Kvistr, Melissa Nichols [red white royal blue txt] 📗

"Yes, of course. Alanna, why don't you get Vegz a room and show him around the grounds?"

"Yes, Eragon. Come along, Vegz." Alanna then turned and made her into the castle, Faolan beside her. Thankfully he was still small enough for him to fit into the castle's halls and doorways, so he could follow his Rider wherever he pleased.While Alanna led Vegz toward Nasuada's conference room, where she was sure to be, Alanna answered the few questions Vegz had about being a Rider and training under Eragon. Nasuada wasn't in the conference room, for once, so Alanna also gave Vegz a tour of the castle as she searched each room for the queen of Alagaesia.An hour later, Alanna had found Nasuada and had secured for Vegz a room to stay in until the adult Riders returned after the rescue of Teirm. With Vegz's room located and claimed, Alanna and Vegz settled the next most important thing for Vegz; food for his dragon. She led Vegz to the kitchen and grabbed a few slices of beef. The dragon squirmed as Alanna turned with the beef in her hands. Because they were in the center of the kitchen, and thus in the way, she and Vegz went to a corner. Vegz released his dragon and started tearing the meat into pieces, which his dragon couldn't wait to devour.

Alanna, we are being summoned to the conference room. Eragon and the others want to go over the battle plan.

I'll be right there. “Vegz, I'm being summoned. I have to go."

"I understand."

"I'll stop by your room later if you want to talk."

"Sure." Alanna nodded and trotted to the conference room. To her dismay, she was the last one, Faolan stretched out outside the door. "Alanna, good timing." Eragon said as a messenger delivered a map to the table. Murtagh took it and laid it out. "Teirm is divided into several sections and is brilliantly set up to defend against an attack from the ground, which we can use to our advantage. They aren't set up for an attack from the air. Saphira, Firnen and Thorn can circle the city and keep their respective Riders apprised of what they see while the three of us clear out the city in section. I'll take the North, Arya can take the East, Murtagh the South, and Murtagh and I both can divide the West. Working together, the three of us will flush out the Ra'zac and engage one at a time. We'll also get the citizens to Woadark River, and Alanna and Faolan will be waiting to take them down the river toward the lake and away from the city. Once all of the citizens are out, we'll search the rest of the city and flush out any missing Ra'zac toward the center of Teirm, the town square. It’s open in the middle with no nearby buildings. We will then seal off any entrances with magic while the dragons rain fire down on the Ra'zac."

"Eragon, that's a lot of work. Wouldn't it be easier to send in some soldiers to flush out the Ra'zac?" Alanna asked, quite concerned. Teirm was a huge city and there were only three Riders. It'd take all day before the mission was through, and even then there was a good chance several Ra'zac would get away. "It is a lot of work, yes, but the soldiers would only create more casualties. The soldiers aren't powerful enough, let alone skilled enough, to kill a Ra'zac. No, soldiers would only hinder us and increase the number of casualties. As Riders, we are the only ones strong enough to take on the Ra'zac and stand a good chance of coming away from the encounter alive. Add to that Arya's strength and swiftness, and Murtagh's cunning, not to mention our strength with magic, and then the brute strength of our dragons. Before the end of the day, every Ra'zac will be dead and casualties will be kept to a minimum. No soldiers, Riders only."

"Then wouldn't it make sense if I were to do my share within the city? Faolan and I could take the West side of Teirm, leaving you and Murtagh free to focus on your sections of the city. "

"You're not strong enough yet. You're a great swordswoman, Alanna, and you could probably handle a patrol of soldiers from three years ago, but you aren't strong enough to handle even one young, untrained Ra'zac. So, you will be best placed helping the citizens evacuate. The Ra'zac are fast and very strong, even as young as they are. You're fast and strong as well, but the Ra'zac are simply faster and stronger. Not to mention, I just don't think you're ready. I don't feel comfortable with sending into battle with a fearsome, dark creature a Rider whose dragon is only four months old."

"Saphira was younger than Faolan is now when you killed that Shade, Eragon, and you had less training than I did."

"And I only survived that encounter because Arya and Saphira broke the Star Sapphire, which distracted Durza. If they hadn't, I would have been killed. I don't say I was strong enough to kill a Shade by myself even with so little training in so short a time as there was. I tell like it was. I killed Durza by sheer luck, and I will not send in a young Rider to do a deed then I almost didn't survive even with Saphira and my cousin there to help after a half year of training with Oromis and Glaedr. Furthermore, you're not to engage any Ra'zac unless they come to you while you are ferrying the people to the lake, end of discussion."Duly chastised, Alanna bowed her head in acquiescence and listened as the adult Rider kept strategizing. Even though the mission taking place inside the city won't affect her, she still listened, hoping she'd have to lead a group in a similar mission using these same tactics to win the day. She may not be ready for battle yet, but one day she would be the one in charge of a mission, and she wanted to be well-prepared.Once the plan was agreed upon by the older Riders, the group dispersed.Eragon watched Alanna leave, bewildered. Alanna didn't normally argue. She was often as levelheaded and logical as Arya, and always seeking out more knowledge from his lessons."This is why children were paraded before the eggs at the age of ten. That's roughly three years of training without the complication of adolescence." Arya stated, watching Alanna leave as well. Eragon wasn't surprised by Arya's unexpected statement. She had a talent for knowing what he was thinking."I understand how she feels, her eagerness. She's a good student, and she wants to test her skills, see where she needs improvement, to see something as chaotic as battle because her life has been so calm. A body can only take so much training, knowing what their destined for."

"I didn't feel like that."

"By the time you saw battle, you had already traveled the country, rescued me from Gil'ead, fled thirty-five leagues in three days, had two encounters with the Ra'zac, saw the destruction of an annihilated village, and lost Brom and Garrow. You knew you needed training more than you needed to fight. Yours and Alanna's situations are entirely different."

"Yes, you're right. What do you think I should do?"

"Change nothing. You’re already handling her quite well."

"Though I wouldn't argue with her, just state my dominance over her." Murtagh interjected."Dominance?" Eragon chuckled. "What are we, a pack of dogs?" Eragon's chuckle exploded into full-out laughter, as did Murtagh. Arya allowed herself a small smile."A smile?" Murtagh asked. "From an elf?"

"Elves are perfectly capable of emotion, Murtagh." Eragon started to explain. "We simply don't let it show."

"But I show my emotions only when I'm relaxed and with Eragon."

"You're a lucky man, Eragon." Murtagh said as he pounded his brother on the back."As well I know, Murtagh. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't thank Saphira for choosing me as her Rider. Without her, and Arya sending me Saphira's egg, I wouldn't have met Arya."

"You're so touchy-feely now, Eragon. What the hell?"

"One word, brother. One word explains it all."Murtagh understood what Eragon was implying and shook his head as he grinned. He patted his brother's shoulder again and left. Murtagh understood that as well. While Nasuada had been Galbatorix's captive, Murtagh had visited her every day to keep her company and find a way to free her. As a result, Murtagh had fallen in love with the dark-skinned rebel leader. It didn't matter to him that Nasuada was more interested in securing her throne than in starting a future with him. Okay, it did matter. Her rejection yesterday had almost driven him away back to where he had spent the last three years. But, he was a Rider and the new queen would surely be in danger. So, he grew up, pulled up his boots and made himself her bodyguard, all the while trying to make himself fall out of love with Nasuada, for his own sanity.Thorn sympathized with him, feeling similar. The only female was Saphira, whom was happy with Firnen. Thorn knew that monogamous mating wasn't in a dragon's nature, and certainly not in Saphira's, but he was simply afraid to approach her. Thorn was terrified that, because of his history working for Galbatorix while Saphira fought for the Varden, Saphira wouldn't let him even start the mating process. Murtagh had given up trying to convince Thorn to at least try, and simply decided to take it into his own hands. He couldn't stand his partner being distressed, and if Thorn wouldn't solve his problem then Murtagh would.Murtagh took a turn down the hallway and came out right where he wanted to be. In front of him, Saphira, Firnen and Faolan were laying down together and Murtagh hesitated. He knew how much Saphira hated her sleep being disturbed.Tentatively he approached her and told her of Thorn's dilemma once she had raised her head to listen.When he was done, Saphira thanked him for alerting her to the situation and moved off to challenge Thorn to a duel. Murtagh grinned, excused himself from the remaining male dragons, and went inside.

That night, Alanna didn't enter her bedchamber until dawn was a few hours away, having spent the night preparing. Before the sun went down and the kitchens had closed, she had filled her gemstones with energy she had procured from the animals the butchers intended to kill. She saved the animals the pain and simply bade them to sleep. While they slept, she drained their energy. Now she understood why elves refused to eat meat. It was difficult for her to eat after she had shared her mind with the minds of the dying animals as she killed them, so in essence, she died as well. And then, in a cruel twist of irony, Eragon had demanded she eat meat until after the battle four days hence. She noticed that Eragon and Arya both had meat on their plates so she also grudgingly ate once Murtagh had explained that meat provided nutrients and energy that she