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Emerald Tiara – Yeah, I know. Hopefully it doesn't throw you off too much, but I needed to change the time real fast. I couldn't go on with the story otherwise. I'll try to make it work out... Just imagine that it took Kairin months to get through to Farthen Dur.
Maddy Midnight- I figured I should get a chapter up as soon as possible, not make it long.
Chapter Sixteen
Kairin was alone when she awoke. Frightened, she snapped upright to survey her surroundings and immediately fell back down to the bedding. Her entire body ached. Gingerly, she brushed her shoulder where it had been wounded by the arrow. The skin was completely smooth, and her thigh was the same way. Cautiously, she sat up again.
She was in a canvas tent, lying on a large pile of bedding in the corner. There was a table that held a basin for washing and a small oil lamp, which was lit. Chairs were scattered around the tent flap. Faeria's saddle and bags were piled neatly near the door.
"We fell! We fell when those arrows hit us. Is Faeria alright? Is she broken?" Kairin took down the barriers around her mind and reached out around her with her thoughts. An eager voice sounded in her head soon after.
"Kairin? How do you feel? You've been out since yesterday."
"Fine. I feel fine. Where are you?"
"Outside. I was ordered to let you rest." She spoke bitterly. Faeria took orders from no one.
"Who possibly dared to order you to do anything?" Kairin asked, feeling confused and annoyed. "Humans... They don't understand." Kairin muttered, surprising herself.
"He did, Shadeslayer. Eragon Shadeslayer."
"Eragon!"
Kairin severed the connection. She felt the presence that had spoken to her yesterday. She began to fortify her mind again, and while she did it entered her thoughts. Trying not to be distracted, Kairin strengthened her defenses. The presence didn't pry, however. A moment passed, and Kairin relaxed again before a young man swept into her tent.
He was tall and strongly built, but seemed to glide with an elfish grace when he walked. Judging by the way Leaire looked; the man seemed rougher than an elf. The delicate arch in his eyebrows and pale skin didn't seem human. There was only one person that Kairin thought this could be.
"Shur'tugal." He addressed her in the ancient language.
"Eragon Shadeslayer." She replied, inclining her head. Eragon's brow furrowed.
"You know me?" He spoke again in the ancient language.
"You are neither human nor elf, as am I. I can feel the magic in you. You could only be Eragon," she replied politely in the same language.
"Perceptive. Why don't you tell me who you are, young rider?"
"My name is Kairin. I offer you no harm. I wish to help your cause."
As she said this another person entered, a woman with dark skin. She held her head high. At her waist was a finely wrought sword. Her skin and affluence betrayed her as Nasuada, Ajihad's daughter and leader of the Varden.
"Lady Nasuada," breathed Kairin in Alagaesian, bowing her head.
"Have you been reading my thoughts, young rider?" Her tone was brisk.
"I have not. I've heard much of your father."
"I see. Now, young Rider, you must explain yourself."
For the first time, Kairin recounted what had happened since her discovery of Faeria's egg in the spine. She left out no detail, finishing with her arrival at Farthen Dur and Leaire in the hands of the dwarves. Both Eragon and Nasuada stood in silent thought when she finished her story.
"This doesn't add up," said Eragon quietly, sinking into a chair. He began to massage his temples, obviously deep in thought. "Murtagh told me that the last egg was a male, and besides it couldn't have grown so quickly."
"Tell me Kairin," said Nasuada, delicately sitting in another chair and resting her head on her folded hands, "Does Galbatorix know of your existence?"
"I killed all soldiers who saw me in Gil'ead. Few men pursued me. They never caught up with me and they were traveling without supplies. They didn't have enough food to return to Gil'ead. However, there was one who knew... Durza." She spat out his name like a curse, loathing it.
"Durza has been killed. That is how Eragon got his name: Shadeslayer. We must hope that he did not report you back to Galbatorix."
"I would have seen notice boards with my likeness, or we would have heard something of Galbatorix's efforts to find me, a neutral rider. I don't think he knows." Eragon shook his head.
"But how? How does another rider exist when Galbatorix has the last egg in Alagaesia?"
Slowly, a smile grew on Nasuada's face.
"We must ask your elf friend when she is recovered. But, it is reason to rejoice! The element of surprise is a very good strength against Galbatorix, the only one we may have right now. So Kairin, will you help us against the corrupt king and pledge yourself to me?"
Faeria, who had been listening the entire time, chimed in.
"Kairin... Think before you do this."
"I wish Leaire was here."
"We need to begin making our own choices, Kairin! Do you want to swear yourself to the Varden forever? This means no going back."
"We know the Varden is the only way."
"What if Nasuada commands you to do something that would harm the Varden? We know nothing of her leadership skills."
"We will find a way," Stated Kairin, severing the connection and ending the conversation. Nasuada and Eragon had stood in silence as she conversed with Faeria, but Kairin could see that nervousness was eating inside Nasuada. She wrung the fabric of her tunic in her hands so that the cloth was nearly fraying. With a solemn look Kairin stood and knelt in front of Nasuada. In the ancient language, she swore featly to her and her efforts against the Empire. When she stood a smile was upon her two companion's faces.
"We have indeed found blessing in you, Kairin," said Nasuada warmly. "If you are feeling better you may explore the Varden camp. Keep your mind open; Eragon will call you if I need your assistance." She inclined her head politely and excused herself, Eragon following behind.
After Kairin dressed and washed herself, she walked outside onto the plains. The air was humid and heavy, and it stung her nostrils with the scent of smoke. Kairin couldn't imagine spending over a day there. Tents were erected in no kind of order all around her, and busy people bustled through the campsite, looking weary. It was surely a camp of war.
A bright flash of silver alerted Kairin to Faeria's arrival. The dragon scurried towards her as fast as her reptilian legs would allow and brushed Kairin's forehead with her rough, scaled nose. Behind her stood Eragon and a brilliant blue dragon that was noticeably larger than Faeria.
"We made it, Little One."
"Aye, that we did. But how did we not die from such a fall?"
"Saphira caught you and I was able to slow myself enough to avoid injury. Eragon healed both our wounds. The sentries that fired upon us apologized to me profusely, but I can tell it wasn't their choice. They were as shaky as rabbits."
Kairin approached Saphira and bowed deeply.
"Well met, Saphira Bjartskular. I offer my deep gratitude to you for saving me from my fall." Saphira addressed her directly.
"Well met indeed, Kairin. I am glad to have helped one of Eragon's fellows." Her voice was smooth and beautiful; it reminded Kairin of a great river.
"Tell me if you will Saphira, your adventure with Eragon?"
Saphira rustled her magnificent scales and took a shuddering breath. She surveyed Kairin with once brilliant blue eye and settled herself.
"I will only if you do me the same honor, Shur-tugal."
With a smile, Kairin leaned against Faeria's flank and retold her story again, this time with the occasional input from her dragon. Saphira was a good listener. She sat still and concentrated, and Kairin could feel her emotions change in perfect time with her story. Kairin soon discovered that she much preferred the company of these dragons than the Lord and his Lady.
When she was finished, Saphira began her tale. It was thrilling, filled with companionship, adventure, and daring; much more than Kairin could imagine for herself. She was also shocked that the stories, though different, shared many of the same events.
"Surely," Faeria commented, "our destinies are intertwined."
When they had finished the sun was beginning to sink in the sky. Saphira and Faeria were restless from sitting, so they decided to fly.
In the air, Faeria told Kairin of her worries.
"I'm not a hatchling, Kairin. I don't want to be tethered!" She said it with such emotion that a growl escaped her scaly lips. "We know nothing of these Varden. We don't know what they expect of us. I won't pretend that your fealty doesn't worry me, Kairin."
"Faeria, you haven't sworn anything! You're free to do as you will. I do believe that this was a necessary step."
"I cannot leave without you, oath or not. A dragon without its Rider is only half a soul. We are one being, Kairin."
Faeria's words struck her. "One being..." High in the sky, Kairin for the first time understood. They were not Dragon and Human. They weren't even Dragon and Elf. They were Rider. One being. One soul.
Faeria did not disturb Kairin again, but as she thought she felt someone pry into her musings. Annoyed, she compressed her mind around it, suffocating it. With some difficulty, however, it grew red hot with anger and broke free.
"Do not hinder me! You could have killed me." It was Eragon.
"What do you want, O Fearless Shadeslayer?" Kairin surprised herself with the venom in her voice. Suddenly she found that she thought Eragon was not welcome in her mind.
He replied with stony politeness. "A meeting in Lady Nasuada's tent has begun. Please join us, Rider." He pulled away abruptly.
"Faeria, Eragon wants us on the ground," Kairin said aloud, tonelessly. The Dragon gave a small nod and swung left, swooping downwards into the camp. They landed smoothly, and Kairin slipped off her back and quickly located the tent that had to be Nasuada's. It was ordinary linen, but dyed a deep, royal purple with trim of dyed yellow lace. Kairin walked in and was slightly embarrassed to see that the meeting was already in session. Hurriedly, she smoothed her windswept hair and straightened her tunic.
A group of people were seated around a long, wooden table. Most of them looked up at Kairin as she entered. Each had a striking appearance.
First, Kairin noticed Nasuada at the head of the table, her hands folded in a graceful manner. Eragon was at her left side. A man with a regal helmet and a stately expression sat at her right. Seated beside him was a young looking woman with long, abundant curls and gazed up at Kairin with a half-smile. Beside Eragon was an empty chair, which Kairin assumed was hers. Next to the helmed man was a troubled looking youth with shaggy brown hair and a scruffy beard. His tunic was old and worn, and on his shoulder, shining slightly in the lamplight was a ferocious scar. He gave Kairin a short, uninterested look before returning his gaze to his clenched fists on the table. Across from him was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She sat in her chair with a balance of relaxation and posture, bright green eyes inspecting Kairin, her face unreadable. Kairin noticed pointed ears under a sheet of silky black hair.
There was one who was not seated at the table; a girl who looked to be around the age of eight years old leaned against the tent wall, wearing a hooded black cloak. As she looked up at Kairin, her eyes shone out from the shadow of her hood.
The girl's face was of a normal child. But her eyes, they were a violet color and shone with an awful intelligence. On her forehead there was a marking identical to Kairin's gedway ignasia. The corners of the girl's mouth twitched in a wicked smile, sending shivers down her spine.
"Kairin? Kairin." Nasuada's voice pulled Kairin's attention away from her awful eyes.
"Y-yes? I'm sorry." Slightly embarrassed, Kairin sat in the empty chair before inspecting the others gathered around the table.
"Yes. Now that our Rider has joined us, the meeting shall begin." There were excited titters from the people around the table. Kairin guessed they hadn't been informed yet.
"That's right, people of the Varden. Another Rider has emerged from Alagaesia, and sworn herself to our efforts. With this, we will make a move against the empire, Galbatorix will be removed from the throne, and peace and harmony will. Be. Restored."
A/N: Ohhh, so sorry. Another long delay... I'm just getting over writer's block. I'm going to start another chapter right now, okay! R&R.