Brooke: GUYS! I FOUND OUT WHY KEEPER HAD TO COMBINE ELDEST AND BRISINGR!
Rebecca: Because they were too short, Stream, everyone knows that.
Brooke: But do you know WHY they were so short?
Ellie: Go on...
Brooke: Meg is Keeper's favorite character and apparently it's hard to write a story without your favorite character.
Sarah: Brooke, Rebecca, do you know what happens at the end of this chapter?
Rebecca: No, we weren't there for your scenes, we were kind of busy shooting our own scenes...
Sarah: *wide eyes and gasping* ELLIE! THEY DON'T KNOW!
Rebecca: What don't we know
Ellie: This is going to be fun!
"You were everything, everything, that I wanted. We were meant to be, supposed to be, but we lost it. All of the memories so close to me just fade away...so much for my happy ending." -Avril Lavigne
Upon entering the city, Sarah felt the stares upon her. How often did elves enter with a rider, a dragon, an assassin and a werecat? So much was asked in their eyes.
Meeting the Queen was quite an interesting experience in which the girls discovered that Arya is a princess. Such a thing did not go without surprise which was quickly doused by a look from Saphira.
It seemed as though the Queen had completely neglected the girls, but she was too keen for that. After Eragon was presented along with Saphira, attention turned to them.
"What are your names? A strange company indeed is it to be had with a werecat."
"I am Lady Ellen," Ellie said, thinking it improper to use her nickname and recalling that Meg had used her real name in Ajihad's presence.
"And I am Lady Sarah." A strange title for a werecat but hers nonetheless. "We thank you for your most gracious hospitality."
Islanzadi seemed to make a mental note, nodded in gratitude, then said, "My daughter has returned, a dragon and her rider have appeared, and a werecat walks among the midst of humans. Fate has conjured a strange tale indeed; I will see us celebrate in the proper fashion!"
In the blink of an eye, lilies and roses fluttered to the ground from above and the court became festive. Instruments were brought out and voices sang so beautifully, it brought tears to Sarah's eyes.
Nari approached Ellie, his hand extended to her. "May I have this dance, Lady Ellen?" He asked with a bow and a smile.
"Of course, good Sir, so long as you call me 'Ellie.'"
"Agreed."
While Ellie enjoyed herself, Eragon sulked, trying to hide his bitterness in elvish wine. Sarah took a seat beside him, attempting to hide her grin. "Jealous, aren't you?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Serves you right, you know."
"Please, enlighten me."
"Because you're always flirting with Arya, you never do anything for her and you neglect her when you have her."
"What do you want, Sarah?"
She slapped him, "She's here for you. We could be anywhere else in the world and she chose to stay with you. Do not make anyone regret that choice." He nodded solemnly, stood up and walked over to them and intercepted Ellie from Nari.
Sarah smiled. Go get her, tiger.
The next morning, they found that they could no longer join Eragon everywhere he went. Another option was presented. "You may train and learn with us." Islanzadi said. "Being with a rider is dangerous and you can not rely upon only his protection."
"Thank you," The girls said simultaneously. They followed an elf to a field which already had others sparring upon it.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Ellie." Ellie jumped and turned to see Nari. "Islanzadi has assigned me to be your tutor and Quickpaw shall be yours, Sarah."
For many days, the girls saw nothing of Eragon and they could not do anything about it. The first time they saw him since his lessons began wasn't exactly on pleasant terms.
"I didn't need your help!" Eragon exclaimed as he walked away from the field to return to his lessons.
"Vanir would not dare insult you if he knew I was your friend." Ellie tried to explain. "You should not be bullied-"
"Just stay out of it, Ellie," He said, abrupt and dark. "I know you think what you're doing is for the best, but right now, I just don't have time for you."
He left her standing, open-mouthed, tears in her eyes and a crack in her heart.
Everything else seemed to disappear and she hugged herself with a gasp and fled the scene to a tree large and hollow where she crawled in and hid.
She did not remember when she fell asleep, only that when she woke, she was in the arms of none other than Nari. He smiled at her, then said hesitantly, "How does such a pain feel?"
She looked away and sighed, "Like your insides are a hot mess and like everything you've ever done was wrong. Like you never want to love someone again. It's like a wound that isn't healing. It hurts so much."
"With long life you experience such hurt much," He said calmly, though a distant and weathered gleam came to his eye. "But I believe the good and true moments in life outweigh the bad."
She smiled and looked up to him, only to find that his lips felt like the sweet caress of a rose upon her own and that he was the one to dry her tears.
The Agaeti Blodhren was not at all what the girls had expected. It was a lot like an art fair, but stranger. Nari had asked Ellie to attend with him and she did not refuse. Sarah hung out with Qucikpaw and roamed in her cat form—a solid silver color—enjoying when the elves picked her up and scratched behind her ear.
Everything was hazy, but through the mist, she could make out Meg and another figure. "What if I told you I could take away all that pain?" The voice was deeper, it must have been the other person.
Meg raised an eyebrow. She looked taller, bolder, and stronger. "How?"
"You're heart is in shreds," The figure said. "I know how to remove it and allow you to live."
Her expression did not change, but she took a shaky breath, "I should think feeling pain is better than nothing at all. However..."
Sarah woke up with a start and hurried to Ellie's bedside. "Ellie, we have to go back, now!"
That night was a few days after the Blood Oath Ceremony, but the Queen had been too busy to take audience with them. In that time, the girls had only told Nari about what Sarah saw and he was the one that ultimately got the Queen's attention.
Sarah related the tale to Islanzadi, who sat in thought at their request to return to the Varden so soon. "Why do you care so for this Lady Meg?" She questioned. "You are not related nor bare any blood relationship with her."
"She is our sister," Ellie explained. "Though, not by blood; she was always there when things turned bad so we must be there for her before she makes a terrible mistake."
"I see," There was a pause and painful silence. "It will be as you wish. You may take our finest horses and travel whenever you decide."
"We are in your debt, Great Queen." They bowed and ran for the stables, eager to leave.
"Ellie, wait, what about Eragon?" Sarah asked as she climbed onto the back of a horse.
"What about him? He'll come eventually and he is needed here more." She ignored the pitied look and climbed onto another horse, preparing to leave when Nari ran up to her.
"I would go with you." He said, clasping her hand in his.
"I would wish so, too, but you are needed here so that when we call for aid, you are there to answer."
He smiled, kissed her hand and backed away. "Then I will wait faithfully until then."
She blew a kiss, then began their long return journey to the Varden.
Ellie and Sarah arrived a day before Eragon and Orik, who rode upon Saphira. On arrival, they instantly went to Nasuada to question if Meg had returned. There had been no sign of Meg since she left. Of course, the girls could not pursue Meg as they had no idea where she could have gone as well as they had to remain in Surda with Nasuada to help with the battle plans—war was well on its way.
In fact, upon the day of their arrival, Galbatorix's army had arrived as well and both armies sat tense until the next morning in which the fighting began. Ellie and Sarah had not yet been allowed to fight, which aggravated them, though they obliged.
King Orrin had quite enjoyed their company, strangely enough, and he insisted that they stay in the war council to help out with the battle strategy.
Both girls hated how they were condemned to watch everything take place—when the Urgals joined the Varden, when others were given orders and when the women could sew and cook. They were given the "honor" of not doing such things.
Not that they enjoyed the thought of battle, but it was something to do.
It was at night when the cries of dying men drew their attention, but there was no conflict between the armies yet. Ellie broke into a run to find Eragon who would know what was going on, but he seemed as confused as she. However, seeing Angela and Solembum's ill expressions...
"You did this?" Sarah asked.
"Aye, I poisoned their stew, their bread, their drink—anything I could get my hands on. Some will die now, other will die later as the various toxins take their toll." Angela tried to smile, but without much success. "Not a very honorable way to fight, I suppose, but I'd rather do this than be killed."
Sarah looked a little disappointed, but did not speak. The clamor of swords and shields spoke without words. It had begun once more.
Ellie and Sarah were not in the Varden's initial assault, though they aided with bows and arrows rather than swords at first. "Keep an eye open." Sarah said.
"For what?" Her response was a sad look. Just then, she looked out upon the Jiet River to see a ship. "There's a ship on the river!"
"Wait, Ellie, look!" Sarah exclaimed, her face lighting up. "It's Rebecca and Brooke!"
Without a second thought, she ran in search of Trianna to deliver a message to Eragon for her, "Do not attack the ship, Carvahall is upon it."
She only managed to get a nod from Trianna before she was distracted by the roar of a dragon. Not Saphira—a blood red dragon with a cloaked rider. Horror gripped her. Another egg hatched!
Eragon let out a cry of anger and hatred and she turned to find that the new rider had killed Hrothgar, the dwarf king, and that Eragon pursued the rider onto the Burning Plains where they faced each other and started fighting.
With a glance to Sarah, she nodded and they ran the not so small distance to his side, prepared to die beside him despite his arrogant idiocy.
Sarah hissed at him like a cat and barred her teeth, bringing out claws that shined deadly in the light. Ellie unsheathed her sword—a gift from Nari—and glared at him.
With a battle cry, Eragon attacked the rider who parried his blow and knocked him away, grabbing Sarah's wrist and grunting when her claws dug into his glove and his flesh. He cast her aside and muttered something, causing Sarah and Eragon to stiffen. He had used magic to paralyze her.
A cry escaped her lips and Ellie went at him, but he used the same spell upon her and Saphira. Not that their weapons would've been much use—he had a ward that dulled blows.
They fought a losing battle. The second the rider spun his blade in a circle by his side made realization slam into them like a brick wall. "I know you!" They cried, but they did not have a chance to address it.
A short knife—a throwing knife—sprouted in the rider's thigh, somehow surpassing his wards. He cried and tore the blade out before looking to the owner of the blade. Ellie could have sworn she heard the rider whisper in astonishment, "Meg?"
And sure enough, with her arm still extended from her throw and her pale body in black garments and a cloak was Megara Jackson. "Miss me?"