Chapter Twenty

Kairin lay awake, staring at the blank canvas ceiling of her tent. She mulled over the new information that Elva had given her last night, with much persuasion.

Roran lived in Caravahall with Eragon and his father, Garrow. When Eragon left home to take follow his uncle's killers, Empire soldiers repeatedly attacked the city. Roran fought bravely and saved Caravahall many times, but when hope was lost they decided to flee. Before they had made it out, however, one of the citizens betrayed them and took his daughter Katrina, Roran's love, into the hands of the "Ra'Zac," odd creatures that worked for Galbatorix. Roran knew where they kept Katrina, in Helgrind, a tower off of Dras-Leona. He wanted to enlist Eragon's aid to rescue her. Eragon, however, was ordered to stay by Nasuada. Eragon was bound by this order with magic.

Kairin knew it wasn't fair. She just didn't know what she wanted to do about it. Abandoning her hopes for sleep, Kairin threw the sheet off of her, got out of bed, and dressed in a new tunic that Nasuada had given her. It was deep purple with a yellow trim, the colors of the Varden. The skirt was short and slit so Kairin could mount and dismount Faeria easily. There was also a tough bodice of brown leather, for protection against any small injuries.

Dawn was breaking when Kairin exited her tent. Faeria was curled outside, still sleeping, so she left her there, taking a walk alone. She enjoyed being alone when the sunlight was still blue with the morn. Vaguely aware of Faeria dreaming of flying through clouds around an enormous mountain, Kairin circled the camp twice, enjoying the feeling that she was the only one awake.

As Kairin passed Eragon's tent, she noticed the flickering light of a candle. Still slightly cross with him, she walked straight by, but her footsteps must have still been too loud. Eragon's head poked out of the tent.

"Good morning Kairin. I was wondering who was up this early. I thought it might be Arya... Elves arise early. But I suppose you're an elf too."

"Uh huh."

"Are you okay?" He noticed immediately the anger in her voice.

"I talked to Elva last night." Eragon's face immediately fell.

"So you already know what's coming, don't you," Kairin said, her voice rising.

"Look, Kairin, I..." She cut him off.

"She was a little girl, Eragon! Did you have any kind of teacher, any training at all! A spell like that ruins people's lives, Eragon, and as a Rider that's the opposite of what we are trying to do!"

"Kairin, stop. It was an accident. I was... an idiot, I know. But I'm really truly sorry for it. It was the worst thing I could have done," he said, switching to the ancient language to prove his honesty. "Once I have the strength I will reverse it."

Kairin sighed, her anger ebbing away. His apology was too heartfelt for her to stay angry.

"And what about... What about Roran?"

"...Roran?"

"I... I heard that he... A girl named Katrina?" Kairin suddenly regretted bringing it up. What business of it was hers? Eragon was silent. He obviously understood her garbled sentence. He stood, staring coldly at her.

"You know what, forget it, it's none of my business, I'm sorry," she began, but Eragon was already talking.

"Who told you about that?" he sounded cold, too.

"I... Elva told me. She knew somehow. Just by looking at him..." Eragon closed his eyes and brought a hand up to his face.

"Once again my faults seem to follow me," he said with an ironic laugh.

"I'm sorry," Kairin said, at loss for what to say. Eragon however, slowly too his hand off his face and looked intently at her. Kairin raised her eyebrows at him.

"What's that look for?"

"Could you do me a favor?"

"What's that?" Kairin couldn't help being suspicious.

"Ask Nasuada if you could accompany us to Helgrind. Two riders and a skilled warrior is quite an army." Kairin was startled. This was a matter between him and Roran, it was none of her business.

"I don't know, Eragon... She wouldn't let both of us go, especially if she's worried about losing just one Rider. Putting two in danger? She wouldn't risk it."

"But I cannot plead my case to her. She has already forbidden me to go, as of now... She has no such order placed over you! Please, Kairin." But Kairin had already made her decision.

"Yes, fine. I'll do it! Fine." Eragon's face broke into a grin.

"Thank you. Thank so much." Kairin gave a short nod and began to walk away, in the direction of Nasuada's tent. She contacted Faeria as she went.

"Kairin? Where are you, Little One?"

"I thought I would take a walk alone. I ran into Eragon, though. We started out arguing and now he wants us to help him with Roran's girl, Katrina."

"Really? You said no, didn't you?"

"Of course not! This is what we do, Faeria. We're heroes, we help people."

"You need to stop butting into other people's business, Kairin." She sounded stern.

"He asked me to!"

"Pah. Where are you now?"

"On my way to Nasuada's tent. I need her permission."

"I'm flying over."

"Are you going to help me?"

"We're heroes. Helping people is what we do." She severed the connection and Kairin felt the familiar feeling of flight in the back of her mind. Faeria was on her way. Soon she landed next to Kairin, folded her pearly white wings and hummed a greeting. The two reached Nasuada's large tent and noticed the light on inside. Kairin knocked on the wooden beam in the front. A voice inside said, "Enter."

They walked into the tent. Nasuada was wearing a tunic quite similar to Kairin's and was bent over some sort of map. Arya the elf stood beside her, pointing at something in the corner of the parchment; an island shaped somewhat like a hand.

"Good morning Kairin, Faeria. What do you want?" Nasuada asked, not unkindly.

"Lady," she gave a short bow. "Eragon and I were speaking this morning, and he asked me if I would come to you in his place. To ask a favor."

"A favor?" Nasuada looked away from the map, straightened, and met Kairin's gaze.

"You told Roran that he was not allowed to take Eragon to Helgrind, am I correct?"

"Yes, you are..." Nasuada's eyes narrowed.

"He asked me if I would plead his case to you in his place, and to inform you that Faeria and I would be more than willing to accompany him. For protection."

"Kairin, I told Eragon already that my answer was no." Nasuada said wearily. Arya spoke up.

"He asked you to do this?" Startled by the elf's sudden question, Kairin answered, "He... Yes, just now."

"He should not be dragging you two into this. This is their mission alone." She spoke more to herself than Kairin.

"I beg your pardon, but I believe that we could help him," Kairin said to both of them. There was silence in the tent. Nasuada eyed Kairin, a sparkle in her eye.

"Now you listen to me, Kairin." Her voice, surprisingly, was not hard. "I forbid you to carelessly accompany Eragon and Roran to Helgrind." Her eyes widened very slightly. "Did you hear me, Kairin? I gave you an order." Her eyes widened even more, willing Kairin to understand. Suddenly it clicked in her mind.

"Faeria! She's giving us a loophole!"

"It took you long enough to notice, hatchling."

Kairin bowed.

"I understand lady. I will inform Eragon."

"Very good, Kairin. You are dismissed." And Kairin could swear that before she bent over the map again, she gave her a quick wink. Concealing a grin, Kairin hurried out with a quick glance at Arya. The elf didn't look especially pleased.

"Can you believe that, Faeria? She let us do it!"

"Only jus, though. She's very worried about you."

"Worried about me, or worried about her Rider?"

They reached Eragon's tent while the rest of the camp was rising. Eragon was sitting outside, his face in his hands. Kairin touched him on the shoulder as she approached making him jump.

"Kairin! You startled me... Well? What did she say?" His eyes were filled with such hope and eagerness. Kairin paused, enjoying the drama.

"Well, she said..."

"What?" he stood up.

"She said she forbids me to go carelessly." He furrowed his brow.

"She still refuses?"

"No, no! You see, she gave us a loophole. She said we couldn't go carelessly. We're allowed to go!" He looked skeptical.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm... sure." What if she was wrong?

Eragon took her feeble conformation to heart. "Thank you, thank you, Kairin!" He took her hand in both of his and shook it, grinning.

"I'm going to tell Roran. Will you prepare for the journey?" Kairin scarcely nodded before he hurried away.

"Are you ready for this, Kairin?"

"I... I don't know."

A/N – Sorry for that huge delay! But I went on vacation for a while... Also, I'm getting ready to start school again so chapters won't come as frequently as I would like...