Answers to reviews:
Spedyalarm: although I appreciate your ideas, you'll just have to wait and see how it works out, especially how Daemon and Saphira hook up. I have figured out a way for it to work, aside from Daemon using a shot to change into a dragon... which I once used in a normal Skyrim story with a Male!Dragonborn x Female!Alduin pairing. But still, I appreciate your ideas and help.
darkangelsouls123456: Never.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Elder Scrolls or The Inheritance Cycle.
When Eragon's eyes opened, the memory of Garrow's death crashed down on him. He pulled the blankets over his head and cried quietly under their warm darkness. It felt good just to lie there... to hide from the world outside. Eventually the tears stopped. He cursed Brom. Then he reluctantly wiped his cheeks and got up.
Daemon and Brom were currently making breakfast when they noticed Eragon was awake. "Good morning." The Dragonborn greeted him with a small smile. Eragon merely grunted in reply as he sat at the fire, not looking at them or replying all that much. Saphira watched her Rider, then glanced worriedly at Daemon but he just shook his head. Sometimes people needed time and space, especially Eragon after what he's been through the past couple of days.
They ate quickly, trying to consume the food before it lost its warmth. When he finished, Eragon washed his bowl with snow, then spread the stolen leather on the ground.
"What are you going to do with that?" asked Brom. "We can't carry it with us."
"I'm going to make a saddle for Saphira."
At this, Brom offered his assistance and began instruction Eragon about saddles for dragons. As they worked, Daemon was busy organizing their packs and supplies, so that each had a equal amount and nobody would be pack mule. Both tasks consumed most of the day, and by the time they were all finished, it was sunset. Weary from his labor, Brom put the saddle on Saphira and checked to see that the straps fit. He made a few small adjustments, then took it off, satisfied.
"You did a good job," Eragon acknowledged grudgingly.
Brom inclined his head. "One tries his best. It should serve you well; the leather's sturdy enough."
Aren't you going to try it out? asked Saphira.
Maybe tomorrow, said Eragon, storing the saddle with his blankets. It's too late now. In truth he was not eager to fly again—not after the disastrous outcome of his last attempt.
Dinner was made quickly. It tasted good even though it was simple. While they ate, Daemon looked over at Eragon and asked, "Will we leave tomorrow?"
"There isn't any reason to stay."
"I suppose not..." Brom shifted. "Eragon, I must apologize about how events have turned out. I never wished for this to happen. Your family did not deserve such a tragedy. If there were anything I could do to reverse it, I would. This is a terrible situation for all of us." Eragon sat in silence, avoiding Brom's gaze, then Brom said, "We're going to need horses."
"I have Shadowmere/I have Saphira." Daemon and Eragon said in unison, causing them to blink and look at each other.
"I assume Shadowmere is the horse you told me about?" Brom inquired, getting a nod from Daemon while Eragon looked confused. "Your friend there told me about his... Dragonborn side. A mortal with the blood and soul of a dragon... and here I thought I had seen it all."
"My land is a lot different from yours, old man." Daemon chuckled before getting serious. "But back to the matter at hand, you two need horses. Mine knows when to come whenever I have need of him."
"But that'll make it harder to catch the Ra'zac," protested Eragon. "On Saphira, I could probably find them within a day or two. On horses, it'll take much longer—if it's even possible to overtake their lead on the ground!"
Brom said slowly, "That's a chance you'll have to take if I'm to accompany you."
Eragon thought it over. "All right," he grumbled, "we'll get horses. But you have to buy them. I don't have any money, and I don't want to steal again. It's wrong."
"That depends on your point of view," corrected Brom with a slight smile. "Before you set out on this venture, remember that your enemies, the Ra'zac, are the king's servants. They will be protected wherever they go. Laws do not stop them. In cities they'll have access to abundant resources and willing servants. Also keep in mind that nothing is more important to Galbatorix than recruiting or killing you—though word of your existence probably hasn't reached him yet. The longer you evade the Ra'zac, the more desperate he'll become. He'll know that every day you'll be growing stronger and that each passing moment will give you another chance to join his enemies. You must be very careful, as you may easily turn from the hunter into the hunted."
Eragon was subdued by the strong words. Pensive, he rolled a twig between his fingers.
"You really know how to be positive, don't you?" Daemon remarked sarcastically, getting a glare from Brom.
"Enough talk," said Brom. "It's late and my bones ache. We can say more tomorrow." Both Eragon and Daemon nodded, banked the fire then retreated into slumber.
Dawn was gray and overcast with a cutting wind. The forest was quiet. After a light breakfast, Daemon, Brom and Eragon doused the fire and shouldered their packs, preparing to leave. Eragon hung his bow and quiver on the side of his pack where he could easily reach them. Saphira wore the saddle; she would have to carry it until they got horses. Eragon carefully tied Zar'roc onto her back, too, as he did not want the extra weight. Besides, in his hands the sword would be no better than a club.
He had to admit, he was a little jealous of Daemon's skill with a sword, having seen it in his memories thanks to Saphira showing him. Daemon had promised to train him on wielding a sword because it may be needed with however long they'll be on this quest.
As they walked, Saphira veered west toward the mountains and out of sight. Eragon felt uncomfortable as he watched her go. Even now, with no one around, they could not spend their days together. She had to stay hidden in case they met a fellow traveler. Daemon watched her go, then looked at Eragon and saw his downcast expression as he watched the dragoness go out of sight.
"Hey." He nudged his friend. "She;ll be fine, besides you've still got me to talk to."
Eragon couldn't help but smile at his friend's attempt at reassurance, which worked.
The Ra'zac's footprints were faint on the eroding snow, but they were unconcerned. It was unlikely that they had forsaken the road, which was the easiest way out of the valley, for the wilderness. Once outside the valley, however, the road divided in several places. It would be difficult to ascertain which branch the Ra'zac had taken.
They traveled in silence, concentrating on speed. Eragon's legs continued to bleed where the scabs had cracked. To take his mind off the discomfort, he asked Brom about dragons, to which the storyteller proceeded to tell him and Daemon about their eating habits, to what to do when engaging one in combat (Though Daemon offered his own opinion into this considering he's fought wild dragons). They frequently interrupted to ask questions, and Brom seemed pleased with the constant inquiries. Hours past as they talked.
When evening came, they were near Therinsford. They found a comfortable place to spend the night and set up camp. Saphira joined them as dinner was being set on the fire. Did you have time to hunt for food? asked Eragon.
She snorted with amusement. If the three of you were any slower, I would have time to fly across the sea and back without falling behind.
Hey, not all of us can fly. Daemon huffed in offense.
Saphira merely sent a puff of smoke from her nostrils and into his face. Jealous? Daemon just chuckled and shook his head while Saphira redirected her thoughts back to Eragon. But seriously, will we be able to catch the Ra'zac? They have a lead of several days and many leagues. And I'm afraid they may suspect we're following them. Why else would they have destroyed the farm in such a spectacular manner, unless they wished to provoke you into chasing them?
I don't know, said Eragon, disturbed. Saphira curled up beside him, and he leaned against her belly, welcoming the warmth. Brom sat on the other side of the fire, whittling two long sticks. He suddenly threw one at Eragon, who grabbed it out of reflex as it whirled over the crackling flames.
"Defend yourself!" barked Brom, standing.
Eragon looked at the stick in his hand and saw that it was shaped in the crude likeness of a sword. Brom wanted to fight him? What chance did the old man stand? If he wants to play this game, so be it, but if he thinks to beat me, he's in for a surprise.
Daemon smirked as he sat beside Saphira. This is going to be good.
I agree. An equally amused dragoness said.
Eragon rose as Brom circled the fire. They faced each other for a moment, then Brom charged, swinging his stick. Eragon tried to block the attack but was too slow. He yelped as Brom struck him on the ribs, and stumbled backward.
Without thinking, he lunged forward, but Brom easily parried the blow. Eragon whipped the stick toward Brom's head, twisted it at the last moment, and then tried to hit his side. The solid smack of wood striking wood resounded through the camp. "Improvisation—good!" exclaimed Brom, eyes gleaming. His arm moved in a blur, and there was an explosion of pain on the side of Eragon's head. He collapsed like an empty sack, dazed.
A splash of cold water roused him to alertness, and he sat up, sputtering. His head was ringing, and there was dried blood on his face. Brom stood over him with a pan of melted snow water. Daemon snickered at Brom's actions, to which Eragon shot him a dark glare before looking at Brom.
"You didn't have to do that," said Eragon angrily, pushing himself up. He felt dizzy and unsteady.
Brom arched an eyebrow. "Oh? A real enemy wouldn't soften his blows, and neither will I. Should I pander to your... incompetence so you'll feel better? I don't think so." He picked up the stick that Eragon had dropped and held it out. "Now, defend yourself."
Eragon stared blankly at the piece of wood, then shook his head. "Forget it; I've had enough." He turned away and stumbled as he was whacked loudly across the back. Out the corner of his eye, he saw Daemon and Saphira wince at the impact as he spun around, growling.
"Never turn your back to the enemy!" snapped Brom, then tossed the stick at him and attacked. Eragon retreated around the fire, beneath the onslaught. "Pull your arms in. Keep your knees bent," shouted Brom. He continued to give instructions, then paused to show Eragon exactly how to execute a certain move. "Do it again, but this time slowly!" They slid through the forms with exaggerated motions before returning to their furious battle. Eragon learned quickly, but no matter what he tried, he could not hold Brom off for more than a few blows.
When they finished, Eragon flopped on his blankets and groaned. He hurt everywhere—Brom had not been gentle with his stick.
"Now... you're turn." Brom said, pointing the stick at Daemon who blinked in surprise before getting to his feet.
"Alright, but we'll do this the right way." Daemon said as he unsheathed his sword, causing Brom to grab his sword and unsheathe it.
"Right then! Let's see this skill of yours, Dragonborn." Brom said.
"You know this won't be fair to you, old man." Daemon warned as they circled each other.
"Humour me." Was the old man's response.
Daemon smirked before they stilled, eyeing each other while Eragon and Saphira watched intently from the sidelines. It was Brom who struck first, swinging his sword but Daemon blocked the attack with both hands on his sword's hilt. He pushed Brom back and strode fourth, swinging with one hand. Brom blocked each attack bit was forced backa step with each block. He then parried a thrust attempt and would've smacked Daemon with the flat side of the blade from behind had Daemon not quickly swung his sword around and blocked it.
"Good!" Brom said, looking impressed at the Dragonborn's speed and skill so far.
The two circled each other again before Daemon struck this time, going high which Brom blocked. They broke the sword lock and Daemon quickly went low but Brom jumped in time, tried a downward slash that Daemon quickly blocked, spun and parried Brom's next attack. This continued for the next several minutes, Brom trying to find a way to weaken Daemon and catch him off guard but Daemon's experience as a warrior showed as he blocked Brom's attacks and stayed on his feet, never once falling or looking winded.
"Enough." Brom said panting a little. Daemon relaxed and exhaled as he felt a little exhausted himself. He had faced many skilled opponents, and Brom was just added to it. "Very impressive skills, you were taught well."
"Thank you." Daemon said, sheathing his sword.
"I don't need to train you to handle a sword, seeing as you handle it well, but Eragon could do with a second teacher." Brom offered.
"Done." Daemon said and plopped down beside Eragon who praised his performance, getting a nod from the Dragonborn who inhaled then exhaled. Though Eragon had to admit, he was jealous Daemon wasn't feeling as bruised and hurt as he did from getting whacked by a stick. His attention went to Saphira when she let out a long, coughing growl and curled her lip until a formidable row of teeth showed.
What's wrong with you? he demanded irritably.
Nothing, she replied. It's funny to see a hatchling like you beaten by the old one. And then being shown up by the older hatchling. She made the sound again, and Eragon turned red as he realized that she was laughing. Trying to preserve some dignity, he rolled onto his side and fell asleep.
Daemon blinked. Did she seriously just call me a hatchling?
The next morning, when he woke, Eragon felt worse. Bruises covered his arms, and he was almost too sore to move. Brom looked up from the mush he was serving and grinned. "How do you feel?" Eragon grunted and bolted down the breakfast.
Once on the road, they traveled swiftly so as to reach Therinsford before noon. After a league, the road widened and they saw smoke in the distance. "You'd better tell Saphira to fly ahead and wait for us on the other side of Therinsford," said Brom. "She has to be careful here, otherwise people are bound to notice her."
"Why don't you tell her yourself?" challenged Eragon.
"It's considered bad manners to interfere with another's dragon."
"You didn't have a problem with it in Carvahall. And she and Daemon converse frequently."
Daemon looked at him. "We may talk, Eragon, but I don't have the illusion that I can tell her what to do, I am not her Rider... not like she'd actually listen to me anyway."
I heard that.
Brom's lips twitched with a smile. "I did what I had to."
Eragon eyed him darkly, then relayed the instructions. Saphira warned, giving him a reassuring mental nudge. Be careful; the Empire's servants could be hiding anywhere.
As the ruts in the road deepened, They noticed more footprints. Farms signaled their approach to Therinsford. The village was larger than Carvahall, but it had been constructed haphazardly, the houses aligned in no particular order.
"What a mess," said Eragon.
"Tell me about it." Daemon said. He's seen similar places back in Skyrim, so he wasn't that bothered. But it was different seeing it in another land.
"It's ugly, if nothing else," agreed Brom.
The Anora River flowed between them and the town, spanned by a stout bridge. As they approached it, a greasy man stepped from behind a bush and barred their way. His shirt was too short, and his dirty stomach spilled over a rope belt. Behind his cracked lips, his teeth looked like crumbling tombstones. "You c'n stop right there. This's my bridge. Gotta pay t' get over."
"How much?" asked Brom in a resigned voice. He pulled out a pouch, and the bridgekeeper brightened.
"Five crowns," he said, pulling his lips into a broad smile. Eragon's temper flared at the exorbitant price, and he started to complain hotly, but Brom silenced him with a quick look. The coins were wordlessly handed over. The man put them into a sack hanging from his belt. "Thank'ee much," he said in a mocking tone, and stood out of the way.
As Brom stepped forward, he stumbled and caught the bridgekeeper's arm to support himself. "Watch y're step," snarled the grimy man, sidling away.
"Sorry," apologized Brom, and continued over the bridge with Eragon.
"Why didn't you haggle? He skinned you alive!" exclaimed Eragon when they were out of earshot. "He probably doesn't even own the bridge. We could have pushed right past him."
"Probably," agreed Brom.
"Then why pay him?"
"Because you can't argue with all of the fools in the world. It's easier to let them have their way, then trick them when they're not paying attention." Brom opened his hand, and a pile of coins glinted in the light.
"You cut his purse!" said Eragon incredulously.
Brom pocketed the money with a wink. "And it held a surprising amount. He should know better than to keep all these coins in one place."
"That..." Daemon lifted his hand, revealing a bigger coin purse with obviously more coins. "And he better make sure he isn't near a master thief like myself." Brom chuckled as Eragon stared with his mouth agape. There was a sudden howl of anguish from the other side of the river. "I'd say our friend has just discovered his loss. If you see any watchmen, tell us."
Brom grabbed the shoulder of a young boy running between the houses and asked, "Do you know where we can buy horses?" The child stared at them with solemn eyes, then pointed to a large barn near the edge of Therinsford. "Thank you," said Brom, tossing him a small coin.
The barn's large double doors were open, revealing two long rows of stalls. The far wall was covered with saddles, harnesses, and other paraphernalia. A man with muscular arms stood at the end, brushing a white stallion. He raised a hand and beckoned for them to come over.
As they approached, Brom said, "That's a beautiful animal."
"Yes indeed. His name's Snowfire. Mine's Haberth." Haberth offered a rough palm and shook hands vigorously with Eragon and Brom. There was a polite pause as he waited for their names in return. When they were not forthcoming, he asked, "Can I help you?"
Brom nodded. "We need two horses and a full set of tack for both. The horses have to be fast and tough; we'll be doing a lot of traveling."
Haberth was thoughtful for a moment. "I don't have many animals like that, and the ones I do aren't cheap." The stallion moved restlessly; he calmed it with a few strokes of his fingers.
"Price is no object. I'll take the best you have," said Brom. Haberth nodded and silently tied the stallion to a stall. He went to the wall and started pulling down saddles and other items. Soon he had two identical piles. Next he walked up the line of stalls and brought out two horses. One was a light bay, the other a roan. The bay tugged against his rope.
"He's a little spirited, but with a firm hand you won't have any problems," said Haberth, handing the bay's rope to Brom.
Brom let the horse smell his hand; it allowed him to rub its neck. "We'll take him," he said, then eyed the roan. "The other one, however, I'm not so sure of."
"There are some good legs on him."
"Mmm... What will you take for Snowfire?"
Haberth looked fondly at the stallion. "I'd rather not sell him. He's the finest I've ever bred—I'm hoping to sire a whole line from him."
"If you were willing to part with him, how much would all of this cost me?" asked Brom.
Eragon tried to put his hand on the bay like Brom had, but it shied away. He automatically reached out with his mind to reassure the horse, stiffening with surprise as he touched the animal's consciousness. The contact was not clear or sharp like it was with Saphira, but he could communicate with the bay to a limited degree. Tentatively, he made it understand that he was a friend. The horse calmed and looked at him with liquid brown eyes.
Haberth used his fingers to add up the price of the purchase. "Two hundred crowns and no less," he said with a smile, clearly confident that no one would pay that much. Brom silently opened his pouch and counted out the money.
"Will this do?" he asked.
There was a long silence as Haberth glanced between Snowfire and the coins. A sigh, then, "He is yours, though I go against my heart."
"I will treat him as if he had been sired by Gildintor, the greatest steed of legend," said Brom.
"Your words gladden me," answered Haberth, bowing his head slightly. He helped them saddle the horses. When they were ready to leave, he said, "Farewell, then. For the sake of Snowfire, I hope that misfortune does not befall you."
"Do not fear; I will guard him well," promised Brom as they departed. "Here," he said, handing Snowfire's reins to Eragon, "go to the far side of Therinsford and wait there."
"Why?" asked Eragon, but Brom had already slipped away.
"I'm starting to get annoyed with that guy." Daemon remarked, getting a nod of agreement from Eragon.
Nevertheless, they did as Brom said and exited Therinsford with the two horses and stationed themselves beside the road. To the south they saw the hazy outline of Utgard, sitting like a giant monolith at the end of the valley. Its peak pierced the clouds and rose out of sight, towering over the lesser mountains that surrounded it. Its dark, ominous look made Eragon's scalp tingle.
Brom returned shortly and gestured for them to follow. They walked until Therinsford was hidden by trees. Then Brom said, "The Ra'zac definitely passed this way. Apparently they stopped here to pick up horses, as we did. I was able to find a man who saw them. He described them with many shudders and said that they galloped out of Therinsford like demons fleeing a holy man."
"Sounds like they left quite an impression." Daemon commented.
"Quite." Brom nodded in agreement then looked at Daemon. "Where's your horse?"
Daemon smirked as they heard a horse's neigh before a black horse, as black as darkness, with red eyes came galloping out of the darkened area of the trees and came to a stop before Daemon, who smiled as he put his hands on the horse's snout. "Shadowmere. He's an undead, immortal horse... and as been my friend through many dangers."
Getting on their respective horses, they started off at a gentle pace.
And I think I'll end it there since introducing Shadowmere seemed like a good way to end the chapter. And of course Shadowmere was going to be in this.