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

"Good. Now, because you're still so new to being a Rider, you're training will differ from Arya's until your dragon hits certain milestones in his development. For now, the most important thing for him is to learn about language. So, during this hour, I want you to start teaching him about language and words. I have some scrolls you can read off of, and then you connect those words to an impression or image respective to the word."

"I'd appreciate that. Thank you, Eragon-finiarel."

"You're welcome. And please, just Eragon will suffice." Alanna started to argue, wanting to point out that the finairel was a term of great honor and praise for a male, that he had earned it and it was only just that he be recognized with it. "I know what you're going to say. I understand the term and what it means. However, since we're going to be working together until the end of our days, I consider us equals and so I feel like words of honor and praise shouldn't be used here. Arya agrees with me and has already told me she wishes you myself to not call her Queen or any other title at any time. Saphira, however, loves the titles so she'll expect you to use them when you address her."

"Yes, Eragon. I'll try to restrain myself. Oh, among those scrolls you mentioned, do you have any of exclusive male names? I should also teach my dragon about names and get him acquainted with them so he can have a wide range to choose from when he decides he wants a name as well." Eragon chuckled as he smiled. "I do have such a list. I'm surprised by how much you've already thought through this."Alanna blushed and looked at her feet sheepishly. "I've had a lot of time to think about what being a Rider would entail, and a lot of time for reading about dragons and Riders."

"Good! You did research. That's good thinking, Alanna."

"Thank you."

"Now, let's focus on you teaching your dragon about words, hmm? I'll get those scrolls for you. Come on inside." Eragon stood and Alanna followed him inside.The hut was small, circular, with every surface of the walls covered in spaces for scrolls. In the center of the room were three desks and chairs, each equipped with a fresh roll of parchment, a sharpened quill and an inkwell. Alanna sat down at one of the desks and her dragon hopped up onto it. She smiled and stroked it hesitantly at first, then more assuredly when she heard the dragon start to purr."I've never seen a dragon being so affectionate." Eragon observed, turning from the wall with some scrolls in hand. He approached and gave her the scrolls."Aren't all dragons like this?"

"Saphira wasn't. Well, probably because I had to spend most of the day making sure my uncle and Roran didn't learn about her. I was so sure they'd kill her and I couldn't bear the thought of that, so I hid her in the forest. After my chores were done, I went to her and stayed there until dark. Even then, she didn't ask for strokes. The most she did was lay down against my leg. As she got older, I was the one cuddling against her belly, but that was the extent of it. It must be a personality thing."

"That makes sense." Alanna was still focused on figuring out what her dragon liked so she didn't reply as heartedly as she ought to have."Here are the scrolls. I suggest starting right away. That dragon has two languages to learn fluently, the ancient language and the modern language. You'd best get going." Eragon subtly ordered as he set the scrolls near Alanna's hand and he walked outside. Alanna picked up one scroll, scanned the contents and connected her mind with her dragon's int he same way that she would with her brother for a private conversation, and how she did this morning. The word on the scroll was 'Horse', so she imagined a picture of the horse and below the animal flashed the word 'Horse'. She didn't know if the dragon was learning, so she moved on to the next word, another animal, and did the same thing. Then, she went back to the horse, and then the second animal before she moved on to the third and repeated the cycle.After five words, she put away the scroll and looked the dragon in the eye. Then she tapped his chest and said You, then she pointed to herself and said Alanna. She repeated it again a few more times until the dragon squeaked as an acknowledgement. Smiling, she stroked the dragon as praise, then picked up one of the scrolls. Leaving it rolled up, she held it up and said scroll. After she had repeated it a few times, the dragon squeaked again.After an hour, Alanna had managed to get the dragon familiar with twenty animals, the words you, scroll, quill, Alanna and chair for a total of twenty-five words. It was good progress for the first hour and Alanna was actually looking forward to working with the dragon some more.Eragon and Arya came back into the hut as Alanna was rolling up the scroll she held."Okay, then. Today, you won't be just teaching your dragon about words. You'll also learn one of the most important skills of begin a Dragon Rider. On your feet." Eragon resumed his mentor voice. Alanna stood and followed her queen and mentor outside. Arya drew her sword and prepared it while Eragon went into the forest and found a couple of thick sticks of about the same length. He came back and tossed one stick to Allanna."Now, let's spar. Your opponents of the future won't go easy on you, so don't expect me to coddle each other just because you're new."

"Yes, Eragon." She muttered as she accepted her was actually kind of nervous. She had never sparred with anything resembling a sword before. Would Eragon laugh at her inexperience? He said he wouldn't go easy on her. So, her bigger concern was how hurt would she get?Stepping back a few paces, Eragon and Alanna held up their sticks but they didn't move.After a period of silence, in which both opponents were still, a flock of birds flew overhead. Alanna looked up at them. In that instant, Eragon leapt forward, swinging his stick like it was a club. Alanna barely had enough time to bring up her own to block his attack. The sticks collided with a resounding smack, and the force of the impact threatened to make her arm go numb. But she couldn't worry about that right now. Eragon had already retreated and was preparing another blow, but he left his stomach wide open. Moving quickly even by an elf's standards, Alanna jumped forward to jab him in the belly, then she danced away. Eragon grinned and praised her, but he kept up the attack. It was quickly apparent that he was trying to keep Alanna on the defensive, and the speed and power with which he delivered blow after blow mostly resulted in him getting in several hits and some others blocked. Also, he never gave her enough time to analyze his body for openings between attacks, let alone enough time to take advantage of that by jumping forward to hit him again.After a few rounds with Eragon, all of which she lost, despite getting in a few hits, Eragon traded plces with Arya.Alanna held no illusions that she had a chance against Arya. Her queen had more than a century of battle experience more than Alanna, was faster, stronger and was more sure of her body and it's limits, and her abilities. Alanna wasn't even sure if she could dodge one of Arya's attacks. Regardless, the point of this wasn't to come away unscathed; It was to become a better swordsman. So, Alanna fought back. She didn't land a single blow on Arya, but she tried, even when she received blow after blow.It was a welcome relief when Eragon called a halt to the sparring. Exhausted and hurting, Alanna dropped her stick and tried to catch her breath. "Okay, then. Come inside." Eragon said as he led the way. Arya and Alanna ducked inside and took a seat. Eragon had already selected a few scrolls and had set up three piles. He grabbed one scroll from each and set a scroll in front of each student. "Alanna, how well can you read and write in the ancient language?"

"Fluently."

"Then I want you to read this." He replied as he set the scroll down in front of her. She opened it, as Arya already had, and began reading. It was slow going. She hadn't read in three years, the activity having been forbidden by Gerard, so she had to struggle a bit, but she still made good progress. She finished two of the three scrolls by the time Eragon said to stop.Eragon assigned Arya to reading some more scrolls, but he kneeled down beside Alanna. He dipped her quill in the ink and wrote out a character that she didn't recognize. Eragon explained that she would be learning how to read, write and speak in his language, and that this was the first letter of their alphabet.For the rest of the day, Eragon taught her about the first three letters, had given her a few examples that began with one of those three letters, and explained the grammatical structure of the language. It was so much to take in that Alanna's head was really pounding by the time Eragon said they could go home, when the sun was touching the horizon and the dragons came back.Everyone mounted up, the girls on Firnen and the Eragon on Saphira, Alanna's dragon nestled in his Rider's lap. Before departure, Eragon presented Alanna with a knapsack with scrolls. "The names of male dragons, all of them used at least once, as well as words you should teach your dragon. You don't have to give them back right away." He explained and Alanna thanked him as she shouldered the pack. Then the dragons took off and flew back to Ellesmera. During the flight, Alanna reviewed the words she had introduced to her dragon, unwilling to risk the safety of the scrolls.

Alanna, now that you're a Rider, you'll be living in a treehouse designed especially for and used exclusively by Riders. There's even a giant bowl on each level filled with pillows for a dragon. Arya explained through a mental link, the wind being too strong for words to carry to Alanna's ears well.

Really? But what about my stuff?

I already arranged for everything that belongs to you to be taken to your treehouse.

And what about food?

A plate heaping with food is delivered every morning, along with a cage of rats for your dragon. Live, of course. He has to learn how to hunt and he can't do that if they're killed before he can get to them.

Yeah, that's true. Hmm. I might be able to use those rats to help him progress in his training.Oh, great! Thank you, Arya. For the rest of the flight, Arya kept giving Alanna tips about what changes to her life that she should expect.Just as Arya had warned, Firnen landed outside a house sung out of a very old tree. Arya explained that this was Alanna's new home and that all of her stuff was inside, she had only to put it away.Suddenly feeling the exhaustion creep upon her muscles, Alanna thanked Arya and jumped from Firnen's back to his shoulder, to his elbow and down to the ground. She turned around and opened her arms to her dragon, who jumped and easily landed into her arms. Smiling, she nuzzled him a bit before she set him down. Waving at Arya, Alanna turned and climbed up the very long and very steep staircase.By the time she got up to the top,