Beneath Saphira sprawled the endless forest to all side, shimmering with dew, until it vanished into horizon, a spectacle of green, blue and purple. She flew deep over them, so close he could nearly touch the tree crowns. Birds and squirrels scattered with fearful calls into the lower regions of the forest. Every then and now, they'd see the silvery shine of a river or lake, rushing far away. Saphira flew through huge clouds, leaving a fine vapour on their bodies. Her scales gleamed in the light. Dawn rose around them and the world woke up. Watching the sun rise from dragon back was as dreamy as ever.
She flew fast. They left Du Weldenvarden behind."We'll land in the Hadarac Desert!" shouted Eragon against the wind. And so, they did. Ivren hadn't been in such a place before. It was hot and sandy, an infinite and lonely place. As they settled in for the night, campfire burning, he pulled out his sketchbook. New pages were filled with new animals and plants, some known to him, some not.
As the night left, so did they. Lush grass soon gave way to brown scrub, which became sparser and sparser until it disappeared completely under the sun. Reddish shimmering sand dunes came into view.
Suddenly everything turned dark, the sun blot out by a huge shadow. Eragon flinched, his hand went to his sword, then relaxed. His eyes were wide as he stared at Nainar. Saphira let out a roar in greeting. A pale eye stared at them. Nainar let his mind drift against all of them once, then replied with his own earth-shattering roar. Eragon laughed in delight.
Only now it hit him how small Saphira really was. Next to Nainar she was young and vulnerable, but, so he noted and his heart tightened, by far faster. He kept his good side to them. No show of weakness. Yet, Saphira had to slow down for him. Whether she noticed it or not, Ivren wasn't sure.
Eragon fell over them with a hundred questions. Ivren gave him many answers, but one question Eragon did not ask, despite buzzing with the desire to do so. What could scar a dragon? It was good he did not ask, because he would not have gotten an answer.
The dragons landed with a huge sand cloud, so wide, Ivren worried it might be mistaken as a coming storm. He let Eragon handle the water supply and removed the saddle from Nainar. Eragon had still some questions left.
"If you fly far enough – don't attempt this before you have grown much further! - far over the sea, for many days, ever westward, then you'll find the place of my birth. A coast with the clearest water you'll ever see and freezing cold, more fish than anyone could eat, cliffs with caves for even the biggest dragons and near untouched forests filled with prey to the brim."
"That does sound like a dragon's paradise. But what about your people?"
"There a many humans settlements to find, along coasts and rivers, close to friendlier forests and shallow water. They avoid dragons. Ever since Steorra and her rider came, less trouble happens, but it is not perfect. But what is? Only in rare cases someone gets killed."
"Dragons and humans fight?!"
Ivren laughed darkly. "Rare cases. When someone decides to be especially foolish. Well, sometimes a dragon is just an human-eating arse, but Steorra and Eous take care of that."
"Who is Eous?"
"Father." hissed Nainar. For a moment a vivid image flickered inside their minds: An ocean of silver waves, suddenly sharp white teeth splitting the water, black, blue and gold, white foam.
"He is, uh, impressive."
Ivren chuckled. "I do have to ask, did Arya tell you if she wanted Firnen's name to spread?"
"I have to tell the Varden Leadership." The young man sighed, looked to the side. "And?"
"Elves and Humans have a dragonrider now. The dwarves won't like it. And Surda, too."
"They should be happy to have another at all. But I do understand the troubles which might arise. Perhaps remind everyone that the Order of Dragonriders was supposed to be neutral?"
Eragon nodded. "But we aren't neutral at all. Arya's a princess, I'm sworn to Nasuada." His eyes became distant. Listening to Saphira? Ivren kept his mind closed to all but Nainar's faint touch. "Of course."
Ivren stood up and shook the sand from his pants. "We should rest soon. Do either of you know the way to – Aberon?" It took him a second to remember the name. This was the capital of Surda. Surda, Aberon, Orrin. He had to remember that.
"No." "No."
"I will fly ahead and search the sky-path at the edge of heat-sand-lonely-hadarac."
Ivren did not need to be told Nainar's reason. He needed a great deal more water and prey than Saphira, even if dragons could go a long time without it. It was more pleasant this way. Ivren nearly asked to accompany him, to get out of this heat, but decided against it. Just in case anything happened.
"Are you leaving with him?" asked Eragon. He sounded hesitant, nearly hurt.
"No, I'll follow you into this battle." It was what he promised Oromis. "Seeing the Varden for myself would be nice." To Eragon they might be his allies, rebellious heroes and all, but to him they might be a danger. Oh, doubtless they'd demand they fight for them! Righteous fools. No dragon answered a master, no dragon answered a demand. Or rather, no wild dragon. If they in any way, attempted to order Nainar around, it might end . . unpleasant.
"I'll introduce you to Nasuada. I am sure you'll like her!"
Ivren smiled. Eragon had told him all about the attempt by the Varden council to make him swear an oath and how he had tricked them by swearing one to Nasuada. It would be good to know his Lady.
But before they would travel onwards, Ivren used the chance to take Eous' Eldunari from Nainar. In the coming battle it would be a great help. It was easy to get Eragon and Saphira to leave them alone, nothing more than a short suggestion and they'd understood. Of course they did. It made him smile.
"You are staying with squishy-mortals, brother-friend." grumbled the dragon, "I have no hunt-partner."
Ivren climbed into Nainar's embrace. There was no safer place. It was a bit awkward to physcially show feelings to dragons without having a tail and wings, but he had his ways. Hot breath tickled his hair. He stroked the nearest scales and leant back. The warmth of his body seeped into his own, relaxed his muscles and all tension vanished.
"Only for a bit longer. If Galbatorix fights in this battle, so do I." A tremor went through Nainar's body. "Hunt traitor-of-kin together?"
"You'll notice if he appears, I think." He growled, low and dark. The thin line between them grew porous. The taste of blood was heavy on his tongue. "It would be the perfect ambush."
"Now tell me, brother-friend, of that mate you found . . ."