Chapter 10: Testing 1 2 3.
"So where is this testing?" he asked leaping down from Saphira.
"The training ground" Orik pointed out into Farthen Dur "Its half a mile from Tronjheim, you can't see it from here because it's behind the city mountain. It's a fairly large area and humans and dwarves alike practise there."
"Hmm, I met Nasuada yesterday" he stated fiddling with Zar'roc on his belt.
"Oh, you have?"
"Yeah... anything I should know about her?"
Orik frowned in thought "Not really, only that she's totally devoted to her father, sometimes she has manoeuvred his enemies without ever revealing her part in it. Unusual girl."
"Her mother?"
"That I don't know. Ajihad was alone when he brought Nasuada to Farthen Dur as a newborn child. He's never said where he and Nasuada came from" he glowered at Zar'roc as Eragon stopped fiddling with the blade.
'So she grew up not knowing her mother either...' Eragon frowned at the stone floor "Well, best get this testing over and done with" he adjusted his bow that was strung in its hold, and shifted Zar'roc, again, so that it was more comfortable.
"Of course, come we best..."
'I'm coming' said Saphira quickly, drowning out the rest of Orik's speech.
'You sure, there won't be much for you to do and what about the others fighters, its might cause problems.'
'I am coming, whether you want me to or not' she said with an air of finality.
'You're in a better mood today' he rebuked, she huffed angrily at the reminder and turned away.
"Saphira's coming" Orik made to speak but Eragon cut him off "Regardless... all her" he pointed to the dragon when Orik frowned at him.
"Very well" said Orik with a sigh, one glance at Saphira long sharp teeth convincing him.
The sounds of battle reached them as they approached the grounds, the clang of steel on steel, the thud of arrows lodging into targets, and the crack of wood hitting wood.
The training grounds were a bit of a jumbled mess.
The majority of the area was taken up by a unit of foot soldiers, practising with shield and poleaxes nearly as tall as themselves, drilling in formation.
Besides them was the jumbled mess, a mass or warriors wielding all varieties of weapons, swords, maces, axes, spears stave and shields, of all sizes and descriptions. One man even practised with a pitchfork.
They all wore armour, which was a good thing, most wore chainmail and a helmet, plate wasn't too common. Dwarves practised here as well, though humans and dwarves practised rather separately.
Behind the sparring warriors a broad line of archers fired at gray sack cloth dummies.
In truth it was rather disheartening to Eragon, having fought against swordsmen such as Brom and Murtagh, they all seemed... pathetic, he knew that in one on one fights he could defeat them all, and in all honestly they were a motley group. There was no order in them, no definition, they was little more than a band of rebels.
"Knurla Orik. You've been gone for far too long. There's no one left for me to spar with."
Eragon turned to find a bearded man, wearing a mail coif that covered his head and blocky shoulders and a rough ox hide suit, with the hair still on, that protected the rest of his body, talking to Orik.
A huge sword, almost as tall as Eragon, was strapped onto his back. The man turned and gave Eragon and Saphira a once over glance, as if evaluating how dangerous they were.
Orik smiled "Oei, that's because you bruise everyone from head to toe with your monster sword."
"Everyone except you" he corrected.
"That's because I'm faster than a giant like you."
He laughed, then turned his gaze back to Eragon "I'm Fredric. I've been told to find out what you can do. How strong are you?"
"Strong enough" replied Eragon.
He frowned, unsatisfied with that answer "Listen, what we're concerned with is whether you can last in a long battle that may last ours, or weeks even if it's a siege. Unless you've served in the Kings army I doubt any of your battles have lasted more than a few minutes, and if you have served in the Kings army that s a whole boatload more of problems."
"I haven't" Eragon assured.
"Right, you know how to use any weapons others than your sword and bow?"
Eragon smirked at him and started to reply.
'Eragon!'
He turned and met the twins gaze confidently from across the field.
Next to him Fredric scowled. They approached, but Fredric stepped in front of them, they looked frail before his bulk "I've told you two to stay away from the training area."
The twins gazed at him arrogantly "We were ordered by Ajihad to test Eragon's proficiency with magic... before you wear him out banging on pieces of metal."
Fredric glowered "Why can't someone else test him?"
"No one else is powerful enough" sniffed one of them. Saphira growled at them, a line of smoke trickled from her nostrils, but they ignored her "Come with us."
Eragon followed them, with a confident swagger, to an empty corner of the field.
"We have to stop them from going too far" he heard Fredric say behind him.
"I know" murmured Orik "but I can't interfere again. Hrothgar made it clear that he won't be able to protect me the next time it happens."
"Don't worry" Eragon called back to them, shocking them, that he could hear them from that far away "Two measly humans" he lifted his bare palm into the sky "couldn't match me" a light glow lit up from the Gedwey Ignasia, a near maniacal smirk was ensnared upon Eragon's face.
The twins scowled at him "And how do you answer us, Eragon?"
"No" he drew out the word, making it as taunting as possible, yet it was barely a hiss.
He knew Orik and Fredric watched them confused, but ignored them. The twins scowled deepened, they bent at the waist and drew and pentagram upon the ground "We begin now. You will attempt to complete the tasks we assign you... that is all."
One of the twins reached into his robe, producing a polished rock the size of a fist and set it on the ground "Lift it to eye level."
"Easy" Eragon focused his gaze on the rock "Reisa" it lifted, wobbling once, he noticed with satisfaction that one of the twins was breathing a bit too heavily. They would soon learn that trying to stop him was foolish.
"Very... good" they hissed. Fredric looked unnerved by the display of magic "Now move the stone in a circle" again they tried to stop him, but his own power easily ripped through whatever there attempt to stop him.
The test continued for an hour, they made him harden leather, manipulate fire, control the flight of an arrow, they went through almost his entire skill set in magic.
But Eragon had realised a long time ago, in fact before they had even started, that they would try to force him to use more words, looking for any they didn't know, and so he used simple words, forcing his mind to make connections between simple words and complicated tasks.
And so no matter how much they tried he didn't use more than a handful of the simplest words, and it clearly infuriated them.
He wasn't tired, in fact this was fairly relaxing for him, but despite this he was forced to rely on some of Saphira's strength, mainly whenever he felt a headache coming on. Whenever that happened he'd use Saphira's strength and then he'd move back to his own when it faded, it was a good system and he could probably last many more hours using this method.
But it was then that twins raised a hand "There is only one thing left to do. It is simple enough... any competent user of magic should find this easy" one of them removed a silver ring from his finger and smugly handed it to Eragon "Summon the essence of silver."
Eragon's silver eyes were drawn to ring, wondering what they hell they were talking about. What was the essence of silver, and how the hell was he supposed to summon it?
In fact he had never learned silvers name in the ancient language, still he thought carefully 'Its Arget isn't it. Lam is hand, I remember when Brom got that bird to fly to his hand he said lam, so its Arget, but now how to summon the essence, invoke maybe, yes invoke so Ethgri Arget.'
He called up the magic and prepared to speak.
"STOP!"
The words flowed over him like cool water, like a melody, a song in just one word, and his eyes were drawn immediatly to the speaker, Arya.
She was truly a beauty, now that she was conscious it was only increased. A band of leather was wrapped around her forehead, holding back her lustrous raven black hair, it cascaded down behind her shoulders like a dark waterfall.
Her slender blade was at her hip, and her bow on her back. Plain black leather clothed her shapely frame, Eragon eyed the tight leather appreciatively, his eyes more focused on what was beneath it.
Her face was unmarked or marred, none of the horrors she had been subjected too could be seen on that vision of perfection.
Her blazing emerald eyes were fixed in the twins, who had turned pale with fright. Her approaching steps made no noise, and her voice was low, soft, yet menacing "Shame! Shame to ask him of him what only a master can do. Shame that you use such methods. Shame that you drew it out having already seen the true reach of his power. Now leave!" her eyebrows met like lightning bolts in a dangerous V shape.
She pointed to the ring in Eragon's finger and exclaimed thunderously "Arget!"
The silver shimmered and a ghostly copy appeared next to it, but Eragon ignored it keeping his eyes on Arya.
The Twins fled and still he barely noticed, he felt Saphira crouch, preparing for action.
Arya's eyes skimmed over Saphira, and then onto Eragon, where he met them confidently.
She turned and strode into the centre of the field, the whole group stopped their training to watch her, she turned back to Eragon and kept her eyes on him and him alone "I claim the right of trial by arms. Draw your sword."
Eragon blinked for several seconds, before smirking at the challenge, Zar'roc easily found its way to his palm, and the tip dragged in the soft earth.
'Eragon maybe you shouldn't...'
"So the little elf wants to play" he taunted, grinning with pure maniacal glee, and interrupting and ignoring Saphira, much to her annoyance.
She frowned at him, her dark eye brows meeting in the same V-shape they had when facing the twins, but Eragon wasn't bothered. In fact he found it rather attractive.
'Have you considered not pissing off potential allies Eragon?' Saphira asked with exasperation.
'Now where would the fun in that be' he responded.
Arya's own sword was drawn, and she entered a fighting stance, Eragon kept his own stance casual, the sword resting gently on the earth next to his foot.
"Come on then, little elf."
She shot forwards with incredible speed, their blades met in a whirl of metal, then she broke away from the clash, Eragon hadn't moved a step.
He lifted his sword, to point its tip at her, then crouched low, her speed and strength had shown him that he didn't need to hold back, not a single bit.
And he charged, their blades met again, clashing, then retreating, then smacking into each other again, not once did either of them give the other a single advantage, they were completely equal.
They circled each other keeping their blades at the ready, then clashed, this time each pulled back several steps, before charging forwards.
Eragon had no clue how long they battled, how long their blades intertwined, how often they were barely a hairs breadth from each other, before they pulled away, only re-clash seconds later.
Their blades clashed again, above both of their heads, their eyes were met, he was only just taller than her, they kept pressing their blades against each other, neither could gain the advantage in strength.
But Eragon dropped his blade, his arms wrapped around her waist, and he charged, knocking them both over and onto the ground.
His own hands wrapped around her wrists, holding her arms above her head, but one of her knees smashed into his ribs, and she gained the advantage, and she rolled him over so that she was on top.
Using her legs Arya pressed him down, and her hands now wrapped around his wrists.
But she made one mistake, her face was too close to his, and he smacked his forehead up into hers.
And with that he shoved her off and walked off to pick up Zar'roc while she was stunned.
When he turned, the red blade now back in his hand, she was watching him, her own sword in her hand as well.
He licked his lips, lifted his left hand, and, using just his middle and ring finger, pulled the fingers towards himself, telling her to come. And come she did and once again Eragon and Arya were locked in a furious whirl of blades.
Spinning away from one clash, hours later, Eragon used the momentum to slash from his spin at her, but she had the same idea and their blades met with jarring force.
They pulled away, both intent on one thing, and they both succeeded, their blades touched each other's throats, their bodies practically pressed together.
Her face was the epitome of seriousness, but his was a victorious grin.
"You pass" she said calmly, removing her blade and stepping away.
"And so do you" he replied sheathing Zar'roc, still grinning madly.
The crowd, that had gathered while they sparred, cheered as the fight ended, Fredric walked through the crowd to Eragon "Incredible, just amazing. Even I learned some new moves watching you two!"
Arya turned to leave, but as she was doing so, she gestured, with a single discrete finger, to a knoll nearly a mile away. And with that she walked away, the crowd parting before her.
"So anything else you want to test" he said, his red eyes following Arya as she left.
"After that? I don't think we need any more testing" said Fredric shaking his head in amazement.
"That showed my skill with a sword, true, but I was wielding it alone. Surely in a battle, or a war type thing I'd be fighting with a shield, or in armour or something."
"True enough" Fredric drew his mind away from the fight "You ever fought with a shield?"
"Nope" answered Eragon cheerfully.
"In armour?" Eragon shook his head "Right... any weapons other than your sword?"
"My bow, my dagger and my fists."
"I see" Fredric stared at him carefully "Well let's see how you do with a bow first."
Eragon nodded and was lead by Fredric to the targets.
'Are you trying to make Arya angry?' asked Saphira her gaze moving from Eragon to the elf, who was watching him from quite a way away, her expression becoming more irate as he ignored her, back to Eragon.
'Yes.'
She snorted, causing the small group who were staring at her to jump, as smoke emerged from her nostrils.
"Alright, let's have a look at that" he gestured to Eragon's bow which was handed over quickly "Right... well" he pulled it back then let it go with a twang "Over here should do."
Eragon was led a bit closer to the straw dummies, "From here it should be reasonably difficult to fire quickly and accurately. Go ahead, let's see how you do."
Pulling an arrow from his quiver he knocked it and drew the string back, surprised at the ease.
Eragon paused, and dropped the arrow.
"Something wrong?" asked Fredric
Eragon ignored him and drew the bow again, this time without an arrow, once again it was easy, too easy, in fact...
"It feels like I'm going to break it" he commented.
"Break it? Really, its takes a pretty strong arm to pull that and it doesn't look too weak."
"No" agreed Eragon examining the bow "But I have gotten stronger."
"People can't get strong enough to break a bow by not using it for a few weeks, no human..." Fredric stopped and glanced from Eragon to Saphira.
"I'm not human" remarked Eragon still examining the bow.
"True" he agreed shakily "Well the armoury is just over there, we can see if they have a good bow for you" he regained his cheer and enthusiasm quickly.
"Yeah" Eragon continued to examine the bow, but soon headed over to Saphira and attached it the saddle.
'It's important to you' said Saphira watching him sombrely.
'Garrow made it for me' he told her, she may share his mind but something's she didn't see, for some reason that was one of them.
She watched him carefully, paying particular attention to the sad, regretful face expression he wore.
"Alright, so to the armoury" he said grinning, his former sorrow disappearing.
"Here try this" Eragon tried, then cast it into the steadily growing pile "Too weak."
"What about this one?"
"No" he placed it in the pile too, it had nearly shattered when he had drawn how he would need it, quickly and without perfect accuracy in the amount of strength he exerted.
"What about this?"
He tried "Nope."
"... umm, shall we try the longbows?" asked Fredric scratching the back of his head, they had gone through numerous different woods and styles but none were tough enough. Orik was sharpening his axe in a corner.
"Sure."
It took them seven differently wooded and styled longbows to find a good one.
He shot another arrow right into the head of the dummy hitting right where the eye would be "Nice shot!" complimented Fredric "Is that one alright, you seem to be firing quite rapidly?"
"It's good" said Eragon pulling the string back "Still a bit weak... I'll have to be careful. And it's too long to be practical" Fredric looked dismayed "But it'll do."
Fredric nodded not at all happy with that result "Sorry, the only bows stronger are the elves and the dwarves. The elves aren't exactly in reach and the dwarves only make their bows for their own."
Orik watched carefully.
"Fair enough" Eragon shot another arrow, this one pierced straight through his previous arrow.
"Very nice!"
"Hmm" but to Eragon it still wasn't good enough, he could shoot an arrow with fairly good accuracy from more than one hundred meters, but the bow still wasn't strong enough, if he pulled it just to hard it would break.
"I could speak to Hrothgar" Eragon and Fredric looked over to the dwarf who was looking at the target "Dwarven bows are for dwarves true... but perhaps an exception can be made" Fredric watched in shock "I wouldn't get your hopes up, but I'll see what he can do about getting you a good bow."
"Thank you" said Eragon seriously.
Orik waved it off, but given Fredric's shock this wasn't something that often happened, if it happened at all.
"Still for now, this is perfect" incredulous looks met him, given his complaints "...ly alright" now he was met with amused grins.
"Alright, now that we've judged your skill with a bow, we should try you out with a shield."
"I'm game."
"Good... hmm" Fredric surveyed him for several seconds.
"What?"
"Well we could see how you fight under armour as well, it'll slow you down, and its heavy, but it'll be good to get used to the weight."
"I'm in, suit me up" he said with a grin.
A shirt of chain mail was pulled on over his head, a nice simple cuirass, designed to protect the torso, and only the torso, was strapped over his torso. Spaulders covered his shoulders, but the chain mail around his armpits was exposed.
Tassets were attached to the cuirass and protected his upper legs with his shins being protected on both sides by a pair of full greaves.
Fingerless gauntlets were strapped onto his forearm and covered some of his hand. An arming cap was pulled onto his head and, finally, a T-shaped barbute was pulled over that.
"How you feeling?" asked Fredric grinning at his grumpy expression.
"Honestly? Utterly pissed off, now hand me that shield and let's get to me beating you senseless"
Laughter met his ears and a large leather buckler was pressed into his left hand, he struggled to get a good grip before finding one. Then Zar'roc was drawn from it's sheathe on his belt, which was strapped around his waist and held a good part of the amour together.
"Alright, come on then" said Fredric, his large two handed sword in his palms.
Eragon moved around slowly, pacing in a circle with Fredric.
"Keep the shield close to your torso, just under your chin" he advised watching Eragon move.
Following the advice, the shield was pulled closer to him.
Eragon shot forwards letting his blade strike in a whirlwind of steel, Fredric's heavy two handed sword was batted aside and he was left exposed. But Eragon pulled away from the encounter and let him recover.
And recover Fredric did, he reaffirmed his grip on the sword and they resumed their circular march.
"Use you shield as a defence against attacks your sword would falter against, and as a ram to smash into your enemies."
Following the next piece of advice Eragon marched forwards and caught a blow by Fredric's sword on the shield, then he pushed him over using said shield, his sword was still embedded a good inch into the wood.
"Haha, not bad" said Fredric yanking his blade from the shield at Eragon's insistence "Buts let see how you do against numbers" he called to a few of the other fighters, four humans, one wielding a mace, one a spear and two sword and shields, and two dwarves each wielding heavy axes.
"Think you can match them?" challenged Fredric.
Eragon lowered his stance, set the shield back in front of his chest and kept Zar'roc pointed to his front "Bring it on."
Four long sweaty hours, several different weapons and numerous bruises and gashes, for his enemies, and Eragon was finally done.
He tossed the spear, the last weapon Fredric wanted him to try, down into a pile of others, a mace, a scimitar, a pair of daggers, a large heavy war axe were also in the pile.
He then set about stripping off the amour, revealing his three day old shirt now sweaty and covered in small blood stains, only two rips were on the material, on when Fredric had hit him in the less armoured area under his armpit and another on his leg just above the greaves but below to tassets, where a dwarf had given him a small nick.
He stretched and clicked out his neck, enjoying being free of armour.
"Well I must admit" Fredric was still panting heavily from the fight "That was a fine battle" he looked over to the other combatants, he had been able to keep his injuries down to several bruises and numerous scraps and just one cut on his chin , the other weren't so lucky.
Though most had escaped mainly unscathed, apart from their prides and a few bruises and cuts, one human had gotten a rather nasty gash on his leg and one of the dwarves had been hit, very hard, on the head with a mace, thankfully he was wearing a helmet otherwise his brains would currently be decorating the field, as it was he had mild concussion.
"Agreed" said Eragon grasping Fredric's forearm, Fredric grabbed his back.
"Hey Orik, I have something to do. Is it okay if I meet you at one of the gates?" Orik followed Eragon's gaze to Arya who was still stood, proud and perfect, quite far away now.
"Certainly" agreed the dwarf "I'll wait, just come and find me."
"Right... see you then" Eragon clambered up onto Saphira, the yew bow in a holder on his back, it was long, and unwieldy, nothing like his bow. The one Garrow made for him was perfect, not too long but not so short that there wasn't enough power, but it would have to do.
They flew over Arya once 'You find her form pleasing do you not?'
'Of course' said Eragon, his having been trailing up and down her leather clad body long before Saphira had spoken 'Who wouldn't?'
'Her face does have more character than most of you humans. Buts it's long, like a horse, and overall she's rather shapeless' said Saphira haughtily, glaring down at Arya as she circled the elf again.
'I think most humans would be inclined to disagree' their eyes met, red meeting green 'Best go down now. Before she gets angry.'
'Oh yes, we wouldn't want that' said Saphira sarcastically 'After all it's not like you made her wait for five hours is it. It's not like you were purposefully trying to anger her, and it's not like you're a shade or something.'
'Good point Saphira, we certainly weren't trying to do anything like that.'
She landed roughly next to the elf, Eragon fell from Saphira and landed in a lump on the ground, the picture of exhaustion.
The elf said something, but a glance told Eragon it was directed towards Saphira and so he ignored it and turned his head the other way looking back to the training grounds.
"Shur'turgal."
He stood, his expression changing into a cold hard mask, turning his crimson gaze upon the elf. He looked her up and down, making no secret of the fact that he was checking her out, and she wasn't embarrassed, and if she was she didn't show it "You seem to have recovered" he said calmly.
"Yes" her answer was stiff and formal showing no emotion.
'Eragon what are you...'
'Saphira... stay out of this' his tone was cold, and dangerous, and he shoved her mind away from his own soon after saying that.
He met her emerald eyes confidently "You saved my life" she stated simply "Know that that is a debt I must repay."
"It was nothing" he said waving it away. They started at each other for some minutes, he wasn't sure how long exactly, before he finally broke the silence "How did you end up in Gilead?"
A pained expression crossed her face "Let us walk" Eragon followed a few paces behind Arya as they descended from the knoll and towards Farthen Dur.
"Ajihad told me you were present when Saphira's egg appeared."
Unsure as to whether or not it was a question Eragon nodded.
"Then know this; at the moment you first beheld it, I was captured by Durza" Eragon twitched at the name, if Arya noticed she made no comment, although she may have been too absorbed in her own bitterness and grief to notice "It was he who led the Urgals that ambushed and slew my companions, Faolin and Glenwing. Somehow he knew where to wait for us... we had no warning. I was drugged and transported to Gilead. There, Durza was charged by Galbatorix to learn where I had sent the egg and all I knew of Ellesmera."
Her jaw was clenched and her eyes icy as she glared ahead "He tried for months without success. His methods were... harsh. When torture failed, he ordered his soldier to use me as they would. Fortunately, I still had enough strength to nudge their minds and make them incapable. At last Galbatorix ordered that I be brought to Uru'baen. Dread filled me when I learned this, as I was weary in both body and mind and had no strength to resist him. If it were not for you, I would have stood before Galbatorix in a week's time."
Eragon's face was cold, and stony, no emotion crossed his face, but a single fleeting glance into those crimson eyes would send a man insane with fear, the pure and utter rage and hate that filled them would make hardened soldiers wet themselves and kings bow.
"Why tell me this?" he asked his mind remembering the injuries that had battered her skin.
"So that you know what I was saved from. Do not presume I can ignore your deed."
"Well" Eragon voice became lighter "At least you still have all four limbs, if I was going to torture someone I'd definitely start with the limbs, maybe the genitals if I'm feeling particularly evil."
Arya gave him an odd glance, clearly unsure about him, but kept any thought to herself.
"Yeah" he continued "I think taking a sledge hammer breaking every bit of their limbs, all four of them, repeatedly then healing it all up and starting again would be a much better way of torturing someone."
"You're strange" she stated, not in an insulting way just in an honest way.
Eragon glanced at her, making sure she could clearly see his crimson eyes "Never forget what I am, elf."
Arya looked away, avoiding those mad eyes, and looked straight ahead "I..." she stopped as a mind pressed down on her own, squeezing it.
"Now elf, let me ask you something... you told no one of what you saw... correct?"
She nodded, honesty radiated from her mind, and Eragon nodded "Good, now you will tell no one of that, do you understand?"
She nodded again, not backing away as he approached.
"Now that is good" he stood close in front of her now, very close, their bodies barely an inch apart, an inch he was all too happy to close.
And now they stood, their bodies pressed against each other, Eragon could feel each and every curve of Arya's form. He could hear Saphira trying to speak to him, but another mental shove kept her away.
"Because if you did I would rip apart you mind, and right now, I really don't want to have to kill you, or make you little more than a vegetable."
And with that warning he pulled away from her and walked off, his mind removing itself from hers as well. Arya followed after several moments, falling into step beside him.
"The elves will not react kindly to... what you are" she said warningly "Despite your rescue of me and the fact that you are a rider, trust with them will be hard earned."
"I don't need their trust, only their knowledge" said Eragon.
"And yet having their trust will be the only way to gain their knowledge."
Saphira paced some ways behind them, Eragon could tell she was angry at him, but what the elf had seen was more dangerous than Saphira's anger.
"True enough, but at the same time, I hold all the cards here."
"Oh, you do? How?"
"Simple, I'm the Rider, they need me. I could just join Galbatorix and gain power, simple and easy. But instead I'll go to the elves, but the threat of me joining Galbatorix should be enough. After all, with another rider under his control he could expand his empire far and wide, perhaps even to Ellesmera."
Arya frowned darkly "It would not be wise to threaten my race."
Here Eragon chuckled "I'm not wise."
They locked eyes again "No, you are not."
"HA! I appreciate the kind comments, elf."
They continued to walk in an insufferable silence, for Arya, Eragon was just walking along happily.
"Despite the fact that you are what you are, the elves will not deny you training, once they learn exactly what you are."
"Which no one is quite sure of, right?" asked Eragon with a grin.
"Yes, so do you know what you are?"
"No" Arya frowned again "Only that I'm me."
"Hmm" she thought carefully for many minutes "I will have to think more on this, perhaps I can solve this riddle, if not then someone in Ellesmera may be able to help."
"Someone?"
"Yes" her tone became stiff and cautious again, his line of questioning was uncomfortable for her.
Eragon sighed "So what will you do now?"
She gave him a questioning glance.
"Will you return to Ellesmera, will you stay at the Varden, will you wander off into a pit of lava or will you get killed by a giant wolf?"
Clearly Arya didn't like, or was at least confused by, his attitude, as she frowned, again "There is still much to be done here. I cannot abandon the Varden... Ajihad needs my help" there was silence again "I've seen you tested in both arms and magic. Brom taught you well. You are ready to proceed in you training.
"Oh? So you mean for me to go to Ellesmera."
"Yes."
Irritation at this sparked up in him, but he crushed it down "And if I don't want to?"
She stiffened now, her shoulders tensing "Then I suspect little could stop you."
"Hmm, so when?"
It took her a moment to realise what he was asking about "Not for some weeks."
"Right... so what did the twins want me to do that got you all hot and bothered?"
Emerald eyes glared at him "It is possible, with years of discipline and training to summon the true form of something by speaking its name in the ancient language. With that one gains total control over the object. Its why ones true name is always hidden, for using it one can gain complete domination over a person. It's a skill not even the twins have gained."
"Sounds fun" once again she gave him a confused stare "When we spoke, in your mind, I said that I had seen you before" she nodded "I saw you in a dream, it was like scrying, and afterwards I could scry you. I saw you quite a lot in those dreams. So is it possible to scry in your sleep?"
"There were times" she started slowly, her lips pursed pensively "when I felt another presence watching me, but I was often confused and feverish. I've never heard of anyone in lore of legend being able to scry in their sleep."
"Great" Eragon sighed, fiddling with Brom's ring as he often did since getting it "This ring" he lifted it so that it glinted in the light "It has the same mark thats on your shoulder, what does it mean?"
"You have a ring with the yawe on it?" she asked sharply.
"Yawe? Well if it's the same as the one of your shoulder then yes. It was Brom's. See?" he held out his hand, unwilling to remove the ring from his finger.
"This is a token given only to the most valued elf friends..." she examined the ring "So valued in fact that it has not been used in centuries. Or so I thought. I never knew Queen Islanzadi though so highly of Brom."
"What does it mean?" he said pulling back his hand.
She paused to consider it "It is an elven symbol, used to indicate a bond of trust. Tell no one of my tattoo, it should not be revealed. But you should wear that ring, it will give you protection should you meet my people by chance. And it may gain you favour with the queen."
"Well, I wasn't going to take it off. It belonged to Brom, my mentor" he gazed down at the sapphire "One of few things I have left of him."
"I-I understand" she said falteringly, clearly unnerved by his sombre tone.
"So what's your queen like?" he asked. Arya became, if anything, tenser 'Wow, I have a knack for picking uncomfortable topics.'
"She is... a stunning beauty and has led us well for many years... though..." she faltered again "she is perhaps judgemental... and erratic. I would advise you to be careful around her, tread lightly, if you must tread at all."
"Excellent, she sounds lovely" once again he received the confused stare, though there was slightly more amusement in it than previously "I'll remind you again though, tell anyone of that and I will kill them, and I will kill you, and I will kill anyone they've told, and I will kill anyone they've hinted at it to" his eyes were cold, and calculating, like two crimson threats inlaid into his skull.
"I do understand, no one will learn of that" she said with an almost formal tone.
"Goody, well I have a friend to visit so I'm going to cut this short, 'kay?"
"Yes, that is fine, farewell."
"One thing before I go" she turned back to look at him.
'Eragon! That is very inadvisable!'
He ignored Saphira, and looked Arya right in the eye "Arya" she blinked, it was the first time he had used her name in this conversation "You have one nice bum" with a slap onto said bum, he leapt up onto Saphira and they flew off into the air, he could feel Arya's angry gaze following them.
'Honestly, you do seem intent on getting us killed'
'Hey, I resent that accusation... it's completely true but I still resent it.'
'Eragon...' he frowned, sensing her line of questioning 'What did she see that made you so angry.'
'Saphira, you have things you hide... I do too' he said coldly.
They came in to land on the Isidar Mithrim, and Eragon leapt down, but Saphira wasn't done.
'What are you talking abo...'
"DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME!" Saphira flinched away as he roared at her "I know you're hiding something from me. I know Brom told you something, something you don't reveal to me! You hide things, I do too."
Saphira was silent, her eyes focused on the gem floor. Nearly five minutes passed like this.
"I'm sorry" she looked up finding Eragon, near tears before her "But this is something, something incredibly... something valuable to me, but not in a good way. Letting the elf live whilst know that is hard enough. I don't want you to know that Saphira, I don't want anyone to know that. She tore it from my mind and it took all of my will not to crush her."
He looked up into her big sapphire eyes "No one else will learn my secret... I swear it... no one... not even you... UNDERSTAND?" that last shout seemed to take away everything he had left, and he dropped to the floor, sitting sloppily on the sapphire.
Saphira nodded sadly 'I do little one.'
"Thank you... Saphira... thank you."
'I... I'm not asking you to tell me little one, but if you ever want to talk about it, or anything, I'm here for you, nothing could ever damage your standing in my eyes.'
Eragon laughed, confusing the dragon 'I'm glad you think so lowly of me.'
And then she laughed along with him.
And then...
"OH BUGGER! We were supposed to meet Orik, quickly Saphy fly" he jumped back onto her back, and, with a snort of amusement, she took off heading down to Tronjheim's gates.