Wyrda
Ch. 4
(Farthen Dur, Dragonhold)
Eragon used the old mining lift and pulley system to elevate himself to the top. He saw that Aiedail and Phoenix were already a sleep. Saphira sat comfortably on the edge, looking out at the fires of the Varden.
She's angry with me, isn't she? Eragon touched Saphira's mind, looking at the new sleeping arrangements.
At first glance, yes, Saphira answered. She is more jealous, I believe, more than anything.
Of what?
Of the link between you and Arya, she told him softly.
She started it, he told her defensively. She's the one that implied that Murtagh might be interested in her.
Perhaps it was a test? She guessed.
Of what?! Eragon was already getting tired of women and their crazy up and down emotions.
That, Saphira began, is for you to figure out.
Eragon scowled at her. He turned his attention to Phoenix. He kneeled down beside her and gazed upon her gentle face. Eragon noticed that she had been crying again. Some of her black hair stuck to her face. Eragon gently brushed it away, out of her face.
Saphira went over to Aiedail and curled up next to him. Eragon touched Phoenix's cheek and attempted to touch her mind, I love you. But, whether or not he could initiate the link between them, he could not tell.
Eragon gave a small sigh and laid in bed himself. He stole one last glance at her, hoping that she would respond. When she didn't, he let sleep overtake him.
Her mind was racing. Now matter how much she wanted to sleep, she couldn't. So she faked it. It wasn't easy to keep her breathing calm and steady. Phoenix opened her mind to Eragon and Saphira's conversation, without either of them knowing.
Perhaps it was a test? Saphira guessed.
I'm not that clever, Phoenix said to herself.
Phoenix felt Eragon kneel beside her and touched her. His battle worn hand was softer than she thought. Although Eragon touched her mind and heard him say, I love you, she did not respond.
Even though, she would have loved to jump in his arms with everything forgiven and replied, I love you too. But she remained still, desperately to keep her heartbeat steady. She felt Eragon slip inside his bed, a distance away, and finally falling asleep.
(Dragonhold)
Morning came with the bright sun shinning through onto the dragonhold. Eragon squinted as he opened his eye and looked around the room. Phoenix had awoken before him. He glanced over to the edge of the large opening and saw her sitting there with only a thin mat for comfort.
Eragon approached her. She was sitting upright, with her shoulders and back straight and her eyes clothes. Her breathing was calm.
How long has she been up? Eragon touched Saphira's mind.
Since the sun rose, she replied.
Phoenix will be meditating for another hour, at least, Aiedail told them, sleepily. She does it every morning to help control her emotions.
Why?
She arrived at the Varden too emotional to control her magic, lad. With the arguments she had with Brom and yourself . Aiedail told them.
Eragon looked from Aiedail to Phoenix.
Arya has taught her how to meditate in order to control her emotions and her magic, he explained. Magic is tied to emotions.
Aiedail laid his head back down. Saphira and Eragon went down to the dinning hall for breakfast.
(Farthen Dur)
Arya had just finished lacing up her boots when Phoenix entered later that morning.
"Orik told me that you and Eragon would be sparring today," Arya said, slowly standing up and meeting Phoenix at the doorway.
"Yeah," Phoenix said slowly. "His idea of entertainment, I suppose."
The two began walking through the corridors, heading to the training area.
"I envy you elves. Your race seems to keep your emotions controlled so much easier than humans can," Phoenix said.
"Only with many years of practice and patience," the elf told her. "I noticed yesterday you weren't quite yourself," Arya said. "Understandably, so. The news of Brom's death and seeing Eragon again would make anyone uneasy."
Phoenix nodded and then asked, "I need to know, to put my mind at ease, the link between you and Eragon . . . ?"
"I believe we share the link only because I carried Saphira for so many years. I'm sure Eragon sees the link as something much deeper," Arya took a short pause as they turned a corner. "But, it is not." She said firmly. "You still care for him, don't you?"
"I do," Phoenix sighed. "I meditated this morning. So, I'm feeling more like myself again, though."
"That's good news,"
The rest of the way the two walked in silence.
(Training Area)
As the two women approached the area, they saw Aiedail and Saphira relaxing under a nearby tree. Eragon and Murtagh sat on a stone bench in the shade of another tree and seemed to be discussing something. Orik was watching Murtagh closely with an eagle eye, not even blinking as the two men talked.
Phoenix stood right in front of Eragon. He stood so that they could be at eye level. Her posture was straight.
She drew in a long breathe, released it and told him stoically, "I would like to apologize for me behavior yesterday, Eragon. I hope that you will forgive me."
Eragon did his best not to smile. He made sure his expression was neutral before replying.
"I accept your apology," he said.
"Shall we start, then?" Orik grunted. "Let's see what Brom had managed to teach you, Boy."
Eragon scowled in annoyance.
"You get used to him," Phoenix said, grinning, nodding toward the dwarf.
Arya sat down next to Murtagh and Orik on the stone bench. Eragon and Phoenix slid their swords out and pointed them at one another. Aiedail and Saphira looked on with mild interest.
"It's been some time since Phoenix has had a new sparring partner," Arya told Murtagh as they watched the two Riders spar.
Orik grunted with amusement, "That's because all the other's were getting tired of going home bruises and scratches."
"Will you two shut it," Eragon grunted, as he almost fell to the ground, ducking from Phoenix's sword.
"Learn to block them out," Phoenix huffed, twirling around. She made another attempt at hitting Eragon. There was a loud clash of swords. "In a real battle, there normally will be chaos all around you. You need to focus more."
"Easy for you to say," Eragon said as he blocked another blow with his own sword.
She chuckled lightly. It had been another half hour before everyone realized it will be a draw.
"Enough! Enough!" Orik shouted gleefully.
The two stopped, both dripping in sweat, their clothes and hair soaked. Eragon and Phoenix put their swords back and joined the others in the shade.
"To bad Farthen Dur isn't large enough to have both dragons in the air at the same time," Phoenix said. "I'd like to practice fighting on dragon back, in the air."
Eragon passed the water skin to Phoenix, who drank thankfully. Phoenix put it down and pointed to Murtagh.
"Ajihad let me out for only an hour," Murtagh told her. He didn't seem too bothered by the time. "He's letting me earn his trust little by little. I'm just glad he's giving me the chance."
Orik looked sharply at him.
"Under the watchful eye of the dwarf, of course," Murtagh added.
"I'm going to bathe in the springs and change it to clean clothes before the mid-day meal," Phoenix announced. She grinned at Eragon and added, "Are you coming?"
Eragon blinked for a moment. Murtagh nudged him forward and he followed Phoenix.
To be continued . . .
(A/N: Okay, I would have gotten this out sooner. But my poor old computer ate the original chapter 4. So I had to start from scratch. I'm not complaining too badly, because this one I like a lot more than what I had before. Funny how that works, eh?)