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The Last Scion
By : RotSeele
Category: A through F > Eragon
Views: 5098 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Eragon. I do not make any money from this story.
Chapter List
- 18
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Thorn’s Foray

It was decided that Thorn would remain out of sight of the Varden camp and that Murtagh would go in under the guise of a To-Ga-Ir shaman. Thorn certainly didn’t enjoy being left behind but he understood that the Varden weren’t prepared for the shock of seeing him or Murtagh. Elva and her new body would already confuse them; they didn’t need an added shock of seeing a dead Rider and dragon land in their camp. It would take a little longer for Murtagh to reach the Varden since Thorn couldn’t get close without being spotted, but it was all for the sake of Eragon. Sometimes, Thorn mused, deception was needed to earn trust.

The red dragon could always drop in on the Varden if Murtagh felt threatened, of course. And Thorn was always looking for a flicker of distress, an excuse to swoop down and show the Varden they were making a terrible mistake. But he felt none, and so Thorn flew high into the sky, seeking out prey. He didn’t like to be without Murtagh, and he wanted to be beside him for this. But it wasn’t practical. Practical. Thorn snorted, a short jet of flame escaping in his irritation. He hated that word. He pumped his wings and rose higher, grumbling to himself. He wondered what was happening, but he knew they hadn’t yet reached the perimeter. Thorn debated on flying over his Rider, high where he couldn’t be seen. He shook his head to dispel the thought. Murtagh trusted him to stay away and Thorn wouldn’t betray that trust.

Unless his life was in danger, of course.

Thorn rested on thermals for hours, watching birds lazily fly beneath him. The squawky things gave him no news, and spoke more about nesting and mating than anything else. Thorn ignored the birds and looked to the earth below him for a sign of deer or something equally tasty. He spotted a buck as he passed over a small copse and turned to stalk the animal. He soared lower, lower still, remembering the hunting he’d done in the thick woods of the Spine. He folded his wings slightly and became a red bullet hurtling out of the sky. He folded his wings tight then and picked up speed. At the last second, before the deer even knew he was there, Thorn shot his wings out and hit the deer with all his bulk, bouncing the animal as he landed atop it.

-Hello?-

Thorn lifted his head and looked around him. -Hello?- He repeated. He was certain he’d heard something, but he wasn’t sure what it had been. Shaking himself, Thorn settled for his lunch. He had barely taken a bite before he heard it again and he glowered for a moment before he rose and padded from the copse, looking for the strange sound. He raised his head and lifted his wings, snuffling the air for any strange scent. His ruby eyes focused ahead of him and he knew what was about to come. He had wandered too close to the Varden camp. The warriors wouldn’t have spotted him, but another would’ve sensed him.

Thorn lunged, whipping his spiked tail up in Saphira’s face to deter her attack and remained planted on the ground while she hovered in the air.

-I don’t want to fight you!- Thorn shouted at her. Saphira snarled in reply.

-You are dead!- Saphira lunged at Thorn again. She was smaller by a few feet but Thorn had never been idle in his own training. Despite his bulk, Thorn was nimble and agile, avoiding Saphira’s attack and launching into the air. He didn’t go too high, coming back down to the earth a moment later to avoid a gout of flame. He didn’t want to hurt her, but it seemed he wouldn’t have a choice.

She collided with his back and they tumbled in a tangle of limbs and snapping teeth. Thorn managed to hook his front talons around her sides and rolled, kicking off into the air. Saphira snarled and quickly moved to chase him.

-Coward!- Saphira yelled. -Coward! Living on without your Rider! Slave to the egg-breaker! Murderer!-

-Shut up!- Thorn spun in the air and collided with the smaller Saphira again, the two fighting in midair. Thorn fought down his anger and kicked at Saphira’s belly, driving her off and away, and he turned for the copse of trees. He dove into the trunks, knowing she would follow.

Thorn landed hard and sent his thoughts to the trees, asking them to wake and aid him. He felt their reluctance to assist him against another dragon, but when Saphira’s rage touched the trees, they came alive around her, branches cracking against her body and wrapping around her, driving her down. She reached the small clearing where Thorn stood before Saphira’s momentum finally stopped. Saphira roared and snarled, but the threes wouldn’t let her go, and she eventually tired herself out.

-Coward.- She snarled at Thorn. -Murderer.-

-Shut up!- Thorn roared at her, glaring hard into her sapphire eyes. Saphira stared at him incredulously. -Shut up. Stop being a selfish, naïve little-!- Thorn stopped himself and fought to calm down. -Just be quiet.-

Saphira, seeing silence as a wise option, settled against her leafy shackles and glared at Thorn. She was honestly surprised to see him. She hadn’t expected to see another dragon of a crimson colour at all, and the moment she’d spotted him, she’d recognized him immediately. Thorn settled in a crouch and rumbled softly, as if he were muttering. Finally, his crimson head canted and the trees released Saphira.

-How did you do that?- Saphira asked of the red, her eyes gazing at the trees.

-I asked them to help me.- Thorn replied. -They answered.-

-How do you live?-

-What?-

-Without him.- Saphira asked, slightly angry. -How can you live without him?-

Thorn snorted. -Murtagh isn’t dead.-

-He isn’t?- Now she sounded surprised, even mollified. -How?-

-We survived.- Saphira didn’t receive any more information. Thorn took his attention off Saphira and went back to his cold lunch. He ate it, though he didn’t feel too hungry. He finally looked back at the older female and raised his head. -We were needed.-

-How do I know you’re not lying?- Saphira snapped. -How do I know you’re still not a slave?-

-How do you know I’m not?- Thorn countered. -You don’t understand anything, Saphira. What you see is your truth, and anything that goes against that is wrong. I haven’t forgotten the Burning Plains.-

Saphira’s blue eyes narrowed. -If you’d died then, Glaedr would still be alive!-

Thorn gave a series of short roars as if he were laughing. -Would he? You underestimate Galbatorix.-

-And you underestimate us.-

-Elva came to us.-

That statement rocked Saphira. -Elva found you?-

Thorn nodded. -I will tell you everything so that you’ll understand. I never wished for any of this. The circumstances weren’t of my doing, and the situations we’ve lived were for our own growth.-

Saphira listened to Thorn speak. He spoke of his birth, of his sheer joy at the sight of Murtagh. They fought to protect each other and the grief they’d brought they’d never intended. She listened and she thought. Finally, Thorn fell silent, and Saphira knew he’d left something out. She didn’t press, for Thorn trusted her with what he’d told her already. In time, he might tell her the rest, but not now. Saphira twitched her tail and watched the younger dragon carefully.

-I suppose,- she began, -I could be more open-minded.-

-Or look at all the angles.- Thorn replied dryly. -Forgive me for saying so, but your Rider is a prick.-

Saphira jerked, a little startled by Thorn’s word for Eragon. The red shook his head and sighed softly. -True, he’s learned the makings of a hero, but he’s blinded by that duty. When he asked for our lives, when he showed all of that stubbornness at our final battle, he was far too arrogant. He was -the- Rider, he believed. All looked up to him. And Elva told me of the second curse.-

Saphira looked away and felt ashamed. -He was young.-

-Youth is no excuse for foolhardy arrogance.- Thorn said in a soothing tone.

Saphira looked back at Thorn and wondered about the great red dragon. His crimson eyes watched her without judgment, and he angled his head to better look at her. -Where is Murtagh now?-

-He’s riding to his brother.- Thorn answered. -He will heal him.-

Saphira looked startled. -The Varden will kill him if he gets close to Eragon!-

-He isn’t without his own tricks.- Thorn said. -But I am worried.-

-We could go.-

-Not until he calls.- Thorn replied adamantly. Saphira blinked and realized Thorn’s reluctance to get close to the Varden had more to do with protecting Murtagh than fear.

-Why?- Saphira asked.

-Because healing your Eragon stems upon his identity being a secret.- Thorn said. -There are spies among the Varden, and were they to report to Galbatorix we still live, he would try to regain control of us. Were Murtagh in the middle of healing Eragon, Galbatorix could potentially kill them both.- Thorn hated that he had to lie to Saphira, for Murtagh wouldn’t be truly hurt because of the Scionmark. But Saphira accepted his words and nodded.

-What should we do then?- She asked of the red dragon.

Thorn eyed her curiously. -I’ve learned things you hardly know of. Perhaps I could teach you.-

Saphira’s eyes sparkled with interest. -Teach me what?-

-Depends.- Thorn replied after a gauging look. -Are you going to say your way is better?-

-Why would I say that?- Saphira sounded incredulous.

Thorn fought to keep from rolling his eyes. -Because you’re a stubborn, snarly female. You always think your way is better.-

-I do not!- Saphira snarled. Thorn snarled in reply. Saphira considered for a moment. -Maybe I do. I will keep an open mind.-

Thorn watched her for a moment longer, then nodded and spread his wings as if to take flight. -We’ll start simple. Often, the base lesson is the building block for the rest.- He added to quell her coming tirade. -Do you trust me?-

Despite knowing better, despite knowing what she did about the dragon across from her, Saphira couldn’t honestly say she did trust Thorn. But for the sake of her Rider, Saphira uttered, -Yes.-

Thorn canted his head and looked about to say something. He thought better of it, though, and nodded. -We’ll start easy. You know how to read the wind, yes?- He didn’t wait for her to answer. He continued the lessons, carefully instructing Saphira in the same way Bid’Daum had taught him, working his front paws as if they were hands, gesturing and showing.

Saphira watched, enraptured by Thorn and how careful he was. He could easily rip her wing when he extended it, easily snap her neck if he nudged it just a bit harder, but he was very careful. And Saphira sensed it wasn’t because she was the last female dragon, but because Thorn himself was gentle. She could see light scars on his wings where his teacher – Shruikan, Saphira assumed – hadn’t been so careful. Something other than pity welled in Saphira’s heart then, something she had felt when, mistakenly, she had met Glaedr. It wasn’t quite love, but she felt she could be open and vulnerable with her mighty nest-brother, and that he wouldn’t harm her. They ended the day’s lessons with Saphira trying to communicate with the trees around her. She gasped audibly when one sleepy maple answered her voice and Thorn’s deep rumble soothed the maple to sleep once more. The blue dragon looked at Thorn with a gaze of wonder and he stared back with a mild look.

-Can Murtagh do this?- Saphira asked.

-Do what?-

-Talk to the trees.-

-Of course he can. Murtagh is a master at it.- Thorn replied proudly. -He will teach Eragon, if Eragon wishes to learn it.-

Saphira, for the first time, felt saddened. -He’s doomed to leave Alagaësia.-

Thorn frowned and buzzed concern. -Says who?-

-The prophecy.- Saphira glared at Thorn when he began to laugh. -It isn’t funny!-

-Saphira, prophecies can’t control your life. The prophecy,- Thorn spat the word derisively, -can’t dictate what you should do. If you don’t want to fulfill it, you won’t fulfill it. They’re guesses, not accuracies.-

-How can you be so sure?-

-Murtagh and I were fated to die. Galbatorix gave us this prophecy. We believed it for a time, but he only spoke thus so we would obey him.- Thorn paused, searching for the right words. -Prophecies will come true, or they won’t come true. They may manifest now, tomorrow, or a thousand years from now. They have no power if you don’t believe in them.-

-Eragon’s been cursed with this fate several times.-

-Saphira, do you believe it?-

That made Saphira pause. Thorn continued, -He wouldn’t bear to be separated from you. If you don’t wish to leave here, he will not, and any who love him will remain as well. Besides, you don’t even know it will be Eragon who leaves.-

-His dream,- Saphira started, then stopped. She cocked her head at the larger male and thought for a moment, then tried again. -I don’t wish to leave Alagaësia.-

-Then make sure that is your truth.- Thorn said, approval in his voice. -Your truth is all you’ll need to defeat these… prophecies.-

Saphira nodded and watched Thorn as the red dragon spread his wings again. Thorn closed his eyes and listened. Murtagh briefly answered, but his concentration was focused on several wounded soldiers. He hadn’t seen Eragon yet. Thorn told him of his encounter, and though Murtagh disapproved, he didn’t scold Thorn. Finally, Thorn opened his eyes to focus on Saphira. -They’ve missed you. Arya is preparing to ride to find you. They can’t learn of us, Saphira!-

-Eragon is lost if they do.- Saphira said, understanding. -Very well. I’ll keep your secret and Murtagh’s, but I’ll come back tomorrow for a new lesson.-

-I wouldn’t ask for anything more.- Thorn bowed his head to her and Saphira replied in kind before she made to fly.

Soaring in the air back to the Varden camp, Saphira mulled over all she had learned. Her struggle – their struggle – wasn’t over, and she was beginning to think it would never be. But with Thorn and Murtagh’s appearance, with their knowledge and their secrets, Saphira felt the Varden and their allies could reach victory. Her role in the play Murtagh had begun was simple and she was confident she could do her part flawlessly. She spotted a doe and fawn on her flight back to the Varden and debated on taking one with her to add to her lie about hunting. Saphira shook her head and changed her course, flying past the animals. She could not, would not, take a babe from its mother or a mother from its child. The Varden camp loomed before her and she sought out Arya’s mind. The elf was relieved to know she was back, but Saphira could still sense the distrust the maiden held for the two strangers that had come with Saïle and Elva. Saphira landed gracefully and looked to Arya as she approached, ready to give a full accounting of her day should the princess ask for it. Arya never did, though, instead informing Saphira of the strangers and the one’s wish that he might look at Eragon.

“They call him Sharru-Kinu,” Arya told Saphira as she and Eragon’s elven mage guard escorted her to where Sharru-Kinu – Murtagh – waited. “He has proven himself an able healer, but of his motives he will not say. None of our wizards can penetrate his mind.”

Saphira bit her tongue against informing Arya of the Scionmark Murtagh wore on his face. She merely nodded.

-I will meet with him.- She told Arya. To herself, she added, -And I won’t be denied as you have.- That thought pained her, but she had already promised Thorn she would play a part in their conspiracy. For Eragon.

Always for Eragon.
- 18
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The Last Scion	By : RotSeele Category: A through F > Eragon Views: 5098 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Eragon. I do not make any money from this story.

The Last Scion