For Alagaesia: 44. Travel and travail as respite

Osilon was a much quieter and smaller city than Ellesmera. Being the second elven city on which Eragon had laid his eyes upon, it held a sort of interest to him. He wanted to know how the elves lived outside the rich capital of theirs. It turned out that both the cities were nothing similar except for the fact that both blended with the nature seamlessly.

Osilon had many settlements built out of fallen leaves, twigs and branches of trees unlike Ellesmera where most of the buildings were created by singing the live-trees into shape. The houses here were spaced greatly that finding another house from the courtyard of one was nigh on impossible. Accordingly, the city had so few residents.

“They love their privacy”, Arya said when he questioned her about it.

“So do all elves.”, Eragon replied incredulously.

“These more so than others. Elves have longer lives than others, Eragon. We live for so long that the losses incurred by us have lasting effect on our lives. That is why we take painful efforts to prevent such losses. The people who live here are old and broken that they lost all interest in socialising. So they choose to live in homes detached from the others.”, she explained.

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.

For Alagaesia: 43. Distress and Solace

As hours in Du Weldenvarden passed into days, Eragon started feeling more and more peaceful. The forest seemed to absorb his worries into itself leaving him fresh and calm. The fact that he could now speak frankly to Saphira about anything and everything like old times was another reason for his peacefulness. Her presence in the darkest confines of his mind which was wounded beyond healing was like a balm. Further, having Arya by his side always was new to him. Only on a few occasions before this had he had such moments with her. In fact, it was only when they had returned from the village of Eastcroft to the Varden camp that they had spent time together alone. All the other times like when Arya took Eragon to Ellesmera, the first time, there was Orik or others with them. Only the days when he had walked with her through the tree-lined streets of Ellesmera were the exceptions. Now, though, Arya was alone with him for days on end but for Saphira - he would have it no other way. If this was to be his life for the rest of eternity, then so be it. Even though, he won't have Arya in the way he loved to have her, he would have her as his true friend.

For Alagaesia: 42. The gamble

Rubbing her eyes, Nasuada woke up from yet another bad night's sleep. Ever since, Belatona was taken, she had not had complete rest.There always was a critical problem to be faced and overcome, the latest of which was spending the three-four months of cold winter at Dras-Leona.

On the surface, the rest seemed welcome giving the Varden a much-needed break from constant war. But on retrospection, Nasuada had serious doubts about spending the time idly except for fortifying the acquired lands. The rest would not only help enable the Varden to collect themselves but also the empire to regroup.

Ever since that thought entered her mind, quite abruptly after the departure of Eragon, Saphira and Arya, she had been restless, planning in her mind a means to keep the empire occupied with the Varden for the duration of the winter and if possible further weakening the foul King's army. A whole day's deliberations had eventually paid off and a rough plan materialised in her mind. But the plan was wrought with serious risks especially with the absence of her best warriors: Eragon and Saphira and her best war tactician: Arya. Not to mention, Eragon's surprisingly sharp battle plans and Arya's well-known valiance with the sword. Together those three were the greatest assets of the Varden and they were away from it now.

For Alagaesia: 41. Unlocking his mind

That night Saphira flew non-stop through the plains that were in the control of the Varden and the elves. It amazed Eragon that despite being so near to Uru'baen, they weren't in Galbatorix's lands. He could feel the minds of human and elven patrols on the ground. Even then, the thought of being near Uru'baen made him shiver with fear. It took all of his self control to control the urge. Saphira, who was carrying him and Arya who was behind him must not know that he was afraid. If they did, what would they think of him? No He would not show his fear to them.

Before long, the vast nothingness of the Hadarac welcomed him. Being lonely was what he loved. There, in the absence of other people, he could be himself. He could do and say whatever he wished without fear of being noticed and found fault in. Now, he was alone but for Saphira who was as much part of him as it was possible and Arya who would understand his fears more than anybody else in all the land. He ought to be free. Yet he couldn't. Something was holding him back. He had always imagined that when he was absolutely alone, he would be able to be himself again. He would be able to laugh and play with Saphira as he did always. But now, when the chance to be alone came, he was proved wrong. He was in no more ease than when he was at the Varden. He sighed heavily and accepted the fact as it was: he had become closed. Eragon didn't want to think of such unpleasant things for long for fear being caught by Saphira in the act of doing so and for the sake of his own sanity. So he diverted his attention to his surroundings.

For Alagaesia: 40. Choice between the eyes

The week after that shameful evening was spent on building fortifications around the city of Dras-Leona. Roran took it upon himself to oversee the rebuilding and strengthening of the defences of the city. As Eragon had expected, the people started following his cousin cheerfully. It always was a matter of people seeing Roran in action before they accepted him as their leader.

The council of elders had gone into seclusion after that evening, neither attending any meetings nor taking part in the rebuilding affairs. The people didn't seem to care for them any more as they did a week ago. Everything in the Varden was as smooth as it could be in a war-ravaged yet well organised community.

Eragon had met and spent time with Orik for which he hadn't had time ever since Orik was crowned king of the dwarves. He also met with and even trained his boyhood friends Alberiech and Baldor - both sons of Horst. They were good with swords to the level that if Eragon reduced his speed to their level, they could hold against him for a minute or so. Both young men were awed by Eragon's enormous strength which they said was an increase of no less than a hundred times his previous strength. Eragon could only smile and say, "Oh!?" for he had used only a bit of his strength against them.

For Alagaesia: 39. Cracks on the inside

The gentle breeze of the early winter morning had a hint of what was to come: A severe cold wave that would sweep through the land and last for four months. Eragon, sitting under a huge tree by the shores of Leona lake sighed heavily. Saphira was curled up near him shielding him from the biting cold of the wind.

Eragon had just contacted Vanir. Katrina had reached Silthrim only last morning. In all the rushes following the battle of Dras-Leona, which the Varden had come to call 'the black battle' owing to the loss of most of its war leaders including Jormundur, the commander-in-chief of the Varden army, Eragon had not contacted Katrina for the last two days. When last he contacted Vanir, the company had just touched the fringes of Du WeldenVarden. It might have been the sense of security that Eragon felt in the leafy confines of the elf-forest that he forgot to contact Katrina even after Roran had asked once to do so. But Eragon cursed himself for not contacting Katrina daily, atleast until she was safely settled in some elf-city.

For Alagaesia: 38. The losses in a win

The city seemed grossly unprepared to counter a siege of the scale of the one the Varden had organised. Eragon couldn't quite believe it because the towns of Feinster and Belatona were very strongly protected and defended by the armies of those cities.

The four days of marching of the Varden must surely have reached the ears of the city's lord, Marcus Tábor in one way or the other. The empire was not so dumb as to not have patrols in their part of Alagaesia, as far as Eragon remembered. But as it stood, Marcus Tábor had literaly abandoned his city to be taken over by the Varden. If what Brom said of that ruler was anything to judge by, it might have been possible that he hadn't got any orders from Galbatorix (by virtue of the evil king's travel outside Uru'baen in years and that too alone) and hence kept quiet and did nothing. But as a fact Eragon knew that a ruler wouldn't be that dumb.

For Alagaesia: 37. Beyond help

Roran turned back to get one last look of Belatona that had been his home for the past two months. The days spent in the city had been rough what with the capture and return of Eragon and the departure of Katrina. Ever since his wife had gone towards the elven homeland that morning Roran hadn't had any free time to think of her, being occupied with the preparations for leaving to Dras-Leona. It was probably a good thing because if he had had time then he would have brooded over all the improbable things and lost even the little peace of mind he had now.

The Varden had left a few soldiers and some women and children at the city trusting the patrols to inform of any empire troop movement in the area. Further, the perimeters of the countryside surrounding Belatona had long been secured by the Varden and it would be absolute madness for even a king as mad as Galbatorix to attack, especially when he knows that his enemy has moved on to attack his largest city after the capital, namely Dras-Leona.

For Alagaesia: 36. Heart-wrenching

"Is it a good idea, Eragon?", Roran asked for nearly the hundredth time that morning. Eragon, although fed up with answering the same question repeatedly said, "Yes, Roran. It will be for the best."

"Will she be safe?", Roran asked.

"Roran. Be calm. Vanir has promised me that he would do all he can to keep Katrina safe."

"Yes, I know. You said that already. Still, how will somebody else watch over Katrina like me or you?", Roran said, his voice etched with worry. Eragon was left speechless. Roran had, as a matter of fact, included Eragon as Roran's equal in caring for Katrina. The trust Roran had in him astounded Eragon. Feeling slightly embarrassed for sounding irritated, Eragon said, "Roran. You have seen the elves. They keep their promises whatever the price and Vanir has grown to be one of the few elves, I truly trust. I know of his skills. And Arya has promised Saphira that the other elves going are no mere warriors either. No harm will come to Katrina"

Roran nodded slowly as if pondering Eragon's explanation.

"Who will attend to her during the birth? Elain and Gertrude are here.", Roran asked after a period of silence when Eragon waited patiently for the next question to come for he knew there would be plenty of questions. Roran would never allow Katrina to leave if he had even the slightest doubt about her safety. But for this question, Eragon was unprepared.

"There will be many elves where she goes, Roran. They will take care of her.", Eragon managed to stammer out a response.