Hey guys! Here it is; I finally have the next chapter. Hehe. It's not like...it's been...4 months...since...the last...chapter...hehe. psh.
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I'M SORRRRRRYYYYYYY
-Maka
"Are you crazy?" I demanded. "First, there's zero way we can get the horses across the Ramr without going to the nearest ford, which, I'll have you know, is thirty leagues downstream and there are towns on both sides. Or, we could go fifty leagues upstream past another encampment to a more deserted one, and have to cut across the middle of the Hadarac Desert, which is, like I said, insane!" Trust a boy like Eragon to come up with a harebrained scheme that would get us all killed.
Why don't you just leave them? A little voice at the back of my head whispered, but I shoved it away. For some reason, I didn't want to leave them. Maybe it was the fact that they had a cause, maybe I was just done running. Whatever it was, I was staying right where I was; with them. With hi- I cut off the little voice. That's enough out of you! I forced myself back to reality when I heard laughing in my head. Hiding my shock, I listened to Saphira speak.
If I can dodge arrows with four people on my back, I can fly a horse in a straight line across a river. Saphira said, and spoke again to me while Eragon and Murtagh continued arguing about the desert. Odd one, next time try not to project your thoughts. I reddened.
I was projecting? You could hear that? I asked, mortified. I heard a gentle confirmation in my head and felt like dying.
It's not wrong to be attached to someone. Saphira said playfully. In fact, I think he feels the same way.
If it was even possible, my blush deepened. I don't know what you're talking about. I'm staying because I'm tired of running is all.
Very well, if that's what you want to think. She said gently, and I felt her presence lift. Relieved, I turned back to the conversation to see Murtagh and Eragon giving me strange looks. "What?" I asked defensively.
"Have you heard anything we've been saying?" Murtagh asked, laughing a little while Eragon scowled. I blushed again and replied.
"Saphira and I were talking. What's up?" I took out my knife and flipped it a few times to calm my nerves. Eragon fliched away a little.
"I'll never get used to that…" he muttered, and I stifled a laugh.
"So basically, we know how we're getting over the Ramr, but no idea how we're going to cross the Hadarac. Wonder boy here wants us to trust him to figure something out." Murtagh said, annoyed. I laughed.
"Yeah, no. So far, all he's done is act like a child, fight some things, flirt with me, and used his magic to heal. You've given me no reason to trust that you can problem solve, and not leave us stranded in the middle of the desert with no water. Sorry, but I'm with Murtagh on this one." I silently hoped that whatever Murtagh had said was along the lines of "stay here until we know what we're going to do".
Eragon frowned and stomped away. I whirled on Murtagh. "See? Child!" I said before stalking over to the horses. However, when I arrived and began to untie my things from Tornac, I stopped dead in my tracks. I let out a strangled cry of surprise.
Murtagh whirled around, running to my side with his sword drawn. He'd pushed me halfway behind him, wrapping his arm backwards around the side of my waist before realizing nothing lay in front of him. I flushed brightly, feeling every point where his arm touched my body. "Krista, what is it?" Then he spotted what I'd spotted, and his sword dropped a few inches in surprise for a moment, his grip tightening almost instantly after.
I knew what his next thought would be. Before he could attack, I spoke. "Don't. She's mine. Why….or….even when….or how….I have no. Freaking. Clue. But…she's mine." I said, my jaw almost on the floor. I stepped forward and grabbed her reins. "Eira...how are you here?" I asked, stroking her nose as my horse whinnied. I turned to Murtagh. "I left her in Gil'ead; I know I did. I have no idea how she got here." I patted her head. Murtagh just stood there with his mouth flapping. I let out an uncharacteristic giggle, then slapped my hand over my mouth, embarrassed. I turned away from Murtagh's baffled response to my giggle and started tending Eira.
"How did you get here girl?" I murmured, stroking her mane. Eira only tossed her head and snorted. I smiled as her pure white mane slapped my face. "Hey, hey! Eira!" I laughed, grabbing her face and pressing mine against it. "I missed you." I muttered into her neck, hugging her. She whuffled softly and nudged my face, prompting another smile.
"Well, at least now she doesn't have to ride with you, Murtagh." Eragon said, a note of satisfaction evident in his voice. Murtagh frowned and Eira snorted aggressively at Eragon, who took a quick step back, moving out of range. I stifled a laugh; it would only hurt his inflated ego more. Covertly, I patted Eira's side with a whispered "good girl" and led her to the feed bag they boys had set out for their own horses and let her start eating, occasionally patting or stroking her flank.
I saw Murtagh walking over, and turned away from Eira. She lifted her head and whined softly. I laughed, and kept stroking her while I looked at Murtagh. "She's beautiful." He said admiringly. "I don't think I've ever seen a horse look this regal. And she's whiter than Snowfire." he reached out a hand to stroke Eira's neck, and she shifted with warning. Murtagh's hand stopped, and Eira lifted her head from the feed bag. She stared at Murtagh for a moment, then lowered her head back to the bag. Cautiously, Murtagh extended his hand and touched Eira's mane, causing the muscles underneath to ripple across her back for a moment before settling.
"Isn't she wonderful? I've had her since I was a child; I never knew why my father let me keep her, until I was 13, and he tried to sell her. The new owner came back a day later, furious, saying that she was the most obstinate and ill-mannered horse he'd ever had. (think Spirit from the disney movie) My father was even more furious when he had to return the money. He took it out on me, but I had Eira back. I finally understood why she'd go missing for a day or two but come back. I'm guessing the man when I was 13 was the only one who'd managed to keep hold of her; she'd probably just run away from all the others, and god knows he was angry every time she came back." I said. Murtagh frowned, but I moved on before he could ask any questions.
"I never knew where she even came from in the first place; Father never said." I said lightly. "I guess you could say she's my guardian angel. Whenever I'd feel upset or hurt, I'd go out to the stables, ride if I could. She always made me feel better." And saved my life. I added silently. 3 years ago, it had been Eira who'd protected me from Father's men. "I suspect she might have been a warhorse before we had her; she's so finely bred, and never spooks. Don't you, girl?" I nuzzled her face again, happy to see the one creature left in my life who I could truly call my friend. "She's also an amazing judge of character; every time she's hated someone, they've tried to hurt me. She's never been wrong." I laughed humorlessly. "She always hated Father."
"It doesn't sound like you had a good relationship with him." Murtagh noted. Realizing I may have given too much away, I cursed in my head. Well, I have to say something now.
"There's a reason I ran away from home." Bitter understanding dawned quickly on Murtagh's face.
"So is that why you needed us? Your father wants you back?" Murtagh asked. I winced a little.
"Not so much 'wants' me back. More like he can't stand to have his reputation tarnished by a 'disobedient wretch' as he'd call me. Or worse." I said grimly. Murtagh frowned.
"Murtagh! Krista!" Eragon dashed up, his knees covered in dirt. "I figured it out, we can cross the desert."
Grateful for the distraction, I turned to him and raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Oh really? Did you find a 'make-water' spell?"
He frowned at me. "No, changing earth to water is highly strength-intensive… But I can draw water from the earth, even if it's miles down. We'll make it, especially if Saphira lends me strength."
"Really? You sure you're strong enough to pull enough water for three horses, four people, and a dragon? Every day?" I asked, still skeptical.
He shifted uncomfortably, eyes not quite meeting mine. "Just because I might not be strong enough doesn't mean that Saphira can't help me, and Arya's not drinking much. Besides, crossing the desert will only take a few weeks, if we ride quickly. I'm sure."
"Whatever. But if you can't make it, we're turning back. I'm not dying out there because you think you can do more than you can."
"Agreed." Eragon turned, shifting Snowfire's saddlebags. "If I'm being overconfident, Saphira will tell you and make me stop."
"Alright. Let's do this. I want to get as far away from here as possible. That place gave me the creeps." I said, transferring my things to Eira's saddlebags, which, I noted happily, had remained untouched.
I'm ready now. You couldn't have picked a worse spot, Eragon. The river is more than half a mile wide, and deep. Saphira backwinged, landing gently as Tornac's eyes showed white. Eira was much better behaved than him, I noticed, leading her towards the deep blue dragon.
"I'll go first," Eragon declared, grasping Saphira's rein and swinging up onto her back. "Once I'm across, I'll take Arya off, and Saphira can come back for the horses."
"Eira should go first of the horses. She seems to be the calmest around Saphira, so she can keep the others calm before we get there." I spoke up.
He nodded at me, and Saphira leapt off the ground, trying not to jostle the makeshift ropes that bound the elf to her chest. Tornac tried to rear, his front hooves falling back to the ground as Murtagh pulled him down. "Case in point," I muttered.
Murtagh shifted and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, I spoke. "I really don't want to talk about it, so don't ask." I knew he'd understand I meant my father.
"I've got more than a few secrets myself, you know. I'll respect yours. You don't have to worry." He said, an element of pain entering his voice, so slight I wasn't quite sure I wasn't imagining it.
"Thank you." I breathed softly. Rarely had I been this open in the past years, and it unsettled me. I wasn't used to anyone caring about my emotions, and the warmth his consideration brought to my chest was disconcerting. I pushed it aside quickly. It's just because you haven't been around people who weren't trying to double cross you since you left, I told myself.
A draconic snort from behind my head startled me out of my internal conflict, and Saphira's voice took on a derisive tone in my head. Didn't I tell you not to project, child? You have ability, but that doesn't make it fine for you to talk out loud all the time. I flushed deeply, then suppressed a laugh. After all, usually thinking was the opposite of speaking out loud. Her long neck snaked down to my face's level. I'll take your horse first. Her long, ivory claws seized around Eira's soft belly. My horse only nickered, as if to tell the dragon to move faster as she took off, midnight-blue wings melding with the sky above the river.
After the horses were over, the other two screaming and bugling as they tried to flee from her claws, I turned to Murtagh. "You go first. I don't want to be alone with Eragon. Not until he can prove that he can be mature." I said, with slight disdain. Murtagh grinned, and I could tell he was suppressing a laugh.
"Alright. Saphira, if you'd be so kind." Saphira snorted, and begrudgingly let Murtagh on her back.
I can carry the both of you, you know, she said. I flushed a little, climbing onto her back as well. I was forced to wrap my arms around his waist to stay on Saphira's back, and I tried to ignore the heat in my cheeks and the hyper awareness of everywhere our bodies met. As we flew, I saw the lanterns and torches of a legion of soldiers only a few miles behind, glimmering brightly.