For Alagaesia: 25. Around the land

'Go to Ellesmera, Saphira', Glaedr said. She did not want to waste anymore time in rescuing Eragon. So she said, 'Why, master, should we go there now that we know a route into the dungeons?'

'You know why, Saphira. That route isn't foolproof and neither is it one that will let you in. From what Solembum said, at best, Arya can manage to go through it when the city is low on security.', Glaedr replied her.

Saphira knew that Glaedr was right, yet she didn't want to give in. 'But master, won't..', she started but Glaedr stopped her mid-sentence and said, 'Look here, Saphira. You have done so well these fifty odd days when Eragon wasn't with you. I beg you to do the same for another five days. Be reasonable.'

'Fine, master. I will do as you say', she said heavily.

'Good. Another five days, Saphira. We may fail or we may win. But we should do our best. For that you shouldn't follow your heart. I will be there to guide you', Glaedr said kindly.

"Hover over here, Saphira. I need to speak to Blodhgarm", Arya said suddenly. Saphira was puzzled as to why Arya needed to speak to Blodhgarm at a time like this. 'What for, Arya?', she asked.

"To get help"

'He may inform the queen.', Saphira warned. "He won't. I will see to that", Arya replied confidently. Arya reached out to Blodhgarm's mind and after establishing contact, she said, 'I need you to promise me, Blodhgarm-vodhr, that you will not speak of anything we discuss now to the Queen' Blodhgarm hesitated for a while and then said, 'I promise, Drottningu'

'We are going to rescue Eragon and we need your help in it', Saphira said when Arya seemed to take time to gather her thoughts. Blodhgarm's mind emanated uncertainty and Saphira said, 'You don't have to worry about my safety, Blodhgarm. I have Glaedr and Arya with me to help me out of difficult situations' Blodhgarm still had his doubts and Glaedr intervened, 'I assure you, Blodhgarm, that I have thought about the matter thoroughly and decided that this is the only way to go forward'

On Glaedr's words Blodhgarm calmed down and said, 'I am more than happy to lend my services, Bjartskular'

'Good. Then I shall contact you later with details about what you need to do, Blodhgarm-vodhr.', Arya said and closed the contact.

Saphira aligned herself in the easterly direction and headed towards Lake Tudosten, following the same route they had taken while coming from Ellesmera.

"The city will be very well protected, Saphira, how can we go into the moat around the castle when it is watched by empire magicians all the while?", Arya asked after a long silence. Saphira didn't know how to go about it either. So she didn't answer Arya. Yet again everybody fell silent. It was early in the afternoon when Lake Tudosten came into view. Saphira suddenly asked, 'Why should we go to Ellesmera? The last time we were there, we didn't get anything useful. So what will we get now?'

'I told you Saphira. Be calm and think reasonably. Don't let the situation cloud your judgement. Last time we were in Ellesmera, we didn't know where to look, but now that we have got the routes from Solembum, we need to look at the plans of Illeria's drainage system to fine-tune our entrance into the dungeons. We know that those plans are there in Ellesmera's library. So wherein lies your doubt?', Glaedr replied her kindly.

'Sorry, master. I will be more clear in my judgement hereafter', Saphira said humbled.

When night came, Arya insisted on a little rest for Saphira's aching wings and not wanting another disagreement with Arya, Saphira obliged. They made camp somewhere in the Hadarac. It was a short rest, during which Saphira ate some leafy food that Arya had with her just for the sake of her failing strength and they slept for about four hours. Early in the morning, they again set about their journey even before the sun's rays reached the horizon.

Saphira didn't talk too much the whole day instead thinking of some way into the moat and thus into the sewers of the city. She got frustrated not only because she couldn't get any ideas but also because there was a mild headwind. But on second thoughts she made peace with her situation remembering the heavy headwinds she had to brave when she went to Ellesmera with Eragon the last time. By nightfall, the green fringes of Du Weldenvarden came into view. But it was still far and Saphira thought they would touch the first trees of the forest by midnight.

"What if I go there alone?", Arya asked all of a sudden. Saphira guessed probably Arya too had been thinking of some safe way into the dungeons and with lack of them was trying to give herself up in turn protecting Saphira. It was in Arya to do it, just as it was in Eragon. Both had done it already for her: Arya, when she sent her egg away and Eragon, when he sent her away. She knew it and she hated that quality in both of them. 'What are they thinking, I will do in their absence?', Saphira said to herself and was about to contradict Arya when Glaedr's angry voice pierced her mental barriers, 'What are you children trying to prove? That by dying you can save this land? Stop speaking this way and be calm till we reach Ellesmera. There will be a safe way' None-Saphira or Arya-dared to speak again about the subject.

As Saphira had guessed, the forests of Du Weldenvarden was below them by midnight. When the protective barriers came near, Arya informed Saphira to land because the forests couldn't be reached by magical means which included her flying. Saphira had never understood why her flying constituted magic when all she did was flare and beat her wings like birds do. That was until she laid eyes upon Glaedr. With a body as large as his, flying should have been impossible yet he was as good a flyer as her. As soon as they crossed the borders of Du Weldenvarden, Saphira took off into the air again, eager to reach Ellesmera.

The green expanse of Du Weldenvarden raced below them as Saphira flew low, just above the tree tops so that she could avoid the headwind. The silence that had settled over the three after Glaedr's angry words extended still. Nobody spoke anything until Glaedr himself broke the silence, 'Go straight to the crags, Saphira. We will need Naegling.' Saphira accepted with a mental nod. By late afternoon, they reached Ellesmera and after a quick passage test by Gilderien the wise, they were on their way to the crags of Tel'naeír.

After picking up Naegling from Oromis's hut, Arya went to read the scrolls about the drainage systems of Illeria while Saphira waited by the Crags of Tel'naeir looking at the vast expanse of forest from the small hill.

'Get yourself relaxed Saphira. The trip you are about to take will be the most demanding of all the adventures you have been through till now.', Glaedr said. Saphira nodded both physically and mentally but her thoughts were elsewhere. She was trying to figure out how to get Arya into the moats without the empire magicians noticing. Glaedr became silent thereafter allowing her the privacy and freedom needed to sort out her situation by herself.

She had got a rough idea about how to get Arya into the moats without the empire mages noticing when Arya's voice brought her out of her thoughts, "I have a clear idea about the drainage canals of Illeria now. I can get into the city only through the gates, but I have found a secluded portion in the city that will be impossible to guard just near the moat. I can use it to enter the moat."

Saphira placed a hard look on Arya. 'Impossible to guard? I don't think so.'

'Are you telling the truth princess?', Glaedr asked.

"Well, yes. Not exactly impossible. But I can say that the protection in that spot would be so much less. I could kill the mages protecting that portion easily.", Arya said a little uncomfortably.

'And what would you do if any of the magicians succeed in notifying your arrival to the king? No. It won't work Arya. You have to get into that moat unnoticed', Glaedr said. The idea that Saphira had been toying with when Arya arrived came back to Saphira's mind. She felt it to be the only way for Arya to enter the moat undetected.

'Let me be the bait', Saphira said. Arya looked at Saphira strangely but didn't say anything. Glaedr though wasn't as calm as Arya. 'What are you speaking hatchling? How many times should I say, be reasonable to you?', he shouted.

'You don't understand, master. Saphira went on to explain her plan. Glaedr and Arya listened carefully never interrupting her.

'And what would you do when Galbatorix flies to capture you?', Glaedr asked heatedly when she finished.

'We have to work it out, master. But I don't think any other way exists for Arya to go into the dungeons undetected', Saphira said. She was clear in her choice. She had been pondering this all the way from Tudosten to Ellesmera. She knew that this was the only viable way to success, even though it was fraught with huge risks. Glaedr didn't contradict her this time.

After long discussions they decided to visit Rhunon for help with wards. Unusually, Rhunon was not at her forge when they reached there. Saphira noticed a red-hot iron rod dipped in water and guessed that Rhunon was taking a short break from her work. Arya went into Rhunon's home and after about five minutes came out with Rhunon.

'Greetings, Rhunon', Saphira said.

"Greetings, Brightscales. I heard of your venturesome plan and I warn you that it is fraught with so many inconsistencies. You may lose your life if you go on with this scheme", Rhunon said in her own straight-forward way.

'I know, Rhunon-elda. I have come to you so that you could help remove those inconsistencies.'

'I can try to place wards. But I can't assure you anything', Rhunon said.

'That is all I ask for, Rhunon-elda', Saphira said.

So Rhunon placed various wards around Saphira that even rider swords wouldn't be able to pierce. Saphira noticed the ease with which Rhunon spelt her wards. She was amazed by it because she had seen Eragon take so long to create even one such spell. 'Her experience is vast, Saphira. Perhaps Eragon could become like this after several thousand years. And this is exactly why we chose to come to her rather than allow Arya to create the wards around you', Glaedr said to her.

'Be careful, Brightscales. These wards won't hold off every spell of Galbatorix's. So you should take care of yourself and you will need vast energy sources to sustain these wards.', Rhunon said after finishing her work.

Arya came forward with Naegling and said, "That can be arranged, Rhunon-elda. Thank you for your help."

"Don't kill yourself, child. Then there will be lot of problems in the country", Rhunon said to Arya. Arya nodded.

"Go now. I have work to do", Rhunon chased them away as soon as her work with them was over.

A few hours later during which Arya had contacted Blodhgarm to brief him about his role and they had taken a well deserved rest, they stood before Tialdari hall.
'Are we ready?', Saphira asked eagerly. "Yes, we are.", Arya said.

'This might still be a suicide mission, children', Glaedr said to them.

'I would rather die than let Eragon suffer more', Saphira said. She expected to be rebuffed by Glaedr again. But he was silent. When Saphira turned towards Arya, she patted Saphira's snout lightly. Saphira felt closer to Arya than ever before.

In another five minutes, they were out of Ellesmera, travelling towards Uru'baen.

'I am coming, Eragon'

Author's Notes:

This was just a filler. I wanted to explain the extensive preparations made by Arya, Saphira and Glaedr. It hasn't come good, I think. I didn't like it one bit when I re-read it but I was too lazy to rewrite.