Sorry guys! I haven't updated in so long cause I've needed my other, much funnier fic to lighten me up recently. Idk I've been kind of having a hard time lately. So now that you heard that, I suppose I'll get on with the story. I'd rally like if I could get this story more read. So please do suggest it to someone you know or I may just have to put down the keyboard for this story completely. You don't want that, do you?
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Eragon looked on in shock. The Black Hand! Right in front of him! He'd been looking for months for them and one hapless night, he just finds them? It just seemed…odd…
Mixed emotions swelled through out his body. He felt more aware then ever, noticing even a fly as it land a mile away on a log. He noticed a toad lining up to hunt it while a cat prepared to snatch him.
He felt a since of curiosity too. What compelled any man to join such a vicious group? Who were the men under the shadowy cloaks? Did they have wives; families who need them?
Finally he felt the most dangerous emotion of all. Pure, raw, blood-thirsty rage. These were the men who had been trying to kill him for months. These were the men who frequently killed members of the Varden. These men did not deserve to live…and they wouldn't.
He was about to reach for his magic till he felt his arm trembling. But he wasn't afraid. He'd done things like this a million times. He looked over to see Aiedail shaking like she would on a sudden chilling day in the summer, clutching a fist full of Eragon's shirt. Her eyes were wide with fear and the hairs on the back of her neck, slowly, one by one, pricked up.
It was all it took to stop him from breaking down his magical walls. He couldn't endanger a poor, defenseless young elf. Granted she wasn't really defenseless when she wanted to be, but right now it was rather clear she didn't want to be. Besides, he would miss whatever they were going to say and also to do such a thing would make him like…no, he couldn't do it.
The one in the red cloak shifted. "Let's get down to business. Armello disappeared. He could be anywhere, though I have heard from a fairly reliable source that he has gone into the Empire to retrieve the xlenda."
The other council members shifted uneasily. Eragon joined them, though not for the same reason. "Armello," mean a sort of enemy dragon rider and "xlenda," was the word for green egg. Somehow, they knew. Someone had obviously betrayed them.
The leader murmured something to the red cloaked one which even Eragon could not pick up on and the other nodded.
Then he spoke up. "We all know why we are here. We used to be able to get by. But the Varden are getting smarter. They are requesting King Orrin set laws to keep us in the dark. It won't be long now till I am found out, I'm afraid. But I have recently acquired some interesting information which could help us all. If you are found out, you will die. However, you may give the organization a chance… all you have to do is…" he looked up, like he had something to hide. Eragon figured that he had gotten smart and was giving them instructions with his mind.
"Bear the knowledge well, men. Every thing depends on it."
"Now, Lord Ares, what else do you want to say." The man in the red cloak added.
"Well, thank you, Caurz... As many of you know, Lord Zimello conquer the dwarven king last battle. Reports have come to us that elections are being held for the new dwarven king. The main two are a dwarf called Orik and another called Vanhi. Now, Orik is related to the late king. Word has it; he's as great as his relative. But Vanhi's main strength is in brains. No one outside the dwarves trusts him because he is easily tempted by money. So, that's it. We must make him win." Suddenly, Eragon felt heavy pressure on his shoulder. Aiedail lay on it, fast asleep.
The council lasted far into the night. Aiedail slept through the whole thing while Eragon stayed wide awake, listening to every word said, absorbing them like a sponge to use later. Mostly all he got though was cryptic, "either you know or you don't" type speech. Soon, when Eragon looked away for a second, he could see an amber light on the horizon. Finally the council dispersed, like a group of nightingales to every direction.
He waited for a bit longer, watching as a beautiful aurora of colors exploded across the sky. The clouds like golden beds of soft, blissful down. The sun herself a giant gold pillow. Nearby, a small pond shimmered the rainbow of light; a stream emptied into it, herself babbling soft lullabies. Leaves rocked back and forth, like sweet waves, hypnotizing him; daring him to close his eyes. A sweet aroma of pine rushed his nose, soothing him till it was enough. He fell into a deep, gorgeous sleep.
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Aiedail suddenly awoke with a jolt. A long battered and rusty sword was smiling back at her with a small trickle of blood gleefully playing at its tip. Her neck held a woeful wound which screamed to be treated. She wanted to shriek, but found her mouth tightly bound.
Her arms, however, were not so tight. She frantically looked around for anyone. Beside her lay Eragon. He was deathly still and a sword was pressed against his neck as well. She wasn't even sure he was alive till she saw his chest rise and fall peacefully. She gave a sigh of relief.
She turned her attentions to her captors. Above her were two lanky men, both of which weren't really even looking at her. They both had a tad bit more then a shadow of a beard. One wore tattered clothes of a beggar. His eyes oddly shaped. One of his arms was shorted then the other. The other looked like he hadn't bathed in months, his teeth a strange, awkward mess. One held his sword so badly, it was a wonder all he'd done was prick her neck.
"So do you really think it's him?" the one with the bad sword asked.
"Hope so." The other answered. "Who ever knew catching the 'Shadeslayer' could be so easy. He doesn't look so tough to me. More like my daughter." It was amazing. He spat out the normally respected title like it was no better then calling a boy a girl. The two men laughed, making the bad sword cut deeper into her throat. If I'm here much longer, he'll cut my head off the way he's holding that thing. He seems to think it's a bouquet of flowers or something.
Sure she didn't want to be killed by someone so unworthy, she began to try to think up a plan. She could wake up Eragon. He could easily kill these two. Heck a monkey with a sword could. But then he thought of what he had said to her. She couldn't prove anything to him till she did it herself. She looked around her, determined to not rely on him. Then she saw her break. Her bag was within arms reach. She slipped out of her bonds and reached over to her bag.
Carefully buttoning it so they wouldn't hear her hands rifled through it, searching for what she needed. They found the hilt and lightly unsheathed it. Dre'gui. It fit like a glove in her small hands.
The man above her whipped his head around as he heard the light sound the sword made as it came out, "Did you hear something?" Before the other replied, the blade, like a shiny green cobra, lashed out as fast as was possible. Before the man holding her by sword even knew what hit him, she sliced right between his legs, red blood snaking out the new broad cut. The red liquid gushed onto her, further tarnishing an already filthy outfit which had seen many a campfire. As she turned to redirect her attack at the other, her sword cut her own hand, slicing it deeply across her hand from the middle of her thumb across her palm to the beginning of her pinky.
The man gave a piercing scream as he fell into the other's arms, writhing in pain. She heard a soft moan and looked to the side. Eragon's brown eyes quickly went from weary to alert as they caught the situation. Faster then lightning, his badly made gag was off and those lightning lips of his took to action. He said two simple words and the two men fell into the stream of blood lying on the ground, neither even twitching.
As the shock of the short battle wore down, Aiedail unbound her mouth, stretching her poor, withered jaw as it came free. She gave a light smile to Eragon. He gave her a grim smile back.
"Thank you. If not for you, I am not sure we'd have been able to escape so easily. But next time, just wake me up." He added grimly. He was quiet for some time, but then said, "Okay, I think those two were alone. I read their minds a little before they died. They weren't Black Hand. They were simply two peasants from the Empire who wanted to collect reward money for my capture. The luck that they had come when they did is now the curse of their graves…I think I'll call Saphira."
Where are you? He asked.
Where are you She retorted. He could fell the anger behind her quarry.
You first. He said firmly.
Where else, Aberon. I thought you were going to meet me there…She worried.
We got…side tracked. He tried to leave it at that, but knew she'd ask.
She sighed. What happened?
He took a deep breath and answered. The Black Hand where here last night. They didn't know we were here, but they kept me up all night holding that rumored conceal…what was it called…Black Moon? Well, so anyway, I fell asleep this morning and woke up to find Aiedail slashing at a man who was holding her by sword point. It seems those posters Roran was telling me about have caught on. They were only peasants, but we won't be so lucky next time…
He could feel sheer anger and figure she probably roared. Why is it you can't go one night alone without getting into trouble? One night!
Hey, I'm a Dragon Rider, remember? He almost broke out laughing from her over the top answer.
Don't remind me…stay right there and try not to do anything stupid. I'm coming. I'll kill you if you move an inch. She growled, clearly annoyed
I love you too. He could feel her annoyance at his sarcasm.
He turned his attentions back to Aiedail. She gave him a cringing smile, gritting her teeth.
He frowned, "What's wrong?"
"It's my hand. It's burning." She said.
"Let me look at it."
"No, you can't."
"Of course I can, Aiedail. I can heal you."
"No, I mean you really can't, Eragon!" but the second he broke through his wall and tried to heal her hand, she screamed. And he felt as though a jolt of lightning had rushed though his hand. Dazed, he fell down to the cold ground. When he came to, Saphira stood beside her, looking down at him.
Are you okay? Saphira asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
"I think so…" Eragon mumbled
Oh then you are so lucky it would kill me to kill you. Or else you would be cooked! Saphira growled.
"What hit me?" Eragon moaned.
"I tried to warn you. I don't know why, but since I was a kid, whenever someone tries to heal me, I end up shocking them. It just…happens." Aiedail commented as she wrapped some cloth from the small area on her shirt with only a little bit of blood on it.
"I'll have to remember that next time, he said, getting up to his feet.
Alright, I told Roran I'd be back within the hour. And I intend to keep my word, so, let's go! Saphira said.
Not wanting to go back to being bugged all the time, Eragon asked "What's the hurry?"
I don't want you to get hurt again. We're going back to the city. She answered firmly.
"Saphira, I'm the rider, not you. I say we stay so we're staying."
No, I'm the dragon. You wouldn't be here without me. The Varden need us. We go. She sternly retorted.
"But Saphira, you're being unreasonable. I don't think anyone else'll come. And I won't be left alone once I'm there…" Eragon protested
Saphira gave a low growl. You didn't expect to be the witness of the Black Moon Conceal either, but you were. You didn't expect to be captured after, but you were. You didn't expect to get shocked from healing this young lady, but you did. You come to the city. Who will go against a dragon's word?
"Her rider. You can protect me and wake me up when we need to go into Aberon." He answered defiantly.
She gave a smirk and picked him up by her jaws like a mother cat would her kitten. You're coming!
"Put me down Saphira." Eragon growled as he squirmed. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not get lose.
Before turning to leave, she yelled back to Aiedail, If you want to stay here, be my guest. Otherwise you should come now. I wait for no one but my rider. He I drag along.
