Adurna

A Dragon and a Rider

 Allow me to apologize for this update. I know it has been forever since my last update, but for those of you who have stuck with this story, thank you and I hope you enjoy.

Chapter Four-

There are little people for breakfast this day. Many of the towns’ people here are much too amped up about some mysterious thing to bother eating all of their fish omelets. Though I hate these disgusting creatures, I do not like the waste of perfectly fine food. I debate whether to leave it out for the stray dogs or cats, but knew Gran wouldn’t want them thinking they can come back for more. Perhaps I should place the leftovers someplace in the woods so they would have no idea where it came from. No one would miss the old food, I’m sure. I never touch the things and Gran isn’t wild about breakfast either. My trance was broken as I collected more plates from an especially excited group of men.

"…how long he will stay.” One man mused to himself, though it seemed to be a question for the whole table.

“I heard a few days, at least.” Another answered, younger than the first and was practically bouncing out of his chair. I eyed the old wood skeptically, hoping it wouldn’t collapse on him.

“I doubt it. He has better things to do than travel to all of these small towns to find the rider. How long does it take for the egg to hatch?” A third asked.

“Once the dragon feels the presents of the rider they want, it will hatch.” I mutter quietly to the group as I take their half empty plates from them. The men are surprised at my sudden input, but thankfully take it gracefully.

“So he has to stay for a few days.” The second young man states rather proud of his correct assumption.

Curiosity spikes within me as I hover on the outskirts of their small group of five. “Excuse me,” I say loudly to get their attention. They look up at me curiously, though the young man (not much older than me) looks annoyed at another one of my interjections. “If you don’t mind me asking, do you know when Eragon will be arriving? I haven’t been out of the house as much as I wish.” I’ve been stuck in my room crying about a marriage I don’t want and too ashamed of it to leave my house, I want to add, but I hold my tongue.

“Eh, girl, he’s just arrived today. Hear he’s down talkin’ to that mayor of ours in the center of town. Everyone’s there. I reckon you better get down there real quick to see ‘im.” An old man, Jed I realize quickly, replies after the rest of the group says nothing. There is a kind twinkle in his light gray eyes as they take in my excited expression.

“Thank you, sir!” I call over my shoulder as I race towards the kitchen. The boisterous laughter from the men follows behind me, but I don’t bother to turn. Gran is cleaning again. She looks up at my bewildered expression with curious eyes and waits for me to explain.

“Eragon’s here,” I say rather breathlessly as I unclip my hair and allow it to fall down the length of my back. “I’m going down town to check. You should come.”

Gran is thoughtful for a short moment. She is taking too long to answer my dwindling patience. I wish I could run straight down and see it for myself, but I knew she would be furious if I just leave without telling her. She sighs loudly. “Go. I be there soon, I promise.”

 I smile boldly and wrap her in a quick hug before dashing out into the always deserted streets. The men from the pub are jogging briskly towards the center of town; even the Jed is keeping an even pace with the younger men. I race over to join them and am rewarded by a warm smile by the frail old man as I jog quickly besides him, placing my hand on his elbow to urge him on excitedly.

A large group of people are gathered around a slightly raised stage we rarely used. Many are talking in hushed voices, too excited to contain themselves. As my group gets closer to the crowd, I notice two men standing atop the stage. From the back of the crowd I am able to see that one seems slightly uncomfortable standing in a awkwardly stiff position as if he is not used to this many eyes on him and much larger in weight than the second. I quickly put the name to the first figure as the mayor of our tiny town. I feel silly having to call a man who decided to be in charge “Mayor”, but I do not make the rules. He does. My eyes focus on the next form. He takes on a comfortable somehow lazy stance with one arm resting on his hip…no, on the butt of a sword. The second man is taller than the mayor and much thinner. I can see the power he knows he has over us all, though he does not seem to use it against us. This stranger must be Eragon. My stomach twist in excitement at the fact of having him in town. I can’t make much more out, for I am at the back of the small gathering. It seems as if the population has multiplied for this moment, though it is silly to think this.