Thank you all for your continued support! I look forward to hearing what you think about this chapter!
She watched from above as a group of people on proud horses approached a lonely river. Many had hair as dark as night or as blinding as the sun and held tall lances. A strange, fair ship waited for them, shining under a bright moon. The figures with lances formed two lines, facing each other on either side of the ship. Four figures remained in a group away from the lines, though she could not see their faces. One of the women stepped forward, something in her arms. She set it down on the ground before hugging the other woman and one of the men. Then she walked to the boat, the other man at her side. They stood on the deck of the ship and faced the shore while the figures with the lances followed them. The remaining man and woman stood alone on the pebble beach, the only ones who had not boarded the ship. The man threw back his head and let out a long, aching cry. As it faded, the ship glided down the river, without a breeze or oars, out into the flat, empty land beyond. The vision clouded, then, but just before it disappeared, Nari glimpsed dragons circling in the sky above.
With a jolt, Nari sat up, bumping her head against Saphira's wing. With a sigh, she lay back down.
Then the memory of Garrow's death crashed down on her. She buried her face in the blanket and cried quietly into the warmth. It felt good just to lie there for awhile, to hide from the world outside. Eventually the tears stopped, and Nari's thoughts moved to other matters.
How had Brom known so much about the Ra'zac?
A soft groan came, and Nari poked Saphira. The wing lifted, revealing Brom's stretching figure.
"Good morning," Brom greeted. She nodded at him quietly, heading into the trees. When she returned, Brom was making breakfast. They ate quickly once it was done, trying to consume the food before it lost its warmth. When they finished, they washed their bowls with snow and placed them back in Brom's pack. Then, Brom pulled a long strip of leather to lie in front of him.
"What are you doing?"
"You'll need a saddle once Saphira is big enough to ride. Otherwise, riding her will tear your legs up. We don't have the time or tools to make a proper one, but there was a type of saddle Riders used when speed and flexibility were important, though they weren't nearly as comfortable. Pay attention, now. Someday you may have to do this for yourself."
Nari bent down beside him to watch carefully as he worked. With Saphira's permission, Brom measured her neck and chest. Then he cut five bands out of the leather and outlined a dozen or so shapes on the hides. Once the pieces had been sliced out, he cut what remained of the hides into long cords. Brom used the cords to sew everything together, but for each stitch two holes had to be bored through the leather. Nari helped with that. Intricate knots were rigged in place of buckles, and every strap was made extra long so the saddle would still fit Saphira in the coming months. The main part of the saddle was assembled from three identical sections sewn together with padding between them. Attached to the front was a thick loop that would fit snugly around one of Saphira's neck spikes, while wide bands sewn on either side would wrap around her belly and tie underneath Taking the place of stirrups were a series of loops running down both bands. Tightened, they would hold Nari's legs in place. A long strap was constructed to pass between Saphira's front legs, split in two, and then come up behind her front legs to rejoin with the saddle. Tiredly, Brom put the saddle on Saphira and checked to see that the straps fit. He made a few small adjustments, then took it off, satisfied.
"Thank you," Nari told Brom, eyes shining. He managed a weary smile.
"It should serve you well; the leather's sturdy enough. Saphira is growing by the day. In a week or so, she should be strong enough to carry you without trouble."
"We should leave tomorrow," Nari murmured, staring at the fire. Brom nodded easily.
"We're going to need horses," he mentioned. Nari frowned.
"I have a bit of money, but not enough, and I'd prefer not to steal if we don't have to." Brom smiled at her faintly, amused. Nari got the impression he was laughing at her.
"Before we set out on this venture, remember that the Ra'zac are the king's servants. They will be protected wherever they go. Laws do not stop them. In cities, they'll have access to abundant resources and willing servants. Also keep in mind that nothing is more important to Gabatorix than recruiting or killing you — though word of your existence probably hasn't reached him yet. The longer you evade the Ra'zac, the more desperate he'll become. He'll know that every day you'll be growing stronger and that each passing moment will give you another chance to join his enemies. You must be very careful, as you may easily turn from the hunter into the hunted."
Nari nodded with a sigh.
"I do understand. I'd still prefer not to steal if we don't have to. The Ra'zac might have unlimited funds, but the people and farmers in the area don't." Brom nodded his allowance.
"We'll head for Therinsford to get the horses. They'll be cheaper there, and I've a bit of money that I saved away. It's our luck that we won't need to buy food." Nari blushed at the implied praise.
It took them two days to retrace their steps and skirt Carvahall. Along the way, Nari asked Brom more about dragons, Riders, and the Ra'zac. With each word he spoke, her suspicions grew. How did he know so much? How did the grumpy storyteller know how to make a Rider's saddle? Why was he so comfortable around Saphira, who could kill him with one swipe of her claws?
Dread began piling in her stomach, leaving an awful taste in her mouth. This was Brom, who had taught her to read. Brom, who told her stories about the Riders. Brom, who soothed her tears away when she'd skinned her knee near his home. Brom, who would sneak her sweets when Garrow and Marian had not been able to afford them. She didn't want to believe that he could mean her ill. But the evidence was piling up. It was as though, she had begun to realize, he had spent time around dragons. But the only dragon still alive was the king's dragon.
She said nothing to Brom, not daring to bring it up for now, but she'd had to turn away from him more than once as he'd revealed knowledge he shouldn't have known.
Therinsford came into sight at dusk on the third day. They decided to camp for the night, and enter into town the next day. Saphira curled up beside her next to the fire, and Nari leaned against her belly welcoming the warmth. Brom sat on the other side of the fire, whittling two long sticks. He suddenly threw one at Nari, who caught it out of reflex as it whirled over the crackling flames. She blinked down at the stick in confusion.
"Defend yourself!" barked Brom, standing.
"What?" Glancing down at the stick, Nari saw that it had been shaped to look like a sword. Rising cautiously, Nari gripped the 'hilt'. They faced each other for a moment, then Brom charged, swinging his stick. Nari tried to raise the stick in time to block the attack but was too slow. A sharp pain radiated from her ribs, and she doubled over. Glancing at him, she lunged, trying to imitate his attack. When Brom easily parried the blow, she tried again. This time, Nari swung the stick toward Brom's head, but anticipated his block and twisted it at the last moment to aim at his side. The solid smack of wood striking wood resounded through the camp.
"Improvisation — good!" exclaimed Brom, eyes gleaming. Nari began to smile at the pleased tone. Then his arm moved in an unexpected blur, and there was an explosion of pain on the side of Nari' s head. She crumpled to the ground, dazed.
A splash of cold water roused her back to alertness, and she sat up, sputtering. Her head was ringing and there was dried blood on her face. Brom stood over her with a pan of water, clumps of unmelted snow floating in the water.
"Ow," she whimpered. "Did you have to hit me so hard?" Nari pushed herself up from the ground, feeling dizzy and unsteady.
Brom arched an eyebrow. "Oh? A real enemy wouldn't soften his blows, and neither will I. Should I pander to your incompetence so you'll feel better? I don't think so." He picked up the stick that Nari had dropped and held it out. "You're fond of proving that you are as capable as a boy; I've seen you. You learned how to use a bow when you were 7. You'll learn this too, or you may as well hand Saphira over to the king yourself. Now, defend yourself!"
Nari took a breath, determined not to let his taunts get her angry, and readied herself again. This time, Brom began to shout advice.
"Pull your arms in! Keep your knees bent!" Sometimes he paused to show Nari exactly how to execute a certain move, then resumed striking at her. "Do it again, but this time slowly!" They slid through the forms with exaggerated motions before returning to their furious battle. Nari learned to dodge and block quickly, the pain was an excellent motivator, but no matter what she tried, she could not hold Brom off for more than a few blows. Worse, none of her blows even came close to landing.
When they finished, Nari flopped down next to Saphira with a groan. She was sure she would have bruises everywhere, and the sting of wood on flesh had still not faded.
Saphira let out a long coughing growl and curled her lip until a formidable row of teeth showed.
What's wrong? Nari demanded, concerned.
Nothing, Saphira replied. It's funny to see a hatchling like you beaten by the old one. She made the sound again, and Nari blushed as she realized that Saphira was laughing.
The others wouldn't have agreed to teach me to use a sword before, even if I'd asked. They don't believe females are strong enough. Trying to preserve some dignity, Nari rolled onto her side and fell asleep.
The next day, Nari woke aching. The welts where Brom had struck her had turned into bruises, and her arms and legs moved stiffly, as though they were made of wood rather than flesh. Brom looked up from where he was making breakfast and grinned.
"How do you feel?" He teased. Nari rolled her eyes at him and headed into the woods towards the stream. The first thing Nari did was to cut her hair. Her long, dark brown hair was a hindrance now. The Empire would be looking for a girl, not a boy. Then she wrapped a long piece of cloth tightly around her breasts, flattening them as best she could, before dressing in her men's clothing.
Staring down at herself in the stream, she nodded in satisfaction. She looked, she thought, like a younger Roran, though her eyes were blue instead of gray.
Heading back to camp, she saw Brom do a double-take when he saw her.
Why have you cut your head-fur? Saphira asked, moving her muzzle to sniff Nari's hair. Nari raised a hand to stroke her neck.
"They'll be looking for a girl, not a boy. This will be safer," Nari explained aloud. Brom grunted behind them, and she turned to look at him. He was no longer looking at her, eyes locked on the fire. Trying to draw his attention, she spoke again in a teasing tone. "Besides, questions would be asked about a girl with bruises covering her, even if she's traveling with family. Most people seem to think the boys deserve whatever beatings they get." Instead of smiling, Brom frowned deeper and did not look up. She frowned and turned away with a sigh. Whatever had affected his mood, she could not think. It was just another piece to the riddle.
We will reach Therinsford today, I think, she told Saphira. You'll need to be more careful now that we're getting closer to towns. Just like in Carvahall, we can't let anyone see you.
I do not like being away from you. Servants of the Empire could be hiding anywhere.
I do not like being away from you, either. I'll be careful if you will, and we will be together again before nightfall. This, I promise.
Good, Saphira hummed.
After breakfast, their camp was quickly packed. They traveled swiftly, hoping to reach Therinsford before noon. An hour later, the road widened and they began to see smoke.
"You'd better tell Saphira to fly ahead and wait for us on the other side of Therinsford," Brom began. Nari opened her mind, letting Saphira hear as she did. "She has to be careful here, otherwise people are bound to notice her."
It's time, Saphira, Nari said.
Remember your promise. Overhead, Saphira circled once before moving higher and soaring away.
"Have you chosen a name to go by?" Brom asked gruffly.
"Eragon, I think," Nari told him quietly. He met her gaze for the first time since he'd noticed her hair, an approving glint in his eyes.
"Very fitting," he told her. "It will do for smaller towns, I think. Larger cities will know more history, however, so we may have to choose a more inconspicuous name if ever we need to enter one."
Entering Therinsford, Nari couldn't help but wrinkle her nose faintly. Though Therinsford was larger than Carvahall, it was a mess. Houses were aligned in no particular order and constructed haphazardly.
The Anora River ran alongside the town, guarding one of its sides. There was only a single, stout bridge to provide passage across the river. An unkempt, greasy man stepped from behind a bush as they approached, barring their way.
"You c'n stop right there. That's mah bridge, and ya gotta pay t' get over," the grimy man sneered, attempting to pull his too-small shirt down over his dirty belly. Nari scowled, opening her mouth to refute him, but Brom stopped her with a hand to her shoulder.
"How much?" Brom answered, reaching for his money bag.
"Five crowns," the man said, grinning through cracked lips. Brom handed the coins over wordlessly.
"Thank'ee much," the man said, voice mocking as he stepped out of their way.
Brom tugged her forward by the shoulder. As they got closer to the man, he let her go. Suddenly, he stumbled, falling against the man. Both men collided with the railing of the bridge, and the man shoved Brom away from him.
"Watch y're step!" the man snarled, stalking away. Brom murmured an apology. Nari glared back at the grimy man, hissing curses at him, and a moment later Brom was next to her once again.
"You let him skin you alive," Nari accused as soon as the man was out of earshot. "He probably didn't own the bridge, we could've shoved past."
"Probably," Brom murmured in agreement. Nari rolled her eyes and sighed. "But you can't argue with all of the fools in the world. It's easier to let them have their way, then trick them when they are not paying attention." He opened his hand, and Nari could see many coins in his hand. Nari gasped, feeling a grin make its way onto her face. "Anyone who gulls innocent travelers for a living ought to know than to carry such a large sum on his person. We should be off before he realizes that I cut his purse." Nari nodded, still smiling.
A young boy ran past and Brom called out to him.
"Do you know where we can buy horses," Brom asked. The boy stared at them with large, solemn eyes before silently pointing to a large barn at the edge of town. "Thank you," Brom said, tossing him a small coin.
As they entered the barn, Nari lifted her head and looked around. There were two long rows of stalls, and a back wall covered in saddles and harnesses. A man, not much older than Roran, stood at the end, brushing a beautiful white stallion.
"That's a beautiful animal," Brom said as they approached.
"Yes indeed. His names Snowfire, mine's Haberth," the young man introduced himself, offering his rough hand to them. When Nari accepted it, he shook her hand, and her whole body started shaking from the force. He waited a moment for their names, but continued when they didn't provide them. "Can I help you?"
"We need two horses and a full set of tack for both. The horses have to be fast and tough, as we'll be doing a lot of traveling," Brom answered. Haberth paused for a long moment.
"I don't have many animals like that, and the ones I do aren't cheap," he explained.
"Price is no object, we'll take the best you have," Brom said. Haberth nodded and silently tied the stallion to a stall. He went to the wall and started pulling down saddles and other items. He brought forth a light bay horse, and a roan. Nari watched the bay move, tugging against the rope.
"He's a little spirited, this one, but with a firm hand, you won't have any problems," Haberth said, gesturing to the bay. Nari reached towards the horse, but it shied away. Automatically, she reached forward with her mind to reassure it, as she would Saphira. She stiffened with surprise as she realized what she'd done, even as the horse calmed and looked at her with liquid brown eyes. She stared back at it.
"Two hundred crowns, and no less," Haberth was saying with a smile. Nari glanced up with surprise, unsure what had happened. Two hundred crowns for the supplies and the two horses? That was more of a theft than the man on the bridge!
Still, Brom counted out the money and offered it.
"Will this do?" Haberth glanced between the white stallion and the coins, clearly conflicted. It was then that Nari understood that Brom wished to buy the stallion instead of the roan. Finally, Haberth sighed.
"He is yours, though I go against my heart."
"I will treat him as if he had been sired by Gildintor, the greatest steed of legend," said Brom solemnly. Nari hid a smile.
"Your words gladden me," Haberth said, mollified. He helped them saddle the horses and bid them farewell. Once they were outside, Brom handed Snowfire's reins to Nari.
"Go to the far side of Therinsford and wait there." Nari frowned.
"Why?" Brom didn't answer, slipping away.
Nari hesitated. If Brom truly worked for the Empire, he would be sending word to them that he'd found her. He'd arrange for the trap that would capture her and Saphira both. Still, she could not follow him with the horses, which was likely why he'd left them in her care. She decided that she'd confront him soon; Saphira would be large enough to carry a passenger in about three days, at least according to what Brom had said. Then they would be able to flee if they needed to.
Content with the decision, Nari exited Therinsford with the two horses and waited by the edge of the road.
It didn't take Brom long to return, and they walked until Therinsford was hidden by trees. Once they were hidden, Brom stopped them.
"The Ra'zac definitely passed this way," Brom explained. "Apparently, they stopped here to pick up horses, as we did. I was able to find a man who saw them. He described them with many shudders and said that they galloped out of Therinsford like demons fleeing a holy man." Nari stared at him, surprised and relieved. He hadn't been reporting on her, then. There were still many questions, but at least she didn't need to worry about being ambushed in her sleep.
"They're in a hurry then," she said. Brom nodded. "We'll have to move faster if we want to catch up with them," Nari observed, turning to the bay.
"Take everything from your pack, put it into the saddlebags, and tie your pack on top," Brom instructed. She did so, grateful that her mother's bag was with Saphira. She was not ready to share that with Brom. Once she was finished, she awkwardly got into the saddle. It was strange; she'd only rode horses bareback before, and never for any distance. And the rides she'd been allowed in Carvahall, she'd had to ride sidesaddle.
"Alright?" Brom asked.
"I'm not sure," she admitted.
"You'll get used to it; it'll be good practice." He noticed that she was not reassured and spoke again, voice gentle. "We'll take it easy." Indeed they did. Brom gave her a few pointers about how to control the horse with the harness, and they started off at a slow pace. They soon found that she was a natural on a horse, and their pace increased. "Have you thought of a name for him?" Brom called.
"Dusk, I think," Nari called back. She'd considered Dawn for awhile, but his coloring looked more like shadows creeping than the approach of the sun.
The land disappeared under the horse's hooves, the countryside changed from fields to brambles and weeds. Tall rocks began to slant out of the ground and rosebushes lined the road, pulling at their clothes.
As Brom told her the history of Utgard, Nari contemplated what she would do after they found the Ra'zac. Revenge had seemed like the most obvious course once she'd found out about Garrow's death, even when it meant traveling to populated areas. Once she killed the king's servants, though, even if she caught them before they reported her presence to the king, if they hadn't already, Galbatorix would know about her. Perhaps she could flee on Saphira, but it would mean leaving Brom behind. If he was a servant of the Empire, her escape would be much harder, but leaving him would be much easier. If he wasn't, though, she would not leave him behind. She would not leave him as she had Garrow. It made her escape harder, though, if she could not fly away on Saphira. The king would put up wanted posters, and soldiers would be sent after her. No town or city would harbor her, for fear of earning the king's wrath.
As far as Nari could see, she had six options ahead of her, each as unpleasant as the next. She could turn herself over to Galbatorix, turn herself over to the Varden, seek shelter with the elves or the dwarves, flee to Surda, or attempt to flee across the sea.
For the atrocities he had committed against the Riders and the dragons, Nari refused to join Galbatorix.
The Varden would be little better, really. They'd want her to fight, just as Galbatorix would, and they'd want to be in control of her, to command her as they pleased. They would be afraid of her; who wouldn't be afraid of someone with a dragon at their command? Living among those who feared her would be no life to live. Surda would be no different from the Varden, though they were not currently fighting against Galbatorix's rule.
She didn't know enough about the elves or the dwarves to know if they would attempt to control her, or what they would want from her in exchange for their protection. She didn't even know if the could protect her. After all, they had withdrawn from the battle, unable to defeat Galbatorix any more than the Riders had. Of course, the king had not been able to find them since, but how much of that was inability and how much of it was disinterest?
Fleeing across the sea wouldn't work either, not in the long run. There would be no boat they could hire that would take them, not once they knew what she was. And there would be no way to hide Saphira on a boat. Additionally, it would be impossible for Saphira to fly very far. From what Nari had heard of seas, they could be larger than the whole of Alagaësia. With no way to know where land was, and no way to find food, clean water, or shelter in the midst of the sea, they could not go that way.
Nari had gone over their options again and again in her mind, but had arrived at no real solution. Saphira had listened to her thoughts, but had never put forward an opinion. The only true response Nari had gotten to her thoughts was the feeling of blood-thirsty rage at any mention of Galbatorix. It was no help.
When the sun fell low, they finally reached the edge of the trees. Nari hissed in surprise as she stared out over the plains. Never had she seen so much empty space. There were no trees, or mountains, or hills, or houses. There was just a large expanse of dead grass, sweeping forward and disappearing on into the horizon. Nari rubbed a hand gratefully against Dusk's neck. It would have taken them far longer to cross this area on foot. Glancing up, Nari saw that the only thing hiding Saphira was the height at which she was flying.
"We wait until tomorrow to make the descent," Brom spoke, interrupting Nari's thoughts. "It's going to take most of the day, so we should camp now." Nari nodded.
"How long will it take to get across the plain?"
"Two or three days to a fortnight, depending on which direction we plan to go. Aside from the nomad tribes that roam this section of the plains, it's almost as uninhabited as the Hadarac Desert to the east," Brom answered. "We aren't going to find many villages here. However, to the south the plains are less arid and more heavily populated."
They left the trail, heading towards the Anora River. Nari swiftly dismounted her horse, petting Dawn's nose as Brom dismounted Snowfire. Nari picketed the bay, humming softly to it. Saphira landed, and Nari went to her instead. The last thing she wanted, Nari mused with a smile, was for Saphira to get jealous and eat her horse.
"Catch!" Brom shouted, throwing a newly carved wooden sword to her.
That round of sparring went better than the first, if only because her hair did not swing forward to block her sight. She still amassed a large collection of bruises and stinging welts, but she was getting better at blocking Brom's blows. When they were finished, Nari slumped down next to Saphira, exhausted. Just before she went to bed, Nari forced herself to rise and head away from the camp. She saw Brom politely turn in the opposite direction. Once as alone as she could get, Nari quickly stripped off her shirt, unwrapping the long bandage from her chest. To her dismay, a light bruise circled her chest where the binding had tightened as she'd breathed. With a grimace, she folded the bandage and put her shirt back on. The binding would not work for long periods, or often. She'd risk injuring herself badly.
The next morning, Nari made a promise to herself that she would let things happen as they would, and make her decision when it was time to do so. With that in mind, she rose with a sigh, stretching. Her whole body ached and felt like it had gone numb at the same time, making it hard to move. Her fingers were red and swollen, the skin cracking in some places.
"I don't know how much more of this I can take," she admitted to Brom as they mounted their horses.
"I wouldn't push you so hard if I didn't think you were strong enough," Brom said. Nari glanced at him, her eyebrows knitted.
"For once, I don't think I'd mind being thought less of," Nari informed him. Saphira laughed, and Nari couldn't help but smile.
Dusk skittered nervously as Saphira approached, and Saphira eyed him with distaste. Nari was worried to see her fears confirmed; the dragon was getting jealous. She would have to ask Brom when Saphira would be strong enough for her to begin to ride the dragon. It should be soon, Nari thought.
Good, Saphira told her when she mentioned it. For now, though, I will fly above you. There's nowhere to hide on these plains, so I'm not going to bother attempting to hide.
Be safe.
They stopped to rest at the point where their hill stopped and the plains began around midday. There, the road split into three. One road headed north, towards Ceunon, following the Anora River. The second headed straight out into the plains. The third curved south, though Nari didn't know where it ended. They bent at the roads, trying to discover which way the Ra'zac might have gone.
"Here," Brom called. Nari headed for him, examining the tracks which headed down the second road. Two horses, each carrying a rider of light weight. Nari would almost think the horses had been carrying children if she didn't know better.
"It seems they've gone to Yazuac," Brom said, frowning.
"Where's that?"
"Due east, and four days away, if all goes well. It's a small village situated by the Ninor River." He gestured at the Anora. "Our only supply of water is here. We'll have to replenish our waterskins before attempting to cross the plains. There isn't another pool or stream between here and Yazuac." They filled the waterskins, watered the horses, and drank as much as they could from the river. Saphira joined them and took several gulps of water. Fortified, they turned eastward and started across the plains.