Chapter 3

Jumping down from the stone wall, Roran looked around the enormous castle. They had ventured deeper into the spine, and arrived at a place Blödhgarm described as Morzan's Castle. From the look of it, however, it looked nothing like a castle. It was in complete ruins, much like the outpost they visited. Arya had decided that it would be best for them to enter the castle in darkness, making it had for the guards to see them.

The only problem, was that it made it hard for him to see. Occasionally he would spot a sentry and, quietly as he could, he would kill them, but it was mainly Blödhgarm and Arya that did most of it. It almost seemed pointless for him to be along on this mission, but Roran decided to show that not all humans were inferior to elves.

Glancing around a place that had once resembled a garden, Roran saw that the castle was guarded by soldiers, but it seemed that they were undermanned. Or, he thought, perhaps they are inside guarding something.

It seemed likely that someone would hide something here, but exactly what it was they would hide here puzzled Roran. It was the most unlikely place to hold Eragon, yet it was here that Islanzadí believed Eragon could be held. He couldn't imagine why a elf Queen would be in a place like this, especially when it was said to be owned by a Forsworn.

The mismatched trio ran through the gardens, and into a side door to the keep. It seemed like a private entrance, much like someone would have for their quarters. His Aunt Selena was said to have lived here, and it occurred to Roran that this would most likely be her quarters. As they entered the dark room, Roran's guess was correct. Besides the fact that it looked like no one had lived here for years, it was a beautiful room. Portraits of flowers were poised all along the wall, with dresses lining the floor.

It seemed that his aunt might have been in a hurry to leave, and Roran figured that it was when she was due with Eragon. Shaking his head, he followed the elves. From the sleeping quarters they entered a long hallway, and heard distant sounds of someone yelling. He watched as Arya silently drew Brisingr, and he followed by raising his hammer in preparation. The hallway was dark, and from Roran could see, was splattered with age old blood.

It seemed that the hallway ran the length of the castle, and it seemed most likely that the dungeons would be easily accessible from here. They quietly walked down the hallway, and Roran tried to make as little noise as possible. Of course, the elves seemed to make absolutely no noise at all. They heard screams of pain, and what sounded like something snapping. Blödhgarm had said a few words in his language, and another light appeared over Roran's shoulder. Blinking from the sudden bright light, Roran silently thanked the elf.

The screams came from around the corner, and Roran heard the sound of marching footsteps. Glancing around the corner, Roran saw that numerous guards were rushing towards a door located on the side of the hallway. The door slammed behind the recent guard to enter, and Arya silently approached. Looking around to make sure no guards were coming, Roran settled himself on the opposite side of the door, ready incase anything came out. He heard a guard scream in pain, before he heard another sickening snap.

Blödhgarm had grasped the handle and threw the door open, and Arya pounced through the now open door. Roran peered into through the doorway, and saw that it was another hallway. At the far end of the hallway, Roran saw that a man was on top of another man, viscously pounding with his fists into the other mans chest. The man on top was shaggy looking, with hair well past his shoulders, and his chest seemed to be oozing fresh blood.

Arya sprinted towards the man, and as quick as any elf, grasped the mans wrist, successfully stopping the next strike. The shaggy man, quicker than Roran thought possible, punched Arya in her chest, and he heard a bone snap. The man jumped onto of Arya, raising a fist. Blödhgarm and Roran began to charge at the man, but stopped when they heard Arya say, "Eragon?"

Her voice gave the man pause, and Roran got a good glimpse of his face. Indeed, it was his cousin, but a version of his cousin he thought he'd never see. Eragon was coated in blood, and his once clean shaven face held a beard. His cousins eyes, however, affected Roran. Eragon's eyes were no longer the murky brown he known them to be, but were instead blue. His eyes seemed to be a mirror image of Saphira's own, and Eragon's mouth was twisted in what Roran described as a dragon's snarl.

His upper lip was pulled back, and he snarled at Arya. Arya kicked Eragon off her, causing him to land were he was beating the man. The man, however, was no where in sight. Ignoring that, Roran slowly approached his cousin. Arya had gotten up off the ground, but didn't pick up the fallen blue sword. Instead, she slowly approached Eragon, who snarled at her.

Eragon charged at Arya again, and Arya dodged his incoming punches. Blödhgarm rushed towards Eragon, attempting to grab his arms. Eragon, however, kicked Blödhgarm in the chest, causing the elf to spit blood. Roran ducked as a wild fist was thrown at him, and saw that Arya was attempting to pin Eragon against the wall. She had grasped his other arm, and placed it behind his back after he had thrown the punch at Roran.

Roran grabbed his other arm, only for him and Arya to be thrown clear across the hallway. Arya landed on her feet, but Roran wasn't so fortunate; he smashed straight into opposite the wall. Getting up as quickly as he could, he watched as Arya and Eragon circled each other.

Arya was speaking to him in the ancient language, clearly trying to get Eragon to understand her. However, it seemed that Eragon didn't hear anything she said. He let out another snarl, and was thrown to the floor when Arya pounced on him. Arya had grabbed his arms and pinned them, but was thrashing wildly on the floor. Roran and Blödhgarm ran towards him and grasped his legs, holding him down. From his position, he saw that Arya was poised right over Eragon.

Eragon gazed into two emerald orbs, and felt the rage slowly leave him. The rage didn't completely disappear, but it seemed to retreat under the intense light from the orbs. Slowly blinking, Eragon felt pain wash over his body. His arms ached, and his chest felt like it was sliced open. As his vision cleared of the redness, Eragon saw that it was Arya who was gazing at him.

Arya quickly jumped off of him, and he felt his legs being released. It seemed that once Arya had realized that he was back to his old self did she let him free. Dragging himself off the floor, he felt a strong arm pull him the rest of the way. Looking up at the person, Eragon saw that it was his cousin. Letting a small smile grace his lips, Eragon allowed Roran to help him up. Looking around, Eragon saw Blödhgarm there as well, but something was nagging at his mind.

Before he knew what he was saying, a quick "Hermod!" escaped his lips.

From beside him, his cousin said, "Who?"

Rapidly blinking, Eragon felt memories flow back into his mind. "The man that was here…" he said, and the effort it took him to speak caused him to sag more on Roran.

Arya ignored his previous statement, and instead slowly approached him. He saw apparent relief flash over her face, along with another emotion Eragon couldn't describe. In a soft voice that Eragon never heard before, Arya said, "What happened?"

A brief coughing fit over took Eragon, but he managed to utter, "When?"

Arya was gazing directly into his eyes, and the intensity of the look forced him to look away. "Before," she said.

He was so tired that he managed a short shrug, he avoided the question by asking one of his own, "How long?"

Roran stirred beside him, and began to lead him out of the hallway, with the two elves follow. "How long have you been gone? Around three months."

Eyes widening, Eragon stuttered, "Three months… Seemed less."

He felt more than saw Roran raise a eyebrow, and he said, "I'm surprised that you are even still awake right now. You look like you just got into a brawl with a bear."

A small chuckle escaped Eragon's mouth. Roran's frankness always made Eragon feel better, especially since Roran never danced around subjects near him. "Hey, it was a big bear."

Arya didn't seemed pleased with their joking around, and had stopped Roran and Eragon from venturing any further. "You must be healed, Eragon, for I fear you are losing to much blood."

Blödhgarm approached him, placing a hand over his chest and muttered, "Waíse heill!" A groan escaped Eragon, and he felt the skin on his chest crawl back together. While Blödhgarm worked his magic, Eragon saw that Arya was studying his healing chest. Catching her eye, he raised a eyebrow towards her. She quickly looked away, and Eragon heard Roran let out a small laugh.

Looking towards his cousin, Eragon shrugged, to which Roran laughed harder. Eragon laughed with him, until the motion caused pain to shoot through his chest. After a few more painful moments, Blödhgarm finally backed away saying, "There is nothing else I can do, Shadeslayer. I grow weary from the effort."

Waving him off, Eragon began to walk down the hallway, stopping when he had no idea which way to go. Turning back to his rescuers, he asked, "Er… which way?"

Rousing from his waking sleep, Eragon for once felt completely refreshed. Sitting up, Eragon saw that they were in the middle of the Spine. They had camped out in a clearing, one barely big enough to hold four people. Standing up, he saw that Blödhgarm and Roran were still asleep, and that Arya was nowhere to be found. It surprised him to catch the elf sleeping, but he saw that the sun had yet to risen. They were a few days away from Belatona, and Eragon was eager to get back to see Saphira.

The three months apart were the longest they have ever been separated, and it in itself was torture to Eragon. Using his elven sight, Eragon walked through the forest, looking for a brook. After a brief journey, Eragon found a small one, and used it to clean himself. They had traveled slow due to Eragon's wounds, and this was the first time he was able to get away from the group.

Glancing at himself in the water, he saw that his eyes were back to their brown color. Eragon used magic to shave off his beard, and cut his hair back to its original length. Hearing a twig snap behind him, Eragon whirled around, grasping for the sword that wasn't at his side. He saw Arya approach, his sword strapped to her side. She had yet to part with it, and Eragon didn't feel up to asking for it back.

Smiling at her, Eragon sat down at the edge of the brook. He heard her sit down beside him, and he turned his head towards her. She was sitting closer than she would have normally allowed, but Eragon vocalize the anomaly. She was quiet for some time, and Eragon didn't want to break the spell. When she finally spoke, Eragon was unsure if it was her that spoke, for it was in such a quiet voice, "What happened?"

He knew she was referring to before, when he lost all sense of control. He still felt it under the surface of his skin, but whenever Arya gazed at him with those emerald eyes, it receded back for the time being. Answering her question, he said in a equally quiet voice, "I don't know."

They were silent for a few more moments, until Eragon spoke louder, "It was unlike anything I have ever felt. The rage, the power, it was unbelievable. My arms shake just thinking about it. It consumed me, and I didn't know that I could stop it."

Arya picked up a random rock, and threw it into the brook. Raising her voice to match his, she said, "But you did."

Eragon let a sad smile grace his lips, before responding, "Barely. It was replaced by another feeling, something stronger." He knew what he felt, but he didn't want to vocalize it, fearing he would lose her friendship again.

Arya was either unaware of distress, or she didn't care, for she said, "What feeling?"

Eragon merely looked at her, and smiled. He knew what she was trying to do, but he was unaware of exactly why she was trying to get him to say it. Instead, he remained silent, for he knew that she knew what emotion that was. They stayed silent for a brief moment, before Arya changed the subject. "What was it like, living on a farm?"

He was surprised at her question, for he she never asked about his past. Gazing out towards the brook, Eragon took a second to organize his thoughts. "Simple. Some years were worse than others, but I mostly hunted to bring back food."

Arya nodded, and he continued, "What made it harder was that I didn't know who I was. Eragon, son of none I was called, and it bothered me. It must have been hard for Brom, for me to be so close, yet unable to approach."

Again, they fell into silence. Eragon had laid down on his back, staring at the rising sun. It was beautiful here, even though most people feared the Spine. He wasn't surprised when Arya spoke again, but was surprised by what she said. In a quiet voice, she said, "I missed you."

Stunned, Eragon froze. While he knew that she had most likely missed him, he was caught off guard when she spoke it. He smiled at her, and tried not to read into it more than he should. Arya smiled at him, and said, "Saphira missed you as well."

At the mention of her name, Eragon felt his whole body tense. "Aye, I know." Thinking of Saphira made him feel the emptiness of his mind, and he desperately wanted to sprint all the way back to Belatona to see her. Arya, asked, 'What is it like? I mean, what is it like being away from her? I know what the bond between rider and dragon is said to be, yet it is hard to comprehend what it feels like to share your mind with someone else."

"Right now?" he said, "It feels like I'm missing half of myself. That every thought I have is incomplete, that every feeling is less intense. Normally, I can not tell where Saphira begins and I end, for we are constantly with each other. Of course, there are things I do not tell her, as there are things she doesn't tell me."

It is hard, sometimes, to have every thought over looked by someone else, but it helps. She is able to correct me if I am about to do something stupid, and she loathes to let me out of her sight. Its funny sometimes, because elves place dragons in such high esteem. If they you were to hear the conversation that takes place between us sometimes, you would probably look at us differently."

Gazing up at the sun, he saw that it was about time to set off. Arya had followed his gaze, and said, "Come, it is time to depart."

He nodded, and got off the ground. Following Arya back to the camp sight, he saw that Roran and Blödhgarm were both awake, and were waiting for their arrival. As soon as Roran saw them approach, he waggled his eyebrows towards Eragon. In retaliation, Eragon scuffed Roran behind his head, harder than he meant to. Laughing as Roran fell to the ground, he saw that the two elves were staring at them oddly.

Roran charged at Eragon, obviously intending to wrestle. As Roran reached him, Eragon grasped his shoulders, and rolled backwards, throwing Roran over him. His cousin attempted to pin him down, and Eragon was surprised at Roran's strength. Of course, he stood no chance against Eragon's elven abilities, even if he was still weak. He ended up pinning his cousin to the ground, and Roran brought up his knee against Eragon's chest.

When Roran pushed, Eragon let out a yelp of pain, jumping away from Roran. Arya was beside him in a second, scanning his shirtless chest. He saw that a particularly viscous wound and reopened, and he felt the rage boil under his skin. He closed his eyes, breathing in Arya's nearby scent, causing his body to relax.

Bloodlust, Eragon thought. It's the same feeling that wild dragons are said to have. But why am I feeling it?

He felt a cold hand press against his chest, and he saw that Arya was healing him again. This was the second time she healed him, especially when he was able to heal himself. The recent change in her character puzzled Eragon, but he merely cast it aside. He would talk to Saphira about it, when he returned.

Arya had backed away, and he saw the emotionless mask once again take hold of her face. He shook his head, helping Roran up, who was still laying on the ground. Roran threw him a questioning look, to which Eragon merely shrugged in reply. Waiting while Roran mounted Snowfire, Eragon ate what little fruit they still had left. The four of them set off, and Eragon ran beside his cousin, with Arya leading, and Blödhgarm behind them.

Even with the pace they were able to travel, it would take them days to reach Belatona. Beside him, his cousin had decided to speak, asking, "What took so long?"

He saw that Arya's ears had twitched, indicating that she had heard him speak. Reaching his mind out towards Snowfire, he urged the horse he stop suddenly, causing Roran to fly off his saddle. He heard Blödhgarm let out a laugh, and was glad when he saw that Arya had a small smile on her face.

Roran, climbing back onto Snowfire, exclaimed, "I don't even know why we bothered to rescue you, since all you do know is abuse me for your amusement."

Resuming their run, Eragon responded to Roran, saying, "Oh be quiet, you know you love me."

Roran snorted in reply, saying, "Right. You know, maybe I should tell Arya about the festival dance in Carvahall, you know the one where you-" he trailed off, obviously taunting Eragon.

Eragon's ears turned red, and he muttered under his breath, "Shut up."

Roran let out a loud laugh, and was followed by Blödhgarm's elven laugh. Eragon sighed, stating, "It wasn't that funny. How was I to know that she was the merchants daughter?"

Roran merely redoubled his laugh, and said, "It was a good thing Brom was there, or you would have been missing something other than your shirt!"

Eragon felt his ears couldn't get more red, and he muttered again, "Shut up."

A/N: In the future, I'm going to try to make the chapters a little bit longer, but I had already written most of this chapter when I posted Chapter 2. I think this Chapter is alright, and that I could do a lot better. I'm thinking of aiming higher, but the update time will be obviously slower, as it will take me longer to write. Please, Read and Review!