Sja Fram [Inheritance Cycle | Eragon Fanfiction]

Chapter VIII: Daret and Swords

Chapter VIII: Daret and Swords

Yet again I woke up with no dreams that night, however an image of a dark purple dragon was always on the front of my mind as I woke up. We had slowly been increasing the pace of the horses each day so that we could now canter for three hours straight before walking for two hours.

As we trotted into Daret we slowed the horses to a walk. With the memory of what happened in the previous town we strode to be silent. As we passed between silent houses we each drew out a weapon. I held my bow in one hand but kept the sword ready to be pulled out.

I looked down at the ground for tracks, after a minute or so I spotted a pair of large footprints, adult sized, next to a smaller pair, possibly a child's.

As we reached the centre of Daret we found it was empty. Underneath me Istal tensed, I tensed as well knowing that there was danger. Brom pulled Snowfire around so he was facing the way we came. "I don't like this, let's get out of here," Eragon urged Cadoc to follow.

Istal on the other hand charged straight ahead at a gallop. A few strides away from Istal's chosen exit, wagons toppled into my way. Istal snorted and slid to a stop before rearing and racing elsewhere. I knew Istal hated to be trapped in a small area, probably due to the time he and I were trapped in a fiery barn.

Istal raced over to where Brom on Snowfire and Eragon on Cadoc were waiting. Seeing the wagons once again, Istal prepared to leap over them. However I knew that the horse would never clear them. Istal changed direction slightly so he was preparing to leap over the poles sticking out in front of the wagons.

A man leapt out in front of the wagons and stood in front of where Istal was planning to jump. I noticed a broadsword in a sheath beside him and a drawn bow in his hands before Istal reared and I was busy trying to control him.

I had let go of my bow when the wagons first came out, and I was currently holding Istal's mane in one hand and reins in another. "Halt!" The man yelled out which made Istal more nervous as he bucked out. "Put your weapons down. You're surrounded by sixty archers. They'll shoot if you move. Make your horse stand still."

"I can't! Istal just won't stand still. I swear this goddamn horse is way too green to be ridden half the time." I said, I loosened Istal's reins and he landed with four feet on the ground.

In those spare seconds I dismounted and pulled Istal's reins down. Istal seemed to calm down slightly but was backing up. I turned to look at my horse and stood still and let the reins go. Istal suddenly understood what was happening and nervously walked back to me. I grabbed the reins and led my horse over to my dropped bow.

I attached the bow to my saddle and led my horse over to where Brom and Eragon was. "When you enter Dras-Leona, would you do us a favour? Alert the Empire to our plight and those plights of the other towns. If word of this hasn't reached the king's ears there is a cause for worry. If it has and he has chosen to do nothing that too is cause for worry." The man said.

"We will carry your message, may your swords stay sharp." Brom said.

"And yours," the man, who I had decided was chosen to defend Daret.

The wagons were quickly moved out of the way and Eragon and Brom trotted off. I sighed and looked at Istal who was still nervous. I put the reins over Istal's head and tied them to the saddle before racing after the pair. A short whistle from me made Istal quickly join me.

Soon we were out of Daret and back among the trees along the Ninor River. I mounted Istal again, Istal tossed his head and nickered. I gave him a stroke on the neck and got him to go into the shallows of the Ninor River.