I Who Should Not Be
I own only Onika
Chapter 4
Onika led her dragon, who was still nameless and was now the size of two war horses, to where both Thorn and Saphira waited. The older dragons promised to keep an eye on the younger dragon while the Riders went into a city and purchased supplies for a trip to Farthen Dur. The Riders were needed to help fight an enemy that was invading the dwarf home, but could not be told what it was.
We will wait here for you.
Onika nodded and took off after the two male riders, issuing a loud bark to get their attention.
Murtagh turned and smiled.
:Pack Female. Safe. Follow.:
Again he lamented his poor ability to speak the language. However, he noticed that since his uninvited visit into her mind, he was able to understand her words. Upon the discovery, he told both Onika and Eragon of the development without telling Eragon about the contents of her dream. The other man had quickly requested to enter the Wolfborn's mind and get a similar understanding of her language. After many tantrums, threats and rude 'scruffings' from all parties, Saphira's Rider was permitted into her mind. However, Eragon found that he had no understanding of the language at all. No matter how hard they tried, he couldn't learn like Murtagh.
:Pack Female?:
:Yes? What is it?:
Murtagh scratched his neck, looking around slowly at their surroundings. He didn't want to bring up the subject of her dream, but there was something that was nagging him about it. Not that the whole thing hadn't bothered him. There was just one thing that she had said that he wanted to ask her about, but didn't know how to…
:Pack Female mate?:
Onika tipped her head and looked confused. Finally she spoke again.
:Whisper your question if you don't wish Pack Male to hear.:
Murtagh sighed with relief. He came up beside Onika and studied her ear for a moment without really intending to. It was pointed like an elf's, but stuck out to the side more, and was longer. Putting one hand over it, he leaned close enough for her wild hair to brush his lips as he whispered.
"In your dream, I heard you call for 'Mate'. Are you mated to somebody?"
Onika's eyes grew sad and she turned her face away when he tried to look at her.
:Not a real mate. We never got around to it. If the Shade hadn't attacked that night, we would have. It was the right night…:
He heard her sniff slightly and saw her wipe her eyes quickly before letting him see a wide smile that didn't reach her eyes, which had hardened until they looked as friendly as a dragon with a hernia. Murtagh saw the remains of tears and panicked.
'Aw shit! I made her cry! ShitshitshitshitSHIT!!'
Without thinking, Murtagh got close to her again, careful not to trample her as the three walked, and made one of the many gestures that she was teaching him. This one, a gentle nudge on the cheekbone with one's nose and brow bone, was a simple apology. He followed it with a quiet whine.
:Sorry. Sorry. Leader Male sorry.:
Relief washed over him when he saw her eyes soften a bit and her smile become less forced. Onika stopped and sniffed the air carefully and eyed the city that was coming into view.
:Almost there. I shouldn't speak while I'm in there, should I?:
:No. Pack Female silent.:
:Leader Male will speak for me then.:
After the pronouncement, she covered her mouth with a hand for a moment.
"Onika isn't going to talk while we're in town, Eragon. What should we tell people?"
"That she's a Wolfborn?"
"No. People are afraid of them, remember? We could say that she…"
He broke off and a slight smile spread over his face. He knew that the people of Surda would give them the supplies they needed either for free or at a steep discount if they were told that two of the travelers were newlyweds. He looked at his companions and called for them to halt and listen to his plan.
"Listen, I have a plan. We're really low on money, and I know for a fact that the Surdans will let us off easy on prices if one of us just got married to Onika. We'll have to spend the night in an inn, so we'll have to keep up the act the whole time, but whoever is playing the part of husband has to be honorable about it. He sleeps on the floor. Sound alright?"
Eragon looked a little put off by the idea, but Onika wordlessly nodded her head and looked at the two.
"Murtagh, who's going to be the husband?"
The dark haired Rider looked at Eragon, then Onika. His first thought was to say 'me you idiot!' but he held back. Onika sighed and picked up a flat stone and cut a mark on one side and held it up to toss. Once it was in the air, Murtagh called faces and Eragon called tails.
Up and up it went, spinning madly before coming down and hitting the ground between the three. It was the marked side up. Onika smiled and pointed to Murtagh, still keeping her word about being silent.
Murtagh's insides gave a happy squirm before he realized something else.
"We don't have any rings… I've only got my old one."
Eragon dug in his pocket and fished out a thin band of silver that had a tiny pearl set in it.
"You can use this. Don't lose it, it's one of Arya's."
The Wolfborn looked touched, for she knew who Arya was and how much she meant to Eragon, and accepted the ring with a nod before turning to Murtagh and holding it out to him.
"You don't know what hand it goes on, do you?"
Onika shook her head as the dark haired man took the ring and slipped it on her ring finger with a slight smile.
"There."
"Now how do you explain me?"
Onika looked at Eragon and rolled her eyes. Murtagh laughed.
"Eragon, the people of Surda know who we are. They don't know about Onika is all. You're still my irritating partner and brother."
Eragon groaned and submitted to a swat on the head for his efforts. Onika smiled at him and shrugged as they continued walking. As soon as they got to the city gates, the tawny haired Rider balked. She had never been in a city in her whole life, she had rarely even been to a remote village to scrounge for food in fact, and this city was far beyond her ability to perceive.
First of all, it stank. Her wolf's sense of smell sent her reeling as they passed herbalist stands, bars and public bathhouses. Worse yet were the piles of refuse that seemed to crop up on almost every street corner. And the noise! How could she describe the din of horses, men, women and children shouting and talking at once even while the blacksmith's hammer rang in her ears?
"You alright?"
Murtagh saw Onika's pained expression and she nodded, moving to cover her ears and nose.
"Ah. Yeah, it's noisy for me, I can't imagine how you feel."
She sighed and rested her forehead on his arm, taking a slow breath. At least when she could smell Murtagh up close the stench from the streets wasn't so bad. Then she sighed again and lifted her head and followed Eragon to the inn, raising her eyebrows when Murtagh took her hand.
"Just go with it."
Onika nodded and looked around. There really wasn't much to say about the inn once they were inside. It was plain with lots of chairs and tables, and was spotlessly clean with a merry fire blazing in the huge stone fireplace. One look at the barman was enough to bring a wide grin to her face. The man, somewhere in his late sixties, had iron grey hair and was so very short! He couldn't have reached her elbows! His face was craggy and weathered like a boulder that had been beaten by the wind for many years, and she was surprised to see great large muscles in his arms. His chest was mostly obscured by his thick grey beard but she could see the powerful muscles beneath.
"Balin. Good to see you again."
The barman looked up at Eragon, then turned his eyes to Murtagh and Onika. After a moment he seemed to recognize the two male Riders and grinned, giving a roaring laugh.
"Well and if it isn't Eragon and Murtagh! Where have you been boys? Oh! And who is this?"
He smiled and bowed to Onika, who smiled and had to fight the temptation to bark a greeting. He looked a little like a very short version of her grandfather, who was named Bull Chaser by a tribe of nomads who had enjoyed the Wolfborn's presence in their territory. Then her smile slipped a little at the thought of her beloved grandfather, who had thankfully passed a few days before Durza's massacre.
Murtagh cleared his throat and put his hand on the small of Onika's back.
"This is Onika. She's my wife."
"Wife?! What nonsense are you talking boy? Is this cur telling the truth?"
Eragon chuckled while Onika pursed her lips in distaste. Usually, at least among her people, calling somebody a cur was grounds for a fight. However, she didn't feel any vehemence behind the word, so she let it go this time.
"It's true. Married her about three days ago."
Balin wiped his hands on a rag and held it out to Onika, a kind smile on his face. She took the hand and was going to lean down and smell it, as was the polite thing to do with her people, when she saw Murtagh shake his head. So she smiled and withdrew her hand and watched the man pick up the rag and begin to rub at a spot on the counter.
"So, where are you from my dear?"
She blinked and looked to Murtagh, who quickly threw together a tale.
"She's from a little fishing village. Nowhere really."
"She looks an awful lot like an elf."
"She is one… Her parents lived among humans…jewelers."
Eragon's words earned him a nod from Murtagh and a smile from Onika.
The man raised an eyebrow and looked at the three for a moment before speaking very slowly.
"I may be an old dwarf, but usually doesn't a woman introduce herself with her own voice?"
Onika felt a rush of excitement. This was one of the dwarves that her grandfather told her stories about! What a shame she couldn't speak to him! She had so many questions! She snapped back into reality when she heard Murtagh's explanation of her silence.
"She was very ill last season, Balin. She had a fever and it lasted so long that when she finally woke up, she couldn't speak. She's very intelligent though, so no playing any tricks!"
The last part of his statement made the men laugh, as both Eragon and Murtagh knew how the dwarf loved a good prank.
The dwarf sobered quickly when he saw Onika go a little grey when a customer came in, letting in the reek of the streets along with his own nasty smell.
"Are you alright? You're probably tired from all this walking and talking. Here, I'll show you to your rooms."
The rooms were decent, with a desk and two chairs along with a washstand and three pretty glass lamps near comfortable feather beds. When Balin ushered Eragon out of the room and shut the door behind him for a moment, he looked worriedly at Onika, who had sat down hard on the bed.
"I'll send up some tea soon. The wife knows her teas, and she can have something made up to help your lady's fatigue. Until then, get some rest. I'll show Eragon to his room."
Turning to the Wolfborn, he smiled and bowed as he said his farewells and left quietly.
Murtagh watched as Onika pulled back the thick blanket and slip under it, sighing and closing her eyes. He walked over and sat down by her, absently smoothing her hair.
:Pack Female tired.:
:My head hurts and the smell is awful. I won't be much good for a few hours. I'm sorry.:
:Friend mate bring help.:
:Yes. That should be good. I just need to rest and adjust for a while.:
:Alright.:
He looked up and nodded as Eragon came in, his eyes trained on the Wolfborn. He raised his eyebrows and walked in a few steps.
"So we aren't doing anything for a while I'm guessing. Is it alright if I go lie down too?"
"Go ahead. I'll get you before we get ready to get our things. Get some rest."
"You too."
With that, Eragon left. Murtagh sighed and moved to the floor, folding his arms behind his head. This floor was nice, but not very good for laying on…
:Leader Male.:
"What is it Onika?"
:Come up here. You can sleep here too. I'm used to being around you, and this is a really comfortable bed. Come on, you'll sleep better… Please? This new place scares me and… I would just feel better…:
He thought about staying on the floor, after all, he was being honorable if he did. However, she had a point and was afraid of this new place. And if they were supposed to be married, why would he be sleeping on the floor anyway?
He stood and walked to the other side of the bed and got in, snuggling into the blankets with a happy sigh. It really was a nice bed… Then, to his shock, Onika yawned and snuggled up so her back was against his chest and squirmed slightly before settling again and drifting off to sleep. Murtagh swallowed hard and tried to think of what he should do, but soon his own eyes were drifting shut and he was fast asleep.
An hour later, a dwarf woman with a long braid of grey hair opened the door, a steaming kettle and two cups on a tray. She almost called out to them when she noticed two sleeping forms on the bed. She looked closer and saw that Murtagh's arm was wrapped protectively around his wife and the girl was smiling slightly in her sleep.
'Hm. Looks almost like Balin and I when we were first married. I'll just leave the tea here.'
She set the tray on a low table and crept quietly out of the room, shutting the door silently behind her with one final glance back.
A/N
Whew! This was a long one! Ten pages chaps!
As a huge Tolkien fan, I couldn't resist using the name of Gimli's cousin in this chapter. In the LoTR books, Gimli says that Balin is always extending hospitality to friends and kin, so I thought he would make a good innkeeper!
Anyway, sorry this took a little longer, it's been a trying week and it took a while to get anything coherent out of me.
Please read and review!! Thanks EragonPeep, SnowChika, Spottedstar106 and YoMuM for your great reviews! They're really helping me keep my spirits up! Se onr sverdar sitja hvass!! (May your swords stay sharp!!)