For Alagaesia: 45. Take me. Leave him.

Eragon and Saphira didn't want to stay at Kirtan for the night. Even though they felt tired after days and days of travel, the need to go back to the Varden pushed them to pack for Silthrim. Further, the prospect of meeting with Katrina spurned Eragon. Arya too was in support of being on the move. It gave them a sense of purpose. So they thanked the townsmen and made for Silthrim by nightfall.

It was a four hour's flight from Kirtan to Silthrim, the largest elven city, Ellesmera aside. Saphira flew the whole distance at a stretch. They reached the city around mid-night. Even during such wee hours the city was bustling with activity. Yet it all seemed as calm as the midnight. Nocturnal animals roamed freely around the streets of the city and the birds of the night were busy doing their business. But not a single elf could be seen at the first glance. They seemed one with the trees around, on and in which they worked. The deftness with which the elves undertook their work was commendable. If ever any outsider were to stray into the premises of the city, they would find it difficult to even know that they have entered a huge city let alone detect the elves presence.

Silthrim's architecture resembled Ellesmera. Houses were sung out of the trees and gardens full of exotic flowers bloomed all over the place. The streets somehow, seemed to fit into the general forest. The difference an ignorant man would see in this part of the forest was that this part was more fertile and old than the area surrounding it.

The city stood as a glaring example of the differences between the elven and human customs. Humans tended to drive away nature at their habitations while the elves tended to embrace it. Not that the human cities were devoid of beauty. Eragon had learned from the scrolls on Alagaesia's history about the marvellous towns that humans built and lived in: marvelled even by the fair folk for their fine balance between the natural and the artificial. But under Galbatorix's rule, the cities had lost all their glory and stood as a mottled mess of buildings. A few great cities mentioned in the scrolls were razed to the ground completely just like the elven cities of Ewayena and Luthivira. But unlike those great elven settlements they were now forgotten.

The city's guards intercepted them before long. On seeing that it was their princess and the lead rider and dragon, they alerted their ruler of the arrival of royalty. The ruler, a male elf came in person to receive them. He was a tall person with long silvery hair. His clothing suggested his position: lavish and well-dressed.

“Drottningu.”, the elf bowed and then greeted Saphira with the usual bright smile. Finally, he welcomed Eragon to the city.

“Where would be Captain Damítha?, Hansa-vodhr?”, Arya asked the elf.

“She has gone to Gil’ead to join the queen, my lady. Lord Adravar fell in the battle of Gil’ead and Lady Damítha was chosen to replace him in the army.”, he replied.

“Adravar is dead?”, Arya asked, shock evident in her voice.

“Yes, Drottningu. Unfortunately.”, the elf said. After a respectful pause, he asked, “May I ask why you are here, Drottningu? If what I heard last was correct then the Varden must be at Dras-Leona now. What has led you, Brightscales and Shur’tugal to leave them?”

“We bring good news, Hansa-vodhr. When Saphira and I had gone to rescue Eragon Shur’tugal from Uru’baen, we happened to come in possession of the last dragon egg. And in hopes that it would hatch for someone in our kingdom, we are travelling through all our cities.”, Arya said.

The elf looked stunned for a moment and then said, “This is good news, indeed. I suppose that you have come here as part of your quest. We shall make all preparations for the presenting ceremony. Would it be acceptable if we can conduct the ceremony the day after tomorrow?”

“No, Hansa-vodhr. We don’t have time to spend. So I would appreciate it if you could arrange the ceremony for tomorrow.”, Arya said. The elf looked surprised, but did well not to show it out in his words. He just took some time and said, “Of course, Drottningu. It shall be arranged.”

“There are three children at Silthrim, aren’t there?”, Arya asked.

“Yes, my lady. There are.”

“Good. Make sure that they attend tomorrow’s presenting. It is important to have a child as the rider. It would make the life of the young dragon easier.”, Arya insisted.

“I will make sure, Drottningu.”, the elf said respectfully.

“Hansa-vodhr?”, Eragon called. The elf turned to him and quite surprisingly initiated the traditional elven greeting, showing his respect for Eragon. Eragon followed with his own greeting and asked the thing that he had wanted to ask ever since he reached Silthrim, “How is Katrina, my cousin?”

“She is quite well, my lord. Her child will only be the sixth to be born in this great city after the fall. It is a special occasion in the city. Your cousin has taken a liking to our city and has been exploring its depths for the past fortnight. The feeling of admiration is mutual. It is good to have her in our midst.”, the elf said.

“That is great news. I would like to be showed to her quarters in the morning. I presume, she is asleep by now. It is late.”, Eragon said.

“As you wish, my lord.”, the elf said.

Eragon was delighted to see that he was provided with a home that was built for a dragon and rider. Both in Osilon and Kirtan, he had to sleep away from Saphira for there weren’t homes large or strong enough to hold a dragon in those cities. When Saphira was near him, he felt safe. He needed her presence more than ever now for she was the only creature in all of creation to know every single secret of his. He could trust her with his life. She was afterall the partner-of-his-mind-and-soul.

Saphira calmly listened to his thoughts and said, ‘Sleep, little one. We will have a long day tomorrow.’

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *    *   *   *

Katrina seemed really happy to see Eragon and Saphira. Her face had gotten a glow that had been absent even when she was with Roran at the Varden. She narrated to them how nice and beautiful the city was and how kind the people were to her.

Her home was built lower than most homes in Silthrim. A beautiful garden of colourful flowers surrounded the  beautiful redwood tree on which the home was built. The shade from the tree allowed people to stay in the garden even during the zenith of the sun. The interior design in the home was exceedingly beautiful. The home itself was of a middling size with a nice little hall which acted as the living room, a small kitchen, a bath and a small, but comfortable bedroom. It was clear that the elves had taken care to provide Katrina with one of their most beautiful abodes in the city.

“How do you feel, Katrina? I mean, your health?”, Eragon asked leaning against the door of the home. Katrina was seated on a bench in the middle of the garden as she tended to the plants in the human way - without magic.

“I have been taken good care of, Eragon. The elves are very helpful.”, she said.

Saphira who had restrained from entering the premises of the home because she didn’t want to ‘disrupt’ the functioning of the ‘puny’ nest of Katrina, asked the inevitable question, ‘How does it feel to be away from Roran?’ All three of them had till then avoided that topic without spoken consent, but Saphira felt the need to ask because she thought that it would help gauge Katrina’s actual mental state which was important because of her pregnancy.

Katrina sighed heavily. “I can manage.”, said she shortly.

‘You should not not think about him too much, caring-one. It is not good for the child.’, Saphira said kindly. The motherly affection that poured from Saphira’s mind and the genuine care she took in Eragon’s family moved Eragon so much that he wanted to run to her then and there and ask for her forgiveness for keeping his secrets from her for a while.

“You are correct, Saphira. But how can I not think about him. He is everything to me. I left him for our child but how can I chase him from my mind?”, Katrina’s agonised voice said.

‘I am not asking you to drive him away from your mind, Katrina. I merely ask you not to worry about him. He is clever, more so than my rider and most other two-legs that I have seen. You could cherish the days you spent together. It will help your child rather than hurt it.’

“I will try, Saphira.”, Katrina said softly. She looked at the great dragon reverently.

‘Ow, Welcome Arya.’, Saphira said suddenly breaking away from the topic of discussion. Arya was indeed walking towards Katrina’s home. Eragon felt something in him rise. Hope? Arya visiting a family of his was an indication of the care she took for him.

‘Or maybe she has come to see how her guest is. Remember, Eragon? Katrina is here as Arya’s guest.’, Saphira mocked his thoughts. Du Weldenvarden was playing with their minds: both of them were grumpy and distant just a week ago at the Varden. But a week in Du Weldenvarden had made them loosen enough to crack jokes at the other’s expense, just like earlier days.

Arya touched Saphira’s flanks and spoke her morning wishes to the dragon. Eragon felt jealous of Saphira. Arya was ignoring him, when she was exchanging wishes with Saphira. Fearing another rebuke from Saphira, which she would probably make accessible to Arya, Eragon controlled the emotion before it left his mind.

“Eragon”. Arya stated and nodded at him. Eragon repeated the simple greeting.

“Lady Arya, I am so glad to have you here.”, Katrina welcomed Arya warmly. Arya enquired after Katrina’s health.

“Are my people treating you well?”, Arya asked seeing Katrina’s sad face.

“Oh, They are really generous, my lady.”, Katrina said hastily. Arya nodded and left the matter with that. She didn’t seem comfortable about talking with Katrina.

The group fell silent from then on. Arya’s presence deterred Eragon’s capability for conversation. Usually, he wasn’t reserved around Arya or Katrina when he met with them alone. But when his sister-in-law and Arya were together, he couldn’t bring himself to speak freely to any of them for fear of the impression that such a talk would leave on either of them. Katrina kept looking at the two of them – Eragon and Arya with an amused look on her face. It made it even more difficult for Eragon because he knew that Katrina knew of his love for Arya.

Katrina looked at both Eragon and Arya and how carefully they avoided looking at each other. She found it amusing for she was sure of their mutual attraction by now. She already knew of Eragon’s love for Arya. But it was Arya’s actions that made her sure that there was something between them – some sort of understanding that they shouldn’t see each other. And she could say that both of them were conscious of the other’s presence always. Although both of them hid it very well, she could see it behind their mask of indifference for she was one who was madly in love with her husband and knew the nuances of that strange feeling.

Saphira, tried to restart some conversation between the three silent two-legs, but in vain. After a while, she too felt that the needless dithering was a waste of time and resorted to silently wondering the place’s beauty. Although the flowers didn’t hold much interest to her, she had to accept that the beds of colourful flowers were a treat to the eye.

‘Aye, Saphira. These flowers are really beautiful.’, Eragon said to her, having listened in on her thoughts.

“Roran!!”, Katrina whispered all of a sudden. Eragon didn’t need to ask why for he felt it too. Roran was trying to get access to him through the ring. Eragon jumped and ran towards Katrina as he saw her sway in her position.

“What has happened to him, Eragon?”, she whispered when he caught her in his hands and steadied her.

“Nothing, Katrina. Nothing would have happened.”, Eragon assured her. Arya walked upto them and asked, “What has happened?”

‘Roran has sought our help.’, Saphira replied to Arya when neither Eragon nor Katrina give her a reply.

Arya nodded and went a little away from the weeping Katrina and comforting Eragon and whispered, “Draumr Kopa.”

Eragon jerked towards Arya when he heard her say the words for scrying. Pulling Katrina with him, he went to stand by Arya. In a few seconds Roran was visible on the water surface which Arya used to scry. He was hiding behind some rock and looking intently at something in the air. His facial expression was rather comical except the fact that Eragon didn’t know what surprised and terrified Roran to elicit such a weird expression. He could see men moving around Roran, each trying to find a place to hide.

They were in some snow covered terrain and Eragon could say that it wasn’t any place near Dras-Leona for the ground was rugged and rocky. The only viable answer was that Roran and his men were in the Spine that was a few leagues away from Dras-Leona. But why they would go there during the winter, he had no idea. Unable to contain his anxiety, Eragon spelled the words for hearing, adding to Arya’s scrying spell.

He couldn’t hear anything yet except for the whoosh of the wind and slight cracking of the ground due to the movement of the men. There was utter silence in the place. The suspense and fear gnawing at his mind grew many-fold when he glanced at Katrina. She was shaking in fear and her lips were moving fast, making some desperate prayer.

‘What is that sound, Eragon?’, Saphira asked.

‘What sound?’

‘The flapping of wings. Can’t you hear it?’

‘Wings? But…’, Eragon started but stopped midway. He could now hear it. The distinct ‘whoosh’ of wind created by wing-beats. Desperate to find out what was going on, Eragon cast a new spell upon the existing scrying spells. This was one of the spells he had thought about when alone that could be used to contact the person being scried through just voice even when there wasn’t any supporting surface like water or glass. He hoped with all his heart that the spell would work.

“Roran!!”, he whisper-yelled tentatively. Roran’s expression changed suddenly from being surprised to searching. Eragon sighed in relief: his spell had worked. “Roran, just talk. I can hear you.”, he said again, this time more like himself.

“Eragon? Is it you?”, Roran whispered meekly.

“Yes, Roran. It is I.”

“Prove it!!”, Roran sounded suspicious and wary.

“Blast it, Roran. What has happened?”, Eragon asked confused and slightly afraid that his cousin would ask to prove his identity even after hearing his voice.

“Prove yourself, first. I need to know that it is not some sick game that he is playing.”

“What are you talking about, Roran?”

Arya who was listening silently said, “Du folk ono tala Eragon SundavarFellar, ykkarr fraendi un Arya, ykkarr ally” The people you are talking to are Eragon Shadeslayer, your relative and Arya, your ally.

Roran looked at an elf who was by his side and the elf nodded assuring him that truth was being told. Roran relaxed considerably and said, “Eragon. There is a problem here." He sighed heavily and said in a whisper, "We sighted Galbatorix and his dragon. They are hovering above us right this instant.”

Eragon’s senses failed him for a moment. Galbatorix. That mad man was above Roran. The thought was enough to make his world reel around him. This was not supposed to happen. His cousin was supposed to be safe. He was to become a father. Oh, Katrina… How is she? Only after such thoughts came over him did he look at his sister-in-law. Her eyes were barely open and she seemed ready to fall off unconscious. Eragon was torn between the needs to know the status of Roran and help Katrina.

Saphira decided that her waiting outside for the sake of the home was enough. She came inside and stood and by Eragon offering him comfort.

“Take Katrina away. I will try to help Roran.”, Arya offered. She spoke silently so that Roran wouldn’t hear her. Thankful, Eragon stood and lifted Katrina on his shoulders careful to see that she was laid comfortably. Then with one look at Arya, he walked towards the bench where Katrina had been sitting and placed her on it gently.

He then started casting spells over Katrina that would manipulate her mind. It was a heinous thing to do: manipulate other’s mind. But in the situation it was important to make Katrina feel safe. When he was sure that Katrina’s mind had lost the memories of the past minutes, he put her to sleep. From where, he sat alongside Katrina’s sleeping form, Eragon saw Arya.

She was speaking with Roran fervently trying to form some plan to make him escape from the certain-death situation, he was in. Saphira was providing her own suggestions. The frantic efforts of Saphira and Arya seemed hopeless to his hurt and worried mind.

‘Somebody please save my cousin’, he prayed to the air.

Glaedr’s mind stirred all of a sudden. His emotions were nothing related to Eragon’s. Glaedr was almost upbeat about something, Eragon could say.

‘Well, he doesn’t know of the problems we face afterall. He has been spending all his time in watching the egg.’, Eragon thought.

‘Children, I have news. His thought process is shifting. Something is happening with him.’, Glaedr almost screamed. Eragon couldn’t process what Glaedr was talking about for a while. Arya and Saphira were affected in the same way. Then it struck them. “The egg.”, they shouted in unison.

But Eragon’s sorrow was too heavy that the news about the egg simply failed to raise his spirits. Glaedr seemed to notice and asked him, ‘What is wrong, Eragon?’

Saphira explained the situation at hand to Glaedr, in the language of dragon: smells, sounds, visions and broken words. The elder golden dragon heard and after a while said, ‘Alas, we are too far away to help your nest-mate now.’, mournfully.

Eragon knew that Glaedr was right. They were far far away from the Spine to help Roran at this juncture. Arya’s expression mirrored his if only slightly less dramatic. Saphira roared out her rage to the whole world to hear. Poor Katrina’s peaceful sleeping form brought more misery to Eragon.

‘He was to be a father. He should not die. Take me. Leave him. Take me. Leave him. Take me. Leave him.’, Eragon chanted like a mad man. Nobody interrupted him. Arya kept looking at the image of Roran in the water and kept giving him advice. Saphira looked at the skies and roared, ‘Why? Why should this happen?’

Roran had tears gathered in his eyes. “Stop it, Eragon.”, he screamed. But the younger man seemed not to hear his cousin. "Take me. Leave him.", he chanted.

Author's note:

This was actually written to be part of the last chapter. But it seemed to be going off-topic and so I split it into two. Anyway, something is stirring in Alagaesia, isn't it? Lets see where this goes.