George Edwards: I respect michael jackson's work and songs but I'm not a big fan of them. The Way You Make Me Feel if okay but not the first that would come to my mind when I'm looking for a love song (I still have some time, there'll be no Blood-Oath Celebration before a good 4-5 chapter I think.).
piperw142: Still no meeting with Oromis/Glaedr in this one but the next for sure! However, the first meeting with them is not important, the one after... yes! For a simple reason, P-L-O-T T-W-I-S-T but enough with the spoilers ;)
Soldier of the Dragons: Saphira looks calm because she's acting rationally and logically. She know it'll never work if he don't feel the same but she isn't aware that he's harboring the same kind of feeling for her. It's just a matter of time before they confess to each other but with Glaedr mixed in this...
Chapter 24
As they entered the Capital, elves appeared from between the trees, all around them. Instinctively, Alex lowered his hand to his Deagle but stopped in the middle of his movement. Instead, he put his hands in his pockets, knowing that despite his instincts were screaming at him to stay on guard, he knew he was safe here. The elves were gathering in great numbers, watching the travelers approaching. The group walked in direction of a net of roots, forming steps and leading to a wall made of saplings.
A door opened before their eyes, inviting them to go in the hall of trees laying in front of them. Along each wall, was a row of twelves chairs, each occupied by various lords and ladies and at the head of all of this, a throne made of knotted roots. Sitting on it, was none other than Queen Islanzadi, majestic and proud. Wearing a cape full of white swan feather, the queen observed sharply as the party was walking to her. Despite her imposing appearance, there was a sentiment of fragility and sadness coming from her.
Without a single hesitation, Arya and the elves guards knelt and bowed their heads. Eragon and Saphira did the same, their hearts beating rapidly and loudly. However, the swordsman kept his posture. He already talked about this with Arya and even if she didn't like it, she understood his position.
The queen descended her throne, stopping before Arya, examining each member. She put her trembling hands on her shoulders and said with a strong exaltation: "Stand up!"
The black haired elf obeyed, while the queen was fixing her intensively. Then, Islanzadi hugged her.
"O, my daughter, I have wronged you!"
Eragon, Saphira and Orik lightly flinched at this while the other human stayed impassible with a deadpan look on his face. They knew Arya was someone of importance for the elves, as their ambassador and Saphira's egg guardian but not this. In a way, it wasn't surprising with how she acted and carried herself.
"Islanzadi Dröttning," relied Arya in a formal tone.
The queen withdrew as if someone had stung her an repeated in Ancient Language: "My daughter, I have wronged you! Since your disappearance, I couldn't eat or sleep anymore. Your fate was haunting me, and I was fearing to never see you again. Banning you away from me was my worst mistake… can you forgive me?"
"During the last seventy-years, I lived and loved, fought and killed without talking to you, mother. It's a long time."
"You know I can't undo the past, Arya."
"I can't forget what I endured."
"And you shouldn't."
Islanzadi grasped her daughter's hands. "Arya, I love you. You're my only family. Leave, if you want, but unless you wish to ignore me, I'd like to be reconciled with you."
For a long moment, everyone thought Arya would deny her mother but she lowered her eyes and replied.
"No, Mother, I couldn't leave."
Islanzadi hugged her daughter again. Breaking free from her daughter, she turned to Eragon and Saphira:
"Please accept my excuses. It was improper of me to ignore my most important hosts!"
Eragon put his fingers to his lips and did the gesture Arya showed him.
"Islanzadi Dröttning. Atra esterni ono theldhuin."
"Atra du evaninya ono varda."
"Un atra mor'ranr lifa unin hjarta onr," answered Eragon, achieving the ritual.
In his mind, he heard Saphira repeating the same salutation to the queen.
"Dragon, what is your name?"
«Saphira. »
"Welcome to Ellesméra, Saphira! And you, Rider?"
"Eragon Shadeslayer, your majesty."
"You have a powerful name. I welcome you to Ellesméra, Eragon Shadeslayer! We have waited a long time for you to appear."
Then, Alex greeted her the same way his friend did.
"I remarked you didn't bow like the rest of the group did. It's the simplest mark of respect that someone can do. Who are you to ignore this, human?"
"With all due respect, your highness, I bow to no one. I didn't do it to Ajihad, King Hrothgar and I'll not begin with you. And to answer your question: I am Alex. Human ambassador from planet Earth."
This time, there was an even bigger agitation among the elves. The queen's eyes widened and before she could utter a word, Arya intervened.
"Mother, he's saying the truth."
"Queen Islanzadi, I come from a world, in a galaxy far, far away from here. Where I live, there's no magic, only technology. Dragons, elves, dwarves… they're myths, they only exist in books, nothing else. We managed to convert the energy from the sun into electricity, we don't use horses to travel anymore but giant birds made of steel."
Curious, one of the elven lords talked. "And how can we be sure you're not inventing all of this? Maybe Galbatorix manipulated your mind and put false memories in it. "
"I can't be influenced by magic, nobody can invade my head, I'm the only one who can grant permission to enter it and know what I'm thinking. Come on, try to find it."
Taking this as a challenge, the elf closed his eyes and concentrated. He could feel everyone around him but not the young man. Physically, he was present but it was as if his thoughts were invisible.
"Now, focus exclusively on me. As if you want to go inside my mind. "
«It's the only way for you to speak telepathically with me, if I authorize it. »
Then, Alex showed him some pictures from New York, Paris, Seattle and other things that were only present on Earth. The elf gasped in shock.
«Do you still think my head was twisted by an evil force now? »
"No, sorry for doubting your word… and Arya Dröttning by the same occasion." He bowed.
The swordsman smiled. "I'm not offended, I understand being wary after living in oppression for so long."
"Thank you."
"Anyway," intervened Islanzadi. "I think we will have a lot to discuss of in the near future. It's our first encounter with a human coming from another world after all. Let's put this aside for now. Eragon, by seeing this ring at your finger and this sword at your side, I understand that Brom is dead and you couldn't finish your formation with him. I'd like to hear what happened during your journey, how Brom died and how you managed to meet my daughter."
The Rider recounted the tale, sometime helped by Saphira when his memory was failing him. When he was done, he presented the scroll to the queen.
"Now that Arya is back, do you accept to help the Varden like before?"
"Without a doubt. We'll support them like we did in the past and even more with your victory over the Urgals."
Then, after a brief talk with Orik, Queen Islanzadi turned her head to Arya, waiting for to tell what happened all those months ago. Firstly, she explained her capture, her long imprisonment and the tortures. She told in full details what they did to her, what they tried to break her mind and force her to reveal her secrets. The elves present in the assembly thanked her for the horrors she endured to stay silent.
Islanzadi broke the sour mood by ushering everyone out, guiding them in direction of the fields where the rest of the elves were gathered, they received orders to prepare a fest for the Rider and his dragon. A lot of tables were set up, more than enough for all of them and after this, the elves began to brings plates of fruits, vegetables and sugar-coated food. Around them, the forest was rustling with activity. At one moment, someone gave a cup of a transparent liquid to Eragon and Alex. The later sniffed it curiously. He drank it in one shot. It had the taste of spiced cider mixed with some mead.
"What is it?" asked Eragon to Nari.
"The faelnivr? We're using elderberries for it."
And of course, Eragon offered what was remaining of his cup to Saphira who absolutely loved the drink. Watching the little moment between those two, Alex shook his head. The moment after, Orik appeared in front of them, still shocked from the revelation from Arya.
"The daughter of the queen! I'd like to tell Hrothgar and Nasuada, they wouldn't believe it!"
Islanzadi clasped her hand together again and from the city, appeared a quartet of elves, carrying instruments. Two of them had a harp, another a flute and the fourth only her voice. Seeing the harps, Alex's eyes glowed with a strange glint. Slowly, he stood up and walked to the group.
"Excuse me, I'd like to know… is it to possible to try one of your harps?"
The elves smiled and nodded, one of them handing him said instrument. He tried all the strings, noting what sound they produced and smiled.
"If you want, you can play with me. I have the perfect music with those instruments and it'll be better if you extract what you need to play from my head. What do you think?"
"We'll be happy to learn what song your kind tend to listen to."
"Cool, I begin and you follow when I mod to you, sounds good?"
The group nodded approvingly. Everyone around them stopped talking to each other and waited patiently for the musicians to begin. Alex closed his eyes, he could feel the others' minds around him, and began to play.
Great Fairy's Fountain Theme - Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony - watch?v=U7JQgyNw068 (listen to it while reading)
He started quickly, playing low and high for a good twenty seconds before stopping. The next note was high-pitched, he continued playing slower before the second harp took his place, playing almost the same loop while he was doing something different but at the same rhythm. Quickly, the flute entered the scene, adding its own voice to it and finally, the choir of two voices. All of this was mixed in a beautiful music for a moment, and slowly, the song died out, leaving only Alex's harp to give the final notes.
The young man gave the harp back to its owner, thanking him for sharing it. He also thanked the others for playing with him.
"We thank you too, Alex-Vodhr. It was a pleasure to hear the music from the humans again, this music is truly a masterpiece."
"Well, I'm glad you think the same, I never grow tired of hearing it."
Alex walked back to his chair, ignoring the stunned looks from his friends. Yes, he took a few music lessons (especially with the harp and guitar) but he wasn't THAT good. It was the elves who did most of the job, following his mental instructions.
The festivities wore on for some time, elves approaching Eragon, wanting to meet him, and even more Saphira. They asked him a lot of things but, of course, they were even more interested in the dragoness. It frustrated him to be ignored like this but forced himself to stay cool and smile. One little scene between Blagden, the raven, and Saphira later and the queen declared she was tired, wanting to go back to her home. Saphira, Arya, Eragon and the others followed her.
The party stopped in front of a tree. A beautiful spiral staircase was craved around the trunk, leading to an habitation made of globular rooms suspended by a spray of branches.
"This is where the leader of the Riders was living when he was staying at Ellesméra. I'm giving it to you as your inheritance."
Islanzadi looked at the swordsman. "Now Alex, There'll be a room for you at Tildari Hall. It's the least we can do for an Ambassador, to give them the best rooms we have."
However, Saphira lowered her head so she could meet the queen's gaze. «Queen Islanzadi, with all respect due, I prefer if Alex stay with us here. It was like this since the beginning of our journey. »
"I understand, fair Saphira. I will not oppose to this."
"But I'll do." Interrupted Alex. "I may be their friend but I'm also representing Earth and it wouldn't be good if I had a favor over Orik, even for something like this. I want to have the same treatment as him, nothing more."
He turned to Saphira, winking. "Come on, go visit your new home and don't worry, I'll be here tomorrow."
It was on those words he left the two alone, following the queen and her daughter. While Eragon and his dragoness were exploring the new place where they would sleep for the next months, the others arrived in front of a porch closed by a gate. Using the Ancient Language, the queen opened the doors. Behind them was a vast garden looking like a wild and untouched meadow. Then, they walked into the lobby, leading to a suite of rooms. Islanzadi pointed two of them with her finger and showed them the apartments herself.
Alex thanked the queen for the warm welcome and bid her goodnight before closing the door and putting his backpack and weapons in a corner of his apartment. It was made of one chamber/dining room/working room and a bathroom with WC. There was a wardrobe, a bed for one person and a desk in front of the unique window of the apartment.
The adolescent washed himself quickly and went to bed, letting out a big yawn. He turned off the flameless lantern before closing his eyes. A few moment after, he was asleep.