Before The Fall {An Eragon Fanfiction}

Chapter 30- Seeking Revenge

I knew as soon as I entered my room that I would not be able to sleep that night. The room room seemed intimidating and lonely in my nervous state. Turning around, I strode out of the room and made my way through the complicated halls of the palace. But, despite my confusion in direction, I made it to my destination fairly easily.

'Vascar,' I said, nudging the orange dragon with both my mind and my hand. He simply opened one eye before lifting his wing, allowing me to crawl into his protection and curl up against his warm underbelly.

'I love you little one,' he whispered in my mind as sleep began to drag me into its comforting embrace.

'I love you too, Vascar,' I mumbled before shutting my eyes and allowing myself to sleep in his loving embrace.

~*~

'Talia,' Vascar said, and instantaneously I was awake and alert, 'Oromis is looking for you.'

"What!" I said out loud, my shock evident in my voice as I pushed against his wing to crawl out, "Oh no, he doesn't know I'm here!"

As Vascar lifted his wing, I sprung out and found myself face to face with a disgruntled looking elf. Oromis allowed the slightest smile to cross his lips, while still looking stern, before he said, "He does now. But, next time Talia, tell me where you will be so I do not worry and think you have been taken or hurt... or worse."

"Yes master, I will not let it happen again."

He nodded before turning and walking out the door, and I knew that I was supposed to follow despite not being told. I jogged out of the room, catching up to him in moments and walking by his side through the empty halls.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, noticing the lack of activity.

"Probably sleeping," Oromis responded, "the sun has not yet risen and most of the nobles do not wake until the sun is a good hands breath above the horizon."

I chuckled at the thought of sleeping so long as I continued to follow Oromis. We quickly fetched Brom and Morzan from their rooms, both of whom were ready the second Oromis knocked on their doors, before swiftly making our way out of the palace, our footsteps echoing in the still air. It seemed unnaturally quiet to me.

When we finally stepped outside, the brisk, morning air chilled my skin and caused a line of shivers to crawl down my spine. The cold air clung to my clothes as we swiftly made our way towards the town square. I did not know what I was supposed to do once I got there, but I hoped Oromis would explain it to me when we entered the square.

Unlike the palace, the middle of town was already beginning to fill with eager towns people. As my gaze passed over the faces of children and adults alike, all I could see was excitement and anticipation, nothing that seemed particularly threatening to myself or the dragon riders.

'I look at them and I see myself,' I commented to Vascar, 'this was how I felt before you hatched for me. I don't see how any of these people could be a threat to us.'

Vascar studied their faces through my mind, 'It's true that they do not look very dangerous, but we must not judge based solely on appearances. Some humans are adept at hiding their intentions behind false emotions. See, dragons do not waste time with devious plots and schemes. If we do not like something or someone, we make it known.'

'A part of me wishes we were dealing with dragons, that way we would at least know what danger we faced and could figure out how to calm them.'

Vascar grumbled at the thought of being less dangerous than what we were facing, his pride making his scales itch. I simply chuckled and turned my attention back to my surroundings.