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Disclaimer: I do not own The Inheritance Cycle. I only own the OC Michael/Ancalagon.
While Eragon was in Teirm, seeing Angela, the dragons were doing anything to ease the boredom they currently felt. And as such, they usually hunted, making competitions out of it, or they had playful spars as Ancalagon intended to either surpass Saphira's record of victoruys or even match it. Right now, it was 6-5, with one draw between them. Six victories for Saphira, five for Ancalagon.
Ancalagon had to admit, the cliff Saphira had chosen to take refuge in during the time at Teirm was a great choice. After all, it was so high up that the dragons could easily see over the wall and at the happenings within the city and also had a sweeping view of the sea.
Right now, they had decided to play a game... of riddles.
Thirty white horses on a red hill. First they champ, Then they stamp, Then they stand still.
Easy, the answer is teeth.
Saphira grumbled at Ancalagon getting another riddle correct. Correct. She sighed. Your turn.
She had been the one to start the game. The rules were that they would go back and fourth with riddles until one gives in or guesses incorrectly. Neither had suffered a incorrect riddle, and both were hooked onto the game.
What breaks but never falls? Ancalagon asked, watching Saphira closely.
The dragoness frowned, her eyelids shutting a little as she thought on the answer. Then her eyes snapped open as she declared. The dawn!
Correct. I made that one easy for you. Ancalagon said, getting a snort from Saphira.
Sure you did. Now, you will find him in the mountains, and you'll find him in the creek. He has no mouth – Yet he speaks in every tongue. He has no ears – And yet will answer every cry. Always having the final word. You heard me before, yet you hear me again, then I die, 'Till you call me again.
Ancalagon frowned before looking to the ground as he debated the answer. Saphira watched him, feeling smug victory start to grow inside her as Ancalagon took a while to answer the-
An echo.
Correct... again. Saphira growled in annoyance. Like all dragons, especially females, she was prideful and her pride refused to lose in a game of riddles. A game of which dragons always enjoy since it challenges their intelligence.
Ancalagon chuckled before beginning the next riddle. When Young I am tall, When old I am small, with life I do glow, yet the breath of men is my foe. What be I?
Saphira looked at him, wondering what he was up to before she began to think it over, mumbling to herself in her mind as she sorted through the words of the riddle, her eyes coming alive at the challenge.
A Candle.
Dammit. Ancalagon muttered, but he should've guessed she'd get that one. He had to come up with one that she wouldn't get.
Saphira hummed smugly at her victory and was about to begin the next riddle when she felt Eragon's mind brush against hers, the dragoness turning and feeling a little annoyed at her fun and time with Ancalagon coming to an end. Was it that hard to have a whole day with him? Just him and her, alone, spending time together?
Eragon's coming. Saphira said, withholding a sigh.
Better go get him then. Ancalagon said, giving the sapphire-scaled female a look that she growled at him for before she flew off the cliff to go pick her Rider up.
When Saphira came back, Eragon in tow, the young Rider proceeded to tell the dragons about his meeting with Angela and the were-cat Solembum. Curious about Eragon's fortune being told, Ancalagon asked about it and he was very disappointed and upset at the fact that it was the exact same as it was in the book. It also worried Ancalagon. Did anything he did or do not matter? Or is it because he hasn't intervened except in one critical moment of the story and that was to prevent the death of Eragon's uncle? He defied fate that time, could he do so again?
He had agreed to help Brom retrieve his dragon's Eldunari from Galbatorix's clutches, and so he would obviously have to keep Brom alive for his help... could he defy fate again and except nothing to happen? Especially since Brom's death was important to the story and Eragon's character? Well, he already messed things when he saved Garrow, what's one more big change?
He shook his head, clearing those thoughts away for later. You should remember what the were-cat told you, Eragon. It's important. More than you know.
How so? Eragon asked curiously.
Just trust me, those names are important. Especially the Menoa Tree. As for the Rock of Kuthian... I've heard rumors, but nothing conclusive about what it is. Just don't tell Brom. He'd start asking unnecessary questions, ones that he wouldn't leave alone without them being answered. Your fortune telling is for you alone, and nobody else's. You probably shouldn't even have told me and Saphira, though she probably would have wormed it out of you anyway.
The talked until there was nothing more to say. Once they had exhausted all topics of conversation, they sat there, taking comfort in each others' companionship, watching the trees until dusk. Eragon hurried back to Teirm while Saphira took Ancalagon by surprise when she shuffled under his wing so that it was draped over her and laid down, while the black-scaled dragon raised an eyebrow at her.
What are you doing? He asked, though he didn't sound bothered by her actions.
Just getting comfortable. Saphira said cheekily then laid her head down and closed her eyes.
Ancalagon watched her as she slowly drifted off to sleep. This had not been the first time she had done this. In fact, ever since Yazuac, in which he did what he could to help Eragon gain energy to awaken, and then he passed out, Saphira had been sleeping beside him a lot more often than before Yazuac. When Ancalagon tried to sleep on the edges of the camp as usual, Saphira would drag him to her side by his tail and force him to sleep next to her, sometimes with Eragon between them. Ancalagon had asked Eragon about it, but the Rider just shrugged at times while Brom had a sly smirk that Ancalagon narrowed his eyes at every time he saw it directed at himself and Saphira.
Now, Ancalagon just accepted it and went along with it. As such, right now, he simply sighed and laid down, not even reacting as Saphira's tail brushed against his and slowly wrapped around his own. He gripped her tail as tightly as she did his, before he drifted off to sleep...
Sorry for how short this chapter is, was trying to think of something else to go down during the time at Teirm. Ancalagon and Saphira are a lot closer than ever, though Ancalagon is still human at heart and trying to believe Saphira won't think of him in that way.
Right, after some... colourful opinions about the Dragonborn x Arya story, I've decided not to go ahead with that. Plus I think I should balance things out by having a normal Inheritance Cycle story, which is this one, and then having a crossover story. And... I'm thinking of that crossover story being my Star Wars/Inheritance Cycle crossover.
I know the comparison between Star Wars and Inheritance Cycle has been done many times, but I've yet to see a great SW/IC story on this website, so I'll do it myself.