Chapter 2
Amirah finished rinsing the lavender scented soap from her body and stood up to accept a towel from her handmaid, Risa. "You aren't even dressed yet, Amirah?" Nasuada asked as she walked into the small room, already fully dressed in a wine colored gown. Amirah shrugged. "Not yet." She began to rub a lavender cream into her skin. "I will wear the blue gown today, Risa." Nasuada sighed and tossed her curly black hair back. "I'll help you fix your hair, Amirah. Maybe you'll be ready quicker that way." Amirah smiled. "I like when you fix my hair anyway, Nasuada. You always make me look like a princess." Nasuada laughed and dipped a comb into scented oil before running it through her sister's hair. "You make it sound like you are late just so I would fix your hair." Amirah grinned. "How did you know?"
Nasuada sighed and pinned the sides of Amirah's hair back with silver combs decorated with sapphires. Her own ruby and gold combs glinted as she leaned over to survey her work. "There, little sister." Amirah surveyed her reflection in her dressing mirror and smiled. "Thanks, big sister." She stood up and allowed Risa to help her dress. "Now come on, Amirah," Nasuada ordered. "Father wants us to send a message to Eragon. But first, I want to see this Murtagh." Amirah's eyes widened as she pulled on her soft leather boots. "Murtagh? Why do you want to see him?" "I'm just curious to see this son of Morzan," Nasuada said casually. Amirah shrugged and followed her sister out of their quarters and down the hall.
They turned several corners and went down many hallways, greeting several members of the Varden who paid their respects to the daughters of Ajihad with short bows and curtsies. When they reached a room in a lesser used corridor that was guarded by a man and a dwarf, Nasuada stopped. "This is his room," she said quietly before knocking. She waited a few moments before entering. The two girls stepped into a small but very comfortable room. A young man lay on the bed, reading a scroll. He sat up when Nasuada and Amirah entered, staring at them with curious hazel eyes, pushing his brown hair out of the way. "Who are you?" Murtagh asked, his troubled gaze moving from one girl to the other.
"I am Nasuada, and this is Amirah," Nasuada answered. "We are the daughters of Ajihad." Murtagh looked at Nasuada, then scrutinized Amirah. "Both of you?" he asked, confused. Amirah laughed. "Both of us. Although I am not of his blood." Murtagh nodded in understanding. "You have a message for me?" he asked finally, not taking his eyes off of Amirah. "No. We merely wished to meet you, Murtagh," Nasuada said. "Why, may I ask?" Murtagh asked. "Are you sorry we came?" Amirah teased. Nasuada gave her sister a searching look. Murtagh turned a bit red. "No . . . not at all. I meant to say . . ." Amirah laughed and walked over to the bed, picking up the scroll Murtagh had been reading. "The Song of Altheria. This is my favorite!" she said, smiling at Murtagh.
He smiled back, his eyes alight with excitement. "This is my favorite as well," he said, taking the scroll from her hands. His fingers brushed hers gently as he grasped the scroll. Amirah's breath caught in her throat as she looked up at him. Murtagh stood still, his fingers still touching hers. "It is time to give our message to Eragon, Amirah," Nasuada said quietly. Amirah jumped a little, fighting to draw her gaze from Murtagh's. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Murtagh," Nasuada said, touching her sister's shoulder. "Come, Amirah." Amirah followed Nasuada to the door before turning around. "Is there any message you wish us to give to Eragon?" she asked. Murtagh cleared his throat. "Yes. I would like him to come visit me, if he has time." "I'll tell him," Amirah said as Nasuada pulled her out of the door into the hallway.
"What was all that about?" Amirah asked irritably the moment Murtagh's door was shut. "It is time for us to give our message to Eragon," Nasuada said, looking down at Amirah with a hint of worry in her eyes. The two walked up to one of the pulleys that would take them up to the stronghold where Eragon stayed with his dragon. Nasuada watched from the corner of her eye as Amirah rubbed the spot on her fingers that Murtagh had touched. "He is the son of Morzan," Nasuada said suddenly. Amirah looked up. "Whatever are you talking about?" "Nothing, I hope," Nasuada retorted. Amirah opened her mouth to reply but decided not to at the last minute. The two girls reached the stronghold and entered.
Amirah gasped as a huge sapphire blue dragon turned its head to look at them. Nasuada smiled, her eyes wide with wonder. Both girls dropped into immaculate curtsies. "We seek the Rider Eragon," Nasuada said. "I am here," a voice came from behind them. They turned to see a handsome young man come out from the shadows. Nasuada and Amirah curtsied again as he walked up to them. "I am Nasuada," Nasuada said, "and this is Amirah. Ajihad, our father, asked us to convey a message to you." Amirah shifted uncomfortably as Eragon looked from one girl to the other as most people usually did when they found out Ajihad was her father. Unlike Murtagh though, Eragon said nothing and merely nodded.
As Nasuada told Eragon what Ajihad wanted her to say, Amirah kept her eyes on the dragon. She was startled when Eragon addressed her. "Amirah," Eragon said, "Saphira says you are not afraid of her. She wishes to know why." Amirah smiled before she answered. "Saphira is not threatening me, so why should I fear her?" Saphira came closer and put her head directly in front of Amirah, curling her lip in a growl, showing massive teeth. "You are beautiful, Saphira," Amirah told her. Saphira chuckled and glanced towards Eragon. "She says you are beautiful as well, for a human," Eragon laughed. "I am proud to know a dragon finds me beautiful," Amirah said, smiling at Saphira and curtsying.
"If my sister is through," Nasuada said with a sly smile, "we must be going." "Wait," Amirah said, laying a hand on Nasuada's forearm. "I almost forgot. We visited Murtagh this morning. He wants you to visit him as soon as you have the chance." "How is he doing?" Eragon asked. Amirah smiled. "He is doing just fine." Eragon nodded. "Thank the gods. I hoped Ajihad would treat him well." "His room is quite nice," Nasuada remarked. "We are expected elsewhere, Rider Eragon. I hope to see you and Saphira soon." Amirah followed her sister's example and curtsied to both Eragon and Saphira. Nasuada walked out of the stronghold, but Amirah held back. "Please tell Murtagh I will visit him again soon, and I will bring him another scroll," she whispered. Eragon nodded. "I will pass along the message." Amirah smiled and bobbed another curtsy before hurrying to catch up with Nasuada.