Chapter Fourteen: A Whole New World
Jonathan: The park where Que took me to explain everything was beautiful. It looked kind of like the park we had at home, but the green of the trees was a brighter shade. Que herself was extremely nice, and even pretty, I had to admit. She had golden brown hair hanging down to her mid-back, and her eyes were a brilliant blue color.
"So things on Earth are different?" Que asked. She sounded confused.
"Yeah," I said. "For one thing, people usually aren't betrothed at birth anymore. That used to happen, a long time ago, but not to much anymore. And we don't wear...stuff like that," I said, gesturing to a young woman in a strange-looking dress that looked like it came from the tenth century. "I mean, girls don't. Guys never wore anything like that."
Que laughed. "Your Earth seems strange. Probably like how Neptune seems to you, huh?" I nodded. "Well, I'd better get around to explaining things. Your Dad probably told you that we're under attack by Jupiter. It's sort of been off and on for the past sixteen years, not constant warfare or something like that. Jupiter hasn't even said why they're attacking us, so we're in the dark there."
I stopped her. "You mean you're fighting a war without knowing why you're fighting it?"
Que nodded. "They haven't bothered to tell us. But to get on with the explanation. On top of this war, there's also an anti-monarchy group, Amianima, that's making trouble for my parents and the other temporary monarchs that are ruling in place of your parents. They have demonstrations that aren't exactly peaceful. My dragon, Oriana, has had to break up so many fights that it's not even funny. I'm sick of it all. There has to be a way to end this war and persuade Amianima to leave us alone." She sighed.
I patted her shoulder, much like I would Alina's. "I'm sure that there is a way, we just have to find it, that's all. Can I see Oriana?" Que smiled at this, then looked skywards. Her eyes went blank for a second, but then she looked at me again. I heard the familiar sounds of a dragons wings and looked up. A female dragon was spiraling down to land in a clearing nearby. She was black, with gold spikes on her neck and gold wing bones.
Trahern, who had followed us, looked at Oriana and cocked his head. She's pretty, He remarked. Is she Que's dragon?
I nodded and patted his shoulder. "Yes, that's Oriana." Oriana did the dragon equivalent of a smile at Trahern, who abruptly turned a different shade of gray.
Que, who was watching Trahern with interest, laughed. "He seems nice. A little shy, but nice." She hesitantly touched his nose, and he snorted. Que smiled again, revealing perfectly straight, white teeth. I mentally slapped myself. Why did I always notice people's teeth? "You're a good-looking dragon, Trahern," Que added, making Trahern duck his head and mutter things about girls and compliments. Trying to make him feel better, I scratched a spot just under his head that he liked. He closed his eyes and sighed.
"I see he likes being scratched, too. I was hoping it wasn't just Oriana," Que said. She'd gone over to her dragon, and was leading Oriana over. "I thought it was time for a formal introduction. Trahern, Jonathan, this is Oriana. She's my dragon, as you knew already." Trahern opened his wings and lowered his head, sinking down on his front legs. I was impressed. So was Que, apparently. She smiled again. "You have a very polite dragon, Jonathan. Most of them don't bow when they're introduced."
Oriana looked at me and did the dragon smile. Your dragon is really cute. Trahern choked and turned three shades darker. I hid a smile behind my hand.
Jonathan... Trahern said, his voice a little desperate.
Well, you are, Oriana said in response. Her voice was soft and whispery, like all the dragons' voices. It was always nice to listen to them.
Que, like me, was watching the whole thing with interest. "Oriana doesn't usually take to dragons like that. Trahern's the first one she's ever said was cute," she said to me. Quietly, of course, so that Trahern didn't hear. "I think that's good."
Suddenly, the sky darkened. Blue light flashed, then a black dragon appeared and flew past at breakneck speed. I frowned. "What kind of dragon is that? Doesn't look like any of our dragons."
Que rolled her eyes. "Just wait, it gets better." The sky was just returning to its normal color when it abruptly darkened again, light flashing, and two more dragons appeared, a blue one and a red one. They circled a few dozen feet above us, and I saw a light-haired man on the blue, a dark-haired one on the red. "See?" Que said softly.
"Have you seen Galbatorix?" the one of the blue dragon shouted down. "He escaped again. We were just going to punish him, too." the man sounded vaguely put out. "He had no right imprisoning Murtagh like that."
I turned to Que. "Eragon, Saphira, Murtagh and Thorn are all real, too? And Galbatorix? Who's next, Thirrin Lindenshield?"
Que shrugged. "He went back towards Jupiter, I think," she told Eragon, who nodded and said something to Murtagh, then flew off. "Who's Thirrin Lindenshield?"
I shifted slightly. "She's a character out of one of Alina's favorite books. It wasn't real girly, though, so I read it."
A/N: Thirrin Lindenshield is from The Cry of the Icemark, in case you're wondering. A good book, my brother likes it.
Que nodded. "Ah. Yeah, Eragon and them are real. You didn't know that?"
I shook my head. "No, I didn't. On Earth, they're book characters, written by a guy named Christopher Paulini. I had no idea that they were actually alive." I laughed. "I wonder if all books are based on real people."
Que made a speculating noise. "Maybe. I suppose we'll never know. Anyway, now that they're gone, we have to go meet the Emperor of Cimarrion. But first you need to change. The jeans and t-shirt just aren't going to cut it, I'm afraid," Que said, looking at my clothes in distaste. She said the words as if they were unfamiliar, which they probably were, considering she lived on Neptune.
We turned back, Que leading me to wherever my family was going to live now. I was sort of surprised to see our old(ish) house, but I was getting used to all of the odd things that happened on this planet. I changed into clothes like Que's, only more masculine. I wasn't even surprised to see that they were gray and amber-gold, like Trahern.
Que smiled when I walked down the stairs, pulling on a boot at the same time. "Ready to go?" I nodded, but stopped for a second to run a comb through my hair. "You look nice," she added after I stuck the comb back into my pocket. Unexpectedly, I felt heat on the back of my neck.
"Thanks," I said, covering for myself. Que showed me to the nearest public transport system, which looked kind of like a bus but hovered four feet above the ground. While on board, she instructed me on etiquette.
"It's not to strict here. Basically just don't talk unless you're spoken to, smile and be respectful. You'll do fine, honest. The Emperor is a nice guy, and he knows you're new at this. He'll be considerate. At least he'd better," Que muttered. "He's my older brother, and if he isn't polite, I'll just tell my parents." She smiled sweetly at me. "That's the benefit of being Princess."
When the transport arrived at the Emperor's palace, we disembarked. The palace was more like a huge mansion, but otherwise didn't look any different than the other houses. We entered, boots making small noises on the highly polished floor, and I looked around at all the murals. Dragons off all colors, with their riders, were sewn into tapestries, shown fighting against multitudes of enemies.
"The History of Neptune," Que whispered. "But we're outside the throne room now."
Que opened the door, and I heard a loud voice announce, "The Crown Princess of Cimarrion, the Crown Prince of Jihnera." I assumed that Jihnera must be the land that I was to rule when I was older, after the war was over. If it was ever over.
I saw Alina and the rest of my family, along with Kenneth, Kendra and Haley, standing with a tall man that looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. Alina smiled and waved slightly. Que put her fist over her heart and bowed. I looked at Dad, who nodded for me to do the same. Hesitantly, I did so. The man, who must be the Emperor of Cimarrion, smiled and bowed back.
"You must be Jonathan. I see you've already met my little sister. Hopefully she wasn't to talkative." I shook my head. "Good. She's probably already told you a brief history, and whatever she didn't tell you, you probably saw on your way in here. Those murals cost a fortune," the man said half to himself. "But they were worth every penny. Now, if you'd just stand with your family," the Emperor said, and I did so.
I hugged Amara, who had put her arms around my waist, and gave Mom a quick peck on the cheek. "Hey," I said softly. Alina was wearing the same dragon-riding attire that I was, only in different colors. She looked nice, the blue of her tunic going well with the black of her hair. Now that I looked, the rest of my family was similarly attired.
Adair and Amanda stood together, looking uncomfortable. Though Adair was also looking relieved, and I speculated that she was probably happy she didn't have to wear a dress. Justin and Jacob also looked uncomfortable, for a different reason. They had never liked wearing anything other than jeans and a t-shirt, so they were going to have to get used to wearing the culture's clothes. Thankfully the clothes were modest, at least.
The Emperor smiled. "Glad that you're all here. I'm Xaver, emperor of Cimarrion. Que is my little sister, as you already knew. Your Highnesses," Xaver said, bowing respectfully to my parents, "It's a pleasure to have you back on Neptune. Would you please introduce your children? Five of the seven weren't born when you left."
Dad stepped forward. "Certainly. You remember Alina and Jonathan, of course," He said, beckoning for Alina and I to step forward. Alina glanced at me, then did so. I followed her. Xaver nodded, bowing to each of us. Alina, who obviously caught on quicker than me, bowed back. Again, I followed her example.
He beckoned the twin girls, the next oldest, forward. "This is Adair and Amanda, also twins. They were born about two years after we arrived on Earth." The twins also bowed.
Jacob and Justin were nodded at, and stepped forward hesitantly. "Justin and Jacob. Born three years after we left."
Dad smiled at Amara, who ran forward and stood next to him. "Amara. The youngest, born six years after Alina and Jonathan." Amara, the only one in a dress, curtsied daintily, earning a smile from Xaver. Que got a "oh, how cute is she?" look on her face.
Xaver looked a little taken away. "Their ages, please?"
Mom smiled and nodded. "Of course. Alina and Jonathan are turning sixteen in a little under a month. Adair and Amanda just turned thirteen. Justin and Jacob are twelve, and Amara is ten today." I mentally slapped myself again. How could I have forgotten Amara's birthday?
Xaver bent down and looked Amara in the eye. "Happy birthday, young lady!" Amara giggled and blushed. The Emperor looked at Dad. "You have a wonderful family, your Highness." Suddenly, a loud gonging noise erupted out of nowhere, and Que groaned. Xaver sighed. "Here we go again. Are you ready to fight?"
Poor Amara, I had time to think. She gets a battle on her birthday.
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A/N: Sorry it's taken so long to get the next chapter. And it's significantly shorter than the last one. Oh well. I've been busy with school. Anyway, Eragon and the Gang belong to Christopher Paulini and Thirrin Lindenshield belongs to Mr. Hill. I don't remember his first name, sadly. R and R, people!