Hello !
Here comes the nineteenth chapter of the story!
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Obviously, I own a computer, some books and even a cat. However, I own nothing in the Inheritance Cycle and Game of Thrones franchise. They do belong to Christopher Paolini and G.R.R Martin.
Without further ado, here comes the chapter !
While flying above the Stormlands, Eragon felt his wards reacting to a foreign scrying. Immediately, he locked his mind to have a proper look at what was happening.
After a few seconds of frenzy, he was quick to recognize Mitsu's magic trying to reach him. The magic was directed at the pocket mirror Saphira carried in one of the saddle's bag. Eragon had kept a regular contact with the elves but he hadn't expected a call for another two days. This could only mean something had taken place which brought him into action.
Stretching, he managed to open the bag to reach the mirror, instead of seeing his reflection, as one would have expected after using a mirror, Mitsu's faced him. Eragon didn't recognise the place he was, but he wasn't overly worried. He received the usual greeting from the elf, gesture that he quickly reciprocated.
"You need to come back to the Wall Argetlam" followed Mitsu without missing a beat.
"What's happening?" enquired Eragon.
He figured that if they were calling him without notice, something serious had happened at the Wall.
Indeed, during one of their previous calls, Eragon had learnt that Jon and Davos had reached Winterfell, and that from there, Tormund had been tasked to man the Wall with the Wildlings. Since Eragon hadn't planned on coming back anytime soon to Winterfell, some elves had decided to go back to the Wall. This way, they'd keep an eye -a mental one- on the dead.
Jon expected an attack in the coming months but given the deep snow and the lack of means of fast communication, they would need all the advantage they could get.
He remembered Runcorn's worried face and the enormous sea of cold and dead he had felt at Eastwatch by the Sea. This certainly gave Eragon and the elves enough reasons to be concerned about the coming threat.
The old dragons had also opened up, sharing their oldest memories, to teach Eragon about this everlasting enemy. It had offered very long discussions, where Eragon and Saphira, but also the dragons bound to the old Riders learnt a lot about the elves, where they came from and part of their history. It had been a unique experience, to hear and feel what elves where before their long
"We felt movement on the other side of the Wall. The dead are moving, they're heading South," explained Mitsu, remaining calm even though the news he carried were dramatic.
"How much time do you think we have" enquired the young Rider.
"I don't know how fast they will go. They hadn't really moved from where we discovered them North the Wall until last night. And since then, they must have covered a few miles. It's not clear, we don't have enough info to properly gauge. But we think we still have a few weeks before they reach the Wall."
"Thank you Mitsu. I need to talk with the Eldunaris to see how we need to act."
"Of course. We should be able to help and we will increase the defence here."
"I'll contact you soon" concluded Eragon
They gave the usual farewell and with that, the surface of Eragon's mirror shimmered for a few seconds before he could see his own reflection once again, before sighing.
They had expected this, they had just hoped for more time. The North should be able to help in time. If they left today, the Northerners soldiers would get there in time. Maybe Daenerys could get to the Wall with her dragons too. The rest of her army however, would be unable to reach the Wall in the required time.
This was the start of a splitting logistical and political headache.
"Relax Eragon, you're not alone with this task" started Umaroth. But he couldn't relax at this moment. At this point, the only thing that stood in his mind was his presence in a foreign country and the coming invasion of a millennial old enemy.
"Don't start with the melodrama Eragon, it doesn't suit you. You're not a dragon" teased Saphira, which had the merit to make him snort. There were no bigger divas than dragons. Literally.
"I guess you were right all this time" started Eragon
"I know, I'm always right. But why?" laughed Saphira
"I definitely have the worst luck" said Eragon laughing, joined by Saphira immediately after.
These small discussions with Saphira always helped him to ease his mind. She was always there to bring him back on the right track. There was always this warm and comforting presence in the back of his mind, which scarcely left him. He couldn't remember the last time they had been separated more than a few minutes. Their bond was truly strong after all these experiences.
After a few minutes of relaxation, he was able to correctly focus and he remembered their initial discussion.
"How would Vrael have dealt with such a mission?" asked Eragon softly. He felt the pang of pain coming from Umaroth at the reminder of his departed Rider, the loss still presents after close to a hundred years.
This pain felt just more vivid after what he had just experienced with Saphira and he couldn't fathom the pain and sorrow these dragons were feeling, separated from their riders for so long. He made sure to keep these thoughts private but it didn't stop a shiver from running down his spine.
"What my Rider would have done matters little here Eragon Kingslayer," started Umaroth, emphasising on his title. "The Cast had its ideas, its rules, which worked well for centuries but also led it to its end. I can't give you a specific answer, just some points that he would focus on" explained the Eldunari of the white dragon.
Eragon sent a wave of understanding but was internally curious. Were his decisions already so different than what Riders would have taken before? But before he couldn't pursue on his train of thoughts, as the dragon was resuming his explanations.
"There are many points which would have been considered. But some of the most common were the level of threat caused to the Cast, the origin of the issue, if we had already dealt with it before and so on,"explained Umaroth.
It offered little help to Eragon, who'd have to sit on this to make the best decision, with Saphira's insight, obviously. He didn't know what he had expected but at least, he was fixed.
They remained in the air for a while, sharing their thoughts. The choice had been easy to take and they had taken the rest of this time to make their peace with this decision and to simply have some time for them. They knew troubles were brewing and that difficult times laid ahead of them. With an unspoken agreement, they had decided to remain together, to enjoy the quiet of the night. Cold wasn't an issue, and there was no rain nor snow during the night and a quick spell took care of the rest. In fact, it was a beautiful night, without many clouds to hide the stars. They were different from Carvahal and it suddenly dawned on Eragon how far he was from his previous home.
He imagined, Roran and Katrina building their new home, with little Ismira. Horst making another forge, with the help of his sons.
"There's a weight in your mind Eragon, what is it?" enquired Glaedr.
"It's nothing, just questions left unanswered?"
"Well, if you're trying to argue with a dragon, it just proves that you have a lot to learn little one" reflected Saphira. "But what is it? I've also felt a small weight in your mind, but not the one you associate with the loss of Alagaësia".
"I've been thinking about my mother, and her part during the war" started Eragon
"Selena? What made you so thoughtful about her suddenly?" enquired Saphira, her surprise obvious.
"I've heard the reports, from Jeod or others, about how ruthless she was. The Black Hand, that was her name during the war"
"She changed Eragon, she changed after she met Brom, to make a caring woman, we told you this I reckon"
"But what about before? When she was the Black Hand? How could Brom fall in love with her before she changed? What did he see in her?" continued the young man
"Selena's life was complex and eternally changing. The woman she was when she became known as the Black Hand was different from the woman who gave birth to Murthag or to you" explained Glaedr
"I know, but it doesn't make sense I guess" stated Eragon, trying to explain properly his internal turmoil.
"Why these question Eragon? You never questioned Brom's love before, and no matter how short their time together was, Selena and Brom's love was pure and deep."
"I guess exploring the mind and behaviour of this assassin in Winterfell made me realize what a true assassin was. We met hundreds of soldiers, enemies, hostile lords or even Galbatorix but I had never met someone like him. The dwarfs, or even humans, these was little small attempts. But here, his whole mind, purpose, being was turned on assassination. There was nothing about dreams, expectations, future or even past. And I guess I made a connection with my mother, connection the stories I heard about the Black Woman to the experience I witnessed" shared Eragon, feeling silly and also unwell sharing this.
"I can only share what Brom shared the last time he came to see Oromis and I. But the Serena he describes wasn't a heartless woman. Brom fell in love with a kind, generous and caring woman. She made sacrifices to protect Morzan's spawn or you. She had dreams obviously and love to share. I can't tell you more, because it would be lies or wide guesses" shared Glaedr, one of his last links to Brom with Saphira.
She didn't comment more, just shared some comfort and kept flying peacefully over the silent hills and cliffs while Eragon slowly digested the words coming from Glaedr.
Daenerys' dragon also seemed to understand that tonight wasn't for them to interrupt. Tonight, wasn't a time to play, or to learn. Tonight, it was about the calm before the storm.
When Daenerys opened her eyes, she felt tempted to remain a bit longer in her warm and comfy bed. It was hard to leave the comfort offered by furs and to get in the cold. Each day was colder than the previous one. But as usual, she remembered the task laying ahead of her and she was quick to leave the warmth offered by her bed and to ready herself. Missandei would usually be waiting on the other side, waiting to be invited and to join her, to help her with her dress and to braid her hair.
Within minutes, she was ready to start her day. She preferred to take her breakfast outside of her room. Sometimes, someone would come and eat with her, like Tyrion, Varys or Olenna. The last name brought a pang to her chest, at the loss of the blunt elderly woman.
Eragon had also shared a few moments with her, but since the battle against the Lannister, their exchanges had been strained. It was a difficult situation, that weighted on her mind.
She felt more alone than she had had been in a long time. She remembered with fondness the hours spent together, flying over the island with the dragons. These moments would forever remain in her memory. She had scarcely felt as free and happy as she had been during these stolen hours.
And she started to understand his words. He hadn't lied. He never had. But he was so infuriating sometimes, with his manners and decisions. But she couldn't start to comprehend what this bond with her dragons would bring.
With time, she could feel her bond change, deepening. Drogon's disapproval had hit her hard, and now, they felt her sadness. Her own progresses for now, had come to a stop with the lack of lessons with Eragon. But at least Saphira was here and her children could fly with her. She was happy the blue dragon hadn't stopped helping her three dragons. Their flying had also improved, they had more energy and seemed to use the winds more efficiently, if such a thing was possible?
But they felt her sadness and somehow, she felt their own sadness. It was confusing. She let her gaze wander outside, watching the plains of Dragonstone. From one of the windows of the castle, she saw Saphira flying high in the sky. Eragon must have woken up earlier than usual.
Following her gaze, Missandei broke the silence that had been present between the two women.
"Grey Worm told me they flew the whole night" explained her friend.
She was surprised by this admission. While she had seen him spend a few nights close to Saphira, she had never seen him fly in the night, let alone the whole night. He must have frozen to death being so high in the air in the middle of the night. She knew from experience how cold it could be, even when the sun was high in the air.
She thanked Missandei before turning her back on the windows and finishing her small breakfast before tackling the several tasks of the day.
But it seemed her surprises weren't meant to stop today. After barely a few minutes of reading through some books, one of her guards interrupted her. She had wanted to read more about the Tarlys and the Lannister to understand the political ramifications of Randyll Tarly's execution if she hadn't been stopped. She was appealed by what she was reading. She had been very close to make something akin to a political suicide, which irked her even more, since she had been on the wrong, once more.
But her interior debate would have to be paused since Eragon wanted to talk to her. It surprised her since they didn't have any real talk in the past days and she hadn't heard anything that would change this. But she saw no reason to refuse to grant him access.
When he entered, it took all her efforts to keep a straight face. This wasn't the face someone was supposed to have after a whole night in the cold. His face was rested, clean. She supposed some magic must have been involved. But she saw that he wasn't his usual self. He was more reserved. His eyes were hard, like she had seen on many men before a battle.
He spoke first, and his voice carried confidence. There was no trembling, just the voice of a man who was clear in his mind.
"I received some news from the Wall. The dead are moving South" started Eragon.
She froze in place for a few seconds. This wasn't what she had expected to hear to start her day. Confused and taken off-guard, she was at a loss on what to ask him and yet, dozens of questions flooded her mind.
"How do you know" did she manage to ask after a long silence.
This wasn't what she had wanted to ask first, but she found her logic to be lacking today.
"Some of my friends went to the Wall with the wildlings. I've received news from them today," he replied curtly.
This was typical of him. He would always be completely honest and truthful but he had this way to remain in control of the information he would share, never sharing more than what was strictly necessary.
"And how is that you're the only one aware of this and not say, Varys for instance?" asked the young queen. She knew there was something off. Nevertheless, as always with Eragon, she knew there was little chance to get something out of him. It was so irritating. Sometimes after some time of reflexion when she was alone, she was able to understand part of his reasons. Not that she would admit it anytime soon. But she recognized it now. This was one of those moments where he wouldn't give room for negotiations. Like with Jaime Lannister, the Ancient Language or Randyll Tarly. And she was forced to recognize that most if not all of his choices made sense today.
"I can't tell you more. However, I guess that soon, every castle and keep from Westeros will receive news from the Wall informing them of this threat. But it doesn't bode well. The soldiers won't have the time to reach the Wall before the dead. If Lords decide to send soldiers obviously" finished Eragon with a hollow laugh.
"Didn't you mention something about politics and you not interfering?" questioned Daenerys.
"Being politically neutral is impossible, you know it as well as I do. But here, I'm not picking a side between two lords or two factions. I'm picking a side between the dead and the living. If you had felt what I did, you would understand" finished Eragon with a dark look.
"What will you do then?" asked the young woman.
"I will fly with Saphira to the Wall. We may stop at Winterfell though, we're not sure yet."
"And what about your prisoner?" enquired Daenerys, not managing to completely clear the anger from her voice. Said prisoner had been part of the reason of the coldness between them.
Eragon took a moment to answer but he answered nevertheless.
"Jaime Lannister will come with me to the Wall. If there is a battle, he will be able to help and will be unable to escape given how isolated the North is. And if the dead aren't completely defeated in the coming battle, he might serve as an ambassador to convince Cersei Lannister, to get help the North severely lacks." replied Eragon.
"Is that a way to open Cersei's arms and to be welcomed as the one who liberated Jaime?" teased Daenerys, this time with clear amusement.
Eragon rolled his eyes before answering
"You're just testing me. I hope you know that this threat, if you decide to believe it, is more important than any throne. Saphira and I have felt the dead. This is more than a politic fight. This is a fight for freedom, a fight for the living. I'll be fighting to protect myself, Saphira, and all the loved ones I've left in Alagaësia and who could suffer tomorrow from my lack of actions today," deftly answered Eragon.
This was probably the most emotional speech she had heard from the Rider, and she would be lying if she said if she hadn't been moved by his words.
"You speak with passion"
"And is that a bad thing?" retorqued Eragon with a light smile.
Daenerys preferred to remain silent and to go in the direction of the window, letting her eyes wonder on the ocean, spreading indefinitely.
"I never expected that. As I child, I never wanted this. I dreamt of a cosy house with trees where sweet fruits would grow, a comfy room where we could gather to have an enjoyable and light meal with friends. But life is never how we expect it. I've been sold in exchange of an army for my brother's dream, and basically became a servant until the unthinkable happened. Dragons came back and I became a mother in the most extraordinary way. They offered me the strength I lacked before. And I guess I'm just looking to find my family's roots while trying to share to Westeros my childhood's dream," whispered Daenerys, her eyes lost on the horizon.
Eragon, who had heard most of this a few weeks ago remained silent; something she was grateful of. She didn't need to hear his pity.
"I guess I never expected how difficult it would be to simply help others here. In Essos, people were so grateful, and still are! And yet, people are afraid here, for actions I haven't done, for matters that are completely out of my hands," raged Daenerys before falling into a heavy silence.
Eragon broke his silence and she turned to face him
"Your frustration is understandable. Being compared to a father you haven't known isn't fair to you. So, you need to shield yourself from this. But not all the fault lies there. Westeros has just lived years of war for this throne. And you came into their country with dragons and a wish to conquer, with barely more reasons than the others. And hear me out before you say this is your blood right" he exclaimed, seeing her mouth opening to retort.
"Targaryen fought and conquered Westeros to start their legacy. The Baratheons fought and rallied Westeros to take the throne. What difference does it make? This is not for me to answer, this is just an argument." said Eragon pacifically.
"But some Kingdoms should have helped already! Take the North for instance: the Starks swore fealty to my family! They bent the knee and swore perpetual loyalty to my family. And here they are, with a newly crowned King in the North. I understand your arguments, but people talk about loyalty and honesty, and I find none of it" justified Daenerys
"Maybe you're right. Or perhaps people will say you're delusional and are clueless at politics? You'll find that the concept of perpetuity works very little between humans, "shared Eragon.
And Daenerys swore she saw a veil of regret on Eragon's eyes, who continued his explanations
"From what I understand, you earned your titles in Essos. You fought for the people in Essos. You made it your mission to give them back their freedom. If you want to earn Westeros, don't do it by asking people to obey rules agreed upon hundreds of years before. Do it by your own acts," finished Eragon.
Deep inside, she knew that he was right. As always added a small voice in her head. But she needed time. She had to take some time to think about this.
"I wish you the best of luck for your travel North then. I've got half a mind to go with you and see this threat. But I can't decide without talking with some people. And you've said it, if I were to move my armies, they wouldn't get there on time. You've also given me a lot to think, a perspective I've lacked until today," answered Daenerys, her eyes set on her new set of actions
Eragon gave her a light smile, before bowing and leaving the room, as silently as he had entered. And Daenerys was left in the complete silence to think about her future and the decisions she would take regarding Westeros.
This is the end of the chapter! I hope you've enjoyed it! This wasn't the longest nor the most action but it was necessary to set everything in place. There's only one line of dialogue here.
As always, reviews and critics are appreciated! A good incentive to publish faster! Critics help me a lot to improve and adapt! I try to answer all your messages and take them into account! Can we reach 10 reviews ? That would be amazing!
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