Sorry for the wait after getting a bunch of chapters out quickly. This will be a shorter chapter.
It was dark, not even the moon was out this night. Around a small camp of 20 imperial soldiers two guards patrolled. Every so often they would stop by a fire to warm up and talk. It was about half way threw their shift when one of the guards reached the fire. He waited but the second guard never showed. He was about to sound the alarm when he felt a pain in his chest. He had just enough time to look down and see an arrow with white feather fletching before his world went black.
E/A
A lone figure who's face was hidden in a hood reached the guard and retrieved the arrow. As he pulled the arrow out a shorter individual arrived. They looked at each other as if they were speaking to each other but no sound left their mouths. A minute later they disappeared in the dark of the camp.
E/A
Behind a barricade that blocked the main road of the village the camp was near a few individuals watched in the directions of the soldiers camp. They were the only ones who knew what was happening. None of them spoke or made any jokes. It was not a night for that. About a Kilometer away 20 soldiers were losing their lives. The ones watching did not know if the served the King willingly or were forced. Not that it mattered they could not be allowed to live and report of the village leaving and which way they went.
E/A
Horst his two sons and Roran walked in the front door after a night of standing guard at the main barricade. When they walked in the area of the kitchen they found Elain and Katrina making breakfast.
Elain saw her husband look towards the stairs that lead to the second floor.
"They both are asleep. They looked grim when they returned." explained Elain with a bit of sadness in her voice.
"I imagine so. It must have been a hard thing for them to do. Best not say anything when they come down. They will talk about it if they need to." Horst said the last while looking at the three young men sitting at the table.
E/A
Garrow left his room to head down to breakfast when he started to pass the door of the room his nephew and his friend were staying in. He started to open the door before stopping. He didn't want to disturb the two after the night they had.
E/A
In the room Garrow just past two individuals slept in each others arms. Both had returned to the house after their mission. Both exhausted and sadden on the task they had to carry out that night.
E/A
It was close to mid morning when Eragon woke up. He felt a warm body curled up next to him with the smell of fresh crushed pine needles. He was surprised that Arya had move and was sleeping next to her.
Not wanting to take the chance of her being upset or even embarrassed if she discovered she moved in her sleep and curled up next to him Eragon eased out of the bed. Eragon knew he should have slept on the floor. He does not want to jeopardize his friendship with her. The problem was he knew she would not let him sleep on the floor.
Eragon got cleaned up in the wash room and thought about what it felt like to wake up next to Arya. It was the best feeling in the world. The problem was he was worried of causing more problems with Arya.
Brom would be here in a couple days and then the two of them would be on their way and would not be required to share a bed. He just have to keep from doing or saying anything to cause Arya to be angerly with him or more angerly hen she may or may not be with him still.
E/A
Arya woke when she felt Eragon get up. When she realized she was on his side of the bed again she got worried about how Eragon would react. She would just have to wait and see if he said anything. If not she would not bring it up.
E/A
Elain was down stairs sitting at the table with Katrina while Horst, her sons, Garrow and Roran were at another meeting about the village leaving. Her and Katrina stopped talking when they heard a noise from the stairs.
Eragon and Arya were coming down the stairs. Both looked a little better then they did after returning from their task last night.
"Morning you two. Would you like something to eat?" asked Elain.
"Mornin" greeted Katrina.
"Morning" replied Eragon and Arya.
Eragon nodded at the question about breakfast and they both sat at the table. Katrina notice that when Eragon sat next Arya he put a little bit more distance then normal when they sat by each other. She wondered what was wrong but reframed from asking.
After eating and not see any of the others Eragon asked "Where is everyone else?"
"Horst and Garrow gather up some of the others and checked the soldiers camp. They were going to have those that went with them help collect everything that the soldiers had and see what we could use on the trip to Surda." answered Elain.
"Good you all will need all the supplies you can get. It will be a long trip." replied Eragon.
"How dangerous will it be Eragon?" asked a nervous Katrina.
Arya decided to answer "It will not be with out risk. That is why we have Brom coming to escort you so the risk will be less. Eagon and I also will be heading off to speak with the Urgals in the area. We will need their aid if we are to beat Galbatorix."
"Can they be trusted." asked Katrin with some mistrust.
"Katrina I know it will be hard for you to believe but they are not the monsters that we were raised to believe. The clan chief we are going to meet with will honor any agreement that we agree to. It's in their best intrest. If we don't win they very well may be wiped of the face of Alagasia." explained Eragon.
Katrina was still not sure but trusted Eragon enough to hope things would work out for the best. She was brought out of her thought by the front door opening. Horst and Garrow walked in looking a little worst for the wear.
Eragon saw this and asked "What happen?"
"Some of the villagers are a little spooked over all the soldiers missing. To calm them down we had to tell them we had some unexpected help." explained Garrow.
"Of course Sloan opened his big mouth demanding to know who. We told them we couldn't say. Which lead to Sloan starting saying we should just stay and blame everything on the strangers. So now half the village wants to stay and take their chance." Horst said as he sat down. He then turned to Katrina. "He demanded you come home. He doesn't want you to associate with us incase we try to convince you to come with us when we leave."
Katrina slumped in her chair. By their village customs even though she was an adult she still fell under her father's control till she married and then she could only marry with his blessing. She knew he would never agree to let her marry Roran. He had never cared for Garrow or his family.
Everyone heard Arya let out a angerly hiss. She was not able to say anything before Eragon did. "They are fools if they stay and sorry Katrina your father is the biggest. Horst Brom will be here in a couple days. Those who want to leave should get ready."
Eragon then turned to Katrina. "Katrina, I know what the customs are here. I don't agree with them and if you want to leave with Roran and the others we will do everything in our power to help."
"Eragon, if she does then she will be looked down on by the rest. I agree what Sloan wants and how he is preventing her to marry Roran is wrong." Garow stated before Eragon interrupted.
"Uncle by the same laws and customs of this land as Lead Rider I can wed them. As for what the village thinks. The ones that would do the talking are the ones that have always sided with Sloan and those who think like him. I'm willing to bet they are the ones wanting to stay." said Eragon.
"Aye, they are. Lass it is up to you what you want. If you want to stay here with us we will support you. If you want to return to your father we will support that also." Horst informed the upset young lady.
"I want to stay with you all. I want to be able to Roran. My father would either never let me marry or marry me off to someone that could benefit him." stated Katrina
Arya let out another angerly hiss before mumbling low enough that only Eragon could hear. "Humans and their barbaric customs." before storming off.
The others looked at Eragon. "The elves believe in equality between the sexes." turning towards Katrina. "If you want I will marry the two of you. It will not be grand or anything but where we are going it will be recognized as legal."
Katrina nodded. "Thank you Eragon."
"Yea thanks Cousin." replied Roran.
"We need to get back to the matter at hand. Uncle did you gather all the supplies and weapons from the camp?" asked Eragon.
"We did but Sloan and some of his crowd took the weapons saying they needed them." answered Garrow.
E/A
The villagers went about getting ready to leave or a few watching. They all stopped what they were doing when two hooded figures walked out of Horst and Elain's front door. They were more surprised when they pulled two swords. When one of the swords burst in blue flames they all stepped back in fear. They watched as the two approached Sloan's butcher shop.
No one moved when the one with the blue flaming sword cut threw the front door of the butcher shop. They heard some yelling coming from the shop then sounds of fighting. When it became quiet a couple started to moved towards the shop when Roran told them to stop. Then the two hooded figures walked out of the shop.
"Roran, you Baldor and Albriech can go in and get the stuff Sloan took." said the taller of the two.
E/A
A few days later Eragon and Arya were waiting for Brom. They were waiting with their dragons and their stuff. They would be leaving to find Nar Garzhvog and try to work a peaceful deal with him so that the Urgals would come to the aid of the Varden in exchange for land of their own.
Eragon watched as Jura became larger. "Brom has arrived. Now it's time for us to move on with the next part of our plan."
Arya did not say anything. Things had been strained between the two of them since they had to share a bed. Arya would not admit it to Eragon but she felt comfortable sleeping next to him.
Brom slid off Jara and already could tell there was a lot of tension between the two. "Would the two of you want to tell me what is going on between you two. You can cut the tension with a knife."
"There is nothing going on between the two of us. Things have gone well since arriving." Arya replied with her usual stoick expression.
Eragon decided not to comment. He knew things would work them selves out with time. Eragon went on to explain what had happen since the two arrived and the plans that had been made to save the village. Brom listened and said he would try to convince the ones who didn't want to leave to flee with the rest.
After Eragon and Arya had filled Brom in the mounted their dragons and headed for the Spine were they knew the Bolvek Tribe.
So Brom as arrived and to help the village make their way to safety. Things seem to be tense with Eragon and Arya. Will tings work out for them?