Yeah I've been quite busy lately. But Chap 6 is here, point out any mistakes.
"I Tried my hardest what else was I supposed to do?"
"Try fucking harder." From one of Immortal Techs intro. Yeah you kids out there take note of this saying.
The faint rays of dawn were trickling over the horizon by the time Eragon had located Nausuada. She was hunched over her campaign table, a brief distance behind the battle line, with a fierce scowl adorning her bearings. Her previously glinting armour was covered in filth and blood; what seemed to be a man's innards painted her left shoulder. Eragon felt a nervous tension build up inside him.
Something had gone seriously wrong.
He approached her cautiously as one would a wild animal.
"Nausuada?"
She slowly looked up. Her eyes were dead. A vice tightened around Eragon's heart.
Saphira voiced his thoughts, "A great evil has took roots."
"Eragon... Eragon... thank the gods you were not harmed."
The weakness in her voice alarmed Eragon, "Nausuada what has happened," he demanded; his voice uncharacteristically rough.
She ignored his questioning, "How is Arya? For that matter what is the state of Blödhgarm and his elves?"
"Minor injuries. Arya left to tend to her own affairs... Nausuada wha-"
"Orrin is dead."
Eragon recoiled, stunned.
"No, it cannot be."
Nausuada continued, oblivious to all else, "So are most of his cavalrymen. To make matter worse the left flank was completely decimated; if not for the Urgal's intervention all would have been lost."
Eragon was speechless: his mind was quickly formulating all of the problems the Varden would now face.
"It is a sad day," Saphira murmured softly.
"Orrin... dead? How can it be? This will cause unimaginable strife."
Nausuada nodded in agreement, "The soldiers are not yet aware."
Her whole posture was worn. Perspiration clung rebelliously to her sable skin. Even as Eragon watched a lone drop escaped her skin and hit the floor with a silent scream. It reminded Eragon of her own humanity; a term she would no doubt deny herself.
"Wise of her," Saphira commented, breaking Eragon's train of thought.
"What are your intentions from now on?"
"The men of Surda must swear allegiance to me."
"Is that wise?" Eragon catechized warily.
"Wise or not it must be done; we cannot afford to have such a large number of men wandering aimlessly through our camp."
"I understand... what then?"
Her confidence waivered slightly.
"Then... Then Orrin must be buried."
"You were close to him."
It was not a question.
"Yes, we did not agree upon everything but he a good king and a good friend."
"He was a good king," Eragon agreed.
Their conversation degraded into silence: Nausuada looked deep in thought, no doubt planning their next move, whilst Eragon stared of into the distance: waiting to be dismissed.
"Everything complicates the closer we get to Uru'baen."
Saphira's response was a long time coming, "It is to be expected."
Nausuada turned back to Eragon, "I am tired, you are tired and no conclusion will come of our rambling; go and rest. The Varden will stay here for the foreseeable future."
"Take care Nausuada; we all need a break from time to time," Eragon warned before turning to leave.
(Time Lapse, though only a short while)
Eragon found Arya leaning against a small tree some leagues west of the encampment where the air was clearer and the ground yet a virgin to men's blood.
The princess was curled into herself, her chin resting on her knees. Despite the blood and filth of war she still radiated an ethereal beauty.
Eragon slumped down unceremoniously next to her.
"Orrin is dead."
His voice formal, almost cold, caused Arya to stare searchingly at him.
"I was not aware. It is a true misfortune: Surda will deteriorate swiftly if nothing is done."
Despite her decorous wording the true effect of Orrin's death was hidden on her.
"Death seems to hamper our every effort: first Oromis and now Orrin... I see only darkness."
Her hand shot out and gripped Eragon's forearm with deceptive strength.
"Do not wallow in your own despairs it ill-becomes you; never give up hope."
Her tone was firm and Eragon desperately wanted to believe her. But how could he?
"I wish I could share in your optimism; our cause is lost: we nurtured but a shade of a dream and even that is starting to fade away."
"No, your thoughts are clouded: as long as there is but one fool still fighting there is hope," she chided him, her grip becoming tighter.
Eragon snorted in laughter, "You have quite a way with words princess."
"It is true."
"Perhaps."
Sighing in satisfaction Arya loosened her death grip and removed her hand, pushing it outwards to envelope her knees.
Minutes passed into a silence which neither party wished to break.
Eragon found the quiet soothing and almost intimate; his eyelids grew heavy and he would have passed into sleep if not for Arya.
"I have news as well."
Eragon turned to her, surprised.
"What news?"
"It concerns Islanzadi and the elves."
"Something went wrong?" Eragon asked, his senses instantly alert.
"Not so much wrong as strange: the elves were also attacked around the same time as us."
"That is strange; it seems impossible for a force of such a size to escape our notice for so long."
"Quite," Arya replied tersely, "It was coordinated well."
"Casualties?" Eragon questioned, dreading the answer.
"My mother did not mention, though I doubt they are high."
For a minute the usual arrogance of a superior race entered her voice and Eragon smiled at it.
"Nobles."
"I find it quite amusing," Saphira replied to his remark.
"How are you feeling my Queen?"
"Tired, but other than that perfectly fine."
Eragon and Arya again let their conversation die away and instead turned to watch the rising sun as it slowly consumed the darkness. A nagging question needled its way into Eragon's thoughts; one that had been troubling him since Feinster.
"Arya?"
"Hmmm...?"
"What of Oromis and Glaedr's funeral? What is being done?"
The she-elf stiffened considerably at his words.
"No doubt Islanzadi held some sort of congregation for their honour."
Eragon interrupted her before she could continue, "What of me and you? Why did we not attend? Why did Blödhgarm and the other elves not attend? It seems a poor show of respect."
A torrent of hurt and anger welled up inside Eragon.
"Peace Eragon, you know the answer to your questions; we are at war."
"We cannot allow this war to consume our lives."
"And neither shall we; but ask yourself this if you had gone would you return in due time?"
"Off course!" Eragon exclaimed, "Contrary to what you seem to believe I am no fool: I know my place, my duty."
"I never called you a fool."
"Actually that statement isn't completely true: you have named me a fool before, you did so after Nausuada's 'election' so to speak."
Arya gave a soft groan, "Please Eragon I am in no mood for your games."
Eragon let this testimony go unchallenged.
"In any case," Arya proceeded, "I was never given a formal invitation: it is all guesswork on my part."
"What would be done to their bodies?"
"Most dragon and rider pairs are cremated."
Eragon's voice became grave with his reply, "I see."
By now the sun had defeated the dark and stood proud and bright. Elf and human settled to quietly watch.
"I have always loved the sunrise," Arya whispered.
Eragon silently agreed. The silence of the location along with the comfort of his seat soon lulled him into a state of impassiveness where dream and reality mingled until neither was distinguishable.
(Time Lapse)
A small weight against his shoulder brought him back to corporeality.
He looked down his eyebrows shooting up in incredulity.
Arya's head was resting against his shoulder; her eyes were closed and her breathing steady and soft. Her cascading hair covering most of her face and Eragon's shoulder.
Asleep.
Eragon smiled warmly at the sight, his owns eyes closing of their own accord.
"Eragon... Eragon... My ERAGON! Never will you escape me."
How about that: I even got a bit of ExA in there. I'm still not sure on the whole ExA thing; should I get them together? What do you guys think? Yes I have noticed that most of my writing is dialog so far. Mainly because I need to set some things out between characters first and also because I have never written a story before and am still getting used to it. To the guy who asked about the last line it's the creature, it's discussed in previous chapters.