Beginning to Learn

Disclaimer: I do not now, never did, and never will own Eragon.

Urû'baen

Luce stared up at the ceiling. Why couldn't she sleep?

Actually, Luce knew the answer to that question, or the answers to the question, rather. The first reason was what that man had said to her. You don't want this, do you? It had been bothering her al night. She knew she didn't want this, but somehow hearing it come from the mouth of a man who had never known her made it seem worse. Since sleep would not come, she tried to make herself a sleeping draught. Deandra had tried to teach Luce about the use of herbs when she was younger, and the latter had never had an aptitude for it. This time, she had overused one herb and not put enough of two others into her draught. It had instead made it more impossible for her to sleep.

She gave up trying to sleep and went down to the practice courts. She didn't have to worry about Belinda following her; the maid had been absent since last night. Luce assumed that she had somehow been responsible for the failure of the Varden's attack.

When the green rider reached the practice courts, Murtagh was not there. She waited for a half an hour. Murtagh was still not there.

Iormungr, where is Murtagh? she asked her dragon.

Luce heard a large yawn. I don't know, Luce. Is he with you?

No, Iormungr, that's why I asked you, she told the green dragon.

I don't know, and I'm trying to sleep. I haven't been having your difficulties with potion-brewing. Thorn's asleep too. Since Murtagh's not here, I don't see why you have to stay down here. You can come in the dragon hold as long as you don't wake me up, Iormungr explained.

I think I'll go get Murtagh, actually.

It's your choice.

Belinda walked along the corridor towards Luce's room. She was coming from her meeting with the king. He had been pleased that she had managed to improve upon what his spy from the Varden had told him about the attack planned for last night. She had given him actual names, and all those people had been killed, some of them by her. Luce had looked asleep when she left to meet with the king. Belinda hoped the girl still was. Experience had taught her that Luce's sleep patterns were extremely erratic. When she opened the door, Belinda saw that Luce had indeed gotten up to go to her lessons. Belinda doubled back to the practice courts in hopes that she could spy.

Luce headed towards Murtagh's room. It suddenly occurred to her that she had no idea where said room was. She couldn't ask a servant as that would create gossip. She decided to wander around until she found it. Three hours later, she found it.

Luce knocked tentatively on the door. There was no answer. She knocked harder. There was still no answer. She pounded on the door as hard as she could for several minutes. The door opened just as she had raised her fist to hit the door again.

Murtagh's face looked at her. The rest of his body was hidden behind the door. He stared at her face for a few seconds before he seemed to process who she was.

"Luce, what are you doing here?" he asked. His voice was hoarse, and he seemed rather incoherent. It surprised Luce; he was usually a morning person.

"I was wondering why you hadn't come to the practice courts," she explained.

"I'm tired, and I'm not dressed yet," he told her bluntly.

"Well, get dressed. I have something to tell you," she retorted.

"Do I have to hear it now?" Murtagh asked.

"I found out why the Tábors are here," she explained smugly.

Murtagh's face showed vague coherence. "How?"

"I met the daughter when she had an epilepsy attack. Her name's Lenori. She thought I was a servant. She told me everything," Luce told him.

Murtagh looked as skeptical as someone as tired as he was could. "So, what did you find out?"

"You're not going to like it," she warned.

"Just tell me," he growled.

Luce took a deep breath, "Galbatorix has decided that you should marry Lenori Tábor and that I should marry Mort."

Murtagh stared at her for a few minutes and then laughed. "Is this your idea of a joke?" he chortled.

"No!" she emphasized.

He stopped laughing. Luce's face didn't show any of the usual signs that crossed her face when she was joking. He could only think of one thing to say.

"But Mort's a whole head shorter than you!"

"I noticed."

"The only memory you have of him is beating him to pulp when you were four!"

"With your help."

Murtagh looked at Luce. Her eyebrows were raised. She was amused by this.

"You aren't happy about this, are you?" he aksed incredulously.

"No, of course not. I've just had more time to come to terms with it," Luce replied. "Speaking of which, you didn't seem to even say a thing about marrying Lenori."

"I haven't even seen her yet. I can't judge her."

"She's small, thin, and pale with blond hair and blue eyes. She's…passive arrogant."

"Passive arrogant?"

"She is arrogant like the rest of the Tábors are, but she's not very good at it."

"Oh."

"You don't understand, do you?"

"Luce, I don't think Iormungr understands half of the things you come up with."

Luce and Murtagh laughed for a few mintues. Murtagh paused.

"Luce, where's that servant girl? What's her name?" he asked.

"It's Belinda. I don't know. She wasn't there when I woke up," the female rider explained.

"I can sense her presence," Murtagh whispered as he grabbed Luce's arm, pulled her through the door, threw her on the floor, and shut the door.

"What was that about?" Luce yelled. Murtagh put his hand over her mouth. He'd covered himself with a blanket.

"She was coming around the corner," the red rider explained.

Luce's eyes widened. She listened closely. She could hear footsteps. The person went paused by the door and then continued passed it, repeating the same process every few feet.

Murtagh removed his hand.

"You have to pay more attention," he explained.

"Of course, master," Luce teased.

Murtagh looked at her for a second.

"I'm serious," he told her.

Luce dropped her eyes. "I know. I should pay more attention," she muttered.

"Go back to sleep. I'm canceling lessons for today. If any magicians or guards will train you, go get them. I have to sleep," he explained.

Luce nodded and got up to leave. Murtagh stood up and hugged her briefly. He didn't know why. Thorn adhered to their new agreement and didn't provide any explanations. All he said was, So you're marrying a passive-arrogant pretty airhead, in half understanding/half mocking tones. Rider and dragon got back to sleep extremely quickly. Luce's scent hung in the air. It comforted him oddly.

Ellesméra

Eragon awoke with the sunrise. He yawned loudly as he rolled out of bed.

I suppose I've gotten used to early rising, he thought.

I have too, Saphira agreed as she got up and stretched her wings.

I'll go wake Ardis, he told Saphira as he put on his tunic.

I'll fly out and be ready to fly at to the Crags of Telnaeír, Saphira told him as she flew through the opening in the wall.

Eragon nodded and walked to Ardis' room. He knocked on the door tentatively. Ardis opened it. She looked groggy.

"Is it time to get up already?" she yawned.

"We must go meet Ebrithilar Oromis and Glaedr," Eragon explained. "I'll leave you to get dressed ready."

Ardis nodded as he closed the door. She wondered who Oromis and Glaedr were. She recognized "ebrithilar" to mean "masters" in the Ancient Language.

Oh, you're up, Kazul exclaimed gleefully. Ardis nodded. Kazul made humming sounds. The younger female dragon loved the morning unlike her rider, who loved to sleep.

Yes, Kazul, and I think this is the time I have to be up every morning, Ardis told her dragon.

Oh, well you'll get used to it, the dragon explained comfortingly.

I suppose I'll have to, Ardis groaned.

Yes, you will, Kazul stated wickedly.

Ardis sighed as she pulled on her tunic and leggings. She then took breakfast with Eragon and climbed on her dragon.

As Saphira and Kazul landed, Oromis came out of his hut to meet them, and Glaedr came down from the sky as well. Eragon noticed Ardis' shocked expression. It mirrored his own when he had learned of the existence of another rider of old. Kazul seemed both surprised and delighted. Eragon hoped that she wouldn't repeat Saphira's reaction to Glaedr.

"Welcome back, Eragon-finiarel and Saphira-Bjartskular," Oromis stated. "Welcome, new rider and dragon."

"Ebrithil, these are Ardis and Kazul," Eragon told the elf. He was going to tell Oromis of Ardis' heritage in private.

The two riders exchanged the traditional greetings. Eragon noticed Oromis watching him while he greeted Ardis and Kazul.

"Eragon-finiarel, Arya-drottningu told me that you have become aware of your parentage," the old rider said gravely.

"Yes, I have, and I would really like to know why you didn't tell!" Eragon yelled. He was angry at Oromis for this.

"Eragon, you were not ready for such knowledge," the elf told him.

"I would have rather heard it from you than…Murtagh," Eragon told him. Ardis noticed how he continued to yell until he got to the last word. That was when his voice seemed to fade and be full of the most pain.

Oromis looked kindly at him. "Eragon, I would not have wished you to learn of it from such a source. I intended to tell you when you returned for your training. In truth, I thought you mature enough to hear of it before you left, but I did not think it wise to weight you down with more concerns during these difficult times. That is why you did not hear of it until that battle. It is not because I thought you would emulate Morzan or Murtagh. I am truly sorry that you have experienced such suffering."

Eragon bowed his head and nodded. "Forgive me, ebrithil, for shouting at you," Eragon murmured respectfully.

"I accept your apology, Eragon. Your reaction was understandable. I ask only for your forgiveness for causing you more pain," the elf explained comfortingly.

"There is nothing to forgive," Eragon muttered. He felt ashamed of his outburst.

Oromis nodded. He turned to Ardis.

"I am sorry for my rudeness in neglecting you, Ardis-finíra," Oromis told her. "Please, tell me about yourself."

Ardis looked at Kazul and asked, Should I tell him about my father?

I think Eragon intends to tell him, Kazul told her.

Ardis had suspected that. She supposed she should tell Oromis the whole truth. She began her story by telling him about Morgana. When she got to the part about her escape, Oromis showed mild surprise that Murtagh and Luce had helped her.

"I know that what you say is true. I trust you because Eragon trusts you. I have one question though. Why did Murtagh help you? Your sister providing help is understandable, but I really don't understand why he would," Oromis inquired.

"I don't know why. Luce asked him to take me outside of the city because her dragon Iormungr wasn't big enough to fly two people. He said he would, and he did," Ardis explained.

Oromis seemed to contemplate her answer. He looked up and replied, "Eragon, I would like to spar with you to see how you have improved. Ardis, after that is done, I would like to see you spar with Eragon. Then I will access your abilities in archery and magic."

Oromis drew his blade, Naegling, and Eragon drew the sword that the Varden had given him. They both blocked their swords.

Eragon attacked first. Oromis quickly caught his blade. They continued for five minutes. Ardis watched with wide eyes. She had never seen such swordsmanship. The closest thing would have to be when she had watched Murtagh and Tornac spar. She also realized that she had as much chance of beating Eragon as she had of jumping off Urû'baen's tallest tower, hitting the ground, and living to tell the tale.

At last, Oromis made a false thrust to Eragon's legs while really intending to go for his jaw. Eragon realized this and blocked Oromis' blade. He flicked it aside and took advantage of the opening. He put his blade on Oromis' throat.

"Good," the elf croaked. "Very good indeed. Ardis and Eragon, your turn."

"I don't even have a sword," the girl moaned.

"Can you use one?" Oromis retorted.

"Yes," Ardis replied. Her sword abilities weren't something to be boasted about, but she had something that resembled them.

"Then use this one," he said, handing her Naegling.

Eragon and Ardis crouched. They stood like this for minutes. Eragon struck the first blow. Ardis barely managed to block it. No sooner had she blocked it that Eragon came for a blow at her legs. She leapt over that one. He then brought his blade to her arm. She only partially managed to block that one. It hit her arm slightly. After about thirty seconds of this, the blue rider had disarmed her. He put his blade against her throat.

"Dead," he stated.

Ardis couldn't believe it. He was barely tired out, despite his battle with an elf and her. He had beaten her so quickly. She had to do more work on sparring more than she thought she had.

Oromis said, "Not bad. You require some work, though. Are you ambidextrous?"

Ardis shook her head. Tornac had spent the better part of two months Murtagh and Luce to fight with their left hands. Ardis hadn't participated in this. She could only just fight with her left hand.

"You'll have to learn that then," he said. "Let us see how you perform in archery."

Ardis nodded, picked up her bow, and asked. "What do you want me to shoot?"

Oromis pointed to a rather large apple hanging from the lowest branch of a tree. Ardis felt insulted. She knew she had performed poorly in sword-play, but she could use a bow. She nodded, narrowed her eyes, and shot. The arrow soared through the air and hit the much smaller apple several branches above it.

The apple fell to the ground. Oromis looked at it.

"That wasn't the apple I told you to shoot," he said quietly. "Would you not rather eat the larger one?"

Ardis stared at him. She'd thought he'd be impressed by her ability to shoot such a difficult target. She picked up her bow and shot the apple he had originally told her to shoot. She hit it.

Oromis picked up the apple. "You have great archery skills. That is good. Just remember to shoot what I tell you to shoot. It matters not how difficult the target, only what you gain from shooting it. Now, I will test you in magic."

Ardis could raise a pebble, set fire to a branch and put it out, and summon water from the nearby stream. She could only manipulate in certain ways, though.

"You could stand to be improved. Your knowledge of the Ancient Language is good for performing simple spells and addressing people. I wish for you to be fluent, however. You will perform the exercise that Eragon did and speak in only the Ancient Language while you are in Ellesméra. Here is a dictionary. Read it. I know you have basic knowledge of pronunciation," the elf explained.

Ardis nodded. Deandra had not even let Luce and her start magic lessons until they learned about pronunciation and letters. It had probably been for the best. Galbatorix had thought so too and let Deandra do as she pleased. Ardis wondered what had happened to Tornac's sister after her escape. She hoped she was alright.

"Now, Eragon, I would like you to…" Oromis continued. He gave Ardis and Eragon various exercises and drills. They were similar, though Eragon's were far more difficult. Ardis couldn't help but be impressed by Eragon's skills. He seemed to do everything so much better than she did. She wasn't envious though. She hoped Eragon could help her.

At sunset, Oromis said, "Come at the same time tomorrow. Vanir will take you both to the practice courts. Eragon, you will help Ardis learn to fight better. Perhaps her human friend might help her. That would be sensible since your abilities are almost elfin, Eragon."

Ardis and Eragon mounted Kazul and Saphira.

What did you think of Glaedr? Ardis asked in all innocence.

I am glad to see a new dragon, but I think he is too old for me, if that is what you are asking. I think I would prefer Thorn or Iormungr from what you have told me, Kazul explained. Besides, you could not take your eyes off of Eragon. Please, heed my warning Ardis. I have heard that he loves Arya. I don't want you to get hurt.

I'll be careful, Ardis told her dragon nonchalantly. She didn't understand why Kazul worried. She didn't intend to cause Eragon discomfort. She wasn't even sure if she had feelings for him. No, Kazul's worries were unfounded. Yes, they were. They were.

Ardis sighed. Eragon turned and looked at her.

"What is wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," she replied cheerfully. Eragon's worries touched her. Kazul's worries were definitely unfounded. She would be fine. Of course she would be. Kazul sighed herself. She hoped Ardis didn't do anything careless.

So, what did you think of that chapter? Will Eragon choose Arya or Ardis? You'll find out when Arya comes to Ellesméra.

P.S. Does anyone have any ideas for the next few chapters? I don't want anything that will seriously affect the plot. I just want some ideas for what will happen while Ardis and Eragon are in Ellesméra. Maybe some for what's gonna happen in Urû'baen. I'm probably gonna update on the Varden, Derek, and Arlena in the next chapter, but I can't make any promises. I just want some ideas on what to do in Ellesméra mainly.

P.P.S. Ligan isn't canon. He's a dead O.C.