Sorry for the cliffhanger last time… it was too long…
I OWN (virtually) NOTHING!
RunWithScissors: Yessiree (that is actually a word, believe it or not).
Hehe. :D
Tania started in shock, every muscle in her body suddenly tense. Eragon tried to pull away, but the old woman's hand was like an iron talon around his ankle. The burning gray eyes fixed on him were surrounded by a lifetime's worth of wrinkles—the skin was folded in long creases down her sunken cheeks. A tattered bundle rested in the crook of her arm; Tania wondered what it hid.
"What do you want?" Eragon asked.
The woman tilted her arm, and a cloth fell from the bundle, revealing a baby's face. Tania blinked in surprise as the woman, hoarse and desperate, said, "The child has no parents—there is no one to care for her but me, and I am weak. Bless her with your power, Argetlam. Bless her for luck!"
Ajihad did warn us about this, Tania told him as the crowd fell silent, waiting for Eragon's response. The old woman's eyes were still fastened on him. "Bless her, Argetlam, bless her," she insisted.
Tania could see the indecision warring with itself in his tensed shoulders.
"Bless her, Argetlam, bless her."
Finally, Eragon bent down and tugged the glove from his right hand. Laying his palm on the babe's brow, he intoned, "Atra guliä un ilian tauter ono un atra ono waíse skölir fra rauthr." He slowly pulled the glove back on and said to the woman, "That is all I can do for her. If any words have the power to forestall tragedy, it will be those."
"Thank you, Argetlam," she whispered, bowing slightly. She started to cover the baby again, but Saphira snorted and twisted until her head loomed over the child. The woman grew rigid; her breath caught in her chest. Saphira lowered her snout and brushed the baby between the eyes with the tip of her nose, then smoothly lifted away.
A gasp ran through the crowd, for on the child's forehead, where Saphira had touched her, was a star-shaped patch of skin as white and silvery as the gedwëy ignasia on Tania's gloved palm. The woman stared at Saphira with a feverish gaze, wordless thanks in her eyes.
Immediately Saphira took flight, battering the awestruck spectators with the wind from her powerful wing strokes. Tania sighed and allowed herself to relax as Eragon took a deep breath and hugged Saphira's neck.
They flew in silence up and above Tronjheim. Tania gazed through the opening and could see the floor of the dragonhold: Isidar Mithrim, the great star sapphire. Hanging lazily from one of the marble caves was a golden-amber tail tip.
Ophelia! Tania cried joyously.
A golden snout peeked out. Tania! I missed you. A ripple of dark red streaked down her nose. You've left me too long, she said crossly. Saphira was able to contact me through the mountain only because I happened to be flying above that magical portal thing. If I hadn't, I'd be sleeping in the rain again!
I'm sorry. I just don't want you getting hurt, Tania apologized as Saphira slipped over the rim of the dragon hold and dropped to Isidar Mithrim, landing with the sharp clack of claws. Tania immediately jumped off and jogged over to where Ophelia had slid out of her cave and descended to the floor herself, her golden wings tinged with violet.
The Rider threw her arms around Ophelia's neck, hugging her tightly, as Ophelia wrapped her wings around Tania and held her close. Tania wanted to melt into her dragon's scales.
After a minute, Ophelia leaned back and said, Come. Tania scrambled onto her back, clutching one of her sharp neck spines as the dragoness made her way back into the cave she had chosen, already laid out with bedding on the far end. Tania dismounted, and Ophelia curled herself upon the thick cushions as her Rider observed the cave. It was dark brown streaked with green on the inside, and deeper than it had appeared from the dragonhold. The roughly chiseled walls gave the impression of a natural formation. Beside it was a bed built into the side of the wall. The cave was lit by a single red lantern equipped with a shutter so its glow could be muted.
Tania ignored the bed and nestled herself into the crook of Ophelia's arm. The dragoness hummed contentedly and folded her wings over Tania, encasing her in a shell of gold and pink.
I like this, Tania commented drowsily. It feels like a home.
Yes. Ophelia nuzzled her Rider's head gently. I certainly wouldn't mind staying here.
Tania smiled, despite the worm of worry in her mind, and drifted off even as she said, Perhaps we could…
Tired. So tired.
I'm going to bed now.
Please review.
FF