Chapter 11: Waiting for Blood.
Eragon glanced around the room.
"Eragon! I'd hoped you'd come."
"You know, the Varden are really shit at treating prisoners, where are the rats, the raggedy sheets, the grime and the chains. This place is rubbish."
"Ha! Yeah I know, I expected the same. But Ajihad gives me all this as long as I don't cause trouble. And they bring me huge meals, and anything I want from the library. If I'm not careful I'll turn into a fat scholar."
A victorious grin lit up Eragon's face.
"Okay, what is it?"
"Nothing, nothing, I just should've put money on that" Murtagh blinked again "So for now you're happy?"
He nodded "Yeah, I was angry at first, but then I realised that this was really for the best. Even if I had freedom I'd spend most of my time in my room anyway."
"Good... my offer still stands by the way, and if you're not free by the time I have to leave for the elves, I'll get you out then."
"Thanks. But for now, I'm content... but what's this about leaving for the elves. Come on, tell me everything that's happened. I bet I've missed a bunch."
And so Eragon told him, he skimmed some parts of the tale, skipped others, but described in detail fighting Arya and also the exact feel of her bum.
Murtagh laughed as he finished "Somehow I get the feeling we're both going to be killed because you can't keep your hands to yourself... still" he paused in contemplation "I suspect Arya is more important than either of us thought. Consider what you've learned. She is a master of the sword, powerful in magic, and, most significantly, was chosen to guard Saphira's egg. She can't be ordinary, even among the elves."
"Maybe" said Eragon.
"So you're gonna get to go see the elves. Wicked, I mean I wouldn't want to go there... as me... but if I was someone else it'd be great."
"I guess."
"You're unsure... is it about..." Murtagh glanced to the door "that."
"Mostly, but there are other things as well."
"Like?"
"Like how I don't like people deciding what I do, like how Urgals are being gathered to destroy the Varden, all these things are reasons for me to not go."
Murtagh nodded "True enough. But you still want to?"
"Of course, they sound like a lovely bunch, although if they're all like Arya I'll take a rain check, cause I don't think I could stand that level of seriousness without committing homicide."
Murtagh's snort filled the room, before a comfortable silence fell over the two "You know, I find this imprisonment oddly peaceful. For once in my life I don't have to be afraid. I know I ought to be... yet something about this place puts me at ease. A good night's sleep helps, too."
"I know what you mean" Eragon yawned "I made sure Tornac was okay for you."
Murtagh looked up "Really, is he?"
"Let me guess" said Eragon with grin "You forgot all about the little grey horse."
"Well I had other stuff on my mind" responded Murtagh.
"True, true... well yeah he's fine..." there was silence again, this time Eragon broke it "So Nasuada said she visited you. She say anything interesting?"
Murtagh looked into the distance "No, she only wanted to meet me. Doesn't she look like a princess? And the way she carries herself? When she first entered through that doorway, I thought she was one of the great ladies of Galbatorix's court. I've seen earls and counts who had wives that, compared to her, were more fitted for life as a hog than of nobility."
Eragon cocked an eyebrow "Easy there Murtagh, there are safer people to crush on the Ajihad's daughter."
"Hey" shouted Murtagh "I don't have a crush."
"Oh really so the whole" Eragon voice went high pitched "Oh my god, Nasuada is so beautiful I want to settle down and have fifty children with her" he stopped the annoying tone "was just natural appreciation of beauty."
"I didn't say that" he complained, but Eragon just glanced at him "Oh fuck off" he lobbed the scroll he had been reading when Eragon came in at Eragon who deftly snatched it from the air.
Eragon smirked at him.
"Prick" muttered Murtagh glaring away.
"Ha!"
"Yeah well, at least I don't have a crush on the elf" Murtagh glowered at him.
"Really? Incredible... You know if it weren't for you pledging eternal love to Nasuada" here Murtagh growled "I'd assume you preferred men."
"You're impossible."
"My speciality... Murtagh" his tone was unusually serious "How long are you going to remain imprisoned here? You can't hide forever."
He shrugged carelessly, but there was a weight behind Eragon's words "For now I'm content to stay and rest. There no reason for me to leave, not now, and I won't let the twins examine me. No doubt I'll tire of this eventually but for now, as I said before, I'm content."
Eragon's eyes snapped open at the first sound of commotion. Leaping from his bed he quickly dressed and grabbed Zar'roc and his new yew bow. Stepping out onto the edge of the cave he looked down to the Isidar Mithrim.
An agitated dwarf stood there, waving his arms about frantically "You must come, Argetlam! Great trouble, Ajihad summons you. There is no time!"
"Huh?" said Eragon flatly.
The dwarf only shook his head, his beard swung about madly "Go, you must! Carkna bragha! Now!"
"Alright, alright" said Eragon.
'Wakey, wakey Saphira' he said to his dragon as she lay on her pillow.
'I wasn't asleep' she said standing up.
'No, you were probably awake before I was. Now let's go.'
Eragon clambered up onto her back and she flew them down, with all speed, to Tronjheim's gates.
Stood there, waiting for them, was Orik, his expression grim "Come the others are waiting?" he hurried of and Eragon followed behind him with long strides.
"What's going on?'
"I don't know enough myself, wait until you hear Ajihad."
They reached and entered the study quickly, Ajihad stood examining a map, Arya and a man with wiry arms also stood.
"Good you're here Eragon. Meet Jormundur, my second in command."
Eragon nodded to him and received a respectful bow in return, then they both turned their attention to Ajihad.
"I roused the five of you because we are all in grave danger. About half an hour ago a dwarf ran out of an abandoned tunnel beneath Tronjheim. He was bleeding and nearly incoherent, but he had enough sense left to tell the dwarves what was pursuing him, an army of Urgals maybe a day's march from here."
"Fuck" muttered Eragon under Jormundur's and Orik's own cursing and questioning.
"Quiet! There is more. The Urgals aren't approached over the land... but under it. We're going to be attacked from below."
Eragon turned to Orik as Jormundur continued to question Ajihad "Why didn't the dwarves know of this sooner? And how did the Urgals find the tunnels?"
Orik looked at him a few moments "We're lucky to know about this early" Ajihad, Jormundur and Arya all turned to listen to him "There are hundreds of tunnels through the Beor Mountains, uninhabited since the day they were mined. The only dwarves who go in them are eccentrics who don't want contact with anyone. We could have just as easily received no warning!"
Ajihad pointed to somewhere on the map "This is where the dwarf claimed to have come from."
"Orthiad!"
"Wanna explain that Orik, for those of us who don't know about ancient dwarven dwellings?"
Orik didn't even spare him an exasperated glance and just started answering "An ancient dwelling of ours that was deserted when Tronjheim was completed. During its time it was the greatest of our cities. But no one's lived there for centuries."
"And it's old enough for some of the tunnels to have collapsed" said Ajihad "That's how we surmise it was found from the surface. I suspect Orthiad is now being called Ithro Zhada. It's most likely where the Urgals have been migrating too all this time. From there they can get to anywhere in the Beor mountains, they have the power to destroy both the Varden and the dwarves."
"Just fucking great" murmured Eragon.
"Do you know how many Urgals are there? Are Galbatorix's troops with them? We can't plan a defence without knowing how large their army is."
Eragon frowned at the ceiling as they continued to speak "Unlikely."
All eyes turned to him "What is unlikely rider?" asked Orik.
"That Galbatorix has his own troops with them."
"And why is that?" now it was Ajihad asking.
"Simple, I remembered something Brom told me, his... narration of the Fall" they all watched him still wondering what he was talking about "His dragon was killed by Urgals."
Realisation showed in Arya's eyes but the others were still confused.
"So he sends the Urgals to destroy us, and then, once we are gone and they are weakened, he will crush them."
Ajihad stared at him "Are you certain?"
"There is one other thing Ajihad, Tarok, Gashz, Durza and Ushnark the Mighty, Galbatorix and Durza I know, but Tarok and Gashz, do either of them sound human?"
"No" Ajihad conceded "That means Durza is most likely with them" he frowned down at the map again.
"He is" all eyes were back to Eragon.
"How do you know that?" asked Ajihad warily.
Eragon smiled at him grimly "I can feel it" he poked the side of his own head "Right here."
Ajihad watched him a few more moments "Well that's some good news, the army is most likely just Urgals. But even so... I've spoken with Hrothgar and we've decided on a course of action. We are to concentrate the Urgals into three of the larger tunnels and channel them outside into Farthen Dur so that they don't swarm into Tronjheim like locusts."
"Or maggots on a corpse" said Eragon quietly.
Ajihad nodded in agreement "I need you, Eragon and Arya, to help the dwarves collapse extraneous tunnels. The job is too big for normal means. Two groups of dwarves are already working on it, one outside Tronjheim, the other beneath it. Eragon you're to work with the one outside, Arya you'll be with the one underground. Orik will lead you to them."
"Is there a reason we're not collapsing all the tunnels?" asked Eragon, his hand twitching slightly.
"Doing that" said Orik "Would force the Urgals to clear the rubble and they might go a way we don't want them to, and if they attack another city we might not be able to get there in time to help."
"There's another reason as well, Hrothgar told me that Tronjheim sits on such a dense network of tunnels that collapsing them too many might cause the city to sink under its own weight, we can't risk that."
Jormundur listened intently then spoke "So then there won't be any fighting inside Tronjheim? You said they would be channelled outside, into Farthen Dur."
Eragon crept up next to Arya, watching Orik, Jormundur and Ajihad debate, and tapped her lightly on the rear.
He received a small glare in return before she focused her attention back to the three.
Ajihad squared his shoulders "The Urgals will arrive in a matter of hours. We know their numbers are great, but we must hold Farthen Dur. Failure will mean the dwarves downfall, death for the Varden, and the eventual defeat for Surda and the elves. This is one battle we cannot lose. Now, go complete your tasks! Jormundur, ready the men for battle."
Eragon chuckled darkly "Perfect" he muttered licking the lips, all four of the others, apart from Saphira, stopped to look at him "I've been waiting for a blood bath."
Storming dramatically from the room, he pushed the heavy doors open with ease and heard, just behind him, Orik say "That is one scary Rider."
Anticipation welled up in him. Fear, mixed with sadistic joy, created a terrifying combination that resulted in a rider, or perhaps a shade, so ready for battle, that he could practically taste blood on his tongue.
"Let's go" he clambered up onto Saphira's back and let her guide him to where the dwarves worked.
"There a tunnel about four yards beneath us. Any help you could give us would be appreciated."
Eragon looked over the site "Great, shift everyone and I'll have it down in... two seconds!"
The dwarf stared at him unsurely but ordered the dwarves to move all the same.
'Honestly Eragon, you're going to end up killing yourself.'
'I'll take more time on the next one, spoil sport' she huffed at him, but he ignored her and focused on the magic "Thrysta Deloi" the earth tumbled and collapsed with ease.
"Nice work Argetlam, come another tunnel over here" he was lead by the same sharp nosed dwarf that had first spoken to him to another tunnel, he took more time on this one, weakening sections, and enlarge facture, but the tunnel still collapsed in two minutes.
Over the next few hours Eragon collapsed more than a dozen tunnels, taking longer each time, trying to preserve some strength, at Saphira's insistence.
But still, as he finished a small glimmer of light appeared over the edge of Farthen Dur, he looked back to Tronjheim, a band of women and children were leaving Tronjheim, and a small group of warriors, primarily older man and boys, guarded the group.
But at Tronjheim's base the dwarves and Varden were assembling their soldiers, they were massed into three battalions.
One figure left the battalion, dressed in heavy armour, and raced towards Eragon. It was Orik "Ajihad wants you to join the army. There are no more tunnels to cave in. Food is waiting for the both of you."
Eragon and Saphira ate their bread and dried meat gratefully, instead of a killer headache the aches of using too much magic were what he faced now, something he hadn't felt in a while.
'I told you that you shouldn't use so much magic, but did you listen NO!"
'Oh shut up you mangy lizard' he shouted back through their link.
Saphira huffed and looked away, to where Orik approached, leading a line of dwarves each carrying piles of heavy plate armour 'I wonder what that is?' she asked, curiosity outweighing annoyance.
'No clue... wait a second...' Eragon carefully thought up an image and sent it to Saphira.
'Well, what...Oh' the image slowly showed itself to her, showing herself, in glorious armour, exactly the same armour as the dwarves carried.
"A gift from Hrothgar" said Orik presenting him with a piece that was intricately engraved and covered in gold filigree "It has lain so long among our others treasure that it was almost forgotten. It was forged in another age, before the fall of the Riders."
'Well? Shall we?' asked Eragon smirking to Saphira.
'Certainly.'
A good deal of struggling later and Saphira was completely outfitted, it made her look very intimidating, and Eragon told Saphira as much, which pleased her greatly.
"I brought you armour as well" said Orik picking up some other armour "Though it took much searching to find it in your size. We rarely forge arms for men or elves. I don't know who this was made for, but it has never been used and should serve you well."
Quickly and effectively Eragon pulled on the armour, it was of a far better make than the armour Fredric had given him, the leather backed mail shirt showed no signs of wear and tear, no signs of dulling either, and neither did the greaves and bracer, nor the mail backed gauntlets.
He pulled the leather cap of his head, then gently placed the gold and silver helm on his head, Orik pressed a broad shield, emblazoned with an oak tree, into his hands.
"Thanks" said Eragon, knowing they had been given several fortunes, if not more, in these gifts.
"Save your thanks for when they save your life" said Orik with morbid humour.
"In that case screw you" Eragon nodded "I'll retract that statement once this armour saves my life and thank you afterwards."
Orik chuckled, just as the three battalions started to move.
"So what do we do?" asked Eragon watching them move.
"Follow them and hope for the best Rider" said Orik grimly, before following behind a battalion as it headed towards the crater wall.
"Any news about the Urgals?"
"No, only that scouts have been posted in the tunnels and nothing has been seen, or heard... yet."
"Well aren't you a useful bunch" complained Eragon, frowning.
Orik smiled slightly, fairly used to Eragon by now.
Eragon looked around. The battalion had halted at one of the collapsed tunnels. The rubble had been piled in such as way that it would be easy for anyone inside the tunnel to climb out.
Lanterns were staked into the ground atop poles, they provided a great pool of like that glowed like an evening sun.
Eragon noticed with no small amount of glee that fires heating huge cauldrons of pitched along the rim of the tunnels roof.
Unwilling to sit and wait Eragon helped a group of men dig trenches between sapling that had been sharpened and pounded into the ground between the battalion and the tunnel.
Orik returned after they had finished.
"All the men and dwarves are on the battlefield. Tronjheim has been sealed off. Hrothgar has taken charge of the battalion of our left, Ajihad the one ahead of us."
"And this one?"
"Jormundur?"
Eragon paused, and stiffened. Orik watching him worriedly as he lifted his head and sniffed the air.
"Murtagh" he called to the man riding a grey war horse.
Orik cursed and leapt to his feet.
"It's all right. Ajihad released me."
"Why would he do that?" demanded Orik.
"He said this was an opportunity to prove my good intention" he smiled wryly "Apparently, he doesn't think I would be able to do much damage even if I did turn on the Varden."
Eragon gave him a grin, which Murtagh returned.
"How do we know you're not lying?" asked Orik, keeping his axe ready in his hand.
"Because I say so."
Ajihad strolled towards them, a breastplate covering his chest, and his ivory handled sword in his hand.
He placed a hand on Eragon shoulder and led him away from the others, out of hearing range "Good, Orik outfitted you" he cast an eye over Eragon's armour.
"Yep... anything seen yet, I'm getting tired of waiting."
Ajihad smiled "I'll be sure to inform them of your annoyance when they arrive. But no nothing..." he took his time to carefully think on his next few words "One of the twins is staying in Tronjheim. He's going to watch the battle from the dragonhold and relay information through his brother to me. I know you can speak with you mind. I need you to tell the twins anything, anything, unusual you see while fighting. Also, I'll relay orders to you through them, or rather requests. Is that acceptable?"
Eragon nodded, his face a scowl "Tell the twins that if they try to take anything from my mind I will personally rip out their hearts and eat it for breakfast."
"I will inform them" said Ajihad seriously, knowing that Eragon was serious "You're not a foot soldier, or horsemen, nor any other type of warrior I'm used to commanding. Battle may prove differently, but I think you and Saphira will be safer on the ground. In the air, you'll be a choice target for Urgal archers. Will you fight from Saphira's back?"
Eragon shrugged, he had never fought from Saphira, hell he'd never fought from even horseback "I'll do whatever I feel like doing at that particular moment."
"Eragon, may I make a request, just one thing I want to ask of you" Eragon nodded "Avoid unnecessary risks. The Varden cannot afford to lose you."
Eragon clasped and hand on Ajihad shoulder, squeezing quite tightly, and the Varden's leader noticed it "I don't intend on dying here" said Eragon looking straight into Ajihad's eyes.
Ajihad nodded and walked away.
Heading back to Murtagh and Orik, Eragon spotted a raven haired, tawny skinned woman, and smirked.
"So you fight with us?" he said reaching her side.
Arya gazed up to him with her green eyes "I do what I must" was her stern reply, as she turned away.
"Fair enough. But try not to die would ya, after all the effort I put into saving your fine ass..." he continued to mutter ineligibly for several moments.
"I am not some helpless human female. Elves train both male and females to fight" she said warningly.
"I know elf, I fought you, I don't need you to tell me you're skilled. One thing though" she turned her gaze back to him "Sitja lifa alfrinn alfa" stay live she elf, not the best translated sentence, but pretty good given his crappy grasp of the ancient language, she turned her gaze away from him, yet again "Wiol eka" For me.
He saw her shiver at his words, but turned her emerald gaze back to him, "It is my fate to be here. The debt must be paid."
"Sure" Eragon patted her on her head, marvelling at the softness of her hair "But be careful."
He stomped back to Murtagh, his mood both lightened, and darkened by the elf. A difficult feat, but one she had managed with ease.
"Did she say anything interesting?" asked Murtagh curiously, still sat in Tornac's saddle.
"Nothing much" was Eragon's curt reply, he didn't want to go into it. Murtagh, being the sensible type, and not wanting to die or receive descriptive threats of death, immediately dropped the subject.
Eragon glared out at the darkness as the hours passed by, the rest of the camp also grew restless, angry voices could be heard through the din.
"Why aren't they here yet?" he said finally, his patience snapping.
"You might be the only one anticipating the arrival of the Urgals, Rider" said Orik, sleepily, having given up sharpening his axe long ago.
"Everyone else seems to be anticipating it to me."
"No, they just don't want to wait, but you seem to want to fight, to slaughter and kill as you will. If it came down to it the Varden would choose to not fight, if they could, as would my race, but I suspect you would choose to fight."
"Well what can I say" Eragon shrugged, then drew Zar'roc in one fell swing, carving a Z in the air, then he raised the wine red blade into the air, before his face "Zar'roc thirsts for blood."
He licked up the steel, knowing that this blade had been stained in Urgal blood before, and barely caring. Murtagh shivered at the sight of the blade.
"Have I ever told you, you are one scary rider" said Orik, gazing at him.
"No, but what I am excuses that" Eragon sheathed Zar'roc and sank down next to Saphira "I'm bored."
"You'll be wishing for this boredom as soon as the battle starts Rider."
"No, I doubt I will. Once bathed in blood I'm sure fear will be forgotten. I just want to kill something, preferably something big, that screams a lot."
Orik watched him with some amusement, some worry "We should get some sleep. The others will wake us if something happens" he said quietly leaning back.
"Hmm... glad to have you two here" he said casually, truly grateful to have warriors like Murtagh by his side, he didn't know Orik's skills but was fairly certain he was skilled, after all he was the kings nephew. Murtagh nodded to him, half asleep, Orik was already asleep.
"And you too Saphira."
'I'm always with you, little one.'
He let his crimson eyes slowly, warily, close.
Blood soaked his dreams, men dwarves and Urgals died in front of him, and he loved it. But near constantly he saw Durza, his sword at the ready, asking him 'Are you prepared yet, my little shade?'
Eragon never had an answer, was he ready? Was he ready to face Durza, the man who knew his greatest weakness? Who had seen him at his lowest? Who had given him the strength Eragon had so craved? Was Eragon ready to face that?
He truly didn't know.
Then the dream started to clear, but Durza voice only became clearer as it did so.
He felt a hand touch his arm, at the same time he heard a cry from Durza's lips "YOU NEED TO BE READY!"
And he woke with a start.