For Alagaesia: 12. Regrouping

Nasuada strolled restlessly in the cosy room she occupied in the castle of Belatona. She had just confirmed with the elves that Eragon was in trouble. As soon as she got Roran's message she had asked Eragon's guards to contact Queen Islanzadi. But the queen wasn't available and neither was Arya. The elf that came in contact with her a certain Lord Dathedr said that Saphira showed up just moments ago without Eragon and that Eragon was fighting Murtagh alone. But before he could say anything more, there was some trouble for the elves and he had gone off telling that the elves would contact her again later and update her about the details.

It was well past dawn now and it had been almost six hours since contact with elves was cut-off abruptly. She hadn't slept one moment from then. Her thoughts ranged from whether to inform of this development to the council of elders and King Orrin to worrying about Eragon's welfare. She was surprised herself how much she cared for Eragon and Saphira as friends. But as time raced on, she lost patience and decided to freshen up a little. She went to the little closet at the end of her room and washed her face with cool water.

She seated herself on a chair and leaned against it contemplating her next move. Her door was knocked and a urgal night-hawk announced that Katrina had come to visit her. She was relieved that she would have company and that too a woman of her own age who knew why she was upset. Being leader of the Varden she had many friends who were older than her. But personally she had longed to have friends of her own age. She indicated her approval for admitting Katrina in.

Katrina entered the room with a tired look on her eyes and bowed to Nasuada. One look at her suggested that she too hadn't slept all night. Her eyes were red from the lack of sleep and worry was etched all over her face. Nasuada asked Katrina to be seated in a chair near her. Once seated Katrina asked hastily, "Have you got any more news about Eragon and Saphira, my lady?"

"No, Katrina. It is just what we heard from that elf-lord. The elves haven't contacted us since. I have been contemplating contacting them myself.", Nasuada said, her tiredness showing through. Katrina sighed her stomach rising and falling. "You shouldn't be up during night, Katrina. It isn't good for your health", said Nasuada worried about the welfare of Katrina. "I couldn't sleep, my lady. Eragon however strong he may be, is like my younger brother. Roran would be devastated if anything were to happen to him", Katrina explained her situation. Nasuada was reminded of her father. Ajihad was always worried about her well-being whatever problem the Varden was in. 'Having a family would be great indeed', she mused. 'In a way the Varden is my family', she tried to make peace with her situation. But thinking of Eragon like her younger brother was not difficult at all. He was in more than one way her younger brother, afterall. He was at the top of the Varden's dignitaries just as she and he too didn't have father and mother like her.

Even as the two women were nearly biting off their nails in their anxiety, the mirror in Nasuada's room shimmered black and ripples formed in it like that of a water-body. When it cleared, Arya was on the mirror, her eyes listless. Her heart beating fast, Nasuada nearly ran towards the mirror closely followed by Katrina. "What happened, Arya?", Nasuada asked. "Eragon has been captured by the empire.", Arya said in a low voice. She heard a silent scream from behind her. Nasuada herself felt like everything they had fought for till then had crumbled to pieces. "Saphira?", her voice sounded distant even to her. "She is safe", was Arya's curt and hasty reply.

For a few seconds nobody moved. "How?", Katrina's voice came out in a hushed way. "Elva. She turned on us.", Arya said in the same low voice in which she had spoke when informing of Eragon's capture.

"Are you coming back to us?", Nasuada asked after a painful pause in which the three women looked like they would cry out loud if the others weren't there. "No. It is not safe for Saphira to move again so soon. We will have to make elaborate preparations. And she will be safe with us, elves here rather than with the Varden." Nasuada tried to speak some protest at that point but Arya didn't allow her to speak anything more than a slight 'hmph.', "Further you will have work to do too. Elva knew of most of your plans and working styles. You have to change much of your security arrangements or risk assassination attempts. I would love to help you but Saphira's security is more important and I am going to take care of it", Arya finished in her own courtly tone. Nasuada took a moment to reply and after a heavy sigh said, "So be it."

"Be careful. Keep Eragon's guards with you always. They are well trained and experienced spell-casters. They will not let harm come to you.", Arya said again in the same courtly tone; nevertheless the care she showed towards the well-being of the Varden heartened Nasuada. Arya then turned her attention to Katrina and nodded to her. But the two women didn't exchange any words. "Keep us informed of any trouble. Remember the elves only wish the Varden's well-being and we will help you in anyway possible.", Arya said to both women in general and the mirror turned black again and in seconds Katrina and Nasuada were left to gaze at their own reflections.

Katrina and Nasuada didn't move or say anything for sometime. They sat there looking at their own miserable forms in the mirror. Then Katrina moved and said, "I will go, my lady". Nasuada looked up and just nodded her head in return. Katrina stood up and left as Nasuada returned to gazing at the mirror. Nasuada spent a few more minutes looking at the mirror as though she had nothing else to do than look back at her own reflection. Various thoughts ran through her mind. She lost most of her confidence of a victory against Galbatorix in those few minutes. She let out a heavy breath and stubbornly pushed aside all her fears and concentrated on the next step to be done.

Nasuada called the night-hawks inside her room and asked them to summon King Orrin, Jormundur and other council of elders, Narheim and Garzhvog. Once they were gone, she made herself up for the formal meeting adjusting her alarmingly sprayed hair in a passable bun. She visited the closet once again and saw to it that there weren't any remnants of the torments she felt within her on her face. Then, she came to the chair near the round-table where she would be seated for the meeting and occupied the position.

After about five minutes, Jormundur came in followed by the council of elders. Nasuada asked them to take their respective seats but didn't mention the purpose of the meeting. In another five minutes, Orrin and Narheim were there closely followed by Nar Garzhvog.

When everybody was seated, Nasuada stood and cleared her throat. Then she looked around to see that everybody's attention was on her and she started, "I have news from the elves. Last night, when Eragon Shadeslayer was returning from Gil'ead to us, he was attacked and captured by Murtagh." Gasps of surprise filled the room but Nasuada did not stop her story-she wanted it to be over, "Eragon however succeeded in saving Saphira from capture and she is now safe with the elves." There was a strange silence in the room as nobody dared speak anything.

"Why hasn't Saphira come here to protect us?", Orrin asked at last. "Because she can't risk moving around when Elva is with Galbatorix and she knows of every route we will take.", Nasuada said biting her words in annoyance. But she didn't want to accuse Orrin because she knew that he asked as such only to ensure the safety of his people.

Orrin looked unconvinced but did not say anything more. But the discussion about Saphira was apparently not over because the council of Elders were discussing something within themselves in hushed tones. Nasuada tried to garner their attention by clearing her throat and they duly turned towards her. But Falbred did not allow her to speak. He stood and said, "It is not acceptable that Saphira isn't here helping us. Eragon is your vassal. He is under fealty and Saphira is bound to it. She can't stay with elves leaving us unprotected."

Nasuada had to control herself from shouting out that they weren't little children to be taken care of and if he wanted, he could run away from there right then. She just said, "It is not about Eragon being Varden's or the elves property. It is about the safety of everybody who opposes Galbatorix. Saphira can't help us in this situation. We are certainly capable of defending ourselves and that should be what we should be discussing now."

"But..that dragon..?", started Falbred and the elves who stood there preventing eavesdroppers moved as if they were too uneasy. Nasuada quickly cut him off, "Know your place, Falbred. Saphira is not someone who could be trifled with. Further, this discussion about her is unnecessary and uncalled for. It is for everybody's good that she stays with the elves for the moment. We have pressing matters about our security arrangements to be discussed." The elves relaxed visibly and Falbred looked around as if he needed somebody to support him, but when nobody said anything he became calm.

"What have you in mind about security arrangements?", asked Orrin. Narheim nodded his head in acceptance of Orrin's words. Garzhvog did not say anything preferring to listen to Nasuada's reply. "I think things regarding the reorganising of the army structure can be taken care of by Jormundur. He is the most experienced of all of us in war-craft.", Nasuada said. Orrin, Narheim and Garzhvog just nodded their heads in acceptance. "And I would like to request the elves to take charge of the magical security arrangements that need to be done.", Nasuada looked at the elves as she spoke. An elf came forward and said, "We will happily help the Varden strengthen their magical defenses." Nasuada nodded her head in thanks.

"I will ask the Du Vrangr Gata to redouble the efforts to remove any of the black-hand activities", Nasuada continued. "What about us, Lady Nightstalker? We live outside your boundaries and are bound to be more vulnerable.", asked Garzhvog. "Yes. I have thought of that too. I am sorry, but we can't allow you to stay within our boundaries. And I want to emphasise that the problem isn't on your side but ours. After those unfortunate events which ended with the hanging of the man who killed Urgals, we can't risk another of such events. I hope you understand", Nasuada said in a pleading tone looking at Garzhvog. "I perfectly do, Lady Nightstalker. But we need some sort of protection.", Garzhvog said in a sympathetic tone which still sounded arrogant.

"I hope you will accept Captain Stronghammer to be a bridge between you and us..?", Nasuada asked as if to confirm with Garzhvog. "He is perfectly acceptable, lady.", said Garzhvog. "Then it shall be it. Stronghammer will take care of your camp on behalf of me. I will send some capable magician with him to assist you magically. If there were any of Galbatorix's minions trying to disrupt the peace between us, Captain Roran will be the best person to prevent such things from occurring.", Nasuada finished with a confident tone. Garzhvog nodded his head in acceptance.

"Right. If there is anything more that needs discussing regarding our regrouping arrangements, you are open to discuss them now.", Nasuada said and looked around sweepingly meeting every pair of eyes in the room for a very brief moment. "We will have to inform this development to our king Orik as soon as possible.", Narheim said. Nasuada seemingly remembering Orik just then, nodded her head in a way that suggested 'it will be done'. When nobody spoke for a extended period of time, Nasuada said, "Thank you all for coming. These are trying times. We will have to overcome them to prove to Galbatorix that we are not weak people to succumb to his underhanded trickery. Once again thank you and I wish everybody the best in their respective duties" The meeting thus concluded with a positive air to it although Nasuada knew that the real situation was too far from it.

 Nasuada sat back with tiredness written all over her. It was just days ago that she was completely healed from the wounds created during the Trial of Long Knives. But now those wounds seemed like they had opened up once again. She even rubbed her hand over her scarred arms. After a few moments of rest, Nasuada summoned Trianna and asked her to increase the effort in finding and finishing off the black hand in the Varden camp. She then asked Trianna to establish contact with the dwarves. Once the scrying and speaking spells were done, she was left to look at a room that was so much like human creation rather than dwarf architecture. In a few moments, Orik came in her viewing area and she noticed that although he was tired he looked a little cheerful which made her envy him for she had no cheerfulness left in her.

"Lady Nasuada.", Orik said. "King Orik.", Nasuada greeted him too. "May I know what have you contacted me for?", Orik asked. "There aren't many around you. Are there King Orik?", Nasuada asked. Orik became poised. "No. I am alone. What is so important to speak in private, Nasuada?", he asked looking cautious. "We have got a situation, here. Eragon has been captured by the empire.", Nasuada said not wanting to prolong the suspense. "What?", Orik asked sharply. "How?...When?", he seemed to be affected quite truly. Nasuada was reminded of the friendship Orik shared with Eragon and his invitation of Eragon for his marriage. She felt bad again like when Arya had said the news to her at first. "Last night. When he was coming from Gil'ead to Belatona. He was ambushed.", she said.

"Saphira? What about her? Is she too captured?", Orik asked. Nasuada was surprised a bit that Orik was that concerned about Saphira too but then was reminded of Saphira's kind gesture of repairing the Isidar Mithrim. "She is fine. She is with the elves now.", Nasuada replied. Orik looked as though he wanted to ask more about the plight of Eragon and Saphira, but he controlled himself and said, "This means too much trouble for all of us. We are camped in Feinster now." Nasuada understood why Orik was in a human-built room. "We will reach Belatona in another week. Try to be safe. Galbatorix will want to crush us in this low point. Once I reach there I will help strengthening the Varden's defenses.", Orik continued. Nasuada was relieved to hear such words from Orik. She knew how much talented Orik was in administration. So she thanked him and they closed contact.

Having finished all the pressing matters for now, Nasuada sat back and thought of how important Eragon and Saphira had become to all those against Galbatorix in a relatively short time of two years. 'They are like bridges between the different races that are fighting against Galbatorix', she thought.

Author's Note:

Did I screw up Nasuada? I hope not. The strong willed leader with a soft heart was what Nasuada has been for me and that is what I have shown her as.