this chapters a bit longer than normal, and it only took me a day to write, yey me! jeez that's lame.
lol, claimer: it is alllllll mine, well except for the bits that arent.. but oh well, lol
enjoy!
32.-Intrusions
I sighed, I really did not want to relive the events that had happened, but I knew I had no choice now; I was just going to have to make this as short and painless as possible.
I started the morning Dorran had turned up on my doorstep, leaving out my dream and, after a short argument with Dorran, the fact that he had collapsed because apparently it made him seem weak…guys.
I told them of when Dorran died, and then was illogically brought back to life by the egg, leaving out how he had managed to get his hands on something so valuable. I described the first time I had morphed and flown, the sheer joy of the feeling, loosing myself in the seemingly distant dream. My story continued after some prompting from Dorran who had a hard time bringing me back to reality and I grudgingly recounted the discovery of my deceased grandmother, her burial and what happened to the tomb.
The part after was hard to tell though because I had to leave out many parts concerning the werewolves, but I ended up saying that we just wondered the forest aimlessly and after a couple of days running into Eragon. Not exactly imaginative, but it was the best I could do right then. But I was sure they could tell I was leaving something important out, but they did not say anything, instead letting me continue with the occasional nods of encouragement.
Then I described of when we came across the emerald egg, the strange magnetic force pulling us towards the cave containing it. I could feel we could trust these people with the true story instead of the absurd tale Dorran had told Arya, that it had been our egg. Then everything tied into place as I said Arya had found us and we were taken to the Varden.
"And there you have it," I finished up, "the absurd twist in my life beginning with a few days ago." My mouth was dry from talking for what seemed like hours, which I probably had been if I thought about it.
"Well that certainly was amazing, I would have never thought anything like that was possible, what do you think Eragon?" Nasuada turned to the rider in front of her, his strange eyes still staring at me, but unfocussed, as if assessing the tale I had just told.
He came out of the trance and replied, "Levels of magic that advanced are extremely rare, but then again, anything is possible with dragons." He looked up and beamed at Saphira, who gave a wolfish, predatory grin in return, her brilliant blue eyes glimmering in the lamplight.
Of course that is true, when I trained with Glad-um…the elves, they did speak of the limitless magic of dragons and their ability to accomplish many things that would have killed even fifty elves attempting to create such a feat. If you ask me, it is entirely possible that what they said was true, I mean, just look at what they can transform into, if that doesn't just scream proof I do not know what does.
Saphira's calm and soothing voice echoed in our heads, and I nodded in agreement, smiling at her. She grinned back and then turned to gently un-strap Arya from her back
"What are we going to do with her?" Eragon asked Nasuada, turning to help Saphira and place the body of Arya on the chair.
"If you do not mind, could you and Saphira please take her to her home, I am sure Queen Islanzadi will want to bury her daughter." Daughter? So, Arya was an elven princess, wow, I am willing to bet the queen will not take this death very well, Faolan's voice resounded in our minds.
Aw, Faolan, why did you have to speak? You were just about to set a record for not talking over an hour, I sniggered into his mind, watching in satisfaction as his face turned red from embarrassment.
But yes, I agree with you, that will not be a happy visit.
"I will, I was heading there anyway to converse with Queen Islanzadi, are you sure you can manage with me being gone for a few days?" he joked, his face then turning solemn when he caught sight of the body again. Nasuada smiled, the upturn of her mouth not reaching her eyes, the wood colored orbs remaining forlorn.
"I am sure, I have Kalanie, Dorran, and Faolan to help me and I doubt Galbatorix will attack within the space of a couple of days. Just, don't be too long though." She added hesitantly at the end, her eyes downcast.
Eragon smiled, "I will try not to be." And with that he gathered Arya's body and, following Saphira, made his way out of the office.
When the solid doors slammed shut Nasuada turned to us, "I expect you are hungry, if you would like I could send some food to the cave you have stayed in, or I could arrange for you to have a room each if that is more preferable, the choice is up to you."
I thought, a warm bed, or a hard floor but with Dorran, this was truly a tough decision.
"Well, we may be dragons, but even the strongest of beasts must endure some comfort sometime, so I have to say that I am going to go for the room, although the boys are welcome to have a cave if they wish." I added with a grin. Nasuada smiled back,
"I do not blame you, I will have a maid to prepare a room for you and some new clothes, those ones look as if they could come apart at any moment." Mixed feelings emitted from Dorran and Faolan but I ignored them and smiled thankfully. "And what of you men, which would you prefer?"
"A room if you please, no question about it." Faolan piped up, his voice eager and tired at the same time, Nasuada nodded and turned to Dorran.
His onyx orbs regarded mine briefly, then flashed back to Nasuada, "I will go with the room too, a person can endure only so many nights before their back brakes from the hard ground." I grinned and Nasuada beckoned for two servants to step forward, "Rosalie, Nathaniel, can you please escort these people to some spare rooms and then inform the kitchen to send some food to their quarters."
"Yes ma'am." They both replied before hurrying over to us and ushering us out of the doors and down a side passageway.
"You boys follow me; I will show you to your rooms." Nathaniel said, then broke away from Rosalie and me, and scurried down an earthy pathway.
Dorran paused and looked back at me, his usually emotionless eyes showing sadness. Stay safe, his voice echoed in my mind, I nodded and smiled slightly before following the small dark-haired woman we had seen at the entrance down another path. The tunnel seemed to last forever and the silence pressed against my ears, the only sound was the echoing of our footsteps on the soft floor.
Then doors started appearing along the walls until we reached one with a golden handle, the wood heavily varnished and surprisingly spotless for something underground.
"Here is your room, I will be back in a moment with some fresh clothes and I will then escort you to the bath house where you may wash away the grime of travel."
"Thank you." I replied before opening the door and entering the identically lit room, the same eerie red glow surrounding me everywhere I went.
The space was lavishly furnished with paintings of the surrounding mountains obscuring the walls and expertly carved cherry wood furniture, everything matching, and everything either red or gold, the dim light only adding to the comfortable atmosphere.
No one was watching, so I sprinted to the bed and jumped high onto it, the silken sheets and feathered mattress so supple that when I lay back on it my eyes began to drift closed on their own accord.
I sighed, heaven.
But of course all good things have to come to an end eventually and soon I heard a brisk knock at the door, awaking me from my peaceful, dazed state.
I got off the bed grudgingly and tottered over to the door, turning the handle to reveal Rosalie carrying a dark green satin dress, undergarments, and satin slippers, the whole outfit just looked exceedingly inappropriate for fighting and traveling in.
"Your bath is ready, follow me to the bath house." She said in her musical voice, and turned on her heel and hurried down the tunnel. I hastily shut the door and rushed after her not wanting to get lost in such a labyrinth.
She led me to a corridor with a solid looking door at the end and opened it, shoving me inside. "There is soap along the side and towels on the other, I will leave your clothes out here so that they will not get wet, come back to your room when you are done so you can eat." And with that she left after placing the expensive clothes on the dusty ground.
I sighed, the idea of washing just sounded amazing at that moment. I undressed, leaving my torn and filthy clothes on the floor, and hurried into the bath house. The second I opened the door steam pored over my body causing me to shiver in pleasure. I stepped eagerly into the room and immediately found myself walking down steps, my toes just brushing the surface of the steaming water which must have been warmed by an underground spring or something.
I eased myself into the scolding liquid, the heat burning my flesh but feeling soothing at the same time. I immersed myself into the water, ducking my head under the fiery liquid, running my fingers through my hair to untangle the unruly knots. I spotted the soap Rosalie had mentioned and washed my mud-stained skin in an attempt to rid it of grime. I seemed to be lying in a stone bowl that was connected to some kind of pump that was probably used to pump the hot water from the ground into it.
The sweet fragrance of the rosewater was getting to my head and I had scrubbed my skin until it was pink and raw, so it was obviously time to get out. I sighed and heaved myself from the warm water and reached for a towel, wrapping it around myself and opening the door to retrieve my clothes when I froze.
Standing right there staring at me, his face tomato-red from embarrassment, was the tawny-haired guard from earlier, his mouth agape and his eyes bulging.
He was so dead.
