Wyrda

Ch. 6

(Farthen Dur, Armory)

Eragon stared nervously into the reflection of a set of armor hanging from the wall. Phoenix walked up to him from behind, wearing her full body armor. The armor fit her in everyway possible. It moved with her ever movement, as if apart of her. The armor shimmered in the firelight. Her black hair was let down, wavy and just passing her shoulder.

"You'll get used to it," she giggled lightly as she watched Eragon fidget.

"Armor isn't supposed to be this light-weight and flexible," Eragon told her.

"You should count yourself lucky. They managed to find one that fits you so well," she said. "The dwarves began making mine as soon as I arrived here, over a year ago."

"It fits you well," he commented.

Phoenix stood next to Eragon, looking at both of their reflections. The two certainly have come a long way since they left Carvahall. Phoenix often wondered, since becoming a Dragon Rider, how different things my be, if events played out differently.

We wouldn't be fighting Urgals, for one, she silently shook her head. Eragon and I would be married by now.

Best not to dwell on things that might have happened, Aiedail touched her mind.

You're right, she concluded.

Of course I am, the dragon responded.

You distract him. I'll sneak up behind him, Eragon touched Phoenix's mind.

She gave a quick nod that she understood and paid attention to Durza.

"Durza!" she shouted.

Durza swirled around and faced Phoenix and Aiedail. He gave an evil laugh and smirked. They circled around one another in the air. She made sure that Durza was preoccupied to pay any attention to Eragon.

"Tell me Dragon Rider," Durza sneered. "Should I be frightened by you?"

"As a whole: yes," she told him in a mock, thinking. "But, I'm not the one you need to worry about at the moment."

Eragon, now! She ordered through their link.

Eragon and Saphira soared toward the Shade. Eragon leaped off of Saphira's back and knocked Durza off of his Dark Magic creature. The creature, caught off balance, hit Phoenix and Aiedail.

As Eragon stabbed Durza in the heart, the Dark Magic creature disappeared. But, not before completely enveloped Phoenix. Phoenix and Aiedail continued to fall, as did Eragon and Saphira a few feet away, until both Dragons and their Riders hit the hard ground. Only one Rider would not wake up.

(Carvahall)

Phoenix woke up. She wasn't laying on the dirt, in Farthen Dur, nor was she in a comfortable bed. Phoenix was on a wooden floor. She saw Brom leaning over her, shaking his head as he helped her sit up. Brom had placed a hand on her 7 month old, pregnant belly.

He sighed with relief, "The baby seems fine," in his deep, comforting voice.

Brom helped her stand up and guided her to a comfortable rocking chair.

"What happened?" he demanded, remaining gentle.

"I don't remember," she confessed, holding her head as it throbbed from the fall.

"I'm calling Gertrude, then."

Brom picked up his cloak and began to put it on.

"No," she told him. "I'll be fine. I just need a moment to collect my thoughts."

He put his cloak back in the rack, against his better judgment.

"Why don't you go lie dow. I'll finish the stew and wake you when dinner is ready," he told her.

She glanced over at the fireplace and saw a pot. The smell already emitting from the pot was heavenly. Phoenix nodded. Her father helped her to the bedroom. When she sat down on the bed, Phoenix held onto his shirt sleeve with one hand and caressed his beard with the other.

It was only two days ago that Eragon had told her Brom was dead. But, here he was now, helping her pregnant self around the house that she had grew up in.

Brom returned the gesture by placing a hand on her cheek.

"Are you sure you don't want me to call Gertrude?" he asked, softly.

"I'll be fine," she whispered, lying down slowly.

She couldn't sleep however. Flashes of this existence came and went. Strangely, it made her happy. She had expected to feel, at the very least, freaked out by all of this. But she wasn't.

Phoenix had barely fallen asleep when she heard two familiar voices.

"She insists that she's fine. But, I disagree," Brom said.

"What happened, really?" came Eragon's gentle voice.

"Phoenix was reaching for something in the kitchen when she fell and hit her head," Brom said, passionately. "I'm just relieved that the baby didn't appear to be injured."

"What makes you think there's anything wrong with Phoenix, then?" Eragon asked.

"Because, I asked her what had happened and she didn't remember for one," Brom paused. "If she had she would have snapped at me and told me to go away."

"Good point," Eragon pointed out, lightly.

"Dinner is ready. Go wake her," Brom practically ordered Eragon.

Phoenix closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep when she heard Eragon's footsteps come closer. She heard the door open slowly and Eragon approached her.

(Farthen Dur)

Eragon awoke the next afternoon. His back throbbed in pain as he slowly sat up from his bed. He looked around at his surroundings. He was placed in a room that was just large enough for him and Saphira.

Saphira, where are you? Eragon touched her mind.

Roasting the escaping Urgals, she replied spiritedly.

There was a knock at his door and a familiar face peered in.

"Oh, good, you're awake!" Murtagh let himself inside and sat down at the chair next to the bed.

"Barely," Eragon grumbled. "What of Phoenix and Aiedail?"

"Aiedail is as feisty as ever. He's helping Saphira rid us of the remaining Urgals," Murtagh told him. "Phoenix, well, she hasn't woken up yet and Arya is unable to completely heal her wounds."

With help from Murtagh, Eragon got his shirt and boots on. Eragon was eager to see Phoenix's condition for himself.

When the two men entered, Arya looked up. Her expression was sorrowful. Eragon approached the two woman. Phoenix was lying on a bed, similar to what he just woke up in. She was sweating and her injuries were spread out over her face and body. Arya took a cold was cloth to the Riders forehead and neck.

It looks like she's sleeping, Eragon thought.

"I have not encountered anything like this," Arya finally said, gently. "By all accounts, she should be awake."

"What's keeping you from healing her wounds?" Murtagh asked.

Eragon walked over to Phoenix and kneeled down beside the bed. He caressed her black hair

"The same thing that's keeping her from waking up, I expect," Arya said finally. "The creature that hit Phoenix and Aiedail was made of Dark Magic. It must have something to do with that. Only a dragon's mind his stronger than Phoenix's." She then concluded, "That is why your back still pains you after I healed it. Dark Magic was enclosed in Durza's sword when he injured you."

Arya fell silent as she continued to wipe the sweat off of Phoenix's face and neck. Eragon kissed Phoenix in the side of her forehead and sighed, continuing to caress her black hair.

To be continued . . .

(A/N: Okay, no brothers in hospital, no having to rewrite the chapter. I simply had a small writer's block. Which, to be honest, is the shortest Block I've ever had. Count yourselves lucky with that. ;-))