ok so i wrote this baced on the events in eldest. iv writen 9 chapters but im only posting the first 2 then if people like it ill probably post the rest. hope yall like it
ok so here i go

Chapter 1~Eralay

the servant girl ran down the empty corridor, bare feet padding softly against the ground, long brown hair floating behind her in the soft breeze. The night sky was full of stars, like white pinpricks in a sea of black velvet. The girl was already late. The shadows followed her as she raced to her room, the younger servants were not allowed out of their quarters after dark, especially not her. She silently opened and closed the door, she was lucky this time.

The servants name was Eralay and she was not just any servant, she was a magician! She worked for Galbatorix as a servant but when the occasion called for it, she would use her powers. Along with some other of Galbatorixs’ minor magicians they had scried large battles, gotten important information from prisoners and many other things. She was the youngest in the group and thought to be the least powerful but they were wrong. Eralay was in fact half elf which meant she possessed half the magical strength of an elf and because both her parents were riders she had also inherited their strength in magic. But she kept her powers secret. If Galbatorix knew how strong she really he would use her as a magician in his army, and she loved being in the castle. A lot of things happened in the castle, and it was safer.

Eralay was quite old but she did not look it. When she was younger Eralay had attempted a spell but it went wrong. As a result of this her body does not age as she does. Eralay had the appearance of a 19 year old but was actually around 116 years old. She had lived in the time of the riders with her mother, Belitha, and her mother’s dragon, Leathea. Both her mother and father were riders but her father, Corin, was weak minded and joined Galbatorix out of selfishness. On the day of the fall, when Eralay was 16, Eralay and her mother were out flying when they were attacked by another rider, Eralay had escaped but both her mother and Leathea were killed. The rouge rider turned out to be Corin, Eralays’ father, but Galbatorix betrayed and killed Corin soon after, leaving Eralay alone. After the fall Eralay fled with Brom to the Beor Mountains and hid until she left to explore Aligaesia. Then she was captured and sold as a slave to Galbatorix. She had now been working for him for several years.

Recently though strange things have been happening throughout the Empire. She had heard her master speaking of the new rider, Eragon, joining the Varden. She had also heard him speak of three dragon eggs. After the fall, she had heard rumors that Galbatorix had stolen three dragon eggs and she had now heard that one of them had been stolen by the Varden, the rebels that fight against the Empire and Galbatorix. She guessed that was where Eragon had gotten his egg from. Eralay wished that she could join the Varden and destroy the man that had been her parents’ demise but she knew this was not possible. Escaping Urû’baen on her own would be a feat worthy of recognition but it would be insane to try and cross the Hadrac Desert to Aberon, where the Varden were said to be, by herself. It was unlikely that she would make it even a few leagues from the city without being caught by soldiers or worse, the Razac. She figured she was safer in the castle anyway. If there was a war going on in Aligaesia, she did not want to be part of it.

Chapter 2~The Room

Three days after the night Eralay was late another strange thing happened, except this time it was inside the castle. A large room was being built in the eastern wing of the castle, near to the kings’ chambers. Construction took a very short time so Eralay assumed that magicians had been used in the building process. The night after the room finished a group of no less than twelve soldiers escorted a box into the room followed by her master. A short time later Galbatorix re-emerged followed by the soldiers, two of which stationed themselves outside the room, one on each side of the door. Eralay watched as the others made their way down the corridor and out of sight. Something faintly touched her mind, calling out to her from inside the room. This scared her and she silently ran. That night she did not sleep.

The next day she did as she normally would but trying to avoid the new room. Though try as she did she was still plagued by the voice, it seemed to follow her, growing weaker the further away she went but never disappearing. At first she recoiled from the voices touch but she eventually became used to it. That night she sat silently in her room, a single candle flickering on the table. She could tell the voice was becoming more desperate but she could only make out certain words. She knew the only way to hear the voice properly was to open her mind to it, but she was not sure whether she wanted to do that. When Eralay first came to the castle Galbatorix had insisted her mind be searched. She had blocked out most of her memories but the examination was brutal and she no longer trusted people into her mind. Eralay could sense the voice knew this but yet it pleaded on. What would make it so desperate and more importantly, what was it? What was in that room? She had to find out.

She lit many candles and placed them around the room making the walls dance with shadows. Eralay sat in the middle of a circle of candles laid out on the floor, crossed her legs then closed her eyes. She thought of nothing but the voice, that desperate voice that called to her from within the room. For a long time there was nothing. The voice had ceased and the room was silent, the only thing she could hear was the whisper and tap as a soft wind blew leaves through the castles many corridors. Suddenly an image hit her with such force she was pinned to the floor. The image was of a room with walls painted black. Everything was black, the ceiling, the floor, even the door. No windows existed anywhere in the room but in the centre stood a pedestal, bathed in an unnatural white light. On the pedestal lay a rock that did not feel like a rock. The rock was purest gold with one white vein stretching around it. To the untrained eye the stone would look like a very expensive trinket but Eralay saw it for what it truly was, a dragon egg. When she opened her eyes she once again saw her room. All the candles, except one, were blown out and two pleading words hung in her head. ‘Help me’.

It was several hours before Eralay tried again but this time the effect was instant. She saw nothing this time, only felt another presence inside her head. She was slightly intimidated but she held strong. ‘Who are you?’, asked Eralay focusing the question towards the other thing. ‘I think you already know’ said the voice, it was deep and strong. ‘I am the dragon inside that egg, I am your dragon’. The voice was sensitive but also had an air of authority that let Eralay know that it was telling the truth. ‘But how can you know that?’ She said starting to panic. ‘Be calm little one. I have known since I was brought to this place, back when I first sensed your presence. But unless you touch my egg I am trapped’. ‘Where are you?,’ she asked fearing she already knew the answer. ‘In a room guarded by two soldiers’, as she heard the words she once again started to panic. ‘If you are still in your egg then how do you know where you are? How can you know about the soldiers and how is it that you can contact me?’ Curiously Eralay waited for a reply. ‘you have many questions little one’ said the dragon sounding amused ‘ever since I entered the castle, and felt you so close, I have been able to use powers as you do, to sense your surroundings and those who are around you. As for contacting you, we have a special bond. Do you remember the dragon that attacked you when you were younger? Yes? Well that was my mother. I felt you then, when I was barely alive, and now we are one again.’

Eralay and the dragon talked for a short time after this about how she would reach him then they parted. Eralay had been shocked at what she had learnt. They had arranged that three days later Eralay would break into the room. They did not know what they would do after that but they knew neither of them wanted to join Galbatorixs’ army, but they had to be together again.

The tree days passed without incident and on the third night Eralay returned to her room just after sunset, as per usual. Later that night, after everyone had returned to their quarters, Eralay started preparing. When the time as right Eralay chose the correct words from the ancient language and said them softly so as no passersby could hear. Suddenly she vanished from sight. The spell had worked, she had turned invisible!

As if it moved on the air the latch on the servants’ door moved, the door swung open then shut again, latching itself once more. A soft sound could be heard in the corridor leading to the castles east wing, like bare feet on the floor, but nothing could be seen. Eralay walked quickly, trying not to make a sound. She soon found herself at her destination, standing outside the room, facing the two guards. On the other side of the door she could feel the dragons’ excitement at being so close to her and to escaping, the feeling was almost overwhelming. In a voice so quiet it could barely be heard Eralay whispered “slytha”. She let the magic rush through the barriers in her mind then though her body and watched as the soldiers slumped against the wall as they fell asleep. For an instant a small smile crossed her lips but there was no time to celebrate, doing both spells at once had sapped most of her energy so the sleeping spell wouldn’t last long, she had to be quick.

Eralay rushed to the door but, finding it locked, searched the guards for the keys. She found a small ring with a single key belted to one of the guards waists, tried it in the lock, and the door swung open. She quickly ran inside, shut the door then released the magic keeping her hidden. She suddenly felt exhausted and longed to sleep but she knew this was not the time to rest. Taking out a piece of cloth she took a step towards the pedestal in the middle of the room, then another, then another until she was so close she could almost hear the dragons heartbeat. Being careful not to touch it she wrapped the cloth around the egg. If she were to touch the egg now something may happen that would make her unable to get away in time, it would have to wait. Using the ancient language Eralay focused on making an exact copy of the egg. She laid her hands on the pedestal and slowly raised them until, there in front of her, lay a perfect replica of the egg.

Covering herself, along with the egg, in magic again Eralay made her way back to the door, replaced the keys and ran silently back to her quarters. When she was safe once more she dropped the egg onto the floor, released the magic and flopped onto her bed. She did it!

Don't stop there arya_rox_4.lyfe...please put more....I really want to know what happens next...it's very interesting...

ok sorry i took so long to get back to you....im now up to chapter 10 almost chapter 11 and just over 10,200 words (how cool??) heres the next two chapters coz thats all i hav on the school computer at the mo

Chapter 3~ Shaidin

A
fter catching her breath Eralay rose from the bed. The egg lay on the floor, cloaked in the cloth but still partly visible. She could feel the dragons’ excitement and anticipation and her own. She knelt next to the egg and uncovered it. The light from the candles lit around the room bounced off its glossy surface making it glitter. She warily reached a quivering hand out towards it and softly placed her fingers on the cool surface. The next moment the room was bathed in gold light. Eralay shut her eyes and tried to move her hand to shade them but her hand would not move, as if it was glued to the egg. Suddenly Eralay caught her breath. Something happened, it felt like the rush of magic before a spell took effect, her body prickled, she shook violently and her palm burnt with searing pain. She was no longer aware of her surroundings, only the blinding pain in her hand and though it, the soft cool touch of the egg. All at once everything stopped; the shaking, the pain, and the world went black.

Eralay had never experienced anything like what she did that night. When she woke up she slowly took in her surroundings. Nothing much had changed, her room looked the same except for the egg, it had cracked in two where the vein had been and lying on her chest was a small, wide eyed, golden dragon. Right then she felt the familiar touch of the dragons mind except this time it was stronger than ever before. Her hand tingled and she looked down at it. A silver oval filled her palm-the gedwёy ignasia- the mark of the riders. Eralay smiled at the sight of this, she was now truly a rider.

The dragon looked at her, eyes smiling and inquisitive, then it pressed its head to her chest. The dragon seemed to sigh, ‘finally’ it said, voice echoing through her head. Eralay laughed ‘sorry did I take too long?’, she asked playfully, ‘yes actually’ it replied sarcastically. ‘what happened?’, asked Eralay placing her hand on the dragons neck,’ I mean, I’d heard it took days for an egg to hatch once its rider touched it and it all happened so quickly!’ the dragon locked eyes with her. ‘I don’t quite know’, it replied, ‘I’ve been ready for you most of my life, perhaps that is why’. Eralay thought about this for a time ten the dragon yawned and shifted. A thought sprung to mind, ‘I don’t even know your name!’ she exclaimed. ‘That’s because I don’t have one yet’ the dragon said in a mocking tone.’ Oi, don’t get cocky’ retorted Eralay, ’what should it be then?’ The dragon lifted itself up, jumped high then glided onto the bed. ‘I have been looking through your memories while you slept and I think I found one I like, an old friend of yours I believe, what do you think of Shaidin?’ Shaidin was an old friend. They had both lived in Ilirea for many years. A year before they met, Shaidin was chosen to be a rider by his dragon, Lorin, and was in Ilirea to be trained by the rider Oromis. Eralay and Shaidin were very close friends but they could not stay in contact when she and her mother moved to Vroengard. Last she had heard of him, Shaidin had disappeared half a year before the fall. “I like it” she spoke out loud, smiling.

For the next few weeks Eralay continued on as she normally would. Galbatorix had need of the magicians’ powers more and more often now, they cried many things including the aftermath of an attack on the seaboard town of Teirm. Although these activities consumed a large amount of her power, since the rest of the group was weak and she did most of the work herself, it was a good way for Eralay to monitor the happenings around Aligaesia and help her and Shaidin plot their next move. From the things that the magicians scried and from things she had heard around the castle Eralay had learnt that Galbatorix was mounting his army for a full fledged attack on the Varden. The army was set to depart from Ûru’baen in two days. This was the chance they had been waiting for! Galbatorix would be so occupied with preparing his army that they could slip away unnoticed and if they were found out there would not be enough guards left to pose a threat.

Since the egg hatched, over three weeks ago, Shaidin had grown a tremendous amount. Eralay saved any scraps of food she had for him and in just over a week he had almost quadrupled in size. He soon became too big to stay in the castle so when he was a week old, Eralay smuggled the dragon outside into the courtyard, in the dead of night, and he flew off to hide elsewhere in the city. He returned every night for the next week but soon he became too big and attracted too much attention. Although they could not see each other they always stayed in contact and shared everything with each other at night. No one noticed that the egg had been switched but the original guards were gone and security around the door was tighter, with six guards manning the door, three on each side.

Unknown to the rest of the castle, over the next two days, Eralay began preparing to make her escape. The small amount of possessions she had Eralay bundled up in a large cloth from the kitchen she stole several days worth of food supplies and from the stables she took a large saddle and a long length of rope. She acted like nothing was happening around the others so no one suspected anything. Over the two days Eralay and Shaidin formulated their plan and everyday she ran it though her head over and over. They were going to do this. They were going to escape!

Chapter 4~ Escape

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n the evening of the escape Eralay returned to her room early. The whole day hundreds of soldiers had been entering and leaving both the castle and the city which, as she had hoped, distracted Galbatorix for most of the day. Nearly all the servants, besides the ones that personally served the king himself, were confined to their quarters for the most part of the day, only being excused to eat. Eralay relished this chance to fine tune and double check all the preparations for that night. After a meagre dinner she ran back to her room and changed from her servant clothing. She now wore a tight black top and long black leggings that reached her ankles. Stalking to one corner of the room she looked in the mirror. After tying back her hair into a tight ponytail Eralay studied her reflection. She had inherited her more angled features and tapered ears from her mother, who was an elf, but her face was a lot softer than any elf she had ever seen thanks to her human father. Her pale skin and dark hair made her look very exotic and young while her old eyes showed her true age and hardships. They were full of wisdom and knowledge that far surpassed anyone who looked her age. Her eyes were dark brown-almost black-with flecks of gold around the edges. She looked down at her palm then back up again. This is my wryda she thought my fate.

As the sun started to set Eralays excitement grew. It became darker and soon she had to light a candle. It became darker still and Eralay dragged the saddle and food out from their hiding place under the bed. The moon peeked over the horizon and started to rise up into the sky. Eralay contacted Shaidin and asked ‘is it time?,’ ‘aye’ he replied.

A dark shadow flickered across the moon as the tree remaining soldiers patrolled the perimeter of the castle. The shadow hovered in the moonlight for a second then descended towards the castle. The guards looked up, confused, and so did not notice a girl silently walking up behind them. With a flash of gold the first soldier fell to the floor in a pool of blood. Swinging her arm the girl finished off the other two before they had time to react. No alarms were raised, no sirens sounded, nothing moved in the night, only the shadow and the girl.

As Shaidin landed in the courtyard of the castle Eralay wiped the blood from her blade. The sword was one of elven make, made for her mother when she was chosen to be a rider. Leathea was a gold dragon like Shaidin so it suited that Eralay should carry her mother’s sword. The blade was pure gold, the handle was made of strings of gold and silver intertwined in a complex pattern and laid into the pommel was a large topaz. The swords craftsmanship was amazing and because it was elven made the blade would never brake. It was the only thing she had left of her mothers and she cherished it. The only thing that puzzled her about it was the markings that ran across the blade, she assumed it was the ancient language but she had never taken the time to learn the ancient script. Eralay dragged over the saddle; saddlebags stuffed with food, placed it on Shaidins’ back then tied it on securely with the rope. Moments after she lifted herself into the saddle there was a hoarse cry from the roof, the bodies had been discovered.

Pushing off from the ground hard Shaidin glided into the sky. He wobbled for a moment in the air, struggling under the extra weight, but soon righted himself and started to make his way away from the castle. Eralay could hear the twang below of arrows being released. She turned back towards the castle and saw lined of soldiers with black bows. Many arrows had already been loosened and many more were being fitted to bows. As arrows sped towards them Eralay reached for her magic “letta orya thorna!,” she yelled, extending a hand towards the arrows. They stopped in midair then fell to the ground, the guards soon released another wave but Eralay and Shaidin were now out of reach.

Now they were safe from the castle Eralay had to decide where they would go from there. To the north was the castle and there was no way they were going to risk going back there. To the south lay the city of Ûru’baen, the capital of the empire and temporary home to the Razac, to the west was the most likely way the soldiers would travel so that left the east, the Hadrac desert and the uncharted lands beyond. Flying across the desert would give them time to plan their next move and would also provide good refuge from Galbatorix as the empire did not control anything over the western border of the desert. After Eralay explained this to him Shaidin angled himself towards the desert.

They flew for two days solid only stopping once. The desert was empty besides a few lonely cactuses and a lizard or two. During the day the summer sun reflected off the sand and the air was hot and sticky. At night the air cooled and the wind blew, though not unpleasantly. The flight was slow. After their initial escape, when they were close to the desert, they were attacked by both soldiers and a Razac. Shaidins wings and body had been pierced many times by the soldier’s arrows while Eralay fended off the Razac. The soldiers receded when they reached the desert but the Razac gave chase. Shaidin struggled to maintain the distance between them and the Razac but eventually it turned back. They landed soon after and Eralay healed some of Shaidins bodily wounds then they continued on. After two of flying Shaidin angled his wings south-east towards the Beor mountains and within a few hours they were in sight.

That night they camped in a large cave on the outskirts of the Beors. The enclosed space made Eralay feel safe as well as knowing they were far from the empires grasp. As Eralay tried to heal Shaidin further they discussed what they should do. ‘We can’t go to the Varden now, it’s too risky to go back into the empire, even for a short time’ Shaidin was right, they only had two options the empire or the Varden, or maybe... ‘What about the elves?,’ asked Eralay. She had been too many elf cities before so they may be able to find refuge there. They decided this was their best chance. Eralay could not heal more than a few of the wound before exhaustion overtook her. She had not slept since they left the castle two days ago so she found no trouble sleeping. She lay down next to Shaidin and was son engulfed in a deep sleep.

Eralay awoke late the next day, just as the sun was setting. She slipped out from under Shaidins wing, which he had placed over her protectively, and made her way over to the pile of crackling embers that had been the fire. She ate a small meal of mainly fruit then returned to Shaidin who was now awake. His eyes followed her but she did not look at them but instead stared at his wing. She stood next to it, cupped her hands over one of the smaller wounds then reaching for the magic uttered “waίse heill”. The place below her hands glowed and her palm tinged but she could not sustain the flow of magic and when she removed her hands the wound was still there. She stood there, once again staring at the wing, the gold scales glistening in the setting sun. ‘You know your eyes change colour when you do that’ the sudden comment startled her and made her jump. “What?”, she said out loud ‘I said your eyes change colour when you use magic. They go gold, like my scales!’ this confused Eralay slightly but she shrugged it off. Slowly she wriggled her way back under Shaidins wing and fell back to sleep. Her dream was a hazy mess of black, red and a putrid orange with a glint of silver ever now and then. Everything was silent then a giant roar. When she woke up it was the next night.

pretty good....there were a couple of misspells and about 1 place that didn't make since..here it is...: As Eralay tried to Shaidin further they discussed what they should do.

wow ur a quick reader...soz i menat to say heal and im a bad speller so sorry bout that

sorry bout this guys but my internet credit at school ran out and i havnt been able to get on the home 1 for ages. im glad u like it so much!!

the document isnt actually working on this computer so it my be a few weeks b4 i can put it on im sorry

This is so good, update soon!

hey i finally got internet on my laptop so another 4 chapters for you

Chapter 5~Shadows Rise


s he sat there, her face cloaked by shadow. The small fire she lit only provided a minor comfort in the shrouding blackness that surrounded them. It had been a long few days, escaping Ûru’baen, being chased by the Razac, but it was worth it. As Eralay lent back against Shaidin she thought over the events of the last week. Another consciousness touched hers ‘we have been through much little one’ said Shaidin yes we have she thought to herself, ‘once we get to Ellesméra we’ll be safe’. She hoped what she said was true. The truth was no one had entered Ellesméra for such a long time now she wasn’t sure it was possible. But if the rumours she had heard in the castle were true, that the rider Eragon had entered Ellesméra some months ago, then they might have the smallest chance. It was a small chance but it was all she had to hold onto. With this thought in mind she drifted into a half sleep.

The next morning, just before dawn, Eralay place the saddle on Shaidins back, between two of the pearlescent spines, then they set off into the sky. The flight was laboured and progression was slow because of Shaidins wings. The fight the other day had left them both battered. Eralay was still very weak and exhausted so many of Shaidins wounds had to be left unhealed. Even after sleep she was still very weak and only able to heal a couple of minor wounds as they left the safety of the cave Eralay suddenly felt exposed and vulnerable. Shaidin must have sensed this because he brushed his mind against hers and said ‘we’ll be fine little one, I promise.’

After several hours of flying the human city of Hedarth came into view on the horizon. They stopped some leagues from Hedarth to eat and decide their next course of action. They decided it was too risky for them to fly directly past the city as Shaidin could not fly high enough, with Eralay on his back, for them not to be seen. In her weakened state Eralay would not be able to fend off any attach from the city, it would also blow their last defence. The main reason they had been able to avoid Galbatorix this far was, not only were they outside the empire but no one else besides Galbatorix and a few guards knew of their existence. Eralay also ruled out trying to skirt the city because it was still too dangerous and would take too long, plus they would still have nowhere to enter Du Weldenvarden but through the elven post of Ceris. ‘They would not recognise me after all these years. I was much younger when I went there with Brom and everyone I know there would most likely be dead. I have contacts in both Silthrim and Kirtan. Silthrim is too far into the forest for us to reach without being seen. Kirtan is our best bet, it is the closest to the edge of Du Weldenvarden and to Ellesméra.’

So it was settled. They camped just outside Hedarth that night and the next day Eralay went into the city, collected enough supplies for herself for several days then they set off, northwest over the Hadrac desert to Kirtan. After a day and a half of travelling Eralay looked behind her. She twisted in the saddle and stood facing where they had come from. They had covered a lot of ground, even with Shaidins injured wings. Hedarth was now only a tiny speck in the distance, surrounded fully by golden sand, which became smaller with every passing second. She spun back around and plopped down with a heavy thud. To the left, the great expanse of the Hadrac desert stretched before her, glittering gold in the blinding sunlight. To the right, the mighty forest of Du Weldenvarden and beyond that, the uncharted territory that showed where Alagёsia ended. And in front, the thin green line that was their destination, the outpost of Kirtan and nestled somewhere deep in the lush green forest, Ellesméra, the elven capital.

As the day started to end and the setting sun turned the sky pink, a black slither appeared across the desert. As it caught Eralays eye Shaidin angled towards it staying high enough that in the low light they would not be seen but low enough that, with mumbled words of the ancient language, Eralay could clearly see what it was. “Urgals” she whispered under her breath, and she was right. Hundreds of Urgals in battle armour were making their way west across the Hadrac desert. And not just any Urgals but Kull, the strongest and most ferocious type of Urgal. As a magician under Galbatorix, Eralay had the unfortunate chance to examine the mind of a Kull and she was disgusted by what she saw. A whole life built on the suffering and killing of others. At that time she had wanted to kill the Urgal there and then but she had refrained. As Shaidin turned from the Urgals Eralay wondered what so many Kull were doing out in the desert. When she shared her thoughts with Shaidin he replied ‘I do not know but whatever the reason, I doubt it’s good. They are ready for war, I can feel it, there will be a battle in Alagёsia before the month is up, mark my words.’

That night Eralay did not sleep. Not just because of the Urgals, but because it was the night of the Agaetί Blödhren-the blood oath celebration. Had she been stronger she might have attempted to scry the festival but after two days of travelling she could not access the magic needed. Taking a long drink from her water skin she lay down next to Shaidin remembering the festivities of this, the last night of the Agaetί Blödhren, from the only time she had seen it, the year before the fall of the riders.

Chapter 6~Memories

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he stars still shined in the sky when Eralay and Shaidin left their camp. By the time the sun had risen high in the sky the distant strip of Du Weldenvarden had inched closer and now loomed in front of them. The ancient trees stretched so high you could not see the tops in the clouds. The moss covered both the trees and the ground making it look like a giant blanket had been laid over everything. Several miles from the tree line Shaidin landed softly on the lush green grass that stretched out from the forest. As they walked closer Eralay became more and more apprehensions, she could feel the magic in the air and evidently so could Shaidin. He twitched his tail from side to side with anticipation and curiosity. She knew if anything happened he would be ready, even if she wasn’t.

They walked into the forest slowly, taking each step with care. The smell of pine needles and moss reached their noses. The air felt cool and moist and birds sang beautiful songs whilst squirrels chattered to themselves. Mice scuttled away into shadows, a herd of deer bounded off into the distance and bugs crawled, walked, flew or scuttled around the unwelcome visitors. After the vast emptiness of the desert she welcomed the enclosed space but with caution. The forest had a bad reputation and even then, she had learnt not to trust elves.

They walked deeper into the forest, deeper into darkness. By this time the sun was almost setting and although holes in the canopy became more frequent, the forest was soon engulfed by darkness. Eralay gathered a few sticks that lay about and with one word “brisingr” started a fire. She dined on the few fruits and biscuits she had left then settled down by the fire. She drifted to sleep listening to Shaidins breathing. That night she dreamt.

A putrid orange sky. Rocky floor. plumes of smoke coming out of holes in the ground. Two armies collide. Swords, spears, arrows. Blood pooling on the ground. Birds circling overhead. Then a roar. Two dragons locked in combat, falling up and down in the sky, riders holding on for their lives. A river. A ship. A large ship, shaped with a dragons head, travelling up a ghostly white river. On a plateau, the two riders in combat. One rushes at the other and...’ Eralay woke with a start, sweat beading down her face, breathing heavy and hands shaking. She did not know why the dream scared her so. Perhaps it felt real or because she felt connected somehow. No. It was because she knew it was going to happen, and soon.

They walked through the forest again the next day. Every now and then she or Shaidin would feel a slight tingle or zap. Eralay knew this meant they had triggered another one of the elves ancient defences. As the day progressed this happened more frequently which meant they were getting very close. Gaps in the canopy were now very common and they let in long streams of sunlight that pooled on the floor like green spotlights. Half a day passed and no sign of Kirtan but not long after midday a clearing came into view through the trees.

Seeing this sparked something inside Eralay, a memory; her and her mother running in this clearing, her mother’s dragon flying overhead, and other elves. Singing, laughing, playing and now it was silent. Before the fall this was a place of joy and now... As they stepped out into the clearing there was a rustle in the trees above and the glint of metal, by instinct they knew they were surrounded by arrows. Eralay stepped forward and, palm facing up, shouted “eka fricai un shur’tugal”- I am a rider and a friend- there was no answer, all was quiet. Once again she called and once again no reply. Suddenly a small elf dropped from the tree above them. She wore a green tunic that was obviously too big for her and was barefooted. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied into a loose bun and her blue eyes glittered in the sun. “Eralay?” asked the elf in a sing song voice, she had a confused look on her face. “Sarime” replied Eralay playfully, a smile flickering briefly across her lips.

Chapter 7~ In the City of the Elves

T
he next several days were spent in the company of the elves of Kirtan. There were stories told, memories shared between friends and celebrations held for the new rider. On the third night the decision was made that the two companions would continue on their way the next day. They would make their way north in the morning with the help of an old friend Sarime as a guide. She would guide them through the forest for two days, as close to Ellesméra and as far from Kirtan as she was allowed, then they would be on their own. The elves told them it would be at least a four day walk to the city so the elves gave Eralay enough food to last a week then piled it into the saddlebags.

On the last night a large bonfire was made in the middle of the campsite. The flames licked at the wood in the fire casting a soft orange glow on the houses around. Although she had been to elf cities and towns many times before Eralay was still amazed at how the houses were made. She had once seen an elf sing a house from the trees. The wood flowed out like water, almost dancing to the rhythmic sound of the elves song, the edges solidified then the rest went solid. When she touched the newly formed wood it still felt as if it was rippling and changing then all of a sudden it went still and once more felt like wood though somehow different. It was soft, smooth, alive and as much a part of the ancient tree as the leaves and branches. Magic flowed deeply though it as it did in the rest of the forest and it felt alive, oddly alive.

Late at night when the stars were out in their thousands and the moon was high above Eralay bade the elves goodnight. She and Shaidin left the fire and walked into the darkness heading for their own wooden house. The house lay not far outside the camp but it was obvious that it was older than the others. It was covered in moss and ivy had grown all over the outer walls but the inside was cosy. The floor was made of wood but felt soft as it had been packed down by trampling feet over many years. The furniture was made of the same smooth wood as the houses. Inside was very simple with only a bed, a bedside table, a dining table only large enough to seat two people and a chest of draws with a candle on top.

After healing a few more of Shaidins wounds, which were almost all gone now, Eralay lay down on her soft bed. The air was warm so she did not use the silk sheets left for her. She dreamt once more. The dream was vivid. The two armies met in the centre of the battlefield. One army bore the standard of the Empire and the other was unknown to Eralay but she guessed it belonged to the Varden. Another army also attacked, a mix of men and Kull. The birds drifted overhead waiting for the battle to end and dinner to be served. The boat came down the river, the water swirling a putrid shade of white then a sapphire dragon flew at it, its rider roaring a savage war cry. It hovered not far from the ship then flew away. The images flickered. Next she saw above the armies, the two dragons locked in combat. It flickered again. The two riders were once again on the plateau. The rider of the sapphire dragon, his armour stained with blood, lunged at the other rider, ripped off his helmet and...’ Eralay woke suddenly; she did not sleep again that night.

As the sun started to rise and through the canopy the sky looked on fire, the tree travellers set off towards Ellesméra. As Shaidins wings were now fully healed he ached to spread them once again. He pushed off hard from the ground, wobbled for a minute then regained his balance and flew off, though he did not go so far that he could not find his rider at a moment’s notice. ‘Sarime said not to go too far ahead’ warned Eralay ‘there are still many ancient traps in the forest that we would not like to spring upon ourselves.’
For hours Eralay and Sarime walked in silence, neither of them daring to break it. Last time they had met was a year and a half before the fall of the riders. Eralay and her old friend, Brom, had travelled together around the elven cities. They had had made friends in most of the cities but many would be dead by now as they were all quite old. One of the only few left was Sarime but they had not parted on such good terms. They had a large fight the night before she and Brom were set to leave Kirtan and because elves live so long they do not forgive easily. When they stopped for lunch only a few words were spoken then they continued on. By the time the sun started to set the trees had become further apart. Shaidin landed amongst the trees in a clearing not far away from the pair, and when they reached the clearing, he settled into a loose ball not far from where the two girls had begun to make camp.

After a small meal of fruit and crackers the pair settled down on a soft patch of grass. Although Eralay was part elf she did sleep, though not in the same way as a human; her sleep was lighter and allowed her to hear the slightest noise in the world around her while still letting her body rest. As Eralay shuffled closer to Shaidin she looked up at the sky. Leaves blocked out most of the view but stars still twinkled though gaps in the canopy almost as if they were winking at her. This reminded her of her mother. When she, her mother and Leathea would sit in the gardens of Ilirea and look up at the stars. She missed her mother and being back with the elves reminded her all the more of that. She closed her eyes and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Shaidin pushed his head next to hers and they fell asleep.

Really great, and interesting too..............you just had to leave us with a cliffhanger........update soon or I might just have to break into you house and steal your laptop!

nooo you cant steal my laptop!!!! im really glad you guys like it so much..im so flatered lol..i must say these parts wernt the most interesting but after this it gets quite good...but im not posting them bits...yet

Chapter 7~ In the City of the Elves


The next several days were spent in the company of the elves of Kirtan. There were stories told, memories shared between friends and celebrations held for the new rider. On the third night the decision was made that the two companions would continue on their way the next day. They would make their way north in the morning with the help of an old friend Sarime as a guide. She would guide them through the forest for two days, as close to Ellesméra and as far from Kirtan as she was allowed, then they would be on their own. The elves told them it would be at least a four day walk to the city so the elves gave Eralay enough food to last a week then piled it into the saddlebags.

On the last night a large bonfire was made in the middle of the campsite. The flames licked at the wood in the fire casting a soft orange glow on the houses around. Although she had been to elf cities and towns many times before Eralay was still amazed at how the houses were made. She had once seen an elf sing a house from the trees. The wood flowed out like water, almost dancing to the rhythmic sound of the elves song, the edges solidified then the rest went solid. When she touched the newly formed wood it still felt as if it was rippling and changing then all of a sudden it went still and once more felt like wood though somehow different. It was soft, smooth, alive and as much a part of the ancient tree as the leaves and branches. Magic flowed deeply though it as it did in the rest of the forest and it felt alive, oddly alive.

Late at night when the stars were out in their thousands and the moon was high above Eralay bade the elves goodnight. She and Shaidin left the fire and walked into the darkness heading for their own wooden house. The house lay not far outside the camp but it was obvious that it was older than the others. It was covered in moss and ivy had grown all over the outer walls but the inside was cosy. The floor was made of wood but felt soft as it had been packed down by trampling feet over many years. The furniture was made of the same smooth wood as the houses. Inside was very simple with only a bed, a bedside table, a dining table only large enough to seat two people and a chest of draws with a candle on top.

After healing a few more of Shaidins wounds, which were almost all gone now, Eralay lay down on her soft bed. The air was warm so she did not use the silk sheets left for her. She dreamt once more. The dream was vivid. The two armies met in the centre of the battlefield. One army bore the standard of the Empire and the other was unknown to Eralay but she guessed it belonged to the Varden. Another army also attacked, a mix of men and Kull. The birds drifted overhead waiting for the battle to end and dinner to be served. The boat came down the river, the water swirling a putrid shade of white then a sapphire dragon flew at it, its rider roaring a savage war cry. It hovered not far from the ship then flew away. The images flickered. Next she saw above the armies, the two dragons locked in combat. It flickered again. The two riders were once again on the plateau. The rider of the sapphire dragon, his armour stained with blood, lunged at the other rider, ripped off his helmet and...’ Eralay woke suddenly; she did not sleep again that night.

As the sun started to rise and through the canopy the sky looked on fire, the tree travellers set off towards Ellesméra. As Shaidins wings were now fully healed he ached to spread them once again. He pushed off hard from the ground, wobbled for a minute then regained his balance and flew off, though he did not go so far that he could not find his rider at a moment’s notice. ‘Sarime said not to go too far ahead’ warned Eralay ‘there are still many ancient traps in the forest that we would not like to spring upon ourselves.’
For hours Eralay and Sarime walked in silence, neither of them daring to break it. Last time they had met was a year and a half before the fall of the riders. Eralay and her old friend, Brom, had travelled together around the elven cities. They had had made friends in most of the cities but many would be dead by now as they were all quite old. One of the only few left was Sarime but they had not parted on such good terms. They had a large fight the night before she and Brom were set to leave Kirtan and because elves live so long they do not forgive easily. When they stopped for lunch only a few words were spoken then they continued on. By the time the sun started to set the trees had become further apart. Shaidin landed amongst the trees in a clearing not far away from the pair, and when they reached the clearing, he settled into a loose ball not far from where the two girls had begun to make camp.

After a small meal of fruit and crackers the pair settled down on a soft patch of grass. Although Eralay was part elf she did sleep, though not in the same way as a human; her sleep was lighter and allowed her to hear the slightest noise in the world around her while still letting her body rest. As Eralay shuffled closer to Shaidin she looked up at the sky. Leaves blocked out most of the view but stars still twinkled though gaps in the canopy almost as if they were winking at her. This reminded her of her mother. When she, her mother and Leathea would sit in the gardens of Ilirea and look up at the stars. She missed her mother and being back with the elves reminded her all the more of that. She closed her eyes and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Shaidin pushed his head next to hers and they fell asleep.


Chapter 8~ Tales Told

The next morning she woke to see Sarime sitting next to the fire. Eralay crawled out from under Shaidins wing, which her had once again placed over her in the night, and slipped over to where Sarime sat. As she sat down Sarime passed her a small platter of fruit. Eralay mumbled her thanks then proceeded to nibble on the fruit; she wasn’t very hungry so he put the platter down after a few minutes. “From now on your dragon should not fly, it’s too dangerous” Eralay snapped her head in Sarimes direction, who seemed not to notice and continued to pick at her own platter, strawberry-blonde hair draped loosely over her face. “You need not worry over him” Eralay replied coldly, “I have been through these parts before and...”, “must you always disagree with me?”, Sarime asked cutting her off. “I was to accompany you to keep you safe but if you intend to act childish and like you know everything I will leave you here!” the response caught Eralay off guard. It had not occurred to her that not only was Sarime meant to guide them, but she was meant to protect them. She glanced at the floor then looked up, locking eyes with the elf. Her eyes were not filled with anger as Eralay had expected but with grief and sorrow. Eralay did not enquire into this but tried to change the subject, when this didn’t work the camp fell back into silence. They travelled all day only stopping for a small lunch. Sarime led the group with Shaidin and Eralay following side by side. The trees were split far apart now for Shaidin to walk with ease but now and then a tree would get too close to his swishing tail and loose half its bark. No one spoke out loud but Shaidin and Eralay talked in their minds for a large part of the journey.

By the time they made camp that night the sun had long since set and the stars were out in full force. Eralay did not bother to eat but instead curled against Shaidin and promptly fell asleep.

When she woke the next morning Sarime was already preparing to leave. Eralay looked at the young elf as she busied herself collecting her belongings. Eralay rose silently and padded over to where a small pile of food was laid out for her, as she started eating she felt Shaidins mind touch hers. Talking softly he said ‘ I know the reasons for your actions but would it not be easier to make amends, even for a short time?’ She knew he was right, if she left this as another unresolved issue it would hang over her like a black cloud. As she ate Eralay thought of how best to approach the elf. Finally Sarime spoke, “I must leave now” she said showing no obvious emotion. Eralay stepped forward, “I do not want us to part like this again” a sense of authority was in her calm voice. They looked into each other’s eyes, looking for what they did not know. After a long moments silence Sarime spoke with a smile, “aye” she said looking away. “I am sorry for what I said” she said, her voice was sincere, “and I” replied Eralay. The two girls embraced then Sarime left the camp. ‘ I am proud of you little one’ Shaidin said pushing Eralay with his nose, Eralay smiled at him.
Another two days walking saw them at the clearing that marked the edge of Ellesméra. Squinting, Eralay could faintly make out the houses made from the trees. Once again displaying her palm Eralay called “eka fricai un shur’tugal.” This time there was an immediate response. Tree elves, with spears, jumped down from somewhere in the trees and landed gently on the grass on the other side of the clearing, barely making a noise. As soon as they saw Shaidin they walked closer, knelt, and moved their hands in a sign of welcome and respect which Eralay returned though she did not kneel. After exchanging the elven greetings Eralay spoke to one of the elves. “we must see queen Izlanzadί” she said in the ancient language. The elf turned and walked towards the city, followed by the others, then beckoned for rider and dragon to follow. They walked quickly and Shaidin struggled to keep up but after a short distance they stopped at the entrance to an enclosed courtyard. The elves told them that the queen was inside, and then they left.

The entrance to the courtyard was a large stone arch covered by a strange type of ivy that sprouted beautiful lilac flowers that looked pink in the sunlight. They walked through the arch into a ring of juniper trees. The branches of the trees intertwined and became a natural wall, concealing the interior of the courtyard from those on the outside. The floor was a mishmash of exotic flowers, moss and small patches of grass with a pebbled path leading from the arch to a small bench in the centre of the courtyard. A lady sat on the bench; she wore a gold tunic and a long red robe that fell to the floor in crimson ripples. While Shaidin waited under the arch Eralay approached the lady who smiled at her widely. Eralay knelt before queen Islanzadί who studied her “atra esternί ono thelduin” said Eralay breaking the silence. She was not used to speaking first when addressing the queen but there was no doubt she should, she was a rider. “Mor’ranr lίfa unin hjarta onr” replied Islanzadί, her voice ringing out in the silent clearing, “un du evarίnya ono varda” finished Eralay as she rose. Once again the queen studied her, taking in every little detail. “A rider?” asked the queen raising an eyebrow “yes” replied Eralay. “How?” at this Eralay began to recount the events of her life since her last visit, before the fall. She explained the attack on her mother, her father’s betrayal, how she and Brom had escaped, the capture, working for Galbatorix and finally Shaidin - their escape and journey to Ellesméra. It felt good to finally tell someone about it, she told her every intimate detail, like you would in a diary. “You have been through much, both of you” the queen said glancing at Shaidin as she spoke. “We will provide you sanctuary and all that you need”. “Thankyou” replied Eralay bowing to the queen.

Eralay and Shaidin were soon alone once more. After Eralay and the queen had spoken, Islanzadί had summoned a small, red faced elf to take them to their quarters. The tree-house they were to stay in was once used when riders visited the city, which had been often, but now the room was barely used. Since being in Ellesméra Eralay had learnt that Eragon had been in the city but had left earlier that day. This displeased her because she wanted to meet him but his reason distressed her. Her dream was coming true, Eralay had left to confront Galbatorix’s army. After eating, Eralay explored the large space that had been provided for them. The house was very nice. Most of the rooms were large enough to accommodate Shaidin. The outer wall of the bedroom had a large hole in it for dragons to enter through, as did the upstairs study, and there was also a padded hollow in the bedroom for Shaidin to sleep in. The decorations were simple, which Eralay liked, and the furniture comfortable. Soon enough she was asleep on her bed – not bothering to remove her bloodstained, travel worn clothes – no longer having to worry about being attacked.

She slept through the rest of the day and the night, waking late the next morning. When she woke Shaidin was already awake and sitting in his hollow, eyes somewhere distant. Eralay stood and walked to a table on the edge of the room where a platter of fruits had been left along with a pile of clean clothes. She abandoned her old clothes in favour of a long pale blue tunic and a pair of earthy green leggings. She picked up the platter and padded over to her bed where she sat, legs crossed underneath her, and started picking at the fruit. After several minutes there was a knock at the door and, at Eralays signal, in walked the same red faced elf that had escorted them the day before. “Islanzadί wishes to speak with you” reported the elf, his voice squeaked at the sight of Shaidin. Strapping her sword to her side Eralay followed the young elf down the stairs meeting Shaidin at the bottom, then through the elf city to a pair of vine covered doors.

The doors opened to reveal a hall 30 times as big as her room had been in the castle. The hall was long and thin – down the centre of the room was clear but chairs lined the walls – and on each chair was seated a royally dressed elf. Straight in front sat Islanzadί dressed once again in her crimson robe. A large bird perched next to her, piercing eyes following dragon, rider and elf as they entered the hall. Stepping to one side the elf beckoned for Eralay and Shaidin to continue on as he left the room. As they walked along, side by side, Eralay could feel the eyes of the elves drilling into the back of her neck. They walked closer to Islanzadί and Eralay grew tense. She had talked to Islanzadί before so she wondered why she had become so nervous, shrugging it off she tried to calm herself. ‘Be calm little one, you’ll be fine’. Shaidins touch comforted her but she was still slightly on edge.