Yes, Saphira has a sister that she may or may not ever know. To answer a question from a reviewer, Glaedr has disgorged his Eldunari and given it to Eragon. Hmmm, that gave me an idea. Enjoy!
Just as a small reminder, text written in bold-italic is strictly converstation between Kuldra and Florina and also their individual thoughts.
Florina opened her eyes as sunlight shone into the cave. It was faint, but enough to allow her to see. It was mid-morning. She had been asleep half the night and most of the morning. She pushed the blanket off her and stood and stretched. It had been a few days since Galbatorix had let her take Elduna from his hoard of EldunarÃ. Food had again been left for her and Kuldra. Florina disappeared back into the castle with a saddle bag, leaving Kuldra and Elduna alone.
"How do you know my parents?" Kuldra asked. She hadn't wanted to ask with Florina around. Glaedr was supposed to be a secret and the fact that Elduna knew of him and her mother concerned her.
"I met them only briefly and that was during The Fall. Your father and his Rider were invested in something important. Valdra wouldn't tell me even though we fought together. She was really upset when she was told the Glaedr had lost your egg over the ocean. He said that they had been attacked and you were the target. They wanted your egg for him."
"Where were they taking me?"
"They never said. And I never asked. How is he?"
"Father is three-legged now. And his Rider has his own disability." Kuldra said cryptically. She couldn't divulge too much with the oath she and Florina had taken before their training had begun. At that moment, Florina reentered the cave and set the bag on the ground. Kuldra and Elduna heard the tell-tale sound of metal clinking together. Florina had her sword on her hip and was tying the rose into her hair tie. "Why do you have your armor and sword, Brave One?"
"I am not going to be parted from you. You are my family. Spending the night here the past few nights reminded me of when we traveled and we were never apart for long. If I stay in the castle, I fear that I cannot get to you in time if something were to happen." Florina unbuckled her sword from her belt and leaned it against her shield. Kuldra watched as her Rider went through her morning exercises even though the morning was late. After she had finished, she drew her blade and worked on sharpening it and ensuring that it was still solid. She enjoyed the silence with her partner-of-heart-and-mind-and soul. They were one and would always be. Being in the cave made Florina feel safe, even when Kuldra left to hunt. Though she was not allowed to go far. While she was gone, Florina looked at the bracelets. They had a vast amount of energy in them. It was energy she could use while fighting which would only weaken the spell that Galbatorix was using to know her location. The sun was lower in the sky when Kuldra returned. Florina smiled at the content feeling she was getting from the gold dragon. She leaned back and closed her eyes.
The bang of a door startled her from her dreamless nap. She sat up and looked. Murtagh was quickly saddling Thorn. He was dressed in full armor and Zar'roc was on his hip. They watched as Thorn and Murtagh took off out of the cave. Florina walked to the mouth and watched as they winged their way north. Her stomach fell to her feet as she remembered her vision. She stood a moment before turning and throwing Kuldra's saddle on her along with the saddle bags. Elduna's Eldunarà was placed carefully into the saddle bag with the blankets. Florina belted on her sword after throwing on her mail shirt. In two quick jumps, Florina was in the saddle and Kuldra was walking to the edge of the cave. Florina put on the rest of her armor as she walked.
"We will not get away with this." Kuldra said, leaving Elduna out of the conversation.
"I know. But we cannot let Glaedr and Oromis fight alone. If Oromis has one of his episodes while fighting, he will be vulnerable to be killed and we both know that Murtagh will kill him given the chance."
"Then let us go to war." Kuldra jumped into the air and winged her way after Murtagh.
He surveyed the battlefield as Glaedr glided over Gil'ead. He missed the happy memories that he had of this place. Those were replaced with sorrow as he thought of the two children who had died here. They had been Glaedr's kin. He turned his head at the challenging roar. He turned to the south and saw Thorn and Murtagh flying towards them. His heart filled with sorrow as Glaedr quickened his flapping. "Once again, Rider fights Rider and dragon fights dragon. You will pay for this, Galbatorix." He thought grimly as he engaged Murtagh above the city. In the distance, he thought he saw a gold wink. "It can't be. Eragon said they were his prisoners. Has he discovered their true names?" He turned his mind back to the fight. He would have to worry about the Golden Pair later, after the fight. He felt Florina try to reach him, but he ignored her. He would have to hear her out afterwards.
She watched in horror as Thorn rammed into Glaedr, breaking his left wing. Glaedr's left side was his weakest side. Kuldra needed no urging to go faster. Florina drew her sword and reached out, once more, for Oromis. Still far off, they could only watch Glaedr attempt to batter Thorn into submission. By the amount of wounds the dragons were sustaining, they could tell that their wards were gone. Florina dared not supplement them with her own energy for fear of not being able to fight. Kuldra dare not ram Thorn for fear of hurting her father as they were locked together. Glader breathed fire and Kuldra got close, unleashing her own torrent at the two. They stopped as Glaedr and Thorn pulled away from each other.
"Their strength is fading. I can see it in their bearing. Another few minutes and Murtagh's concentration shall fail and I will be able to assume control over his thoughts. That or we shall slay them with sword and fang." Florina heard Oromis say as they finally got close enough.
"Master, let me help." She called.
"What are you doing here? Eragon told me that you are a prisoner."
"I am. But I have an amount of freedom because of some delusion he has. I have come to help you, Master." Florina said and threw her mind at Murtagh. The onslaught forced Thorn to back away to save his Rider. Kuldra pursued him warily, remembering the last time they had rushed into a fight with the other Rider. After a moment, Kuldra shot upwards, Glaedr right behind her. Florina engaged Murtagh in combat while the dragons grappled beneath them. They both ignored the blood coming from Thorn's leg where Glaedr had hit him with his tail. Thorn finally managed to kick Kuldra away and flew upwards. Glaedr shot past the gold pair and after Thorn. Kuldra struggled to regain her balance as there was a tear in her wing. She was able to land and Florina healed it. But they were wasting too much time. They looked up in time to see the older gold dragon and the red falling. Florina finished healing Kuldra's wound and watched in shock as the four of them rose back into the air.
Florina jumped back into the saddle and Kuldra rose into the air, rising quicker than she ever had before. Faintly, they could hear Galbatorix talking through Murtagh. "Never!" She heard Oromis cry out. It was followed by the clash of swords on armor. Kuldra quickened her flapping and soon 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. Florina used the energy in the bracelets to ward off the spell that Galbatorix had used to stop the other two dragons. Glaedr tried to move, but the spell held him in place. She watched in horror as Naegling fell from Oromis's grasp. She knew that Oromis's energy and wards were bound to the sword. She caught it and 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. She tried using her own to stop the bleeding, but it wouldn't stop.
"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 took him from Glaedr's back as the dragon turned to fight Thorn. Kuldra landed and helped her Rider take the older Rider from her back. Florina sheathed her sword and took Naegling's sheath from Oromis and placed her sheathed sword on his chest. She plucked a petal from the rose and used a spell to make sure that it stayed with the sword so the elves would know that she had taken the old Rider's sword as her own. The pair looked for Murtagh and Thorn, vowing revenge, as Florina returned to Kuldra's saddle. 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 pursued them without a second thought.
Kuldra roared and Murtagh and Thorn turned at the sound. Florina brandished Naegling in challenge. She knew that Galbatorix was still in control when she felt the same spell that had stopped Glaedr. Again, she used the energy from the bracelets and attacked. But Galbatorix only blocked. "I am disappointed, Florina. Why do you fight with our enemy instead of against them?"
"You are the only enemy I have, Galbatorix." She spat. She felt the energy in the bracelets rapidly depleting as the spell continued.
"Foolish child. Do you not realize that I have the power over your life?"
"The only one who has power over my life is me, Galbatorix. And I will fight against you until my dying breath. You shall never have our willing services for your mad designs." Kuldra whipped her tail up and struck Thorn in the side, breaking his wing. Thorn let go of the older dragon.
"Over here!" He called to the queen and her guards. They had seen Oromis and Glaedr rushing towards them with Florina and Kuldra. They had lost sight of the younger pair after Glaedr had been struck down. There was no knowing what had happened to them. He was concerned that she had been captured again. When he had seen her, he had seen two bands on her wrists with holes where gem stones were set.
"What have you found, Lifaen?" Islanzadà asked as she approached him. He led her down the hill to where a body rested. The elves keened in mourning as they recognized the body. It was Oromis, the Mourning Sage. Lifaen recognized the sword that was resting on his chest. It was Florina's. "His blade is missing."
"He gave it to Florina, Majesty. That is her blade upon his chest and that is a petal of the rose I gave her."
"So, she is still his prisoner then. She would not have left her sword had she been ordered to take Oromis's by theft." She turned to the guards. "Carry the body. Once we have found Glaedr, we shall bury them side by side." She placed a hand on Lifaen's shoulder as he looked south. "I am sorry, Lifaen. But she must fend for herself for now." Lifaen nodded and helped to carry the ancient Rider on his shield.
We all knew that this was going to happen, but it still hurts to write the death of such a beloved character. But things will be changing for Florina. Hehehe. Thanks for reading and please review.