Chapter 11
Dras-Leona had been captured. They had new members in their 'army' and even a new wizard. Nasuada was proud of the Varden. Yet something was not right. In the back of her head she replayed the hour long scenes again and again, trying to remember each and every detail until finally she realised what it was. She had shot many worried looks towards the sky, but every single time she had been relieved to see no Thorn and no Murtagh. Now it worried her. They had not turned up in Belatona either. What were they doing? Waiting? Expecting? Nasuada's whole plan crumbled to pieces before her eyes. She had been waiting for Thorn's appearance, so that she could send Saphira, Arya, Blodgharm and Eragon to Urû'baen to find the egg, and be sure that they would not be attacked by Thorn without warning.
Eragon and Arya walked into the tent at the same time, bumping into each other clumsily. Eragon went red. Arya looked at her feet. Nasuada looked at her wondering if her theory was true…was the elf in…? Suddenly she realised they were both looking at her, so she coughed and brought them the news.
"You are to travel with us to Urû'baen, and while we are attacking the town, you will fetch the egg." 'Fetch', she made it sound so easy for them did she not? Nasuada hated it sometimes, her ability to make things sound like they were the opposite of the truth. She watched the puzzled expressions jump on to their faces and was about to explain when Eragon jumped up. "fine," he agreed and left the pavilion. Nasuada now had the her turn at wearing the puzzled expression. Arya sighed "he has not got much patients these days…" she excused him, standing up herself. "thank you for telling us lady Nasuada" Then she left.
~O~
Eragon walked through the tent town, straight to his tent.
And? Saphira me him, when he strode passed her into the tent.
We are only leaving when we reach Urû'baen, he replied bluntly.
What are you up to? Saphira interrogated suspiciously.
Eragon stopped untying his boots, unaware he had even been undoing them and looked up from his cot. I don't know, he answered a little amused. He took off his boots, watched the sun go down, then lay down on the bed and fell asleep immediately.
Saphira watched it with bewilderment, but when she tried to contact him , all she heard was a sound like wind whistling through a cave. She looked about the tent, around the tent, flew into the air and watched the people around the tent. What was happening?
~O~
A field of flowers surrounded Eragon. They smelt sweet, like flowers tend to, and although everything felt unbelievably realistic, Eragon was aware that he was dreaming. He looked about, but there was nothing but flowers, hundreds and hundreds of flowers. What on earth was going on here? Eragon sat on the ground and picked one of the flowers. It was blue, like Saphira, and it had claw shaped wings. The flower moved. Or were his eyes deceiving him? No, there it was again! T was twitching with its claw-leaves. Then the leaves turned blue, as did the stem, it grew thicker and bumpier, rougher, until the baby dragon he had once kept in the woods that had surrounded him in Carvahall, lay before him once more. "Hello Saphira" Eragon said and stroked the little dragons belly. The baby let out a puff of smoke and a sound that was similar to a cat purring. The smoke cloud grew, and when Eragon looked at it, it grew. A gigantic, ash grey dragon appeared where the smoke had floated. It looked adoringly at Saphira. Then it lifted its head and blew a flame of fire, that grew wings and floated onto the field, an orange dragon. In this manner a hundred or more dragons, all different colours, appeared on the meadow of flowers. "Who are you all?" Eragon wondered smiling to himself. Burgundy, green, Indigo, apricot, taupe, chestnut…so many colours, they seemed like a field of flowers themselves. The dragons all looked at each other.
The question is what are we all, A salmon coloured Dragon revealed to him.
"What are you all then?" Eragon asked cautiously.
Lost, the grey dragon said sadly, but you can help us Eragon and you will.
~O~
Eragon awoke. He had liked his dream and he was amazed to find that it was well into the morning. He had slept a whole night, and oh did it make him feel good. He stretched his arms and legs, felt underneath his eyes for the horrible bags. They were gone.
You! Saphira cried at him. He smiled at her as he left the tent.
He felt her anger melt.
Very well, she said, it was for a good cause, but now we must fly, the others are hours ahead of us!
Only then did Eragon realize, his was the only tent.