Chapter 4: Arya.
Crimson eyes surveyed the vast expanse of dunes that spread all the way to the horizon like ripples on a golden ocean.
Far in the distance he could just make out a line of purple crags.
A few trees lay in the desolation of the desert, on land his farm honed eyes told him was unfit for crops.
No life could be seen except a few birds high in the sky.
"Cheery place."
Murtagh chuckled at his sarcasm.
"You sure we'll find food for the horses out there?" Eragon kept his eyes scanning the desert.
"See those?" Murtagh gestured towards the crags "Grass grows round them, it's short and tough but the horses will find it sufficient, they'll have too."
"Right" agreed Eragon, three days and no sign on Empire troops they were making excellent progress...but "You tired?"
"No, why?"
"Then there's no reason to stop" 'You enjoying yourself?' he asked Saphira as she spiralled overhead, whilst he and Murtagh started off again.
'Yes, this is a wondrous place. I could spend years here and not notice the passing time' her true and deep joy brought a smile to Eragon's face.
'It looks like a nice place to fly' he agreed, the light hurting his eyes slightly.
'Not only that, I feel like I was made for this desert, it has the space I need, mountains where I could roost and camouflaged prey I could spend days hunting. And the warmth! Cold does not bother me, but this heat makes me feel alive and full of energy.'
He heard a happy roar and his smile widened 'You like it that much.'
He could feel her nod through their connection.
'Then maybe, once everything's done, we'll return here.'
This place held something nice for him as well, it was desolate, there was no one else here, a great large and lonely land. And he liked that thought, liked the thought of lounging in the sun without fear or doubt, just him and Saphira.
Her happiness at his statement ran down their connection and he felt it as though it were his own.
Sunset came quickly, but by that time they had reached the crags they had viewed from a distance earlier, next to Eragon, Murtagh's face was contorted into a scowl and was red from sunburn.
After picketing the horses where they could eat the sparse grass, Murtagh set about with the fire.
"How far do you think we went?" Eragon looked back over the distance they had covered.
"I don't know" snapped Murtagh, his eyes bloodshot "We need water and the horses need to drink so do your magic" he demanded refocusing on the fire.
Eragon nodded and set about getting water... when a plan formed in his head.
'Eragon, that may not improve his mood' warned Saphira as Eragon nearly finished his plan.
'No but it will improve mine.'
Despite her scolding he could sense the amusement she felt, and continued with his plan.
"Have you got that water yet?" asked Murtagh angrily, the fire still not starting.
"SHIT!"
Murtagh stumbled away from the fire, cold water dripping down from his hair and his clothes now wet, Eragon stood, the cooking pot in his hands, a few drops of water dripping down the sides, with a big grin on his face.
Murtagh glared at him "Screw you" he said.
That only caused the rider to start laughing.
Murtagh continued to glare a few more minutes before giving up and having a small chuckle "I hope you didn't waste all the water in the desert for that."
"You think I would be so irresponsible" said Eragon, faking offence as the comments "Nah, I can fill it five or six times over. So get the horses over here would ya."
Murtagh filled the water skins and the cooking pot, again, before letting the horses get to the water.
The thirsty animal gulped down gallons, but it didn't take much strength for Eragon to draw up a bit more.
Once they were finally sated he gave Saphira a glance 'If you want some, take it now.'
Saphira bent down and drank the hole clean.
'More?'
'No that amount sates me.'
'Good' Eragon released the spell and let the few dribbles of water fade into the ground.
Holding the water to the surface was easy, as was most magic nowadays, it hadn't triggered another headache at least.
He remembered, with amusement, how once he had struggled to lift a pebble.
Freezing.
Utterly and completely freezing was the morning weather. And it seemed Murtagh mood had deteriorated with sleep.
"How long do you think it'll be before we get out the desert" Eragon asked over breakfast.
Murtagh glowered at him "We're only crossing a small section of it. It shouldn't take more than two or three days."
"Probably less given how far we've already come."
"Maybe, but I just want to get out of the Hadarac as quick as possible, running from the empire is hard enough without having to pick sand from our eyes every few minutes."
'He seems cheery' commented Saphira as Murtagh stomped from the conversation.
'Not everyone has your resistance to sand, heat and cold Saphira' Eragon himself stood and started to pack away.
'No reason to take it out on you though.'
'When you're in pain you lash out at those closest to you, whether you want to or not' justified Eragon, not stopping in his tasks.
'But this is hardly deep emotional pain' argued Saphira.
'True, but annoyance and pain sometimes make you more prone to lash out than a deep emotional wound.'
Saphira remained silent pondering his words.
Eragon glanced over to the elf, she was as still as a corpse, and could be confused for one if not for her steady and methodical breathing.
Sitting by her he brushed a stray hair from her face "Why don't you wake?" he frowned when no answer was forthcoming "Where is your injury? Why do you sleep this sleep, like one dead?" with a sigh he prepared the elf for travel then saddled and mounted Snowfire.
As they started travelling a line of indistinct smudges became visible on the horizon.
"Better hope they aren't soldiers" muttered Eragon shifting in the saddle.
"They won't be" the first words Murtagh had spoken in hours "If they are then it's either soldiers from Surda or dwarves, there are no empire cities over here. Most likely they're just some hills in the distance."
Eragon nodded but kept his eyes on them, even so his mind was elsewhere, mainly on the elf.
'If I knew more about healing I might be able to wake her or heal her or something... if only I knew more.'
'Worry not little one' Saphira responded to his doubts 'it is not your fault alone, I too know little about healing.'
'I was the one learning magic' he reminded her.
'And I was the one listening in. Your knowledge is my knowledge little one, and I assure you that there is nothing you have forgotten, no secret healing words and no subtle hints, it is not your fault.'
'Then whose is it?' he asked crossly.
'The fault lies with those who harmed her, and it shall remain with them' her words heartened him, and calmed his mind, but he couldn't help the little nagging doubt in the back of his mind.
They stopped at midday for a brief rest, but it was a hollow rest, the glowering sun and harsh winds removing any sense of rest from their rest.
When they resumed Eragon noted how the smudges had become more defined, no longer just smudges and definitely not soldiers, he could now see great mounds covered in woodland, but the true mystery lay above them where the sky was a pale white.
It was as if someone had bleached the very sky of its colour just above those mounds, he blinked once, twice and three times but still it remained.
'So it's not an illusion' he thought to himself 'then what?'
He puzzled over it as they rode along. It distracted him from the boredom of constant riding and the annoyance of the sand.
After a few good hours realisation hit him like a hammer.
"Oh" he and Snowfire pulled to a stop.
Murtagh, noticing his pause, turned "What are you doing?" he asked angrily, glowering at Eragon.
"Murtagh, you see those little lumps on the horizon?"
Murtagh humoured him and looked "Yeah."
"And you see how the sky above them is white?"
"Yes" his annoyance was gaining power with each question Eragon asked, so this time Eragon went for a statement.
"I think that might be the Beor Mountains."
Silence met his statement, and Saphira, who had been listening in to their conversation, examined the area as well.
"Gods above" Murtagh murmured, staring at them "They're huge!"
'I feel like a hatchling again' Saphira said, amazed 'Before them even I feel small.'
'Before them you are small' responded Eragon, ignoring the grumpy growl that responded to his remark.
"I'd heard of their great height, but never expected them to be of such monstrous size."
"Let's just hope the animals aren't in proportion to the mountains" said Eragon dryly "Then again it'd be a great way to die, the Dragon Rider Eragon, his Dragon Saphira and his faithful companion Murtagh getting mauled by a bear the size of Uru'baen, truly a tale worthy of the bards" Murtagh grinned at his humour, but was still in shock over the true size of the Beors.
"We must be close to the edge of the desert already if we can see the Beors" said Murtagh.
'Given their size they could still be some fifty leagues from here. It hard to gauge distances against something so immense' Saphira, the voice of reason, intoned 'they would be the perfect hiding place for the elves or the Varden don't you think?'
'You could hide more than the elves and the Varden in their Saphira, you could hide entire empires in there, imagine living with those behemoths over you.'
Eragon delivered the bad news to Murtagh who, despite looking slightly less enthusiastic, wasn't too damaged by the news.
"Well it'll be good to spend find some shade and spend a few week in leisure, this constant travelling is killing me."
"True" agreed Eragon "But I don't want to stop until either the elf is dead or she's awake and cured of whatever's wrong with her."
"I don't see how continues travel will do her any good, a few week in a bed will see her better than dangling under Saphira all day" said Murtagh gravely.
"Maybe... once we reach the Beors we could head to Surda, there must be a healer there that can help her."
Murtagh stared at the mountains, eyes shaded by his hand "We can decide this later, for now our goal is to get to the Beors. There at least the Ra'zac will have trouble finding us and we'll be safe from the empire."
At the end of the day the mountains had gotten no closer, but the land had changed dramatically, going from red grains of sand to hard packed dry and cracked earth to lush grass.
Whilst they rode Saphira had already caught herself a gazelle and was chomping away when they camped down by a stream.
The sun set in the distance as Eragon stared out over the distance, in such a short space of time they had already left the Hadarac.
And sitting around the fire little could douse Murtagh's triumphant smile.
But Eragon remained subdued and lying on his back and staring up into the night sky, his thoughts were on other things than their crossing of the desert.
'I'm outside the empire' he thought, he lifted his right hand stared up at one of the leather gloves Brom had bought him all those months ago in Daret, the once scarred and used leather had been worn thin by his constant travelling and new scars marred the leather, they would need replacing soon.
It was strange for him, to be outside of Galbatorix's lands, his entire life had been spent in the empire, hating the taxes, hating the empire itself and wishing to be free, and now he was.
The leather covered hand fell to the ground limply.
But it was a bitter victory, because for it he had lost his entire world, his uncle, and then finally his mentor 'My world has been destroyed again' he thought, thinking of his crimson eyes that were no doubt glowering at all he surveyed 'But not everything was lost, Murtagh's still here.'
It was a pleasant thought. Now that he was free the thought of settling down and living in peace appealed to him. But he couldn't, the empire had caused him too much pain, too much grief. He still wanted revenge for his uncle, and he wanted revenge for Brom now, but it had progressed from a hate of just the Ra'zac to a hate of the empire itself.
He wanted to crush it, to watch it burn at his feet, to cause it unimaginable pain.
And Eragon knew exactly how to do it. He would destroy the empire with the people and freedom justifying his actions, but vengeance truly driving him.
'Or maybe it's the other way round' he thought amused at him 'Vengeance justifying the actions, but the people driving me.'
He chuckled humourlessly.
Murtagh was leaning against a large rock a small way away, and either didn't hear, or didn't pay attention to his laugh, he sighed whilst sitting there, contentment on his face.
The crimson gaze was moved from Murtagh to the elf, she lay out by Saphira, her face was orange in the firelight and shadows flickered round her eyes.
As Eragon stared at her from his own lounging position, a thought occurred to him that almost had him smacking his head at his own stupidity.
'I should have thought of that ages ago.'
He could touch the thoughts of all living thing, from plants to animals, and of course humans. It was something he had done frequently with Saphira, but other than his attempt to read Murtagh he had never tried it on another human.
'Which was stupid, it could have really helped in Dras'Leona' he reprimanded himself 'Of course Brom's warning about not violating people privacy killed most of the will to do so in the old me. But I'm the new shady version of Eragon' he grinned at his own joke.
'I could find out from her memories what happened to her and how to revive her, but the question is would she forgive me for the intrusion...' then another thought occurred to him 'Do I care? Nope, goody, let's get cracking.'
He headed over and knelt by the elf, he brushed a few locks of raven hair from her face 'She really is quite pretty' he thought to himself, and then, placing a hand on her forehead, he extended a tendril of thought.
Her mind was easy to find, and was not fuzzy or filled with pain as he expected, instead it was lucid and clear.
An icy dagger stabbed into his mind, with ferocity previously unknown to Eragon, words roared into his mind.
'DIE SHADE!'
Memories whirled before his eyes, his own memories, and then one passed by, the one memory he didn't want to see.
"What do you crave?" asked Durza in his taunting voice.
"Power" Eragon's reply was weak and feeble.
"And I can give it to you? Do you want it?"
"Y-yes" even more quite than his previous answer this one was heard only by his own and Durza's ears.
"Say it. Say it in the language where you cannot lie, say it!"
With strength that surprised even himself, he forced her back, she had seen it, the one thing he never wanted anyone to see, she had seen his weakness, his failings, the secrets he kept, even from Saphira, his dragon, the partner of his mind, had been taken by this elven bitch.
He ploughed into her mind, intending on ravaging her as she had him, he smashed into her mind, forcing her down, making her bend to his will.
More memories flickered before his eyes, they were he elf's this time, he saw the elf and another elf, this one male, he was less beautiful than her but still fairer than any human Eragon had ever seen, they were laughing and holding hands as they walked amongst trees.
Then he saw Durza standing before her, brief flashes of her torture where he felt irons placed against her back, then an argument between the elf and another elven woman who looked mightily like her. Her emotion and feelings flickered with it and Eragon could feel the emotions as though they were his own, as well as the pain.
When the flashed stopped he held the elf's mind in a choke hold.
His grip tightened as he intended to kill her in that instant. Then he relented, he released her from the hold and let her go free, but kept his mind tightly locked with hers, like two bodies' pressed together, there was no modesty to be had in this situation.
She recovered quickly and was about to strike again when he stopped her "Eka eddyr ai Shur'turgal" 'I am a Rider' calming and confidently he spoke, no hesitation in his tone.
He kept her mind close to his own, never letting her have too much freedom, so that if she planned to attack again he would know.
"Eka eddyr neiat Durza" 'I am not Durza.'
If she hadn't figured that out already then she was barely worth saving but still, it'd earn him some brownie points with the elves so everything sort of worked out, he made sure she saw these thoughts.
Her mind tentatively touched back at his own, very gently, trying to not be seen as a threat.
The alien nature of her mind didn't bother him in the slightest, the vast and powerful mind, weighed with the memories of uncounted years, and the dark haunting melody that so encapsulated her identity, didn't affect him, the lure of her consciousness, that invited him to submerge himself in the lyric strains of her blood held no lust for him, he could ignore them like a cut on his finger, he knew it was there but overall it didn't affect him.
'You are a shade' her voice was calm and not accusing, but he could feel the accusation behind it, she spoke in the ancient language and it took him a moment to translate.
'Do not play pretend elf' he demanded, speaking in his own tongue and letting his anger rise to the surface of his thoughts 'You saw my memory more clearly than I did, and if you can't tell I'm not terribly happy about that, so give me one reason not to burn all of your mind' and he could do it too, the elf knew that as well, as the hidden accusation fell from her mind, but he could tell it lingered on.
She shivered and flinched away from his mind, but he pressed himself against her mind all the closer.
'What is your name?' she asked, diminished somewhat.
'Eragon and yours?' though she spoke in the ancient language Eragon himself had no desire to, he held the upper hand here and she knew it.
'...Arya. Why have you contacted me in this manner? Does the empire still not learn that they cannot break me?' the anger returned to her tone at the end, but Eragon pushed himself against her even further, smothering her, until it faded, thankfully she was speaking in the human tongue rather than the ancient language now.
'You're no longer a captive of the empire. I was imprisoned in Gilead, like you, but rescued. My rescuer saved you at the same time, I had seen you earlier and that's why he even knew you existed. It's been five days since then, and we're at the edge of the Beors having crossed the Hadarac desert. Look in my memories if you don't believe me.'
He could sense her beginning to look into his mind and decided that it's better to be safe than sorry and let his mind crush down on hers, as an oppressive weight 'Be warned though, if you stray anywhere I don't wish you to, I will crush you.'
With that he let her browse, keeping a close eye on her, and she was being awfully good looking only at the memories of his rescue, then of their escape and then of their travels, not looking anywhere else, not even slightly further back than their rescue, and he knew a few memoires leered out at her, tempting her.
'Satisfied?' he asked sharply.
'Yes, thank you' her mind seemed to wander now, it was calmer and less hostile 'I had thought it was Gilead' but she quickly removed herself from her musing and focused back on the memories 'I knew that my wounds were healed, but I was unsure as to why, preparation from some new torture, I assumed. I realise now it was you' her voice grew softer now 'and yet still I have no woken, and this troubles you.'
'Well nooooo! It's just a near dead elf who I'm really getting sick of lugging about' was his sarcastic response.
She was repulsed by his cavalier attitude, but spared it little thought and focused on more important matters 'A rare poison, the Skilna Bragh was given to me during my captivity, along with the drug to suppress my power. Every morning the antidote for the previous days poison was administered, with force if I resisted. Without it I would die within a few hours, that is why I entered this trance, it slows it effects but cannot stop it. I contemplated waking for the purpose of ending my own life, to spite Galbatorix, but refrained from doing so, hoping that you were an ally...'
Eragon sighed 'Well aren't you just a barrel a laughs' once again the slight amusement and major confusion echoed from the mental link 'So you're poisoned, where do we get the antidote?'
'It exists in only two places, with my people...'
'Who are a bit far away' Eragon inserted.
'...and with the Varden' she continued, ignoring the interruption.
'This trance slows the poison right, how long can you maintain it?'
'For weeks, but I'm afraid we don't have that much time. This state cannot hold back death forever, without the antidote I will die within three to four days.'
'Oh and the barrel of laughs is back, you must be a riot at parties' he muttered annoyed 'So do you know where the Varden is?'
'Yes, but before I tell you, you must promise me that you have not deceived me in any way during this conversation and that you will never give this information to Galbatorix or anyone who serves him.'
'I could just rip it from you mind' he warned, her defences began to rise, then he snorted 'Well you'll need to give me a minute 'cause I'm not that literate in the ancient language, I presume thats how you want your promise.'
Eragon could feel her agreement through the connection and switched to the ancient language 'I promise never to reveal this information to Galbatorix nor anyone who serves him, and...' he stumbled over the next word 'And I can't do the next bit because I might have been lying when I said you were a barrel of laughs' he had switched back to his native tongue, his mind confused at talking in the silly language.
'That will do' she conceded, it seemed she had taken his warning about ripping it from her mind seriously.
A series of vertigo inducing images whirled in front of his mind before he found himself riding along the Beor mountains, eastwards, travelling many leagues.
He tried to remember the route, it was rather confusing, but he did a pretty good job of it. He was riding south now, still following the mountains. Then everything wheeled abruptly and he entered a narrow, winding valley. It snaked its ways through the mountains to the base of a frothy waterfall that pounded into a deep lake.
'It is far' said Arya after he recovered from the sickening ride 'But do not let that dissuade you. When you arrive at the lake Kostha-merna, at the end of the beartooth river, take a rock, bang on the cliff next to the water fall and cry Ai Varden abr du Shur'turgal gata vanta you will be admitted. You will be challenged but do not falter.'
'I won't' he stated confidently 'what should they give you for the poison?'
'Tell...' she faltered but quickly recovered 'Tell them to give me Tunivors nectar. You must leave now... I have expanded too much energy already. Do not talk to me again, unless there is no hope of reaching the Varden. Then I must give you information that will prove vital to the survival of the Varden. Farewell Eragon, rider of dragons and shade... my life is in your hands' she sounded like she was condemning herself, lowering herself to this level.
'And safer hands they certainly could be in. See ya... Arya' was Eragon's witty response.
His eyes flickered open as they both retreated from the contact.
Murtagh and Saphira stood by his sides.
"Are you alright, you've been sat there almost fifteen minutes?"
"I have" Eragon blinked, it certainly hadn't felt that long "Well time flies with good company."
This received him odd looks from both Murtagh and Saphira.
"I've been talking to Arya... the elf" he added due to their confusion.
'And what ails her?' asked Saphira eagerly.
"Well to shorten an extremely long conversation, she's been poisoned, she can survive about four more days and we have to get her to the Varden where they have the cure" Eragon finished his long winded speech with a cheerful grin.
'I have a feeling there is more to you conversation than that?'
'Oh there was, trust me I was like totally badass.'
Saphira snorted at his boasting, and amusement radiated from their connection, but he didn't let her see the conversation, and thankfully she didn't notice.
"Um, I'm lost" said Murtagh utter confusion on his features.
Eragon sighed "Just think on it a few minutes, it'll all become clear."
Murtagh followed his advice and thought on it, and strangely enough he did gain some clarity "So how far away is the Varden?"
"Not too sure, but quite a ways. Further than from here to Gilead, I think."
"From here to... Then how are we supposed to do that in four days, it took us five long days to get here, do you want to kill the horses?" Murtagh demanded angrily.
"And if we don't she dies... if necessary me and Saphira can go on ahead with Arya and you can catch up to us in a few days time."
Murtagh grunted and crossed his arms "Of course, Murtagh the pack animal. Murtagh the horse leader. I should have remembered that's all I'm good for nowadays. Oh and let's not forget, every soldier in the empire is search for me now because you could defend yourself, and I had to go and save you. Yes, I suppose I'll just follow your instructions and bring up the horses in the rear like a good servant."
Eragon stiffened "Oh of course, I'll just the elf die to save you a bit of pride" his words were harsh but right now he didn't care "Look I'm grateful for what you did, but you chose both of them, I didn't force you to accompany me, and I didn't force you to rescue me either."
"Oh, not openly, no! But what else could I do but help you with the Ra'zac? And later a Gilead how could I leave you there with a clear conscience? The problem with you" Murtagh jabbed Eragon in the chest, hard enough for it to sting "Is that you're so totally helpless that you force everyone to take care of you!"
The words stung, the grain of truth in them was even more painful.
"And let's not forget who got themselves turned into a shade because THEY were too WEAK!"
Eragon's temper finally frayed, and as Murtagh tried to pull his hand away, after poking him again, Eragon's hand flicked up and grabbed it, holding it tightly.
Until it broke.
He stumbled away with a cry, holding his damaged wrist.
"Don't ever touch me" Eragon warned, his hair shadowing his eyes out of view.
'Eragon you...'
Saphira was smacked aside, like a fly and though it was just in the mind, it stung like real blow.
But she forced herself back into his mind, trying desperately to stop him.
And then it hit her, his anger, his hate, it all washed over her, but it wasn't his and for once she understood why he feared using magic, why the anger was so terrifying that he didn't believe he could control it.
Because he barely could.
But this time he wasn't restraining it, this time he embraced it, and he was all the more terrifying for it.
"Bastard!" shouted Murtagh nursing his wrist.
'Eragon, listen to me, you don't want this, remember... Eragon' she pleaded in his mind, trying desperately to be heard, Eragon took a step forwards, murder in his intentions 'Murtagh is you friend!'
And with those words he stopped, his anger faded, replaced by a great emptiness, with small vestiges of sorrow flitting about.
He stalked forwards and grabbed Murtagh's wrist, he ignored the curses from Murtagh and focused on the magic "Waise heill" the wrist healed as though it had never been broken.
Then he stared levelly into Murtagh's eyes "If you want to leave now, I won't stop you" he said solemnly.
Murtagh stood and started packing, his intention clear, just before he mounted Tornac Eragon spoke.
"You're still my friend Murtagh... even if you leave you're still my friend."
Murtagh paused, his face hidden "I told you before, I don't want to go to the Varden" he said quietly.
"Why?"
"Because... because... just because."
"There must be a reason, did you steal something, kill someone, or bed the wrong woman, you can tell me Murtagh I won't pass judgement, I don't have that right."
A weakness, something that was rare for Eragon to show, Saphira knew it, and Murtagh too knew it, for they both stared at him in shock, looking into those sorrowful crimson eyes.
"I didn't do anything" Murtagh slumped down by Tornac "It would be so much easier if I had, then I could atone. No, my only sin is existing."
"What do you mean, there must be a reason?" Eragon was confused now.
"There is, I was born."
'Well that clears that up?' he thought sarcastically, but didn't voice those thought knowing he was on sensitive ground "What does that mean?"
He took a few deep ragged breaths "Eragon... my father... he was..."
Eragon stood silently.
"What?" asked Murtagh as Eragon walked forwards.
"Shit" a simple word, anger a frustration in his tone, crimson eyes looked out to the west "It's the empire, they've found us."
Murtagh turned, there under a crimson banner almost a league away was a line of troops, hundreds strong "No" he said quietly "DAMN IT!" he took another look, a closer look "Those are Urgals though, the banner bear the personal symbol of an Urgal chieftain, he's a ruthless brute, prone to fits of violence and insanity."
"You've met him?"
"Once, briefly. I still have the scars from that encounter."
"Well he sounds like a friendly bloke, probably a part of Galbatorix's tea party of evil group."
Murtagh looked at him, and asked with incredulity "Tea party of evil?"
"Yeah."
A sigh followed his cheery answer "The Urgals might not have been sent here for us, but by now they must have seen us, and their chieftain isn't the type to let a dragon escape his grasp, especially if he's heard about Gilead."
"Right, Murtagh you don't want to go to the Varden, that's fine. But right now if you go, they'll chase you down, then you'll be facing god knows how many Urgals with no rider and dragon to back you up. So we're in need of a compromise. Come with us to Kostha-Merna, and then go your own way. I'm sure there's a valley or gulley you can hide out in whilst the Urgals are either killed or give up."
Murtagh hesitated, but then nodded "Okay, but when we near the Varden, I will leave."
"Fine, but now we better go."
Eragon didn't bother gathering his belongings by hand and used a spell to pack and set everything quickly, so that less time was wasted. He also used a spell to tie Arya to Saphira. Murtagh was already packed and they clambered up onto the horses and rode.
Saphira took off, air buffeted both Eragon and Murtagh as they started to ride 'Which direction shall I fly?' she hovering just above the two.
'East, along the Beors.'
Saphira rose on an updraft but stayed above the horses, sometimes circling back on herself so that she didn't get to far ahead 'Why are Urgals here? Were they sent to attack the Varden?' she asked as night settled in.
'I don't know Saphira. But that seems likely, either way the quicker we get there the better.'
As the night deepened the Urgals faded into the gloom behind them, though they had faded from sight their danger hung right behind them, like a knife to the neck. Other than in the saddle they didn't rest that night.