17. An Urgal Ritual

It was much like Varhog had described—a rural human village—though it was bigger than the others in their party had expected. Willow had assumed from the size of the crowd that everyone had come to greet them, but she saw that she was mistaken. Many females had remained behind and were busy putting the final preparations in place for the feast Garzhvog had mentioned. Children darted about playing chase and hiding between the rows of rough tables and benches that had been dragged together in the large open area that must have been the village square.

Willow smiled at how casual and inviting it was. Most of the Urgals who had been present at the arrival of the dragons or who had come in time to witness Varhog and Willow's fighting milled about in confusion, waiting to hear what would happen next.

The member of the Herndall who had done most of the speaking in the field attempted to speak once again. Garzhvog bellowed to call for quiet, and Varhog translated in the minds of those who didn't understand.

The elderly dam then said, "We thank those who stayed behind and helped in the preparation of this magnificent feast, of which we will partake in but a moment. First we have a momentous occasion to witness, even the joining of our honored Dragon Rider Varhog with his chosen mate, also a Dragon Rider, the human Willow."

Those who had remained behind displayed their astonishment at her words, their eyes searching the crowd for Varhog and Willow. But since everyone else seemed unsurprised, they made no objections.

There was still a small space around Willow, Varhog, and his mother and siblings. His mother and those nearest her stepped back as all twelve members of the Herndall gathered around Varhog and Willow. In their right hands they held their carved sticks, and each member of the Herndall reached her left hand out to grasp the staff of her neighbor, thereby forming a circle with their arms and bodies. The elderly dams took up a unified chant while the speaker spoke for several minutes in Urgralish. Varhog didn't translate for Willow, he simply held her hands as he faced her, staring solemnly into her eyes. Though she didn't understand the words of this ceremony, Willow understood from the look in Varhog's eyes that they meant she was now being bound to him and he to her, according to the customs of his race.

When the dam stopped speaking, Varhog quietly said, "I promise to always fight for you and protect you, Eartheyes. You're my best friend and the love of my heart. Thank you for accepting me as your mate and showing me what it truly means to love another despite our differences. I will always be yours." He raised both of her hands and kissed the backs of them, each in turn.

Her eyes filled with tears, and Willow knew she wouldn't be able to say much before becoming emotional, so she simply said, "I love you, Yelloweyes. Thank you for helping me realize how strong and special I am. Thank you for giving me a husband and a family all at once. I'm so excited for our life together. I will always be yours." Her tears spilled onto her cheeks as she repeated his gesture of kissing the backs of his hands.

Willow thought Varhog's eyes looked full, but no tears appeared as the old dam spoke another few lines. When she fell silent, Varhog enfolded Willow in his arms as the crowd around started cheering. She felt his deep voice in his chest almost as much as she heard it when Varhog said, "It is done. We are now joined according to the customs of my race."

"Ram and wife at last," Willow murmured with a teasing smile, tilting her chin up to look at him. "And to think I've become so impatient for this time when I came to realize my feelings barely two months ago. Now what?"

"Now let's eat. I'm ravenous," Varhog said, a hungry glint in his eye. "Fighting almost my whole village has left me with a burning hunger."

"There will be time to satisfy the other hunger soon enough," Willow reassured him, but the look in his eye kindled the now all-too-familiar fluttering in her gut. He nodded and turned to the crowd, shouting something in Urgralish. The cheering intensified as the crowd broke to make its way to the tables.

A place of honor was set for Varhog at the head of the front table. He led Willow there and helped her sit in the chair meant for him, as Eragon and Murtagh had both done with their new wives. The other Riders, Nasuada, and Angela followed him and sat on the nearest benches as Varhog took a seat on the bench to Willow's right.

Varhog ate as ravenously as he implied he would. The others also ate with great focus, the stress of the morning somehow increasing their appetites.

Once Varhog had slowed enough that he was able to converse, Willow told him, "You truly were magnificent this morning, Yelloweyes." The others nodded their fervent agreement. "I couldn't help but feel a sense of gloating, as unbecoming as that sounds. To watch you take down everyone who stood against you reminded me what a formidable foe you are. I have no idea how I manage to defeat you."

"I would fight twice as many for you, Eartheyes," Varhog replied. "The only reason I prevailed is because I fought them one after the other. Even I couldn't stand against nearly a hundred Urgals by myself, unarmed. But I'd go down trying to protect you."

She touched his hand and smiled. "That's sweet, but please don't. I wouldn't like to lose you so soon."

Varhog returned her smile, turning his hand so he could hold hers. "I think all would agree that you were the true marvel today. I've never seen such fighting. Your plan was perfect down to the last detail. Watching it three times from the perspectives of those who witnessed it makes me confident in saying I've never heard of nor seen such precision and calculation."

Willow lowered her eyes at Varhog's praise and that of the others, who were all uttering their enthusiastic support. Now that they were distanced from the fights both in time and space, they could talk of what had happened more freely.

"I almost lost," Willow whispered. "My arms were so close to giving out. Garzhvog's neck is so strong. I kept repeating your last words and told myself I had to keep fighting. I'm so glad you practiced that move with me in Ilirea. If I hadn't recognized what he was about to do, the outcome would have been completely different. We might not be together now."

Eragon interjected, "Willow, not even Arya or I could foresee your intentions or follow your movements. I've never seen anything like that. The fighting was immeasurably tense for all of us Riders. Everything you did was so improbable and yet so masterfully executed—from each calculated action that led to your improvised steps and sudden dive between Nar Garzhvog's legs—that I actually laughed in amazement, which was completely unexpected at that moment, since you were on Garzhvog's back by then."

"Thank you, Eragon," Willow said. "That means a lot. I must have been inspired to some unknown greatness by the gravity of the situation. I knew if I failed, I would lose the chance to be with Varhog."

"Don't dwell on it, Eartheyes," Varhog insisted. "You triumphed. You were amazing. We're together. That's all that matters. But your fame is growing by the minute. There has been talk of little else since it happened. Not all were there and of those who were, not all could see. They will want to witness your fighting abilities. Most won't believe you truly bested me until they see it for themselves."

"No," Willow pleaded. "I'm done making war, remember?" He smiled as if that were an inside joke. "If we fight again, I'll let you catch me so I can be pinned in your arms." They all laughed.

"Just once more then," Varhog compromised. "After that, I'll be glad to catch you as often as you let me."

Willow sighed in submission, adding one last stipulation, "I won't hold on until you go unconscious though, no matter what you say." Varhog nodded his assent.

Arya asked, "What words did Varhog say, Willow? The ones you reminded yourself of? I don't remember him speaking."

"Right before he lost consciousness, Varhog said in my mind, 'Fight for me, Willow. I love you,'" Willow answered.

Arya seemed touched, as did the others. "You two have had to fight harder and overcome more than any of us to be together," she said. "And that's saying something. We Riders really know how to make love difficult."

"But you and Eragon had to wait so long," Willow disagreed. "And Murtagh and Nasuada. From the time I knew I loved Varhog until now has only been about two months."

"From the time I knew I loved Eragon until the time I was his wife was only about a month," Arya countered. "Although I loved him much longer and just never admitted it to myself. In our case, he was more patient, though I don't know if I can say he was the most miserable. I'm sure you were aware of his strange condition of being wretchedly hot all the time. Did you know I had the exact opposite condition? All ten years we were apart, I was increasingly and unbearably cold. Fírnen couldn't warm me. The sun couldn't. Exercise only made it worse. Warm water did nothing. The only thing that did was thinking Eragon's true name, which clearly reveals his feelings for me, but that only fleetingly." She absently fingered her wedding band. "The moment his arms were around me, I felt a blessedly welcome warmth fill my empty soul. Actually, it started as soon as he said my name. We needed each other to find balance and healing. It's beautiful what love does when it brings two people together."

Willow's eyes once again watered, and she saw that Eragon's also shimmered as tears threatened. "I didn't know that," Willow whispered.

"Nor I," Nasuada added.

"Love has surprises for us all, even those as selfish and bitter as I always was," Murtagh agreed. "I am constantly amazed that love helped me overcome those self-interested tendencies and that Nasuada came to love me as she has. I never would have imagined that I would earn her forgiveness after all I did to her, and I'm grateful every day that such a force exists in this world. It seems able to overcome all that is bad and ugly in life." They all nodded in unison, remaining silently thoughtful for a few moments, each couple expressing their affection in some way.