Wyrda
Ch. 2
(Farthen Dur, Dinning Hall)
It had taken Phoenix hours to heal Arya and nearly all of her strength to do so. Another healer helped her into the Dinning Hall. Phoenix needed to eat and then rest to build up her strength once more. Eragon had spotted her from across the hall. He ran to her aid, thanking the other healer.
Phoenix had begun to shake as she felt her bones and muscle get weaker. Eragon settled her down at a table where he was eating and got her some food. When he got back, with a plate full of food, Phoenix had almost collapsed in her seat. She was leaning on her arm to prevent herself from falling over completely.
"How is Arya?" Eragon asked, as soon as he felt Phoenix was strong enough to eat.
"She's resting. I could only heal her as far as I could without killing myself in the process," she told him. "The rest is up to her now." She ate several bites of food before asking Eragon, "So, Dragon Rider, what of my father? Did he not accompany you on your journey to the Varden?"
"He did," Eragon said, before softly telling her, "He died protecting me."
Phoenix rested her head on her palm. Eragon watched her sorrowfully.
"You blame yourself?" she asked. When he didn't answer she told him. "That's the way he would have wanted to die. As a Dragon Rider."
Phoenix put her a hand on his shoulder. Eragon nodded. He steered the conversation in another direction.
"So this is why you left Carvahall?" he asked.
"I didn't have much choice," she ate a few pieces of her meal before continuing. "Brom wanted me to go straight to the Varden, before Galbatorix had realized that the time of Dragon Rider's has come again," She grinned. "Now, with a span of a year and a half, two Dragon Rider's appear right under the Empire's nose."
Eragon couldn't help but smile at the thought. But something nagged at him.
He asked her, "Why do we link so quickly? It takes time to form the link,"
"We can only communicate through our minds when I initiate it," she told him, finishing her meal. "Unfortunately, my father never explained to me why my mind is stronger than anyone else's. Perhaps, he never knew, himself."
When they had finished eating, Eragon had helped her up and to the edge of a cliff over looking the villages below.
"The dragonhold is up there," Phoenix pointed upward. "I sleep with Aiedail. Beds have been prepared for you and Saphira, as well."
"How do we get up there?" Eragon asked.
Aiedail, Phoenix called. She turned to Eragon. "Saphira is too tired to carry the both of us just yet."
Aiedail landed at the edge of the cliff, beside Phoenix. He was green in color. His eyes were a deep gray.
You must be Eragon? The dragon asked.
I am, Eragon told him with pride.
You don't look like much, he said.
Aiedail! Phoenix scolded him. This is an old friend of mine, from Carvahall. She turned to Eragon, "I apologize for his rudeness. Unfortunately, I got a grumpy dragon." she gave Aiedail a scolding look. "Shall we."
Phoenix swung her leg over and rested comfortably on the saddle. Eragon did the same, sitting behind her, wrapping his arms around her stomach to keep him from falling off. Phoenix blushed and her heart began to race quickly.
Phoenix? Aiedail said. Your heart is racing.
I'm fine. Let's go.
Aiedail extended his wings and pushed up off the ground, hard. Eragon squeezed a little tighter. Phoenix could feel her cheeks grow pinker. They landed softly on the ground of the dragonhold. Once Eragon and Phoenix got off, Aiedail spoke to Phoenix, I'm going to fly around. I need to stretch my wings.
Alright. But be safe, she told him firmly.
I always am.
Phoenix snorted.
"I swear, if he comes back with another dead animal, I'm disowning him," she chuckled as she sat on her bed.
"Where's my bed?" Eragon asked, looking around.
Phoenix patted a space next to her.
It looks like the two of you will be sharing a bed, Saphira told him.
I figured that much out for myself, he grumbled.
Eragon reluctantly sat beside her. He was tired too. As much as he resisted it, the bed was warm and comfortable. The bed made a nice change. And he had to admit, the company wasn't all that bad.
Phoenix laid back and rested her head on the pillow. Eragon followed, watching her facial expressions. He noticed her eyes start to get watery. She turned her head to look at him.
"The last words to my father were hurtful ones," she began, choking back tears. "I didn't want to leave Carvahall. I didn't want to be a Dragon Rider. All I wanted to do was to be a normal child and play with my friends and fall in love one day," she spoke softly. "But then you and I didn't have a nice farewell either."
"I didn't mean--" Eragon began.
But Phoenix interrupted, "You didn't do anything wrong. So, please, don't apologize."
"I still wasn't very nice to you when we were younger," Eragon told her quickly. "I realized then that they were hurtful to you."
"The times I would come home in tears," she said. "After a particular horrible fit of tears after you had teased me, my father started training me how to fight."
"So that's where you learned that one move from?" Eragon asked. "I had a bruise for a week!"
Served you right, Saphira told him.
Phoenix gave a small giggle, "You never said one horrible thing to me again, did you?"
"I learned my lesson," Eragon told her, "Brom was an excellent teacher."
The conversation had landed on her father again.
"Brom never vocalized this, but I could tell that he was thinking about it while we traveled. He regretted that it was mostly his fault that you two never compromised or anything. Brom might not have showed it very often, but he did love you." Eragon's words were soft and comforting.
Phoenix closed her eyes a tears rolled down the side of her cheek. Eragon wiped the tears with his thumb and cupped the one side of her face gently for a moment. Phoenix shifted her body around to face him fully. The tears had slowed, but continued to come, nonetheless. Finally, the sorrow had overwhelmed her and she fell asleep, her breathing calm and steady.
Eragon watched her sleep soundlessly.
I did not know Brom had a daughter, Saphira said, through their link.
Because he didn't want anyone to know. She had only entrusted me with that piece of knowledge, he explained.
Eragon had turned to face the ceiling of the dragonhold. He was better off falling in love with Phoenix, than with Arya. At least with Phoenix, they could finish the romance that never had a chance to fully bloom. Arya was someone new and they didn't share a history together.
Eragon closed his eyes. He was exhausted from traveling. Now that he and Saphira were safe, he could sleep without too many worries.
To be continued . . .