Rose watched Apollo in the air. She was bored sick of training, and she had only been doing it for four weeks. She had something to look forward to thank the Lord, otherwise she would have gone crazy. Today she would see the 'secret.' Bluefinch had gotten so exasperated with Rose's whining and nagging that she had given in. She seemed to be rather pleased to show Rose anyway. Apollo flapped down to her.
Rose thinking about secret?
Yes. I can't work out what it might be!
Apollo know.
You know? Tell me! Please!
No. Will not be secret then.
Spoilsport! Stupid Dragon.
I resent that!
I didn't mean it – I'm just so fed up with everything being hidden from me! I do not even know what will happen once we have learnt what we must.
We fight! We fight the Traitor King!
Yes. We will fight. But before that I want to meet Eragon. Right, let's go find Bluefinch!
Apollo leapt into the air as Rose ran beneath him, waiting for him to spot Bluefinch. It didn't take long. He dropped to the path just behind as she pulled up, and two seconds later Bluefinch crashed to the ground in front of her.
"Hello Bluefinch."
Morning child.
Hello Bluefinch!
Greetings, young one.
"Can we go now?"
Be patient child, we are leaving now. Climb on my back.
Really?
Yes, we have far to go.
I could ride Dakarai.
No you can't.
Why not?
I turned him loose and chased him away.
Rose was speechless for several seconds.
"WHAT THE HELL? WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU - "
Rose not shout.
She turned my horse away! Hasn't he had enough bad things in his life?
He is not necessary.
Keep out of it Bluefinch!
Do you want to see this or not?
Yes I do, but, I can't just forget what you did!
Just get on my back. We will discuss this later.
Can't I ride Apollo?
No. He is too small. Soon if you're lucky.
Two whole weeks?
Bluefinch didn't reply. So Rose pulled herself up onto her back.
"Shouldn't I have something as padding?"
Hold tight!
The two dragons launched themselves into the air, and Rose clutched on tight. After what seemed like hours of monotonous flying Bluefinch began to angle towards the ground. Rose held on tight again. When the large Dragon finally touched down Rose collapsed onto the ground, her legs feeling week. She looked around, and saw that they had landed a narrow ledge, with a huge cave that seemed to have been clawed out of the cliff face. A tiny face peeped out of the darkness. Bluefinch stood up straighter and said proudly:
Meet my daughter. She is called Seeka. Seeka because along with you she will seek justice and freedom.
It is a name worthy of her.
It is. I devoted careful thought to it. Together you three will fight. Together you will free this world from tyranny and darkness. You three, and Eragon and Saphira.
Will we meet them soon?
Yes. One month you will wait and train.
You said that a month ago!
But Seeka must be old enough to fly and fight. Live with it, child.
Apollo butted into the conversation.
Will she come with us?
Yes. It is not safe to leave her alone – the wild creatures of the forest will kill her before they realise she is a Dragon.
How can you not notice?
The Fanghur inhabit this forest too you know. Nobody would think twice about killing and eating one of them.
Very well.
Come, Seeka. Climb up again, Rose.
The young Dragon came forward shyly. Rose noticed the glorious colour of her scales. An entire rainbow shone in them, swaying as she walked forward. The colours glittered and pulsated as she swung her delicate body from side to side. Rose was almost rendered speechless. But Rose never had nothing to say.
"Can she speak yet?"
Yes, I can speak, Very well in fact. What else is there for me to do here?
Very good, my daughter. Listen, can you fly all that way?
Apollo did it. I'm only a week younger! Of course I can do it!
That's the spirit, young one.
Don't be so patronising, bloody great oaf. I'm not that young. Besides, I'm a NICE colour, not a horrible black. Shruikan is black and he's EVIL. And I can talk better then you! So just piss off, okay?
SEEKA!
Sorry mum, but, that was soooooo –
DON'T answer back, young lady! Be quiet! You will fly in silence! And Shruikan is on OUR side.
As Bluefinch turned away, Rose caught Seeka making a face at her mother, and Apollo looking approving but slightly hurt. She laughed and spoke to him.
Maybe you should apologise to her, baby.
Why should I? She was so rude to me! And don't call me baby in public please. People could hear.
Seeka gave them a mischievous smile.
People like me, you mean?
Oh, hello. I'm Rose.
Duh. I know that, I'm not stupid.
Do not be mean to my Rider. And you are very lippy. Aren't you supposed to be flying in silence?
We're not flying yet. And what are you, my mother? Besides, she can't hear us, BABY!
Apollo growled angrily and jumped into the air. Bluefinch followed suit. Rose hung on. They circled the cliff for a while. Bluefinch began to get annoyed.
What the heck are you doing Seeka? We're waiting for you.
They all heard a deep, throaty chuckle and out of the corner of her eye Rose saw Seeka coming for Apollo. Rose almost yelled out a warning, but something in Seeka's eyes silenced her. Instead she called telepathically to Apollo.
Baby, look behind you.
Why?
Just do –
Seeka hit him full on. Helpless with Dragonish laughter, Seeka distangled herself from him and flapped hard to gain altitude. Apollo did the same. He was about to complain when he changed his mind. He had never had fun with someone his age before. He turned hurriedly in mid-air, and began to worry Seeka, not letting her get above him, showing off with aerial acrobatics, pushing her along as she struggled to stay in the air. Fuego's training had paid off. He kept going, pushing poor Seeka along behind Bluefinch, who was heading for her home clearing.
Come along, children.
Apollo looked at Seeka, and Rose got the impression that they were having a very interesting conversation. Then Apollo snarled angrily and whipped around in the air, going for Seeka for real this time. She was so surprised by the ferocity of the attack she did nothing to get out of the way. He collided with her, and they started biting and snapping at each other. Bluefinch whirled around and roared. Apollo ignored her. Rose tried to talk to him, to stop him, but his mind was surrounded by iron walls, that Rose could not break through. She tried shouting at him, but he wouldn't acknowledge her. Bluefinch broke through her anxiousness.
Hold on tight. I am going to separate them. Don't worry, just don't let go!
Please don't let him kill her.
If I were you, I would worry about my Dragon, not the other way round. Seeka is a vicious little bitch when she gets the chance.
She won't ……… kill him will she?
Not if I can help it.
Bluefinch roared again and dove towards them. They separated as they saw her coming and she pulled up in the middle of them. Rose shouted at them both as they both had their minds closed to everything. Bluefinch told her what to say.
"What had got into you? Why are you fighting? You know you must fight with each other, not against each other! Right, who wants to apologise first? Apollo?"
I will not apologise! She insulted me and my parentage. And she made fun of everything I believe in. Justice and fighting for freedom.
"Seeka, is that true?"
It might be. But he went for me first! What kind of male goes for a poor, defenceless female?
"You're hardly defenceless, Seeka. Besides, I know Apollo. He has far too nice a nature to go for someone without extreme provocation."
Yes! She called me a coward and a weakling, and said I was pathetic, of unknown lineage. She said my father was probably some simpleton who only survived the Forsworn because he was too stupid to realise he had to fight!
She said that I was too pathetic to fight for anything. She said I would never prevail, that you had made a mistake when you picked up my egg, Rose, when you kept me. She said you would realise I was a joke, and leave me, abandon me. Please don't ever leave me, Rose. I can't take this. Why would she say it? Why?
Your father was no simpleton, Apollo.
How would you know, Bluefinch? She's probably right. He probably is some simpleton. I knew it deep down, he couldn't be a hero like I imagined. He's just a low down, good for nothing yellow belly. But don't worry, I will take after him, so I won't get killed in any fighting.
Rose's eyes were full of compassion and anguish.
"Oh, my Apollo!"
Bluefinch angled towards the ground, instructing the other two to follow her. They did so. Seeka looked very contrite and obviously hurt that she had wounded Apollo so bad. Bluefinch spoke to Rose.
My dear, go to your Dragon. He had grown faster than I expected, you may ride him. Fly with him. Let him pour out all his sorrow.
And I will tell him everything I can to help him.
Yes. Go, my child.
Thank you.
Rose ran towards her dejected Dragon.
"Apollo, I can ride you! Let's fly! Let's fly far from anywhere we know. Let's go!"
Really? Rose, really?
Yes, baby, let's soar through the clouds. Let's let them drown all our sorrow! We will fly far.
Yes! We will fly far!
Rose looked around. She looked at Bluefinch. And she knew she was leaving. Bluefinch knew it too.
Goodbye my child. You have a talent, and a Dragon that loves you. Love him. And return to me.
I will. I promise you. I swear it. I will meet you in my – I will meet you in Ellesméra. I will meet you and Fuego there. And Seeka. Goodbye, Bluefinch. Thank you.
Goodbye, child.
Apollo leapt into the air. He was glad to be leaving. He didn't understand how to face sorrow. He only knew how to run from it. He battled with the added burden of Rose's weight.
Come on, baby, you can do it. Fly!
Yes. Fly!
Three beats of his powerful wings and they were in the air, riding the thermals. His black bulk created a shadow upon the trees, and his golden spikes and claws shone in the sunlight.
So what happened back there?
I don't know my parents. I don't know what they are like.
I do.
You know my parents!?!
Well, I know your mother. I met her when she and Eragon visited Ellesméra.
Really? What was – wait, you told Bluefinch you didn't know Eragon.
I have many secrets. But what matters is that if Saphira was your dam, you won't be badly off. Trust me. She is a very brave fighter, an amazing flyer, and has a very shrewd mind. Having a bad father can't cancel that out. I should know.
Why would you know?
I'm a little like you. I'm the daughter of the queen. Islanzadí.
But Arya is the queen's only daughter. And being a queen's daughter is not a disadvantage, trust me.
Her only daughter by the king. She had been married to the king – Evandar – for fifty years before she had Arya. Then she fell pregnant again. But not to the King. To someone else. Someone who was not even an elf. He was a servant, brought in from a far away land. Everyone knew. Everyone except the King. So when he went off to battle he left my mother behind. Then he was killed. Two months later I was born. Mother told the elves I would be brought up as heir to the throne. How do you think that feels? Being brought up as a princess, all the while knowing that everyone else knew you were no such thing. It almost destroyed me. Then I ran away. With my sweetheart, Tom, and Draka, my best friend. Then one night the urgals found us. They didn't even stop to turn us into slaves. They just killed Tom and Draka, and then I felt my horse fall beneath me. I leapt off her, and saw Dakarai running away into the trees. It occurred to me to do the same. So I did. The rest I've told you.
So you're not just running from the Traitor King. You are running from your past too.
Yes. I suppose I am. But, anyway, I know how you feel. I would understand anyway. It's how our bond works. Rider and Dragon.
Two minds as one.
One heart. Two individuals.
I love you, Rose.
I love you, Apollo.