A meeting of old friends.
Eragon flew to the base of the island, where the central gathering building was. Saphira landed gratefully on the flat, green patch of land and the dragons behind, followed her example.
"Welcome back, riders" he said as soon as he had reached the structure with the open roof, which looked upon the skies and could host more than fifty dragons and riders.
"Aye, it feels good to be back" Melor said and scratched his beard, taking a sit near Eragon.
Eragon watched carefully as Ingrid placed the three dragon eggs gently in the vault, as if they were her babies. The Eldunari and the dragon eggs were safely kept in a crypt under the structure of the building, which was almost impossible to open from the outside unless you knew certain words in the ancient language and were found worthy enough to do so. Few riders had been able to open the chamber without Eragon's help.
He could feel Saphira's anger and distaste.
When my talons catch the oathbreaker and egg killer I am going to shred him to pieces, she promised in his mind and he couldn't agree more.
It is a terrible thing, indeed, for young ones to pay the price of their elders' mistakes, the Eldunari, Umaroth, spoke.
At Umaroth's words, Eragon felt a feeling of dread settle over him. He wasn't sure if the words had been a simple statement or an accusation. He shook his head, perplexed, and resolved to think upon it later.
"Draumr kópa. Dream stare" he said and the water surface of the giant golden bowl - which stood in front of them and could easily fit three mature dragons - momentarily rippled and then five faces appeared, their backgrounds white.
"Any news?" the Urgal rider, Stoic, asked and his head extended forward to where the elven queen was.
Eragon tried not to directly look at her, but even then, her beauty took his breath away. Her green eyes shone as she shook her head with Firnen at her side.
"Nay. Four more elves are missing as well" she replied and the faces of all who were present looked stern. Stoic cursed and sat down on the ground, his hands in fists. Melor put a comforting hand on the rider's shoulder but he shook it off.
"Unfortunately I have no good news either. The exact number of the people missing is not known but reports keep coming" Nasuada said, the wrinkles on her forehead pronounced, as a few grey strands of hair fell in front of her eyes.
"The dwarves have started hiding under the earth once again but thankfully only two have been reported missing" Orik whispered.
"Same for Surda. Patrols of the lands have increased and Du Vrangr Gata has lent us some magicians" Orrin said and Eragon did not fail to notice how old and tired the human looked as well.
Finally, Eragon turned his gaze at the last face illuminated on the water's surface.
"What have you found my friend?" he asked and stared at the man with the dark brown hair and fair grey eyes. He was clean shaven but his lips were pressed into a thin line and Eragon noticed a faint cut at the side of his face.
"I have tried following their trail but I keep losing them. It seems as if they disperse into thin air only to reappear days later in a very different location" Murtagh said and pressed his hands over his chest, his expression stern. His dragon, Thorn watched the exchange carefully.
"We shall send other riders and you can meet them in Ilirea…"
"Eragon, I work alone and the people in Alagaesia do not trust me" Mustagh's answer was and his eyes glinted.
"Do not be a fool, red rider! You need our help as much as we needs yours! We need to find what is happening and get rid of the enemy, whoever that might be! Don't tell me that the death of the two eggs did not touch you even one bit!" Ingrid said and Eragon was surprised by her reaction. He had not known how deeply their deaths had affected her.
The riders were silent for a moment and Murtagh pressed his lips.
"I shall help the riders but I would prefer not stopping in the cities. Nasuada can tell you, better than I, how much people despise me" he said and his voice sounded hoarse and bitter for a second.
The elven rider, who sat next to Ingrid, Findet, rose from his sit.
"As dragon riders we have a duty towards the people of Alagaesia and we cannot abandon them in a time of need. Whatever your relationship with them, they shall not attack you while you are with us and if they do, then they will be punished" he said and sat down.
Nasuada's eyebrows were pulled together, her expression serious, but she kept her lips firmly shut.
"It is settled then. Findet, Ingrid and Melor you shall fly back to Alagaesia as soon as you are fully rested to work with Murtagh. Stoic as a master of strength, you are needed here, to train the young riders"
Stoic shot Eragon a look of annoyance but said nothing.
He is angry to be kept here and not allowed to go search for Jijah, in Alagaesia.
If you let him go, he will almost certainly do something foolish, Saphira said and Eragon agreed. He broke the spell that allowed him to communicate with the leaders of the races and ended the meeting.
He flew back to his chambers and Saphira settled next to him, her eyelids closing, but she was still alert.
Eragon sighed and took the goblet of water that was on the table.
"Draumr kópa" he said, feeling the flow of energy as the water settled into the face of Murtagh.
The man looked up to him, annoyed.
"What?" he asked.
Eragon smiled. He trusted every one of the riders in Dis Atilan unconditionally and cared for them much, but as their leader there was none he could call his friend. Murtaugh was both his friend and his brother.
"It is going to be easier if you have them with you…" he replied.
"So you say. But they will only slow me down and ask me stupid questions"
"You might be surprised. How is Nasuada?" Eragon inclined, changing the subject. Murtagh shot him an irritated and pained look.
"How do you think? It's been more than a year since I have seen her in person and every time we meet, we do so in secret. Spies are everywhere and the Varden leaders only need the slightest pretext to throw her from the throne" he said in disgust and paced up and down.
"I wish I could do something to help her and relieve the burdens from her shoulders. I did not expect the Varden leaders to be so aggressive towards both her and you" Eragon said and Murtaugh rose his eyebrow at that.
"Are you really that surprised? And there is something you can do. You have the power, Eragon, use it already"
"Power comes at great costs, as you know. Besides I cannot leave Dis Atilan and abandon the students"
"This is bullshit, Eragon. Just because a prophecy said you will never set foot on Alagaesia again does not mean you can't. You, alone, control your fate and no one else"
"It is not that simple, you know. I have responsibilities here, I am currently working on extending the maps we have - the water and the land appear to have no end – and it's been so long since I last fought properly…"
"You are simply too afraid to set foot on Alagaesia because you will never be able to return to Dis Atilan again, am I right?" Murtagh inclined and Eragon stopped, his eyebrows pulled together. "How does Arya fare these days, Eragon?"
Eragon pressed his lips together and heard Saphira's voice.
He might have a point.
He swallowed and shook his head.
"As I thought" Murtagh said and nodded. Then he smiled, humourlessly. "It appears none of us have much luck in love, then. Maybe it's a family curse?"
"Roran is doing well with Katrina. Their daughter has grown and training to become a magician. They usually escort the eggs in every Brasungr Festival. If it is a curse, then it began with our mother" Eragon said and smiled as well, a sad smile. Murtagh's face darkened and he rubbed his hand against Thorn's sharp scales.
They both let out deep, struggled breaths and held each other gazes for a moment longer until Murtagh looked away.
"Atra du evarínya ono varda, older, brother-vodhr. May the stars watch over you, elder, honoured, brother" Eragon said as he broke the spell.
"Atra esterní ono thelduin, brother, Eragon Shur'tugal. May good fortune rule over you, brother, Eragon, Dragon Rider" Murtagh managed to reply and his image was lost as the water settled back to its original form.
Eragon swallowed staring at the water's surface and his palm tingled. Saphira snorted.
Just do it already! Otherwise I shall never be able to sleep with your excited, worried thoughts in my head, she said and he smiled at her, as she blinked her giant sapphire eyes.
"Draumr kópa" he said and the water withered and changed to host the image of a young, beautiful woman with a river of straight black hair and sparkling green eyes. For a moment she appeared perplexed, her eyebrows pulled together and then she turned around to look at him. He smiled.
"My spell weavers are beginning to ask questions. They are worried that if you are breaking through their defences then another will soon find a way" she said.
"You have not told them about a certain spell I take it?" he asked her and she momentarily appeared insulted.
"This is something you have entrusted me with and I would never share it unless I had your approval first" she replied and Eragon sighed.
She did not smile and her expression did not change much. He had spent so much time with her and yet she always seemed distant and it was hard to understand her feelings and moods.
"Arya…" he said, a single word in his mouth and he watched, praying for a change. Her eyes grew big for just a second and her expression seemed to soften.
It had been so long since he had last seen her. He wished he could jump into the water and reach her side, touch her fair skin…
Eragon shook his head, remembering the harsh words they had exchanged last time they had met in person.
Her harsh words..., Saphira corrected.
It had been mid-autumn and Arya had visited him in Dis Atilan. As the elven Queen, her duties did not leave her with much time for travel. He remembered how solemn and irritated she looked and the memory came back to him.
"So many things to do, so little time. I always knew this role would be tough but I had never appreciated exactly how tough…"
"It's been ten years already since the beginning of Brasung festival and only a handful of eggs have hatched. More riders would help solve the issues the elves and the humans are facing. Nasuada has already informed me of various attacks from Galbatorix's generals and there seem to be people who keep opposing her. Orik and Orrin are helping her but since Orrin wasn't too happy with the decision made for her to become queen, I do not know were his loyalties lie… Dragon riders and dragons would help hunt these enemies down, built new buildings, make the lands flourish…" Eragon was saying but both he and Arya knew he was stalling.
Eragon let out an exasperated breath while Arya held his gaze intently.
"I have spoken to Umaroth about it and he agrees. Saphira, the Eldunari and I will bless the eggs again but we shall do it differently in order for them to hatch quicker"
Arya's eyes grew large and her stance turned into one of caution.
"Do not do it, Eragon! You do not know what powers you will disturb!" she shouted at him.
"The eggs have been in a dormant state for centuries now. I do not know for how much longer they will be able to stay like this…"
"No" the elven Queen said and her expression was serious. Eragon looked at her, surprised. "You ask of my answer. I shall give it to you. No"
Another ten years had passed since then, more than twenty eggs had hatched and he and Arya had exchanged the occasional words but not much else.
The elven Queen looked at him again, her face now unreadable.
"It is late, Shadeslayer. Is there something you wish to talk about?" she asked him, while Firnen on her side seemed irritated and he walked away from the scrying water.
Eragon felt a lump forming in his throat and he shook his head.
"Atra du evarínya ono varda, Arya, Svit-kona" he simply said and broke the spell before he got a reply. May the stars watch over you, Arya, wise-woman.
He slumped on the marble ground and for the first time in years he felt the need to cry.
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