Chapter 8- We are Welcomed to a City Twice, In Completely Different Ways But, Hey, I'm Not Complaining
I slowly opened my aching eyes. And gasped. All around me was nature. Trees, plants, animals, weather, life… the list was endless. Suddenly all the pain I had been feeling from our time-travelling experience melted away. The houses that I could see were moulded into the trees; they were the trees. It was so beautiful with nothing urban to destroy it. I could smell pinecones and fresh, that green stuff that comes out of flowers. I was in love with the forest; it was like nothing I'd ever witnessed before. I heard the hoots of creatures and the gentle rustling of trees and leaves in the wind. I tasted excitement and when I breathed in the sweet scent of morning dew on the rows of flowers I had so desperately seeked on Earth. Suddenly I thought with a sharp surging pang of my home and a gentle stream of tears slid silently down my cheeks leaving tracks that glistened in the filtering dawn light. When was I going to get home from this place if ever?
To distract myself I looked around until my eyes settled onto something new and exciting. And sure enough I saw something… But what was it? There was a bright sparkle in the distance of the Hadarac Desert. "Eragon, what's that big jewel thing over there?" I asked him pointing.
"My Father," he said quietly looking down at his feet as though checking they were still there.
"Oh, right, sorry," I mumbled berating myself mentally.
"Its OK," he sighed and we left it at that.
There was only one mar to this wondrous place. Far off in the distance I saw red and smoke and… Evil. I felt suddenly cold despite the warm sun and undiluted fear ran deep through me as it replaced the rash excitement. It was cataclysmic to the atmosphere and the people around me. "The Hadarac Desert; currently Galbatorix's training grounds", Eragon said quietly into my ear.
"They're horrible," I replied frowning in revulsion but struggling to keep the not completely irrational fear out of my voice, not to let the broiling emotions inside me take over the otherwise impassive exterior.
Then Arya said, "Come on, we don't have all day."
I smiled. There was the cold, somewhat mean elf we had always known. I guessed she was feeling nervous about meeting her mother. I saw Eragon out of the corner of my eye having one of his thrills of pleasure like he always did when he saw the tall, dark elf. I thumped him. Hard. He looked down with a wounded expression; I rolled my eyes.
As we kept travelling we saw more and more elves until finally Arya decided that we needed to stop in the next town, Kirtan, for more supplies. "Where are we actually going in this forest?" I asked.
"Well, I figure that its going to be Oromis and Glaedrs funeral some day soon and we want to be there for that and we also need to ask the Menoa Tree and Arya's mother."
"OK," I nodded trying to keep calm when in fact it was the experience of meeting Arya's mother I knew I would be the most frightened of.
When we arrived we were greeted by several armed guards who only let us pass when Arya revealed she was the princess. Once in the city the Lord of Kirtan, Tabok, greeted them with open arms and also revealed that there was to be a ball over the next two days and that we were to be the honoured guests. At the mention of the ball Eragon turned pale and I guessed he had realized that meant dancing.
Afterwards, when Tabok had shown us our rooms, I heard someone getting out into the corridor. When I peered around my door I saw Eragon sneaking over to Arya's door. Whilst checking to see if anyone was around I slipped into the lavishly decorated corridor and pressed my ear against the door to try to hear what they were saying. This failing I nudged the door open a crack with my toe so I could see inside and hear better.
"Yes Eragon?" I heard Arya say rather annoyedly.
"I, um, well I, I came to ask you if you could teach me to dance," he blurted out quickly.
Arya looked taken aback. "Well, yes I suppose so; if you really want me to."
"I do," he said solemnly.
She smiled hesitantly. "Well then I'll see you tomorrow at 11 o clock in the ball room." I scrambled away back into my room just as Eragon returned to his. He had a sort of hazy smile on his face as I closed the door on him…