Training a Lost Soul
The next day I awoke to the dreary darkness that is Uru baen. The events of last night still imprinted in my head. 'Another Dragon Rider! I don't know if this is horrible or good.' I thought. 'And Galbatorix knows his true name; this can't possible get any worse. Oh wait it can I have to train him.' I thought. 'I have no clue what this boy is like. All I know is who his father was and what his father did. I know thought that he is not like his father at all…or a least I hoped he wasn't. If he was then he wouldn't have ran away.' I thought to myself. Just then my lady maid came into the room.
"I beg your pardon Miss but it's time that you were dressed." She said to me. She was new; the king never let me keep a maid for too long.
"Yes I suppose it is." The maid walked over to my wardrobe and picked out one of my favorite gowned.
"Well this due miss?" the maid asked.
"Yes, that is one of my favorites." I told her.
"I hoped it would cheer you up miss. It's very pretty."
"Yes, yes it is." I said fingering the dark purple fabric. The maid helped me dress and then left to bring me my breakfast. When she returned, asked her, her name.
"Treena, your highness." She said curtsying.
"Ahh…and how is it Treena that you came upon this job?" I asked her comely.
"My mother works in the kitchens your Highness." She replied.
"Is that so? Well I am very sorry for both of you. This is a dreadful place to live and please stop all the 'your highness' stuff, I do not like to be remained of my father." I said coldly. "Forgive me I do not wish to be mean but I just can't stand it here." I told her trying to sweeten my tone, for I did not wish to scare her. Some of my other maids were fearful of me more then once. It was my temper the only thing of my father's I inherited; thank goodness it was only that. For I do not have his evil nature or anything else, the rest of me is like my mother. From my clever mind and Sorcery skills to my long jet black curls and deep brown eyes.
"It is fine Miss, you need not apologize to me, I am just a maid." responded Treena.
"No I wish you to be my friend, since I have few and you are to be here with me a lot." I told her with a smile. "I hope you can accept this offer."
"Oh yes Miss." Said Treena with a small smile, I could tell this was the first time anyone ever talked to her like she was equal instead of just a servant. For I never liked treating my maids as servants, cause I never thought of myself as higher than them. My title never really applied to me and never will.
"Thank you, Miss." She said one last time before taking my breakfast tray and leaving.
After Treena left I gathered up my scrolls of the Ancient Language and went down to the study were I had worked many times training lesser magicians and sorceresses. I began to set up my work for I knew the boy would be arriving soon. I had to be able to handle this for since he will be training with, others and learning swordsmanship from the King and many others he will soon be stronger then me. 'If he isn't already' I thought. Plus he was a rider now, which means he will be very powerful. I had just finished my thought when the boy entered the room followed by a guard.
"You know what to teach him?" the guard asked in a gruff voice.
"Yes" I replied. He stood there for a minute and then I said "And you know better then to be in here well I'm working or have you forgotten the King's orders?" He gave me a fierce look, which I gladly returned as he stepped out the room, leaving me alone with the young man. I know I had no right to call him young for he was probably older then me, for even thought I am half-elf I am very young and would still be counted as a child among the elves. Which will never happen for they would never accepted me. Just as a fell from his eyes that no one has accepted his young man. I was so deep it thought that I forgot for a moment that he was there.
"Oh sorry." I said looking at him. "My name is Eleri and I'm going to be training you in the ways of the Ancient Language and how to work magic." I said with a repetitive tone, for I will take to pride in this and no shame. He just sat there staring at me….no staring through me. I could tell he wanted to be here as much as I did. "Look," I said to him "I know why you're here and I know that it's not of your own free will, but please try to listen to me. For both of us will be punished if you don't learn." As I finished I saw his face wide with horror at the mention of being punished.
"Fine" was all he said and I began my lesson. "You can't properly use magic if you don't fully understand the Ancient Language. Here." I gave him a list of words in the common; with there counter parts in the Ancient language. "These are just a few of the basics; we will go into further grammar and other things later. Now practice your pronunciation." I told him but he just sat in silence and looked at the paper. After a few minutes of silence I realized something.
"You can't read can you?" I said to him quietly. He just shook his head and looked away from my eyes as if ashamed. "Well that does us back a few steps but no matter." I told him trying to make him feel a little better. I walked over to my shelf and took down one skinny black book. I walked over and placed it in front of him.
"Ok open to the first page and we'll start learning the alphabet." I said to him.
"You must think I'm stupid." He said quietly.
"No," I reassured him "Not at all you just have to learn. No one is stupid unless they don't try. Now," I said pointing to an 'a' "This I an 'A' said it with me."
"Aaaaa..." we said together.
"There you go. Ok now this one…." We continue on like this for a few hours, making very good progress. He was even smiling by the time the guard came to get him for his next lesson.
"You come now." The guard said in monosyllables to the boy.
"We shall continue this tomorrow…." I started it was then that I realized I had forgotten to ask his name.
"Murtagh" he said with a small bow as he left.
"Murtagh" I whispered as I caught one last look at his face before the door shut and I was almost positive, he had on a small smile.
'This may not be as horrible as I first imagined.' I thought to myself as I gathered up my things and returned to my room, to prepare for dinner.