Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING YOU SEE HERE THAT IS FAMILIAR. ERK.
A short filler chapter, almost a total remake of a certain infamous scene in Eldest...
Chapter 43: Urges
Nasuada rubbed her eyes tiredly. She was tired from the events of the previous day. After tea, the six Riders followed their masters into Oromis' hut, where they spent the entire day mastering the Liduen Kvaedhi. Arya was glaring on her own parchment. Being an elf, her writing was better than most of them, but she looked so exhausted, it was no wonder that her writing was a little wobbly.
Voices could clearly be heard outside. Ash and Serylda watched Brom begin the two new Riders' training and also help in nudging them to the right direction. Nasuada wished them good luck. While Aesyr seemed like a good enough pupil, Vanir was another matter.
"Concentrate, Nasuada," Oromis said kindly. "You will also get the chance to work outside at a later time. For now, let your juniors begin their studies. You are senior pupils now, and you must act the part to set examples to young Aesyr and Vanir."
Nasuada glared at her parchment, attempting to focus on her wobbly glyphs. "Sorry, Master." How she longed for the great outdoors.
She couldn't help but look through the window behind her teacher, watching the shadows dancing as the sun began to descend. She shook her head and was trying to work harder on the curves and spikes of her glyphs when fiery pain pierced her side. With a cry, she slid off her bench. She could hear Katrina and Eragon yelling in pain, too.
Solaris! She could not contain her terror. She could not even break through the sudden armor that Solaris built around her mind.
Oromis rubbed his shoulder with a frown. Eragon and Katrina clutched at their left and right legs, respectively. Their faces were paper-white, and Nasuada was sure that she was just as pale. Murtagh was helping her up before she knew it, though. "Trouble?"
"What is happening?" Roran asked, pulling Katrina to her feet.
Arya was right beside Eragon, a hand on his back. "I could not even understand what Firnen wishes to say!"
Shouts could also be heard outside. Nasuada gingerly straightened, trying to keep her face as smooth and calm as an elf's. "Something is wrong."
"The elders return with the little ones. Glaedr says that we must meet them outside." Oromis frowned faintly.
Armed and ready for anything, the Riders strode out of the hut. Outside, Serylda and Avarosa murmured grimly to themselves, rubbing their arms all the time. Brom was talking quietly to Aesyr, while Vanir stood at a distance, looking concerned for once.
No one spoke nor made a sound aside from their breathing. Worry gnawed at Nasuada. Last she knew, the dragons headed to a place somewhere north known as the Stone of the Broken Eggs, where wild dragons used to nest. It was an easy trip, and even the Riders have been there a few times before.
It can't be Urgals, right? Eragon's mental voice sounded so steady, but he was probably just holding himself together better.
Katrina shook her head. Impossible.
Glaedr came into view, a glittering speck of gold. Aegar and Brand were right behind him. They landed together. The small dragons fluttered down Glaedr's back, running to their Riders and chirping in terror. The two other elder dragons had wounds down their right forelegs, tears as wide as Nasuada's hand marring their gleaming scales. Blood flew so freely from those wounds.
Brom herded Aesyr and Vanir toward Oromis, while Ash and Serylda ran toward their dragons, who growled at them. They crawled to separate edges of the forest, curling up beneath trees bigger than them. They began to lick their wounds clean. Their Riders knelt by their dragons, keeping their distance patiently and obviously meaning to wait.
Oromis broke off from Glaedr and turned to the others. "Fearsome wounds, but no more than scratches for dragons of their size."
"What about the others?" Brom asked. "Where are they?"
"I can't contact Solaris," Nasuada agreed.
"You must go to them!" Oromis' voice was as calm as ever, but the urgency could be felt. "The females are hurt in more ways than one. Glaedr refuses to speak in respect for Aegar and Brand, but I'm guessing much. You would do well to hurry, he fears for them."
Askanir ignored the green-leaf-border and focused on reaching the Riders. He knew of only one person who could comfort Luneria, and that person was with the partner-of-his-mind-and-heart. Not being chosen as a life-mate stung, but he needed to save Luneria and red-fire-hair-Katrina was the one who could do it. She will not listen to him.
Thorn and Firnen both followed him, worried for Solaris and Saphira respectively. Oh, how their wings drooped. Belly-claw-worry gnawed at them all. The wing-lift-wind was on their side that day, thankfully, and they reached the elf-clearing in just a few minutes. Aegar and Brand were curled up on either sides, being tended by the partners-of-their-minds-and-hearts.
Thankfully the little ones were huddled beside Glaedr, who seemed to be sheltering them. They were shaken after the events, and Askanir was glad that the sun-gold-master is there to comfort them. Ignoring everyone else for now, even Roran, he veered toward Katrina and opened his mind to the little fire-hair-two-legs. Katrina! Your partner-of-your-mind-and-heart needs you, he roared. He ignored Roran's annoyed probings.
"What is happening?" Katrina's voice was higher than it should be, and Askanir wondered why she didn't just talk with her mind. Much easier to keep her composure.
Luneria is hurt. Not just hurt… It was difficult to convey what he meant, even with the feeling-sensations that he could use. Askanir bent down. Come. Come with me. He turned to Roran, who looked puzzled and a little hurt. You too.
"You better have a good reason for this," Roran said, climbing up his back and helping Katrina up.
Not even making sure that the two little ones were properly secured, Askanir took flight once more, ignoring their screams and Brom's warning shouts. He had to save Luneria. They had to get back quickly. They must!
Eragon wrapped his arms around Arya, screaming in spite of himself as Firnen shot up from the ground. They barely had time to tie themselves to the saddle, and the green dragon seemed ready to take off at full speed. "Firnen! Take it easy," he managed to yelp.
Forgive me, little two-legs. Though they did not share the dragon-Rider bond, Eragon still felt his sheer terror. I fear for Saphira. She needs you.
Arya looked grim. That didn't make her any less beautiful, though. "Do you fear for her so much? You are also hurt."
The two of them exchanged meaningful looks as they soared over the sky. They reached the Stone in just a few minutes, and Firnen circled it uncertainly. Saphira is at the top, he began, diving to the edge of the monolith, its top made of jaged towers, divided by gorges holding scattered wildflowers. Caves – both natural and dragon claw-made – dotted all of them, lichen-ridden bones forming an unsettling blanket. Birds of prey now nested on the abandoned caverns, watching them warily and ready to attack should their eggs be threatened.
Firnen insisted on keeping the Riders on his back. Awkwardly, he leaped over melted rock and dashed past scratched basalt. They reached the eastern edge of the monolith where the tallest tower stood tall and proud. In the center was a massive cave where Saphira lay curled up in a hollow against the far wall. The blue dragon kept her back on the opening.
Firnen bent down. Hurry, Eragon. Do what you must.
Eragon leaped off his back, landing painfully on the cavern floor. He ached inside when he saw Saphira trembling. His eyes slid to the fresh scorch marks and the brittle bones that seemed scattered about, like she threw a fit. "Saphira," he said, his voice barely more than a whisper.
Her head whipped up, faster than her size would make one expect. She stared at him as if they did not know each ther at all, her dark pupils reduced to slits. She let out a wild snarl before turning away again. Slowly, she raised her left wing to reveal a long, ragged gash along her upper thigh.
Eragon felt himself falling into pieces at the sight of her, but he held himself together. Saphira would not appreciate pity, and it was not what he needed. He knelt among the crushed bones, waiting. He felt Arya and Firnen's concern and worry at the fringes of his mind, but he did not respond. No word or movement came from him though his legs began to numb and his hands were growing stiff with cold. He did not even notice the discomfort. Any price would gladly be paid if it would be because he was helping Saphira.
Time passed before the dragon spoke. Forgive me, Eragon. I have been a fool in more ways than you'd expect.
Saphira, do not say that. We are all fools sometimes. Eragon felt tension flow out of him slowly. Though I guess that doesn't make it easier to admit when it is you who is being one.
We have always known what to do. When you are lost, I guide you, and you do the same when our roles are reversed. The path has always been clear to us because of that, and yet now I am lost.
Then tell me what you are going through. Seeing her that way hurt Eragon more than could be put into words.
Eragon, this is the Stone of Broken eggs, where elves once tracked us to and killed us. They tore apart our nests and used magic to shatter our egs. The rain during that day was blood, and no dragon lived her ever since. Saphira paused, and upon realizing that Eragon was not going to respond until she told him what was the matter, she grew irritated. Say something, fool!
Then let me heal your leg.
Leave it be.
I will remain as mute as a statue and wait until I crumble to dust, if that's what you want. You granted the patience of a dragon to me.
Saphira's head drooped. It is a shameful act. You know how Luneria, Solaris, and I have set our sights on Aegar and Brand. We were pleased to see that ancient, powerful – and mateless – males of our kind survived… aside from Shruikan, of course. We expected them to be as pleased of our existence as we were by theirs.
But they were!
Not in the way I wanted. We all hoped that they would choose one or two of us to help rebuild our race. We did not listen to Glaedr's warnings. They do not want us.
Maybe not in the way you wished for. Eragon chose his words wisely, afraid of offending her. Of course, he also wanted to comfort her. You have been traveling with three powerful male dragons. Maybe they know that you are all destined for one of them. And it would not be proper for a mentor to mate with his pupil.
Or maybe I am not comely enough.
Saphira! Don't you ever say that again. Eragon took a deep breath. No dragon is ugly, and you are the fairest of them all.
You are my Rider, and I am a fool. Saphira raised her left wing, keeping it up as permission to heal.
Firnen padded up to Saphira with Arya on his back as Eragon set to work. I am glad that you are well, Saphira.
And I thank you for bringing Eragon here… and for doing your best to help me.
The green dragon seemed to preen himself. If he was human or elf, he would probably blush.
"Make sure that you apologize." Before Saphira could complain, Eragon continued, "I do not know who started the attack or how, but you must tell Aegar and Brand that you are sorry. Tell them that this will not happen again, and that you will continue training with them. They will be sympathetic if they give you a chance. That will make you feel better. Take that from me."
Very well.
"Are we one again, Saphira?"
We are one.
A very short chapter, but I had to get this out of the way during a busy week. Up next is the chapter that you've all been waiting for: Agaeti Blodhren! And... another timeskip filler thingie before the main chapter starts. Anyway, the new dragons are going to be named soon, so what do you think are their names going to be? Just small guesses...
And yes, dear readers, I am currently obssessed with the Wheel of Time and am currently halfway through Knife of Dreams as I type this down. Those Aes Sedai Sitters and Sea Folk Windfinders need to be buried alive because they're more irritating than an entire battalion of Nynaeves, Egwenes, and Elaynes.
Vanir is starting to crack, isn't he...? I wonder how he will fare once the Blood-Oath Celebration bestows gifts upon our human Riders?
Tamerlein will not be wielded by Arya, and she is actually going to get her own Rhunon-forged sword by the next book or so.
And I've finalized most of the Riders' special skills already. Murtagh is the best tracker/hunter, Arya is the fastest and most dexterous, Roran is strong physically, Katrina is the strongest spellcaster, while Nasuada is going to delve in witchcraft courtesy of Angela while still being the politics expert. I'm thinking of making Vanir a master of stealth. Eragon's creativity is his strength, since he is going to be a brilliant strategist (no thanks to the transformation) and can also do unique things with magic without expending so much energy. I still don't know what to do with Aesyr as of the moment... and time is running out.
Anyway, read and review, as always! I'll try to work on the Agaeti Blodhren after getting off work tomorrow.
You guys rock!