Faris' mother fussed over him as she packed his tiny bag, Angela waited patiently as she did so, and once she had gathered the smorgasbord of baby toys, knickknacks, blankets, and comfort foods she proceeded to dump most of them except for a change of linens, a single blanket, and a sheepskin bottle with a pin pricked nozzle in the shape of a teat. His father's gifts Angela just left there, his father had packed things he considered, bless his heart, as important for a young man ready to face the world.
Angela was critical as she eyed his "treasures for a young man". The long sword, pick axe, and bow and quiver of 50 arrows she looked on as superfluous. Though she took the compass, surprised he kept it in such good shape, the spy glass, the wine skin, and the forza grass, stating with a cheeky grin that while it was a common misconception that it was good for a man's stamina, it was actually an effective stool softener. Much to Bergan's shock, anger, then embarrassment, and Haya's sigh of affirmation.
With these, Haya and Bergan hugged their son one last time before Angela tied him to her back with a blanket to free her hands. As they began to leave, Faris yelled out, "See you soon!". Which his parents smiled and sobbed out, "See you soon! We love you!" They looked at each other as Angela made her way forward in the darkness of the night, the dim glow of the full moon was the only light. Faris couldn't see, but he knew just like him, his parents would probably stare in his direction even when he escaped their sight.
They had been walking for a few hours when Angela called for a break, setting the camping gear down she took out a metal bowl and filled it with water she gathered from a stream. She began to heat it with a quickly prepared fire, she took a large helping of oats, a few herbs, some salt, and a sweet smelling brown substance Faris could only describe as sugar.
"They call it sweet cane" Angela said, as if reading his thoughts. "It comes from Du Weldenvarden, the elves cultivate these hard reed-like plants that resemble green staffs with even notches, the plant's sap is naturally sweeter than most other plants, but boiling it till there's no water left leaves this sweet brown powder like substance that the elves scrape out of the original plant. Its very thick and concentrated and when mixed with water makes a very very sweet milk like liquid, its extremely popular in Palancar and Ilirea, which I'm sure you know was formally Urûbaen." Faris nodded absentmindedly, holding his blanket. Learning more things about the world was important to him, but he was distracted with thoughts of whether it was the right choice to leave his home.
"I've met dwarves more enthusiastic, child what ails you?" Angela began as she mixed her meal, the sweet aroma wafting across the clearing. Faris shook his head.
Its just, did I make the right decision? I feel like I'm just like the parents I once had, valuing what I want over family.
Angela took out a pipe, she didn't light it but left it in her mouth her teeth on the handle. "I wouldn't know, the future is never fully set in stone, you being there may have resulted in capture, you not being there may result in capture, you just have better chances this way. You know though, you can speak normally, you don't have to project with your mind.
Faris didn't answer at first, when he did, the high-pitched voice of a child, much higher and more song like than what was projected by his thoughts rang out. "Ok"
Solembum began to laugh again, Angela, who hadn't been prepared for a child trying to speak the common tongue in such a proper way began to burst out laughing, even Elva, who had not said anything smiled slightly. Faris's face grew hot and he tried to stand up from his sitting position, only to fall and lean into his face. The laughter grew louder.
"That's not funny!" He screetched, sounding even more reedy and child-like. This doubled the effectiveness of their laughter. He pouted and sat, looking away from them.
"Aw, wait!" Angela began, huffing to calm her self down. "I'm sorry… I just thought you'd be like Elva over here, a voice a bit too old for her body."
Faris shrugged and still didn't turn.
Well I'm not! Ok?!
"Your voice is appropriate for a child of your age. It's okay to sound like it, your grammar is very good. Besides, you know its safer to speak out loud, leaving your mind open makes you a target for creatures and spellcasters." Elva says.
This calms Faris a bit. "Thanks" he chirps out.
Elva merely nods and returns to gazing at the bowl, the contents of which had by now finished simmering and mixing under Angela's watchful gaze. She mixed a few sprinkles of the sweet cane into the concoction and poured good helpings into each bowl, giving a smaller one for Faris lined with cottage cheese, she began to spoon feed him the meal, which he devoured with gusto. After finishing his meal he became drowsy.
"Confound this tiny body!" He muttered as he leaned to his side.
Angela snorted in amusement, which he had to chuckle to, his voice sounded like he was breathing helium, it was alien to him and he almost wouldn't recognize it as his own if not for the fact his mouth was opening each time. She prepared a thick blanket and wrapped him in it, then muttered some words in the ancient language. "There, now man, beast, and insect alike will avoid approaching us." Faris nodded his thanks drowsily as he drifted off to sleep.
He awoke with a bit of a start and realized there was a pair of violet eyes staring at him in the gloom.
Elva? He queried, wondering what she wished to speak about, he had wanted to speak to her before but she had refused to answer any questions he asked and only spoke a few times.
Yes Damien now Faris? Son of four? Reborn one?
Faris was confused, she hadn't been this emotive before, why would she speak to him now?
You said… Solembum said you wished to speak to me?
The violet disappeared and he had to blink a few times to realize she must have closed her eyes.
I am curious, in your world, our world, our tail, our struggles, it is a book. What is the maker like?
Faris racked his brains. I never met him. I only heard and read that he was 16 when he first published the first book Eragon.
Are all adolescents so cruel in your world?
Faris was confused. What do you mean?
Elva was quiet for a time, as if she was trying to gather the right words together. I meant, so cruel as to create me, to have a child shoulder my burden. You feel pity for me, but you do not fear me, are cases like mine so common that all you can feel is… "oh well?"
Faris could not hide his embarrassment and shame over that. But you are real! I don't think he would have written things the way they were if he knew real people were suffering, I'm sure he was just writing a work of fiction for himself and others to enjoy.
You mean people enjoy reading the book of desperate haggard disillusioned men and women fighting to defeat an evil almost all-powerful king who took nearly everything away from them? A story of races wiped out, genocides carried out, and an almost all-powerful evil?
Wait! Faris began. But you guys won!
So you just enjoyed the ride, you were happy with watching the story progress because there was a "happy" ending? Like some unattached gods looking on. You cried I see reading the deaths of Ajihad, Hrothgar, and Oromis and Gladr the most, but you didn't shed a tear for the hundreds who died attempting to defeat Lord Barst, nor of Queen Islanzadí Dröttning who he smote with his mace, nor of the countless men and women who died before that, nor of the elves who guarded Eragon and died in his invasion of Helgrind and the invasion of Urûbaen. You didn't cry in the battle of Farden Dur, where I felt the deaths of thousands of men and Kulls and the anguish of those left when they burned and buried the bodies.
Elva's mind voice seemed to raise in volume in his head, and even if he wanted to Faris did not block communication.
And of me? You didn't cry for me, you felt shock I gave up on the Varden when I became free, upset with Angela for being rightfully angry at Eragon for blundering a second time, and glad that I agreed to come back and experience more pain just so Galbatorix could be defeated. You felt more pity for that murderer Sloan than you could spare for me.
Faris flinched at that.
Which then leads to again, why don't you fear me? You obviously know I know how to say things that can hurt you, and I know your fears and pain through Eragon's spell so…
Faris did not answer, he didn't need to answer.
You are hiding something you don't want me to know, but you haven't fully understood what it is yourself… you…
At that point Elva began to laugh hysterically, waking up an annoyed Angela who threw her blanket at Elva's face.
"Go gossip like bored house wives somewhere else, I'm trying to sleep!"
Elva looked like she was going to say something else, thought better of it, and returned to her bed.