Roran lay propped up half way by silver pillows on his cloud of a bed; thinking as he always did when he woke. He hadn't been able to sleep all night. Large, hard purple bags gathered under his eyes. Constant worry came to him; with flashes of joy and hope. Strangely he didn't feel remotely tired. Light poured on him as he thought.
He looked over to the other bed. His cousin slept peacefully on it. This was his room.
Roran still felt he could barely call him his cousin. He had the look of an elf; ears pointed movement's graceful, body lithe and feline. His hair had lightened to a more light brown color. Even his eyes seemed deeper brown. But at heart, he was that same boy he'd always known; the same one he had always counted on.
He still almost couldn't believe all that had happened. Eragon and Saphira had changed so many lives. Sloan had turned out to be treacherous, Katrina willing to give everything for love, people from Carvahall heroes, and Roran himself a leader.
"You never know how someone will behave in an emergency till they actually have been in one." Roran heard Garrow's words in his head.
He hadn't known how true those words were till now. He'd have never seen Eragon as the hero to save all of Alagaesia, but obviously he was.
His Katrina! She was finally coming back! Back into his arms again. He loved her so. And it had been so long since he'd last seen her. How he missed her. He closed his eyes and saw her in his head.
Her crystal blue eyes jumped out from behind long feathery lashes. Atop them rested two defined brown brows. Half of her long mane of coppery hair, which flowed down past her shoulders to about her mid back, was up with a plain silver clip. She was wearing a bright, radiant white dress that flowed down to her ankles. It was plain silk with lace and pearls on the end of the arms. Not too fancy. But Eragon would probably have it be so much different then he now viewed it. On her feet were shoes made of white leather.
Around her were thousands of beautiful flowers of all colors and varieties. The sun shone brightly behind her. A soft whisper of wind flowed through her cascade of molten copper. A smile rested on her plump, succulent peach lips as she moved with the grace of an elf to him. Out of the corner of his eye, though he wasn't concentrating much on it, he saw a pavilion decorated with the national colors of Surda.
"Roran?" she said deep voice. It was odd, she didn't normally sound like that…
"Katrina…"
"Roran…" She said again in the same voice.
He got up with his eyes still closed and moved towards her voice.
"Roran!" She yelled.
He pushed her lips against hers. They were warm and soft and…real? The owner pushed away from Roran's body. Roran stopped. He felt hot and embarrassed. He knew it wasn't going to end well. But he could at least hope it wasn't… Quite reluctantly he opened his eyes. It was…
"WHAT IN ALAGASIA IS WRONG WITH YOU RORAN!" His cousin screamed.
Roran winced. He felt like he was going to…oh wait. He did. There goes last night's dinner. His mouth felt gross and gritty as he went to the bathroom to go wash his mouth out. He swished with some water from the water basin then splashed some water in his face.
After rinsing and drying off, he looked in the mirror to see how he looked. He saw a man who looked little like Roran Gorrowsson. His eyes and hair was the same, but a short beard hung from his lower jaw along with a thin shadow of mustache. His brown eyes had the look of a new soldier in them; glum and hopeless. He'd seen things many men had never even dreamed of. Not one but two dragons and riders, enough blood to fill Lake Leona, that horrified look men get just before they die. He'd stared in the eyes of a dead man and could see that man and him switching places. Countless times. He'd seen the face of Ra'zac. More like the face of evil. They'd stole away his true love; the one who he would love long after the day they died.
His lips curved into a smile as he imagined the look on the Ra'zac's faces when he pounded them into the ground with his hammer. They'd pay for what they did to Katrina, to him, to Eragon, to Garrow, to Carvahall, and to Alagaesia.
He went back down the hall to Eragon's room. He pasted some nobles who were up early. One wore a dress golden as the sun. Another wore a rich midnight blue velvet tunic and slim, tightly fitting trousers. Another wore a black cloak that completely hid all his features; though there was no doubt in his mind that they were refined. He looked on his own wardrobe with a sigh. He'd been so busy, he hadn't had the time to change much. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment about his state.
All the nobles, strangely enough much to his dismay and pleasure, looked up at him, gave him radiant smiles, and deep, respectful bows.
"Stronghammer." They said softy before returning to previous matters. He flushed even more as he gave a customary nod and smile back.
After that he moved, unhindered, through the white marble halls back to Eragon's room. He opened the door that should have been it, but it was just an empty storage room.
Must be the next room down. He said to himself, in denial that he was lost. The next room had no more luck. It looked nobilities' home, but no one was there. Same went for the next room. It went on and on. No one was there. Or there. Or even there.
Where is everyone? Roran thought. Finally, he came to the end of the hall and the last door. He heard a voice! But when he tried to open the door, it won't budge. So he decided to listen and see who was there.
"This is madness!" came a strong, famine voice. Roran thought for a moment, and then he realized it was Lady Nasuada, leader of the Varden. "Eragon can't fight this war for us! We can't rely on him for this. It would put his life in danger and-"
"Nasuada, who are you to talk? The Varden needs this if we are to survive!" Came an elderly voice of a woman. Roran did not know her.
"It's just a wild goose chase! That palace…" she shuddered, "has more then just Galbatorix. There's the red rider, hundreds of guards, even a moat with that beast in it." She sounded really upset.
"The council believes this to be the best choice. You may be impeached if you do not cooperate. Tell Eragon his assignment."
No. No! NO! What about Katrina? Roran screamed thought his head. He's rather die then spend another week without Katrina.
"I rule the Varden, not you! I am his liege lord. And I will not place my subject in such a position!" She said defiantly. The tone in her voice made it clear she wouldn't budge. Not even if a thousand dragons screamed at her and ripped her to shreds.
Yes! Roran thought
"I agree." Came an elderly male voice.
"All those who second Jormunder say aye." Came a strong, boom voice. It was followed by several ayes. "Alright…All those with Sabrae, say aye now." Two ayes followed. Some, but not enough to win. "Majority wins." Roran smiled. He had been worried for nothing. Eragon would be coming with him, not going on some egg hunt for the elders or whatever.
Then he heard heavy foot-steps and the jangle of keys. He suddenly felt it wouldn't be smart to get caught, so he ran back down the hall. He picked the right path. Soon he was staring at a teak door with a brass handle studded with sapphires. He opened it to see Eragon sitting on his bed. He surveyed the large suite. Their beds were neatly made; their belongings neatly packed.
"Hey." Eragon said softly.
"Hey." Roran replied, then added, "About earlier-"
"It never happened." Eragon cut him off. He smiled. They both looked down at their feet, no willing to look at each other, much less meet their each others gaze.
"Did you sleep well?" He asked after a long awkward pause.
"I didn't sleep at all." Roran said.
Eragon shot a worried look. "Because of Katrina?"
Roran bit his lip and nodded. "I just can't wait for her to be back in my arms; to be able to hold her and never let go."
Eragon gave him a soft, sad smile and nodded back at him. He reached out to see if Saphira was awake yet.
Saphira? He asked in a whisper, so not to wake her if she wasn't awake.
Yes, little one? She answered.
Good…you're awake. We're going to get breakfast. Then we're going to want to get out of her before someone stops us.
I will be ready.
"Let's go have breakfast, Roran." Eragon suggested.
He nodded as he slid on a blue tunic. They both got dressed and then started out of the room towards the dinning room. On their way there, several lords and ladies of the Surdian court nodded to Roran and bowed or curtsied to Eragon.
"Shadeslayer." They'd say respectfully before returning to whatever they had been doing before. Eragon, Roran noticed, gave them all something between an embarrassed blush and a dignified nod. Roran had to use all the control in his body to keep from laughing at how he replied to them. Then he realized he had been in the same situation earlier and looked down at his feet.
Luckily, they were soon at the marble dinning room. There a buffet waited for them. It smelled better then anyone can, or will understand.
Golden hot cakes fresh from the fryer sizzled; soft, strange fruits piled high as the eye could see. Soft, glorious meats steamed; fresh berry-juice bread light the room with its sweet aroma.
Eragon and Roran's mouths watered at the spectacle. They grabbed two plates and piled on high anything they saw that they liked.
After eating, they swiftly left to go finish packing their things. The marble halls flew past their feet.
"Argetlam! Argetlam!" came a softy, sweet voice. They turned to see a young woman. She was garbed in peasant's clothes and her hair was a little dirty and greasy. It was all up in a messy braid. Her face had faint black and brown smudges on it. She looked maybe twenty-seven…and was pregnant. But her hazel eyes caught their attention.
"I need help! Men are invading my home. They have killed my husband and threaten by son. I fear for my daughter. They are invading at Surda's borders." They felt truly bad for her, but they couldn't help.
"I have a vow to another that I must take care of before I may help. I'm sorry."
"But you must! My family can't hold on much longer." Eragon gave a desperate glance to Roran; hoping he'd say they could help. He gave a sad nod and reluctantly mouthed. "I'm sorry, but no."
"Guards…" Eragon said. Two iron cladded men came to him. The woman gave a nervous glance at the guards, then at Eragon.
"Argetlam?" they asked, giving a deep bow before they said another word.
"Would you take this young lady to Nasuada? She has some useful information and a problem we must help her with." The woman's eyes lit up. Tears formed in her eyes as she thanked Eragon.
She gave a cry and shouted as the guards took her to Nasuada's study, "Thank you Eragon Shadeslayer!"
Roran and Eragon shrugged and moved on to there room to finish packing.
After some time, a pounding came at their door.
"Argetlam! Argetlam!" Came several voices, all of which Eragon didn't recognize.
"Roran! Quick! Out the window!" He whispered swiftly.
Saphira, quick! Come get us! He yelled to his dragon.
She came quickly and silently. He smiled at her. I look forward to our flight today. He said.
As do I, little one.
You think you can catch us?
I'd never let you fall…
He then grabbed all their stuff and stuck it out the window. Saphira caught all of it and stuffed it into the saddle. Then Roran jumped. She caught him and lowered him into the saddle. She did the same for Eragon and just like that they were off.
