Behold, the next chapter!
After they exited Feinster, Eragon and Arya walked towards the grove where Saphira used to linger. Their steps were slow, almost forced in Eragon's case. Only now was he starting to realize that Saphira might not like spontaneous decision, especially when they involved both him, her and the others. Even if she knew Arya better than most elves ever did, Angela was still a stranger, one that could derange their intimacy.
"I don't like it when events unfold without my consent," Eragon complained on a low voice, unable to retain it inside his own head. Arya looked at him, but said nothing.
"I think fate has a certain irony." He suddenly paused, looking at the star sprinkled sky before resuming, "I never actually had a choice before, and now it is no different."
"Cast your worries aside, Eragon," Arya intervened, her calm voice soothing him a little. "Destiny has a tendency to do that, but not everything that happens is for the worst."
Eragon was somewhat surprise by how positive she was. Because of her past, one would think that Arya couldn't be capable of accepting the gossamer thread which symbolized happiness during a war.
As if she noticed his bewilderment, Arya said with uncertainty, "I don't know how to put it but…" her voice trailed off for a moment during which Eragon looked at her shyly, words completely vanishing from his mind.
"I learned a couple of things from you," she said hastily, gazing into his eyes for a brief moment before looking elsewhere. If her previous remark surprised him, now her affirmation totally shocked him. He knew that a subtle change transpired when she came for him after killing the Ra'zacs, but at that time, he wasn't quite sure why it was so. However, now it was obvious: It was the power of friendship that changed her, gave her hope to look towards a brighter future. Still, he had mixed feelings about what she said, and it was this surge of emotions that caused blood to rush to his cheeks.
"I'm glad…to hear that," Eragon managed to say weakly, almost an inaudible whisper. He had no idea if Arya heard him, and maybe it was this fact that pushed him to say louder, "I'm glad to be your friend, and to have you here, with me."
"I'm glad too, Eragon," she said curtly, running a hand across her hair to remove a loose raven black lock that covered her face. They both exchanged quick glances without any words being said, a most unnerving experience for Eragon, and one that he was not quite familiar with.
Shortly after this strange yet pleasant moment, the trees began to clear, revealing the jewel of the forest: Saphira. But she was not alone. A black cat pounced and leaped at her tail with great agility, biting and trying to catch the swishing scaly tip. If it was a mere cat, its fate would be worse than that of a roasted boar.
Angela, who sat on Saphira's back, jumped on the ground and patted Saphira on her neck before she greeted them.
"I have never ridden a blue dragon before," she said with enthusiasm before she turned around as quickly as she came. Why does the color matter? Eragon thought and walked towards Saphira, who stared at him intently.
If it wasn't for our unexpected guests, I would lick you until the fabric of your clothes is no more, she said on a slightly angry voice. It was too late for Eragon to scold himself for not telling Saphira about his plans earlier, but his only excuse was she went hunting and he couldn't contact her.
Saphira, it would have happened sooner or later. If there was a time when we need to make fast decisions, then this is it, said Eragon, hugging her snout.
If my hunt would have been unproductive, you would be in a worse position, Saphira growled with indignation before craning her neck, staring at the troublesome werecat that never ceased playing with her tail. Suddenly, Solembum ceased his relentless attacks and dashed towards Angela, who was lying on the ground, staring at an infinitely interesting acorn.
Eragon almost shuddered in surprise when he saw Arya sitting next to him with the corner of his eyes, her hand moving across Saphira's jaw. A hum of delight came from the blue dragoness whose eyes closed, enjoying the attention she was receiving.
"You are fortunate for being gifted with such a good and loyal friend," Arya whispered to him while she continued to stroke her smooth scales.
You have friends of your own, Emerald-eyes, and they in turn have you. Arya smiled and raised her head, looking at Saphira intently. After a short moment, she lifted her wing and Arya moved towards the warm confines of her new shelter.
Go, or sleep in the cold, like she will, Saphira said, pointing with her snout towards Angela, who was oblivious to anything that excluded her and the acorn.
I already talked with her, so there is no point in doing the same.
Eragon nodded absently and trudged his body under her wing. While he didn't mind sleeping so close to Arya, he had a few difficulties in finding a good spot to lay his tired body without disturbing the elf who had already cuddled next to Saphira's ribs. With Arya occupying his favorite sleeping spot, Eragon moved towards her flank and lay down near her paw, resting his head on her clawed foot. He tried to process some of the events which required his attention, but his mind was quickly overwhelmed with tiredness, and he fell asleep before even bidding Saphira a pleasant slumber.
"Sprout like a mushroom after the rain, Eragon!" Angela laughed and distanced from him quickly, her feet swishing through the grass. A groan of displeasure came from the tired Rider who could just not get up. His drowsy eyes felt heavy like lead and the effort needed to open them was not worth it.
Because of his numb mind, the reason behind this rude awakening was unknown, especially when sleep was sweeter than ever.
It is either on my back or in my claws, Saphira cut in. Her comment acted like a bucket of frozen water poured onto a cat by a cruel man. Wobbling onto his legs, Eragon brushed his eyes lazily and blinked several times, trying to adjust to the light that penetrated the clear blue sky.
Birds joyfully chirped as they chased each other in winding flying contests, using every obstacle, such as tree branches, to their advantage. The blazing sun made Eragon wrinkle his face when his eyes met it. He did not expect it to be that high in the sky.
His stomach rumbled, but there was nothing he could do for now. When he looked at Saphira, he saw that both Arya and Angela, with Solembum on her lap, sat on the saddle, while Saphira glared at him. Sighing, he made his way towards her and got onto the saddle, where he shifted his body in a comfortable position.
"Saphira, remember what I told you," said Arya with a faint voice, almost as if she was certain that something bad would happen. The dragoness craned her neck to inspect her passengers and flapped her wings several times before she dug her claws into the soft soil, launching herself into the air.
Eragon barely prevented a cough when Arya's arms wrapped around his waist, draining the air out of him. Angela was not faring any better as she expressed her dislike for flight in a more vocal manner that made Eragon chuckle. A louder laugh coming from the person he believed to be scared dwarfed his frail voice.
Fools! I was just pretending to be scared! Angela shouted mentally, attracting both his and Arya's curious gazes. Seeing as her plan backfired, she smiled widely and then began muttering something in a low voice Eragon could not understand. For one, he could not even think properly because of the strong grip exerted on his waist.
Arya, you are…too strong.
Arya immediately lessened her grip, but Eragon could still feel her fear because of the way she breathed.
Nothing bad can happen Arya, Eragon told her mentally, trying to alleviate her fright. Here, we are all powerful, and ground creatures should envy us.
They certainly don't want to be in my place, Arya said briefly as she frantically looked around, trying to make sure that Saphira wouldn't do anything out of a sudden.
Not everyone has that privilege, Eragon smiled.
That's a great honor, but I still don't like it up here. Eragon could feel the tension that seeped through her, and he was somewhat sad that she couldn't enjoy the flight as much as he did.
In time, you will love it, he said, placing a hand on hers soothingly.
A constant growl of displeasure rippled from Solembum's throat, and no matter how good Angela tried to soothe him, it did not work. Since he did not want to disturb Arya after her initial fright, Eragon asked the herbalist,Why are we visiting Tenga, exactly? Angela did not respond right away, and he suspected that she was not quite pleased to talk to everyone else about the prophecy concerning Eragon.
Entering his mind, Angela said on a disapproving voice, what Solembum told you is for you and you alone to know, along with anything that relates to it. Eragon was mystified by the sudden change in Angela's behavior. She was usually different, always speaking nonsense, but now, her tone, her words, it was as if she was a changed person.
I understand, Eragon paused. He never fully trusted Angela, but she saved his life once, and always worked in favor of the Varden, that was certain. On this aspect, he never doubted her, but there was something hidden, something he could not fully comprehend about Angela.
Her words interrupted his musings, I hate to go back to that old fool, but he is the only one that will help us find the Rock of Kuthian.
Eragon had no idea what Angela's relationship with Tenga was, but he did not want to dig up further mysteries either, especially when they were related to such mysterious being. The lack of knowledge about what he was searching for disturbed Eragon. Even if he promised himself that he wouldn't bother Angela anymore, he couldn't help but ask.
What is the Rock of Kuthian? Angela laughed in his head, almost mockingly.
It is what the name says, silly. Solembum was right, you lack the normal intelligence level for a Rider. Her reply did not infuriate Eragon, even if he felt the nagging sensation to reply back to this absent minded herbalist. Wishing not to talk anymore to her, Eragon's eyes fell on Arya's arms. They were so thin, so fragile, yet the hidden power with them could easily change the opinion of any human being.
Saphira, I fear that Solembum is feeling dizzy! Angela shouted mentally to everyone. Arya immediately retreated her head from his shoulder and looked around nervously for the source of the disturbance, while he sighed in irritation.
At Angela's request, Saphira landed into a clearing where she and Solembum walked a bit, apparently happy to be on the ground once again. Saphira's look of enmity towards them showed that she was not quite pleased with her new passengers, and so was Eragon. Arya seemed to enjoy this break too, only that she never left Saphira's saddle. He suspected that she and Saphira were sharing tips related to flying, and the culprit behind this was Arya, who probably disliked the idea of acting like a scared rabbit in front of everyone.
As quickly as they landed, the group of land dwellers climbed onto the saddle and resumed their journey. If Saphira maintained her current speed, they would reach Edur Ithindra by nightfall.
The wind whipped through Eragon's hair as he sat upon Saphira's back. He could feel her muscles pumping beneath him, pushing their group closer to their destination. Arya still sat behind him, lightly holding her arm around his waist, silent the entire time they had been airborne. Very little had been said during the two hours they were flying, the only constant sound being the flapping of wings and sometimes a growl coming from Solembum.
Eragon continued to meditate on the past and present, his thoughts never staying on a subject more than several minutes. The only change in the landscape were the monotonous plains that replaced the lush forests, much to Saphira's disappointment. With no edible prey, she would surely be grumpy by the end of the day.
I wonder if anyone will guess what the RoK actually is in my fanfic. Feel free to add your opinions, but there's a very high chance you might not get it. In this fanfic, it is kind of obvious, silly, but probably the most realistic RoK there is.