The meeting of Shades took place after breakfast, K'aeligh presiding as the eldest on the council. Everyone sat in a huge circle around him on tiered rows of benches carved into the stone walls and smoothed till they were comfortable to sit on. Aliana wondered how long it had taken to make all this as she sat between Aerin and Oromis, thinking the Shades had obviously put a lot of time and care into their home. Part of the reason was secrecy since they hadn't wanted every race to know their location, but it was amazing what they accomplished. Others might have built buildings of some kind, though Dwarves would have definitely saw a mountain as an opportunity. She'd never seen their kingdoms, but the stories discribed fortresses built into mountains much like the Shades had done.
"My fellow Shades and honored guests, if we could all settle down?" K'aeligh asked politely and the chatter died away. "Thank you. It is good to see most of us are here. As you have noticed, two of our guests are familiar to you because they have visited before during Galbatorix's reign. No doubt you're all here due to the rumors of his death, which our guests came to confirm. Lady Aerin was in the throne room when he was defeated by a dragon rider named Eragon and has agreed to share what happened."
Aerin got up and walked down to the center next to K'aeligh. "All of you save one have met me only in passing when I have come here on Galbatorix's arm. As K'aeligh had said, I entered the throne room just in time to see Eragon use long lost magics spoken of as myth enabling Murtagh and Thorn change their true names. Murtagh and Thorn then turned on Galbatorix and Murtagh stripped Galbatorix of all of his wards. Arya and Thorn worked together to defeat Shruikan while Eragon fought off Galbatorix's mental attack and with the help of Elundarí that were thought to be all destroyed or under Galbatorix's control, he cast a spell on Galbatorix which made the king understand all of his crimes and experience every bit of pain and suffering he inflicted on everyone before and during his rule. It grew so unbearable, Galbatorix destroyed himself with a suicide spell that took a good chunk of the throne room with him."
"Thank you, Lady. Aerin." K'aeligh said into the stunned silence as she resumed her seat. "As many of you are aware, there was a long time I refused to come and be a part of this council after the collective vote decided the Shades would ally with Galbatorix. I understood the choice, you were all hungry for acceptance and to be of use in a world where you didn't have to hide. However, I couldn't abide by it personally, for I saw you would all soon feel entrapped and unable to think of a ways out of servitude to a king who showed you how little Shades mattered to him after it was too late. I also knew the woman I loved was in that empire and for her safety I kept my distance.
"I traveled beyond Alagaësia to lands only considered rumor and went further into uncharted territory, driven by the need to find where the Shades came from thousands of years ago. What I discovered was only an inky void with no corporal forms or even spirits. I remembered our oldest texts saying the first Shade emerged from something similar, yet walking through the darkness added more questions instead of answering the ones I went in there with. I felt no magic, no indication we could have come from a place like that even with sorcery. As I returned back, I pondered what it meant for the Shades and I found a changing world full of rebellion and hope. I was surprised to find you all trying to find a way to resist too, which I realized answered all my questions. We might have come from a different plane of existence, yet we made Alagaësia our home and the turn of a new age unlocks opportunities for us.
"I am aware some of you think we don't belong anywhere, but just look around you. We have built a home for ourselves and have learned a great deal as a species. Many of you have even gotten married despite the strong opinion Shades couldn't form such attachments. There is potential if we are willing to press on now that tyranny has been overthrown and we can decide what we want. The Varden leader would like our imput on who should lead Alagaësia and offers us a place beside the other realms as a recognized race. I propose the choice be left up to each individual whether or not they wish to stay or leave so there is no pressure on the entire community to fall in with the decree of a vote like last time we had a meeting like this."
"Seconded." The other elders chorused after quietly talking amongst themselves. "And we wish for you to represent us among the Varden, since we have decided to stay as a council. Those who wish to leave may approach for assistance in relocating to a place of their choosing." They looked around at the large crowd, who didn't move. "It appears for now that everyone wishes to do the same as us. There will be no punishmemt for those who change their mind."
K'aeligh bowed to them. "I agree with your verdict. I will go to Uru'baen with our guests and return when I have news of what has transpired."
Everyone cheered and slowly began to stand up and leave the hall till it was empty. When Glaedr returned from hunting shortly after the meeting was over, they all climbed on his back and headed back towards Uru'baen with high hopes for what lay ahead.