The small group rode on to the town of Cesaen, keeping as quiet as they could. But in the end, curiosity got the best of Brom and Eragon and they ended up bombarding the girls with seemingly endless questions. Wiktoria and Bero were just as excited to tell them all about their world and time quickly passed them by.
"Have you heard that Brom?" asked Eragon suspiciously after suddenly having heard another horse nearby.
"...Yes. Quiet you two," Brom told Wiktoria and Bero. Everyone stopped talking and listened around for the strange noise. After some minutes, they heard the sound of hooves really close to them. They quietly moved closer to the sound, straying away from the path until they saw a horse behind some trees. It didn't have a rider and was leisurely drinking water from a little lake. Brom and Eragon got down from their horses and went to take a closer look.
Bero looked unsure at Wiktoria. "Should we go with them?"
"Maybe, yes. We don't have a sword, but we can hit someone with our bare hands, can't we?" laughed Wiktoria and she too got down from the horse.
"Alright.."answered Bero nervously and followed her to where Brom and Eragon were inspecting the horse. The horse had a black shiny coat, uncomparable to any other horse, and had a majestic air to it.
"Where's its rider?" asked Eragon quietly as he looked at the horse.
"Not too far from here, I would think," answered Brom who inspected the ground for any footprints. "That's no ordinary horse, I surely doubt it would be here by itself."
"What are you all doing here around my horse?" came the voice of someone. They all looked around, but there were too many trees to see who it was.
"Who is there?" asked Brom.
Then the speaker appeared. It was a girl. She had straight brown hair and hazel eyes set against pale skin. She was quite pretty. "I'm sorry if I scared you," she spoke with a calm and melodic voice.
"No, we are sorry to intrude, miss...?" spoke Brom.
"I am Serzana. And you are?" she introduced herself.
"I am Neal and this is my nephew Evan, and those two girls...we found lost and are helping them," Brom pointed to each one respectively and Eragon smiled weakly.
"That's nice of you. Where are you going to?" Serzana asked politely. I already know who you are, bastards...but who are those girls? I wasn't expecting them.
"Just the next village over. And you?"
"To Cesaen right? I am going there, too...we can travel together. It will be more safe for a girl to travel with you both...and those girls," said Serzana softly. Despite the fact that she was a girl, she had a sword which she could use very well as many people had found out regretfully. Her eyes wandered over to the two girls. They are not dangerous. Even if Brom and Eragon can be, those girls aren't a challenge for me. She looked back at Brom, patiently waiting for an answer, and then looked around- that's when her eyes met with Eragon's eyes.
Brom glanced briefly at Eragon. The girl didn't seem like a threat, but he didn't like the strange feeling that came from her. "Yes, we are going to Cesaen for a quick stop. We wouldn't mind the company, but you seem to be doing well on your own.
Bero couldn't stop staring at the girl. Serzana? She didn't remember her from the story. Who was she? Could she be dangerous?
"It's not that far from here, but I have been traveling on my own pretty long. I am a bit tired of it, and your company seems to be..fun," answered Serzana with her melodic voice and smiling at Brom. She seemed to be around 17, maybe 18.
Not another girl, sighed Brom. "Sure, why not? It is a short way from here. It would be rude of us to say no."
"And the more the merrier," added Eragon. Meanwhile, he was talking to Sapphira and telling her what was going on. Be careful and sure of what you are doing. For all we know, she could be an enemy, said Saphira.
"Thank you. I will ride on my horse, Asala," Serzana said politely. "Just let me..oh, here it is!" she found her backpack and took it from the ground.
"Good, let's go," said Brom and everyone climbed back on their horses. Before they left, Brom discretely gave Wiktoria and Bero a look to keep quiet, not wanting them to speak of their world to other strangers.
"Aye, go Asala," said Serzana to her beautiful black horse and they all followed Brom back to the trail.
I don't know who that girl is...she seems to be nice, though,why can't I look like that? She's quite tall and skinny, noticed Wiktoria with jealousy.
"So, Serzana, where are you from?" asked Bero curiously.
"I am from the place where lie usually wins over the truth," answered Serzana mysteriously and looked at Bero with suspicion.
Oh no, why riddles? thought Bero.
"How can lie win over truth?" asked Eragon, tilting his head to the side.
"There are some places where it can, trust me. One of them is where I grew up," answered Serzana softly, smiling at Eragon.
"And is that place far from here?" asked Eragon, curious to know more of such place.
"It depends on what do you mean by 'far'" she avoided the answer.
Eragon found Serzana interesting and he wanted to know more about her, but he remained quiet, thinking through her answer. Why was she avoiding giving a straight answer?
"Are we almost there?" asked Bero after a while. She was bored. And a bit home sick. Although she was awed and excited to be in Alagaesia, she couldn't help but wonder if they would ever go back home. Was there a way out of here, or were they stuck? She shook the thoughts away and looked at Brom.
"Yes. We should be there soon. Half an hour, maybe," answered Brom.
"Shhh..." said Serzana quietly.
"Okay," said Bero and she started humming a song, not having heard Serzana's quiet hush.
"I said shhh. I've heard something," said Serzana and paused. "There are three men close by, and it looks like they've already heard us. They are probably thieves."
"Whoops, sorry," whispered Bero.
"What?!" exclaimed Brom, not having heard a single thing.
"We can't avoid them. Be ready for a battle," whispered Serzana, drawing out her sword. Brom and Eragon did the same and searched for any sign to validate what Serzana had said.
Saphira noticed Eragon had become tense and asked him what was happening. I'll be there soon.
No, don't come, I think we can handle it, Eragon answered, hoping he was right.
Uh oh, I don't think we are ready for battle, thought Bero, panicking a little and shooting a glance at Wiktoria.
A few minutes later, the thieves appeared. All of them had swords. They looked at the group for a second before attacking them. Serzana was the first to attack back, acting quickly and precise. It was as if she was born with a sword in her hands.
"Wow," whispered Bero, awed by Serzana's skills, and she and Wiktoria carefully held on as Brom and Eragon attacked soon after. They were scared, but couldn't do anything but trust Eragon and Brom.
"Eragon, behind you!" Serzana warned him as she saw a man behind him, unable to help as she was currently fighting with another one.
Bero felt her heart stop as a sword swept very close to her, but Brom managed to counter it in time. Phew, that was super close! she thought before hearing Serzana call out to Eragon. She looked at them and realized Wiktoria was also in danger. "Wiktoria, watch out!"
Serzana instantly killed the man she was fighting with and went to help Eragon. Soon, all the thieves lay dead on the ground. Serzana smiled. "We are safe now."
"That was excellent swordsmanship. Where did you learn to fight like that?" asked Brom suspiciously after they had all settled down and made sure everyone was okay.
"I kind of grew up with a sword in my hands. My father taught me all he knows about fighting...he wanted me to be safe. He was a little bossy, though," she laughed. Her laugh was really delicate but had some kind of secretiveness in it.
"That must come in handy. Your father did an excellent job," said Brom, "let's keep going." The sooner they parted, the better. He didn't like the strange feeling he felt from Serzana.
Bero looked behind at the dead bodies of the thieves as they rode away, awed by how quickly Serzana had taken care of them. I wish I could be like her.
"Hey, how do you know his name is Eragon?" asked Wiktoria suddenly. "He didn't tell you his name." Everyone looked at Wiktoria and then Serzana, alarmed by not having noticed something as important as that.
Oops...oh man. What am I going to do now? she thought and then spoke in a calm voice. "Does that even matter? I think not."
Maybe yes and maybe not. You're pretty, but you are avoiding a lot of questions, thought Wiktoria.
"She is right, I never told you my name was Eragon," said Eragon quietly, "answer the question, how did you know?"
"I recognized you. You're quite popular where I come from," she answered with a polite smile.
Then why didn't she say so in the first place, thought Bero, which Brom then said out loud.
"I don't really like talking about my past. That's why," she answered fast, almost hissing. "Can we go now or maybe you have any other questions," she added with a soft voice again.
She is talking calmly and melodic, but she seems to be nervous, thought Wiktoria, looking at Serzana suspiciously.
"We can't travel with you if you are untrustworthy, can you tell me something to prove you are trustworthy?" asked Brom who still kept a hold on his sword.
"I saved Eragon's life. Isn't that proof?" asked Serzana kindly.
"For now," Brom muttered and made his horse continue walking.
Looks like we aren't the only untrustworthy one's here, thought Bero. But they questioned us more than her!
Eragon couldn't think of anything to say, still shocked that Serzana had known his name. She had just saved his life, but everything about her just called out suspicion. And he, recognized? Did that mean she knows about Sapphira? Then why was Brom not doing anything else about it?
I don't like her, Saphira stated, Brom might not consider her a big threat, either way, I'll stay close from now on.
"I won't stay in this village we are heading up for long, I think," Serzana spoke up, interrupting the awkward silence that had settled down in the group.
"Is that so? Are you visiting someone?" Brom asked.
"I want to buy a... kind of stone there. Actually, I am heading up to Tarik Roria."
That's where we are headed, thought Brom, can it be a coincidence?
"What kind of stone?" asked Eragon, interested.
"I don't know what kind of stone," Serzana answered after some time, as if thinking about her answer. "People say I'll have a lot of money selling it, so my plan is to buy it cheap, and sell it two times more expensive."
Is she telling the truth, Wiktoria asked herself, unsure. Suddenly she felt something. Like a little wave of energy. Whatever it was, it seemed to spew out of Serzana, like some kind of magic. She wondered if anyone else felt it. Maybe Saphira, if she was close by. She was suspicious but wasn't sure if she should tell anyone, so she didn't.
They can't know. I won't tell them, not now, thought Serzana as the group marched on through the words.