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Florina sat against Kuldra's leg in the dragon hold. The Eldunarí was sitting on her lap. Murtagh was in the dragon hold, taking care of Thorn who had been injured while fighting Kuldra. They didn't want to risk talking to the Eldunarí with another Rider around. She wasn't sure who could hear. "But then again, I have more mind strength than Murtagh does." Florina and Kuldra blocked their minds from the outside and reached for the Eldunarí.
"I thought I told you to wait. He can hear us." It said meaning Murtagh.
"We have more strength. No one has ever been able to break into our minds without our letting them. We can talk safely. What is your name, Bjartskular?"
"My name is Elduna. As you can tell by my color, my body was purple scaled. My mother was Vervada and my father was Iormúngr, a paired dragon."
"Vervada and Iormúngr? That makes you Saphira's sister." Kuldra cut in.
"Saphira? The dragon paired with Brom of Kuasta. She and I do not share parents."
"No, there is another Saphira. She is paired with a man by the name of Eragon."
"Yes, I remember now. My mother gave a sapphire egg to the Riders just before the Betrayer attacked. That would mean that she had been in her egg for the past hundred years. While I have been trapped in that room for the same amount of time."
"She was one of the three eggs held here by Galbatorix. Her egg was stolen and taken between the Elves and the Varden. The egg courier was ambushed by a Shade, now dead, and the courier tried sending the egg to Brom. But the egg landed, almost literally, in Eragon's lap while hunting. She hatched for him and they became bonded. I travelled with them and Brom until Dras-Leona. Events forced us apart and Brom was killed. So much has happened that it's impossible to put it all into words." Florina opened her mind a little more and shared, in images, all that had happened since they had met Saphira, ending with how they had ended up in the castle.
"Is it true? Are you his child?"
"No! My father was a blacksmith. He was killed trying to find help for his wife. She was captured by Galbatorix and then she betrayed me. She believes that Galbatorix is my birth father. But he's not. My birth father is the blacksmith, Caleb. His wife is barren. She allowed him to get another woman with child as long as she was given the child to raise as her own. But she seems to have this idea that Galbatorix slept with the woman who birthed me and that he is the one who fathered me."
"Golden Rider,"
"My name is Florina, Elduna. And this is Kuldra."
"Florina and Kuldra. Those are strong names. Florina, do you have proof that your blacksmith parent is telling the truth?"
"I don't need proof, Elduna. I know in my heart that Caleb is my father."
"Are you sure?"
"As sure as we are that Kuldra's father lives."
"I know who her father is. Her father is Glaedr and her mother is Valdra."
"Elduna, how did you come to be a prisoner here?"
"It would be easier to show you."
Elduna's Memory:
She landed outside the cave and walked in. Her mother had recently laid an egg and this would be the only time she got to see it. She didn't know if it was male or female, but it was her sibling. Vervada smiled as one of her older children walked into the cave. "Where is Father?" She asked her mother.
"He and his partner will be here shortly. They had things to do elsewhere before coming and taking your sibling." Elduna peeked around her mother's tail and saw a sapphire egg.
"There is a good chance that this will be female. The coloring would look lovely on a female dragon."
"Yes, it would." A deep voice spoke from the entrance of the cave. Elduna turned and saw her father standing just outside. She walked over to him and greeted him.
"It is good to see you, Father."
"As it is you, Elduna. I have heard many good things about you from the others here."
"He talks of little else." Another voice cut in aloud. Elduna looked and saw her father's partner, Edwina. "It seems that you are his pride and joy, Elduna." Elduna said nothing and walked out of the cave. Her mother had to say farewell to her child whom she may never see. She could hear Edwina promising that Vervada would see her child again. Then the pair said farewell to Vervada and her and then flew across the see. Vervada seemed saddened. Elduna could do nothing to ease her suffering. This was not the first egg she had given to the Riders. But the others had already hatched. Even Glaedr had an egg to call his own, though it had also been given to the Riders.
"She said the spells over it. Now it won't break the shell until it feels the presence of its Rider."
"May that day come soon."
"What word, Iormúngr? Has it hatched?"
"No, Vervada, it has not hatched. It is in Ilirea, but that has been besieged by a young Rider by the name of Galbatorix and his companion, Morzan and his dragon. Vervada, he has stolen a hatchling and forced a bond with it." Elduna picked up her head at the news. Her father had told her of the bonds that Riders and dragons created between each other. A forced bond was something twisted and not a true union of the two.
"What are we to do?" Elduna asked. Edwina looked at her and then Vervada.
"We have come to ask for the help of the wild dragons. Galbatorix won't stop with the Riders. He will come after the wild dragons for their eggs. As well as something else. But it is hard to say if that is what he desires. All we know for sure is that he seeks revenge upon to order and the order has sent us to ask the wild dragons for help. We thought to come to you, Vervada, since you are Iormúngr's mate." Elduna looked at the human Rider. She was petite with fire red hair. Iormúngr had chosen her because of her spirit over a hundred years ago. She had risen quickly through the ranks and was now one of the senior Riders with an apprentice of her own. Elduna looked at her mother.
"We will help." The elder dragoness vowed. "Though, I cannot speak for the rest of the dragons that live here. Perhaps if you ask them yourselves. But my children and I shall fight."
"Thank you, Vervada. We welcome all the help we can muster." Elduna walked up to the Rider.
"Hold out your hands." She instructed. Edwina obeyed. Elduna drew back her head and the muscles of her abdomen rippled and clenched several times. Then her throat began to convulse as if something were stuck in it. Widening her stance, she extended her neck straight out in front of her, every cord and sinew of her body standing in high relief beneath her scales. Finally, she lowered her head so that it was level with Edwina. Two seconds later, a round object, about a foot in diameter slid down Elduna's tongue and out of her mouth. Edwina was hard pressed to catch it. Edwina staggered back towards Iormúngr as she held the Eldunarí in her hands. She felt Elduna shield her mind from her as she found a cloth to wrap the stone in.
"What have you done?"
"This is what I can do to help. I will be fighting against Galbatorix and his followers in my body. But, should something happen to my body, I can still help you through my Eldunarí if you feel this is too great a responsibility for you, Edwina, give it to Oromis and Glaedr."
"It is my honor to do as you ask of me. But what should I do if I am captured."
"Destroy it. We cannot risk it falling into the wrong hands." Edwina nodded, clutching the Eldunarí to her chest.
"What happened that you were captured, Elduna?" Florina asked.
"Edwina was killed by Morzan in battle. She did not have my Eldunarí with her at the time, but my body was there. I was captured when they attacked Vroengard where Edwina had placed me to help the elders. I tried to fight him off, but I was unable to and was captured. I spent these last hundred years staying quiet, hoping another Rider would come to rescue us. I was beginning to lose hope when the two of you showed up. I will help you, just as I helped Edwina and the Riders. My strength is yours to use as long as you do not side with Galbatorix."
"On my life." Florina vowed before standing up. Murtagh was gone, but Thorn was eating and some food had been left for her and Kuldra. The pair ate, but they were both preoccupied with the events that had occurred. Florina looked at the gems in the bracelets on her wrists. She reached out to them with her mind. They were full of energy. If the gems she had on her weren't full, she could easily fill them with the energy that Galbatorix had placed in the stones.
"He took that energy from other Eldunarí. If you want to break the gems, just use a spell and use the energy within them. Even if there are wards, the strength for the spell will come from the stored energy until it is exhausted." Florina yawned.
"I'm sorry. Perhaps I will try tomorrow. Today has been eventful and I would like this concussion to go away." Florina pulled her blankets from Kuldra's saddle bags and propped herself up against the saddle. "Goodnight, Kuldra."
"Goodnight, Brave One."
"Never!" She heard Oromis cry out. It was followed by the clash of swords on armor. Kuldra turned and Florina saw Oromis and Murtagh fighting. But it wasn't Murtagh. She had heard the voice coming from the young man. It had been Galbatorix. She saw Oromis stiffen. Kuldra sped forward, breaking the spell Galbatorix had placed on them. Glaedr tried to move, but the spell held him in place. She watched in horror as Naegling fell to the ground. She knew that Oromis's energy and wards were bound to the sword. Kuldra tried to get closer as Murtagh/Galbatorix slashed Oromis from shoulder to hip with Zar'roc.
"NO!" She screamed as Glaedr howled. Thorn and Murtagh were pushed away and Glaedr dove for Gli'ead. Kuldra raced after him, supporting him with her own energy and strength. Florina tried giving Oromis energy.
"Florina, Naegling is yours. Use it wisely. And lead them well."
"Let me heal you, Master, please." She could feel Glaedr trying to give the dying elf energy.
"Save your energy, Florina. You will need it for the future." Florina stopped the energy, tears in her eyes. She clutched Oromis's hand as he said farewell to Glaedr. Faintly, she heard Oromis tell them not to mourn him. Then he was gone. Florina released his hand and the pair looked for Murtagh and Thorn, vowing revenge. Kuldra sped along the ground to where Naegling was standing upright in the dirt. Florina grabbed it, sheathing hers. She saw Thorn and Glaedr fighting. Kuldra raced to them. Thorn lost the last three feet of his tail. Kuldra tried moving faster, but Thorn was even faster. He struck Glaedr in the base of his skull and they felt his consciousness disappear. Florina yelled in rage and urged Kuldra onward. Thorn and Murtagh fled. Florina and Kuldra did not pursue them. Instead, they landed beside the dead pair and kept vigil until Islanzadí and her elves could reach them.
The end of the Brisingr chapters are coming. THanks for reading and please review!