For Alagaesia: 47. Despair and Hope

Hunkering on the ground, eyes intently fixed on the water before him, Eragon said in a deathly quiet tone, “Roran. Wake up.” He refused to allow the tears to fall from his eyes. He wouldn’t cry. His cousin wasn’t dead. ‘No! Roran can’t die.’

He noticed not the comforting touch of Arya’s fingers or the calming presence of Saphira’s mind in his. The only thing his eyes saw and ears heard was Roran and his motionless body. His pained mind couldn’t comprehend what had happened moments ago: Roran walking towards Galbatorix as if possessed; Galbatorix attacking him and the much more powerful counter-attack seemingly orchestrated by Roran and Galbatorix’s disappearance from there. And he didn’t try to. The only thing that mattered was Roran. And his life.

“Madhura!!”, Arya called as the elf came into the circle of vision. “Drottningu..”, the elf replied and bent down to examine Roran. Eragon turned away not wanting to hear anything that the elf had to say. He couldn’t and wouldn’t believe that his cousin was dead.

The following seconds passed painstakingly slow as Eragon waited for the verdict of Madhura. Half of him wanted to run far away from there and never hear what Madhura had to say. But the other half kept his ears sharp and focussed on the sound of Madhura’s hands brushing against Roran’s body and the noisy winds blowing around them.

“He is alive!!”, Madhura’s voice broke through the eerie silence exuding excitement, surprise and genuine happiness all at the same time. Eragon, who couldn’t feel his own heartbeat moments ago, now felt it surge. Tears leaked spontaneously from his eyes. “Hea… heal him… if he is hurt”, Eragon said choking back further tears.

“He isn’t hurt physically, Shur’tugal. His breathing is normal. Bodily, he is as good as he was before this happened. But he seems to be deep within himself like a hibernating person. His mind is barely detectable. Quite honestly, I have seen such a thing only rarely and never has this happened to a human. Such experiences of confronting one’s own self are taxing and humans don’t go through it and make it out alive”, Madhura said evenly.

Eragon’s mind boiled. How could the elf suggest that Roran wouldn’t make it out of his trance? How dare she? But then, he saw that she had a point. It was not always that a human stands before Galbatorix unarmed and makes it out alive. Roran had done so and that suggested that something had happened within his cousin which meant that the risk of losing Roran was indeed high. But no!! He was Roran. Not some simpleton who had no semblance of power. Roran was the greatest warrior Eragon had ever known outside the world of magic and he knew quite a lot of such warriors both from the scrolls he had read and the wars he had fought. Roran was his cousin. He was not meant to die. Roran wouldn’t die. If there was somebody who could keep death at bay then it was him: he would do anything for Katrina. He would never leave her to suffer singly. No!! He won’t.

“Roran!! Wake Up!!!”, Eragon cried despairingly as there was no movement to be seen in his cousin’s body. But as if answering to his cousin’s call, Roran’s eyes flew wide open and an involuntary gasp escaped him. The content and happiness that Eragon felt at the sight of Roran’s open eyes, knew no bounds. He bent lower and lower until he nearly touched the surface of the water in which Roran was visible. The glee that he felt and that which reflected on his face were one and the same. Nothing – not even the ever present fear of the evil and the instinct to remain closed – could hide it. His cousin was alright and that was enough for him.

“Katrina…”, Roran whispered and Eragon smiled slightly despite the situation. Roran’s first words were indication that he was himself. Roran rolled his eyes around in a desperate and searching way and Eragon knew what it would feel like for Roran all too well. A confrontation with Galbatorix however short it was, was bound to leave its effects on anyone. Having been on the receiving end of such experiences for nigh on two months, Eragon didn’t want his cousin to go through it.

“Roran”, he called out to his cousin softly.

“Eragon?”, Roran’s voice showed surprise and relief simultaneously and the underlying need for comforting in it was not unnoticeable.

“Yes, Roran. It is I.”, Eragon replied. Much of the colour that Roran had lost in the encounter with Galbatorix returned back to his face at hearing Eragon’s confirmation.

“Eragon, What happened? Where is Galbatorix?”, Roran asked, his confusion evident.

“You are asking me? It was you, Roran… you conceived something that chased Galbatorix away. What did you do, Roran?”

“I? I did nothing. I just felt the need to escape him and his monster of a dragon. I know nothing more.”, Roran said. But then a peculiar expression crossed his face and he looked around uncomfortably. It was clear that Roran didn’t want to talk about the thing in the presence of others. The people who surrounded him moved away in response to his look. Madhura cast the spell to avoid eavesdropping. Roran uttered not a word for all this to happen. Eragon was amazed at the respect his cousin commanded among the Varden.

“There was somebody else Eragon. I had thought that the others might have heard the person as well. But it appears that none have. It was that presence which guided me. I did nothing.”, Roran said in a whisper.

“Another presence? What are you talking about Roran?”, Eragon asked, now really miffed to know what really happened with Roran that made him defeat – or atleast terrify – Galbatorix.

“The conscience was so powerful, Eragon.”, Roran said, “From what Galbatorix was talking, it seems to me that the Spine itself is a sentient being.”

Eragon’s mind reeled. Spine?  Sentient? As much as it seemed improbable, he couldn’t find any other reasonable solution to the mystery of Galbatorix’s fear. The mad king feared nothing in his arrogance; Eragon knew it well. If there was something powerful enough to terrify Galbatorix then it must be something huge and powerful beyond imagination. How else could the disappearance of half of Galbatorix’s army in the spine be explained? But the whole thing seemed incongruent to what he knew about nature. Mountains were rocks, nothing more. How could a mountain ever be alive let alone sentient?

Either way, Eragon simply couldn’t decide what to believe: Roran’s outrageous yet believable explanation or his common sense that said that the whole thing was nothing but a hoax somehow played by Galbatorix. But the concept of Spine being a sentient creature brought forth – for the first time - a healthy chance of defeating Galbatorix. But Eragon’s mind wouldn’t stay on it. It raged like a tumultuous ocean, latching onto one thought for a moment and moving on to another the next. But one thing that never left his mind and stopped him from enjoying Roran’s hair’s width escape was the very fact that Roran was in the Spine during the winter. He was supposed to be in Dras-Leona; in relative safety. That was why Eragon had made the decision to leave the Varden.

Saphira pushed her head against his chest, silently urging Eragon to calm down. She tried to get him to organise his thoughts; to just enjoy having Roran alive even after a deadly confrontation with Galbatorix. But as much as he wanted to keep his calm, Eragon just couldn’t leave Roran before the older man explained his actions. “Why are you in the Spine, Roran? Why did you leave Dras-Leona? ”, he asked.

“Eragon. It was a decision made by the Varden for the good of Alagaesia.”, Roran said, holding his head high and words stern – showing that he wasn’t defensive about his decision.

“But why? What is so important in capturing Teirm? Why would you risk your life in it? Have you forgotten that Katrina wouldn’t want you to die?”, Eragon shrieked.

“Don’t you know, Eragon? Don’t you know why it is important to capture Teirm?”, Roran shot back at Eragon, “I know I risked my life. I know I risked the happiness of my dearest Katrina. But what good would I be if I am not ready to do that, when you are ever ready to risk your life for Alagaesia’s good?  I don’t want to be selfish Eragon. Do you see my army all around me? There are hundreds of men here who all have kids and wives to go home to? What right will I have to command them if I am not even ready to make the same sacrifice as them? Understand, Eragon. I am not doing this out of willingness. I am doing this because I have to; just as you and I had to leave Carvahall.”

Eragon was dumb-founded. He had not expected such a torrent of words from Roran. Roran’s words, in a way, showed Eragon’s own selfishness. He wasn’t ready to put Roran – his only family – in harm’s way. But Roran had, through his words, nailed the truth straight into his heart and head.

Of course, Eragon knew why it was important to take Teirm. He wasn’t trained by Oromis and Brom in the crafts of warfare and politics for nothing. He knew of Teirm’s importance in the Empire’s economy and military and he was not unaware of the fact that cutting out Teirm during the winter would virtually stop all supplies to Uru’baen during the winter further from keeping Galbatorix engaged in war-thought rather than some cruel and malicious device of his. The evil king’s presence in the Spine was example of it: Galbatorix was indeed trying something new.

But he simply couldn’t fathom how Roran or Nasuada decided to wade the Spine during the winter. Every man, elf, dwarf and Urgal in Alagaesia knew that it was the most difficult of all tasks in Alagaesia except maybe defeating Galbatorix.

Arya who had been silent until then, said, “We understand your reasoning General Roran. But how could you ever hope to travel through the Spine in the winter? I didn’t think you or Nasuada would be so rash as to do this.”, reflecting Eragon’s thoughts. “We took a chance, my lady.”, Roran replied calmly but there was something else in his voice: a longing.

‘Would you both leave him in peace?’, Saphira’s mental voice rang through the area. Eragon and Arya turned to look at her. She had Katrina folded in her wing. ‘Can’t you see he wants to talk to her? Why torment him with questions when you can gain nothing from them? He is in the Spine, Yes. But what can we do about it now? It is his decision; the Varden’s decision. We have no right to interfere in it. You and I, Eragon are dragon and rider and you Arya, you are the elven princess… we can’t question Roran even if he is part of our family. Just enjoy the truth that he is alive and well to fight another war. Now just wake Katrina up and allow them to talk. Your cousin is drained, Eragon. Can’t you see that?’

Eragon stared at Saphira blankly. The truth in her words caught him off guard. Arya was quick to recover from Saphira’s lambasting. She walked up to Saphira’s wings and took Katrina in her hands. Then she whispered,

“Vakna”, in Katrina’s ears and woke her up.

“What? What happened Eragon?”, Katrina asked in a dazed voice. Then she turned around and saw Arya holding her from falling. She quickly pulled away - out of respect - and asked for Arya's forgiveness. Saphira once again came forward to break the ice of never ending formalities and pushed Katrina forward gently towards the pool of water where Roran was still waiting impatiently and equipped to handle his situation.

"Roran?", Katrina asked surprise coating her words and face. Her face wrinkled as she struggled to make the connection between how she had fallen into sleep and when Roran had contacted her and of course, where he was. Roran, although unable to see her face was so quick to put his wife's concerns to rest.

"We are moving towards Teirm, my dear.", he said and continued on without allowing Katrina to speak, "Do not worry for I have great company. A whole army of Kull and Elves march with me and the dwarves and humans. We are well protected and stronger than any other Varden army ever to have marched across the land of Alagaesia."

Katrina whose face had gone pale at Roran's words did well to hide her fears. "I know your army is strong Roran. I have complete faith in you and your men. You will emerge victorious.", she said. But then she choked back a lump in her throat and said,  "Be safe, Roran." Her words were soft and had an edge to them that demanded privacy.

Arya and Eragon picked on it and moved away from the pool. Eragon's mind was occupied with other thoughts. Roran's words of comfort to Katrina had comforted him too. Yes, an army that included substantial number of Kull and elves would prove to be strong even for the walls of Teirm. But the problem was that Roran didn't have any such army. It was true that his army was composed of elves, dwarves, Kull, Urgals and the humans. But the number of elves in the ranks was paltry. Eragon was pretty sure that a city like Teirm would not fall to any lesser army than a combined one of elves, Kull, dwarves and humans. He also wished with his heart of heart that he could take part in the battle if not for the Varden then atleast for the sake of Roran. But as much as he wished, he also knew that being with Arya in her quest to find a rider was more important. Unconsciously, he also wished to be present at the time of the hatching - if it would occur at all.

As he thought more about it, an idea came to him, casting its tendrils all across his being purging all other things out of his mind. He rushed forward to contact the Elven queen, without wasting any time; the sooner - the better. He had expected that Arya would accompany him but was surprised a little when she chose to go her own separate way. He didn’t read too much into it as he was occupied with Roran’s - and the Varden’s – cause at the moment; after all, Arya was not one to like company all the time.

Standing under the shade of a tree with Saphira looming over him, Eragon summoned water from the ground and quickly cast the spell for scrying. The water turned black for a while, before revealing blood-stained ice-covered floor. The sight of blood made him dread although he was quite sure that nothing would have happened in the Elven camp.

But then when Islanzadi came into his field of vision, he was stunned for a moment. There was a deep cut across her shoulder on which a few elves were working. The queen noticed Eragon and waved off a few elves.

“Atra esterní ono thelduin”, Eragon initiated the traditional elven greeting. The queen didn’t act as if anything was wrong and calmly said, “Atra du evarínya ono varda.” Eragon didn’t feel like saying the third line of the greeting as he was more anxious to know what had happened in Gil’ead to injure the queen herself.

“May I ask what has happened, your majesty?”, he asked.

The queen turned her attention towards Saphira and bowing slightly said, “Greetings, Skulblaka.” Saphira used Eragon to communicate her own wishes to the queen.

Then the queen replied, “It is not something to worry, Shur’tugal. Galbatorix grows restless with the passing of days.”  But Eragon was not convinced by the short reply. An injury to the queen with all the elves around was not a thing to ignore.

The queen must have caught his disapproval for she explained the situation after a huff: “He should have planned my assassination quite earlier for his soldiers attacked us relentlessly even in his absence. Concealed among them were the assassins – really strong, I must say – who got to me and my guards. Lord Dathedr had anticipated such a back-handed tactic from Galbatorix and he helped me.”

Doubts crept into Eragon’s mind about the safety of the Varden. When even the elves could not foil an attempt by Galbatorix’s minions until late into the attack, he doubted the Varden’s ability to protect Nasuada against such attacks. But he knew very well about the capability of Blodhgarm and took comfort in the fact that Blodhgarm was as shrewd and anticipatory as Dathedr. Now that he knew of the real situation in Gil’ead, he was reluctant to ask what he had planned.

“Now, tell me why you have contacted me, Shur’tugal?”, Islanzadi asked. Eragon struggled to speak not sure if he should ask for the elves aid. Saphira, though, was as clear as she always was and urged him to ask. Her mental prodding increased his confidence.

“My queen, Roran Stronghammer, the general of the Varden army is taking a force comprising elves, humans, dwarves and Urgals across the Spine in a bid to capture Teirm, the great port city of Galbatorix. I assume that you are aware of the strong walls of that city and the importance of capturing it.”, he paused for a while to see if Islanzadi had something to say. But she simply nodded and signalled him to proceed.

“Those walls cannot be overcome by the army that he takes with him. It may be possible but the sheer time it would take would tire down the warriors so much so that they won’t be able to carry on the attack. The winter would ensure that they are defeated comprehensively.”, Eragon said. Eragon could comprehend neither acceptance nor denial in the Queen’s stance. So he had no other way than to continue.

“The defeat of such an army would drive the confidence out of the Varden. Their confidence is the only thing that is holding this campaign together. Our resistance simply can’t afford a lost battle at this time. But for Roran’s army to win, they will need support.”, Eragon said. He waited this time for the queen to respond.

The Queen spoke calmly, “I do accept, Eragon-vodhr. Do you expect us to send a troop to aid them?”

“Yes, your majesty.”, Eragon replied, relieved that he had not had to ask for aid himself. He was reluctant to do so seeing the elves predicament.

“Consider it done, Shur’tugal. We, elves, have promised all support to the Varden in the struggle against Galbatorix and we are glad to help them when need has arisen.”, Islanzadi said.

‘It wasn’t as difficult as I had thought it would be.’, Saphira commented, ‘The elves have cooperated with the Varden well above my expectations.’ Eragon smiled. The Queen’s words had boosted his confidence in the elves. As much as he was sure that the elves were completely committed to the downfall of Galbatorix, he also had his doubts over the extent to which the elves would cooperate with the humans given their deep-rooted distrust in them. But the Queen’s words swept his doubts away.

“We are glad to hear that, my queen.”, Eragon said speaking for both himself and Saphira.

The Queen nodded. After a short silence, she asked, “Was there any progress with the egg?”

Eragon was reminded of the dragon egg and Glaedr’s statement that the young dragon’s thought process-shift. “Not much”, he said shortly.

“I see.”, the Queen said, her face betraying nothing. Eragon was now eager to know Glaedr’s news about the egg. So he hastily bid farewell to the Queen. The Queen enquired after Arya with all the care a mother shows for her child. Eragon dutifully answered her that her daughter was fine silently wondering how the war was bringing out the emotions even from the most rigid of elves.

‘They have not had good relations for seventy years, Eragon. It is only natural.’, Saphira explained.

‘How would I know? I never had any relation with my parents.’, lamented Eragon.

‘Eragon!!!’, chided Saphira, ‘What has Oromis told you?’

‘I am sorry Saphira. I got carried away. My young days were so much better than Arya’s. She didn’t even know her father. I had Garrow.’ Saphira huffed but didn’t respond to him. Instead she said, ‘Come let us ask Glaedr about his news.’

Eragon agreed with her. Glaedr’s news was sure to raise their spirits. Eragon returned back to Katrina’s home and found her still talking to Roran intensely. He bid his cousins good-bye swiftly not wanting to interfere in their talk. He informed to Roran about the elven aid in a simple way, “Expect more elves in three-four days after you begin the siege.”

Soon he and Saphira went in search of Arya with whom Glaedr rested. She had travelled a fair way in the short time that he was in discussion with the Queen. They had to search for her all around the town before they spotted her much farther from any settlements in a clearing.

“Why did you come here without informing?”, Eragon asked.

“Should I tell you wherever I go?”, Arya shot back at him. Her unexpected aggression hurt Eragon. He had only asked her good-naturedly. He couldn’t place why she acted that way. As much as his memory permitted, they had not had any bitter exchanges recently. There simply was no reason for her to be angry with him.

‘Be calm, Eragon. She has her reasons.’, Saphira consoled him.

‘Reasons? What reason, Saphira? Are you going to tell me at all?’, Eragon asked frustrated. He was fed up with Saphira keeping things about Arya from him.

‘Yes, Eragon. Reason. Strong reason. You just dismissed her as a mere warrior without any emotions.’, Saphira said calmly and softly, not at all affected by Eragon’s venomous tone.

‘What? I? No. I didn’t. I would never.’, Eragon stammered.

‘I know you would never do such a thing knowingly, little one. But your tongue slipped when Roran was in danger.’, Saphira replied almost like a mother to her child. Eragon thought hard and long but could never find any instance in his discourse with Arya where he berated her. Just a warrior? Arya? Not even in dreams would he have thought of her that way. She was the epitome of all that was good. She was his role-model. She was on par with Brom and Oromis in his mind.

But seeing that it was of no use to argue with himself, he said to Arya, “Please forgive me for whatever I might have said. Nothing I said was intentional, Arya. You know me… I… I am…” He couldn’t finish his sentence but he knew Arya must have got what he meant. She was the one who understood him best – next to Saphira - after all.

Arya stared at his face. He waited. She kept on scrutinising him – atleast that was what he thought she was doing. After a while her expression softened. “I do understand you, Eragon. For the most part of our friendship, I have never made myself clear to you. I don’t have any right to expect you to understand everything about me by yourself.”, she said.

Eragon was appalled by such an open reply from Arya. He had never ever dreamt of hearing such words from her. But he was and found that they were hurtful. Because he knew that those words weren’t true. Atleast according to him. They might have been true a month ago. But now, having gone through all that he went through at Uru’baen, he knew her mind all too well. He knew about the obsessive need to hide from the world. He knew about the terrorising nightmares that haunted even the waking sleep. He knew how it felt to be torn from your loved ones and think that you will never get to see them again. He knew what it was like to lose a loved one in front of one’s own eyes. He knew them all and so he thought he understood Arya. Or atleast a part of her.

“No Arya. Please do not say so. I never considered you any less than Oromis himself.”, he said what he thought to be true.

“Then you consider me far more worthy than I really am.”, Arya said shortly and curtly.

‘Would you both stop your ranting? Deep inside you, you both know that the other is correct. Just let the truth wash over you. Don’t deny it. Embrace it and you will find it so much easier. I really don’t understand why you two-legs take every non-issue seriously. And Arya, just so you know, I too do think you are as worthy as master Oromis and I believe Glaedr accepts me.’, Saphira said towering over them.

Eragon could distinctly feel two emotions in her: anger and eagerness. Angry on him and Arya for reading too much into his completely unintentional words. And eager to hear Glaedr’s news. Her words had the intended effect on Eragon. He knew Arya would understand as time went by. He had no ill-intentions and that was enough for him. Speaking more on such an uneasy subject would only brew more trouble between them. Leaving it to be healed by time was the best way. Seeing this and with growing desire to know about the dragon egg, Eragon sought to contact Glaedr, who had gone into a shell ever since news of Roran’s situation reached him. From Arya’s stance, he could say that she had come to more or less the same decision. He hoped and believed that she had.

Slowly he reached out with his mind towards Glaedr. The ancient dragon seemed to be concentrating far-away from their physical location. As it was it took Eragon a whole minute to get the attention of Glaedr. Even then he didn’t look to be in the right mind.

‘Hmmm…. Oh, Eragon. There is… there is something…’, was all he managed to say. Eragon was perplexed. Never had he seen Glaedr in such a raging mind. In fact, the only time he had sensed such strong emotions from the golden dragon was when Oromis died. This, although not as strong as then, was something very important – Eragon sensed. He gave the space and time for Glaedr to organise his mind, not just because of respect but also due to the knowledge that he couldn’t hope to bear the burden of something that overwhelmed even Glaedr.

Arya looked at him strangely and he found his anxiety mirrored in her eyes. She had also witnessed Glaedr’s odd behaviour. Saphira chose to remain calm. She was the rock on which Eragon’s peace rested. After a long while, Glaedr returned his attention to them and he appeared as calm as he ever was.

‘Children, there is someone else in play in these lands. Someone far more powerful and ancient than anyone of us.’, he said.

‘Master? What do you mean by someone else?’, Eragon asked, his mind going back to Roran’s confession that he had help from the Spine.

‘I can’t be sure, Eragon. When you said that your nest-mate was in danger, I sought to protect him. But I was blocked. Not by Galbatorix, I am sure. This force was far more ancient and so much friendly to be Galbatorix. It was old. As old as these lands. But it went away as fast as it had come. I searched for it long. But I couldn’t find it. Whatever it is, it is going to have a great impact on this war. For good or for bad, I can’t say.’

“Master?”, Arya asked, “May be we could go in search of it.”

‘Don’t even think of it.’, Glaedr snapped.

“But master, it can be useful.”, Arya argued.

“We could use it master.”, Eragon said simultaneously.

‘You don’t understand, hatchlings. It can’t be found. I have tried hard and I will keep trying. But it doesn’t want to be found. If you go on a search for it, you will only be risking your safety and the hard-earned egg’s safety.’, Glaedr explained calmly.

Eragon still harboured hope that the powerful being could help them, especially because Glaedr’s description seemed to fit entirely into what Roran had explained. According to Roran it was the Spine itself – which of course was as old as the land. If it really were the Spine, then it was useless to search for he had hunted in the Spine for years and had found nothing and hoping to find something now was madness.

If it wasn’t the Spine - his trained mind told him so – then he could go in search of it in hopes that he could garner an all-important ally in the war against Galbatorix. But he had to accept that Glaedr was true. The golden dragon had in his long life travelled to all corners of Alagaesia. If he couldn’t locate it then he couldn’t hope to too.

In his indecision he turned to Saphira for advice. She had been unusually quiet about the topic. But when he touched her mind he felt only restlessness.

‘Saphira?’, he called tentatively.

‘Little one, it is no use speaking about such impossible things. Just take heart that the being helped Roran.’, she said, ‘I have been dying to hear Glaedr’s news about the egg.’

“As am I.”, announced Arya. Eragon realised that Saphira had – as was fast becoming customary – allowed Arya to hear their conversation.

Glaedr who had been hearing on their conversation through Arya said, ‘After tonight’s events I don’t think it will excite you. Nonetheless, it is a development. We could take heart in the fact that the disposition of the little one inside the egg has changed to be a much pleasanter one.’

Glaedr was true. Eragon had expected much better news. He had thought maybe the egg had found his rider - as much as it seemed an impossibility, that was the only occurrence that could raise his spirits in the event of such troubling incidents. Nevertheless, a pleasant temperament was certainly some good news on a day that was turning out to be a nightmare – what with Galbatorix’s attack on Roran and the intervention of some unknown and huge force whose intentions were not clear. The only good that had come of all that was that Roran was safe – atleast for now. But the experience had left him feeling intense emotions, the type of which he had not experienced since his rescue from Uru’baen. It obviously weighed him down and the news about the egg was not enough to raise his spirits as much as he would have liked.

He wanted someone to comfort him.

‘I am here, little one’, Saphira offered earnestly.

Eragon smiled. But said nothing.

‘I know exactly who you want, Eragon.’, Saphira said softly. Eragon still didn’t say anything. His mind had automatically sought Arya. But apparently she was still upset about his words – which he didn’t even remember speaking. She had simply walked away once Glaedr had announced his news. It hurt Eragon more than anything.

‘She will understand, little one. She knows you. Remember, she tried to comfort you when we all thought Roran was dead?’, Saphira comforted.

‘She did?’, he asked bewildered that he had not noticed anything of that sort.

‘Yes little one, she did. You were too ravaged to notice.’, Saphira answered sympathetically.

Eragon nodded. ‘Maybe she is not as angry as it appears she is.’, he said hopefully.

‘She is. Very angry. At you for suggesting her to be an emotionless warrior. But she will understand. Because she has emotions. Even stronger than ours.’, Saphira said calmly and with utter certainty.

Author's Note:

I hadn't thought this would take 2 months. Could you believe it? Two full months is what it has taken for me to write this chapter. And consequently, it is bound to be choppy. So bear with me. Also I hope you found this new location. If you have then tear me to pieces in the comment area. I deserve it.