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.