The Name of Names

~22: A New Day~

The next morning, Vanya shared with Kaldar everything the Eldunari had told her, and then Kaldar told her everything he had been learning in the few lessons he had had with Saphira.

The testing part had yet to come, however, as Vanya strapped on her sword, and going to where Eragon was watching the Riders spar. A rider and a dragon was missing from the group, and Vanya assumed that they were gone with Saphira, who was also missing.

She approached Eragon with a bit of apprehension, trying to beat down her pride, which was remembering the times she had been beaten.

"Ebrithil." she said simply, pressing a hand to her chest.

Eragon nodded, "We can begin your training now, if you wish."

Vanya nodded, and they returned to the cliffs, where Eragon began the lesson again.

"The strength of the Dragon and Rider is each other." Eragon said, "Together they are strong. You must strengthen your bond between each other, being aware of everything they are doing at any given moment. I will be testing both of you on each other's lessons periodically to make sure you are doing this."

Vanya nodded, staying quiet and listening as best she could with a teachable attitude.

"For a few hours, we will be copying the ancient language runes, known as the Linden-Kvaedhi. I assume you already know them, but it will not hurt to practice." he said, leading her to the hut where she had previously talked with the Eldunari. She could not feel their presence, and was confused.

"Ebrithil, was this not where the Eldunari were?" she asked Eragon as he opened the door.

"Their minds come here at times, yes." he answered, entering the small hut. This time, the room was full of parchment, ink, and quills, with a desk against one wall.

Eragon handed her a poem, written in the common tongue. "Translate this three times into the ancient runes, and then you may come tell me." he left, leaving her alone in the room. Before she sat down, she stretched out her mind, searching for the Eldunari, but their presence was gone.

Turning to the task at hand, she took three sheets of parchment, an ink bottle, a quill, and the poem, and sat down at the desk, beginning to translate it. This was difficult work for her, as she had not practiced it at all in Elesmera, and by the time she had finished the first copy, it was noon.

Glancing up at the window for a second, she looked back down, taking the copy she had translated and began to copy it onto the other sheets of parchment, now doing the easy part.

When she finished, it was well past noon, and she stood up quickly, going to the cliff, where she assumed Eragon would be.

He was there, and he stood up as Vanya approached, "Finished?"

Vanya nodded, and Eragon spoke, "You will get better with practice."

Eragon turned and began to walk towards the great hall, as Vanya bit back a remark that threatened to come out. Instead, she followed him, entering the great hall and joining the rest of the Riders for the noon-time meal.

Aiden was farther up the table this time, with no empty seats by him, which Vanya wished were otherwise, but sat down by one of the elves, who was currently talking to Rathen, who was on her left side.

Vanya winced as she remembered her behavior as she had spared with the dwarf, and desperately avoided eye contact with him.

She took what was being served, some sort of mushroom dish, and ate in silence, until the person across the table-- the other elf-- started a conversation with her.