Before The Fall {An Eragon Fanfiction}

Chapter 7- Socializing

After dashing out of Oromis's study, my heart was pounding. Vascar caught up with me moments later and we walked in to the main entrance together. Over in the corner I noticed Brom leaning up against his dragon Saphira and made my way towards him. I should probably get to know him better since we are going to be classmates from her on out.

He noticed me coming after I was about halfway across the hall. I could see his eyes drilling into mine, showing once more the calculating look and the feeling of precision radiating off of him. Once I had made it over him though, the look vanished and was replaced by one of normal curiosity.

"Hello", he said extending his hand to shake, but the strangest thing was his hand was not sideways, but instead his palm was facing up, showing the Gëdway Ignasia glittering in the middles of his hand. Grabbing his hand awkwardly, he shakes my hand lightly, then lifts it up to his mouth and kisses it softly. My face grows hot until I see that his expression is exactly the same. Was that not a romantic gesture to him?

Brom chuckles when he notices my reaction, then says, "I see you are caught unaware by my gesture. But do not fret, in my hometown this is how all men greet women. It is nothing romantic, just an old custom of respect."

"Oh", I say slightly louder. I did not know what else to say, so instead I asked, "where do you come from?"

"Kuasta", he says, his smile broadening somewhat. I had heard little about the secluded coastal town since I had been born, so I didn't know what to say.

"So", he says noticing my dilemma, "how many people have you met here in Ilirea so far?"

"Well, obviously you and Oromis. But I have also met Alaric, Draumrhjarta, Leilani, Glaedr, Lokor, and Morzan."

Something seemed to flash in Brom's eyes when I had said Morzan's name. But it was gone so quickly I could have been imagining it.

"Ah, Morzan... Between you and me, he may be strong of body... But he tends to be weaker of the mind", and after he finishes, Brom quickly looks around, as if making sure Morzan could not hear. And this time, I did not imagine it.

Letting the boldness get the better of me, I ask, "why do you act like that around him? As if he is your supe-"

But I never get to finish, as Saphira cuts me off with a sharp growl and Brom's eyes go wide, looking somewhere over my right shoulder. Quickly whipping around, I see Morzan and Dagshúro striding towards us. Gratitude to Saphira wells up inside me for giving the warning that they were coming. If I had finished what I was going to say, well, let's just say Morzan would not have liked it.

As Morzan and his red dragon get closer, I feel Vascar tense up slightly. 'Easy', I say to try to calm him, but it does nothing.

Finally he reaches us, and first looking at Brom, then me, he says, "ah, young Talia. We finally can meet properly", stretching his hand out to shake mine.

For reasons unknown to me, after hearing his first sentence, no matter how smooth and unnerving his voice was, I was irritated with him to no end.

As I stretched my hand out to his, I said, "first off, I'm not that much younger than you, and second we've already been introduced."

Something in his eyes seemed to flash, and there was no doubt in my mind that he was annoyed I did not submit to him. Finally after a moment of silence he says, "how old are you then?"

"Fifteen", I say confidently, but falter after a triumphant gleam leaps into his eyes.

"Fifteen.... Well Talia, to me that is younger for I am sixteen."

"That's only one year!"

"One more than you. But, it is not your age that I consider when I call you young, it is your training years. I have been here for three years. I have more experience than you could ever imagine."