Chapter 3 The Love of Loyalty

I cannot believe what we saw, Eragon told Saphira while they were wandering through the dense forest. Brom took his dragon to this exact place. He must have truly been heartbroken after her death. He placed his hand on Saphira's side and continued walking with her. I don't know how I would even live without you. Saphira hummed softly and snaked her head toward his face to lick him tenderly on his cheek.

I am always with you, little one, she replied gently. Never forget that. If I were to pass, my memories would still be in your soul.

I would still miss your presence, Eragon said. I'd miss your words of wisdom and I would miss the times we shared. He took his hand off of her side and stopped walking. Saphira stopped and maneuvered her way around the trees to turn and face him.

I have a question to ask, Saphira, Eragon stated.

Yes? Saphira replied, swishing her tail slowly. Eragon propped himself up against a nearby oak tree.

Are dragons supposed to love their riders when they hatch? Eragon asked, or is just a matter of choice.

Hmm, Saphira said, moving over to him. Yes, dragons are supposed to love their riders when they hatch to avoid any quarrels when they become one. It is a strange love like a mother to her child. If we are to sacrifice ourselves, we need to have that feeling of loyalty to them.

I understand, Eragon said. So dragons see their riders as their own young?

Sometimes, Saphira said chuckling. It depends on the relationships between them.

What would you say is the relationship between us? Eragon asked. He turned his gaze to the ground and watched a black ant struggle with carrying a small pebble.

Little one, Saphira said. She positioned herself to the right of him and sat on her haunches. I honestly do not know how our relationship can be defined. When we were both younger, I felt as if you were my youngling, but as we grew together…I felt something more. What can be more than a bond of mother and son? Eragon blocked his thoughts from her for a second.

Husband and wife, he thought to himself, trying to keep Saphira away. She lowered her head and hummed in a sad tone. Quite possibly, she was thinking of the same exact thing. He opened his mind up again to her.

Why did you do that? Saphira asked, raising her head up to him. He gently rubbed her nose.

Just a daydream, Eragon said. She sighed and sunk down to the forest floor.

What about? She asked. Eragon kept silent.

My own matters, Eragon said. Saphira reached her head up from her paws and nudged her rider's right hand.

Please tell me, She started to ask, widening her sapphire eyes when he looked down at her. He turned away to hide a faint smile. So what is stronger than that of a mother and son? She asked again. Eragon couldn't hide it anymore from her. He turned and showed her the faint smile.

"I believe," he said out loud, "the only bond stronger than mother and son would be husband and wife." Saphira turned her head away from him.

Oh, she replied. Eragon reached his hand out to rub her scales, but she flinched slightly at his touch.

I am sorry for this, Saphira told him, shaking her head slowly. I have dishonored both of us by my bond to you. I never wished for it to happen, but fate and emotions can be easily mistaken. Eragon knelt down beside her and reached his hand down to scratch underneath her chin.

Do I look angry? Eragon asked. You were destined to love me only for loyalty reasons, but how happy am I to know that you feel more towards me than you were meant to? Saphira rose her head up and flapped her tail while Eragon continued to tickle her chin. He quickly stopped and threw his arms around her in an air-compressing embrace.

Thank you, Eragon said. I love you.

You already know my reply to that, Saphira said smugly. She got up onto her feet and licked Eragon's face with her barbed tongue. Eragon jokingly slapped her away, but she pounced on him and continued the slobbery assault. Eragon groaned and fought to get her off of him, but it was no use. He had to turn to other tactics. He remembered a few ticklish areas just behind her left foreleg and in front of her right hind leg on her belly. Saphira had one of his hands gently pinned with one of her claws, but completely forgot about the other one.

"Saphira," he said out loud. "You're asking for it."

Try and stop me! She taunted, blowing a plume of smoke from her nostrils while she continued licking. Eragon grinned evilly and reached up with his free hand to tickle the spot behind her leg. Saphira shot her head up and flapped her wings madly, trying to get out of the way of her rider's dancing fingers.

You were saying? Eragon joked. Saphira was now the one on the floor being assaulted. She bellowed and growled while Eragon crouched beside her and continued to tickle her weak spots.

Mercy! She screamed breathlessly. Eragon stopped tickling her and laid his head on her stomach.

So this is what it is like to be free, Eragon said to her. We don't have to worry about anything. We are free to do as we please together.

Eragon and his dragon stayed in the forest for over an hour just laying next to each other, until Saphira felt a strange, familiar presence.

"Am I interrupting?" a voice asked from the trees. Eragon shot up from Saphira's belly and drew his hunting knife. Angela suddenly appeared from behind a tree. Solembum was behind her in his cat form.

"Hello Angela," Eragon said, quickly stuffing the knife into his pocket again. "What brings you here?"

"I can ask you the same question," Angela replied. "I actually have come for you and Saphira. Will you accompany me?"

She is up to something, Saphira said to Eragon, getting up on her paws again. What it is I know not.

She hasn't let us down before, Eragon replied. He nodded towards Angela and approached.

We have a surprise for you, Solembum spoke into Eragon's mind.

What is it? He asked. The ware cat turned to lead the way back.

You will see shortly, Solembum said. Come, Shadeslayer. Eragon shrugged and followed the two deeper into the forest with Saphira beside him.

I got the tickling idea from Fallen Dragonfly, who has an outstanding story I urge everyone to check out.

PEACE!