dragon Hold, depicting some of the bravest riders in the orders history. Irim smiled as she saw a framed canvass which showed Eragon and Saphira standing atop a hill gazing out at Ilirea.
Finally, Irim 's eyes rested upon the veranda where Saphira lay curled up resting in the sunlight, her eyelids drooped over her eyes as she hummed happily. Irim grinned as Saphira opened one eye and winked at her, before returning to her daydream.
After what seemed to Irim to be over half an hour, Eragon finally opened his eyes and took another deep breath. Turning his attention to hid students his happy smile crossed his face, and he rose from his seat, standing before them.
"Today, my younglings." Eragon's voice resonating in the air after the silence. "Our lessons are unfortunately going to be different than what you are used to. I will have you do something, a little more practical."
Aaenor sighed next to her, and they both turned to face each other, recognizing it would be a tedious task.
Eragon laughed as he gazed at his students. "You remember well."
"Unfortunately, there are several things which I must attend to today." Eragon raised a hand, a single finger pointing upwards. "But, I shall only apologize for one of them."
"Firstly, Jacob is not with us now, which means I must take a slightly slower approach with your lessons until he and our friends arrive in Ellesm ra. Blodham will be showing him the same things as I do, regardless. Secondly, the Elven court is sure to wish to discuss a range of matters with me over the next few days and even weeks. Finally, I have a meeting scheduled with the Human King, as we do every month."
"Yes Ebrithil" Aaenor and Irim said as one.
"Now, your task." Eragon smiled, sitting on the stool once more. "Back on Dragonhold, I taught you the names and properties of twenty plants and herbs that could be particularly useful should you or your dragons be harmed."
"You found them easy enough to find in the fields and forests around our home, but we are no longer there. My task is simple, I wish for you to go out into the forest surrounding Ellesm ra and find all the herbs. This will help you in two ways. You will be able to improve your foraging skills, by recognizing them, but also it will allow you to enjoy your homelands. I remember how much you both missed Ellesm ra while you where with me on the Silent Isle."
"Thank you Ebrithil." Aaenor said, smiling.
"And, because I am feeling generous today." Eragon grinned "I will allow you to have some help on the matter. I will let you decide who you wish to spend the day searching for these herbs with".
"That is most generous Ebrithil" Irim responded happily as she decided instantly she would spend the time with her mother and father.
"Don't worry, younglings." Eragon said as he escorted them down the stairs "I am not always a tough instructor."
As they exited the tree house, Eragon bid them farewell and sent them off into the city to complete his task. Aaenor and Irim both had smiles on their faces at being able to spend their day with loved ones.
You might just be a good liar after all, little one Saphira voice hummed in his mind, as Eragon walked back into his living quarters in the tree house.
Oh? After all these years? Eragon grinned as he replied,
Sending them after those plants and herbs. You know full well there aren't any to be found near Ellesm ra, Oromis informed you as much when he taught us. Saphira responded, opening her eyelids to gaze at him
I know, but I can't just give them the day off. They have to learn something. Besides, they can find one or two of the herbs, if they look hard enough. Eragon smirked to himself as he made his way up the next set of stairs to the study.
I suppose so. Saphira chuckled heartedly as she joined him on the veranda of the next level of the tree house.
Eragon turned to her and grinned as he spoke a series of words in the Ancient Language to contact the Human king in Ilirea. He smiled as the mirror on the desk in front of him swirled to show King Victor with Murtagh stood at his side.
"Greetings, your majesty. " Eragon's said firmly, turning towards Murtagh and tipped his head in respect. "Brother"
As Eragon listened to Murtagh description of the attack upon Gil'ead, he struggled to refrain his face from showing his confusion at how, the group using the symbol of an ancient origin, would attack a simple military barracks.
"This is truly concerning that they would take nothing. Normally, you would expe-" Eragon began to reply, when he heard a movement to his right. Turning his head towards the movement, Eragon saw a young elf messenger standing with an apologetic look on his face.
"Forgive me, my lord." the Elf spoke in the ancient language, "Lord Dathedr requests your presence at the elven court."
Eragon frowned slightly as he heard the words, before replying in a deep confident voice, "Very well, go on and tell him I will meet with him."
"Apologies" Eragon spoke as he returned his attention to the mirror. "I have been requested to meet with one of the Elven lords."
"Do not worry, I have nothing else to discuss." Victor responded, "Until our next meeting, In Ilirea."
"Indeed, I look forward to it." Eragon replied, before turning to Murtagh and speaking in the Ancient Language said; "Proceed with your plan to station riders among the cities in the empire. Tell them that I bid them to take caution."