A Time to Start Anew [Quetzal]

[Capricorn]

Auduriel rode atop her horse, a roan mare. It had been bred by elves, and so it was of high quality- this allowed the elf to make the trip to Dras-Leona in five days, with some stops for food. Luckily, she had only run into one patrol of Empire-aligned soldiers, and this patrol had no magician, nor any wards against the Twelve Words of Death.

Her hatchling was on her shoulder. The bag was good only for resting (and sometimes not even then) or when going through populated areas. Auduriel didn't want to show the hatchling to anybody until she had arrived at Dras-Leona. The city had come into sight not long ago, and Auduriel was almost there. The hatchling clung to her shoulder.

The guards raised their weapons as she came closer to the gate. Auduriel allowed her horse to slow, before saying, slowly, as if the words were foreign, despite the fact that they came from her native tongue- "Eka aí fricai un Shur'tugal. And I am loyal to the Varden." To show it, as if the dragon hatchling on her shoulder was not enough, she showed them her right palm, upon which the gedwey ignasia shone.

The guards lowered the weapons, and Auduriel entered the city. She looked around for a building that appeared central. The hatchling scampered into her bag, wishing not to be disturbed by anybody wandering around. On the way from Du Weldenvarden, the elf had learned that her dragon was a female. She wondered what name the dragon would pick when the time came.

The elf glanced around the plaza. Slaves had once been sold here, she noted, a cold chill running down her spine. Auduriel wasn't sure of where anybody was staying, and she had never been here. Asking around for a Rider would likely be fruitless. The elf decided to simply stare up at the sky, and attempt to mentally contact a Rider if she saw one. Perhaps she should have asked those guards.

I'm going to be here all day.

[Quetzal]

The guards assumed people higher up than they knew about Auduriel so assumed it would only annoy them if they told them about her. Their superiors were incredibly busy as it was, and the stress had made them too tetchy to risk annoying.

With the upcoming battle, most of the Varden's Riders were either here or out finding supplies and people. As a result, Auduriel was bound to run into one of them at some point today, although it might be hard to tell them apart from normal people as they would be going about in normal attire since there was no special occasion today. Unless Auduriel could recognise them all by sight, one might have walked right past without her realising.

As it was, possibly the most well known of them, Eragon, was very close by. He was completely oblivious to the fact that a new dragon had hatched less than a week ago and was now near him. Dressed in his casual clothes, most people didn't recognise his face; if they'd seen him before, it would have only been briefly, and there was no special Rider's uniform to give away that he was any more than a regular citizen - one with a sword at his belt, but in its sheath it was no fancier than any carried by most young men for protection these days. He was glad for that. He was in no mood to be the centre of attention. In fact, he wasn't really in the mood to talk to people at all.

He'd had enough talking to people in the recent discussions among the Varden. Most of the high command could give good debates he enjoyed, but some dissolved into petty insults. He was quick to anger and would usually shout back, mostly at Orrin, which would lead to pointless bickering until Nasuada called for order. The captains and commanders were annoying too, asking too much when he was stretched as it was. Right now they were waiting for something else to happen. They couldn't think about how to act until they knew how big their forces were, and he wasn't needed for every discussion. As more Riders had been arriving, he'd been put in charge of seeing to them, too. Those who were older and more experienced than him who had gone into hiding before he'd found Saphira were either respectful and pleasant or angry he was placed above them. Others were laid back and happy to let themselves sort things out, for which he was grateful. All he had to train. For some this was a quick chat about how the Varden worked so they understood. For others, this was an arduous process which frustrated him. Others still had become his friends. They treated him like a person rather than some inhuman thing to be obeyed, which was refreshing.

Despite being able to have a spar or talk with his new friends, Eragon liked being alone sometimes. Now especially, when he was exhausted from arguing and training and finally had some down time for a few days until some more people arrived. Even Saphira, the one he could never dislike, was out of his mind. They both wanted some time to themselves. As he wondered the streets grumpily doing nothing in particular, the sullen young man found himself in the plaza. He saw Auduriel, but while an elf would have normally been uncommon, with the Varden swamping the surrounding area her presence wasn't registered as anything of note.

[Capricorn]

Auduriel simply kept looking up at the sky, as if waiting for something. It was impractical and ridiculous, and she knew this. She didn't think that there was any training or anything going on, but the dragons had to be somewhere. The elf received a message in the form of feelings and images, the hatchling's way of communicating that this was madness. She had learned a few words of the common tongue and the Ancient Language in the past few days, but conversations in the dragons' natural way was much more practical at this point.

The elf's mare took a few steps forward, slowly. Auduriel made no move to stop her. The hatchling poked just the top of her head out for a moment at the movement, but returned to laying on her pillow. The elf glanced around, her eyes burning slightly from the bright blue of the sky. Perhaps she could purchase something. Or, now that she thought about it, maybe it would be logical to just ask about where the Varden high command was. She was an elf, what human would question her?

Auduriel decided to look around for a guard or somebody who could tell her where to go. The horse didn't move much, but listened to the commands the elf gave her. The square was just so filled with people, the elf found herself to locate any guards. With a curse, she just ushered her horse forwards, looking around for the people.

Suddenly, the horse reared up. It had been about to run into a man. He was wearing casual clothes, and didn't look like anybody special. However, the sudden movement scared the hatchling within her bag, whom had been able to feel it. The black dragon darted out of her bag, instinctively climbing onto Auduriel's shoulder for a feeling of safety. "Oww!" The elf said. Then, in a quieter voice, she hissed, "Stay in your bag until we get to talk to somebody."

Auduriel looked at the man that her horse had nearly trampled, and forced a pleasant smile as her hatchling detached herself from her Rider's back. If the human had looked up at the horse, he probably would've seen that. On second inspection, the elf wasn't really sure that this human was actually human. He looked to have some elven features. Perhaps he was of elven descent or something. Shaking the thoughts from her mind, Auduriel decided to brace herself for any questions he may have, if he had seen the hatchling.

[Quetzal]

Eragon had learned through experience to notice as much as possible, but the hatchling's brief glance at the world escaped his gaze as he stood still, thinking. He tried not to think about the Varden or his duties, but it was hard not to worry. So much was at risk there. Their entire campaign had been leading to this, the final overthrowing of Galbatorix, and everyone seemed to expect him to be the one to slay the king. He knew of stronger Riders, but for some reason people had come to see him and Saphira as a symbol of hope and had placed the weight of putting an end to the mad king's atrocities and life on their shoulders. He'd much rather go in with a team, but the fighting itself might come down to one-on-one. Perhaps worse odds. He doubted Galbatorix would just allow a group to team up against him.

The horse was nearing him, and he looked at it wearily. Was that elf going to stick to the vague gaps in the crowd other horse had cut? Yet she was still urging it on. She looked lost in thought, as though there were something big on her mind. That made two of them. The horse was speeding up, and he didn't want to show he was faster than a normal human but if he didn't he might end up being ridden down-

There wasn't a need to fear. The horse didn't want to run into anything living, it seemed, and reared up in panic when it realised. Eragon had been poised to run, looking quite startled by the swift event. Looking up at the elf, he noticed a dark shape that hadn't been there before the horse had reared creep off her shoulder into a bag. Others around them had turned to look, much to his annoyance, but they were just looking shocked and muttering about how he'd been lucky. Some were murmuring how he should have got out the way, others saying Auduriel should be paying more attention as the one able to do more damage to the other person. Most of those were the sorts who didn't like elves much. None of the mutters through the hush, Eragon was grateful for, regarded the shadow on her shoulder.

A few moments after the commotion, most people went back to what they'd been doing, a few glancing across to see if Eragon would react. Perhaps they were hoping for a fight. He himself had turned serious. There was no mistaking the distinct draconic shape of that shadow. He'd seen a couple of hatchlings not to mention raised Saphira to know their proportions and movements very well indeed. He knew every Varden Rider by sight and name, plus most of the others too, but he didn't recognise this elven woman. That could only mean she had very recently found her way to the Varden. Ignoring her warm but forced smile completely, he gave her a straight-faced look that said I know.

"I think you'd better come with me," he didn't mention why aloud, figuring she'd know what prompted him to suggest that. It wasn't much of a suggestion, though. He lead the horse to an empty sidestreet, prompting it to follow him with his mind in case Auduriel tried to urge it away. In the street, he looked at her, face still serious. A brief check with his mind, eyes and ears told him no one was in earshot. She was like to be a bit shaken by all that, so he should try calming her and convincing her she was safe with him first. Eka weohnata néiat haina ono," he began. "I will not harm you" in the Ancient Language to let her know he was telling the truth. He raised his gloved right hand, palm facing her, and removed the glove, revealing the gedwey ignasia shining beneath. "I'm a Rider. My name is Eragon, Rider of Saphira. Tell me, what is your dragon's name, or have you not decided on one yet?" he asked, not unkindly. It was mostly to start her talking so the words would come easier when he asked about what she was doing here. He didn't want her to feel alarmed or intimidated, but he was tired and wanted her to be honest.

[Capricorn]

The elf glanced down at the human, easily catching his glance. She allowed her smile to fade- not much of a feat, considering that it had been forced anyways- and glared at those who were looking at her. Auduriel had never liked people, and this had helped her perfect her glare. She allowed her horse to continue forward, letting go of the reins and instead allowing the horse to walk on its own. She was confident in her ability to, at the very least, escape from this person if he ended up being a threat. She still wasn't quite sure about just what he was.

"I think you'd better come with me."

So he had seen the hatchling, as Auduriel had thought he might have. The elf decided not to argue. The horse followed close behind the human, settling into a steady trot. The hatchling sent a message of a feeling that seemed to be apologetic. It's not your fault, don't worry. Auduriel said, but she was a bit nervous herself. Dras-Leona was under Varden control, but that didn't mean that maybe an Empire-aligned soldier had snuck in and seen the hatchling.

Auduriel observed her surroundings. It was a sidestreet, and it appeared to be empty, apart from her and the human. The buildings appeared to be abandoned, or at least empty at the moment. She knew very well that the hatchling was the reason that he had brought her here, but his intentions regarding her and the hatchling were unknown. Her hand rested on the hilt of her blade for but a moment, a habit of hers when she was nervous. She didn't want to seem hostile, of course, and hoped that the gesture was either unseen or believed to be what it was- a result of Auduriel being nervous. The elf noted, as an afterthought, that Ithíníl was rightfully hers now.

"Eka weohnata néiat haina ono. I'm a Rider. My name is Eragon, Rider of Saphira. Tell me, what is your dragon's name, or have you not decided on one yet?"

So this was Eragon Shadeslayer. Auduriel had heard plenty about him, but never had she seen him. He looked unusually normal, for being such a famous Rider. Auduriel nodded, his promise that he would not hurt her heard and appreciated. The elf was somewhat suspicious about whether or not he was actually Eragon Shadeslayer, but he showed her his gedwey ignasia. Even if he wasn't actually Eragon Shadeslayer, he was definitely a Rider and he had sworn in the Ancient Language not to hurt her.

Auduriel revealed her gedwey ignasia as well, although she felt as though she likely didn't need to.The hatchling crawled out of her bag, onto her Rider's shoulder once again. With a quiet wince, the elf repositioned the hatchling's claws so that they wouldn't poke through her armor. The young dragon was still a bit too large for her favorite perch, but at least this was slightly less painful.

"Eragon Shadeslayer." The elf greeted, but her voice almost sounded like she was testing the name on her tongue. A traditional greeting would have been nice, but Auduriel supposed that he was serious enough to forget. "She doesn't have one yet." The elf replied. Auduriel knew that a name likely wasn't all that Eragon wanted, but she would let him get to that in his own time.

[Quetzal]

Eragon noticed her hand on a sword's hilt, but didn't worry much about it. She had every right to be prepared to defend herself against a stranger who'd seen something she was keeping secret before dragging her off to an empty street. It would be unwise of her not to be ready to fight. He couldn't harm her now, but he could always get Saphira to pull him out of trouble if it came to it.

He was still in serious responsible official figure mode when the hatchling crawled out again. This time he could see her properly. She was so small! It was odd to him seeing a hatchling after being used to dragons of a much larger size. It felt as if someone had shrunk a full-grown dragon, although a few of the proportions were a little different. Serious as he was trying to be, he couldn't help but soften and give a small smile at the sight of her. Black scales glittered, reminding him of the dragon he was supposed to kill, but the purple eyes were innocent. "She's beautiful," he said, meaning the words. All dragons were beautiful in his opinion, and this one looked like a fine example of one.

A name would come in time for the hatchling, however they found a fitting one. He knew of a few others who'd suggested names of dragons from before the Fall to their hatchlings until one fit. It had taken a while for Saphira to be named, although he had been completely clueless about dragons back then and might have named her sooner otherwise. He knew Isrydia's dragon Arlyn had taken over a month to make up his own name. You had to be patient with dragons.

"Sorry to bombard you with questions, but what's your name? Where have you come from? Why have you come here? I'll gladly welcome you into the Varden's team of Riders if you'd like. Do you know how to care for the hatchling? Saphira and I can offer you both training, too, we do as much for all the Varden's Riders," he tried the basics first. He needed to know her purpose here most of all - then he'd be able to figure out where she fit into everything.

[Capricorn]

The hatchling looked at Eragon inquisitively, her eyes looking into his. She made a sound somewhat reminiscent of a bird chirping, and curled up against her rider, her warm scales pressing against her Rider's neck. Auduriel stroked them, taking the hatchling into her arms. She was beautiful. Perhaps Shruikan once looked similar to this, except the eyes. The thought sent a chill down the elf's spine, and she dispelled it quickly.

"Sorry to bombard you with questions, but what's your name? Where have you come from? Why have you come here? I'll gladly welcome you into the Varden's team of Riders if you'd like. Do you know how to care for the hatchling? Saphira and I can offer you both training, too, we do as much for all the Varden's Riders."

"My name is Auduriel, and I came straight from Ellesmera." The elf answered. "And we'd very much appreciate being brought into the ranks of the Varden's Riders. I joined the Varden in the past- indeed, I fought to claim this very city- but not as a Rider. She hatched only five days ago."

Did she know about caring for the hatchling? Her mother had taught her the basics and told the story of when her own dragon had hatched, but beyond that, she knew very little. Orelia had been expecting her to become a Rider- and, to Auduriel's surprise and perhaps even horror, that prediction had come true. "I don't know if I know enough. My mother taught me some... She was a Rider. Training would be very much appreciated."

[Quetzal]

Eragon like the chirping sound the hatchling made. Grown dragons could hardly be described as cute, but the hatchlings were adorable. Anyway, he had more important things to think about to ensure the young dragon's well-being. He could give Auduriel any information, equipment or help she might need in to raise the hatchling, but first he would need to determine how much help she would need.

Straight from Ellesmera, the hatchling only being five days old? That was some fast travelling and good thinking. He would always be in favour of anyone joining the Varden. They could use an extra fighter, and he wouldn't be comfortable sending in a hatchling to a battle, they could offer her protection during the fighting and in case things went badly. They would be safe here, especially surrounded by some of the best warriors and Riders in Alagaesia. A lot of elven warriors had come south; Ellesmera must be empty of most elves capable of protecting it by now. It wasn't so safe to stay there.

Eragon didn't question who Auduriel's mother had been. Rider parents could bring back bad memories. Almost all would have died during the Fall, which would bring back bad memories of loss... or shame. It was worse for the few like Murtagh, children of the Forsworn. There had only been thirteen of those and many more Riders, so statistically Auduriel was probably the daughter of one of the good Riders, like Eragon was the son of Brom. "If there's ever anything you don't remember or aren't sure about, just ask another Rider. We've all been through the same thing and dragons are unpredictable creatures." he paused, "Is there anything you feel like doing first? Finding a tent, getting some rest? Being introduced to the other Riders and the Varden authorities? Showing me what you know about fighting and magic so we can get training started or at least planned?" he asked.

[Capricorn]

Auduriel was relieved that Eragon hadn't asked who her mother was. There really wasn't any reason for him to, but she was always concerned about that. Shaking those thoughts from her mind, the elf tilted her head, deciding which activity to do first. All were good ideas, but she'd definitely want to find a place to stay first. Everything would have to be done at some point.

"I assure you, I most certainly will." The elf replied. "And I think that we should find a tent for the hatchling and I first. Then I'd like to show you what I know. Afterwards, I'd definitely like to meet some Riders or officials- it's important that I do, isn't it? New dragons are a big deal, and I'm sure they'll be pleased to know that there is another pair by-"

Auduriel was cut off abruptly. From the way that she and Eragon had come, several men were approaching. A few drew their swords as they came closer. "Filthy elf." One sneered, before fixing his eyes upon Eragon. "Are you Varden, boy? If not, why don't you help us put this elf in her place?"

Then, he rose his sword and charged towards the two Riders. Auduriel drew Ithíníl. "Brisingr." She said simply, not wanting to injure anyone.

A circle of fire rose up around Auduriel and Eragon. It wasn't real fire- it looked real, sure, but if one tried, they'd walk right through it. It was just an illusion. The elf noted that it was darker than the color of her magic last time. Purple was still visible, but in smaller amounts. She wondered if maybe the original color of her magic would eventually be lost forever.

The elf waited for Eragon to say something to them before doing anything else. Underneath Auduriel, the horse was afraid, but it wouldn't dare go through the fire. The elf used her mind to calm it, at least for a moment. The hatchling hid in the bag, not wanting to partake in conflict. The spell would slowly taken energy from Auduriel, but she was sure that she could keep it up for as long as needed. She could draw from Ithíníl's opal if she needed to.

[Quetzal]

Eragon was ready to go and find Auduriel a tent when a few armed men sauntered up. By their cocky attitude and racism, they were clearly just ignorant thugs. They probably knew how to use a sword to a decent extent from a history of fighting, but he doubted they would be all that skillful in their use. They did have numbers, and he tried not to underestimate opponents as a rule, but he was confident he knew where these people stood in terms of fighting ability.

They must not realise who they were facing, either. The hatchling had retreated to its bag and he was wearing his casual clothes, Saphira back at the camp, so there was nothing to tell the group they were picking a fight with two Riders, one of whom was Eragon Shadeslayer.

The circle of fire was a good idea. It was quick thinking on Auduriel's part, and he thought she was already showing great promise. He supposed with dragons choosing their Riders, it was to be expected that they would have great potential and talent. The fire meant they may not have to fight the group, and he really didn't want to spill any blood. They may not be good people, but they didn't deserve death. If it did come to fighting, he thought he might fight to defend and chase off, mild wounds if it came to it, but he'd avoid any serious injuries or mortalities.

"Yes, I'm with the Varden. We both are. And you have no right to be calling this woman filthy, you don't know her. I'm warning you, back off. Now." he said coldly, making eye contact with different members of the group to show he meant it. He drew Brisingr, the bright blue blade shining brilliantly in the sunlight. "You really don't want to do this..." he warned them. It was highly doubtful this would work, but it was all he could do to try avoiding petty unnecessary conflict.

[Capricorn]

One of the thugs let out a laugh. This one hadn't spoken before, and he was clearly drunk. "I see we have a 'good guy', don't we? You filthy little human, defending this elf." His words were slow and slurred.

The one who had spoken before turned around and hit the drunken thug in the head. He fell over, unconscious. The man whom had hit the other turned back towards Eragon and Auduriel. "How about we cut you a deal," He began. "You give us horses and money and we let you go." The man's threat was pitiful, and he knew it. He wouldn't dare go through the fire- he had already stepped back from it, and his eyes remained on the dark flames as he spoke.

Auduriel urged the horse forward, through the flames. It stopped, rearing up, the hatchling peaking out her head. The elf sent more positive feelings to the horse. It may not be a very intelligent animal, but hopefully it would get the message. Auduriel didn't want to do it, but she could take control of the horse's body and force it to walk through the illusion, need be.

Luckily, the horse listened to Auduriel. Inside, it knew that something was wrong, but the horse walked through the illusion anyways. The flames didn't climb any higher. The thugs glanced at the escaping elf. They already knew that she was a magician- they'd likely assume that she had a fire ward or something along those lines.

The elf turned the horse, her mind brushing against Eragon's. "It's me." She whispered aloud, loud enough for Eragon to hear. If the thugs heard it, they're probably have no idea what the elf meant. If permitted into the Rider's mind, she'd say, Walk through it. It's not real fire.

((You can control the thugs if you want. Also, sorry if this is boring- I haven't done forum RP in a while.))

[Quetzal]

Eragon raised an eyebrow at the thugs. "How about we cut you a deal? You leave and we'll let you go," he replied. As much as he didn't want a fight, there was no way he was giving these thugs anything. If he gave them their money and horses, they would probably carry on mugging people as they would know it could work. He needed to teach them that the path they were going down wouldn't lead them anywhere. Not to mention the fact that with his reputation, he could hardly allow himself to be beaten by a common criminal.

Although the thugs didn't look like they were capable of any sort of mental function, that encompassing mental contact, Eragon still upped his barriers at the touch of a mind. It might have been someone else entirely as well, someone working with the thugs to trick them. The mind was gentle, however, and had the light feel of an elf and the intelligent feel of a Rider. As he began to suspect, Auduriel claimed it was her, so her allowed her communication with his own mind.

Not real fire? Ah, that was clever. An illusion would use far less energy than a real fire, but the thugs wouldn't know the difference and weren't so stupid as to charge into what looked like real burning flames. He joined her in stepping through the blaze, feeling nothing as there was nothing there. The thugs' eyes widened. Auduriel was a magician like many elves, so that made sense, but the human boy? Magic usage was quite uncommon among humans. "She isn't the only magic user here," Eragon said with a pleasant smile that was more threatening than if he had glared at the group. "Now you are going to leave, and we will pretend this never happened and let you go on your way. You really don't know what you're getting yourself into. We're more than you can handle, trust me, we want peace in the Varden's towns and cities and you're spoiling it,"

The thugs weren't so confident as before, but with their alcohol-fueled confidence and previous streak of successful muggings based on intimidation alone, laughed. "You what, mate?" the most drunk one asked. "What you gonna do if we just stay here till you give us our money?" another shouted, thinking himself quite clever for having thought up the idea of staying and waiting for these apparent pacifists.

Eragon sighed and shook his head. He rested a hand on Brisingr's hilt. Even in its sheath, it could be seen to be a fine blade. He didn't want to draw it, though, in case they made the connection that coloured blades were Rider's blades. He couldn't say 'brisingr', either, else it would catch fire and give away his identity, but he did raise a hand to show his magic anyway. With a word, small sparks of lightning danced between his fingers. Perhaps it would be best to just fight them with his fists if it came to that. His gloved hands could pack a strong punch and they would only cause pain rather than causing permanent injury or death.

[Capricorn]

Auduriel's sword was still in her hands, but it was hanging low. Luckily, the white sheen reflected the dark color of the flames. It wasn't wise to give away the fact that they were Riders, the elf realized, from Eragon's hesitation to draw his sword. Auduriel slipped Ithíníl back into its sheath on her left hip. This would have to be thought with fists or magic, if at all. She knew that a Rider and an elf could easily defeat these thugs, especially because most of them, if not all of them, were drunk.

The elf had withdrawn from Eragon's mind right after she had given her message, and know regretted it. She had an idea which she thought would work, and wanted to alert the Rider first. Good old-fashioned oral communication would work, though. It wouldn't be bad if the thugs heard it, like it would have if they'd known that the fire was an illusion.

"I'm going to put them to sleep." The elf announced, moving to raise her right hand. She hesitated, however, realizing that her gedwey ignasia was on that hand. She instead lifted up her left hand. It felt almost strange to channel magic through that hand now. She'd have to get used to it.

"Put us to sleep?" One of the bandits said, howling with laughter. "Whatcha gonna do, mate, tuck us into bed and sing us one of them sweet little elven lullabies I hear about?"

The other thugs laughed in response. "Slytha." She stated simply, sounding rather annoyed and amused at the same time. The thugs crumpled to the ground, first the one who was the most drunk. Then the rest of his friends. "Letta." Auduriel added, the flames disappearing. She checked from the distance she was at to make sure that they were breathing- she didn't really care, but the Varden probably wouldn't like it if she killed people on her first day as a Rider in their base.

The hatchling crawled onto her Rider's back. How strange it was for Auduriel to think of herself as the Rider of this dragon when the dragon seemed more content to ride on her back. "That was unfortunate. I had hoped that we didn't have to do that. Lead on?"

The little black dragon stared at Eragon, her mind attempting to contact his. She was curious about this human. She could understand very well that he was a dragon Rider- she could sense it, not to mention the fact that she had listened to his conversation with her Rider. However, she was having issues- she was unused to contacting any mind but Auduriel's.

[Quetzal]

This might come to a fight after all, Eragon feared, before Auduriel announced she would be putting the thugs to sleep. How had he not thought of doing that before? It would allow them to do the thugs no harm and just walk away. He made a mental note to use that strategy in future. It could be quite useful.

The thugs were too drunk and enraged to care, but he noticed the swapping of palms. Hiding the gedwey ignasia was often necessary. Sometimes gloves could hide it, but in summer that would be questioned and would make his hands overheat and sweat. Gloves didn't give such good grip, either. He'd struggled to hide it at first, keeping his hand dirty for a while, but now there were pastes he could use to cover it over and blend it with the surrounding skin. It was a little thing that didn't come to mind at first when one thought about issues Riders had to deal with.

"That was some good thinking there, well done," he praised the new Rider. The hatchling had returned to her back. It was nice seeing the happy affection of a hatchling towards people it liked and trusted. "All right, we'd better get you two to the camp. There's a large space in the middle for big gatherings, Riders and dragons, so they'll be room for you there. Unless you'd rather be further from the other Riders and camp somewhere else," he said, leading the way out towards the Varden camp. "Oh, your hatchling might want to hide herself until we're in the camp," he said to the small black dragon.

He could feel a young draconic mind that could only be the hatchling's pressing against his, but she didn't seem to quite have the hang of contacting other minds. The contact would be there, then quickly fade, then hastily return again, like an animal that couldn't quite climb a wall. He gave her some help, opening up his mind and gently touching her mind too to strengthen the connection. Whatever she had to say or show him, he would listen.

[Capricorn]

The hatchling felt satisfied as she could finally communicate with Eragon. She could feel Eragon's mind touch hers, and that certainly helped. The little black dragon wanted to show him nothing in particular- she was more testing her ability to communicate with others. She was catching onto more and more of the common tongue and Ancient Language, but it would likely be a few weeks yet until she was able to actually hold a conversation with words instead of pictures and feelings.

Most things she shared with Eragon were from her own memories, but some had been plucked directly from Auduriel's mind. Most of the images and feelings didn't last long, around five to ten seconds. She shared them in what seemed to almost be a tide of memories- first, the hatchling slipping under Auduriel's hand to touch her palm against the elf's will, next a river that the dragon and her rider had crossed. The message changed between the fight with the Empire-aligned soldiers, an image of Auduriel's sword, the silver dragon ridden by Auduriel's mother, the sound of wingbeats as the hatchling's mother carried the egg, the sounds of the place in which the Rider's eggs were kept, a view of Uru'baen that Auduriel had once from a tower in her mother's manor, and the feeling of feline fur against the lower shell of the hatchling's egg. Her message ended with a vision that moved and was noticeable longer- of the hatchling's first taste of meat, raw venison.

Auduriel was unaware of her dragon's communication with Eragon. The hatchling retreated into the bag, and the elf ordered her horse to move forwards, to follow Eragon. She turned her head to look at the bag into which the little black dragon had disappeared. Dragons still made the elf somewhat nervous. She hoped that no mature dragon was in the camp. The hatchling was different- it was small and cute and innocent. Not a huge, monstrous creature like the silver dragon had been.

The elf simply nodded in response to the praise. She tilted her head, making a choice about whether or not to be with the other Riders. The hatchling seemed to want her to be with others- she assumed that the little dragon wanted to meet other dragons. Being within the clearing would be useful, and there'd likely be less traffic there than areas with other soldiers. "I'll take a tent in that clearing."

[Quetzal]

A flood of thoughts and memories came from the hatchling. Things that were important to her, Eragon assumed. He saw Auduriel's reluctance to become a Rider, which confused him. A lot of people dreamed of becoming a Rider. Children would play at Riders and dragons and would insist they'd be a Rider one day. He'd heard a number of young adults saying how great being a Rider would be after seeing or meeting him, and older adults often still thought it would be nice. There wasn't an age limit for dragons choosing Riders, after all, although magic did tend to make sure they found their Rider while they were still young (probably in case they died before finding the egg). Riders had a lot of responsibility, though, and he supposed when he first became a Rider he'd been very reluctant because he had thought he was the only one.

A silver dragon ridden by a woman was a memory taken from Auduriel, he guessed. That must be her mother, then. She'd said she had been a Rider. There was a sense of fear towards the people, though. Had her mother been unkind to her? Had the dragon frightened her? There was an image of Uru'baen too. Eragon had a hunch that might place the mother and dragon as members of the Forsworn, but he didn't bring it up.

He returned the memories the hatchling had shared with a few of his own; how scared he'd been when Saphira had hatched and he hadn't known what to do, how he'd wished this hadn't happened, Brom teaching him about dragons, himself and Saphira finally flying willingly together, and how close they grew. He wanted to let the hatchling know that her Rider might be uncomfortable with being a Rider, but the bond between them was strong.

"The clearing, good." The city walls were approaching. Two pairs of Varden guards stood watch at the gates and nodded with a grunt as they recognised Eragon, letting him pass.

As they entered the mass of tents, neat paths became apparent. There was some organisation to it all, wide paths kept clear with smaller ones between tents. Small areas were set aside for campfires or as training grounds. A lot of soldiers were about, some bored, some impatient, others relaxed. The battle wasn't to come for a short while yet so they didn't need to worry much about it. "Would your hatchling like to meet Saphira? Has she met another dragon before?" Eragon asked.

[Capricorn]

((I'm not sure if they got to the clearing- I just assumed that they did. I can revise this if they didn't.))

The hatchling expressed interest in the memories that Eragon shared with her. This time, instead of sharing memories, she expressed interest, curiosity. She'd heard other dragons before- the dragons of Riders and her mother- but never actually seen one. Saphira looked pretty, she noted. The blue dragon's scales were bright and simply beautiful. The little dragon imagined what her scales would look like when she was older. She assumed that there'd still be an inky color to them, but maybe the sun would make them sparkle or something along those lines. Her scales were already pretty, surely they'd get only more beautiful.

Auduriel's horse followed Eragon. Upon reaching the clearing, the elf slipped off. The hatchling jumped from Auduriel's back onto the grass. She had used her wings to cushion the fall, before spreading her wings and rolling onto the ground. The little dragon carefully placed one foot in front of the other- she hadn't had much of a chance to feel anything but grass, and she liked the feel on her scales. The Rider glanced down at her hatchling before nodding to Eragon.

"We would. She's never seen one before." Auduriel answered. She wasn't actually very sure about the dragon- she wasn't particularly skilled in communicating with her yet. Quite honestly, the elf was somewhat nervous about meeting a full-grown dragon. The last one that she had met- her mother's dragon- had been half-mad and wasn't friendly at all. The hatchling was different- she was small and friendly and certainly not like the silver dragon.

My mother's dragon must have been like that, once, too. Auduriel thought. She pushed it away.

"You know, I have no idea where her egg came from." The elf said, having switched to the Ancient Language. It was a strange story and she wanted to make sure that Eragon believed her. "I was sleeping... Dreaming. I don't know what it was about, though. All I remember is the end... There was a voice in my head. And I woke up. And there the egg was, in the middle of my room... Hatching. I still don't know where she came from. I was thinking that somebody may have put her there, but I have no idea who could have. Maybe magic."

The hatchling stretched her back, like a cat, and glanced at Eragon. She had never seen a Rider except for her own, until just now. Cautiously, the little dragon moved onto her hind legs, using Eragon's right leg to stay in this position. She lowered herself to the ground once more, slipping between Eragon's legs. She sat on the grass, tail curled around her feet.

[Quetzal]

The clearing was mostly empty, save a couple of people walking through every now and then. The ring of steel came from not far away; two people were sparring close by, probably Riders or captains or knights. Of dragons there was little sign aside from the odd patch of flattened grass. Most preferred to spend their time outside the camp where they would have more room to do as they pleased. They all returned at night to sleep by their Riders, offering the sleeping camp their protection.

Upon hearing the hatchling wanted to see a dragon, and seeing her undeniably large curiosity for himself, all it took was a gentle nudge of Saphira's mind for her to know what was happening. He showed her that they'd had some new arrivals who wanted to meet her, and she swept around through the air and showed him in turn how far she was from the camp. "Saphira will be here before long," he told Auduriel.

Having no idea where dragon eggs came from was normal, but Auduriel's case was more extreme than most. "I think it's clear whoever put the egg in your room must have known it would hatch for you. It was most likely their voice you heard, too. Whoever they are, they might be able to tell you more. That's how it was when I found Arya, the elf who'd sent Saphira's egg to me, although she hadn't know it would hatch," he advised. It would take a while to trace back a dragon egg, especially since the trail would go back at least a hundred years. Many Riders these days didn't ever find the whole story of where their eggs came from. Their dragons never learned of their parentage, but they kept hope that one day they might. Eragon looked down as the hatchling used his leg as a support to stand on her hind legs. He smiled at her. She seemed very eager to explore and learn.

A glittering blue blob in the sky grew rapidly as it neared the clearing. Saphira's eyes were fixed on them, studying Auduriel and the hatchling as soon as she was close enough. The adult dragon landed neatly, folding back her wings. "Greetings," she rumbled, overjoyed at seeing a new addition to her slowly growing species. She lowered her head to the curious little dragon where she sat on the grass. It was easier to communicate with images and feelings rather than words at this stage, so she sent to the hatchling a feeling of happiness and kinship. She gave the young one a gentle nuzzle.

[Capricorn]

The sight of Saphira made Auduriel nervous. Sure, the scales were a different color, and the adult dragon was smaller than that of Orelia, but the resemblance was clear. It was harder to see that in the hatchling- she was small and cute, not to mention the fact that the bond may have warped how the elf saw her dragon. Not literally- how she thought of the little dragon.

"So," The elf began, "Could you please show me to the individual tent while these two get acquainted? I need to set it up for the hatchling and I. I'm not expecting anything like a house that I have to set up or anything... I just want to arrange a place for me- for myself and the hatchling to sleep."

She had to correct herself- to say "myself and the hatchling" rather than "me". Auduriel supposed that she'd have to get used to it- especially when the hatchling was able to speak. Then it would be very, very obvious that the black dragon was intelligent, and it'd be expected. But slip-ups were understandable, weren't they? She had grown up around a dragon who was little more than a large animal. It was difficult to break that illusion, sometimes.

The hatchling was paying attention to her Rider's thoughts and emotions, but hardly. The hatchling sent comforting feelings, visibly startling Auduriel, but remained mostly focused on Saphira. It was great to see another of her species. She had some memories from within the egg, yes- of wing beats and voices- but they were faint, fading more and more with each day. Maybe they were made-up- perhaps they'd never happened, the hatchling wasn't quite sure.

But here was another of her kind, in the flesh. She allowed Saphira to nuzzle her, sending feelings of excitement in response. Then, she sent an image of Eragon- him as he stood right now- and an image of the shattered fragments of a dragon egg. She had pictured her egg as brilliant blue instead of black, likely something that Saphira would notice, as the background was that of an elven house. Along with these images, the young dragon attached a curious feeling- it was a question.

[Quetzal]

Eragon could see Auduriel was nervous around Saphira, understandable if her mother had been a member of the Forsworn as he suspected. Allowing the dragons to meet properly, he was keen to ease the elf's worries by letting her get away from Saphira. "We don't have any empty tents pitched up to save space. I can get you one if you pick a spot. Someone else can do the actual pitching if you'd rather spend time getting acquainted with your new surroundings, of course." Eragon led Auduriel away from Saphira and the hatchling, to the edge of the clearing where the tents began. There was the odd empty space here and there where a tent might fit. Of course, there was always the option of pitching right on the edge of the clearing, but dragons would be landing and sleeping there frequently. "If you see a spot you like, let me know."

Saphira was delighted by the attention the hatchling was giving her. Poor thing had probably never seen another dragon before, based on Eragon's thoughts. Too many hatchlings went a long time before meeting another member of their species these days. It was practically unheard of for a dragon to know of their parentage, too. Any dragon in future trying to see if any of their ancestors were great dragons of their time would find the task impossible. Dragons didn't care too much for family histories, but it was a shame all the same.

The image of a blue egg hatching outside an elven house with Eragon looking on suggested to Saphira that the hatchling was wandering about Saphira's hatchling, or perhaps where her egg had come from. The hatchling's egg would have been black, so the blue colour and the presence of Saphira led her to think the question regarded her. She sent back an image from Eragon's memories; what he thought had been a brilliant blue stone cracking open to reveal a creature he thought extinct bar Shruikan, in the middle of the night in his bedroom in Garrow's worn farmhouse. She next sent an image from her memory of the event, looking at a different Eragon in that same room in Carvahall. She was smaller than the hatchling in her memory, and Eragon was two years younger with far fewer worries, more innocence and happiness in his face and none of the looks of someone who has fought in war. There was a sense of distance to the memory. It happened a while ago, and so much had changed since then. Other dragons and Riders had come out of hiding, they'd found the Varden and had inspired them to pushing forward in this war.