A/N Sorry its taken so long for me to update. I've been real busy. In this chapter, I'm going to be changing POV a lot. So… Here we go…
Chapter 2
The Beginning of the Journey
Saxon laid there. He held Diamond in his arms. He listened for any noise that would mean danger. Anything that would hint to his evil grandfather, Sesson. He took in the sweet smell of Diamonds blonde hair. He remembered the smell from when they first kissed. Although she had only done it to get "the Book" from him, he knew that she felt the same way about him that he had about her.
He heard a twig in the woods. He shot up instantly. Ready for anything, he realized that it was only a bunny and its little family. He laid back down as pain from spending time with his grandfather kicked in.
What am I going to do? He wandered to himself. How am I going to keep safe what I have left? How will I live knowing the things I know? How can I bear the things I've seen? What could possibly go wrong that already hasn't?
As he pondered these questions to himself, he listened to the breathing of Diamond. He felt her heart beat with his as one. He felt the warmth of her body against his. O how he just wanted to shake her awake and tell her how much he loved her. How much he wanted to have kids with her. Kiss her and touch her in ways he never had.
He thought of the consequences to doing this. He knew it would not be right. As he gained control of his emotions, he stood and walked to the side of the camp. He sat there and listened. He watched. He did anything he could to keep the camp safe. He would do anything to make sure nothing bad happened. Anything!
When Eragon awoke the next morning, he saw a small girl lying on the ground. He saw Brom, the old story teller of Cavahall, and he saw a strange man sitting there. Hands to his forehead. Eragon walked over to him and sat at the rock beside his.
"Is there something wrong?" Eragon asked.
"Maybe the fact that I might be killed any second and I'm in a strange forest that I've never even heard of might be the cause of some of my stress. Along with the nagging fact that I had to watch my only sister, Sapphire, get murdered by my grandfather," Saxon said.
Eragon took the time to actually look at Saxon. He could tell that he hadn't eaten in what looked like years. Yet he was still muscular in every way. His eyes were gray. Yet colorful. They had a silver tent. And blue that was almost so light it looked as gray as the natural grey they already harnessed. The bone structure in his face looked worn. Like he had been beaten across it a few times. He always wore a stern look in his face. A look of sorrow yet anger.
Eragon could only think of one thing to say. "How was she killed?"
Saxon drew a deep breath. It sounded raspy and difficult to take. "My grandfather sucked all the magic out of her. And since she was 276 years old, she died. Just went limp. I didn't even get to say good bye."
"Where did you get all of those scars from?" Eragon asked.
"I was captured by my cursed grandfather," Saxon explained. "I was with that bloody man for 3 weeks. He got to me. He said things unimaginable. I was tortured in ways unthinkable. I saw things unbearable. Death. Betrayal. Cruelty beyond all comparison. Things you wouldn't even be able to imagine. He showed me…"
As Saxon's voice trailed of, Eragon noticed a small tear come to his eyes. Saxon stood and walked away.
Brom opened his eyes and stood only to see that Eragon had already awoken. He noticed that the stranger, Saxon, had also awoken but the girl, Diamond, was still sound asleep.
Brom walked over to Saxon and put a hand on his shoulder.
"I would like to see what you know about a sword. What your skills are and how good you are. I would also like to see your kind of magic," Brom said.
"Then I guess we will have to get started old man," Saxon said, an amused hint in his voice.
As they unsheathed their swords, Eragon took a seat on a rock near by. He was ready for quit a show and knew that this opportunity was too great to pass. He also watched because he to took in an interest to see the new strangers moves.
Brom took his place on one side of the camp. If this boys as good at sword fighting then he looks. And he's as good at magic as he say, I might be a goner. But I'm sure I can take him. After all, he is just a boy. Brom thought to himself
Diamond opened her eyes. She saw that she was in a strange forest of some sort. She sat up and saw Saxon. He had a sword in hand and he was facing an elderly man. The old man also had a sword. She tried to recall the day before. She thought of all the events. She remembered following Saxon through a portal. She remembered watching him. And then it hit her. She remembered everything.
She stood and approached the young boy she remembered to be Eragon. "What's going on here?" Diamond asked.
"Well, Brom wanted to see the moves your 'friend' has with a sword and with magic. If he has any that is," Eragon retorted, an annoyed edge in his voice. Diamond noted that he was very jealous of Saxon.
"This will not end well," Diamond said. She remembered all the new tricks and skills that Saxon had somehow retained while his long and dreadful stay with his grandfather, Sesson.
"If it ends with Brom winning in a hilarious defeat toward him, then this will end just fine," Eragon said, a little more bounce in his words.
Brom got in a ready stance. Saxon did the same. They circled, examining each others foot work. It was quite clear that Brom was more experienced in the walk. But the real question was if he had more skill with the blade.
Diamond watched intently, hoping that Saxon wouldn't hurt himself. She knew that he would never be the same after the past events.
Saxon was the first to strike. It was slow yet harsh. Brom blocked it with an easy underarm bloke. Brom had a look of knowledge that Saxon hadn't done his best in that swing.
"Be careful Saxon!" Diamond yelled.
Saxon looked up in shock, not having realized that Diamond had awoken. At that moment, Brom took his chance to strike. Saxon turned his focus back onto the match and blocked the fierce blow at the last second.
Diamond felt bad that she distracted Saxon. She decided that she would keep her thoughts to herself.
After Brom and Saxon took a couple more swings at each other, they broke out into fierce battle. Diamond, not knowing that the blades were dulled, was as pale and white and a sheep's wool.
Sparks flew with every hit. Neither of the men back down. They held their positions and fought. Striking when ever possible. Finally, Brom struck Saxon on the back of the knee. Saxon fell to the ground with great force. Brom went into an over head blow. When it almost hit Saxon, he blocked it and sent the old man tumbling back some. Saxon stood up quickly and charged. Brom was caught off guard and Saxon knocked him right off his feet. Saxon held the sword to Brom's neck.
"Does this mean I win?" Diamond heard Saxon say. She knew he was quite amused with winning.
"Yes. But you must admit, I almost had you there," Brom said and chuckled as if he had made a hilarious joke.
"Yes, I suppose I must admit that," Saxon said while helping the old man up. He was to chuckling.
Diamond was glad that he was having fun. She was also glad that he was alive.
"That was amazing Saxon!" Diamond said while running to give him a congratulatory hug.
"Thanks," Saxon replied.
Eragon watched in disgust while Saxon and Diamond hugged.
"Are you ready to see my magic now?" Saxon asked Brom.
"No. We must travel now. Maybe another day," Brom replied. Saxon could tell he was tired from the long sword fight.
"Well, I guess we should start traveling now," Eragon said.
"Travel? Travel were?" Saxon asked.
Diamond was confused and didn't know what was going on. More traveling she thought.
"We are on our way to…" Brom trailed off and tried to think of a convincing lie. "to town. We are going to buy supplies. Food, weapons, the normal essentials."
"And after you get all the supplies were do you plan on going?" Saxon asked, more suspicious about their new friends.
"I can not tell," Brom said.
"I've told you everything! You can't tell me the simplest thing of were you are going?" Saxon replied with rage in his voice.
"It's just that…"
"Just what?!?!" Saxon asked interrupting Brom.
"You're a stranger! Why would we tell you anything?" Eragon retorted.
"You're a stranger! I've told you everything," Saxon screamed.
"He does have a point," Brom said. "We are going to the Varden. Eragon must finish training but he also must help. That is were we are going."
"The Varden?" Saxon asked. He wore a puzzled look on him that shod he didn't know what was going on.
"The Varden is… There will be time to talk about that later," Brom sayed.
As they began to douse the fire and throw the scraps of deer into the woods, Diamond said to Saxon, "Are we going to follow them?"
"Of course," Saxon said.
"But we know nothing about them," Diamond said. "How do we know they won't kill us in the middle of the night?"
"Trust," Saxon said. "Plus, I've already proven that I'm a fair fighter, right?"
"Well, I suppose that's true," Diamond replied.
As they began their journey, Saxon noticed a vary of things about Brom and Eragon. He noticed that they had not many belongings, like himself, but they carried horses with them. If these people really are who they say, Saxon thought, then they should have something a little more extravagant. Like a dragon perhaps.
Saxon thought of this. He remembered his own dragon. He got it when he was a young lad and named him Fluffy.
"How long do you think this 'journey' will be?" Saxon asked, wondering when he could go home.
"I expect quite a few months," Brom replied. "Do you have somewhere else to go?"
"No, no. Just wondering," Saxon replied.
"Well then, I suppose you have the time then?" Brom sayed
"All the time in the world," Saxon said.
"Good," Brom replied.
The rest of the way there, it was quiet. Nobody spoke until they got to their new camp. It was almost as if they were walking one by one. Not together and not alone.