A smile appeared at her wine-red lips as her emerald eyes met Eragon's blue ones. She had her fine lithe sword out and was in a relaxed, yet steady, stance. Green blood dripped off her sword and a large gash ran down her arm. Her onyx cascade of hair was up in a pony tail and her vivid eyes had an amazing amount of life and love in them. She wore a modestly loose, white long sleeved shirt that fanned out at the end. Over it, she had on a tight, white leather vest that tied up. Swung across her chest was her amazing bow, tightly strung. A quiver of arrows fletched with pure white swan feathers hung on her back. Only four were left. She wore a loose, white skirt that flowed out like a flower.
"Not who you were expecting, was I."
"Ya I was expecting something ugly, not beautiful."
"There'll be time for complements later. Right now, we got to move. I only knocked the Ra'zac out. I didn't kill them. I knew how much you and Roran want that pleasure."
Eragon grinned. It was true. Roran would be mad if she were to deprive him of their blood. And Eragon, admit it of not, felt the exact same way.
"Now call, Saphira." She said gently.
Saphira, come pick us up.
Us?
Just do it.
As he waited, Eragon tried to think of something to say to Arya that would not offend her. She was running her dainty white fingers through her hair; carefully removing dirt and anything else gnarled in her glossy black hair. He could smell the sweet pine that clung to her and intoxicated his senses. She leaned against the wall; her whole body seeming at ease.
He walked over and leaned against the wall right beside her. He gave her a crooked smile; staring deep into her green eyes as he fidgeted a bit and gave a low sigh. She would not look him in the eye. He shuffled his feet a bit, and then turned his attention to the gaping hole. It felt like Saphira was taking forever; however it had been less then a minute since he talked to her.
He turned to gaze at Arya. Her fair white skin sparkled it the low light. As her looked upon her, he noticed some changes. Her eyes were more distant, sadder then ever. Massive indigo bags loomed under them. Her perfect skin wasn't as perfect anymore. It seemed loser. He wondered for a moment why she had changed. She seemed upset about something.
Then she caught Eragon's stares and gave a sweet smile. He smiled back but it dulled as he realized she still didn't look him in the eye. It was like she was ashamed; about only the gods know what but clearly ashamed.
Within a few more seconds, Eragon's keen ears caught the heavy thud of wings on the air. It grew in volume and soon a soft gust rushed through his hair. Then came the sight of his two ton dragon.
She gave her low, choppy growl Eragon recognized as laughter and displayed her white fangs for a toothy smile. He knew she was about to say something, so he gave her a cold stare. She caught it and was silenced. Arya, however, caught it too. She gave a puzzled look and shook her head. Eragon, seizing their belonging in the corner of the room, through on Saphira's saddle and quickly tided its lengthy tan leather straps around her girth He grasped two white spikes and pulled himself up.
"Aren't you coming?" Eragon asked when Arya didn't climb up after him. Then he realized how awkward it was that she should ride with him. He sighed.
"I-I have to get back to-" her sentence was cut short by a loud boom. This was followed by a course roar and a low hiss. Then, it all went quiet.
Arya hesitated a moment she looked scared, frozen in fear. Then came the shuffle of feet.
Arya scrambled onto Saphira fast. "Go!" she shouted.
Just as they were taking off, a Ra'zac appeared. Part of its normal black cloak was ripped and under it, Eragon saw a shiny black shell. Part of its shell was ripped open and oozing out a dark green blood. Gooey pink flesh showed in the parts that weren't too blood stained. A foul odor hung just above then. It was like rotten fruits and week dead carcass. It overpowered even the sweet scent which so strongly clung to Arya. Eragon wanted to through up.
"We will remember you, Dragon ridersssssss." It hissed. Then the other stumbled in, just as badly wounded.
Saphira, keen on not smelling that scent anymore, flew out fast. As they passed out of the prison hold, they looked down to see a terrible sight. Thousands of men in scare clothes, scars from whips, and dirt on their scars worked underneath them. One cheered as he saw the dragon. A full suited soldier paced to him. He raised a cruel looking whip and snapped it down upon his skin. The man cried out and continued working. Several men bore similar scars and many had hopeless eyes. They all mined, day and night. But for what? Eragon finally had to close his eyes. Behind him, Arya gave a light squeeze to his stomach.
"This is what becomes of those Galbatorix finds unworthy." She whispered. He opened his eyes to see a truly cruel sight. A man was lying in the mud, his face bloody and his eyes hopeless. He tried to get up, but stumbled with every attempted step. Tears were welded in his eye as a black-cladded soldier came upon him. He bore a sharp spear but held it in a weak stance. But it did not matter. His spear came down easily on the man, who struggled to get up. He thrashed as the spear impaled in his gut dug deeper. Blackish red blood poured on the earth, permanently tainting the soils. The man rolled and squirmed in pain. His squirming suddenly just stopped. No tears. No funeral. He was just gone.
Eragon could no bear it any longer. He turned, closing his eyes so not to see any more. Tears leaked beneath his lids, like a failed dam.
But soon, the currents changed. The air, instead of being humid, warm, and stuffy, was now cool, breezy, and light. Beams of warm sun streaked his lids, bathing is close-eyed vision in a glowing, warm red. He opened his eyes. For a moment, he had to squint. Then he saw Helgrind's barn hillside, not even a hint of life clinging to it. They winged away from the cursed dragon's bane.
Soon they could see Leona Lake and Katrina and Roran. Katrina was splashing water on his face. She had ripped off part of his dirty white shirt and used it to clean and dress his wounds. He finally flicked his big brown eyes open. Katrina tackled him, kissed him, and then screamed promptly as she saw Saphira. Roran jumped and screamed himself.
The silly girl was in hysterics by the time we got to Leona Lake. I think I will go deaf if they both keep screaming like that every time they see me. It's already getting old.
Eragon started to laugh. Arya asked what Saphira had said. When she heard it, she started laughing too. Eragon loved her laugh. It was so beautiful.
Eragon and Arya got off both laughing. Loudly.
"Never…do that again!" Roran said, addressing Saphira.
"She says she's sorry." Eragon managed to say between the laughs.
"I guess I'll have to get used to this." Roran said smugly. Eragon raised his fist with a playful look in his eyes and the two started wrestling. Eragon quickly pinned him, but then was distracted by looking up to see if Arya had seen and Roran tackled him over.
"WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?! AN ELF? A DRAGON? WHEN DID I GET ON THE EMPIRE'S MOST WANTED LIST?!" Katrina screamed. The two stopped to look at her. Poor Katrina. She had no idea what had happened in these long last few months.
"It's a long story sweetheart..." Roran said.
"And we should get flying. The Ra'zac are going to be looking for me. And through me, you." Eragon added.
"Well, I have to go." Arya said.
"You're not coming with us?" Eragon said with dismay.
"Not that I wouldn't want to miss the scream fest or anything, but I have important things to do. And now that I'm done with the most important thing, I need to go. Plus I don't think Saphira can carry more then three without carrying one in her claws. I don't want to force anyone into getting scratches from her claws. And I do have my own ride." She gestured to a magnificent white stallion who was calmly standing in the background.
Without another word, she fluidly moved to the stallion and swung on to his back with one graceful motion. The stallion galloped off into the sun.
"You so have the hots for her." Roran teased.
"Shut up." Eragon replied, blushing.
"Who's cranky?" Roran joked.
"Hello...still don't know what is going on." Katrina stated impatiently.
"Right." They both said.
They both got onto Saphira. Katrina shook her head. "No, I won't ride that thing again till I get some answers." Saphira gave a low growl which promptly stopped when Eragon glared at her.
You're not making this any easier, Saphira.
He thought for a moment and then got a good idea.
"Fine. I'm sure the Ra'zac want their prisoner back." Eragon said smugly. Roran punched Eragon in the arm. All the kidding stopped when they heard the same roar from earlier. Katrina screamed and quickly scrambled onto Saphira. Eragon wanted to laugh, but the Ra'zac were no laughing matter.
Saphira launched herself in the air and with two steady beats, was above tree level. She rose, higher and higher till she was cloud-level. Katrina held tight to Roran, who was holding on to Eragon. As Roran began to squeeze the air out of Eragon, he thought to Saphira,
I'm going to have to teach him how to ride. I can't keep having him killing me every time I go riding with him.
Saphira started laughing. Katrina, thinking she was sick or something, asked,
"What's wrong with her?"
Eragon answer with a giggle, "Oh nothing. She's just laughing because I told her your fiancé here is squeezing the life out of me because he can't ride."
Roran quickly let go at this, not wanting Katrina to see. But the damage had already been done. She was laughing at him. He blushed and punched Eragon as hard as he could in the arm for ratting him out. The blow took Eragon by surprise and he cried out in pain. Saphira joined him with a high pitched scream. Saphira felt the pain and lurched forward, spinning around and around. Katrina lost her grip on Roran and screamed as her form began a swift descent towards the ground.
"Katrina!" Roran yelled. His fiancé was plummeting towards the rugged forest of Alagaesia.
Saphira! We lost a passenger!
But it's so much quieter without her. Saphira joked.
Stop joking and go get her before she lands. Eragon snapped.
She rushed after the falling girl and was quickly under her. Roran reach out for her hand and she clasped it. Soon he pulled her back into his arms. She was sobbing softly. She stayed there, in his arms for a long time. Then she spoke,
"That thing just tried to kill me!"
"Well if Roran hadn't punched me-"
"And I suppose you're going to tell me that hurt her too."
"Yes it actually did! Just as if you were to punch her, it would hurt me too! And if you had held on, you won't have fallen!"
"What ever. And is this saddle supposed to hurt so badly?"
"No actually. We can't ride for too long. It seems worn. The Ra'zac seam to have been messing around with the saddle. Saphira says she saw them with it while we were all out." Eragon stated.
"And you actually trust her?" Asked Katrina.
Eragon blinked at her, "With every part of my being. Like I trust the sun to rise and the moon to set." He seemed hurt. Saphira gave her a low growl.
Thank you for standing up for me.
What? It's true.
She gave a happy, satisfied nod.
Saphira, don't hold it against her. She did fall out of the saddle. And it's not everyday you find out your fiancé's cousin just became a Dragon Rider.
True...but it used to be...
And it will be again.
I sure do hope so, little one.
So do I. Eragon gave a moan and stretched his arms. The Ra'zac don't know how to treat a Rider. I swear since I first found you I've needed to work twice as hard to keep from getting cramped. Even sleeping hurts sometimes. And I don't know how long we were there, but I do feel like it was longer then a couple days.
Yes. Many meals were brought to me while you were out. They were small and spaced by several hours.
Saphira?
Yes, little one?
You don't think…
That your brother came to see us while he was out? Eragon bit his lip and gave a weak nod. No, I do not. Galbatorix would have us right now if it were so. At least you would have been so poorly drugged.
I wonder why they didn't drug me more…
As do I. We may never know…
You didn't see anything odd?
No, it's what I didn't see that worries me…
What exactly happened anyway?
I'll show you…
Flashback. Right after Eragon was knocked out…
Saphira gave an angry roar as she watched her rider fall to the ground. She turned to the Lethrblaka. It was truly an ugly creature. Its wings were an off peach color covered in patches of thin, mold covered hair. It was around the size of a dragon. Two beady eyes popped out of a puny snouted head. It had large, black ears, each one double the size of its head. The beast's nose was like a pig's, pressed in hard. The wings extended from its massive shoulders to each opposite cave wall.
It gave a low snarl at Saphira, who snarled right back. It screeched, stinging Saphira's ears and taking her by surprise. It took this opportunity to lunge at her, still screaming, pointy hollow teeth bared. They plunged into Saphira, sticking through her easy. She howled in shear agony.
From the side, Roran plunged at its side. His hammer lightly bruised the beast's side. It let go of Saphira, slamming her into the wall, and screamed as its short, spiky tail. A large spike impaled his side, ripping a cone hole into it. It threw his into the wall. His head cracked open a bit and began oozing bright red blood.
Saphira roared with out rage as she got to her feet and saw Roran's fall. Fight like a dragon, you coward! It refocused its attention on Saphira, eyes glowing red. They circled each other, sizing up their opponent. Saphira gave a low growl which echoed around the cave. The Lethrblaka became distracted by it for less then a second, but it was all Saphira needed. She lunged forward its side and bit its neck hard. The Lethrblaka scream, flailing its claws in the air at Saphira. One clipped her eye and she roared, by so doing, freeing it from her grip. The creature tried to get away, but Saphira blocked the exit.
Seeing not other options, it dashed to Eragon's side. With fire in its demon eyes, it pushed its claw toward his still form. One nail pushed through his side on his lower leg. Come any closer and the boy dies. It declared in her head.
You wouldn't…
Oh, I would. And I could. I'd just tell them you, being the stupid lizard you are, stepped on him accidentally during the fight…it's worked before…
Saphira whimpered. She'd been beaten…
End flashback.
"Eragon, are you okay? You've been staring blankly for a while now." Katrina said.
"Sorry."
"Ya, you'll have to get used to that. He gets like that when he's talking to Saphira." Roran replied.
"Now I guess we should fill you in huh? Well...if you haven't already figured it, I am a Rider. It all stared one day when I was hunting..." And he told his story uninterrupted except the occasional detail added in by Saphira. He told everything, of the hatching, of the Ra'zac's pillage, of Brom and magic, of captures and death, of Murtagh and Arya, of Durza's defeat and his scar, his attacks, and his healing. He finished with Murtagh's revelation. "You must never tell anyone anything I said. Especially anything about Murtagh's whereabouts or of him being my brother. I tell you because Roran trusts you and because you are to be my family. If the wrong ears hear this, all could be lost. I want you to vow you will never willingly expose any of this. Roran did. And I want the vow to be in the ancient language."
He taught her the words and what they meant and she took the oath.
"Now I should tell you my part." Roran said. And he told her everything. Her father's betrayal, defending the village, leaving, pirating, the posters in the empire and his shock that Eragon was on them, Jeod and how he helped them, the Boar's Eye, and finding Eragon a rider. He finished with his role in the battle and punching Eragon after he'd had such a hard time. "And I'm still sorry too. I mean, Eragon had already been through so much. He had already been punished. I mean finding out your father is an evil son of a shade is enough, don't you think?"
Katrina sat there for a moment, soaking up all she's just learned. Finally she spoke, "That's a lot to load on a girl's plate for one day don't you think?" She yawned. "I'm tired. It's late. We should camp." She was right. The sun was going down and they didn't have a camp, fire, or even food yet.
Saphira landed, let them off and then went hunting while the others started a fire. Not long after they had enough fire wood for the night, Saphira returned with four rabbits and a boar for herself.
"Want some?" Katrina asked as she boiled a bowl of water. She dumped in the rabbits that Roran skinned and gutted for her. Then she pulled out a few spices from the woods and potatoes fresh from the ground.
"I don't exactly eat meat anymore. It's hard to explain." He pulled out a crisp piece of bread soaked in berry juices. Then he realized how hungry he was. It had been a long time since he had eaten, since he was captured.
Everyone realized the same thing as they sat down to eat and there was no talking or thinking until every crumb was gone.
When they were laying out their mats, Katrina was surprised when Eragon laid his as close to Saphira as he could. The fire was far from her as she was from the woods, around five or six feet.
"Why are you sleeping so far from the fire?" She said, but her meaning was not missed by Saphira, who gave a hurt growl.
"I rarely sleep away from Saphira these days. She is as much a part of me as my arm or leg. And when you say mean things about her or relating to her, it doesn't just hurt her." He didn't come out and say it hurts me too, but Katrina was not stupid enough to not catch the meaning. But how could she trust such a big, powerful creature. She may not be able to harm Eragon, but she could seriously hurt Katrina.
Eragon shut his eyes fast and heard Roran and Katrina talking in muffled voices,
"...it worries me. He spends too much time with her."
"Wait till we get to Surda. Then he'll be way too busy to even let us see him. Last time, it took me four weeks to get him to help me rescue you. They run him around like an animal. Fix this, sign that, go here, come back from there, it never seems to end."
"I think he needs a vacation. He looks so tired and worn. And since when was he an elf! And..." Eragon drifted off to sleep, hearing no more, with a silent tear rolling down his cheek.
