Chapter 9: I'm Bored.
"Ah, Shadeslayer. You slept well?" asked Undin as Eragon approached him and Orik, they had been conversing in dwarvish beforehand but broke off as he got close.
"Well enough."
"Good" Undin gestured to Orik "We have been considering your departure. I had hoped you'd be able to spend some time with us. But under the circumstances, it seems best if you resume your journey early tomorrow morning, when few are in the streets who might trouble you. Supplies and transportation are being readied even as I speak. It was Hrothgar's orders that guards should accompany your as far as Cerus. I have increased their numbers for three to seven."
"Great" Eragon muttered, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
Undin sighed "I had hoped to show you the wonders of Tarnag, but it would be foolish to wander mine city now. However, Grimstborith Gannel has invited you to Celbedeil for the day. Accept if you wish. You'll be safe with him."
'And he was so confident that they wouldn't harm a guest.'
'Something must've shaken his confidence' Saphira responded, thinking carefully.
'Oh gods, please don't tell me that you, you, the partner of my mind and soul, don't think I, your humble rider, can murder a hundred or so midgets with axes?'
'Humble?'
'It sounds better than arrogant prick, doesn't it?'
Saphira just sighed.
Eragon smiled, concluding that he had won that particular argument, whether or not it was an argument was irrelevant because he had won.
As they left the hall in the courtyard, where the sunless morning greeted them, Eragon pulled Orik aside by the shoulder and looked down at the little man "How serious is this feud, Orik? I don't need that sugar coated shit Undin gave me yesterday, I need the truth."
Orik hesitated to answer but in the end a slight increase in the pressure the hand on his shoulder exerted got him talking "In the past, it was not uncommon for blood feuds to last generations. Entire families were driven extinct because of them. It was rash of Az Sweldn rak Anhuin to invoke the old way, such a thing has not been done since the last of the clan wars..." Orik frowned and shook his head "Until they rescind their oath, you must guard against their treachery, whether it be for a year or a century. I'm sorry that your friendship with Hrothgar has brought this upon you Eragon. But you are not alone" the dwarf folded his arms and looked up at the taller man "Durgrimst Ingeitum, your clan, stands with you in this."
"Thank you, brother" Eragon patted him on the shoulder, where his hand had been gripping the whole time, and made to leave. Orik caught his wrist as he moved away.
"Eragon... brother" Orik met his eyes, flinching a bit but holding the gaze "They are a respected clan, by many, so..." he shrugged his thick shoulders "Try not annihilate them in a great bloody massacre, please?"
The Rider grinned, flashing his canines "I'll try my best, no promises mind."
Orik scowled, though it poorly hid the amusement glinting in his eyes "Aye."
'I'm going to visit the giant dome thingy, alright?' Eragon said as he came to stand before Saphira who opened an eye to watch him.
'Sure, but take your swords with you' she closed her eyes once she was done, ignoring him again.
'Already got 'em' he tapped the twin handles on his belt, he also had Nasuada's scroll tucked into his sleeve.
It took five dwarven guards to open the roughly hewn timber gates, and they weren't half slow about it. The minute it was wide enough for him to slip through, Eragon didn't so, leaving the dwarves, who he was fairly certain were supposed to be guarding him, behind and ignoring their calls for him to wait.
The city was starkly different than yesterday. Whilst it had been bustling and joyous and entirely too cheerful, at first, afterwards it had become an angry mob type bustle instead, now it was deserted, abandoned, forsaken, desolate, whatever word you used, it was just... empty.
As if to further emphasize this point, a ball of tumbleweed rolled past.
Doors were closed, sometimes nailed shut, windows were barred and the few, very, very few, dwarves who still walked the streets averted their gazes and slipped down side streets to avoid walking by him.
Not that Eragon gave a toss as he just strutted towards Celbedeil without a care in the world, well several cares in the world but none on his mind at the present time.
When he reached the doors, and before he could even knock, one door grated outwards and a black robed dwarf within beckoned him in.
The area inside was about as close to a paradise as Eragon had ever seen.
Burning green grass cloaked around the pillared mass of Celbedeil even in length and colour throughout the symmetrical hill that bore the temple. Great thick sheets of ivy clung to the ancient walls of the building, like ropes tying it down on earth, and drops of dew glittered on the pointed leaves.
Then there was the dome itself, ribbed with chiselled gold and standing high above all but the mountains themselves, it was like someone had taken a great mass of stone and blown a bubble in it.
Smell hit him soon after the sight, the scent of flowers and incense, strong but not to distaste, mixing but remaining distinct, together they formed an aroma so ethereal Eragon had to take several deep breaths through his nose before he could allow himself to move on.
And yet, despite the priests strolling along the mosaic pathways and spacious grounds, the only sound even Eragon's ear could pick up was the thump of a rook flying in circles overhead.
The black robed dwarf moved on and Eragon followed, letting himself be led down the main avenue towards Celbedeil.
Inside the wealth and centuries old craftsmanship of the dwarven nation was displayed in full. Gems of every cut and colour spotted the walls, all equal in their flawlessness. Red gold had been hammered into the stone, veining the ceilings, walls and floor with its rosy shine. Pearl and silver was used to accent the other colours, but were never used as the main for some reason and more than once they passed a screen partition carved entirely of jade.
Cloth decorations, as one might find in other temples, had been forgone in favour of a variety of statues, most often monsters and what Eragon assumed were dwarven heroes or deities, locked in epic battles.
They climbed several floors, then passed through a copper door with encrustations of bright bluish green and carved with intricate patterned knots, into a bare room with a wood floor.
Armour hung on the walls along with racks of the same sort of weapon Angela had used in Farthen Dur, strange staff-swords that Eragon could both see the advantages and disadvantages of.
And there was Gannel, sparring with three younger dwarves.
Gannel knocked two to the ground and had disarmed the last before even noticing Eragon stood in the room with them. He dismissed the dwarves and placed his staff-sword on a rack.
"Interesting skill... for a priest" Eragon commented.
Gannel turned, facing him "We must be able to defend ourselves, no? Many enemies stalk this land."
Eragon grinned, making sure his red eyes met with Gannels "Now that I can agree with" Ganell looked away "Those swords... I've seen one before, Angela used one in the battle of Farthen Dur."
Gannel hissed "Angela" he repeated the name, his expression sour "She won her staff from a priest in a game of riddles. It was a nasty trick, as we are the only ones allowed to use huthvirn. She and Arya..." Gannel shrugged and went to a small table.
'Then the priest shouldn't have bet it, should he?' he said, partly to himself, partly to Saphira 'Still, points for Angela, pissing on authority and tradition, I knew she had it in her.'
'Sleeping' was Saphira's slightly annoyed response.
Gannel turned to face him again, this time with two mugs of ale, he handed one to Eragon and drank deeply of his own "I invited you here today at Hrothgar's request. He told me that, if you accepted his offer to become Ingeitum, I was to acquaint you with dwarf traditions."
Eragon took a gulp of his own ale, savouring the bitter flavour on his tongue "Great."
"Never before has an outsider been taught our secret beliefs" Gannel continued, Eragon wondered if the dwarves even registered that he'd spoken "Nor may you speak of them to human or elf."
'Does that count as permission to tell them to dragons?' he said sarcastically to his own dragon who tried to drown out his comments with mental snoring.
"Yet without this knowledge, you cannot uphold what is means to be knurla. You are Ingeitum now, our blood, our flesh, our honour. You understand?"
If Eragon knew that his nod just then would subject him to a long and boring lecture on the dwarven gods he might have considered finding the nearest window and jumping.
As it was he was condemned to listening patiently, paying as little attention as possible whilst still looking politely interested, as Gannel told him of each god, recounting several legends about each, along with why they were important and how to properly venerate them. All the while they stood before a statue of each individual god moving to the next once they had done.
Apparently, note the sarcasm, the land was shaped from the bones of giants that Guntera killed after he was born fully formed from a she wolf at the dawn of the stars. All very likely, once again note the sarcasm.
Gannel told him of how the gods didn't want to release people into the world until Helzvog, who did, carved dwarves out of stone, which Gannel spoke of in very tender tones. Jealous the other gods followed suit, starting with Guntera, who was the King of the Gods, forming the elves, Sindri, mother of the earth, birthing humans from soil, and Urur and Morgothal, god of air and fire, respectively, bringing forth dragons together, with only Kilf, mate of Guntera and, if he remember correctly, the goddess of water, restraining herself.
At the end of it Eragon spoke to Saphira again 'If what he says is true then who made Urgal's and Ra'zac, and bunnies for that matter?'
'Does it matter?' Saphira asked reviewing his conversation and concluding it didn't.
'Not really' Eragon shrugged mentally, still half listening to Gannel 'Notice though that the King of Gods made the elves, self-deprecation on the dwarves part, don't you think?'
'Whilst two gods made dragons, making us superior to all.'
'Actually since, I don't technically fall under any gods realm as Shade's aren't mentioned, that makes me inferior to all, or looking at it in opposition, superior.'
Saphira sent him a questioning thought 'A calm, semantic debate, little one? I didn't know you had it in you.'
'Oh fuck off you stupid overgrown lizard.'
"This" Eragon pulled himself from his conversation as Gannel sounded official or at least like he was speaking of something of great importance "leads to our most important rite..."
'Saphira, what were we talking about?'
'Helzvog, stone, gods, the races' Saphira listed in a bored tone.
'Thanks.'
"... which I know Orik has discussed with you" Gannel paused and swilled his empty mug "All dwarves must be buried into stone, else our spirits will never join Helzvog in his hall. We are not of earth, air, or fire, but of stone. And as Ingeitum, it is your responsibility to assure a proper resting place for any dwarf who may die in your company. If you fail, in the absence of injuries or enemies, Hrothgar will exile you..."
'Guntera's salty nut sack this is tedious.'
'I would very much like to see you say that to this priest.'
'Some other time, when I'm awake enough to enjoy it.'
"...And no dwarf will acknowledge your presence until after your death" the priest finished.
'Note to self, if I ever want to be left alone by the dwarves, don't bury their dead.'
"You have much to learn" he said, straightening his shoulder and staring hard at Eragon, at least until Eragon stared back "But uphold the customs I outlined today and you will do well."
"I won't forget" 'It'll take me years, no centuries to forget this tedium... no actually millennia... no wait, this is so dull it has been permanently stained upon my consciousness and I shall never escape it, not even in the afterlife.'
They headed up a winding staircase, as they climbed Gannel produced a chain necklace laced through the pommel of a small silver hammer from his robes which he handed to Eragon.
"This is another favour Hrothgar asked of me. He worries that Galbatorix may have gleamed an image of you from the minds of Durza, the Ra'zac, or any number of soldiers who saw you throughout the empire."
"Any reason that's bad?"
"Because then" he explained "Galbatorix could scry you. Perhaps he already has."
Eragon grinned darkly, a malicious grin but it bore forth only grim satisfaction "Good, then hopefully he knows the face of his enemy."
Gannel looked back at him, his countenance calm, if surprised "You are confident in yourself Shadeslayer."
"Am I?" Eragon shot back "Is it confidence that wants me to have Galbatorix know the face of the one who will kill him or die trying... or is it simple courtesy?"
The clan chief frowned and shook his head, not even trying to figure it out "Either way, this necklace will prevent anyone from crying you, or your dragon, as long as you wear it."
Eragon clenched his fist.
'You do get awfully angry over these insults' Saphira commented.
'So do you' he replied, sensing her annoyance 'Besides, no one gets to describe you as mine other than me.'
'I'm honoured' she said sarcastically.
'You fucking well should be' he said seriously.
"I placed the spell myself" Gannel continued oblivious to the short conversation between dragon and rider "so it should hold before even the strongest mind. But be warned, when active the necklace will draw on your strength until you either take it off or the danger has passed."
Eragon examined it, rolling the hammer between his pale fingers "Better not sleep in it then. Though you gotta admit it would be a way to go, killed in my sleep... by a necklace. Yep, definitely one for the bards. Haha."
"Fear not" Gannel chuckled with him "It will wake you."
Eragon traced the runes carved onto the hammers haft with his index "Astim Hefthyn" he muttered under his breath.
"It means sight guard" Gannel answered the unasked question.
Eragon nodded, still gazing at the hammer "These letters" he said to himself before looking up and addressing the dwarves "Why do the dwarves write with humans runes?"
Gannel barked a booming laugh at that "We do not write with humans runes, it is the other way around, humans write with ours. When your ancestors landed in Alagaesia they were as illiterate as rabbits. However they soon adopted our alphabet and matched it to this language. Some of your words even ome formus, like father with was originally farthen."
"Then Farthen Dur means... our father?" Eragon asked, slipping the necklace around his neck. From what Brom explained to him combating another's spells was incredibly difficult, and if Gannel was so adept with magic then who knows what other enchantments were within the hammer, which meant that Eragon would be examining it soon enough, just not right now.
Gnalle nodded and ushered Eragon through a door into a curved gallery, located directly below the cupola.
Through open archways a view of the mountains behind Tarnag and the city far below and incredibly and beautiful sight which was completely ignored by Eragon, his eyes locked upon the inner wall.
They wandered along the long gallery that contained only one painting, but it was a very long, continuous painting, and not technically a painting as it was made from marble which was fired with enamel.
All of dwarven history was contained here, from their early days when they did not live in the Beors but instead nomads on an endless plain that later became the Hadarac, to the carving of Isidar Mithrim.
But the images he really paid attention to where those of dragons, were they often burned and slaughtered.
'You know Saphira, I think I like your ancestors' he said, sending her the image of a particularly gruesome scene.
'Humph, the dwarves do a poor job of representing us' Saphira glanced through his eyes 'We are far more beautiful than that. Besides, this is doubtless influenced by their own pettiness, stupid shorter than other two legs people.'
Eragon had to bite his lip very hard to resist laughing at that.
Then they came to it, the long and bloody war between the elves and the dragons, the war so intense and destructive it affected even the dwarves who had devoted a massive section of the enamel to it, and to the wrath unleashed upon Alagaesia.
Yards of elves and dragons murdering each other, fighting and burning, pain, suffering, strife, brief hopes crushed, the scenes becoming darker and darker, more and more gruesome, until finally it lifted with one image.
The image being one of a young elf, kneeling on a cliff edge, and holding a white dragon egg between his palms.
It was a rather sad ending to what had promised to be a truly gruesome and unhappy, yet spectacularly violent and beautifully bloody, tale, but Eragon was focused on the elf, knowing his name.
"That's... Eragon?" it was only half posed as a question, the other half being statement.
"Aye, it's Eragon, the First Rider. It's a good likeness too, as he agreed to sit for our artisans."
'He's so young' Eragon said to Saphira, his tone almost wistful 'I imagined him older.'
'Indeed' Saphira didn't comment on his behaviour, nor on his tone. She too was intrigued by the first of their order, both the rider and the dragon.
Eragon leaned forwards, studying the face of his name sake, drawn forwards by an inexplicable fascination with the elf he had been named after, and the very first Rider.
'I wonder what you'd think of me' he said to himself but not hiding his thoughts from Saphira. Regardless he knew that, whatever Eragon the first might think of who and what he was, they had made one decision the same, they both kept the egg.
The door opened and closed and someone approach but Eragon ignored it, too focused upon Eragon.
"Grimstborith."
He recognised that voice, it was Arya. Eragon turned his head to look at her, her expression, however, was blank.
"Arya."
"You have been educating Eragon in your mythology?"
Gannel's smile was flat "One should always understand the faith of the society that one belongs to."
From there things got a bit out of hand as Arya expertly insulted Gannel, without insulting him at all, but Gannel felt that she had implicated that the dwarf gods didn't exist and had questioned the mental capacity of every dwarf who entered the temple.
The best part being that whilst Gannel got angry, to the point of shouting, Arya spoke in a polite, if not terribly pleasant, voice.
Eragon, usually interested in other people's violent disputes, barely paid attention to the argument, using the time to examine Eragon, until Gannel's rant stopped suddenly and his attention was brought back to the elf and dwarf.
"That is the difference between us, Grimstborith" said Arya, her tawny hand raised "You devote yourself to that which you believe to be true but cannot prove. There, we must agree to disagree."
Arya turned to Eragon who grinned at her, amused at what she had done, clearly done just for her personal amusement "Az Sweldn rak Anhuin has inflamed Tarnag's citizens against you. Undin believes, and so do I, that it would be better for you to remain behind his walls until we leave."
Eragon grinned condescending at her "And I guess I have a choice, huh?" he rolled his eyes to Gannel who smile in response "Sorry, looks like I gotta go."
"You need not apologise Shadeslayer" Gannel said loudly and officially "Do what you must, and the may the blessing of Guntera be upon you."
Eragon gave Eragon one last look before following the elf down through Celbedeil and then through Tarnag, where they were surrounded by guards. Shouts could be heard from a lower tier of the city, and Eragon could see a plume of smoke rising from the cities edge.
Eragon collected his belongings from his room, strapping on the bracers and greaves but storing everything else away, then returned to the courtyard to sit next to Saphira.
'Tarnag is like an overturned anthill' she said as he leaned against her side.
'Do you know how we got rid of anthills back on the farm? We tipped boiling water into it. Maybe we should try the small thing here' he sent her the image of a giant black kettle pouring water on Tarnag, forming a great boiling wave that crashed upon the city, ripping up buildings and collapsing Celbedeil.
Saphira laughed 'I doubt Undin would be happy with us if we did.'
A group of fifty, heavily armoured, dwarves sat in the centre of the courtyard, muttering in low, gruff tones amongst themselves and eyeing the gates with apprehension and fear
"They fear" said Arya seating herself by Eragon "that the crowds may prevent us from reaching the rafts."
Eragon sighed "Saphira, could fly us over?" he offered.
"Snowfire as well? And Undin's guards?" she asked with a raised brow "No, if we are stopped, we shall have to wait until the dwarves outrage subsides" her emerald eyes studied the darkening sky above "It is unfortunate that you managed to offend so many dwarves, but perhaps inevitable. The clans have ever been contentious, what pleases one infuriates another."
"Tossers" Eragon cursed softly, Arya said nothing but Eragon could almost sense her agreement.
His thoughts turned to the helm, and the Ingeitum symbol, a hammer surrounded by twelve stars, upon its brow. Maybe he shouldn't have accepted it.
"You are not to blame" said Arya, sensing his thoughts "As with Nasuada, you made the only viable choice. The fault, if any" her tone implied there certainly was some fault "lies with Hrothgar, for making the offer in the first place. He must have been well aware of the repercussions."
"Hmm."
They sat quietly together, some of the dwarves marched around the courtyard, the heavy armour they wore clinking with their every movement.
"Do you have any family in Du Weldenvarden" he asked after around six minutes of silence.
It was even longer before Arya answered "None that I'm close to."
"Oh" Eragon rested his elbow on his thigh and rested his head on his palm "Why is that?"
She hesitated before answering "They disliked my choice to become the Queen's envoy and ambassador, it seemed inappropriate. When I ignored their objections and still had the yawe tattooed on my shoulder which indicated I have devoted myself to the greater good of our race, as in the case with your ring from Brom, my family refused to see me again."
Eragon scowled sleepily "Talk about keeping a grudge."
Arya didn't respond.
Eragon looked at her from the corner of his eye "Hey" he poked her in the side "You still in there?"
She didn't turn to look at him and just kept staring forwards blankly.
Eragon sighed "Great, the silent treatment" he mumbled a bit, a few curse words being audible in his mutterings "So, any other elves outside Du Weldenvarden, other than you?" he finally stopped speaking to himself and asked another question.
Arya looked away, hiding her face behind a cascading veil of lustrous raven hair that begged to be touched "Three of us were sent forth from Ellesmera. Faolin and Glenwing always travelled with me when we transported Saphira's egg between Du Weldenvarden and Tronjheim. Only I survived Durza's ambush."
"What were they like?" Eragon fingered the spiked pommel of Durza's sword, his thoughts nowhere near the conversation, not after hearing Durza's name. It still held power over him, though no longer so much fear and terror, more sadness, sadness because he had seen who Durza was and why he became.
"Proud warriors. Glenwing loved speaking to birds with his mind. He would stand in the forest surrounded by a flock of songbirds and listen to their music for hours. Afterward, h might sing us the prettiest melodies."
"And Faolin?" this time she didn't answer, though her body tensed and she clenched her weapon, a bow in this case, tighter. Not that Eragon really cared, he just wanted some muttering to fall asleep to "Why do you dislike Gannel so much?"
She faced him suddenly and touched his cheek with soft fingers, Eragon met her eyes, shadowed by her hair, but solemn, almost miserable "That" she said gently "is a discussion for another time" and with that she stood and only sat down against on the other side of the courtyard.
Eragon leaned back against Saphira's side, looking up at the sky 'Elves, huh?'
Ice cold fingers stroked his cheek gently, when his eyes began to open the hand pulled away quickly, slipping into the mist like blackness before he could see the digits.
A pair of crimson eyes glowered out at him from the darkness, on the border of the light "No matter how fast you run" the voice was low, cold and taunting "Or how hard you hide" despite that there was a teasing note to it, almost playful "We will always find you."
Eragon met the mad gaze, not flinching or even reacting as his tranquil brown eyes locked with the red "I'm not afraid of you" he said, his onto never changing from 'polite conversation', every word was measured and equal, no panic or fear invaded his tone.
"You should be" warned Legion, Eragon could just make out a silhouette, darker than the darkness, standing a few feet before where he sat "We are afraid of us."
Eragon's face didn't change from completely neutral "I'm not."
Legion started giggling, childishly, there was no other way to describe it, for some reason it found that statement very amusing.
Eragon just raised an eyebrow.
Legions feet hit the floor, they sounded bare, bare flesh slapping on stone, as he paced around where Eragon sat, walking in the circle.
"We don't get it. Why don't you?" Legion couldn't stop giggling as he spoke "We are, we know, but we don't, we just don't, we... we... we..." Legion breathed calming itself "We want to understand how you are, we want to know, but we don't and you won't tell us."
Eragon waited until Legion stood directly behind him before speaking "Should I?"
Legion didn't answer and kept pacing, only stopping when he finally stood before Eragon, little more than a pace from the latter's feet. He turned to meet Eragon's brown eyes with the crimson gaze that had become Eragon's own, a glint of sharp white teeth could be seen as a cruel smirked played across Legions shadowed lips "We will get you one day, mark our words, Eragon."
His eyes opened as light showed in the sky overhead, tough darkness still pervaded the valley and would do for many an hour.
Eragon stood and gave Saphira a light kick to wake her whilst stretching.
Saphira yawned and stretched herself, before looking at Eragon.
'Are you alright little one, you look shaken?'
'It's nothing Saphira' even as he told her he knew she knew it was lie 'Just a nightmare' he added to keep away her questions.
Undin and his warriors, and Orik, assembled around Eragon, Saphira and Arya in a thick band and they headed out into the city.
They walked silently, the dwarves armour and weapons muffled and Saphira and Snowfire had rags tried around their claws/hooves for that extra quietness.
The city seemed deserted, the few dwarves they did encounter walked away quickly, only staring a few brief moments. They passed through each gate without comment, all members of the troop as quiet as mice, except Eragon who yawned loudly more than once.
Finally, after passing through all the buildings, and farmland they finally came to a stone quay that edged the still grey water.
Two wide rafts waited for them in said water, three dwarves squatted on the first, four on the second.
Eragon encouraged Snowfire, with his mind, to go along with the flow and let the dwarves hobble and blindfold him and then coax him onto the second raft where he was forced to his knees.
Meanwhile Saphira slipped down into the water, making even it look bad as she was a resplendent sapphire blue whilst it was boring greyish blue.
Undin grasped Eragon's arm "Here is where we part. You have my best men, they will protect you until you reach Du Weldenvarden" Eragon tried to thank him, honestly he did, he wasn't going to subtly insult the man or humiliate him by pushing the dwarf into the water, seriously he wasn't "No it is not a matter for gratitude" Undin shook his head before Eragon could speak "It is my duty. I am only shamed that your stay was darkned by the hatred of Az Sweldn rak Anhuin."
Eragon nodded to him and received one in return and then boarded the first raft with Arya and Orik.
The dwarves pushed them from the shore with long poles and as dawn approached the two rafts drifted towards the mouth of the Az Ragni, Saphira swimming between them.
'Saphira' Eragon said watching the scenery pass by as there was nothing else to do.
'Yes little one?'
'I'm bored.'
'I'm bored' that's exactly what I felt as this point in the fic at the time I wrote it, months ago, I was bored with the Inheritance Cycle, I was bored with Shade, I still am in fact.
And for that I truly am sorry.
In the two months or so I've had to keep writing since I started uploading this fic I've wrote perhaps one chapter... and that's it. Apologies but after this chapter the previously mentioned, if you read the author notes and lets face it you didn't and you probably aren't reading this now either, break will follow. Hopefully within a month of two I'll have more chapters, of course I hoped to have Shade; Blood Ties up a month or so after I finished Shade and that took a year and three months... still bear with me I'll get there... hopefully.
