After that first day, a routine was quickly established. Eragon would come once in the morning to check on Saphira and feed her, and see how I was getting on. He would also bring me a breakfast each morning and a dinner each night. After delivering our food, he would go back to the farm to do his chores for the day and come back by evening to feed her again and check on us. My days blended in each other. I would wake up from a dreamless sleep, (because you can't possibly dream inside a dream), and I would do some stretches. Then I would check on Saphira high up in the branches of the tree and watch her for a while. After breakfast, when Eragon was busy working the field and Saphira was distracted by her attempts to catch small birds that flew by, I would practice swordsmanship.
I was getting quite good at it actually. Eragon showed me a few moves that he and Roran used to use on each other as children. Of course he didn't have a real sword I could use, so I practiced with a long wooden stick that Eragon carved into the likeness of a sword for me. I was determined to do all I could to help, on the day the Ra'zac finally arrive.
After a fortnight, I had developed prominent upper arm strength, and Saphira had grown up to the height of Eragon's knee, and a little taller than my own, since Eragon was a considerable height taller than myself.
One day Eragon confessed his worries to me. We were sitting underneath the tree, eating a light breakfast, when he said "I'm troubled that Saphira still can't breathe fire. And she's getting so big now; I think I have to let her roam free. She needs to stretch her wings out more, and she's unable to fly higher than this tree because of her restraints."
"You're right, I think she needs to be let loose. But don't worry. As long as you two have the bond, you won't lose her." That seemed to pacify him somewhat. He got up and cut the leather strips from Saphira's growing body. Once she was aware she was free, she immediately took to the sky and let out a fierce roar. Eragon and I stood staring up at her in awe. Once we were certain she wasn't flying too far away, we sat back down and resumed our conversation.
"I think I am going to accompany Roran to Carvahall tomorrow and learn more about dragons from Brom, the storyteller." I cringed when I heard his father's name, and I looked down so he wouldn't see the truth etched on my face.
"That's a good idea; he'll tell you the history of the dragons and the stages of their development. I would tell you all that myself, but I don't exactly remember all the details of your conversation with him …" I admitted.
"That's alright, Brom will tell me everything. And then I can properly take care of her."
After a few more minutes, Eragon called Saphira back through the link, and told her to stay here with me while he goes back up to the farm. At first she appeared reluctant for him to go without her, but my restraining hand and Eragon's strong will compelled her to stay put.
The next day, I woke up and realized that Saphira was no where to be found. I headed down the path, not too worried about her, but eager to know where she was. As long as Eragon was linked to her, he would always be able to find her.
I trudged along the path enjoying the crisp morning air, and picked wild flowers as I went. Eventually I found her a little ways off the path tearing into the carcass of what looked like a rabbit.
"Saphira! There you are," I called to her. She trotted up to me, still holding the gory remains in her jaws, and set the meat at my feet.
"Uhm, no thank you, you can have it," I said and laughed at the thought of a dragon offering me part of her kill. After she was sure I wasn't going to take it, she hungrily swallowed the rest of the meat and flew up into the branches. I chuckled and followed her on foot.
After a few hours, I managed to lead her back to the tree with her hut that was getting a bit too cramped for her now. Eragon was already there pacing back and forth. When he saw us approach, he ran down the path to meet us.
"There you are! I got so worried that something happened…" and he came and gave Saphira a hug. She licked his face with her sharp tongue, and Eragon laughed and pulled away, rubbing his sore skin. "You alright Drea? Where were you guys?"
"I'm fine. I woke up and Saphira wasn't in the tree, so I went down the path and found her," I said, smiling.
"Alright, well here's your breakfast," he said, holding out some buttered bread wrapped in a cloth for me and a large piece of raw meat for Saphira.
"I've got to get back, Roran's leaving for Carvahall soon and I don't want him to leave without me." So after a hasty goodbye, he left, and Saphira and me enjoyed our meals by the tree …
The next day Eragon came to me and said, "this is it, Roran said he's planning on taking off tomorrow," he said in despair.
"I'm sorry, you really love your cousin don't you?" I asked.
"He's like my brother. Although, after what you told me about the Ra'zac and everything, I'm glad he won't be here to get hurt. I'd rather he not be in the middle of all this." He said sadly. I silently agreed and thought it was for the best. But I didn't say this aloud. Saphira looked impassively at Eragon, learning more about him as she listened to his confession and felt his sadness. Just then, Eragon jumped up in the air and gasped. I looked around ready for danger, shouting "what is it?" at him. But he just stared straight at Saphira.
"She, she said my name!" he said in amazement. I let out a sigh of relief and relaxed.
"Good, it's about time too, I thought she was never going to speak to you."
"I didn't know dragons could speak!" he said, exasperated.
"Of course they can! They are the most intelligent creatures in Alagaesia. But they can only speak to their bonded partners through the link. So I can't hear her speak, only you." Eragon seemed awed by this, but as time went by, it became more and more natural. Eragon spoke to her more frequently and started to treat her more like an equal. Before I knew it, a month had gone by, but since this was just a dream, it only felt like a heartbeat. Eventually Saphira was big and strong and ready to ride, and I was as good at fighting as Eragon was. Although this was nothing to brag about, because Eragon hadn't been trained yet, and so he was still just an amateur at it.
The next day, Eragon was to see Roran off to Carvahall, where he would meet up with the man he will work for from now on. I paced restlessly back and forth from my spot under the tree. Saphira had taken to the sky again and it was just me. He wouldn't be back until the evening, and I was feeling very anxious. It was a while since I had read this book and all the fine details had escaped me. But somehow, I felt like this was it. This was the moment I was waiting for. The Ra'zac would arrive now. They were here! I could feel it!
For the whole day, I worked my body to the breaking point. I did push ups, sit ups, stretches and worked on my swordsmanship. I put all my efforts into physical training. Sometimes Saphira would fly down and sit on the side, watching my firm concentration with curiosity. I knew that if I told her what was coming, she would understand me and I wasn't sure I wanted her to know just yet. In the book, she stopped Eragon from going to help his uncle because she was afraid of what would happen to him. But now I'm in the story to help, and Eragon is prepared for what's coming.
After a few hours I got too exhausted to continue, and I needed to preserve my strength. So I sat under the tree and forced my whole body to relax. Yet I didn't fall asleep because my mind was in sharp focus and too pumped with anxiety.
Once the sun was much lower in the sky, I heard a desperate huffing and fast approaching footsteps. I got up and shook off my fatigue. I had to be physically and mentally alert for the fight that was about to take place. I felt Saphira stir next to me and get up as well, sensing Eragon's distress.
"They're … here! They're … coming now!" He huffed out, holding a stitch in his side. But I was already prepared.
"Alright, let's go!"