Chapter 35. Norfavrell the Dragon Rider

Birgit and Uthar had married before the attack on Uru'baen and when the people of Carvahal returned to rebuild their village. Uthar and Birgit decided to live in Teirm, King Roran had given every family of Carvahal two hundred crowns to start their lives over, but to Birgit he gave a thousand crowns. Uthar used the gold to buy a boat to start his own fishing slash shipping business.

Norfavrell was with Uthar and Uthar was showing him how to steer a boat the size of the Dragonwing. His ship was named the Boar's Eye and it was being stocked for a long voyage at sea.

"It happens sometimes the compass could break and when that happens you can always tell where you are by the position of the sun during the day and at night use the stars…"

"How far have you been out to sea…" Norfavrel asked.

Uthar was about to answer when one of his hands yelled… "Hail Shadeslayer!"

Eragon walked onto the deck wearing a master rider's robe with his sword brisinger hanging from his belt. "Eragon! Welcome aboard my ship the Boar's Eye…"

"It is a fine ship… I need to speak with you and Birgit if you are not too busy…"

Uthar scratched his chin, "Well I am preparing to sale to Narda… I have a contract with Jeod's wife… She owns the Astar shipping company…"

"Could you spare a few minutes? Its very important…"

He sighed, "I guess… Come with me to our home…"

Uthar's house was two blocks from the docks, the children Norfavrel's brothers and sisters were playing in the front yard when they walked up to the house. The greeted Eragon and bombarded him with questions about Saphira and his adventures.

"Alright you little Urgals… Eragon came here to talk with your mother and me go play…"

"Eragon!" Birgit cried when they entered the house. It was two stories and in many ways, it reminded Eragon of Horst's house.

Eragon smiled at Birgit's swollen stomach, she was three months pregnant. They kissed each other on the cheek, "Welcome to our home…"

Eragon looked at Norfavrel, "Could Norfavrel wait in the other room while we talk… Its about him…"

Uthar and Birgit looked at each other and sent Norfavrel to his room. Birgit was about to ask what all this about but Eragon raised his hand and whispered a spell. "Magic!" Uthar said under his breath.

When everyone was seated Eragon pulled the blue egg from the pouch on his shoulder and sat it on the table. Birgit gasped, "As you know Elva and I are trying to rebuild the order of riders… Because of her abilities Elva can sense who is destined to become a rider and I have come for Norfavrel… He will probably say yes, but as his parents the two of you must agree, but you must know the consequences of his actions…" They listened as Eragon explained the long life of a dragon rider and how that if Norfavrel accepted he would out live all his siblings and their children as well. "If you refuse then this conversation does not need to go any further…"

"If we refused what would become of the egg…"

"The dragon inside would choose another…"

Birgit stood up, "This isn't an easy decision…"

"Can we have time to think about it?" Uthar asked.

Eragon sighed, "I am hoping for an answer now… Time is against me…"

"Why?" Birgit asked.

Eragon explained the curse Galbatorix placed on him and the fact he would one day leave Alagaesia and never return. "Before I leave I want to point the riders order in the right direction at the least…"

Uthar looked at Birgit, "This has to be Norfavrel's decision and we can't influence him in anyway…" Birgit roled her eyes, "…He is becoming a man and part of that is making your own decisions…"

She sighed with her back to them, "I know… I am just afraid of the choice he will make… Norfavrel come here…"

"Um I put a spell up so that no one could listen in on our conversation he didn't hear you…" Eragon removed the spell and summoned him with is mind. When he entered the kitchen where they had been talking Norfavrel's eyes fell on the blue egg sitting on the table. As Eragon explained the reason he was there Norfavrel's face lit up.

"Yes!" He shouted when Eragon finished.

Birgit closed her eyes and said; "So be it…" She kissed her son on the forehead.

Eragon gave the egg to Norfavrel and it hatched immediately, "Your name shall be…" He looked at his mother, "…Birgit after my mother…"

She smiled and grabbed her son into his arms hugging him when they released each other Eragon removed a piece of dry meat from his robe and gave it to Norfavrel to feed Birgit.

"It is time to leave say goodbye to your family…"

"Waite so quickly… I mean doesn't he need to pack…"

"Everything he needs will be provided for…"

Norfavrel said a teary goodbye to his mother, brothers and sisters. He said goodbye to Uthar last then he and Eragon walked up the street towards the palace of Teirm.

"Can I come back and see them?" He asked to Eragon.

"Of course… After you have completed your training…"

"Where are we going…" He carried Birgit in his arms and she stuck her head looking at everything as they walked. Sometimes she would look at Eragon and Norfavrel as if she knew what they were saying.

"Well we will remain here in Teirm until Birgit is old enough to fly… Then we will go to Uru'baen and from there fly to Ellesmera in Duweldenvarden where you will complete your training…"

Saphira greeted them when they entered the Dragon hold and Birgit leapt from Norfavrel's arms and ran up to Saphira. They talked for hours with Birgit listening and learning the whole time.

The next day Norfavrel's training began in learning to speak in the ancient language. As Brom and Oromis did with him, Eragon demanded Norfavrel's best. They would stretch then practice reading and writing in the ancient language. Then they would practice basic swordmanship and finally Eragon showed Norfavrel how to care for Birgit. Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months, during which time Birgit grew in leaps and bounds. When she learned to talk, Eragon allowed then some time alone to get to know one another.

("Let us be off…") Birgit grumbled.

("Remember what I taught you about the wind… Birgit…")

("Yes mother… I mean master…") Birgit had a habit of referring to Saphira as Mother instead of Master, but it was often overlooked.

They took off and didn't stop until they reached Uru'baen.

Murtagh had been in Uru'baen for the past few months waiting until Eragon and his Riders left the city. During that time he had been spying on Nausada and her suiters. She rejected all but a few days ago she started getting close to a man by the name of Elton. Lord Elton of Turnbal, Murtagh became jealous and put a spell on the man that caused him to be accident prone. He also made him vomit his food at dinner and he caused him to have the most vile body order. It got so bad that the poor man had to excuse himself and returned to his home in Ceuneon.

"Lord Elton was bewitched…" Trianna said.

"What?" Nausada exclaimed.

"It was so subtle I missed it until I inspected his room… His bed and a few of his personal items were hexed…"

"Who could have done this…"

"Someone very powerful… Another suitor or someone trying to keep you from finding a husband… I have to investigate…"

Nausada sighed, "Do what you can…"

"Well whoever placed the spells removed them… Perhaps we should send for Eragon and Saphira…"

"No what they are doing is very important… Just do the best you can…"

"Yes my lady…" Trianna bowed and left the the thrown room.

Nausada laughed to herself in private, she wished Lord Elton no harm and she hoped he would be alright. She liked the man, but her mind kept going back to Murtagh. The red rider is what they called him. He single handidly rescued the governor's daughter. He brought those oath breakers to justice and avenged the Urgals, but Murtagh had not been seen in months.

Ferecia had drawn Nausada a bath and afterwards Nausada sat in her room combing her volumous hair out and braiding it. Fericia was helping her, but a heavy sleep came over her and she fell to the floor.

"Ferecia!" Nausada said screaming her name, she jumped up and shook her, but Ferecia remained in slumber.

"She will be fine…" Nausada jumped to her feet and spun around unsheathing a dagger from beneath her robe. "You must be the most beautiful woman in the land…" Murtagh said. "Even Arya can't compare to your beauty…"

Nausada dropped her dagger, "Murtagh!"

"When the twins kidnapped me you were the one thing that kept me… for a while anyway…"

"What do you want…"

"I want you… I have wanted you from the first day I met you…" He took a step towards her, but Nausada took two back towards the door.

"You were behind what happened to Lord Elton…"

Murtagh smiled, "I feared you were falling for that noble stuff shirt… So I…"

"So you decided to get rid of him by playing dirty tricks… That is something Galbatorix would do to get what he wants…"

He sighed, "Well at least you didn't say my father…" They stared at each other for a long time, finally it was Murtagh who broke the silence. "Just tell me that you don't love me and I will leave… You will never here from me again…" She hesitated so he continued to say. "I have changed my true name… I am not the man I was… and I am not my father…"

"Murtagh… What do you want me to say… You are a rider… You won't age while I will grow old… Will you still love me then?"

He started walking across the room, but this time she remained where she was. "Tell me you love me and find out…" She was about to speak, but Murtagh grabbed her and kissed her passionately.

"I love you… I love you with all my heart…"

Murtagh smiled, "If you want I can give you one of my Eldunari and you will live as long as me…"

"If I do that… then I will need to relinquish my thrown…" he was about to say something, but Nausada placed a finger over his mouth. "Five years… give me five years to find a suitable person to sit on the thrown and then we can be together…"

"Five years is a long time… In the meantime will you marry me now…"

Nausada looked at poor Fericia, "Perhaps you should wake her… we will talk more later…" Murtagh kissed her one last time before he woke Fericia and left.

"Forgive me my lady I don't know what came over me…"

Nausada announced to her coutiers and advisors that she would marry Murtagh. It was received with a mixture of feelings both bad and good, but overall it was accepted. Nausada gave Murtagh a full pardon and then they married in private. As her replacement on the thrown, Nausada chose Earl of Hilcrest.